I wish I had a magic answer but I can tell you a few things that seemed to help. I was always in a some state of flare for about 5 years. It freaked me out and made me scared often. Sometimes I would wake up in pain that would almost bring me to tears. I had near constant bladder pressure and consistent urinary frequency. Sometimes it felt like my bladder was burning. My left kidney hurt off and on. I dreaded flights and long meetings. I slept with a heating pad a lot.
First, I cut out sparkling waters completely, which I drank daily. Then I cut out beer which I also love (I tried switching to athletic brewing no alcohol beer but those eventually flared me too). I also switched to coffee cut with more teechino than coffee (3:1 ratio), but I would still get my lattes a couple times a week bc it’s the one thing I really couldn’t give up. When I was in a stronger flare up some foods would bother me - especially marinara and spicy foods. Keep in mind my favorite beverages are coffee,sparkling water, and beer, but I was desperate for relief.
In December I thought I had a uti so I took two rounds of antibiotics, which calmed my bladder although a culture revealed no bacterial infection after the fact.
In February my mom died, and I decided not to drink any alcohol at all during that time. I was staying at my family’s rural house for a month so no more lattes - just teechino with a tiny bit of real coffee mixed in. Other than that I only drank water. The food I was eating was pretty basic/bland since it was whatever we could muster up the energy to make (think: plain baked chicken with egg noodles).
I also took azo for more than a day or two at a time if my bladder was feeling spicy, and I took aloe pills religiously. (This was different from before when I’d only take azo for a day or two.) Now I’d take it off and on as needed, and my bladder calmed down even more.
It’s May now and I am basically back to “normal.” I don’t drink beer anymore but weirdly I can have a rum and coke and feel fine now. I only have lattes on special occasions and take prelief first if I do. Fizzy drinks don’t seem to bother me as much but I still stick to mostly plain water. Foods are much less of a trigger now - it’s always been mostly liquids for me.
The other thing is that although my mom’s passing was incredibly sad and overwhelming at the time, I feel so much less stress and pressure to be someone I’m not. I’ve also realized that life is short and I want to stress less and enjoy more. I spend a lot of time outside ‘touching grass’ (literally) and gardening in my yard. I feel a weight lifted and I honestly think the lower stress and new outlook on life has a lot to do with it too.
Anyway, I’m not sure what exactly did it but this combination of things got me to a pretty normal state after five years of pain. I do feel that if I overdo it in any area (especially coffee and stress) it would bring me back into a relapse, but for now I’m good! I hope this helps someone since I know how it feels to be in pain that feels like it will never end.

Let me start off by saying that I am diagnosed with health anxiety since 18 years old and I’m now 38. Before ever twitching or worrying about xxx, I had episodes where I worried I had HIV, Mad Cow, and th brain eating amoeba - to name a few. I’ve seen a psychologist (seeing a great one currently) and taken a variety of psych meds also over the years. I also have gotten quite familiar with the power of psychosomatic symptoms.
I’ve also had two pretty severe episodes of twitching and xxx related anxiety, in 19 and 22. Both times, I had the full battery of tests - ECG, EMG/NCV, brain MRI, neuro clinical, etc - all clean. Bloodwork never showed a relevant deficiency either. I was diagnosed with BFS. Also, both times I was CERTAIN I was going to get the bad news.
For the most part, in between episodes, I still had twitching, but it faded to the background. A couple of months ago, I came back from a trip home to Greece with some sort of virus, doctors gave me two unnecessary antibiotics, and I had a mild STD anxiety episode. As I was starting to get over the anxiety for that, the twitching started again. I’ve been doing my best to not panic or go down rabbit holes as in the past. Also been trying to avoid reassurance seeking and practice acceptance.
I’ve had the constant calf twitching, pre-cramp feeling for the first time ever, and twitching in a bunch of other places - thighs, glutes, abs, triceps, back, neck, shoulders. I’ve also had various paresthesias - pain primarily, like strong pinches or stings, sometimes dull aches, but also vibrations, internal tremors, numbness, burning sensations.
The last couple of days though, I’ve had a really strong twitch in my right shoulder. It’s much stronger than the constant calf twitches and it’s rapid fire and goes on for 10-20 seconds. It’s so violent the muscle feels sore afterwards. Anybody else felt this?

So my party decided that Gnomengarde more of an optional place to visit and just worked on the more immediate/time sensitive quests. But at level 6 they decided to go to Gnomengarde (the only thing left is Icespire Peak).
Overview
The mimic stayed around an continued to eat the gnomes, getting stronger as it ate more of them. When there were 7ish left alive they decided to abandon Gnomengarde to travel to another gnome town to hopefully comeback one day and reclaim Gnomengarde.
Traveling to Gnomengarde
On the way to Gnomengarde the party comes across a frozen group of gnomes. If they investigate/thaw they discover the spell book "Magick of Gnomengarde". They can also determine that gnomes were running from something they feared because of the frozen faces. They can also determine that they were not running long based on tracks. There was also no evidence of other creatures in the area (foot track wise).
Gnomengarde
While exploring Gnomengarde, all the inventions were smashed (Barrel Crabs, Autoloading Crossbow Platform, and Spinning Blades). For the first two there was evidence of dried blood but no bodies. The mimic stayed in hiding in the wine room. My party didn't investigate the room to clearly and moved on the guard post (broken weapons and blood) and the bridge.
They started crossing one at a time. I started to roll to see when the mimic would come fight them, unlucky for them it was when 4 of them were already across.
Mimic
I leveled up the mimic to about a CR 9 legendary creature and gave him lair actions (this place was his now) to try and help the action economy.
Note in Tinkers' Workshop
I did leave a note in the Inventors' Workshop from Fibblestib that was addressed to the future gnome reclaimers to Gnomengarde (he was assuming they would have come back and freed the place). It talked about the hope of returning Gnomengarde to its former glory.
The note (below) didn't state why they were leaving because my thought was by the time someone was going through Gnomegarde they would have found the mimic, plus the Gnomes were going to travel themselves and let them know the danger.
I love it, my party was like "but why did they leave???"
Note

To the Gnomes Who Will Reclaim Gnomengarde,
As the last of us prepares to depart these once-hallowed grounds, I feel compelled to leave behind more than mere memories. Gnomengarde, our cherished home, may now be a mere shadow of its former glory, yet I refuse to let despair be its legacy. Instead, let these words serve as a testament to our resilience, a reminder that the true essence of our town lies not in its buildings, but in the unwavering spirit of its inhabitants. Though the road ahead may be fraught with challenges, know that you carry with you the hopes and dreams of those who came before. So let us rebuild, not just with bricks and mortar, but with the indomitable resolve that has always defined us as gnomes of Gnomengarde.
With steadfast determination,
Fibblestib

And from a Gnomish translator I found online

Tingletok pipple Fliptobag,
Az bimp dox frib mib daz depert bazs mib denglenon rotfack, I quarriz flemberid to flapar bap labe dreggle pleb morbeeg mobe knon. Gnomengarde, nib farlubbled domus bippig, may nipkunble frundle zab rambeglen dox daz flabble-glopp, zek vub nebul loxpax zorki. Ingrid, fribber nippop bizzle babbiz, praz tupplechew dapudde frib glibben, bar zik trubblechort dapudde zurbeglopp munch guird. Tiz nopgle lub flabblelep zik gribbleglop ax did bizzlebap, mur tzap dwimperd spup zik blunzel dox mib denmibbizzlar. Brox mib dobflomp zik trorg, blunz nug florkid zik powpog zek pinglemordle bez nopflarben krob tog brembs zep gnomplud Gnomengarde.
Wiz neblonmuck derkled nibbummop,
Fibblestib

