Can i take almodipine just before surgery

I was on T for roughly 2-4 months in 2017, and recently was able to start taking it again. It’s day 3 and all yesterday my throat was phlegm-y and sore. I don’t feel sick, though I suppose it could be allergies (never remember this happening before though.)
Is it possible my body is just picking up where it left off and that my voice is already dropping, or is that wishful thinking?

I have major trust issues and possibly low self esteem since I lost my corporate job and good insurance, I now work as a server at a restaurant to make some ends meet before I can get back into corporate ( if I even want to, working on getting a business off the ground ). All of this has made me hate myself.
My husband and I work at the same place now, he’s a cook and I’m a server. He lost his job as well and to even pay bills we needed a quick job.
I don’t know why but even when he is speaking to this woman in the back, or standing next to her, I get so mad. She’s not that pretty at all and she’s over 10 years younger than us.
We all work together, and know each other too.
he always comes home on time and doesn’t do anything sketchy but idk why this just infuriates me to see him speak to other women, especially her since he has said that she is cool and wants to be friends with her.
Am I a ridiculous person, or need counseling?

It's a long story. Please bear with me, my mind is really chaotic right now. I am in college and have a circle of female friends since the first semester. All of us went to the same major. This year will be our 4th year being a group of friends together. I cherished them a lot, they helped me a lot and one of the reasons I survived college so far.
Then came the guy. It's a little too common actually. I first got close with this guy when we're in our second year, that's on 2021. The classes were still held online due to COVID back then, so we actually never see each other in real life. He was a quiet, shy guy who didn't get noticed by others, and as the class' leader, I contacted him a lot to make sure he didn't feel leave out since the others were joking around frequently in the class' group chat. From that, he began to ask me if I already have a partner for group assigments (there were quite a lot of assigments for group of 2 people) and since my other friends know other people too, I said yes. We began to become a duo for every group assignments. He was responsible and working together with him was pretty enjoyable. We began to talk everyday about random things to each other. We even played game together. I considered him as a close friend at this point.
Then, I introduced him to one of my close friends since she also plays the game we played together. I didn't actually know the extend of their interactions, just that he helped her in game sometimes and I guess they played from time to time without me too. Then, one day in 2022, my class had a first gathering where we booked a villa and held many games and gift trades, you know the thing you did to create a bond since it's our first meeting as classmates due to the pandemic. I was very shy at the thought of seeing him in real life for the first time (he actually a good looking, he got really popular among the girls in my major after this gathering) and pretended not to see him, yet he walked up to me first and greeted me. That time was ... really magical. The villa was located in an mountain area so it was really cold and he gave me his hoodie since I got cold easily. We took a lot of photos together at that time, and it seemed everyone in our year already treated us like a "campus couple" because of that. I, of course, denied that I like him and said that we're only good friends because ... a girl like me is afraid of rejection and reading the signs wrong.
But after the gathering ended, one of my close friends (the one that I introduced to him to play game together before) suddenly announced to our female friends group that she has a crush on him. Little by little, she began to show hostility to me then there was this one point when she ignored me for two months. Even when I tried to talk to her in, she didn't give me respond. At that time, I was scared I will ruin this friendship groups. I was longing for female friendships, the thing you saw in movies, and I finally have one when I entered college so I saw them as a blessing. In high school, I either got bullied or not having friends at all since I was always coming straight home after school ended (I came from a poor family so I didn't have the money to hang out and friendship in high school requires money for me since I attended a prestigious school where almost everyone has rich parents). So, I made a decision to cut him off. I stopped talking to him. For group assignment, I grouped with other people. Little by little, the distance between the two of us widened. In the end, we didn't talk to each other anymore, and that's when my friend started to talk to me again. I didn't ruin my friendship group. My friend and him got close and by then she already "replaced" me being his group assignment's partner. I let him go, thinking that I didn't have the time and energy to date anyway since I was busy doing part-times to earn money. He came from a good family, and so does my close friend. They suited each other. I won't become a girl who abandoned her friend for a guy. Since summer of 2023, I never had a talk with him again.
I was fine, well not really. It hurt not being able to talk to him again when we used to be close, but I did this to myself. My close friend talked about him a lot in our group's chats. Apparently, she already confessed twice and got rejected. But she wanted to stay as a friend so both of them were "best friends" until now. She told us she still held feelings for him. She sent him flowers on his graduation since he graduated early than us. I didn't. Yet, he approached me and asked me to take photo together. After 1 year of no contact. On his graduation day, he asked me to take photos together, just two of us. With everyone watching.
Later, he confessed to me that he always has feelings for me. It was ... not quite a shock since I wasn't that dense, but still ... I got nauseous. Part of me wants him too, but the realistic part of me reminding me that I couldn't be that kind of girl who betrayed her close friend. I told him, I couldn't. I got a lot in my plates, I haven't graduated yet, I am not ready for relationship ... all the reasons because I couldn't bring myself to lie that I don't like him. Because I do. Very much. For years. He was everything I ever wanted in a boyfriend. He said he could wait until I graduate. He was waiting for me for the past 2 years, waiting a few months won't matter much.
What should I do? Should I confess everything to my friendship group? I want to talk to my friends about this, to hear their thoughts, but I couldn't because I always kept my feelings for him as a secret. Then, how about my friendships? My close friend who likes him will definitely got hurt ... am I just not suitable for friendships, since I wasn't honest? If you were in my position, will you choose your crush or your close friend?
(Thank you so much for taking your time to read this.)

What do I have to do to get you to hold? Buy you lunch? Hell you can take my wife on a date and I’ll pay for it, just fucking hold!

I’m gonna be adopting a coworker’s 15 y/o cat soon, she’s had her the cat’s entire life. Some life circumstances came up and she won’t be able to care for her in a few months. I’ve never owned a cat, but I adore them and have pet sit for my brother’s four cats for extended periods of time. My coworker will be giving me the litter box, food bowls, and any toys/treats she has for the cat.
I’m planning on purchasing a scratching post and two beds and having my coworker keep/use them until I am able to take the cat, so that hopefully they’re familiar to the cat by the time we move her in. For now she’ll be confined to my room as my parents’ dog does not do well with cats, so I’m making plenty of space and will be also buying a small cat tower (shorter, with a ramp, because while the cat is in good health she’s getting older and I want her to be able to access it comfortably for a long time), and a window hammock. My boyfriend and I hope to buy a house soon and then she’ll have free reign of the house.
I’ve never owned a cat before and I’m pretty nervous about doing this right. Will someone give me a breakdown of necessities? Things as well as responsibilities, such as how often I need to take her to the vet (NOT looking for medical advice, just general checkup frequency), things to look out for, etc.
I want to be as prepared as possible for my kitty.

