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dandelionsresilience · 3 months

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I’m not sure how reliably I’ll be able to keep up with it, but I’ve been wanting to start posting weekly or monthly Good News compilations, with a focus on ecology but also some health and human rights type stuff. I’ll try to keep the sources recent (like from within the last week or month, whichever it happens to be), but sometimes original dates are hard to find. Also, all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.

Anyway, here’s some good news from the first week of March!

1. Mexican Wolf Population Grows for Eighth Consecutive Year

““In total, 99 pups carefully selected for their genetic value have been placed in 40 wild dens since 2016, and some of these fosters have produced litters of their own. While recovery is in the future, examining the last decade of data certainly provides optimism that recovery will be achieved.””

2. “Remarkable achievement:” Victoria solar farm reaches full power ahead of schedule

“The 130MW Glenrowan solar farm in Victoria has knocked out another milestone, reaching full power and completing final grid connection testing just months after achieving first generation in late November.”

3. UTEP scientists capture first known photographs of tropical bird long thought lost

“The yellow-crested helmetshrike is a rare bird species endemic to Africa that had been listed as “lost” by the American Bird Conservancy when it hadn’t been seen in nearly two decades. Until now.”

4. France Protects Abortion as a 'Guaranteed Freedom' in Constitution

“[A]t a special congress in Versailles, France’s parliament voted by an overwhelming majority to add the freedom to have an abortion to the country’s constitution. Though abortion has been legal in France since 1975, the historic move aims to establish a safeguard in the face of global attacks on abortion access and sexual and reproductive health rights.”

5. [Fish & Wildlife] Service Approves Conservation Agreement for Six Aquatic Species in the Trinity River Basin

“Besides conserving the six species in the CCAA, activities implemented in this agreement will also improve the water quality and natural flows of rivers for the benefit of rural and urban communities dependent on these water sources.”

6. Reforestation offset the effects of global warming in the southeastern United States

“In America’s southeast, except for most of Florida and Virginia, “temperatures have flatlined, or even cooled,” due to reforestation, even as most of the world has grown warmer, reports The Guardian.”

7. Places across the U.S. are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net

“Cash aid without conditions was considered a radical idea before the pandemic. But early results from a program in Stockton, Calif., showed promise. Then interest exploded after it became clear how much COVID stimulus checks and emergency rental payments had helped people. The U.S. Census Bureau found that an expanded child tax credit cut child poverty in half.”

8. The Road to Recovery for the Florida Golden Aster: Why We Should Care

“After a five-year review conducted in 2009 recommended reclassifying the species to threatened, the Florida golden aster was proposed for removal from the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened Plants due to recovery in June 2021, indicating the threats to the species had been reduced or eliminated.”

9. A smart molecule beats the mutation behind most pancreatic cancer

“Researchers have designed a candidate drug that could help make pancreatic cancer, which is almost always fatal, a treatable, perhaps even curable, condition.”

10. Nurses’ union at Austin’s Ascension Seton Medical Center ratifies historic first contract

“The contract, which NNOC said in a news release was “overwhelmingly” voted through by the union, includes provisions the union believes will improve patient care and retention of nurses.”

This and future editions will also be going up on my new Ko-fi, where you can support my art and get doodled phone wallpapers! EDIT: Actually, I can't find any indication that curating links like this is allowed on Ko-fi, so to play it safe I'll stick to just posting here on Tumblr. BUT, you can still support me over on Ko-fi if you want to see my Good News compilations continue!

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pandemic-info · 2 years

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Re: reinfection studies

Re:

A thread by the VA study's lead author, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD:

In this study of 5.8 million people 41k with reinfection 444k with 1 infection (no reinfection) 5.3 million non-infected controls Compared to no reinfection, reinfection increased risk of death, hospitalization, and other adverse health outcomes Compared to people who did not get reinfection, those with reinfection had

2 fold increased risk of death

3 fold increased risk of hospitalization

3 fold increased risk of heart problems

3 fold increased risk of blood clotting

Reinfection also increased risk of

Diabetes

Fatigue

Kidney problems

Mental health disorders

Musculoskeletal problems

Neurologic disorders

Lung problems

Reinfection was associated with adverse health outcomes in

unvaccinated

those who had 1 vaccine shot

those who had 2+ vaccine shots

Importantly, Reinfection increased the risks of death, hospitalization and organ injury in the acute and post-acute phase and the elevated risks remained evident at 6 months after reinfection. Reinfection increases the risk of acute and #LongCovid.

Compared to noninfected controls, cumulative risks of repeat infection increased according to the number of infections

Every reinfection contributes additional risk

3 infections worse than 2

2 infections worse than 1

1 infection worse than none

For the half a billion people who had #COVID19 once, the question of whether a second infection carries additional risks is important. We show that reinfection increases risks of adverse outcomes in acute and post-acute phases of COVID-19.

What does this mean for you? If you have Covid once, twice, three or more times, and even if you are vaccinated and boosted it is absolutely worth it to protect yourself from getting covid again.

What are the broader implications? Reinfection will add to the pandemic's high and growing toll of death, disease, and disability. Prevention of infection and reinfection with SARS-CoV-2 should continue to be the goal of public health policy.

How do we move forward?

Reinfections are not benign and will continue to happen until we have vaccines that

a. block transmission

b. offer durable protection

c. variant proof

We also need prevention and treatment strategies for #LongCovid.

#study #reinfection #covid #long covid #ziyad al-aly #thread #twitter #va study

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hotmessexpress2023 · 1 year

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Hello World,

I pray today May 23, 2023, finds you all blessed abundantly beyond measure. Today I was awakened with a desire to start my New Path on my journey called Life. I am a 40yr old woman who has a desire to help the lost and encourage those around me. I haven't always been able to love myself and those around me correctly but today in 2023 I am on my way to finding and loving the most authentic version of me. I have both suffered and been blessed from growing up in a divided home with both sides of the family being very toxic. I have suffered from poverty, sexual abuse, drug addiction, physical and mental abuse, eating disorders, self-sabotage, and ignorance. I was a young child the first time I ever experienced abuse in front of me and not long after to myself. This led well into adulthood to me becoming a young mother who would also suffer abuse physically, emotionally, verbally and mentally. I was married by 23 with one biological child and became a stepmother of a blended family of 6 steps kids and 3 bonus kids (1 niece and 3 bonus/God kids) My husband is almost 11yrs older than me. We have been married 18yrs come September of this year and been together 20yrs. I make his 3rd wife. I am currently raising 4 of my God/Bonus Grandkids - 3 boys 12, 10, and 9 along with 1 little girl who is 6. I have been raising them for the last 8 yrs and as of last yr have custody of all 4. I battle with several different Autoimmune conditions and have been treating them with no medication for 3yrs now. I have opened my home to many people over the years, starting from age 18. My husband has joked and said we need a sign in the front yard that says Home of the Wayward Children and Adults. While I have lost myself, most of my friends and family along the way, I have found my God and I am ready to be the best version of myself for me, my children who are now grown, my grandchildren and anyone who I come in contact with. In November of 2021 my husband lost is bonus sister who was also one of my closest friends, in January 2022 we lost our oldest bonus/God daughter and by March I lost my stepsister. The only way I can describe these 4 months is, that it was as if the earth had opened up and engulfed my whole being into the depths of Hell. I have spent the last year devoted to no one but myself and while it has been hard, it has been so worth it. In 2020 I swore I was breaking out of my prison that I had been placed in for the last 8yrs, I was determined to continue destroying the cage in which I had built over the coarse of my life for myself out of all the expectations of others and myself. However, Covid had a different idea.......Back in the house we all went, but I was determined to break free and while I am 3yrs in and haven't broken free from my prison I am very much free from my chains and my cage. In this blog it will be random things and ideas that interest me and my journey but may help and guide someone else along theirs. My title is Hot Mess Express because I am and have become a Hot Mess whether I like it or not. In these posts I hope to uplift others while allowing God to set you all free as he has set me free. Here is to a journey of Freedom and Authentic Truth of who Heidi Marie was, is and wants to be! There are levels to who we are and I can't wait to start moving through them all no matter what they look like. So today as you scroll through and find me the Hot Mess Express know I have no idea what I am doing but I love big, and I am on a search to my best self! Have a blessed day. I can't wait to see who I meet and impact but most of all to see who I meet that impacts me!

#I am new at this #I am on a journey

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strapskinkstories · 2 years

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Oct 1 2022 – I hate fungal infections & Stats for September released & KEEP YOUR PLACES CLEAN! (Exported from Wordpress on Oct 11 2022)

There’s nothing FUN about fungus or fungal infections. Of all conditions I’d have to say skin conditions are in my top 3 hated conditions because they take a long time to cure / can be very run around the bush to cure. Beginning of this month I got hammered by COVID19 Omicron, then I got some unspecified bacterial infection in my throat that started out as strep, then the Amoxicillin gave me a fungal infection in my nether regions that has made doing anything sexy impossible. I’ve been trying to keep writing but I’ve also been tired of the itchiness and pain so I’m kind of out of it right now. Should have things back to normal in the next two weeks or less.

I’ve published stats for September,

The statistics for all sites were well within normal limits, slightly slowed viewership because of a lack of publishing, I typically publish weekly or even twice a week and we’re currently down to twice in the last month. Hoping to soon get back on track to a twice weekly or weekly publishing schedule. I’m expecting as the winter months come in after people do the weird “locktober” thing and “nut nut November” comes along viewership will surge in through “destroy dick December” before “Jacking off January” comes in along with “flirty February” and “Mucky march” before “April showers (of spooge)” comes in and sets in motion Spring 2023. I’ve noticed the sites tend to slow down during the summer months and really have a surge during the winter months. Everyone is out and about and doing things. During the COVID lockdowns people were stuck at home with little option other than to hit the porn button, but now people are traveling again which means the seasonality of porn is back into swing. That said despite the seasonal weakness all sites remain within strong growth trajectories. Right now the main problem is lack of publishing and that is because my health has been sketchy this last month. Hoping that things get sorted out fast with this fungal situation in my pelvis as it’s currently the only thing holding me back from getting to things.

Totally not a kinky item & sort of an advertisement (If you’re not interested in home maintenance / filter maintenance skip this part, end of post HERE, if you are interested read on below)

Have you taken a look at your sink in the kitchen lately? Have you taken a good look at your bathroom? I found mould under the sponge holders in the kitchen, a quick wash in a bowl with 1 part bleach 3 parts water sorted that out straight away, though those sponge holders are definitely nearing the end of their lifespan. You should replace your sponge holders at least once every 3 years or if they become visibly damaged or soiled by fungus that cannot be completely eradicated with bleach. Eradication doesn’t always mean completely visible removal, there might still be some stains left after you eradicate, if there are stains they should be replaced at soonest convenience but it’s not a rush. If you have black mould that cannot be eradicated you should throw the items away as soon as possible. The same goes for any bathroom accessories. I don’t know why I’m putting a pretty common house cleaning tip here but I feel it calls to attention FUNGUS and the fact I’ve just dealt with a fungal infection and people tend to get athletes foot and fungal infections easily, its something y’all should pay some attention to. Do take good care of your home because if things get dirty in the least bit in the wrong area it can spell out a disaster for you and others living in the house. Have a whole house air humidifier attached to your furnace? Grab a new filter pad / evaporator pad NOW before the 2022 heating season kicks in. Haven’t changed your air filter? shame on you! That thing should be changed every three months! Alright, maybe not so much shaming because things can be expensive. If you’re in the United States you can save money on fridge, air, and humidifier filters by going to (SPECIAL $10 OFF LINK! –>) DiscountFilters warehouse online. if you’re elsewhere, best place to start looking is Amazon and then branch out from there. Whatever you do, don’t call your furnace company or a repair company, they’ll charge you out the ass for something you can get for under $30 and do yourself in about a half hour of time.

