Avia shoes and neck pain

Hi guys. I found a tick on my neck Sunday 6/2. Husband tried to use a tick remover but head pulled off anyways. He thinks he was later able to remove the head but not 100 percent sure.
First picture is the tick. Second is the bite Monday 6/3 and third and forth are from this morning. It’s bigger more painful and has some raised bumps forming. Should I be concerned/ see doctor at the size or monitor for a few more days. Thank you!

Came in for the last hour of Ina Kacz and was pleasantly surprised, what a nice, driving morning set! Would have loved to catch more of her general narrative, but oh well, next time
Fiedel started and I was anxiously curious about the journey he would take us on, since his last set really wasn’t for me. Well, this one wasn’t either. I’m starting to call him the Forest Gump of techno, and in every box of pralines there’s a few alcoholic ones that are bound to taste shit. The intro was long and relied heavily on melody and a few vocal cuts, but somehow, the sound system was overdriving a lot of, at some points even going into distortion. The buildups and drops felt somewhat predictable and were in themselves quite unimaginative. This buildup-drop dynamic led almost the entire set. The track selection was not particularly groovy…I wasn’t able to get into the flow. You’ve heard me praise him a lot, so it’s not a matter of personal preference or me being not objective. He really plays differently depending on the time slot and I greatly enjoy him for prime time or closing, but can’t bear him on morning sets.
Kaiser proceeded to save the KN, WHAT a set. He went in dark and groovy but not particularly fast, ever present snare carpet embedding tasteful bass melodies. I would consider him a digger, rather obscure track selection yet very coherent story telling and precisely placed melodic highlights. The set had a carpet-like approach, relying heavily on maintaining a groovy, high energy flow punctuated by rare drops, basically the exact opposite of the set before. I personally didn’t enjoy his last 15min as much as the rest of the set cause I felt like he lost a bit of the coherence and flow that made the set so enjoyable, but this is cherry picking tbh, this guy did more than good. Grazie di cuore.
I decided to take a break during the Kolosova set, but I will say that what I heard didn’t warrant for all the hate she’s been getting. I’ve heard way worse, give her a break.
Applause. Chatter on the floor. A chime-like ambient note brightens the air…DOOM. The bass came in like a perfect katana strike to the base of the neck, cutting off expectations with a clean hit. Ahmet Altinbas decided that what was gonna be a surprise set for him should be a surprise set for us as well. He plunged us into the depths of hell IMMEDIATELY, without warning nor mercy. Chatter on the floor died down almost immediately, with that first bass coming in. The set gained such carefully balanced complexity in its first twenty minutes, superb layering with the lethal intention of a marksman in the dark. The spectacular light show by Pareka Binaer and the relentless set transformed Hain into a thunderstorm over an erupting volcano, where lightning strikes hit the red smoke. I myself became lightning for those four hours. It felt like every good dance I ever had was preparing me for this moment. The first time I saw the lights in Berghain I thought to myself “I wanna dance like those lights”…this guy brought me a few significant steps closer to my goal. This might be the best set I’ve ever heard. Front left was so on fire, everyone feeding off each other’s energy yet giving back energy into the room at the same time, perfect crowd synergy. He used some of his own productions as building blocks, looping them and then relooping the loops themselves to create completely new dynamics and interplay between the tracks, without putting himself in the foreground, working solely to enhance the ballistic power of the set. Not one single moment felt like a filler. Toilet queues were empty, everyone was just unapologetically glued to the floor. Conversations were kept to a minimum, displaying the power of Music with a capital M. I stopped by the DJ corner and heard Ron Albrecht himself say “this guy is GOOD”. The mixing was just RIDICULOUS, wtf??? Those moments where you felt he had reached peak intensity, he would drop A BOMB on top of the mix, INSANE. This guy will propel techno to new heights, the future is bright for Altinbas. I could literally write so much more but I feel I still wouldn’t do it justice.
The closing took things down a nudge, which was in order quite frankly. I do like to leave the place alive. Sir Ron, one of the great masters of narrative, certainly my favourite vinyl only DJ. I’m always amazed by the dense interplay he creates with just two tracks and no looping possibilities, truly an oldschool master of his craft. He didn’t shy away from darkness, his first 3-4hours maintained some of the doom of his predecessor, while still taking down the bpm though. An atmospheric, epic tale of techno spanning a few decades of electronic music carefully blended with little regard for stylistic borders, yet always coherent and mixed with wisdom and experience. Notably, one of the kindest, most humble people in the business. The mix reverted to disco-y tunes only in the last 15min, a beautiful “You Spin Me Round” remix made me go full pirouette mode, the floor all laughter and smiles and hugs. Wunderschön.
Thank you C for the wonderful chat about music and language and dreams, I look forward to you showing me the ropes of mixing and hope I can give back some german ropes in return. Thank you WONDERFUL runner that went all out to get tape from the sound engineers to mend my disintegrating right shoe sole, employee of the month. Thank you M and A, you two feel like family. Thank you E and F, so do you, those contemplative joints in garden really helped to make up my mind about leaving or staying and thank deck I stayed. Thank you D and C, it was nice to party with you again. Thank you ENTIRE front left for making me feel like a chief inciting his tribe to war from that podium, what an absurdly powerful feeling. Maybe my best KN to date, I feel whole 🫀

I started running last May off and on and then in October started 3x a week. In April I finally made it to 3 miles, no cardio issues and learned to keep my heart rate down. But I noticed my foot was numb. I thought it was the shoes. Got new shoes same problem. Never had this ever before. The shoes seem to have made it worse because now I get a lot of calve and hamstring pain along with foot pain/numbness. Non of this ever happened before April. So I’m at a loss. I miss running without being in pain. What can I do? Any advice on why this is happening ? Anyone have something similar?

So I've found a "temporary" solution for MYSELF, no clue If this works for other people in the same shoes as me but, I have severe ezcema. From skin flare-up, hyper pigmentation, flaky skin you name it. And it's over my whole body. I've skipped half a year of college cause I can't even bear looking at myself in the mirror without being disguted. It's so bad i have to change shirts twice a day because if i turn around. The sides of my stomach and ribs start cracking up and I bleed through the shirt.
But I still have to go out sometimes cause I live alone, and I have to buy stuff myself. So how do I go out in public without looking like a human experiment failure?
[TEMPORARY SOLUTION HERE]
It's very painful but this is what I do, I'll go through the whole process. I go to the shower and run hot water on my whole body. And then I rub all the dead skin off. Even if it's still intact I still rub it off. I basically peel my whole body clean. And yes, it hurts like no other. But if it makes me able to look In the mirror and feel confident in going out. I'd do it twice a day if I had to.
After I'm basically naked, which I already am, but I mean naked naked. There is no clothes, no skin. I go out the shower, and lightly press a towel to slightly dry off the water. I keep a tad bit of moisture on me. Then I proceed by putting steroid cream on my whole body. Yes, important note, steroid cream. On your skinless exposed body. It'll feel like you're getting stabbed and burnt on a stake. My first time was so painful I crouched on the floor and screamed like I was leading an army into battle.
And this next step is something I figured out, my choice of clothing after putting on the cream. Is a compact shirt I think it's called, basically the material that yoga pants are made out of, stretchy kinda rubbery texture. Because for me, that shirt somehow makes it easier to tell if you've missed some spots on your body cause you'll feel it kinda drag some flaky skin with it when you move around, assuming you have any skin left after that shower from hades bathroom.
Then I go sleep, wake up, wash my face, not showering. Putting steroid cream all over my body and face again, do this for 2-3 days and my whole face guaranteed (maybe my body too if I'm lucky, works sometimes) is clean off eczema like I never had it.
And sometimes the effect has lingered for more than 2 weeks, making my eczema free. But it comes back cause i have a habit if scratching a LOT in my sleep. And rubbing my face to get rid if the itchiness.
But yeah guys, that how I prepare myself to go out into the social world as Jokers aide. If you wanna try this go ahead. It works wonders for me, but be advised. The pain can sometimes be unbearable, but that's something we eczema people already greet everyday. Good luck, happy recovery.

Hey all, I’m at 6 weeks post op and finally have been cleared to progress to full weight bearing. I started putting more weight on my leg over the weekend so that I wouldn’t have to crutch stage to FWB this week.
So far it’s been nice to be on two feet again, but my boot is at the 30 degree angle and unfortunately mine has a rotating lock on it versus wedges. Due to the awkward angle of my foot being plantar flexed, it seems to put a lot of pressure and some slight pain on the bottom of my back foot and occasionally on the top and sides of my ankle.
No real pain has been had in my heel area. I got the even-up shoe to give a little more hip stability and evenness when walking. However, even with this I still get that bottom foot pressure and pain. Is there any tips/tricks to counteract what I’m feeling or is it just part of the process? I’m aware that my leg/ankle/foot has been largely inactive and weakened for the past couple months. So a part of me thinks that it’s just the adjustment to putting weight on it again especially at a downward angle. But I figured I’d see if anyone had some insight into alleviating this pressure and pain or perhaps if I’m doing something wrong, I’d rather be checked before anything else goes awry.
As always, thank you for your support and keep pushing! We can all do this and get better, no matter the circumstances.