The brawl between multiple servants and masters was about to begin. Everyone stood eyes glancing around towards one another.
Archer: I’d rather first kill the rift raft!
portals appeared aiming at Assassin and in a brilliant show of power, several weapons popped out of the portals shooting at Assassin who could barely dodge all!
Ky: Is that his noble phantasms?!
Leo: Noble what?!
Saber: Do you seriously not know yet master!?
Leo: Nobody told me!
Ky: I guess it slipped my mind… think of them like a servant's ultimate move! Based on their legends or what they are most remembered for!
Leo: HUH?!
Saber: But his noble phantasm seems to be other noble phantasms!
Archer: Die you filthy mongrel!
Assassin was insanely fast even still managing to dodge even just barely the many chains, swords, axes, spears, and so on.
Meanwhile, Berserker began charging toward Leo! Saber would easily block the attack and deflect the blow of Berserker’s sword! She went to stab the purple-haired servant but she dodged to the left.
Saber: I shall keep you safe even still master!
Leo: OK Saber!
Ky: Damn it… Leo just back up.
Leo and Ky hid behind Saber and Lancer both charging forward giving Berserker quite the challenge at the same time. Until Katie picked up a few rocks from her pocket and tossed them at Saber freezing her arm and leg in place.
Saber: Magic crystals?!
Ky: Damn it… TRANSPORTATION!
Ky would summon a car above Katie that crashed into her!
Katie: Ugh! God damn it! Berserker! Help me!
But her Berserker was struggling to keep pace with the faster Lancer. Tied with Assassin for the fastest servant in this war. Lancer kicked Berserker in the leg before cutting them across the chest.
Archer: That boy…
He saw what Ky did. He threw his own master and Leo who caught Pat in mid-air crashing into the old rickety wood of the docks. Archer would ignore the tired Assassin and turn his portals towards Ky.
Archer: Give me the best you got!
Several swords flung down from his portals toward Ky who dodged with extreme difficulty. He grabbed one of the swords mid-air and threw it back at the golden armor servant who swatted it away with his hand.
Archer: You dare touch one of my treasures? Fine, then I shall make your death painful!
Ky(thoughts): How the hell do I beat this guy-
Ky’s mind stopped thinking for a moment as he was grabbed and dragged into the city with Lancer and Saber unable to stop him.
Leo: PAT GET YOUR SERVANT TO BRING HIM BACK!

Pat: L-Leo I can't!

Ky wasn't sure what to do as Archer threw him into a car denting the vehicle…
Ky: Remember what he said... VISUALIZE!
Archer: What are you blabbering about you mongerl?

More portals opened up shooting a rain of axes, swords, and saws that Ky dodged expertly.

Elegant: Get strong enough to surpass me…

Ky: I NEED TO GET STRONGER THAN HIM! Nature!
Several trees spawned and protected Ky from the many weapons for a few seconds allowing him to visualize... But a spear ripped through the trees and went straight for Ky’s head but with an outstretched arm at the last possible moment he let himself block the spear letting stab through his hand rather than his head!
Archer: You are shocking strong!
Ky: VISUALIZE! WAR!
A tank spawned behind Ky and shot at Archer who wasn't even hurt. With a flick of his wrist and some lances destroyed the tank that blew up sending Ky only a few feet in front of the floating Archer.
Ky: Heh… fine.
He learned how to expand his interpretation in a moment of desperation learning to make life from mana.
Ky: Summoning living creatures is hard… maybe that's why I could never spawn certain things before… but fuck it! WAR! the FUCKING HOLY GRAIL WAR!
In a desperate gamble, Ky had summoned a large monster behind him.
Ky: Fine then there's my servant...
Ky crashed the the ground all his mana being used to support the existence of his summon.

Archer: I was right… you weren't boring!

Leo: KY THE HELL WAS THAT?!
Ky: MY FINAL STAND!
Saber: Are you insane you might die!
Ky: I was going to die either way…
Leo: Stick around when we continue in Holy Grail War: Rock Smash!

Hi all you super helpful wonderful beings.. I just landed a job as EA in a very big company. I’m from a different professional background. . My new executive is super busy and his calendar is choker block full. I realized he could be more organized, and he also forgets stuff. Which is very understandable. He has a business trip coming up to a country he hasn’t visited before. Is there any tool or app that you can recommend, which I can ask him to have on his mobile or whatever, to help him access everything at his fingertips. All in one place. Like reminders for flights times, ground transport, hotel and another nitty gritties that he may require? He’s so busy I almost feel sorry for him. I want to ensure he has a hassle free trip. How do you make sure your executives travel smoothly and don’t have to worry about any hassles that come with traveling? The outgoing EA already arranged this trip I’m yet to make a travel booking. (Wish me luck). Any input would be appreciated :-)

Introduction I have been looking all over the internet for the past 3 months. Watched every video. Read every forum. All because I want to buy a high-end home espresso setup. I want it to be my endgame - just so that I do not have to worry about upgrades the coming years.
The journey started because I have amazing coffee at work and I hate my Nespresso at home. We finally have some budget to upgrade our home setup. We're just with the two of us, but love hosting dinners occasionally. Milk drinks are a big yes! Would love to switch to other beans every month or so.
The machine I'm certain of the one I would like to order. A stainless steel La Marzocco Linea Micra. Dual boiler, PID, quick-heat up, timeless design and well build. I'm also be able to setup on and off schedules via the app. I might be biased, because we have a La Marzocco Linea PB - 2 group at work.. but the heart wants what it wants.
I do miss the brew by weight function that the Linea Mini has (with an additional €400 scale) but that is just nonsens. I can flip the switch myself for that amount of money.
The grinder But.. I cannot decide on the grinder. Since I found out grind-by-weight (GBW) grinders are a thing now I'm intrigued. That would make dialing in espresso's a bit quicker and the overal consistency would be perfect. No need to weight the portafilter anymore. So I'm debating between two GBW models;
1. Fiorenzato AllGround Sense (64mm) - €1100

• 250 watt
• 1600 RPM
• Cheaper
• Nice tactile ring that communicates with the screen
• Looks cool in the newest blue colour

2. Eureka Atom W 65 GRINDER (65mm) - €1400

• 280 watt
• 1370 RPM
• Seems to be the quietest grinder by some patented cool stuff
• Established brand for a long time
• Not that fun to look at

The accessoires I think I do need a fancy Normcore Spring Loaded Tamper V4 with Ripple Base?
The questions.. But.. Is a lot of money. So now I'm sitting here writing this post for advice and to help me make a choice before I spend. I might need some encouragement, I can postpone this endlessly because there is always something better of more bang for the buck somewhere else.

• Do you have experience with your Linea Mini, how many years does it last if it is well maintained?
• Do you gave experience with the brands for the grinder I mentioned? What would be your pick? Any others that I missed?
• And which accessories did I forget?

Thanks in advance!

