Organization for opthamologist

OrganizationPorn: For your daily dose of order amidst the chaos

2011.12.14 20:27 squidgirl OrganizationPorn: For your daily dose of order amidst the chaos

This is a Reddit group to show off your organized space or ask for help organizing a space
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2009.09.04 14:02 Eigard CERN: the European Organization for Nuclear Research

News and discussion about CERN, home of the Large Hadron Collider and birthplace of the World Wide Web.
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2014.01.09 08:19 koreatravel

A community for discussion about travel in South Korea
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2023.01.23 19:12 crimsonfukr457 Rich Evans' Standard English Dictionary

ambivilous (adj.) simultaneously experiencing opposing or contradictory feelings, beliefs, or motivations / Example: "I was so fucking ambivilous about this film."
Ben Afflect (proper noun) Hollywood actor, most famous for playing the Bat Man
Bessessda (proper noun) an American video game developer, known for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout (also known as Bessethda, Beh-sezz, BEH-THEH-zda)
birds and the beads, the (phrase) something to do with sex; if you can use them, that's true love
blackground (noun) the space behind actors or cats in videos, often colored blue
ch-chahgo (phrase) a time in your life when Star Wars was very enticing / Example: "When I was ch-chahgo... what was really enticing... was Star Wars!"
Chris Helmsworth (proper noun) a guy that Rich Evans is constantly talking about dreadlocks (noun, plural) traditional African style of hair grooming, where the hair is braided very close to the scalp. Often seen in failed magician videos
ducks (noun, plural) a form of currency used for buying dolls
dudn't (verb) negative form of 'do' / Example: "He has training to use the Force. She dudn't."
fartbag (noun) the off-brand, 50c store version of a whoopee cushion fire
esstingui-iscghh-eckstinguisher (noun) device that can be used to put out a fire
folding chable (noun) small portable piece of furniture, used for displaying valuable items from a dollar store
hump down (verb) get laid, often said of robots
illegible (adj.) not allowed to, not meeting the necessary conditions / Example: "I felt illegible, because I was on the end."
Inchy (proper noun) name of a popular character from Star Wars
left and rice mouse button (noun) regular controls on a computer mouse, which can also have 4 buttons on the side
li-berry (noun) place full of books, where scientists give out expository dialogue
Lisa Neeld (proper noun) Playboy centrefold and star of CW Network's show-slash 'Lisa Neeblubaluba'
Megan La Fox (proper noun) Hollywood actress who saves Shia LaBeouf from robots
moopies (noun, plural) hyper-exaggerated movies
moving (verb) to make (someone) aware of impeding danger, etc.; to caution (someone) against unwise or unacceptable behavior / Example: "A living lethal organism that strikes its victims without moving."
nang (interjection) superfluous extra syllable added to make your speech seem less coherent. / Example: "And nang next up..."
nessisate (verb) to make necessary (variations: ness, nessitate, ness etten, nett?, fuck it)
op-opthimal-op-opthamologist-opitamahowajist (noun) a medical doctor specializing in the eye
schwashtika (noun) grandpa's new Nazi symbol
six mill yen doylair (noun) a lot of money; (adj., slang) excellent, really good
6 stunts (noun, plural, slang) radical skateboard tricks
skost (noun) a skull ghost
souly sluck away (phrase) absorb at a slow rate / Example: "Does the doll souly sluck away her soul?"
stanima (noun) the energy and strength for continuing to do something over a long period of time
Stony (proper noun) a make.believe company
stuff (noun) previously shot film or video footage that can be used again in other films. / Example: "Neil Breen is the best at stuff."
t'hofful (adj.) very bad, appalling
twenty-twen-twelve-ten (phrase) an uncertain year in the past, a long time ago
unconshizz (adj.) not awake; having no awareness (variations: unconshuss, unconshiss)
wallpaper space (noun) an adhesive for putting up wallpaper, if you don't want to use spray glue
submitted by crimsonfukr457 to RedLetterMedia [link] [comments]

2022.09.27 06:44 RavenWolfPS2 Is there any way to choose where your organs go when you die?

I've always had a dream that someone else could use my eyes if they were still viable upon death, like if I were to die young and in a state where they would be useful. I have extremely good eyesight (my opthamologist called it sharpshooter vision), and I would really like someone else to be able to benefit from that.
But I worry that if I don't already have it planned, nobody will know that I want everything to be used. Is it enough just to have the donor box checked on my driver's license? Or is there something I can register for to claim all my organs in case of a premature death?
submitted by RavenWolfPS2 to ask [link] [comments]

2022.07.28 17:29 Turbulent_Pen9326 Debilitating atypical facial pain - tried various treatments for various diagnostics without success and I'm now desperate for help

FYI: My case is very complicated, so I've tried to keep this as organized and relevant as possible; per senior-moderating-resident protocol, no financial incentive will be made available for advice.
Age: 27
Sex: Male
6'5
220 lbs
white
atypical facial pain (4-5 years w/ significant increase in severity in last 8 months)
Meds: latuda 40mg, adderall 20mg 2x/day, lyrica 200mg, low-dose naltrexone (1.5mg nighly)
No substances for three years
Diagnoses: TMJ, trigeminal neuralgia, PTSD, panic disorder, TRD-MDD
I have been to numerous neurologists, ER physicians, psychiatrists, opthamologists, ENTs (worst of the worst) and dentists (second worst) - everybody “has an answer” that has entirely lacked the full picture and done absolutely no benefit to me
My symptoms - general
Sinus symptoms:
Muscular symptoms
Nerve issues
Not-entirely-somatic (I just hate calling things “psychosomatic” as they relate to pain… since pain is and only is a manifestation of subjective experience / “the mind”)
Diagnosis, Treatments - tried and failed
Suspicions
FYI & important: I literally demanded a CAT scan and contrast MRI from my PCP after independently contacting a neurosurgeon in Hartford CT to screen me for Eagles / other atypical facial process disorders; thank mf god he got back to me and now working with him, so I want to be totally certain I’m not missing anything (diagnostics wise) in the window of time I have to work w/ this amazing physician
Upcoming tests:
Lifestyle:
TLDR;
Atypical facial pain - wtf is wrong with me?!
Symptoms
Tried treating (and failed, obviously)
Suspicions:
submitted by Turbulent_Pen9326 to AskDocs [link] [comments]

