Located in CA
I took my 9 yr old lab Ivy to the vet for an emergency visit in the beginning of March. Our regular vet couldn’t take her so we had to go to the 24/7 animal hospital. They are excellent and I was willing to pay for whatever they needed to do to help ivy.
She had been very obviously sick and in pain, puking, diarrhea, not wanting to eat. They did an ultrasound, blood panel, urinalysis, fluids, meds. They found elevated liver enzymes and ketones in her urine. She was so sick they wanted to hospitalize her overnight. I asked what they would be doing and they said monitoring. I asked if I could just monitor her myself at home and bring her back right away if she gets worse? They gave me a couple prescriptions and sent us home. -$1729
I didn’t realize until the next day they didn’t give us any pain meds or anything to help Ivy’s eating (I’d tried seriously all the bland diet options, she didn’t want any of it) I went back to get her pain meds and prescription food, and the girl says they forgot to charge me for something else so she added that on too. -$150
Ivy was getting better slowly but still not her normal happy self at all. Sad, droopy eyes, wanting to sit curled up in my lap like a baby 😭 I kept doing everything they said and I took her back about a month later to check her levels again. We saw the vet, then went back out to the busy lobby to wait until someone came out to tell me the results or medications or whatever. So I sat in the lobby and waited, I asked a few times for updates bc I needed to get back to work. After 3 hours I asked if they could check and see what was going on.
There was another dog named Ivy there that morning and the receptionist closed out MY Ivy’s account (and charged the other lady’s card -$566 of my charges). I was annoyed and paid my bill (non-itemized invoice bc she couldn’t find mine) and Ivy and I went straight to work. Ivy is my service dog and sleeps under my desk.
They said the liver enzymes and urine ketone levels were both back to a normal level which was great news. They still couldn’t really give me a clear answer as to what could’ve caused all of this, sometimes they eat things, or just get sick, whatever. She said a slow recovery was normal bc livepancreas stuff is unpredictable, painful, and can take a while to heal.
The hospital’s office called me the next day to apologize for making me wait so long and reimbursed $316 (the liver panel, I think, I don’t have an itemized invoice). They offered this without me asking which I really appreciated.
Ivy has still been sick, but definitely better than when I first took her in. She was still acting sad, no interest in her favorite things. I knew she was in pain and brought her to a different vet last week.
Dr.S had been Ivy’s vet most of her life at our regular vet’s office - we love him. He left and started his own practice,and I just found his new location is 15 minutes away from my house!! It was kind of secretive when he left the other place, I think out of respect for the owners and not take half the clients with him. Anyway, I was really happy to find him again, I fully trust him. He was Ivy’s vet at her 8-week old visit, did her spay, all of it. Ivy is scared of men she doesn’t know and she loves Dr. S.
He took a look in her mouth and was like Whoa! Found it! He saw one badly rotten and cracked tooth in the back and wanted to get scheduled for removal right away. I bought the senior wellness plan for -$998. I was quoted $1200-1600 for surgery. (He was also going to remove a large benign mass from her side since she’d be under anesthesia already, I’d been wanting to do this for a few years so this is something I wanted him to do also)
This Tuesday was surgery day. He ended up removing 3 teeth, a molar on each side, and a front tooth that was cracked and broken off (I knew about this, I’d been told it wasn’t anything to be concerned about).
He said one of the molars and the front tooth both had exposed roots, the back one had an abscess and the root was touching the bone. He asked if I wanted the pictures bc it was really interesting and you don’t usually see it so advanced 😞 He said this is definitely what has been hurting her and making it hard to eat. He said they must have not looked in Ivy's mouth at all if they didn’t notice it- twice??
He didn’t have enough time to remove the mass. He said he wasn’t comfortable keeping her under any longer due to her age and blood pressure levels. Unless it grows rapidly we’re leaving it for now.
-$350 for everything this day, including surgery time & anesthesia, full dental cleaning & sealant,office visit, sedated nail trim, medications, canned soft food, heart worm testing, some other stuff included with the senior wellness package.
It’s been two days since she got her teeth out and she’s already smiling again. She was jumping around and trying to play with her brother (cat) and she only does that when she’s really excited!! Ivy is the best dog I could ever ask for. Seeing her in pain has been so hard, because I couldn’t help her!! I was trying everything but it wasn’t working. I’m so glad we found it and I think she will be able to get better now. I wasn’t so sure for awhile there.
I called the hospital place and told them what I found out and asked what happened. How could they have missed this- TWICE? The girl was really nice and agreed this was a “very valid concern” and asked me to explain everything to her and she would talk to the medical director, try to get some answers for me, and get back to me. She asked what I wanted the resolution to be. I said I thought it would be appropriate to ask for all of my charges to be refunded in relation to this event over the past couple months including Dr. S’s charges.
She called me back when I was at dinner so I missed her call.
Is this right? I don’t know what I’m looking for, feedback, reassurance, guidance? This is malpractice, right??
I talked to Dr.S’s receptionist today, she’s going to send me the photos and a breakdown of charges between the wellness plan and what I had done, try to make sense of what would be appropriate to ask them to refund. I kinda also want to ask them for $200 flat to reimburse the food/groceries spent trying to get her to eat, literally anything I could try on her bland diet, I tried! I don’t have receipts but I know I spent a shit ton of money as Ivy’s short order cook the last couple months. (Today she scarfed down her regular food for the first time in forever, I cried). Is this pushing it too far? Should I just take whatever they offer me?
What about the fact Ivy spent 2 1/2 months in pain & suffering from the time I brought her in to the day Dr. S did her surgery? She has lost weight, and has been pretty obviously miserable the whole time.
Thanks for reading.

i (24F) had inner labia pain since early feb. had sex 2-3 days before it happened w my partner (25M) of two years. never had sexual history prior. i also have hypothyroid and on levothyroxine 50mcg.
symptoms were redness near vagina entrance on the left side, raw pain feeling/irritation all on the left especially inner labia. was treated with clotrimazole suppository twice on feb. took gonorrhea swab test. so, was also given doxycycline and metronidazole when waiting for gonorrhea test results. dr said i had yellow discharge while taking sample using speculum.
early march, still in pain. dr examined and saw “ulcers” “lesions” on the left inner labia. same area. its pitted small white in middle. dr gave acyclovir. then i tested negative hsv, syphilis, hiv, chlamydia, twice tested and both negative. (in a span of 2 months).
have yet to heal, i bought metronidazole and miconazole suppository myself at a pharmacy. of course it didnt help me…
then, results for gonorrhea came out, dr said i was positive then gave ceftriaxone injection and doxycycline again. but only for me to find out after finishing treatment that i actually am negative gonorrhea. only pus cell was seen.
by this time i was so tired mentally and in pain. i did all test i could. i tested ureaplasma, mycoplasma, trich, gonorrhea again and chlamydia. all negative.
then i did high vaginal swab to check for yeast and bv and strep. all not detected and my vagina flora is normal. this time is already end of april.
now i was referred to a derm. she gave me prednisolone and steroid gel. been using the g for 2 weeks now and taken pills for a week. i have 6 more days of pills to go. but i still have pain.
my right inner labia is pain internally, while the left inner labia still have “ulcers” “lesion” and red patch near vagina entrance it hurts. even clitoris hood is sensitive pain.
i also did a pap smear before i took prednisolone pills which is why i started on the steroid gel first and not yet finish the steroid pills. but my pap smear is normal.
im lost. dr told me it might be contact dermatitis and steroid takes a while to heal. but im scared. im hurting. im also afaird if its hsv despite two negative results. and i dont even have other outbreaks. no signs of healing of the ulcers or pain… anybody with similar experience?
right now dr gave me several possibilities which were contact dermatitis, autoimmune problem, vulvodynia, chronic candisisis, and hsv.
its been 4 months of this torture. idk what to do. i will be finishing my prednisolone. but idk if this is just a skin problem. also apologies if i mispelled anytthing. im no dr. i only wrote down what i remembered.

Introduction
An excessive rise in blood sugar or glucose is known as "Diabetes Mellitus". The primary form of sugar in blood is blood glucose, which also serves as the body's primary energy source. In addition to being produced in the muscles and liver, glucose is obtained via diet. All of the body's cells receive glucose from the blood to utilize as fuel.
The hormone known as insulin, which transports glucose to every cell in the body, is released into the circulation by the pancreas, an organ situated between the stomach and the spine. When the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or insulin that is not functioning properly, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of entering cells. Diabetes can be brought on by excessive blood glucose levels. Diabetes can affect people of any age or gender. Diabetes occurs in three basic types: Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes:
Although it can occur in adults as well, type 1 diabetes, often known as juvenile diabetes, primarily affects young people. Due to an immune system attack and subsequent destruction of the insulin-producing cells (pancreatic beta cells), type 1 diabetes results in insufficient or nonexistent insulin production. You won't get diabetes if you eat too much sugar, despite popular belief. The immune system of a person with Type 1 diabetes attacks the beta cells in their body, which produce insulin, which is how the disease began. Monogenic diabetes is the term for a subset of rare types of diabetes caused by mutations or alterations in a single gene. The two primary types of monogenic diabetes are Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) and Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus (NDM).
Before the age of six months, diabetes is more likely to be non-diabetic diabetes mellitus (NDM) than autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). MODY refers to a class of hereditary autosomal-dominant conditions characterized by early-onset, usually moderate hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Rather than insulin resistance, it is the consequence of beta-cell malfunction. MODY is associated with mutations in a minimum of eight genes. There is an older group with the slower onset disease in addition to the typical young individuals with acute onset T1DM. They may appear to have Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in middle age, but tests for the anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody show indications of autoimmunity. Eventually, they develop an insulin-dependent lifestyle. This condition is known as Adult Latent Autoimmune Diabetes (LADA).
Complications of diabetes
Complications from diabetes have been shown to significantly raise health care expenditures for both treating and managing the disease as well as increasing morbidity and mortality. Diabetic patients who have out-of-range diabetes treatment and higher long-term blood glucose levels are more likely to experience microvascular and macrovascular problems.
Blood glucose levels that are too high over time can lead to a number of problems, including:

• Diseases of the eyes caused by alterations in fluid levels, tissue edema, and injury to the blood vessels in the eyes
• Foot issues brought on by nerve damage and decreased blood flow to your foot
• Gum disease and other dental issues, as harmful bacteria are encouraged to proliferate in your mouth by a high blood sugar level in your saliva. Food particles and bacteria interact to create plaque, a soft, sticky film. Eating foods high in sugar or carbohydrate can also cause plaque. Certain kinds of plaque lead to foul breath and gum disease. Cavities and tooth decay are caused by other types.
• Damage to your blood vessels and the nerves that regulate your heart and blood vessels can result in heart disease and stroke.
• Renal disease brought on by harm to the kidneys' blood arteries. Diabetes frequently results in elevated blood pressure. That could also be bad for your kidneys.
• Damage to the nerves and the tiny blood arteries that supply your nerves with oxygen and nutrients might result in nerve issues (diabetic neuropathy).
• Nerve injury and decreased blood supply to the genitalia and bladder can lead to sexual and urinary issues.
• Disorders of the skin, some of which are brought on by modifications to the small blood vessels and poor circulation. It is also more common for people with diabetes to get infections, particularly skin infections.