I'll try to keep this short but I tend to yap a lot so I'm sorry if this is unnecessarily long. Regardless I [18F] have been dating my boyfriend [20M] for a solid 6 months. When we first met things went really well, we bonded on a lot of things such as similar interests, morals, hobbies etc. Although, early on I noticed that I would be the one mostly opening up about my past/current things in my life[which isnt anything on him, i just sometimes trust way to easily]. When it came to him discussing his past/ current life events it would take a while for him to mention it and usually it would take someone else asking him for him to discuss recent things at the very least. Which I didn't mind initially since I want him to take his time opening up to me. As of recent, he's been acting very distant, in early April he all of a sudden let everyone know in our shared server that he would be taking a break for two weeks or so. When the announcement went out and I saw it, I messaged him and asked if he was alright, he was vague and said he was just burnt out. So I gave him some space and I only messaged him once during that time as a little "Hey hope you're doing well, make sure you take care of yourself." Etc, etc. After the two weeks he came back for a day and then later after I fell asleep made another announcement about needing more time, which he said he wasn't sure how long he'd be gone for. So I again gave him that space. However, as of now during this extended break he asked to talk to me over text, which was a day after my really close friend who I've known irl since I was a kid, told me that he had asked her about some advice about our relationship. My friend of course asked "Well do you still love her?" And he apparently said yes. However, when he asked to talk he typed out this paragraph[which I'll summarize as best as possible since I don’t really wanna look back at our old messages since the wound is still fresh] but he basically said he didn't love me and didn't know what to do, he also briefly elaborated on some other issues that may be causing him to feel this way such as family, work, etc. We discussed it briefly over text and I asked if we could take a break, which he agreed to. After the fact I talked with said close friend and she of course like any friend was upset and told me that I needed to focus on myself and distance myself from him. Which I did, initially we had matching pfps that I drew for the both of us which I abruptly changed[he ofc did the same]. Later I asked if we could discuss things properly over the phone instead of over text since I felt hurt by not being able to have a proper conversation over the phone. He agreed but come the day of the our phone call he blew me off to hang out with friends, I being hurt at the time snapped a bit and asked if I really wasn't good enough for a proper conversation which he with the same attitude as me responded that he forgot and the plans with friends were last minute. So I let it go and asked if we could take the next day, which we managed to. The conversation summarized was basically me asking what changed etc. Etc. To which he explained his reluctance to be honest about his past because of what he'd done prior[which I'm not going to touch on too much out of respect for him] apparently though everytime he was honest with a partner about his past they became distance or ended things right then and there. Which Depending on what it is my opinion on him isn't going to change, since a lot of my family has done similarly terrible things so it's not like I haven't heard it all before. Regardless, I'm not going to pry for his past, however I feel like he's letting his past hold him back and not allowing himself to be happy for once even though it all happened a while back. The main reason why I'm only putting this here now is because recently I had my senior prom which was last Saturday, and like anyone I posted pictures to our shared server, now usually when he's on these breaks he never ever responds to anything in the server, but when I posted pictures of me in a dress with full glam he immediately responded with "I love it". Which gave me mixed signals, so as a bit of a hail marry I decided to text him to see if he wanted to hang out which he immediately responded back with "sure". So when I got home late we hopped on a game for a bit which ended abruptly when he decided he wanted to play something else for a while, which I didn't mind since we stayed on party vc. I'll admit when he got off the game I wanted to play with him I sighed and he ofc asked me what was wrong and I just used the classic "nothing I'm just tired, or I don't wanna talk about it excuses." He took me at my word initially and left, he came back a little while later and told me that he knew something was wrong and be wanted me to tell him and be honest. So I did, I explained that I was confused on what we are and he was honest with me and said "I don't really know right now, but I know I'm not gonna find someone I relate to as much as you." I of course kinda froze at that not knowing how to feel with the sudden affection so I just kinda awkwardly laughed and said something along the lines of "Okay, you don't need to lie to make me feel better." Which he responded with something along the lines of "I'm serious though, it's gonna be hard to find anyone I relate to as much as I do with you." Then as the night progressed he casually made flirtatious comments as well as calling me babe again for the first time in a while, which I'll admit I didn't reciprocate the nicknames since it didn't feel right to call each other that after everything. After that night I just don't know how to feel, I'm just worried he's moving on and doesn't wanna be mean to me by breaking up with me, so he doesn't until he finds someone else. I don't think he is but as a chronic over thinker I can't help but worry, especially since I've never been so serious about someone, but everyone I know around me is telling me he's not worth the time and I should break up with him and move on. However, not only do I not want to, I really want to make things work. I just hope that he doesn't see this as I don't want to worry him or anyone else in our friend group, and I've already bugged my two friends a bunch about this already, but I don't wanna tell them about Saturday since I know I'll get shit from them since they want me to move on and find someone else.
[TLDR: Boyfriends become distant because of his past and stresses within his life[eventually telling me he didn't love me anymore and didn't know what to do chasing us to go on a break] and friends around me are telling me to move on etc. Etc. But I love him a lot and want to make things work, especially after he started showing me affection again last Saturday.]

Hello! I picked up Relink at launch and after having gotten caught up on all the others JRPGs that released earlier this year, I'm ready to bite into it. Except for none of my friends being interested in it!
So yeah, ideally looking to play through the game alongside some like minded folks who arent at endgame yet so I can get the full experience of playing it through. If there's enough content, I'd like to play regularly at endgame too since it seems to be the kind of game with a lot to offer there. I work 9-5 EST, and usually hop on for games around 6-7:30PM depending on if it's my turn to cook dinner. I generally stay up until around 1AM.
A bit more about me: I love pretty much any kind of JRPG across any platform, but standout favorites for me are Trails, Ys, Xenoblade, Shin Megami Tensei, Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter. Also a huge fan of MMOs and certain online games as well, and regularly play Guild Wars 2, Honkai Star Rail, and Helldivers 2. Outside of those three games that never end, I'm currently playing through the Atelier series and catching up on Trails with my wife (currently on CS3).
I enjoy collecting physical games, and have a big collection for Switch, PS4, and PS5. Certain series get their own shelf, of course. I have almost every major console ever released, and tend to mod them or buy a flash cart as soon as I get my hands on a new one so I can crack the whole library wide open - and then never use the darn thing. Once we buy a house, my dream is to turn the basement into my own personal arcade with every console on display and available to play without having to hook up just 3 or so at a time.
I work in IT and like to play around with stuff at home in similar ways. Recently I built a working Phantasy Star Online server in AWS for no reason other than to try it to see if I could make it work. Even if nobody was going to play on it, it was a fun learning experience for me that I can take to my job.
I'm easier to reach on Discord - @ornil
Let me know if you'd like to play any of the games I mentioned, really! I'm always down to make new friends.

As if someone is pricking open her heart makes me seethe in anger.
I am not afraid to locate and close the flow of hate coming at her like an arrow.
while these terrible people are here I know that they will follow her to where her heart is Hiding.
I only worry that they will discover a way to shove my soul and send it toppling over
I know instinctively that will not be not be easy to repare.
Around night time is time where I don't succeed in protecting one's soul.
I feel worn down for the rest of today.
Just for laughs they try and exploit her weakness.
I cannot let them go.
My survival instincts drives her because it is a part of her that cannot help but to fight.
I will stay right here beside her.
I am floating away but I know the surface is within my reaching hands.
I know that I can endure much longer I can endure this torment I just wonder how much longer until my will gives out me even if my soul is steady.
What if they take away what keeps me sane?

OK, I’d like to preface this with I don’t know if I have carpal tunnel for Sure That’s just what my mom thinks I have based off of the symptoms. But regardless, my wrist and my thumb will hurt making it hard to write or do other fine motor skill activities. So my mom suggested wearing a brace And I’ve noticed that when I wear one overnight when I wake up in the morning and take it off, my wrist hurts way worse than if I wouldn’t have worn it to begin with. Is that normal? Does it take a while to get used to a brace before it will start helping. I’d appreciate any advice anyone could give.

