#Before dying of hypoglycemia

[dollsonmain]

Since That Guy mentioned it of course I went and looked up symptoms of sepsis and they're all basically normal for me which is funny/not funny.

too high or too low body temp? yeah. I do shivver sometimes because my base body temp is so low

being confused? hahaha yeah.....

light-headedness or dizziness? that's from the chronically low blood pressure, chronic hypoglycemia, and forgetting to breathe/anxiety-related breath-holding.

slurred speech or not making sense? yep. the wrong words come out sometimes and when I'm especially tired I sound like a cartoon drunk

blotchy, blue, etc. skin? uh-huh, though not ALL of the time. usually when I forget to breathe

sleepy? yeah, always

that's all chronic fatigue, man. been like this for years.

feeling of general unwellness or "something is wrong"? yep. That comes with dying kidneys. There was a time before we figured out I was having kidney trouble that I felt like I was being slowly poisoned. Once we figured that out and I adjusted my diet, that feeling went away.

The only symptoms that aren't my normal are diarrhea and vomiting.

#tiffygotsick

[negative-speedforce]

Your OCs have each been given identical amulets. When they put them on, their powers are temporarily swapped with whichever other OC is wearing them at the time (if more than two are wearing at once, it's randomized between them) until the amulets are removed. How do they react?

Siv: (gets Soraya's lack of powers) freaking dies. Literally, if she's cut off from the Negative Speed Force, they will actually die.

Jay: (gets Pippa's speed) Is actually really happy because he has regenerative healing that will heal the extensive nerve damage in his lower body in a matter of hours.

Hailey: (gets Marie's control over the Hive Mind) goes to bed because she does not have the hardware in her head to allow her to make sense of that many voices at once and she gets a migraine.

Cassandra: (gets Aldrich's vampirism) Immediately starts biting people because she's not used to being a vampire.

Arya: (gets Max's lack of abilities) Is kind of disappointed that they can't shapeshift at the moment, but finds some way to cause havoc with it.

Esme: (gets Khalil's magic) Conjures infinite margaritas for herself and her friends

Gina: (gets Hailey's ghost powers) Either freezes Eobard out with Hailey's cold abilities or harasses him until he comes clean to Siv by haunting his house.

Ember: (gets Jay's lack of abilities) literally doesn't notice until someone calls her because they got their abilities

Cat: (gets Eric's magic) begins cursing world leaders and greedy billionaires

Kyle: (gets Thalia's Force sensitivity) continues his work helping people get out of domestic violence situations, except now with Jedi powers instead of lightning.

Max: (gets Siv's speed and elder god abilities) immediately starts running around the world and murdering the entire Forbes top 100, before passing out from hypoglycemia because he didn't know that speedsters have significantly higher calorie needs than others.

Eric: (gets Qiara's omnipotence) has trouble controlling it at first, but once he gets the hang of it, he's actually surprisingly responsible with it. He does go out in space though and drink a cup of tea on the moon just because he can, though.

Jacob: (gets Arya's shapeshifting and sonic powers) turns into a worm just to see if his husband will, in fact, love him as a worm.

Khalil: (gets Onnie's speed and elder god abilities) Immediately starts freaking out because he just turned into An Entity and this is honestly even worse than the magic that he's been trying to repress most of his life

Antonio: (gets Laila's Force sensitivity) Literally doesn't notice because her abilities are so similar to his.

Ameerah: (gets Vanessa's exoskeletal armor and acidic saliva) her extremities are basically bulletproof now so she gets a helmet to protect her head and proceeds to go rob a bank.

Rania: (gets Jessi's sonic abilities) Immediately begins studying her new powers and then, when Eobard tries to kill her, she hypnotizes him into turning himself in.

Reggie: (gets Cassandra's magic) literally doesn't notice because it's the same powers that she has

Director Hawke: (gets Liah's lack of powers) Immediately starts ranting about how this MUST be a metahuman plot to undermine her authority

Meredith: (gets Antonio's psychic abilities) starts psychologically torturing her enemies by beaming the most stupid, annoying, cringe-inducing things into their minds.

Cory: (gets Samira's lack of powers) Immediately tries to fly out their window and then falls on the ground. Ouch.

Kelsie: (gets Athena's lack of powers) literally does not notice until her houseplants start dying.

Onnie: (gets Jacob's magic) Literally just dies. She dies, slowly and painfully, of multiple organ failures due to being cut off from the Negative Speed Force.

Pippa: (gets Ember's crystal powers) Finally has enough to pay the rent because she starts summoning diamonds from the ground like some kind of off-brand Hazel Levesque.

Jessi: (gets Cory's antigravity powers) uses her new powers to put on an even better show at her next concert a la Pink by floating around the stage while singing.

Hyun-Ki: (gets Victorie's vampirism) Has stronger psychic abilities so he can resist Jessi's mind control, and he just walks out of her house and tells her to go fuck herself before buying the next flight back to Korea (and using all his rich guy money to buy blood from a blood bank so he doesn't have to eat people)

Marie: (gets Gina's psychic abilities) at first is stoked that the hive mind is someone else's problem, but soon realizes that she can hear everyone's thoughts on the ship, and that's honestly even worse because she really didn't need to know that Ensign Brax was horny.

Liah: (gets Dolores' vampirism) Immediately bites someone because she's not used to being a vampire and proceeds to cry for the rest of the day because she feels bad about it.

Qiara: (gets Matt's lack of powers) Is acutally really happy because her powers cause her an immense amount of chronic health issues and without those powers she can live life to the fullest.

Soraya: (gets Director Hawke's magic) Immediately starts magicking her ship so that it'll finally work right even though her crew prefers to goof around rather than do their jobs.

Thalia: (gets Kelsie's plant powers) starts tearing Imperial bases down by having nature reclaim them.

Reyna: (gets Meredth's speed) This is going to be a nightmare for anyone nearby. Reyna is already the most hyperactive person you will ever meet, and if you give her speedster abilities, things won't end well. You likely won't see her for a few days, just a brightly colored blur that yells "Woohoo!".

Laila: (gets Ameerah's empathic abilities) uses her new powers to strike fear into the hearts of anyone she meets.

Athena: (gets Sohelia's dhampyr abilities) Athena + a vampire's natural seductive abilities? She's going to be eating well, then performing vivisections on the person who was previously her dinner. Force help anyone who comes into contact with her at this time.

Samira: (gets Kayla's super soldier abilities) Immediately gets to work rearranging her house because she can finally lift her furniture all by herself.

Aldrich: (gets Esme's light powers) is at first super happy because he doesn't have to be a vampire for now, but then is kinda bummed because his powers could kill any of his vampire friends.

Sohelia: (gets Cat's lack of powers) Is kinda frustrated because she no longer has the powers that have kept her alive while she's been on the run- but on the other hand, there's no need for her to be on the run anymore.

Matt: (gets Reyna's Force sensitivity) Yay! No more being at risk for dislocating a joint just by doing menial tasks, he can do said menial tasks via telekinesis!

Vanessa: (gets Rania's lack of powers) She's at first super happy to be fully human again, then she ends up pulling some stunt that she could normally due because of her reinforced exoskeleton, and ends up breaking her arm or something.

Dolores: (gets Reggie's magic) Immediately starts drafting a spell that could turn any vampire who became one non-consensually back human.

Victorie: (gets Kyle's electric powers) At first is super confused because she's no longer psychic, then ends up accidentally lighting half the forest on fire, before passing out due to exhaustion.

#ask revan #oc shit #practically-an-x-man

[rollinsbegum25]

Ending The Keto Diet Regime - That May Be Necessary?

One ounce of chia provides 9.43 grams of carb supply. Breaking the carbohydrate count out further chia has a.73 grams of simple carbohydrates and 10.7 grams of complex carbohydrates. Creates it a good source of slow burning complex carbohydrate energy. Changing ounce of lettuce doesn't have ten % of the chia's fiber content. Algarve Keto need to figure out what issue is is before we can address it then. Carbs are necessary in our diet, but too lots the wrong kind of carb can create us gain pounds. This does not imply we should stop eating carbs. It simply means has actually to assume responsibility and eat a reasonable number of carbs. Even the quality on a carbohydrate is. There is a common misconception that subsequent a keto diet plan like Atkins is hazardous. The reality is that being in ketosis is an entirely naturally state. The human body creates ketones to utilise of as fuel from your absence of glucose.

It is dangerous for anyone who has diabetes mellitus, to undertake haphazard eating plan. You should always approach the company directly talk about your concerns and to see if their weight loss program is the best suited for then you. ketogenic diets have the principle of burning fat in order to convert it into energy. Energy is commonly created from carbohydrates, where carbohydrates are broken on to glucose and therefore converted into energy. Because it diet doesn't allow one to eat sources of carbohydrates, requires at least automatically looks for fat to be broken down and become energy. Process of dishes are usually sees you cellulite quite quickly and perfect your summer holidays. Your body converts the carbs that you eat into glucose/blood sugar for easy use in a wide selection of metabolic functions. This conversion can happen rapidly or slowly depending more than a type of carbohydrate food eaten. This rate is recognized as the List. A higher number means the dish is rapidly converted into glucose - a lower number means the dish is more slowly converted into glucose. For example, table sugar has a good glycemic index while beans have low glycemic checklist. When consume anything that increases your blood sugar levels (basically carbohydrate - from fruits, to wholemeal breads, to sweeties) increasing amount. How quickly they rise relies upon how sugary and simple the meals are i.e. a Mars Bar will boost blood sugar levels further quickly over a bowl of brown hemp. Hopefully at this time you know eating refined foods, simple carbohydrates and sugars, caffeine and alcohol will cause you (a person with Reactive Hypoglycemia or Idiopathic Postprandial Syndrome) to obtain an herpes outbreak. However, if you are working out, you are really going to wish some carbohydrates right?. Complex carbohydrates which is!. but getting the perfect amount and understanding how to eat them important! While interest levels seek to wrap Doctor. Atkins into a neat little package, medical research does not fully vindicate him or fully condemn him. Considering that the different eulogies roll out, I have witnessed several already that misconstrue his diet and then half-heartedly defend it. Sympathy for his passing doesn't keto diet facts make Dr. Atkins right, as his dying does not prove him wrong (slipping on the ice whilst getting exercise gives him quality. He lived his recommendations). I'm not an Atkins' follower, but I'm both a Naturopathic Doctor and a medical researcher, with a very good grounding in nutrition and biochemistry. My comments are based chiefly on brand new Diet book, (Dr.Atkins' New Diet Revolution, 2002) with a few comments on Atkins For Daily life. Depending as part of your day, how intense necessary exercise will be, you really should have 1 / 4 to 50 % of a sweet potato at lunch with butter and a tablespoon of coconut gas. Along with each meal, a few protein and fats like steak, cottage cheese, whey protein, peanut butter, numerous others. (I have a sample diet on my website.) You are able to eat small, frequent meals about every 2 to two and a half hours. Your body will adjust and you will be back to feeling every day.