Additionally, acute hyperglycemia emergencies can be brought on by high blood glucose levels. These emergencies consist of:

• The most common cause of ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal condition marked by hyperglycemia and elevated blood acid (ketone) levels, is type 1 diabetes.
• Hyperosmolarity is a condition that causes the body to lose water from its organs. It is marked by prolonged hyperglycemia without ketoacidosis and severe dehydration.

Management of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a complicated illness that needs to be managed on a daily basis with effort and preparation. Here are some tips to help you effectively manage your Type 1 diabetes:
Check your blood sugar frequently: Using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or a glucometer to check your blood sugar is essential for managing diabetes and avoiding complications. If nothing else, make an effort to monitor your blood sugar levels before bed and after meals. Treating high blood sugar as soon as feasible is crucial.
Regularly take your insulin and other medications: Pay attention to the directions provided by your healthcare practitioner when taking your insulin and any additional drugs, if any.
See your endocrinologist frequently: To ensure that your Type 1 diabetes treatment plan is effective, it's critical to see your endocrinologist frequently. Don't be hesitant to pose targeted queries to them.
See your eye doctor and all of your other providers on a regular basis. Complications from type 1 diabetes can affect many parts of your body, but particularly your eyes. It's crucial to visit your ophthalmologist (eye doctor) at least once a year so they can examine your eyes.
Plan ahead for a sick day: Consult your endocrinologist about self-care and managing your diabetes during illness. Diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA) can be brought on by illness, so it's critical to be prepared by knowing what to do if you become ill in advance.
Stay educated: Never be reluctant to inquire about Type 1 diabetes with your healthcare physician. Your chances of leading a healthy life and avoiding problems from Type 1 diabetes increase with your level of knowledge about the disease and how to manage it.
Find a community: Making online or in-person connections with other Type 1 diabetics can make you feel less isolated while managing your condition.
Ensure your emotional well-being: Compared to people without diabetes, people with diabetes have a two to three times higher risk of depression and a 20% higher chance of receiving an anxiety diagnosis. Having a chronic illness that needs ongoing care can be very demanding. In the event that you exhibit symptoms of depression, it is imperative that you consult a mental health expert.
Conclusion
Four daily actions can help blood glucose levels remain within the desired range:
I. Stick to a balanced diet.

1. Engage in physical activity.

III. Regulate the dosage of insulin.
IV. Monitor diabetes.
At first, these tasks could seem overwhelming. Make minor adjustments until completing these actions becomes a regular part of your day.
To prevent hypoglycemia, learn to balance your insulin dosage with each meal and physical activity. Establish a goal range for your blood sugar and raise your HbA1c (keep it between 6% and 7%). Take part in running events and diabetic camps to network with other Type 1 diabetics and gain insight from their experiences. Stay positive, do yoga, and meditate. People can resume their normal lives and no longer have to fear diabetic consequences once they have learnt how to manage their diabetes.

Ok, so obviously people are pretty mad that a free game with a bunch of iconic characters already is launching with one character who isn't highly requested. People are freaking out about how the launch is the most important time for a game's life, and that if there's one singular character that people don't like, the entire game is going to die instantly. So many people are asking, "Why add a character nobody asked for?"
But, hear me out, I actually think this might make sense on a few different levels. I have no idea if any of these reasons were why he was chosen. It's possible that it's a combination of them. But here are the reasons, in no particular order:

Reason 1: He was originally fleshed out in order to be a common enemy in the PvE mode, but ended up so close to playable they just ended up going for it.

This is what I assume lead to the idea in the first place. PvE mode required a bunch of new content, and Banana Guard was part of some campaign. He was already a summonable item in the Beta, which gave them a head start already, but all he really did was run across the stage back and forth. So they had to flesh him out a bit for him to work.
So they gave him a bunch of new animations, a few silly attacks, maybe a couple dodges, maybe they made him playable as part of a developer debug mode to test him out (which is EXTREMELY common, by the way), and realized one day "oh crap, this guy is like 99% of the way to being playable!" They could either leave it or say "fuck it, let's just finish it and put it in the game!"
I assume it was just a really easy character to add at the end of the day, and that he'll end up being a very simple character as a result. Essentially a playable goomba. Which leads to my next guess:

Reason 2: Joke characters are popular in fighting games.

If you watch Adventure Time, you'll know that Banana Guards are basically completely useless. They never do anything cool at all, at any time through the entire show, and end up getting completely decimated nearly in every scene. They're weak, stupid, and totally useless cannon fodder.
So, being weak, and being totally irrelevant, makes them a pretty good candidate for purposefully bad.
It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's a staple of competitive fighting games. Dan Hibiki, Pichu, Roll, Hercule, and dozens more I don't really care to research. Like it or not, there's a huge audience that loves picking the shitty, weak, broken character and styling on their opponent anyway, giving them an additional handicap to overcome. In a way, I really can't think of a better character than Banana Guard for this role. That's practically their role in Adventure Time to begin with.

Reason 3: No Publicity is Bad Publicity.

Whether you agree or disagree, chances are, you've heard this statement. And this outrage, I wouldn't be surprised if that was part of why specifically he was chosen for a relaunch character. We need people talking about the game, so why not have people talk about a totally out-there character? A few clickbait articles about the new character everybody hates? That's a huge new audience that's hearing about Multiversus for the first time, and learning it came back.
This creates controversy, and gets people talking. Talking about Multiversus, creating free word-of-mouth advertising.
Personally I think that's giving WB marketing WAY too much credit, and frankly I don't think they're smart enough to intentionally do that. With all the Banana hints on Twitter, I think it's pretty clear that, regardless of what the community thinks is obvious, THEY truly believe it to be an awesome, hilarious character. That it's just hilarious to play as a Banana in a fighting game.
But intentionally or not, I think it's working. I've seen WAAAAAAAAY more discussion about Banana Guard in the past 6 hours than ANYTHING pertaining to the Joker, who I think we can all agree, is a billion times more popular and iconic. Joker is expected. Banana Guard is controversial.
Which actually leads me to my next guess:

Reason 4: To create Fortnite Brand Confusion, and Capitalize on Popularity of Minions (yes really).

I'm not sure if this reason is genius or stupid. But look at Fortnite. In every single advertisement for the game, EVERY SINGLE ONE, they advertise Peely front and center. He's practically the game's mascot behind Jonesy (the blond guy). And I'm sure kids LOVE Peely, and going around shooting people as a giant Banana Man.
Obviously Banana Guard isn't literally Peely, but I can see them adding him in as a way to attract Fortnite players. "We can't get Peely, buuuuuut we got somebody else pretty close!"
Also I realized when describing Banana Guard from Adventure Time, there's quite a lot of overlap between them and the Minions from Despicable Me. Both are dumb, silly, useless, incompetant Yellow stubby "funny" boneheads. I really wonder if Banana Guard was chosen to be the honorary Minions Rep.

Reason 5: Hype is a Marathon, not a Sprint.

This is why I think, specifically, he's being released on Day 1 (assuming that is, indeed, the case) rather than, say, Dexter or Beetlejuice. Or any other big heavy hitter.
People are panicking right now, so hard, that Multiversus will be "dead on arrival". That it'll die unless it receives 10 Banger new characters day 1.
And I get the fear. Lots of Live Service games die. You need to hook an audience in. But here's what I think: They already did that just fine.
The game's been offline for a year, and their "Mic Test" exploded on the internet. People want this game to just come back. People are chomping at the bit. People spend every single day bitching on this subreddit about them not saying enough, or not coming back fast enough.
People are hyped, but more importantly, they need to STAY HYPED. Not just on launch, but for the next year, and the year after that, and the year after that, and so on.
I get the idea that Multiversus devs should just blow their load entirely and release 10 new banger top-shelf characters on Day 1 to create the biggest Explosion of Hype possible. But they need to save a heavy hitter for 2 months from now, when people are getting bored and need to be hooked into playing for another 2 months with a new rush of players and brand new content, and so on and so fourth. If the Launch is full of excitement and wonder, with trillions of new players hooked and waiting for new exciting content, and the devs are left with their dicks in their hands with nothing to show because they released all their best characters at launch, where does that leave Multiversus? Pretty much exactly where they were at the end of the Beta.
And I don't think Banana Guard is going to bring that hype back, after a few months have passed. I've seen a lot of people say this isn't the time, that adding a joke character like this at launch will tank the game, and they should save a character like this for the "right time", 10 characters or so from now. But the thing is, what if the hype is dying down then? What if Multiversus REALLY needs a boost that, say, Dexter or Daffy Duck or Beetlejuice could provide? But Multiversus already revealed them at the start, and all they have left is Banana Guard waiting to be released? That's not gonna bring people back after 10 months!
The relaunch already has Joker, [INSERT CHARACTER 3 HERE], and the entire Beta Cast, as well as new PVE content. I'd look at Banana Guard as a side-bonus, not a hype-killer. Just the cherry on top of the sundae. Not enough heavy hitters? Just wait a couple months, when the devs will want to add another influx of new players.
Remember, the Beta didn't end because the characters they picked weren't good enough and people didn't stick around (despite what I've seen some people claim). Players left because, after months of characters being released every 2 weeks at a completely unsustainable pace, the Devs ran out of characters and we went an entire season with only Marvin the Martian left. I don't think that would've changed if it was Harry Potter instead, the Beta still would've died either way.

Reason 6: It's just a really, really, REALLY silly fighting game.

