#Medicine Course in Europe

[mokshconsultant]

MBBS in Romania for Indian Students

In Romania, the MBBS program spans a duration of 6 years, referred to as MD. This aligns with the standard duration of MBBS/MD across all European universities, which is set at 6 years, owing to the prevalence of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in the region.

Romania adheres to the ECTS framework, which is noteworthy for its provision allowing students to transfer between universities without incurring any academic loss. While such university transfers facilitated by ECTS are more feasible in countries like Georgia due to ample seats and lenient eligibility criteria, Romania presents a more stringent environment with firm eligibility criteria and a limited number of seats. Consequently, under normal circumstances, university transfers based on ECTS are not typically possible in Romania. The country takes its education protocols seriously, and the exceptional quality of education is a key factor that makes pursuing MBBS in Romania a highly favorable option for Indian students!

[estbenas]

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[transmutationisms]

in addition to being prone to an obvious naturalistic fallacy, the oft-repeated claim that various supplements / herbs / botanicals are being somehow suppressed by pharmaceutical interests seeking to protect their own profits ('they would rather sell you a pill') belies a clear misunderstanding of the relationship between 'industrial' pharmacology and plant matter. bioprospecting, the search for plants and molecular components of plants that can be developed into commercial products, has been one of the economic motivations and rationalisations for european colonialism and imperialism since the so-called 'age of exploration'. state-funded bioprospectors specifically sought 'exotic' plants that could be imported to europe and sold as food or materia medica—often both, as in the cases of coffee or chocolate—or, even better, cultivated in 'economic' botanical gardens attached to universities, medical schools, or royal palaces and scientific institutions.

this fundamental attitude toward the knowledge systems and medical practices of colonised people—the position, characterising eg much 'ethnobotany', that such knowledge is a resource for imperialist powers and pharmaceutical manufacturers to mine and profit from—is not some kind of bygone historical relic. for example, since the 1880s companies including pfizer, bristol-myers squibb, and unilever have sought to create pharmaceuticals from african medicinal plants, such as strophanthus, cryptolepis, and grains of paradise. in india, state-created databases of valuable 'traditional' medicines have appeared partly in response to a revival of bioprospecting since the 1980s, in an increasingly bureaucratised form characterised by profit-sharing agreements between scientists and local communities that has nonetheless been referred to as "biocapitalism". a 1990 paper published in the proceedings of the novartis foundation symposium (then the ciba foundation symposium) spelled out this form of epistemic colonialism quite bluntly:

Ethnobotany, ethnomedicine, folk medicine and traditional medicine can provide information that is useful as a 'pre-screen' to select plants for experimental pharmacological studies.

there is no inherent oppositional relationship between pharmaceutical industry and 'natural' or plant-based cures. there are of course plenty of examples of bioprospecting that failed to translate into consumer markets: ginseng, introduced to europe in the 17th century through the mercantile system and the east india company, found only limited success in european pharmacology. and there are cases in which knowledge with potential market value has actually been suppressed for other reasons: the peacock flower, used as an abortifacient in the west indies, was 'discovered' by colonial bioprospectors in the 18th century; the plant itself moved easily to europe, but knowledge of its use in reproductive medicine became the subject of a "culturally cultivated ignorance," resulting from a combination of funding priorities, national policies, colonial trade patterns, gender politics, and the functioning of scientific institutions. this form of knowledge suppression was never the result of a conflict wherein bioprospectors or pharmacists viewed the peacock flower as a threat to their own profits; on the contrary, they essentially sacrificed potential financial benefits as a result of the political and social factors that made abortifacient knowledge 'unknowable' in certain state and commercial contexts.

exploitation of plant matter in pharmacology is not a frictionless or infallible process. but the sort of conspiratorial thinking that attempts to position plant therapeutics and 'big pharma' as oppositional or competitive forces is an ahistorical and opportunistic example of appealing to nominally anti-capitalist rhetoric without any deeper understanding of the actual mechanisms of capitalism and colonialism at play. this is of course true whether or not the person making such claims has any personal financial stake in them, though it is of course also true that, often, they do hold such stakes.

[foldingfittedsheets]

The high gluten production in wheat is more directly related to the type of wheat thats grown in the us and the soil and temperatures it grown in than pesticide use. While its good to be aware who pesticide use affects us and the food we eat, gluten intolerance is probably not one of those things.

So I took a nutrition class a few years ago because it taught cooking which I’m famously pretty terrible at. It was the same college my beloved attended for acupuncture. The school also does nutrition, naturopathic medicine, midwifery, and several other health career paths.

From this course I learned that current reality is that many USians who go to Europe with gluten issues experience no problems eating gluten products there. The initial thought was that the strength of gluten was the main contributing factor but more research is starting to support constant pesticide ingestion with inflammation as well. This includes pesticides on fruits and veggies we consume in the US

So yes the US wheat does have different varietals with stronger gluten but both that and pesticides are considered contributing factors when assessing what’s causing more gluten sensitivity in the US. However it’s hard for anyone to isolate exactly what part of US wheat fucks people up.

The TLDR is that French flour would address both issues for me.

[astroyongie]

ೃ⁀➷ Future Spouse Reading ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

I am back with a reading for Future spouses! this is a general reading so of course the info here isn't 100% for your FS but you can find some info that you might want to get an eye in!!

Take a deep breath

close your eyes

Now chose a pile that you feel more connected with and discover what it says about your possible FS!

Have fun !!

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 1 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

their are Air dominant so either a air sun or rising sign

in some cases its an air sign stallium

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

Your FS is someone average height depending on their gender. they are mostly a white person so they can come from Europe, USA, Canada, more from the western countries. they have sharp eyes and nose. I didn't got much on their physical characteristics

: ̗̀➛ Personality

witted and vif personality, they are someone who see things as they are, they have a very straight mind and way of being

they are also the type to have a different perception of the world they are very observing and they are able to pick on the small changes that happen around them

FS is also someone with a big heart that often helps others instead of helping themselves. this energy also could mean that they will work on something that is help related such as science/medicine area such as doctors or nurses or even social workers or psychiatrists

: ̗̀➛ Background

Didn't get much here but they aren't someone who come from a rich background. for many of you, your FS comes from either a middle class family or a more economic difficult family background, they are close to nature so its possible that your person has grew up in the country side rather than in the city.

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

isn't much to say here, they are someone pretty average and "banal when it comes to intercourse. I feel like they aren't the best but they aren't the worst either and that things will mostly feel like a normal married couple

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

they are someone that will be stuck into a routine most of their lives, so your life will be mostly dealt through routine. waking up, taking care of the kids, going to work, find the family at night. they are someone who needs routine, who doesn't really like to move around or travel a lot

Your FS is also someone that grew up in a very toxic environment or for some they are someone who have a very toxic environment around them. this could potential make the couple go through some issues in the future and its also the main difficulty in the relationship.

: ̗̀➛ Random

for some of you, you will end up marrying someone who is divorced or someone with whom you will divorce in the future. there for man y the energy of divorce so it really will depend from case to case (this also could be the person you will end up with after a divorce for exemple)

they are someone with many resiliences skills and they are very brave in their every day to fight the difficulties in life. they set straight boundaries and they don't allow people to take advantage of them

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 2 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

Here we have either a earth (mostly taurus) or libra sun, rising and stallium

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

for most of you, your FS is someone black or brown skinned colored (in some cases mixed), with short hair. they are rather tall for their gender and can be considered handsome/beautiful

: ̗̀➛ Personality

they are very creative and they might have an hobby of doing music, painting or doing any type of art in general (for some fs this could also be a professional vocation)

they are very agitated, they are someone that always needs to move, they are very funny they like to tease and they just unable to stay quiet and still

despite all they are also someone very sensitive and they have their own emotional side that needs to be take care of

they are very chick, coquette. they like to dress well , to look well, to have a nice scent, to always be good looking, they take care of their appearance a lot

: ̗̀➛ Background

for most of your, your fs will be a fiend of your first or a friend of a friend/friend circle that will be introduced foo you and which will be falling in love posterior to this

they are also a fight in their soul. this for some could mean your fs will be working in security, firefighter, combat sports or illegal sports, street fighting, soldiers or military in general.

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

their mental health will be the principal difficulty you will have In the relationship. of course this will be translated differently for everyone and each fs will have their own mental illness that will be a difficulty in the relationship in its particular way.