2022.01.13 04:07 2ndcrack A worms-eye view of Canadian Health Care

CDN Health Care, From A Worm’s-Eye View
Non-Fiction
Tinder, UHN and the Ontario health system, a cautionary tale.
This story reflects an arduous and stressful journey that has extended over two years and is still not finished. My frustration commands me to write this, it’s the only therapy available to me at the moment. If you are looking for some twitter-like quips and quick gratification, you will not find it here. My story will take quite some time to write, presumably a bit less for you to read, but still it will be an investment. You are forewarned.
My Tinder Experience
I’m an older white male. Two years ago I had a profile on Tinder and matched with a younger black girl who had immigrated to Canada approximately one-and-a-half years prior. We conversed online. I was looking for something casual centered around intimacy. She was looking for someone who could take her around, provide restaurant meals, shopping trips, and generally make her feel special. We met a few times just prior to the start of the pandemic. It’s my perception that we were both happy with our relationship, but the pandemic made it impractical to continue. We stopped meeting.
My Health Issues
Approximately 4 weeks after my last meeting with my Tinder date I developed a pain in my tongue. Not a sharp pain, but a constant ache. I didn’t think much of it, but after about a month I contacted my family physician for help. Everyone was in full lockdown mode at this juncture, and he does not use video calls, so I described my symptoms to him on the telephone and he prescribed an anti-fungal treatment (he still restricts himself to phone consultations to-this-day). The anti-fungal treatment ran for about a month and during this time I experienced the sudden onset of a constant ringing in my left ear. When I was in a noisy environment the ringing wasn’t very noticeable, but when I was trying to fall asleep at night it seemed annoyingly loud. At the end of my fungal treatment I reported that my tongue pain continued and also reported my new hearing issue. He told me to repeat the fungal treatment for another month and said that he would set up an appointment with an ENT specialist when the pandemic allowed. This was March 2020.
The second anti-fungal treatment was no more effective than the first. By June I was able to meet with the ENT specialist who conducted a hearing test then pronounced me fine. He said such symptoms were not uncommon at my age and would probably diminish naturally over time. My family doctor then set up a second appointment with a different ENT specialist to examine my tongue pain. When I met with him in September 2020 he poked a flashlight in my mouth, probed around with a popsicle stick, that then pronounced me “normal”. I then developed an itchy skin rash on my back. This didn’t seem that unusual and I ignored it for about a month. However, after that month It was unusual to have a rash that was this itchy and persist for this long so I visited the public clinic at Centenary hospital. The attending physician was concerned. The rash in his opinion featured raised bumps that were unusual and ruptured at their peak. His concern was primarily due to the fact that there was no associated inflammation. To him this suggested that they might be cancerous. He referred me for a follow up appointment with a dermatologist, but 4 weeks later was the earliest available appointment. In the interim period I swabbed the rash with a topical antiseptic (chlorhexidine) trying to ease the itch. Surprisingly the rash healed almost immediately after this treatment. By the time of my dermatologist appointment the rash was gone, and he assessed me as, once again, “fine”.
Throughout the year I also experienced vision issues. For the most part my vision seemed normal, but when I was outside and looked up at a clear sky on sunny days, I saw dark clouds in the fluid of my eyes. It looked like someone had used an eyedropper to put a few drops of black ink in the fluid in both eyes and it had only partially mixed. It was a subtle effect that was only visible under bright light against a light background, but it seemed to get worse over time. I visited my optometrist and had her run the usual battery of eye tests. I explained my issue and asked her to look for anything that could explain it. If you guessed that she told me “everything looks fine”, you are correct.
My health issues were annoying and concerning to me, but the specialists assured me that everything appeared normal, so I endured my constant tongue pain, ear ringing, and cloudy vision. The tongue pain gradually migrated to include my throat. I hadn’t seen my Tinder date for over 9 months and it did not occur to me at that time that there might be a link between her and my health complaints, but that would soon change.
My Health Crisis Begins
At the end of February in 2021 my world suddenly imploded. During the last week of the month I felt increasingly anxious for no apparent reason. As the week ended I was suddenly overwhelmed with nausea, anxiety and insomnia. A pattern developed. I would feel unwell during the day and had no appetite, but as the evening approached, I could feel my metabolism start to race. I couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t lie down, I had to pace my bedroom thru the night just to avoid screaming. When I did lay down, I felt compelled to curl into a fetal position to try and mitigate my distress. I immediately booked off sick from work (I normally worked weekends). It was Friday. My family doctor only works Mon-Thurs and I couldn’t suffer through the weekend this way. Plus, I knew that the only remedy that he could provide would be a referral to a specialist and that typically takes weeks or months to effect, I couldn’t wait.
It was during one high-anxiety state that my eureka moment occurred. I was trying desperately to fathom what was happening to me. I’ve never suffered from stress-related issues. I’m so low-key that it’s a source of ribbing from my friends. I was sure that my emergency was physiologically based, not psychological. But what? Then I remembered that my Tinder date had sent me a message shortly after we stopped seeing each other the previous year complaining of a “severe sleeping sickness” that prevented her from sleeping at night, combined with a sore throat. But that was over 10 months ago? If her problem was related to mine what ailment would have such long gestation period? I ruled out fungal and bacterial infections, and then considered the possibility of a parasitic infection. My research soon made me realize that there were a number of common parasites in Africa where my Tinder date had migrated from, and that it was common for them to have subtle or no symptoms for months, even years. Trypanosomiasis seemed to fit my situation very well. My Tinder date, who I could no longer contact, had used the term “sleeping sickness”. Research stated that trypanosomiasis infections could exist for a year or more with few symptoms, but that serious and debilitating symptoms could occur once the parasite crosses the blood-brain barrier into the CNS. I concluded several things at that moment, i) I had a parasite infection, and ii) I contracted it from my Tinder date, and iii) it was not just responsible for my current emergency but also explained my hearing, tongue, skin and vision afflictions over the prior year.
The Hospital Emergency Room Odyssey
I made my way to the Emergency department of NYGH on a Friday night. I gave them all of my information and shared my conclusions. They were quite efficient. They expressed some incredulity but invested significant effort in researching how to test for trypanosomiasis, and they took multiple blood samples. They told me to expect results in a few days and arranged for a follow-up in an already scheduled outpatient clinic on Tuesday (by telephone). I dreaded having to wait that many days without any relief but had no choice. It was a hard 4 days. When Tuesday came, I was informed that my results were negative. They expected me to be relieved. I was devastated. They told me that I was fine but I found living through each day almost unbearable. I was certain that I had acquired a parasite infection from my Tinder date, and was desperate when they informed me that in their opinion no follow-up was needed. That night I scoured the Internet for help and discovered that UHN had a “Tropical Disease Unit” that was dedicated specifically to this type of infection. This would be my salvation. They would have the expertise needed to put together the story told by my issues. Using their expertise, they would be able to identify the pathogen based on the aggregation of my numerous symptoms. On Wednesday morning I made my way to the emergency department at Mount Sinai (part of the UHN network).
My UHN TDU Debacle
Mount Sinai ER department was fine. It took some time to be seen but not unreasonable. I recounted my story knowing that they would have access to my NYG records as well. The ER doctor was pleasant enough and after a few delays told me that he would refer me to the UHN TDU. This was the result that I wanted, and I thanked him. During our discussion he asked some probing questions that made it obvious that he thought my issues may be rooted in psychosis. Regardless, he offered to prescribe Zopiclone, and I hesitated, but then agreed. This was fortuitous as it turns out. He stated that I should expect to be given an appointment with the UHN TDU within a week. I was on sick leave, missing work, and miserable so all these delays were torture, but I at least had hope for relief. That night I tried Zopiclone and found that it allowed me to sleep for a few hours each night, a vast improvement. I also found my anxiety was less extreme, but I could still eat almost nothing. I left Mount Sinai and went home to wait for my UHN TDU appointment.
Two weeks passed and I heard nothing. I called the UHN TDU, still nothing. I sent emails, they were unanswered. Finally in desperation, I went to the TGH ER (the UHN TDU is in the building). It was a very unpleasant experience. They kept me waiting for 8 hours while they cycled through individuals who had arrived much later. It was apparent to me that I had been labelled as a “head-case” and the wait was their way of discouraging me from using them as a resource. To top it off after about 6 hours in the waiting room the administration resource from the UHN TDU called my cell phone and set up an appointment for the following week. It was clear that they knew I was downstairs and that they made the appointment under duress. The ER doctor finally talked to me after everyone else departed but had nothing to offer. At least I had my appointment with UHN TDU.
The UHN TDU appointment was by phone, and all business. The lead doctor attended. I told my story. She proffered a few opinions based on her expertise, the gist of which was "I don't think you have this infection", but regardless she provided lab requisitions for a battery of blood tests including another trypanosomiasis antibody test. We concluded after about 20 minutes on the phone. I immediately went to the TGH lab to complete the tests, then waited for results. They scheduled a follow up telephone conversation about a week later. The trypanosomiasis test was negative. The generic blood suite was within normal ranges. I was well. Go away, quit bothering us (paraphrased).
I protested. I was sick. I had serious symptoms. They are indicative of a parasite infection. I have a probable source for infection. There are other parasites that could be the cause of my symptoms... they didn’t care. They did promise to set up future status appointments for some reason, but I doubt it was for anything beyond keeping up appearances. I sent several emails to their administration mailbox trying to get them to re-engage. They ignored me. I went on disability leave at work because my lack of sleep and other symptoms made it impossible for me to work. I still couldn’t eat and had lost 10lbs in 4 weeks. I had a debilitating, life-altering illness and the top expert institution in Ontario on tropical disease/parasite infections were ignoring me. I needed help. I tried to apply to become a patient at the Cleveland Clinic in the US and submitted screen prints from my UHN TDU tests that were required in the application. The CC saw the UHN TDU doctors name on my test results and contacted her without my knowledge or permission. She obviously warned them off because after that they quickly declined to accept me as a patient. Then I received a threatening note from the UHN doctor saying she would sue me if I used her as a reference (I had not done that). It was clear to me that UHN TDU was uninterested in my case, and it also was apparent that the lead doctor was increasingly antagonistic. It was also clear to me at this point that with the UHN TDU references on my health record that no other doctoinstitution would agree to see me, UHN TDU was the expert.
Desperate Times, Desperate Measures
I felt crappy. I could barely eat. I was losing weight rapidly. I had extreme insomnia. I was on disability leave from my job. The medical community had frozen me out. No help was coming. Desperation drove me. I was in a technical career so I decided to research online to find out if there was anything that I could do to alleviate my situation. I researched how to detect parasites in thin blood smears under a microscope. I purchased a microscope with a video camera, slides and lancets. I spent hours drawing blood samples and examining them under the microscope for signs of parasites with the video camera running so that I would have proof of infection. When I didn’t get results immediately, I determined that I may be able to conduct a “Woo” test that involved examining the contents of a microhematocrit capillary tube after centrifugation under the microscope, and get results more reliably. I purchased a Clay-Adams Ultra 3 Microhematocrit Centrifuge on eBay along with heparinized capillary tubes and started running the Woo tests. I achieved results using the thin blood smear approach about a week before I was able to run my first Woo test. I captured a video of an immature parasite moving under the slide’s coverslip (i.e. swimming in a live blood sample). The parasite was about the size of a single red blood cell but at 400x magnification quite a few fine details of the parasite were visible. I was relieved. I finally had evidence that I was infected. I knew that UHN TDU would examine this evidence and their experience and training would allow them to identify this pathogen. They would have seen this organism before. They would recognize it. I would finally get the diagnosis and treatment that would save me. I did not expect UHN TDU to accept my evidence as proof of infection, but I thought surely now they would allow that some more diagnostic testing was warranted. I sent a copy of the video to the administration mailbox of the UHN TDU along with pictures of my equipment and a description of the methods that I had used to get my results. Crickets.
A week later the last bit of equipment that I needed to conduct the Woo test arrived. When I ran the Woo test a number of parasites were plainly visible at the buffy-coat boundary between the blood serum and plasma after centrifugation. Every Woo test that I conducted showed parasites. I forwarded the images of parasites from my Woo test to UHN TDU, again with pictures of my equipment and a description of my methods. Again crickets.
Approximately 6 weeks prior to my positive blood work results the UHN TDU had scheduled a routine telephone follow-up call. That call was scheduled to happen 2 weeks after I had sent all my results to them. I emailed them reminders to check my results and hoped they would discuss them on the call. When the call came it was not the lead doctor on the line but a medical student. When I asked if he had seen my images, he said he had. It was like pulling teeth to get him to talk about them. When I pressed him to acknowledge that the results at least were sufficient to warrant additional diagnostic efforts from UHN TDU he disagreed, and dismissed my results as “contamination”. It was clear at that moment that all of my efforts were futile, the UHN TDU would dismiss any and all evidence that I might produce, and that they had no intent of taking any further interest in my disease. To cap things off the lead Doctor sent a “final report” to my family physician stating that my problem was “irrational fear” and that my case was closed.
At this point my situation seemed surreal to me. I had contracted a parasite infection that was known to occur occasionally in Canada among recent immigrants, and with a vector of transmission that was deemed possible (person-to-person infections have been recorded but are not common). I had managed to get my case in front of the University Health Network, Tropical Disease Unit, arguably the pre-eminent authority in Canada on this type of infection, but they were dismissing me after one 20-minute telephone consultation and a suite of blood tests that only tested for one type of parasite. I’ve since deciphered what I believe to be the reason for this treatment. When UHN TDU received my referral from MS ER they reviewed my case. They decided at that time that my infection was imagined and resolved to ignore me. I forced their hand when two weeks later I went to TGH ER and sat for 8 hours, they felt compelled to make an appointment. The doctor that conducted my telephone consultation was irritated at having to waste time on me (a head-case) and resolved to do the minimum required by her professional vows and obligations conferred by her position of public trust. They never allowed that I might actually have an infection. If they had they would have expanded their diagnostic testing to include other equally common African parasites that could exhibit with similar symptoms. I was aware that there were other parasites that might be responsible, but I am not an expert, and that is why I was so eager to be vetted by UHN TDU. In hindsight UHN TDU had diagnosed me before my first consultation and already decided on a “one-and-done” perfunctory set of blood testing. They did the minimum they felt they were obliged to do before giving me the kiss-off.
UHN TDU is not a large unit by Toronto Hospital standards, but it is by far the most concentrated set of expertise in Ontario with respect to tropical disease. It is organized around a few key senior doctors. The careers of these doctors are multidimensional. They are affiliated with universities. They participate in WHO initiatives. They travel the world and receive accolades for dispensing western medical program assistance to third-world countries. They host press conferences from time-to-time to disseminate their expert opinion on current health issues. Oh, and yes, they see patients and practice medicine out of their UHN TDU offices as time allows. Doubtless, they are important people. Smart. Accomplished. Arrogant? Selfish? Spiteful? Willfully incompetent? Base on my experience I’d say that all these labels apply. If your disease aligns with the tunnel-vision dictated by their ego and experiential bias, they might serve you well. But if your case is unusual, if you need them to listen to you, to assess your symptoms based on your reported experience, that is unlikely to happen. They’ve evolved to the stage where their bloated sense of self-importance and infallibility allow them to dismiss your input as noise to be ignored, and to diagnose you with the minimal effort mandated by their smug conceit. I’d advise prospective patients to seek out less esteemed doctors who still believe that symptoms should prompt testing that leads to diagnosis. Doctors who maintain some level of humility. Doctors that believe their patients experience is relevant to diagnosis.
UHN TDU labelled my infection as a psychosis. This determination was entered into my provincial health files. They refused to follow up on my symptoms or evidence, and instead closed my file. This had the chilling effect of scaring off any other health provider who may have been able to help. I was labelled as a head-case. Patients with irrational fears are rife, especially now with the pandemic, but I am not one. In Ontario you cannot elect what procedures or tests you will receive; you must work with a doctor and he/she must refeorder them. The UHN TDU superficial assessment ultimately had the result of discouraging even my family doctor from referring me for any further tests.
I was provided a diagnostic process that was triggered by the ultrasound imaging results that my ENT specialist ordered due to my complaints of throat pain. They showed a "nodules" on the front of my thyroid and lymph glands The "nodules" were bumpy protrusions across the front of these structures. I also had a few similar bumps on the back of my tongue on either side, as well as a half dozen more under my tongue. The nodules in my mouth had the size and appearance of warts and I had ignored them as I thought they were some common mouth sore. Two needle aspirations, three more ultrasound sessions, and a referral to a second ENT specialist later, it's still a mystery. The biopsy's "showed calcification" they tell me? I'd suggest to them that the Onchocerciasis parasite is known to "nest" in this area but I already know that they'll throw up their hands and run from the room like my hair is on fire, so I restrain myself. I now believe that the "nodules" in my mouth and on the glands in my throat are "nesting" macrofilaria.
Down The Self-Treatment Rabbit Hole
To recap my situation. The pandemic had just begun. Everything is shut down. I can't arrange in-person medical appointments, only by phone. The border between the US and Canada is closed. I'm on disability leave from my job. I have produced what I consider to be irrefutable microscopy evidence of parasite infection but the UHN and my family doctor refuse any further diagnostic measures. I can't eat or sleep. I felt that my only option was to try to help myself. I'm not an advocate for self-medication under normal circumstances but the medical community was effectively unavailable due to a combination of the pandemic and the hubris and antipathy of a couple of key doctors. I resolved to help myself using online research to identify my parasite, treatment options and drugs, then acquire the drugs and self-medicate.
I had managed to be tested for trypanosomiasis and was negative. My online research identified schistosomiasis as a possible culprit. I acquired and took the drug praziquantel (plus a few ancillary drugs) for this and did experience some relief from my symptoms, but as time progressed (9 months after my crisis began) it became evident that there was a disconnect between schistosomiasis symptoms and what I was experiencing. After further online research I found a better match, a filariasis infection, most probably Onchocerciasis (i.e. river blindness). This led me to take Ivermectin and other supplemental drugs. My self-medication process is a bit of a twisted path so I'll list it chronologically to make it easier to follow.
April to November 2021, Presumed Schistosomiasis Infection
Praziquantel
This was the primary drug used for the elimination of this parasite. The infection became acute at the end of February and by mid-March it was obvious my doctors were not going to help. I was able to purchase praziquantel formulated for humans online from Asia. After some experimentation and in consideration of online dosage information I settled on a regimen of 1800mg 3 times in one day. Initially the drug seemed to induce discomfort but this moderated with repeated use. I experienced relief from nausea and aches in my limbs for a couple of weeks after use, but these symptoms returned so I repeated the drug multiple times. There was a much more extensive dosage recommendation to continue taking the drug for 14 days in the case that the parasite had crossed the blood-brain barrier and invaded the CNS (central nervous system). The fact that I experienced nausea and insomnia were indicative of a CNS infection so I followed the 14 day regimen. The 14 day regimen was required so that a sufficient amount of the drug would cross the blood-brain barrier. Relief from symptoms was partial and temporary. Itchy rashes returned, leg aches returned, tongue and throat pain remained, the ringing in my ear remained.
Niclosamide, Fenbendazole, Albendazole, Flubendazole
The partial efficacy of praziquantel led to more research for other anthelmintic medications. I purchased and took each of the medications listed above in the period between June and November 2021. Niclosamide and Flubendazole were formulated for humans, Fenbendazole for sheep, and Albendazole was for dogs. I preferred medications formulated for humans but without a prescription pet medications are often the only type available. When taking a medication formulated for a different animal it is necessary to recalculate dosage information. Pet medications are not subject to the same purity and quality standards that human medications are, but beggars can't be choosers. None of these medications had any adverse effects, but they also didn't seem significantly beneficial,
December 2021 to Current, Presumed Filariasis (onchocerciasis) Infection
Ivermectin (horse formulation)
By November 2021 it seemed clear that the infection was not being cleared. After yet another online research effort I discovered a different parasite, Onchocerciasis. This parasite appeared to be an even better fit for my symptoms. It explained the lymph node and thyroid nodules, as well as the issues with my vision. The recommended drug was Ivermectin. There are a number of variations of filaria parasites, and I can't claim a definite diagnosis, but the eye complications suggest Onchocerciasis. Thankfully they seem to require the same drug treatments. Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) was the drug of choice for onchocerciasis until a couple of decades ago when it was replaced by Ivermectin, DEC "quick kills" both macro and micro filaria. Unfortunately it frequently triggered a dangerous immune system response called the "Mazzotti reaction" that could cause circulatory issues and eye damage. Ivermectin "slow kills" microfilaria and renders macrofilaria infertile, avoiding a Marzzotti reaction. For this reason it replaced DEC as the primary drug used for Onchocerciasis. I calculated an appropriate dose to be about 1.5gm from a horse formulation. Like praziquantel, it helped but did not seem to resolve the infection after multiple applications. Since it is a "slow kill" mechanism I'm not sure that I could tell if it's working properly or if my infection is one of the documented Ivermectin resistant strains. I know it has some effect on the parasite because after taking the drug for the first time I noticed a number of them (worm-shaped organic appearing objects) floating in my field of vision for the first time. I believe these parasites were situated in the periphery of my eyes and were paralyzed by the Ivermectin, thus floating into my view. After half-a-dozen applications between December 2021 and February 2022 the infection is not resolved. I get temporary relief from aches and itches, but all other symptoms continue unabated. This medication had no appreciable negative side effects
Doxycycline (human formulation)
Ivermectin does not kill macrofilaria (adults), At best, it renders females infertile. They can remain alive for 8-15 years. I'm not that patient. Doxycycline kills a symbiotic bacteria that causes the macrofilaria to die after about 2 years, and also reinforces the infertile effect. I managed to buy a human formulation. The recommended dosage is 100mg twice a day for 42 days. Near the end of this period I experienced increased tongue pain and a return of nausea for a couple of days. I interpret this to be the result of the macrofilaria moving to escape the effect of the antibiotic. Once again it is not possible for me to assess if taking this medicine has been successful until a couple of years has passed.
Moxidectin (horse formulation)
Moxidectin is a newer anthelmintic medication from the same family as Ivermectin. It was approved as a substitute for Ivermectin for the treatment of human onchocerciasis in 2020. This was needed as an increasing number of Onchocerciasis infections were exhibiting resistance to Ivermectin. The problem that I face in self-medicating is that I do not have any way to tell if my "slow-kill" drugs are working, or if my infection is drug-resistant. I have to wait years to find out. Due to this I have resolved to treat myself with all available drugs unless and until I perceive that my infection has been resolved. I ran into trouble with this drug. My planned dose was 10 micrograms. The label information was unclear and I misinterpreted the amount of medication in this horse formulation. I ended up taking about 70 micrograms. I lapsed into unconciousness, I believe that the only reason that I'm here to write this is the fact that my system had automatically forced me to vomit so I avoided absorbing the full dose. I regained conciousness after about 6 hours. After reviewing information online it appears that this drug is very dangerous and dose sensitive, it can kill at as little as twice the recommended dose. Anthelmintic drugs are typically neurotoxins. Moxidectin appears to be strong and passes the blood-brain barrier quite readily. I survived my overdose and have since taken the proper dose a couple more times. It appears to be more effective than Ivermectin as, for the first time, I noticed inflammation or bruising in both eyes after treatment with this drug. However relief from itching is temporary and my tongue pain and ear ringing remain. I still see worms floating in my eyes.
Emodepside (dog formulation)
Emodepside is so new that it is not yet approved for human use. It is currently only used in cat and dog formulations, but human trials are underway in Africa. It's potential is due to the fact that it is from a different family of drugs than Ivermectin, so it's mechanism of action is different and cross-over resistance is not an issue. The recommended dose is 1 milligram per kilogram of weight. i did perceive some relief from symptoms after taking this, but like the others, temporary relief and ongoing tongue pain and ear ringing.
Diethylcarbamazine (dog formulation) March 2022
I have hesitated to take this drug due to the possibility of inducing a Mazzotti reaction and causing circulatory and vision problems. However this is the only drug that causes "quick kill" of both macrofilaria and microfilaria, and this was the drug of choice for onchocerciasis before Ivermectin was approved. I'm hoping that all of the other anthelmintic drugs that I have taken over the past year have reduced my filaria load enough to avoid this problem. My tongue pain, ear ringing, back=itching and insomnia are debilitating enough for me to be willing to take on quite a bit of risk to resolve. This drug requires dosing at about 100mg three times per day for 21 days. I'm at day 7. I have experienced a spontaneous lesion on my left ankle that was painful but has since scabbed over. I believe that was the DEC exposing one parasite to an immune system response. I am also experiencing pain from the skin on my back accompanied by numerous tiny hard spots that feel like grains of sand to my touch. I interpret these to be evidence of dying microfilaria from the layer of skin just below the surface. I assume that I'll have more of these as the days pass. I'll update this story after day 21 or when I stop taking DEC due to adverse effects, whichever comes first.
Diethylcarbamazine Follow-Up End of April 2022
DEC is a bit unpleasant to take. The dosing regimen recommends a ramp-up over several days from 50mg per day, to 100mg per day, then continuing at 100mg 3 times per day for 20 days. I've experienced a number of noteworthy events while taking it. At day 15 I experienced a sudden onset of nausea that lasted for about 24 hours. I had experienced this while taking Doxycycline as well and believe that it corresponds to parasite movement to escape the drug within my CNS. At day 18 I experienced discomfort in my groin that lasted a couple of days in combination with very bloody urine that lasted a few hours. I believe that this is an indication of parasite movement out of their nesting structure in this area. I am puzzled by the amount of blood as the parasites that I have seen in my eyes and blood samples do not seem big enough to trigger such a large flow. I have also experience aches and pains from different parts of my body, as well as some spontaneous blood flow on my scalp under my hair. The good news is that DEC seems effective against the parasite and I cannot detect any evidence of a Mazzotti reaction. The bad news is that despite taking a number of different anthelmintic drugs for the better part of a year I'm still experiencing numerous signs of parasite infection and death. And I still see parasites floating in my eyes. I managed to be examined by an opthamologist but he could not discern the objects that I see. I'll be happy when I can take these drugs and not experience symptoms associated with parasite death. That would allow for that possibility that I am free of parasites.
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2021.11.02 20:46 microwavedalt [Torture Reports] September 27 to October 31, 2021 in Florida