Stay well and safe everyone, and don’t forget to get your bivalent COVID19 booster & flu shot when you’re eligible!

ORIGINAL POST: https://strappyskinks.com/2022/10/01/oct-1-2022-i-hate-fungal-infections-stats-for-september-released-keep-your-places-clean/ (More coming soon, sorry, not much kinky going on right now will be explained in the next update)

#myblog #Medical Update

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beardedmrbean · 2 years

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ABC daytime gabfest "The View" has produced plenty of melodramatic commentary, viral moments and occasional outright misinformation on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are 10 examples.

1. Sunny Hostin suggests ‘1 percent' of youths who get COVID-19 will die

Co-host Sunny Hostin drastically overstated the percentage of coronavirus deaths among younger people during a Tuesday discussion on the liberal daytime talk show over the lifting of mask mandates in schools.

Hostin said she didn't want her children to be part of the "one percent" of those who get intubated and die from COVID-19, but federal health data shows the risk of dying for those under 17 from COVID-19 is far less than that.

"You see, I don't want to take the chance with my kid. I don't want my kid to be part of the one percent that is intubated and dies because I don't give her a vaccine," she said, noting she had gotten her 15-year-old daughter vaccinated when the shots became available.

According to the CDC there have been 770 deaths from the coronavirus in children up to age 17, through the end of January. There have been nearly 10 million known cases of the coronavirus in the same age group, making the death rate approximately 0.008%, with countless cases unreported.

2. Hostin defends Sotomayor's false claim

Hostin went to bat for Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor after Sotomayor said during oral arguments last month that more than 100,000 children were in serious condition from COVID-19, claiming many were on ventilators.

Hostin suggested that despite being nowhere close to the actual figure, Sotomayor was making a valid point about the rise in hospitalizations amid the omicron variant. While there were more children hospitalized then than at any point during the pandemic, according to the CDC, the seven-day average of pediatric hospitalizations was around 3,700 that week, according to the Washington Post.

"Well, first, I just want to re-frame this a little bit about Justice Sotomayor," Hostin said. "Because while she may not be accurate for current hospitalizations in children, she is correct that we have more children in the hospital now, more than ever before."

Hostin didn't stop there. Looking at her notes, she said "right now," there were 82,843 children sick with COVID-19. However, that figure referred to the total number of hospital admissions of children confirmed with COVID-19 since August 2020, according to a Washington Post fact-check.

BILL MAHER SLAMS CANCEL CULTURE AFTER WHOOPI GOLDBERG, JEFF ZUCKER SCANDALS

Hostin went on to state more than 1,000 children had died of COVID; according to the CDC, the number as of February was 795 in the United States for those aged 0-17. That number accounts for less than 0.09 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in the United States, according to the CDC.

"That's a real thing and those are real numbers," Hostin said.

3. Sara Haines: Permanent indoor mask-wearing?

Co-host Sara Haines remarked last month that part of the "new normal" in the COVID and post-COVID era could mean people engaging in permanent indoor mask-wearing.

"I may never ride a subway again without a mask. I may never go indoors to big crowds and ever feel comfortable without a mask, and that's up to me to do that," Haines said.

On Twitter, after a news site clipped her remarks, Haines maintained she opposed shutdowns, school closures and mask mandates for future, less severe variants of the virus like omicron, given the availability of vaccines.

4. Whoopi Goldberg rips Bill Maher

Co-host Whoopi Goldberg erupted on HBO late-night host Bill Maher last month after the comedian criticized the "masked, paranoid world" of people and governments still insisting on stringent coronavirus routines. Maher has been critical of how liberal media has reported on the virus and noted Democrats were more likely to believe severe COVID-19 outcomes would occur "if they contract it."

Goldberg lashed out at Maher, telling him to "stay away from everybody" if he decided he no longer wanted to follow any of the measures used to prevent spread of the virus, such as wearing masks, and argued he was forgetting that some at-risk people were still unable to get vaccinated. She at one point snapped, "How dare you be so flippant?"

"That’s not really funny to people who've lost their kids … or people who've lost family members or dear friends to this," Goldberg said. "Nobody on the planet really wants to go through this. This is not something we’re doing because it’s, you know, sexually gratifying."

"If you're the one who’s not paying attention, and you’re coughing and sneezing … then stay out of the public, man," she added. "Nobody wants this. I don’t want it. And I think he’s forgetting that people are still at risk who cannot get vaccinated … little kids under the age of five, or people with health conditions."

5. Co-hosts exit before Kamala Harris interview

In one of the more bizarre moments in recent live television history, Hostin and co-host Ana Navarro were informed in the middle of a broadcast Sept. 24 that they had tested positive for COVID and needed to leave immediately.

As Joy Behar was set to introduce Vice President Kamala Harris for her first live television interview since taking office, a producer told Navarro and Hostin to leave the stage. Behar revealed after a commercial break that the two had received positive coronavirus tests and had to leave as a precaution.

As the show scrambled to set up a video feed for Harris to be interviewed from backstage, remaining co-hosts Behar and Haines took audience questions for nearly the rest of the episode. The awkward television that ensued lit up social media, as the masked audience members were difficult to hear. The co-hosts crammed in a brief interview with Harris at the end of the program.

‘VIEW’ CO-HOST SUNNY HOSTIN CALLS ON ALLISON GOLLUST TO LEAVE CNN OVER ZUCKER RELATIONSHIP

It was later revealed, however, that both Hostin and Navarro had received false positive results and never had COVID-19. Hostin was particularly upset by the spectacle, as both of her husband's parents died of COVID-19.

In yet another example of melodramatic coronavirus commentary, Navarro said when she returned to the program she had feared for a moment she could "wipe out" Harris and her family because she had spent time with them earlier that day.

6. Hostin asks if Republicans 'want their voters to die'

Hostin questioned Republicans’ strategy of opposing vaccine mandates, such as Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis. Although DeSantis has promoted vaccinations, Hostin suggested that politicians like him "want their voters to die" by not getting the vaccine.

"So the Republican strategy is to tell their constituency not to get the vaccine, so do they want their voters to die? Like, those are the people that are supporting the Republicans. That part I don’t understand," Hostin said in December.

7. Goldberg stunned by testing positive

Goldberg channeled the energy of many media liberals who were shocked they could still contract COVID-19 despite being vaccinated and engaging in precautionary measures.

"I left a couple of weeks ago, just before the break, because somebody I had been around tested positive for coronavirus, so I left. So I've been gone a long time, I feel," Goldberg said Jan. 5.

"And I was all excited and, you know, they have to test us, and so they sent people to test me, and they tested me, and it was like, ‘Oh no you’re not coming back. We’re not sending anybody to your house. You have corona.’ And it was like, wait what?" she added.

‘THE VIEW’S' WILDEST, MOST CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS FROM 2021

Goldberg stated that her shock came from the fact that she was fully vaccinated, had received the vaccine booster shot and hadn't gone anywhere other than her house or "done anything." Goldberg returned to the show less than a week later.

Vaccines have been highly effective in preventing severe outcomes like hospitalization and death from COVID-19, but it came as a shock to many when they were still contracting and transmitting the virus, even after getting boosters.

8. Hostin touts conspiracy theory about Ron DeSantis

As the response to COVID-19 has been tied up with politics for the past two years, "The View" has gone to bat against some of its political foes over their handling of the situation, in particular Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

CONSERVATIVES ARGUE AGAINST WHOOPI GOLDBERG'S SUSPENSION BY ABC: ‘ILLIBERAL AND IMMORAL’

"For those people that think Governor DeSantis, DeathSantis, is doing such a great job in Florida, well, he's not doing such a great job because there are allegations that he hid the death numbers. There are allegations – and now he doesn't want mask mandates," she said in August, according to NewsBusters. "He's coming after Joe Biden, which is absolutely ridiculous. We know this is all political. He wants to run for president."

Hostin appeared to be parroting heavily disputed claims by former Florida health department geographer Rebekah Jones that she was ordered to fudge COVID-19 data and was fired for refusing, as well as a widely panned Yahoo story that accused the state of undercounting deaths.

Florida has the 18th-highest death rate from COVID-19 in the country during the pandemic. Mississippi has the worst, followed by Arizona, New Jersey, Alabama, Louisiana and New York, according to The New York Times.

9. Navarro frets over Stacey Abrams' maskless photo

The hosts of "The View" were sharply critical of Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams this week after photos went viral of her maskless at a school, where children and adults around her were forced to wear masks. Usually admiring of the gubernatorial hopeful, the hosts said Abrams' action was "hypocritical" and a major unforced error.

Navarro's critique came from a point of Abrams putting the children in danger, however, despite data consistently showing they are at scant risk of severe COVID outcomes, even if they aren't vaccinated.

"How could she not be much more careful in a room full of such small children?" she asked. "Stupid thing to do."

Much of the criticism of Abrams from the right stemmed from her not following protocols she insists children abide by, but Republicans have largely opposed school mask mandates as unnecessary and even harmful to youth development and mental health. Abrams continues to support them.

10. Tennis star scolded over vaccine stance

Novak Djokovic, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19, was scolded by panelists on ABC’s "The View" last month after the top-ranked tennis star’s appeal against an Australian deportation order was dismissed, costing him a chance to play in the Australian Open.

"Here is the bottom line, people are not putting up with it. Countries are not putting up with it, because it means that every time you sneeze or talk, you are spreading more hassle for them. They’re trying to clean their country up. They’re trying to put everybody in a mask and here you come, and you think tennis needs you that badly? No, honey, no," Goldberg said.

The hosts also clashed with guest Michele Tafoya, an NBC sportscaster who is vaccinated, last year when she expressed opposition to vaccine mandates. The hosts derided that stance as selfish.

#nunyas news #hen house

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appalachiananarchist · 3 years

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Additional resources and studies that I have looked at listed below! As I’ve said in a few other posts, I intentionally did not post tons and tons of studies because I knew no one would have time to click through them all and I wanted to keep it short and sweet. However, I do want to provide more resources for people who are inclined to keep reading about this, so here are a few more studies. I may just start doing this every so often, where I post links/results from whatever I’ve been reading. A link to full article is included in the title of each. I don’t really intend to add much of my own commentary here. Just providing things for your own reading and criticism.

A few additional studies and data sets, including the early randomized controlled trials for the mRNA vaccines, are discussed in the original post, and further discussion of mortality associated with vaccination is discussed in this follow up.

1. Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant

Study defined COVID-19 as a positive PCR test with symptoms. Children under age 16 were excluded, as were people with previous positive testing. A weakness of the study is that it is observational, and you can read about what the authors say regarding this toward the end of the article.

