#vascular access

[rodanglee-blog]

At PDI Health, we’re challenging the industry with faster responses, better technology, and superior medical expertise.

What is PDI Health?

PDI Health, also known as Preventive Diagnostics, is a company that focuses on keeping people healthy before they get sick. They offer tests and check-ups that help find health issues early, so they can be treated more easily. Their services include screenings for various health conditions and personalized health advice.

Why is it Important?

Getting regular check-ups can help catch problems early, often before you even notice symptoms. This can lead to better health outcomes and avoid serious issues later on. PDI Health makes it easier to stay on top of your health with their preventive services.

How Can You Use Their Services?

You can contact PDI Health to schedule a screening or health check-up. They provide information and support to help you understand your health and take proactive steps to maintain it.

Why is Preventive Health Important?

Regular check-ups and screenings are crucial because they can detect health problems before symptoms appear. Early detection allows for timely intervention, which can prevent more serious health issues in the future. PDI Health provides these services to help you stay on top of your health and prevent potential issues.

Services Offered:

Health Screenings: Tests to identify potential health problems. Diagnostic Testing: Detailed analysis to understand health conditions. Personalized Health Advice: Recommendations based on your health results.

[healthchat]

Hyderabad Vascular Center: Delivering Exceptional Vascular Care Solutions

Hyderabad Vascular Center (HVC) stands as a beacon of excellence in the realm of vascular care. Specializing in a wide array of vascular conditions, HVC has garnered a reputation for its unwavering commitment to patient-centric care and cutting-edge treatments. Led by a team of highly skilled vascular specialists, HVC ensures that every patient receives personalized attention and top-notch medical interventions.

Creating a Transformative Patient Experience

At HVC, our foremost priority is to provide a transformative experience for each patient who walks through our doors. We understand the challenges and anxieties associated with vascular health issues, which is why we strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment where patients feel heard, valued, and empowered throughout their journey to recovery.

Our Comprehensive Range of Services

HVC's Expertise in Treating Varicose Veins

Varicose veins can be more than just a cosmetic concern; they can significantly impact one's quality of life. At HVC, our vascular specialists are adept at diagnosing and treating varicose veins using the latest minimally invasive techniques. From endovenous laser treatment (EVLT) to sclerotherapy, we offer a range of options tailored to each patient's unique needs, ensuring optimal outcomes and minimal downtime.

Arterial and Venous Interventions: Restoring Circulatory Health

Disorders affecting the arteries and veins can pose serious health risks if left untreated. At HVC, our team excels in performing a variety of arterial and venous interventions aimed at restoring optimal circulatory function. Whether it's angioplasty, stenting, or thrombectomy, our vascular specialists leverage their expertise and state-of-the-art technology to deliver effective solutions for conditions such as peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Comprehensive Aneurysm Care

Aneurysms represent a potentially life-threatening condition that demands prompt and expert intervention. At HVC, we offer comprehensive aneurysm care, ranging from surveillance and monitoring to advanced endovascular repair techniques. Our multidisciplinary approach ensures that patients receive comprehensive evaluation and tailored treatment plans, minimizing the risk of complications and optimizing long-term outcomes.

for more info:

[andy1199posts]

Vascular Access Device Market - Future Revenue Growth Dynamics 

Major Growth Driving Factors:The market’s industry trends are analyzed in the latest research study. Industry trends, pricing analysis, patent analysis, conference and webinar materials, key stakeholders, and market purchasing behavior are all included in the latest research study. The government’s substantial investments in state-of-the-art medical devices and the growing incidence of lifestyle…

[qy-research-medical]

The global vascular access devices market size was valued at USD 2.77 billion in 2022 and is anticipated to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6% from 2023 to 2032.

[ghost-of-a-dream-girl]

Vampiric vascular access PSA from your friendly neighbourhood fanfic writing medic: Where To Bite

For those of you who, like me, love to write/read this sad vampire (or indeed anyone who likes to write any vampire), there were just a couple of sexy little anatomy things that I wanted to highlight (purely for fun).