Your fS is also someone that used to do bad things (either to themselves or to others) and even after being married they can still have these patterns which might cause issues in the marriage

just like another FS, this FS also has repetitive behaviors which means they have a hard time letting go of what is inscripted in their behaviors since they are young and some of these patterns can make you uncomfortable or provoke arguments

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

they are the type that likes new things and doesnt like traditional sex altogether. even after being married it won't lose the spice nor the novelty. they are also a experienced lover and for many more experienced than you in the matter

: ̗̀➛ Random

they have always new resolutions, and like I said they like to experience a lot so they are always ready to take their wife/husbands to an adventure

they also have a very bad relationship with their work and for some with their working colleagues and that would be something hard to deal with all their life

be careful because they are the type to attract a lot so people will fall in love easily with them and they will alway try to make you two apart

these person will have physical transformations during your marriage. for most it will be from going to skinny to chubby or going chubby to skinny

in many of your fs will be very spiritual or religious

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 3 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

pisces energy here but honestly any sun, rising or stallium in water signs

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

they are rather short for their gender, and honestly this person could be from any ethnicity, there isn't here any thing that gives away where would they come from. due to that their physical appearance is also impossible to say

: ̗̀➛ Personality

they are quiet by nature, shy, introverted even I must say. they aren't confortable in open spaces in general and they like to have their own cocoon

some of you will be dating someone who likes to write or to read

they can be quite chaotic as well, like someone messy that often forgets to do their responsibilities and need to be reminded constantly

they are free free too. they won't be the type to force you to do things the same way they expect you to give them enough freedom

: ̗̀➛ Background

most of your FS had at least one experience with abandonment (either parents or earlier partners) which causes them to be very very insecure in their life and to have patterns of behaviors that reflect those issues

despite that, they are very close to the family they have left (in some cases even to the family that have abandoned them/mistreated them). Family plays a huge factor in their personal lives

During their adult life they will be able to have some luck when it comes to their love life with you or even in their work since they have a rough start, as they will get older, their life will fix itself

during their life with you they will probably suffer form heart diseases

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

your FS would be someone quite goo at sex because they are just as kinky as they are nurturing and the combination will go quite well for their partners. they are very romantic and that can be felt inside the bedroom

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

they are someone that are instable emotionally so this will possibly bring a lot of complications in the couple I the future

and with that they are also very doubtful, they doubt everything and everything, they doubt feelings and actions. once again this will go with the instability and be one of the major difficulties to live with

for some of you, they are someone that would rather keep the relationship discreet or even secret from other people. although this could not be an issue for some, it could be an issue for others, specially if you are the type that likes to show your partner around or in social media since your FS isn't the type to enjoy exposing their life around

The weight of their family is very very present, which means they are unable to let go of their family opinions nor the need to see them or be with them. this can be cute but also a huge difficulty to solve when in a married relationship

: ̗̀➛ Random

they will be the first one falling in love for you, and they will probably try to court you, flirt with you and try to conquest you when you two first met

some of your FS will be living by the sea

some of your FS are people hat believes and likes to manifest

but also they enjoy the beauty things of life and might have a liking for luxury things

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 4 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

water energy, so water sun, rising or stallium sign

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

most of your fs will have eyes of color and mostly green I see here. they are more for the brown color (not entirely black so maybe mixed or for exemple form arabic roots or even Indian in some cases and even for some asian with a more honey liked skinned tone). they have a very impressive built as well

: ̗̀➛ Personality

they have a temper thats for sure, they are usually very quiet and nice but they can be very agressive as well depending on who they don't like

other than that they are also a very jovial personally. they like to be happy, they are funny and enjoy making people around them happy

: ̗̀➛ Background

most of your fs will come from a wealthy family or at least their background will be economically better than yours

due to that they are also probably someone who will have a lot of money, who will work and have a good job or studies. they will be able to provide

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

their sexual energy is rather complicated to read because some of the fs have a very complicated relationship with sex altogether and they view It as complicated or at least they are very traditional in some points

however in some cases they are also quite kinky, like bdsm kinky like

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

I feel like most fs will have a posterior relationship that caused them many issues. obviously for each person this will be different but the common point is that, the past relationship has a lot of influence on our you fs will behave with you which will cause issues

they lack of communication a lot, they aren't the type to communicate well or to talk about their feelings. this could potential be a difficulty especially during arguments

some fs will have a personality that is very complicated to deal with because they can be easily evil without meaning it (in some cases) which again can be proven difficulties

: ̗̀➛ Random

their mother is very very present in their live which is good but at the same time can be complicated (especially if they are boys)

despite coming from a wealthy background they are very generous and they are the type to enjoy sharing what they have with people who need it. they will also provide for their partner and give them whatever they need

expect them to be a long erm successful professional. no matter the job they do, they will be successful and continue the wealthy partner that is already present on their family

but also this comes with he fact that they are a workaholic and they probably spend little time at home

they will have throat issues during the marriages, mostly disease associated

the relationship between you two eventually gets better with the years

i see that you guys will also be the type to have a. lot of projects and some of you will even move countries a lot or will be changing to move abroad.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 5 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

air energy, Aquarius for most of you. So sun, rising and stallium in air sign

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

they are average height for their gender, they come from a white background, probably western as well. They have big eyes, probably dark in color and a sharp nose. they have a fluffy appearance so for some they are chubby/curvy

: ̗̀➛ Personality

diânt got much info here, other that they are people that are rather intuitive, very in sync with their emotions and with their spiritual side or their faith in some cases. their whole personality is mostly based ont heir values and morals

: ̗̀➛ Background

they will be someone with a rocky and rough path while they grew up, thankfully not of tFS have gone through healing and emotional healing and therapy.

some of these FS will be found after you (or them) had a very harsh break up. however in some cases this marriage will also end up in divorce.

they are someone that will suffer a lot from digestive diseases after you guys get married

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

they are very active sexually, they have a strong sexual energy and probably the type that has a lot of passion and energy to give into the relationship. it will differ form FS from FS, but most of yours is quite kinky, mars like energy and masculine energy as well

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

they are someone that enjoys to be alone and often they will try to push you away unconsciously or not talk to you when something is wrong. because of that this would bring in some difficulties inside the relationship

they also have a hard habit to break into their behavioral patterns. most of your FS has an incapacity of changing the way they are, they always go back to their usual patterns which again can be rather problematic depending on what pattern of behaviors they have and how harmful they are to you or themselves

: ̗̀➛ Random

they are someone that always have a new idea or new goals in their life and they will mostly try to take you in their crazy ride

however they also lack a lot in planning and if you are someone that actually executes plans than the marriage will be nice and balanced. your FS is also someone that can fear the unknown and doesnt enjoy leaving their confort side

they will be working independently and for themselves. for many fs this can be someone that has their own company or have their jobs hat doesnt require to work for someone else

again, the divorce energy is very represent but it will be different form everyone in some cases you guys will divorce or find each other after a divorce

Your Future Spouse isn't your twin flame

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Pile 6 ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

: ̗̀➛ Astrological Placements

here we have earth energy, but also air signs and scorpio. in sum, rising or stallium

: ̗̀➛ Appearance

they are someone with short hair, in some cases their will be rather bald. they have dark eyes and hair (if they have any). they are average height for their gender and they are more of a dark skinned tone than yours

: ̗̀➛ Personality

they are someone that don't miss opportunities and they take whatever lives throws at the without being bitchy about it. they are very grateful for what they have no matter if it is positive or negative

they aren't a liar, they are someone who likes to tell the true and likes to listen to the true. don't attempt to lie to them

they are someone rather stable in their life, with a stable personality as well

they are also very intuitive !

: ̗̀➛ Background

in most cases this is someone that have suffered from negated when they were a child and that have impacted their perception of the world a lot

and in some cases your fs was either cheated on a lot of they have a very large cheating list before they have met you

: ̗̀➛ Sexuality

they are rather good at sex. they aren't bad and they aren't extradionary but they are good and they are usually the type that can safety a married person

: ̗̀➛ Difficulties

for most of your, your fs has commitment issues which will cause complications in the marriage. for some your fs won't want to marry or they take a lot of time to marry you, in some cases they can cheat or be paranoid and think you are cheating on them. they have trust issues and commitment issues and that will be the biggest difficulty with them

: ̗̀➛ Random

despite everything it is possible fo you and your fs to live in a very happy relationship for the rest of your lives (if you learn how to forgive cheating in case it happens )

they are also someone that during the marriage will known professional failure (probably will get demitted in their work or will lose their job or will have a period were he won't find work/won't be able to work) and they will need your support a lot

probably to leave together until the end of your days

[alwaysbewoke]

NINE HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS COMPARE ZIONIST POLICIES TO THOSE OF THE NAZIS

“Sometime after [1956] I heard a news item about Israelis herding Palestinians into settlement camps. I just could not believe this. Weren’t the Israelis also Jews? Hadn’t we – they – just survived the greatest pogrom of our history? Weren’t [concentration] camps – often euphemistically called ‘settlement camps’ by the Nazis – the main feature of this pogrom? How could Jews in any measure do unto others what had been done to them? How could these Israeli Jews oppress and imprison other people? In my romantic imagination, the Jews in Israel were socialists and people who knew right from wrong. This was clearly incorrect. I felt let down, as if I was being robbed of a part of what I had thought was my heritage. …

I have to say to the Israeli government, which claims to speak in the name of all Jews, that it is not speaking in my name. I will not remain silent in the face of the attempted annihilation of the Palestinians; the sale of arms to repressive regimes around the world; the attempt to stifle criticism of Israel in the media worldwide; or the twisting of the knife labelled ‘guilt’ in order to gain economic concessions from Western countries. Of course, Israel’s geo-political position has a greater bearing on this, at the moment. I will not allow the confounding of the terms ‘anti-Semitic’ and ‘anti-Zionist’ to go unchallenged.”

Dr. Marika Sherwood, ‘How I became an anti-Israel Jew’, Middle East Monitor, 7/3/18. Marika Sherwood is a survivor of the Budapest ghetto.

