20M. 6’5 180 lbs. heavy vaper heavy drinker.
Exposed to hsv2 2 1/2 months ago I don’t believe this is it. Never had any symptoms. Recently if I jerk off I’ve been getting these one other time in another place. And had sex w a clean parter last night and woke up with this.it did seem to have a hair in it which I pulled but other ones weren’t. To me is seems like my follicle just get inflammationed They are red bumps that go away in 2-3 days. One I had before white headed and woke up and pus was gone. This one came up and was pretty raised above skin. Mind u none of these ever hurt or itch. But this one is a tad itchy nothing bad but also because I’ve been picking at it as I never did the other ones.
https://ibb.co/8s4yFtW https://ibb.co/djhk2jr

Exposed to hsv2 2 1/2 months ago I don’t believe this is it. Never had any symptoms. Recently if I jerk off I’ve been getting these one other time in another place. And had sex w a clean parter last night and woke up with these. They are red bumps that go away in 2-3 days. One I had before white headed and woke up and pus was gone. This one came up and was pretty raised above skin. Mind u none of these ever hurt or itch. But this one is a tad itchy nothing bad but also because I’ve been picking at it as I never did the other ones.
https://ibb.co/8s4yFtW https://ibb.co/djhk2jr

I’m writing this to hear if I should honestly be worried…let me get straight to the point…

1. I had unprotected oral sex with four men in my lifetime
   
2. Been intimate and had relationships with 3 men in my lifetime
   
3. When I’m intimate, I always have protected sex.
   

4, In total, I’ve had sex (including orally) with 4 men in my lifetime.

1. I have a lot of pubic hair and get ingrown hairs a lot/they reappear because of it (I think). I now have two painless bumps/scars (they look like ingrown hairs and can possibly be ingrown hairs, boils, cysts, etc). one located outside on one of my vaginal lips and one inside the inner lip of my vagina near the opening (if you look at my post history I had one near my clitoris but it went away). Both I squeezed out puss and both ended up scaring.
   
2. I bruise easily especially on my legs and arms. Don’t know if that has to do with any STDs. Probably just deficiency who knows.
   
3. I have acne on my face, red patches that appear out of nowhere, and the skin on my face peels sometimes.
   
4. I get anxious and always assume the worst case scenario when I feel something is off or I’m overthinking like I am now.
   
5. Every time I poop, I stretch my anus to the point I open a cut (another thing that might have to do with deficiency) but better to ask just in case.
   
6. Because I had sex today, I realized before my partner inserted himself into me that he might’ve rubbed the surface of my anus (the cut) before putting on the condom and I’m worried along with possibly getting pregnant as well (I asked on a different sub about the pregnancy).
   

That’s all I can come up with for now. Please if you can give me feedback and if I should be worried. Thank you whoever reads this!

Rain continued to pour outside Hakurei Shrine, drenching everything from the narrow stone slab walkway, creating miniscule rivulets along the cracks, to the komainu statues standing side-by-side on opposite ends of the torii gate, glistening from all the raindrops, with tiny streams coming from their eyes.
Inside, Marisa and Rin continued to lie around, boredom lingering in the air and nothing to entertain themselves save for a select few belongings and things to fidget with. Marisa finished the book she read and switched to tuning her mini-hakkero to ensure it worked at maximum proficiency. Rin on the other hand stopped playing her erhu and bided her time messing with the cherry ornaments on the sides of her head.
Silence remained, the only sound was the pattering drops of rain on the sturdy roof above. Neither one of the two blondes spoke, let alone look at the other. After what felt like hours Rin broke the peace with a question, one that’s been on her mind for sometime.
“Hey, Marisa?”
“What?” Marisa looked up and turned her head over to Rin with a curious face.
“I’ve been wondering, but why do you live in the Forest of Magic?” Rin asked. The question itself, though innocent, took Marisa by surprise.
“What do you mean?” Marisa replied with some intriguement.
“I mean, from what I know that place is considered dangerous by most of the village because of youkai and poisonous plants that grow there, yet you live there by yourself, why?”
“Why not?” Marisa said in a more careless tone. “The forest has plenty of space to practice my magic. And being home to most of the materials I need to craft potions and perform spells it’s obvious why I live there. Sure, my place is a bit of a mess, and the occasional hallucinogenic fog can be troublesome, but once you overlook that it’s a great place to be.”
Rin was concerned when Marisa said ‘hallucinogenic fog’, but it wasn’t enough to distract her from her follow-up question, “But isn’t it lonely living by yourself?”
“A little. But I have Alice who lives close by, and even Kourin who I occasionally visit whenever I need something. And I always got this place here with Reimu.”
“But what about your family, don’t you miss them?”
Marisa's expression swiftly transitioned from a casual smirk to a grimace of distress as she halted her fiddling with the intricate mini-hakkero. Her gaze remained fixed on Rin for a prolonged moment, the weight of unspoken thoughts evident in her eyes. Finally, breaking the silence, she uttered in a strained voice, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Rin, perplexed by her sudden reticence, probed gently, "How come?"
“I just don’t, that’s all.” Marisa said with the intent on cutting the conversation short, but Rin wasn’t done asking.
“But they surely miss you, don't they? Don’t you have a mom or dad who’d want to see you? What about siblings, or other relatives? I mean, your last name is-”
“I said I don’t want to talk about it!” Marisa snapped at Rin, causing the white-red dressed girl to jump back a little from surprise. She didn’t expect Marisa to yell at her.
“U-Um…Sorry.” Rin said. “I didn’t realize the topic would be sensitive.” She looked down, now feeling melancholic. Marisa began feeling regretful seeing Rin’s expression.
“No, it’s fine. I’m sorry for yelling.” Marisa said. “I just don't like to talk about my family. It’s personal.”
“I see.” Rin said. “Again, I’m sorry.”
Another moment of silence; the rain outside acting as ambience. Marisa went back to fiddle with her device, yet couldn’t help but think about how Rin was feeling. She glanced over at her, noticing her lost in thought. With a hint of guilt she placed her item down and turned her attention back to Rin.
“Hey, you still wanna talk?” Marisa asked.
Rin looked over at Marisa, “Um, no it’s fine. Really.”
“No, I insist. You look like the topic’s been in your mind for a while now. I’m okay talking about it as long it doesn’t involve my family.”
Rin’s eyes traced the corners of a wall before she took a deep breath.
“It’s just…I miss my father. I miss having him around, helping him with work, laughing at the stupid puns he makes about flowers. One such pun he made was when he said he originally wanted to name me ‘Hana’ because I always make people bloom with joy when I appear. Haha…God that was a very stupid joke.”
“Oh, you must’ve been very close to your father.” Marisa said with a downtone in her voice.
“We were. My mom died when I was very small, I can’t remember anything about her; it was always just me and my dad. But, now he’s gone, along with everyone who supposedly doesn't remember me. From all the people my dad helped to the few friends I had. They all just forgot, all the memories of me gone from their lives as though my role didn’t matter to the overall public. I just wish I could know why, why everyone forgot, why I was removed from their history.”
“...I can relate.”
Rin looked at Marisa, a bit surprised by what she said.
“You can?”
“Yeah. I used to have a mother too.” Marisa said, making Rin’s eyes widen while she continued, “She was a strange person. She always went on and on about trying to rule over humanity, talking over the world, plunging everything into chaos and anarchy.”
“Huh?” Rin now was a bit confused, but Marisa only continued to explain.
“But despite all of that, she took care of me. When she wasn’t busy striving for world domination or bothering Reimu at her shrine, she made sure I was okay. She made me food and taught me how to cook, she cleaned my house and taught me how to clean (though I don’t do a good job at that), and of course she taught me everything she knew about the magical arts and its many spells. She was the one who inspired me to pursue magic, to always push myself to be the best I could be, better than any other magician to have ever existed. If it wasn’t for her, I’d probably still be a whiny child who ran away from home instead of who I am today.”
“What?” Rin was more confused.
“I still think of her sometimes. I think about the last time I saw her during Vampire Incident. I still wish things didn’t turn out the way they did, maybe then we could still be together. She would be proud of where I am now.”
Marisa’s eyes began to water. She wiped them away and looked at Rin again.
“Sorry for going on a bit there. I never really had a chance to talk to anyone about Mima-sama like that for a while. Except with Alice.”
“Wait, wait…Who’s Mima? I thought you were talking about your mother.” Rin said.
“Oh…Well, it’s a bit complicated, you see-”
As Marisa was about to explain, the doors to the shrine barged open, bringing in a soaking wet Reimu holding someone in her arms. Marisa and Rin turned their heads over to her in visible confusion and concern.
“Reimu? Why are you wet? And…” Rin asked, looking at the person Reimu held in her arms, noticing the immense wound on her body. “Wait, isn’t that the girl from a few nights ago? What happened to her?” She asked with worry.
“Please, you have to help! I think she’s dying!” Reimu said with a crying voice.
Without a second of hesitation, Rin rushed to grab a first aid kit while Reimu placed the wounded Suika on the floor. She didn’t care if blood were to get on the mats, that didn’t matter at the moment. Marisa came over, taking her hat off and began pulling things out. In her hat contained small vials filled with colorful liquids, a bag of herbs, an assortment of mushrooms, and a mortar and pestle. She carefully selected what ingredients she needed after a quick analysis of the injury Suika received, then got to work.
“What are you doing?” Reimu asked.
“I’m making a medicine that should help heal the wound.” Marisa said.
“Mi…nako.” Suika raised a hand over at Reimu again. Reimu looked at her with continuous worry. Rin soon returned with the first aid kit and got down to Suika’s side. She pulled out the gauze and focused on wrapping the smaller injuries first before focusing on the big one. Marisa finished mixing the ingredients together into a greenish paste. She brought it over to the large wound on her chest and began spreading it over softly. Suika winced, inhaling sharply while her hands clenched tightly. Reimu placed a hand on one of her hands, speaking to her in a soft yet hurried tone.
“It’ll be okay. Just hang on, alright?”
Suika looked at Reimu, her eyes already beginning to drift off as her breathing slowed. She spoke Minako’s name again, a name with deep meaning to her and Reimu. Then, her eyes shut, and her mind went blank.