#Algarve Keto Reviews

[bassyuhi]

TRAJENTA 5 MG Tablet 10 trajenta 5 mg-10 trajenta 5 mg uses-1 trajenta 5 mg price-1 trajenta 5 mg tablet uses-1

What is a Trajenta 5 mg tablet? Trajenta 5mg Tablet is given to people who have type 2 diabetes to help them get better. To keep blood sugar levels in check, you need to stay active and eat well. The goal is to keep kidney damage and blindness at bay, which is a big reason to do this.

A healthy diet and regular exercise may not be enough to keep your blood sugar level in check. Trajenta 5mg Tablet may be given to you in this case, as well. It can be used on its own or with other diabetes medicines by your doctor, who will decide. Eat it how you want. You can do it either way.

How well you are and how much sugar you have in your blood will affect how much you need. The medicine should be stopped if your doctor says so. People should do this. Make sure you eat and exercise as your doctor tells you while taking this medicine. A healthy way of living is very important when it comes to controlling your diabetes, and this is why.

People who take this medicine often have low blood sugar or hypoglycemia. It is important to know what to look for when you have hypoglycemia to avoid it (such as light-headedness, sweating, dizziness, fainting, and dry mouth). If you have any symptoms, you can use sugar or glucose candy to get rid of them. It can also cause nasopharyngitis in a small number of people. If any of these side effects don't go away or bother you, speak with your doctor.

You should not take this medicine if you have already had problems with your kidneys, heart, or pancreas. Because it can make them worse. Some medicines might get in the way when you take this medicine. The doctor should know about all the medicines you're taking.

Ask your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine because it could harm you. This medicine could also make you sick. Make it more likely you'll have low blood sugar levels while taking this medicine. This can make it more likely. If you're taking medicine. You might want to check your kidney function and blood sugar levels to make sure it's working as they should. Trajenta 5 mg tablet uses Trajenta 5 mg is used to treat Type 2 diabetes. Many people like the Trajenta 5 mg tablet because it has a lot of good things. To help the body get rid of extra glucose through the urine, Trajenta has a 5 mg tablet that can help with this. People who have diabetes need to keep their blood sugar levels down a lot to manage it. As long as diabetics can keep their blood sugar levels in a normal range.

They are less likely to have long-term problems like kidney problems and vision loss. If you already have Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. You can lower your chances of dying from cardiovascular disease by taking steps now.

Trajenta 5 mg tablet can help you live a healthy life if you take it every day with a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise. Because it is protecting your health for the future, you should keep taking it for as long as the doctor tells you to do. Trajenta 5 mg price is515, But you can buy from the true meds pharmacy app to get a 20% discount. There is also a medical store and various apps to buy medicine. Trajenta 5 mg side effects Every medicine has some side effects, but not all of them are bad. It's possible to have low blood sugar levels, upper respiratory tract infections, nasopharyngitis (infection of the nose and throat with the common cold), headache, and an allergic reaction. When you start taking Trajenta 5 mg Tablet 10's. But these would only be for a short time, and they might get better after a while. But, if you still have pain, talk to your doctor. Drug interactions

​​​​​​Drug-Drug Interactions: People who take Trajenta 5 mg Tablet 10 together with heart condition drugs (digoxin), furosemide, steroids, antibiotic rifampin, anti-epileptic drugs phenytoin, topiramate, lamotrigine, heart-related chest medicine ranolazine, Beta-blocker medications (metoprolol, propranolol, eye drops like timolol), insulin, and other antidiabetic medicines may have an increased risk of heart problems.

Drug-Food Interactions: There is a condition called Lactic Acidosis that can be deadly if you drink too much alcohol. So, don't drink alcohol when you take Trajenta 5 mg Tablet 10s at the same time. Even if you're taking St. John's Wort, tell your doctor! (a natural remedy for depression).

Drug-Disease Interactions: In people who have heart problems, high triglycerides (fat in the blood), pancreatitis, gallstones, alcoholism, and kidney problems. Trajenta 5 mg Tablet may not work well together with other drugs. Diet and lifestyle advise It's best to fill most of your plate with starchy vegetables and protein, as well as whole grains and vegetables. Keep to a regular eating schedule. A meal or a snack should not be too far apart. Because your blood sugar levels change all the time, it's important to keep an eye on them. During the week, get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or one hour and fifteen minutes of high-intensity exercise. Do this every week. As you lose weight, your BMI will go down (18.5 to 24.9). Fibre-rich foods, like fruit and vegetables instead of refined carbs, should be your main source of carbs now. A lot of foods that are salty like potato chips and crisps are high in saturated fat (sometimes known as "hidden fat"). Omega-3 fats are good for you when you cook. You can fry with oils like safflower or palm oil, but you can also fry with mustard or peanut oil, too. You should avoid stress at all costs because it can raise your blood sugar level. To control your blood sugar, you can use stress management techniques, such as mindfulness. The first thing you should do is choose low-fat dairy products as your first choice (low-fat yoghurt, fat-free milk, cheese, etc.). Maintaining a healthy blood pressure (140/90) reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes. Who is more likely to get it.

[jackest-jack]

I am getting sucked into the math world building spiral again.

#So many conversions #On the plus side I now know how many grams of sugar are in a human on average #I also know that its damn near impossible to consume the nessecary amount of sugar for long periods #Of moth like flight #Its kidn of pissing me off ngl #I JUST WANT MY CHARACTERS TO DRAMATICALLY PASS OUT #LET ME HAVE THIS BIOLOGY #Well I get yo have it #im just getti g it too soon #He needs to make it about 6 miles #But if my calculations are even sort of correct he’d make it 1/10th of a mule #*mile #Before dying of hypoglycemia #Writing #writer problems #worldbuilding #character development #hrrernggggg

[coffeeandvapejuice]

If you’re new to having an ED,

don’t. Just don’t. Stop now before it controls your life and you never have a positive body image again as you kill yourself slowly. No, you won’t be the exception, you won’t be able to lose the 15lbs you want to and then stop. This is a disease and you won’t stop until you’re hospitalized or dead.

That being said, if you’re truly set on giving yourself an eating disorder, I’m very very sorry for you, please do it as safely as possible:

Never ever purge. It doesn’t help, it’ll destroy your body long before you get “skinny”, and it’s a miserable existence. Don’t purge.

Always carry a rescue snack, or several, at all times. I don’t care if you’re afraid you’ll binge on it, it’ll save your life. Familarize yourself with the symptoms of hypoglycemia, and if you feel it coming, sit down, eat, drink water, and take a break from fasting for a while so your body can recover.

I’m going to reiterate: Hypoglycemia is scary, it can and will kill you. I’ve had 3 episodes. The first I broke my foot when I collapsed. The second I had a seizure for over a minute, and I was certain I was dying. The third I caught it in time, sat down and had a granola bar, possibly saving my life. Low blood sugar will shut down all your organs and kill you.

Drink water. All the time. You get more hydration from food than you realize, you should be drinking at least 3 liters (about 3/4 of a gallon) of water a day to keep yourself safe, and your kidneys protected. Trust me, you don’t wanna get kidney stones my friend.

Never fast for more than 24 hours, and never set a cal limit below 500. 1200 is very low, 800 calories a day is incredibly low, and you will lose lots of weight. Anything below 500 for a prolonged period of time and you’ll start starving your brain. Being skinny is not worth being braindead.

If you’re worried you’ll binge, it’s probably because your body needs nutrients. Eat as many vegetables as you want, get sushi, drink beef or chicken broth, these are all healthy and filling. It might help prevent a junk food binge and it’ll keep your body healthy and safe.

If you plateau, that doesn’t mean drop your cal limit lower. Don’t do that. Take a break from fasting, up your cal limit by a few hundred and eat healthy regular meals for a week or so. This will help reset your metabolism, and don’t stress about gaining a couple lbs, that’s not permanent it’s just because you have food in your belly, it’ll go away.

Never lower your ugw. Look at a BMI calculator and make sure your goal is in the healthy range, never underweight. Set that goal, and never ever lower it.

Your body needs sodium. Yes, it’ll make you bloated, but it’s an electrolyte and so incredibly vital to how your body functions. Eat some pickles, it’ll stop your brain from shutting down.

Great safe foods are non starchy veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli, peppers, and cauliflower. Lettuce, spinach, kale, and the like are great and more versatile than you’d think. Fish like salmon is a great food, super good for you, filling, and low cal, chicken is pretty good as well.

Most importantly, reach out for help. If you can’t talk to a therapist, or any friends or family, there are ED blogs out there, including myself, that are more than willing to talk, drop an ask or DM, you need a support group.

#just ed things #ana #anarexiz #ana thoughts #eating disoder thoughts #thinsppi #thinspo

[seijungii]

gojo satoru x reader | hypoglycemia

chapter 1: hypoglycemia

You’ve always planned a life of stability and normalcy.

Graduate at 24. Meet a nice guy and get into a steady relationship. Stable job by the time you’re 26. Get married at around 28, have two kids by the time you’re 33, and hopefully live a long and prosperous life before dying peacefully at home surrounded by your loved ones.

Then Gojo Satoru enters your life and fucks that all up.

read on ao3

#jujutsu kaisen #jjk #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jjk x reader #gojo satoru #gojo satoru x reader #gojou satoru #gojou satoru x reader #gojo x reader #fic #ch1 was originally longer but i was like uhhhhhhhhh and split it up into 3 chapters.... sorry.............