-----

“Israel, in order to survive, has to renounce the wish for domination and then it will be a much better place for Jews also. The immediate analogy which a lot of people are making in Israel is Germany. Not only the Germany of Hitler and the Nazis but even the former German Empire wanted to dominate Europe. What happened in Japan after the attack on China is that they wanted to dominate a huge area of Asia. When Germany and Japan renounced the wish for domination, they became much nicer societies for the Japanese and Germans themselves. In addition to all the Arab considerations, I would like to see Israel, by renouncing the desire for domination, including domination of the Palestinians, become a much nicer place for Israelis to live.”

Dr. Israel Shahak, Middle East Policy Journal, Summer 1989, no.29. Israel Shahak was a survivor of the Warsaw ghetto and Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

-----

“I am pained by the parallels I observe between my experiences in Germany prior to 1939 and those suffered by Palestinians today. I cannot help but hear echoes of the Nazi mythos of ‘blood and soil’ in the rhetoric of settler fundamentalism which claims a sacred right to all the lands of biblical Judea and Samaria. The various forms of collective punishment visited upon the Palestinian people – coerced ghettoization behind a ‘security wall’; the bulldozing of homes and destruction of fields; the bombing of schools, mosques, and government buildings; an economic blockade that deprives people of the water, food, medicine, education and the basic necessities for dignified survival – force me to recall the deprivations and humiliations that I experienced in my youth. This century-long process of oppression means unimaginable suffering for Palestinians.” 

Dr. Hajo Meyer, ‘An Ethical Tradition Betrayed’, Huffington Post, 27/1/10. Hajo Meyer was a survivor of Auschwitz.

-----

“As a Jewish youngster growing up in Budapest, an infant survivor of the Nazi genocide, I was for years haunted by a question resounding in my brain with such force that sometimes my head would spin: ‘How was it possible? How could the world have let such horrors happen?’

 It was a naïve question, that of a child. I know better now: such is reality. Whether in Vietnam or Rwanda or Syria, humanity stands by either complicitly or unconsciously or helplessly, as it always does. In Gaza today we find ways of justifying the bombing of hospitals, the annihilation of families at dinner, the killing of pre-adolescents playing soccer on a beach. …

There is no understanding Gaza out of context – Hamas rockets or unjustifiable terrorist attacks on civilians – and that context is the longest ongoing ethnic cleansing operation in the recent and present centuries, the ongoing attempt to destroy Palestinian nationhood.

The Palestinians use tunnels? So did my heroes, the poorly armed fighters of the Warsaw Ghetto. Unlike Israel, Palestinians lack Apache helicopters, guided drones, jet fighters with bombs, laser-guided artillery. Out of impotent defiance, they fire inept rockets, causing terror for innocent Israelis but rarely physical harm. With such a gross imbalance of power, there is no equivalence of culpability. …

And what shall we do, we ordinary people? I pray we can listen to our hearts. My heart tells me that ‘never again’ is not a tribal slogan, that the murder of my grandparents in Auschwitz does not justify the ongoing dispossession of Palestinians, that justice, truth, peace are not tribal prerogatives. That Israel’s ‘right to defend itself,’ unarguable in principle, does not validate mass killing.

Dr. Gabor Mate, ‘Beautiful Dream of Israel has become a Nightmare’, Toronto Star, 22/7/14. Gabor Mate is a survivor of the Budapest ghetto.

[duckietiewritestoo]

I’ll Be Waiting (Thomas Shelby x Time Traveler! Reader)

I HAVE NO FREAKING CLUE HOW TO WRITE FOR TOMMY. I'VE ONLY SEEN CLIPS ON YOUTUBE. I'VE YET TO WATCH PEAKY BLINDERS SO PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T HATE ME. ALSO, THIS IS MY FIRST EVER x READER FIC FOR A CILLIAN CHARACTER.

Warnings: I don't know how to write time travel fics so this is gonna be long. I also don't know how to write Tommy. So, enjoy.

~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_

I had a strange memory from when I was nine years old where I made friends with some kids I never saw again. My parents decided that for winter break, we would visit England for a farmer’s market. I found it boring at such a young age that I ran off when my parents weren’t looking. I got lost in the crowd and when I made my way out, the layout of the town had changed and the market disappeared. I assumed I went down the wrong street. It was dirtier, polluted clouds of thin smoke escaping chimneys and falling down onto the street.  My memory was fuzzy but instead of cars, there were horse-drawn carriages. My nine-year-old self had roamed around the city. It was like I had been taken to the 1890s. I learned from my dad’s obsession with history. To add on, it smelled like it, that was for sure.

Then I got hungry. But with no money in hand, I sat on the sidewalk trying to fight the hunger off. I was only nine and the thought of stealing an apple from the nearest crate crossed my mind. I didn’t have to steal the apple though. Some little kid, around my age, or even older, appeared before me with an apple in hand. I was hesitant to take the apple, of course. I wasn’t dumb, I had common sense when I was a kid. Yet, I took it. I felt like I could trust the kid. The apple wasn’t poisoned. It managed my hunger. I thought the kid would leave afterwards since I had said my thanks. But he didn’t leave and stayed with me.

And what do you know? 

I ended up spending the whole day with the kid. I couldn’t remember their names, but there were two who stuck in my memory. The boy who gave me his apple and his older brother, who was called Arty or something. You couldn’t blame me for trying to remember, I was a young one and didn’t care. My adult memory was blurry.

My parents finally found me, worried sick and was kissy-wissy, trying to hug me. I was fine, completely untouched. Apparently, I had been missing for hours. I told my parents I was with my new friends, but when I turned around to point them out, they were missing. I never thought about it again and assumed it to be a memory.

The only thing that lingered with me was the bright blue eyes from the boy who gave me the apple.

Then I saw the eyes again. Only the next time it happened, I was fifteen years old. 

Once again, my parents thought it was fun to go back for the winter market. And it was boring for me. I was only a teenager. A teenager who was rebellious. And sick. I had a fever when we went, yet my parents dragged me out even though I was a little drowsy on medication to keep my fever down. I ended up running away again, this time to enter a  bar. I had heard Europe had different age restrictions. 

Somehow, I wound up finding myself back in the smelly part of town again. It was cold, as always, and the market disappeared. I couldn’t find my parents or the hotel. I was stuck roaming around wherever the heck I was. I couldn’t remember. I was too drugged up on name-brands medicine to even focus on my surroundings.

Then I found that kid again, only he was older, and he found me. Those eyes though remained the same and they pierced my soul.

Much wasn’t said. He was quiet, kind of gentle, and slightly intimidating. He was a  lot different than the small boy I met six years ago. He took me onto the street, far from the alley I was slumped in, and got me washed up in a horse drinking trough. He dunked me in it, trying to clear my head up, but it felt like he was trying to drown me. 

It didn’t work, of course. He didn’t drown me and I lived throughout the night. I got a taste of real whiskey he stole from a pub for me. It burned my throat, and my soberness. The rest of the memory was blurry, but I remembered a deep, soothing voice keeping me calm all night, and a strong arm wrapped around me. 

I spent the other day with him too, but only until the afternoon. By then, I had lost him and instead found my parents who claimed I was missing.

The old framed photos in the crate were dusty. My thumb prints were scattered all over the thin sheet of glass protecting these vintage photographs from the 1920s. The photo was monochrome, an image of a man with his arm around the waist of someone else. They looked kind of like me, only the image was blurred out, I couldn’t tell. The crates the photos came in were packed up in Birmingham in 1919 and were due to be delivered to me this very day. Whoever sent them knew who I was. They had my name, my age, and even my birthday down. Whoever it was, they knew me too well.

Another photo seemed to prove me crazy.

It was me, smiling and holding my hand out towards whoever was taking the photo. You could see the hand under the tarp that was sticking out. It was one of those classic photos, the vintage kind that included gunpowder. 

I was a little older, around 29 years of age. I felt old. I had moved to England since my childhood memories prompted me to do so. Seeing as these crates came from Birmingham, I decided to take a vacation.

The ride wasn’t too long and before I knew it, I was searching for where the crates had come from. I scoured every crook and nanny, every pub, every building and had no luck. No one had any history of the crates. Tired, I sat down in an alley that seemed so familiar to me, like I had been here. But it was a burning memory, something of a false dream from my childhood.

I closed my eyes for a second. It was just a quick close and open, a blink if you will.

I wasn’t where I used to be. Or when I used to be. The cars driving by were old models, the very first, the motor cars as they called it. My jaw dropped. People walked by in old fashion that was beyond my time. One man was even wearing a monocle. An officer was on a horse and his voice was loud as he yelled at some people. It was insane! It was like I was ripped out of my time like a page and taped somewhere else!

I screamed and scrambled out. Bystanders stared at me strangely. Their eyes wouldn’t move off of me. They knew I didn’t belong here and they kept staring. I wasn’t dressed like it was the 1920s. I stepped out onto the road in a panic. It was like a movie. Was I in a movie?

With my mind trying to solve the puzzle, I didn’t see that I stepped into the street out of panic. I didn’t see the car. It honked at me. I was taken out of my thoughts, but like a deer in the headlights, I couldn’t move, frozen with fear as that car approached me. Which was stupid of me, because just mere seconds ago, I was running around, but now that I saw the car, I was frozen! It was there that I realized, I left the oven on before I left. 

A strong grip grabbed my arm right before I was about to get hit and pulled me onto the sidewalk. I doubted I was going to get hit since the car was slowing down. The man in the car was yelling at me for acting so stupidly, but I was too entranced by familiar bright blue eyes. I nervously swallowed. I had only seen those beautiful eyes in my dreams, my memories that were just too foggy.