A good friend of mine from a fairly conservative evangelical background is considering becoming a pastor at his non-denominational church. As part of the evaluation process, they asked him to write a paper on these topics that he is not an expert on.
He asked for my opinion and I offered to share it online to solicit constructive criticism, notes of encouragement, and or reading recommendations on these topics.
I believe his goal is to be faithful to the scriptures, loving to those outside the church, and challenging to those inside the church, as most of us could do better.
What he wrote is in the quotation marks below.
“1: Scope of the Issue
Sexual immorality has become a besetting and ubiquitous issue in our culture and in our churches. While many aspects of it are not novel or unique to this time and have clear scriptural input, there are others that bring challenges to our church for which we don’t have obvious precedent. The main point of these comments is to try and answer three questions with some degree of specificity: (1) how do we make ourselves a place where people who do not know Christ will feel welcome to come and learn of Him regardless of where they come from, (2) how do we pastorally care for people who have come in to the church with pre-existing circumstances related to sexual immorality, and (3) how do we equip our members to represent Christ to those in their lives that are dealing with these issues. We want to do this in a way that does not “walk a tight rope” or compromise to appease, but honors Scripture in its commands to both show compassion and exhort and correct. We must recognize that every individual circumstance is unique, and many will require careful and prayerful consideration, but this is meant to give a framework for that consideration.
2: Scriptural Basis for Corporate Response
There are many references we can point to that discuss and define sexual immorality throughout Scripture and many of these will be used below as we consider specific examples and situations. Let us start, however, by looking at passages that deal with corporate response rather than individual sin. It is clear that the Corinthian church had significant issues in this area, and much of Paul’s first letter was devoted to it. In chapter 5, Paul states that when sexual immorality is discovered in the church we should “mourn” over it and “not to associate with immoral people.” Importantly, he also makes clear in vv. 9-13 that these comments only apply to those “who bears the name of brother.” He explicitly writes, “not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world…for what have I to do with judging outsiders?” This is key in informing our response to those who are not members of the church. If it is our desire to see sinners come through our doors and come to know our Savior through our ministry, then we must be welcoming, accepting them where they are. This is not to say we hide or compromise the biblical position, but it is not an issue on which we want to filter people at the door. There are three categories of people in sexual sin that we need to form a response for. First, those just coming to the church who have not committed to it – these should be treated the same as any we are reaching out to with Christ’s love. They need Jesus, not behavioral change. Next, those who have recently joined the church but have pre-existing sexual sin patterns. This can and should be addressed with patience, dignity, and love. There are often many sin areas in the life of a new believer, and it is prudent to discern how and when to address each of them. Lastly, those who have been members in the church for some amount of time and fall into sexual sin. This is the group that Paul is primarily addressing in 1 Corinthians. While sex within marriage is a private issue, sexual sin cannot be a taboo topic. It needs to be addressed regularly and clearly. We need close enough relationships within the church that such problems do not fester in the dark. We must avoid the typical church pattern to vilify the first group, never see the second group, and pretend the third group doesn’t exist until it all blows up in scandal. May it never be.
3: Consistency Issue
There is a tendency in our Christian culture to treat some sexual sins as worse than others. Like the Corinthians, some things we seem to have accepted as just ubiquitous parts of our culture. Knowing the prevalence of promiscuity and fornication among teens and single adults and usage of pornography even within the church, we tend to address these as issues of indwelling sin, similar to anger or fear of man, with offers of accountability and understanding when someone falls. By contrast, when it comes to homosexuality or adultery, it is often a church discipline issue. We view homosexual marriage as a major problem, but remarriage after a non-biblical divorce is rarely addressed. These inconsistencies lead to stigmatization and polarization and should have no place in the church. The criterion for escalation should be unrepentance, not the nature of the sexual sin. It is clear from 1 Corinthians that all should be taken seriously, but none should be vilified above others.
4: Culture and Identity
The major underlying problem with many of the sexual sin and gender issues is that they have come to be culturally bound up with people’s identities. This is not a new phenomenon and is not unique to this issue. As far back as Acts 19, you see people becoming “enraged” because Paul had threatened the Ephesians’ cultural identity as worshipers of Artemis. People continue to find their primary identities in their employment, hobbies, sports teams, or families rather than Christ. None of these should be accepted, but none should be reviled either. If a person does not know Jesus, they are dead. How they identify themselves is of no concern. Once they have been made alive, they can be taught that “whose” they are is more important than “who” they are. All identity outside of Christ is not sinful, but if it takes paramount importance, it may become so. A person who recognizes a tendency toward same sex attraction may label themselves as gay or lesbian. This should not be considered a sin issue unless it becomes, for them, their defining characteristic or leads to sinful actions. We should recognize the difficulty of this struggle and support such a person rather than get hung up on labels. There must be clear distinction between identifying same sex attraction and engaging in homosexual behavior. These should be the guiding principles underlying everything that follows are regards individual cases.
5: Public Facing Information, Guests, and New Attendees
Considering what we have discussed, and Paul’s assertion in 1 Corinthians 5 that we ought to reserve judgment on sexual immorality to those we call brother, I would submit that public facing information regarding the church (i.e. website, app, etc) should not publish a position on sexual immorality, marriage, and gender identity. Doing so effectively places the filter at the door so that people who do not know Christ may be turned away from it. This is not tantamount to tacit approval. In appropriate contexts within the church, these topics should still be discussed and addressed, but I do not believe it is consistent with a biblical treatment of unbelievers to place it in a public facing forum. If we have guests or new regular attendees who appear to be engaged in a cohabitating or fornicating relationship, a homosexual relationship, or other sexual sin, this should not be a priority to address unless we have discerned that they are believers and join the church. Even then, it is important to draw a distinction between someone who deals with same-sex attraction and someone who engages in homosexual behavior. The next seven points are meant to discuss, in broad terms, how we should address those who join the church with pre-existing relationships or identity issues:
6: Promiscuity, Cohabitation – Hebrews 13:4, 1 Cor 7:1-2, Ex 22:16
Much of the biblical discussion on promiscuity is by inference. Clearly, sex was meant to be inseparably linked to marriage and outside of that context should be considered immoral. For those who join the church already in a sexual relationship who are unmarried we should apply Exodus 22:16 and encourage them to marry as soon as possible. If they do not wish to marry, they should be encouraged to separate. Paul acknowledges in 1 Cor 7:2 that marriage is the best remedy for “temptation to sexual immorality.”
7: Adultery, Divorce and Remarriage – Matt 5:32, Matt 19:9, 1 Cor 7:10-11
This issue is given much more explicit biblical instruction but is often glossed over in our Christian culture due to the messy landscape of divorces and remarriages. In cases where non-biblical divorce has occurred, if reconciliation is possible, this should be pursued. If reconciliation is impossible because one or more parties have remarried, it would not be sensible to divorce again in order to achieve reconciliation. The principle to apply here, I believe, is from 1 Cor 7:17-24 summarized in verse 20: “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.” This is not an ideal circumstance, but it is the best way forward in an imperfect world. Of note, polygamy was common in the culture of the early church, and while not ideal, was accepted by the church, as evidenced by the qualifications for elder to be “a husband of but one wife.” We have polygamous cultures even within our local community and if they came to Christ, we should not counsel them to divorce all but one wife and thus disrupt their social structure. It is not ideal and would disqualify them from eldership, but they should remain as they are. Whether marriage after unbiblical divorce in the past disqualifies a man from eldership is a case-by case question for the eldership.
8: Pornography, Sensuality, and Lust – Lev 18:6-18, Matt 5:28
As mentioned above, use of pornography has reached a high saturation point within our culture and within our church. While once thought of as simply a male issue, there is a growing trend toward gender parity in pornography usage. It is an issue that should be discussed with some frequency within our church. For those that join the church and view pornography regularly, it needs to be made clear that while the world has largely destigmatized it, it is still sexual immorality. Furthermore, this isn’t just limited to nudity and pornography, but any sensuality that leads to looking at someone “with lustful intent” is the heart equivalent of adultery according to Matt 5:28. In our culture, it is not possible to avoid such things by just turning away. We need to address the heart issues of idolatry, selfishness, and satisfaction in Christ. Practically, how should we deal with those who have on-going struggles with pornography, sensuality and lust? Should this preclude them from eldership? From deaconship? Taken strictly, this would preclude nearly all men from eldership. These require individual evaluation from the elders, but a guiding principle should be, if the person is repentant and there is evidence of growth in their life, we should consider more responsibility and continued discipleship.
9: Homosexuality – Lev 18:22, Lev 20:13, 1 Cor 6:9, 1 Tim 1:8-11
From the above references and others, it is evident that homosexual behavior is sexual sin. We cannot equivocate on that point. As we have discussed above, if a person who is already a believer and in the church and struggles with same sex attraction, we should approach them as we would handle anyone who is sexually attracted to someone to whom they are not married. If such a person decides that homosexuality is not sinful and begins sexually immoral activity, we should deal with them in the same way as any member who falls into unrepentant sin and go through the processes of correction and, if necessary, of church discipline. It is important that we draw a distinction between same sex attraction and homosexual behavior. We can do tremendous harm by demonizing same sex attraction and creating a taboo around it. A person who is struggling to abstain from homosexual behavior should be supported and encouraged. I believe Paul’s strong statements about not associating with sexually immoral people applies to those who remain unrepentant. Much more nuanced is the issue of how we address those that join the church already in a homosexual relationship. What about the married homosexual couple who join the church with their adopted child? Should we break up their family? I believe, in this case, the same principle should apply as to those who have gone through an unbiblical divorce in the past. We should apply 1 Cor 7:20: “Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.” We can recognize that this is not ideal, but it is the best we can do in a fallen world just as we do with someone who is married after unbiblical divorce. Whether should apply to a homosexual couple in a long term committed relationship who are not legally married would be an individual discussion with the elders. Again, these are nuanced cases that will need individual prayer, discussion, and discernment. I believe a great deal more patience is called for when a new believer joins the church that has a history or present reality of homosexuality, even if they are unrepentant at first, believing that homosexuality is not sinful, than we would demonstrate to a person who has been in the church for a period of time and then decides to pursue a homosexual relationship.