Me and my mother have dealt with bed bugs ever since 2021
We got rid of them for good in late 2022 until we saw some bed bugs in late 2023
My brother brought them in and his bed was completely infested and we threw a lot of things out and cleaned up the apartment very well
We recently got into the new place and I saw a bed bug on a towel so I killed it and threw it out
I then found 2 babies hiding in my pillows which I killed and dried my pillows any times over
We then fumigated the place around may 13 of this year
I struggle with achne around my face and all of my back
I think these are bites but my mom says they are just achne
I do not know if these were bites before or after fumigation but I’ve noticed a bug bite on my pelvic area tonight (idk if it’s bed bug because it’s just one and it’s not very itchy)
My neck and back are constantly itchy so that’s why believe in this being a bed bug bites
Please help identify
I also have some bed bug looking bites around my lower chest area but I am a minor so I won’t post pictures of that area because I don’t wanna get banned

It always astounded me how one could feel so alone in the warmth of company. Holding a red solo cup, staring off into nothingness. Correction, staring off into everythingness, but processing none of it. My eyes send out signals of light and movement and color into my brain to be promptly drowned by a wave of thought. I imagine it like a petty thief being arrested the same day as a serial killer, the precinct in my mind has more important matters to attend to.
I’ve been told I’m very introverted. I always thought that meant I don’t like talking to people with how people toss around the word, so I always disagreed. I like people. They’re interesting and unique. It’s moments like these where I realize what people mean when they say I’m introverted. In this crowd of people, whom I willingly chose to spend time with, I’m still trapped in myself. I guess you could call that introverted, more accurately introspective, but who’s to say they’re mutually exclusive.
I don’t want to be in myself at the moment, otherwise why would I choose to hang out? But I don’t always have control over that. All it takes is being cut off in the middle of a story, or a joke that doesn’t land. Then I start to spiral. What a wonderfully apt word for it. I can feel my mind twisting and turning as I’m dragged down down down until I’m drowning in my chest, just to the left of my heart. My eyes still see a soft golden light and smiling faces and that fucking cup, but what I see is darkness and flood, akin to being in open ocean at night. I fail to stay afloat, and as I look around, the only thing I can see is a nothing that feels like everything. Or maybe I can see everything which is actually nothing. It’s not like one is more true than the other.
I just want to make them laugh. I want to see them happy. I want to be happy by making them happy. It’s selfish to want to be happy, I should be ashamed for caring like that. I don’t want to be ashamed, I want to be happy. I should deserve to be happy. But I don’t deserve to be happy, I deserve to be neglected. But am I neglected if this is deserved? Do I even believe I deserve it, or am I convincing myself that I’m not selfish?
Wave after wave of thought responding to another thought that came as a response to another keeps my head under the water, drowning me deeper. Some situations happen and you get better at dealing with them the more they happen. Not the case with this. No matter how common an occurrence, I’m always defenseless and fighting for my life.
“Is everything okay?” A rope descends into the water, beckoning me to grab on. I oblige, hoping it will pull me up.
“Sorry, I blanked. What were we talking about?”
Hi. I have hit a massive block in coming up with long form narratives, and because of this, I haven't gotten to stretch my writing muscle in a bit. Thought short little ideas like these would be easy to finish quickly and help give me good practice. Also thought there was no harm in sharing to an audience and receiving opinions, so if you're reading this, hi audience.
This first thing had no prompt, just me writing from a place of memory, so if you are so kind I'd love to receive prompts for more few paragraph snippets. If not, that's fine, I appreciate the time nonetheless.
See you when inspiration strikes again!
-Alex

Hi all, this is not a troll post/account. It's a throwaway account because I'm writing this with pure embarrassment, please respect that and don't write hurtful things below. Thank you in advance:(
TW: INFECTION ~ BAD SMELLS ~ PUSS.
I 22(F) have had this problem since I was a child in primary school, it's always been here so I thought it was normal until someone (a few close family members, my mom being one) pointed out they could smell something disgusting, and that's where I got paranoid and instantly knew it was me. Bare in mind I stayed at their house for a night, so of course I didn't have my tools (cotton buds, flannels, tissue, salt water) to clean myself, and I didn't want to do it there leaving a lingering smell in their bathroom. It was summer, we were all hot, and of course... IT was hot, and I was wearing leggings and a crop/ish top, I have a feeling every time my clothing uncovered it, the smell just wafted around.
So anyway, after they pointed out they could smell something I had to pretend "Oh yeah wtf is that smell", a few moments passed and I went to the loo, I opened the window, ran the tap and got scrubbing, with my finger (index to be specific), I used hand soap to clean, I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned until it was red all around. I let it air dry and helped the process by fanning it with my hand. I stayed in the toilet a while longer constantly sniffing to make sure the smell was gone. I went back to the living room and acted like I'd just taken the world's longest 💩
Eventually, they found out, weeks after. We all met up again, and they could smell it, and I just admitted "Look guys, it's my belly button I try and stay on top of it". They turned it into this joke, and sometimes I laugh, cause things they say are funny, but a lot of the time deep down it hurts. Real bad.
Now at this point, you're probably wondering, what's the smell? What's up with her?
I think I have a belly button infection. Or something worse, I don't know, but it can get really bad. Since a kid, I've always washed and cleaned it every night, or every time I go to the toilet I'll quickly rub it with some tissue, which always leaves yellow liquid on it... I know, disgusting, I too feel sick at it.
This could be dangerous, but there have been times I've gone to the doctors and said I have a severe ear ache, or bad chest, pretty much anything that'll prescribe me antibiotics. The antibiotics usually work, for a few days and then boom, it's back and worse than ever!
I haven't gone to the doctors specifically about it, because I'm so humiliated by it. My mom tells me all the time -You need to go and get it checked and have it checked- but I have a fear of that as it is, so going to get it checked, and seeing someone about something that has affected me for so long, is so nerve-wracking. It could have gotten really bad by now, and then what? I have a million and 1 reasons I'm hesitant to go.
This is sort of a list of what it can be like TW AGAIN:
• Red & Itchy • Sore • Swollen • Lingering smell • Green/Yellow/Brown gunk, either leaking or shows when I'm cleaning it • Sometimes get shooting pains from my bellybutton to my privates, which hurts • Cramp-like feeling if I move in a certain position or too fast (not often) • Can get dry • Sometimes leaks through clothes, and I have to throw them out. • Weird pain when cleaning (I'll write about it)
I don't know what I can do, I'm terrified to get it checked by a professional. I'm embarrassed about it. It stinks and it's exhausting keeping on top of it, I mean this is the cleaning process

• Boil water, let cool a little & mix salt into it.
• Get a handful of Cotton buds
• Get tissue
• Wet a flannel with warm water
• Put cotton buds inside and rub around (cotton buds cause some weird stabbing pain?)
• Once cotton buds become clear, wet tissue with salt water, put inside and rub around, until the smell isn't so bad.
• Ease the redness & Itchiness with a warm flannel
• Air dry.