First: arteries vs veins - Arteries take blood at pressure generated by the left ventricle of the heart, hence the pulse, to tissues and organs. Veins are a low pressure system that take blood back to the heart (via all sorts of mechanisms like valves, suction pressure from inspiration, pressure gradients, etc). - The inherent not-quite-sexy risk to puncturing/bleeding from an artery (especially a big one) is the risk of clot formation and with that the risk that those clots travel (embolize) further down the artery. This can result in things like strokes or ischaemic limbs. - Major arteries have associated major veins running nearby them. - Because of pressure differences, arterial punctures can spurt blood out, whereas veins ooze. To drink from a vein you'd have to apply a little more suction, whereas drinking from an artery might be a bit more messy/squirty. - Sure, veins don't pulse in the way arteries do BUT the way that we find these big veins (without ultrasound) is via use of anatomical landmarks. Your fave vampire will likely know those landmarks. Durge will likely also know these landmarks...for other reasons.

The neck (the classic, and everyone's favourite) - One of the things we look for as part of a fluid status assessment/CVS exam is the JVP (jugular venous pressure), which reflects pressure changes in the right atrium. For this we look for the double waveform pulse on either side of the neck coming from the internal jugular vein. It's not really palpable in the way arterial pulses are, but it is visible in most people (especially at neck turned 45 degrees). - The internal jugular vein (IJV) AND the external jugular vein are the two chunky veins of the neck. The IJV in particular would be a good one to bite for the same reason it's often a favourite vein to use for central line insertion- it's large, superficial, and usually pretty straight in its course within the neck. - The carotids are the major arteries of the neck, sitting more in the midline and protected a bit by a muscle there (sternocleidomastoid).

The inner thigh (the smut writer's favourite) - Gods know that the femorals have been doing some heavy lifting in vampire smut fics. Given the fact that they are located on either side of the groin, any biting action there has the inference of a lot more physical intimacy. - Like the neck vessels, you have big arteries AND big veins in the femoral region too. You have the femoral arteries which lie again more in the centre (like the carotids), and you have the femoral veins which actually lie more medially (more towards the mid-line of the body, i.e further in on the groin). These then branch out. - For purposes of vampiric vascular access, the femoral veins would be just a bit easier to get into position wise, but they do run very close to the femoral arteries. Because of how anatomy and fat distribution works also worth mentioning that the femoral vein and artery also lie a little deeper, so would require a much deeper bite.

Peripheral pulses (for those little nibbles) - For a quick snack more peripherally, it's going to be much easier to chomp into a peripheral artery. Arteries have thicker, more muscular walls than veins and the more superficial veins get the flimsier they are (i.e would be bitches to try to puncture with fangs). - We often sample arterial blood by puncturing the radial arteries. The radial artery runs on the thumb side of the wrist, and is very easy to palpate! - One could also attempt the brachial arteries, which are just above the inside of either elbow. A little deeper, but still palpable. - For the more adventurous bloodsuckers, you could even go for the dorsalis pedis (top of the foot), or the posterior tibial (below and behind the innermost part of the ankle bone)! See below: Astarion sampling a little of that radial artery juice

Aftercare (for the bitten) - If you are biting an artery or big vein you will usually need to apply some pressure to stop the bleeding. - In terms of clotting, it depends on what magical properties you believe vampire spit has. If none, it generally takes a few minutes to stop bleeding with a bit of added pressure, but bigger puncture sites may take longer. - That said, all bleeding stops eventually in one way or another- just ask Durge. - Like always, after a big drink you may need to ask your cleric friend to help you out with a cheeky lesser restoration spell to stimulate erythropoeisis so you're not wandering around the Realms so deeply anaemic.

Happy biting, friends!

[hallietblr]

Could i get a conrad x reader smut where they are in a secret relationship/fwb and at the end maybe admit they like each other or start dating?

tangled up with you | c.fisher x reader

a/n: ahh i had such a good time writing this one for you! thank you so much for the request love <3

warnings: SMUT (minors DNI!), unprotected sex (wrap it before you tap it!!), swearing, mentions of weed usage.