“Um, hi?” I replied. “D-do we know each other or something?” He sighed.

“We do.” My jaw felt like dropping. His voice made me tremble. Clearly, genetics did him good. The little kid I remembered from what was a fever dream to me, had grown up.

“Do you remember me?” I asked softly, tilting my head. Was it all real, those dreams? The man heavily sighed.

“I’ve been waiting,” he replied. “But if we’re gonna keep talking, (Name) and reminiscing, I’d rather do it somewhere else.” 

“Can you, uh, explain on the way what the heck is happening here!?” I exclaimed in a lowered voice. It was clear Bright Eyes wanted this to be under the covers. Something was scaring him. I needed answers and I wasn’t settling for a no. Without a word, he grabbed my hand and dragged me off, causing me to yelp lightly.

“You keep doing this, from nine to fifteen, to right now, no matter how old you are,” the man explained. “I can’t comprehend it, but you keep coming back, and it’s clear you don’t belong here. Who are you really?” I sighed.

“Apparently you know my name.”

“I know who you are, (Name). I wasn’t asking that.”

“Then I can’t answer.” Bright Eyes sighed. He continued to lead me through this  old fashioned town. It didn’t feel dreamlike and very real. It smelled very real, like horses and smoke. My heart raced, realizing this was all real. I looked over to the man holding my hand.

“D-did I time travel?”

“You did. And I don’t know how long you’re going to be here, so you’ll be staying under my protection until this sorts itself out.” I nodded, listening to his words, then I gasped.

“I’ll be what?!”

Two whole weeks. That’s how long I was stuck living with Thomas Shelby. I wasn’t stuck living in a shed while figuring out how I slipped through time and how Tommy was connected to me. I had my own room in his house. No one bothered me at all. The house felt empty even though his family was big and felt alone. I rarely saw him. It was different when we had dinner. It’d be just the two of us because he didn’t trust anyone else with me and he talked a lot, his eyes lighting up whenever he saw me. And when his icy gaze met my eyes, my heart would flutter. 

Then one night, I had to ask the question.

“So um, Tommy, why did you let me stay?” I asked, breaking the silence. Tommy stopped eating, but quickly picked it up again. He was sitting next to me, but typically he sat across, at the head of the table. Dinner was too quiet. Tommy came home without a word, ignoring me until dinner finally arrived, and even then we didn’t talk. Not until now.

“I let you stay because I felt the need to,” he muttered. His focus was on the soup his aunt cooked. She had asked what I liked and made it for dinner. Something was up. “You were lost, I knew you, and I lended a hand. If I didn’t know who you were, I would’ve left you in the streets.” I scoffed.

“I met you twice before,” I said. “Why take me in regardless? Judging by the way you are with other people, you don’t seem to like people, only your family and me.” 

His body language completely changed.

Thomas sat up, sighing. He put down his spoon. I saw his jaw tighten, like he was about to spill all the secrets of the universe, and he deeply inhaled, his chest expanding. I nervously swallowed. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.

“You came in,” he said, “a long time ago when we were young. I didn’t think much about it, (Name). I just thought you were a ghost. And it turns out you are with those sudden disappearances. You keep coming back. You haunt my mind.” My cheeks flustered.

“Even now?” I asked. Did he believe in fate? I wanted to ask about that.

“Even now.”

“Tommy?”

“Yes?” 

“Do you like-.”

“Yes, I do like you,” he replied. My heart skipped a beat. Was he messing with me? “I like you a lot. How long did it take you to come up with those words? I’m not one for feelings, but I know you and I have been having them. I’ve come to realize that I developed feelings for you.” My jaw dropped. He admitted it, and it was like he was reading my mind. He was sitting so close to me, I bet he could read my mind. 

“Do you feel the same?” he asked. His hand slowly moved, placing itself on mine. I didn’t flinch or push it off. “I didn’t read you wrong?” I sighed. I knew if I fell for Tommy, I wouldn’t have reason to return to my timeline, assuming that was possible. “Do you?”

“I do.” That was it, my confession. His eyes lit up. 

“Are you telling the truth? Are you being honest?” he asked, leaning in. The cigarette scent that followed Tommy filled my nostrils. I blushed.

“I am being honest,” I said. “Completely, Tommy.”  I put my hand on top of his, and we had a stacked hand sandwich going on. Of course, Tommy pulled back and held both my hands. For someone so cold, he was warm. My cheeks heat up to match the same temperature. 

Words weren’t said for what followed in the next moment. It just happened. I couldn’t stop it.

I leaned in and Tommy was leaning in, causing the obvious to happen. My lips softly touched his. I thought it’d be a small kiss, but it wasn’t. Tommy cupped both my cheeks, bringing me in closer. His lips were gentle, kissing me back with passion. I couldn’t control myself, practically melting at his touch and kissing Tommy back. There was a moment where time seemed to stop. It was just Tommy and I, kissing and holding each other.

Then he pulled back, his lips lingering towards mine. 

“Whatever happens, I’ll still love you,” he whispered, causing me to blush. I slowly nodded. “If you slip back, I’m gonna be here still, and I’ll be waiting for you to come back.” My heart fluttered. I could tell he was being genuine. So I kissed him, holding my lips against his before pulling back.

“I love you too,” I said, smiling. “I’m not going anywhere. I  don’t think time could keep us apart.”

[bellysoupset]

Okay, if you have time, how about Leo with some little, minor sickness (maybe even a surprise continuation of what happened on the plane), and he FaceTimes Jonah, and it's the middle of the night in Europe but Jon stays up and comforts Leo. Bonus points if Leo takes the phone into the bathroom to puke and it "surprise" triggers Jon's sympathy sickness? Or he's just feeling lousy himself from the illness you just wrote about, so he and Leo end up comforting each other? Fluff fluff fluff. Thank you! I'm crawling through my next fic and the speed at which you write is envy-inducing. (But I crave the content, lol)

This is a tiny bit different than you asked for, but I hope it's alright Lis!

---------------------------

Sick Jonah at Switzerland - Pt. 2

"I am fine, mum," Jonah groaned, all but tugging at the roots of his hair. The elation at having his mother (and sister! and stepdad!) fussing over him had faded quickly and he was ready for this to be over. It was just a mild flu, he wasn't dying.

Jackie threw him an unimpressed glare, continuing to fluff the blankets around him despite Jon claiming he was feeling warm and didn't need 5 blankets in the middle of Switzerland summer, "now stay put and don't kick it off, the fever will break in no time."

"Yeah, bet," Jonah rolled his eyes, more than a little grouchy and he didn't miss the way Jackie pressed her lips in a thin line, clearly finding humor in the situation.

"You used to climb in our bed when you were sick," Jackie whispered, crouching down next to him in order to stroke his hair, "not looking for us, no, just like our bed was more comfy than yours."

Jonah's cheeks burned and he curled on his side, fever frying at his nerves, "I don't remember that."

"You were too little," she shrugged, curling a tightly coiled curl around pinky, "you were the sweetest kid, darling."

"Now you're just straight up lying," Jonah sighed, closing his eyes under the hair pet. He was enjoying it, despite all the bitching he was doing. The biggest problem was the soup Angie had brought over an hour ago, that was sitting in his belly like a brick, causing him to feel overheated and clammy with nausea. He was thankful him and his mother weren't close enough she could read that in his face.

"No, I'm not," Jackie stroked his cheek softly, "aside from a weird fixation on operating in the animals you found in the yard, you were a sweetheart."

Jonah let out a surprised snort at that, opening his eyes, "what?"

"You'd drag dead pigeons and all sorts of rodents inside to operate on them, a horrible macabre thing," Jackie wrinkled her nose in distaste, "Jasper thought it was cute, of course."

"Of course," Jonah couldn't help but grin. If there was one thing him and his father were in the same page about was their love for medicine, "it must've driven you crazy."

Jackie raised her eyebrows in an amused way, although there was a flash of sadness in her eyes that Jon couldn't help but wonder was regret. He knew, now, that his mom had struggled with motherhood and her marriage through all of his childhood. It was water under a bridge nowadays, but she probably missed those days now that she could properly appreciate them.

No point crying over spilt milk and Jackie shook her head as if to disperse the memories, leaning in to plant a kiss on his brow, "I'll come check in on you in a bit."

"Please just let me sleep," Jonah groaned, "no more checking in."

Uninterested in his complaints, she waved him off and walked out of the room, leaving the door half shut. Jon waited until he heard her footsteps disappearing down the hall before kicking off his blankets and sitting up on the bed, reaching for his phone in the bedside table's drawer, which had been confiscated five hours before.

One missed call from Leo, only an hour before. A bazillion texts.

He made the math, if it was nearly ten PM for them, it was... four o'clock for Leo? Three?

Whatever, Jonah hit the return call button.

It rang and rang and for a minute Jon though Leo wouldn't pick up, but then the call connected and his fiance's chirpy voice drifted through, "oh look who remembered he's got a whole husband waiting for him!"

Jonah opened a small smile at the man's sardonic tone, "sorry, I-" am sick and held hostage by my mom who's living her missing moments with me? "got tied up here. How are you?"