^ This is almost like a ritual, every single night.
Please if anyone has anything similar, or knows what this could be, tell me. I don't want to go to... you know where 🥲😢
Thanks for reading 🤍

Reducing the risk of chest pain, particularly if it is related to heart issues or other serious conditions, often involves making several lifestyle changes. Here are some key changes that can help:

1. Adopt a Heart-Healthy Diet

• Increase fruits and vegetables: Aim for a variety of colors and types.
• Whole grains: Choose whole grains over refined grains.
• Healthy fats: Opt for unsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, avocados, and oily fish. Limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats.
• Limit salt and sugar: Reducing intake of added sugars and sodium can help manage blood pressure and weight.
• Lean proteins: Include sources like chicken, fish, beans, and legumes while limiting red and processed meats.

2. Maintain a Healthy Weight

• Body weight: Keeping a healthy weight reduces strain on your heart. Use a balanced diet and regular exercise to maintain or achieve a healthy weight.

3. Regular Physical Activity

• Exercise: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.
• Stay active: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine, like taking stairs instead of the elevator, walking or biking for short trips, etc.

4. Quit Smoking

• Tobacco cessation: Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease. Seek support to quit smoking, such as counseling, medications, or nicotine replacement therapies.

5. Limit Alcohol Intake

• Moderation: If you drink, do so in moderation. This means up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

6. Manage Stress

• Stress reduction techniques: Practice stress-reducing activities such as mindfulness, meditation, yoga, deep breathing exercises, or hobbies you enjoy.
• Sleep: Ensure you get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to help manage stress and overall health.

7. Monitor and Manage Health Conditions

• Regular check-ups: Have regular medical check-ups to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other heart disease risk factors.
• Manage chronic conditions: If you have conditions like hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, work with your healthcare provider to manage them effectively.

8. Avoid Illicit Drugs

• Substance use: Avoid using illicit drugs, especially stimulants like cocaine and amphetamines, which can cause serious heart problems.

9. Stay Hydrated

• Adequate hydration: Drink enough water throughout the day to maintain optimal bodily functions.

10. Be Aware of Medications

• Medication management: Ensure any medications you are taking do not have side effects that could contribute to chest pain. Consult your doctor about any concerns.

11. Know the Warning Signs

• Early intervention: Be aware of the signs and symptoms of heart attack and seek immediate medical attention if you experience severe chest pain, especially if it is accompanied by shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, or lightheadedness.

Implementing these lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk of chest pain and improve overall cardiovascular health. However, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before making significant changes, especially if you have existing health conditions or risk factors.

I wanted to get this off my chest
I have a friend from one of the big 3 unis and he keeps on asking me if i am keen to eat out with him. The problem is that i am an o levels student and i dont think he should be texting a minor. Blocking is easy but he takes the same bus as me often so he would be given the opportunity to confront me. He’s generally nice, i met up with him once with a friend to observe his personality and we both agreed he was chill.
However, some off behaviours i have observed is that even though i ghosted him on instagram he will still continue contacting me and asking me if i want to eat out. Another would be buying things for me (<$5 value) and although this was generous behaviour i feel like he shouldn’t be doing all this for a minor. He also asked me out of the blue if i want to go malaysia together with him one day. I think that’s really weird and unexpected since our age gap is quite large.
Adding on, he is aware that i have a boyfriend and he knows i am 16 this year, so i’m not sure whether i should interpret his actions as an act of friendliness or romance.
I’m posting this with the intention to get opinions regarding my situation. I could be reading too much into things.
TLDR: Uni graduate consistently asks me to eat out with him, takes the same bus as me so blocking is out of the question. He’s generally nice to me but there were some red flags i noticed such as buying things for me and asking me to eat out tgt with him. (+ other sketchy behaviour)
Even shorter tldr: is it normal for a uni graduate to contact o lvl student asking to eat together often

At the beginning it was a normal dream, I was with two friends, we went in front of our street, we saw huge Police trucks, we were innocent but the sight of such a group made us afraid and by observing them discretely one of these policemen spotted us: me and my friends started to run and it was as if we'd arrived in a huge parking of car with lights everywhere, huge holes in several corners of each floor with three long bars running through each hole to an unknown depth, we thought they were still chasing us so we started to try and hide, going down the floors quickly and discretely, grabbing onto the bars and going down from floor to floor. It was on the way down that we ended up separating, I kept going down floors that all looked the same, I remember starting to think I was in a strange situation. At one point, I decided to explore a floor and opened a door.
inside this room there was another door at the back. I started to walk and the ground literally opened, it was very deep and in the background I could see a room with very dark and scary red and green colors, during the fall I heard this music (no cap it was terrifying, thinking back it was logical because I watch a youtuber who makes videos on the backrooms and uses this music https://youtu.be/_QpCi4H-5q8?si=etJQbtSBl7MbUecG) With the music and what I was seeing, I was so terrified that I started thinking, “No way, backrooms really exist…” I am someone who has many dreams that seem very real to me and where I feel like I control every move, I had a lot of terrifying dreams where I was in danger but it was the first time I was so afraid of my situation that I had a burst of lucidity and I had the idea to squeeze my chest voluntarily to check if I was in a dream or not, it was too real that I wasn’t sure anymore. How can I tell you that I was so reassured when I woke up, firstly not having real problems with the police, and secondly not being trapped in the backrooms, before I didn’t realize how terrifying the concept of backrooms could be, It was like a simulation.
Sorry for my English, it is my second language, and if you have also dreamed of backrooms do not hesitate to share your experience !

I just wanted to share my story in case anybody else needs to hear it and to help me get everything off my chest.
I found out I was pregnant at 4+0 with mine and my husbands first pregnancy. I went and confirmed the pregnancy with a blood test from urgent care that same day because I just couldn't believe it after we had been trying for over a year.
At 5+0 I started having spotting and I didn't think anything of it at first because it was very light with no clots or pain and I know spotting can be normal in the beginning. At 5+4 the bleeding became bright red and was enough I needed to wear a pad but still mostly was just there when I wiped. Still no pain but I did start having tiny blood clots here and there. I still was trying to stay positive and knew this could still be normal but I went to urgent care to have a beta hcg done. My result came back the next day at 1644 and I was told to not be concerned unless I was filling a pad within an hour and had severe cramping.
I got in touch with my OBGYN and asked to be seen sooner than my 8 week appointment since I was still bleeding. They got me to come in at 6+1 and did a pap smear & breast exam since I was due for both of those and they drew my blood for lots of tests. My hcg came back at 1367 and I began to worry more that it dropped after 4 days but still tried to stay positive that maybe it was because it was done at different labs.
On 6+4 I got my hcg done again and the result came back at 1742 and I felt relieved that it was going up even if it wasn't quite doubling. Then I got a call from my OBGYN and I knew that wasn't a good sign. She told me that my levels were concerning and I needed to come in for an ultrasound ASAP. I was connected to the front desk and my original ultrasound was scheduled for the 20th (8+0) and they tried scheduling me for the 28th. I said that wasn't acceptable to move my appointment further back after being told to come in ASAP and they ended up scheduling me for the 21st.
Again, tried to stay positive and read lots of things about slow rising hcg success stories to keep my mind off of the bad. At this point I did have some cramping here and there but nothing I felt was concerning. My spotting became heavier but still wasn't enough to fill a pad in a day and the blood clots were more frequent.
Yesterday at 7+3 my cramping was more frequent (but still not too intense) and I went to the bathroom and a big blood clot came out. I immediately knew something was wrong and called my husband to come home and take me to the ER. Once we got there they took a urine sample and drew my blood then did a transvaginal ultrasound. The silence during the ultrasound was deafening and my mind was all over the place.
After waiting an hour for a radiologist to review the ultrasound, an OBGYN came in to talk to me and my heart dropped and I just knew something wasn't right. She told me that my hcg had dropped to 804 and nothing was seen on the ultrasound besides some fluid and some small cysts and the fluid was most likely from a cyst popping. I had no idea I even had cysts. She then told me that I was either having a miscarriage or an ectopic but they're leaning more towards and ectopic because of the hcg levels rising, dropping, and rising again.
I'm still in the unknown of fully whats going on and will learn more tomorrow after my beta hcg again. I was told that after my beta tomorrow I will either continue to be monitored every 48 hours, be given a shot to remove the pregnancy, or have to go through surgery to remove a fallopian tube.
I am so heartbroken, stressed, and scared. I feel empty, and like my body has failed me, my husband, our baby, our friends and family. I feel guilt for not advocating for myself as much as I could've to be able to catch this sooner. As of today 7+4 I am still bleeding not filling a pad and having off and on cramps as well as cold sweats. I don't know what the process is going to be moving forward and I'm terrified of having a ruptured ectopic and even more scared I may not notice. And it's scary knowing this situation could result in death if not treated properly and in time.
If anybody has any advice or kind words it will be much appreciated. If anyone is going through the same thing as me, you're not alone and hopefully our rainbow babies will come to us soon. Much love and care to everyone.