Long story short, I went to a chiropractor for a few months after PT marginally helped. Went for lower back pain and was feeling very good when doing regular sessions of chiropractic. However, when I stopped I started getting pains in my neck and mid back.
Lesson learned, not going to chiro again. I have a much better PT now as well. I know I shouldn’t have went. My question is, what is going on? Did the chiropractor mobilize my spine and that is why I’m feeling pains in different places? I’m assuming my spine may take some time to stabilize again. How long does this take?
Anybody have any examples of recovering after a not so good chiro experience?
Also, I plan to get an MRI to check for other issues. My plan is PT moving forward. I welcome any advice .

Hey all! I'm about 4 months post op now (ACL and MCL), and I have a music festival (Shambhala) next month (will be just under 6 months post op by then). It's been a very tough year mentally and physically so I'm really excited to have this on the horizon to look forward to - but I'm also a little nervous about keeping my knee safe and pain-free.
Knee is currently feeling pretty good day to day, I have full flexion comfortably, but it does get achey and sore if I overdo it with too much walking, or walking + an intense yoga class (I'm modifying a lot in yoga to avoid any twisting or jumping, I just mean intense in terms of strength-building poses). At my 3.5 month follow up with the surgeon, he said my ACL is feeling strong, the MCL is a bit loose - and the MCL seems to be where I get most of my pain and limitations in movement.
Has anyone been to a festival or similar around the 6 month mark? Any tips to protect my knee and minimize pain/soreness? I know Shambhala can be pretty intense and I anticipate a LOT of walking and dancing.
This is what I'm thinking so far: - Buying comfortable sturdy hiking shoes to walk around and dance in (I have hiking boots but would want something a little lighter for dancing) - I have a Breg custom hinged knee brace that I will likely wear...at least in the evenings - it's bulky and annoying however I think it's worth it for some peace of mind. - Thinking of getting a compression knee sleeve to wear during the day instead of the big hinged brace

• Ice baths for my knee in the river daily
• Bringing a massage gun

Any other tips, or thoughts on my ideas? Would knee taping help? Thanks in advance!!

Context: For this booking, I will be booking Will Ospreay's path to becoming the AEW World Champion (as this will for sure be happening at some point) and will begin from where we last left off with Ospreay winning the Casino Gauntlet match to become #1 Contender. I'll be breaking up this fantasy booking into multiple parts. Without further ado, lets get started! (writing this post on 6/3/2024). Since I'm doing multiple parts, the descriptions will be longer, sorry in advance!
The Build to AEW Forbidden Door 2024:

• We begin our story on the next episode of Dynamite where we have a new number one contender in Will Ospreay and commentary shows a match graphic for Forbidden Door with Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship will be the main event of the PPV. Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) open the show with an in-ring segment. Swerve talks about how being the World Champion has changed his life for the better and takes great pride in being a champion that will take on anyone at any time, especially if it means proving that he is the best in the world. However, despite this, he has still heard what some people have said, and that there may be someone else that should be called the best in AEW (crowd chants “Ospreay!”, “Ospreay!”, “Ospreay!”). Swerve says that he has a lot of respect for Ospreay for his accomplishments and what he can do in the ring, and would like to look into his eyes and meet his challenger face-to-face. However, it is not Ospreay that comes out. Instead it is Roderick Strong and the rest of the Undisputed Kingdom that show up on the ramp. Roderick Strong is not amused and says that he is being overlooked by Swerve and if Swerve is wanting to look into the eyes of the best that AEW has to offer, than to look no further than himself (Roderick Strong).Strong continues on by saying that losing the International Championship to Will Ospreay hurt almost as badly as when he hurt his neck, and beating Swerve for the World Championship will make that pain go away when he brings gold back to the Undisputed Kingdom. Swerve Strickland tells Roderick Strong to not be mistaken, and that he’s not overlooking him but admits he doesn’t have much respect for him because instead of earning his opportunity like a true champion, he had to whine, bitch, and moan to Tony until he gifted him an opportunity. Swerve says that Roddy better give him everything he’s got because he (Swerve) didn’t come this far as champion only to lose before it truly got started. Strong tells Swerve that he’s going to bring the fight to Swerve… “and so will they”. All of the sudden, Matt Taven, Mike Bennett, and Wardlow come down to the ring and brawl with Swerve and the numbers advantage is too much for Swerve to handle alone. After laying the boots to Swerve, Taven and Bennett throw him to Wardlow to be powerbombed, but before he can, Will Ospreay comes down to make the save. Taven, Bennett, and Wardlow exit the ring (though Wardlow looks to want to continue fighting) and leave with Strong. Backstage, Ospreay checks on Swerve to make sure he’s okay. Swerve thanks Will for the assist and Ospreay offers to have his back tonight but before anything more can be said, Don Callis shows up into frame and Swerve leaves to get taped up by medical personnel (Don Callis says something like "Glad you're okay, champ!" as Swerve leaves). Don Callis tells Will Ospreay to stay out of tonight's match with Swerve Strickland and Roderick Strong and let Undisputed Kingdom do what they are going to do. Will Ospreay immediately protests this but Don Callis cuts him off and continues saying that this is a win-win situation for them. Callis tells Ospreay, "If Swerve somehow retains tonight, The Undisputed Kingdom will likely beat the hell out of him and he will be significantly weakened going into Forbidden Door and if Roderick Strong wins the world title, then we go up against someone that we have beaten already before and will beat again. This is perfect!". Ospreay is not on board with this at all but Callis persists, saying that if Ospreay wants to be a champion, you can't rely on just talent alone, but smarts and knowing when to strike and when to hang back are equally important in this business. Callis says that he's going to watch Takeshita and Trent Beretta's matches and then he'll wait for Ospreay on the jet. In the main event that night, Swerve Strickland is able to overcome all the odds (thanks to Will Ospreay coming out in the final stretch of the match and evening the odds after a lot of outside interference from the Undisputed Kingdom) and defeats Roderick Strong, retaining his AEW World Championship. After Will Ospreay has helped Swerve Strickland again, the two men shake hands but also have a stare down as Swerve Strickland holds up the AEW World Championship to close the show. During this, there is a brief shot of Don Callis seeing this all go down from the entrance ramp and he does not look amused.
• The next week on Dynamite, we learn that there will be a tag team match between Mike Bennett and Matt Taven of the Undisputed Kingdom going up against Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay in a tag team match. Also on this show will feature matches from the opening round of the Owen Hart Cup with the winner becoming the next number one contender for the AEW World Championship at All In. We have a moment backstage where Will Ospreay is being interviewed until Don Callis again interrupts (and has the rest of the Callis family with him). Callis asks if Ospreay is ready for tonight and then tells him that after the match, he should consider "showing Swerve the Hidden Blade" (He says this after Takeshita just had a segment where he laid out one of his TNT Championship opponents after his match). Ospreay again, refuses to take Don's advice and says "that's not the type of man I am, Bruv, and not the kind of champion I am". Don tells Ospreay that he needs to trust him and that he has not lead him astray at any point. There's tension between Will Ospreay and Trent Beretta when Beretta openly sighs and rolls his eyes at Ospreay explaining why he won't do this. Ospreay tells Beretta that if he has something to say, then to keep it to himself because this has nothing to do with him and that quite frankly, he has no respect for Beretta for what he did to someone he once called a friend (it's shown that Ospreay is not a big fan of Trent being added to the group). After Trent says something else smart, Konsuke Takeshita and Kyle Fletcher get in between the two when it appears that things are starting to get really heated. Fletcher is able to calm Ospreay down and Ospreay leaves. Callis tells the family to not worry and "go to plan B". In the main event, Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay defeat Taven and Bennett. Will Ospreay starts to go up the ramp while Swerve is celebrating in the ring until Swerve is attacked by Fletcher, Takeshita, and Beretta of the Don Callis family. Ospreay notices this and tries to intervene but Don Callis stands in front of him and tries to stop him from intervening as the rest of the family beats down Swerve. It takes a little bit but Ospreay is able to get in the ring and get in between Swerve, Takeshita, and Beretta. Ospreay calls them off, getting in their faces but Beretta is the one to push Ospreay and try again to get to Swerve to which Ospreay superkicks Beretta. Callis gets in between everyone to stop any more fighting and the Callis family leaves (Don and the other members do NOT look happy). As Ospreay looks up the ramp to make sure they leave, Swerve gets back to his feet and hits a superkick of his own to Ospreay and then hits House Call! Swerve stands tall over the fallen Ospreay (thinking Ospreay was part of this) and then leaves through the crowd as the family comes back to the ring. The show ends at this moment.
• On the next Dynamite, Swerve talks about how it's going to take more than a "family" attacking him each week to take the World Championship away from him. Swerve puts over what the World Championship means to him and how it has affected his life, putting over the importance of the belt in general and to him specifically (and how it's going to be really difficult taking it away from him). Don Callis interrupts and calls out Swerve Strickland for attacking Will Ospreay, saying that a true champion doesn't do that and attacks when facing their opponent (Oh Don Callis... you brilliant hypocrite). A match is made official between Swerve Strickland and Trent Beretta later that night (Takeshita will focus more on his TNT Championship ladder match). Later that night, Swerve Strickland defeats Trent Beretta and stands tall. However, as he turns around, Swerve is laid out by Hidden Blade from Will Ospreay! Ospreay gets payback for being laid out last week and stands tall over Swerve (to Don's delight). Backstage, Callis is OVER THE MOON with what Will Ospreay has done, happy that he has "taken his advice". Ospreay just says that the only reason why he did that was to repay the favor to Swerve. Ospreay leaves and Callis is like "Great job, Champ!". Later that week, Ospreay successfully defends the International Championship against Mark Briscoe.
• On the final go-home show of Dynamite before Forbidden Door, Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay finally have their face-to-face and cut a promo on each other. This is about who is the best in AEW and Swerve Strickland wants to prove that he truly is the best, and is tired of hearing about "the billy GOAT" being better than he is when he is the AEW Champion. Swerve says that he will do whatever it takes to win the AEW Championship and that Ospreay better be prepared to do the same to beat him. Ospreay says that he has been the best everywhere that he has been and when he came to AEW, Swerve was one of the names he really wanted to face. Ospreay says that he respects Swerve as a wrestler and champion, but that he (Ospreay) will be the biggest test of Swerve's life as champion, and that we're going to find out what Swerve is truly made of. Ospreay begins to leave until Swerve says "hey, I meant what I said about being willing to do anything to retain. Just so you know, if you hesitate to hit me with 'THAT move' like you have in the past, you'll lose". Ospreay just looks at Swerve and says "Don't worry, it won't have to come to that". Ospreay leaves and Swerve is pissed as he feels disrespected with that comment.