A new review of the science around the components of marijuana says the “complex interaction between phytocannabinoids and biological systems offers hope for novel treatment approaches,” laying the groundwork for a new era of innovation in cannabis-based medicines.
Among other takeaways, the report, published earlier this month in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, underscores the potential of whole-plant cannabis medicine—incorporating the variety of cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds produced by the cannabis plant—rather than simply THC or CBD on their own.
“The plant Cannabis exhibits an effect called the ‘entourage effect’, in which the combined actions of terpenes and phytocannabinoids results in effects that exceed the sum of their separate contributions,” the study says. “This synergy emphasizes how important it is to consider the entire plant when utilizing cannabinoids medicinally as opposed to just concentrating on individual cannabinoids.”
A new review of the science around the components of marijuana says the “complex interaction between phytocannabinoids and biological systems offers hope for novel treatment approaches,” laying the groundwork for a new era of innovation in cannabis-based medicines.
Among other takeaways, the report, published earlier this month in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, underscores the potential of whole-plant cannabis medicine—incorporating the variety of cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds produced by the cannabis plant—rather than simply THC or CBD on their own.
“The plant Cannabis exhibits an effect called the ‘entourage effect’, in which the combined actions of terpenes and phytocannabinoids results in effects that exceed the sum of their separate contributions,” the study says. “This synergy emphasizes how important it is to consider the entire plant when utilizing cannabinoids medicinally as opposed to just concentrating on individual cannabinoids.”
[Using Marijuana Before Working Out Can Enhance Enjoyment And ‘Runner’s High’]()0 of 1 minute, 4 secondsVolume 0%Loading ad
Much of the 23-page report—from pharmacy researchers at Ovidus University of Constanta and the University of Medicine, Pharmacy Science and Technology of Târgu Mures, both of which are in Romania—comprises an overview of cannabinoids, including THC and CBD as well as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THC-V)—as well as how those compounds appear to interact with the human body.
While the vast majority of research has studied THC and CBD, the new review notes that the “exploration of novel phytocannabinoids is rapidly evolving, offering exciting prospects for future therapeutic applications.”
“Beyond well-established compounds like THC and CBD, the quest for novel cannabinoids widens the scope of potential treatments,” it says. “Each cannabinoid, with its unique chemical structure, interacts differently with the [endocannabinoid system], suggesting tailored therapeutic effects for specific conditions. This exploration seeks to harness similar benefits while circumventing associated drawbacks.”
Each of the chemical components has specific effects, which the study briefly describes. The broad review, which cites nearly 100 other sources, acknowledges that some effects are bolstered by robust scientific evidence, while others are still being explored.
THC, for example, has demonstrated analgesic effects, authors wrote. “It also possesses antiemetic effects, which make it useful for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.”
CBD, meanwhile, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and “is said to have analgesic properties and may be effective in pain management.” Some research also shows the cannabinoid may have neuroprotective qualities.
While CBD formulations like the prescription drug Epidiolex can treat rare forms of epilepsy, mixes of CBD and THC may help address spasticity related to multiple sclerosis, the paper says.
Both THC and CBD also have antioxidant effects, it adds, and both appear to be promising tools for a variety of ailments, from pain to neurological disorders and psychiatric conditions.
Further, CBD may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and PTSD, while both THC and CBD may exhibit antidepressant effects. “While some findings suggest that cannabinoids may have mood-stabilizing effects and enhance serotonin signaling, the evidence is inconclusive, and further research is needed,” the study says.
CBD may also help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms of alcohol and opioid use disorders, although authors said “the evidence is preliminary, and more research is needed to establish its efficacy and safety.”
Both THC and CBD have also been investigated as possible sleep aids, though results are still preliminary and so far are mixed, with some patients experiencing improved sleep quality while others experience sleep disruptions.
As for treating cancer, the report says that studies have indicated that “cannabinoids can exert antitumor effects directly by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis, or indirectly by inhibiting angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.”
“In vivo and in vitro research has demonstrated the efficacy of cannabinoids in modulating tumor growth, although the antitumor effects can vary depending on the type of cancer and the concentration of the drug,” it continues. “For cancer patients, it is crucial to comprehend how cannabinoids control immune system interactions and other biological processes related to carcinogenesis, such as cell cycle progression, proliferation, and cell death. Additional research is necessary for this area.”
As for minor cannabinoids, compounds such as CBG and CBN appear to have antibacterial effects, researchers found. CBN itself also appears to be a mild sedative, which could be relevant for treating sleep disorders.
THC-V, meanwhile, may act as an appetite suppressant and a “potential treatment for diabetes.”
Cannabinoids may also be helpful in treating trauma wounds, authors noted, potentially reducing perceived pain, inflammation and secondary tissue damage.
A new review of the science around the components of marijuana says the “complex interaction between phytocannabinoids and biological systems offers hope for novel treatment approaches,” laying the groundwork for a new era of innovation in cannabis-based medicines.
Among other takeaways, the report, published earlier this month in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, underscores the potential of whole-plant cannabis medicine—incorporating the variety of cannabinoids, terpenes and other compounds produced by the cannabis plant—rather than simply THC or CBD on their own.
“The plant Cannabis exhibits an effect called the ‘entourage effect’, in which the combined actions of terpenes and phytocannabinoids results in effects that exceed the sum of their separate contributions,” the study says. “This synergy emphasizes how important it is to consider the entire plant when utilizing cannabinoids medicinally as opposed to just concentrating on individual cannabinoids.”
[Using Marijuana Before Working Out Can Enhance Enjoyment And ‘Runner’s High’]()0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0% NextStay
Much of the 23-page report—from pharmacy researchers at Ovidus University of Constanta and the University of Medicine, Pharmacy Science and Technology of Târgu Mures, both of which are in Romania—comprises an overview of cannabinoids, including THC and CBD as well as cannabigerol (CBG), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN) and tetrahydrocannabivarin (THC-V)—as well as how those compounds appear to interact with the human body.
While the vast majority of research has studied THC and CBD, the new review notes that the “exploration of novel phytocannabinoids is rapidly evolving, offering exciting prospects for future therapeutic applications.”
“Beyond well-established compounds like THC and CBD, the quest for novel cannabinoids widens the scope of potential treatments,” it says. “Each cannabinoid, with its unique chemical structure, interacts differently with the [endocannabinoid system], suggesting tailored therapeutic effects for specific conditions. This exploration seeks to harness similar benefits while circumventing associated drawbacks.”
Each of the chemical components has specific effects, which the study briefly describes. The broad review, which cites nearly 100 other sources, acknowledges that some effects are bolstered by robust scientific evidence, while others are still being explored.
THC, for example, has demonstrated analgesic effects, authors wrote. “It also possesses antiemetic effects, which make it useful for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.”
CBD, meanwhile, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and “is said to have analgesic properties and may be effective in pain management.” Some research also shows the cannabinoid may have neuroprotective qualities.
While CBD formulations like the prescription drug Epidiolex can treat rare forms of epilepsy, mixes of CBD and THC may help address spasticity related to multiple sclerosis, the paper says.
Both THC and CBD also have antioxidant effects, it adds, and both appear to be promising tools for a variety of ailments, from pain to neurological disorders and psychiatric conditions.
Further, CBD may help reduce symptoms of anxiety and PTSD, while both THC and CBD may exhibit antidepressant effects. “While some findings suggest that cannabinoids may have mood-stabilizing effects and enhance serotonin signaling, the evidence is inconclusive, and further research is needed,” the study says.
CBD may also help reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms of alcohol and opioid use disorders, although authors said “the evidence is preliminary, and more research is needed to establish its efficacy and safety.”
Both THC and CBD have also been investigated as possible sleep aids, though results are still preliminary and so far are mixed, with some patients experiencing improved sleep quality while others experience sleep disruptions.
As for treating cancer, the report says that studies have indicated that “cannabinoids can exert antitumor effects directly by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis, or indirectly by inhibiting angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis.”
“In vivo and in vitro research has demonstrated the efficacy of cannabinoids in modulating tumor growth, although the antitumor effects can vary depending on the type of cancer and the concentration of the drug,” it continues. “For cancer patients, it is crucial to comprehend how cannabinoids control immune system interactions and other biological processes related to carcinogenesis, such as cell cycle progression, proliferation, and cell death. Additional research is necessary for this area.”
As for minor cannabinoids, compounds such as CBG and CBN appear to have antibacterial effects, researchers found. CBN itself also appears to be a mild sedative, which could be relevant for treating sleep disorders.
THC-V, meanwhile, may act as an appetite suppressant and a “potential treatment for diabetes.”
Cannabinoids may also be helpful in treating trauma wounds, authors noted, potentially reducing perceived pain, inflammation and secondary tissue damage.
“At the site of injury, cannabinoids may decrease the release of tissue activators and sensitizers, modulating nerve cells to control tissue destruction and immune cells to prevent the release of proinflammatory substances,” they wrote. “This modulation helps minimize pain and temper post-injury responses associated with inflammatory injury.”
The review also assesses the “challenges and controversies” surrounding research and use of therapeutic cannabinoids, including legal and regulatory obstacles that still vary widely across the globe, a lack of robust standardization of cannabinoid products and the potential for abuse and dependence.
THC, researchers acknowledge, is not only the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis but also the most common cannabinoid associated with problem use. “While the overall risk of addiction to THC is lower compared to substances like opioids, amphetamines, or alcohol,” authors wrote, “it is still a concern, particularly for individuals who use cannabis frequently or in high doses.”
On the other hand, CBD “is not associated with the same potential for abuse or dependence” and “may even have potential therapeutic effects in reducing addiction to other substances, such as opioids, alcohol, or nicotine.”
Social and legal obstacles, the study noted, still make research onerous.
“Despite its potential, legal restrictions and societal stigma surrounding cannabis hinder investment in research and development,” authors of the study wrote. “Complex regulatory frameworks further complicate exploration efforts. Rigorous preclinical and clinical trials are imperative to establish safety and efficacy before therapeutic implementation.”
As cannabinoids and the body’s own endocannabinoid system continue to be better understood, the researchers expect even more “potential in managing various pathological diseases.”
“Phytocannabinoids offer diverse therapeutic applications, ranging from pain management to neurological disorders and inflammatory diseases. Their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties make them valuable candidates for combating antibiotic resistance and modulating inflammatory pathways,” the study concludes. “By leveraging the synergistic effects of combination therapies and targeting multiple disease pathways, phytocannabinoids hold immense potential to revolutionize the future of pharmacotherapy and improve human health outcomes.”
The new research is part of a growing field of investigation into the entourage effect in cannabis as well as in entheogenic plants and fungi. While Western medicine typically seeks to identify and isolate a single active ingredient, the findings underscore the potentially powerful interactions of various chemical components produced by the plant.
Earlier this year, for example, a study looked at the “collaborative interactions” between cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and other molecules in the plant, concluding that a better understanding of the relationships of various chemical components “is crucial for unraveling cannabis’s complete therapeutic potential.”
Other recent research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that a citrusy-smelling terpene in marijuana, D-limonene, could help ease anxiety and paranoia associated with THC. Researchers similarly said the finding could help unlock the maximum therapeutic benefit of THC.
A separate study last year found that cannabis products with a more diverse array of natural cannabinoids produced stronger psychoactive experiences in adults, which also lasted longer than the high generated by pure THC.
And a 2018 study found that patients suffering from epilepsy experience better health outcomes—with fewer adverse side effects—when they use plant-based CBD extracts compared to “purified” CBD products.
Scientist last year also discovered “previously unidentified cannabis compounds” called flavorants that they believe are responsible for the unique aromas of different varieties of marijuana. Previously, many had thought terpenes alone were responsible for various smells produced by the plant.
Similar phenomena are also beginning to be recorded around psychedelic plants and fungi. In March, for example, researchers published findings showing that use of full-spectrum psychedelic mushroom extract had a more powerful effect than chemically synthesized psilocybin alone. They said the findings imply that mushrooms, like cannabis, demonstrate an entourage effect.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/interaction-of-marijuana-terpenes-and-cannabinoids-offers-hope-for-novel-treatments-study-says/

Let's start off with defining eugenics: The practice of attempting to improve the human gene pool by encouraging the reproduction of people considered to have desirable traits.
Hmmm... That sounds familiar. Selective Breeding: The practice of breeding the best specimens of a given organism to encourage certain features.
Every single organism from dogs, cats, cows, flowers, mushrooms, bacteria, mold, etc. have all been selectively breed (by humans) to become healthier, stronger, have a longer life span, be more intelligent, preduce more fruit, and the list goes on. But the moment we talk about selectively breeding each other, it becomes taboo. Even though the evidence is clear that it works.
Let me ask you this, if you where born with an extreme deformity or mental disorder, why would you want to force that illness onto another person? That's pretty inhuman and selfish if you ask me.
The only semi responsible answer I've heard is history. Historically speaking eugenics has been used for racism. But then we need to ask, are we still racist? Have social beliefs not changed over the last 300 years? The reason you can't use history as an argument is because it's just that. History. We used to have slaves, women didn't have rights, child and pregnant womem where given heroin for headaches. This isn't reality anymore. We don't have slaves, we don't give pregnant women heroin, and people don't view minorities as sub human anymore. If we're gonna say "well historically speaking" then by your own logic I can say black people are the real slave owners because the first slave trader was black. Historically speaking women belong in the kitchen because that was "the good ol days". You see how ridiculous all that sounds? It's because history isn't today. What happened 300 years ago happened 300 years ago.
Your probably saying "well it takes away peoples reproductive rights" and your right to an extent. There's 2 things to say about that. 1) if your pro-life than your a hypocrite, because clearly your perfectly fine removing the reproductive rights of women. And 2) its not about the parent in this situation. Its about the unborn child you are forcing into this world against their will, all the while knowing the disadvantage your forcing them to have. It's selfish to believe you have a right to force a child to be born with a genetic disability.
Now, for all the people saying "so OP doesn't think that people with genetic disorders deserve child" this simply isn't true. There are currently 400,000 children in America alone who are currently alive and being mistreated in foster care and orphan homes. Why not rescue one of them? What's wrong with saving a child from the neglect of not having a loving home? But instead you want to force a person who doesn't even exist yet to live a life of misery just so you can say that it came out of your balls.
The only way you can honestly say you don't believed eugenics is ethical is if you are pro-choice, never eat meat from factor farms (not so fun fact: 99% of farms are factor farms) never eat vegetables or fruits from big farmers. Never own a dog or cat. And NEVER touch a vaccine or any form of modern medicine especially antibiotics like penicillin. Because whether you want to acknowledge it or not, ALL of those are because of eugenics.

Hi! I’m 19F and I’ve been on and off on antibiotics for my acne since 2020 when I reached my breaking point. I stopped taking Doxycycline around 6 months ago and my acne came back a month ago. I’m at my breaking point. I’ve tried everything when not on the meds including diets and have researched skincare. I am extremely depressed and am struggling to go on and the acne is the reason. I wake up everyday to 2 new spots and I can’t do it anymore I just want to hide away and never be seen again. I’m considering going on Accutane as it’s stronger than other medication I have used for my skin but I’m just not sure I want to go on it for it to come back again. I just hate my life atm and my skin is making everything worse. Any advice please I am mentally at 0 and can’t do it.

I’m 19(m) and I got diagnosed with chlamydia at the end of the summer. Went through treatment and then like an idiot had sex with another person with chlamydia. Went thru treatment and now I’m negative for all my chlamydia and gonorrhoea tests. I still had some symptoms and went for an mgen test a month ago that came back positive. Then I went on antibiotics for 12 days (doxy-7 days twice a day az-4 times on the 8th day and twice a day for 3 days after that) and that finished 2 weeks ago yesterday. I still have some symptoms though I am feeling better. Im going for my toc tmr morning because I was told 2 weeks was enough time after treatment but I’m reading it might be longer. I also am scared I have trich as I have not been tested for it yet and I’m scared I have every std I haven’t tested for because I was an idiot throughout highschool and didn’t use condoms.
Symptoms now after treatment: - small amount of clear discharge (like tiny amounts unless I’ve recently masturbated) - urethra opening seems a little red and off at the bottom (usually after ejaculating also, if I don’t ejaculate it looks a lot better) - my penis dribbles urine for a good bit after I’m done peeing - and there’s some discomfort when peeing only sometimes usually more prevalent if I’m sitting down and some stinging after - Symptoms are forsure better than before treatment but am unsure if treatment worked
A note is I have been very stressed past bit about this so I don’t know what symptoms are real anymore or just me tripping myself out. Hopefully I’m good just want any type of similar experience or encouragement.