Results: “Effectiveness after one dose of vaccine (BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1 nCoV-19) was notably lower among persons with the delta variant (30.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 25.2 to 35.7) than among those with the alpha variant (48.7%; 95% CI, 45.5 to 51.7); the results were similar for both vaccines. With the BNT162b2 vaccine, the effectiveness of two doses was 93.7% (95% CI, 91.6 to 95.3) among persons with the alpha variant and 88.0% (95% CI, 85.3 to 90.1) among those with the delta variant. With the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine, the effectiveness of two doses was 74.5% (95% CI, 68.4 to 79.4) among persons with the alpha variant and 67.0% (95% CI, 61.3 to 71.8) among those with the delta variant.”

Authors’ conclusions: “Only modest differences in vaccine effectiveness were noted with the delta variant as compared with the alpha variant after the receipt of two vaccine doses. Absolute differences in vaccine effectiveness were more marked after the receipt of the first dose. This finding would support efforts to maximize vaccine uptake with two doses among vulnerable populations.”

2. BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine in a Nationwide Mass Vaccination Setting

This study out of Israel looked at vaccine effectiveness against a variety of outcomes including infection, symptomatic infection, severe disease, and death using a pretty impressive sample size.

Results: “Each study group included 596,618 persons. Estimated vaccine effectiveness for the study outcomes at days 14 through 20 after the first dose and at 7 or more days after the second dose was as follows: for documented infection, 46% (95% confidence interval [CI], 40 to 51) and 92% (95% CI, 88 to 95); for symptomatic Covid-19, 57% (95% CI, 50 to 63) and 94% (95% CI, 87 to 98); for hospitalization, 74% (95% CI, 56 to 86) and 87% (95% CI, 55 to 100); and for severe disease, 62% (95% CI, 39 to 80) and 92% (95% CI, 75 to 100), respectively. Estimated effectiveness in preventing death from Covid-19 was 72% (95% CI, 19 to 100) for days 14 through 20 after the first dose. Estimated effectiveness in specific subpopulations assessed for documented infection and symptomatic Covid-19 was consistent across age groups, with potentially slightly lower effectiveness in persons with multiple coexisting conditions.”

Authors’ conclusions: “This study in a nationwide mass vaccination setting suggests that the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine is effective for a wide range of Covid-19-related outcomes, a finding consistent with that of the randomized trial.”

3. Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK

This study involved an RCT looking at a viral vector vaccine rather than mRNA vaccine. Overall efficacy appears to be high, but slightly lower than what we are seeing with some other mRNA ones. This study also followed outcomes for those who got COVID-19, and only people in the control arm (i.e., the ones who got a placebo) got seriously ill or died from COVID.

Results: “Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation.“

Authors’ conclusion: “ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials.”

4. Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccines on covid-19 related symptoms, hospital admissions, and mortality in older adults in England: test negative case-control study

This one is a case control study looking at effectivnes of two different vaccines against a variety of outcomes.

Results Participants aged 80 years and older vaccinated with BNT162b2 before 4 January 2021 had a higher odds of testing positive for covid-19 in the first nine days after vaccination (odds ratio up to 1.48, 95% confidence interval 1.23 to 1.77), indicating that those initially targeted had a higher underlying risk of infection. Vaccine effectiveness was therefore compared with the baseline post-vaccination period. Vaccine effects were noted 10 to 13 days after vaccination, reaching a vaccine effectiveness of 70% (95% confidence interval 59% to 78%), then plateauing. From 14 days after the second dose a vaccination effectiveness of 89% (85% to 93%) was found compared with the increased baseline risk. Participants aged 70 years and older vaccinated from 4 January (when ChAdOx1-S delivery commenced) had a similar underlying risk of covid-19 to unvaccinated individuals. With BNT162b2, vaccine effectiveness reached 61% (51% to 69%) from 28 to 34 days after vaccination, then plateaued. With ChAdOx1-S, effects were seen from 14 to 20 days after vaccination, reaching an effectiveness of 60% (41% to 73%) from 28 to 34 days, increasing to 73% (27% to 90%) from day 35 onwards. On top of the protection against symptomatic disease, a further 43% (33% to 52%) reduced risk of emergency hospital admission and 51% (37% to 62%) reduced risk of death was observed in those who had received one dose of BNT162b2. Participants who had received one dose of ChAdOx1-S had a further 37% (3% to 59%) reduced risk of emergency hospital admission. Follow-up was insufficient to assess the effect of ChAdOx1-S on mortality. Combined with the effect against symptomatic disease, a single dose of either vaccine was about 80% effective at preventing admission to hospital with covid-19 and a single dose of BNT162b2 was 85% effective at preventing death with covid-19.

Authors’ conclusion: Vaccination with either one dose of BNT162b2 or ChAdOx1-S was associated with a significant reduction in symptomatic covid-19 in older adults, and with further protection against severe disease. Both vaccines showed similar effects. Protection was maintained for the duration of follow-up (>6 weeks). A second dose of BNT162b2 was associated with further protection against symptomatic disease. A clear effect of the vaccines against the B.1.1.7 variant was found.

#covid #covid-19 #pandemic #vaccination

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jenroses · 4 years

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Be very clear about this. The whole “Well, it’s only people with preexisting conditions” nonsense is specifically based around this “it is expensive to have disabled people so lets let Covid save us money” argument.

And it is a lie.

Here’s some napkin math for you. If, by a conservative estimate, the death rate for covid-19 was 1% of confirmed infections, and the lasting decrease in ability was at about 10% of confirmed infections, and you looked at a country of 100,000,000 people, you might expect this:

20,000,000 people probably have some level of disability before Covid. Of those, about 5,000,000 are actually on disabilty benefits.

Say EVERYONE gets the disease.

That means 1,000,000 deaths.

Say the conservatives are right and it’s “only” disabled people who die from covid. This is disingenuous on their part, but for the sake of the math, we’ll go with their preexisting bias.

So that means 4 million people on SSI, right?

Well, no. Look. we had 20,000,000 people with some level of disability before, and only 1 in 4 of those were on disability. Say the ones on disability were more likely to die, maybe 500,000 fewer folks on SSI, and 500,000 fewer otherwise disabled people.

Except Covid causes disability. In SARS, up to 40% of people who had it were still suffering from chronic fatigue 6 months later.

It’s worth heading over to Twitter to read the actual thread these posts came from. In it, the OP (not me) explains how the Spanish Flu had knock-on effects for decades after, playing a part in the rise of the Third Reich. Not because of the deaths it caused, but because of the lasting disabilities it caused, not just in health adults, but in congenital influenza-caused birth defects. (I once lost a pregnancy to the flu, this is a subject close to my heart.)

For our math purposes, we’re saying about 7%. We have no idea if this is accurate. It could be lowball. It’s probably low. So some of those were already disabled, but a lot of them weren’t. Some of the people who were already disabled were not on disability. What we’re learning is that people who were previously healthy can have some severe declines in functionality from covid, and that number isn’t particularly small. For math purposes, we’ll say that of the 80,000,000 previously healthy people, 1% of them end up on disability from Covid, and 5% of them end up with some level of reduced function. That gives us 800,000 new people on SSI out of 4,000,000 people who now have preexisting conditions and some level of reduced function.

We’ll say 20% of the people with previous disability not on SSI (15,000,000) end up on SSI because of increased disability. That’s another 3,000,000. Remember that between 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 of people with disability are on SSI, so that’s not actually an unrealistic number, and probably lowballing it. It would be higher, theoretically, based on other SARS-type illnesses, but we’re going to remember that lots of people who probably should be on disability can’t get through the process of application or have too many existing resources to qualify.

And we lost 500,000 of them to Covid. So here are our new numbers.

We have a population of 99,000,000 people, having lost 1% to Covid.

Our disabled population has gone from 20,000,000 to 19,000,000 to 23,000,000 (subtracting 1 million deaths and adding 4 million now-disabled people).

And our SSI population went from 5,000,000 to 4,500,000 to 7,800,000. That’s 800,000 people who were previously healthy and 3,000,000 people who already had a pre-existing condition.

And the workforce supporting those 7,800,000 people now on disability?

Roughly 65% of the people in our 100,000,000 sample could be considered “of an age to work”. Of those, a workforce participation rate of 60% would be pretty good, pre-Coronavirus. So if out of 65,000,000 people, 39,000,000 people were working pre-Covid, that would be pretty good. Only we just knocked 800,000,000 of those people directly out of the workforce and diminished the productivity of another 4,000,000.

But on top of that, rather than shutting the country down completely for 2-3 months, as many countries did to good effect, our half-assed efforts also drastically reduced the economic activity in many major sectors of the economy. People are making less money, with worse jobs. While Wall Street is having fun on the stock market, state governments are struggling to fill the sucking void caused by a leadership vacuum at the federal level.

Anyway, this all leaves fewer working people supporting a vastly increased need for support.

Meanwhile, Amazon is having a great year.

Is it worth a million dead people?

The only number really exaggerated in this is the idea that everyone gets the illness. But our population is 328,000,000, not 100,000,000. The current death rate is higher. We won’t know for years how much permanent disability will be caused in the survivors.

We’re currently at 266,047 deaths out of 13,244,417 cases. Tell me how exactly letting people die is going to save us money? Or rather don’t, because you’re wrong, and even if you weren’t, killing disabled people for money is still murder. Our lives have value beyond our economic contributions or needs.

https://fullfact.org/health/Covid-recovery-vaccine/ has a fact check on the claims of 99% fully recover from Covid. Last I looked roughly 10% of people were hospitalized from Covid and this page suggests as many as 45% of those may need some form of long-term support. That’s... worse.

#cw: covid #cw: death math #cw: cold calculations #someone was wrong on twitter

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successfullyadhd · 4 years

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im 31, and after over a decade of trying to figure out what is wrong with me, my therapist and I are finally thinking it’s ADHD. i’ve had a gut feeling about it for a while and every ADHD post is relatable. now the problem is finding an place that does adult assessments and is affordable (no insurance). do you have any tips on going through the assessment as an adult? and if i can’t afford it, and can’t get medication. how do i ever become the productive focused person i want to be? thanks.

Sorry in advance for the long post... I put the most relevant bits in bold for a TL;DR version.

I know getting diagnosed as an adult can seem daunting, but you shouldn’t worry too much. While ADHD was once viewed as something that only affected children, it is now widely recognized as a lifelong disorder and you shouldn’t have to fear being dismissed because you weren’t diagnosed early in life. It’s extremely helpful that you have been seeing a therapist, and they also think you have ADHD. Ask them to send over their notes when you do go to the doctor.