_ _ _ _ _
Impact and introduction
_ _ _ _ _
His first thoughts about his little predicament were that it was nothing like the anime he’d watched.
Finding yourself suddenly free falling from hundreds of thousands of feet in the sky was significantly more terrifying than it had seemed while cozied up in his bed, wrapped up in three-plus blankets and contently slurping his microwave ramen.
That said, he felt justified in screaming like a little girl. “Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit!” What was happening? Where was he? He had just stepped out of his house for a ramen run at the nearest gas station, and now this was happening. Great, just great, now he wasn’t going to be able to watch anymore anime- he stopped suddenly. “Oh, of course,” he muttered to himself, “That’s what’s going on here.” He was suddenly as stoic as a knight in shining armor as he plummeted through the sky, and he pushed the slightly problematic matter of falling out of his mind and focused on what would be important: His story. First: his name was Caen Eloso. He came from a strange other world with wondrous technology that left nothing to the imagination. Caen was what was in his third year at his school, Hansen Academy High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where teenagers his age were taught arithmetic, science and language punctuation before they went off into the world on their own. Colorado was one of fifty individually operating states in his home country called America, which was home to more than three hundred million people and overseen by a President.. America was located on one of 7 continents in his world, called Earth. There were a great many other countries besides America, of which he knew varying amounts about their cultures that he could give little tidbits of information about, but he figured he knew the most about Japan. Japan was basically heaven. The Japanese people were responsible for creating the best possible thing that his world had to offer, a wondrous thing called anime. He had dedicated his life to exploring every nook and cranny that was connected to the world of anime, and there was nothing that brought him more happiness than binging.
However, he figured he oughta remember some cooler stuff about Earth (he couldn’t really expect many people to weeb out with his stories without watching anime in person) if he ever found himself in a tight spot and needed to, say, entertain a dragon or something. Because…
He was ninety-nine percent sure that he had just been isekai’d.