TORTURE REPORTS SEPTEMBER 27 TO OCTOBER 31, 2021 IN FLORIDA
The first two weeks, every day and night, I wore two wet beanies underneath a leather aviator helmet. They shielded neural remote monitoring. Approximately, in the third week, I switched to wearing two wet leather aviator helmets. They remained wet longer than cashmere beanies.
Wednesday, September 29, 2021
I held the light sensor of my phone over my left eye.
Almost in a coma from 8:40 pm until 6:45 am. I wish I had set an alarm clock. Mind control to refrain from metering.
This flickering is typical. Similar to other flickering reports. Extremely fast flickering.
https://www.reddit.com/TargetedEnergyWeapons/comments/nju166/wiki_meter_reports_flickering_light/
Thursday, Sept 30
Since I was knocked out yesterday between 5 to 6 pm, I decided to change my schedule. I will go to the library in mid afternoon and work until 9 pm. So today I stayed at the library until closing time at 9 pm.
Saturday, Oct 2
Monday, Oct 4
I dropped my car at the Toyota dealer. The engine dies when come to a stop. Engine started dying today while coasting (driving without feeding gas).
Tuesday, Oct 5
Wednesday, Oct 6
Too expensive to repair old engine. I got my car back wtihout a repair.
Rain kept full service car wash companies closed. I decided to buy basalt rocks anyway so I could sleep in a basalt head crate.
I stopped at a park to walk around a lake before buying basalt rock at Lowes. The file folder containing my shopping list was stolen from my car while I was walking. Mind control to refrain from buying basalt rocks for the basalt head crate. I purchased nine bags of basalt any how. I had not purchased enough basalt because I had to empty my car the next day to hav e it cleaned.
The next day, I printed out my shopping list and other files that were in the file folder in my car that were stolen.
Thursday, Oct 7
I emptied my car. My car was vaccumed and washed. Full service car wash had only one employee shampooing and he did not have time today. I got back too late to buy 3 more bags of basalt rocks. The next day, I shopped.
Friday, Oct 8
Knocked out twice in the day time. In the morning. I was refuting illuminati on reddit. In the afternoon, I was researching lithium deficiency causing parkinson's disease. Paralysis after regaining consciousness. It is taking longer to move my arms to get up. Today, took almost half a hour. During which time, my hands and arms were vibrated. I used my left arm to move my right arm so I could get up.I moved my Stiff neck from continuous wave laser at my brainstem while unconscious and conscious. I drank tea to become alert.
The almost daily concussions have permanently caused blurred vision and exacerbated muffled hearing. The volume remained the same but people's voices were more muffled. Slowing thinking. Craving sun light.
The two concussions made me late to a park. I walked around a small lake. Purchased the last three bags of basalt rocks at Lowes. Total of 11 bags of basalt inside rear tote and three bags for top crate.
I slept with my head inside of the rock crate. While trying to go to sleep and while asleep, my right hip joint was continuous wave lasered.
Saturday, Oct 9, 2021
Took four 30 mg low dos lithium pills for chronodisruption. Seemed to immediately help.
All day pressure on top of head causing a headache. Heavier pressure while walking outdoors. Pulsing of my brain all day.
At approximately 4:40 pm Knocked out after ordering hoodies to replace a blue hoodie stolen from my storage unit in Green Bank. Knocked out until around 7 pm. Paralysis. I could not move my arms nor open my eyes. Eventually, I rocked my feet back and forth which helped to open my eyes. I complained out loud. Seizures. I was knocked out again. Approximately at midnight, I had regained consciousness.
I was still paralyzed. Took approximately 20 minutes to move. Concussioned caused impaired concentration. Loosing several hours of daylight and going to bed later exacerbated chronodisruption. While typing this, my esophagus is continuous waved lasered inducing heart burn. The sole of my left foot lasered several times. Dizziness.
Most of this week, cold torture every day. Remote manipulation of the air conditioner makes it turn on in the evening and early morning when it is not hot.
Itching of my mid back. I had packed a back scratcher.
Sunday, Oct 10
Knocked out at 5:40 pm. I was organizing brand new drawers. If they perps had wanted to prevent me from sleeping with my heada inside of the basalt rock crate, they could have waited till dark. 5:40 pm is very early to knock me out. While typing this, my right ear drum was stung and shock wave went through my brain. Groggy. Brain fog. When I regained consciousness, I complained out loud. Immediately, I was knocked out again.
The bedroom light was on. The perps flicker the light bulb. Blue light from LED depletes melatonin and cuases chronodisruption.

Monday, Oct 11
At 12:30 am, I regained consciousness. Sometimes twice a day. Temporary paralysis of eyes and arms. Since I had been down for seven hours, I decided to stay up.
Knocked out in living room at approximately 5:40 am to 7 am. I had just started working off line on my laptop. Sleep paralysis. I forced myself to take a walk around the block. Power density of pressure on my head increased while walking. Left hip joint was continuous wave lasered. Fatigue from the concussions all day.
Knocked out around 2:20 pm while typing off line on my laptop a shielding inventory in Florida and a future packing list. This is the second concussion today. After I regain consciousness during the evening, I feel like I am in a twilight zone. I crave sun light.
I regained consciousness at 5:55 pm. Followed by seizures. Dry, scratchy eyes. Paralysis of entire body. Took approximately 10 minutes to open my eyes, move my legs and arms. Concussion prevented me from driving to the library. Brain fog. Fatigue. chronodisurption. Pressure on top of my brain before and after the concussions. While typing this almost kncked out for a third time today. Seizure. Burning of feet.
I walked around the block. Power density of pressure on my head increased while walking.
At approximately 6:45 pm, I sat on the couch in living room. I did reddit. Within 20 minutes, I was knocked out. I regained consciousness. I was knocked out again on the couch.
Tuesday, Oct 12
At 2 am, I regained consciousness I was chilled and vibrated. Temperature in the living room was 73 degrees. Cold toture of my body via cold laser? I got up to go the bathroom. My bladder was lasered forcing me to urinate in my shorts. I put on a hoodie and started drinking hot tea to warm my body. I resumed redditing. I was knocked out again in the living room..
At 6:50 am, I regained consiousness. My body was being vibrated while I was unconscious. Despite wearing a hoodie, I was still cold. Headache. The last two days, I have been knocked out for more hours and the highest number of times.
Sunday, Oct 10 5:40 pm to 12:30 am the next day
Basalt pebbles were stolen from right tank. I had packed back up basalt pebbles from the radio quiet zone. I took out the back up pebbles and put them in the right tank. There is a six foot long chain around the tanks and top crate with a corbin padlock. black embossed padlock. I will need to buy a better padlock.
Basalt bag was stolen from rear tote. I took a basalt bag from the top crate and placed it on the rear tote
Monday, Oct 11 5:40 am to 7 am 2:20 to 5:55 pm 6:45 pm to 2 am the next day
Tuesday, Oct 12 from 2 am to 6:50 am.
Since I returned to Florida on Monday, Sept 27, I have been knocked out almost daily. Sometimes twice in the same day. That has not occured in other states with the exception of knocking me out at my storage unit to prevent me from packing. Local military base does not surveil and torture out of state. Surveillance and torture is transferred to the out of state military base. Expensive for the military to switch bases.
Concussions are different in Florida than other states. Concussions are immediate. No warning. No shock waves before being concussioned.
Another distinction is the duration of the concussions. The past two weeks, the concussions have been by far the longest than at any other state. With so much time down, I stopped sleeping at all in the basalt rock head crate. My brain is unprotected. While typing this, shock wave went through my brain.
Being unconscious during day light causes chronodisruption. Shortening of day length.
Injuries from concussions:
permanent blurred vision. Dry, scratch eyes. Eyes sensitive to light as being knocked out prevents me from putting on a wet clay eye mask. Cognitive impairments as being knocked out prevents me from sleeping with my head inside of basalt rock crate. slowed thinking and writing impaired concentration impaired short term memory of events that occured this week Shortened day length as knocked out during the day. Chronodisruption - skewed body clock Craving sun light.
At library while archiving torture reports, I was made very groggy. While archiving meter reports, more groggy and stinging of my right ear drum. Almost paralyzed..
Around 8:45 pm, I was knocked out until 10:20 pm. I walked to my basalt rock crate to put my head inside and go to sleep.
Wednesday, Oct 13
Several days earlier, basalt bag was stolen from rear tote. I took a basalt bag from the top crate and placed it on the rear tote. On October 13, 2021, the basalt bag was stolen again from rear tote. Pressure and strong pulsing of my brain while I slept with my head inside of the basalt rock crate. The next day, I moved the basalt bags closer to t he center crate. I will replace the 2 stolen bags on Friday.
Opthamologist examined my eyes. She prescribed stronger lenses for distance and computer.
Thursday, Oct 14
Pressure on top of my brain and pulsing of my brain through the basalt rock crate woke me twice.
While working on my laptop, worse blurred vision.
I logged in for the first time to my Artisan Bank account. The cashier's check from First Citizens Bank that I mailed at the Green Bank post office was intercepted. Cashier's check was not deposited. While reporting the lost cashier's check to my bank, my anus was lasered through the chair. My feet and legs were stung.
I got up to look for the receipt which had the cashier's check number but I had not packed it. While I was looking, the power density of the fast pulsing of my brain increased. Difficulty concentrating. Vibrating of my legs and feet.
The hum changed to a drilling noise. My first four attempts to submit a meter report on the drilling were hacked. Wifi and data were terminated.
While typing this, I was almost knocked out.
Friday, Oct 15
Continuous wave lasering of my bladder woke me up. Torture caused insomnia.
After grocery shopping, my left eye was lasered. Mind control not to eat.
Saturday, Oct 16
I woke up around 3 pm. Pulsing of my brain prevented me from going back to sleep through I tried for 3 hours. I got up at 6 am. I regret wasting all that much time.
Heavy pressure on top of head all day. Lower power pulsing of brain sitting outside than inside. Though power density of pulsing is the highest while walking around the block.
After submitting meter reports of patio and garden, my left eye was lasered. Power density of pulsing of my brain increased.
My urethra was lasered. I placed a basalt rock over my urethra. At 7:50 pm, I was knocked out in my bedroom.
Shortness of breathe.
Tooth in lower left jaw continuous wave lasered all day. Perps choose the same tooth as previously times to create more trauma. In February 2020 in Arizona, perps lasered three teeth because they did not want me to live off the grid. The top of my tooth in my left lower jaw was sliced off. The perps also injured a tooth in my right lower jar. Sliced top and upper side off. Horrible to cut part of a tooth off. Delta Dental would not pay for the veneer because my tooth was not in the front. It was in the middle of my jar. i paid $1,380 to my dentist for the veneer.
I went to a dentist in Arizona to get a filling. The next day, the perps chipped the new filling. I went back to the same dentist. Since February 2020, the tooth in my lower left jaw has been continuous wave lasered in California, Florida and on an airplane.
Sunday, Oct 17
At 6:15 am, I woke up. I was knocked out too many hours. While I was knocked out, extreme heavy pressure on top of my head and pulsing of my brain. Eyes swollen. Headache all day. Physical and mental fatigue.
Power density of pressure decreased for the rest of the day.
Shortness of breathe all day.
While ordering supplements and herbs online, my stomach was continuous wave lasered. Right ear drum was stung. After taking turkey out of the oven, my eye was lasered. Mind control not to eat.
Temporary crown in lower left jaw continuous wave lasered all afternoon and evening.
While walking around the block, my kidneys were itched and my right ear drum was lasered. While typing this, my left side is itched.
Several days ago, two bags of basalt rocks were stolen from the rear crate. I moved a bag rom the top crate to the rear crate as the rear crate shields the top of the head. I will buy replacement bags at Lowes. Today, I discovered, the perps moved the bag back to the top crate and stole some rocks. There was a large gap in the rear crate. I moved the bag and some loose rocks back to the rear tote.
I sat in the garden most of the day. Reduction of Reddit addiction probably due to sun light.
Immediately after putting my head in the basalt rock crate, the perps caused approximately 6 seizures. My neck and brainstem are exposed. Felt like my brainstem was lasered. I had put on a rock scarf but the rocks are from the radio quiet zone. They are not basalt. I packed new wool kneesocks and needle and thread to sew a basalt rock scarf. I should make this a higher priority.
The basalt rock crate shielded pressure and pulsing of my brain.
Monday, Oct 18
Bladder lasered while sleeping. Immediately after arising, bladder strongly lasered causing me to urinate in my shorts.
In the morning, chilled. Cold torture though the room temperature is 69 degrees.
After submitting a meter report on auditory steady state response, several seizures in my bedroom. Low power density pressure on top of my brain except while walking around the block. Lower power pulsing of my brain. I sat in the garden making phone calls. Cloudy. Craving sunlight on my skin. I want to move where there is more sunshine.
In the evening, chilled.
The basalt rock crate shielded pressure and pulsing of my brain.
Tuesday, Oct 19
Immediately after arising out of the basalt rock crate, heavy DC magnetic pressure on the top of my head.
I started not using wifi. Easier to get out of the habit of using wifi after waking up by getting out of the house. Take medicine. Do errands, shopping, walking, etc.
Pep Boys replaced alternator. Mechanic tightened battery cables. The quick release battery clips were no longer quick release. I could not disconnect the battery before sleeping. I could not disconnect the DC power to concealed emitters in my car.
Wed, Oct 20
Basalt rock crate could not shield heavy pressure from the emitter in my car. I got up early in the morning because the pressure on my head was too heavy. I sat in the living room. I took cell site simulator reports. I was knocked out. I regained consciousness. I was knocked out again.
I returned to Pep Boys for them to loosen the battery cables.
Other than to submit meter reports, I refrained from using wifi. My brain feels better.
At World Market, I purchased two cotton 22" x 34" bath mats. While typing this, my face was itched. I scratched my face.
My sandals broke. I drove to shoe repair. At the library, I purchased replacement sandals online. I was almost knocked out. While archiving meter reports into wikis, I was almost knocked out.
Though today is sunny, I am craving sunshine. Very unusual. My body has such a strong need to be in the sun.
Strong pulsing of brain and eyes from emitters in car while driving and while parked.
Before going to sleep, I disconnected the car battery. The basalt rock crate was able to shield heavy pressure and pulsing. The emitters are not the only source of DC pressure and pulsing but they are the strongest. The basalt rock crate shields other sources that are lower power. But where are they? Over head telephone lines emits DC magnetic pulses. Power lines pulse. Could pressure come from them too? I was knocked out for 1 hour 20 minutes. My brain was vibrated and cold torture.
After regaining consciousness, Heavy pressure on top of brain again. While typing this, my left ear drum was lasered.
Thursday, Oct 21
Immediately after arising, bladder strongly lasered causing me to urinate in my shorts. I took my unihertz phone out of two mylar bags. It had been remotely turned on in the bag. I will get more mylar bags. I took screenshots of 44 dbm spikes of cell site simulator. I used data to submit the screenshots. My brain was zapped by cellular data. I charged the phone in another room. My brain still feels zapped. Brain fog. Difficulty concentrating.
Friday, Oct 22
Perps deleted Friday through Sunday's logs.
Back of head but not brainstem were pressured inside rock crate. The basalt rock scarf shielded my brainstem. Pressure came either through the top crate or a tank on the sides. I looked at the top crate. Half of the top crate was filled all the way to the top with rocks. The other half did not. The perps stole basalt rocks from the top crate. I drove to Lowe's to buy a replacement bag of basalt.
I submitted meter reports on -44 dBm spike pulsing by cell site simulator. In retaliation, my right knee was continuous wave lasered.
Purchased thread to sew large hole in crown of yellow cashmere beanie.
Tested wearing size large wet leather aviator helmet and one cashmere beanie. They mitigate RNM.
Saturday, Oct 23
Right knee lasered.
Sunday, Oct 24
Right knee lasered. Tested two wet leather aviator helmets. They mitigate RNM.
Monday, Oct 25
A few nights ago, the perps vibrated my head while I was sleeping. I belatedly examined my bed pillows. Basalt pebbles had been stolen from my bed pillows. The thickness of the bed pillows was decreased. I took small rocks out from the bags of rocks I had purchased in Lowes. I filled a cushion cover with a zipper with the rocks. I put this pillow underneath the other rock pillows. No more vibrations of my head.
I researched properties in the radio quiet zone. My legs were stung. Right knee lasered.
Tuesday, Oct 26
I complained out loud my forehead had been pressured while I slept. Perps retaliated by pressuring my intestines to force defecation. Right knee hurts when kneeling and walking.
I departed Tallhassee for Gainesville. While driving right knee was lasered. Emitter in car pulsed my eyes and brain. I took frequent stops. Pulsing exacerbated night vision. I got off the highway to drive on county roads. Trip took twice as long.
I arrived late to the airbnb. Soon thereafter, the host had gone to sleep. I could not ask for a key. I did not want to be locked out if she wakes up very early and locks the door. Therefore, I slept in the room. Not the rock crate in my car. Big mistake.
Wednesday, Oct 27
Extreme heavy pressure on the top of my brain while I slept in the bed. Heaviest ever. Headache.
Immediately more torture in Gainesville. Stronger right knee pain.
Thursday, Oct 28
I laid down to sleep. Immediately both legs and feet were stung. I complained out loud and waited for the stinging to stop. Stinging didn't stop. I took a bath. Water decreased the stinging. Bath tubs are shallow so laser was able to continue stinging my legs and feet for 20 minutes.
I discovered in the radio quiet zone that pulsing of the brain and eyes while indoors is from flickering light bulbs. Even LED lanterns flicker from being vibrated.
Closing eyes does not stop the pulsing. Wearing a wet clay eye mask mostly mitigates the pulsing of the eyes but not the brain. Would wearing two eye masks completely mitigate?
I noticed wearing two wet aviator helmets reduces the power density of pulsing of my brain and eyes. I placed a wet cashmere beanie underneath the helmets. Power density further reduced.
While taking a bath, the LED light bulbs pulsed my brain and eyes. I was wearing two wet aviator helmets and a beanie. I placed my hand in the front, middle and back of the top of my head. All areas were being pulsed. There is no window in the bathroom. I regretted not having brought in a lantern. So I left the lights on. How can the power density of LED light bulbs become so strong?
I closed my eyes. I put my fingers on my eye lids. For the first time, I saw vibrations. More than just visual snow. A while oval was spinning.
Flickering light from light bulbs pulse the top of the brain and eyes. I closed my eyes. I touched my eyelids. My eyelids pulsed. I turned off the light in my bedroom. My bedroom door was open. Pulsing from the light bulb in the hall. Turning off the hall light decreased power density to slight pulsing.
I placed phone on top of my head. Light meter did not detect a change of light. It is dark.
I took a light measurement holding the phone at my right eye facing the sliding glass door. There are no windows in the bedroom because this is a quadplex. Just a sliding glass door. The light meter detected light though it is dark outside.
I turned the phone facing an outlet. Phone was two feet away from the outlet. Light measurement .....
I placed phone in front of outlet. 0 to 2 lux. Where is the outlet getting the light?
I disconnected a lamp and laptop from the outlet. The lamp had been off. Identical measurement. 0 to 2 lux.
Only lights on in the quadplex are night lights in the living room and kitchen. I placed my phone in front of the night light for 15 minutes. Almost a solid rectangle of light from 0 to 2 lux. I doubt this is normal for a night light. 2 lux is extremely dim. 0 lux means no light. Like a flickering black light. Night lights do not noticeably flicker. Is the night light's 0 to 2 lux the outlet in my bedroom is getting its light from? Do electric wires carry light?
I placed phone on the floor. Stronger lux and more of a difference between low and high. Where is the light coming from? The bed blocked light from the sliding glass door on the floor.
While typing this up, I was knocked out for three hours to 2:50 am. Neck stiff and painful from being knocked out. My notes were deleted.
**Friday, Oct 29*
While driving to Panera, I became almost unconscious. I pulled over at a strip mall. I waited to recover and started driving again. I became almost unconscious. I pulled over at a different strip mall. I was knocked unconsciousness until 3:25 am.
Almost knocked out while driving to Panera. I was forced to pull over. I stopped at a strip mall. I was knocked out until 3:20 am. During which time, my computer glasses were stolen. This is the second time my eye glasses were stolen> Approimately five years ago, in California, my eye glasses were stolen while I slept.
Saturday, Oct 30
I regained consciousness but could not drive yet. DC magnetic pressure hit the back of my head and brainstem.
I got out of the car to take a walk. While walking, my back was stung.
While waiting for Panera to open, pressure on my intestines to force defecation. No bathroom is open before 6 am.
While looking up flights departing Gainesville, my phone was shook and I was made almost unconscous. While typing my torture report, I was made unconscious.
While grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, back was itched--- and my stomach nausous. Mind control to refrain from eating.
After laying down to sleep in the rock crate, my right hip joint was lasered strongly. I said out loud to stop or I will get up. I got up and drove to Starbucks. I was knocked out at Starbucks parking lot till 1:45 am.
Sunday, Oct 31
I drove back from Starbucks and laid down to sleep. My right hip joint was lasered.
I purchased a replacement bag of basalt at Lowe's for the head crate.
My right knee was lasered because I had typed my computer glasses were stolen while I was knocked out enroute to Panera Friday night.
Composite in tooth #29 in my lower right jaw cracked.
While eating, my right knee was lasered and back was itched. I used a back scratcher to scratch my back.
While typing on my laptop at 9 pm, I was knocked out till 12:40 am. I got up and laid down with my head inside of a basalt crate. My urethra was lasered. Continuous wave lasering of my right hip joint gave me insomnia. I tested wet leather on my hip but leather cannot shield laser. A bed of basalt rocks would. A bed dug into the earth and filled with basalt.
submitted by microwavedalt to TargetedEnergyWeapons [link] [comments]