As for how to get diagnosed - I’ll start by saying I hate the way American healthcare is set up, as medication and healthcare in general are expensive. I have to move frequently for me and my husband’s jobs (we both work in hospitality, and as the saying goes, “You have to move out to move up!”). Because most (all?) ADHD medications are a Schedule II drug (highly regulated but still legal), I have to get rediagnosed in every new state. I always bring my past history, but most doctors want to complete testing as they are monitored for prescribing stimulants and can lose their license if found to be providing this medication without ample documentation. (All of this to say - I have been through the procedure many times as an adult.) Depending on the state, some doctors also require bloodwork and an EKG to ensure you are healthy enough to receive the medication (although some will accept past test results if done recently enough.) Also depending on the state and doctor, they may have additional requirements. In Florida, my doctor wanted a multitude of tests, and asked for a sleep study to ensure the medication wasn’t causing poor sleep. In California, as part of the Kaiser HMO system, I was required to do periodic drug tests to ensure I wasn’t also using street drugs, and to check that the Adderall was in my system (as a test that I was using it as prescribed, and not selling it). Some states are much easier – Utah, Alabama and West Virginia all were able to diagnose me in one appointment and prescribed the medication same day. Last, a General Practitioner won’t typically prescribe it and will direct you to a psychiatrist. Even if you did have insurance, most don’t cover psychiatrists or if they do, it comes with a different deductible (because obviously mental health isn’t part of regular health (heavy sarcasm)). After diagnosing, you have to meet with the doctor once a month to get the prescription refilled – due to the Schedule II status, they can’t have it on an auto-refill like other medications and they need to ensure you aren’t abusing it or having negative side effects. (although the one good thing to come out of COVID is that it normalized tele-health appointments, since an in-person meeting with a doctor once a month can be difficult to schedule). Even though I have health insurance, I typically pay out of pocket $120 a month for my visit with the doctor, and after insurance and a coupon I pay $73 for two medications (Adderall & Vyvanse). I’m fortunate now to be able to afford that expense – at the times in my life where I couldn’t, I would request a 30 day supply of the more affordable pills and only take medication on days where I couldn’t function without it (such as doing large amounts of paperwork) and try to use learned behavior techniques the rest of the time, to stretch out my resources.

As far as what goes into the actual diagnosis – doctors most commonly use a questionnaire about your daily life to assess you. Here is a link to commonly-used questionnaires: https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-assessments-and-tests/.

I know I just made it seem very daunting to get diagnosed and on a medication, but I want to be honest with you about what the process looks like, and again, depending on where you live it can be done in one session. Now that is out of the way, let me give you some information that is more helpful:

If you can, skip asking a regular GP for a referral and make an appointment directly with a psychiatrist. This will save you the extra cost of the doctor’s appointment, just to be told someone else will help. Many places have low cost mental health centers and ADHD falls into that realm, so I would check out what is available in your city. Before making an appointment, confirm the following:

- Do they diagnose ADHD?

- Do they prescribe medication? (Therapists don’t prescribe, only psychiatrists, and some will not prescribe ADHD medication at all so it’s important to be clear that it is your intention to receive medication if diagnosed)

- What tests do they require for diagnosing, and prescribing medication? (Some places may have more or less requirements, and it can even vary within a city or state. This way you will know if it’s something you can afford at the time.)

Talk with the doctor about your specific situation, and what medications are affordable without insurance. Adderall, for example, is past the 10 year exclusive patent and now has a generic version available. It comes in quick release and slow release, depending on your needs. You can also talk to the doctor about a prescription to both quick and slow release, so you take the correct medicine based on your needs for that day (marathon work day? Slow release that extends over the entire day. Afternoon project – quick release that lasts for four hours). Vyvanse is great but doesn’t have a generic version and is insanely expensive without insurance (to the tune of $350+). Use the GoodRX app to find deals on medication without insurance (Adderall is about $15 for a month supply with this app). There are a ton of drug options so look up the pricing during the doctor’s visit, so you can confirm that you can afford what they prescribe. Also keep in mind that getting a prescription filled is the same cost whether you get 1 pill or 30 (a fact I learned the hard way when getting a 10 pill prescription filled once.)

If you read all that and thought, Thanks but no thanks, here are some other options:

- My psychiatrist in Florida recommended that I take Rhodiola Rosea supplements in addition to medication, as it has clinically proven positive effects on ADHD symptom control. I found it on Amazon. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements are also proven effective.

- If you’re interested in this sort of thing, here is a super comprehensive study of various dietary supplements and behavior modifications that work or don’t work for ADHD: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4968082/

- Practicing meditation is a great way to relax your body (increased stress, while helpful for short-term tasks, can make ADHD symptoms worse long term) and train your mind to hold onto singular, important thoughts (people’s names, why you walked into the kitchen, etc). I use the Waking Up app and love it – there are also many free options in the App Store and on YouTube.

- Regular exercise is another great way to manage ADHD symptoms, as it gives your body a natural serotonin and dopamine boost, two important chemicals your body has trouble producing and absorbing naturally.

- Caffeine is a great, easily accessible stimulant that has a focusing and calming effect on ADHD individuals. My doctor actually asked my parents to give me coffee each morning before school when I was a child, before we moved onto prescriptions.

- Often, there are other factors that go along with ADHD, such as anxiety and/or depression. Getting this under control can go a long way in managing ADHD as well. I’m not sure if you have any issues with those, but it can be helpful to treat both if you do. The medication Wellbutrin is used to treat depression and also has mild stimulants, which would be helpful for both conditions. It isn’t a Schedule II drug, so you can probably ask your doctor for a 3 or 6 month prescription.

- There are a ton more mind hacks and learned behavioral mechanisms you can try – read some of my other posts for suggestions.

Of course, I have to give the legal disclaimer – all of this is based on my personal experience, I’m not licensed in the medical field in any way and only a doctor can give you proper advice for your body and situation, and what medications will be most helpful. 😊

#adhd #adhd diagnosis #actuallyadhd #actuallyadd #executive dysfunction #neurodivergent #adhd advice #getting diagnosed #going to the doctor

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confettipizza · 3 years

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Lunar Recap

How it started. How it’s going. How it ended for the last lunar cycle of 2020.

This lunar cycle began with the New Moon on Jan. 12, 2021 @ 11:01 PM CT (Jan. 13 @ 05:01 UTC). It was the 13th Moon of 2020 according to the lunar calendar. And it ended Feb. 11, 2021, just before the 1st Moon of 2021! Happy Lunar New Year 2021, Year of the Ox!

South Korean Court Orders Japan to Compensate Women Forced into Sex Slavery

Colorado AG Opens Grand Jury Probe of Police Killing of Elijah McClain

Guantánamo Bay Prison Starts 20th Year of Indefinite Detentions

Pfizer to Boost COVID-19 Vaccine Output as WHO Warns of Vaccination Inequality

Lawmakers Catch COVID-19 After Sheltering in Room Where GOP Reps Refused Masks

FBI Warns of “Armed Protests” in All 50 States and at Biden’s Inauguration

Tomorrow is Sun conjunct Pluto. Something that’s been lurking in the shadows bout to jump out. Might be pretty big, but there’s also the individual personal experience of this event and might feel more like an early Full Moon for you.

House to Impeach Trump as GOP Shows Signs of Backing Removal

Well this is dumb. Sun conjunct Pluto?

The $3,000-a-month toilet for the Ivanka Trump/Jared Kushner Secret Service detail

I also remembered/realized how much I really love Anna Sui designs since I was a kid which is pretty random to pop up on my radar, but this woman gets that all I want is sparkly heart shaped objects in lacquered black and flowy hippie dresses

Trump Tells Aides Not to Pay Giuliani’s Legal Fees as Bid to Overturn Election Fails

All I know is talking about dreams and discussing them with others makes you feel better. The tarot angle is there to shed some light on what the dream is actually telling you.

Joe Biden Unveils $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus and Economic Relief Package

ICE’s Acting Director Resigns After Two Weeks on Job

Found out today the woman at the car mechanic I've been faithfully taking my car to for the past two years can speak to the dead and had some messages for me from my dad who passed in October-

Intuitive guided tarot card pull.

Waxing crescent into Aries Monday, January 18, 2021 at 1:06 AM CT Today’s Astro x Tarot forecast valid for the next 24 hours: Feelings are flaring up for you to make a statement, a very zippy move or a quick decision about someone or something.

So long as you remain flexible and agile, whatever you choose to do with them will work to your advantage. If you decide not to impose hyper-agility into your decision making rn, then kudos to you! You’ve gained practice points in self-control experience.

More Than 760,000 Pounds of Hot Pockets Recalled

‘I Answered the Call of My President’: Rioters Say Trump Urged Them On

Raphael Warnock and the Legacy of Racial Tyranny

The Extraordinary Courage of Aleksei Navalny

Whoa, I was like a cycle early on celebrating the lunar new year! I’ve been a month into the future for a week now. My bad! I apologize for any confusion.

I was thinking that the soul's law of attraction is probably pretty unstoppable even concerning partners, so like, if someone didn't love you back then it's not some mistake or human misunderstanding that you or they need to fix.

To find one's soulmate looks something like 2 souls flying towards each other from opposite ends of the galaxy to join their physical selves together in a collision force so brutal you're stuck like that and if that's not what yours looks like then maybe that ain't your soulmate?

All the men going to jail for their poop smearing Capitol rioting have online dating profiles and that’s reason no. 2 I do not date online! Reason no. 1 is ain’t nobody cute on there.

The Witch’s Myth: The true story of the crane husband

Where are your witch stars, Circe and Hekate, located? Their location can explain your relationship to witchcraft. Circe is in my 1st house influencing my outer appearances and Hekate is conjunct Jupiter influencing my domestic style and home to be distinctively witchy.

Sun into Aquarius Tuesday, January 19, 2021 at 2:33 PM CT Here is your Sun into Aquarius forecast effective for the next several weeks of Aquarius season.

Down to earth and grounded is our most qualified position to receive everything we need and use everything we receive. This is the reality of ourselves, the human condition.

We love reality based reality.

Get ready for reality-grounded White House press briefings

Why do people believe the lies they’re fed? Because those lies are designed to be more palatable than reality. Lies offer a quick easy patch, but what you’ve gotta ask yourself is are those lies actually designed to support the flow of all things into your life?

~* First Quarter Jan. 20 3:02 PM CT (21:02 UTC) *~

Biden and Harris Attend Memorial to Honor 400,000+ COVID-19 Victims in U.S. on Eve of Inauguration

Steve Bannon Among Final Trump Pardons and Commutations

Trump Admin Declares Multiculturalism Is “Not Who America Is” as WH Releases Racist, Revisionist Report

4,000+ Columbia Students Back Largest-Ever Tuition Strike

Today, whatever you’re doing or are wishing to become will be to the benefit of this unifying, love-aligned uprising.

Joe Biden Sworn In as 46th President of the United States, Ending Trump Era

Good inauguration Astro climate this morning feels like. #BidenHarrisInauguration

“What has shaken the U.S. population so badly, this assault on the Capitol yesterday, is really nothing by comparison to what U.S. operations have done in Latin America, in Asia, in Africa, in the Middle East, to other democratic movements and elected governments over the years.”

Progress towards wholeness can’t be made until we own up to the roles we’ve played in the past.

Read the full text of Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem ‘The Hill We Climb’

When did politics get so vibrant and fashionably uplifting? Please and thank you! #Inauguration2021

The two of wands says to review your options, do your research, crunch the numbers, imagine the outcomes, but there’s no need to force making a choice if you don’t have to. Buy yourself some time and let the plans for a resolution find you, not the other way around.

Donald Trump Leaves Office and Washington, D.C., Threatens “We Will Be Back”

Watchdogs Demand Transparency as Corporations Pour Millions into Biden-Harris Inauguration

Senate Dems File Ethics Complaint Against Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley over Jan. 6 Insurrection

Federal Forces Arrest Ex-Marine for Beating Officer with a Hockey Stick During Capitol Riots

It’s Friday and it just feels good to be alive, a socialist and calling Bernie Sanders cute on Inauguration Day week! What a difference a pandemic makes.