That’s why, while plummeting to what seemed to be his inevitable doom, he kept a level head. Ignoring the previous screaming-like-a-five-year-old fit. Because, of course, anyone that was summoned to another world via falling from the sky always survived; it was kind of a given, otherwise the story wouldn’t get anywhere, duh. Whether it be due to some miraculous vitality, impossible superpowers, a one-time “safe-landing” provided by the dude that summoned them, or (and what he personally was hoping for) a rescue from some either super-shy or super-pissy elf hottie in possession of a huge rack… of swords, you pervert, that dressed in some skimpy armor (that really would do nothing to protect the vital organs, from a defensive standpoint) and who would kick off the protagonist’s harem.
When he actually gave it thought, he realized he wasn’t really all that interested in a harem, and kinda found the thought of one IRL gross. Like, did he even have to explain? But he knew that if he’d said that in an online chat with one of his internet buddies, they would definitely try to overrun his laptop with viruses. In what was now his previous life, he had had little to no experience with talking to girls, let alone “getting some action”. He really hadn’t seen the point, considering how difficult 3D girls were to handle. That said, he never really got into the hardcore otaku-type 2D obsession stuff, like buying lewd figurines and pasting posters all over your room and buying body pillows of your favorite waifu. He was just a hardcore watcher, and that kind of made-up for his lack of other tendencies. He would frequently spend 12+ hours a day shacked up in his room in 6 hour sessions of binging anime at 1.5 times speed; (he wanted to get in as much watching as possible) and that was only on weekdays. Yeah. With school. (Needless to say his grades weren’t exactly top notch) But weekends were another story, with him usually staying up till four in the morning on Friday night and then sleeping until twelve, when he would wake up and choose whether or not to eat before watching until he was told to get off, and then stuffing his fat face in the kitchen to his heart’s content. The point was, he had originally decided he didn’t want to “waste time” on a girlfriend. (Not that he was exactly confident he would be on anyone's radar if he were to try)
Anyways, more and more, (before he found himself falling from the sky of his new world) Caen had found himself feeling lonelier and more depressed as time went by, and so, he decided that in his new life he was going to quit his otaku and introvert tendencies and find the love of his life in what was to be his new world. Quite the goal.
With his mind made up, (this was some relatively quick thinking given the situation; he’d been falling for about four and a half minutes before coming upon this decision and entirely giving up on his old world and everything he had loved in it) (Besides his love of anime) he realized something… interesting. He hadn’t noticed it due to being lost in thought and not being capable of feeling it (probably his magical protection or something that came with being summoned), but he was currently a ball of flame. If he had been wearing clothes earlier during his fall, and he hadn’t actually bothered to check because of his little fit, they were long since burnt to a crisp. Even though he was certain he had a grasp on the situation, he couldn’t stop himself from freaking out just a little bit, especially as he felt himself growing closer and closer to the ground. ‘Alright, you can rescue me now,’ he muttered to himself, though his words were lost to the wind. His eyes widened. He realized he was too fast, far too fast. This entry was apparently going to be very flashy, which he wasn’t against, but… He could hardly gauge distance before he had halved it. Twenty thousand feet, ten thousand feet, five thousand, he broke through low hanging cloud cover, two thousand.. He shut his eyes as tight as he could and pulled his limbs in tight while covering his ears to brace himself and-
Boom.
_ _ _ _ _
Learning to walk and not-squirrels
_ _ _ _ _
The sound of impact deafens him. He instantaneously loses awareness of anything else besides the sound, but somehow remains conscious, unaware of if he had completely shattered into a million billion pieces or not. For time out of mind he couldn’t move any part of himself. His ears ring and his head throbbed something awful. He could not conceive what would make him capable of surviving a fall like that. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, he opened an eye to gauge his surroundings…
He was in a crater. Caen had expected as much, but his jaw literally dropped in surprise, something he thought no one actually did. It was at least eight hundred feet from edge-to-edge and four hundred feet deep, the ground smoldering, red-hot and smoky, but surprisingly only warm where he lay (thank you, summoners). He must’ve stayed stagnant longer than he thought for it to have cooled enough to touch. He slowly pushed himself into a seated position, sitting on his right leg and letting his left arm rest on his left leg, which he had bent at the knee. He once again surveyed his crater by twisting his head around.
Quite the entrance. “I guess this fits into the one-time no fall damage category…” he muttered to himself, running his hand through his hair, making note that it was surprisingly silky. “Cause there’s no way this is a vitality thing, right? Way too overpowered.” For a minute he sat like that, until he realized that something was tugging on the back of his mind. At first he ignored it like he would a buzzing insect, but it kept poking at his subconscious. And then he was hit with it with as much force as when his sister sent him to Jupiter for accidentally breaking her new phone; that wasn’t his voice. ‘Huh?’ Neither was that. His eyes darted to the sides of his vision where it gently rested on the sides of his face. His hair. It was much, much longer than it was in his old world, reaching as far as to hang below his pecs. It was shiny and straight, and didn’t look like it had ever been cut. But that didn’t startle him as much as its color did.
Caen thought back to the fairy tales and stuff of his childhood, and about how they tended to over exaggerate the features of their characters and the objects in them so that the average kid could understand it better, with phrases like “as beautiful as a freshly-picked flower”, “as strong as a bull”, “as bright as the sun itself”, and “as white as snow”. Well, now he wasn’t so assuming that those were mere stories and not just incredible experiences from the writers, because he was witnessing something impossibly… beautiful. Because his hair was white. A stark white, with an almost silvery sheen to it. Like when you wake up the morning after a snowstorm and open your window to see if school is canceled, and the snow blinds you when you look at it because it's reflecting the morning sun. Beautiful. He quite literally couldn’t think of another word for it. Slowly, he reached up to touch it again, once again feeling the impossibly smooth sensation. It glided over his fingers like water. And then he saw the fingers of his hand. Long and slender, perfect and unblemished. He was dumbfounded. ‘Are these really… mine?’ he asked quietly with his new voice. ‘A new body was always possible, I suppose, but I thought if that were to happen I would first have to be reincarnated and grow up with it myself. Did this body… come into existence just for me when I got here? I would hate it if I kicked out someone's soul so mine could stay here or whatever.’ He stood shakily. He was tall. Taller than in his other life, where he’d stood at around five-ten, Caen figured he was now around six-two. And, what he found almost as shocking as his hair, was that he was fit. Or perhaps thin would be a better word, something he had never been before. His stomach felt strange to him as it no longer bulged, and when on a whim he attempted the stretches he wasn’t close to being capable of before, he did so with ease. He could reach his feet when he sat and stretched out his legs, and he could even easily touch his toes. He was in the middle of attempting to put his foot behind his head when he realized he should probably get a move on and get out of there. He guessed that he most likely looked like a meteor for any settlement within a few hundred miles of his crash site. He quickly tapped his foot on a particularly smoldery-looking piece of earth to test if he could withstand the heat like before. He once again found it to be only pleasantly warm. With that reassurance in mind, he decided to get himself out of the crater. That was, before he realized he’d need to learn to walk again. He fell hard and broke his fall with his arms. His muscles felt unused and unfamiliar, though the movement of his arms came more naturally than the rest. At first, his legs were very wobbly and his knees shook and moved sharply if he strained them too much or too little, causing them to buckle and him to fall and roll back down to the center of the crater when he tried to walk out. It didn’t help that it was a pretty consistently steep climb to the edge. He must have been at it for at least an hour. But the distance was good practice for him, and with a lot of rolling in the scorched earth he finally managed to get himself to the edge. The adjustment period wasn’t that awful, considering, and he felt he should be kind of proud for learning so quickly. (At least that's how he thought of it) He stood up on the rim of the crater to see exactly where he was. A pretty considerable distance away he could see trees ringing the crater site, and he decided that he had landed in a forest. The further away from the edge the less burnt and bent the trees were, from the shockwave that came with the force of the impact, he decided. He sat down, leaned back and let his feet rest on the decline of the crater. It was incredible. It felt like he’d just woken up after twelve hours of sleep, and his mind was buzzing with activity like he hadn’t experienced before. Everything was so fresh. He didn’t feel tired or winded at all, and he saw everything in vivid detail, even though all there was to see was the smoldering earth and the forest in the distance. He even tried breathing in deep with his nose, but all he got was burnt dirt and he started coughing from the smokiness of it. Despite this, he smiled. He hadn’t felt like this in ages, a thought he had believed was reserved for seventy-year-olds after getting their backs adjusted by a chiropractor. He jumped up, deciding that the first thing he should do would be to find a settlement of some sort, or at least a stream so that he could drink some water. He wasn’t particularly thirsty, but the thought of a cool liquid down his throat made him shiver. He also wanted to eat something, and decided to keep an eye out for nuts or berries in the forest that looked innocent enough. And so he started his trek. Soon he was walking on long, springy grass and gazing at all kinds of fauna that was surprisingly familiar. He couldn’t really see a difference in the trees or bushes at first, but when he plucked a leaf from the low hanging branch of a tree that looked like the one in his backyard, he saw that the pattern of the veins was definitely different, if not by much. He could at least tell that, since he had played under that tree when he was little. He also saw a lot of strange forest critters, and his heightened senses picked up on their presences like a radar. Soon there were dozens of them watching him from the trees, giving him a wide berth but for some reason following, so he still caught a few glances. Most had bushy tails and large ears with short whiskers on their little snouts, and tiny little heads that looked like those of baby foxes. The overwhelming majority were a sandy brown, but a few times he also saw one that looked blue and one that looked red, and even one that was pink, but these were always directly in the shadows of the trees and bushes and would dart away as soon as he tried for a closer look. A different species that looked like a miniature boar no larger than a bowling ball, complete with tusks, a stubby tail and hooves, trotted directly trotted directly through his path with its head held high in what looked like a show of contempt before disappearing into a bush. It was totally adorable and he regretted not trying to pick it up before it had disappeared. He winced internally as he thought of how many of these balls of fluff were incinerated in his landing. Slowly, as he trekked on, the creatures became more and more daring, darting past him and soon getting in his full view shamelessly, but they didn’t seem to have any ill intent, so he really didn’t mind. At least, they didn’t look predatory. (though he inwardly didn’t trust that idea from his knowledge of anime) Suddenly, one that was much larger than the others, probably the pack leader, scurried directly in front of him and stood on its short hind legs, its arms drawn together. It was similar to the way squirrels “stood”. Caen paused mid-step. It had some sort of presence, and its pose seemed to indicate that it wanted him to sit down so they could have a conversation. Unlike the other not-squirrels, (as he decided to temporarily call them) this one’s coat looked much fluffier and was a rich, chocolate brown, and its ears had white tufts at the ends. Its tail twitched and he also noticed that towards the tip of it the hair was also white. It gave off some sort of aura. Caen crouched. ‘Hey there, little guy. What can I do for you?’ He asked in the same voice he would use for a cute dog or other friendly animal. It tilted its head and he had to stop himself from launching at it in a surprise hug attack. It stared at him for a little longer. Then, out of nowhere, it beckoned to him with a little arm, turned, and started running off. For a second, Caen stayed crouched, dumbfounded at what he’d just witnessed, until dozens of the hiding squirrels started running in the same direction as the big one. He shook it off and decided this was supposed to be his first big event in his story, and so he started sprinting after it, because these little guys were speedy. He ran for more than ten minutes, almost losing track of the pack until he caught glimpses of a bushy tail or fluffy ears that kept him on their trail. Since his endurance was off the charts now, he actually enjoyed the chase, and took the opportunity to breathe in the rich forest aroma as he ran. Soon, he broke out into a small clearing, where he saw the leader “standing” beside the mouth of a cave. The once again shy not-squirrels all hid in the trees and bushes that surrounded the clearing, and all he could see were their cute little button eyes glimmering in the leaves. There must have been hundreds of them. He hesitatingly walked over to the giant not-squirrel (because that was what it was in comparison) and crouched down again. ‘Do you want me to go inside there?’ He asked, pointing at the cave, and turning his gaze to the eyes of the creature. It stared at him uncomprehendingly, its black eyes giving no indication of some great intelligence that secretly lurked. He sighed. ‘Might as well,’ he muttered, walking over the cave entrance. It was as dark as one would imagine, but there appeared to be a faint candle light of sorts dancing on the walls around a bend about a hundred feet in. It also smelled heavily like some sort of crushed herb he was unfamiliar with. It almost overshadowed the rancid smell of rotting flesh. He narrowed his eyes at the giant not-squirrel and the rest of the pack hiding in the bushes before walking in. There was definitely something alive in here, and from the smell, it or they were dying.
_ _ _ _ _
Elf hotties and magic
_ _ _ _ _
The further into the cave he went, the more overwhelming the stench of death became. Caen gave himself a second to regain his composure, then covered his nose as he turned the bend. His eyes widened in shock. A pretty girl with silver hair and sharply tipped ears lay upon a bed of leaves, naked save several fern leaves that provided her the barest of modesty. Her form was softly illuminated by several low burning candles that framed her. A singular giant fern rested on her stomach, covering where James guessed the mortal wound was inflicted. Her eyes were closed and she breathed shallowly, and sweat was beaded all over her body. The different colored not-squirrels he had seen earlier were all gathered there, watching her intently, but quickly turned their heads as they heard his bare feet shuffling on the stone floor. All three of them were there, the red, blue, and pink furred not-squirrels, as well as a green one that he hadn’t seen before. They stared at him for several seconds before all but the green not-squirrels scurried behind him. The green one leaned its head down and seemed to whisper something in the ear of the elf. Caen’s world slowed. Her eyes crept open, a rich, deep purple that seemed to shimmer with silver dust like stars. She ever so slightly turned her head to look at the not-squirrel questioningly, and then her gaze drifted to Caen. As their eyes met, he felt a shiver and a volt of electricity passed invisibly between them through their gaze. Her eyes widened with what looked like disbelief, and she smiled at him ever so softly. Caen felt entranced. There was something special about this girl, something so very special, and he felt a stirring in his chest that made his stomach twinge, but not unpleasantly. She beckoned to him with a finger and he slowly approached her and knelt. Those few steps, with her eyes fixated on his, and his on hers, felt like eternity, and he couldn’t break the gaze if he wanted. ‘Greetings, White One.’ She said softly, still not breaking eye contact. Her voice sounded as though it were made to sing. ‘I apologize… I… was meant to be there to greet you upon your arrival. The best I could manage was providing you a safe entrance from the heavens.’ She said sadly, and a tear welled up in the corner of her eye. He hesitatingly reached out a hand and cupped her face, gently wiping away the tear with his thumb. She shouldn’t cry. He knew that, somehow, that it was wrong, that she shouldn’t ever have to experience sadness like that. She breathed in sharply at his touch, and then her gaze softened. ‘Who… are you?’ He asked quietly. She smiled sadly and tears flowed freely on the back of his hand. ‘Unfortunately, I don’t have the leisure to cry with you. I am glad that my friends were able to escort you here and provide you with safe company, for the forest is a very dangerous place, but… more than that, I am glad that I was able to see you… at… least once…’
Her eyes drifted closed. He quickly grabbed her arm and was hugely relieved to find a pulse, ever so faint.
She is so close to death, White One.
She has been holding out so that she could meet you, White One.
She has been waiting so very long for you, White One.
She spent what little mana she had left providing you safe entry into our world, White one.
These sweet-sounding voices echoed in his mind, though all of melancholy tone. He slowly stood and turned to face the not-squirrels.
Please save our Silver Lady, White One.
This voice was deep and strained with pain and suffering. In front of him stood the pack leader. He sat just in front of the other four not-squirrels, all mimicking his position. All Caen could do was nod, even though he was dazed and had no idea how he would be able to help her at all. ‘Show me the wound.’ he declared in a voice that sounded much more confident than he felt.
The four different colored not-squirrels glanced at the leader, and, the words still echoing inside of Caen’s mind like before, he said, ‘Do as the White One proclaims.’ They unhesitatingly scurried to their “Silver Lady” and carefully removed the large fern. Caen did not react how he thought he would. He saw it and his body shook, but not with disgust, or surprise, or horror, but with rage. He clenched his fists and the muscles in his arms grew taut as his fingernails dug into his palms. Her stomach had been ferociously torn open, revealing a sight that was best kept undescribed. His voice shook with power as he spat, “Who… Who did this… to her?”
His head snapped to the not-squirrel leader, his wild, hateful eyes boring into the creature. “We do not know, White One,