AEW Forbidden Door 2024:

• AEW World Championship: Swerve Strickland (c) def. Will Ospreay
  • We get to the main event of our show, Swerve Strickland and Will Ospreay take a cautious approach to start, trying to feel each other out and wait for an opportunity to take control. These two go back and forth in a 20+ minute match as they go all out and show how good and resilient they both are. At one point, Ospreay is able to hit Hidden Blade after a missed House Call to which Swerve kicks out at 2. Swerve begins to work over Ospreay’s arm moving forward. At another point, Swerve counters an Os-Cutter by Ospreay into a JML Driver and Ospreay kicks out at 2. Both men are exhausted, hitting some of their best moves on each other but not being able to put the other away. In the final stretch, Ospreay has Swerve in position to go for Storm Driver ‘93 but can’t bring himself to do it (Don Callis on commentary screams at Will to do it). Swerve takes advantage of this by hitting a series of moves (and finishing with his arm break spot he does), but as he goes for the House Call, Ospreay is able to counter by hitting a second Hidden Blade outta nowhere! Ospreay is a mix of tired and in pain as he sells the arm that Swerve targeted is the same arm that Ospreay just used to hit Hidden Blade. Ospreay slowly crawls to a cover, 1…2… Swerve is able to just get his foot on the bottom rope to break the pin (commentary puts over that if he wasn’t near the ropes, he likely wasn’t kicking out). Will Ospreay is in shock and so is Don Callis who both can't believe that Swerve just kicked out of the Hidden Blade again. Ospreay is frustrated and looks to be going for the Storm Driver '93 but again, can't bring himself to do it. Instead, he then looks to go for the Stormbreaker until Don Callis hops onto the apron and is IRATE with Ospreay, screaming at him to do the Storm driver and break Swerve’s neck. This distracts Ospreay and he drops Swerve to confront Callis. Ospreay refuses and tells Callis to go to the back. Callis says that Ospreay is ungrateful and says that he MADE him and that he’s not in this position without him. Callis then proceeds to slap Ospreay! Ospreay is furious and Callis realizes that he made a huge error and Ospreay grabs Callis by the shirt and decks him with a punch. Ospreay has finally had enough of Callis. However, as Ospreay turns back to Swerve, it was too late as Swerve is waiting for Ospreay, kicking him in the gut and then hitting Ospreay with a Storm Driver ‘93 of his own! Swerve then goes to the top rope and hits the Swerve Stomp to Ospreay. Swerve goes for the pin, 1…2… Ospreay kicks out at 2.9! Swerve is incredibly surprised. However, it’s clear that Ospreay has nothing left and kicked out mainly due to instinct, as he just manages to get to his knees and tells Swerve to bring it. Swerve hits one final House Call and then goes for the pin, 1…2…3. Swerve Strickland has retained the AEW World Championship in a battle! Swerve knows he had to dig down deep to pull this one off and shows his respect to Ospreay as Ospreay rolls out of the ring and heads to the back. Commentary puts over that when it came time to “go for the kill”, Will Ospreay hesitated while Swerve Strickland did what needed to be done without any hesitation. The final shot of the PPV is Swerve celebrating his victory with the title in the air as Will Ospreay looks back to the ring as he heads up the ramp. This isn’t over.

What do you think so far? Do you like it? Do you dislike it? What do you like or dislike about it specifically? Let me know! Part 2 will be coming soon!
If you liked this booking, feel free to check out some others that I've done on here before!
Booking the breakup of The Judgement Day: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1d5qa9v/booking_the_breakup_of_the_judgement_day/
Booking the 2024 AEW Men's Continental Classic: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1cuwz62/booking_the_2024_aew_mens_continental_classic/
Booking Nick Aldis's WWE in-ring debut: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1cq8wva/booking_nick_aldiss_wwe_inring_debut/
Booking Mercedes Mone in AEW part 1: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1ciup71/booking_mercedes_mone_in_aew_part_1/
Booking Mercedes Mone in AEW part 2: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1cnnzbh/booking_mercedes_mone_in_aew_part_2/
Rebooking Brock Lesnar's WWE return 2012: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1c95b4b/rebooking_brock_lesnars_2012_wwe_return/
Rebooking CM Punk's 434-day WWE Championship reign part 1: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1ccbouu/rebooking_cm_punks_434day_wwe_championship_reign/
Rebooking CM Punk's 434-day WWE Championship reign part 2: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1cdorlrebooking_cm_punks_434day_wwe_championship_reign/
Booking MJF's AEW return: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1cesd9z/booking_maxwell_jacob_friedmans_mjf_return_to_aew/
Rebooking the End of The Undertaker's Wrestlemania Streak: https://www.reddit.com/fantasybooking/comments/1c47cba/rebooking_the_end_of_the_undertakers_wrestlemania/

38M, 5'7, 180lbs, use nicotine pouches (Zyns) 3mg
Existing Conditions: I've had infrequent migraines since high school. Biggest trigger is multiple days of poor sleep. They'll drive me to the point of vomiting, then I'll feel immediately better.
Medications: No medications prescribed or taken.
Question/Complaint: About two weeks ago, while my Wife and I were being intimate and approaching climax, I was suddenly hit with an extremely painful headache. It was a pain of going from zero to I'd say a 8 or a 9. Way worse than any migraine I've had. It's one of the most painful things I've experienced. It was a sharp pain that then lingered and slowly faded away for about 30-60 minutes, maybe a little longer.
A few days later while masturbating, the same exact thing happened again.
I tried again the next day with the same results, except the right side of my face felt numb, the same sensation I get when my leg falls asleep. I also felt a burning sensation in the back of my scalp. This really alarmed me and I checked myself into my local ED. Below the dashed lines are the tests/labs they performed and the results.
The only trigger point I can seem to find with this seems to be sexual activity and it kicks in right before climax.
I have an appointment with my primary care in a couple of weeks, the ED left me with some generic "Headache Care" paperwork.
Does anyone potentially have some insights on what may be going on and if there's anything over the counter I can do to help manage until I meet with my primary care?
The ER performed a "CT Head without Contrast", "CTA Head Neck with Contrast" and "Basic Metabolic Panel"
CT Head Without Contrast Results: The ventricles and cisternal spaces are normal in size, shape, and configuration for the age of patient. No areas of abnormal attenuation are identified in the brain parenchyma. There is no midline shift or mass effect. No hemorrhage is identified in the brain parenchyma.
The visualized paranasal sinuses and mastoid air cells are for the most part clear.
The visualized portion of the orbits demonstrate no acute abnormality.
No acute abnormality of the visualized skull or soft tissues.
IMPRESSION: No acute intercranial abnormality.
CTA of the Head and Neck with Contrast:
CTA NECK:
Aortic Arch/Arch Vessels: No dissection or arterial injury. No significant stenosis of the brachiocephalic or subclavian arteries.
Carotid Arteries: No dissection, arterial injury, or hemodynamically significant stenosis by NASCET criteria.
Vertebral Arteries: No dissection, arterial injury, or significant stenosis.
Soft Tissues: The lung apices are clear. No cervical or superior mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The larynx and pharynx are unremarkable. No acute abnormality of the salivary and thyroid glands.
Bones: No acute osseous abnormality.
CTA HEAD:
Anterior Circulation: No significant stenosis of the intracranial internal carotid, anterior cerebral, or middle cerebral arteries. No aneurysm.
Posterior Circulation: No significant stenosis of the vertebral, basilar, or posterior cerebral arteries. The right posterior cerebral artery is properly supplied by the right posterior communicating artery with commensurate P1 segment hypoplasia. No aneurysm.
Other: No Dural venous sinus thrombosis on this non-dedicated study.
Brain: No mass effect or midline shift. No extra-axial fluid collection. The gray-white differentiation is maintained.
IMPRESSION: Unremarkable CTA of the head and neck.
BASIC METABOLIC PANEL:
Sodium - 139 Potassium - 3.8 Chloride - 101 CO2 - 26 Anion Gap - 12 Glucose - 113 BUN - 16 Creatinine - 0.9 Calcium - 9.2