Hi middle of the night for me and very very tired, hope this makes sense:
Saw a cat approaching what looked like a clump of leaves on lawn outside the front of my house. I watched because I was worried it wasn't a clump of leaves, and then what was clearly a bird's mouth yawned open when the cat was quite near.
Ran outside and put some distance between cat and bird. The bird was just sitting there, and let me get as close as I like which I know is often a sign of injury. But perhaps he's just very young? Fairly large (eg larger than a European robin), very dark feathers. Should've taken a photo 😖 In the street lamp it looked like there might've been some greenish iridescence on some feathers, though looks like juvenile starlings are a greyish brown?
The bird's feathers were also very fluffed, but there's also a pretty strong (and cool) breeze out right now. I observed for what felt like awhile, but it's way late for me and I need to go to bed.
Got gloves and box and lined with paper towels hoping the bird would fly away but sadly no. When I nearly picked up the bird, he hopped away clumsily and with difficulty, almost lost his balance at first.
He then also called out to I assume his parents :(
Honestly I would've loved nothing more than to leave him there but that would've meant leaving him on a cat highway. Also, I suspect a cat found him from up the hill (where the trees/woods are) and brought him to my lawn :(
I approached again, he hopped away some more but soon stopped, I don't think he travelled more than 15' from where I found him. He just lay there in the middle of the road. I watched him for so long, but I'm so tired so I again approached him. This time he let me cover him completely with my hands, and still no movement, perhaps worn out from shock? :(
But the poor thing did protest when I picked him up and put him in the box, and jumped around for just a bit as we walked inside. He's in a room now, there's gaps in the box for air and a few bits of tape to keep it sealed.
I called a 24 hour animal hospital and was advised that the poor little fellow may need antibiotics from a possible cat scratch, and to get him to a rescue asap in the morning. Also told to give him some water but I'm afraid of stressing him out even more by opening the box back up / making noise.
Almost didn't get up in the middle of the night, and now this :(
Did I do wrong by bringing him inside? If there weren't cats active literally right now I would've left him outside and merely checked in on him in the morning. I read juveniles can wander by foot but he was a bit wobbly on his feet, and considering his very adult-like feathers I would've expected him to be stronger, unless injured.
arghhh not fun :(

My Cat (3M, neutered) was released from the hospital after catheterization bc he had crystals in his pee 5 days ago. We brought him in 8 hours after sx showed.
He peed little and very often during the first 2 days post-vet and the amount slowly increased by the day.
His first 2 days, he had been having an attack similar to a seizure with a tender stomach, involuntary kicking and his pee spraying uncontrollably everywhere for each cramping session, after he ate meals. This went away though since he pooped out a big, dry lump. Vet informed that he was also constipated in hospital & had to be given laxative. [see attachment]
When he pees (from 3rd day onwards), he still seems to cramp & stumble forward a bit when peeing, but not violently anymore.
He started his prescription kibbles (Royal Canin S/O) yesterday, & before that it was recovery food mixed w water. Today he started to eat the same amount of kibbles as his old normal, but I’m nervous he might’ve eaten too much and too dry?? Yesterday, he barely ate 2 tsp. of it, and I had to give him mostly recovery food with water.
He peed very nicely today (day 5). The amount every time was good, there was no whining or minor cramping vs. previous days.
At 3pm today, he peed a good ol amount (his most so far at 20mL or more)
I gave his scheduled diuretic (Nefrotec) after this & then the problem started.
After 30 minutes or so, he tried to pee again but nothing came out. I thought it might be the diuretic trying to make him pee but he just emptied his bladder out so nothing’s coming out.
He was drinking water throughout the day but, his peeing session somehow had increased struggle AKA he looks like his bladder was squeezing / cramping too strongly, the whining came back, and him stumbling forward was stronger this time. I expected a lot of pee again but no pee came out.
His 2nd attempt came 3 hrs. after diuretic. And then now, @ 9 hours after where he’s been struggling more than 3 times within the hour already.
Asking for advise as our only vet here in my area doesnt have emergency services at night, and it’s 8 hours away from opening. AGAIN.😢
.
QUESTIONS: for experienced recovered blocked cat parents, & vets
• Is it possible that it’s just (1) Overactive Bladder, (2) Constipation Cramps, or (3) Blocked again bc some sediment got in the way again?
• I have a laxative given by the vet 2 days ago, still in a syringe, taped and stored in a cool place. Should I give?
• I also have a vial of erceflora I asked from the vet to help with stomach aches (& possible cramping) since he has 2 Antibiotics rn (Doxy, Co-amoxiclav)
.
TYIA for any answers, currently trying my best not to panic and cry while waiting for our vet to open & possibility of having to give him up if ever worse comes to worst 😢

My Cat (3M, neutered) was released from the hospital after catheterization bc he had crystals in his pee 5 days ago. We brought him in 8 hours after sx showed.
He peed little and very often during the first 2 days post-vet and the amount slowly increased by the day.
His first 2 days, he had been having an attack similar to a seizure with a tender stomach, involuntary kicking and his pee spraying uncontrollably everywhere for each cramping session, after he ate meals. This went away though since he pooped out a big, dry lump. Vet informed that he was also constipated in hospital & had to be given laxative.
When he pees (from 3rd day onwards), he still seems to cramp & stumble forward a bit when peeing, but not violently anymore.
He started his prescription kibbles (Royal Canin S/O) yesterday, & before that it was recovery food mixed w water. Today he started to eat the same amount of kibbles as his old normal, but I’m nervous he might’ve eaten too much and too dry?? Yesterday, he barely ate 2 tsp. of it, and I had to give him mostly recovery food with water.
He peed very nicely today (day 5). The amount every time was good, there was no whining or minor cramping vs. previous days.
At 3pm today, he peed a good ol amount (his most so far at 20mL or more)
I gave his scheduled diuretic (Nefrotec) after this & then the problem started.
After 30 minutes or so, he tried to pee again but nothing came out. I thought it might be the diuretic trying to make him pee but he just emptied his bladder out so nothing’s coming out.
He was drinking water throughout the day but, his peeing session somehow had increased struggle AKA he looks like his bladder was squeezing / cramping too strongly, the whining came back, and him stumbling forward was stronger this time. I expected a lot of pee again but no pee came out.
His 2nd attempt came 3 hrs. after diuretic. And then now, @ 9 hours after where he’s been struggling more than 3 times within the hour already.
Asking for advise as our only vet here in my area doesnt have emergency services at night, and it’s 8 hours away from opening. AGAIN.😢
.
QUESTIONS:
• Is it possible that it’s just (1) Overactive Bladder, (2) Constipation Cramps, or (3) Blocked again bc some sediment got in the way again?
• I have a laxative given by the vet 2 days ago, still in a syringe, taped and stored in a cool place. Should I give?
• I also have a vial of erceflora I asked from the vet to help with stomach aches (& possible cramping) since he has 2 Antibiotics rn (Doxy, Co-amoxiclav)
.
TYIA for any answers, as I’m currently trying my best not to panic and cry while waiting for our vet to open. 😢

I mean , their the best place to go when you need treatment or get checked out but man already twice in one month but it’s like the fear of your lungs being so messed up it’s like what’s next 😭😭😭 anyway I want to share something really positive , I’m gonna be seeing one of the best respirologist in Ontario , basically my lungs react to everything , viruses literally put me in the ER now and my symptoms come back after prednisone . it all got worse after a sinus infection end of March and was put on antibiotics then got sick again while travelling and since then everything went down hill . I’m on maximum treatment . My asthma specialist thinks I need better quality care than he can provide , in the last 7 months I’ve had my first ER visit , pneumonia, sinus infection , some weird cold/flu , and a 2nd ER visit then prednisone wore off and symptoms came back and a week later hospital again . now going for a CT scan to find out if I need antibiotic treatment along with a stronger asthma regimen and further testing with lung function

Old peasant legends tell of a magnificent treasure at the peak of Firetop Mountain in the realm of Titan. This treasure is sought out by many adventurers, although few make it back out of the mountains in one piece, and none are able to find the two-locked chest containing the prize. The treasure is guarded by an enigmatic warlock who commands terrible beasts to guard the chest’s keys. Some say he's old, some say he's young, some say his cards are his source of power, others say it’s his black gloves. The only thing that the peasants can agree on was his name; Zagor.
The terrible warlock would fight three different adventurers on their quests to claim his treasure. Each time, if the reader makes the right choices and defeats Zagor in combat, he manages to crawl back from the blackness of death using another morbid spell. Upon his third incarnation, he even made the jump from the realm of Titan to a new world called Amarillia. It's here that the sorcerer would finally meet his end, burned to ashes in the mystical Heartfires.
Feats come from three books, The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Return to Firetop Mountain and Legend of Zagor. Hover over a feat to see what book it’s from. Since they’re Choose Your Own Adventure books, they aren’t distinguished by chapters but rather by paragraph numbers, which are included in the images themselves.

General

Human Form

• He has a Skill stat of 11 and a Stamina stat of 18. This makes Zagor more skilled than a Vampire, who can catch the player’s sword, and tougher than a Giant.
  • If the player burns his magic cards, Zagor physically shrinks, his Skill stat goes down to 7 and his Stamina stat goes down to 11.

Resurrected Form

• After resurrecting into a patchwork body, he maintains his stats of 11 in Skill and 18 in Stamina
• If the second adventurer kills him a second time, they return to identify the corpse a few days later. Zagor’s body is completely dead, but he’s grinning and his skeletal left hand is missing, something the adventurer worries will lead to a third encounter down the line.

Demon Form

• In another realm called Amarillia, a war with a Bone Demon ended when the Casket of Souls was created, which allowed the humans to banish the demon to another plane. However, Zagor’s pernicious spirit felt this event in the realm of Titan and used the Casket to manifest himself in Amarillia. By crossing into the parallel world, he bonded with the trapped Bone Demon, and Zagor’s third physical form is a demonic/human hybrid. This incarnation grows stronger as Zagor spends time in the demon’s lair, Castle Argent, and can only be killed for good by the Heartfires below the castle.
• Zagor’s Demon form is four meters tall and visibly strong. He fights using a rune-covered staff.
• As his Demon-Thing form, his stats go up to 16 in Skill and 20 in Stamina. He uses a variety of attacks in combat, like a Thunderbolt spell, a Fireball spell, a Life Drain spell that lowers an adventurer’s Skill and Stamina stat, a Poisoned Dagger, and melee attacks with his Taloned Fists. If the Zagor Demon reaches critical health without dying, it will become Frenzied and thrash around violently.
• After beating the Zagor Demon, the adventurer must throw his body into the magic Heartfires to completely destroy him. If he’s not thrown into these flames, he will revive himself and slay the adventurer with his claws.

Magic Abilities

Immunities

• He cannot be harmed by non-magical means. Attacks like arrows do no damage to Zagor.
• Zagor is immune to the magic paralysis spell used by a genie
• He can see through the effects of invisibility-granting garments
• If an adventurer attempts to use offensive magic against the Zagor Demon, his reaction depends on if he has a higher Attack Strength than the opponent. If his stat is higher, his Magic Screen spell cancels the offensive spell and damages the adventurer.
• He’s immune to instant Death Spells
• A master thief’s flowing cloak allows the wearer to confuse enemies, lowering the hit rate of their attacks. However, Zagor sees through this technique and is unaffected by the distracting garment.
• If an adventurer uses a handheld catapult on Zagor, and Zagor has a higher Attack Strength stat, the projectile misses and the adventurer is injured

Combat-Related

• He’s capable of teleporting around the room as well as levitating
• If the player shoots an arrow at Zagor, he lifts a hand and halts in mid-flight, centimeters away from his chest
• Shoots a plume of blue flames from his hand
• Magically slows the adventurer as they climb up some stairs. As this happens, Zagor magically summons a mid-level, poisonous monster to duel the adventurer. Damage done by this creature is transferred to Zagor himself. This spell can be neutralized by an adventurer’s protective spell.
• He can form invisible barriers, useful for creating obstacles to knock flying adventurers from the air

Control Over Life

• While he initially appears as a withered, ancient man, he quickly assumes a younger form in opulent clothing when preparing to fight the player
• Right before his defeat in the fist book, Zagor cast a dark spell on himself called Raise Dead, preventing his spirit from fully dying
• Coming back from the dead was not a perfect process, and most of Zagor’s body is decomposing. He must have his minions claim body parts from living victims in order to replace his failing body, piece by piece.

Curses

• He uses a curse to raise deceased residents of Firetop Mountain as his Undead servants
• He’s cursed the land around Firetop Mountain. The once red rocks have turned black, and livestock who graze around the mountain die sickening deaths shortly afterwards.