2021.01.24 02:17 ghostlySecretary I (20F) see enormous halos around most lights and functionally cannot drive at night; what could be causing this?

Hello!
This is a bit long in the hopes that more information will help you help me; I would really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. It's organized into four sections: 1) primary complaint, 2) duration, 3) my story, and 4) my general medical background and current medications.
Primary Complaint: My eyes frequently blur out, hurt, and see halos around most lights, which is causing me serious impairment. I cannot drive safely at night at all and sometimes my vision becomes watery and fuzzy while I'm driving in broad daylight, and if it's very sunny the halos from the sun glinting off the cars become distracting. I struggle to walk unassisted through a brightly lit street at night and need a friend to hold my arm and guide me. I am not at all worried I'm going blind, as I can still see with my glasses, but this is limting and could make holding a 9-5 job quite difficult. I don't know what might be causing it, what interventions to try, or what doctors to go to.
It recently has seemed concentrated on my left eye (as determined by closing one eye and then the other and seeing which is more affected), which tears up when it gets blurry. However, the problem has also presented in my right eye and in both eyes.
Sometimes the blurriness is accompanied by an intense, stabbing, shooting pain in one of my eyes, but not always. I also have in the past two years started having what feels like a headache behind my eyes, which I had never had before, and this type of aching pain usually happens at night. I haven't kept track of the frequency of the stabbing eye-pain or of the ache behind my eyes.
Duration: May 2019-present.
My Story: In May 2019 I was on a roadtrip and suddenly started seeing bright halos around every bit of reflected light. It was 10am. I continued driving throughout the day, and the halos got bigger and bigger, and at night I had a very difficult time seeing the lanes; at one point my entire field of vision blurred out; my eyes were also aching and red. By the time I reached my destination I was seriously worried and called a nurse, who told me to go to an ER immediately. The doctor at the ER checked for acute angle closure glaucoma and ran a CAT scan, but my intraoptic pressure was normal and nothing seemed odd on the scan or to the doctor's inspection.
I went to an opthamologist a few days later, who noted that my glasses prescription was off by 25% and suggested I get an anti-glare coating; noted that I have unusually large pupils, so they let in more light than might be ideal; thought it might have been some sort of vascular event; and suggested I get a visual field test if symptoms continued. The new glasses helped for maybe a few days, but I still saw large halos around most lights. He also gave me some Alphagan eye drops to shrink my pupils to see if that helped my vision, but they did not.
Since my symptoms were continuing and my eyes had been blurring out painfully at least once a week, in July I went to another eye doctor, who asked about my medical history and seemed very preoccupied by my chronic daily migraines. He did not do a computerized visual field test but did move his hands around and frequently asked if I could see them, and I could. My eyes were again by all measures in good health and he assured me I was not going blind.
In the summer of 2020 I noticed that my prescription was again very off, and went to a third eye doctor; again my eyes seemed in good health. He suggested I ask a neurologist about the possibility of a Chiari malformation, as he says they're a potential underlying cause for chronic migraines and can also cause visual disturbances.
In September 2020 I went to a neurologist, who did not seem concerned about that and prescribed me a new migraine medication, which has done nothing to improve my vision.
General Medical Information: I'm 20 years old, female, 5'6" and 125lbs, and white. I am pescetarian and don't eat eggs. I do not drink, smoke, or use any recreational drugs, and I never have.
I've had migraines with aura since I was 7 and chronic daily migraines since I was 15. My migraines have a myalgic component that I've seen a physical therapist to try and circumvent. My migraine aura is characterized by floating triangles that move across my field of vision and intense afterimages of the outlines of chairs and so on after I blink. The aura happens about as often as my headaches, which continue to happen all the time but are much less intense with medication and easily ignorable 28-29 days out of the month. This recent vision problem triggers my photophobia, though, so sometimes I have a headache that I have to lie down because of if I walk around town in the evening.
Also since I was 15, I've had on-and-off joint pain and stiffness in my hips, knees, wrists, and hands, which PT has helped somewhat. (According to my PT some of my joints are mildly hypermobile, but none of them bend more than 10 degrees.) I do not appear to have RA, Lupus, or any of the other commonly tested-for autoimmune disorders, and I also do not have significant fatigue. When I stand up I usually black out and get very dizzy, so a friend of mine with POTS suggested I see a cardiologist; one confirmed I have dysautonomia and suggested some very helpful lifestyle interventions. Hurrah for sodium! I also have a ADHD and a history of insomnia, anxiety, and depression, which all run in the family.
Medications-wise, I am on Blivosi 24-FE for birth control; Levetiracetam ER 750mg 3x day, Almotriptan Malate 6.25mg PRN, and Ondansetron 8mg PRN for migraines; Mirtazapine 15mg 2x night for insomnia; Bupropion 200mg SR 1x day for depression/anxiety; and Dexmethylphenidate 5mg 5x week during the school year for ADHD. The medication my neurologist recently put me on was Amitriptyline HCL 10mg on a graded dosing, which I took for two months but did not find helpful and stopped taking. I also take Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Omega-3 dietary supplements.
As mentioned before, I have tried new glasses and Alphagan to address this problem. I have also tried using artificial tears to see if those help with this vision problem, but they do not.
​
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I look forward to reading your thoughts!
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2019.07.27 21:28 FaradaySaint Effort Post: Where the 2016 Republicans now? And are these mega-primaries a good idea?