Okay so this past week has been very hard on me. I felt like I was doing so good not thinking about my ex or not missing him. But this past week it has hit me like a truck. I’ve had dreams about him coming back, I’ve been missing him as my best friend, I’ve just missed everything about him. And I kept thinking how much I regret breaking up. Btw I did it so that we can grow as individuals and come back together. He went and got a whole gf. Anyway I went no contact for a month and I really wanted to reach out to him. So I did . I got in contact with him. And it went awful. I first started by saying I want to meet up for closure and he said he wasn’t the one to give me that. Then I expressed how much I love him and how I’ve changed and how I want to prove to him how much I love him. He had a tone with me as if I was a stranger that meant nothing to him. This person is not that guy that I fell in love with at all. He also kept saying he was in a relationship. In my head I was just like you just met this girl two weeks ago you’ve known me and have loved me for three years. We talked marriage and kids. To me it felt like a demon has possessed him. At the end of that call i felt like I needed to kill myself. Honest to god the pain I felt was like no other. My mother talked me down so thankful for her. She explained that this was God giving me another reminder that I am in for bigger and better things and that he has a plan for me and I need to listen. Right now as I’m writing this I have one thought. He is going to regret this one day because he is letting go of a girl who one loved him flaws and all and two I am an amazing woman who has a bright future and he is going to miss out on all that. I feel bad for him because he is passing up a one in a million type of girl. And I know anyone else he dates could never live up to the love I gave him. I just can’t wait to be light years away from all of this heartbreak bc I just want to be young and happy and live life to the fullest. I don’t want to be weighed down any longer especially from a boy (even though he is 29 he is a boy not a man) who treated me as if I was dirt on the bottom of his shoe . And I loved that boy more than anyone in his life. I’m sorry if I sounded conceited but all I said is very true. I also want to thank everyone in this community because it’s given me hope and it’s also made me feel understood❤️

Okay so docs, I want to tell you that I have a serious ingrowing toenail problem on both of my legs' thumbs. I am 14 and am suffering since I was 10. The toe is completely swollen, and blood comes out of it every 6 hours or so. I have had the toenail on each toe removed thrice but it hasn't worked. I don't know how this thing started, and I earlier used to have water blisters below my feet until I was 8. This problem isn't solving, and since 2 years, my nail just randomly gets removed from one side and stuck on the other, needing removal. The different surgeons I consulted all have given different treatments, but nothing seems to work. I play football as it is the only physical activity possible, and wear a shoe a size larger than my feet to give breathing space to my toe. Even when touched weakly, I have immense pain. Not wearing shoes isn't an option as I get stamped on regularly and hence keep foam on the toe to reduce the blow. The right leg doesn't have the toenail growing inward anymore, but it isn't growing outward. It is just a short toenail coming at a 45 degree angle from the nail bed. In the left, the situation is dire and there is excessive swelling, an infection on both sides. The nail recently broke off and the toe bleeded like hell. Please help me, this is my only hope.

I don’t know if anyone is in the same headspace as me but whenever I went on long hikes or mountain climbing I've always just bought the thickest socks I can find because my parents once told me to just wear thicker socks or double layer to stop blisters and create comfort when walking. Anyway I’ve pretty much gotten all the gear I need for my trail walks now but when looking at what else to purchase I started looking into proper trail walking socks and APPARENTLY wearing thick socks when walking long distances isn't good for your feet and makes you more prone to blisters! Lets just say I'll be questioning my parents trekking advice from here on out, but personally speaking I haven't had many problems with the usual thick socks when walking, and getting a few blisters after a big hike is quite normal in my mind.
Recently I caved and bought these mountain climbing / trail running socks to prove to myself that there really isn’t a difference between my $5 (insert department store name) compared to “good socks”. And it pains me to say this but my god over these years have I overlooked good socks as equipment for these trekking trips. I was not expecting those little socks to make that much of a difference and give me extra support on the sole and shin areas which my feet definitely appreciated after I finished the weekend hike. I bought a pair online that matched the measurements of my mountaineering boots from Finetrack (merino spin) and I’ll probably purchase another trail walking crew sock online as well for my ankle high shoes soon. This post was more to see if any other hikers had the same idea of thick socks being superior as well or was I just misguided?!
Look I don’t think i'll be returning to the thick socks anymore unless needed but I still think they are a viable option. If you’re on the fence about investing in some good walking socks, do it. You'll find it a lot more breathable and provide a lot more support on certain areas of the feet which I didn't realize how much of a difference it makes when walking till now and as a bonus don't have to feel that lovely foot sweat when finished.

I was in a car accident on January 29th of this year, in which I was rear ended by an elderly woman going about 40mph. My car was totaled, and I suffered a concussion and 2 bulging discs in my neck. The other party's insurance accepted complete liability, and compensated me for my car, and paid all associated medical bills. I spent 78 days "treating" before hitting max expected recovery.
The first month was absolutely awful, with the worst of it setting in a few days after the accident. I was unable to support the weight of my own head and was pretty much confined to staying in bed. For about a week I existed in a state of constant motion sickness and it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. I finally got better after medication and physical therapy. I rested, saw a specialist, and toward the start of April, I felt I was pretty much back to normal. There are some things that cause my neck to occasionally flare up, so I have to be more conscious of my posture and certain activities now, but that's just how it is going to be. In a clinical sense, I do not have any long term injuries, and since I'm in my mid-20s, I've been assured by my primary doctor and specialist that I'll heal up just fine over time, but it will be a potential weak spot in the future.
I am on Medicaid, and my health insurance company negotiated down my various bills, including a CT, X-ray, and MRI. All in all, there is only about $850 in medical bills. The other party's insurance will be reimbursing Medicaid for that amount. I spoke with the medical adjuster today, and they offered me $4k for pain and suffering. I told him I would think about it, and he replied, "Well we have some wiggle room, so let me know what you have in mind."
I have no frame of reference for this scenario. Is $4k reasonable for the injuries I suffered? In hindsight, it was a very frustrating 2 months. I work with my hands, and I'm an avid outdooadventurer type. My wife and I bought a house and got married last October, and I had to stop all home renovations. I couldn't garden, take my dog on hikes, ride my bike, go golfing, etc. What would a reasonable counter offer be if $4k is low? The state minimum in KS is $25k for bodily injury, and since they only have to pay less than $1k in medical bills, there's quite a bit of room on the coverage. Initially, I was going to ask for $6k, but everyone I've spoken to has told me that is much too low, and I need to try to get at least $10k, if not $15k. Personally, I'd be nervous asking for that much since it is so much higher than their initial offer. They have also been incredibly accommodating throughout this entire process, so I don't want to seem like a greedy jerk.

I was in a car accident on January 29th of this year, in which I was rear ended by an elderly woman going about 40mph. My car was totaled, and I suffered a concussion and 2 bulging discs in my neck. The other party's insurance accepted complete liability, and compensated me for my car, and paid all associated medical bills. I spent 78 days "treating" before hitting max expected recovery.
The first month was absolutely awful, with the worst of it setting in a few days after the accident. I was unable to support the weight of my own head and was pretty much confined to staying in bed. For about a week I existed in a state of constant motion sickness and it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. I finally got better after medication and physical therapy. I rested, saw a specialist, and toward the start of April, I felt I was pretty much back to normal. There are some things that cause my neck to occasionally flare up, so I have to be more conscious of my posture and certain activities now, but that's just how it is going to be. In a clinical sense, I do not have any long term injuries, and since I'm in my mid-20s, I've been assured by my primary doctor and specialist that I'll heal up just fine over time, but it will be a potential weak spot in the future.
I am on Medicaid, and my health insurance company negotiated down my various bills, including a CT, X-ray, and MRI. All in all, there is only about $850 in medical bills. The other party's insurance will be reimbursing Medicaid for that amount. I spoke with the medical adjuster today, and they offered me $4k for pain and suffering. I told him I would think about it, and he replied, "Well we have some wiggle room, so let me know what you have in mind."
I have no frame of reference for this scenario. Is $4k reasonable for the injuries I suffered? In hindsight, it was a very frustrating 2 months. I work with my hands, and I'm an avid outdooadventurer type. My wife and I bought a house and got married last October, and I had to stop all home renovations. I couldn't garden, take my dog on hikes, ride my bike, go golfing, etc. What would a reasonable counter offer be if $4k is low? The state minimum in KS is $25k for bodily injury, and since they only have to pay less than $1k in medical bills, there's quite a bit of room on the coverage. Initially, I was going to ask for $6k, but everyone I've spoken to has told me that is much too low, and I need to try to get at least $10k, if not $15k. Personally, I'd be nervous asking for that much since it is so much higher than their initial offer. They have also been incredibly accommodating throughout this entire process, so I don't want to seem like a greedy jerk.

1. Start Slow 🐢: Don't worry about speed. You should be able to hold a conversation while you're running. If that means stopping and walking then stop and walk!
2. Consistency is Key 🔄: Aim for 3-4 runs per week. It's better to run shorter distances consistently than sporadically doing long runs.
3. Listen to Your Body 👂: Pay attention to how you feel. Rest if you need to. Injuries come from ignoring pain.
4. Enjoy the Journey 🌳: Explore new routes, run with friends, and soak in the scenery. Make running something you look forward to.
5. Invest in Good Shoes 👟: Proper footwear is crucial. It can prevent injuries and make your runs more comfortable.
6. Set Realistic Goals 🎯: Start with small, achievable goals. Celebrate your progress and set new targets as you improve.
7. Track Your Progress 📝: Use a running app like Strava to log your runs. Seeing your improvement can be a great motivator.
8. Have Fun 🎉: Remember, hobby jogging is about enjoying yourself. Don’t take it too seriously. Smile and have fun out there!