Imagine that. Imagine if one of the fighters was a Green Dog that spit fireballs? Or Shaggy, but the meme version where he has DBZ powers? Or Lebron James from Space Jam 2? Or Velma revealing the opposing player is actually Old Man Jenkins in desguise. Or Taz transforming you into a giant cooked chicken that runs around.
Imagine if they released Joker, and gave him a move referencing "I'm the Joker, Baby!" Or if they copyrighted Big Chungus to use as a character probably eventually. Or if they released an advertisement TODAY where Finn and Jake rap and Kevin Controy Batman calls himself a "Queen" with a crown graphic on top of his head. Or if the official Multiversus Twitter and all it's affiliates made non-stop Banana Puns when they were supposed to be advertising the game instead.
Basically...maybe relax?
I'm not saying you aren't allowed to be disappointed that you didn't get a different character. But I think some perspective can help. I think remembering what kind of game this is, always was, and always will be, can help set the tone for this.
This is gonna be the fighting game where Batman can fight Lebron James, Big Chungus, Ultra Instinct Shaggy...and a talking stupid Banana. This is completely 100000% on-brand for the game you signed up for.

hey everyone! i have really mentally struggled the last 9 months since i was initially infected. i won’t be holding back at all in the post, because even though this is gross, i really hope it might help someone and even help me to share my story. upon my first outbreak in august 2023, i had to visit 3 different doctors before i actually received a proper diagnosis. first doctor thought it was herpes, second thought it was bad razor burn, and finally the third took me seriously and confirmed that it was neither. 3 full STD panels that all tested urine, blood, and direct swabs were completely negative, which is what finally resulted in my diagnosis of molluscum contagiosum (MC). additionally, i developed and tested positive for awful bacterial vaginosis (BV) upon the time of my infection as well.
my first outbreak was mainly all in the same area, clustered in the fold of my bikini line on my right side. because the area rubbed so much as i walked around, the bumps were basically rubbed raw, which is what i believe caused them to spread. i don’t have any bumps in that area now, but i do now have 3 right by my vulva and one on my anus, all of which have been there pretty much this whole time. i also have one at the bottom of my right butt cheek that is pretty new—appeared maybe a month and a half ago.
my first doctor prescribed me valacyclovir pills, but only 2 weeks worth, and they did not affect the appearance of the bumps at all. he also prescribed me metrinidazole vaginal gel for the BV, which seemed to work initially in at least flushing out the BV infection. however, since my MC infection, i have on and off had BV virtually the entire time, with very strange discharge. the discharge ranges from grayish to neon yellow, is extremely thick, sticky, and clumpy, and it smells not necessarily awful but not healthy if that makes sense. the potency of the smell fluctuates, where some days it has no scent, and other days i can smell it through my pants (can’t believe i’m admitting this online😭). for the BV, i have also tried honeypot brand boric acid capsules that are inserted into the vagina and left overnight. the capsules work to clear the BV temporarily, but it still returns, likely going hand in hand with my molluscum infection. my third doctor that actually diagnosed me provided me with mupirocin ointment to apply to the bumps daily. i was extremely diligent with applying the ointment multiple times daily with clean hands and everything. however, after it did nothing to help for 3 months, i have become more lax with the application, only applying it once a day to no avail.
i will also admit, i have not taken the best care of myself since the initial infection. this last year was my senior year of college, and i have also been working full time and just trying to scrape by. my sleep schedule is non existent especially with some of my shifts only having a 6 hour gap between them, lol. i have felt so ashamed of myself and just hoping the bumps will go away, even though i know that isn’t logical. i have hardly had time to devote to treatment anyway, with my most recent doctors appointment being in november. i definitely entered a state of denial for a while as well where i almost forgot i had the bumps.
now that i have graduated college, i know that i can’t allow myself to live like this anymore. i have read many of the posts in this thread and am so inspired by everyone’s patience and risillience with dealing with this. as a first step, i have started women’s multivitamin supplements to ensure that i am getting 100% of my daily value of vitamin C, zinc, and etc to hopefully help my immune system. i also now have a gynecologist appointment scheduled for this monday, may 17th, to final face my fears and address this again. i plan to update following the appointment, of course.
in addition to just wanting to share my story, i would also like to ask if anyone reading this has advice for treatment strategies and for talking to my doctor. i want to be as thorough as possible with my appointment, because as someone with a bit of ✨ trauma ✨, it is really mentally taxing for me to keep having to show doctor after doctor my vagina. if anyone knows of specific treatment options i should ask about, i would love to hear it. also, if anyone knows about a correlation between MC and BV, i would be really interested to hear about that as well.
thank you so much you guys. to anyone who is struggling with this, you are not alone. you deserve to get better and you WILL get better💛

Just needing some help and advice from anyone who may be familiar with my current situation.
I’m 26 weeks (tomorrow) and yesterday went to hospital after experiencing light cramping which felt similar to dull period cramps. Pain wise they were a 3/10 but I went in to be extra cautious.
I had a swab done to test for preterm labour (Fetal Fibronectin test) which came back as positive.
The doctor said this put me at an increased risk of possibly going into labour within the next 7-14 days.
She did mention false positives with the test and suggested an internal scan to check my cervix. My cervix was long and closed (I believe 35mm?) which they said was reassuring and a better indicator than the swab test.
It’s only 7AM but this morning I’ve woken up in hospital with no cramping. I feel overall fine and baby is still kicking away. But of course I am not completely reassured.
The next plan of action is to scan me again this morning to make sure my cervix hasn’t changed/shortened.
If it hasn’t, I will be sent home and told to continue as normal, come in again if pains increase and will be given extra monitoring (weekly cervix scans/growth scans)
I’ve read many reassuring stories from women who also tested positive but went on to deliver full term or only a couple weeks early.
I wanted to ask if anyone in this group has any experience or advice on this.
I feel like I will be treading on egg shells the next few days/weeks/months after this news and just hope everything is okay with baby and he stays inside till he’s due.
Thank you all, A very anxious mama

So I’ve been asking my fiancé to take me out to eat, and he decided last Friday to take me out. After we ate, we decided to go to his family’s bagrill for a couple drinks. And well one thing lead to another and we ended up staying until they closed (12:30am) and when we got home, I remember my fiancé picking a fight because I smoke pot. But I hadn’t been smoking because we were drinking. And then I of course shut down. I didn’t feel like talking. And he started to corner me, like he always does when I don’t talk and I was drunk so I got really agitated. I hit his chest. Next thing I know, he’s slamming me on the couch. I really don’t remember anything after that. I woke up in the shower with freezing water hitting. When I got up, and went out to the living room, he was on the couch. He woke up and said “maybe I fell in the shower”…. I asked what happened and he said we’d talk about it when I slept more. I went to bed, and when I woke up, my head hurt. It didn’t feel like a normal hangover. It had this like “hollow” feeling of that makes sense. And I had that for a few days, and honestly felt out of it. But when I finally woke up and went into the bathroom, I sat down on the toilet and my entire body hurt. I looked down and I saw all these bruises on my arms/ inner arms, wrist. And all over my legs. I have little finger prints all over, and my nose was cut. But my neck was super super stiff. I asked him what happened again, he said I tried hitting him and he kept holding me down. Well…. We have a camera in our bedroom. And while these events didn’t take place in our bedroom, it did pick up the audio. It sounded like I went to the bathroom and he came into the bathroom and when I told him I didn’t want to talk, you could hear it the sound of scuffling and the towel rack breaking. Like I said, he was in the living room when I got out of the shower. He was asleep on the couch. So I don’t know if something happened and I hit my head and he threw me in the shower? Or if I was so drunk I blacked out? I don’t often black out. And when I do, it’s only when I drink a lot a lot. This is the first time something like this has happened. There was one other time when he was drinking at “man camp” when we first started dating which wasn’t long ago, and all of his friends and us were playing a board game. Well they all wanted to eat “thc gummies” and he couldn’t partake because he gets drug tested frequently at his job. But I could. And I wanted to, and without even thinking about it, I put it in my mouth. He quickly pried my mouth open, and reached in and grabbed the gummy out of my mouth. Literally everyone saw…. I was so embarrassed. His friends made him apologize the next morning. But still, we are suppose to get married in a few months, and I moved across country for him and gave up my entire life. I have no idea what to do.

When I was in middle school, I noticed that occasionally when I ate lunch at school the roof of my mouth would swell, become EXTREMELY painful to the touch, and have a mucus like film (secrete?) cover it. This happens instantly after the first bite of food. After about 20 or so minutes of pain and swelling, the swelling would subside and it wouldn't be painful anymore. I'd then be able to eat the same food perfectly fine without a reaction. As I've grown older, I've realized that it's not a certain type of food that triggers the reaction. It's multiple types of food that cause the pain and swelling (tonight it was hash browns from waffle House. I took a single bite, and then boom. Painful swelling.) I've noticed that it's more likely to happen when I haven't eaten all day. Usually, no matter what it is, that first bite after not eating all day absolutely SUCKS. I've googled my heart out and can't figure it out. I'm a completely broke 25 year old with no medical insurance so a pricey allergy (or other) test is out of the picture for now. I've assumed it's an allergic reaction, but I've never heard of that happening to anyone else.
Here are some other allergies I have in case these have anything to do with it: I have an allergic reaction to mangos where my lips swell, my mouth dries out and cracks over the course of a week or more to the point that I can't talk or smile without ripping my lips, and blisters form around my mouth or whatever sensitive skin on my body I've touched with the juice on my hands. The mango allergy developed around age 12, and I absolutely CAN NOT eat them unless I want to be out of commission for a month. The allergy happens whether or not I come into contact with the skin or not. I have mild allergies to some nuts and fruits such as apples, plums, cherries, and tomatoes where my mouth, gums, and lips start itching and hurting. My lips occasionally dry and crack a little bit depending on the quantity and type of fruit I eat. Pretty much every fruit will give me some sort of reaction, but it's pretty mild, so I eat them and deal with the reaction because fruits are delicious and nutritious, although a bit painful.
If anyone has an idea as to what is causing the swelling and massive amounts of pain on the roof of my mouth, I'd be super appreciative. Asking this subreddit is my last resort to figuring out what may be happening until I have money for the actual doctor.
Edit: My fiance also reminded me of my whiskey allergy. Some whiskeys (such as wild turkey 101) aged in certain woods will give me hives all over my body. I believe it's a birch or oak allergy, but I'm not certain.