Other Abilities

• He has a hypnotic gaze and his voice seems to come from the walls of the cave rather than his mouth
• If the player finds and uses an Invisibility Potion, Zagor can still sense their presence and track them through scent
• Zagor personally rigs a trap with a spell called Demon’s Breath. If the adventurer stands too close to a wall, a puff of gas is released that continually poisons them until they eat orc fleas.
• Zagor can draw his monsters from other planes of existence. This is how, upon his jump from Titan to Amarillia, Castle Argent is already full of his minions.
• When an adventurer opens a casket, Zagor casts a spell that further decomposes and animates the corpse within to attack the adventurer. This spell is performed over a great distance.
• He can sense when his name is uttered in Castle Argent and dispatch monsters to that location

Magic Artifacts

Zagor's Portrait

• The adventurer can come across Zagor’s painting in Firetop Mountain, a frightening portrait that lowers their Skill stat through intimidation
  • If the adventurer draws their sword against the artwork, the blade is telekinetically grabbed and dropped on them, wounding their face
  • If the adventurer draws a wooden stake against the artwork, their wrist is suddenly wracked with pain and they drop the weapon. They also lose one more Skill point before fleeing.
  • If the adventurer throws cheese at the painting, Zagor laughs at them
  • If the adventurer produces the jewel found in the Iron Cyclops, the painting is defeated and the adventurer receives two Skill points
• A different painting found in Castle Argent uses a telepathic attack to frighten an adventurer and lower their Luck stat

Elementals

• As a tradeoff of using the Raise Dead spell on himself, the powers that be placed brought Elementals to his lair in Firetop Mountain. These supernatural beings are the only thing that can truly harm Zagor and must be summoned by using a dragon’s tooth along with an awakening word. However, Zagor can also subjugate these forces under his rule after he gathers his own summoning artifacts.
• If at any point, the adventurer fails to produce the right dragon tooth during the duel with Zagor, then Zagor’s Elemental will pick them up and throw them at a wall, rendering them unconscious. If they fail to say the right magic word, they also be magically rendered unconscious by a telekinetic backlash.
• Upon encountering the adventurer, he first summons his Demonic Air Elemental with a yellow crystal and magic chants
• If his Air Elemental is defeated by the adventurer’s Earth Elemental, Zagor summons a Water Elemental
• If the Water Elemental is defeated by the adventurer’s Air Elemental, Zagor summons an Earth Elemental
• If the Earth Elemental is defeated by the adventurer’s Fire Elemental, Zagor will summon an identical Fire Elemental
• If the Fire Elemental is defeated by the adventurer’s Water Elemental, Zagor will finally get out of his throne and fight personally

Other Items

• Zagor has complete knowledge of the secrets of Firetop Mountain and controls all of the beasts within. This information has been collected in his spellbook.
• A silver earring is found on a Cave Troll. If the adventurer puts it on, it turns into a living earwig that attempts to enter the person’s ear and attack their brain. This Brainbiter is described as one of Zagor’s enchanted assassins.
• A silver necklace is found on a Goblin. Upon contact with human skin, it turns into a feral rat with poisonous bites. The charm is said to have been created by Zagor.
• Magic cards from his magic set offer a variety of positive and negative effects for those who manage to collect, on, including: one that turns into a magically terrifying face, one that lowers the holder’s Skill and Luck stats, a blank card, one that confers Stamina and Luck into the holder and one that can turn into a silver dagger that can weaken Zagor himself

Weaknesses

• A jewel found in an Iron Cyclops can easily kill Zagor. If the player can find and produce this item during the last battle, the Warlock is aged into dust.
• The adventurer can collect Golden Talismans in Castle Argent, which can reduce Zagor’s Skill stat

I’m 19 years old. I’ve never been sexually active. I’d say I have pretty good hygiene. I’ve had irregular periods from the day I started menstruating, & I’ve had 2 UTIs in the past (the first one was very severe), but other than that I’ve never really had any other issues down there.
Starting the first week of March (2024), I started experiencing unbearable itching out of the blue. A week later it evolved into burning, & I had lost all my vaginal fluids. so I went to the OBGYN that day. All of my symptoms lined up w/ a yeast infection so I was prescribed a pill & a cream. However, I felt zero difference. The day I finished my prescriptions I got my culture results back & I was negative for both yeast & BV.
A messaged my the doctor about this so I was invited to come back for a urine culture a few days later to see if I had another UTI. I had a different doctor this time but I was already familiar w/ her. The urine culture came back negative. The OB tried point pressure testing to see if the pain was coming from my urethra or closer to my uterus, but the only pain I was feeling was from the opening of my vagina when she was inserting it. However, my ph level came back as a 6.5 which is high, so we figured it was a ph imbalance & I was prescribed a gel. Well, that gel didn’t work bc I read the drug facts and it said it specifically targets BV, which I was negative for 🤦‍♀️
I wanted to wait to see the doctor again, so in the meantime, I switched soaps, ordered a probiotic, started using ph balancing wipes, & chugged water everyday. For a while, my symptoms felt like they were almost gone. But alas, two weeks after this pure bliss my symptoms suddenly came back & were worse than before, both spontaneous & provoked. The itching dialed down but the burning intensified, accompanied by chafing when I walked, intense pain in & around my vulva to the point I couldn’t sit or lay down without pain, & my discharge did come back but it still wasn’t a lot. It hurt to the touch when wiping, even inserting a tampon resulted in burning pain. I even got a good look at what it looked like, & it was very red & inflamed, inside & out. Sometimes all of these symptoms would be so bad I’d have to waddle.
I went back to the OB and had a third doctor this time. I got another culture & she also suggested it could be the birth control I was on (Aurovela). I went cold turkey on the pill & overnight my vulva pain was almost gone, & for a few days I thought it had been that the whole time. Well, my OB called & said the culture detected a heavy growth of e.coli & would prescribe me antibiotics. Long story short the medicine didn’t work & my symptoms persisted, though at a lower intensity. Turns out my birth control had just been feeding my symptoms.
After getting my second period while having these symptoms, my discharge was completely back to normal, but it was a pale yellow color. It had its typical scent, but it was stronger than usual. I had to stop using ph wipes & vagisil cream because my entire vagina would feel like it caught on fire. My Mom helped do some research, including talking to an acquaintance who knew two ppl w/ my exact same dilemma, & my Mom and I found the problem: AEROBIC VAGINITIS! My symptoms & the type of bacteria I contracted line up w/ all of this! However, there’s no definitive way to cure it & in a lot of cases, it’s chronic, so that’s what scares me.
I ordered a couple packs of Neueve suppositories. They were working pretty well, I felt almost nothing & was feeling almost completely back to normal. Well, as of right now, it is mid May, & the last suppository is still in my system, & I had a symptom flare up last night & it’s persisted ever since. No more itching or invasive discomfort, but the opening of my vag is tingly, stinging & sensitive. It’s not 100% persistent, but comes & goes spontaneously. My Mom is going to try & find a specialist for me while I’m reaching out to my last OB & will order a couple more Neueve packs. I’ve dealt w/ this for 2 1/2 months now! My heart goes out to anyone who had experienced this just like I am now.
If anyone has any advice or tips for me, please let me know. I don’t want this to overtake my life & I want my confidence back. I’ve already cried enough every day over frustration & my health anxiety has never been this bad. I understand this will take time to go away, but I’m desperate for answers & I need somewhere to start. Thank you.

Hey folks, I thought i share my story
So for a couple of years I’d have sporadic bouts of what I though was indigestion, pain around the center of my chest moving to the right and around to my back that would be painful for an hour or so then pass, no further thoughts given “ate too much junk”. So it was a Monday, this happens to me again but the “indigestion” seemed a lot stronger than usual , caused me to vomit and didn’t pass, the pain radiated in the normal place and wouldn’t go away it just stuck. I took some pain meds which seemed to dull it for a time but it would just come back when they wore off. So this went on for 4 days with me basically being bed bound with pain and discomfort, hardly eating or drinking until Friday when I woke up drenched in sweat with a significant fever. I went to the ER, they did many tests and established that I had a severe gallbladder infection and I was going to need immediate emergency surgery to avoid sepsis and further complications. So from the moment that the doctor reviewed the ultrasound scan to the time I was on my back in surgery was 30 minutes.
Surgery took 3 hours laparoscopicly, the surgeon warned I may have had to have the full open surgery but I guess I was lucky in that respect. She said it was the worst gallbladder she had ever seen and that I was lucky I came in when I did, another 24 hours could have been fatal. It took 3 rounds of IV antibiotics just to clear the infection.
I at home recovering now, I’m sore but I’m feeling good, I’m eating and getting better so alls well that ends well…
If you’re feeling pain it’s most likely time to have it sorted out, don’t wait as long as I did!

Hi all. Long-time BB sufferer here, having suffered for over 22 years (since 2002 at the age of 16 or 17). I am now turning 39 years old this later year.
Like many on here, I have explored countless routes to investigate the cause of my BB to try and cure it. I thought it came from my nose (post-nasal drip), my gut (acid reflux), allergies, and dry mouth. In the end, it was none of these things. Here are some things I had done while trying to cure my BB, based on what I thought were the causes:

• Sinuses/Allergies
  • Surgery: Nasal Polyp Removal
  • Surgery: Deviated Septum correction
  • Surgery: Nasal passage widening using balloon sinoplasty to widen nose and help breathe through nose
  • Nasal irrigation devices to wash sinus using baking soda/salt solution
  • Allergy Medications
  • Allergy Testing and Allergy Shots
• Gut
  • All Acid/PPI medications (omeprazole, pantaprozole, etc.)
  • Multiple stomach endoscopies
  • Silent Reflux (LPR) Test
  • Surgery: LINX implant - a titanium ring now permanently sits on my stomach/esophagus to prevent reflux.
  • Multiple H. Pylori Tests (negative of course)
• Dry Mouth
  • Tried dry mouth meds (salagen and evoxac)
  • Have spent thousands of dollars over the years on Dry Mouth lozenges from Biotene, ACT brand, etc.
  • Mouth covering tape to prevent mouth breathing
• Other Stuff
  • Antibiotics
  • Probiotic toothpaste
  • Essential oils
  • Chlorhexidine Mouthwash
  • Castille soap
  • Bleach and hydrogen peroxide
  • Several hundreds of dollars worth of oral probiotic lozenges found on Amazon
  • The list goes on. You name it, I've tried it.

Around last year, I came across an ad on social media for Bristle, for testing of the oral microbiome. The company said something that was really critical to my journey: that 90% of halitosis cases stem from the mouth and the oral microbiome. Because we BB sufferers are always so good with our oral hygeine regimens, it's natural for us to assume the cause is something else apart from the mouth, which is why we tend to investigate sinuses, gut issues, and so on. However, more likely than not, in over 9 out of 10 cases, it has to do with an imbalance of bacteria in the mouth.
I took the test, and discovered that I had really high levels of two or three halitosis-causing bacteria, that reside in the gum line: Fusobacterium Nucleatum, Prevotella Intermedia, and Tannerella Forsythia. In addition to this analysis, the Bristle team offered a treatment plan and recommended that I use SmartMouth Clinical Strength mouthwash for 2 weeks, and afterwards, repopulating with oral probiotics for several months, to try and change my oral microbiome over time. I tried using the SmartMouth mouthwash, and it helped somewhat for sure, but only temporarily. I knew that it was doing something, and ended up going off the deep end: spending hundreds of dollars more on SmartMouth mouthwash over the course of several months, because I became dependent on it to mask my BB enough for me to go out of the house.
After some further investigation, I came across a different oral microbiome test that was based out of Canada, called OraVital. Similar to Bristle, OraVital does a microbiome test via saliva, and comes back with results (which in my case, matched the same bacteria I had discovered in the Bristle test). However, additionally, they offer a 3 week antibiotic treatment plan (amoxicillin/metronidazole mouthwash and gum ointment), followed by chlorhexidine mouthwash. This was much stronger than what Bristle offered. I did the treatment, and it helped enormously when I was on it. However, sadly, the BB returned when I completed the antibiotic solutions. I was sad and defeated once again.
Next, I came across a third oral microbiome test, by a company called Viome, called the Oral Intelligence Test. This test does the saliva sample, but doesn't give you a list of the bacteria they find. However, they give you an oral probiotic lozenge that is supposed to be custom for you. I noticed the strength of the oral probiotic lozenge to be 30 billion CFU. This was a clue for me, because other probiotic lozenges that I came across online were only in the range of 3-6 billion CFU. The fact that this was 30 billion meant that more probiotic bacteria were needed to combat the problem.
I ended up taking the Viome oral probiotic lozenges for some time, but experienced only modest results. However, they did help somewhat with my morning breath when taken before bed. But the BB always came back.
Over the course of time, it dawned on me. This problem is more severe. It requires more effort to remove the bad bacteria, and more effort/strength to repopulate with good probiotic bacteria.
It was then that I had a revelation that made all the difference. Instead of relying on oral probiotic lozenges, with their relatively minimal strength, why not use extremely high doses? I resorted to trying probiotic powder instead of lozenges. The dosages in some of these powders was over 100 billion CFU per scoop.
The Bristle test indicated that the bad bacteria I have were sensitive to reuterin, which is produced by the probiotic L. Reuteri. I came across L. Reuteri powder on Amazon. Additionally, I came across L. Salivarius powder as well, which a probiotic that produces a compound called saliviricin that kills bad bacteria as well.