I don't know what I should do. I am afraid of getting surgery, as I am not getting symptoms like most people and am afraid I will have to waste money and be permanently missing an organ and have more issues. Tied to big pharma and the healthcare industry even more.
I started having bloating and pain in my middle stomach and was tender slightly on left side and pain in middle of chest going to back like a spike was lodged into my stomach a few inches above my belly button. Went to urgent care thinking i had a heart attack in Feb 2024. turns out I had backed up bowels and was put on miralax and then scheduled for ultrasound.
Ultrasound showed 1 large gallstone (never seen the actual photographs as they didn't include them, apparently they ship off to a lab reader and they send back a summary. Which makes me skeptical, I requested copies and haven't heard back yet).
I didn't get backpain until a few weeks after first urgent care visit.
Hida scan shows ef at 23%
Surgeon Says get it out, Primary says get it out, but surgeon seen me for what 10 minutes.
My liver levels are normal.
My symptoms:
mild back pain on mid right side of back. about 2-3inches to the right of the spine, kinda where the gallblader would be but on the back not the stomach (daily, limits how long I can sleep on my back)
constipation (I am on synthetic opiods so I get constipation already, but the first sign was worse constipation, I have to take daily miralax since this started) .
Tan/yellow-brown poop (maybe from miralax)
Neck and shoulder pain that comes and goes at weird times.
Don't get nausea but do if I don't get enough sleep (never used to happen)
I am torn as half my family/wife says do it, the other half/mom says "you are born with a gallbladder for a reason, don't do it try something natural. " Since I don't have the major symptoms I am torn. My deductible is met though so there is that too, but only for this year.
Some days the back pain and shouldeneck pain is hardly nothing, other days more pronounced but never debilitating. All symptoms are worse when cold. Stretches and such help the symptoms but it doesn't go away from it or ibuprofen. I had X-ray done at orthopedic that showed nothing out of the ordinary. I had a ct scan a year ago that had a bulging disc in the lower back, but that isn't where I am having pain.
I am not asking for medical advice, I know what the doctor said, but I am looking for personal experience.
I feel like without the major symptoms the doctors may just be pushing this as this is "what the book says to do" or for money surgeons hacking and cutting things out for cash. That could just be me not trusting due to how little time was spent with me before pushing surgery.
Should i get a colonoscopy before going through with it? (don't know if colon/bowel issues would effect my mid-upper back.
I am scared, as I am on Methadone for past opioid dependency (been off H for 19 years but just maintaining) which complicates things. I also am afraid it will be worse after surgery. Food is my last vice. I love spicy foods and Chinese/Mexican foods, would hate to not have them anymore due to issues with digestion. OR other issues from surgery.