Seeing how many Democrats are running for President with slim chances of winning, I wondered what happens to all those who don’t make it. When I went back to see where the 2016 Republican candidates are, I was surprised to find only this short Business Insider article.
So, I’ve written a summary of all the 16 GOP candidates who weren’t elected President: what they did before the campaign, and where they are now. Afterwards, I discuss the comparisons between this primary and the 2020 Democrats, followed by an analysis of whether these mega-primaries are beneficial to the candidates and to the voters. (I had to include this in the comments, since the many links were pushing this post over the character limit)
If you’d like to skip to the analysis at the end, the TL;DR of these 16 bios is this:
10 of them were holding elected office at the time, and only 4 (all Senators) remain. The other 6 (all governors) have moved on to other pursuits, and only Rick Perry (Secretary of Energy) is still in public office. Of the 6 who were not in public office during the campaign, only Ben Carson (HUD secretary) is now in a government position.
Ted Cruz
Cruz assisted in the 2000 Bush Presidential campaign, helping draft legal strategy for the Florida recount. He served as U.S. Associate Deputy Attorney General until 2003, and as Texas Solicitor General from 2003-2008. He returned to private practice until he was elected Senator in 2012. He became famous for his role in the 2013 government shutdown, where his main goal was to defund the Affordable Care Act. He was seen as the most conservative candidate in the primary, and he had little support from GOP leadership. After winning the Iowa caucus, he maintained his position as the second-most popular candidate behind Donald Trump, winning 11 states and over 7.8 million votes (compared to Trump’s 14 million). He and Donald Trump repeatedly attacked each other personally. In a last-ditch effort to gain support, he chose Carly Fiorina to be his running mate as vice president and had several of the other failed primary candidates endorsing him. He dropped out of the race in early May 2016, when there was no longer a path to victory.
Cruz eventually endorsed Donald Trump for president, and the two have since been very supportive of each other. He has been one of the most visible Republicans in the Senate, playing Jimmy Kimmel in a charity basketball game and winning reelection in a closely fought race against Congressman Beto O’Rourke. He has also grown a widely-discussed beard.
John Kasich
Kasich served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983-2001, where he was a “hawkish” member of the Armed Forces Committee and chair of the House Budget Committee, focused on reducing tax loopholes and balancing the budget. After a brief campaign for president in 2000 he worked for Fox News and Lehman Brothers. He won a close election for Ohio governor in 2010 with Tea Party support. His popularity grew as he went on to win 86 of 88 counties in his 2014 reelection. In the 2016 campaign, he appealed to many moderates as a voice of reason, but he was seen as too liberal by most Republicans and too conservative by Democrats. Despite his lack of support, he stayed in the race long enough to win over 4 million votes, buy only won the state of Ohio.
He refused to endorse Donald Trump, writing in John McCain as his vote and publishing a book on rising above Trump’s divisive rhetoric. He finished his term as governor with many assuming he would run for president again, either as a Republican or Independent. He continues to be outspoken on political events as a senior political commentator for CNN.
Marco Rubio
Rubio moved from state politics to the U.S. Senate in 2010 when Tea Party support allowed him to defeat former governor Charlie Crist for the republican nomination and in the general election when Crist ran as an independent. Rubio was part of several major Senate bills, most notably the bipartisan gang of eight immigration reform. Rubio was vetted as a possible running mate for Mitt Romney in 2012. He was also well-known for his awkward "water-bottle" moment" during his 2013 response to President Obama’s State of the Union speech. Despite his name recognition and charisma, his campaign never resonated enough to make him anyone’s first choice. He received 3.5 million votes but dropped out of the race after failing to win his home state of Florida.
Marco Rubio eventually endorsed Donald Trump, despite their numerous personal attacks during the campaign. He has since been an enthusiastic supporter of the President. He won reelection to the Senate in 2016, but has maintained a lower profile this term. One prominent moment was a CNN town hall following the school shooting in Parkland, where Rubio was repeatedly booed for refusing to denounce the NRA and his past gun positions.
Ben Carson
Dr. Carson was appointed chief of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1984, rising to fame in 1987 with a 70-member surgery that separated conjoined twins. He then became a well-known motivational speaker and author, and his biography was made into a movie. His journey into the conservative movement began in 2013, when he was chosen as the keynote speaker of the National Prayer Breakfast, and he used the opportunity to criticize Barack Obama’s healthcare agenda. Ben Carson was well-liked by primary voters, and was even ahead of Donald Trump in some November 2015 polls, but he made several strange statements, leading many (including Donald Trump) to question the credibility of his autobiography and his competence in understanding political issues. His "super-low energy" campaign ended in early March with 850,000 votes and only 7 delegates.
Carson almost immediately endorsed Donald Trump, asserting that Trump was much wiser more willing to listen than people assumed. He became chair of a group encouraging Christians to vote and was closely involved with the Trump campaign. After making the perplexing statement that he wouldn’t be qualified to run a government agency, he accepted a position as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He has been a committed supporter of the President, despite $6.2 billion in cuts to HUD. He made the news recently when he seemed to be unfamiliar with the term REO, mistaking it for the Oreo cookie.
Jeb Bush
Bush, the son and brother of former presidents, had a successful business career in Venezuela and Miami until he decided to run for governor of Florida in 1994. He was unsuccessful in that first attempt, but his pragmatic policies allowed him to win the following two elections. He returned to private business until declaring his candidacy in June 2015. While Bush was initially a well-connected frontrunner who raised a lot of cash, it was clear that he never generated much enthusiasm from the public. Donald Trump attacked him the most on Twitter, and his campaign never found a way to respond. He believed the party had shifted too far to the right, but seemed to lose moderate support to John Kasich. With only 280,000 votes, he never made it above 4th in any state primary. The most enduring part of his campaign may have been his sad request that an audience would "Please clap."
Bush supported Cruz during the primaries, but refused to vote for either candidate in the general election. He has stated that he will not seek another elected office but continue being involved in business. He became President of the Foundation for Excellence in Education, where current Education Secretary Betsy DeVos had been a board member. He hopes that a Republican will challenge Donald Trump in the 2020 primary.
Rand Paul
Rand Paul is the son of libertarian congressman Ron Paul, and he assisted each of his father’s three presidential campaigns. He was an opthamologist from 1993 until 2010, when he decided to run for Senate, after Jim Bunning declined to seek reelection. Paul’s policies aligned well with the Tea Party, and he defeated the attorney general by 12 percentage points. During his time in the Senate, he has called for many drastic budget cuts, privacy protections from the government, and limiting military intervention, including a 13-hour filibuster to protest the Obama administration’s drone program. Paul was a presidential frontrunner in CPAC straw polls. He used humorous social media and university visits to try and win support from younger voters, but as voters became more concerned about solving foreign crises, Paul’s isolationist views prevented him from breaking into the upper ranks. He dropped out after only receiving 10,000 votes in the Iowa primary.
Kentucky had experienced controversy about Paul being a candidate for President and Senate since 2014, but he dropped out of the presidential race before that became an issue, easily winning reelection. Paul endorsed Donald Trump in 2016 and they have had a friendly working relationship. In 2017, a neighbor attacked him and broke five of his ribs. He continues to be a staunch proponent of limiting spending, most recently drawing the ire of many public figures when he blocked Kirsten Gillibrand’s motion for unanimous consent on compensation for 9/11 victims and first responders.
Chris Christie
Christie became an attorney in 1987, a partner at his law firm in 1993, and the U.S. attorney for New Jersey in 2002. He won a close gubernatorial election in 2009. He focused on cutting spending, and his popularity continued to grow after his response to Hurricane Sandy, allowing him to be elected head of the Republican Governors Association. He quickly became one of the least popular governors after several controversies, such as "Bridgegate." His low approval ratings did not improve nationwide, where many voters saw him as the most liberal candidate in the primary. He received less than 60,000 votes and won no delegates.
Christie was eager to stand behind Donald Trump. He did not receive a position in the administration, though he claims he was offered multiple cabinet-level positions, but refused any except VP or attorney general. After finishing his term as governor, he joined ABC News as a contributor and wrote a book about his strong relationship with the President, which criticized the Kushners and others in the administration.
Mike Huckabee
Mike Huckabee was a Southern Baptist pastor for 12 years. In 1992, his self-funded campaign lost by 20% to incumbent U.S. Senator from Arkansas, Dale Bumpers. When Governor Bill Clinton was elected President, Lt. Gov. Jim Guy Tucker became Governor, and Huckabee won a special election to become Lieutenant Governor. Huckabee assumed the position of Governor when Tucker was convicted for involvement in the Whitewater scandal. Huckabee was popular enough to win reelection as Governor twice. He came in 3rd in the 2008 Republican Presidential Primary, and hosted an eponymous Fox News show until attempting to run for President in 2016. Despite his name recognition, his base never grew beyond southern Evangelicals, and he began to support Donald Trump during the televised debates.
Huckabee was offered a position in Trump’s cabinet but claimed to turn it down. His daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, was the President’s press secretary for 2 ½ years. Mike Huckabee’s TV show is the highest rated on the Christian channel TBN, and he remains a vocal supporter of President Trump.
Carly Fiorina
Carly Fiorina became AT&T’s first female vice president in 1990. She then led its spinoff, Lucent Technologies, to rapid growth, increasing its stock price by ten times. In 1999, Hewlett-Packard chose her to be the first female CEO of a Dow 30 company. Her time at HP was tumultuous, with controversial mergers and unwelcome changes to company culture. She was forced to resign in 2005 and has been called one of the worst CEOs of her time. She worked with several businesses before deciding to focus on philanthropic work. She was an economic advisor to the 2008 McCain campaign and chairman of the CIA External Advisory board. She was the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in 2010, despite her embarrassing "Demon Sheep" ad about rival Tom Campbell. She lost to incumbent Barbara Boxer by 10%. In the 2016 Presidential campaign, her speaking ability and sharp criticism of Hillary Clinton made her the star of the "undercard" debate. She made headlines again when rebuking Donald Trump for insulting her face, but her lack of government experience and controversial business legacy kept voters from supporting her. Ted Cruz’s attempt to use her as a running mate for 7 days was the shortest VP Candidacy in history.
Fiorina called for Donald Trump to resign after the vulgar Access Hollywood tape was released, but she supported his inauguration. She believes that he sees women as something to be used, but also is willing to give them important jobs. She is currently leadership consultant, running Carly Fiorina Enterprises and promoting her new book.
Jim Gilmore
Jim Gilmore was a military veteran who served as Virginia’s attorney general from 1993-1997, until he was elected governor. He cut taxes and spending on everything except education. He created the Secretary of Technology position, advised the White House on weapons of mass destruction, and signed restrictions on abortion. Virginia does not allow governors to serve consecutive terms, but he did serve as chair of the Republican National Committee after leaving office in 2001. Gilmore attempted to run for president in 2008, but failed to raise funds and quickly dropped out. Instead, he was nominated as the Republican candidate for Senator by a slim margin of 66 votes and lost the general election by over 30% of the vote. In 2016, he was consistently the lowest-polling GOP candidate, often not even appearing in polls. He appeared in some debates with little impact, and he believed the media was conspiring against him.
Gilmore believed the party should unite behind Donald Trump to stop Hillary Clinton. He is now the CEO of the American Opportunity Foundation and U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum was elected it to the House of Representatives by Democratic-leaning Pittsburgh in 1991, supporting labor unions and opposing NAFTA. He won a close election to the U.S. Senate in 1994. During his two terms, he championed welfare reform and a failed amendment to NCLB act that allowed for the teaching of intelligent design and questioning evolution in school. He was in favor of strong foreign intervention in the middle east to fight radical Islamists. When John McCain opposed the use of torture against terrorists, Santorum accused McCain of not understanding enhanced interrogation. He lost his Senate race in 2006 by one of the widest margins for a sitting Senator. In his 2012 presidential campaign, he received strong conservative support in southern states, but fell short of Mitt Romney before the end of the primaries. With Mike Huckabee taking most of the early evangelical support in 2016, Santorum performed poorly in all polls, and dropped out of the race after the first caucuses.
Rick Santorum endorsed Marco Rubio, then Donald Trump. He was hired by CNN as a senior political commentator. He is a firm supporter of the President, frequently speaking out on his support for conservative causes.
George Pataki
George Pataki repeatedly defeated incumbent Democrats for New York state offices during the 1980’s. In the 1994 “Republican Revolution,” He upset longtime governor Mario Cuomo by just 3%. As a fiscal conservative and a social liberal, Pataki had broad appeal and was easily reelected to a second and third term. He worked well with Mayor Giuliani to help rebuild New York City following the September 11th attacks. After leaving office, he formed an environmental consulting firm and a temporary non-profit to support repealing Obamacare. He became a board member of the American Security Council Foundation. After considering Presidential runs in ‘08 and ‘12, he decided to run in 2016. His liberal views were not a good fit for the party, and his campaign barely reached any voters.
Pataki endorsed Rubio, then Kasich, and called on Donald Trump to resign after the Access Hollywood tape. He continues to work with the same firms as before the election and seems to be involved in New York Politics.
Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Graham was a member of the Air Force from 1982 to 2015, mostly serving in reserve capacity as an attorney. He was the first Republican elected to the House of Representatives from the 3rd Congressional District of South Carolina since 1877, and won several reelections with overwhelming support. He was opposed to Newt Gingrich’s leadership and Bill Clinton's impeachment. He won the 2002 Senate race when Strom Thurmond retired. He had a reputation for being moderate on issues such as environmentalism and immigration, yet he has been reelected twice, even during the Tea Party insurgence. He was a co-chairman of his friend John McCain's 2008 campaign, and Donald Trump’s 2015 comments about McCain prompted Graham to call him a “jackass.” Trump responded by giving out Graham's phone number on CNN and urging people to call it. During his presidential campaign, Senator Graham was only known for his aggressive foreign policy, and when other candidates had similar positions, he was never able to gather significant support.
Graham endorsed Bush and Cruz, finally voting for CIA officer Evan McMullin in the general election. In 2018 he derided Senate Democrats for turning Brett Kavanaugh’s hearing into an "unethical sham". He has surprised many by becoming a vocal supporter of President Trump, despite their policy disagreements. Some have suggested that his reversal is meant to prevent a conservative primary challenger. He is, unfortunately, not the host of a history podcast you should all be listening to.
Bobby Jindal
Bobby Jindal is a health policy expert, whose financial "genius", led him to quickly rise from Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (1993) to President of the University of Louisiana System (1999) to Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services (2001) in the Bush Administration. He lost the 2003 gubernatorial election, but won two landslide elections to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2004 and 2006. Jindal became the country’s first Indian American governor in 2008, and was viewed favorably after successfully responding to Hurricane Gustav. He gave the Republican response to Barack Obama’s first State of the Union. His popularity began to decline in his second term due to his budget cuts and refusal to raise taxes. With little support at home and poor national name recognition, Jindal’s 2016 Presidential Campaign ended after only four months, leading some to say that he should have run in 2012.
Bobby Jindal reluctantly voted for Donald Trump, which he called the second worst thing the nation could do, besides electing Hillary Clinton. He now works in global investment for Ares Management and writes columns for the Wall Street Journal that support President Trump’s policies, but push for a better Republican party in the future.
Scott Walker
In 2004, at age 36, Scott Walker became the only Republican and youngest person to be elected Milwaukee County executive. He reduced county employees by 20% and cut over $40 million in spending. After a short, unsuccessful campaign in 2006, he was elected governor in 2010. When he tried to limit collective bargaining, a recall election was held. Despite millions spent from outside sources, Walker won by an even bigger margin than the general election. He rejected federal funds for Medicaid expansion and a high-speed railway. Walker’s hardline conservative ideals initially appealed to voters in the 2016 primary, but lackluster debates and low polling numbers led him to suspend his campaign. He urged other candidates to do so as well, to unite behind a true conservative candidate like Ted Cruz that could stop Donald Trump.
Scott Walker was reluctant to support Donald Trump after his racist comments about a federal judge. He did help his friend Mike Pence, and eventually endorsed Trump. After losing the 2018 gubernatorial election, he attempted to remove powers from the incoming administration. He is now president of a conservative youth foundation and was appointed by Donald Trump to be a member of a think tank at the Smithsonian.
Rick Perry
Rick Perry was a Democrat in the Texas House of Representatives from 1984-1990, pushing for fiscal responsibility. He switched to be a Republican to defeat incumbent Jim Hightower for Agriculture Commissioner, an office that had been seen as corrupt. He supported President Clinton’s healthcare reform, and was elected to be lieutenant governor in 1999. Perry was a hardline conservative on social issues, though his position was bit more nuanced on education and immigration. Despite controversies about his donors receiving state contracts, high use of vetoes, and apparent support of secession, Perry was popular enough to win three reelections, making him the longest-serving governor of Texas. He was a frontrunner in the 2012 presidential election, but with "spectacular failures" at the debates and questions about his record on racial issues, he suspended his campaign early in the primary season. His 2016 campaign struggled with fundraising, endorsements, and polling, forcing him to be the first candidate to leave the race.
Rick Perry endorsed Ted Cruz and then Donald Trump. That summer, Perry lasted three weeks on the reality show Dancing with the Stars. In one of politics’ greatest ironies, Trump chose Perry to head the Department of Energy, which he had famously forgotten in a 2012 debate. Perry does not believe humans are causing climate change, and wants to focus on making fossil fuels cleaner. Some sources say he is planning to leave soon, a claim he has refuted.
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2018.01.04 03:34 bluishmonster Rich Evans' Standard English Dictionary, third edition (2017)