[comic-book-jawns]

Dr. Dani

“Jamie?”

Jamie usually went in early on Tuesdays to handle deliveries, insistent it was a one-person job. Dani had, of course, pushed back. So they’d eventually come to a comprise: Dani would join her every other Tuesday.

Dani had come in last week, though, so today she’d slept in and was now walking in a few minutes to 9. Jamie, however, was nowhere to be found.

The back room was the only place left to check. She’d knocked but gotten no response. So now she was opening it for good measure. If Jamie wasn’t in here, it was then time to start panicking.

But, as it turned out, she was... and Dani immediately started panicking. Jamie was curled up on the floor, shaking, breathing heavily and alarmingly pale.

“Jamie?!”

Dani rushed over and knelt beside her, but she didn’t touch her. Her first thought, naturally, was that Jamie was having panic attack, and she was cursing herself for not being here. Maybe it wouldn’t have happened if she had been.

But as Dani continued to process the scene, she realized she was wrong. Jamie’s breathing, while heavy, was slow, controlled — like Jamie was nauseous.

“I’m... I’m fine... will be... happens... sometimes.”

Her mouth sounded a bit full, like she was eating something. She sat up shakily, not meeting Dani’s eyes, and started moving toward the counter to their left. Dani looked over.

A big orange juice carton was sitting on a half-torn paper bag. Some had been poured out into a glass, but the glass was mostly full. And beside them was an open packet of peanut butter crackers. One cracker had a small bite taken off, but otherwise, they were untouched.

As Dani watched, Jamie tried to reach up for the glass. Dani beat her to it, and Jamie slumped gratefully against the counter. Dani handed it to her.

“Thanks.”

Her mouth still sounded full, and Dani hadn’t seen her chewing. It was almost like she was holding the cracker bite in her mouth.

The glass shook as Jamie held it with both hands, slowly brought it to her lips, took the smallest of sips, then slowly lowered it, gasping. Dani cupped her cheek. It was clammy.

“Jamie, do you have hypoglycemia?”

Jamie gave her a blank look.

“You really need to eat but you feel too sick to?”

Jamie’s eyes went wide. She nodded vigorously. Dani exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Jamie’s eyes got even bigger. Dani cupped her other cheek.

“I’m just running out to get something for you. I’ll be right back, right back, I promise.”

Jamie nodded, relaxing slightly.

“One more sip for me, okay?”

Dani took her hands off Jamie’s face, shifting one to her shoulder and the other to the bottom of Jamie’s glass, gently lifting it up. But she let Jamie control the angle, not wanting to force feed her. Jamie again took a very small sip.

“Good, Jay. Good job.”

She knew it sounded patronizing. But she also knew from experience that it was the right thing to say in this situation. And she also knew Jamie.

Sure enough, the corners of her mouth turned up as she laughed at the ostensibly pathetic praise. It was a brief sound, more like a cough, but it was something. Dani smiled as she leaned in to kiss her forehead.

“Right back, I promise.”

*****

“I’m such an idiot.”

She heard Dani breathe in to object, but she kept going.

“Didn’t eat enough yesterday, and this - ”

“Jamie - ”

“Never even occurred to me.”

She looked down at the pack of gum she was fiddling with. Two sticks in and she was already feeling loads better: much less nauseous, much less lightheaded, and the shaking was fading. Years of struggling with this, and she’d never thought to try something she didn’t have to eat or drink to take the edge off.

She looked over at Dani, who was sitting next to her against the counter with her legs out in front of her. Dani was rubbing her knee as she sat cross-legged. It was past 9 now, but Dani wouldn’t hear of leaving her. She was insistent, in fact, they not open before noon at the earliest, knowing Jamie would need hours still to recover and eat. She had a breakfast sandwich — just egg on a plain bagel — ready to go when she felt up to it. And then they would move on to lunch.

Jamie was, as always, in awe of her. To go from having no one to take care of her, to having Dani was quite jarring sometimes — in the best possible way, of course. But this time, Dani had truly outdone herself — knowing Jamie had a condition that she herself hadn’t even known she had.

Granted, Jamie could probably count on one hand the number of doctors she’d seen in her life. It was Dani, in fact, who’d just booked her appointments with a GP and a dentist. She saw Dani smile now as she met her gaze. Dani hadn’t taken her eyes off her once since she’d gotten back.

“So... ”

“Taylor.”

Jamie cocked her head. Dani laughed.

“No, no, not you. I had a student named Taylor. She has it, too. What you have.”

“Hypo... ”

Dani nodded.

“-Glycemia. Just a fancy word for low blood sugar.”

Jamie nodded, processing.

“Low blood sugar... so is that... is that like... ”

Dani gave her an encouraging smile.

“Diabetes?”

Dani took a moment before answering. She didn’t want to hold anything back, but she didn’t want to scare her.

“It can be. It’s a symptom of it.”

Jamie nodded. Dani felt her shaking start to worsen again, just slightly.

“And Taylor... is that... ”

“That’s what she has, yes. But - ” Jamie’s eyes widened. Dani squeezed her knee. “But Taylor has Type 1.”

Jamie nodded again but was still shaking.

“And Type 1, that’s... ”

Jamie had vaguely heard people talk about a Type 1 and Type 2 before, but she’d never been sure what that actually meant.

“Oh, sorry, I - I should’ve... It just means you would know by now... if you had it. It starts affecting you when you’re a kid.”

Dani saw Jamie’s eyes widen once more and realized, kicking herself, that Jamie probably had had blood sugar issues since childhood. She took her hand off Jamie’s knee and cupped her face again.

“No, no, sorry! I’m explaining this poorly.” She sighed. “Type 1 is very serious. That’s why I knew about Taylor, in case something happened at school... If you’d gone undiagnosed this long, you... you wouldn’t... ”

“Oh... ” Jamie looked back down at the gum pack again. “And Type 2?”

Dani put her hand back on Jamie’s knee and resumed rubbing it.

“Well, that usually affects older people.” Even with Jamie looking down, Dani saw her eyes starting to go wide yet again. “Like old people, I mean... And given those abs of yours... ” Dani grinned as she saw Jamie smile shyly and blush furiously, just as she’d intended. “I’d say it’s pretty unlikely you have it... Probably just hypoglycemia, in your case, which is much easier to manage on its own.”

She saw Jamie nod but could feel she was still tense, though her shaking was dying down again.

“And I’d say you’ve been doing pretty well so far.”

Jamie looked over at her, arching an eyebrow.

“No, seriously! That’s - that’s why you stick to protein for breakfast... isn’t it? And eat first thing?”

Over the past several months, Dani had noticed that while she would usually opt for just a coffee and some toast or a pastry, Jamie would always eat a full meal almost immediately after she woke up. In fact, when they’d been on the road, she’d gone for takeout quite early every morning. Dani had just assumed she’d been doing it as gesture — which she still probably had been, but it was making even more sense now.

And she almost never had cereal or juice and would only have a donut or a muffin or a pancake if she had eggs to go with it. And most of the time, it was just eggs — and tea, of course — and maybe some of Dani’s toast. Dani had noticed she was also careful not to have too much sugar at night or, in general, really; and tried to eat regularly throughout the day. Dani had just assumed Jamie ate that way to be healthy. But now it seemed that it was more than that.

Jamie lowered her eyebrow and looked down again. She’d never really thought of it that way. She’d just discovered at a fairly young age, having had to take care of herself, that if she didn’t eat that way, she would feel shitty for the rest of the day or the next morning.

So, naturally, a lot of the time, she had felt shitty, given that it was pretty hard to plan meals when you didn’t always know where your next meal was coming from. But it had never actually occurred to her that she might have a medical condition.

She felt Dani squeeze her knee again.

“We can talk to the doctor about it next week, okay? See what she says.”

Jamie looked over at Dani, her lips curving into that crooked grin. The moment Dani had started looking into local doctors for them in Vermont she’d preemptively assured her that she would go to any and all of her appointments with her, if that was what Jamie wanted.

She rested her head on Dani’s shoulder now, looped her arm through Dani’s and placed her hand on Dani’s, rubbing it as Dani continued to rub her knee.

With her other hand, Dani reached up behind her to the counter, feeling around blindly until she landed on tinfoil. A second later, she was unwrapping the breakfast sandwich in her lap.

“You ready?”

She felt Jamie nod, so she put her hand out in front of Jamie’s mouth.

“Dani?!”

Dani laughed.

“It’s fine.”

“No, I have the wrapper here somewhere.”

She felt Jamie sit up. Smiling and rolling her eyes, Dani ripped off part of the foil and put her hand back up. She felt Jamie pause, then after a moment more of hesitation, spit out her gum.

“Thank you.” Dani quipped, as she squeezed the foil around it, then let it drop to the floor.

She picked up half the sandwich, as she felt Jamie lay her head back down, and brought it to her. Jamie went to take a bite, but then suddenly sat up again and turned to her.

“Wait, have you eaten?”

Dani felt her heart melt.

“Yes, before I left the apartment.”

“Oh, right, right.”

Jamie looked down and laughed awkwardly. Dani leaned in and kissed her temple. Jamie laughed again and looked up, smiling shyly, then leaned her head back down for a third time. Dani brought the sandwich to her once more. She took a bite, and Dani was relieved to feel her actually chew and swallow it.

“Thank you.”

Dani kissed the top of her head.

“Just promise me next time you’ll let me know, okay? And if I’m not there, you call me, right away.”

She felt Jamie nod, then take another bite, chew and swallow.

“Can you just be my doctor?”

Dani laughed, putting the sandwich down and grabbing the oj glass.

“You’ll like Dr. Ryan. She’s nice.”

She brought the glass up, and Jamie took a sip.

“Won’t be as hot as you, though... ”

Dani laughed even harder, putting the glass back down and picking up the sandwich again. Jamie was definitely reviving, but she wasn’t back in full Jamie mode... yet.

“I don’t know... ”

“Oi!” Jamie sat up and turned to her, trying and failing to keep a straight face. “There somethin’ I should know about, Poppins?”

Dani giggled.

“I didn’t say she was hotter than you, did I?”

Jamie cleared her throat dramatically.

“S’pose not.”