Instacart Lays Off 2,000 Workers, Including Group Who Started Company’s First Union

Mars square Jupiter January 23, 2021 @ 1:49 AM CT (7:49 GMT) Someone wants you to know that you are ready to conquer your perceived limits to arrive at expansion in your thoughts, feelings, emotions and understanding today.

Waxing gibbous into Cancer January 25, 2021 @ 12:51 PM CT (18:51 GMT) It’s a supportive Moon for dreaming for mental health and well being. Begin a dream journal or review your latest dreams, reflecting on them for a few minutes today.

You are opening yourself up to an emotional practice that includes care for yourself in ways no one else (besides you and your connection to the Moon) can provide.

And too my Tarot Dream Readings are open if you would like guidance or support on a particular dream. See my pinned tweet for how it works.

When one’s soul is allowed to lead one’s life, working in the dark shadows, the invisible silence, the soul’s manifesting results are way more lasting and way more powerful than egocentric anything.

Good morning, self! A reminder my ego has never done a thing for me my soul can’t do better.

National Guard Deployment at U.S. Capitol Becomes COVID-19 Superspreader Event

Russia Violently Cracks Down on Protesters Calling for Release of Alexei Navalny

Trump Plotted to Oust Acting AG, Use DOJ to Force Georgia to Overturn Election Results

Hunts Point Market Workers in the Bronx Win Wage Increase After Week-Long Strike

This mourning brooch is a mindful way to mark the death of a loved one while paying tribute to the impact it has had on you. Bring back this Victorian trend!

Veteran Talk Show Host Larry King Dies After Hospitalization for COVID-19

Hank Aaron, Who Overcame Racist Barriers to Become Home Run Record-Holder, Dies at 86

We don’t give our bodies or our intuition enough attention and nourishment a lot of the time, so today’s the day we practice finding and sitting quietly with our inner voice.

~* Full Moon Jan. 28 1:17 PM CT (19:17 UTC) *~

House Delivers Article of Impeachment to Senate, Triggering Trump’s Second Trial

Dominion Voting Systems Sues Rudy Giuliani for Lying About 2020 Election

President Biden Increases U.S. Vaccination Goal to 150 Million Shots in 100 Days

President Biden Reverses Trump’s Transgender Military Service Ban

Biden Restores Plan to Feature Abolitionist Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill

Value is further added the more you mint your words with a most whole and complete love. Love is the greatest asset we can let appreciate in our lifetimes.

This Full Moon tomorrow sends a flash point that reminds you to circulate this wealth because it’s the greatest emotional gift we can bestow upon our loved ones, family, friends, neighbors, elders, members of our community, etc.

Venus conjunct Pluto in Capricorn January 28, 2021 @ 10:18 AM CT (16:18 GMT) Going through your day today uncovers a forgotten desire or creative goal. You find yourself asking something like: Remember when I wanted to become a pastry chef?

Although you decided to pursue a different course, take a moment to focus on and honor this memory when it arrives and then release it. What did you become instead and why?

45 Senate Republicans Back Dismissal of Trump Impeachment Trial

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Supported Violence Against Pelosi and Others in 2018 Facebook Posts

Taking the time to recognize and honor your past desires gives the respect these memories deserve and it integrates them into the whole wider scene of the individual, both shadow and light on your path builds confidence in your steps, confidence in yourself.

You are who you are for a reason.

Had no idea how literal this grassroots King of Pentacles card was gonna materialize today, but here it is folks! When a subreddit takes down a hedge fund!

Leader of Proud Boys, Enrique Tarrio, Was a Government Informer

U.S. Freezes Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia, Reviews Deal with UAE Made Under Trump Admin

Poland Enacts Near-Total Ban on Abortions, Triggering More Protests

Honduras Locks In Total Ban on Abortions, Attacks Marriage Equality

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Confronts Parkland Survivor David Hogg in Newly Resurfaced Video

The stock market this morning: Sh*t! Normal working class people read the market and figured out the game! Time to change the rules again. Let’s write it in ancient Babylonian hieroglyphs this time. They’ll never figure that sh*t out.

A message crucial to promote the awareness of your personal role in the collective will become evident over the next three weeks. You will come to ask yourself, What am I doing with my life?

If you aren’t familiar or comfortable with seeking your inner journey, then the greatest clue I can offer you at the start is to become open to the invisible world within you. How you learn to relate to it is completely personal and uniquely your own

Speaking in more concrete terms the next few weeks may manifest a life event for you where you must apply both logic and feeling in order to arrive at a satisfactory conclusion concerning an interpersonal relationship or the question what am I doing with my life?

This Mercury retrograde should be a cinch, but during it don’t buy tech if you don’t have to. And remember to triple check communication before hitting send. If you arrive at conflict be quick to apologize and say no more until tomorrow

President Biden Expands Affordable Care Act Enrollment Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

House Speaker Blasts GOP for Assigning Racist Conspiracy Theorist to House Education Committee

Lawmakers Demand Probe into Trading App Robinhood After It Blocked Stock Sales That Hurt Hedge Funds

Pioneering African American Actor Cicely Tyson, Winner of Two Emmys, Dies at 96

Sun in Aquarius square Mars in Taurus February 1, 2021 @ 4:33 AM CT (10:33 GMT) The warrior’s edge has melted away and now you can take the scenic route through a field of wildflowers and mushrooms instead of blasting your way through a hillside of obstacles.

This energy catalyzes a scene that supports growth through varied experiences and it encourages everyone to seek their own way to resolutions, conclusions and understandings that are uniquely their own. Searching out your own way illuminates a strategic aspect of your purpose.

Happy Venus in Aquarius! The idea to refresh your wardrobe, hairstyle or redecorating by public opinion can be too hard to ignore under this influence. Your personal style will be influenced by the collective for the duration.

Burmese Military Stage Coup, Detain Aung San Suu Kyi

FBI Uncovers Evidence Jan. 6 Attack Was Premeditated as More Far-Right Rioters Face Charges

Trump Faces More Businesses-Related Woes as His Legal Team Departs a Week Before Impeachment Trial

It’s only the 21st day of the lunar cycle and already we’ve gone from the end of a rotten presidential era to the people’s revolution of the stock market, ok? And this moon ain’t even finished yet!

~* Last Quarter Feb. 4 11:38 AM CT (17:38 UTC) *~

U.S. Tops 26 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Shots, Surpassing Confirmed Coronavirus Cases

Moon Last Quarter in Scorpio February 4, 2021 @ 11:38 AM CT (17:38 UTC) A time for Descending, settling, closure, receiving compliments for doing a good job. Prime time for tying of loose ends and wrapping up unfinished business.

Democrats Say Trump “Singularly Responsible” for Jan. 6 Insurrection in Impeachment Brief

With consciousness humans are able to transcend the unconscious and reconfigure our relationship to it.

Though we can transcend the unconscious through viewing ourselves objectively, we are still apart of the the unconscious. Those rules still apply to us even as we contemplate their logic.

Jeff Bezos Steps Down as Amazon CEO After Amassing Huge Personal Fortune

Amazon to Pay Contract Drivers $61.7 Million After FTC Probe Finds It Stole Tips to Pay Wages

Republican Leader Won’t Punish Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over Racist and Violent Rhetoric

Prosecutors Seek Rearrest of Kyle Rittenhouse, Wisconsin Teen Charged with Killing 2 Protesters

Sometimes the right thing to do is protect your one actual valuable thing not by defending it, but closing up all the channels the valuable thing is being attacked from the outside. Sometimes you just gotta block, delete or remove your account and move on with/to what's good.

What if we wake up one day and COVID has disappeared, like poof! It vanished into thin air? Maybe it’s the moon opposed to Uranus that’s got me wishing wild problem solvers would pop up overnight.

Poll Reveals 25% of U.S. Adults Plan to Gather at Super Bowl Watch Parties

VP Harris Casts Tie-Breaking Vote to Move Ahead with Democratic COVID Relief Bill

House Removes Marjorie Taylor Greene from Committees over Violent, Bigoted Rhetoric

Smartmatic Sues Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell for Election-Related Lies

I unfollowed some lawmakers this morning after feeling second hand anxiety over the handling of their interpersonal conflicts. Realized they were me on IG two years ago and I’ve moved on since. Can relate, but don’t wanna relive, thanks!

I just want to let y’all know that I’m coping w insufficient candle syndrome & will be studying the art & science of candle making to save myself potentially hundreds of thousands of $$ by making my own delicious smelling coconut wax babies in diy terra cotta flower pots.

Wyoming GOP Censures Rep. Liz Cheney for Backing Trump’s Impeachment

Mass Protests Continue in Burma Opposing Military Coup, Removal of Aung San Suu Kyi

You may tell others like it is today, but hopefully this inspires you to check in with yourself and be honest/come clean about something you've been overlooking.

Indian Farmworkers Blockade Roads as Mass Protests Show No Sign of Slowing Down

Black Sheriff’s Deputy in Louisiana Dies by Suicide After Condemning Police Violence and Racism

Amazon Workers in Alabama Begin Historic Vote on Unionization

Second Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump Opens in the Senate

Georgia’s Secretary of State to Probe Trump’s Efforts to Overturn 2020 Election

Mercury square Mars February 10, 2021 @ 6:14 AM CT (12:14 UTC) Still talking about talking, it’s also Dark Moon time to shape or let a habit form. This practice can come from breaking free of outdated relationships with yourself or with others in order to spur growth.

Dreamed Jungkook was correcting my pronunciation of Korean last night. I’m sorry! I’ll try harder to take this lesson seriously

Senate Votes to Proceed with Impeachment as Managers Present Harrowing Video of Jan. 6 Insurrection

Gov’t to Send Vaccines to Community Health Centers as U.S. Continues Ramping Up Vaccinations

WHO Team Confirms COVID-19 of Animal Origin; Ghana Shuts Parliament After Outbreak Infects Lawmakers

Journalists Decry Raid on Progressive Indian News Site NewsClick

U.S. to Pursue Extradition of Julian Assange as Press Freedom Groups Warn of Dangerous Precede

Fossil Fuel Pollution Causes One in Five Global Deaths

Four Louisiana Officers Arrested over Police Brutality Cases and Other Misconduct

Two NYT Journalists Exit Paper Following Revelations of Improper Conduct

Venus conjunct Jupiter February 11, 2021 @ 8:59 AM CT (14:59 UTC) Receive the overflow of creativity into your life. Welcome it even if you aren’t sure what to do with it. Write down project ideas if you don’t have the energy to start on them now. You can work on them later.

I'm cool with double masking, but a lot of folks still aren't even doing the one :|

“The Inciter-in-Chief”: Democrats Accuse Trump of Being “Singularly Responsible” for Insurrection

U.S. COVID Death Toll Tops 471,000; Half of All Deaths Occurred Since Nov. 1

Saudi Women’s Rights Activist Loujain al-Hathloul Released After 1,001 Days in Prison

Biden Administration to Continue Trump-Era Policy of Turning Away Asylum Seekers at Southern Border

Sen. Bernie Sanders Grills Neera Tanden, Biden’s Pick to Head OMB

Sen. Bernie Sanders: “According to The Washington Post, since 2014, the Center for American Progress has received roughly $5.5 million from Walmart, a company that pays its workers starvation wages; $900,000 from the Bank of America; $550,000 from JPMorgan Chase; $550,000 from Amazon; $200,000 from Wells Fargo; $800,000 from Facebook; and up to $1.4 million from Google. In other words, CAP has received money from some of the most powerful special interests in our country. How will your relationship with those very powerful special interests impact your decision-making if you are appointed to be the head of OMB?”