ambivilous (adj.) simultaneously experiencing opposing or contradictory feelings, beliefs, or motivations / Example: "I was so fucking ambivilous about this film."
Ben Afflect (proper noun) Hollywood actor, most famous for playing the Bat Man
Bessessda (proper noun) an American video game developer, known for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout (also known as Bessethda, Beh-sezz, BEH-THEH-zda)
birds and the beads, the (phrase) something to do with sex; if you can use them, that's true love
blackground (noun) the space behind actors or cats in videos, often colored blue
ch-chahgo (phrase) a time in your life when Star Wars was very enticing / Example: "When I was ch-chahgo... what was really enticing... was Star Wars!"
cheasure trest (noun) A trest that holds a cheasure.
Chris Helmsworth (proper noun) a guy that Rich Evans is constantly talking about
dreadlocks (noun, plural) traditional African style of hair grooming, where the hair is braided very close to the scalp. Often seen in failed magician videos
ducks (noun, plural) a form of currency used for buying dolls
dudn't (verb) negative form of 'do' / Example: "He has training to use the Force. She dudn't."
fartbag (noun) the off-brand, 50c store version of a whoopee cushion
fire esstingui-iscghh-eckstinguisher (noun) device that can be used to put out a fire
folding chable (noun) small portable piece of furniture, used for displaying valuable items from a dollar store
gun chunks (noun) little pieces of guns
hump down (verb) get laid, often said of robots
illegible (adj.) not allowed to, not meeting the necessary conditions / Example: "I felt illegible, because I was on the end."
Inchy8 (proper noun) name of a popular character from Star Wars
left and rice mouse button (noun) regular controls on a computer mouse, which can also have 4 buttons on the side
li-berry (noun) place full of books, where scientists give out expository dialogue
Lisa Neeld (proper noun) Playboy centrefold and star of CW Network's show-slash 'Lisa Neeblubaluba'
Megan LaFox (proper noun) Hollywood actress who saves Shia LaBeouf from robots
moopies (noun, plural) hyper-exaggerated movies
moving (verb) to make (someone) aware of impeding danger, etc.; to caution (someone) against unwise or unacceptable behavior / Example: "A living lethal organism that strikes its victims without moving."
nang (interjection) superfluous extra syllable added to make your speech seem less coherent. / Example: "And nang next up..."
nessisate (verb) to make necessary (variations: ness, nessitate, ness etten, nett?, fuck it)
non-medy (noun) every now and then, there is a joke that is so bad that it makes you less laugh. You will be sitting there normal, the joke will happen and you will like...slightly less smile, even though you weren't smiling. And that is called non-meds.
op-opthimal-op-opthamologist-opitamahowajist (noun) a medical doctor specializing in the eye
perchant (noun) a strong or habitual liking for something or tendency to do something
rutting gag (noun) A joke requiring 11 minutes and a dictionary to understand.
schwashtika (noun) not the original Nazi symbol, according to Grandpa.
six mill yen doylair (noun) a lot of money; (adj., slang) excellent, really good
six stunts (noun, plural, slang) radical skateboard tricks
skost (noun) a skull ghost
souly sluck away (phrase) absorb at a slow rate / Example: "Does the doll souly sluck away her soul?"
stanima (noun) the energy and strength for continuing to do something over a long period of time
Stony (proper noun) a make-believe company similar to Sony
stuff (noun) previously shot film or video footage that can be used again in other films. / Example: "Neil Breen is the best at stuff."
t'hofful (adj.) very bad, appalling
twenty-twen-twelve-ten (phrase) an uncertain year in the past, a long time ago
unconshizz (adj.) not awake; having no awareness (variations: unconshuss, unconshiss)
wallpaper space (noun) an adhesive for putting up wallpaper, if you don't want to use spray glue
William Frakes (proper noun) Actor who played Commander Jonathan Riker on the Next Star Trak Generation.
Credit: Initial list from AtomicDancer(YT)
Edit: Updated with suggestions.
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2016.12.01 00:19 jdepps113 Cimexa not as safe as people say, based on my recent experience: story time!

I've been in here a while since my cousin brought bed bugs to my house early this year, and have used Cimexa to great effect. It works.
I had to go on a long car trip recently in my car which had been treated with Cimexa. 10+ hours in the car, far longer than any trip I'd taken since treating the car (had left the stuff down to ensure the bugs could not return, so it hadn't been cleaned out) Felt pretty bad after the trip down, with cracked skin and chapped lips, probably from touching what was on surfaces, and tired, oh so tired. More than usual even for a long trip like that. I'd previously been driving only for short trips since treating the car, and since I usually go to the park I run at, I often shower upon my return.
So after that trip down, I decided to clean all the Cimexa out of the car. Vacuumed and used an air-cannon to blow it out of cracks and corners, which I think blew a significant bit up into the ventilation system (didn't think about this possibility at the time) then I vacuumed again.
So I believed I had removed the stuff, but as soon as I started driving it again later that day, having showered and put on fresh clothes, I knew I was still getting exposure to it in the car. Skin and lips starting to dry as soon as I got in, that kind of thing.
So when I set out to go home, I thought I'd try and flush it out of the ventilation system. Opened all the windows doing 70mph, and turned the vent on full blast, doing every setting to try and make sure every pipe got blasted clean, thinking it would all go out and I'd be fine.
After a couple hours driving, I felt like I was going to die. Muscle cramps and weakness, heart pains bleary eyes, gastric issues. Bear in mind I felt fine immediately before this. I could feel the powder all over me, in my mouth, and I am not exaggerating to say I have never felt worse in my life. My muscles felt weak, like they could easily rip apart. I suffered a couple of pulled muscles just moving normally--hardly doing anything. One in my shoulder just driving. Only hours before I was feeling fantastic and well-rested, and again, young and in pretty good shape.
I was forced to stop at a hotel, and as soon as I got a shower and put on fresh clothes from my suitcase, started feeling better (not great but the worst effects started to improve over the course of hours, such that instead of feeling like I was 100 years old, within 4-6 hours I felt half that age, but still kind of crappy)
Fast forward to the next day, when I continued driving--this time without engaging the ventilation system. I just drove with the windows up and no air on. (Bear in mind I had previously vacuumed up what I could in the car, so we're just talking about what is still persisting in the ventilation system, and maybe to a lesser extent in the carpet that gets airborne from moving around in there and from the car bumping and vibrating from the road.) I managed to make it the next 8 hours of my trip home but arrived feeling, well, kind of bad. Not half dead like the night before, but pretty bad. I had been exposed, but less so.
Today is the day after those two days of driving. I don't feel great. My lungs feel coated with the stuff, and my insides feel backed up (can it get into your organs? It's really fine powder so I don't know why it couldn't cross the barrier either through the lungs or by getting in your mouth and being swallowed, and wind up in the blood and get distributed all over the body). My muscles feel weak. My eyes feel tired. My liver and lymph nodes feel swollen (yes, I used to drink a lot, I know what a swollen liver feels like). Generally my whole system feels like it's not functioning quite right today at all. Stomach bothering me all day.
I'm thinking I felt worse after the trip back, than the trip there, because on the trip there my systems were clean and clear, more or less, but they didn't have a chance to get back up to full capacity after working overtime on the first leg of the trip, so on the trip back I felt the effects much more acutely. But also maybe because the stuff might not have been in the ventilation system so much before I blew the air gun trying to get it out of there. I may have blown a decent quantity of it up and it's just there by the air filter, slowly feeding into the air of the vehicle's cabin. I don't know, this is speculation.
Mind you, I'm strong and in great health normally. But today I feel like a bedbug who's been covered in the stuff.
I've been looking into it and wondering if they just assume it's safe because silica gel is considered safe. But the packets that go in food or whatever are large pieces of the stuff, not incredibly fine dust.
I don't know what kind of tests have been done, but I seriously doubt that as part of product testing they douse humans in it to see if it kills them. They probably just go with what they know about the general chemical it's made of--but when it's such a fine, fine dust, this stuff winds up being pretty different from larger granules of silica gel such as are used in the packets meant to keep food dry.
Hopefully I will continue to improve and feel better and better, but I can say for sure that I'm not going to be using Cimexa anymore, or recommending it. I've experienced what it feels like when you get a big prolonged exposure to it, and can't possibly believe the claims anymore that it's completely safe.
But, based on my experience I can tell you it's not as completely harmless as people say.
Looking back now on the past year, during which I was forced to do multiple applications of Cimexa, I have to say that I suspect it makes your muscles/connective tissues weak and brittle for a time if you are exposed to it, makes it hard to breathe if you breathe a lot of it, and even that it fucks with your organs.
I started having trouble with my eyes since I first started using Cimexa. Went to an opthamologist because I was having this issue off and on. After this car trip, now, and looking back, I'm pretty sure I've only felt the effects when I had used it and been exposed to Cimexa dust. Basically the effect is that myeyes feel kind of blurry and weak like the muscles on them are very stressed, and at its worst it makes it almost impossible to see and I have to close them.
I've also sustained a hernia during this time, which I think might be attributable to muscle and connective tissue weakness/deterioriation from Cimexa exposure. After realizing how my muscles all felt like paper and on the verge of tearing the day before yesterday when I had been exposed to a lot of it and felt like I was going to die if I didn't wash it off and rest, I strongly suspect that the hernia occurred probably shortly after Cimexa exposure. This weakness/brittleness of muscle seems to have a pretty short half-life, so I suspect the Cimexa gets into your muscles and brings this risk, but your body quickly gets it out of there so that if you don't do damage while it's there, you are probably alright.
Mind you, this is all based on my own experience and I can't prove any of it. Although I'm fairly certain that if I went to a hospital right now and they biopsied different organs, they'd find the Cimexa in them currently which is why I still feel pretty bad. (that's not going to happen unless I take a serious turn for the worse, though, because I don't have health insurance).
Anyway, just putting this up here as a warning for the rest of you. I can't prove anything, this allegation is merely my own experience, but it makes sense to me that the effects wouldn't fully be known, since I doubt very strongly they doused humans in it and made them breathe it for an extended period of time as part of any testing.
Some products that have been on the market a lot longer than Cimexa and gone through far more rigorous safety evaluations have been found to be unsafe after being approved for use for years and even prescribed by doctors. This likely has undergone far less rigorous testing and with far less oversight.
It does the job to kill bugs but I will no longer believe it's harmless. Do yourself a favor and don't breathe it.
And if anyone else has experienced similar effects but discounted them as being something else, because you knew that Cimexa is considered "safe" and therefore couldn't be the cause...I'd like to hear it.
In the meantime I'm just hoping I'll feel better when the stuff is all out of my system. Today I feel absolutely clogged with the stuff internally. And I'm afraid to drive my car. I don't know how to get it out of the entire ventilation system. I know you can change a filter, but can you get a mechanic or someone to actually blow out/vacuum out the entire vent system of a car?
Sorry if this post is disorganized and long. I don't have the energy to edit it right now. I've just been typing it all out as fast as possible to sort of get it over with.
EDIT: TL;DR: prolonged exposure to Cimexa over car trip left me with dry, cracked skin, muscle pain, weakness, brittleness, organs feeling swollen and shitty, heart was causing me pains, lymph nodes swollen and still painful, eyes bleary and weak. Made me reevaluate the last 8 months or so during which time I've used Cimexa, and think it's been causing me eye and muscle problems whenever I've had smaller exposures as well over that course of time. I am no longer convinced of the absolute safety of Cimexa and won't be using it or recommending it again
submitted by jdepps113 to Bedbugs [link] [comments]

2015.11.18 01:17 thetrufflesiveseen Mystery illness has hospitalized my dog for 3 days :(