"I'm great, now," Leo's voice was almost a whole note higher than his normal tone, excitement clear, "missing you like crazy. Luke and Bell tried to kidnap JD, can you beli-"

"Now? Why now?" Jon interrupted, frowning and fanning himself when the queasy sensation got worse. He moved the phone slightly, in order to burp soundlessly in his mouth and blow it away.

"Oh I got some disgusting food poisoning in San Francisco, I never wanna see a cookie again," Leo groaned, "Thank God I asked Luke to pick me up in Portland, because there was no way I'd have made it home puking-"

Jonah's stomach flipped just at the thought and he grimaced, squeezing his eyes closed when a particularly nauseating cramp gnawed at his side.

He opened his mouth in order to change the subject, but what came out was a gross, wet burp and Jon cringed, pulling the phone away quickly, "shit, sorry- I'm-" another gurgle crawled up his throat, but he swallowed it down, "sorry."

Leo's surprised chuckle died down, "it's alright baby, it's not as if I haven't heard you burp a million times before..." his good mood was contagious and Jonah opened a small smile, despite the horrible sensation of the soup churning in his gut.

"Uhm you were saying they-"

"Yeah, I puked all the way from Portland to here and then spent the night in the bathroom floor with Luke, quite the bonding experience," Leo scoffed.

"I'm sorry, that's horrible," Jon said diplomatically, feeling proud of himself for sounding so normal when his mouth was starting to water with nausea.

"It's fine, I got to cuddle Luke aaaall night, he's very comfy I'll have you know-" Leo's tone was teasing, purposefully trying to get a rouse out of Jonah and it wouldn't have worked so well if Jon wasn't feeling like absolute crap. He scowled at his blankets.

"That's great, Wagner," Jonah said bitterly, "you like him so much keep him."

Leo's giggle drifted through the line, "you're too easy, angel," he said lightheartedly, "hey, can you facetime? I miss your face..."

"Uhm, now isn't really a good time-"

"Why?" He could hear Leo's frown and Jonah rubbed at his chest, feeling his stomach burn. He swallowed another burp that tried to sneak up.

"I'm not- Leo, hold on-" Jonah groaned, dropping the phone in the mattress and planting a hand tightly over his lips, trying to fight the urge to gag. His eyes prickled with tears, not out of sadness, but nausea. He let out another wet belch, knowing that if he didn't, there was no way the urge to retch was gonna pass.

As soon as he went to grab the phone again, the call turned into a facetime request and Jon grimaced, "Leo, not now-"

"Pick up," no longer there was any humor in Leo's voice, "you sound weird."

"I swear if you start your jealousy-"

"No, you sound off. Pick up, Jonah, I wanna look at you," not anger, concern, Jonah realized. He let out a sigh and clicked the camera icon, trying to force a nonchalant smile.

"Hey-"

"You're grey," Leo glared at him and Jonah cringed. He didn't know why he even thought he could hide anything from the man.

"I'm not feeling too hot," Jonah admitted quietly and Leo's eyes widened, as if he hadn't already put that together.

"What's wrong? Is it a vertigo episode? You got meds in your carry on, but I packed extra in your toiletry bag-"

"No," Jon shook his head, giving up on trying to seem collected and dropping the phone in the opposite pillow to his, curling back into his spot, "it's some flu. I got a fever and my throat is a little scratchy."

"And you're nauseous," Leo completed what he didn't say and Jonah shrugged.

"I'm not, but they forced me to have soup-" just the thought of it had him flinching and Jon shuddered, unable to finish his thought.

Leo grimaced in sympathy, "and it's not sitting well," he completed, "angel, just puke it up, no point fighting the nausea for hours."

"I can fight it," Jonah frowned, rolling in the bed so he could open his hand over his stomach, pressing softly, "I just need a minute."

"Okay..." Leo didn't sound convinced, "do you wanna see JD?"

Happy to have his thoughts occupied by anything other than his body, Jonah nodded, propping his cheek on his hand, elbow in the mattress, in order to look at his phone.

Only then he fully took in Leo, who was wearing a tank top and sweatpants, hair a mess, clearly he had been exercising judging by the sweat marks on his wifebeater and the way his face was all flushed.

"You're looking hot," Jonah pouted, causing Leo to blush further.

"I'm looking like I really need a shower," the blonde corrected him, taking the camera with him as he hunted JD down in their apartment. Even though Leo was holding it quite steady, Jonah quickly shut his eyes when motion sickness started to add to his nausea.

"Here, baby, c'mere-" Leo said in a sweet voice, then in a more concerned one, "Jon, you should go sit in the bathroom, you're really not looking well."

"Don't-" He shook his head, "don't want-"

"Jonah," Leo sighed, frustrated, "take the phone with you, I'll keep you company."

"Gross," Jonah scowled and Leo shrugged.

"You rather go sit there alone? It's okay if you do, we can talk another time," he said, as if he didn't know Jon really didn't want to go sit alone either.

Jon let out a groan, then his stomach rolled once again and he decided to get up before he ended up puking all over his lap. He grabbed the phone, then curled up on the floor, in front of the toilet, propping his cell against a wall.

"Happy?"

"Jumping with happiness," Leo answered in an equally sharp tone, "I'm really sorry you're feeling crappy during your vacations, baby."

Jon hummed in agreement, leaning forward and staring at the water. He felt so warm, there was a horrible sickly taste at the base of his throat. He tried to clench his belly, in order to speed things up, but all that came up was some frothy saliva.

"Bloody hell," he groaned and heard a meow agreeing with him. Jonah draped an arm over the toilet seat, resting his cheek on his forearm in order to look at the small device on the floor.

JD was headbutting the screen, while Leo said softly, "no, baby, I wanna talk with Jon, don't eat the camera. Stop, bad kitty."

Jonah's heart squeezed and he blamed the fever for the way his eyes stung. He turned his head in order to gag fruitlessly over the bowl once more.

"Do any of them know you're sick? I know you said they fed you soup, but is that an european thing or-"

Jonah groaned loudly, pressing his stomach to the rim of the toilet at the mention of the soup he was trying to forget about. His mouth flooded with saliva and he spat it, only to trigger a gagging fit, that quickly turned into a loud burpy-retch and a splash of sickening sweet soup fell into the toilet.

He gasped for air, trying to gulp it down, but the mere attempt at breathing triggered another retch and Jonah let out a choked noise, slumping over the toilet as a huge gush of vomit erupted.

He pressed a hand to his stomach, feeling more than a little humiliated, working up a sickly burp and a tendril of cloudy spit.

"Shit, Jon," Leo's voice pierced through his nausea induced fog, "babe, I'm serious, do Jackie or Angie know you're sick? I don't want you getting dehydrated-"

"I'm fine," Jonah rasped out, wiping at his mouth and clumsily reaching for the toilet paper. He squeezed his eyes shut in order to press the flush, the glimpse of the half digested soup enough to make his stomach turn and another sickly belch to roll out, "they know I'm sick."

"Are they taking good care of you?"

Jonah slumped to the ground, then smiled, exhausted, as he saw Leo had brought the phone ridiculously close, so his face was occupying the whole screen. He looked terribly worried.

"They are..." he curled up, pressing his forehead to the ground tiles, the cooling sensation a balm against his skin, "not as good as you, though."

"Quit being cute with me, you're dying," Leo said sharply, "how's your tummy? Do you feel better?"

"A bit," Jonah sighed, closing his eyes, "the cold ground is nice."

"I'm calling Jackie."

"Nooo," Jon groaned, exhausted and sleepy now that the nausea had reduced considerably, but not vanished, "no, just... Just keep talking. I like your voice."

"You sound delirious," Leo groaned, "really, how high is the fever?"

"Shhhh," he frowned, waving dizzily at the phone to shut Leo up, "what were you doing before I called? You're all pink."

"I went to the building's gym," Leo answered him, concern still clear in his voice, "don't you think your bed would be more comfy than the cold floor, angel?"

Jonah let out a huff, "I'll move in a bit...", he yawned, "why do you call me that?"

"Angel?" Leo questioned and then heard a little affirmative noise, "ah. Well, because you are... Your literal job is saving people's lives," the embarrassment was clear and Jon forced his eyes open just so he could see his fiancé's red face.

"That's an exaggeration, I'm a resident doctor."

"You're the love of my life and an angel, now get the fuck up and go to bed," Leo said sharply, causing Jonah to laugh heartedly. He regretted it when his sore stomach cramped, clutching his belly.

"Okay, okay, you're worse than my mum," Jon sighed, forcing himself to sit up, his head swam at the change of positions, "just give me a minute."

"One, two, three-" Leo started to count, bitchy as ever and Jonah hung his head, concealing a smile.

"You're such a little shit."

[mokshconsultant]

MBBS in Serbia

Serbia presents a favorable option for Indian students considering MBBS education abroad. Positioned in south-eastern Europe, Serbia is rapidly evolving into an attractive destination for Indian students pursuing medical studies overseas. The country has initiated steps to join the EU, and it is anticipated to become a member by 2025. In recent years, Serbia has prioritized the enhancement of its educational infrastructure, gaining significance as a preferred destination, particularly in light of challenges faced by international students seeking MBBS education in Ukraine due to geopolitical conflicts.