The really long sentences are mine and the separated ones is chatgpt. PLease comment what you think.
But all this peace and tranguility was about to change, with the arrival of the UES Safe Travels. The ship was tasked by the government to retake the lost cargo of the Contact Light, unaware of the horrors of petrichor 5. Making landing zones at spots with the most cargo, they were immediately attacked by the wildlife. The denizens of the planet were infuriated at the death of Providence, and knew that it was the humans fault. They attacked all of the camps, outnumbering the humans by the hundreds they easily won against some of them but some camps stood the test. Our focus must now deviate from the main group of humans, to a specific one, a mechanic named Tohm.
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In the chaos that ensued after the arrival of the UES Safe Travels, the once-peaceful Petrichor 5 transformed into a battleground. The denizens of the planet, enraged by the perceived affront to Providence and the disruption of their sanctuary, launched attacks on the human camps established for the retrieval of the lost cargo.
As the wildlife descended upon the landing zones, the humans found themselves outnumbered and ill-prepared for the ferocity of the planet's defenders. The initial skirmishes were swift, with some camps easily overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and hostility of the native creatures. However, a few resilient camps managed to stand their ground against the onslaught.
Amidst the chaos, our focus turns to a specific individual—Tohm, a mechanic among the crew of the UES Safe Travels. As the attacks unfolded, Tohm, with his mechanical expertise, found himself playing a crucial role in the defense efforts. With makeshift barricades and jury-rigged defenses, he worked tirelessly to fortify the camp against the relentless assaults.
Tohm's hands, accustomed to the intricacies of machinery, now wielded tools and devices crafted for survival. The screams of the wildlife and the clashes of combat echoed around him as he repaired damaged structures and repurposed salvaged technology to fend off the planet's vengeful defenders.
The mechanic's determination and resourcefulness caught the attention of his fellow survivors. Tohm emerged as a beacon of hope amidst the chaos, a symbol of resilience in the face of an unforeseen and hostile environment. His skills not only kept the camp standing but also inspired those around him to fight against the fury of Petrichor 5.
As the battle raged on, Tohm's mechanical ingenuity became a vital asset in the struggle for survival. The fate of the UES Safe Travels crew hung in the balance, and in the heart of the battleground, the mechanic stood as a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who dared to venture into the unknown depths of the cosmos.
After the attrition had stopped all the survivors returned to their duties and it was Tohm's turn on watch duty. While he sat in the little foldable chair he brought, he noticed a strange crab like creature wandering the plains. It crawled around looking at the ground and every decent size rock, inspecting it. When it noticed Tohm he jumped and readied his gun but thats what he thought he did, instead he just stood there perplexed. Then, he heard words, no memories, surface in his brain then go silent like they were vanishing.
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Tohm, weary from the recent battles, took his turn on watch duty as the survivors regrouped and resumed their duties. Seated in a small, foldable chair he had brought, he scanned the plains around the camp, vigilant for any signs of the native creatures that had attacked earlier.
In the quiet moments of his watch, Tohm's attention was drawn to a peculiar crab-like creature. It wandered the plains with a purpose, inspecting the ground and examining rocks. When the creature noticed Tohm, he instinctively reached for his gun, only to find himself frozen in a state of perplexity.
As Tohm stood there, trying to make sense of the situation, he heard words—fragmented memories that surfaced in his brain. The words were fleeting, like whispers on the edge of his consciousness, slipping away before he could grasp their meaning. It was as if the very fabric of his thoughts was unraveling, replaced by a sense of disorientation.
The crab-like creature, seemingly unfazed by Tohm's presence, continued its inspection of the surroundings. Tohm, still grappling with the strange mental phenomenon, watched as the creature moved with a deliberate and almost methodical intent.
In a moment of cautious curiosity, Tohm approached the creature. As he drew closer, the whispers in his mind grew louder, fragments of memories teasing the edges of his understanding. The crab-like creature, aware of Tohm's presence, turned its attention toward him, its gaze locking onto his eyes.
Then, unexpectedly, the creature emitted a series of rhythmic clicks and whirrs. Tohm felt a peculiar resonance with the sounds, as if they were unlocking something within him. The memories that had eluded him began to coalesce, revealing fragments of a forgotten past, a history intertwined with the mysteries of Petrichor 5.
Tohm, standing on the plains under the alien sky, found himself at the crossroads of memory and discovery. The crab-like creature, an enigmatic guide in this cosmic puzzle, continued its inspection, leaving Tohm to grapple with the echoes of his own forgotten narrative in the heart of Providence's sanctuary.
As Tohm walked towards it the creature tensed up and looked at a stone golem approaching it. The golems laser started to line up with the creature, until the creature started to stretch its spine, revealing a black hole that started to grow bigger and bigger until it incased tohm and the golem. Feeling sick he tried to stand put was already standing, actually floating through what looked like space but had a purple light at the end like a tunnel
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In an unexpected turn of events, as Tohm approached the crab-like creature, a stone golem emerged on the scene. The golem's laser aimed directly at the creature, creating a tense atmosphere on the plains. However, the creature responded in a manner that defied understanding.
As the creature stretched its spine, an astonishing revelation unfolded. A black hole began to form, growing larger and larger until it enveloped both Tohm and the stone golem. In an instant, the familiar landscape of Petrichor 5 dissolved, replaced by an otherworldly space that seemed to stretch into infinity.
Tohm, initially disoriented and feeling a wave of nausea, realized that he was not standing but rather floating through this cosmic void. The purple light at the end of the tunnel beckoned, drawing him closer with an ethereal allure.
The space around him felt both vast and intimate, a surreal dreamscape that defied the laws of the known universe. Tohm's senses were overwhelmed by the cosmic beauty that surrounded him, and the echoes of the black hole's creation lingered in the air.
As he floated through this surreal journey, Tohm couldn't shake the feeling that he was traversing the very fabric of existence. The purple light at the end of the tunnel pulsed with an enigmatic energy, inviting him to venture further into the cosmic unknown.
Amidst the kaleidoscope of colors and the absence of gravity, Tohm grappled with the profound realization that he had been transported to a realm beyond the constraints of Petrichor 5. The cosmic journey, initiated by the mysterious actions of the crab-like creature, unfolded like a celestial tapestry, and Tohm found himself suspended in the cosmic dance of design and soul.
But he snapped out of his gaze after he heard a whale cry and shaking stones. Looking behind him he saw a whale that was purple and had multiple white eyes with a pinkish clear underbelly. As he tried to move out of the way the whale moved over him revealing what the shaking sound was coming from. When the whale passed over Tohm he could see inside its belly, he was expecting organs but what he found was the golem that had tried to attack the crab and wisps plus a couple lumerians. As he thought he was in the clear he got hit by the fin of the whale sending him hurling deeper into the abyss. As he traveled through the dark he felt a presence watching him with hungering eyes.
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Tohm's cosmic journey took an unexpected turn as he heard a distant whale cry echoing through the void. The shaking stones around him hinted at the colossal presence approaching. Turning around, he beheld a massive purple whale with multiple white eyes and a pinkish clear underbelly.
The whale's ethereal form moved with a majestic grace, and as it passed over Tohm, he witnessed a surreal scene within its belly. Instead of biological organs, the interior harbored unexpected inhabitants—the stone golem, the wisps, and a couple of lumerians. The creatures seemed unharmed, suspended in a strange symbiosis within the whale's cosmic embrace.
Thinking he was in the clear, Tohm attempted to move out of the way, but the colossal fin of the whale struck him, sending him hurtling deeper into the abyss. As he tumbled through the dark expanse, a disorienting sense of weightlessness surrounded him.
In the cosmic depths, Tohm felt a strange presence watching him with hungering eyes. The void seemed to pulsate with an otherworldly energy, and the sensation of being observed intensified. The eyes, unseen yet keenly felt, bore into his very essence, raising questions about the nature of this cosmic journey.
The journey through the abyss continued, and Tohm found himself propelled further into the unknown. The surreal encounters with the cosmic entities of Petrichor 5 left him with more questions than answers. As he hurtled through the darkness, guided by the purple light in the distance, the mysteries of this cosmic realm unfolded like a cosmic tapestry, revealing layers of existence beyond the comprehension of mortal minds.
As he traveled Tohm started to feel heavy and realized he was going into an island of strange appearance. Crashing into the rock with some force he got up and observed his surroundings. he looked around and was absolutely astonised with what he was seeing it was a stone coil laid down with it ferrying random objects to the left side of the island and beyond. He felt the ground, it was like sea grass it waved the same way and grew about the same height but was pink, the dirt under it was white with black specks. Ignoring the coil he could see upright seaweed but it was a pale white and he saw galaxy looking purple growths under an overhang that he swore he saw his galaxy in these starry purple blobs.
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Tohm, heavy and disoriented, found himself on an island of surreal and otherworldly appearance after crashing into a rock. As he gathered himself and looked around, astonishment washed over him at the bizarre sights that greeted his eyes.
The island featured a massive stone coil, curving and ferrying random objects to the left side and beyond. The coil seemed to be a peculiar force of nature, its purpose shrouded in cosmic mystery. As Tohm observed, he couldn't help but marvel at the intricate dance of the stone coil, its movements defying the conventional laws of the natural world.
Turning his attention away from the coil, Tohm noticed the ground beneath him. It resembled sea grass in its waviness and height, but it had a distinct pink hue. When he touched it, it responded like real sea grass, adding to the surreal nature of the environment. The soil beneath the pink sea grass was a striking contrast—white with black specks, creating a stark and captivating landscape.
Moving further, Tohm discovered upright seaweed, but this seaweed was an otherworldly pale white. The galaxy-looking purple growths beneath an overhang captured his attention, their starry patterns resembling galaxies in the cosmic expanse. Tohm felt a strange connection with these celestial-like blobs, as if they held the echoes of his own galaxy within their mysterious depths.
As he explored the island, each discovery unveiled a new layer of cosmic wonder. The environment, a harmonious blend of familiar and alien elements, spoke to the intricate design that defined Petrichor 5. Tohm, amidst the strangeness, felt a sense of awe and reverence for the cosmic tapestry that unfolded before him—an island that seemed to exist at the intersection of reality and dreams.
He looked more around the island till he saw a little hut that looked like it belonged to something he moved closer, then realizing he had no weapons just clothes. But still further he aproached starting to hear and smell, a fire! Mabye it was his pals, but then he heard a old voice say "I know you are there, please come in.". Astonished by what he just heard Tohm obliged, going into the door way he noticed pieces of art that looked like paintings of the purple whales. Going down the stairs he saw a purple and black shelled creature sitting near a fire, he walked over to the dirt seat across from it.
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Tohm, curious and cautiously intrigued, approached the little hut on the island. The absence of weapons dawned on him, leaving him with only his clothes as he ventured further. As he neared the hut, the scent of a fire reached his senses, and he started to hear the crackling flames within.
The realization that this could be a gathering place for his companions filled him with hope. Yet, as he reached the doorway, a voice, weathered by time, reached his ears, saying, "I know you are there, please come in." Astonished by the unexpected invitation, Tohm obliged, stepping through the doorway.
Inside, he found a space adorned with pieces of art that resembled paintings of the purple whales, mirroring the cosmic wonders he had encountered on his journey. Descending a set of stairs, he discovered a room with a fire, where a purple and black-shelled creature sat, bathed in the warm glow.
Tohm approached, choosing a dirt seat across from the creature. The air was filled with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. The creature looked up, its eyes holding both wisdom and a sense of mystery. The firelight danced across the room, casting shadows on the walls adorned with depictions of the enigmatic purple whales.
As Tohm settled into his seat, he couldn't help but wonder about the nature of this encounter. The old voice that had welcomed him, the paintings on the walls, and the presence of the purple and black-shelled creature all hinted at a deeper connection to the cosmic mysteries of Petrichor 5. Seated across from the creature, Tohm awaited the next chapter of his journey, guided by the inexplicable forces that had brought him to this island sanctuary.
"So whats your story, soldier" said the humanoid armored creature. Tohm, explained his story and what he was doing before ending up here. The creature chuckled, then started to remove its head revealing an aged man with purple markings on his face. He said "Thats cute they sent a team to recover the Contact Light, speaking of whats the number of crew alive now?" "0 living, all MIA." A tear started emerge from the mans eyes. he wiped it with a gloved hand and said "My name is Arthur Creed, captain of the Contact Light" Tohm replied "Tohm mechanics division."
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"So, what's your story, soldier?" inquired the humanoid armored creature, its voice echoing within the confines of the hut. Tohm began recounting his tale, explaining the expedition, the battles on Petrichor 5, and the mysterious journey that led him to this island sanctuary.
The creature chuckled, a sound that resonated with a mix of understanding and amusement. To Tohm's surprise, the creature then started to remove its head, revealing beneath it the visage of an aged man with purple markings on his face. The transformation from armored being to a human caught Tohm off guard.
With a warm smile, the man introduced himself, saying, "That's cute they sent a team to recover the Contact Light. Speaking of, what's the number of crew alive now?" Tohm hesitated for a moment, then replied, "0 living, all MIA." A tear welled up in the man's eyes. He wiped it away with a gloved hand and spoke again, "My name is Arthur Creed, captain of the Contact Light."
Tohm, still processing the revelation, responded with a nod of acknowledgment. "Tohm, mechanics division," he introduced himself. The hut, adorned with paintings of the purple whales and surrounded by the mysteries of Petrichor 5, felt like a meeting place of past and present.
As Tohm and Captain Arthur Creed exchanged glances, a profound connection formed between them. The cosmic dance that had brought them together on this island sanctuary now bound them through shared experiences and the weight of lost comrades.