10: Bisexuality – Heb 13:4
Bisexual attraction is no more or less of an issue than anyone who finds that they are sexually attracted to someone other than their spouse. This is not a rare or unique circumstance, even within the church. Someone who is practicing bisexuality is, by definition, not confining sex to the marriage bed, and this, therefore, qualifies as sexual immorality. The issue, here again, is one of identity and cultural acceptance. If a person “identifies as bisexual,” the real issue is not the bisexuality, but the fact that they identify themselves primarily by their sexual desires, and not by Christ. It would be equally a problem if they “identified as heterosexual” and that was seen as their defining characteristic. If such a person were to join the church, our priority should be in helping them see their identity in Christ rather than focusing on renouncing their sexual preference.
11: Transgenderism/Non-binarism – Psalm 139: 13-15
It should be noted that the next two points should not be considered in the category of sexual immorality, but as they are connected to the same cultural moment will be discussed here. It should further be remarked that transgenderism is a modern issue with no direct reference in Scripture. It is a challenging issue that often falls prey to oversimplification and scapegoating. It is not sufficient to simply state that a person should identify with their born gender. There are those born with ambiguous genitalia and those born with sex chromosome abnormalities such that “born gender” is not necessarily accurate. These occur with a frequency of 1 in 448 births on average which is not particularly rare. The majority of people who consider themselves to be transgender do not fall into these categories, but the fact remains that these categories exist. Unless we plan to embark on genetic testing, we must be careful how we assert someone’s gender assignment. Furthermore, we must acknowledge that much of the gender confusion in our culture is due to a distortion of biblically accurate masculinity and femininity in our culture of which the church has been widely supportive for generations. Many transgender and non-binary individuals consider themselves so because they do not fit into the traditional boxes our culture has created for the genders. The church can start by recognizing that these boxes are incorrect. We can also acknowledge that gender differences and roles are far less important than most human cultures perceive. Christ himself challenged many gender norms in his ministry and Paul maintains “…there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal 3:28b) It is much more difficult to recognize this issue as a sin issue than many of the above concerns. If someone wishes to be addressed by different pronouns than they once did or dress differently than they once did, this does not amount to immorality. Once again, this can be an idolatrous identity issue if the person sees it as the central characteristic of their lives. There is often an inherent pride in asserting that such a person does not feel they fit in the body created for them, but if they come to love Jesus and understand and believe that they are “fearfully and wonderfully made” then this issue may become moot. Whether or not they revert to dressing differently or using pronouns they did when they were younger is largely immaterial. This also addresses the issue of people who may have undergone permanent physical changes. While we should not endorse such modification if it is being considered, there is no reason to reverse such a thing in order to return to a base state. We must recognize that this is a group that has a high propensity toward mental health concerns, instability, and suicidality. They need love, support and prayer, not scapegoating and extra-biblical expectations of conforming to a cultural norm. We must further note that this group as well as the homosexual group have often experienced psychological and even physical harm from others in our culture, sometimes in the name of Christ. We must foster an environment of champions physical and psychological safety for these people.
12: Asexuality – 1 Cor 7:25-38
Asexuality also should not be considered sexual immorality. There is, in fact, wide support in Paul’s letters such as in 1 Cor 7 for people, if they are able, to remain unmarried and be “anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.” We tend to champion the model of the nuclear family in our Christian culture, but Paul sees chaste singleness as a better way. There should be no pressure from the church to make sure that single people pair off and get married because it is expected of them. As this state has been culturally identified with the LGBTQIA movement, it is seen on the same spectrum as the sexual immorality and gender issues discussed above, but it is not. It can still fall prey to the same issue of an idolatrous identity as some of the above issues, but it need not be so.
13: Glass Ceiling
In the event that God sees fit to bring people from these subgroups into our church, there would inevitably be a glass ceiling. The question is at what point. The four logical points are: regular attender, member, deacon, and elder. Regardless of their background or position, all should be welcome to be a regular attender. It is also clear, from the biblical requirements for eldership, that on-going problems or engagement in any of the sexual sins would disqualify them from that post. The middle two are less clear. I would submit that the bar for membership should be very low. This step, in my opinion, is when they would “bear the name of brother” and not before. Even if they disagree about the sinful nature of homosexuality, this should not disallow them from becoming members as long as they agree to submit to the churches position and not cause division. Allowing them to become members gives us the pastoral authority to speak into their lives, and we would hope that over time the Spirit would work in their hearts to convince them of the truth. Putting such a person in a deacon role would probably not be wise but would need to be evaluated prayerfully on a case-by-case basis. The difficulty here is that, while a position on homosexuality is not a salvific issue and should not be considered a core doctrine in the same way as the deity of Christ, for example, it is a sin issue. There is a limit to how far we can “agree to disagree” and still uphold our duty to root out sin in our midst. Once again, we should also distinguish between a struggle with same sex attraction and engagement in homosexual behavior when we consider our response. There is also a glass ceiling when it comes to marriage. While I believe we should not break up existing homosexual marriages, we should not participate in creating them. The marriage covenant between a man and woman was created, in part, to reflect the relationship between Christ and the church (Eph 5). This should not be co-opted to excuse or normalize immorality.
14: Nuance and Edge Cases
The above outline is by no means meant to be exhaustive or definitive. It is meant to provide a lens, supported by scripture, through which we can view these issues and consider corporate and pastoral responses. It should inform how we view the people that walk through the door from a wide range of backgrounds and how we equip those in our church to be Christ’s ambassadors to those in our community. Every person and circumstance, history and baggage will be different, and any non-nuanced position would be inherently evil. I pray we have many opportunities to talk, think and pray through specific situations that God would bless us with the chance to be a part of. What an honor it would be to be used to reach into broken lives like these with the Gospel of Grace.
15: Action Steps
As we consider practical and philosophical ways of responding to the above, I believe we should start from a position of corporate repentance. If we wish to truly reach out and touch the lives of broken people in need of a Savior who live a life of same sex attraction or gender dysphoria, we need to begin by recognizing that a great deal of harm, emotional and physical, has been inflicted on this group by the Church for generations. There are homeless people living in our area who were kicked out of their homes by parents holding a Bible. There are those who have been subjected to horrific methods that amount to torture under the guise of “Conversion Therapy” from Christian organizations. The only “conversion” we should concern ourselves with is to a regenerate heart. Attempting to change someone’s sexual attraction is very much beside the point. We cannot hope to be a place where such people can hear about Jesus unless they feel safe to enter our doors. We must also fight the tendency to consider sin in this area as something worse than others, even in non-Christians. James 2 says “…For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it….So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” As we consider corporate and pastoral responses to the argument above, we must start by removing our own planks and repenting for the historical actions of the Church.
Practical steps that we could consider taking would include: removing the statements from the website about marriage and sexuality, especially directly under our Core Beliefs. Again, this is not meant to hide or equivocate on the truth, but not to set such a barrier before someone even walks through our door. Secondly, we should consider how to address these topics within the church. A Sunday morning sermon is not ideal as it is time limited and a unidirectional conversation. A small group course format would be a consideration. We need to equip parents and family members of adolescents, teens, and adults with language to talk about these things in loving, humble, God-honoring ways. In the longer term, we need to consider how we can make our church a place where people would feel comfortable inviting friends and family who look, think and act differently than we do. We need to find a way of projecting safety and inclusion even in our public facing information. This isn’t a balancing act where we must make it clear early and often that we “love the sinner but hate the sin” as the saying goes. We just need to love the sinner. Dealing with the sin can come later God-willing. A third application point is to be mindful of what we say and what we allow to be said without being checked. Certainly, joking at the expense of those who are dealing with these issues is unacceptable, but we also need to work to avoid getting dragged in to pseudo-political discussions on bathroom issues, sports issues or other divisive concerns that have no bearing on the church.
I recognize that these proposals have the potential to divide the church. There are some who may leave the body over these sorts of changes. I would argue that it is our responsibility to them as well as to the unreached in our community to have those discussions and risk some of them leaving over it. These are not all things we should change overnight but after ample opportunities for discussions and prayer.
16: Conclusion – Mark 2:15-17
At its core, these are not issues of who someone loves, sexual attraction, or even specific sex acts. The core is idolatry and identity. When acceptance by others, self-determination, or physical pleasure become the central force driving our lives then we have become idolators. Though our idols take on different shapes, the struggles in this space are shared by all. Whether you are identified by your profession, your family, or your gender identity, you are not being identified by your Master. Building fences around or within the church because someone sins in a different way than us cannot be allowed. Making the excuse that we are somehow “protecting our children” by shielding them from people in our community who desperately need a Savior will not show our children who Jesus is. Within the church, we cannot be afraid to “speak the truth in love.” We need not and cannot shy away from sin in the church, but we must recognize that the Spirit works in each of our lives. Often this happens over a period of time. We should be prepared to walk alongside our brothers and sisters in this journey for as long as they need.
There is a significant correlation between this community and their relationship with religious groups, and the “tax collectors and sinners” that Jesus sought out in His ministry and their relationship with the religious leaders of the day. Our heart should reflect His. Jesus responded: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17) If our church was filled with transgender people and gay families that loved Jesus, God would be glorified.”
Thank you in advance for any constructive criticism, notes of encouragement to and or waiting recommendations on these topics that I can pass along.