The Serbian government's concerted efforts to bolster its educational facilities are driven, in part, by the substantial contribution of foreign students to the nation's economy. Opting for MBBS in Serbia, referred to as MD in line with European standards, offers students the opportunity to be part of a medical program at a Serbian Medical University, featured in the WDOMS list. Completion of an MD program in Serbia qualifies individuals to participate in the NEXT examination for medical practice in India. Additionally, graduates can opt to take the USMLE and pursue a Medical PG in the United States.

[girlactionfigure]

The Heroic Nanny: Erzsebet Fajo

She saved the entire family

Erzsebet Fajo was a brave young babysitter who saved the lives of her employers – a family of four – during the Nazi occupation of Hungary in 1944.

Erzsebet Fajo was a Slovakian girl from a poor family who emigrated to Hungary by herself at age 13 to work as a nanny. She found employment with the Abonyis, a Jewish family in the small town of Bekescsaba. Parents Laszlo and Margit treasured Erzsebet as a member of the family, and she became like a big sister to their two children, Zsuzsanna and Ivan.

In 1941, the family moved to Budapest because of anti-Jewish persecution in Bekescsaba, and of course Erzsebet went with them. Despite the violent turmoil engulfing Europe, life in Hungary was relatively normal for the Abonyi family. Hungarian President Miklos Horthy had an alliance with Hitler’s Germany, but was reluctant to enforce Nazi decrees against the Jews. That reluctance, plus Horthy’s secret attempts to strike a deal with the Allies, led Germany to invade Hungary in March 1944.

The country was now run by the pro-Nazi Arrow Cross party and the situation for Hungary’s Jews got very bad very quickly. All Jews from the moment of birth were required to wear a yellow star prominently displayed on their clothing. Erzsebet, who felt like a member of the Abonyi family, wanted to wear a star too even though she wasn’t Jewish. Instead, they sadly told her she’d have to leave their employment to save her own life – non-Jews weren’t allowed to work for Jews. The Abonyis knew their days were numbered. Ten year old Zsuzsanna tried to convince her parents to commit suicide rather than be separated and murdered. Of course they refused to consider such a drastic act and tried everything to get out of Hungary but they were trapped.

At that point, young Erzsebet stepped up to become the family’s savior. Zsuzsanna remembered, “How (could) she save (us)? She didn’t have any money. She didn’t have an independent life… It (was) very sweet, but it (had) no validity. But I was wrong to think that. When the siege of Budapest started (and) virtually every home was ruined and bombed down, she was in the streets trying to get false papers.”

Erzsebet visited the Abonyis every day, bringing them food as well as medicine and other essential goods. She took all their valuables and brought them to an aunt so they wouldn’t be plundered by the Nazis.

On October 15, 1944 Laszlo Abonyi was arrested at his home and taken to a deportation center, where he awaited transport to a brutal Nazi slave labor camp.

Determined to save him, Erzsebet boldly approached the Red Cross and somehow obtained a letter of protection that she used to get Laszlo released. She knew the Abonyis were not safe in their home, and not sure what to do she pleaded with a local priest for assistance and advice. He helped her get letters from the Vatican which made the family eligible to take shelter in a building in Budapest owned by the Apostolic Nuncio. The Abonyis sheltered there for a few weeks, until the facility was attacked by the Arrow Cross. Storm troopers forced all the Jews outside and prepared to shoot them on the banks of the Danube river. Somehow, in the chaos, Erzsebet helped all four Abonyis escape.

For the next two months, Erzsebet found hiding places for the Abonyis and obtained forged papers for them. She continued visiting each member of the family every day, even though they were all in different parts of Budapest. Finally Erzsebet found safe shelter for the family in a “White Cross Hospital” – an apartment building packed with bunk beds where families targeted by the Nazis were hiding out.

Hungary was liberated by the Soviet Union in January 1945 and the Abonyis were able to return to their apartment. After the war they legally adopted Erzsebet, making it official that she was a member of the Abonyi family. They sent her to school so she could get a good education, and left her a third of their estate. Zsuzsanna and her husband left Hungary following the failed revolution of 1956 and moved to the United States, where Zsuzsanna became a respected writer, professor and founder of the Holocaust Studies Program at the University of Texas. She maintained a close correspondence with her adopted sister until Erzsebet’s death in 1995.

Erzsebet Fajo was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by Israeli Holocaust Memorial Yad Vashem in 1986. In her testimony, Zsuzsanna said, “Driven by the desire to save us, Erzsi defied the Germans. She saved us from death, saved my brother and me from becoming orphans and my parents from the worst anguish that can befall people – the loss of their children. It was her strength and heroism that gave us life, allowed us to grow up and eventually have children of our own.”

For her astonishing bravery in saving the life of an entire family, we honor Erzsebet Fajo as this week’s Thursday Hero.

[lesbians4armand]

On Armand + Atropa belladonna

To begin this post, I'm sure I've mentioned somewhere my ongoing belief that the poison that killed Armand was Atropa belladonna, colloquially known as Deadly Nightshade. Where I posted this exactly I'm not sure, It could have been here or on either my main or private Twitter accounts. Either way, it needed more elaboration, so I'll write about it here.

For those unfamiliar with this infamous poison, Atropa belladonna, more often called Deadly Nightshade, Belladonna, or Devil's Cherries, is a flowering plant native to Europe and Western Asia, and naturalised in many parts of North America. They are well known for their light purple bell-shaped flowers, their pointed green leaves, and their highly toxic pitch-black berries.

My interest in these plants has been a long-standing one, and I even plan on having the plant tattooed on me, but another interest arose recently when I was thinking about the history and usage of these plants.

It's well established in the Vampire Chronicles that Armand died from poisoning, mirroring his own fledgling Daniel's death to alcohol poisoning centuries later. Of course, what truly caused their deaths and turnings was being made into a vampire, that's what ceased their mortality, but it does not change that they were both still already dying of poison, and although we know Daniel's poison was alcohol, Armand's remains a mystery.

What begins my theory of Armand's poison being belladonna, is the name itself. While belladonna has had many medicinal uses throughout history and even in the modern day, the most famous use remains its namesake- "Beautiful Lady" in Italian. During the Renaissance, the time in which Armand lived, died, and was made a vampire, this plant was hugely popular among noble women of Italy, particularly in Venetian courts, where these ladies would drop the juice into their eyes, as the toxins in the berries cause the pupils to dilate and the eyes look larger, which was considered a beauty standard at the time. (Interestingly,one of the tropane alkaloids found in belladonna and other plants in the Solanaceae family (Atropine) is still used in modern optometry for the dilation of the pupils.)

Immediately, there is a direct link to Armand's death. With belladonna being such a known and widely used poison in Rennaisance Venice, It is by no means unlikely that it was the poison that eventually caused his mortal death.

But other details in the Chronicles point to this as well. Belladonna was widely used by upper-class Venetian women during this period, but it was not a Venetian woman who killed Armand, it was an English Lord. But who was it that was a noblewoman, who had intimate knowledge and use of poisons, and the host of this very Lord? Bianca.

It's almost guaranteed that Bianca had access to and used belladonna, both as a poison and as a cosmetic at this time. This lord could have easily acquired this poison from Bianca through theft, asking for it, or having been given it freely. Bianca at this time was both a murderer and a courtesan, and with belladonna's widespread use as a cosmetic, it may not have seemed unusual to her to be requested the poison by a guest.

One setback to the theory is that Belladonna is primarily deadly when ingested, and Armand's poisoning was not caused by ingestion of the plant. However, it can still be absorbed through the skin, and if the essences such as the juice of the plant were coated onto a blade that was then used to cut someone as Lord Harlech cut Armand, it would enter the bloodstream anyway and likely be fatal-as it was.

It's described in TVA how the cuts where Harlech's blade had caught Armand began to swell, a side effect of topical belladonna not often seen in poisonings vis ingestion, yet no less real, as belladonna exposure on the skin can cause severe contact dermatitis, as well as its other more known symptoms also found in ingestion poisonings; dizziness, blurred vision, hot flushes, vomiting, fever, delirium, etc. All are also described within the book.

Overall, the time, place, symptoms and associations all line up to make Armand's death read as belladonna poisoning, regardless of what poison may have been Anne Rice's intent, if any specific poison at all. There is also of course the poetic irony of the associations between belladonna and beauty, and Armand's own beauty being somewhat of a curse to him. How perfect it would seem if his death was caused by beauty too, not just his own and how his murderer desired him, but the very poison that was the weapon being a symbol of beauty too?

(Another detail that could be interesting to AMC show fans is that another of the tropane alkaloids found in plants in the Nightshade family such as Atropa belladonna is hyoscyamine, which is used in medicine to reduce spasms in patients with Parkinson's disease, which Daniel suffers with in the show. This is a lot more minor, but interesting nonetheless that the association with nightshades is found in other places in TVC and adaptations)

[incorrect-koh-posts]

Other than leper king and his heirs which book would you recommend for research on Baldwin iv of Jerusalem?

All right then, buckle up for some nerdery! 😁

I will preface this by saying that I am not a total expert on Baldwin and haven't done a colossal amount of research specifically on him. I could chew your ear off prattling on about the general world of the crusader kingdoms, their politics, and about Raymond III of Tripoli and Sibylla of Jerusalem in particular, but Baldwin isn't my main interest here. Also, as far as I know, Hamilton's study is the only longer academic work centred solely around Baldwin. Hence, in order to learn more about your fav and the world he lived in, I'd recommend reading a little more broadly. Being a king, he is featured (at least in some capacity) in most publications that deal with the Latin kingdoms in the latter half of the 12th century.