Hello. I’m struggling to find the source of these bites and I’ve attached pics. The ones on my knee are a bit painful but the rest are non itchy unless provoked. The ones on my knees are recent and they are kinda swollen like an ant bite and sting a little but the others don’t itch and are fading with Benadryl. Other than that, they are more red once I’m out of a hot shower. They are mainly on my left side of my body though on arms and legs not trunk
I had a guy from Orkin check out my place and we stripped down the mattress, moved the bed, and checked my suitcase because I traveled a week ago but that’s the only factor that has changed. He couldn’t find anything. And I’ve just lysoled my entire bed down and rewatched everything on heat. I’m not sure what to do but I don’t want these to multiply and get worse
Thanks

(slightly long post)
i don't get scared very easily, or at least i don't have specific triggers for fears. i can get scared playing horror games or whatever. i actually love horror and all that stuff, so i enjoy fear in moderation.
but for some reason, and i honestly DO NOT know why, but i have an intense fear of video game glitches. not regular glitches, but video game ones. i can't remember when the phobia started but i've had it for years now.
sometimes regular glitches creep me out too, but video game glitches are really hard for me. usually if i watch a video about glitches it doesn't bother me TOO much, but i still have a weird feeling. however, if i'm playing a game and it glitches, i freak out. if it's really small or funny then it doesn't bother me, but bigger ones or specific kinds of glitches get to me.
in particular i've noticed i'm most sensitive to glitches involving textures. if you play valve games or minecraft you probably know the pink and black checker missing texture. if i see it while playing a game it will either creep me out a little or make me stop playing entirely. I HATE IT. but other things like noclipping or games not fully loading after going into a new area also get to me. i can't list all of them but textures are definitely the worst.
i can't describe why it's scary. for some reason, i think in the back of my mind, i'm afraid the real world is gonna start glitching, like it's gonna spread. so if i see a glitch i try to not touch stuff close to me and leave the game as fast as i can, or if i'm observing a glitch w/o playing, i want to touch less things. idk. or with noclipping, i'm afraid i'll just clip through the ground and never stop falling. it's weird.
i have a theory that with the first fear about the glitch spreading (and with my entire phobia lol) that it might originate from an old youtube video i watched as a kid. it was called the glitch or something and was about video game characters irl dying to glitches. i don't remember being scared while watching that video, so i don't know why it would have an effect on me. the whole thing is just weird.
here's an example: not long ago, i tried playing old minecraft versions with my friends, and for some reason the game was acting all funny. the player models front facing texture on the head and body was missing so it was just arms and legs, and the game was also lagging, so my friend tried walking up to me and accidentally jumpscared me by suddenly appearing in my face. the glitch scared me so bad i immediately started CRYING. i'm never doing that again.
the worst glitches i've seen are from the sims 4. the glitches in that game scare me so bad, i don't even like playing sims anymore because i'm too scared of seeing a random glitch! (that's also a reason i hate glitches, they happen out of NOWHERE). years ago, i used to mod the sims 4, and sometimes i would download haiclothes that for some reason wouldn't be compatible with the model (probably due to updates). sometimes trying to use a modded hair would just make the head look kinda fucked up, but nothing too bad. HOWEVER, sometimes, and i honestly don't know why this happens, but if the sim couldn't properly wear a modded item, the skin would show a missing texture that looked so fucking scary. the sim would be totally naked, pure white, no hair, the eyes were black with red sclera, and there were big question marks on all over. just thinking about it right now makes me cringe and i feel on edge, like something bad's gonna happen. there's other kinds of minor glitches in the sims cuz the game sucks, so i don't even play it anymore. fuck all that. oh and i won't use mods in sims EVER again.
that was a lot of stuff. i wanted to kinda get it off of my chest, because no matter how much i search about it online, i have neeeever heard someone with even a similar phobia. i don't have panic attacks or anything, but i consider it a phobia because i have intense reactions every time. i'm not trying to get help for it since it's too niche to impair my daily life, but i want to get better at being okay with seeing them especially since i love playing video games. i think i've gotten slightly better at it in the past few years.

I am 31, born male but transitioning mtf since January 2024. 168 cm / 65 kg. Never smoked, sporadically drink.
Been having issues with pimples on the back of my head and my face for about 8 months in 2023. Doctor had determined that it was due to an overproduction in sebum and prescribed me meds accordingly. Helped but didn't alleviate either location entirely. Stopped taking it at the end of 2023.
I started HRT in January 2024, and within two months acne on my face and on the back of my head were gone. About 3 weeks ago I started having issues with acne on the back of my head again. I just now took pictures of it and it presents completely differently. It used to be just red pimples with white heads in 2023. Now it's scaly and burns/itches a little. Hurts to touch. When I run my fingers (with a tissue) over the spots I count a cluster of around 8 or 9 raised bumps/pimples in the smallish area in the middle of my neck (pictured).
I did not change medication and do not take any medication outside of Estradiol Enanthate. Didn't change shampoo or conditioner either. It's also weird because I've been washing my sheets much more often since 2024 then before. Like - ever 2 weeks at the latest I wash all my pillows and bedding. Didn't change washing powder or anything either.
Is this the same old issue resurfacing, or is this an entirely new problem? What could this be? Are there any quick and easy otc remedies?
Pictures: https://imgur.com/a/oPiaCaI

My character is a hunter like sam and Dean, only more so like Dean. He is rough, ruthless at times but also caring. He has been tracking a nest of vampires for months and has finally closed in on their location, this having been his first attempt at hunting an entire nest by himself he felt confident he could go it alone. After having made entry into the nest he tries to keep his heart rate down so he would not be detected by the nest, sneaking around hoping to find people alive and saving them. Over the past few months people had randomly gone missing and he knew it had something to do with the vampire nest. He managed to sneak his way around quietly and found a room where there were people chained up. Some had been fed on but one of them hadn’t been yet. He knew he had to act fast to save them before the nest was on red alert. He managed to sneak into he room, untie the woman and tell her to keep quiet and that he was there to save her. They managed to sneak out of the room and down the hall before bumping into a vamp that was roaming the building. He tried to swing his machete at the vamp but was hit and knower several feet backward onto the floor.”run!!” He had yelled to the woman as he got back to his feet and began swinging at the vamp with all his might. As he his another vampire snuck up behind him and stabbed him in the side with a long wooden stake as he winched and grunted in pain. He managed to swing his machete and sever the head of the vamp and pushing the other before running, grabbing the hand of the woman as they ran out of the building and too his truck. They managed to escape away from the building and down the road to the cabin he was staying in the woods. As they entered the cabin he had collapsed to the floor, his shirt covered in blood and wincing in pain.
If you’re interested in this idea, or interested in discussing and brainstorming ideas please message me. The setting for this RP would be within the first few season of the show. I’m happy to discuss your character and what you would like your character to be.