When the edged wind came to our village, it seemed like a typical Alaskan gust. One fitting for late December. Then, as the tall tide of frost lashed against the shore of our home, the sagging branches of the yellow cedar trees stopped bouncing. And I abandoned the idea of the breeze being a breeze at all.
Once others understood that, the time for running had passed.
The unholy wind reached the village’s main road, causing two moving cars to sharply and statically stop. The vehicles were frozen in place, much like the people within those metal graves. Onlookers, enjoying a brisk afternoon in the park, began to scream loved ones succumbed to that supernatural end. Imprisoned in a capsuled moment of time.
Those first few victims were the lucky ones. They’d been oblivious to the fate which awaited them. True terror was endured by those who beheld the raw power of the wind. Those unfortunate enough to see the end coming.
Regardless, the remaining townsfolk, burdened with the awareness of impending doom, futilely attempted to escape the approaching breeze. Those fleeing residents, far slower than the unnatural frost, were halted in haunting poses as the wind bit into them. Limbs were suspended in mid-air positions. Eyes were left wide and unblinking. Mouths were cursed to forever gape in horror.
“RUN!” Dad screamed, sprinting towards us from a nearby park bench.
My brother, my childhood friend, and I were sitting in a sandbox. Already engrossed in a fantasy world, I wondered whether my imagination had conjured the wind. I thought my mind had transcended to a higher plane. It was my way of processing the trauma.
However, I accepted the reality of the situation when my father shoehorned the three of us into his Volkswagen Golf. The icy jaws of the wind were nearly nipping at the rear of the vehicle as Dad twisted the key in the ignition, but the beat-up car rapidly lurched forwards. My father wrenched us away from the frost, seconds before it consumed us.
“Daddy, where are we going?” I tearfully asked.
“I don’t know, Jillian,” He weakly moaned, manoeuvring around fleeing cars and pedestrians.
“Are we picking up Mummy?” Alan asked.
Dad ignored my brother’s question. I was only eight years old at the time, but I knew that my mother wasn’t coming. I understood the significance of the tears in my father’s eyes.
For twenty-six years, I successfully managed to suppress that memory. Did such a good job, in fact, that I almost believed it had all been a dream. I started to believe that we had simply moved away from our hometown, and Mum had simply chosen to stay. Dad never convinced me otherwise. He never talked about what happened. Neither did my brother.
As for Leon, he moved to an orphanage in Anchorage. We wrote to each other for a couple of years, but his replies became less and less frequent. Eventually, he stopped responding entirely. I used to wonder why my father didn’t adopt my childhood friend, but I suppose that would have forced him to accept what happened. And, like me, he had no intention of doing that.
I thought we would run back to England, having failed to achieve the American Dream. But Dad kept us in Alaska. I assumed that he’d been driven by stubbornness. Or guilt, perhaps. We’d already fled our home. Perhaps fleeing across the pond would’ve been a step too far. Perhaps it would’ve felt like truly abandoning our mother. Whatever his reason for staying, Dad didn’t tell anyone the truth. He never went to the police. He never returned to look for Mum.
“Don’t look back, kids,” I remember him whispering as we fled the frost.
I followed that advice for the next couple of decades, only recalling the event for the briefest moments, from time to time. When Dad bought the first computer for our family in 2000, I Googled the name of our old town. I typed the word before realising I was even doing so. I was still young, of course, but I knew that nothing about our speedy departure had been normal. I wanted answers.
I’d expected to discover that my village had become a ghost town. That would have made sense. Alaska’s unforgiving climate breeds desolate places, born to be abandoned. However, the search results revealed nothing, so I told myself I’d imagined the village. I told myself we'd always lived in Anchorage.
As the years passed, I became comfortable with the notion that none of it had ever been real. Not even my mother. And that was why I did not expect to see a certain person again.
“Happy birthday, Jill.”
My jaw dropped when Leon Taylor appeared on my doorstep.
It might seem strange that I would recognise a man who was a child when I last saw him, but Leon always had distinctive features. I immediately identified the mole on his neck, just below his facial scruff, and those sorrowful eyes, shadowed by his unmistakable overgrown brows.
“Leon?” I gasped. “What are you doing here?”
The man smiled weakly. “Sorry, Jill. I should’ve done this the Millennial way. Y’know. Reconnected through Facebook.”
“No, it’s… I just never thought I’d see you again. Do you want to come inside?” I asked, motioning at the hallway.
Leon nodded, so I made a couple of coffees whilst my old friend seated himself in the living room. A boy who I’d almost forgotten. Almost entirely erased from existence, just like our old town. But I’d always known, just beneath the surface of my shallow memories, that it had all been real. The truth of my childhood was always within reach. As I brought the drinks into the lounge, hands trembling, I tried to dispel the thoughts flooding my mind. Thoughts of that awful day.
“How’s your dad? How’s Alan?” Leon asked, taking the cup of coffee.
I sighed. “Dad’s been unwell for a few years. He hasn’t been taking care of himself, and he’s getting old. As for Alan… Well, Alan’s the way he’s always been. Uptight, and distant, but–”
“– When was the last time you spoke to him?” Leon sharply interjected.
The question caught me off-guard. “Huh?”
“Your brother. When was the last time you spoke to him?” Leon asked.
My face drained. He knows, I thought. How on Earth does he know?
“Three years ago,” I answered.
My old friend nodded. “Did you fall out?”
I scoffed. “That’s an understatement. You remember what he was like when we were kids, don’t you?”
Leon shrugged. “He was two years older than us. We must’ve infuriated him.”
I nodded. “Sure. But I grew up, and he never did. We had a big argument, and we haven't spoken since.”
“Interesting,” He responded.
I raised an eyebrow. “You’re a man of few words these days, Leon.”
The man cleared his throat. “Your brother messaged me a week ago.”
My other eyebrow raised. “What?”
“It was a very strange message.”
“Did you reply?” I asked. “I thought you would’ve preferred to ignore it.”
He lowered his head in shame. “I’m sorry, Jillian. I replied to some of your letters…”
“Then you forgot about me,” I said. “It’s embarrassing that I didn’t get the hint.”
“It wasn’t embarrassing,” Leon sheepishly muttered. “I read all of them. Every last letter.”
“Oh, well, that’s great,” I laughed. “Nice to know that you cared.”
“Jillian, I…” Leon paused, lifting his head. “I was scared.”
“Scared of what?” I asked.
“Remembering that day,” He replied. “It’s why I told your dad I didn’t want to come and live with you.”
“It’s… What?” I asked.
Leon tilted his head. “You didn’t know? Did you really think he’d just dump me in that place? He might’ve changed, but your dad was never cold. Still, I refused. Living with you would’ve reminded me of what happened to my family.”
I didn't reply, so my old friend prodded the beast. “Aren’t we going to talk about–”
“– Why did my brother message you?” I interrupted, avoiding the topic.
Leon twitched his lips uncertainly, as if unwilling to part them.
“He told me that I had to see you…” Leon trailed off.
“Right,” I said. “Why?”
“Your brother said something insane, Jillian,” He said. “He claimed that Arnold Walker visited him in Fairbanks.”
My jaw fell. “I beg your pardon? Arnold Walker? My brother’s school friend?”
Leon nodded.
“He escaped? I didn't know others got out,” I whispered.
My old friend’s face was growing paler. “No, I... Your brother said something that seemed impossible. He said that Arnold did not arrive on his doorstep as a thirty-six-year-old man, but a ten-year-old child.”
My stomach dropped. The natural response would’ve been to discredit such an outlandish story, refuting it with a rational explanation. But Leon’s revelation served to do only one thing. It confirmed what I’d always known.
“A ten-year-old boy made it all the way from our hometown to Fairbanks?” I asked meekly.
Leon frowned. “That’s it? You’re not going to question it? I did. I messaged Alan repeatedly, but he never replied.”
“Not a nice feeling, is it?” I asked, sighing. “How did you want me to react, Leon? You were itching to talk about that day. Well, I’m not skirting around the subject now. Let’s talk about it. Okay? I know all of that horror really happened. I’d just never wanted anyone to confirm it.”
“Me neither,” Leon said. “I was trying to avoid your family for the rest of my life. Your brother ruined that.”
“Yeah. He tends to ruin things,” I replied. “So, that’s it? Alan wanted you to tell me about Arnold Walker?”
Leon shivered. “There’s more, but… Look, I know I should’ve messaged you about all of this first, but I thought about the way Alan avoided my questions. I didn’t want you to do the same. I assumed if I were to show up in person, then–”
“– I wouldn’t be able to run away,” I finished. “I understand, Leon. I just hate that my brother is still too childish to talk to me.”
“Funny. He called you childish too. Listening to you two bicker is nostalgic,” Leon smiled, before quickly adopting a solemn expression. “I’m trying to change the subject, but I need to rip off the band-aid. Alan said that Arnold took him to a car on the front lawn. There was a man in the driver’s seat, barely clinging to life, with a face mangled beyond recognition. Your brother said the man’s skin had been peeled from his face… And he was still, somehow, alive.”
I shuddered, vomit climbing my throat.
“Arnold told your brother that the man was Mr Johnson,” Leon whispered.
“The farmer? The one who ran the local grocery store?” I asked, shivering.
My friend nodded. “Yeah. Alan said he’d aged a little. Well, his hair was greyer than he remembered. The pair must’ve been on the road for hours, and your brother didn’t know how they knew where to find him. He had so many questions for them, but Mr Johnson died before the ambulance arrived. And whilst Alan talked to the paramedics, Arnold ran away. He’s missing.”
“Shit…” I whispered. “I’ll call my brother.”
“You might struggle,” Leon said. “Alan ended the message by saying that he was going back… home.”
I gawped. “No. He wouldn’t be that stupid.”
“Maybe not. You should try to contact him,” Leon said. “He hasn’t replied to my dozens of messages, but he might reply to you. Not sure he even has a signal, out there in the boonies, but you’re right. You should try.”
I spent an hour trying to contact my brother, in various ways, but he did not respond. Alan had vanished. And I knew, like it or not, that I had to return to our village too. I should’ve told Dad. Would've told him, had he not been one bad day away from a heart attack. In spite of the man he’d become, I loved him. I didn’t want to remind him of the place we’d fled.
One person should be spared the horror of remembering, I thought.
Leon and I, two strangers who’d spent formative years together, piled into my Kia, and we drove from Anchorage to a place that I’d long hoped had never really existed.
I was going to be horribly disappointed.
On a nondescript road that burrowed into the Alaskan wilderness, my throat started to twist and constrict. The outer edge of my vision shrank, and my head pulsated with a slowing rhythm as the world slipped away from me. I struggled to breathe as I came to terms with an awful fact.
I recognised that endless road.
“Jillian…” Leon whispered.
“Don’t,” I begged.
I didn’t want to hear it. I wasn’t ready. I’d known all along, of course, that our village existed. Even when extensive research had revealed nothing about the town. When I thought of the way the breeze consumed the town, erasing its residents, it made sense that it would erase the very place itself. After all, even I’d started to doubt its existence, and I’d lived there.
Accepting the unearthly nature of the event wasn’t as tough as you might imagine. If anything, I had fought hard to deny it. I wanted to ignore the existence of a paranormal force, though I had witnessed it with my own eyes. Even if there were some Alaskan breeze powerful enough to instantaneously freeze an entire town, we hadn’t witnessed that. We’d seen something else. We’d seen that glacial wind freeze the town. Not its people, but its tether to time.
After an hour of following the frosted landscape, we saw something familiar on the horizon. Leon’s face mirrored mine as our damned village appeared. A bulge of ruin and decay, growing as we neared it. And when we crossed the threshold into the desolate town, the reality of our quest finally dawned on me.
“Where is everybody?” Leon asked.
It might seem a moronic question to an outsider. Our old village was clearly an abandoned place. No rational person would expect anybody else to be there. Of course, I understood Leon. He had asked the same terrifying question that was circling the drain of my mind, refusing to flush away.