Seated across from the aged captain, Tohm prepared to delve into the untold chapters of Petrichor 5's mysteries. The journey, which had started with cosmic anomalies and surreal encounters, now extended into the heart of the Contact Light's story—a tale that intertwined with the very fabric of Providence's sanctuary.
"So, captain where are we? It dosen't look like a planet to me." Arthur sighed "We're in the void an expanse that goes infinitely down and never out. A place of horrors that make the interplanetary wars look like a joke." Tohm kept asking questions that the captain would answer with ease. The captain told Tohm that the whales ferry things to the voidling and other places in this abyss. The captain also told Tohm about the void monsters that roam islands, lesser beings serving the higher minds of this realm. Then Tohm asked "I felt something watch me as I floated to the island, do you know what it is?" the captain pausing for the first time in hours looked dead ahead at a painting of an island. "It is The Leviathan a consumer of all that tries to pass through the layers without using the gravity wells.".
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"So, Captain, where are we? It doesn't look like a planet to me," Tohm inquired, his curiosity undeterred by the surreal surroundings. Arthur Creed sighed, the weight of untold stories and cosmic mysteries evident in his expression. "We're in the void, an expanse that goes infinitely down and never out. A place of horrors that make the interplanetary wars look like a joke."
Tohm continued to ask questions, and the captain, with the ease of one who had traversed the cosmic expanse for years, shared his knowledge. He spoke of the whales ferrying things to the Voidling and other places in this abyss. Captain Creed recounted tales of void monsters that roamed the islands, lesser beings serving the higher minds of this realm.
As the conversation unfolded, Tohm couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and trepidation. The cosmic tapestry of the void seemed to extend beyond the limits of comprehension, revealing layers of existence that challenged the very nature of reality.
Then, Tohm brought up a lingering sensation he had experienced during his journey. "I felt something watch me as I floated to the island. Do you know what it is?" The captain, pausing for the first time in hours, looked dead ahead at a painting of an island. "It is The Leviathan, a consumer of all that tries to pass through the layers without using the gravity wells."
Tohm absorbed this revelation, the name "The Leviathan" resonating with a profound sense of danger and power. The layers of the void, the creatures that dwelled within, and the enigmatic nature of this cosmic realm unfolded before him like chapters in a vast, untold epic.
Seated in the hut adorned with paintings, Tohm and Captain Arthur Creed delved deeper into the mysteries of the void, their words echoing in the cosmic silence that enveloped Providence's sanctuary. The island, suspended in the cosmic dance, held the echoes of a tale that transcended the boundaries of space and time—a tale that Tohm was now a part of, bound by the threads of fate that connected the living and the abyss.
As the pair of humans settled to sleep, they heard a otherworldly noise then a clicking and tapping after that a sound of a portal closing. The captain packed all the things in the room in a hurry then woke up Tohm saying "They are here.". Tohm jumped up grabbing what little he had and following the Captain out the door. He sprinted towards the kelp grove after Arthur. After they took cover hiding in the kelp, Tohm noticed that same creature that supposedly got him here, except there were more. Followed by a strange bipedal, black and purple lobster that towered over a creature an already tall creature. Arthur pointed out that when he first got here they sent the lobsters after him. He also knows that they act as some sort of jailer for the minor things that arrive in the void. After some time Arthur whispered "They'll search the whole island, we have to get out of here or we're dead meat, we'll have to take the gravity well.". Tohm replied "Where will that leave us?" "No idea but they've never came with this much force." They agreed that they would make a run for it, jump into the gravity well and see where it takes them. So they ran. Sprinting out of the kelp the void creatures immediately noticed them the lobster like creature firing void orbs at them. They jump and feel a tugging sensation floating them away deeper into darkness.
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As the pair of humans settled down to sleep, the eerie quiet of the void surrounded them. Suddenly, an otherworldly noise filled the air, accompanied by clicking and tapping sounds. A portal closed, signaling the arrival of beings from the cosmic expanse. Captain Arthur Creed, reacting swiftly, packed their belongings in a hurry and woke up Tohm, urgently whispering, "They are here."
Tohm, roused from sleep, grabbed what little he had and followed the captain out of the room. They sprinted towards the kelp grove, seeking cover amidst the alien vegetation. As they hid, Tohm observed the arrival of the creatures, including the one that had supposedly brought him to this place. The eerie atmosphere intensified as strange bipedal, black and purple lobsters joined the group, towering over the other creatures.
Arthur pointed out that the lobsters acted as jailers for the minor entities that arrived in the void. The situation became tense as the creatures began searching the island. Arthur, whispering to Tohm, realized the urgency of their predicament, saying, "They'll search the whole island; we have to get out of here, or we're dead meat. We'll have to take the gravity well."
Tohm, uncertain but trusting the captain's experience, asked, "Where will that leave us?" Arthur admitted, "No idea, but they've never come with this much force." With a silent understanding, they decided to make a run for it, sprinting towards the gravity well in a desperate attempt to escape the impending threat.
As they emerged from the kelp, the void creatures immediately noticed them. The lobster-like creature fired void orbs, and in a desperate sprint, Tohm and Arthur jumped into the gravity well, feeling a tugging sensation that whisked them away deeper into the darkness of the void. The unknown destination awaited, and the two humans plunged into the cosmic currents, leaving the island sanctuary behind, shrouded in the enigma of the void.
As they travelled through the void the pair of survivors looked into the deep expanse wondering what could be at the bottom or the top. "I'm going to sleep through the trip, I suggest you do to." Arthur said. "Noted." Tohm replied. While they were floating Tohm felt uneasy like he was being hunted and his suspicions were confirmed when the void started to move. "As you struggle against the void, you may find that every path you take just brings you deeper, deeper, yet deeper." "Who's there?" "Deeper into curiosity, deeper into hubris, and deeper into creation." The void replied. And then Tohm saw it The Leviathan, a massive creature with eyes that resembled the stars in a night sky and scales as black as it's surroundings. Then it spoke some more "You will never find your way out mortal, nothing ever comes out. I have seen creatures of monumental power go through this void and to think you have chance of making it out. You are a fool." Tohm was in awe at the massive creature it was mythical in size and appearence, and to think this being was sparing his life he couldnt comprehend it.
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As Tohm and Arthur floated through the void, their thoughts filled with uncertainty about their destination, the deep expanse around them seemed to hold secrets that defied comprehension. Arthur, expressing fatigue, decided to sleep through the journey, and Tohm, acknowledging the suggestion, prepared to do the same.
However, a sudden uneasiness gripped Tohm. It was as if the void itself was alive and watching, and his suspicions were confirmed when the void started to move. A mysterious voice echoed through the cosmic currents, speaking of struggle, curiosity, hubris, and creation. Tohm, bewildered, asked, "Who's there?"
The voice responded, "Deeper into curiosity, deeper into hubris, and deeper into creation," leaving Tohm with an eerie sense of foreboding. As the voice continued, an awe-inspiring sight unfolded before him—the Leviathan, a colossal creature with eyes resembling the stars and scales as black as the surrounding void.
"You will never find your way out, mortal. Nothing ever comes out. I have seen creatures of monumental power go through this void, and to think you have a chance of making it out. You are a fool," the Leviathan declared. Tohm, in the presence of this mythical being, was both humbled and astonished. The Leviathan's words resonated with a truth that transcended mortal understanding, and Tohm struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the encounter.
The Leviathan, a creature of immense power, spared Tohm's life, leaving him in a state of profound awe. As they continued their journey through the cosmic currents, the Leviathan's presence lingered, a reminder of the vast mysteries that unfolded in the depths of the void—an expanse where mortal beings grappled with forces beyond their comprehension.
The Leviathan was speaking but wasn't moving it's mouth, it followed the humans observing them repeating phrases and sometimes responding to some of the things Tohm said. "There is one who has escaped a creature silenced by the void but as loud as rolling thunder. It's purpose is vengeance and it will not stop." The Leviathan muttered. Tohm wondered how long this godlike being had lived for and what it had seen while existing in this realm between space and logic.ChatGPT
As Tohm and Arthur continued their journey through the void, the Leviathan, a creature of cosmic magnitude, accompanied them with its haunting words. The Leviathan's presence transcended mere physicality; it spoke without moving its mouth, and its eyes, resembling the stars, followed the humans' every move.
"There is one who has escaped, a creature silenced by the void but as loud as rolling thunder. Its purpose is vengeance, and it will not stop," the Leviathan muttered, its words echoing in the cosmic currents. Tohm pondered the enigmatic message, wondering about the identity of this escaped creature and the tales it carried within the timeless expanse of the void.
The Leviathan, a being that seemed to exist beyond the constraints of mortal understanding, continued to observe the humans, responding to Tohm's thoughts and words. As Tohm considered the vastness of the Leviathan's existence, he couldn't help but wonder about the timeless wisdom and the cosmic stories the Leviathan held within its mythical form.
In the realm between space and logic, where the Leviathan reigned as a godlike entity, Tohm found himself immersed in a journey that transcended the boundaries of mortal comprehension. The Leviathan, a silent witness to the eons that passed in the void, guided them through the cosmic currents, leaving Tohm to ponder the mysteries that unfolded in the company of this enigmatic and ancient being.
After what seemed like an eternity they had spotted a quite large island with a large twisting structure in the middle. The Leviathan had delved back into the infinite depths of the void leaving Tohm in utter silence. As they got closer Tohm woke up the Captain and they observed this new island, it was strange it had this wierd ramp to an oval frame and a gravity well like system snaking around the island. This island was much larger than the previous one it had rock spires, a larger void kelp forest, plus a middle island that had a strange form.
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As the journey through the void stretched on, Tohm and Arthur eventually spotted a sizable island with a large twisting structure at its center. The Leviathan, having retreated into the infinite depths of the void, left them in silence. As they approached the island, Tohm woke up the Captain, and together, they observed the strange features of this newfound land.
The island was peculiar, featuring a weird ramp leading to an oval frame and a gravity well-like system snaking around its perimeter. It dwarfed the previous island in size, showcasing towering rock spires, an expansive void kelp forest, and a central structure with an unfamiliar form.
Tohm and Arthur, having left behind the cosmic currents and the enigmatic company of the Leviathan, now faced a new set of mysteries on this uncharted island. As they drew nearer, the details of the landscape became clearer, inviting them to explore the secrets that awaited within the depths of this cosmic sanctuary. The island, with its peculiar architecture and unique features, beckoned them to uncover the untold tales hidden within its rocky spires and swirling void kelp forest.
When they arrived they swam out of the well and landed on the island, looking around Tohm was eager to find some rations or even better a real meal. Arthur walked to the central island using a stone bridge covered in pink moss like it was ancient, he then walked up the ramp to the crumbling oval frame and pondered what it could be for. Tohm was still looking for food when he found a large stone plate that had a purple liquid in it, Tohm being to hungry to care what it is cupped some up in his hand and drank it. It was nourishing but tasted like seafood, that made alot of sense in his mind.ChatGPT
As Tohm and Arthur arrived on the new island, their immediate priorities diverged. Tohm, driven by the urgency of hunger, began searching for rations or any semblance of a real meal. Meanwhile, Arthur walked toward the central island, using a stone bridge covered in pink moss that seemed to carry the weight of ages. He ascended the ramp leading to a crumbling oval frame, his thoughts consumed by the mysteries it held.
Tohm's quest for sustenance led him to a surprising discovery—a large stone plate containing a purple liquid. Driven by hunger and a willingness to take risks, Tohm cupped some of the liquid in his hand and drank it. The taste was unmistakably seafood, fitting for the alien environment they found themselves in.
Arthur, lost in thought by the oval frame, speculated on its purpose. The island, with its ancient structures and intriguing features, seemed to hold a myriad of untold tales. As Tohm sated his immediate hunger, the exploration of the island's mysteries awaited, inviting the two survivors to uncover the secrets that lingered within its enigmatic landscapes. The convergence of their individual journeys on this cosmic sanctuary hinted at a narrative yet to unfold—a tale woven from the threads of the void and the echoes of ancient mysteries.
As time went on the pair began to settle down, and wander the island mapping it out and using the not so natural utilities to their best known extent. They found carvings that told a story of an innocent trapped in the void, held against it's will it became spiteful and seeked an unstoppable vengeance. It was accidently let out by a stranger who wandered into and then out of this strange land helped by bobbles and trinkets. "Strange story, wonder who carved it?" Tohm remarked. "Whoever it was it was recent and awfully detailed." the Captain replied. They wandered to the front of the island and came into view of the hole in the sky that the whales went back and forth into. They sat down talked and Tohm took thought about the Leviathans words, they might be true he thought but this isnt so bad. And they watched the void the starry space like it was once in a lullaby.
ChatGPT
As time passed, Tohm and Captain Arthur Creed settled into a routine on the mysterious island, mapping its features and utilizing the not-so-natural utilities to their best extent. They discovered carvings that told a captivating story—an innocent entity trapped in the void, driven to vengeance after being held against its will. The tale unfolded with the accidental release of this being by a stranger who wandered into and then out of the strange land, aided by bobbles and trinkets.
"Strange story. Wonder who carved it?" Tohm remarked, examining the intricate details etched into the rock. Captain Arthur Creed pondered the same, noting, "Whoever it was, it was recent and awfully detailed."
As they explored further, they reached the front of the island and beheld the hole in the sky where the whales went back and forth. Sitting down, they engaged in conversation, and Tohm reflected on the Leviathan's words. Despite the potential dangers that lay ahead, the tranquility of the island offered a respite, a moment to appreciate the starry expanse of the void.
Tohm, Captain Arthur, and the island itself became intertwined in a cosmic dance—one that unfolded with each passing moment, revealing the mysteries of the void and the echoes of ancient tales. As they watched the void, the starry space seemed to lull them into a contemplative state, inviting them to ponder the enigma of their existence within the timeless expanse of Petrichor 5.