—

sneaking around with my best friend’s older brother made life so exhilarating, maybe because of the risk tied to it. i know that if jeremiah were to find out about conrad and my secret relationship that’s been going on for the past eight months, there’s the possibility of losing my best friend.

according to jeremiah, conrad and steven were not allowed to date or hook up with me. i was off limits. i was jeremiah’s best friend since the second grade and the last thing he ever wanted was for things to get complicated with his brothers (steven is basically another brother to him) having a relationship with me.

but feelings are feelings, they can only be suppressed for so long before moves are made.

and maybe the incredible sex tied to conrad fisher sways that statement.

i look out my bedroom window to see the jeep park on the side of the road. the silhouette of the golden haired fisher brother bobbing his head to the music. i giggle before turning to my vanity mirror to check myself out for the last time.

i fixed up my hair, touched up my mascara and lip gloss before spritzing myself with my signature perfume. i grab my phone that sat on my bed before scurrying down the stairs and yelling to my parents that i’m heading out.

i slide my vans on as i make my way over to conrad’s car. i open the door and he’s already smiling at me,

“hey pretty lady,” he winks, making me flush pink.

“hey handsome,” i say back as i settle into my seat, he cradles my face before pulling me into a long kiss. something we’ve both been craving for after pretending for the whole day around steven, belly, and jeremiah that we were, of course, only friends.

his lips tasted like mint and his chapstick, i smile into the kiss and i feel his lips turn upwards in response.

“you ready?” he asks after pulling away, i nod excitedly.

conrad always takes me to new places around cousins, we typically sit on the roof of the car and talk endlessly for hours into the night. sometimes we will smoke a j together, often making out and touching each other in places that isn’t normal for friends to touch.

the weeknd hums quietly as we drive in the night, his large and vascular hand placed highly on my thigh. his long fingers slowly crawling up to my centre. i feel myself getting more excited when his hand is centimetres away from my core.

he pulls away which makes me pout while he puts the jeep into park and steps out the door. he comes to my side of the car and opens my door, he offers his hand as i step out.

conrad brought us to the lighthouse, where waves crashed upon the large rocks and you can see the bright reflection of the moon and stars sparkling on the water. his muscular arms wrap around my waist from behind and we sway side to side, i’m taking in the beautiful sight.

he places gentle kisses on the back of my neck, and i tilt it to the side to give him better access. i can feel him smile at the action as he carefully sucks at the soft skin.

“this view is beautiful,” i tell him, turning around to put my arms around his neck,

“yeah?” he asks with a smirk, “well my view is better.”

his eyes flicker down me and back up to my eyes,

“you’re so cheesy”

“i love you, baby” he kisses me again,

i kiss him back passionately, my fingers getting tangled up in the locks of hair at the back of his head, “i love you so much more.”

so stands two teenagers, desperately in love, making out by the cousins lighthouse in the middle of the night. their hands running up and down the sides of each other before conrad pulls her back towards the car to continue their fun.

we both crawl into the back seat, he lays me down carefully across the three seats as he hovers over me. he removes his shirt in one motion before leaning down fo connect our lips again.

our teeth and lips are clashing as his tongue swipes across my bottom lip, i open my mouth to greet his tongue as it continues to explore.

his hand inches down my body, giving a soft squeeze to my boob before moving down to the edge of my cotton shorts. i sigh in pleasure as he slips his hand into my lacy thong, his fingers playing with the bundle of nerves that make me lift my hips up for more contact,

“please.” i beg him, arching my back as his lips kiss down my throat,

“relax, my love,” he mumbles against my skin, “i’ve got you.”

i moan out as two digits enter me, slowly but hardly thrusting into my centre, “fuck, you’re so wet.” he groans.

he continues to finger me for a few moments longer to prepare me,

“you ready?” he asks me and i nod, conrad kisses my lips again before pulling down my shorts and his own. his thick cock with veins running up it’s sides slaps his abdomen, released from the constrained boxers they were in.

my mouth basically drools at the sight. i’ve always knew that conrad fisher was handsome, but seeing him in the moonlight with his six pack and erected dick only made the wetness between my legs increase.

i watched intently as he lines himself up before sinking down into me, bottoming out. every vein and inch of his cock stretching me out in the best way possible. my head throws back at the feel of him inside of me as he thrusts deeply into me.

i moan loudly, grabbing the edge of the car seat and the head rest as i feel him nearly hitting my gut.

“fuck!” i cry out as he buries his face into my neck, increasing how hard he’s pounding into me. his hand grabs the back of my right thigh, pushing it to my chest to give himself a better angle to hit my sweet spot.

i bite into his shoulder, making him groan lowly as i feel his dick twitch inside of me. my hands are in a frenzy, clawing his back or pulling at his hair or anything to get him closer to me.