I thought back to that terrible day on which hundreds of people froze in time. Then I thought of Arnold Walker and Mr Johnson. The two residents who’d supposedly shown up at my brother’s door. One of them had looked no older than he’d been in 1998.
“Time resumed,” I finally mumbled.
“Yes, but where did everybody go?” My childhood friend asked.
I didn’t have an answer. Neither did my brother, and that was why he’d come here.
That’s not the real reason, I thought. He was hoping to find… her.
I rolled onto my old street, noting that the trees swayed in the wind and birds flew overhead. Signs that time was flowing. I wondered whether others had fled in the same fashion as Arnold and Mr Johnson. I even allowed my heart to soar a little as I considered that my mother might have freed herself. Might have found Dad in Anchorage. Might be wondering where Alan and I had gone.
However, I knew that not to be the case. Mum had not arrived at my door, and there had been no national news coverage about people emerging from a town that didn’t exist. There had only been an old, half-butchered man and a quiet boy. Both were gone. And I had questions about the nature of their escape from our hometown, given my brother’s ominous message to Leon.
Something was still dreadfully wrong with our village. Twenty-six years had not changed that. The people of the village had not disappeared into the sunset. Whatever had happened to them, I knew it wasn’t good. Possibly worse than what happened to Arnold Walker and Mr Johnson.
I pulled onto the driveway of my childhood home, gently trundling over cracked asphalt. Weeds squirmed through the wounds of the suburb, as nature sought to erase my childhood from existence. There was no need for that, of course. The wind of 1998, and whatever secrets it held, had already done a fine job of wiping my hometown from reality.
“Do you think he’s come here?” Leon asked as I turned off the engine.
“Yes. We both know who he wanted to find,” I said.
My childhood friend nodded, and we both sombrely climbed out of the vehicle.
The village was colder than I remembered. For a mid-afternoon day in late May, it was unseasonably chilly. Alaska, for the most part, is not the arctic hellscape that many people imagine. Not in all parts of the state, anyhow, and certainly not in late spring. The air also felt stale. It carried the stench of evil, and it seemed to be tinged with frost. As if that demonic breeze were still lingering in the air, nearly three decades later.
I knocked on the rotten front door, surprised that it did not break with a slight rap of my hand.
“Alan?” I yelled. “It’s Jillian.”
My brother did not respond, but I wasn’t concerned. If he had been there, and Mum hadn’t, then he wouldn’t have wanted to stay. I wanted to use that as an excuse to turn around and leave. I already assumed that my mother wouldn’t be there, but another part of me knew that my assumption was more of a wish. In a similar way, I had been secretly glad to find nobody in the town. There was only one person I hoped to find in my old village, and that was Alan.
I was terrified by the prospect of finding anything else.
“Jill…” Leon started softly. “Come on. We have to do it.”
“Do we?” I asked. “This was a mistake. We should turn around. We–”
“– I agree,” Leon sharply interjected. “But we have to find your brother. And when we do, we’ll convince him to come back with us. We’ll convince him to leave this place behind too.”
“Why did you come to see me, Leon?” I asked. “You could’ve ignored my brother’s message. You could’ve pretended none of this had ever happened. That’s what you did when you started ignoring my letters, isn’t it?”
“I deeply regretted that for years, Jill,” He said softly. “You were my best friend. You were… more than that. We were just kids, but I loved you. I’ve not made another connection like ours. Not even in my adult life.”
“I know,” I replied. “I loved you too, Leon. That’s why it hurt when you let our bond peter out. If you’d cut me off from the start, I would’ve understood. But it just felt like you’d stopped caring.”
“Never. I just lost the strength to bear that trauma,” He explained. “Every letter was a reminder, and I just… That’s why I came to your door. That’s why I didn’t ignore what your brother said. I didn’t want something to happen to him. You lost your mother. I didn’t want you to lose him too.”
“We all lost things,” I sniffled. “You lost… more than me. I just don’t understand why you’d come back. Why my brother would come back. I don’t even understand why I’ve come back.”
“We never really left this place, did we?” Leon asked. “Not in our minds. Even though it doesn’t exist in the eyes of the outside world, it never left us. Never let go. Arnold Walker and Mr Johnson lured Alan back. And he lured us back.”
“That’s an unsettling way of looking at it,” I timidly replied.
“It’s the only way I’ve been able to look at it,” He said. “Whatever claimed this place, it remembered us, and it made sure we remembered it. Not that it would be easy to forget… For years, I thought I’d lost my mind, but after talking to you and Alan, I’m not so sure. I find it hard to believe that we’d have experienced a shared delusion. No, it all really happened. And the memory replays in my mind every day. I’ll never get rid of it.”
“Dad seemed to do a good job of erasing this place from his mind,” I said.
I knew that wasn’t true, of course. He had never forgotten. That was made apparent by his deterioration. Alan and I had a close relationship with our father before we left that village. Afterwards, he changed. We all changed. Losing Mum had fractured the family, but there was more to it than that. I started to consider that Leon might be right. Perhaps the frost hadn’t ensnared the two of us, but it had certainly bitten us.
“Do you want me to do it?” Leon eventually asked.
I wanted to be courageous enough to open the door, but I wasn’t. I nodded meekly and stepped aside, allowing my childhood friend the nightmarish task of facing whatever lay within my old home. He pushed the door handle down, expecting the house to be unlocked, but it wouldn’t budge.
“Shall we try the back?” I asked.
Leon backed up. I quickly realised what he was planning to do, and I opened my mouth to utter a protest. My hulking friend had charged before I spoke a single word, however, and he hurled his body into the door. It quivered in its frame, but did not give.
“Leon!” I cried. “What are you doing?”
“Well, I don’t suppose you have the key?” He panted, massaging his shoulder.
I held up my hands. “Look, let’s just…”
My friend rushed forwards again, and the result was the same. This time, however, Leon released a groan of pain, clutching his arm a little more tightly.
“You’re going to hurt yourself,” I said. “Let’s take it in turns to kick the door. That'll work better, and it won’t cripple either of us.”
Leon nodded, and the two of us firmly booted the door near the handle. The wood quaked, and it only took a few attacks for the door to splinter around the lock. The frame splayed inwards, and the metal mechanism fell loose.
“Whoops… That worked a little too well,” Leon laughed.
He led the way into my childhood home, which looked, unlike the street outside, the same as I remembered. The same as it had looked on the day I’d left. There were no shoes left by the door. No muddy prints on the carpet. No indication whatsoever that my brother had visited our old home, which I’d gathered when the front door had been locked. But this was not a relief. I knew, in my gut, that Alan would’ve gone there first.
He never made it home.
Leon shivered. “This place feels cold…”
“Frozen,” I corrected. “Frozen in time.”
“Is it safe for us to be here?” He asked. “What if we end up like the others?”
“It’s a bit late to ask that now,” I replied. “The breeze passed long ago. This just seems to be the horror it left behind.”
Leon accepted my suggestion, then he wandered over to the staircase. My friend took one step before halting in place. For a haunting moment, I believed that he had been frozen in time too. I believed that I’d been wrong, and the frost had come for us. But I quickly realised that my friend was still moving. Still twitching. He was frozen by fear, not a supernatural gale.
“There’s someone in the bathroom…” Leon wheezed.
With physical dread in every inch of my body, I joined my friend and looked up. Artificial light spilled beneath the bathroom door onto the dark landing.
“There might not be anyone in there,” I shakily said.
“Jillian, this is an abandoned town. There is no electricity. Your house is still frozen in time, and it froze with the bathroom light left on. Somebody must have been–”
“– Don’t say it,” I pleaded, upper lip trembling.
“Do you want me to lead the way?” He asked.
I didn’t. I wanted to run, but I knew I would never forgive myself for doing so. Leon was right, of course. I hadn’t allowed him to finish his sentence, but it was clear that he was going to mention somebody in particular. Somebody whose face flooded my mind as we ascended the staircase, one tentative step at a time. Somebody whose name started to tickle my lips as Leon grasped the handle to the door.
It wasn’t locked.
“Mum?” I moaned as Leon inched it open.
My ageless mother was inside.
I’m sure I would’ve screamed at whatever we found, but I was not prepared for the state of the statue before me. Mum was standing at the sink, hands cupped below a stream of tap water suspended in time. As I had always feared, the frost caught her. It was horrifying enough to be frozen in time for twenty-six years, whilst the rest of the world continued, but that wasn’t why I screamed. I’d braced myself for that possibility. I’d spent my entire adult life coming to terms with it.
I screamed because I wasn’t prepared to see her face.
Mum was smiling. Not a wholesome smile. It was a taut grin that etched an unnerving crescent shape across her cheeks. There was nothing unnatural about the grin, but it looked painful. And it appeared as if cataracts had taken the entirety of her pupils.
“Mum?” I asked weakly. “Do you hear me?”
There was no reply. I peered around the side of her face, and I immediately regretted it. Though she was frozen in time, she did not look unaware. I felt her sightless eyes boring into my face, and I quickly jumped backwards.
“Let’s go and find your brother,” Leon fearfully said.
As I nodded, backing towards the doorway, I locked my gaze onto my mother’s profile. My heart pounded as I started to close the bathroom door. I was trying to ignore the idea that had wormed into my mind. The possibility that, behind the glassy cataract, a pupil might still exist. Lying dormant. Watching me from a face that no longer seemed to belong to my mother.
After I shut the door, Leon and I took a few moments to control our breathing. With a slight tremble, my friend finally walked over to the light switch and raised a hand, but I caught his wrist.
“What are you doing?” He frowned.
“Leave the light on,” I whispered. “I… don’t like the idea of leaving her in the dark.”
My friend’s expression softened, and he nodded, seeming to understand my explanation. Seeming to empathise. But I was lying. I wasn’t worried about leaving my mother in the dark. I was worried about the thing behind that smiling face.
“Alan didn’t come here,” I said. “Did he really come back?”
“You read the message, Jillian,” Leon replied.
“I know, but…” I sighed. “I know.”
“He might not have come to the house,” My friend suggested.
“This is the first place he would’ve visited,” I said. “If Mum weren’t here, he wouldn’t have returned.”
“Well, let’s look around,” Leon urged. “You never know. We might find something else. Something to help your mother, perhaps.”
“You saw her face,” I whispered. “She looked far past help.”
“Don’t say that, Jillian!” Leon shouted, eyes watering.
You idiot, I thought.
I was so self-centred. So focused on finding my brother and my mother. I hadn’t thought about Leon’s parents. His brother, Carl. People we’d left behind when my father saved us. I remembered Leon sobbing as he begged my father to turn around.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “We need to find your family too.”
Leon viciously shook his head. “Only if we find an answer, Jill. Only if we find a way to save them.”
My friend entered my childhood bedroom, and I followed him. I imagine that visiting one’s childhood home is a strange experience for anyone, but strangeness morphs into horror when that home is trapped in a moment of time. I felt physically unwell when I saw the glass of water on the bedside table, fresh as it had been on the day that my dad took us to the park. Life had continued for me, but the town was still trapped in that dreadful, inexplicable day.
“Jillian,” Leon said calmly. “There are people outside.”
He was standing in front of my bedroom window, and when I joined him, eyeing the road below, I saw them. A man and a woman who seemed to be in their mid-forties. The man wore ill-fitting clothes. A chequered shirt two sizes too small, and a pair of torn jeans. The woman, on the other hand, wore a pristine, shapely dress with a floral pattern. She looked oddly familiar, though her eyes were jittery and unfocused. It was the man who’d locked his eyes onto our house.
“I… vaguely recognise her,” Leon said.