Species: Canine
Age: 10
Sex/Neuter status: Neutered
Breed: Chihuahua
Body weight: 4.5 lb
History: On Thursday morning (11/12), my chihuahua seemed completely normal. On Thursday around 5pm I opened him a new can of food, a kind that he had eaten before (Merrick grain-free salmon, limited ingredient) and he would not eat it. VERY unusual as he is a chowhound. He also seemed a bit "out of sorts," just low-energy and "not feeling good." I chalked it up to a stomach ache and did not think too much of it. On Friday morning, he would not eat again so I started to get a little worried, but his gums were normal color and he did not seem to be in distress, he just seemed low-energy again. Did not want to go outside, etc. Friday afternoon I started to suspect maybe it was the food I had just opened the night before, so I opened a different can and he ate that. He seemed a little better after that, was walking around some and drinking water.
On Saturday morning, he refused food again. I tried to give him his favorite treats, he wouldn't eat them. No vomiting or loose stool however. I knew something was wrong, so I took him to the e-vet and they ran a battery of tests. Pulse was normal, urinalysis was normal, fecal was normal, no tick-borne disease, no parasites or heartworm. They took abdominal x-rays, no blockage that they could see (he pooped normally that morning anyway). Full blood panel turned up nothing, no elevated liver or kidney enzymes, normal white blood cell count. No fever. The only thing they noted was that his blood pressure was slightly elevated and his eyes weren't dilating to the same size, which they said could just be iris atrophy or something more serious like nerve damage or a brain tumor, but they also couldn't tell if it had anything to do with his decreased appetite and listlessness. They checked his ocular pressure which was normal, no sign of glaucoma. They suspected gastroenteritis or pacreatitis and sent us home with a low-fat GI food. They gave him something like pepcid and a shot of anti-nausea medicine.
That night, Saturday, he seemed pretty much the same. Not eating, listless. Still aware of his surroundings though. I kept a close eye on him. Sunday morning, the same. He was tired and wouldn't eat. I did manage to get a small piece of plain chicken down him. Sunday night he took a turn for the worse. He wouldn't stand up, he shivered and did not want to lift his head. I rushed him back to the e-vet. His blood pressure was higher, I think 170 something. They hospitalized him.
The next morning (Monday/yesterday) we did an ultrasound. All his organs looked normal - pancreas, liver, kidneys, GI tract. Ultrasound told us nothing. They advised doing a chest x-ray to look for tumors in the lungs. Chest x-ray was clear. At some point Monday his blood pressure went up to 200+. They started him on enalapril and buprenex for pain, and had us transfer him to a specialty hospital to see an internal medicine specialist. The e-vet basically told us they had done every test they could do there and didn't know what was wrong.
On the blood pressure meds, his pressure has gone back down to normalish (118 this afternoon). But, he is still listless and refusing to eat. The internal medicine specialist looked at him today and had me make an appointment with an opthalmologist. If the opthalmologist says his pupils are not a result of iris atrophy, I guess our next step is to contact a neurologist on the possibilty of a brain tumor? She said we might also want to do an echo to rule out heart disease, because she thought she heard a slight murmur, but that we should go to the opthamologist first. (also: no vet had heard a murmur before, but it might have been very faint)
I know this is a total crapshoot, but has anyone seen anything like this before? Hypertension and pupil dilation issues with no obvious cause? Should I be looking at his heart or his brain? Both? I have spent almost $4000 already and I have no answers. I am trying to be strategic, but the symptoms are so non-specific it's frustrating. The specialist said it's pretty rare for dogs to have primary hypertension, it's usually caused by an underlying condition.
He is still hospitalized and the vet is monitoring his blood pressure every 4 hours and trying to get him to eat. When I last talked to her she said he had eaten about a quarter of a small jar of baby food, which is the only thing he's eaten in several days.
Clinical signs: Hypertension, pupils dilating to different sizes, loss of appetite, lethargy
Duration: 5 days
Your general location: Central Texas
UPDATE #1: I just spoke with the specialist and here's what I gathered. They do not suspect Cushing's or Addison's (I'm not sure why, too much for my brain to process). He doesn't have a fever or an elevated WBC but she said lepto was not outside of the realm of possibility and so she wanted to test for that, and they are going to start antibiotic injections just to be safe.
She did another small blood panel on him this morning and now his kidney levels are slightly elevated (they weren't before). That is worrying her a little because high blood pressure can cause kidney damage. So, she is going to keep him another night and re-check his kidney levels in the morning. If they are the same or have gotten worse, it's possible he has kidney damage. The other possibility is that his blood pressure medicine, enalapril, can elevate kidney values. So she cut that dosage in half to see if his kidney values go down. Hopefully it is just the meds. Remember his kidney levels were fine when we first took him to the e-vet.
In any case he is not coming home tonight. Also, she said he ate quite a bit overnight and seems perkier this morning so that is good. His blood pressure spiked to 170 overnight but this morning it is normal again, so neither of us have any idea what that means. We are going to his eye doctor appointment this afternoon so maybe that will give us some leads. But who knows at this point. I feel like the kidney thing is probably just a side effect of the blood pressure or the blood pressure meds and we are no closer to a diagnosis.
UPDATE #2: We went to the eye doctor today, Wed. the 18th at 2pm. The eye doctor checked his eyes out and said they looked completely NORMAL except for some age-related iris atrophy that probably explains the pupil dilation issue. So while I guess it's good that the pupil dilation issue may not have anything to do with his mystery illness, it's not exactly helpful to a diagnosis.
UPDATE #3: 11am, Thursday the 19th. MY DOG IS COMING HOME TODAY!! Here's what the specialist said:
He finally ate some chicken and rice (previously he would only eat baby food) and he is looking much brighter this morning. Yesterday she was worried about his kidneys, but today his creatinine levels have gone down to normal. His blood pressure has been stable for the last 24 hours, but he is still on enalapril and amlodipine.
She did another urinalysis on him and said this time his white blood cell count was elevated (previously it was not). That might indicate bacterial infection so she is doing a culture. HOPEFULLY that will give us an answer. Another thing, there were trace amounts of glucose in his urine, which often means diabetes, but he is definitely not diabetic. She said she also sometimes sees glucose in the urine with LEPTO. But, I think we have already started him on antibiotics for that possibility.
They are going to wean him off of fluids today so that they do not overwhelm his kidneys, and they are going to show me how to do sub-q fluids so I can do that at home. I'm going to take him back to the specialist tomorrow morning so that she can check his kidneys and blood pressure again - we may have to do that for awhile just to make sure nothing goes wonky.
There is always a possibility that we haven't beat this thing and he could end up back in the hospital, but hopefully this nightmare is almost over.
submitted by thetrufflesiveseen to AskVet [link] [comments]

2015.05.29 17:11 OpenSourceToday May 29th Wrap Up: Open Source Prosthetics, Font, and Retinal Scanners

Open Source Wrap Up: May 29, 2015
Each of these resources has additional news items on their respective pages, and all content in this post is shared under a CC-BY-SA License.
=====News from the Samsung Open Source Group Blog=====
Open Source Democratizes Prosthetics Development & Production
There have been a number of open source prosthetic projects that have emerged in recent years including the Open Hand Project and The Open Prosthetics Project. e-NABLE is yet another of these projects and includes more than 5,000 3D printing enthusiasts who volunteer their time and equipment to produce low-cost prosthetic arms and hands to people all over the world. These prosthetics are designed mostly as temporary solutions since they are made of plastic and aren’t very durable, but the low cost, adaptable nature has made them ideal for children who will need regular adjustments to the devices as they grow. Recently, volunteer Albert Manero designed and produced an Iron Man-themed prosthetic arm for a young fan of the series and even got Robert Downey Jr involved in presenting the arm to the boy.
The e-NABLE Community Foundation was recently the recipient of a $600,000 Google.org grant that will be used to expand the efforts of the community. They seek to draw in new designers, developers, producers, and participants in order to broaden the magnitude of their work. Stories like this demonstrate how valuable open source can be to diverse aspects of our society, and it is quite exceptional to see such a diverse range or participants in this project.
Read more at Mosaic.
LibreOffice Viewer for Android Released
LibreOffice is a popular, open source alternative to Microsoft office that can now be used to view their Open Document Format (ODF) documents on Android using a new LibreOffice Viewer app. It has experimental editing functionality that the organization seeks to improve in the future, and it can be downloaded on the official Google App Store or directly from the Open Document Foundation.
Read more at LWN.
=====News from OpenSource.com=====
Google's double dose of open source
Google is one of those companies that's built on open source, and though it doesn't share its crown jewels with the wider community, it does release quite a bit of open source into the wild. This week, the world got a double dose of open source from the search giant.
According to a report at The Next Web, "Google has uploaded the bulk of the remaining code into the open source Chromium repository." That's not just good news for developers who want to build a desktop browser. It's also good news for anyone wanting to code a browser based on Chrome for Android as the mobile browser is now almost open source. As Mic Wright states at The Next Web, "The almost part means that any Chromium Android browser you compile using the code can’t include a handful of media codecs and proprietary Google features."
Google also made its Roboto font for Android open source. According to VentureBeat, "the company is organizing the files and the font production toolchain into a fully realized open source project". If you're interested, check out the Roboto GitHub repository.
Open 3D retinal scanners
Medical equipment is expensive. And if you're a doctor or patient in a developing country, sometimes that equipment, which can make a difference in a number of lives, is well out of reach. 3D printing is changing that. New Zealand opthamologist Sheng Chiong Hong is taking advantage of the technology to make a difference.
His company, OpthalmicDocs, has released the 3D printing files for a smartphone retinal imaging adapter as open source. According to Dr. Hong, "Within five days of the launch we had more than 700 downloads and more than 30,000 hits on the company website." With the adapter and a smartphone, doctors in developing countries can "can diagnose and monitor eye conditions and act as a portable electronic record for the patient." The cost to create the adapter? NZD $55.
=== ===
If you have weekly news shared under a CC license that you would like to be shared in these posts, please send me a PM.
submitted by OpenSourceToday to opensource [link] [comments]

2015.05.28 17:25 iwroteyoualoveletter Confused, anxious and tired of waiting.

Maybe you guys will be able to help me make sense of what is going on here. I have no clue. I haven't been diagnosed yet, but I've now had 5 doctors (family doctor, 2 emerg room docs, an opthamologist, and now the neuro) say that it sounds like MS.
I finally had my first neuro appointment since my leg started screwing up, and it went... well, I guess. He asked me to tell him all of my symptoms, then did some reflex stuff. I guess I failed some of them because he did a few of the tests once, then some of them over and over and over, including the babinski. He got me to walk on my toes and on my heels. I learned that I can't walk on my heels without a weird gait where I lean to my right.
He ordered an MRI, which is great, but I'm really confused because he didn't order any blood tests. When I asked my family doctor about what we have already tested for, she said she checked my vitamin levels and my organ function. Besides a drop in b12 and d (which I have been taking supplements for), everything is fine. From what I've read, everyone seems to have gone through a battery of blood tests to wean out the other things. When I asked the neuro about blood tests, he asked me what he would be looking for. I replied with, "lyme, lupus... I dunno, things easier to check for than MS." He said he didn't think I had any of those things. Has this happened to anyone else?
I'm still waiting on a call telling me when my MRI appointment is. I'm very frustrated, because being told by 5 different doctors that it sounds like MS yet not having anything really done about it quickly is really weird. I know they are just doing their jobs, but having to wait with that over my head is asking a lot. I sometimes wonder if they are just giving me the MRI to shut me up, but that sounds unlikely considering how expensive they are.
I live in Canada and don't have a drug plan. Should I perhaps look into drug insurance before I get my MRI? I have no idea how medications work here... I have to pay for my birth control and antibiotics when I need them, but are more expensive, intense drugs covered in our health care?
I'm sorry if none of this makes any sense. My head is spinning.
quick side note: I've been getting these really weird "electric pulses" down my right leg (the bad one) lately, especially in the heat. It feels like a painless shock... just uncomfortable and weird. Every time it happens my toes twitch down or to the sides. Does anyone else have that? Am I going insane?
Thank you in advance for your replies. (:
submitted by iwroteyoualoveletter to MultipleSclerosis [link] [comments]

2013.11.22 04:10 lindabug I'm here! 17 year old female recently diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis.

Hi! I am a 17 year old girl from NC, USA and I was diagnosed with anti-musk type Myasthenia Gravis, a neuromuscular autoimmune condition, just a few months ago. It began about a year ago (at 16 years old) in my eyes, with double vision episodes, then double vision with strabismus (crossed eyes - but the strabismus only takes place in the most severe episodes) episodes, then began affecting my mouth and throat muscles, making it difficult to swallow and chew, and lastly has begun affecting my arms and legs.
At first, I went to an optometrist who examined my eyes but found nothing wrong with them anatomically. Then I was sent to an opthamologist who, at first, chalked my complaints up to migraines, because I wasn't having an episode of double vision at the time that I went to see him. The first day that I experienced strabismus- double vision so severe that my eyes also were visibly crossing- I went immediately to see that same ophthamologist once again as an emergency appointment. He, then, realized the severity and seriousness of what was going on in my eyes and suggested it could be myasthenia gravis, a thyroid disorder, or multiple sclerosis. He referred me to a neurological ophthamologist at UNC Hospital. This doctor told me that he thought it could most likely be myasthenia gravis, then referred me to Dr. Howard, a neurologist at UNC Hospital who specializes in Myasthenia Gravis.
I now see a highly-respected and well-known neurologist, Dr. Howard, at UNC Hospital monthly. He officially diagnosed me after several tests. Physical performance examination tests, which tested my muscles for fatigue, were used to gauge my muscle strength and rate of fatigue, in order to determine the severity of my condition, which has been called "modest" by my neurologist.
My blood was tested first for the Anti-AChr antibody, the more common antibody present in Myasthenia Gravis patients. When that test came back negative, I was tested for the anti-musk antibody, a rarer antibody sometimes found in Myasthenia Gravis patients who test negative to the first blood test, and that test came back positive. This means that rather than my body producing antibodies (anti-AChr) that attack the neuromuscular junction on my muscles to cause muscular fatigue, my body produces antibodies (anti-MuSK) that prevent the formation of the neuromuscular junction to begin with. Anti-MuSK type patients are more likely to experience myasthenic crisis (respiratory muscle fatigue: inability to breathe without a respirator), more difficulty in the maintenance of symptoms, less chance of symptom remission, and symptoms mostly associated with bulbar regions.
I also had to get an Electromyography test and a Single Fiber test. The Single Fiber test was highly effective in the diagnosis process. This test involves putting thin needles into a single muscle fiber and stimulating the muscle fiber with electrodes to measure the muscle's response to the stimulation and study how quickly the muscle fatigues. It is definitely uncomfortable, and I will most likely have to have one of these tests at least once per year for the rest of my life, which I am not looking forward to, but I am impressed and thankful for the accuracy of the test, especially in anti-musk type patients.
I had to get a CT Scan to check my thymus gland for tumors, but luckily my chest was found to be clear and perfectly healthy. Thymomas are apparently pretty uncommon in anti-musk type myasthenia gravis patients.
Because I have anti-musk myasthenia, Mestinon, the most common medication for the treatment of MG symptoms is ineffective for me; it only works on Anti-AChr patients. My doctor gave me two medication options: Prednisone or Cellcept. Both are immunosuppresants, but Prednisone is a steroid and Cellcept is not. Because I did not want to be on steroids long term, and this would be my long term medication, I chose to take Cellcept. Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil) was originally produced for organ-transplant patients, to prevent them from rejecting the foreign organ by suppressing their immune system. I have now been on Cellcept for a little over 2 weeks. For the first week, I took 1000mg/day (500mg in the morning, 500mg at night). The second week, I began taking 2000mg/day (1000mg in the morning, 1000mg at night- 12 hours apart). So far, I have not experienced any adverse effects, which have been listed to be nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The medication takes months to begin working so I will probably not see any positive effects or relieving of symptoms for a few more months. I have to get weekly blood tests to check my white blood cell levels for the first 2 months, then it will be every 2 weeks that I will have blood work, and it will slowly taper down in frequency. My first blood work was yesterday and my neurologist called this morning to let me know that my levels were acceptable and I could continue on the medication.
Because I have a rarer form of Myasthenia Gravis and am taking CellCept for my symptoms (a rarer case), my neurologist at UNC has collaborated with neurologists at both UNC and Duke to study my blood, and, I'm sure, other patient's blood, to study how my Anti-MuSK levels are affected over time while on my medication and run various experiments on my blood for the discovery of new medications to target the anti-MuSK antibody in particular, instead of having to knock my entire immune system down just to suppress one bad antibody. I am hopeful for the progress of modern science and am sure there will be a wider option of medications available to Myasthenia Gravis patients and maybe even an effective cure within my lifetime. I am interested in possibly participating in other, different studies to assist in this progress as well, as long as my symptoms remain stabilized and I am not entirely dependent on CellCept to keep my symptoms manageable. Right now, my symptoms are not severe enough that I am dependent on the CellCept; I won't even experience the effects of the CellCept for another few months.
Because Cellcept renders birth control ineffective by lowering the contraceptive levels in the blood stream, I had to switch from the Depo Provera shot to the Mirena IUD for my form of contraceptive.
I was invited to join MDA- the Muscular Dystrophy Association- and so I did, because it is free and they send out newsletters and offer to help pay for medical expenses, flu shots, and equipment, such as wheelchairs, if they are needed, and host meetings for NC members to meet up in different locations to share their experiences with each other. So far, I have not needed any of their services, but it is nice to know they are there if needed.
I have found that repeated or sustained motions or positions like hanging up clothing or a shower curtain, or lifting weights at the gym, are very difficult after a short period of time. At work (I work front desk and child care positions in a gym- O2 Fitness Clubs), I have found that I have to take 3 or 4 breaks just to hang up an 8-ring shower curtain in the locker room. Lack of sleep and extreme temperatures (such as long, hot showers) will also exacerbate my symptoms and can cause me to have double vision episodes and/or feel exhausted and weak. I feel the muscular fatigue in my limbs and mouth anytime I use the same muscle groups repeatedly, though, and particularly when I am not as well-rested.
If anyone has any experiences with their Myasthenia Gravis symptoms, Cellcept (mycophenolate mofetil), immunosuppressant medication, autoimmune conditions in general, anti-musk type myasthenia, Mirena IUD while on Cellcept, etc., please comment or submit your own text-post about your experience!
www.myasthenia.org/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myasthenia_gravis‎
www.mayoclinic.com/health/myasthenia-gravis/DS00375
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myasthenia_gravis/detail_myasthenia_gravis.htm
This last link is an interesting journal about anti-MuSK type Myasthenia Gravis, comparing anti-MuSk type to anti-AChR type as well as other types of myasthenia:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706412/
Thanks!
Linda
submitted by lindabug to MyastheniaGravis [link] [comments]