“you like that, baby” he moans as he continues to thrust his cock to my sweet spot that makes the knot in my stomach tighten. i nod quickly, “yes, holy fuck, you feel so good!”

“no matter how often i fuck you, your pussy is always tight for me,” conrad breathes out into my ear, “you feel so good around me, babe”

“m- maybe because your dick is so big,” i stutter out back to him, as i feel my orgasm coming closer.

“are you close?” he asks, “i feel your walls squeezing my cock.”

i moan out in response, unable to form words with the state of bliss im in. i cling onto his shoulders as my legs start to shake,

“fuck, i’m gonna come soon,” conrad groans, throwing his head back in pleasure, “where do you want it?”

“i- i’m” i try to speak, but my eyes keep rolling backwards, “i’m on the pill.”

he looks down at me with lust in his eyes, “are you sure?”

i nod, “fuck, conrad!”

he picks up the pace of his thrusts, now chasing his high. his hand reaches down to start rubbing figure eights on my clit to help me get my orgasm,

“come on my dick, baby” he tells me, “i know you can do it. i’m right behind you.”

“fuck, conrad!” i scream out, “i’m coming!”

“that’s it baby” he pants out

conrad litters my face with kisses as my toes flex upwards and my thighs are shaking. my back arches to his chest as i feel my orgasm crashing down on me all at once.

i release pornographic type moans and all i see is white as my nails claw down his back.

i feel him release inside of me, his warm coating my walls as he slowly thrusts me through my orgasm. he eventually pulls out and grabs a baby wipe that he stored under the driver to seat to clean me and himself up. conrad helps me put my clothes back on and kisses my shoulders while he pulls my t-shirt on.

we drive quietly back to my house where he kisses my goodnight before i exit the jeep. right as i open my front door i feel my phone buzz in my back pocket,

con <3:

goodnight my sweet girl, i hope you had as much fun as i did tonight! i love you so so much❤️

i blush at the text and turn around to the road where i see him blow a kiss in my direction. i pretend to catch it and place it on my heart before sending one back. i see a smile etch onto his face before driving off.

y/n <3:

i always have fun when i’m around you, sweet dream baby :) i love you!

[cough-cpr-is-fake]

“Cough CPR” is misinformation

What is “cough CPR”?

“Cough CPR” is a myth which claims that rhythmic coughing can reduce the impact of a heart attack. It has been circulating for over two decades via email and on social media platforms (Wikipedia, 2023).

Why doesn’t it work?

A heart attack happens when the blood flow to the heart is restricted due to blockage. Cardiac arrest is when your heart stops pumping completely (British Heart Foundation, n.d.).

These definitions alone should demonstrate the problem with “cough CPR”. If you have a heart attack, your heart is still pumping, so you do not need CPR. If you experience cardiac arrest, you will fall unconscious within seconds (Resuscitation Council UK, 2021) and therefore won’t be able to perform “cough CPR”.

In many cases, “cough CPR” could even worsen the problem or prove fatal if coughing is undertaken to the wrong rhythm (Snopes, 2003).

Is “cough CPR” ever useful?

Coughing creates pressure that forces blood to flow to the brain (Cleveland Clinic, 2020).

It may therefore be possible for someone experiencing sudden arrhythmia to maintain consciousness for a few seconds by coughing. However, the patient would already need to be under constant monitoring for the arrhythmia to be detected. It should also only be done at the instruction of a doctor, as a medical professional will still be needed to treat the abnormal heart rhythm (American Heart Association, 2023).

Cases where “cough CPR” has been useful have all been isolated incidents performed in this kind of clinical setting (see Snopes, 2003; UChicago Medicine, 2019; American Heart Association, 2023).

Reference list

American Heart Association. (2023) Cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204210831/https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-arrest/emergency-treatment-of-cardiac-arrest/cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

British Heart Foundation. (n.d.) Could something called ‘cough CPR’ save my life? Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204210457/https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Cleveland Clinic. (2020) The dangerous truth about cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204205549/https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-cough-away-a-heart-attack (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Resuscitation Council UK. (2021). Resuscitation Council UK’s statement on cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204211021/https://www.resus.org.uk/about-us/news-and-events/resuscitation-council-uks-statement-cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Snopes. (2003). How to survive a heart attack when alone. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204214909/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/cough-cpr/ (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

UChicago Medicine. (2019) Can coughing stop a heart attack? Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204213936/https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/heart-and-vascular-articles/can-coughing-stop-a-heart-attack (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Wikipedia. (2023) Cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204211113/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cough_CPR (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

[botanicalbasil]

Have you ever walked through an evergreen forest to clear your mind? Eaten a nice warm vegetable stew? Received flowers from someone you love? Well... thank our hidden hero:

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi!