She laid her head back on Dani’s shoulder.

“Maybe you’re the one who should be worried, then.”

“Maybe you’re the one who doesn’t need this sandwich, then.”

Jamie laughed as Dani brought it toward her own mouth. She reached over with her free hand to grab it, then shifted over to sit in Dani’s lap, as Dani slid the foil containing the other half of the sandwich onto the floor. Jamie leaned back against her and sighed contentedly as she felt Dani wrap her arms around her stomach.

“Take another bite, Jay.”

Jamie cleared her throat.

“Right.”

#dani x jamie #jamie x dani #damie fanfic #damie fic #bly manor fanfic #bly manor fic #thobm fic #thobm fanfic #the haunting of bly manor #bly manor #dani clayton #jamie clayton #dani bly manor #jamie bly manor #jamie the haunting of bly manor #jamie taylor #jamie the gardener #thobm dani #dani thobm #thobm jamie #jamie thobm #wlw fanfic #wlw fic #f/f fanfic #f/f fic #lgbtq representation

[thebumblingbee]

Fundraising for a Service Dog

Heyo Hiyo friends.

For those who don’t know me: my name is Sydney, and I’m a disabled human being. I have severe generalized anxiety disorder (that has recently taken a turn for the worse), SVT and a heart arrhythmia, gastroparesis, hypoglycemia, type 2 narcolepsy, and some sort of condition that makes my joints feel like they are going to explode that has yet to be diagnosed. 

I have undergone a number of treatments and am on many medications that I will probably have to take for the rest of my life, despite the rough side effects and damage to other aspects of my health. 

Throughout my medical journey, the idea of a service dog has come up a few times. For the past two years, I have been owner-training a rescue that I got as a puppy, but it has become apparent that he is not cut out for service work due to some previous trauma (please keep your aggressive dogs on a leash or so help me god). 

I am now having to turn to getting a dog from a breeder and working alongside a trainer to have the best chance of a successful service dog. To get a puppy from the breeder that I have selected will cost $2300. On top of that, there is the cost of the training, which will total to well over $2000.

I have almost the entire cost of the puppy covered and a strict budget set up for myself to save the rest before I bring them home next spring. But I need help to cover the cost of training. 

So, I am offering paid tarot readings to help raise money for the trainer. 100% of proceeds will go directly to my savings account and will be spent solely on getting this life-saving piece of medical equipment. 

I will be doing three card readings in response to any question (nothing about death or dying please) for $10, and a 13 card year overview reading for $30. All payment will be taken through PayPal invoices. 

If you are interested, please PM me so I can get your email address. I will provide a written PDF of the reading as well as a photo of the spread. 

If you have any questions, let me know!

#witchcraft #kitchen witch #witch #sea witch #hearth witch #fire witch #garden witch #cottage witch #cottagecore #grandmacore #service dog #service dogs

[doberbutts]

Hi back on my bullshit once again, you followed me and now you have to deal with me

In talking to a Chi breeder while conducting my research, we got on the topic of hypoglycemia and what steps they take to avoid it. While I spoke briefly about the topic in this post, the breeder also gave me some tips that I wouldn’t have otherwise known. Remember that while I’ve always liked the various terriers of the world, I’ve never personally owned one. My grandfather’s JRTs never needed anything like this, nor did my sister’s (admittedly large at 12lbs) chihuahua, nor did any of the small dogs owned by various roommates prior to this.

I had always sort of rolled my eyes when warned about the risk, thinking that the problem would be easily mitigated if only the owner was feeding a proper high protein diet to make up for the higher metabolism and not feeding their dog so much junk... until a client dog of mine was given plenty of sugary, fruit-based, carb-heavy treats during class and sugared out at home. He was thankfully okay- after his owner spent several thousand dollars at the emergency vet to figure out why his dog had a seizure and then went completely unresponsive (that dog also later developed diabetes according to an update sent to me from his owner, could have been related considering he was a “teacup”) but that was the first time I saw an otherwise-healthy tiny dog go through a sugar crash. When I got Tiki, one of the first things we did was swing by my store to grab some Nutri-Cal, so I could pull her back from that abyss if need be.

We chatted a bit about that, and then the breeder said something I’d never even thought of. They said they don’t ever wean the puppies onto mush or canned food, because they find that both of those are fairly sugary and are more likely to make one of their young weanlings crash. They wean directly to kibble supplemented with fresh eggs and veggies from their garden and chickens, and at the pup’s own pace. This creates puppies that are not picky, that are hungry for their food, and that have significantly less chance of sugaring out. They do keep sugary syrup on hand just in case, but since starting to do things that way they’ve noticed they don’t have to worry about it as much. They try to keep treats as meaty and low-sugar (and low-starch) as possible, and their chews are generally things like horns and hooves rather than kongs filled with (sugary!!) peanut butter.

While I do have some leftover cans and (frozen) freshpet that I plan to stuff into kongs, this makes sense to me. I’m a big fan of lower carb, higher protein foods anyway as a carnivore’s diet is going to emulate that- regardless of grain in or grain free (and this breeder feeds grain in) a carnivore’s stomach is adapted to eating more meat-based proteins than anything plant based. Even the taurine-deficient DCM is causing an issue because of a lack of digestible taurine, an essential nutrient found in red meat, not carbs and starches and sugars. Regardless of what form of food I feed, I always choose meat-heavy foods with as minimal starches as possible (unless feeding raw, certain canned foods, or certain dehydrated foods, zero starch and carbs is impossible because meat powders in the processing and so something must be added to create a “solid” appearance) (this is where you see the prevalence of grain-free foods having absurd amounts of peas, legumes, lentils, and potato come into play- cheap ways to artificially boost the protein percentages and an added bonus to use it as a starch) (also why I have always sought foods with low starch percentages, as these have been known problem ingredients well before the DCM crisis hit)

This is interesting to note for me, because I genuinely had not been sure what “the best” thing to feed Tiki would have been. She ate kibble, canned food, freshpet, the various fresh foods from various companies, and never really seemed to have any complaints about any of them. Towards the end she was canned only as she wouldn’t eat anything else, but how much of that was due to the fact that she was literally dying rather than anything to do with her personal preference? And I would have never connected the dots, though it definitely makes sense as quite a few canned foods are quite heavy on the carbs and starches (so are some kibbles, though not the particular kibble this breeder feeds). 

It also, idk, just sort of made me happy to know that these folks treat their dogs like... dogs. They’re definitely more of the dress up the tiny dog and tiny dogs belong on laps and carry my tiny dog around everywhere with me type of people on the surface that I would initially be comfortable with, but in actually speaking to them it was nice to hear them say how they hate the stereotype of picky little dogs and won’t feed into that, they give their dogs chews and toys, they temperament test and are constantly out training and competing (when covid’s not happening), their more drivey higher energy dogs they go out and compete in performance sports even if they just do fun-runs and don’t actually title just to do stuff with them. The amount of people who come into my job who, when I suggest something correctly sized for their tiny breed, say “oh my dog is a chihuahua they can’t do that” makes me nuts, even more so now, because I spoke to someone with more than a decade of experience breeding chis and their dogs chew bones and play fetch and compete just like any other breed out there.

Just, something about the “oh we don’t do sugary snacks just in case with hypoglycemia, so we give the dogs hooves instead” made me so happy to hear strictly because so many people at my job won’t even consider buying a chew for their tiny dogs. I have to argue with people that greenies and fresh kisses are not going to break their little dogs’ mouths if they chew on them unless that dog has a pre-existing dental issue, meanwhile this hoard of chihuahuas gets a whole hoof each to gnaw at when they’re being terrible monsters. 

[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 237

WILL AND BALANCE IN NOURISHMENT

Once, Shaykh ‘Abdul-Qadir al-Jilani, one of the greatest poles of spirituality, may God sanctify his holiness, had a pupil who was the only child of an old, anxious woman. That respected woman went to visit her son only to find him eating a piece of dry, black bread. His physical weakness that was a result of this asceticism aroused his mother’s compassion. Pitying his condition, the woman went to al-Jilani to complain, and saw that the respected Shaykh was eating fried chicken. She said to him, “O master! My son is nearly dying of hunger, but you are eating chicken!” Whereupon, the renowned Spiritual Pole said to the chicken, “Rise up, by God’s leave!” Many truthful, trustworthy, and reliable people narrated that the bones of the chicken brought themselves together and jumped off the dish as a live chicken. The holy Spiritual Pole responded to the woman, “When your son reaches this level, then he too can eat chicken!”

With this act, the holy Pole meant, “Whenever your son’s spirit prevails over his body, and his heart over his carnal soul, and his intellect over his stomach, and he demands pleasure for the sake of thankfulness, then he can eat delicious things.”

I too witnessed a similar incident thirty years ago. With a large group of friends from university I was invited to visit a well-known scholar for whom I had a deep respect. We had the opportunity to attend a dinner with him and among the food served were some delicious cherries. My inner voice said, “If I sit near him, I will not be comfortable enough to eat as many of those cherries as I like.” This was exactly what happened. While I was thinking about how to get a chance to eat more of the cherries, that respected person took one of the cherries, excused himself, and left the table. I still cannot forget how ashamed I was of my thoughts at that time.

As a result of the story of Abdul-Qadir Jilani and my own experience, I started to ponder the activities that function so well in the human body. In medicine, the dynamic balance that entirely governs the body during eating, drinking and digestion is known as homeostasis. The most crucial body fluid in this balance is the blood. All the agents in the blood have a fixed quantity, a fixed measure and are supplied at a constant rate. Blood pressure is stabilized according to the characteristics of each vein. For instance, the average blood pressure of large arteries is about 100 mmHg. If the pressure exceeds this figure, then the result is hypertension. Hypertension can lead to cerebral hemorrhages, paralysis, renal failure, cardiac expansion, cardiac failure and heart attacks, all of which can result in death. As for hypotension, this is when the flow of the blood to the organs, mainly the brain, lessens. Another example of the importance of maintaining balance is that the agents which are responsible for maintaining the concentration of sugar in the blood (glycemia) must be kept at a suitable balance. If the ratio of the blood sugar (glycemia) rises, the person may go into a sugar coma, which is life threatening. However, if the ratio of blood sugar drops, the organs, in particular the brain, are deprived of energy. A hypoglycemia coma (when blood sugar is too low) is even more dangerous for the brain than hyperglycemia (when blood sugar is too high). The concentration of sodium, potassium, chlorine, calcium and fatty acids present in the blood, like sugar, are kept in a dynamic balance. If this concentration is upset, the result may be disease or even death. The Owner of Absolute Will and Infinite Mercy keeps all these in balance thanks to the marvelous mechanisms that He has placed in our bodies. However, we are free as far as actions like eating and drinking are concerned, for we are granted the willpower to choose our actions.

