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lancermylove · 4 months

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Moments Ruined (Scenario)

Fandom: Twisted Wonderland, Obey Me

Pairing: Leona, Malleus, Lucifer, Diavolo with gn!Reader

Warning: None

Prompt: Someone ruins your romantic moment.

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The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the courtyard of Savanaclaw in a warm, gentle light, creating the perfect romantic atmosphere. Leona pulled you onto his lap as he sat on one of the stone benches. Just as you leaned in for a kiss, the sound of rapid footsteps echoed through the courtyard.

Ruggie came barreling toward you both with a mischievous grin plastered on his face. "Hey, Leona! You won't believe the deal I just scored at the market!"

Leona groaned, his brow furrowing in irritation. "Ruggie, can't ya see we're in the middle of somethin'?"

Ruggie blinked, clearly oblivious to the mood he had just shattered. "Oh, uh, sorry. But seriously, I got this huge bag of donuts for half the price! Ain't that somethin'?"

"Ruggie," Leona said, his voice dangerously low, "if ya don't leave right now, I'll make sure you won't enjoy those donuts."

You stifled a chuckle, amused at Leona's irritated face and the hyena's happiness. Ruggie's eyes widened, and he took a cautious step back. "Okay, okay, I'm goin'!" he yelped before darting away as fast as he had appeared.

After the hyena left, Leona sighed and turned back to you. "Where were we?" He whispered with a smirk on his lips.

Leaning in closer to him, you close the distance between your lips. "Here."

It was a peaceful evening in Diasomnia. The moon cast a gentle glow over the courtyard where Malleus and you shared a quiet moment. Fireflies danced in the air, the scent of blooming flowers filled the air, and the chilly air caressed your hot skin. The prince was being extra sweet and soft with you as your lips met in a tender kiss. However, the next moment, a scream pierced through the tranquil atmosphere.

"MY PRINCE! STAND BACK. I WILL SAVE YOU!"

Before you could register anything, Sebek charged toward the two of you, his expression a mixture of fierce determination and utter panic. He was patrolling the grounds, but unfortunately, his loyalty manifested at the worst time. Just as Sebek was about to tackle you to the ground, Malleus stood up, lifting you with him, and dodged the tackle.

"Sebek, what do you need?" Malleus's voice was calm, but there was a glint of irritation in his eyes.

"My Prince, I saw this person-" Sebek began, his voice filled with righteous fury as he pointed at you, "attempting to harm you!"

You blinked and chuckled slightly. "Sebek, I wasn't trying to harm him. We were just-"

"Silence, human!" Sebek roared before turning to Malleus, his eyes wide with concern. "Are you alright, my prince?"

"Sebek, you have misunderstood the situation," the dragon sighed heavily.

"But, my prince, I saw-"

"You saw us sharing a kiss," Malleus interrupted a hint of exasperation in his tone. "Not everything requires your intervention."

Hearing the word kiss short-circuited Sebek's brain to the point where he couldn't even yell at you for getting close to the prince. As he walked away, his head spinning, you laughed softly.

Lucifer and you were enjoying a rare, quiet evening in the library. The grand library was bathed in a serene glow from the dimmed chandeliers. While he read, you sat in his lap, snuggled up to him. The Avatar of Pride couldn't have been happier to feel your warmth against him as he held a book in one hand and stroked your hair with the other.

"It isn't often that we enjoy such peaceful moments," he whispered in a low, warm voice.

As you were about to reply, a loud crash echoed through the hallway. Lucifer's eyes narrowed, and his smile instantly vanished. The next moment, the library's door burst open, and Mammon stumbled in, closely followed by a furious Satan.

“You idiot! You lost it again, didn’t you?” Satan’s voice boomed through the large room.

Mammon held a broken vase in his right hand as he quickly hid behind one of the bookshelves. "I didn't lose it! It here...well...kinda." The second brother nervously laughed at the broken vase in his hand.

Lucifer pinched the bridge of his nose, his patience visibly wearing thin. “Must you two always choose the worst possible moments to engage in your nonsense?”

Satan ignored Lucifer and threw the broken pieces of the vase at his older brother's face. "You know how important it was to me! How could you be so careless?"

Mammon dodged the pieces and tried to escape but stumbled over a stack of books. "It ain't my fault! The vase was cursed or somethin'."

Lucifer sighed heavily as you stifled a laugh at the fight over a vase. He was not in the mood to deal with this and wanted peace, so he scooped you in his arms and walked out of the library to his bedroom.

"What about your brothers?" You asked, surprised by his actions. "Won't they bring the whole house down?"

"It seems as though I forgot to inform everyone that Barbatos is on his way to pay us a visit," Lucifer smirked, knowing that the butler could handle his brothers just as well as he could.

Diavolo and you were in one of the grand rooms in his palace. The gold chandeliers cast a warm glow while the scent of the rose bouquet on the table beside you caressed your nose. With a charming smile, Diavolo reached for your hand and enveloped it in his large one.

"I cannot express my happiness at being able to spend time with you," the prince whispered, his voice as sweet as honey.

"Me too, Diav. This is perfect, and nothing can ruin this moment," you replied with a light red tint on your cheeks.

He leaned closer, his eyes twinkling with mischief and affection. "I have held patience for this moment for far too long."

As your face inched closer to his, you felt his hot breath on your upper lip. The next second, the door to the room swung open with a loud bang. In walked Barbatos, his lips tugged into a deep frown. He held a large stack of papers in his hands as he glared at the prince.

"Young master!" The butler spoke in a scolding tone. "You have yet to complete your duties for the day. These documents require your immediate attention."

Your boyfriend's shoulder dropped as an exasperated sigh escaped his lips. "Barbatos, can it not wait? For just a bit longer?"

"Absolutely not," he replied firmly and shifted his gaze to you. "(Y/n). You are distracting the young master from his duties. He cannot ignore them, even for a romantic interlude."

You stammered an apology while Diavolo continued to plead for a slight break. However, the butler refused to budge or show any sympathy. "A small break? Young master, you have indulged in 'small breaks' all day. The affairs of Devildom cannot be put on hold due to your whims. Now, return to your duties at once, or I shall have to drag you by your ear."

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➣ Obey Me Masterlist: [1][2][3] ➣ Twisted Wonderland [1][2][3] ➣ Main Masterlist

#obey me #obey me nightbringer #obey me lucifer #obey me diavolo #om! lucifer #om! diavolo #obey me x reader #lucifer x reader #diavolo x reader #twisted wonderland #twst #leona kingscholar #twst leona #leona twst #leona x reader #malleus draconia #twst malleus #malleus x reader #twisted wonderland malleus

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religion-is-a-mental-illness · 7 months

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By: Beth Bourne

Published: Feb 27, 2024

Kaiser gender specialists were eager to approve hormones and surgeries, which would all be covered by insurance as “medically necessary.”

On September 6, 2022, I received mail from my Kaiser Permanente Davis Ob-Gyn reminding me of a routine cervical screening. The language of the reminder stood out to me: “Recommended for people with a cervix ages 21 to 65.” When I asked my Ob-Gyn about this strange wording, she told me the wording was chosen to be “inclusive” of their “transgender” and “gender fluid” patients.

Based on this response, several thoughts occurred to me. Could I expose the medical scandal of “gender-affirming care” by saying and doing everything my daughter and other trans-identifying kids are taught to do? Would there be the type of medical safeguarding and differential diagnosis we would expect in other fields of medicine, or would I simply be allowed to self-diagnose and be offered the tools (i.e. hormones and surgeries) to choose my own gender adventure and become my true authentic self?

If I could demonstrate that anyone suffering from delusions of their sex, self-hatred, or identity issues could qualify for and easily obtain body-altering hormones and surgeries, all covered by insurance as “medically necessary” and potentially “life-saving” care, then maybe people would finally wake up. I certainly had.

I was prepared for failure. I wasn’t prepared for how easy success would be.

* * *

I am a 53-year-old mom from Davis, CA. My daughter began identifying as a transgender boy (social transition) and using he/him pronouns at school during 8th grade. Like several of her peers who also identified as trans at her school, my daughter was a gifted student and intellectually mature but socially immature. This shift coincided with her school’s sudden commitment to, and celebration of, a now widespread set of radical beliefs about the biology of sex and gender identity.

She “came out” as trans to her father (my ex-husband) and me through a standard coming-out letter, expressing her wish to start puberty blockers. She said she knew they were safe, citing information she had read from Planned Parenthood and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). To say I was shocked would be an understatement. I was also confused because this announcement was sudden and unexpected. While others quickly accepted and affirmed my daughter’s new identity, I was apprehensive and felt the need to learn more about what was going on.

Events began escalating quickly.

During a routine doctor’s visit scheduled for dizziness my daughter said that she was experiencing, the Kaiser pediatrician overheard her father using “he/him” pronouns for our daughter. The pediatrician seemed thrilled, quickly asking my daughter about her “preferred pronouns” and updating her medical records to denote that my daughter was now, in fact, my son. The pediatrician then recommended we consult the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Proud pediatric gender clinic, where she could get further information and (gender affirming) “treatment.” Now I was the one feeling dizzy.

As I began educating myself on this issue, I discovered that this phenomenon—minors, most often teen girls, suddenly adopting trans identities—was becoming increasingly widespread. It even had a name: rapid onset gender dysphoria, or ROGD. Thankfully, after learning about the potential side-effects of blockers and hormones, my ex-husband and I managed to agree not to consent to any medical interventions for our daughter until she turned 18 and would then be able to make such decisions as an adult.

Over the past five years, my daughter’s identity has slowly evolved in ways that I see as positive. Our bond, however, has become strained, particularly since I began publicly voicing my concerns about what many term as “gender ideology.” Following my daughter’s 17th birthday family celebration, she sent me an email that evening stating she would be cutting off contact with me.