I’m having serious issue with skin irritation Red bumps on legs and hands and arm I think it’s the metformin I had no problem with this issue taking 1 tablet Once I started taking 2-3 it started I’m clawing at my skin and it itches non stop Anyone have this issue and if so what did you do for it Is there a different med I can take in place of metformin

Have you ever experienced something that shook you to your very core? Something that makes you remember every single little detail of your surroundings from that moment in time? Even years after? I can remember so vividly the moment I realized something was wrong with me. I was in my junior year of high school sitting in class, just like any other day. I remember the smell of erasers and cheap cologne that permeated off my classmate who sat next to me. I remember the scratchy tag on my t-shirt and how I was resisting taking it off in the middle of class just to cut it off. I remember what my teacher, Mrs. Brown, was talking about; 'the fall of Constantinople'. My mouth felt dry and I kept looking at the clock, counting down the minutes until I had lunch so I could get a soda. The sound of a pen clicking behind me was synchronized with the song that was stuck in my head.
All those things were going through my brain at once. My ADHD mind went a million miles per minute when it all came down to a cashing holt when I felt it at 11:23
I felt what I can only describe as a hand grabbing at the inner lining of my stomach. It didn't necessarily hurt, not at this point. That's not why I got so scared. You see, not only do I have ADHD. I also have OCD that manifests itself in the fear of anything growing or moving inside me. Even if I think about the concept of blood moving in my body or a heart that is beating in my chest, I have to think of something else. I've had full-blown panic attacks because of it. The closest term for this is 'Tokophobia'. That's technically the fear of pregnancy. I'm a guy, so it's not completely accurate but it's really the closest term. I mean, I also do have a huge fear of pregnancy. Not necessarily of me being pregnant, but even though I knew I could never get pregnant, the thought of it still made me feel sick
I bet you can imagine the terror that overcame me as I felt something moving in me. I made an audible groan and grabbed my stomach. My whole class turned to look at me. even my teacher stopped talking to ask if I was okay. I stood up and started to run to the nurses' office without even acknowledging my teacher. My first thought wasn't thinking that something was actually in my body. Even stomach aches and the feeling of gurgling in my stomach made me feel this way before. I didn't have anything on hand to help with a stomach ache, unfortunately. However, the nurse always did.
I sprinted across the school hoping and praying that my stomach wouldn't make that awful feeling again before I got there.
I turned the corner into the nurses' office with my tennis shoes squeaking in the process. I saw the school nurse, Mrs. Kennedy sitting on the couch in her office reading a magazine. She looked up at me with a sweet smile that quickly turned into worry.
"Sam, what is it? How can I help?" She said as she stood up and hurried over to me. Putting her hand over mine which was grabbing my stomach tightly.
"It's…It's my stomach. Something is wrong with it." I mumbled with a red face.
She shuffled her way over to her large medicine cabinet and she motioned for me to sit down.
She asked me questions about my stomach. Asking if it was pain, grumbling, cramps, nausea, etc. As she was asking me what my symptoms were and digging through bottles, The feeling happened again. However, this time was different. It felt like fingers grassing against the inside of my body. I screamed and wrapped my arms around my torso. Mrs. Kenneddy ran over to me to comfort me.
"This seems a lot worse than normal, maybe we should call your parents." She said as she put her hand on my back.
It felt like some days I saw Mrs. Kennedy more than my teachers. Any small ailment would distract me so badly from class that I had to go see her. Sometimes multiple times a day. She knew at this point when something was really wrong.
Within about 30 minutes both my parents were there with us. That may seem fast, but I'm an only child and my parents are very aware of my tendencies. They know I can spiral and like to be around if it happens.
They kept asking me where the pain was. I think they assumed by the way I wasn't responding to their questions the pain must've been really bad. The reality was that I just didn't know how to tell them what was going on.
I got so frustrated after they asked me over and over again that I just yelled at them.
"Something is inside me! Get it out, get it out, get it out!" I lifted my shirt and was ripping at my stomach. Leaving red nail scratches and cuts. My mom and dad ran to either side of me to grab my arms. Mrs. Kennedy had seen me go pretty crazy, but this was the worst I've ever gotten in front of her. My parents however had seen a similar situation before. Not exactly like this, but they didn't skip a beat on trying to help me.
"Sam. Breath, sweety. Just remember everything is in you for a reason. It's keeping you alive. Nothing is going to hurt you." My mom said softly to me. Trying to calm me down with the words my therapist gave her. "Ice cubes, get him ice cubes!" She said to Mrs. Kennedy as I started to hyperventilate.
Mrs. Kennedy grabbed a ziplock bag and started to fill it with ice cubes. My mom went over to her and grabbed an ice cube right out of the bag, opened up my hand, and put the ice cube in it. This worked in the past to distract me, I knew that's what she was doing, and trust me. I wanted it to work too, but this was different. I kept trying to tell myself that it was just a different feeling I hadn't felt before. That it wasn't possible something was physically inside my body. But I couldn't help it.
Everyone in the room could see that this was getting intense. I think they assumed it was just a mental breakdown and that nothing was physically wrong with my body but I didn't care. I just wanted help.
My parents got me into the car with my mom even sitting in the backseat with me. She kept trying to distract me with conversation but my mind was only on that awful feeling in my stomach.
We pulled up to the ER and my mom guided me in while holding both my wrists. It felt like she was walking me on a leash but I didn't fight it. I knew she was just trying to stop me from scratching my stomach.
We walked in and I spoke to the receptionist. All I said was that I had terrible pain in my stomach. I didn't want to sound too crazy. I just needed a doctor to look at whatever was going on.
After giving the receptionist my name and insurance information we went to sit down. I was sitting in between my parents and I could see my mom lean back to try and mouth something to my dad without me seeing. I didn't think much of it. I was way more worried about other things.
My dad then went up to the receptionist. He pointed over to me and she looked a little concerned. I saw her pick up the clipboard that had my information on it and she started writing something else on it. I asked my dad what he did and he just said to not worry and that he wanted to let her know it was urgent.
No more than 10 minutes went by and I felt a terrible moving sensation. I cringed and grabbed my stomach. Immediately followed by not just the feeling of a hand grabbing my insides but also scratching and pinching. I yelled out in pain as the other people in the waiting room looked at me mortified.
A doctor and a couple of nurses came running over to me and helped me up. But I couldn't stand up. I was in too much pain. They put me in a wheelchair and started to head for a room. However, they didn't take me through the normal big ER doors that went to the standard examination rooms, they took me and my parents through a smaller door to the side that had a padlock on it.
We walked through a white hallway that was very quiet. The doctor and nurses showed us to my room and helped me into my bed as I was wiggling and wincing. I had one parent on either side of me. Patiently waited to stop my arms from scratching.
The doctor was trying to ask further questions but he could tell it wasn't going anywhere. I knew that my dad probably told that receptionist about my OCD tendencies and that I needed to go to the psych ward. Not just to the stranded side of the ER.
I couldn't take it anymore and blurted out that something was inside my stomach and it was trying to get out.
The doctor just looked at my parents for a reaction and they gave him a sad nod. It was like they warned him that this could happen. The doctor didn't just think I was crazy, my parents did too. The doctor took a deep breath and came up to me. I knew I was about to hear some kind of dumb speech about how this was just my OCD and everything was going to be okay.
As he came closer to me, I pulled up my shirt and he gasped. Not only was my stomach scratched up like crazy, but we saw movement. It looked like when a pregnant woman can see her baby kicking. But this was so much stronger. It was stretching my skin.
My parents stood up and gasped while the doctor looked frantic and unprepared.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" The doctor said as he backed out of the room. "Hang on! We are getting this taken care of, just hang tight."
Just seconds later a nurse came in to give me some painkillers. I started to feel the pain slip away, but something so much worse started to creep in. I heard a voice. Not my own. Not some creepy-sounding creature, but the voice of a normal-sounding man that I'd never heard before. But that wasn't the scary part. The scary part was what he was saying to me.
"Get me out. Get me out. Get me out!"
It started in a normal tone, but slowly became more urgent and rushed. Then demanding.
The voice would coincide with the moment inside me.
It was getting so loud that I was having a hard time hearing the people around me. The doctor came in just a few minutes after I last saw him. He was red and sweaty. Like he'd just run a marathon. He told me they needed to do just a few tests on what was inside me before taking action.
I was trying so hard to pay attention to the words coming out of his mouth but all I could hear was the voice. The voice stopped for just a second and changed what he was saying. Now he started repeating,
"Cut me out, cut me out, cut me out, now!" I now knew this thing didn't just want out but it wanted out now. I begged the doctor to just get it out now but he wouldn't listen. The voice spoke up again.
"This is taking too long. Don't be afraid. Get me out yourself."
I think it could feel me resisting. Without realizing it, I was looking around the room for something. It was like I didn't even have control over my head or eyes anymore. I knew the voice was looking for a knife but I was trying to ignore the feeling. I knew there weren't any knives around. I was in a very safe place.