That said, have a list:

Piers D. Mitchell: "Leprosy and the Case of King Baldwin IV of Jerusalem: Microbacterial Disease in the Crusader States of the 12th and 13th Centuries", International Journal of Leprosy, vol. 61, no. 2, 1993, pp. 283-91. Pretty self-explanatory. You can find this article on the internet; Mitchell also has a few other publications that deal with medicine in the crusader states, so you might find some additional Baldwin stuff there as well.

Elma Brenner: "Recent Perspectives on Leprosy in Medieval Western Europe", History Compass, vol. 8, no. 5, 2010, pp. 388-406. Has a little bit on Baldwin, might be useful if you want to find out more about how the disease was regarded by his contemporaries.

Helen J. Nicholson: Sybil, Queen of Jerusalem, 1186-1190. Routledge, 2022. This is a really good and really recent one that I was lucky enough to find in my uni library. Of course Sibylla-centred, but gives a good overview of the politics in Outremer and of course has passages about Baldwin in it. Also look into some of Nicholson's other publications if you're interested in the role of women in the context of crusading.

Kevin James Lewis: The Counts of Tripoli and Lebanon in the Twelfth Century: Sons of Saint Gilles. Routledge, 2017. Obviously mostly a Raymond-centric source, but it is also relatively recent and has a good chunk on Baldwin in the chapter where Lewis talks about Raymond's time as Baldwin's regent.

Joshua Prawer: Crusader Institutions. Oxford University Press, 1980. More politics to be found here, but very well put together. Prawer was an extremely prolific scholar where the history of the Latin East and the crusades was concerned, so - once again: if you're interested, look up his other works.

Jonathan Riley-Smith: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Crusades, Oxford University Press, 1997. Good overview that goes into detail about the mentality among crusaders and aspects of daily life. Again, Riley-Smith is one of the authorities in the field, so looking into his bibliography might be worth a shot.

If you're into military history, the works of Benjamin Z. Kedar, John France - or, if you want something more dated, R.C. Smail - might be of interest to you. They mostly cover general points of Frankish and Muslim warfare or the Battle of Hattin in particular (other than in Hamilton or in some of the primary sources from the crusader period, I've never come across an article on the Battle of Montgisard), but might be helpful if you want to get a feel for what life was like at the time.

Hans-Eberhard Mayer is also definitely worth a look as a scholar, even though his works are a bit older now. However, I'm not sure how much of his stuff you can find in translation - I've only read him in German.

For the physical setting of crusader-period Jerusalem and the material culture, I very heartily recommend two works written or edited by Adrian J. Boas: Jerusalem in the Time of the Crusades: Society, Landscape and Art in the Holy City under Frankish Rule (Routledge, 2001) and The Crusader World (Routledge, 2016). I consult both of these frequently for world-building in my fic writing.

If you want something on the general concept of the knight / chivalry, Maurice Keen's Chivalry (Yale University Press, 2005) might be a good start. For a detailed analysis of medieval courtly culture, I recommend Joachim Bumke's Courtly Culture: Literature and Society in the High Middle Ages (2000, English translation by Thomas Dunlap). That thing was invaluable when I was writing my BA thesis. And if you'd like to know more about the literary life of the crusaders, there is a recent publication called Literature of the Crusades (Cambridge University Press, 2019) edited by Simon Parsons and Linda M. Paterson that I also found rather good.

For fashion: The various Osprey Military History books are a good choice if you want visual representations of knightly dress. There's also a collection of essays called Encountering Medieval Textiles and Dress: Objects, Texts, Images (Palgrave Macmillan, 2002) edited by Désirée Koslin and Janet Snyder, which is one of the better ones I've found, as most books about medieval fashion focus mostly on later centuries. This one might be a bit hard to get through, though, if you don't have some kind of background knowledge about medieval texts or architecture.

If you want something less strictly academic and more in the vein of popular history, you might want to try James Reston's Warriors of God (2002) or the much more dated but rather fanboy-ish The Crusades: A History (also sometimes titled The Dream and The Tomb) by Robert Payne, which is very pro-Baldwin.

Other than that, I'll link you an older post about fictional depictions of Baldwin and other assorted good bois and girls from KoH. I hope this will scratch the Baldwin itch for you!

And: If anyone has more suggestions, of course do feel free to add them!

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Trudy Ring at The Advocate:

A federal court has permanently blocked Florida from enforcing its ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors and restrictions on the care for trans adults.

“Transgender opponents are of course free to hold their beliefs,” Judge Robert Hinkle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida wrote in his ruling, issued Tuesday. “But they are not free to discriminate against transgender individuals just for being transgender. In time, discrimination against transgender individuals will diminish, just as racism and misogyny have diminished. To paraphrase a civil-rights advocate from an earlier time, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. “In the meantime, the federal courts have a role to play in upholding the Constitution and laws. The State of Florida can regulate as needed but cannot flatly deny transgender individuals safe and effective medical treatment — treatment with medications routinely provided to others with the state’s full approval so long as the purpose is not to support the patient’s transgender identity.” Hinkle also asserted, “Gender identity is real.” He had temporarily blocked the law last year. When hearing the case in December, he had ripped into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for spreading lies about trans care for young people.

[...]

His ruling in the case of Doe v. Ladapo found that Florida Senate Bill 254 and the related Boards of Medicine rules were motivated by disapproval of transgender people and violate the equal protection rights of transgender individuals and parents of transgender minors in Florida. Florida was the first state to pass a law restricting access to health care for transgender adults. The ban on this care for minors was first enacted in March 2023 through the adoption of rules by the Florida Board of Medicine and Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine, at the urging of DeSantis, Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, and the Florida Department of Health. SB 254, which was passed by the legislature, signed by the governor, and took effect in May 2023, wrote the ban into state law, subject to a narrow continued-use exception for minors who had started treatment before the ban. SB 254 also created felony criminal and civil penalties for Florida medical providers. Later, SB 254 added severe restrictions that effectively blocked access to essential medical care for trans adults and minors who would be eligible for the continued-use exception, including requiring that care be provided exclusively by physicians, barring telehealth, and requiring patients to complete unique, onerous, and misleading consent forms.

[...] DeSantis has vowed to appeal the ruling. “Through their elected representatives, the people of Florida acted to protect children in this state, and the Court was wrong to override their wishes,” said a statement from his office, as quoted by the Associated Press. “As we’ve seen here in Florida, the United Kingdom, and across Europe, there is no quality evidence to support the chemical and physical mutilation of children. These procedures do permanent, life-altering damage to children, and history will look back on this fad in horror.”

In Doe v. Ladapo, Judge Robert Hinkle permanently blocks Florida SB254 from taking effect. SB254 was a law that banned gender-affirming care for trans minors and put significant restrictions on gender-affirming care for trans adults. A win for common sense!

See Also:

LGBTQ Nation: Federal judge overturns Florida’s gender-affirming care ban in historic victory for trans rights

[alpaca-clouds]

Learning from Indigenous People

You know how I knew that the big guys from the "new atheist movement" in the early 2010s were full of shit? Yeah, they started to vent about indigenous knowledge. How that was not real science and should not be taken seriously, because "it is not real science", with it betraying their super eurocentric view of science.

This is a general problem we have. It is also something that at times really turns me off from STEM - you know, as someone who is working in STEM. Because while in new science we do definitely include things found out by non-white people, when it comes to the old science (so, basically most stuff happening before 1950) people just ignore all the science done outside of Europe.

This shows especially in regards to indigenous knowledge. This will often be just overall depicted by science as "superstition", no matter what it was. Be it methods of medicine, methods of wayfinding, knowledge about the land and how to protect it, knowledge about animals, about plants... All those things that collected in indigenous knowledge that often does still not get taken seriously.

There is this often quoted little fact: It was indigenous people who invented injections, by using hollowed bird bones for it. And that is just one thing.

And there is of course just the fact of knowing how to take care of the land.

Of course, there is the opposite of this. The people who go deep into the "indigenous people are super vibing with the environment, they are basically magical", which of course is also a racist stereotype.

But, yeah, fuck... You know, we should still just be open to learning from all cultures there are. It does not fucking matter whether they used a formal "scientific method" in the way western science does these days. Knowledge that has been collected over hundreds of years.

And I am just so done with the people who want to keep ignoring it.

[liminalwings]

Greenery of the Draconic Persuasion

When you think of dragons and plants associated with them, what’s the first thing you think of? Most likely Dragon’s Blood, but what other plants out there are also associated with dragons? This is more of an overview rather than a suggestion of “use these plants”, because some of them really just… aren’t all pleasant to work with, but still have a fascinating history. 

Dragon’s Blood

Still good to go over the big one we all know. Dracaena is a genus of trees that is noted for having certain members, such as Dracaena draco and Dracaena cinnabari, that bleed a red resin when cut; this resin is referred to as ‘Dragon’s Blood’. The name of this genus comes from the Greek ‘drakaina’, which is the name for a female dragon. It has also been tied to the myth of Heracles, particularly the 11th task and the dragon Ladon, by some interpretations Ladon is the dragon guarding the tree or is the tree; by others, the Dracaena springs from Ladon’s blood when slain. 