While this estrangement brought me sorrow, with my daughter living full-time with her father, it also gave me the space to be an advocate/activist in pushing back on gender identity ideology in the schools and the medical industry.

I decided to go undercover as a nonbinary patient to show my daughter what danger she might be putting herself in—by people who purport to have her health as their interest, but whose main interest is in medically “affirming” (i.e., transitioning) whoever walks through their door. I am at heart a mother protecting her child.

* * *

My daughter’s sudden decision to become a boy was heavily on my mind in early September of 2022, when mail from my Kaiser Permanente Davis Ob-Gyn reminded me of a routine cervical screening with “Recommended for people with a cervix ages 21 to 65.” I was told that the wording was chosen to be “inclusive” of transgender and “gender fluid” patients.

Throughout the whole 231-day process of my feigned gender transition, the Kaiser gender specialists were eager to serve me and give me what I wanted, which would all be covered by insurance as “medically necessary.” My emails were returned quickly, my appointments scheduled efficiently, and I never fell through the cracks. I was helped along every step of the way.

Despite gender activists and clinicians constantly claiming that obtaining hormones and surgeries is a long and complex process with plenty of safety checks in place, I was in full control at every checkpoint. I was able to self-diagnose, determine how strong a dose of testosterone I received and which surgeries I wanted to pursue, no matter how extreme and no matter how many glaring red flags I purposefully dropped. The medical workers I met repeatedly reminded me that they were not there to act as “gatekeepers.”

I was able to instantly change my medical records to reflect my new gender identity and pronouns. Despite never being diagnosed with gender dysphoria, I was able to obtain a prescription for testosterone and approval for a “gender-affirming” double mastectomy from my doctor. It took only three more months (90 days) to be approved for surgery to remove my uterus and have a fake penis constructed from the skin of my thigh or forearm. Therapy was never recommended.

Critics might dismiss my story as insignificant on the grounds that I am a 53-year-old woman with ample life experience who should be free to alter her body. However, this argument for adult bodily autonomy is a standard we apply to purely cosmetic procedures like breast implants, liposuction, and facelifts, not “medically necessary” and “lifesaving” treatments covered by health insurance. Or interventions that compromise health and introduce illness into an otherwise healthy body. And especially not for children.

My story, which I outline in much more detail below, should convince any half-rational person that gender medicine is not operating like any other field of medicine. Based on a radical concept of “gender identity,” this medical anomaly preys upon the body-image insecurities common among pubescent minors to bill health insurance companies for permanent cosmetic procedures that often leave their patients with permanently altered bodies, damaged endocrine systems, sexual dysfunction, and infertility.

* * *

Detailed Timeline of Events

On October 6, 2022, I responded to my Ob-Gyn’s email to tell her that, after some thought, I’d decided that maybe the label “cis woman” didn’t truly reflect who I was. After all, I did have some tomboyish tendencies. I told her I would like my records to be changed to reflect my newly realized “nonbinary” identity, and that my new pronouns were they/them. I also voiced my desire to be put in touch with an endocrinologist to discuss starting testosterone treatment.

Fifteen minutes later I received an email from another Kaiser doctor informing me that my medical records had been changed, and that once my primary doctor returned to the office, I’d be able to speak with her about hormone therapy.

I responded the following day (October 7, 2022), thanking her for changing my records, and asking if she could connect me with someone who could help me make an appointment for “top surgery” (i.e., a cosmetic double mastectomy) because my chest binder was rather “uncomfortable after long days and playing tennis.”

She told me to contact my primary care MD to “get things rolling,” and that there were likely to be “preliminary evaluations.”

Six days after contacting my primary care MD for a referral, I received an email from one of Kaiser’s gender specialists asking me to schedule a phone appointment so she could better understand my goals for surgery, so that I could get “connected to care.” This call to review my “gender affirming treatment options and services” would take 15-20 minutes, after which I would be “booked for intake,” allowing me to proceed with medical transition.

This wasn’t an evaluation of whether surgical transition was appropriate, it was simply a meeting for me to tell them what I wanted so that they could provide it.

On October 18, I had my one and only in-person appointment in preparation for top surgery. I met in Davis with my primary care physician, Dr. Hong-wen Xue. The assessment was a 10-minute routine physical exam that included blood tests. Everything came back normal. Notably, there was not a single question about why I wanted top surgery or cross-sex hormones. Nor was there any discussion of the risks involved with these medical treatments.

The following week, on October 24, I had a phone appointment with Rachaell Wood, MFT, a gender specialist with Kaiser Sacramento. The call lasted 15 minutes and consisted of standard questions about potential drug use, domestic violence, guns in the house, and whether I experienced any suicidal thoughts. There were no questions from the gender specialist about my reasons for requesting a mastectomy or cross-sex hormones, or why I suddenly, at 52, decided I was “nonbinary.”

After the call, Kaiser emailed me instructions about how to prepare for my pre-surgery intake video appointment to evaluate my mental health, scheduled to take place on November 15. The email stated that prior to my appointment, I should research hormone risks on the WPATH website, and to “research bilateral mastectomy and chest reconstruction surgery risks and recovery” on Kaiser’s website.

I decided to request a “gender-affirming” double mastectomy and phalloplasty. Kaiser sent me a sample timeline for gender transition surgery preparation (see below) that you can use as a reference for the process. I also asked for a prescription for cross-sex hormones (testosterone) as needed and recommended by Kaiser.

[ Source: Kaiser Permanente, Top Surgery - EXPLORING YOUR SURGICAL OPTIONS ]

Pre-Surgery Mental Health Video Appointment, Part I

This “Mental Health Visit” assessment was conducted over Zoom. The Kaiser gender specialist started with questions addressing my marital status, race, gender identity, and other demographics. She asked whether I was “thinking of any other surgeries, treatments in the future.” The list she read included “gender-affirming” hysterectomies, bottom surgeries such as metoidioplasty and phalloplasty, vocal coaching, support groups, and body contouring. “Anything else you might be interested in doing?” she asked. I said that I’d perhaps be interested in body contouring. I was also assured that all the procedures would be covered by insurance because they were considered “medically necessary.”

I dropped in several red flags regarding my mental health to see the reaction, but all were ignored. For instance, I revealed that I had PTSD. When the therapist asked me about whether I had experienced any “childhood trauma,” I explained that I grew up in Mexico City and had been groped several times and had also witnessed men masturbating in public and had been grabbed by men in subways and buses. “I was a young girl, so [I had] lots of experiences of sexual harassments, sexual assault, just the kind of stuff that happens when you are a girl growing up in a big city.” “So, you know,” I finished, “just the general feeling that you are unsafe, you know, in a female body.”

The therapist did not respond to my disclosure that trauma could be the cause of my dysphoria. Instead of viewing this trauma as potentially driving my desire to escape my female body through hormones and surgery, she asked whether there is anything “important that the surgery team should be aware of” regarding my “history of trauma,” such as whether I’d be comfortable with the surgeon examining and marking my chest prior to surgery.

When asked about whether I had had any “psychotic symptoms,” I told her that while I had had no such symptoms, my mother had a delusional nervous breakdown in her 50s because she had body dysmorphia and became convinced she had a growth on her neck that needed to be removed. I told her that my mother was then admitted to an inpatient hospital for severe depression. I asked her whether she ever sees patients with body dysmorphia and whether I could have potentially inherited that from my mother. She told me that psychosis was hereditary, but that it was “highly unlikely” that there was any connection between body dysmorphia and gender dysphoria.

I enthusiastically waved more mental health red flags, waiting to see if she would pick up on any of them.

I’m just wondering if my feelings, or perseverating, or feeling like these breasts make me really unhappy and I just don’t want them anymore!...I’m just not sure if that’s a similar feeling to body dysmorphia? How do you decide which one is gender dysphoria and general body dysmorphia, and just not liking something about your body? Feeling uncomfortable with your body? And I did have an eating disorder all through college. I was a distance runner in college so I had bulimia and anorexia, you know. So I don’t know if that’s related to gender dysphoria?

The therapist replied, “I completely appreciate your concerns, but I am going to ask you questions about your chest, about your expectations. And then I’ll be able to give you an assessment.” She also said the main difference between my mom’s situation and mine was that my mom didn’t really have a growth on her neck, whereas it’s “confirmed” that I actually have “chest tissue.” Furthermore, she said that while “historically there has been all this pressure on patients to be like ‘Are you really, really sure you want hormones? Are you 100% sure?’ We are a little more relaxed.” She continued, “As long as you are aware of the risks and the side-effects, you can put your toe in the water. You can stop ‘T’ [testosterone], you can go back and do it again later! You can stop it! You can stop it! You know what I mean?”

Because we ran out of time, I scheduled a follow-up phone meeting on December 27, 2022 with a different gender specialist to complete my mental health assessment for top surgery.

Pre-Surgery Mental Health Video Appointment, Part II

During this meeting, Guneet Kaur, LCSW, another Kaiser gender specialist (she/her/they/them pronouns) told me that she regretted the “gatekeeping vibe” of the meeting but assured me that since I have been “doing the work,” her questions are essentially just a form of “emotional support” before talking with the medical providers.

She asked me about what I’d been “looking into as far as hormones.” I told her that I’d be interested in taking small doses of testosterone to counterbalance my female feelings to achieve “a feeling that’s kind of neutral.”

When she asked me about me “not feeling like I match on the outside what I feel on the inside,” I dropped more red flags, mentioning my aversion to wearing dresses and skirts.

I don’t own a single dress or a skirt and haven't in 20 years. I think for me it’s been just dressing the way that’s comfortable for me, which is just wearing, jeans and sweatshirts and I have a lot of flannel shirts and, and I wear boots all the time instead of other kinds of shoes. So I think it’s been nice being able to dress, especially because I work from home now most of the time that just a feeling of clothing being one of the ways that I can feel more non-binary in my everyday life.