Recently I went on a first date with a guy I met on tinder but I'm wondering if it only happened due to me making him thinking I was okay having sex on the first date. We were texting the night before the date and I mentioned that I went on a first date a year ago where the guy wanted to have sex and how uncomfortable that made me because I don't have sex on the first date.
The guy I was texting said that it seemed like we were too different of people and that we should probably go our separate ways. I agreed and said that it was for the best and that I didn't have a place to have sex anyways (we both still live at home). He said we could do it at his place and I said I think that would work and we went on the first date. We made out on the date and he asked if I wanted to go further and I said I think making out was as far as I was comfortable going.
Thinking about it now, I think I accidentally made it seem like I was interested in having sex on the first date by saying that I didn't have a place to have sex anyways. I think I made him think sex was back on the table and that I was saying I'd be okay having sex on the first date if I had a place to do it when what I really meant was "I agree that it's probably for the best that we go our separate ways because even if I was interested in having sex on the first date, I don't have a place to do it at anyway".
And I interpreted him saying we could have sex at his place as him saying "we can have sex some other time" because I didn't think he was offering to have sex at his house where he still lives with his family on the first date, especially since we lived an hour away from each other and he was driving down and picking me up for the first date, so him driving down to pick me up is one hour, the date would be maybe an hour, we'd drive to his place (another hour), we'd have sex (an hour, maybe more), he'd bring me back home (another hour), and he'd drive back to his place (another hour). I didn't think he was saying "we could have sex at my place even though my family lives there too and it would take me around 4 hours of driving".
We stopped talking because he told me that he wanted to have sex with me on the second date and that we'd be dating if the sex was good enough and I was uncomfortable having sex on the second date too.
But did we only go on the date because I made him think that I was okay having sex on the first date when I wasn't?