• L. Reuteri Powder: https://amzn.to/44LMcPx
• L. Salivarius Powder: https://amzn.to/3KnX64Z

I began taking these two powders in the mouth, mixed with a bit of water (only a little bit, so that they do not get diluted). I also use water because I feel like this helps the probiotics swish through the gum lines, which is where my bad bacteria resides. Within 1 week of doing this, multiple times a day, I noticed a massive improvement. I knew I was onto something, and something big. I continued to do this for a couple of weeks, and noticed my breath getting better and better over time. However, it was not completely eliminated. I figured it would just need to be something that I would use before I went out. However, I noticed the improvement to be getting progressively better after 3 weeks, and then 4.
One thing to note here is that, for the probiotic bacteria to have optimal effect, you need to clean your mouth and tongue before using them. I read in a scientific study that they found probiotics had a significantly higher benefit when used after tongue scraping/brushing. I use both a tongue brush and then a tongue scraper, before I do the probiotic rinse. I also do not eat or drink water for at least 30 min after rinsing.
Within weeks of doing this, I noticed the bad taste in my mouth was gone, when I tried to search for it. My perceived 'dry mouth' was gone, and my saliva flow had increased significantly. I always thought I had dry mouth, but I came across scientific articles online which suggested that the bad bacteria is what was actually causing that feeling. Bad bacteria change the pH of your mouth and cause that taste and feeling of dryness. They reduce salivary flow.
I was encouraged by the results, and I then started doing additional research. There were other healthy probiotic strains out there that were good for the oral microbiome and for combatting bad bacteria. One that I came across was Weissella Cibaria. This bacteria is naturally found in the mouth, and can colonize it. L. Reuteri and L. Salivarius, on the other hand, are just passing through the mouth and do not stay there. Therefore, they can help the oral microbiome by killing bad bacteria, but do not have a permanent residence there. If you don't have a solid presence of good bacteria in the mouth, the bad bacteria that is wiped out can grow back. This is what happens when we use antibiotics. Sure, they're able to kill off bad bacteria, but even the small remnants can multiply back rapidly if there are not enough good bacteria to outcompete it. To get Weissella Cibaria, I found an oral probiotic lozenge that has a patented form called OraCMU:

• Weissella Cibaria Lozenge: https://amzn.to/3UH6ULR

Additionally, Weissella Cibaria is also present in probiotic foods like Sauerkraut and Kimchi, but UNPASTEURIZED only (pasteurizing kills all beneficial bacteria). I switched my diet to high in soluble fiber and fermented foods on a DAILY basis. This includes apples, celery, carrots, sauerkraut, kimchi, and yogurt. I eat a big bowl of some of these foods mixed up, at least once a day, for lunch. I also incorporated fiber gummies to ensure I am getting the adequate amount of fiber the probiotics need to grow in the oral microbiome (they need a type of fiber called fructooligosaccharides to prosper and grow).
I have gotten really big into fermented foods. I am constantly on the hunt for fermented foods and will try to have them whenever and wherever I can, as much as I can. They're not the most appetizing, and can smell pretty bad, but they are working to permanently shift my oral microbiome over time. I even got a yogurt maker off Amazon and began making my OWN L. Reuteri yogurt using a starter culture, half and half, and fiber powder (inulin). This will help create a lasting effect to permanently alter my oral microbiome to prevent bad bacteria from ever coming back.
The role of probiotics in curing oral imbalance cannot be understated. I have read multiple studies relating to probiotic research regularly, which has only begun exploding in the scientific industry in recent years. This is a really exciting time. After years of very limited progress on fixing halitosis, it seems that probiotics is the solution to combating the issue. One thing to note is that it takes time to rearrange your oral microbiome. It didn't get this way overnight. Getting out of it is the same.
In addition to populating the mouth with good bacteria, it is EQUALLY important to keep up with a regimen to clear the mouth of the bad bacteria, which must be done regularly and in parallel with the probiotic regimen. Every morning and night, I do the following routine:

• Tongue brushing with a Tung brush or orabrush (and go as far back as you can go)
• Tongue scraping with a metal scraper (as far back as possible)
• Brushing with Nano-Hydroxyapatite toothpaste which is beneficial for oral pH, removing biofilms, and mineralizing teeth. Some brands I use are Carifree and Boka -- https://amzn.to/44NGRav
• Flossing. I use the REACH Floss Stick.
• Tongue Brushing/Scraping again.
• Probiotic routine. For mornings, I do the powder. For evenings, I just take a couple of lozenges. I take the Weissella one, and/or well a Viome one that I have leftover from my Viome subscription. I also take them randomly throughout the day.
• Occassionally, I will use the SmartMouth Clinicial version of mouthwash for a nice cleanse of bad bacteria. There is a regular version and a clinical version, the clinical one is much more effective -- https://amzn.to/3ULAvUE . It is important not to overdo this because it can disrupt the good bacteria as well in addition to the bad.

Also want to emphasize the absolute importance of going to the dentist for cleanings as many times as your insurance covers. For decades, I did not visit the dentist, going years on end without cleanings. These treatments are essential for breaking up biofilms and plaques of all the colonies of bad bacteria. If untreated over time, they become more resilient and grow rapidly. They build protective shells around their communities which allow them to grow rampant and overpower the good bacteria of the oral microbiome. It is critical to go, and have the calculus and plaque disrupted and removed. Even if you don't experience relief from one or two cleanings, it needs to be done. It is the progressive effect over time that will cure the condition. Removing bad bacteria overtime while populating with good bacteria -- a one-two punch.
And that's about it. That's where I'm at now, and I will continue doing this routine for the coming year, because I have seen in the past how resilient this bad bacteria is. My goal is to continue hammering it down with probiotics, and not just to wipe it to oblivion, but to build a healthy diverse microbiome of good bacteria that will prevent it from ever growing back and out of control again. I still experience halitophobia - the fear of bad breath and reactions - even though I don't experience any. My mouth is moist and sweet. My saliva is flowing. But the fear of a reaction is a psychological condition, because it is what I've known for 20+ years. I hope to be able to shake it off over time through many positive interactions.
Good luck to all and God Speed!
Edit: If trying the probiotic rinses, I STRONGLY advise against swallowing the rinse afterwards. Please spit it out. The reason for this is that, if ingested, it would get absorbed into the gut microbiome. For a couple of doses, this wouldn’t be an issue. But if you were to take several hundreds of billions of probiotics everyday, over the course of several weeks, this could possibly have a detrimental effect on your gut microbiome. Ideally, you would just want the probiotics to apply to your ORAL microbiome alone, and not your gut microbiome.

How It Ended
by Ethan O’Driscoll
A thrilling Post apocalypse story
Intro
HRV-1
22 July 2024
Dr Olivia Warren Head of Biotech NARU
This is my latest report on the HRV-1 Virus we were instructed to design by the Russian Government.
The HRV-1 is an incredibly viral and infectious Retrovirus similar to HIV. Changes have been make on a genetic level to provide the request modes of transmission and symptoms.
Those symptoms are:

• Profuse bleeding from the mouth, eyes, lips, gums and pores of the skin
• Confusion
• Coma
• Total organ failure leading to death
• Reanimation after death and post-mortem hypo-aggression

This all included in a highly infectious package
The infection vectors are:

• bodily fluids
• contaminated area
• ANYTHING that has come in contact with infected bodily fluids
• airborne droplets

This is by far the most dangerous diseases we’ve ever designed. I pray to god the Russians only want it as a means of deterrent because if they use it I have no doubt it will end the world. The first sample should be ready to ship next week.
Chapter 1
The Outbreak
1 January 2025
Dr Olivia Warren Head of Biotech NARU
I can’t believe the bastards used it. The first cases came in from Kiev in December from there it spread like a wild fire through Europe the death toll now sits at 65 millions. The hordes rampage through city after city by the millions. There is no way to stop this. What have I done.
NATO forces have established a quarantine of Europe but I can’t help but feel like its too little too late. My estimate is that all infected nations in Europe will be consumed within the next month or two. The Corporation has started the construction of a company safe haven for us higher ups. All we can do is hope the construction is complete before this thing breaks quarantine.
15 February 2025
Dr Olivia Warren
The world is ending. Europe is gone. The quarantine is broken. We’ve got cases in Asia, South America, Here at home in the US, Australia and Africa nowhere is safe. I did this.
Infection number right now:

• Africa 100 Million
• Europe 890 Million
• Asia 250 Million
• North America 250 Thousand
• South America 120 Million
• Australia 24 Million