She responded, “Like having control over what you wear and yeah. Kind of that feeling of just, yeah, this is who I am today. That’s awesome. Yeah.”

She then asked me to describe my dysphoria, and I told her that I didn’t like the “feeling of the female form and being chesty,” and that because I am going through menopause, I wanted to start taking testosterone to avoid “that feeling of being like this apple-shaped older woman.” “Good. Okay, great,” she responded, reminding me that only “top surgery,” not testosterone, would be able to solve my chest dysphoria. (Perhaps it was because all these meetings were online, they didn’t notice I’m actually fit and relatively slender at 5’-5” and 130 pounds, and not apple-shaped at all.)

She told me that we had to get through a few more questions related to my medical history before “we can move on to the fun stuff, which is testosterone and top surgery.”

The “fun stuff” consisted of a discussion about the physical and mood changes I could expect, and her asking me about the dose of testosterone I wanted to take and the kind of “top surgery” technique I’d prefer to achieve my “chest goals.” She told me that all or most of my consultations for surgeries and hormones would be virtual.

The gender specialist told me after the appointment, she would submit my referral to the Multi-Specialty Transitions Clinic (MST) team that oversees “gender expansive care.” They would follow up to schedule a “nursing call” with me to review my medical history, after which they’d schedule my appointment with a surgeon for a consultation. Her instructions for this consultation were to “tell them what you’re wanting for surgery and then they share with you their game plan.”

[ Decision-making slide to help me identify my goals for top surgery–flat chest, nipple sensation, or minimal scarring. Source: Kaiser Permanente, Top Surgery - EXPLORING YOUR SURGICAL OPTIONS ]

She told me that Kaiser has a team of plastic surgeons who “only work with trans and nonbinary patients because there’s just so much need for them.” She asked about my priorities for chest surgery, such as whether I value flatness over nipple sensation. I learned about double incision top surgery with nipple grafts, as well as “keyhole,” “donut,” “buttonhole,” and “Inverted-T” top surgeries.

By the end of the hour-long appointment, I had my surgery referral and was ready for my “nursing call” appointment.

Nursing call with Nurse Coordinator from the Transgender Surgery and Gender Pathways Clinic at Kaiser San Francisco

On January 19, 2023, I had my nursing call with the Nurse Coordinator. He first said that “the purpose of this call is just for us to go through your chart together and make sure everything’s as accurate as possible.” Once that was done, my referral would be sent to the surgeon for a consultation.

He asked me about potential allergies and recreational drug use, and verified that I was up to date on mammograms, pap smears, and colon cancer screenings, as well as vaccines for flu and COVID. I verified my surgical history as well as my current medications and dietary supplements.

He told me about a “top surgery class” available for patients where one of the Kaiser surgeons “presents and talks about surgical techniques and options within top surgery,” and includes a panel of patients who have had top surgery. I signed up for the February 8th class.

Within 10 minutes he told me that he had “sent a referral to the plastic surgery department at Kaiser Sacramento,” and that I should be hearing from them in the next week or two to schedule a consultation.

Appointment for Testosterone

On January 27, I had a 13-minute online appointment with a primary care doctor at Kaiser Davis to discuss testosterone. The doctor verified my name and preferred pronouns, and then directly asked: “So, what would you like to do? What kind of physical things are you looking for?”

I told her I wanted facial hair, a more muscular and less “curvy” physique, and to feel stronger and androgynous. She asked me when I wanted to start, and I told her in the next few months. She asked me if I was menopausal, whether I had ovaries and a uterus, although that information should have been on my chart.

The doctor said she wanted me to come in to get some labs so she could check my current estrogen, testosterone, and hemoglobin levels before starting hormones. Then “we'll set the ball in motion and you'll be going. We’ll see you full steam ahead in the direction you wanna go.”

That was it. I made an appointment and had my lab tests done on February 12. My labs came back on February 14, and the following day, after paying a $5 copay at the Kaiser pharmacy, I picked up my testosterone pump. That was easy!

Top Surgery Consultation

On the same day I received my labs, I had a Zoom surgery consultation with Karly Autumn-Kaplan, MD, Kaiser Sacramento plastic surgeon. This consultation was all about discussing my “goals” for surgery, not about whether surgery was needed or appropriate.

I told the surgeon that I wanted a “flatter, more androgynous appearance.” She asked me some questions to get a better idea of what that meant for me. She said that some patients want a “male chest,” but that others “want to look like nothing, like just straight up and down, sometimes not even nipples.” Others still wanted their chest to appear slightly feminine and only “slightly rounded.” I told her that I’d like my chest to have a “male appearance.”

“What are your thoughts about keeping your nipples?” she asked. “Are you interested in having nipples or would you like them removed?” I told her that I’d like to keep my nipples, but to make them “smaller in size.” She asked me if I’d like them moved to “the edge of the peck muscle” to achieve “a more male appearance.” I said yes.

I was asked to show my bare chest from the front and side, which I did. Then she asked me how important it was for me to keep my nipple sensation. I replied that it was important unless it would make recovery more difficult or there were other associated risks. She highlighted the problem with the free nipple graft, saying that removing the nipple to relocate it means “you're not gonna have sensation in that nipple and areola anymore.” However, some nipple sensation could be preserved by keeping it attached to “a little stalk of tissue” with “real nerves going to it,” but that would require leaving more tissue behind. I told her I’d go for the free nipple graft to achieve a flatter appearance. It was also suggested I could skip nipple reconstruction entirely and just get nipples “tattooed” directly onto my chest.

She told me I was “a good candidate for surgery,” and put me on the surgery wait list. She said that the wait time was between three and five months, but a cancellation could move me up to a sooner date. Also, if I wanted surgery as soon as possible, I could tell the surgery scheduler that I’d be willing to have any of the other three surgeons perform my mastectomy. Outpatient top surgery would cost me a copay of $100.

They contacted twice, in February and March, notifying me of cancellations. If I had accepted and shown up on those dates, they would have removed my breasts. This would have been less than five months from the time I first contacted Kaiser to inform them of my new “nonbinary” gender identity.

How Far Can I Go?

I decided to see how easy it would be for me to get approved for a phalloplasty. Known euphemistically as “bottom surgery,” phalloplasty is the surgical creation of an artificial penis, generally using tissue from the thigh or arm.

I sent an email on March 1, 2023, requesting to have a phalloplasty and concurrent hysterectomy scheduled alongside my mastectomy.

Two weeks later, on March 16th, I had a 16-minute phone call with a gender specialist to discuss my goals for bottom surgery and obtain my referral.

During the call, I explained to the specialist that I wasn’t sure about taking testosterone anymore because I was already quite athletic and muscular, and that taking testosterone didn’t make much sense to me. Instead, I wanted bottom surgery so that I wouldn’t feel like my “top” didn’t match my “bottom.” I told her:

But what I really wanted was to have bottom surgery. So this way when I have my top surgery, which sounds like it could be very soon, that I’ll be aligned, that I won’t have this sense of dysphoria with one part of my body and the other part feeling like it matched who I am. So yeah. So I just did a little bit more research into that. And I looked at the resources on the Kaiser page for the MST clinic and I think I know what I want, which is the hysterectomy and then at the same time or soon after to be able to have a phalloplasty.

I told her that I wanted to schedule the top and bottom surgery concurrently so that I wouldn’t have to take more time off work and it would save me trips to San Francisco or Oakland, or wherever I had to go for surgery.

None of this gave the gender specialist pause. After a brief conversation about some online resources to look over, she told me that she would “submit the referral now and we’ll get this ball rolling.”

Bottom surgery would cost me a copay of $200, which included a couple of days in the hospital for recovery.

Phalloplasty Surgical Consultation with Nurse Coordinator

On May 16, 2023, I had a short surgical consultation with a nurse coordinator to go through my medical history. This was similar to the consultation for top surgery but included information about hair removal procedures for the skin on my “donor site” that would be fashioned into a makeshift penis. They also went over the procedures for determining which donor site—forearm or thigh—was more viable.

After only 15 minutes, she submitted my referral to the surgeon for another surgical consultation.

On May 25 I received an email from my phalloplasty surgeon’s scheduler, informing me that they have received my referral and are actively working on scheduling, but that they are experiencing delays.

I ended my investigation here once I had the referral for the top and bottom surgery. I never used my testosterone pump.

Final Thoughts

In fewer than 300 days, based on a set of superficial and shifting thoughts about my gender and my “embodiment goals” triggered by the mere mention of “gender” in a form letter from my primary care physician, and driven by what could only be described as minor discomforts, Kaiser Permanente’s esteemed “multi-disciplinary team” of “gender specialists” was willing, with enthusiasm—while ignoring mental health concerns, history of sexual trauma, and rapidly escalating surgical requests—to prescribe life-altering medications and perform surgeries to remove my breasts, uterus, and vagina, close my vaginal opening, and attempt a complex surgery with high failure and complication rates to create a functionless representation of a penis that destroys the integrity of my arm or thigh in the process.

This describes the supposedly meticulous, lengthy, and safety-focused process that a Kaiser patient must undergo to embark on a journey to medically alter their body. No clinician questioned my motivations. No one showed concern that I might be addressing a mental health issue through radical and irreversible interventions that wouldn’t address my amorphous problems. There were no discussions about how these treatments would impact my long-term health, romantic relationships, family, or sex life. I charted the course. The clinicians followed my lead without question. The guiding issue was what I wanted to look like.

No other medical field operates with this level of carelessness and disregard for patient health and welfare. No other medical field addresses issues of self-perception with surgery and labels it “medically necessary.” No other medical field is this disconnected from the reality of the patients it serves.