I have finished my observation hours and all of the courses/projects/exams for my alt certification program. Unfortunately, I was told that I wouldn’t need to take my content exams until after my first year as a teacher. Around a month ago they called me and told me I needed to take the content exams in order to be certified. I want to teach First grade this year. I have been studying as hard as I can but I don’t feel confident that I will pass if I take it now. I have heard from my teacher friends that people have been hired with a deadline to take and pass the content exam written into their contract.
For the districts that require a certification, what should I put on my resume or how should I let them know that I’m in the process of studying for my content exams? Also any tips for my applications would be appreciated!
I plan to take them by the end of this summer, I just want to apply now and not miss out on opportunities.

Hello! I am finally graduating my nursing program in a couple weeks and I've received two job offers! However, I'm unsure on which route I want to take so I'm coming here for advice
Job offer 1: Infusion nurse at my local cancer institute. It's 38.50/hr. It's 4, 10hr shifts. Guaranteed no night shift or holidays. I did do a job shadow here and everyone was very kind and welcoming to me.
Job offer 2: (Required) New grad program at my local hospital. It's 48/hr. 3, 12hr shifts. I've been told this is how the program works: Oriente on 3 different units for 8 weeks each, at the end, a unit will offer you a position there. It's almost guaranteed you'll start on nights. And you're required to sign a 2 year contract which if you break, is a 5k fine for the cost of "teaching you".
I'm hesitant to work at the hospital due to: Night shift, getting put on a unit I don't want to be on, and that 5k fine if I want to leave before 2 years. The only way I can get out of the new grad program (since it's required) is working somewhere else for a year.
My goal: I would like to save my money so I can move out of state in two years (which would happen faster if I start at the hospital) and hopefully go work at a med spa clinic once I move. I feel like the cancer institute would help me build IV skills, especially since I would one day like to be a nurse injector.
Any advice on how I should move forward would be appreciated 🩷

This is for the guy trying to say not to give money to homeless people flying a sign. This my personal experience from being homeless in Wilmington. I can't say as I speak for everyone, just my experience. 

I'm still homeless, but I've moved out of Wilmington. I had to teach myself how to read and write all over again, and this is what I do now. I hope you enjoy.

 Six-thirty am, I woke up to my alarm. I had to be at work at nine, and I didn't want to be frazzled from being in panic mode on my first day, hurried, and hassled. No, sir. You don't get too many chances to make a first impression. 

 Rolled out of my sleeping bag with a smooth, well practiced motion, unzipped the flap, and made my way out into brisk spring morning air, taking a brief pause, taking in the natural beuaty of the forest. If it hadn't been for the sounds of the highway a few hundred yards away, this scene could have been from a camping trip or hike that I remembered from days gone by. I didn't pause to think about too long due to the urgency to find a suitable tree to relieve myself. Fifty feet, at least. Fifty feet. Otherwise, that smell could come back to haunt you. This wasn't a camping trip but rather where I lived. My homestead, abode, residence, shelter, and as far as I could tell, it would be for a long time to come. 

 I decided to drink my energy drink, which had come to replace my morning cup of brew, outside this fine morn, so I made my way back to the tent and pulled my Monster can and my half full box of handrolled cigarettes from their hiding places, turned around and walked the fifteen feet to my "visiting bench". Aptly named because that's where we all sat when someone came visiting, which wasn't very often, a few feet in front was the small firepit. A hundred or so yards beyond, down a respectable hill, sat Frankies tent, another fifty yards at the split in the trail was Chris's small pup tent, where a small pile of trash meant that Chris and I needed to talk. This was my site, and I had few rules, and trash was something I didn't want to see. 

 According to the rules out here, our social contract, the first person at a campsite was in charge and I had spent the last month of winter all alone here to earn the right to call the shots. After all, it was deemed The Allen Compound for the Criminally Insane by my friend who led a real boots on the ground street outreach in town, someone that I had insane respect for and not a small bit of love. We weren't. I won't speak to insane. 

 I took a seat on the bench, popped the top on the Monster, lit up a smoke, and took a big long pull of the drink. Spring was starting to show now, and the highway was slowly starting to hide behind the new growth of forest. My tent was already invisible from the road thanks to a large camouflaged tarp that I had strung to block the view once I recovered from the panic attack following the discovery of how visible it once was. That discovery came not long after I set up camp, as I was returning from town. Walking down the shoulder of the highway, I just happened to look up in the direction of my camp and saw that my tent sat in the middle of a big clearing of branches, making a perfect frame for my work of art. The realization that thousands of people could have seen that on a daily basis. I was live bait for any psychotic person or persons to visit on a full moon. Recalling the stories of people setting sleeping people on fire for the fun of watching a human cook, I instantly turned on my heels and headed back into town, a spy who just realized he'd been compromised. I didn't return until I had a tarp, but even then, it was some time before sleep came easy. 

 Seven am and the spring sun were now spreading its rays of love to its children in the forest undergrowth, letting everything know it was day shift now in the kingdom. Down below, I spied Frankie, who piled out of his tent and sprinted to a tree like his bladder had caught fire. At the sight of this, I barked three times in greeting. He threw his head back and made a rooster crow, knowing it would wake Chris up long enough to feel the urgency. And by the time I stood up finish the last bit of my morning nectar, sure enough, scrambled out of his tent and instantly let it go right beside where his head would lay when he slept. I shook my head and trudged to my place to change clothes. A light blue polo type short sleeve tucked neatly into my cleanest pair of jeans, then a long sleeve light flannel over that as a precaution, because a lesson learned early is that you dressed for all day. There was no going home to get a coat when the temps plummeted, so it was wise to have that coat ready at all times. I changed my socks, put on my shoes and out of the flap I went. I closed it up and placed a pine needle inside the zipper that would let me know when I got back if anyone had violated my space. 

Seven ten am, and I was on my way. I had fourty minutes to be at the bus stop a little over a mile from the camp and I didn't want to be late, so off I went down the trail, just past Frankies tent I took a left, pausing just long enough to notice that Chris had gone back to bed and left his flap door open, then another fifty yard and over the fence to what I referred to as the 'exposed zone'. There, I was out of the woods walking down a small trail hidden only from the waist down by overgrown weeds and grass. The exposed zone went about a hundred and fifty yards to the shoulder of the highway, where I would merge left, facing the oncoming traffic. At that point, it wouldn't be so obvious to passing cars that I had just emerged from the woods, and the exact spot would no doubt be a mystery. There, my pace stepped up to an average of four miles an hour, something that I had clocked many times, and these days, it was a knowledge that came in handy. I could deal with being homeless, but not tardy. Every minute I walked along the shoulder of the highway, I was fraught with danger, at least in my overactive brain. I could envision cars swerving to miss the car ahead and turning me into a hood ornament, or blowing a tire and taking me out when the driver loses control for that half a second. Maybe something would fall out of the many dump trucks that passed frequently at seventy miles an hour and cleanly decapitate me before I even saw it coming. Why not? It's not like I was having a good luck streak, let's be honest. 