BALANCE IN NOURISHMENT

One of the most often discussed medical subjects in recent years is obesity. This is an important health problem that poses a threat to life, and it is related to diabetes, hardening of the arteries (arteriosclerosis), fatty liver, cirrhosis, cardiac failure and heart failure. Apart from using one’s own will power and eating less, doctors have presented other harmless ways that are appropriate to human nature to treat obesity. Being overweight constrains the ability of a person to move (exercise) and this inactivity, in turn, leads to more and more weight gain. God has enabled us to seek nourishment wherever we like, within certain parameters. Naturally, our stomach has a certain capacity and when this capacity is met, we feel full and do not need to eat any more. Yet, even though we feel full and should not eat, as this is what is necessary for the health of our body, we are overcome by our lower self and tend to overeat extravagantly. The problem of obesity seems to be greater in developed countries.

Our Creator has not put any restrictions on the absorption of food into the blood. All the food we eat is taken into the intestines so that the nutrients can pass into the bloodstream. If the dynamic balance (homeostasis) were to be maintained here as well then the body would take as much as it needed and the surplus of food would be evacuated from the body without going into the blood; as a result, obesity would not be a concern, however much a person might eat. But by allowing all the food we eat to pass into the bloodstream, the Absolute Ruler has set a test for us, challenging our wills and warning us about self-control.

Most of the activity during digestion and absorption takes place in the small intestine. Our small intestine is a duct which consists of three parts, namely the duodenum, jejunum and ileum, each having different functions and structures. The length of the intestine is 3–4 meters, and it measures 2–4 centimeters in diameter, varying according to the position in the body. The area of the inner surface of this cylindrical structure is 1,600 cm2 (0.16m2) at its maximum. The inner perimeter of the intestine is not like a flat tube, but rather it has folds, each measuring about 8 millimeters, that stretch over the inner parts of the canal. These folds allow the absorption surface to be increased about threefold. If the inner surface of this structure were flat, the absorption capacity of the small intestine would not be more than 1/600 of its present capacity. The surface of these folds is also not flat, but covered with protrusions called villi that are shaped like a finger; these stretch into the vacuum of the canal by about 1 millimeter. There are between 20 and 40 villi to every square centimeter on the surface of the intestine. These villi allow for there to be a tenfold increase in surface absorption. The surface of the villi has cylindrical cells that are arranged in a single row and these help in absorption. The surface of these cells has extensions that are quite thin and dense, known as microvilli, or epithelial cells. Thanks to these cells with a brush border surface, the absorption surface can increase by about twenty times. Thus, although the surface area of a flat canal of the same size should be approximately 3,300 cm2, thanks to surface folds, villi and bushy edges, the total absorption surface of the small intestine increases to 2 million cm2 (200 m2). Moreover, some research has suggested that the total increase could be even greater (about 1,000 times as much). Normally, 100 grams of fat, 50–100 grams of amino acid, 50–100 grams of iodine, and 7–8 liters of water (consisting mostly of fluids produced within the body) are absorbed by the intestines daily. Furthermore, if one eats or drinks too much, the maximum capacity of the system allows the absorption of several kilograms of carbohydrates, a half to one kilogram of fat, a half to one kilogram of protein and twenty liters of water per day. Our intestines have been created with the capacity to transfer all this food into the bloodstream. If we do not control our eating, this capacity is abused and we can face conditions like obesity.

In this life, one of whose tests is in our body, and in which we are required to strive hard using our willpower, there is no limit to the absorption of foods that have high calories (lipid, carbohydrate, and protein), and this can lead to being overweight, as mentioned above. However, in the absorption of minerals, which are not normally considered as making up the basic components of nourishment, but which are of the utmost importance for the human body (in all the operations of the nerves, muscles, bones and in the balance of all the electrolytes), the rules of dynamic balance occur in our intestines, regardless of our will, by the help and mercy of God. For instance, hemoglobin, which is found in the red blood cells (giving the blood its red color) and is charged with the task of transporting oxygen, contains iron. When there is surplus iron in the body, hemosiderosis occurs, which leads to the destruction of organs such as the liver and the pancreas, or cardiac failure. If there is an iron deficiency, then a person suffers from anemia. It is for this reason that a quite sensitive iron-absorption balance exists in our intestines. Here, it is evident without question that there is Divine Aid and Mercy. The same mechanism works for substances like calcium.

Prophet Muhammad’s, peace be upon him, advice to stop eating before feeling full is a significant measure against obesity, for it eliminates “false” appetite. This has a psychological truth, for the brain responds to the feel of fullness a short time after eating. In fact, we all know by experience that we actually feel full a short while (fifteen–twenty minutes) after we stop eating even if it is a small meal.

To conclude, the Almighty One warns us against extravagance and orders us to use our willpower. At this point, we can see how important a role the blessing of religious belief and the training of the soul and the will play in eating habits. Likewise, the principles of Islam, which is in perfect keeping with human nature, are crucial for the well-being of the community as a whole; charitable alms and fasting, which urge us to help and think about those with less, are obligatory and all kinds of charity and good deeds are encouraged. In Islam extravagance is prevented, not only in eating and drinking.

#allah #god #prophet #Muhammad #quran #ayah #hadith #sunnah #islam #muslim #muslimah #hijab #help #revert #convert #religion #reminder #dua #salah #pray #prayer #welcome to islam #how to convert to islam #new convert #new revert #new muslim #revert help #convert help #islam help #muslim help

[ramblinganthropologist]

Hypoglycemic Shock

Summary: Garrus was warned of a few things when it came to dealing with humans, but this was a new one. Who knew sugar was so important to them?

Setting: Early ME1. 

---

You know, for a turian designed vessel... the Normandy was stupidly human.

“Come on, damn it... open.”

Garrus hissed under his breath as he nudged the door a little harder in the hope it would open. It was supposed to recognize anyone on the ship, but at the moment it still refused to pick him up. Maybe it was just too used to humans at this point – after all, he was the first turian there in a long time. It was a logical thought, but it didn't make him feel any better as he continued to fight for access.

Really, he knew he was overreacting. Shepard was probably fine...

He cursed again as the door to the man's quarters refused to open. All the while, his memory played back when they had gotten off the shuttle. It had been a simple mission for the Spectre and his team – go in, save some people, shoot some mercs. Nobody on their side died or even got hurt much. It was pretty much a perfect mission.

Perfect except for the fact that Shepard had been silent as they got out of their armor in the small cargo bay afterwards. There had been a strange lean to his step as he climbed into the elevator before any of them, eyes more hollow than usual. Not hurt but...  definitely something off.

There were possibilities. Garrus wasn't a medic, but he knew enough about concussions to guess that the man shouldn't be alone where nobody could watch him. If he had knocked his head hard enough, he needed medical attention. The turian hadn't known him long enough, but he could only hope a medic would accept it.

And if he didn't... well, he was tiny. Garrus figured he could probably toss him over his carapace and head over to the medbay if he got difficult.

Speaking of difficult... the lock was still orange. Frustrated, the turian pounded his tightly clenched talons against the door with perhaps more strength than was necessarily. The whole display shuddered, and then went dark. Then the door slid open with a slight hiss, allowing him access to his commanding officer's private quarters.

He would... fix that later. For sure.

“Shepard, your door got stuck.” He called out as he stepped through, looking around the darkened room. Had the man gone to sleep? A noise like that should have woken him up. Speaking of noise – there was an incessant beeping that made him think someone had slept through their alarm. “Shepard, I -”

His motion caused the lights to activate. Garrus felt his heart jump to his cowl as he surveyed the scene in front of him. Shepard wasn't in bed. Instead, he was fully dressed and slumped over his desk, as if he had just collapsed there.

The turian didn't have time to check for breathing. He bounded over to the man's side, nudging him gently so he could see his face. Shepard's eyes were closed, and his skin was pale. He was breathing, but it was shallow and uneven.

“Shepard? Shepard, can you hear me?”

The human moaned something nonsensical and tried to shrug Garrus' hand away, but it was no good. He was moving like he was drunk, and he felt slick with sweat. A thousand diseases rushed through the turian's mind as he started to pick his commanding officer up to take him to the medbay. As he moved him, the man's wrist came into view.

His omni-tool was beeping up a storm. A large red number was displayed on the surface, reading out a glowing 22. A small graph was attached, showing it going steadily down since they had left on the shuttle.

“What the hell?”

At the sound of his voice, a message replaced the number: hypoglycemia detected. Administer emergency glucose supply immediately.

“Glucose supply?” Garrus glanced around  with wide eyes, finally finding a box on the man's desk labeled with the same words. He grabbed for it, knocking the lid open in the process. A few paper tubes spilled out, all bright green.

He had seen Shepard eating those before.

The turian didn't think. He made a grab for one, ripping the paper open as he had seen the human do a thousand times before. The powder inside smelled chemically sour and was a fluorescent shade of green. Gently, he inserted the tube between the man's lips and tilted it back. This too he had seen Shepard do, during a few nights neither of them could sleep.

Would it be enough?

Garrus could feel both their hearts beating as he stood there, waiting and hoping. Minutes ticked by, but they felt like a lifetime. Shepard continued to mumble in his arms, but the number on his wrist was starting to go up. Slowly, it went from 22 to 30, and then it hit 45 after a few more tense moments.

An eye opened at 50.

“What?”

His voice was surprisingly strong, all things considered. Shepard sat up on his own power, holding his head. Color was starting to return to his cheeks, and his heart rate was slowing. His omni-tool was still beeping, but less frenetically.

Garrus felt his heart restart. “Shepard I... you were acting strange. I found you collapsed at your desk.”