There is no hope
The safe zone is complete at least we are planning on moving all operations and personal within the week. I don’t know how I’m going to live with myself. Dixie is my only saving grace and at least she’ll be safe. I pray for the soul of all those my creation has killed.
20 March 2025
Dr Olivia Warren
Dixie is at the Safe zone.
I can’t live with myself any more. 4 billion people dead
Chapter 2
A New World
My name is Dixie Warren. Daughter of Dr Olivia Warren. Not that I’ve seen her in 15 years. I remember like it was yesterday. She told me to get on that NARU helicopter that she’d meet me at the safe zone. Those were the last words she ever said to me. I was 8 when the world ended.
Its been 15 years since the Outbreak. There isn’t really anything left of the old world. NARU still exists and turns out they created the virus and my mom was the head of the department that did it. They sold it to the Russians hoping they wouldn’t use it but they did.
It was specifically designed to spread and destroy as fast as possible and it did. I left the safe zone 2 years ago after I learned this information. Now I just spend my time wandering from town to town. My training on the NARU security team helps. At least I know all the best places to shoot a Freaker. That's what we call the infected and for good reason. Most of the time you’ll find them wondering around in groups of 5 to 10 if the group gets too big they turn on each other and form a pile of bodies devouring each other. They moan and scream to communicate and once they see you they will hunt you till you kill every last on of them or you get far enough away. They can run and are abnormally strong if there bodies aren’t damaged they’re a bitch to kill but I’m pretty good at it.
Right now I’m outside Richmond I’ve been stuck here for a week waiting for a large horde to move through. I’m hoping to hunt some of the stragglers and re-up on some supplies. A big horde like this usually leave a few hundred behind. My new AR has been waiting for some fun, I’ve got a new red dot and laser so I should be able to pop headshot after headshot but for now I should go find something to eat.
I’ve made it to a small department store outside the town. It looks like the horde is almost gone. Tons of freaks roaming around though. I can hear a few in the store. I’m going to try getting in through the back and take them out.
Made it back home and wow that store was a gold mine. I got food, water, bullets and even some whiskey. I’m going to enjoy the night then its time to hunt some stragglers. Then I’m thinking of going further south maybe New Orleans heard there might be a small settlement out there from another traveller, might be able to get another courier job or at least I’ll be able to stock up on supplies properly after all these years there isn’t much left in the cities to scavenge.
I better get some rest got a long day of freak killing and walking tomorrow.
Chapter 3
The Road to Home
I left Richmond yesterday. It’s a long road to New Orleans I wished I lived in the days when cars worked. NARU are the only people with working vehicles left and they aren’t exactly the sharing type. Its so lonely out here its been weeks since I last saw another living person the only things you see out here in the ruins are freaks by the hundreds. Its hard to believe the whole world was reduced to nothing by something my mom created. I remember her being the kindest most caring person in the world to think that she could create something so destructive is unbelievable. I’ve still got a long way to go the first city I should have to go through is Raleigh.
I’ve been walking for about a day and I can see the ruins from here. Its always so surreal to see the cities now, so desolate so empty. I remember growing up in Seattle, the city lights, the noise it was always so alive and busy. Now they’re all empty husks or mostly empty at least can’t forget about the freaks. Must’ve killed a thousand of them on my way here almost got bitten when one jumped me under an overpass about 10 miles back. Luckily my machete seems to be as good as ever at cutting up freaks. I should make it to Raleigh within the day.
Made it to Raleigh and its a mess, thousands of freaks I could hear the moaning and screaming from a mile away. I’m going to try finding my way around the city no point in trying to fight my way through a wall of freaks.
Heard crying coming from a house I walked past I decided to check it out and I found a young boy name Richie hiding in a bathroom with what looked like his infected parents trying to break the door down. I took both of them down with a clean headshot. The look on his face when he saw them dead breaks my heart. He says they’ve been hiding out in this house for a month or two after there homestead was overrun by freaks. Its a sad story but it gives me hope that people are at least trying to survive and rebuilt. He’s only 16 yet he’s seen so much and has nowhere else to go so I asked him if he wanted to stick with me and he was elated so I guess I’ve got a sidekick now. I’m not complaining should make the long lonely road more interesting. He’s got no combat experience but he can shoot a pistol so I gave him one of my backups at least I always carry extra. We’ve decided to hunker down for the night and do some scavenging before we leave for Charlotte tomorrow. I’ll be nice to have company for once I’ve been alone for so long.
I woke up to a gunshot and Richie screaming in the other room. When I got there I found Richie pale as snow and a little girl that was clearly infected shot lying on the floor. When I asked Richie who it was he replied in a cold distant voice “My little sister”. It was a heart breaking moment in less than 24 hours Richie had lost everyone. That was a feeling I knew too well my mom was all I had my dad died when I was really young and all I knew after the Outbreak before I left the safe haven was NARU but that wasn’t the best place to build personal connections just a bunch of science types that destroyed the world. Not exactly the most social lot and the security forces were just a bunch of military types that didn’t like the fact that as a teenager I was doing better than them in every metric except raw physical strength but even in that I was better than a lot of them. It’s almost time for us to get going I should pack up and make sure Richie’s okay.
We decided to stop by the old gun store on our way out of Raleigh. Richie mentioned seeing it when him and his dad went out to scavenge one time. He says it looked all locked up meaning there’s a good chance that there might still be something left to take. When we arrived there Richie was right it was locked tight it looked like there might be a way in from the roof so we decided to climb up when I got up there I was jumped by a freak that was just waiting but this one was different smarter in a way it heard me climbing up but instead of screaming and jumping off to get me it decided to hide and wait. In my years of freak killing I’ve never seen one that waits and ambushes. I hope this isn’t a sign that the infected are getting smarter. Anyway Richie popped it in the head and we got in to the gun store and what a find it was. I managed to get a brand new Glock 9 with a torch attachment and extended mag to replace the pistol I gave Richie. Speaking of Richie he decided on a 12 gauge pump with a tube extension and a AR-15 with a suppressor, extended mag and front grip. We also found enough ammo to keep us stocked even if we have to shoot our way to Charlotte now that we’re locked and loaded its time to leave this shit hole and start walking to the next shit hole at least for once I won’t be alone.
Chapter 4
The Road to Charlotte
We’d been walking for 60 miles before we were jumped by a gang of thugs. I caught a round to the leg before I knew what was happening Richie was more awake than me and managed to put a round through the bastards chest before his friends jumped out from behind two cars in front of us we managed to take cover behind a ruined car and we returned fire. I could see the thugs had no skill they just fired randomly in our direction while we were in cover I waited till they had to reload and tossed a molotov at one of them burning the bastard to a crisp. Richie rushed the other and unloaded some buckshot into his head. My leg hurts like a bitch. Richie bandaged it up for me he’s really starting to get used to life on the road. Looking at our map it looks like there is a gas station about 10 miles away so I guess I’ll limp my way there so we can hunker down while me leg heals. I still can’t believe I let the bastard catch me lacking but it won’t happen again
We made it too the gas station. The place looks almost perfectly preserved except the group of freaks that were shuffling around outside nothing that we couldn’t deal with. There is a lot of food and water here and we should be safe here while my leg heals. I hope we don’t run into any more problems till then. I trust Richie but he’s still learning and I’m not sure he’d be able to deal with any major problem on his own.
Its been 4 weeks since I took that shot to my leg and I’m feeling a lot better. Richie managed to find some painkiller so he was able to get the round out and everything healed nicely. He really is an amazing guy young and naive but he really is a good person. I don’t know how I did it without him for so long. It nice not being alone any more. I think I’m ready to get moving again we have about another 100 miles left to go before we get to Charlotte so we better get moving.
We’re about 20 miles from Charlotte, the roads been peaceful we ran into a group of survivors living on a pretty well fortified farm about 25 miles back. They were having issues with some freaks hanging around their water pumping station so we dealt with them for them in exchange for some antibiotics to help with an infection Richie got in his leg where he cut himself jumping a fence while a freak chased him before I could dome it. Only god knows how I didn’t get an infection in my leg after getting shot but he did from cutting himself on a rusty fence guess I’m just lucky. After helping them back we continued on our way. Nothing else interesting happened and Richie is looking a lot better and his cut is basically healed. We should get to Charlotte within the day but I want to stop on a hill on the Outskirts to set up base and get a look at the situation in the city because the farmers mentioned that a horde had passed through recently and they usually get held up in cities they should have moved on by now but better safe than sorry
Chapter 5
Charlotte
We made it to the hill outside Charlotte and the place is infested millions of freaks. I’ve never seen so many of them in one place and I think I know why. In the middle of the city is an old NARU emergency treatment centre. A place where all of the cities first infected were sent. A good plan till there were to many of them and quarantine was broken then all it was was a collection of infected right in the middle of the city which lead to the whole thing being infected much faster. I’m guessing this caused most of the freaks to pile and the smell was attracting more. Oh I forgot to mention the smell imagine a pile of thousands of rotting corpses that’s the smell I’m talking about. There’s no chance we’ll be able to get through the city but I need to get to that NARU site. There might be some old documents or something about my mom I need to find out what happened to her. I’ve spoken to Richie and we both agree that we should try and divert the horde away so we can have time to get to the NARU centre.
Richie has volunteered to draw the hordes attention away while I get to the NARU building. The plan is he triggers an explosion at an old gas station on the other side of town while I get to the building and look for information about the virus and what happened to my mom. All I know is that my mom created the virus while working for NARU. I need to find out what happened to her. I hate putting Richie at risk but it needs to be done.
I just heard the explosion and it works thousands of freaks started moving like a tidal wave of flesh towards the sound I hope Richie is on his way to the meeting place at the abandoned NARU checkpoint on the south side of town but I don’t have time to think about it now I’m almost at the NARU centre I need to be as fast as possible
I made it to the NARU centre and it’s covered in bodies there’s no way I can get in it looks more like a pile of living human corpses than a building I’m guessing the freaks all turned on and consumed each other till they were all stuck and fused together. I’m making my way to the NARU checkpoint I hope Richie is already there and safe.
I made it to the NARU checkpoint and reunited with Richie. He was covered in blood and gore. He had to kill hundreds of freaks to make it here. He says he was almost bitten a few times. I can’t believe I risked his life for nothing. I’ll never do it again. While exploring the place I found this.
20 March 2025
Dr Olivia Warren
Dixie is at the Safe zone.
I can’t live with myself any more. 4 billion people dead
The final communication between my mom and NARU it turns out she couldn’t live with the guilt and decided to kill herself. I can’t blame her I would probably do the same if I was the reason the world ended and killed billions of people but it still breaks my heart. I am happy to know she’s dead and not infected lumbering around somewhere.
Richie is exhausted and so am I were going to take a brake here and continue on to Atlanta tomorrow.
Everything is packed up and we’re ready to go. Last night was rough I kept watch while Richie slept I hate to admit it but I think I’m falling in love with him. I never really had a first love I live for 13 years at NARU but I was the oldest kid there by far by the time any of the boys were close to my age I was already jaded and thinking about leaving so I didn’t pay any attention to them but Richie is different when I found him he was so helpless and lost now he’s strong, confident and he’s so loyal to me. I don’t want to speak to soon by I think he might feel the same way I guess time will tell we still have a long road to walk together. Speaking of walking Atlanta here we come.
Chapter 6
Road to Atlanta