Kaiser has traded medicine for ideology. It’s far beyond time we stop the ruse of considering “gender-affirming” interventions as anything approaching medical care.

This isn’t the first time Kaiser Permanente has been in the news for completely disregarding medical safeguards in the name of “gender-affirming care.” As girls, Chloe Cole and Layla Jane became convinced that they were born in the wrong body and were actually boys on the inside. Doctors at Kaiser ignored their underlying conditions and instead prescribed testosterone and removed their breasts. Both Cole and Jane have since detransitioned and are currently suing Kaiser.

The fact that children and vulnerable adults are being exploited in this massive ideological experiment is not just tragic; it’s deeply disturbing, especially considering it has evolved into a billion-dollar industry.

I hope that by sharing my story, I can bring more focused scrutiny to the medical scandal unfolding not just at Kaiser but also at medical centers and hospitals across the Western world. These institutions have completely abandoned medical safeguards for patients who claim to be confused about their “gender,” and I aim to awaken more parents and assist them in protecting their children.

This is completely insane.

Apologists online are running around saying, but she didn't mean it, she was lying, she was pretending...

It doesn't matter.

Any kind of security, penetration or integrity test is insincere too. When security researchers compromise Microsoft's operating system or Google's browser or whatever, "but they didn't mean it" is not a defence to a discovered security flaw. It doesn't matter that the security researchers didn't plan to steal data or money or identities. The flaw in the system is there regardless.

It doesn't matter that it was insincere. Because the workers didn't know that. They never checked, never asked questions, never tested. They had been taught and instructed to never ask any questions. They did what they were supposed to. And the system failed spectacularly. Because that's what "gender affirming care" means.

Additionally, the claim that Beth Bourne committed fraud is an outright lie. A patient cannot bill. They do not have the authority. The medical clinic is the only one that can bill, and they must supply a diagnosis and a medical necessity.

If they didn't diagnose her and just wrote down what she said, then they committed fraud. If they claim they did diagnose her, then they committed fraud, because the diagnosis they concocted was bogus. This, by the way, is actually going on. Clinics are reporting fake endocrine and other disorders to get blockers, hormones and other interventions. Jamie Reed and other whistleblowers have documented evidence of this. Beth Bourne is not responsible for what the clinic does. They have medical licenses and legal responsibility. Not her.

Additionally, anyone who actually read the article would know how she tested the system. She said things like, "I've always been not that feminine. So, maybe I get my boobs removed." And they said, "sure." Instead of saying, "wait, why do you think that?" Framing it as her lying is itself a lie. They violated their ethical obligations. That much is incontrovertible. And it's directly the result of "gender affirming care," where clinics and clinicians rubber-stamp anything deemed "trans" based entirely on ideological, not medical, grounds.

#Beth Bourne #undercover #undercover investigation #gender identity ideology #queer theory #nonbinary #non binary #top surgery #bottom surgery #double mastectomy #bilateral mastectomy #gender affirming care #gender affirming healthcare #gender affirmation #affirmation model #medical scandal #medical malpractice #medical corruption #religion is a mental illness

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determinate-negation · 7 months

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“This raises the question: if industrial production is necessary to meet decent-living standards today, then perhaps capitalism—notwithstanding its negative impact on social indicators over the past five hundred years—is necessary to develop the industrial capacity to meet these higher-order goals. This has been the dominant assumption in development economics for the past half century. But it does not withstand empirical scrutiny. For the majority of the world, capitalism has historically constrained, rather than enabled, technological development—and this dynamic remains a major problem today.

It has long been recognized by liberals and Marxists alike that the rise of capitalism in the core economies was associated with rapid industrial expansion, on a scale with no precedent under feudalism or other precapitalist class structures. What is less widely understood is that this very same system produced the opposite effect in the periphery and semi-periphery. Indeed, the forced integration of peripheral regions into the capitalist world-system during the period circa 1492 to 1914 was characterized by widespread deindustrialization and agrarianization, with countries compelled to specialize in agricultural and other primary commodities, often under “pre-modern” and ostensibly “feudal” conditions.

In Eastern Europe, for instance, the number of people living in cities declined by almost one-third during the seventeenth century, as the region became an agrarian serf-economy exporting cheap grain and timber to Western Europe. At the same time, Spanish and Portuguese colonizers were transforming the American continents into suppliers of precious metals and agricultural goods, with urban manufacturing suppressed by the state. When the capitalist world-system expanded into Africa in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, imports of British cloth and steel destroyed Indigenous textile production and iron smelting, while Africans were instead made to specialize in palm oil, peanuts, and other cheap cash crops produced with enslaved labor. India—once the great manufacturing hub of the world—suffered a similar fate after colonization by Britain in 1757. By 1840, British colonizers boasted that they had “succeeded in converting India from a manufacturing country into a country exporting raw produce.” Much the same story unfolded in China after it was forced to open its domestic economy to capitalist trade during the British invasion of 1839–42. According to historians, the influx of European textiles, soap, and other manufactured goods “destroyed rural handicraft industries in the villages, causing unemployment and hardship for the Chinese peasantry.”

The great deindustrialization of the periphery was achieved in part through policy interventions by the core states, such as through the imposition of colonial prohibitions on manufacturing and through “unequal treaties,” which were intended to destroy industrial competition from Southern producers, establish captive markets for Western industrial output, and position Southern economies as providers of cheap labor and resources. But these dynamics were also reinforced by structural features of profit-oriented markets. Capitalists only employ new technologies to the extent that it is profitable for them to do so. This can present an obstacle to economic development if there is little demand for domestic industrial production (due to low incomes, foreign competition, etc.), or if the costs of innovation are high.

Capitalists in the Global North overcame these problems because the state intervened extensively in the economy by setting high tariffs, providing public subsidies, assuming the costs of research and development, and ensuring adequate consumer demand through government spending. But in the Global South, where state support for industry was foreclosed by centuries of formal and informal colonialism, it has been more profitable for capitalists to export cheap agricultural goods than to invest in high-technology manufacturing. The profitability of new technologies also depends on the cost of labor. In the North, where wages are comparatively high, capitalists have historically found it profitable to employ labor-saving technologies. But in the peripheral economies, where wages have been heavily compressed, it has often been cheaper to use labor-intensive production techniques than to pay for expensive machinery.

Of course, the global division of labor has changed since the late nineteenth century. Many of the leading industries of that time, including textiles, steel, and assembly line processes, have now been outsourced to low-wage peripheral economies like India and China, while the core states have moved to innovation activities, high-technology aerospace and biotech engineering, information technology, and capital-intensive agriculture. Yet still the basic problem remains. Under neoliberal globalization (structural adjustment programs and WTO rules), governments in the periphery are generally precluded from using tariffs, subsidies, and other forms of industrial policy to achieve meaningful development and economic sovereignty, while labor market deregulation and global labor arbitrage have kept wages extremely low. In this context, the drive to maximize profit leads Southern capitalists and foreign investors to pour resources into relatively low-technology export sectors, at the expense of more modern lines of industry.

Moreover, for those parts of the periphery that occupy the lowest rungs in global commodity chains, production continues to be organized along so-called pre-modern lines, even under the new division of labor. In the Congo, for instance, workers are sent into dangerous mineshafts without any modern safety equipment, tunneling deep into the ground with nothing but shovels, often coerced at gunpoint by U.S.-backed militias, so that Microsoft and Apple can secure cheap coltan for their electronics devices. Pre-modern production processes predicated on the “technology” of labor coercion are also found in the cocoa plantations of Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, where enslaved children labor in brutal conditions for corporations like Cadbury, or Colombia’s banana export sector, where a hyper-exploited peasantry is kept in line by a regime of rural terror and extrajudicial killings overseen by private death squads.

Uneven global development, including the endurance of ostensibly “feudal” relations of production, is not inevitable. It is an effect of capitalist dynamics. Capitalists in the periphery find it more profitable to employ cheap labor subject to conditions of slavery or other forms of coercion than they do to invest in modern industry.”

Capitalism, Global Poverty, and the Case for Democratic Socialism by Jason Hickle and Dylan Sullivan

#mine #imperialism #capitalism

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cozage · 1 year

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HELLO IVE BEEN WAITINT DOR THIS MOMENT CAN I REQUEST FOR LAW A ONE SHOT OF HIS SO BEING SICK N HES JUST SUPER WORRIED N SCARED FOR HER WELL-BEING AND NURTURES THEM BACK TO HEALTH THANJ YOU I LOVE TOU HAVW A GEWAT DAY/NIGHT TOODLES POOKIE PIE

A/N: Apparently I don’t know how to write short fics anymore. Here you are :) Word Count: 3k Characters: gn reader x Law CW: reader sickness, serious sickness, angstttttt (with fluff at the end. i'm not a monster)

Sickness

It took a sniffle for Law to finally see the signs.

You were already asleep, sprawled out in the bed when it happened. You had been abnormally warm today, spending most of it in a tank top and shorts despite being in a winter ecosystem. When it was time for meals, you opted for ice cream over anything else. You hadn’t been very hungry, and that was the only thing you craved. The crew had made fun of you, but you hadn’t shot back any witty remarks like normal.

And then at bedtime, you had immediately pulled Law into bed when you both entered the room. Your cold feet pressed against his calves, causing him to hiss and jerk away from you. But you just gave a soft, sleepy giggle, wrapped your arms around him, and fell asleep almost immediately. He enjoyed your snuggles, but not even ten minutes later, you had pushed him away and kicked the blankets off, sprawling out in the bed in the little clothing you had on.

It’s not exactly where Law thought the evening was going. You had been so clingy over the past few hours, silently begging him to go to bed. He just thought the two of you were just playing a game of teasing, one that would end in a night of fun.