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

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

I really just wanted to get this story off my chest. I sought out help with some issues before on another account and but ended up deleting it because some people decided that they were green lit to brigade me with rather unpleasant messages. Sometimes I feel truly alone now.
I guess a bit of back story to start out.
I lived in a decent rental property out in a rural area in the SE U.S. I am a male, mid-30s at the time, divorced, decent job and all around not a bad life all things considered. I had family nearby and friends who seemed to care, and there was a woman in my life that seemed like we were a pretty good match for each other. This was back in 2019 right before the big covid epidemic really ramped up.
I had no idea it was all about to end.
At 3am on a thursday night, I was awoken to a loud knock on my door. I put on some slippers and looked out the peephole. There was a police officer standing there. I hadn't done anything illegal and had no reason to fear a police run in. My first thought was that something was wrong with someone in my family. I opened the door and he asked my name. I confirmed and he grabbed hold of me and yanked me out. More officers from around the corner pinned me to the wall and cuffed me. I asked what was happening and received a punch to the head for my troubles.
I was rather stunned and horribly confused. They drug me out to where they had parked, just out of the line of sight for me to see from my door. I was tossed into the car and eventually one of them got in and finally answered my question of what was going on.
I had been charged with rape and child molestation. He didn't tell me who charged me or when, just that there was a warrant out for my arrest.
I was hauled into the county jail at that point. I had never been arrested in my life and I was terrified. I didn't have my phone and couldn't remember anyone's contact information at the time. I was processed, given my mugshot, and put in a small holding cell.
Some time later I got my first appearance and was told my charges, no bail, I was warned not to talk to the judge or I'd regret it. Just answer his questions and sit down when told,
Then they moved me to a very small padded room. There were 4 or 5 police officers I think that moved me. It's a bit hard to remember this part in detail, but I remember enough. They handed me this small cloth vest and told me to strip naked. I had no idea what they were doing and I got really scared. I didn't get asked again. They held me down, ripped my clothes off, and beat the hell out of me right there. They shoved my face against a vent in the floor that served as the toilet. One of them remarked that was where a piece of shit like me belonged and they laughed. They spit on me and left, leaving that small vest laying next to me on the cold rubber floor.
For four weeks, I curled up under that vest in the corner of the room. It was so cold and I didn't dare let that spot cool down. The pain was terrible and the nurses that had to check on me didn't care what I'd went though. I didn't have back problems before that, but now I do. Some days I wake up now and can hardly walk.
I was finally moved to general population. I figured things were finally getting better. I was sure that whatever had started happening would finally be over. I got a message from my family and was able to contact them. I reassured them I had no idea what was happening or who had filed charges or anything. I was as confused as everyone else would be.
I tried telling my mom about the abuse. An officer came back there, told me point blank that if I didn't want to get it again and worse next time, I'd better shut my mouth. It was a threat I'd rather not test out. I kept my mouth shut at that point. I learned that all calls and mail was monitored by the jail.
I asked my mom to get in touch with the woman I'd been seeing to explain things. She's already messaged my mom and told her that she wanted nothing to do with me. I guess all things considered I ended up better off, but it hurt at the time.
A few weeks later, a public attorney had been appointed and came to see me. I was finally about to find out who was behind all this. I figured this was some sort of great big misunderstanding and I'd be home soon.
It was the neighbors daughter. Someone I barely knew and only spoke to in passing. I never touched this girl and I didn't want to either. She had told her parents that I had forced open her window and raped her in the early morning hours and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
I was 6'1 and 230lbs of pudding. I am not stealthy. There was no way I could quietly force open a trailer window and have my way with someone and keep it quiet. regardless though, that's what she claimed to her parents, and then to the police.
Why would that poor precious child lie? Very good question and I never found out the full story. I can speculate a few things on it. They did collect DNA evidence though and it had been sent off for testing.
Something to keep in mind. If you ever been in county lockup for any length of time, you know that nearly everyone claims innocence, and they don't believe other people are. I was locked into a dorm room with actual convicted child sexual predators and actual rapists. Some of whom were violent and had nothing to lose.
It wasn't pleasant and it wasn't fun. I was attacked on occasion simply for my charges.
And remember I said this was pre-covid? Yeah. They shut down the court system. They wouldn't be hearing my case for quite some time and the judge was a real hard ass that refused to set my bond. I spent the next 3 years in county lockup charged with a crime I did not commit.
3 years of my life gone.
I ended up firing my public defender and hiring a real defense attorney. the P.D. told me "things look pretty grim. If you just plea out, you can be home in about 10 years." Hell no. I borrowed the money from my family and got a real attorney. After he reviewed the case he was pretty positive I'd go home, and for a few good reasons.
Let's go to trial.
It finally happened. I got a trial date and I was ready to go. They came at me with another plea deal. The prosecutor said that I had wasted the states valuable time and they offered me 25 yrs in prison or I could lose and never see freedom. I told him to go pound sand.
At the trial, the alleged victim could not keep her story straight. She constantly backtracked and fudged the details of things like "What was he wearing?" or "Things he had said to you before." She also claimed to be a virgin and I took that from her.
I mentioned some time ago that they collected DNA. It was male, but it wasn't mine. Apparently the prosecution sat on those results until it was nearly time for trial. They knew I was innocent and let me sit in jail to entertain their plea deals.
I don't know what really happened that night, I suspect that she had sex with some guy she was seeing, They may have got into a fight and she cried rape, and then changed her mind after she'd started. She needed a rapist though and she just randomly chose a guy nearby that she didn't care anything about. Maybe she got in too deep and knew that if she backtracked she'd be in trouble.
I went home that day, found not guilty of all charges. I was thankful to be back with my family. Many of my so called friends abandoned me though. A few stuck around and those are the good ones.
My facebook arrest post had my full name and address and plenty of people wished for my death. "I'd be glad to put a bullet in him if they'd just let me" or "I know that guy. I knew there was something wrong with him the moment I met him."
I lost my home and a few things had been stolen before my family could secure it. Nothing irreplaceable I guess, but it still feels bad to of lost a few things I cared about.
In addition to severe back pain, the mental damage I got from this has been crippling. No matter how much I try, I just can't seem to get my life together. I am absolutely terrified of women as I know what just a few errant words can do. I don't think I could ever form another meaningful relationship because of those fears. I'm scared of the police as well. I fear they'll come after me again just like they did that night. They could kill me and get away with it these days.
Mostly I stay inside my moms house. Some days I'm ok. Others, I'm just so scared to go out. This isn't really a good life anymore. Counseling is somewhat helping at least.
There's no lawsuit that can be filed. The state doesn't have to answer for anything because they followed the letter of the law and the pandemic gave them emergency powers to do certain things. There's no lawsuit against the girl either as she never said it was made up. There's laws to protect her.
My life was ruined despite all charges being dropped. I honestly am not sure I can recover from this nightmare. There's plenty of details I left out, but I've talked enough as it is. I'm tired now. I expect people to call me a rapist or chomo anyways, innocent or not. For some, an accusation is enough proof for them.

Recently, I achieved an exciting milestone—I earned my first paycheck. This was not only a validation of my skills and effort but also a testament to the success of the project I had poured my heart into—SEO AI.
For the past few months, I had been dedicated to developing a tool to help website administrators optimize their sites. Here are the steps I took to earn my first income:

• Identifying the Need: Recognizing the growing importance of SEO in the digital world, I saw an opportunity to create a solution that would simplify website optimization for busy site owners.
• Research and Development: With a clear vision in mind, I delved into research, studying the latest SEO trends and techniques. I collaborated with experts in the field to refine my ideas and ensure that SEO AI would meet user needs.
• Designing SEO AI: Combining my newfound knowledge with my expertise in AI development, I created SEO AI—a comprehensive tool that goes beyond traditional keyword detection to provide personalized optimization suggestions and content creation capabilities.
• Testing and Feedback: Before launching SEO AI to the public, I conducted extensive tests to eliminate any bugs and ensure a seamless user experience. I also sought feedback from beta testers to fine-tune the tool and address any areas needing improvement.
• Launch and Promotion: As SEO AI was ready for prime time, I turned to community platforms to spread the word. For instance, I engaged with relevant subreddits on Reddit, introducing SEO AI through informative posts that highlighted its features and benefits. I made sure these posts were not overly promotional but focused on providing value and solving problems for community members. I actively addressed queries and gathered feedback. This engagement built trust and encouraged more users to try out SEO AI.
• Customer Acquisition: Within a few days of my Reddit launch, positive feedback and word-of-mouth recommendations started pouring in. Website owners who had been struggling with SEO found SEO AI helpful in optimizing their sites, and many eagerly signed up for the service.
• Monetization: As users began to see the value of SEO AI, I implemented a subscription-based pricing model, offering different tiers to cater to various needs and budgets. The steady stream of subscriptions soon translated into my first paycheck.
• Feedback Loop and Iteration: With the increase in revenue, I did not rest on my laurels. Instead, I continued to gather user feedback, analyze data, and iteratively improve SEO AI to ensure it stays ahead. I also recently added a Blog writing feature.