Neera Tanden: “Senator, I thank you for that question. It will have zero impact on my — on my decision-making.”

#lunar #news #headlines #tweets

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pandemic-info · 2 years

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1 out of 3 adults in the U.S. who’d had COVID-19 (29.6%) reported ever having long COVID symptoms.

14.2% of adults had ever experienced COVID symptoms that lasted 3 months or longer that they had not had prior to their COVID-19 infection.

Other findings:

4 out of 5 people with ongoing symptoms of COVID lasting 3 months or longer are experiencing a least some limitations in their day-to-day activities.

1 out of 4 adults (25.1%) with long COVID have symptoms that significantly impact their ability to carry out day-to-day activities.

Out of all U.S. adults, nearly 2% (1.8%) had COVID-19 and still have long COVID symptoms that have a significant impact on their ability to carry out day-to-day activities more than 3 months later.

Among the 14.2% who have ever had long COVID symptoms, more than half (7.2%) currently have long COVID symptoms.

—

More data, via the WHO:

While most people who develop COVID-19 fully recover, it is estimated that 10–20% develop a variety of mid- and long-term effects like fatigue, breathlessness, and cognitive dysfunction ... Long COVID can also directly and indirectly affect mental health. ... These symptoms might persist from the initial illness or develop after recovery. They can come and go or relapse over time. The condition can affect a person’s ability to perform daily activities such as work or household chores.

—

And via UK's ONS:

Of triple-vaccinated adults, 4.5%, 4.2% and 5.0% self-reported having long COVID 12 to 16 weeks after ...

—

Those are terrible numbers. But with names like "long COVID" and "brain fog", people don't understand how serious and debilitating these problems are. At the very least, read this:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2022/09/long-covid-brain-fog-symptom-executive-function/671393/

By all appearances, even scientifically-literate people who have a better-than-average understanding of data still frequently resort to "people I know" as a gauge. As in, "I don't know anyone who...". But anecdotal evidence is not reliable; it's why we developed methods of finding concensus and why we track data. And this unreliability is compounded by the fact that people, even "close friends" or family, are not necessarily open about their health for a number of reasons.

Sure it's easy to "just look outside" and feel immediately gaslit by the number of people who are essentially willing to "jump off a bridge". But these problems are ongoing and we don't yet have solutions; there is no treatment and no social safety net (in the US).

#covid #long covid #data #cdc #pulse survey #census bureau #us census #ed yong #article #brain fog #long COVID data #WHO #ONS #research

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dheir-slytherin-blr · 4 years

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What it feels, as a doctor, to be on the wrong side of Covid testing!!!

While I have had my fair share of examining and treating patients who were unfortunate enough to have acquired the Corona Virus infection, it still did not prepare me adequately for when I too acquired the same.

Since the advent of the novel Corona Virus infection, popularly known as the Covid 19 infection it was clear that one or the other day I too shall be infected with it. However, like most people, I too thought that it shall happen at a later date and not today or tomorrow or on some near future date.

Though that didn’t prevent me from taking all due precautions.

This post is meant to highlight two things.

1. Despite all precautions, you may be infected with it - it doesn’t mean you should stop taking precautions but rather be even more stringent in following them.

2. Even a mild infection is quite debilitating. So DON’T take Covid 19 lightly and keep working on your immunity.

Once the first lockdown ended in the second week of April, I started attending the clinic. Most of the businesses were locked down but obviously the diseases (Hypertension, Diabetes, other communicable diseases etc) couldn’t care less about it and people still fell ill and did need medical attention. So, I started attending OPDs.

Not much was known about the symptoms or treatment strategy against Covid at that time, but even at that early stage it was known that stringent use of face masks, social distancing, frequent hand wash and sanitization of stuff that was touched by people was the protection against acquiring the dreaded disease. Thanks to the media blitz and horrible images of victims from especially Italy and China, at least in the early days, people were scared enough to stay indoors unless they had an emergency and when they did venture out, they were quite receptive to following the social distancing norms.

It was the general (mistaken) perception that in a short while, after lockdowns and other measures, the infection would go away and life would be back to normal.

Sadly, that has not (yet) happened and it does seem unlikely to happen at least in the forseeable future.

Starting from March till early November, the measures that I stringently followed were:

1. Did not venture out unless an emergency or going to the clinics.

2. Only personally examined such patients where it was absolutely necessary to have a face to face consultation. The rest were treated by online consultations.

3. Strict sanitization and social distancing measures were followed. Only the patient was allowed inside the consultation chamber. No friends or relatives allowed inside.

4. NO visits and did not allow any patient to visit at home, come what may.

I can say with all honesty that I kept up these measures throughout the eight months despite any provocatons or temptations to the contrary.

Apart from all these precautions, I also diligently clocked an average walking of 11000 steps daily and stuck to a healthy diet.

IN this duration, I ended up in quarantine myself for 3 times but didn’t get infected.

So, when in early November, I started feeling fatigued, had bodyache and mild fever, it didn;t strike me that I might be having Covid 19.

However, sticking to protocol, as soon as I had fever, I isolated myself and stopped going outside my room. I thought it must be fatigue or perhaps a mild Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), and that it would go away after a day or two of gargling and mild antibiotics.

However, the infection didn’t go away. The fever persisted, fatigue and bodyache worsened and eyes started burning to an extent where I could not keep my eyes open and wasn’t even able to tolerate light. I started staying in a darkened room without light, discarded screen use of any sort and - got myself tested for Covid 19.

Judging by my symptoms, I wasn’t surprised when the report turned out positive.

By the time the report came back, I also had sore throat, mild coughing and difficulty in breathing. The fever was still there. The minute 8 hours of PCM ended, it would return.

Judging by the reports; the CT value, the CRP and other parameters, my infection was termed mild to moderate and I was advised home isolation (which I was already following).

However, despite it being “mild” it was a strain to breathe. If I attempted even a slight deep breath, it would hurt, I would have to stop my breath and release it slowly. Despite my oxygen satuation being normal (97%) and staying normal, I found that breathing was difficult.

For the first time, in eight months, I was seeing the disease from a patient’s perspective, and believe me folks, the disease is NOT OVERHYPED. If a mild infection could trouble me so much in form of - difficulty in breathing, not able to keep eyes open, extreme fatigue and bodyache; I could only imagine the condition of the patients who had low oxygen saturation and whose lungs had clogged up not allowing them to breathe so much that they died of it.

Thanks to all the immunity building measures of exercise, healthy food and also social distancing measures that I had put in place - I recovered faster, didn’t pass on the infection to family, colleagues or friends.

I’m still in isolation and shall remain so for a further 10 days but that’s a very small price to pay for the gift of life and the gift of not having infected any close family or friends.

I can reiterate, now with experience -

1. DON’T TAKE COVID 19 LIGHTLY.

2. IT HAS NOT GONE AWAY AND IN FACT SHALL RETURN DOUBLY IN THE WINTER MONTHS.

3. DON’T LOWER YOUR DEFENCES BY GOING OUT IN CROWDS OR DISCARDING MASKS OR SOCIAL DISTANCING. STAY INDOORS UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO GO OUT.

4. GET YOUR SELF TESTED AND ISOLATED AT SLIGHTEST SIGN OF APPEARANCE OF SYMPTOMS LIKE FEVER, COUGH, BREATHLESSNESS.

I have not attempted to describe my moment to moment or day to day experience with Covid 19. The purpose of this post was to create awareness as to how much important it is to strictly follow the measures to avoid infection and how this infection is so debilitating that one needs to have empathy with the sufferers and also those vulnerable to catch it.

#Covid19 #SocialDistancing #StayHomeStaySafe

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shoehouse29 · 3 years

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Coolsculpting Prior To & After

Colaz's Fat Freeze Cryolipolysis Treatments

Content

Individual Treatment Plans.

What Happens Throughout Fat Freezing?

Everything You Require To Recognize To Select The Best Skin Care Treatment.

Half method via my therapy & lost 2 inches from my midsection & 1 & half inches from my hips. Although unusual, some customers report light redness, bruising as well as minor pins and needles after therapy. Results are irreversible as long as a healthy way of life is kept message therapy.

If you're thinking about using non-invasive Cryolipolysis, likewise known as, Coolscultping, Cryolipo and Fat Adhering eliminate body fat, you need to know that it can't successfully target all places on your body.

The fat should be close to the surface in order to securely freeze and kill targeted fat cells.

After 6 to 12 weeks most clients that receive Cryolipolysis therapy see around a 30% decrease in stomach fat.

It was crafted to target specific sorts of fat and also is most effective freezing away body fat in details body areas.

When looking to have Cryolipolysis treatment on your body to obtain trimmed as well as toned, you must think about these following points for the very best results.

Coolsculpting treatment might trigger mild pain and tingling on the therapy area. How to accomplish also better outcomes with your cryolipolysis device. Have a look at this Before & After Gallery to see what other individuals have actually resembled in weeks following their CoolSculpting ® treatments. ® can deal with noticeable fat bulges under the chin and on the upper leg, abdomen and also flank, together with bra fat, back fat, underneath the butts as well as arm. Unlike weight-loss surgery (e.g. a gastric bypass), the CoolSculpting ® procedure is not a weight-loss service for individuals that are overweight. Alison will talk you with the fat-freezing procedure and also discuss the results you can expect to see, based upon a comprehensive exam. Available in over 74 countries, over 7million therapy cycles have been performed worldwide.

Individual Treatment Plans.

Clients may require greater than one treatment to get to wanted outcomes. lipo sculpt’s 3d lipo Bristol are usually fretted that it will be uncomfortable however inform us afterwards that there was no pain and also minimal discomfort, and that it had not been as chilly as they thought it would be. You can pick to pay for your bundle in one in advance repayment or get a 0% Financing plan as well as spread the price by direct debit over 6 to twelve month. A financing strategy application can be set up promptly online, in clinic with among our admin team. We likewise have combination therapy plans where you can combine your routine BOTOX anti-wrinkle therapy with a monthly HydraFacial treatment. Prices are based upon the number of cryo mugs are called for to treat your desired area.

Cryolipolysis with colder temp, shorter time safe, effective - Medical Xpress

Cryolipolysis with colder temp, shorter time safe, effective.

Posted: Fri, 22 Sep 2017 07:00:00 GMT [source]

As an example, one mug might suffice to reduce the fat on the reduced abdomen, but at least 2 mugs will be required for the love manages. The locations that can be dealt with are belly, love deals with, saddle bags, bingo wings, bra straps, inner thigh, internal knee, over knee and chin.

What Takes Place During Fat Freezing?