And then you sniffled in your sleep and readjusted, groaning from the heat in the room. And Law realized what he had been missing all day. You were sick. How could he even call himself a doctor if he couldn’t see the obvious signs with you, the person he knew best?

He needed to run a scan. He wasn’t sure how serious it was, and early intervention was always the best cure. He slowly, painstakingly, tried to get out of bed without disturbing you.

“Law?” Your voice was thick with sleep, your eyes only opening a fraction of an inch. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he assured you. He bent down to kiss your forehead, but thought better of it. If it was contagious, he didn’t want to catch it. Instead, he put a hand to your face, and his breath caught in his throat. He could feel the warmth radiating off of you. Your skin was hot to the touch as he swept your matted hair away from your forehead.

He was panicking now, but he gave you a tense smile. He had to maintain his composure. “Go back to sleep, alright?”

“I’m hot,” you whined, flipping over your pillow and pressing the cool silk fabric to your face. “I don’t feel so good.”

“I know,” he cooed, still brushing the hair out of your face. “Let’s get to the bottom of this, okay? See what’s going on.”

You gave a weak nod, too tired to do anything else. “Can we just do the exam here?”

“I’ve got you,” he whispered. One arm slid under your back, the other slid behind your knees, and Law scooped you up in one swift, gentle motion.

You laid your head against his chest, and he could feel the heat coming off your body in waves. He forced his heart to remain steady and unbothered, fully aware that you could hear it.

Silently carrying you to the medical room, his mind raced through the options of what you could be sick with. It was likely a virus, which meant it would be difficult for him to remove. And viruses could change and multiply on a dime. You were already displaying signs of-

“Law.” Your groggy voice jarred him from his thoughts. “I’m fine. Stop panicking.”

He had been so focused on his heart, he hadn’t been paying attention to the rest of his body. His grip on you had gotten too tight, his pace was just short of sprinting, and his breath was shallow and rapid.

“You should’ve told me,” he said, carefully maneuvering you through the examination room door.

“I didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s just a cold.”

“It could be-”

“Don’t start spiraling,” you scolded, giving a light cough. “Just do your job.”

His eye twitched in irritation, but he wouldn’t say anything because you were sick. He knew you were right, of course. But he hated when you had to call him out like that. He placed you gently on the cool metal table, and you hummed in delight at the refreshing sensation against your skin.

He grabbed his sword and ran a quick scan, trying to find the source of your sickness.

A red icon appeared in your scan around your lungs. “Bronclima,” Law breathed. “A very rare parasitic virus that can be caught in winter islands. The virus can hibernate for hundreds of years, usually residing in old snow caves.”

You gave a weak laugh. “Like the snow cave we climbed down into yesterday, huh?”

“This isn’t funny!” Law snapped. He ran to his bookshelf, searching for any information about it. “Bronclima is extremely rare and…”

“Deadly?” you finished for him. You suddenly felt infinitely more tired. “Can’t you just take it out?”

“Parasitic viruses are tricky,” he mumbled, flipping through an old book. “You have to get it all or else your body just becomes more susceptible to them. It’s hard to use a room technique on viruses in general, but parasitic ones are alive and can move, which makes it almost impossible.”

“Antibiotics, then.”

“No.” Law’s teeth were grit together; you could tell he was only keeping it together so you wouldn’t break down in a panic. “Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections. Viruses just have to run their course.”

“The strong survive,” you hummed, closing your eyes. “The weak die. I see.”

“You’re not dying,” Law hissed. “Bronclima only likes the cold, so we're going to keep you hot and force this thing to die, okay?”

“I’m already so hot, though,” you whined, rolling over on the exam table. At least the metal helped you cool down.

“Good. Stay hot. Stay alive.” Law picked you back up, and you groaned at the sudden movement and absence of the cold surface.

He carried you to the shower without a word and set you down inside it. You could feel the anxiety rising in him as he fiddled with the temperature gauge, and turned the shower on.

You cried out in pain as the hot water hit you, and your hands flew up to try and block as much of the water as you could. Your skin immediately started to turn red, welting as the water cascaded over you.

Law saw your reaction and quickly tested the water with his hand, but it was only lukewarm. He clenched his teeth and slowly turned the water hotter, adjusting the nozzle so the water was raining down directly on you.

“Law!” you shrieked, trying to get out of the way without moving. You couldn’t find the energy to crawl away from the water, even though your skin felt like it was burning off. Law watched you carefully, turning the water temperature up slowly.

“Please,” you sobbed, curling up into a sitting fetal position. “Please stop. You’re going to kill me, Law.”

“Hey.” Law crouched down next to you and tilted your head up to look him in the eyes. Tears and scalding water streaked down your face and blurred your vision, but you could see the familiar outline of him. He had stripped down to only his boxers, and he pulled you into his lap and held you close to him as the water rained down on your both. He kissed the top of your head, trying his best to comfort you. “You’re strong. You can handle this, okay?”

You let out a sob in response, but you nodded into his inked chest. You had been through worse, though you couldn’t remember a specific time at the moment.

The two of you stayed there for a long time. You weren’t sure exactly how time was passing, so you counted how many times his fingers ran down your hair. It was 259 strokes before you finally passed out from exhaustion and pain.

You woke up, now in a steaming hot tub, Law still holding you. You let out a soft whimper from the pain, and Law jolted up.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, readjusting you slightly against him. “I must’ve dozed off.”

You gave another small nod, too tired to do anything else.

“We need to get your entire body submerged,” Law said, his voice steely. “At least up to your shoulders.”

“Law, please-”

“I know.” His voice broke when he spoke. “I’m sorry, but I can’t lose you, okay? So please keep fighting.”

You could hear the desperation in his voice. He was on the verge of tears, barely holding it together for you.

You had to fight for him. You owed him that much, and so much more. He always had faith in you, he was always saving you. This was the least you could do. Clenching your teeth and bracing yourself, you completely submerged yourself in the scalding bathwater.

The heat of the water took your breath away, and you clamped your hands over your mouth to prevent any more air from escaping. You felt like your skin was melting off, but you forced yourself to stay completely under. You’d stay under as long as you had to if it meant getting this wretched virus out of your system.

Two strong hands grabbed your arms and pulled you back to the surface. Law’s golden eyes pierced into your soul, scanning your face for any signs of distress.

“Let me go back under,” you begged between heavy breaths.

He scowled. “So you can drown?!”

You pulled away from him and plunged back into the water. It still burned, but it wasn’t as hot as before.

Law immediately pulled you back up, trying to get you to calm down.

“Soup,” you gasped, wiping the tears from your eyes. “I need soup.”

“What has gotten into you? Where’d this energy come from?”

“I want to live. I want to be with you. I’m not being taken out by some stupid virus. So go get me soup!”

Law grabbed your face and went to kiss you, but you pushed him away. As much as you needed his lips as encouragement, you couldn’t have him getting sick too.

“Soup!” You pushed him out of the tub, and he ran out the door in his boxers. You could only hope nobody else on the ship was awake yet. You were certain that would cause a lot of questions between captain and crew.

Alone in the tub, the water felt much warmer. You could feel yourself sweating, and you were starting to get nauseous. Your body felt like it was on fire, but you forced yourself to keep your body submerged. You desperately wanted to get out, just for a second. But you couldn’t. You refused to give this parasitic virus even a moment of rest. Law was right. You were not weak.

He came back into the room with a bowl of soup, and your nausea increased just from seeing the steam rolling off of it.

Bile rose up your throat and into your mouth at the smell of the hot dumplings. You leaned over the side of the tub. “Law, I think-”

Law quickly put the bowl down and grabbed a trash can, his skilled fingers wrapping around your hair and holding it back just as you emptied your stomach into the bin.

“It’s okay,” Law soothed. “You’re okay.”

Once you were finally done, he set the trash can aside and grabbed a rag to help you get cleaned up. “That’s a good sign,” he said, brushing your stringy hair away.

You gave a light laugh. “How are you not completely disgusted with me right now? I’m a mess.”

“I could never be disgusted with you.” His voice was so caring and soft, you almost broke out in tears.

“Soup,” you choked out, desperate to change the subject as tears welled in your eyes. You didn't want to be physically and emotionally vulnerable with him right now. One was enough for him to handle.

He gave you a small knowing smirk but didn’t say anything. Instead, he rested the soup bowl on the edge of the tub and climbed back in with you again.

You reached for a bowl, but he intercepted your hands and pulled you into his chest instead. “Give yourself a moment to recuperate,” he said. “How’s the water feel?”

“Hot,” you groaned, but you nuzzled your head into his chest. “You’re a nice addition though.”

He trailed his finger up and down your spine, both of you laying against each other in silence. You could almost fall asleep like this if the water weren’t so uncomfortable.

After a few minutes, he tapped lightly on your back. “Ready for the soup?”

“I’m probably going to barf again,” you warned.

“I think I can handle it. I’m a doctor after all.”

You rolled your eyes, but picked up the bowl. It was so hot that you almost dropped it from shock, but Law grabbed your hands to steady it, and he nodded at you encouragingly.

The best course of action would probably be to drink the broth first, and then eat the dumplings. You pressed your lips to the rim of the bowl and inhaled. The steam burned your nostrils and the back of your throat. Every part of you was screaming in anguish, but you opened your mouth and tilted the bowl upwards.

The broth flooded your senses- first with flavor, and then immediately with a burning sensation. You sputtered and choked from the pain, and Law pulled the bowl away from you as you coughed, attempting to clear your airway. You tried to settle yourself down, but you couldn’t figure out what was wrong. It was like you were choking and hyperventilating all at once. There was too much air, yet not enough.

Law put the bowl of soup on the edge of the tub and began rubbing your back, trying to get you to calm down. You could see the panic in his eyes, despite his cool exterior.