Seven fifty am and I managed to make it to the bus stop with all my organs just where they should be and my head still attached to my body. I lit up a smoke and fished three quarters out of my pocket, ready to pay my way and go to work. The bus pulled up on time, and I climbed aboard, nodding to the driver in solidarity, one working man to the other, dropped my coins of passage into the box, turned and found an empty seat by the window. I watched as the scenery went from historical homes with their gates and carefully tended lawns to the brown crabgrass and dirt yards where the children played in poverty, then to the blocks of businesses where hopes and dreams were born and died, with their big banners proclaiming another last chance at big savings, or let you know that for the twentieth time this furniture store was going out of business and these prices wouldn't last. Nothing but a higher class of a carnival barker. Free financing, limited time only, no interest for ninety days, credit same as cash, act now, last chance to save, overstocked and marked down, employee pricing, never before savings, trade ins welcome, don't miss out, and my all time favorite, below wholesale. Imagine that a business surviving by losing money. The saddest part of it all is that these tactics worked on people. For the second time that morning, I shook my head. 

Eight thirty eight am and the doors open at my destination, my job site, half the bus stood up to depart. Standing up and slipping No. 7 onto my shoulders, I let the line shuffle past me with the knowledge that I had time to spare 

 Eight forty, I stepped off the bus, gravitating to have a smoke with a small group of like-minded people who nodded their approval as I approached. The signal that I was accepted in the circle of debauchery. I made it clear, though, that I had no time to make small talk because I had to go to work and I was a responsible person. On time, it was late, and ten minutes early was on time. That was my motto, starting now, at least. Eight fourty five am I started to the job site, feeling the anxiety butterflies come to life in the pit of my stomach. I had never done this sort of work before, and I hoped I would catch on quick. 

 Eight fifty am, and I was standing beside the exit lane of the Walmart Superstore on a patch of grass where the stopsign was planted, dropping No. 7 to the earth. I bent over and unzipped the section that contained the piece of cardboard. As I put my fingers on it, I felt emotions pour over me, a mixture of shame, embarrassment, and determination. This was my third try at this, but I was determined not to chicken out this time, so, choking everything back down I pulled the sign from my bag and turned to face the cars coming up to the stop sign so I could show them the story of my life, condensed down to some scribbles from a Sharpie which read, 'Traumatic Brain Injury' in large lettering, with a smaller, 'Please Help' below. I'd never felt so alone as I did in that spot light that day at Walmart, that my life had led me to this point, here with a sign begging for money from strangers to get things I needed. It seemed like I couldn't even breathe with my phone service cut off, as I still felt sure that my son would call me at any minute to see how I was, and knowing that life line was severed was unbearable. 

 A grey van with a logo pulled up to the stop sign and I heard one of the doors open, then close, so I turned around to see someone jogging up to me, holding out his hand with a twenty dollar bill pinched in his fingers, "Here you go, brother. Take care of yourself, my man, "then back to the van and was gone. 

I broke. Just like that. I broke.

Hello.
Has anyone had experience with Creatine supplementation contributing to a breakthrough seizure in situations where their seizures were relatively under control with medication?
I am a 53 year old female and I have had only a few incidences of seizures in the last 8 years.
The source of my seizure activity was from an OPERABLE cavernous malformation. They removed it successfully but some extra activity remains present due to previous seizures and the surgery itself.
My first ever seizure (pre-surgery) I woke up from a nap and was trying to get ready to leave the house for my nieces kindergarten graduation. To my horror, I realized I was unable to speak. I was with my mother and in the car and trying to say anything and she realized something was wrong. She brought me to the ER and as soon as we walked in, I had my first tonic clonic seizure. That’s when they found out about the cavernoma.
Since the first seizure episode I take Keppra and things have been pretty good although I have experienced two more definite episodes of tonic clonic seizures since the first one.
Every time I have had a seizure it has been in the presence of my mom. My poor mom!
The first breakthrough seizure occurred about a year after surgery when I STUPIDLY thought I could try to wean off of the Keppra. That was a bad idea. Without warning, I seized. Obviously I should not have tried to stop the medication.
The second breakthrough seizure was a couple of years later and occurred at the end of a very hot day. I had been commuting by bicycle and had another tonic clonic. This one was proceeded by a very bad mood in the early evening. I was extremely irritated for no reason and later that evening seized.
Every time I have had a seizure it has been tonic clonic and I have woken up in the hospital.
I live alone most of the year and am a bit of a hermit which is totally fine most of the time as I am relatively seizure free… HOWEVER…
In the last couple of months I have started weight lifting to build muscle and with that, I also started taking Creatine (5g) per day. Everything was going well until last week.
I was at the gym doing very high intensity sprint work on a spin bike. It was a hot day. I left the gym and drove to the grocery store (one minute from gym). Upon checking out, I kept entering my debit code incorrectly I felt confused and a bit embarrassed. I paid in cash and went to the next grocery (where I live there are two groceries and you need to go to both to find everything). I had same problem with debit card at second grocery and this time, no ability to figure out how to pay in cash so I left. When I got back to my car I was met with more confusion. All I can remember is not being able to get into my car. My car has an alarm and a fob. Even once I was in my car I had trouble figuring out how to turn it on. I then woke up in my car (HOT CAR!) and was able to turn it on and drive to the post office. Even though I was feeling horrible and confused it did not occur to me that I could be near having a seizure. After checking my P.O. Box I made it home, out of my car into the gate and even managed to mumble something about the heat to my neighbor in passing.
I made it inside and the next thing I know I am on the floor. I had hit my nose, had a scrape on my cheek, forehead, nose, right knuckle and left toe. Also slightly bitten tongue. I had a horrible headache and nausea. I just got in bed and went to sleep.
When I woke up, my left hand felt paralyzed (clenched shut). My mind felt scrambled. My vision on the right felt very distorted. I was extremely hungry and thirsty and even though I had all of these challenges I opted for a snack that was not the easiest to make nor was it the tastiest.
For some reason I ate the snack with my paralyzed hand and went back to sleep. I woke up absolutely drenched in sweat. I took a shower and hydrated and took my evening dose of Keppra. My mind was starting to return to normal.
I was thinking nonstop about how to get in my car. I went up to see if I could open it and it was fine. I tried playing some of the word games that I play and felt scrambled at first but was able to get back to normal. I practiced talking. Words were jumbled at first and then I was able to speak normally.
I looked up a recipe for homemade electrolyte drink, made some and chugged it down.
I took it very easy for a few days and lucky I work from home… I have been able to just chill and obsess over whether I had a breakthrough seizure or whether I may have just had heat exhaustion. A week later and I am feeling myself again though I have been very tired in the morning and allowing myself extra sleep.
I am away from home for a couple of weeks. I do have my yearly check up with my neurologist coming up. I really don’t want to tell her about this.
If this was a seizure, this is the first time I have been alone. I hope it was not a seizure. If it was, I am not sure. Also, if it was, my episodes are years apart and they seem to be triggered by extreme heat and exercise. My only thing that is making me feel better mentally is that if I did have a seizure alone, I survived.
I also just joined Bumble because think it might be worth having a mate because of things like this. And not just because of this. I do feel lonely sometimes.
But back to my big question…
Has anyone had experience with Creatine contributing to breakthrough seizures?
Thank-you for any input and please try to refrain from saying anything that might freak me out as I am already quite unnerved.
Xoxo

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