Additionally, not just does this sort of therapy give the results you want after simply 1 month maximum, however it additionally provides many various other positive advantages. Cryolipolysis can deal with multiple areas including; upper as well as lower abdominal areas, bra and also back fat, flanks, banana roll, inner as well as external thighs, and also arms. Click to find out more regarding Coolsculpting including what the treatment entails, what locations it utilized to treat, what results you can anticipate, just how much it costs as well as any various other frequently asked inquiries. This will certainly rise when sustained by a healthy way of life as well as routine exercise.

Complete listing of side effects, cautions and also contraindications will be gone over at in person appointment. We advise you all to keep safe & follow the government advice throughout this tough time. We expect seeing you in a Dr Leah Clinic in the near future. Outcomes are often seen right away, with maximum benefits generally accomplished within 12 weeks.

Every Little Thing You Require To Know To Choose The Appropriate Skin Care Treatment.

You will certainly see the swelling disappear, however it is unlikely to start seeing the coolsculpting results yet. The swelling, discomfort and also pins and needles on the area are typically gone by the second week of your therapy.

Is CoolSculpting permanent or temporary?

Answer: Coolsculpting Delivers Permanent Fat Reduction Coolsculpting results in permanent fat reduction in the treated areas on your body. Each treatment eliminates 20-25% of the fat cells in the treatment area. The results are not temporary nor will you experience fat cell replacement.

what's new in lipo-sculpt's Coolsculpt Herefordshire of the cured area, which can last up to a month. Discoloration and also swelling, though this will remove within a number of weeks. wonderful therapy that provides our clients with the results they want.

If you have a wellness condition which is not noted and you are worried about your viability for this treatment, please do not hesitate to get in touch. It would certainly not be safe for you to have this treatment if you suffer from any one of the following health problems. Fat Cells revealed to the cool temperatures are ruined and also are refined through your body's own all-natural waste system. Below we consider the efficiency of numerous remedies-- from exercise via to full cosmetic surgery. Her aesthetic facility is not only the largest outside of London, yet is the only Diamond Premier facility beyond London as well.

After having 2 children and also having reached center aged I would certainly lost all hope of ever losing it! Coolsculpting has actually provided me a brand-new lease of life, I really feel a great deal more comfortable in my very own skin and the clothes I wear. Your specialist will talk about the therapy with you and also evaluate whether it will address your concerns. Really professional, practical as well as personalized - all COVID procedures in place. On 21st September, I had 4 locations of 360 Cryolipolysis - simply seeing outcomes currently, its impressive as well as its only been 4 weeks.

' If the inaccurate quantity of antifreeze is made use of or the maker setups are incorrect, there's a possibility for the cooling down plates to produce chilly burns and scarring,' claims Dr Bashir. The Henley Clinic has been developed as a Medical, Aesthetic and also Appeal clinic for over 15 years. You can invest hrs sweating away in the gym yet those stubborn bumps simply won't budge. Don't worry, you're not alone; 9 in 10 women deal with cellulite in some type. The good news is, there are lots of options to aid roll, wrap and also zap those rowdy imperfections away. I am an avid health club goer, like to think I consume a relatively healthy diet regimen, although I do enjoy the odd tipple!

How can I lose tummy fat fast?

8 Ways to Lose Belly Fat and Live a Healthier Life 1. Try curbing carbs instead of fats. 2. Think eating plan, not diet. 3. Keep moving. 4. Lift weights. 5. Become Fat freezing toning Kent . 6. Move away from processed foods. 7. Focus on the way your clothes fit more than reading a scale. 8. Hang out with health-focused friends.

#cryolipolysis cost uk #cryolipolysis treatment near me #cryolipolysis at home #cryolipolysis before and after #cryolipolysis near me #cryolipolysis reviews #fat freezing reviews #fat freezing at home #fat freezing treatment #fat freeze near me #does fat freezing work #fat freezing before and after #fat freeze review #coolsculpting near me #coolsculpting reviews #coolsculpting before and after #coolsculpting at home #does coolsculpting work #coolsculpting stomach

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pitiless-achilles-wept · 4 years

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Better Living Through Surgery: Life with Less Cancer!

[Originally posted August 13, 2020]

Hello from Penn Hospital!

Not to worry - I haven't been here the entire time since my last post, although I did end up spending an entire week in the hospital. Right now I'm sitting in the outdoor section of the cafeteria, which might be a mistake given that I'm not allowed to eat anything until after my CT scans at 1pm. The CT scans are part of my preparing to resume treatment for the rest of the cancer that's still in my body. The last time I had chemo was June 23rd and I've now hit the sweet spot of being a month past my mastectomy (so, mostly recovered) and out of other treatment long enough that I'm not suffering side effects any longer. It feels...almost like I don't have cancer at all.

Two Surgeries for the Price of...Two!

Let me back up a bit to the surgery though. I'd like to report that everything went totally smoothly...and it sort of did! Except that I had to have two surgeries because it also sort of didn't. As usual, what happened to me was super rare (less than 1% of cases!) and I would like to submit a formal retraction of any wishes I had to be exceptional. I've read "The Monkey's Paw." I know to be careful what I wish for. (Although, actually, I'm lying because I still plan to be the exception to the median life expectancy of those with my particular type and stage of cancer. If I have to be in the 1% of cancer cases it ought to be a good thing at least once.)

I had two surgeons for the two parts of my first surgery: one for the mastectomy (removing that incredibly stubborn initial tumor) and one for a "flap reconstruction," which used my own tissue (from my stomach - free tummy tuck!) to build a replacement. When they do that second part, they also take a blood supply so that a substantial part of it is vascular surgery. The reason that the reconstruction ever fails is if something goes wrong with the blood supply. If that happens, it's nearly always (99% of the time!) within 24 hours. What happened in my case was that everything went well with the surgery, even though it took about 7 hours, and I was recovering well and quickly. I was set to go home after my third night in the hospital (so, on Thursday).

Overnight on Wednesday, however, something went wrong with the blood supply. The new tissue was filling but not draining. What they later learned, once they rushed me back into the OR, was that the vein in it had a blood clot. They were able to fix it by taking a vein from my ankle to replace it. So basically that reset the clock on my recovery so that I ended up having to stay an additional three nights, going home on Sunday. (My initial surgery had been on a Monday.) It's actually extremely lucky that I was still in the hospital, despite how sad I was at having to stay. If I had been at home, far away from experts and surgeons, the tissue probably would have died and the reconstruction would have failed. It was a close thing since I was set to go home.

Anyone who has ever been in a hospital doesn't need a reminder of how, despite everyone's best intentions it is pretty terrible. I hadn't spent a night in the hospital since I was a newborn, despite all my various treatments, so I didn't know. Now I do and I never want to go back. The hardest part is that they have to wake you up almost constantly for vitals and to assess how the blood supply is doing (listening for arterial and venus sounds). For the first day after each surgery this was every 30 MINUTES, then every HOUR, then finally (on my final night) every 2 hours. And I'm the kind of person who's AWAKE as soon as I wake up. So I essentially didn't sleep more than an hour at a time until the bitter end when a nice nurse got a nice doctor to give me some kind of sedative so that I was able to sleep through the checks. I don't have a kid, so let me just say that this level of sleep deprivation was like nothing I had ever experienced. I see why the CIA used it as a form of torture. I'm a veteran of being tired and of many different kinds of fatigue but never have I been unable to get into REM sleep for so long. I am eager to avoid it at all costs again.

I had been more worried about the boredom than the lack of rest (because, at least on paper, the hospital seems like a place where you would mostly be resting/recovering) and it was indeed very boring. I was SO tired that I wasn't able to really do anything like read a novel, knit, or even really watch TV. I did binge a few podcasts, return to some more "Buffy," and attempt to chat to my parents when they could be there. The COVID visitor policy made it even more isolating and lonely than it would usually be. I was only allowed one "designated visitor" per day so my mom and dad switched off on who that was. Visitors could only be in the room and, once you left, you were gone for the day. So, for example, it's not like my mom could say hi in the morning, pop out and get us lunch, and then come back. All visiting was consolidated for the day. That meant that I tried valiantly to be good company for a few hours, but I imagine mostly I was too exhausted to accomplish that.

I took laps around the hallway (in my mask), which was actually a big achievement especially given the four surgical drains that I had (and left the hospital with). It's amazing how quickly you can lose conditioning in your muscles...and also how exhausting it is for your body to have been, essentially, assaulted and be dealing with wounds. That said, I've been super impressed by my body's healing capacity. I got the drains out within a week for one set and 10 days for another. After that, it was much easier to feel like I was healing and returning to normal. I'll have to rebuild my abdominal muscles, since that part of the surgery involved cutting them (and a new hip-to-hip "smile" scar), and for now I still can't bend all the way over, stand up totally straight (did I ever?), or lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk (because of the reconstruction). I'll probably need some physical therapy, but the ability my body has shown to heal is incredible.

Also incredible is the difference it has made to my mood and anxiety. In the hospital, they kept asking me for my pain number (which is kind of a useless exercise anyway, in my opinion) and I kept sort of shrugging and saying "2? 3?" to their disbelief. After all, I had open wounds! I had two major surgeries! But the pain of the tumor itself (and especially of the fluid-filled cyst on top of it) had been constant, increasing, and worrying. The pain of the tumor had meant my treatment was failing me and that my cancer was getting worse. The pain of the surgery meant I was healing so I embraced it. I still get tired more easily than I expect and am sure that the recovery period for this is going to turn out to be longer than I anticipate. But it is a huge relief.

That Bastard Tumor

Now, sadly, they don't actually save your cancerous tumor for you to look at after the surgery. (Honestly sad about this. I wanted to look it in the eye!) But they did send it off to a pathologist. The results made me feel very vindicated in my persistent sense that something about this bastard of a tumor was just DIFFERENT (and worse). They found that it had areas in it that were metaplastic, meaning (essentially) that the cells are hybrid, aggressive, and chemo-resistant. Here's what Johns Hopkins has to say about it:

"Metaplastic breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer, accounting for fewer than 1% of all breast cancers. It differs from the more common kinds of breast cancer in both its makeup and in the way it behaves.

Like invasive ductal cancer, metaplastic breast cancer begins in the milk duct of the breast before spreading to the tissue around the duct. What makes a metaplastic tumor different is the kinds of cells that make up the tumor.

When the cells of an invasive ductal tumor are examined under a microscope, they appear abnormal, but still look like ductal cells. Metaplastic tumors may contain some of these breast cells, too, but they also contain cells that look like the soft tissue and connective tissue in the breast. It is thought that the ductal cells have undergone a change in form (metaplasia) to become completely different cells, though it is not known exactly how or why this occurs.

Metaplastic breast cancers can also behave more aggressively than other kinds of breast cancers.

Metaplastic tumors are often, though not always, “triple-negative”, which means that they test negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as for the HER2/neu protein.

Metaplastic tumor cells are often found to be high grade, which means that they look very different from normal cells and are dividing rapidly.

Metaplastic tumors are, on average, larger at diagnosis.

More often than in other kinds of breast cancer, women with metaplastic breast cancer can have metastasis (when the cancer has spread beyond the breast) and may be more likely to recur (come back later in another part of the body)."

Sounds familiar, right? I can tell you, it feels good to get that out of my body! I want to be clear, though, that it was only **some** of the tumor that was this nasty metaplastic cancer. It was, as I described it to the amusement of my surgeon, "like chocolate chips in ice cream." (Way less fun than chocolate chips, obviously.)