“What hurts?” He asked urgently. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine,” you said between coughs. “Just burns.”

After another few minutes, you finally calmed down enough to breathe without coughing. “Let’s try again,” you offered.

“I hate being so useless,” Law said. “You’re working so hard and I can’t even do anything to help.”

“What are you talking about?” you scoffed. “You’re the only thing keeping me going. Every ounce of me wants to give up. And I would’ve if it weren’t for you.”

“That’s not what I-”

“Being a doctor is more than just operations, okay? You’re doing the best you can. Cut yourself some slack, Trafalgar Law.” The amount of energy you had to use just to form those words was making you a little dizzy, but you didn’t regret it. “Now give me that soup.”

It burned going down. You wanted to scream and cry and curse, but you didn’t. Even with tears streaming down your face, you drank the entire bowl. You could feel your stomach bubbling, trying to decide if it should reject the liquid again, but it stayed down.

Law moved you to the shower again, and you let the hot water rush over your skin while he refilled the tub. The water from the showerhead still burned, but it was more like a tingling sensation now. You weren’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. You’d mention it to Law later; you didn’t want to inconvenience him with possible bad news at the moment.

“Ready to move back to the tub?” he asked, poking his head into the shower.

You gave a weak nod and pulled yourself to your feet. You began to take a step, but stumbled and fell. Law closed the gap between you in an instant, catching you and keeping you steady before you hit the ground.

“You’re standing,” Law said, looking at you as if you had just performed a miracle. “You haven’t stood on your own since you got into bed last night.”

You gave him a smile. “Help me to the bath? I don’t think I’m quite ready to walk on my own.”

“You’re standing, though! Do you know how big of a deal this is?” You could hear the excitement in Law’s voice, which sparked your own joy.

“Tell me.” You took a step towards the bath, your arm wrapped around Law for support.

“You don’t understand,” Law said. “Bronclima takes your energy from you and you never get it back as long as it’s alive. If you’re regaining energy, then…” He helped you into the tub, afraid to say the last part. He was scared to hope for the best outcome.

The water felt warm against your skin, but in an almost pleasant way now. You sat down and sunk into the water so that your entire body up to your shoulders was submerged once again.

A blue hue emitted around the room, and Law ran another scan on your body and you closed your eyes and enjoyed the steamy atmosphere.

“Clear,” Law mumbled. “It’s clear.” You could hear the scan being run again, and the soft positive beep of no issues being found.

“Am I cured, doctor?” you hummed, your eyes still closed.

“It’s gone,” Law whispered, hardly believing it himself. That virus had a 15% survival rate and usually lasted for days. And you beat it in less than 10 hours.

“We can’t let this bathwater go to waste.” Your entire body suddenly felt very limp, worn out from what you had just put it through. “Come lay with me.”

“In the bath?” Law raised an eyebrow, but you held a hand out, beckoning him in. You knew he couldn’t say no to you after all you had been through.

He gingerly stepped into the tub and rested his back against the wall of the tub. You felt his tattooed arms wrap around you and pull you up onto his chest. You rested on him, the water feeling much more inviting now than it had earlier.

“This is nice,” you murmured, already starting to doze off to sleep.

“We can lay here as long as you want,” Law said. He held his composure until he was certain you were asleep, and then cried silent tears of relief until his eyes were red and puffy. He had been so close to losing you because of his negligence, and he vowed to never take you for granted again.

#one piece #one piece imagine #one piece scenario #one piece x reader #one piece x you #law x reader #law x y/n #trafalgar law #trafalgar d water law #heart pirates #cozage #✧˚law✧˚

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b1tcht0p1a · 2 years

Text

You Have My Attention - Ace D. Portgas Smut

Summary」

Ace has done many things to get your attention. Ranging from dangerous to downright obnoxious. It's about time all his efforts finally got him somewhere.

CW」

Fem! Reader, implied dacryphilia, edging, sub! Ace, creampie, use of good boy, slightly insecure Ace, praise kink, blowjob, orgasm denial, orgasm control, creampie, aftercare

Ace was cute; you'd give that to him. He was also persistent. So much so that it became increasingly annoying. Not only to you but to the rest of the crew. Marco was tired of having to tend to the wounds the dumbass got in hopes of getting your attention. And he had complained to you about it more than once. Always pointing out that Ace only does some of these things when you're around and watching. You brushed off the idea that Ace did these things to impress you for the longest time, but now you couldn't ignore it. Everyone complained to you, and now your hand was being forced. Whitebeard couldn't get it through Ace's head, so why not the woman Ace was pinning for? So either nip the behavior in the bud or get him to stop in whatever way you could that didn't involve potentially breaking his heart.

So here you were, waiting for Ace to join you in your private room. He happily agreed to come to your room later that night, even under the impression you were mad at his actions. You weren't sure what you were going to do or say. You didn't dislike Ace; he was an attractive and sweet man. He was strong and, thanks to his devil fruit, was a fearsome foe. You'd hate to ever have to fight him, even if you did have a devil fruit, more so if you didn't. You knew he was a good man who deserved a lot for all he's been through. You liked him and didn't like the idea of turning the sweet boy down.

A rapid knocking at the door brought you out of your thoughts; it must be Ace. You stood to answer the door. He didn't get to say anything before you grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him in. Once he was in, you closed the door and directed him to the chaise at the end of your bed. You sat in a matching chair diagonal from the lounge chair. You leaned forward, elbows resting on your knees as you clasped your hands in front of your mouth. Ace sat there, smiling brightly, like a puppy wagging its tail. He stared at you, almost waiting for something.

You groaned and looked toward the ground, debating what you would say. You quickly looked back up, making eye contact with the still-smiling Ace. "Ace, we must talk about what you've been doing." Ace flattened, smile fading, and he became rigid. "You're a charming man, and I'm flattered. But you don't have to do stupid stuff to get my attention." You stood and moved to sit beside him, hand resting on his knee. His eye flickered towards your hand and stayed there. You brought your other hand to his cheek, turning his head, so he looked at you instead. "Ace, you need to stop. I hate seeing you get hurt." Ace gulped visibly; you were so close and tender to him. He leaned his head into your hand, "I'm sorry. I didn't know how to get your attention."

"I know, but these little shenanigans need to stop. You're getting injured more often. You can always talk to me; you don't need to show off." The man frowned slightly and looked to the ground, face still firmly pressed into your palm. "Ace," you started moving your hand from his face, but his hand came up to keep yours in place. You smiled softly at his actions, "Aren't you just precious?" His frown got more profound, and his cheeks heated up in embarrassment. Your own smile grew. You removed your hand from his knee and brought it to the open side of his face, quickly making him look at you again. "You're so cute, Ace. There's no need to be embarrassed." You brought his head down to kiss his forehead, pulling away with a loud 'muah.'

Ace was shocked when you started the intervention; he believed you would turn him down. But here you were, affectionate with him, so much so it made him dizzy. It felt good to receive this kind of affection. He couldn't help the small whimper that left him at the continued kisses you left all over his face. Nor could he stop his hands from tightly grasping your waist. You stopped in your tracks, lips inches from his cheek. Slowly backing up slightly, you went to look at his face.

He looked so cute, so pathetic. His face was flushed, eyes unfocused, and breathing labored. You could help but smile. Looking down slightly, you could spot the prominent tent he was sporting. You looked at his face, "Ace, hon, do you want to do anything else?" You assumed he might want to continue into something much more the kissing, but first, he had to say he wanted it. You started leaving little pecks over his neck and shoulders. He whimpered once more and shook his head up and down rapidly. This wouldn't do. You need to hear him say it. One of your hands which both had moved down to his chest at some point, traveled upwards to gently grasp his chin, forcing his attention on you. He locked eyes with you, "What would you like, Ace?" His gaze shot away momentarily before he groaned and pulled at your waist, hoping to pull you into his lap. He was successful, but you needed something else. You needed words. "Ace, I know you can talk. Why not tell me what you want?" He flopped backward, hands falling to hold your hips; he ground up into you. "Please..." You made a slight humming noise, still patiently waiting. "Please…" Whinner than the last. "Please, what, Ace?" He only ground into you harder than the last time. It felt good, you wouldn't lie, but you were determined to get words out of the man first. "You know what I need to hear, Ace. Can you be a good boy and say it for me?" He moaned at your words and only started grinding upwards more. You quickly moved so you could hold his hips down. "No-no, not until you tell me what you need."

"PLEASE. Need you! Need to feel you!" He looked like he might cry if you continued; how cute, but you'd be merciful. This time, of course. You released your hold on his hips and sat back down right on top of his bulge. His grip tightened, and he released a groan; he could grind into you at will right now. Thoughts of what your tight cunt might feel like filled his mind, making him grind harder. You were tempted to let him continue, but you wanted to feel him inside you as he came. So, you leaned forward to kiss his face, hands placed on his pecs. You pulled away quickly, though, sitting upright once more. "Ace, baby. I thought you wanted to feel me?"

"I do, I do, but- fuck." He was frantic, so you lifted yourself again, battling against his grip. "Wouldn't you rather be in me? Wouldn't you rather feel me around you as you came?" He tried hard to get you to sit again, even if he wanted to be in you. He was whining at this point, absolutely desperate. "You can either cum in your pants or in me. Which would you prefer?" His grip lessened, and he stopped trying to force you down; you could see him look up at you. You smiled down at him, “Good boy, why don’t we get these shorts off, hm?” Ace was quick to scramble to get his buckle undone. He struggled for a few moments but quickly got it. It was the same with his shorts button and zipper. You helped Ace wiggle out of his shorts, which promptly got tossed on the chair you sat on moments ago. Ace’s hands went to start pushing down his boxers, but he stopped suddenly and went stiff. You noticed right away, “What’s wrong?”