The man blinked, like his brain was still turning on. “I collapsed?”

He glanced at his wrist, then grimaced. “Ah, shit. I thought I treated that low. How bad did it get that I passed out?”

And then he glanced lower. “And uh... why are you holding me?”

Garrus almost dropped Shepard. Luckily, he managed to deposit the man in his seat at the last second. He sought the other room's chair just as quickly, his own heart pounding. He could still barely believe his eyes.

What the hell was in that powder to take the Spectre from dead to nearly functional in less than 20 minutes?

It took him a while to find his tongue. “I thought you might need...”

He paused, shaking his head. “Never mind. It was 22. Mind telling me what the hell that was all about?”

Shepard was already peeling off another stick of powder and tossing it back like a shot. It had to be sour – he grimaced a little as it went down. Maybe it was some sort of Alliance energy booster to keep them from passing out in the field? It wasn't like he had seen anyone else with it...

“I have biotic-induced hypoglycemia.” He tossed the empty wrapper away. “Basically, my body's relying on my sugar to keep my biotics going. That 22 was a bad low.”

Garrus nodded, but it didn't mean much to him. “And that caused you to pass out?”

“No sugar, no brain juice, down goes Shepard.” Shepard was checking his omni-tool now; a flash of the wrist showed the turian it was now 70. “I guess I need to tell you the signs of low blood sugar if you're going to hang around.”

He was just so... calm about it. Sure, they were all battle-hardened soldiers... but there was dying from a bullet, and then there was dying because your body forgot how to work. The latter was frankly terrifying to Garrus as he sat there, absorbing the information. His head was spinning, to say the least.

How the hell had this man passed basic with something like that?

“Yeah... you probably should.”

Shepard's face was back to its normal color as he cleaned up his emergency energy supply. “If I start acting like a space cadet or I bump into things more than usual, that's a good sign. Lower I get, the less I make sense. I feel really sweaty, so that was probably going on too.”

His cheeks flushed. “I'm sorry if I... I know it's alarming the first time. Thanks for saving me, Garrus. Any lower and you probably would've had to take me to the med bay.”

Hell, they had been one talon away from the damn place. Still, the turian's heart still refused to slow. He knew he was being ridiculous, but... damn, if a body just giving up on somebody like that wasn't terrifying.

And humans just put up with that?

“Let's just say you were close.” He looked towards the door. “Er... take care of yourself, Shepard. I'll see you around.”

“I will... thanks, Garrus.”

With that, they parted. Garrus started for the door, which was still wide open. A few of the other alliance marines were watching from the other side, none of them looking too surprised. A few even seemed amused.

Shepard was at his side, glancing at the busted panel. “So uh... I'm guessing you broke the door panel coming to my rescue?”

A hole to die in would have been great right then, but life wasn't that kind. Garrus at least managed to keep his head high as he walked past the display. At least he had the memory to glance over his shoulder at where the Spectre was poking at the broken panel.

“I'll come back with my tools to fix that in a few minutes. Just let your sugar return to normal or whatever it has to do.”

At least nobody said anything as the turian retreated to where he kept his things. For once, he was glad to be the only one of his species on the ship as his subvocals blasted out 100% embarrassment. It had been so simple, yet he had gone in like it was the end of the world.

Being on a human ship was clearly doing something to his head. That had to be the answer. Or at least, that was the one he was going to tell himself as he spent the next hour fixing Shepard's door. He just hoped nobody pulled the vid on that rescue...

#ramblinganthropologist's writing #Alistair Shepard #Garrus Vakarian #This is totally not me projecting or anything #Also this episode is sponsored by pixie sticks

[returnn-of-the-mac]

The companions reacting to sole not taking care of themselves not eating sleeping or drinking just doing mission after mission nonstop (and maybe the faction leaders and Haylen?)? Thanks if you do!

Thank you for the request! I loved writing up this one! Please enjoy! 😊

Fo4 Companions React: Sole Neglecting Their Health

Sole had gone weeks without properly eating, drinking, or sleeping. [He/She] had completely dedicated their time to serving the people of the Commonwealth. Despite their fragile state, Sole continued accepting quest after quest in an attempt to make the people happy. After accepting yet another hostage quest, Sole’s companion— who had been silently worrying about their friend’s condition— finally cracked:

Piper: “No more missions for now, Blue. We’re taking a break.” Sole shot an angry look at Piper, who glared back in response. “Open your eyes! take a look at yourself! You aren’t the friendly, witty, hopeful [name] I met in Diamond City anymore. You’re a hollow shell; a mindless zombie who just does mission after mission. I don’t even think you have that genuine passion to help others like you used to.” Sole looked hurt and the reporter sighed. “I’m not trying to be mean, Blue. But trust me when I say you’re falling apart. I can see it. Please, start taking better care of yourself.”

Cait: “Are ye tryin to run yerself into the ground, darlin?” Cait asked. Sole turned around to face their companion, and quickly noticed how concerned the redhead looked. “Day after day ye do this task, and ye do that task, and ye do this favor and that favor and tons of favors,” Cait took a breath, “Seems like all ye do is give, give, give. But you never take for yerself. And ye need that sometimes. Look at ye,” Cait said, scanning Sole from head to toe, “Yer pale as a ghost and bony as a skeleton! Ye look like a corpse. Eat some potato crisps. Eat somethin...anythin! Ye better not die on me, dammit.”

Codsworth: “[Sir/Mum]? Please take a break. You look unwell,” Codsworth stated, floating over to his companion, “I don’t think I’ve seen you look this drained since the first month Shaun was born. The little bugger kept you up all night!” The robot dryly chucked. “In all seriousness, you need to take care of yourself. I’m very concerned about your health...”

Longfellow: “Ever hear that folktale about the sea captain who worked himself to death among his own crew?” Sole shook their head and Longfellow chucked, “Good. Cuz I just made that up and if you’d said ‘yes’ I would’ve caught you in a lie.” He quickly composed himself, “But there is some truth to that, you know. The captain is you and the crew are the people of the Commonwealth. These people are more than capable of taking care of themselves once in a while. They were fine on their own before you came out of the Vault. But from my decades of living, I’ve come to realize that the more you give, the more people are going to take. You can never please everyone, and that’s exactly what’s happening here, lad. It’s time to help yourself now.”

Nick: “You can’t go on like this.” Sole stopped and looked at the obviously concerned detective, “You’re going to work yourself to the grave. You need to have a bite, have a drink, take a darn nap every so often.” Sole blinked and Nick’s tone softened, “I know you’re making tremendous sacrifices for the people— and that’s wonderful— but you can’t be of much assistance if you’re dead.” Nick put a supportive hand on Sole’s shoulder, “Take it from a guy who was on the same boat decades ago. I’ve burnt myself out with cases, and I’ve damn well learned my lesson. Now I’m passing this information onto you so you don’t make the same mistakes I did. You deserve happiness too, you know.”

Hancock: “When are you gonna stop, my friend?” Hancock asked, concerned. Sole looked at him. “Look, I don’t judge and I don’t like tellin people what to do. People deserve the freedom to make their own decisions. I will, however, step in when I see that things start going to shit. And I think you’re in that boat right now with your health.” Sole‘s eyes widened and Hancock gave them a stern look. “I don’t wantcha thinking that I’m some sorta bad guy, because I’m not. I’m just telling you this because it’s damn heart wrenching to watch you destroy yourself like this.” Hancock sighed, “I care about you, [name], and that’s why I’m being such a pain in the ass. Just chill out for a bit, get some food, sleep. You need it.”

Gage: “Er...boss? I think we need to talk.” Gage awkwardly looked around trying to figure out the best way to discuss the topic of his partner’s health. “I think ya need ta stop. Ya...ya look like shit.” Sole glared at their companion and he scratched his head. “What? I’m bein blunt. I ain’t gonna lie. You look like ya haven’t eaten or slept in weeks. Ya need ta start thinkin about yourself more. Your own well-bein is just as important as all those other people’s.”

Preston: “General...I think...I think this settlement can wait. You look exhausted.” Sole looked shocked as their partner looked at the ground. “I hope I’m not working you too hard and I’m so sorry if I am. I can see that you need a break, so please...just take all the time you need to recover. You deserve it.”

Strong: “Strong notice human look weaker than normal,” the supermutant commented, “Why human make self weaker? Supposed to make self stronger!” Sole stared at Strong, genuinely surprised that he’d noticed. “Human need meat. Meat make human strong. Human need sleep too. And milk. Milk make human strong like Strong!”

Curie: “Please!” Curie snapped, on the verge of tears, “Please just stop for a moment and recover! You’re dying, [Monsieur/Madame]! You’re withering away before my eyes!” The synth sniffled and wiped several tears that had begun to stream down her face. “I care very much about you, and it pains me to see you like this. You look so sickly and weak,” Curie continued, “I sincerely apologize if I am being rude, but I just want you to be healthy and happy.”

MacCready: “Uh...hey...” Macready was at a loss for words. Sole looked at him just as he finally gathered his thoughts, “We need to talk.” Sole waited and MacCready sighed. “Look. I get that you’re busy and you want to help people and all that. But when are you going to start taking care you yourself again? You look terrible.” Sole frowned and MacCready frantically tried to recover. “Hold on. Wait, wait, wait. That’s not...exactly...what I meant. What I meant was that you look really...unhealthy. You look like you haven’t had a bite of food or a millisecond of sleep in weeks. I’m really worried.” Sole remained silent and MacCready continued. “I know this probably isn’t what you want to hear, but you should really just relax for a little bit. It could do you some good. It’s hard to watch you do this to yourself, [name].”

Ada: “[Sir/Ma’am]? Maybe you should rest,” The robot stated, “You look jaded, pale, fatigued, malnourished...all symptoms of overexertion. This state can lead up to something more dangerous.” Sole stared at their companion. “Lethal conditions that can manifest as a result of these preexisting symptoms include but are not limited to: hypoglycemia, heart arrhythmia, seizure, stroke, and cardiac arrest.”