I nodded. “Yeah. I don’t know her name, but I remember her. She looks a tad older, perhaps. I don’t know the man though.”
“You stay here,” Leon said, reaching inside his coat. “Don’t come out.”
“What are you holding?” I frowned, noting his shiftiness.
“Just…” Leon concealed his hand within the thick, wintry coat. “Are you going to stay in here?”
My eyes grew as I spotted a glint of metal. “You don’t… No, Leon. Please. Don’t tell me you have what I think you have.”
“We had no idea what we were going to find here,” The man protested.
I scoffed. “Leon Taylor? Carrying a gun? The boy who berated me for killing me a spider.”
Before he replied, there came the sound of the front door swinging open. And when we spun our heads back to the bedroom window, we saw that the man and woman were no longer on the street. I realised they were inside.
“Hello?” Called a man from downstairs. “We mean you no harm.”
“I have a weapon,” Leon yelled, slipping the pistol out of a hidden holster.
“Don’t shoot… It’s Bernie Bradley…” The man shouted weakly.
My mouth gaped. Bernie Bradley was in my brother’s school year. I remembered him. And as I recalled the face of the man I’d seen on the street, I didn’t find it hard to believe it had been the face of that same boy, twenty-six years into the future.
“What do you want?” I yelled.
“To help you,” He replied. “Before they come.”
“Who?” Leon asked.
“I’ll tell you if you put that weapon away,” Bernie said.
“I don’t trust you enough for that,” My friend growled.
“Are you Leon Taylor?” The man asked.
“Why?” Leon responded.
“Sydney Manley pushed you off the swing set, and you called her a fat cow,” Bernie said. “She ran home in tears.”
It wasn’t enough. In a place like that, which defied all laws of rationality, it wasn’t enough for Bernie Bradley to know that. But Leon and I needed it to be enough because we were hopelessly alone. Hopelessly afraid. And hopelessly desperate.
My friend re-holstered his weapon, and we walked onto the landing. Bernie and the woman were midway up the stairs. The man’s hands were raised, but the woman barely seemed aware of where they were. Barely seemed aware of herself.
“Leon Taylor and Jillian Maynard. Is that right?” Bernie asked.
“How did you recognise us?” I asked.
“You were the only ones who escaped,” He replied. “The Maynards and Leon Taylor.”
“The only ones?” Leon asked incredulously.
Bernie nodded. “Others tried, but the frost got them.”
“So, why aren’t you…” I started, unable to finish.
“Mind if we sit down before I answer that?” He asked.
I looked at Leon, and my friend begrudgingly nodded. We all headed to the living room and sat down. Once we did, Bernie Bradley told us an incredible story, and the woman beside him simply rocked on the sofa, face painted with a disturbing smile.
Bernie had been a ten-year-old boy, sitting at his bedroom desk, when the chill swept through his room. He told us that he remembered nothing but a black void. He might’ve been there for an eternity, or it might’ve been less than a moment.
When he woke from that dark slumber, still a ten-year-old boy sitting in the desk chair, Bernie looked out of the bedroom window. He was overcome by the horrible feeling that time had been lost, but he didn’t know how much. And when he saw residents frozen in the street, he realised that something awful had happened. Bernie found his own paused parents in the kitchen, and they were completely unresponsive to his pleas.
The lonely, frightened boy ran through the town, calling for help. Nobody answered. After a long day of searching, he returned to his house in tears. For a week, Bernie lived on cans of food from the cupboards. And then he heard shouting from the street.
“Hello? Is anybody there?” A man called.
Bernie ran outside to find Mr Johnson. The farmer had just woken from ‘a darkness’ to find the town full of statues. Bernie told Mr Johnson that he’d been alone for a week, but he had no idea how long he’d been frozen before that. The boy wanted to leave, but the farmer said they had to save as many people as possible. They had a duty to do so. After all, neither the farmer nor the boy knew what might happen to them if they were to run. The frost might return.
Anyway, Mr Johnson took Bernie under his wing. The crops in his field, thankfully, had unfrozen, as had his entire farmhouse. Mr Johnson fed Bernie, and the two of them survived. A week later, they found Elizabeth Coulter, the local headteacher, wandering through the town. Over the course of the following year, a dozen more unfrozen souls were saved and brought back to Mr Johnson’s farm.
But things changed as time passed. The newer thawed souls were unhinged. The longer a person had been trapped in that black stasis, the less human they became. They were still intelligible, but they spoke only of the voice in the void. A voice that they missed in the land of the living. They were irritable, but Mr Johnson cared for them, all the same. Eventually, they fled.
This only worsened as the years went by. After a decade, Bernie’s mother and father unfroze. However, his dad ran, and his mum only remained because she was lost and confused. She would rant and rave about the Speaker. The one that would make everything better. The one that would make them all eternal.
It was during the year of 2018 that things crossed a terrifying line. Mr Johnson had decided that newcomers were not welcome. It was a decision of necessity, not cruelty. The recently unfrozen folk had become more than unintelligible. They had become dangerous.
“Hark! The Speaker calls!” Walter Frankton screamed.
The middle-aged man, who had once been a police officer, was standing outside Mr Johnson’s farmhouse. When the community of sane people emerged, they screeched at the sight of Walter holding a charred body above his head. Nobody identified the burnt corpse, but Mr Johnson wasted no time in drawing his rifle and giving Mr Frankton ten seconds to flee.
Bernie explained that Walter laughed demonically, before disappearing into the night. Over the coming years, bodies were found in the street. Followers of the Speaker would relentlessly pursue Mr Johnson’s community, so the sane folk kept distant from the people of the Speaker. Few of Mr Johnson’s followers understood why they stayed, yet nobody felt able to leave. Something was keeping them there.
A couple of weeks before Leon and I arrived, however, Bernie said that Mr Johnson finally announced his plan to leave. There were murmurs of uncertainty. Everybody wanted to escape, of course, but fear had always stopped them. Still, they trusted Mr Johnson. If anybody had the power to safely lead them away from the place controlling their minds, it had to be the brave farmer. Packing and preparations began.
However, some days later, Bernie Bradley happened to look out of an upstairs window and notice Mr Johnson. The old man was wandering aimlessly onto the driveway, stumbling like a drunken man towards his vehicle. Bernie said there was a small child standing beside the car. The young boy led Mr Johnson to the driver’s door with a smile, and the two of them fled.
Things disintegrated after that. When a Molotov cocktail found its way through a window, the community dispersed. The sane folk fled in different directions, and Bernie was left alone with his mother.
“We’ve been running for days,” Bernie explained. “I keep finding the bodies of people from my community. Charred corpses in the street. I tried to leave this town, but it wouldn’t let me. The farther I drove, the sharper the pang in my heart. I knew I'd die if I were to keep going.”
“How did you find us?” Leon asked.
“I heard you,” Bernie replied. “Hard to miss the sound of an engine in a dead place like this. I had a hunch that it might be you.”
“You must've heard my brother then?” I asked hopefully.
Bernie frowned. “Alan's here? That might explain the raucous a few days ago… I don’t know what I heard. Noise. Lots of it... You won't find him, Jill. You have to run whilst it still lets you. The frost might be gone, but… something lingers.”
“The Speaker?” Leon asked.
Bernie nodded. “I was fortunate enough to never hear it. Or never remember hearing it. I don't know what it said to them. My mother won't tell me.”
Bernie looked at the woman next to him. The one who appeared to be the same age as him, though I realised he was still a decade younger. The horror of our town had aged him beyond his years.
“It will be so glorious…” Bernie’s mother giggled, eyes bearing faint pupils behind mild cataracts.
“You’re lucky that they didn’t see you arrive,” Bernie said. “Otherwise, you’d be dead already. But they’ll come. Sooner or later. And you need to listen to me if you want a safe way out of here. Okay? We need to distract them. Keep them off your backs.”
I shook my head. “I need to find my brother. I know he came to this town. I thought I'd find him in our home, but–”
“– Walter wanted him,” Bernie’s mother hissed.
The woman stopped rocking. Stopped smiling. And her head snapped to face me with such eerie speed that I thought it might entirely disconnect from her neck. Bernie quivered, seemingly just as horrified by his mother’s words as the rest of us.
“Mother…?” He asked.
“Walter wanted him. Walter wanted him. Walter wanted him!” The woman laughed, taunting me.
“What does she mean?” I sobbed. “Does Walter Frankton have my brother?”
Bernie’s face whitened. “If he does, your brother's either been flayed or charred.”
“Christ, Bernie,” Leon replied.
I sniffled. “I won’t leave until I know.”
“He’s already dead,” Bernie bluntly said.
“We don’t know that!” I cried.
I thought the others were sitting in stunned silence because I’d spoken so assertively. However, as I calmed my breathing, and the throbbing sensation in my ears quietened, I heard it too. The sound of laughing voices. Bernie’s mother strained to smile broadly. She looked as pained as my mother, but grateful for the privilege of the discomfort.
“You don't want to see this. We'll head through the back. Do not look at the street...” Bernie hoarsely pleaded as I rose.
But I was already running to the door.
I flung it open and started to run down the path, with Leon and Bernie in tow. Then, my eyes met the mob spilling beyond the end of the street. The crowd easily numbered a hundred people, and each face wore a terrible smile. Eyes glassy, yet all-seeing.
There was a man shuffling from the crowd towards me, like a terrified toddler taking its first steps. I tried to blot his face from my mind. I didn’t want to see it, though it was too late for that. I’d seen everything the moment I faced the crowd. Eventually, I fell to my knees and howled as I embraced the truth.
The shuffling man, who had been flayed alive, was my brother.
Alan reached towards me with an outstretched hand, weakly shouting something, before toppling forwards. He was reduced to a motionless heap on the road.
“Jill!” Leon cried again, rushing to me. “We have to go!”
I continued to wail as the gleeful crowd surged forwards. I resisted Leon, but he easily hauled my limp body to the car and bundled me into the back.
“He needs help...” I blubbered.
“He’s gone, Jill,” Leon whispered.
“What about your family?” I asked.
“They’re all gone...” He sniffled, stepping on the accelerator.
Staring through the rear-view window, I watched the crowd approach my old home. Bernie stood on the front porch, and his mother had her hands on his shoulders. The man did not run. As we pulled off the driveway, it almost seemed as if he, too, finally had a smile on his face. The mob swarmed Bernie, and I heard a brief cry of agony. It may have been ecstatic or fearful. It may have been both.
After we crossed the border, no chill pierced us. We were free to leave. But I know Leon and I belong to that town. I have always suspected that the wind grazed its teeth against my skin when I was a child. It grazed all of us. For, even now, I still feel that link. That urge to return to the salivating mob with a smile on my face.
When I returned home to find that my father was missing, I knew he felt it too.

27, male, with neck pain, pulsatile tinnitus, thunderclap headaches, pressure to head when bending. My MRI finding just arrived:
"In the right ACI at the border of the C3 and C4 segments (the place of the petrolingual ligament) there is an impression of a narrowing of the lumen on the shorter segment."
"At the level of segments C5-C6 , initial arthrosis of the umcovertebral extensions is visible on both sides, which reduces the neural openings."

I've been getting palpitation and chest pain recently since my exams started! Never happened before and it's not like I stress alot about exams! I went to emergency three times in 30-40 days and got ecg done which was normal! Everyone said it's anxiety so I was like okay I can handle that! But I've been getting continously chest pain on left side! Sometimes burning, sometimes stabbing type of pain which also seems to radiate to arm and neck! I know it is symptoms MI or attack! So got echo done today, also came out normal and they said it's anxiety but why pain isn't going away! I took painkiller they prescribed and slept but when I woke up it's back! There's no shortness of breath or dizziness! Also my exams started on 5th May and anxiety 2 days before that, exams finished 10 days later and I went to home, anxiety was gone! Again exams started from 2nd June and Im getting anxiety 2 days before that for everyday now!