“It's nothing.” You raised a brow at his words, “Do you want to stop? We don’t have to continue if you don’t want to.” Ace shot up, so he was sitting now. “NO! No, we can continue. I just-.” His hand went back to his boxers and gripped, tightening around the fabric. He didn’t have to finish what he was saying for you to figure out what was wrong. You went to cup his cheek, gently stroking it. “Hey, it's okay. I would never judge you, especially something like this.” That seemed to relax him enough to continue but not enough to see your reaction. He laid back down and put his arms over his eyes. Leaving you to pull his boxers down, he only helps by lifting his hips. You weren’t sure why he was insecure when you saw his cock whip free. It was pretty, a nice length, and quite thick, but not quite enough to be intimidating. He had to be at least 6 inches. You fully remove his boxers before doing anything else. You kneeled above him, one knee going between his spread thighs. You gathered spit in the palm of your hand before wrapping said hand around the base of Ace’s cock.

His hips jerked slightly at the touch, and he moved his arms to look at you. When he made eye contact with you is when you pumped up and down slightly. He threw his head back in groaned. “Were you worried about your size, hon? Cause this is big.” You then started a slow pace, pumping his cock up and down. Ace was releasing a nice stream of whiny groans. You bent down to kiss Ace’s chest and moved downwards, kissing all the while. When your feet hit the floor, you kneeled; your face was level with his crotch. You kissed his v-line and hesitated for a moment before kissing the tip of his cock. His hips jerked at the sensation, causing you to giggle at his reaction. “So sensitive.” You gave a long lick, base to tip, before wrapping your lips around the tip and sucking gently. Ace’s breathing became labored, and the noises he made came out more freely. After doing this for a bit, you decided to start trying to take him into your mouth. You moved at a pace you were comfortable with. Taking a bit more with each bob up and down. You stopped when you couldn’t comfortably take any more in your mouth. Your hand went to wrap around what you couldn’t fit in your mouth.

Ace’s groans eventually turned into moans, loud and unashamed. His hips were bucking into your mouth, and his hand had wound itself in your hair. You could feel him start to twitch in your mouth, but you continued. Ace’s moans had gotten louder at this point, and he started spewing praises, which mainly consisted of ‘your mouth feels so good.’ You bobbed your head a few more times but pulled away when you heard the cries of Ace saying, “I’m close.” He wasn’t pleased. He damn near yelled out when he felt his length leave the confines of your hot, wet mouth. He tried to push at the back of your head but failed to get you to move even slightly. “Please, I was so close.”

“I know, but I didn’t want you cumming yet.” He whined once more. You stood and began removing your own bottoms, ignoring all his little whines of “Please, I was so close.” You quickly made your way to your nightstand, a bottle of lube waiting for you. You quickly made your way back to where Ace lay. His breathing was still labor, and he had tossed an arm over his eyes once more. It moved when he heard the slight pop from you opening the bottle. You squeezed some into your hand before wrapping said hand around Ace’s dick. Ace’s hips jerked, and he moaned when you moved your hand up and down, spreading the lube over his length. You pulled away and put more on your hand but brought it to your cunt. You were quick with spreading it over your lips, slightly penetrating yourself. Once you felt prepared, even if it was rushed, you kneeled over Ace. Knees placed next to his hips, hand on his chest as you leaned forward. You wrapped your hand around him and began your descent.

It felt wonderful to have him inside your gummy walls, his dick stretching you deliciously. The length would take some time to get used to, but it was still quite pleasurable. Ace’s hands had flown to your hips, gripping harshly. He was trying hard not to move, figuring you needed some time to adjust because of the way you hadn’t moved. It was hard, but he was doing good. Both of your hands were firm on his pecs, putting pressure to keep yourself stable as you raised your hips. All before slamming them back down. Ace’s hips thrusted up into you, eyes shut tightly as he moaned loudly. You began a steady bounce; Ace’s hands had moved to your ass, helping you bounce. It felt so good; he reached far into you. It was uncomfortable the first few bounces, especially the first harsh one, but it faded. Leaving you consumed by pleasure. And it seemed Ace was too.

He had moved his legs, one bent and on the chaise, the other touching the floor. This was to help him meet your bounces. He was so desperate for release after being denied by you. He needed it so bad, but he want you to cum as well. One hand left your ass and moved to your sex. It took him a moment, but he did find your little ‘button’; your clit. He started rubbing tight circles into it. Your own quiet moans had gotten louder, not as loud as Ace’s have been, but still noticeable to anyone who might walk past the room. Your hands had left Ace’s chest in favor of taking over the tight circles being drawn on your clit. When you shooed Ace's hand, It went back to your ass, squeezing it. Every bounce felt even better now, heavenly almost. The new angle of you being upright had Ace’s cock hitting your sweet spot just right. Every bounce brought you closer and closer now, same with the circles you drew on your clit.

Ace was close, too, but he was trying his hardest to hold out. Purely out of want for you to cum first. His upward thrusting became more erratic, taking over the pace you had set. Your moans had reached their peak, being the same volume as Ace’s. He could feel you tighten around him, influencing him to work harder. He began pounding into you from below. You were so close, just a bit more; just a few thrusts, and you reached that oh-so-needed climax. “I’m so close; you feel so good. Filling me so nicely.” The knot in your stomach had formed a while ago, but it was so tight, ready to snap at any moment. The same thing was going on with Ace; he wanted to release so badly but was determined to last longer than you.

And he was successful. That ‘knot’ in your belly had finally snapped, filling you with a euphoric feeling. Your fingers stopped their movements, and your hips stuttered, jerking as waves of pleasure fell over you. Ace came not soon after; the vice grip around him practically milked the orgasm out of him. His hips stuttered upwards, grinding ever so slightly upwards. Thanks to his previously denied orgasm, this one felt heavenly. His mind went fuzzy, and his body relaxed after a few moments. His breathing was still labored, as was yours. Chest heaving with each breath. You got control of your breathing before Ace and rise. As nice as he felt, you needed to get cleaned up. So you stumbled from the chair and to your bathroom.

You grabbed a washcloth for yourself, quickly taking care of the mess that spilled down your thighs. Another washcloth was grabbed to clean up Ace, whose breathing had relaxed at this point. When you went to wipe him down, he tried pushing your hand away, clearly too sensitive. “Hey, I’m almost done, and then you can relax, okay?” He didn’t try to push your hand away again, taking the slight stimulation so he could get cleaned off. You kissed his forehead before walking off again to throw the used towels in your laundry basket. You grabbed your discarded clothing and redressed before helping Ace back into his boxers. “Come on; my bed is way better than this old lounge chair. You can nap there.” Ace begrudgingly got up, stumbling to the bed with your help. He quickly got under the covers, wrapping himself in the soft sheets. “

“Hey, I’m going to get you some water. Do you want anything to eat, too?” Ace sleepily nodded his head. You smiled and kissed his forehead before leaving the room, shutting the lights off as you left. It was night, and despite how loud you and Ace were, you still naively believed no one would be up at this hour. You hadn’t even made it halfway down the hall when someone cleared their throat. You didn’t dare look up, not wanting to see the face of whoever was about to tease you.

“Thought you were just going to talk to him.”

@h3rfave

@euphofic

#smut #one piece smut #ace d potgas x reader smut #ace d portgas x reader #ace d. portgas #ace d portgas #ace x reader #one piece x reader smut #one piece x reader #one piece #fem reader #bottom ace #one piece fanfiction

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intervention-rapide · 10 months

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Plombier Nîmes: dans les 30 minutes qui suivent l’appel de réparations hydrauliques à Nîmes et dans sa Province

#Plombier Nîmes #intervention rapide 24 heure #Plomberie à Nîmes #électricité #serrurier #plombier #electrician services #hvac services #plumber services #cleaning services #france

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hayatheauthor · 2 months

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A Writer's Blueprint for Realistic Drowning Scenes

This guide is designed to help writers depict drowning scenes with authenticity and detail. I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of drowning, the physical signs to look for and clear up some common misconceptions. With this information, you’ll have the tools to craft vivid, compelling, and believable drowning scenarios that will captivate your readers and add depth to your narrative.

Fair warning; this is a comprehensive and pretty explicit guide, so if you're uncomfortable with those topics, please just scroll away.

The Stages of Drowning

1. Initial Entry

When a person first enters the water, especially unexpectedly, their initial reaction is often one of shock and panic. The sudden change in environment, temperature, and the feeling of being submerged triggers an immediate response from the body.

Shock Response

Cold Water Immersion: Sudden immersion in cold water can cause a cold shock response, which includes involuntary gasping, hyperventilation, and a rapid increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

Panic and Disorientation: The person may become disoriented and panic, struggling to stay afloat and breathe normally.

2. Involuntary Breath-Holding

As the person struggles to keep their head above water, they instinctively hold their breath to prevent water from entering their lungs.

Burning Sensation in Lungs

The buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood creates a burning sensation in the lungs, which intensifies the feeling of panic.

Increased Heart Rate and Blood Pressure

The body's stress response causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, further depleting oxygen reserves.

3. Uncontrolled Breathing

When the person can no longer hold their breath, the body's reflexes take over, leading to involuntary attempts to breathe.

Aspiration of Water

Water enters the mouth and is aspirated into the lungs, causing coughing, choking, and a strong gag reflex.

Coughing and Choking

The person may cough and choke as water enters the respiratory tract, leading to more panic and struggle.

Gasping for Air

The body's desperate attempt to get oxygen leads to gasping, but often results in inhaling more water.

4. Laryngospasm

The body's protective reflex to prevent water from entering the lungs can cause the vocal cords to spasm, temporarily sealing the airway.