In conclusion, the journey from concept to earning my first paycheck through SEO AI has been a testament to dedication, innovation, and perseverance. By leveraging community platforms like Reddit for promotion, I was able to interact directly with potential users and build a loyal customer base. Looking forward, I'm excited to continue pushing the boundaries and assist website owners in achieving their online goals with SEO AI. If you're interested, you can check it out here.

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

I was diagnosed Long Covid with dysautonomia. I'm male, 47, no serious health issues in the summer of 2023. From late August 2023 to mid May 2024 I've had numerous symptoms:

• blackouts, lightheadedness, dizziness, headaches
• shortness of breath, spontaneous rapid inhaling
• heart palpitations, high resting heart rate, racing heart beats
• high anxiety, panic attacks
• urine leakage/seepage, swollen/aching pelvic region, urine urgency/frequency, nocturia, weak stream
• nausea, loss of appetite, constipation
• hot hands and forearms, icy cold feet
• loss fine motor control in hands
• extreme fatigue, severe exhaustion, tiredness, crashes from mild exertion
• poor concentration, memory loss, confusion
• sad thoughts, mood swings, depression
• blurry vision, watery eyes, eye strain/soreness, floating dots in vision
• swollen dry mouth, phlegm mouth, excessive saliva, bleeding gums, swollen/chapped lips
• night sweats, excessive sweating throughout day
• muscle jolts/twitches
• joint pain
• itchy/stinging skin
• hair loss

It started with heart issues and standing issues, then mood swings, then urinary problems, blurry vision, cognitive decline, extreme fatigue, muscle jolts, constipation, and so on.
By November I had terrible urinary issues never seen before, excruciating perineum pain, nocturia, leakage, the list goes on.
My ability to function was dropping so rapidly I had a "will" made because I thought I'd be dead in a year.
I went to Urgent Care, ER, Urology, GP, another GP, Therapist, to try to find solutions. Tests came up negative, or misdiagnosed, or nothing found.
Late December to mid March I was in bed nearly 24 hours/day. Routine tasks like doing laundry or brushing teeth were nearly impossible. Most days I'd only eat 1 meal, like a sandwich or cereal. I couldn't think clearly, forgot my phone number, lifting light objects was exhausting. Days that I could stay up for a few hours I'd have YouTube running in the background.
In January a Psych prescribed Duloxetine for anxiety and depression. A friend mentioned his brother had LC, that maybe I had it. I didn't think much of it. I couldn't think straight anyway and had no energy.
From mid March to mid April I could stay awake 4 to 8 hours a day, daily headaches and eye strain felt like a hangover. Some issues were subsiding or gone but others remained and new ones appeared. I could do light reading and actually comprehend what I was reading.
By mid April I could stay awake about 12 hours, sometimes more, and had strength to start investigating LC. Came to realize Long Covid often has many symptoms, and mine kept piling up and were similar experiences as others. Maybe it was LC.
Late April 2024 I started taking numerous supplements to combat symptoms, especially inflammation. Then I found a Long Covid Center that said it looks like LC with dysautonomia. I hadn't heard of dysautonomia before. I've been making progress slowly week by week, with some setbacks and recurrences.
My nutrition was never great but now it's healthier than before, eating less processed foods and more fresh fruits, vegetables, whole wheat, grainy stuff.
For supplements, it's hard to assess what helps, and where, if at all, since there are so many. I also need to watch for side effects, but so far no issues for me. Here's what I'm taking:

• Rx Duloxetine: anxiety, depression
• Curcumin/Turmeric: anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antioxidant, depression
• Bromelain: anti-inflammatory, antiviral
• Pycnogenol: anti-inflammatory, blood vessels endothelium
• Quercetin: anti-inflammatory, genitourinary
• Cordyceps: anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial
• Probiotics with multiple strains: digestion, antiviral, immune, concentration, fatigue, memory
• Resveratrol: anti-inflammatory, prevent blood clots
• Nattokinase: blood clots
• Serrapeptase: anti-inflammatory
• D-mannose: genitourinary, antibacterial
• Omega 3: anti-inflammatory, anxiety, depression
• Saw palmetto: anti-inflammatory, genitourinary
• Magnesium: heart, anti-inflammatory, anxiety, depression
• Loratadine: antihistamine
• Garlic: anti-inflammatory
• Ginger: anti-inflammatory
• Biotin/Keratin: hair, skin, nails
• Zinc: immune system
• Vitamin B complex: energy
• Vitamin C: immune
• Vitamin D3: mood, immune

Anyone use any of these or others with success? Please let me know. Best wishes to everyone here.

I know her ass isn’t fucking talking because she dropped out of high school and had to get her GED. 💀🤦‍♀️she’s so messy and gossipy! A drama talker! Idk how to say but she’s messy yk? She does not resemble a mother at all to me. I graduated high school but the thing is, I was close to not doing so because of my math grades. I have a learning disability being dyscalculia. I has to take multiple personalized tests for IEP. I was in a whole program because of my diability. It’s not my fault is it? I felt so shitty about her doing that. Someone please tell me I have a shit mother and she shouldn’t have said that. I would say I can’t believe her but atp i’m not shocked. For context; my Nmom was having another emotional outburst like a child and proceeded to belittle my personal life and struggles. She was bouncing all over the place, one minute she’s criticizing my life, my relationships, my education then saying I almost failed high school then calling me selfish, spoiled, mean, rude, disrespectful. I’m none of those things. My Nmom was slandering me left and right while she sits there because she’s not getting her way. Because her daughter is “randomly” going no contact with her and calls herself a victim. Absolutely disgusting. I legit told her ONE of the reason why I’m going contact is because of her behavior at this moment. everything that comes out of that women’s mouth is another bridge being burnt. She just keeps being toxic and won’t refuse to be self aware of it. My Nmom is extremely twisted and toxic. The reason why she’s calling me these things is because I’m grey rocking her, essentially her child being me, wants nothing to do with her. She is abusive and acts like she has no clue what the reason is.
I wanted to explain myself, I wanted to explain my disability and out of all people my mother should understand it. I STILL GRADUATED DIDNT I? It seems like she’s jealous that I graduated, walked across the stage and got my dimploma by the hair while she had to go get her GED. She can’t let me be happy about the fact I graduated, instead she wants to remind me of the misfortune of it all. She’s just so miserable and mean. I have an learning disability that also hindered my performance but I pushed though and did what I needed to do to pass. I got extra help. I did what I needed to do! I even got a scholarship for college. She’s acting like i’m a whimp. I know my mother is a narcissist but what TYPE of mother is she? Is she the mother who’s jealous of their daughters? The mother who wants everything the daughter achieves for herself? I’m not sure.

So I’ve been dealing with some symptoms recently. My doctor want to say diabetes took blood test but apparently I got to wait till Jun 3 for everything got a glucose meter seem normal . Last week I was dealing with dizziness and confusion with excessive thirst and urination only vomited once that week after drinking milk. Also have excessive yawning and shortness of breath also had high blood pressure. Today it was a little dizzy not much but a lot of shortness of breath and yawning when I was in the restroom I had the feeling of vomiting i tried but couldn’t because it was 5:30 and that was way past lunch so there was nothing to throw up that paired with thirst and dry mouth even after drinking nearly 2 gallons already. Check glucose and it was 117mg/dl so normal.

I just had protected oral and vaginal sex plus light mouth kissing at a massage parlor in Vancouver. I understand that the risk is minimal since protection was used, but I am still going to take an STI test in 2-3 weeks.
Nevertheless, I am worried that it would be immoral to kiss or have sex with anybody else in the interim without telling them that I was recently with a sex worker. Am I being overly paranoid, or is this the right call?
Thanks in advance for any input or advice!

3rd night of inventory, we were looking for open boxes, mislabeled, all kinds of things ya know in our done sections. I came from EC ganden over to electric and this kid was like. What you doing where you been? Ummm you’re not a manager tone it down dude and you know what we’re doing? He said it in front of the whole night crew unloading pallets and what not? He barely talks anyways and at that point you wanna run your mouth a bit like a big boy.
He is 21 and a church freak so where did that tone come from?
Do managers have other employees test your patience?