Hidden beneath your feet, nestled away inside the roots of 80-90% of vascular plants, there is a complex network of hyphae working in tandem with their plant buddies to keep our ecosystems alive and thriving!

Essentially, these microscopic fungi give plants Super Tolerance. Hyphae are much smaller than roots, which means that they can reach out farther while expending less energy and worm their way into places that are normally inaccessible to plants. This allows vascular plants to access more mineral nutrients than they normally could on their own. These fun-guys are so effective that some plants can even live their lives completely achlorophyllic (without chlorophyll)!

In return, plants will partition some of the carbon and simple sugars produced from photosynthesis to give to their buddies. This is done through vesicles formed by hyphae in the plant cells.

This isn't anything new either! In fact, you might even thank AMF for plants migrating onto land at all. A popular hypothesis for the colonization of land by plants is that the first vascular plants formed from an ancient partnership between algae and fungi, where essentially the fungi would act as the algae's roots to collect nutrients not available to the algae alone outside the water. If you'd like to see a cool example, look up the Rhynie chert!!

Thank you for letting me ramble a while at you about my favorite organisms on this planet :•) I encourage all of you to do some more research on your own, there is a TON that I haven't covered here! If you have access to a microscope, you can even dissect and stain some common garden roots to say hello to these little buddies yourself!

[This piece is directly inspired by the work of @/byjacobparis on Instagram! Please go give him a follow :•) ]

[rebeccathenaturalist]

What Are Lithophytes?

Originally posted on my website at https://rebeccalexa.com/what-are-lithophytes/

Ask most people what plants need to grow in, and they’ll say “soil” or “dirt”, right? And for the majority of terrestrial plants that’s the case. But given the sheer scale of biodiversity and the ability of species to make use of any niche–no matter how small–left unoccupied, there are of course exceptions. Take epiphytes, for example, that cling to the bark of trees and other plants. Rather than drawing nutrients and water from soil, they instead absorb what they need from the air. Psammophytes also get what they need from the air, but instead sink their root system into shifting sand dunes.

I am especially fascinated by lithophytes. “Litho-” means “stone”, and so a lithophyte is simply a plant that grows on stone. There are two main types of lithophyte. Epilithic lithophytes grow on a stone’s surface, and a crevice in the stone may be populated by endolithic lithophytes. Some of these plants can only grow on stone, so they’re described as obligate lithophytes, but their facultative lithophyte neighbors are those that are able to colonize both stone and soil or another substrate at the same time–some lithophytes can even live as tree-dwelling epiphytes instead!

Like epiphytes, a lithophyte may have some ability to absorb water and nutrients from the air. But they also capitalize on anything that ends up washed into their roots by rain. Endoliths may find that over time debris accumulating in their crevice offers a much-needed resource boost. As part or all of a lithophyte dies, the surrounding plants extract nutrients from the decaying matter–nothing goes to waste in nature, after all. They do not, as a general rule, have a negative effect on the rocks themselves; while some rock-dwelling lichens may chemically weather the stone beneath them, lithophytic plants simply use the rock as a convenient surface to take root.

Arbuscular mycorrhizae within a root as seen under a microscope

What I find really cool is that lithophytes can be mycorrhizal! Their roots are pierced by colonies of various arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi that draw up nutrients from the soil and share them with the plants. While this is a very common relationship in nature–four out of every five vascular plant species uses arbuscular mycorrhizal networks–lithophytes seem to have cultivated a greater concentration of these helpful fungi.

A moss-covered rock is often someone’s first encounter with lithophytes. Lacking proper roots, mosses hang onto the stone with tiny rhizomes. Over time they might cover its entire surface, and if said surface is relatively flat and protected from weather and other erosive forces, their decaying remains could be the very beginning of a new patch of soil.