We ran into a group of survivors hiding in a shed on the outskirts of Charlotte on our way home two parents and a little girl they were all bitten and waiting to turn they begged us to put them down before they turned so I did but I think it took a toll on Richie. He’s been almost silent since it must’ve reminded him of his parents and little sister I hope the day never comes that one of us get bitten and the other one has to decide whether or not to do it but if it does I hope Richie has what it takes to put me down if not I hope I get to do it myself before I turn but I shouldn’t be thinking about things like that. Thinking about your own death is a pretty sure-fire way to make it happen.
We ran into a pretty large group of infected must’ve been about 20 of them but all of them behaved the same as the one that jumped me on the roof of the gun store back in Raleigh. I guess that confirms that it wasn’t a once off thing but I still wonder what causes it maybe I’ll find out one day. We took them all down and continued on I hate to admit it but I really enjoy killing freaks call it therapy I guess. Richie is running low on ammo for his 12 gauge. There should be a gun store in about 30 miles so we should be able to restock there. My ammo supplies are also running a bit low only got about a hundred rounds per gun left. I know that sounds like a lot but with all the freaks on the roads it barely enough after Raleigh I had about a 500 per gun. Lets hope we don’t run into any large hordes till we get to the gun store.
We made it to the gun store just to find it controlled by 2 less than friendly guys. They opened fire as soon as they same us. We returned fire and we’re about to enter the store. Richie kicked the door down and I rushed in I let of two shots taking down the one guy the other was a second away from filling me with bullets from his Uzi but luckily Richie put a round through his chest and another through his right eye before he could. Thank god. I don’t know what I would do without him. We’ve decided to rest tonight and continue tomorrow morning.
Dixie: “Hey Richie”
Richie: “Hey Dixie”
Dixie: ”How you feeling buddy”
Richie: ”Oh you know always OK”
Dixie: ”That’s good buddy”
Richie: “Hey Dixie thank you for everything you really are the best thing that ever happened to me”
Dixie: ”Don’t mention it buddy I love you”
We’re almost 20 miles away from Atlanta and I’m not hopeful judging by smell. I’m guessing its going to be a lot worse than Charlotte but we’ll have to wait and see.
We’ve made it to the outskirts of Atlanta and its as bad as I thought there are hundreds of body piles almost the size of buildings. The living freaks move around the city streets like blood through the veins of the body. Some of them are engaged in massive fights with other groups ripping each other apart.
We’re going in tomorrow but for now Richie’s hunting while I scope out the area. I hope he brings some venison anything but rabbit. I’m sick of rabbit meat. When he comes back I want to try and cuddle up to him and see what happens
Richie and I have eaten and we’re getting ready to sleep. I asked Richie if I could sleep in his sleeping bag with him. He looked at me like I was crazy but once I insisted I was serious I could see the joy on his face so we cuddled up for the night and went to sleep
Wow it felt so amazing sleeping in Richie’s arms and today everything feels different but in a good way everything just feels more intimate we had an amazing conversation about life this morning and it feels like our bond is on a whole new level. Its time to go explore Atlanta there should be an old NARU field hospital on the North-side of town but we’ve got a whole city to get through before that.
Chapter 7
Atlanta
Atlanta is a nightmare right now we’re stuck in a pharmacy bunch of freaks trying to get to us. I’m busy wiring up a pipe bomb while Richie holds the door then when I’m done BOOM
Richie Move....
BOOM....
Well that’s one way to deal with freaks. Always hate being covered in gore though. We’re near the city centre now and its as bad as we thought the place is infested with freaks every building, street and alley we’ve been fighting for every mile we’ve been moving basically carving our way through the city leaving streets flooded in blood but its worth it I can see the NARU hospital and it looks like I might be able to get in this time.
We’re Exploring the NARU hospital and its a goldmine I found a bunch of old documentation on the virus and even some reports of small towns keeping quarantine for years after the Fall. There’s also apparently an old supply and weapons depot nearby so were going there next.
Richie has been opening up a lot his little sister was out playing when a freak got her. Her parents couldn’t put her down so she turned and bit them he hid in the bathroom for 2 days before I got there and put then out of the misery. I wish I could understand how he feels because I never had anyone except my mom and I lost her so young so it never really affected me. I love him so much. This would be so difficult without him.
We made it to the NARU supply depot and it basically empty I mean it make sense Atlanta was one of the first city to fall due to vast number of infected that moved in from the nearby NARU detention camp. That was a bright idea locking up a bunch infected in one place and expecting the place to last. So the city fell to chaos pretty quickly and NARU withdrew most likely taking everything with them that or it was looted after the city fell doesn’t matter now its almost night and we should get some rest we’re going to camp on a nearby rooftop.
Sitting on the roof with Richie and a fire I can’t help but feel like life isn’t that bad yeah its not what it used to be but I mean I have food and freedom and someone I love what more could someone want from life. Looking out at the desolate streets full of freaks well except the streets we pushed through I see the death of the old world and the birth of a new one.
I should get to sleep we got a long road to Birmingham tomorrow. Its so warm and cosy pressed up against Richie.
Chapter 8
The Road To Birmingham
On our way out of Atlanta we ran into a huge freak and I mean a huge motherfucker must’ve been at least 10 feet tall and covered in muscle it looked like it was made of at least 5 other freaks. He tossed Richie against a car and knocked him out I managed to chop one of its arms off before it threw me 10 feat in the air and I crashed down on my back and passed out when I woke up Richie was putting round after round in the things chest and it still wouldn’t go down to I ran jumped on its back and used my machete to chop the freaks head off and burnt the body with a molotov just to be sure the thing was dead
Richie was pretty beat up and I’m not going to lie so was I my back hurts like a bitch but we keep on going no matter what because we still have each other. Still I wonder how those freaks got combined into that thing. Maybe that’s why they pile the way they do so they can combine into something bigger I remember something in one of the NARU document mentioning the virus being able to cause “cellular recombination” so I wonder if that’s not maybe what happened and if it is it means things are about to get a lot worse and a lot more dangerous.
We’re about 50 miles always from Birmingham now. The road has been pretty quite only the occasional group of freaks and the group of raiders we ran into outside a gas station awhile back but this time we got the drop on them and not the other way round gave all three of them a new hole in the head Richie was worried that they might be survivors till we found Sandra tied up in the gas station bathroom turns out the bastards grabbed her from her family farm during the night a few days ago and have been taking turns on her over and over since then. We agreed to take her home its the least we could do after everything that happened to her. When we got her home we found the place burnt down and her family butchered outside. I’m guessing after they grabbed her the bastards came back to finish the job. She’s decided to stick with us she’s a lot older than me and Richie. She used to be a nurse before the Outbreak she dealt with some of the first infected until NARU took over the hospitals. When things really started to go bad she moved back to Alabama to her old family farm to live with her parents they managed to set everything up before the Fall and have been living there since well till recently. She’s pretty shook about the whole situation but she should be okay in a day or two. We’ve all lost something in this new world.
We’ve made it to the outskirts of Birmingham and the place is a fortress looks like remnants of the US military and NARU have fortified the place they have watch towers, auto-turrents and armed patrols. Also looks like they have a lot of military hardware. I know better than to approach the main gate NARU has a shoot on site order for all there quarantine zones no reason to assume this place would be any different. Still I have to get a look inside. Tonight while Richie and Sandra set up camp I’m going to look around and see if I can find a way in. I have to know what’s going on here.
I’ve taken a look around and I’ve found a way in through an old sewer pipe running into an old factory from there I should be able to sneak into the city and have a look around maybe they have some new information on the virus or at least I should be able to find some weapons for Sandra
Chapter 9
Birmingham
Richie and Sandra are waiting for me back at camp while I go explore the city. I left most of my kit behind except my Glock and combat knife. I’m not planning on getting into any fights and if I do I want the finished as quickly as possible. I’ve made it to the sewer pipe it should lead me to the sewer grate I saw on the other side of the fence from there I should have free reign over the city as long as I avoid the NARU patrols and don’t draw to much attention to myself.
I’ve made it into the city and it looks like something out of a George Orwell novel. Security cameras on every street, I’ve seen security forces beat a man to death and another group drag a young women kicking and screaming into an abandoned building. I hate to say it but I think life is better outside with the freaks than in here. Can’t say I’m surprised there’s a reason I left the NARU security forces and the safe zone. Lets just say civilian life and happiness has never been on their priority list. I can see a NARU supply depot I should be able to get a uniform and standard load out last I remember NARU doesn’t have a way of removing employees from the database so my security id number should still work.
I was right NARU never changes I just used my id to get a brand new NARU-P-2a NARU's home grown assault rifle basically its everything the AR-15 is but better its literally a gun made for killing freaks and you can feel it. I always wished I stole one when I left but I guess better late than never I also scanned through a few of the latest security reports and it seems like big guys like we fought back in Atlanta are becoming more common as well as a new faster infected with razor sharp claws that hunt and ambush their victims. We haven’t ran into one of those yet and I hope we don’t any time soon. I hope Richie and Sandra are okay, they should be we have no shortage of fire-power but I still worry. I’m going to keep taking a look around and maybe find out how they’ve maintained quarantine for so long
Well I got my answer and its not a good one. The NARU higher ups here basically outlawed being sick. Anyone with any symptoms that might be HRV-1 are immediately executed and burnt without exception I guess that’s one way to maintain quarantine but I can’t help but wonder how many thousands of innocent people have died to maintain it.
I think its about time I get out of here and back to Richie and Sandra.
I made it back to camp. I’m so happy to be back with Richie. He went out hunting and brought back a nice fat wild pig for dinner. Sandra is looking a lot better as well she still has that distant look in her eye but that should go away soon
Next stop Montgomery Alabama.
Chapter 10
The Road to Montgomery
I still can’t get it out of my head. The freaks are changing getting more dangerous, if I understand correctly the longer they are infected the more unstable the virus gets leading to mutations. I hope this doesn’t mean that the longer we survive the harder its going to get but there’s no point in worrying about whether or not the freaks are going to be stronger in the future as long as we make sure we get stronger too it should work out just fine. Richie and I are doing really well our love kinda makes everything a lot easier. Gives us a reason if that makes sense Sandra on the other hand is kinda dead weight if I’m being honest but its not her fault. She’s been through a lot Richie and I do our best to look out for her and take care of her. I just wish she’d start to adjust to life out here she still winches every time we take out a group of freaks or thugs and she’s a bleeding heart. Yesterday as we were going past a little abandoned convenience store we heard a little girl crying when we asked what was wrong she said they were trapped and needed help. It was obviously a trap we could see the store was fortified and the little girl looked too happy for a kid whose parents were stuck and dying but Sandra insisted we go in and help and what do you know the kids parents are perfectly healthy and holding us at gun point luckily I’m pretty quick on the draw and managed to put two rounds through the fathers chest and Richie tackled the mom. I walked up to the big dude and put one through the head to make sure the mom learns her lesson. We agreed to let her and her daughter live as long as the promised to stop robbing travellers. Sandra couldn’t handle the fact that I finished the dad off even though I think that was better than leaving his family to watch him bleed out because there was no way he would have survive I shot him through both of his lungs they would have filled up with blood and he would have chocked to death I did him a favour by putting him down but she didn’t see it that way even threatened to go it on her own until Richie and I told her to go ahead if she really thought it was the best thing for her. She then decided to stick with us
We’re nearly at the outskirts of Montgomery, we just passed the old civil rights monument. The roads been a bit too still I have a bad feeling about what we’re going to find when we get there