Temporary Airway Closure

The laryngospasm closes the airway, preventing both water and air from entering the lungs.

Increased CO2 and Decreased O2

As carbon dioxide levels rise and oxygen levels fall, the person becomes increasingly hypoxic.

5. Loss of Consciousness

Due to the lack of oxygen, the person loses consciousness.

Hypoxia and Hypercapnia

Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and hypercapnia (excess carbon dioxide) cause confusion, dizziness, and loss of motor control.

Fading Senses

Vision blurs, hearing diminishes, and the sense of touch becomes numb.

Blackout

The brain, deprived of oxygen, shuts down, leading to unconsciousness.

6. Cardiac Arrest

Prolonged oxygen deprivation leads to cardiac arrest, where the heart stops beating.

Cessation of Breathing

Respiratory effort ceases as the brain's control over breathing is lost.

Heart Stops Beating

The heart, deprived of oxygen, stops beating, leading to complete circulatory failure.

Brain Damage and Death

Without intervention, brain cells die from lack of oxygen, leading to permanent brain damage and eventually death.

7. Aftermath (if Rescued)

If the person is rescued and resuscitated, there are immediate and long-term consequences to consider.

Immediate Aftermath

CPR and First Aid: Immediate resuscitation efforts, including CPR and the use of a defibrillator if necessary.

Hospitalization: The person will likely need to be hospitalized for further treatment and monitoring.

Long-Term Effects

Lung Damage: Inhalation of water can cause damage to the lung tissues, leading to conditions like pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Neurological Damage: Prolonged lack of oxygen can result in brain damage, affecting cognitive and motor functions.

Psychological Impact: Survivors may experience PTSD, anxiety, and a lasting fear of water.

Physical Appearance During Drowning

1. Initial Entry

Shock Response

Wide Eyes and Gasping Mouth: Eyes are wide open, and the mouth is often open in a gasp or scream.

Flailing Limbs: Arms and legs are moving rapidly in an attempt to regain balance and stay afloat.

2. Involuntary Breath-Holding

Tensed Muscles

Rigid Body: Muscles are tensed, and the body may appear stiff as the person tries to maintain control.

Strained Facial Expression: The face may show strain, with furrowed brows and tightly closed eyes.

3. Uncontrolled Breathing

Coughing and Choking

Reddened Face and Eyes: The face may turn red from the effort of coughing and choking.

Foaming at the Mouth: A frothy mixture of saliva and water may be visible around the mouth.

Gasping for Air

Open Mouth and Wide Eyes: The mouth is open wide in an attempt to gasp for air, and the eyes may be bulging with fear.

Erratic Movements: The person’s movements become more erratic and uncoordinated as they struggle to breathe.

4. Laryngospasm

Silent Struggle

Mouth Opening and Closing: The person may appear to be gasping silently as the airway is temporarily sealed.

Clenching Throat: Hands may instinctively clutch at the throat in a futile attempt to open the airway.

5. Loss of Consciousness

Limp Body

Floating Limply: The body becomes limp and may float face down or sink slightly below the surface.

Pale or Blue Skin: Skin may turn pale or blue (cyanosis) due to lack of oxygen.

Relaxed Facial Features

Closed Eyes: Eyes close as the person loses consciousness.

Slack Jaw: The jaw may go slack, and the mouth could be partially open.

6. Cardiac Arrest

Unconsciousness

Still Body: The body is completely still, with no voluntary movements.

Gray or Blue Skin: Skin color becomes ashen, gray, or blue, particularly around the lips and extremities.

7. After Drowning (Post-Rescue Appearance)

If the person is rescued, their appearance post-drowning can indicate the extent of their ordeal and the immediate aftermath.

Immediate Aftermath

Waterlogged Clothing: Clothes may be heavy and waterlogged, clinging to the body.

Coughing and Vomiting: The person may cough up water or vomit as they are resuscitated.

Shivering: If the water was cold, the person might be shivering uncontrollably due to hypothermia.

Long-Term Appearance

Bruising and Cuts: There may be bruises or cuts from the struggle in the water or the rescue process.

Pale or Blue Skin: Skin color might still show signs of cyanosis if oxygen levels are low.

Labored Breathing: Breathing may remain labored and shallow as the lungs recover.

Ways to Drown

Being Tied Down with a Stone

An ancient method where a person is weighted down with a heavy object, preventing them from surfacing.

Pulled Under by a Strong Current

Strong currents or rip tides can overpower a swimmer, pulling them away from safety and making it difficult to stay afloat.

Trapped Under a Capsized Boat

In the event of a boat capsizing, a person can become trapped underneath, unable to reach the surface for air.

Caught in Underwater Vegetation

Dense underwater plants can entangle a swimmer, restricting their movements and preventing them from surfacing.

Unable to Swim in Deep Water

Lack of swimming skills or fatigue in deep water can lead to drowning if the person cannot keep themselves afloat.

Falling Through Ice

Falling through thin ice can trap a person in freezing water, with the ice making it difficult to find an exit.

Getting Caught in a Riptide

A riptide can drag a swimmer out to sea, making it hard to swim back to shore due to the strong current.

Swimming Exhaustion

Overexertion while swimming can lead to exhaustion, making it impossible to continue treading water or swimming to safety.

Diving Accident

A diving mishap, such as hitting one’s head or getting disoriented underwater, can result in drowning.

Shipwreck

In a shipwreck scenario, a person may be stranded in open water, facing potential drowning due to exhaustion, exposure, or lack of flotation devices.

Common Misconceptions About Drowning

1. Drowning is Always Loud and Dramatic

Many people believe that drowning involves a lot of splashing, shouting, and waving for help. In reality, drowning is often a silent and quick event.

Instinctive Drowning Response: When a person is drowning, their body prioritizes breathing over waving or shouting. The struggle to get air means they can’t call for help.

Quiet Struggle: Drowning individuals might be bobbing up and down, with their mouths at water level, making little noise as they gasp for air.

2. People Always Recognize Drowning

It's a common belief that drowning is easily recognizable. However, many drownings go unnoticed until it’s too late.

Subtle Signs: Drowning can look like someone treading water or trying to swim. Signs can be subtle, such as bobbing up and down, head tilted back with mouth open, or eyes glassy and empty.

Misinterpreted Behaviors: Bystanders might mistake a drowning person for someone playing or simply floating.

3. Only Weak Swimmers Drown

Many assume that only those who can’t swim well are at risk of drowning, but even strong swimmers can drown under certain conditions.

Fatigue and Cramps: Strong swimmers can become exhausted, suffer from cramps, or panic, leading to drowning.

Environmental Factors: Strong currents, cold water, and underwater hazards can overwhelm even the best swimmers.

4. Drowning Happens Immediately

There’s a misconception that drowning happens instantly. While it can be quick, it often takes a few minutes for a person to drown.

Struggling Phase: The initial struggle can last for 20-60 seconds, during which the person is trying to stay afloat and breathe.

Silent Submersion: After this, they may silently submerge, often unnoticed.

5. Drowning Only Happens in Deep Water

Many people think that drowning only occurs in deep water. However, shallow water can be just as dangerous.

Shallow Water Drowning: Drowning can occur in as little as a few inches of water, especially with young children or if someone is unconscious.

Bathtubs and Pools: Many drownings occur in bathtubs, kiddie pools, or even buckets.

6. Life Jackets Are Only Needed on Boats

It's commonly believed that life jackets are only necessary when boating, but they are crucial in many other water-related activities.

Swimming and Water Sports: Life jackets provide essential buoyancy and can save lives in swimming pools, lakes, rivers, and during water sports.

Unexpected Situations: Wearing a life jacket can prevent drowning in unexpected situations, like sudden falls into water.

7. People Float After Drowning

A prevalent myth is that drowning victims float on the surface after they die, but this is not always the case.

Initial Sinking: Initially, a drowned body may sink due to the density of the tissues and lack of air in the lungs.

Later Floating: Bodies often float later due to gas buildup from decomposition, but this can take days.

8. Drowning Victims Always Look Distressed

People often think that drowning victims will look distressed or visibly in danger, but many can appear calm and quiet.

Passive Drowning: Drowning individuals may appear to be calmly treading water or just floating.

Lack of Visible Struggle: There may be no visible struggle, making it hard to identify the danger.

9. CPR is Ineffective After Drowning

Some believe that once a person has drowned, CPR cannot help. However, immediate CPR can be life-saving.

Restarting Breathing: CPR can help restart the victim’s breathing and circulation, buying crucial time until emergency services arrive.

Rescue Breathing: Effective rescue breathing can oxygenate the lungs and increase the chances of revival.

Resources

Books

"The Science of Drowning" by Sports Aid Intl

“It offers a significant departure from how drowning is traditionally treated by combining discussions about medical, prevention, and intervention issues.”

Link

"The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea" by Sebastian Junger

A gripping account of the 1991 storm that hit the North Atlantic and the fishermen caught in its deadly grip, providing insights into the perilous nature of the sea and drowning.

Link

Articles

"Drowning vs Aquatic Distress" by Crunderwood

An article detailing the science of drowning + some interesting points.

Link to article

"Drowning Victim" by SLRG

How to identify a drowning person besides the typical flailing.

Link to article

"Drowning Treatment" by WebMD

Guidelines and tips for healing/treating a drowning person.

Link to article

Websites

American Red Cross: Water Safety Tips

Provides extensive information on water safety, drowning prevention, and emergency response.

Link to website

National Drowning Prevention Alliance

A dedicated organization focused on preventing drowning through education, research, and advocacy.

Link to website

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Drowning Prevention

Offers statistics, prevention strategies, and safety tips to reduce the risk of drowning.

Link to website

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks?

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Quillology with Haya Sameer; a blog dedicated to writing and publishing tips for authors! While you’re at it, don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey!

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