But it’s not just the little bryophytes like mosses that can eke out a living on a rock. More complex vascular plants may also take root on or within stone. One of my favorite ferns, the licorice fern (Polypodium glycyrrhiza) commonly grows as an epiphyte on trees in the Pacific Northwest, but given the right opportunity it will colonize a suitable crevice in a cliff. Orchids may have a reputation for being difficult to care for in captivity, but in the wild there are a lot of lithophytic species. Many, like Dendrobium teretifolium or many Phalaenopsis species, can also live quite well as epiphytes on a tree or other plant. And the wallflower, Erysimum cheiri, got its common name for its tendency to grow out of cracks in rocky slopes.

Nepenthes campanulata

Unsurprisingly, some carnivorous plants make their homes on rocks, and their carnivory allows them access to much-needed nutrients in an otherwise limited setting. The pitcher plant Nepenthes campanulata often grows in colonies on cliff faces. Heliamphora exappendiculata, another pitcher plant, will happily grow both in wetlands and on constantly damp rocks. Sanderson’s bladderwort (Utricularia sandersonii) doesn’t eat insects, but instead sucks up microscopic organisms using bladders the plant buries under nearby soil or sediment.

One more thing: are the plants you see growing in gravel also lithophytes? Not necessarily. There may be soil beneath the gravel that the plant is exploiting. Or the gravel itself may be part of a mineral soil–one that has a lot of stone and not much organic material. A true lithophyte is going to be attached to a rock or rooted in its crevice, though it’s possible to find lithophytes growing on stones that, through weathering, may be feeding fragments into a nearby mineral soil over time.

Did you enjoy this post? Consider taking one of my online foraging and natural history classes or hiring me for a guided nature tour, checking out my other articles, or picking up a paperback or ebook I’ve written! You can even buy me a coffee here!

[that-disabled-princess]

What is EDS?

Hello! Since it's EDS/HSD awareness month, I figured I'd take some time to talk about the severe disorder that plagues me every waking hour of my life.

Disclaimer: I do not speak for the entire EDS community and my experiences are not universal.

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is a connective tissue disorder. It's genetic, incurable, and degenerative. It can cause a lot of problems, including frequent dislocations, POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), heart problems, chronic headaches and migraines, dietary issues, and chronic pain. There are a lot of different subtypes, including hypermobile EDS, vascular EDS, and classical EDS.

It is incredibly painful. I honestly cannot remember the last time I wasn't in pain. It affects everything from my diet, to my mobility, to my hygiene, to my hobbies, to my sleep. I sit down to shower and brush my teeth, I've cut a lot of gluten from my diet, I sleep with several different pillows, I have to accommodate all my hobbies and arts. My mobility aids include forearm crutches, canes, braces, KT tape, and more. Other disability aids include medications, my emotional support water bottle, ice and heat packs, and prescription sunglasses.

I have hypermobile EDS. But the least severe form of a severe disorder is still a severe disorder.

And I am in constant pain.

Everything is a chore, everything is an energy-draining task. Showering takes planning and involves gathering a small army of aids.

Leaving the house takes meticulous planning--which mobility aid will be most helpful today? What braces and supports do I need? Have I eaten enough salt? Will I need my gatorade? Have I refilled my emergency meds lately? Is the place I'm going accessible? And so on.

Engaging in my hobbies takes thoughtful accommodations. I have to be conscious of how my fingers bend when I crochet. I should be aware of how my hands and fingers and wrists are feeling while typing (like typing this post). I have to put all my braces on and bring my stool into the kitchen when I bake. I have to pack my backpack full of disability aids if I want to take a walk. I can't play viola anymore because it isn't safe right now.

I'm so tired. Every day I wake up and I am so so exhausted. Some mornings, while I'm lying in bed and letting my body adjust to being awake, I wonder how the hell I'm going to do this for the rest of my life. Waking up to stiff joints, vertigo spells when I finally crawl out of bed, recovering from an eating disorder while not being able to eat half the food in the house, struggling to leave the house, almost passing out in the shower, going to bed with headaches.

It's hard. It's so fucking hard. I'm not going to sugarcoat this in toxic positivity. Trudging from one day to the next sometimes feels impossible. Some days, it's digging your nails in and refusing to let the depressive thoughts take over. Others, the depression does take over, and there's nothing to do but ride the waves of your grief for a couple days.

Fellow EDS and HSD folks, I wish you all a safe and peaceful month 💖💖

To non-EDS/HSD folks, go learn about EDS and HSD this month!