Hey all, this is going to be a long post but I really appreciate everyone’s time to read (and comment on) this.
So basically, my husband is from China (turned SG citizen) and I’m a Singaporean. We met and work and got married less than a year of dating (we knew each other for a couple of years while working together). My husband left his hometown almost 20 years ago to come to SG to study and work, alone. So when we got together, he was living in a rented room alone and we basically just called his mother once a week or so. We got married during Covid period so we only had an intimate ceremony with about 10pax, and I didn’t get to see my MIL or any of his side of the family. Soon after, I got pregnant with our first child and the Covid 19 restrictions eased up, so he talked about flying his mum over to SG (with no return date because he was intending to get apply a LTVP for her on the grounds that she’s here to take care of her grandson), and he did as planned. That was in year 2021.
At first, I was really excited to meet my MIL, I mean, it’s just like having another mother and she seemed really friendly over the video calls. BUT, when she came, ONE DAY AFTER MY CHILD WAS BORN, she was supposed to take care of my confinement and she really didn’t do a good job at all. On the first day when she came, my mum (who has a full time job), guided her on what are the things she can cook for my confinement, and she even bought some fresh meat and kept in the freezer and told BOTH my MIL and my husband. Turns out, they both said they didn’t hear it and for dinner that night which is the first meal that she was supposed to cook for me, my husband just went down to buy takeaway food back. For Chinese, during confinement, we need to drink HOT Longan red date tea, and I told my hubby and my MIL, well, she cooks it everyday BUT she just leaves it in a regular Tupperware container that doesn’t keep warm and every time I wanted to drink I had to add some hot water myself. I spoke to my husband about it, I even told him that before my child was born, MY MUM specifically went to buy a new thermal flask for me for that purpose and he knew it all along. Well, instead of correcting his mum, he went against me and said why bother since I always don’t finish the drink also. His mum only cooks the food that my husband likes to eat, well understandable, but the most I got from her was just a bowl of soup and sometimes kept the leftover for the next meal (along with all the other dishes she cooked for her son). And when I told my husband about this, he said he will speak to his mum and he even went online to search for a few menus and ask me to choose what I wanted to eat. I did, but the food never changed lol. When I asked him why, he said ‘aiya i see the menu, most of the food you also don’t like to eat one Ma’ and I’m like, ‘but weren’t you the one who gave me the choice in the first place? And didn’t I already choose the menu?’
But that’s not all, I can take care of myself. The worst nightmare is when my MIL tries to poke her nose into my business and how I take care of my baby. Whenever it was time to feed the baby, she will ALWAYS ask me if I was going to breast feed or formula feed. It came to a point where I was really so stressed I closed the door and shifted all my breastfeeding equipment snd baby formula and milk bottle into my room so I could get everything done inside. Even so, when I carry the baby out to her to play, she will still question like why she heard the baby crying etc, DUHHHH BABIES CRY WHAT 🙄 and when I swaddle my baby, she always removed the swaddle and wrap him loosely for his sleep, saying that the baby doesn’t like to be swaddled. I told her it’s not safe to have the blanket loosely wrapped on him and also swaddling will make the baby feel safe and not keep getting jump scares. She never listened and one day, my son started vomiting a lot of milk after each feed, we brought him in to the doctors and the PD asked if anyone was sick at home, and we said no. The next thing he asked if the baby is usually swaddled, and I said not really, so he said it could be that the baby’s free hands were touching everything and he just put it in his mouth causing germs and eventually led to stomach flu. My boy was just 2 months old people.
I also paid for MY OWN postnatal massage and when the lady came, my MIL asked to carry the baby outside cause she said the smell was too strong and not good for the baby. ERM HELLO? These people even help to massage newborns as part of the routine for goodness sake. Anyway I didn’t want to argue with her in front of an outsider so I let her take my son out of the room. To my extreme shock, when I went out, I saw my son sleeping, wrapped in a thick blanket, with a KNITTED SWEATER on top of him, windows closed, blinds turned down, NO FAN NO AIRCON. I immediately told my husband to bring him back to me and I asked why didn’t he stop his mum, the baby could easily get over heated, and he just told me like his mum just switched off the fan. Excuse me it’s so freaking HOT IN SG. Ever since then, I cancelled my following sessions because I really couldn’t stand her taking care of my son THAT WAY.
So anyway, she eventually went back after 4 months of hell and we were back to our normal lives. My husband was then offered a job in Japan and he decided to take it up. So we moved to Japan with our then 8 months old son, and I got pregnant soon after. And my husband suggested to let his mum come to take care of me, I immediately refused. Who knows how much distress she was gonna cause me.
When my second son was born and hit 3 months old, we planned a trip back to China and stayed there for 2 weeks. She offered to take care of him while we bring our older son out to play. While we were out, I would ask her from time to time how’s the baby and she will always say he’s fine. Then one day, I found out that she left the baby ALONE at home TWICE on the same day. Once to go down to collect a parcel, and another time to go to the rooftop to hang the bedsheets. When I told my husband about it, he went, ‘butthe baby was sleeping Ma’. That got me so furious I told him YOU NEVER LET A BABY OUT OF YOUR SIGHT, NOT AT ALL.
She later followed us back to Japan to stay for 3 months (I know,lol). And again, started to meddle with small things like what I wear for my kids outdoors, or whether to on the air con or fan (she’s always saying the kids are cold)🙄 before I agreed to let her come, I told my husband that I have 2 conditions;

1. Not to speak their native language in front of my son as much as possible (cause my son seems to be having trouble speaking with the many languages that he is hearing)
2. Follow my way to care for the kids.

He readily agreed but NEVER FULFILLED THEM. I have to send my older son to school eveyday and my younger son would be with my MIL at home. Each time he naps, he would only nap for 20 mins max under her care. He also refused to drink milk when she tries to feed. And after some time, I noticed when she makes the milk, it’s always HALF hot water, HALF room temp. And sometimes when he refuses to drink she would keep the milk warm by placing in a bowl of hot water, but when she picks the bottle up to feed him again, she NEVER tested the temperature of the milk and just fed him directly. I think that kind of tramaustised my son and I told her to stop feeding him and that I will take care of him myself.
She never believes me when I told him the baby needs to sleep or wants to sleep. Until I got really fed up and I always pat him to sleep by my own. So basically, her being here not only didn’t help, but it caused me even more unhappiness, and my husband doesn’t see it! He’s always siding her. When I try to talk to him about it, he feels that I am prejudiced against his mum. I even tried to speak to her and she felt like she was already following my way but hell no man.
Anyway fast forward to today, we have been planning a trip back to SG since a few months back, but the trip keeps getting postponed because of my husband’s work load. For the 2 years since we have been in Japan, it has always been like that. I always had to accommodate to his work schedule to go back and is always like, flying off next week and the air tickets are only bought a week before. As a result of this, I often have to make last minute plans to meet up with my friends or to go for my medical appointment (I have medical review for a minor op that I did for a tumor behind my ear, I needed to keep going back to check if the tumor came back). And I was fine with that. But this time round, for the past few weeks I kept asking him if the dates were confirmed and he’s like ya confirmed. Today, when I finally told him to buy the air tickets, he sprung a surprise on me telling me that he intends to go back to China on one of the weekends that we are back in SG. I was really pissed off because:

1. we were only gonna be back for 2 weeks
2. I only have one full weekend with my family cause the second weekend we would be flying back (and my family work on weekdays)
3. He freaking didn’t mention any of this plan for the last few weeks UNTIL I TOLD HIM TO BUY THE AIR TICKETS BACK TO SG When I told him he should have discussed with me, he got pissed off at me as though it’s my fault for being unreasonable to make such a request.

That aside, I’m also kind of dreading to live with my MIL, especially since SHE JUST WENT BACK TO CHINA AFTER LIVING WITH US FOR 4 MONTHS 🙄
I’m sorry for the long post, I’m not really sure what’s my purpose of this. I guess I mainly wanted to RANT and for my feelings to be known. 🥹🥹🥹

i went to the gyno for the 1st time(17) ive had spiking feelings down there,burning,itching . somwtimes it would persist for weeks and then like dissapear?? id try to workout(leg day) but my vag would hurt too much . itd hurt to stretch my leg at times. they did a swab test, and a finger test (id know the results by my 2nd appoiuntment) and the gyno said it might be yeast so they gave me a pill, told me to come back next week. the whole week b4 my next appointment ,my vag didnt seem to feel better. In my 2nd appoointment my gyno said all my tests came back negative, no yeast,she tested for vaginitis and othrer stuff. I started wearing cotton underwear,drinking more water,etc for a few days my vag felt normal?? but it feels bad AGAIN. I feel so tired, idk if i should go to another gyno,

TLDAbstract

Traveling in extreme weather with regular luggage bags/backpacks will ruin your E or T patches within 15 minutes of outdoor exposure. A solution verified in this post is to place patches in a Ziploc inside a wide-mouthed, vacuum-insulated container, and fill with room-temperature water before exiting an airport/hotel. This will keep patches safe for 2 - 3 hours in a hot summer day and allow transit between two climate-controlled environments.

Introduction

Efficacy of transdermal patches are temperature-sensitive and require specific storage. The standard storage condition is between 68 to 77 °F with short excursions permissible up to 86 °F (Estradiol: U.S. Nat. Lib. Med.; Testosterone: U.S. Nat. Lib. Med.). My objective is to identify low-hassle, portable, TSA-compliant solutions that prevent overheating during summer travel scenarios, specifically when transiting between climate-controlled environments such as airports and non-climate-controlled external conditions, which can easily reach 115°F. As you will see in the Results section, patches in even insulated travel bags may reach beyond their temperature limits within 15 minutes of exposure in a typical summer day. I intend to share my findings and provide helpful reference and advice to the people of this subreddit.

Constraints

1. Manufacturer's guidelines: Store between 68 to 77 °F, with short excursions permissible up to 86°F (Estradiol: U.S. Nat. Lib. Med.; Testosterone: U.S. Nat. Lib. Med.).
2. Exclusions:
   1. The use of pre-packed ice and gels is excluded due to: (a) the lower temperature limit for patches is 68°F, risking over-cooling; (b) TSA policies and consequent screening delays; and (c) the extended periods in climate-controlled environments during connecting flights, which decreases the efficacy of pre-packed cooling solutions.
   2. Passive insulin coolers are excluded due to their narrow openings, which require bending of patches that may lead to reduced efficacy.
3. Adding room-temperature water to containers for additional thermal insulation is permitted, as this can readily be accomplished before exiting from an airport (e.g., bathroom taps or purchasing bottled water). Patches are generally water-resistant.

Methods

Three containers— an insulated lunch bag with rubber, foam, and aluminum foil interior, a 500 mL wide-mouthed water bottle/thermos with vacuum insulation, and a 700 mL vacuum-insulated lunch box—were evaluated. Each container was initially cooled to room temperature and then exposed to an ambient temperature emulating a typical summer day in Las Vegas (105°F - 120°F). The containers were placed in shaded, breezeless areas with internal temperatures continuously monitored via a wireless temperature sensor (accuracy: ±0.1°F, calibrated using ice at standard atmosphere), which was placed inside either a ziploc, or a room-temperature water submersed ziploc (Constraints, Item 3). The fail condition for the experiment was set to internal temperature exceeding 84°F, which provides a safety margin to account for delays in sensor response.

Results

Container	Additional Insulation	Ambient Temp (F)	Start Temp (F)	End Temp (F)	Minutes to Fail	+deg F/min	Notes
Lunch bag with rubber, foam and aluminum foil interior	Ziploc	96	74.9	84.2	10	0.930
Vanderbilt Water Bottle/Thermos, vacuum insulated	Ziploc	98	75.6	84.0	37	0.227	Difficult to store patches without bending them
700 mL lunch box, vacuum insulated	Ziploc	99	76.2	84.4	14	0.586	Rectangular shape is well-suited for patches
Vanderbilt Water Bottle/Thermos, vacuum insulated	Filled with room-temp. water + ziploc	102	78.2	84.0	144	0.040
700 mL lunch box, vacuum insulated	Filled with room-temp. water + ziploc	98	77.5	84.0	85	0.076	Rectangular shape is well-suited for patches

Discussion

The results reveal highly variable differences between various containers and insulation methods under high ambient conditions. The thermos filled with room-temperature water and a Ziploc bag proved to be the most effective condition, maintaining an acceptable temperature for 144 minutes with the least rise rate (+0.04°F/min), under an ambient temperature of 102°F. While the lunch box's square shape is most suited for storing patches without bending them, the thermos was shown to insulate better (85 min vs 144 min). All other conditions fail to properly insulate. Notably, even a reasonably insulated lunch bag fails to protect patches for more than 10 minutes of outdoor exposure. It is reasonable to assume that traveling with patches in non-insulated backpacks/luggage bags invariably decreases patch efficacy.
Limitations: A simple temperature threshold (84°F) served as the fail condition, which does not consider any potential cumulative effects of both temperature and duration on patch efficacy. In addition, the containers were tested stationary, which does not represent real-world scenarios where vibrations could increase the rate of convection heat transfer. There was also no normalization of rise rate based on container surface area and water volume.

Disclosure

I am not a medical professional. To the best of my knowledge, there is no existing literature/public data on efficacy of these patches beyond the 86 °F limit - I simply took a conservative, cautious interpretation of government-published statements.
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Any feedback/discussion/criticism is welcome.
Thanks.