Has anyone had recurrent mastitis caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa? I’m very stressed out because I’ve had recurring mastitis that just never seems to clear (returning every couple of weeks) landing me in my hospital 2 times already with sepsis. This last time I went from being fine to almost septic shock in 4 hours (105 temperature, 94/52 blood pressure, 130 heart rate).
They did a breast milk culture and found this bacteria and are suggesting a conservative approach. However this is a known bacteria that becomes antibiotic resistant so I’m feeling like we need to pull out some big guns to get it completely cleared rather than conservative considering it’s almost killed me twice. The reason they are going conservative is because of a neurological condition I have that could cause a flare. I think the diagnosis I have is scaring them from being more thorough and I recommended they consult with my neurologist to better weigh the pros and cons. I’m getting scared that it’s just going to get stronger and come back again and again until I do go into septic shock and it ultimately kills me.
I do not want to breastfeed anymore or ever again—I am not able to handle this stress but I can’t wean the milk production now and have been coached on a slow wean over months once this current infection is cleared. So there is so much time for me to get sick again.
I feel so alone on this journey because I don’t know of anyone getting as sick as I am without an abscess and even the doctor’s repeatedly told me how this is extremely rare. Has anyone else experienced this? Im scared for my health.

DAY: MAY 13, 2024

• 5-13-2024BIKING REVEALED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH LESS KNEE PAIN LATER IN LIFE A study reveals that people who participated in regular bicycling over their lifetime had a lower prevalence of frequent knee pain, radiographic osteoarthritis (ROA) and symptomatic radiographic osteoarthritis (SOA). Rheumatologists often encourage regular physical activity for the prevention of osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. However, some exercises are more effective than others.
• 5-13-2024STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS CAN INCREASE YOUR RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S Stressful life events, such as the death of a loved one or divorce, put a person at greater risk of developing dementia in later life, a recent study has found. But only if the stressful event happened in childhood or midlife. The study included 1,290 people at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers looked at 18 stressful life events and when in people’s lives they happened.
• 5-13-2024TIPS FOR LOWERING STROKE RISK May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and as part of everyday awareness, Mayo Clinic health care professionals suggest reducing stroke risk and knowing the signs. A stroke happens every 40 seconds in the U.S., and the likelihood of stroke increases with age, according to the National Institutes of Health. Preventing a stroke is a crucial aspect of health care, as about 80% of all strokes are preventable. The focus is on managing risk factors to reduce the long-term risk of stroke.
• 5-13-2024IT’S TIME TO USE TIKTOK TO TALK TO YOUNG PEOPLE ABOUT OBESITY, SAYS RESEARCHER There is an urgent need to harness the potential of TikTok and other social media channels to provide scientific information about obesity to young people in engaging and accessible way . The popularity and broad reach of such platforms provides the opportunity to reach diverse audiences, including teenagers and young adults, explains lead researcher Dr. Antonella Franceschelli, of Unicamillus International Medical University, Rome, Italy.
• 5-13-2024WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE NUTRITION ADVICE FROM A CENTENARIAN It’s a cliche of reporting on people who reach 100 years of age, or even 110, to ask them some variation of the question: “What did you do to live this long?” Inevitably, some interesting and unexpected answer is highlighted. Fish and chips every Friday. Drinking a glass of strong liquor every day. Bacon for breakfast every morning. Wine and chocolate. While a popular news story, this is a relatively meaningless question that doesn’t help us understand why certain people have lived so long.
• 5-13-2024JUNK FOOD MARKETING ON VIDEOGAME LIVESTREAMING PLATFORMS INCREASES PURCHASES AND CONSUMPTION AMONG TEENS, STUDY FINDS Food and drink advertisements on videogame livestreaming platforms (VGLSPs) like Twitch are associated with more positive attitudes towards, and purchases and intake of, unhealthy foods that are high in fat, salt and/or sugar (HFSS) like energy drinks among adolescents aged 18 or younger. The concerning findings prompt researchers to call for stronger regulations on digital marketing of unhealthy foods to young people on these platforms, where there is currently no effective regulation
• 5-13-2024HIGHER BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL AT GESTATIONAL DIABETES DIAGNOSIS LINKED TO HARMFUL OUTCOMES FOR MOTHERS AND BABIES The higher the blood sugar level in pregnant women when first diagnosed with diabetes, the higher the risk of complications around and after birth
• 5-13-2024ASKING ADULTS WITH OBESITY ABOUT THEIR WEIGHT DURING CHILDHOOD COULD HELP DETERMINE THEIR MORTALITY RISK Being asked whether you considered yourself a normal weight, plumper or thinner as a child when attending a doctor’s appointment as an adult might appear like a very strange question to ask, but new research suggests that such questions can help identify increased mortality risk in adults living with obesity.
• 5-13-2024ENERGY DRINKS CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS HEART ISSUES IN KIDS AND TEENS, HEALTH EXPERTS SAY Hennessy Sepulveda thought she was going to die. “I began dissociating as I was driving. I was 10 minutes away from my house. My vision started warping and the lights were hitting me really bright,” she said. “I felt my chest pounding, I felt a wave of panic hit me—I knew something was wrong.” Sepulveda, a Florida International University student who was 19 at the time, was admitted to the hospital, and was surprised by the cause of her symptoms
• 5-13-2024A BLOOD TEST TO HELP DETECT LUNG CANCER? NEW TEST OFFERED AT 18 LOCATIONS Julie Harris had never been tested for lung cancer. A low-dose CT scan, the only recommended screening for adults at risk of developing lung cancer, was not something she’d ever found time to do. But when her primary care doctor recently suggested a new blood test to help look for signs of the disease, Harris was intrigued. She had her blood drawn the same day, in the same building as her doctor’s appointment.
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS EXERCISING SLOWS OUR PERCEPTION OF TIME results of a new study show for the first time that individuals tend to experience time as moving slower when they are exercising compared to when they are resting or after completing their exercise.
• 5-13-2024BREAKTHROUGH THERAPIES ARE SAVING LIVES, BUT CAN WE AFFORD THEM? Harnessing the body’s own cells to fight disease, long a medical dream, is finally a reality. Now comes the bill. Last month, Stanford became the first hospital in the nation to use a new $515,000 cell therapy to treat a patient with advanced melanoma. A related approach, costing $420,000 to $475,000, is offering hope to patients with lethal blood cancers. Meanwhile, cells fixed by gene therapy can slow, even stop, the progression of intractable diseases like sickle cell or beta thalassemia—
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH FINDS DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME SPELLS BAD NEWS FOR HEALTHY HABITS
• 5-13-2024HOW READING HELPS YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT THE CONCEPT OF PAIN
• 5-13-2024HEART FAILURE PATIENTS WHO DO YOGA HAVE STRONGER HEARTS AND CAN BE MORE ACTIVE, RESEARCH SUGGESTS
• 5-13-2024ITALIAN STUDY FINDS EVIDENCE OF BODY DYSMORPHIA IN PROFILE PICTURES OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH OBESITY
• 5-13-2024UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING BLADDER CANCER
• 5-13-2024OUR BRAINS TRICK US INTO THINKING CONSCIOUSNESS CAN RESIDE OUTSIDE THE BODY, RESEARCH ARGUES
• 5-13-2024YOGA SHOWS ‘MOST IMPROVEMENT’ IN RESTORING BRAIN HEALTH IN LONG-TERM CANCER SURVIVORS, RESEARCHER SAYS
• 5-13-2024DISTURBING NEW TRENDS ARE DRIVING UP THE NUMBERS
• 5-13-2024SUPPORTING WEIGHT-LOSS MEDICATIONS WITH ADEQUATE, TAILORED NUTRITION
• 5-13-2024WHAT HAPPENS INSIDE A SLEEPWALKER’S BRAIN?
• 5-13-2024COMING OFF OZEMPIC SLOWLY COULD PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN, STUDY SHOWS
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS ALARMING RISE OF ELECTRONIC VAPING USE IN US ADOLESCENTS
• 5-13-2024UK SURVEY FINDS ‘DISGUST FACTOR’ NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME IF EATING INSECTS IS TO BECOME TRULY MAINSTREAM
• 5-13-2024SEMAGLUTIDE CAN YIELD WEIGHT LOSS, LOWER HEART ISSUES FOR AT LEAST FOUR YEARS IN NON-DIABETIC ADULTS WITH OVERWEIGHT
• 5-13-2024BETTER NUTRITION CAN HELP FIREFIGHTERS FIGHT CANCER
• 5-13-2024EXPLORING THE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR RESILIENCE
• 5-13-2024REMOTE HEART FAILURE MONITORING DEVICE COULD PREVENT HOSPITALIZATIONS
• 5-13-2024IDENTICAL ODORS SEEM DIFFERENT WHEN GIVEN DIFFERENT NAMES
• 5-13-2024HOW CANNABIS AND PSILOCYBIN MIGHT HELP SOME OF THE 50 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CHRONIC PAIN
• 5-13-2024AUTISTIC CHILDREN COULD BE THE REAL WINNERS FROM ONLINE GAMES
• 5-13-2024TEENAGE USERS OF HIGH-THC CANNABIS VARIETIES TWICE AS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE PSYCHOTIC EPISODES
• 5-13-2024PEPTIDE-BASED HYDROGEL SHOWS PROMISE FOR A WIDE RANGE OF TISSUE AND ORGAN REPAIR
• 5-13-2024TO AVENGE OR NOT TO AVENGE? PSYCHOLOGISTS DIG DEEPER INTO HOW PEOPLE SEE REVENGE AND THOSE WHO DO IT
• 5-13-2024TRANSGENDER PRETEENS REPORT 13 HOURS OF DAILY SCREEN TIME
• 5-13-2024STUDY FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE BENEFIT TO PEDIATRIC CELIAC DISEASE MASS SCREENING
• 5-13-2024COMMONLY USED ANTIBIOTIC BRINGS MORE COMPLICATIONS, DEATH IN THE SICKEST PATIENTS
• 5-13-2024NEW PAPER EXAMINES POTENTIAL POWER AND PITFALLS OF HARNESSING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SLEEP MEDICINE
• 5-13-2024VARIATIONS IN TELOMERE LENGTHENING GENES MAY PREDISPOSE SOME PEOPLE TO PAPILLARY THYROID CANCER
• 5-13-2024WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF AN ATHLETE BEING ‘MEDICALLY RETIRED’ DUE TO CONCUSSION?
• 5-13-2024NOT SURE ABOUT VACCINES? HOW MESSAGING IS FRAMED MAKES A DIFFERENCE, NEW RESEARCH SHOWS
• 5-13-2024NEW STUDY REVEALS THE KEY ROLE OF MITOCHONDRIAL PROTEINS IN CARDIAC REGENERATION
• 5-13-2024NEW SYNTHETIC BIOMARKER TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENTIATES BETWEEN PRIOR ZIKA AND DENGUE INFECTIONS
• 5-13-2024IN SEARCH OF THE BEST TEST FOR HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY
• 5-13-2024ORGANIZATIONS PUBLISH JOINT GUIDELINE ON GLUCOCORTICOID-INDUCED ADRENAL INSUFFICIENCY
• 5-13-2024CLINICAL TRIAL INVESTIGATING AFICAMTEN MEETS PRIMARY ENDPOINT IN OBSTRUCTIVE HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH INVESTIGATES LIMITED EFFICACY OF COMMON LOCAL ANESTHETIC
• 5-13-2024HOW SCIENCE CLEARED THE AIR OVER INHALED HEALTH RISKS
• 5-13-2024WHAT’S KEEPING THE US FROM ALLOWING BETTER SUNSCREENS?
• 5-13-2024PATIENTS CAN NOW STAY CONNECTED BY WEARING ONE
• 5-13-2024THERAPEUTIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR HYPERMUTATED UROTHELIAL CARCINOMAS BEYOND IMMUNOTHERAPY
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS REVEAL THE DOUBLE-EDGED-SWORD EFFECT OF OVERCONFIDENCE ON GAMBLING
• 5-13-2024TEAM STUDIES FACTORS RELATED TO A SENSE OF ECONOMIC INSECURITY IN OLDER ADULTS
• 5-13-2024PEDIATRICIAN OFFERS TIPS ON HOW TO SUPPORT HEALTHY MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN YOUR CHILD
• 5-13-2024NEW DEVICE COULD IDENTIFY WHICH BABIES WILL STRUGGLE WITH BREASTFEEDING
• 5-13-2024COULD FLIRT LEAD TO A SUMMER UPTICK?
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS DRAMATIC INCREASE IN FENTANYL SEIZED BY AUTHORITIES IN LAST SIX YEARS
• 5-13-2024CHILD MEASLES CASE AT SACRAMENTO HOSPITAL MAY HAVE EXPOSED 200 PEOPLE, HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY
• 5-13-2024AN AUXILIARY CHD DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEM BASED ON MULTI-VIEW AND MULTI-MODAL TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAMS
• 5-13-2024PROJECTED ESTIMATES OF CANCER IN CANADA IN 2024: STUDY
• 5-13-2024REPORT FINDS PRIVATE HEALTH PLANS PAID HOSPITALS 254% OF WHAT MEDICARE WOULD PAY DURING 2022
• 5-13-2024HOW OBESITY AND METABOLIC SYNDROME AFFECTS WOMEN’S RISKS OF BREAST CANCER AND CANCER-RELATED DEATH
• 5-13-2024CANCER AND COVID DROVE PATIENT TO DOUBLE-LUNG TRANSPLANT
• 5-13-2024CHOLERA OUTBREAK INTENSIFYING IN YEMEN, UN WARNS
• 5-13-2024RESEARCH TAKES ELECTRORETINOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH A SOFT MULTI-ELECTRODE SYSTEM
• 5-13-2024NEW STUDY SHOWS CERTAIN COMBINATIONS OF ANTIVIRAL PROTEINS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LUPUS SYMPTOMS
• 5-13-2024DID A WORM REALLY EAT PART OF ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.’S BRAIN?
• 5-13-2024REINING IN ROGUE OBAMACARE AGENTS WITHOUT SLOWING ENROLLMENT
• 5-13-2024IS ‘HERD IMMUNITY’ IN INTENSIVE CARE DOING MORE HARM THAN GOOD?
• 5-13-2024TOO MANY AUSTRALIANS AREN’T GETTING A FLU VACCINE—WHY, AND WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS FIND 13% REDUCTION IN ASTHMA IN CHILDREN BORN IN AN URBAN LOW EMISSION ZONE
• 5-13-2024RESEARCHERS USE DUAL DRUG STRATEGY TO ADVANCE MELANOMA TREATMENT AGAINST RESISTANCE
• 5-13-2024ENGINEERING MINI HUMAN HEARTS TO STUDY PREGNANCY COMPLICATIONS AND BIRTH DEFECTS
• 5-13-2024FOR TREATING RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY, RESEARCH PROVES THAT RANIBIZUMAB IS SAFE
• 5-13-2024STUDY FINDS SENSE OF SHARED SIMULTANEITY INCREASES WITH GROUP SIZE
• 5-13-2024WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
• 5-13-2024ATTACKING BIRTH CONTROL PILLS, US INFLUENCERS PUSH MISINFORMATION
• 5-13-2024UN NEARS LANDMARK DEAL ON COMBATING BIOPIRACY
• 5-13-2024VARIATIONS IN ‘ANCIENT’ IMMUNE CELLS LINKED TO PATIENTS’ SURVIVAL IN CANCER
• 5-13-2024SOURCE OF SUGAR MAY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN AMOUNT WHEN IT COMES TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBESITY IN CHILDREN
• 5-13-2024UK STUDY INVOLVING OVER 80,000 ADULTS FINDS SMOKERS TEND TO EAT LESS AND HAVE A LESS HEALTHY DIET THAN NON-SMOKERS
• 5-13-2024TRIAL REVEALS ANTI-INFLAMMATORY POWER OF AEROBIC EXERCISE IN ADULTS WITH OBESITY
• 5-13-2024LARGE-SCALE FINNISH STUDY DISCOVERS LINK BETWEEN PREMATURE MENOPAUSE AND MORTALITY RISK
• 5-13-2024SOCIODEMOGRAPHICS TIED TO REHAB USE DURING CRITICAL ILLNESS HOSPITALIZATION
• 5-13-2024AVOID OVERHEATING DANGERS WHEN RECHARGING MEDICAL DEVICES
• 5-13-2024LOWER PREVALENCE OF EMPLOYMENT SEEN FOR SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER
• 5-13-2024BLOOD PRESSURE DOWN WITH SELF-MONITORING, SELF-TITRATION OF MEDICATIONS
• 5-13-2024PSILOCYBIN MAY REVERSE ANOREXIA’S COGNITIVE RIGIDITY
• 5-13-2024STUDY HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR CELL-TYPE-SPECIFIC THERAPIES IN TREATMENT OF HIV
• 5-13-2024INTENSE ULTRASOUND EXTRACTS GENETIC INFO FOR LESS INVASIVE CANCER BIOPSIES
• 5-13-2024WEIGHT LOSS DRUG LINKED WITH REDUCED NEED FOR DIURETICS IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS
• 5-13-2024EVIDENCE OF A TRAVEL DIRECTION SIGNAL THAT IS INDEPENDENT FROM HEAD DIRECTION IN HUMANS
• 5-13-2024STUDY SHOWS CHATGPT CAN ACCURATELY ANALYZE MEDICAL CHARTS FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH, OTHER APPLICATIONS
• 5-13-2024WHAT MAKES A MEMORY? IT MAY BE RELATED TO HOW HARD YOUR BRAIN HAD TO WORK
• 5-13-2024BIRTH BY C-SECTION MORE THAN DOUBLES ODDS OF MEASLES VACCINE FAILURE, STUDY FINDS
• 5-13-2024SCIENTISTS FIND SLEEP MAY NOT CLEAR BRAIN TOXINS