2013.01.13 08:27 tabledresser [Table] IAMA 21 year old Asian girl with Albinism. AMA

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2013-01-12
Link to submission (Has self-text)
Link to my post
Questions Answers
How does this really work out for you? Does it challenge you in any way, both physically and socially? Totally.
School has always been pretty difficult for me, because I have really awful vision. Even when I was stuck in the front row, I could barely make out what was being written on the board. Schoolwork took longer for me to complete, and sometimes I needed to have tests or homework specially enlarged for me. Math has always been the biggest challenge, since it's mostly visual. I'm still struggling a bit through college, but I've picked up on things that make learning easier for me, and I really appreciate that most schools have disability programs that do their best to be as accomidating as possible.
Socially, I think it's played a huge role on my self-worth. Throughout my life, I wasn't very confident and always doubted myself and my own abilities. I got bullied at times as a child, but not as often as I would've thought. Through my personal experiences and observing society, I began to set boundaries and ideas in my mind of what I could or couldn't do. Fell into a huge depression not long after college began. I'm learning to handle and cope with all the internal thoughts better and better each day though. :)
Hot Asian girl with vision problems... hear that distant thunder? The neckbeards of reddit are stampeding because maybe... just maybe... they have a chance. Ya. Funny you should mention, my bf is a neckbeard. :3.
Question- what are you plans for the future? Plans for the future. Not entirely sure yet. Probably graduate from JC with an AA, which should be completed by the end of the year. Move to San Francisco and either get a job or continue school, or both. We shall see!
How was your childhood? what were some of the main things that people do everyday that you had to learn to adapt to? I don't really understand too much about the condition. Thanks for doing the AMA! I think I was kind of a weird kid, and I didn't have a huge amount of friends. Though my parents tried to make me aware that I was just as capable as any of the other kids, I always knew and had the idea in my head that I was different from everyone else, making myself feel like an outcast. I also recall feeling bouts of depression or anger at a pretty early age. Generally people were nice to me though. While there were a select few who made comments or bullied me, I remember others being really nice and understanding about it.
Things I have to adapt to... Just a bunch of little things. The main one would be getting around without a car, since I can't get my license. Living in LA, that can be a bitch. Knowing what street I'm on without being able to see the signs. Making sure my skin is protected when I'm out in the sun for long periods of time. Stuff like that.
Why can't you get a licence? (other than the obvious Asian jokes) Yeap! That's right. (I guess the Asian part too.)
Edit: Apparently because this causes terrible eyesight, could you not get something like laser eye surgery? I remember discussing this with an opthamologist, but I forgot the explaination as to why laser surgery is ineffective. I think one aspect has to do with nystagmus, which is when the eye shakes uncontrollably.
What's the worst/best thing about it? Best thing, hands down, not having to stand in line at most theme parks. Also a lot of accomidations and financial aid that they offer for people, especially students, with disabilities.
Worst, the vision. I'm legally blind.
Do/Did you have many people randomly asking your about your condition in the streets/school? Do you sometimes make up stories instead of explaining properly? One time, I let someone believe that my shit was white.
You're asian but specificially which ethnicity. Korean? Japanese? Vietnamese? Taiwanese.
Do you get the Asian glow when you drink alcohol? If so, what shade of red do you turn? I actually don't get the Asian glow as easily as other Asians do, but by the time that I'm drunk, I'll get to a decent shade of pink. :S.
What are the biggest misconceptions you've found people have about albinos? Hm, I'm not sure.
We have superpowers. o_O.
Why dont you move to the NW? its dark and rainy there for 10 months outta the year, you wont burn much lol. Seriously, I want to live in the NW during at least some portion of my life.
Do people typically mistake you for other ethnicities? If so, which ones? Korean!! Always Korean. I'm not sure why. Maybe the paleness?
[Edit: Oh, and my current boyfriend initially thought I was half Irish/Asian. -__- shrug]
How many times do people ask if you're a vampire? The only photo taken of me that day.
Are there any health issues associated with your albinism? Also do you have any other family members with it? No family members that any of us are aware of.
Pretty goofy that it would pop up suddenly in you. Yeah, totally. Has to do with both my parents carrying the recessive genes and whatnot.
I pretty much figured you would have a higher risk of skin cancer. My dad was diagnosed with stage four melanoma last year so I took the time to research the disease quite a bit. I'm sorry about your father. :( I hope that he's recovering well. <3.
So what do you think about the Asian culture, especially surrounding women, where they want to be as pale as possible? Asian culture... Hm. I don't know. It's interesting. Growing up here, I've never felt any sense to stick to my own culture especially since I already look physically different than everyone else. I live in an area heavily populated by Asians though, so I do spend a lot of time around them. Growing up, especially in high school, I didn't really relate to other Asians. I had Asian friends, but I think most would say that I'm "white-washed". Just a different mentality, and my parents aren't traditional, which definitely plays a large role in that as well. I don't really understand the whole phenomenon of fair skin in the Asian culture, but I guess it's no different than Americans wanting to be tan or slim. It's just physically appealing to them. When I was a teenager, I always wished that I could tan, but now I've accepted my pale skin tone. Too bad I'm not a Twi-hard.
Ever considered modeling? No way. Don't think I could be in front of a camera like that.
I like taking photos though. In high school, my dream job was to be a photographer for National Geographic. Haha.
If you used a camera screen or a tablet and looked at that would you be able to see the world better? Sooort of. Like, if I used the zoom features, that would definitely be helpful. When I'm taking photos, it's impossible for me to manual focus. :(
That makeup job is pretty damn impressive. Day to day how much extra work and time goes into things like sunscreen special makeup etc? Thanks. I think I'm pretty shitty at applying makeup, but I do what I can.
Not too much time for me. I don't apply sunscreen everyday, which I don't recommend for people with skin like mine. I'm just very lazy. I apply sunscreen when I know I'm going to be outside for long periods of time though. And I generally carry sunblock with me.
I've always wondered... Is there an albino culture? We live in such an intrinsically racist world that so many aspects of culture are specifically created to appeal to people of certain skin colors. Are there things albino people find interesting/cool/normal that non-albinos wouldn't get? Well there's an organization called NOAH, and they hold conferences, I believe annually or bi-annually. My parents first took me to attend when I was a baby, and we continued going every several years. It's kind of interesting. I think the last time I went was when I was 17, to get information about driving.
When we all get together, It's just a large crowd of pale, white haired humans with glasses. Which is kind of nice. Makes you feel like you fit in for once, rather than being the sore thumb all the time back at home.
I think people with Albinism just like to talk about vision problems that no one else can really relate to. Other than that, not really. Everyone's pretty "normal" and has his/her own personal interests.
Why dye your hair? Why not keep it the pale white? I think it looks cool. There is a kid I used to be a councellor for that was albino. very cool. It used to be to look more "normal", but in high school, I started dying it different colors because I just wanted a change, and I felt as if the darker hair didn't wash out my face as much as the white did.
Curious as how white hair looks on an Asian..do you happen to have a picture? If not, it's okay! :D. Posted one here.
No other photos, at the moment, sorry!
You are gorgeous! Question: have you ever gotten a spray tan? if so, howd it turn out? i got one once with some friends(it was $1!). mine turned out great, but i'm natually tan. my paler friend turned into a streaked carrot. I bought a can of spray tan once. I tested it on my ass and it came out darker, but with kind of an orange-y tint.
Meh. Iono. Not the thing for me.
Why on your ass first? Less risky. Not many people get the privilege of seeing my ass.
How does it feel when people stare at u? (being an average height brown guy, i clearly dont stand out). Does it make u feel good? bad? nothing? I've gotten used to it, I barely notice it nowadays.
Usually the people I'm with will be the ones to point it out if at all.
People used to make and ask some pretty ignorant comments and questions, but that was when I was younger and had completely white hair. It offended me at first, but even after a while I got used to that too.
"Why are you so white?" "LOOK! An Asian blonde!" "Is she real?" Blah blah.
Hay bbysnorlax, just wanted to say hi to a fellow albino. Hello!! Nice to meet you!
Japanese? I assume this would be a really big deal in Japan, don't they really value light skin? Taiwanese. :)
Yeah, I think a lot of Asians actually envy it. I remember being in Asia and overhearing girls talk about how light my skin was, and almost fawning over it. Here in the US, it seems that I tend to get the most looks from fellow Asians as well. I think they're just curious, maybe confused.
I'm a pale Irish girl and I lived in Taiwan for a couple of years... The women there LOVED my skin. I'm sure you'd be envied in Taiwan. Wow, awesome!
That must've been a pretty great experience. :D.
, any really lame powers, like a really bendy thumb? Ummm. I'm flexible. I can do weird shit like pull my leg over the back of my head.
Oh god. I'm just waiting for the responses Reddit will come up with now...
What are you majoring in college? are you allergic to anything food wise? how long can you be under the sun without any sunscreen before it starts to burn? Communication Arts. Not exactly sure what I'll be doing with myself though. :
You're pretty :D No food allergies that I'm aware of, which is good, cos I fucking love food.
So what colour are your eyes exactly? In the first picture it looks like there's a storm going on in your irises lool! Blue/grey? I'm not too sure. Haha. I think it varies with the lighting.
Some people say that it has a purple/red tint at times.
Is it problematic to be exposed to sunlight on a cloudy winter day over a long period of time like 8 hours or so? Yeah, on overcast days I believe the same amount of UV rays are cast, just people are less likely to apply sunscreen and wind up getting sunburned easier because of that. I'm pretty sure 8 hours would do some pretty good damage.
How badly do you burn? I know an albino that doesn't burn nearly as much as me, a ginger. The Asian factor would lessen that, I would think. Pretty bad. During the summer, I'll get at least one or two major sunburns. But that's only because I wasn't careful enough with sunscreen application.
Are you able to get tan? Nope. I just burn. :(
Has it actually effected your life very much in a negative way? Was it hard to make friends going through school? I think most of the negative impact has been self-imposed. I gained a pretty cynical perspective on many things and I think that made me close myself off to many opportunities, such as making friends.
I think your very beautiful by the way, your uniqueness is very attractive. I'm getting better about it though. I'm learning more and more about myself and my tendencies, and growing from it each day.
How complicated is the gene you carry? Is it simple recessive? What are the chances of you passing this on to future offspring? How do you feel about people breeding the albino gene into animals, amongst other genetic mutations? I'm not too certain about the specifics, but from what I've been told by my doctors is that it is a recessive gene. To pass it onto my offspring would require me to procreate with a man that also has the recessive gene. Even then, I'm pretty sure it's still a small chance the child will have Albinism. (Anyone, correct me if I'm wrong.)
I like your name. Are you a happy Snorlax? Hello, fellow Snorlax! zzz.
Sooo...love the pics. Wondering if u have an Instagram? Think people would follow u tons. Much love! @uhhlaine :)
Hallo can we get coffee and talk about star warz and the pokemonz?? I haf a real bbsnorlax in my pocket. Also i will take pix of us being pokemon masters with litesaberz. We already do that, silly.
Is it wrong for me to think this is totally hot. No, I'm just flattered.
愛! Hahahahah. I laughed. :3.
You look like some kind of cool new breed of human :o. Sweet. 8)
This is really stupid and I don't even know why I'm asking it because your pictures pretty much gave me my answer, but I've always been curious as to whether those with albinism could dye their hair. For some reason I thought it just couldn't hold pigment at all. Yours looks amazing though!! Yeah, it's weird.
It's always a hit or miss. The outcome almost never matches the box, so you have to be really careful. I did a strand test with bleach once and my hair just completely broke apart. I don't know if it's because of "Albino hair" or if it's the texture or sensitive for some unrelated reason.
I also remember recommending this golden blonde hair dye that worked really well on me to another girl with Albinism, and it ended up turning her hair grey. :( I felt so bad.
Nice try you. Hahaha, oh god no pls.
Albino or not, still hawt. Kewl, thx!! :>
I am actually surprised how albino people are still not that talked about. they are still considered to be engimas. but i think you are beautiful. Yeah, that's actually one of the reasons why I'm glad to do this AMA. To get people more informed about Albinism and get rid of some misconceptions. Pretty awesome that people are taking so much interest in it.
DO A GW! Ive never seen an albino gw HEH...
Been there, done that. Don't go looking for it though. It's not posted anymore. :S.
Last updated: 2013-01-17 07:15 UTC
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2012.10.09 00:45 Kartoffelwelt Are there any real treatments in the works for myodesopsia / "eye floaters"?

After an exhaustive search, I've yet to find any information about safe or effective treatments for myodesopsia, eye floaters, PVD, Weiss rings, etc. I've been told that vitrectomies practically guarantee cataracts in a few years (greatly damaging vision, even if operated on), and laser treatments damage the retina (since the collagen fibers are not solid enough to stop the laser from passing through them).
It seems that everyone has eye floaters, and in most people they do not project enough of a shadow to be noticeable. However, for people with serious myodesopsia, they can inhibit the ability to read, concentrate, and even see larger objects. The floaters themselves are often formed when tendrils of collagen are formed, through aging of the vitreous or PVD, and intertwine in the eye.
My question: Is it known whether any pharmaceutical or medical organization is developing or has in its pipeline any safe or effective way of dealing with serious eye floaters? I've read that UV light can break collagen in the skin over time.. can the same be applied to collagen in the eye? Are there any other ways to break down collagen?
I've found that optometrists and opthamologists seem strangely apprehensive and dismissive about discussing these conditions. It took me five visits to simply clarify the information above. Are serious eye floaters a real condition or just a figment of the imagination? I would tend to think the former, but it seems that the default advice is to "get over it." I'm very confused why they are not treated legitimately when so many people suffer from them.
Edit: spelling
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2011.03.25 02:41 tmj69 What is a typical Rotary meeting like?

Last week the speaker at our meeting was Ms. Rogers from Contact Crisis Line, a local help line that services the Dallas metro area and takes about 40,000 calls a year. She gave us background on the organization, explained what it does, who it services, who it's volunteers are, where its funding comes from, etc.
It's great to learn about the many different organizations in the community and all the different ways I can help out.
In the past we've had speakers from a lot of different organizations in the community: the cheif of police; the director of a Rotary program that helps children escape a life in the dump in Nicaragua by providing them schools and housing; we've had the Economic Development Officer for the chamber of commerce; we've had the public affiars officer for a nearby state mental institution; we had the CEO of a property management firm that includes in their properties a host of programs to benefit the community (discounted rent for teachers, resourse rooms with books and computers for children, free tutoring for school-children); a local dentist and a local opthamologist each told us about their profession and how each has changed markedly in the last ten years; etc., etc.
Every week I learn something new about my community and about the different ways I can help out.
What is your local Rotary meeting like? You should visit one to find out!
submitted by tmj69 to Rotary [link] [comments]

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