That is actually good news too, because it means that there's a pretty high chance that the metastatic sites are NOT this nasty form of cancer. It wasn't noted in the original biopsy back in January 2019, nor in the spinal tumor biopsy in Feburary 2019, nor in my biopsy from July 2019. Metaplastic cells are fairly distinctive so they would have been noted if they were there. At some point, metaplastic regions appeared in the bastard tumor, probably a reason that it stopped responding to treatments that worked elsewhere (including PARP inhibitors and the chemo/immuno combo that I'm currently on). If those treatments, or others, can work on the remaining sites that are NOT metaplastic it becomes much more possible to imagine living with this as a chronic disease. We won't be able to tell until I get today's scans and we see how the next 8ish weeks of treatment go. But still, I think cautious optimism is warranted.

Resting and Recovering

My parents were able to stay with me for another 10 days after I went home and it was so wonderful to have them taking care of me. It made me realize that, actually, I have done the bulk of this cancer treatment without that particular kind of support. I mean, I knew that intellectually, but the difference between having someone looking after me and not was something I almost couldn't fathom on an emotional level. They lived with me for the first 3 months after my diagnosis in 2019 but--thanks to how long was spent getting various tests and seeing doctors--that only included a few weeks of chemo. They would obviously have stayed longer--would be glad to drop everything and rush out whenever I want!--but it's been my choice to continue as much as I can with my "regular" adult life. Being forced not to try was actually quite a favor to me. I'm left with a lot of thoughts about how I ask for help, offer it, accept it (or don't), and how I feel about it. I'll save those for another time, though, and just thank both my parents and my wonderful and tireless group of friends for giving me their support in whatever ways they can.

It's almost time for me to go drink some delicious barium and get a CT (bringing me a couple steps closer to lunch), so I'll just conclude by saying that I felt so good post-surgery that I forgot, for a while, that I still had cancer at all. After all, it was that tumor that I could actually see and feel and that was causing me daily pain and anxiety. Taking it away felt like taking away all the cancer. But, of course, it's still there: in my lungs, my lymph nodes, my bones, and my liver. It's a systemic and chronic disease, but I do at least feel more like I've been given a fighting chance again.

Hope you're all doing as well as can be right now. Be well and be kind.

Love, Bex

#my life as a cancer patient #treatment update #august 2020 #covid and cancer #mastectomy #metastatic breast cancer #mbc #stage 4 #triple negative breast cancer #tnbc #clinical trials #scanxiety #metaplastic cancer

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newstfionline · 3 years

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Sunday, March 14, 2021

Warp-speed spending and other surreal stats of COVID times (AP) The U.S. effort in World War II was off the charts. Battles spread over three continents and four years, 16 million served in uniform and the government shoved levers of the economy full force into defeating Nazi Germany and imperial Japan. All of that was cheaper for American taxpayers than this pandemic. The $1,400 federal payments going into millions of people’s bank accounts are but one slice of a nearly $2 trillion relief package made law this past week. With that, the United States has spent or committed to spend nearly $6 trillion to crush the coronavirus, recover economically and take a bite out of child poverty. Set in motion over one year, that’s warp-speed spending in a capital known for gridlock, ugly argument and now an episode of violent insurrection. Once, the attack on Pearl Harbor was the modern marker for national trauma. About 2,400 Americans died in the assault on the naval base in Hawaii that drew the United States into the Pacific war. The nearly 3,000 dead from the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, 2001, became the new point of comparison as the ravages of COVID-19 grew. The U.S. reached a total of 3,000 COVID-19 deaths even before March 2020 was out. By December, the country was experiencing the toll of 9/11 day after day after day. With deaths now moderating—so that a 9/11 toll comes cumulatively every few days—the U.S. death toll now has surpassed 530,000, exceeding U.S. combat deaths of all of the last century’s wars.

The Fighter Jet That’s Too Pricey to Fail (NYT) Last week, the new head of the House Armed Services Committee, Representative Adam Smith, said in an interview that the F-35 fighter jet was a “rathole” draining money. He said the Pentagon should consider whether to “cut its losses.” That promptly set off another round of groaning about the most expensive weapon system ever built, and questions about whether it should—or could—be scrapped. Conceived in the 1990s as a sort of Swiss army knife of fighter jets, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was meant to come as a conventional fighter for the Air Force, as a carrier-based fighter for the Navy and as a vertical-landing version for the Marines. The problems, and there were lots of them, set in early. All three versions of the plane ended up at least three years behind schedule, and sharing less than a quarter of their parts instead of the anticipated 70 percent. Many of those already built need updates; hundreds of defects are still being corrected; the jet is so expensive to maintain that it costs around $36,000 per hour to fly (compared to $22,000 for an older F-16). At the current rate, it will cost taxpayers more than $1 trillion over its 60-year life span. So, kill the monster and start looking for alternatives? Or declare it too big to fail and make the best of it? Last month, the Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Charles Brown Jr., gave his answer when he said that the F-35 should become the Ferrari of the fleet: “You only drive it on Sundays.”

Colorado and Wyoming brace for severe snowstorm and potential blizzard conditions this weekend (Washington Post) A major winter storm is set to unload massive amounts of snow, the most in years in some areas, in parts of Colorado, Wyoming and western Nebraska this weekend into early next week. Before the wintry onslaught is over, some locations in the Colorado foothills and eastern Rockies might end up with as much as four feet. Winds are also going to howl, bringing the potential for blizzard conditions across parts of the region. Gusts of 35 to 50 mph or higher will cause blowing and drifting snow, as well as compromised visibility and whiteout conditions. Winter storm warnings are in effect in Denver, Boulder and Fort Collins where the National Weather Service predicts 12 to 24 inches of snow. In Cheyenne, Wyo., also under a winter storm warning, 22 to 34 inches of snow is forecast.

Stay or go? Fence, Guard pose Capitol security questions (AP) Nobody, it seems, wants to keep the security fence around the U.S. Capitol anymore—except the police who fought off the horrific attack on Jan. 6. Lawmakers call the razor-topped fencing “ghastly,” too militarized and, with the armed National Guard troops still stationed at the Capitol since a pro-Trump mob laid siege, not at all representative of the world’s leading icon of democracy. “All you have to do is to see the fencing around the Capitol to be shocked,” Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., said in an interview Friday. How to protect lawmakers, while keeping the bucolic Capitol grounds open to visitors has emerged as one of the more daunting, wrenching questions from deadly riot. With warnings of another attack in early March by pro-Trump militants and threats on lawmakers that have nearly doubled since the start of 2021, the police, the Pentagon and lawmakers themselves are wrestling with how best to secure what has been a sprawling campus mostly open to visiting tourists and neighborhood dog walkers alike.

Bolivia arrests ex-leader in crackdown on opposition (AP) The conservative interim president who led Bolivia for a year was arrested Saturday as officials of the restored leftist government pursue those involved in the 2019 ouster of socialist leader Evo Morales, which they regard as a coup, and the administration that followed. Jeanine Áñez was detained in the early morning in her hometown of Trinidad and was flown to the capital, La Paz. She had earlier warned that officials were searching for her, terming it “abuse and persecution” in Twitter posts. The arrest of Áñez and warrants against numerous other former officials further worsened political tensions in a South American country already torn by a cascade of perceived wrongs suffered by both sides. Those include complaints that Morales had grown more authoritarian with nearly 13 years in office, that he illegally ran for a fourth reelection and then allegedly rigged the outcome, that right-wing forces led violent protests that prompted security forces to push him into resigning and then cracked down on his followers, who themselves protested the alleged coup. Dozens of people were killed in a series of demonstrations against and then for Morales.

British police officer charged with murder in missing woman’s kidnapping and killing (Washington Post) A British police officer was charged late Friday in the kidnapping and killing of Sarah Everard, whose disappearance and death has sent shock waves through the nation. Wayne Couzens, 48, who previously had posts at Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster, was charged with the kidnap and murder of Everard, a 33-year-old marketing executive. She was last seen at 9:30 p.m. on March 3, walking home from a friend’s house in south London. Her disappearance sparked a national outcry in Britain over the harassment and abuse of women. The case has struck a chord with women across the country, with many demanding change. In the days after Everard’s disappearance, women have taken to social media to share their own experiences and fears about their personal safety and walking alone. Caitlin Moran, an author and journalist, tweeted: “Being a woman: my “outside” day finishes at sundown. If I haven’t taken the dog for a walk/jogged by then, I can’t.” Writing in the Guardian, columnist Gaby Hinsliff said: “When she went missing, any woman who has ever walked home alone at night felt that grim, instinctive sense of recognition. Footsteps on a dark street. Keys gripped between your fingers.”

Car bomb kills at least 7, injures 53 in Afghan Herat province (Reuters) A powerful car bomb near a police station on Friday night killed at least seven people and wounded more than 50 others in Afghanistan’s western Herat province, officials said. Herat Governor Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali said that at least 53 people, including civilians and security forces, were hurt when a van packed with explosives went off in a crowded part of the city in the evening.

4 killed as Myanmar forces continue crackdown on protesters (AP) Security forces in Myanmar on Saturday again met protests against last month’s military takeover with lethal force, killing at least four people by shooting live ammunition at demonstrators. Three deaths were reported in Mandalay, the country’s second-biggest city, and one in Pyay, a town in south-central Myanmar. There were multiple reports on social media of the deaths, along with photos of dead and wounded people in both locations. The independent U.N. human rights expert for Myanmar, Tom Andrews, said Thursday that “credible reports” indicated security forces in the Southeast Asian nation had so far killed at least 70 people, and cited growing evidence of crimes against humanity since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi.

For Syrians, a decade of displacement with no end in sight (AP) Mohammed Zakaria has lived in a plastic tent in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley for almost as long as war has raged in his native Syria. He and his family fled bombings in 2012, thinking it would be a short, temporary stay. His hometown of Homs was under siege, and subject to a ferocious Syrian military campaign. He didn’t even bring his ID with him. Almost 10 years later, the family still hasn’t gone back. The 53-year-old Zakaria is among millions of Syrians unlikely to return in the foreseeable future, even as they face deteriorating living conditions abroad. On top of his displacement, Zakaria now struggles to survive Lebanon’s financial meltdown and social implosion. Nearly half a million people have been killed, and about 12,000 children have died or were injured in the conflict in the past decade, according to the U.N. children’s agency, UNICEF. The conflict also resulted in the largest displacement crisis since World War II. The Norwegian Refugee Council this week said that since the war began in 2011, an estimated 2.4 million people were displaced every year in and outside Syria. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians face continued displacement with each year that the conflict continues and economic conditions deteriorate.

Number of missing Nigerian students raised to 39 after armed raid (Reuters) Nine more students than originally thought are missing after gunmen stormed a forestry college in northwest Nigeria earlier this week, a government official in Nigeria’s Kaduna state said on Saturday. The revision brings the total number of missing students to 39 following Thursday’s nighttime raid on the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, the fourth mass school abduction in northern Nigeria since December. Kaduna city is the capital of Kaduna state, part of a region where attacks by gangs of armed men, referred to as bandits, have festered for years. Military and police attempts to tackle the gangs have had little success, while many worry that state authorities are making the situation worse by letting kidnappers go unpunished, paying them off or providing incentives.

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