Do note, however, that the majority of Dragon’s Blood resin on the market these days comes from a different genus of tree entirely, Calamus dracunculus (formerly Daemonorops draco and Calamus draco), while other genera of trees also exude a red resin that may also be referred to as Dragon’s Blood, all technically having different properties. The tree that was believed to be originally used and written about, Dracaena cinnabari of Socotra, is rated ‘vulnerable’ on its conservation status, while Dracaena draco is listed as ‘endangered’. Calamus draco meanwhile does not seem to be threatened. 

This collective of red resins do have a long history of use in medicine, art, and ritual in various cultures. The most frequent magical uses of the resin are as an incense for protection or cleansing, and dissolved in alcohol as a magical ink. With how many different trees act as a source of ‘dragon’s blood’, it is good to keep in mind that different species may vary in terms of magical/energetic traits, and that the attraction to Dragon’s Blood as a magical component could be considered these days to be more based on symbolism and human-given attributes. 

Tarragon

Artemisia dracunculus, or “Little Dragon of Artemis”, often referred to as just “dragon” in Swedish and Dutch and, in the past, German; a name that was given for the appearance of its coiled roots, or likening the shape of the leaves to dragon tongues. It is in the same genus as Mugwort, Wormwood, and Sagebrush, and French Tarragon is most frequently used for culinary purposes with a somewhat licorice-like flavor. It was believed, per Pliny the Elder, that Tarragon would ward away dragons and venomous serpents (unproven of course) and could cure snakebite (also unproven). There aren’t many historic magical uses otherwise, though some modern witchcraft practices have given it associations with protection, banishment, and healing. Scientifically, it has been proven effective at repelling insects and as a mosquito larvicidal, effectively combating the spread of malaria through less environmentally-hazardous means. 

Snapdragon

Antirrhinum majus, also referred to as ‘toadflax’, ‘dog flower’, ‘dragon flower’. It is so named because of the flower’s appearance, which is likened to a dragon’s snout that opens and closes when squeezed laterally. They come in a wonderful range of colors and, like other dragon-associated plants, are considered to be protective: in Medieval Europe, they were believed to protect from witches and ill magic, and were planted near castle gates or hung above cribs to ward off evil spirits. They were also used as a charm against falsehood, and in flower language symbolized ‘truth-telling’. The skull-like seed pods have commonly been worn to protect from curses and other bewitchments. 

Dragon Arum

Dracunculus vulgaris, also referred to as dragon lily, vampire lily, devil’s tongue, and, in its native Greece, drakondia. Like its larger cousin, the Titan arum, it is not a flower most people would be including in a nice bouquet, with respect to its fragrance being like that of rotting meat to attract flies as pollinators. Like Tarragon, not only does it share the same Latin “little dragon” name, it was also believed to ward away serpents(also also unproven), though some sources also claim that it generates serpents (flies attract other critters that snakes eat, so yeah I could see that as a conclusion). It is also one of many in the Arum family that can produce heat (thermogenesis), reaching about 65°F/18°C, which is used to lure flies to the flower for pollination. These unique physical properties can lend themselves to equally interesting potential magical associations. 

Dragon Root/Green Dragon

Arisaema dracontium is a plant native to North America. All parts of the plant are highly toxic to humans when eaten raw due to the presence of Calcium oxalate. I am including it here only to show the range of dragon-associated plants and do not necessarily advocate its use. Though historically, it has in fact been used as medicine, especially as an abortifacient and to stimulate menstrual flow. 

__

This is by no means an exhaustive list of plants with dragon-inspired names, as can be seen here. But for those wanting to include draconic plants in their practice but can’t afford or can’t find a place to obtain dragon’s blood, or otherwise want to avoid using it, there are comparatively more easily-obtained alternatives at your local stores, such as Tarragon, Dragonfruit, and Snapdragons, or perhaps another native species local to you. Just make sure to do your research and know if cautions must be taken, what the physical attributes are, and if a plant is endangered or not. 

Resources

https://blogs.reading.ac.uk/tropical-biodiversity/2013/03/dracaenaceae-dragons-blood-and-the-language-of-the-birds/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%27s_blood

https://herbsocietyblog.wordpress.com/2023/07/03/herb-of-the-month-french-tarragon-the-little-dragon-herb/

https://dsps.lib.uiowa.edu/roots/french-tarragon/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8076785/

https://www.gardenguides.com/126335-history-snapdragons.html

https://www.flower.style/stylewatch/discover-the-curious-origins-of-snapdragons-not-to-worry-they-dont-actually-bite

https://www.petalrepublic.com/snapdragon-flower-meaning/

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/44638/pg44638-images.html#page-153

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracunculus_vulgaris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaema_dracontium

https://ebrary.net/28107/environment/snapdragon

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arisaema-dracontium/

https://www.yellowwood.net/post/skunk-jacks-dragons-the-curious-arum-family

[saintsenara]

May I ask what medication you take, if any, to manage your adhd? Do you think you could have functioned without medication? And if you’re comfortable sharing, what age were you when you began med school (eg right after undergrad or did you wait a few years after) do you think upper twenties would be too late to begin?

You and a few other women who have degrees are my role models of sorts, or maybe a less intense term would be inspirational. I like to see people thriving with adhd and am trying to plan out how I might also turn things around and thrive with my symptoms, after seeing evidence that it is possible. Thank you!

thank you very much for the ask, anon!

i take stimulant medication [lisdexamfetamine - the brand name is elvanse in the uk, vyvanse in the us], which is the standard treatment for adhd in adults. not everyone can tolerate stimulants - and there are alternatives - but this works for me.

so much so that i intend - at this point - to take it for the rest of my life. this isn't the only way to treat adhd - in the first instance, patients need to work out whether stimulants benefit them, since the side-effects can occasionally be pretty intense - but it's an effective and safe one. i can survive without medication - in the same way that someone who is very short-sighted can survive without their glasses - but only in a decidedly suboptimal state which impedes my ability to live my life easily or comfortably. taking medication is an accessibility tool, in the same way that wearing glasses or hearing aids, or using a cane or a wheelchair are accessibility tools - they allow people to live well, rather than just to live.

there's a lot of moral panic about stimulant medication - with "moral" being the operative word, even when it comes from doctors practising in an area other than psychiatry/neurology. the clinical evidence bears very little of this panic out - and if you are worried about any of it, then you should ask a specialist.

on the rest:

medical school in the uk [as is also the case in much of europe] works slightly differently to how it does in other jurisdictions, in that it's not required to do a separate degree in a pre-med subject prior to beginning medical training.

over here, medicine is an undergraduate/bachelors degree in its own right - which is why the letters we use after our names are an abbreviation of "bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery", the exact configuration of which varies based on which medical school you went to [bmbs, mbchb, bmbch, and so on], rather than "md".

i began my medical degree at eighteen, immediately after leaving school - and this is the case for the majority of medical students at british universities. uk medical courses usually last for either five or six years depending on the university [mine was for six], after which there are two further years of general on-the-job training [foundation training - the equivalent to being an intern in the american system], before specialisation.

but that's not the be-all and end-all. it's possible to retrain as a doctor at any time. there are numerous courses in the uk specifically for mature students and there are plenty of mature students who study alongside the "typical" undergraduate cohort, regardless of level of prior education [if you have an undergraduate degree or above, you might go into a four-year accelerated medical degree; if you have no formal qualifications, you can gain the skills to meet the admissions requirements for standard-length undergraduate medical courses via an access to medicine course]. i've met plenty of people who began their degrees in their mid-thirties, often while juggling responsibilities the average eighteen-year-old has little cause to imagine, and all i've ever thought about this is that it's impressive.

the same will apply anywhere else in the world. you won't be the only person in the room who is starting their degree at 28. you probably won't be the only person in the room starting at 35. hell, you might not even be the only person in the room starting at 50. and who gives a shit if you are? for as long as you have the desire and capacity to learn, you have the right to.

[and don't just take my word for it. the youtuber rebecca bradford started her medical degree at 37, having left school without a single qualification. she's having the time of her life. you can be the same.]

doctors who come into the profession later in life are a net good. working in medicine means dealing with the astonishing variance of human experience - not simply from the technical, clinical side of things [you will always have that one patient whose body doesn't behave in any of the ways the textbook says it should] but from the social side of things too. it's vital that clinical teams are made up of people who have different life experiences and different transferable skills - and accruing these by taking a circuitous route into medicine is only going to advantage you and benefit your patients.

and adhd is a life experience, let's be clear. a good friend of mine is a nurse specialising in autism and adhd in adults. she decided upon this career after being diagnosed with adhd in her forties. i have no doubt that the lived experience she brings to the table has a tangible impact on how her patients learn to manage and be confident in their condition. not least because, as you say, it shows that having adhd is not all doom and gloom.

nonetheless, my advice would be - even though this is a struggle for the dopamine-challenged - not to rush into things. you need to have found ways of dealing with your symptoms - especially those which are exacerbated by stress - prior to making a big life change. medical school is tough. medicine is tougher. trying to do it while you're also trying to work out how to teach yourself to remember when your bins go out isn't going to be fun for anyone involved.

and you also, if diagnosed as an adult, need a bit of time to grieve not being diagnosed earlier. one potential course for your life was scrubbed off the map when nobody noticed you were neurodivergent as a child, and it's important to come to terms with that.

but once you feel ready to tackle a new challenge, why not? she who dares wins and all that.