X6-88: “[Sir/Ma’am]? There’a something serious I’d like to discuss with you. Is now a good time?” Sole nodded and X6 reciprocated the gesture. “I’d like to talk to you about your health. Or rather, lack thereof,” the Courser began, “You’re deteriorating rapidly. I think it’s because you’re not allowing yourself adequate time to recuperate after an assignment.” Sole looked at the ground and X6 continued, “You are a valuable asset to the future of the Institute. We can’t afford to lose you. Come back with me and take a week off. Eat, drink, sleep, recover. You deserve it.”

Father: “Some things never change,” Father stated, catching Sole’s attention. “Just like in the old days, you’re still a workaholic and a people-pleaser. Working long hours, neglecting your own needs. When will you learn? The more you give, the more these people will take,” Father explained, “They’re never going to be completely happy. So put yourself first. Come back to the Institute and rest up. It saddens me to see you in this state.”

Deacon: “Hey pal. We need to talk. Seriously,” Deacon stated, sternly. Sole faced him, shocked by his unusually serious demeanor. “I know your busy and stressed and stuff but...for once I can’t lie. You look terrible.” Sole was taken aback, and he continued, “Look, I’m not saying this stuff to be mean. I’m just worried about you. I know you haven’t eaten, drunk, or slept in days. Starvation, dehydration, and exhaustion aren’t exactly easy on the looks. You’ve gotta take better care of yourself.”

Desdemona: “Hey. You need to take a break,” Desdemona stated flatly, “You’re going to burn yourself out at this rate.“ Sole faced the redhead, who promptly lit a cigarette. “I know I’m not one to be preaching about self-care, but I’ve seen countless people work themselves to death.You need to take care of yourself, and you need to do it now.”

Danse: Danse hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. “When you have a moment soldier, I...uh...I’d like to discuss something with you.” Sole stopped in their tracks and looked at their partner. The Paladin shifted uncomfortably. “It’s not my place to talk to you about this but...I’ve been concerned about your health lately, solider,” he continued, “I admire your dedication to helping others. Your allegiance to the people of the Commonwealth is truly commendable. But at some point, you have to put yourself first.” Sole frowned in shame, and Danse furrowed his eyebrows. “I don’t want you beating yourself up over this, alright? In the future, just be more mindful of your physical and mental health, soldier.”

Haylen: “Uh...hey. I think it’s about time you take a rest,” Haylen stated, her voice laced with concern, “You’ve been running on empty for the past, what, like three weeks now? Don’t you think it’s time for a break?” Sole shrugged and Haylen rolled her eyes. “Between you, Danse, and Rhys...you’re all so stubborn. Why don’t you take care of yourselves for a change?” She focused her attention back on Sole. “It might be better in the long run for you to...eat and sleep every so often. It’s not healthy to run yourself down like this. You’re going to seriously hurt yourself.”

Maxson: “Hm. I understand you want to help the people of the Commonwealth, but your health seems to be at stake right now,” Maxson commented, “Maybe you should consider food? Or sleep? Maybe water?” Sole stared at Maxson, and the Elder continued, “As valuable of an asset as you are to our team, I am going to have no choice but to put you on temporary leave until you are healthy enough to serve for us. Consider this a warning. Either start taking care of yourself, or you will be barred until you are considered fit for duty again.”

#fallout 4 #fallout #fo4 #danse #paladin danse #deacon #hancock #maccready #piper #curie #cair #ada #strong #desdemona #haylen #maxson #elder maxson #father #nick valentine #longfellow #x6 #x6 88 #gage #porter gage #codsworth #preston garvey #react

[clatterbane]

[Found an old cook book meant for us before artificial insulin was invented.]

On archive.org: Diabetic Cookery: Recipes and Menus by Rebecca Oppenheimer (1917)

I looked into it out of curiosity, and it seems that the Aleuronat was a very low carb "flour" made from wheat gluten. (Some other recipes call for another flour substitute evidently made from casein, going by the name.)

Given the frequent overlap between autoimmune types of diabetes and also autoimmune celiac disease? *raises hand* (Which they knew even less about than the diabetes then.) That gluten "flour" sounds like a wonderful, greatly medically advisable plan! 😵

Very interesting cookbook to leaf through, overall. And sobering, maybe especially as someone who was only recently started on appropriate insulin treatment after nearly dying.

From comments:

Side story: One of my great aunts was extremely lucky. She was born the year insulin was patented and put into production, and then diagnosed with T1 diabetes as a child.

Treatments (and monitoring!) have almost unbelievably improved over her lifetime, not to mention during the 25 years since. Alongside medical understanding of the condition in general. There weren't even home glucose meters for most of Polly's diabetic life.

Managing the condition was a totally different--and extremely difficult and dangerous!--proposition over much of that time, with the knowledge and technology available. The situation had improved greatly by the time I knew her, but before better monitoring was a thing? It was apparently hard to count the number of times hypoglycemia and DKA had landed her in the hospital in over the years. Multiple multiple diabetic comas, from various causes.

But, Polly still made it into her early 70s, which was an impressive feat for a childhood-onset diabetic of her generation. And which earned a number of half-joking (and too relatable!) comments from family about her just being too stubborn to die before that.

Not the 2-5 years tops expected lifespan when that cookbook was published, often less for children.

Also? During most of her lifetime, insulin was still deliberately being kept affordable, even in the US. It was a cheap treatment until very recently, and still is in a lot of the rest of the world.

A medical professor who has tracked the cost of insulin over the years says that a one-month supply of a popular version that cost $45 wholesale in 2001 cost $1,447 14 years later, an increase of almost 3,000%. That’s the wholesale price, not the retail price that an uninsured patient would pay.

As things stand with the price gouging on lifesaving medication? I could unfortunately see some people being desperate enough to try a similar dietary harm reduction approach now. No doubt some people are doing that, for lack of access to appropriate treatment.

#diabetes #t1 diabetes #vintage cookbook #1917 #diabetic cookery: recipes and menus #medical history #insulin #celiac #autoimmune bs #autoimmune #death mention #the family curse

[theysaywhatasadsight]

The Trouble With Wanting (Chapter One)

A/n: Hooo so I barely made it but here it is! The first chapter for @ciarawritesmarvel and I’s entry for ficwars™2019 hosted by the lovely @chillingbucky and @revengingbarnes (love u two). The prompt for thsi chapter was ‘I clearly didn’t think this through’ but because it wasn’t within inverted commas I used it as...well you’ll see. Also this is kinda short but its more of a setting up chapter than anything. Enjoy!

Series Masterlist

"Not to quote pop culture but this place is about to blow up," Nat grunted as she ducked under a table, crouching next to Clint who was bickering with Tony on the comms.

"How about we get out? It's just collateral at this point."

"Hold up, did you hear that?" She looked towards the other end of the restaurant they were currently battling in.

"Lost the aids a few minutes ago." Clint glared at her and went back to shooting.

Natasha rolled her eyes and anxiously whispered on the comms "Anyone have eyes on the ladies washroom? Pretty sure there's someone there."

"Maybe it's one of them?" Tony's voice crackled in her ear.

"I don't see ammo."

"Widow, get that briefcase and disable whatever's inside, I'll get the civilians if there are any. These IED's, I'm pretty sure we can't stop those from blowing this place to tatters." Steve muttered and then groaned, he did hate unwilling interactions with idiots who were somehow stuck in the one place they shouldn't be.

An Hour Ago

The clock ticked as the hours slipped by. 7 became 7:15, then 7:30, then 8. 8 became 8:30 and then Y/N's phone chimed.

"Hey, sorry, couldn't make it. Something with work came up."

Shooting off a quick text to let the idiot know it was okay, she rose, sniffled once and smiled at the server who had pitifully nodded at her throughout the disaster that was the first date, or rather what wasn't.

Stood up, how nice.

She managed to hold back the tears until she found an empty stall and locked the door.

Can't believe I wasted my fucking Saturday. I could've shopped for groceries. Maybe get some markers for the kids. But nooo fucking Jack Edwards has work so fucking urgent it's not even worth mentioning to your date.

The angry mental rant soon turned physical as she paced about as much she could in the tiny stall.

It wasn't until she spent a good fifteen minutes in there that she heard the screams.

~

"Wait, wait. Where's this attack again?"

"Some high end place in the middle of Manhattan. It's alien tech from when good ol' Reindeer Games tried to take over the world." Tony sighed, closing the briefing they had been sent over.

'And it's being done in public because…?" Nat enquired, not looking up from where she was cleaning beneath her fingernails with a knife. While in foam rollers and wearing a peel off mask.

"Have I mentioned how ridiculously cute you look, widow?" Sam grinned as Nat fixed him with a death glare and Clint ran a finger over his throat over Natasha's head. "They just want security and the chance to take hostages if anything goes south, I suppose."

"Kids, bickering later, please. Sarah just now decided to fall asleep." Steve yawned as he walked into the briefing room, fixing his cowl.

"Daddy dearest, duty calls." Tony grinned. He was the only one who didn't have a relax-and-enjoy-the-Saturday plan. His involved blowing something up, the bigger the better.

"Save the alliterations until later; for the love of God." Clint groaned, catching the last snatches of conversation as he put his hearing aids in.

Now

“Deep breaths. Okay. Calm down. It’s going to be okay. I’ll just...I’ll call 911. They’ll send someone over.” She tried to switch her phone on in vain.

“Anddd you had to die. Perfect. I’m going to die, talking to myself in a washroom stall, with my last message my date informing he stood me up. Mom’s going to be so embarrassed.”

She held her head in her hands, sighing. No one had come looking for her yet, the thought filling her with both relief and fear.

~

“Hello?” No one was there, only a faucet running. One of the idiots noticed him standing there and immediately shot, the bullets ringing on the vibranium shield. He turned and threw it at him, knocking him out. He sighed and turned again.

“Look, we’re evacuating. You have 5 minutes before this place goes to shit.”

Silence. He rolled his eyes and went to close the door.

“Whatever, I’m leaving. Widow, clearly you were mistaken-”

“Hold up.” A voice answered, from a stall far on the left. “Is it okay out there?”

He stepped in, locking the door from the inside.

“Well, not really. We should’ve brought more, they have alien tech and enough ammo for an army.”

“Why are you telling me all this?” the person on the other end was clearly panicking, judging by the accelerated breathing.

“Well, I’m panicking a bit too. And no one has any time to sit and listen.”