Just as I had the feeling I was safe, it was immediately taken away. The thought passed through my head that my dad probably had a pocket knife on him. My heart sank. I knew this thing could hear my thoughts. I knew what it would try to do.
The next thing I knew, I was on my feet, leaping for my dad. My body hit his. luckily, he's in pretty good shape for his age and had no problems putting me in my place.
He got on top of me and pinned me to the ground. All while I could barely hear my mom in the background. Yelling at my dad to be careful. My dad knew something was going on and that I just needed to be on the ground until I calmed down.
My body tried to flail but it wasn't successful. The whole time the voice in my head, now yelling and screaming. Not saying any distinguishable words, but just having what felt like a tantrum. What made my dad the most uncomfortable was the kicking feeling coming from my stomach.
After a couple of minutes, the voice calmed down and I felt in charge of my body again. My dad slowly got up and attempted to help me up. At this point with an audience of hospital staff that looked like they were getting ready to take me somewhere for more tests.
Just as I stood up straight, I felt the voice take over and I lost all sense of my own body. I felt like a shell of myself. My dad gave me a soft yet worried smile, and in that instance, I grabbed him and reached into his pocket. My heart sank as I felt his pocket knife. The room started to panic and about 5 people tried to grab it from me. The last thing I remember is plunging the knife into my stomach. I felt a blinding pain and everything went black.
Several hours later I started to wake up. Everything was extremely blurry and fuzzy. I could hear a very faint voice telling me to relax. As the minutes passed by, things started to become a little bit clearer. I looked around and saw I was in a large room with a few other patients. A nurse was going up to all the beds and checking in on them. I tried to sit up a bit to get more comfortable and noticed an incredible sourness in my stomach. I moved my hospital gown out of the way and saw a huge scare. About 6" across. Most of the scare looked very surgical. Like what I'd imagine a c-section surgery would look like. Except where I remembered the knife going in. It looked like a bunch of extra stitches had to be added where it went in. It also looked pretty bruised. I can imagine that a dull 10-year-old knife that was harshly shoved into a body really wouldn't cleanly cut through and leave some damage.
The feeling of shock from looking at my stomach was quickly gone when I realized that meant whatever was in me was now gone. I didn't hear the voice, I didn't feel a hand in my gut anymore, I didn't see that vile kicking anymore. I felt like I could breathe.
I asked the nurse what they found and she looked flush.
"Uh, that's something that you, uh. Your doctor will talk with you once you eat something and can speak clearly." She said as she scurried off looking upset.
Shortly after that, I was wheeled into a recovery room and my parents came to see me.
As they walked in they had a very similar look on their faces as the nurse did. They looked pale and didn't want to look me in the eye. I kept asking them questions about what was going on but they said the doctor needed to discuss it with me and he wanted to make sure I wasn't feeling high from the anesthesia while we had a conversation.
The doctor didn't come and see me for another 10 hours. Which felt strange. And to add to the strangeness, my parents were taking shifts hanging out with me. There was only overlap when they switched and the other parent took over while the other one left the room. I would understand if they weren't both with me for the whole time. I'm not that needy, but they were only both in my room together for about an hour. That was the hour before the doctor came to my room.
Finally, the doctor came in to talk to me. When he walked in, the room was cold and quiet. It was evident he didn't feel the same relief I was feeling.
He seemed awkward. Like he was talking way too long to get over to me. He grabbed a chair and scooted it close to me.
"Listen Sam. I know this last 24 hours has been very challenging. I apologize for not explaining what happened during your surgery sooner, but we all needed time to figure it out, and quite frankly, process what happened. We feel we have enough information to let you in on what is going on." A silence filled the room. It felt like no one was brave enough to break it.
"And?" I said with confusion.
"I think it'll be easier if we just show you."
The doctor along with my parents helped me into a wheelchair and we started to make our way across the hospital to an entirely different section. I couldn't believe all the things running through my head at what we were about to see. It felt like cruel and unusual punishment to leave me in anticipation and not just tell me what I was about to see.
When I went around the corner I couldn't process what I was looking at. I thought they were showing me a large tumor or growth of some kind, but why would a tumor be in a big incubation chamber with tubes connected to IVs and machines coming out of it?
As I got closer, I started to see human fetchers on it. It was mostly just a 6-pound lump of flesh, but I could see a hand sticking out of it. It was small, but what made it creepy was it looked like a fully developed man's hand. Just small. I could see a patch of hair coming out of what I assumed was its head. It had no discernible facial features. Just a few teeth scattered in one section.
As I looked at it with disgust, coming to terms with this thing that was just in my body, I had a realization. I wasn't feeling sick at the thought of something being in my body. Sure, I was grossed out that this particular thing was just in me, but the thought of the bacteria in my body didn't make me want to throw up. I thought about all the blood pumping through my veins and I felt… normal. Not only was the voice and kicking gone. But my OCD was gone too. I didn't have a mental illness. It was just this thing. Trying to find its way out for years.
As I was staring at the creature, the doctor came and put his hand on my shoulder.
"We believe this is your twin brother." I immediately looked up at my parents who looked very disturbed and upset. I let the doctor finish talking. "We believe that you absorbed him in the womb and that he has been living inside you your whole life. This is an extremely rare condition called fetus-in-fetu. It seems he didn't quite have the best opportunity to develop normally. That's why he looks the way he does. Despite his appearance, he has all the organs he needs to survive. Looks like he's missing a lung and his gallbladder. Also a piece of his liver but other than that, it looks like he will live for at least a few years. He won't be able to leave this room due to him needing a feeding tube and a few other things that his body can not do on its own. He needs lots of support just to live. What makes this situation extremely unique is that your twin is still alive despite your body not sustaining him anymore. Even though we have him hooked up to a few IVs and machines, It is unexplainable how he is living while outside of your body."
I was in complete shock. I didn't want to believe it. I asked my mom why she never told me I absorbed my twin in the womb, she said she had no clue. There was never a sign when she was pregnant with me.
He also mentioned that sometimes even in pregnancies women will go their whole pregnancy without even getting a belly. It's called a 'Cryptic pregnancy'. I've always had a bit of a gut but never anything big enough to cause suspicion. I guess in my case I had a fetus-fetu and an experience similar to a cryptic pregnancy. Even though it was in my stomach. At least that was the doctor's best guess. Although, it all sounded like BS to me.
The doctor and my parents kept trying to explain more and more details to me. I don't know why they didn't slow down a little bit for my sake. How could they not tell I wasn't processing any of this?
I noticed something while they were trying to explain things to me. They kept calling it a 'He'.
Now listen. I'm not some kind of asshole that won't respect someone who wants to be called a specific pronoun. I've never been that kind of person. But this is where I draw the line.
Not just that. But this thing had a name. My parents named it and said today was its birthday. While they told me all this information, they didn't look happy about it. It seemed like they were forced to do all this nonsense. And now it was my turn to be convinced. I could tell they were trying to force it.
The doctor told me despite it not having a high probability for a long life that we should still try and give it the love it deserves. Of course, the doctor referred to it as a 'He' but I refused to.
This disgusted me. This thing tried to kill me and ruined my quality of life for so long, and now we are going to treat it like it's some kind of prince? No, absolutely not.
Luckily, it seemed like it would never leave the hospital, but my parents planned on going to visit it daily. Visiting it? Are you kidding me? it has no eyes, no ears, it's probably miserable and has no concept of people even being around it.
I'm refusing to ever see this thing again or acknowledge its existence again.
I could get in trouble for even talking about this. The hospital or anyone involved has signed NDAs to not share any information about this until it officially dies. This is because it's a medical anomaly and the first of its kind. They want to do the proper research on how this all occurred before coming out with a statement. I just have to get this all off my chest. I feel like I'm the crazy one here when I know I'm not. I don't care if I get in trouble.
I am scared that the doctors are trying to force my parents into giving this thing a proper life. I think that's why it took them so long to tell me. I think they scared my parents into keeping it alive and guilting them or even forcing them into being its parent.
I'm all for every life being important and all that stuff, but I have a feeling my parents are terrified of this thing just like I am.
I am convinced they gaslit my parents into believing this thing is my brother. If there wasn't any sign of him while my mom was pregnant with me, could this thing be something else?
This all happened about two years ago. It's still alive and they are still researching it. My parents continue to visit it despite everything. My therapist told me that I'm probably just struggling with jealousy now that I'm not an only child anymore and so much of my parents' attention is on him now, but it's so much bigger than just jealousy.
Since this thing showed up and my OCD is pretty much gone, I've hardly seen my parents. I know I'm not just jealous. There is something more to this. I know it.
Something just feels so off about this whole thing. What is this thing? Where did it come from? And what does it want?