“If it’s any consolation, I was a counselor at a school once.”

“Why would kids need a counselor?”

“You’d be surprised. Most parents are. I moved jobs just to get away from it.” He could hear them calming down gradually. “Uh, is everyone dead? I heard screaming but I was having a breakdown of my own so…”

“Yeah, probably, I’m sorry.”

“That’s sad. Oh god, I could’ve been one of them.” They were breathing deeply now.

He clearly hadn’t thought this through. “Er, I don’t exactly know? I don’t do hostage rescue…”

“What the hell are you doing here then?”

“Well I was the closest, My skills are better for taking down the other side…” he was interrupted by the door groaning as it was shot open. “Fuck.”

~

Y/N could feel her heart climbing back into her throat, where it had been perched for the better part of an hour. Climbing back onto the lid, she held her breath, praying her rescuer would survive.

The gunfire stopped within a few minutes, leaving behind some screaming and groaning.

“Oh come on, don’t make that face. You deserve that, you’re evil.”

She leaned against the door. “You’re alive?”

“Well...I guess?”

“This is the weirdest goddamn day of my life.”

“Not that weird, at least you don’t have aliens dropping by. Yet.”

“Your pessimistic ass won’t last a day around a toddler, you know that?”

“I actually have a toddler of my own, who currently must be wondering where her father is…”

“Oh, poor dear.”

They were both quiet for a while.

“So are you coming out or-I mean I do have to get back soon…”

“And if I die?”

“Ma’am I promise I’ll do everything I can to prevent that.”

“If I die, you’re responsible.”

“You’re not dying.”

She cracked open the stall door to find her rescuer with his back to her, clad in navy battle gear.

“I’m sorry you look really…” he turned around. “CAPTAIN AMERICA!?!?”

“Just Steve, thank you.”

“Right, er, Steve. Should we get out?” she turned towards the door and took in various bodies on the floor, bleeding.

“Right. Right. Um, blood. There’s blood on the floor. And I’m alive. Okay.” She pitched forward and he rushed to catch her.

“Rogers? You there?” Widow’s voice came in through the comms.

‘Yep, got them.”

~

Y/N woke in a hospital, the bright fluorescents hurting her eyes.

“Good, you’re up. They’ll want a statement from you, but I won’t let them in till you’re okay.” A cheery nurse leaned over her.

“Was I shot? Why am I here?”

“Hypoglycemia, very low blood pressure, and shock. They just kept you for observation.”

“I can’t afford this. And I have a job.”

“It’s been paid for, love. And you’ll be good to go in a day. Your personal effects are with us, don’t worry.”

Sighing, Y/N leaned back. “I’m never going on a date again.”

#ficwars™2019 #steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x y/n #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers x you #captain america x reader #captain america #captain america x y/n #captain america imagine #captain america x you #mcu imagine #marvel x reader #mcu x reader #steve rogers fanfic #captain america fanfic

[blackestdespondency]

Most people recognize that human lives can sometimes be of an appallingly low quality. The tendency,however, is to think that this is true of other people's lives, not one's own. When people do think their own lives are of low quality, this is typically because their lives are in fact unusually bad. However, if we look dispassionately at human life and control for our biases, we find that all human life is permeated by badness. Even in good health, much of every day is spent in discomfort. Within hours, we become thirsty and hungry. Many millions of people are chronically hungry. When we can access food and beverage and thus succeed in warding off hunger and thirst for a while, we then come to feel the discomfort of distended bladders and bowels. Sometimes, relief can be obtained relatively easily, but on other occasions, the opportunity for (dignified) relief is not as forthcoming as we would like. We also spend much of our time in thermal discomfort - feeling either too hot or too cold. Unless one naps at the first sign of weariness, one spends quite a bit of the day feeling tired. Indeed, many people wake up tired and spend the day in that state. With the exception of chronic hunger among the world's poor, these discomforts all tend to be dismissed as minor matters. While they are minor relative to the other bad things that befall people, they are not inconsequential. A blessed species that never experienced these discomforts would rightly note that if we take discomfort to be bad, then we should take the daily discomforts that humans experience more seriously that we do. Other negative states are experienced regularly even if not daily or by everybody. Itches and allergies are common. Minor illnesses like colds are suffered by almost everybody. For some people, this happens multiple times a year. For others it occurs annually or every few years. Many women of reproductive years suffer regular menstrual pains and menopausal women suffer hot flashes. Conditions such as nausea, hypoglycemia, seizures, and chronic pain are widespread. The negative features of life are not just restricted to unpleasant physical sensations. For example, we frequently encounter frustrations and irritations. We have to wait in traffic or stand in lines. We encounter inefficiency, stupidity, evil, Byzantine bureaucracies, and other obstacles that can take thousands of hours to overcome - if they can be overcome at all. Many important aspirations are unfulfilled. Millions of people seek jobs but remain unemployed. Of those who have jobs, many are dissatisfied with them, or even loathe them. Even those who enjoy their work may have professional aspirations that remain unfulfilled. Most people yearn for close and rewarding personal relationships, not least with a lifelong partner or spouse. For some, this desire is never fulfilled. For others, it temporally is, but then they find that the relationship is trying and stultifying, or their partner betrays them or becomes exploitative or abusive. Most people are unhappy in some or other way with their appeareance - they are too fat, or they are too short, or their ears are too big. People want to be, look, and feel younger, and yet they age relentlessly. They have high hopes for their children and these are often thwarted when, for example, the children prove to be a disappointment in some way or other. When those close to us suffer, we suffer at the sight of it. When they die, we are bereft. We are vulnerable to innumerable appalling fates. Although each fate does not befall every one of us, our very existence puts us at risk for these outcomes, and the cumulative risk of something horrific occurring to each one of us is simply enormous. If we included death, as I argue in the next chapter that we ought to do, then the risk is in fact a certainty. Burn victims, for example, suffer excruciating pain, not only in the moment but also for years thereafter. The wound itself is obviously painful, but the treatment intensifies and protracts the pain. One such victim describes his daily "bath" in a disinfectant that would sting intact skin but causes unspeakable pain where there is little or no skin. The bandages stick to the flesh and removing them, causes indescribable pain. Repeated surgery can be required, but even with the best treatment, the victim is left with lifelong disfigurement and the social and psychological difficulties associated with it. Consider next those who are quadriplegic or, worse still, suffer from locked-in syndrome. This is sheer mental torture. One eloquent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis sufferer describes this disease as "progressive imprisonment without parole" because of the advancing and irreversible paralysis. Dictating an essay at the point when he had become quadriplegic, and before losing the ability to speak, he describes his torments, which are most acute at night. When he is put to bed, he has to have his limbs placed in exactly the position he wants them for the night. He says that if he allows "a stray limb to be misplaced" or "fails to insist on having his midriff carefully aligned with legs and head" he will "suffer the agonies of the damned later in the night." He invites us to consider how often we shift and move during the course of a night and he says that "enforced stillness for hours on end is not only physically uncomfortable but psychologically close to intolerable. He lies on his back in a semi-upright position, attached to a breathing device and left alone with his thoughts. Unable to move, any itch must go unscratched. His condition, he says, is one of "humiliating helplessness". Cancer's reputation as a dreaded disease is well deserved. There is much suffering in dying from this disease, but at least as much in the treatments that are usually necessary to cure the patient of the malignancy. In the worst scenarios, the patient suffers from both the treatment and its failure. When symptoms have not precipitated the diagnosis, the first blow is the diagnosis itself. Arthur Frank says that on receiving the news that he had a malignancy, he felt as thought his "body had become quicksand" in which he was sinking. But that is only the beginning. For example, radiation treatment for esophageal cancer left Christopher Hitchens desperately attempting to avoid the inevitable need to swallow. Every time he did swallow, "a hellish tide of pain would flow up his throat, culminating in what felt like a mule kick in the small of his back. Ruth Rakoff, after receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer, described her "insides as raw". Treatment can result in nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and gum and dental soreness. Food tastes bad and appetite is lost. Unsurprisingly, all this results in weight loss and fatigue. Neuropathy is another common side effect, as is hair loss. Many of the same symptoms can be experienced even in the absence of treatment of after treatment has been ended. Moreover, tumors pressing on brains, bowels, and bones can cause excruciating pain. When the pain can be controlled, it is sometimes at the expense of consciousness or at least lucidity. Cancer is an an appalling fate, but is also a common one (in those countries where people do not typically die earlier from infectious diseases). In the United States, it has been estimated that one in two men and one in three women will develop cancer, and one in four men and one in five women will die from it. It has recently been suggested that estimates of lifetime risk of developing cancer may by exaggerated by the fact that some people develop cancer more than once. However, even if we opt for the more conservative estimate of lifetime risk of first primary, we find that 40% of men and 37% of women in the United Kingdom will develop cancer. Those who do not get cancer are still at risk for hundreds of other possible causes of suffering. It is, of course, more commonly, older people who get cancer. However, although it is, all things being equal, generally worse to die when one is younger than when one is older, the physical and psychological symptoms of life with cancer and drying from cancer are no less appalling at older ages. Pain accompanies many conditions, but we should remember that much of it is not attendant upon visible conditions. It is often hidden from those not experiencing it. One sufferer from chronic pain describes it as "debilitating" and observes that it "can take over one's life, sap one's energy, and negate or neutralize joy and well being." Not all suffering is physical, although psychological ailness can certainly have bodily symptoms, William Styron, describing his depression, said that ultimately, "the body is affected and feels sapped, drained." He wrote of his "slowed-down responses, near paralysis, psychic energy throttled back close to zero." Sleep is disrupted, with the sufferer staring "up into yawning darkness, wondering and writhing at the devastation" of his mind. The sufferer from depression, we are told, is "like a walking casualty of war." In addition, there is an atrociously diverse range of harms that people suffer at the hands of other humans, including being betrayed, humiliated, shamed, denigrated, maligned, beaten, assaulted, raped, kidnapped, abducted, tortured and murdered.

David Benatar, The Human Predicament: A Candid Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions, P. 71-76

#David Benatar #The Human Predicament #Antinatalism #Pessimism #Death #Mortality #psychology #Philosophy #Favorite #Book #Quotes #Nihilism #Efilism