#why i write mikey with fibromyalgia

[brightlotusmoon]

2003 Mikey chronic pain headcanons, give them to me.

Arthritis in both legs, for example. I headcanon him with hypermobility EDS III alongside the AuDHD. Restless Leg Syndrome. Chondromalacia Patellae. Sciatica. Tendinitis.

[brightlotusmoon]

*entire body screaming in pain all day*

*drugs kick in*

*entire body softly groaning in pain*

My sleep brain: fuck it, close enough, time to sleep.

My THC brain with ADHD (or the other way around): You fool, you think we're not going to read Whump fics for an hour and then dream an entire episode.

*drugs kick in harder*

Yeah I'm good now. Kick harder, drugs.

[brightlotusmoon]

Weather and Chronic Pain | PainScale

"Heat and humidity can increase pain in various ways. Hot weather and humidity often increase the levels of ozone in the air, which can exacerbate pain for those with fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. High temperatures and humidity can also increase overall levels of inflammation in the body, leading to more pain. Several types of headaches, including migraines, can also occur more often during the summer months. This could be due to dehydration, bright light, or sun glare."

[brightlotusmoon]

All day the high weather pressure has made it impossible to walk upright for more than a little, I do not want to exercise even though I have to. Spastic cerebral palsy and fibromyalgia means a permanent chronic litany of "I'll do it but it's going to hurt" running through me. Yes, this exercise hurts. Yes, that exercise hurts. Yes, all those kinds of stretches hurt. Lemme stop you and say that everything will hurt. It's a question of which hurt I can tolerate in the moment.

YES that will also hurt.

[brightlotusmoon]

Here we go, getting Baron Draxum stoned on edibles.

Draxum On Cannabis:

"See?” Draxum looked up at the older turtles. “Told you I could help.”

Donnie sighed. “We didn’t doubt that.”

Mikey flopped his head against the back of the couch. “It’s a lot like when the edibles kick in, but like, deeper, you know? It doesn’t hurt, I can shove it aside."

Donnie was taking notes. Raph crouched in front of Mikey. “So,” he huffed and pulled out a tin of gummies.  “Wanna compare?”

Mikey grinned, suddenly full of spark. “Oooh.”

“…can I try one?” Draxum asked very softly.

They all looked at him with wide eyes.

“Awwwww!” Mikey squeaked.

“Yeah, man!” Raph laughed. “Go for it. It’s blueberry flavor.” Raph held the tin out for everyone. They each took a dark blue square, then looked at Draxum.

Draxum cleared his throat, glancing around as if he was trying to make sure no one else was watching— especially not young Leonardo— before accepting one of them and a getting to look it over with scrutiny, seeming to be judging the proportions and angles as if he were a mathematician teacher studying his students' geometry work.

Raph leaned forward with a very amused smirk. “It’s drugs, dude, you eat it.”

Donnie smacked his shoulder with the back of his hand. “Let him science, bro. Medical psychoactives is an important field of study.”

Draxum frowned. “I need to make sure this isn’t some long-lived elaborate execution scheme.” He snorted impatiently at Raph,  giving his hoof a stubborn clop. “And trying to remember what blueberry tastes like.”

“Elab- you- what?” Raph shook his head. “You seriously think we’re gonna kill you?”

“Why wouldn’t you? You don’t like me.”

“No, but I don’t want you dead!” Raph was genuinely shocked. “You’re a helpful weirdo.”

Mikey inclined his head. “Yeah, what he said. You weirdo.”

“YOU'RE MORE WEIRD THAN I, TURTLE BOY! With your… weirdness and… and turtle-boy-ness!”

“We are weird,” Donnie said proudly. 

“Weirdos Are Us!” Mikey giggled, hands in the air.

Draxum huffed. “Well I’M not weird!” He crossed his arms.

Leo fixed him with a stern gaze. “Not the way we are.” And he flashed a Chesire Cat type grin.

“Why are you doing that?” Draxum whined.

“Because it’s fun.” Leo kept it up.

“Stop it.” Draxum bleated like a baby goat. “It’s scary.”

Raph threw his head back and laughed richly, booming. Leo, still grinning, shook his head. “You’re all right, Draxum. You love our baby brother and we know you want what’s best.”

“Yes. Most of the time at least.” Draxum finally ate the edible He has been holding, not chewing, just swallowing.

“It generally takes humans an hour or so to feel the effects,” Donnie said mildly. “For our bodies, it’s half that.”

“What is it for Yokai?” asked Draxum. 

All four turtles looked at Draxum expectantly.

“You tell us,” Leo said with a shrug.

"…..okay." Draxum said simply with a hum, “I’ve heard from others that aren’t personal experience in any way that it usually takes about ten minutes with the mystic medicinals, so we’ll see.”

Mikey was suddenly perched stiffly on the arm of the couch, face very near Draxum’s. “Might wanna sit down.”

“Why?”

Mikey’s mouth curved up at the edges. “First time effects can be different for everybody. Also, you’re a goat.”

“……Ah.”

Draxum didn’t have time to sit down, just stiffening and falling over like a fainting goat with a final bleat.

Mikey watched it happen. “Called it.”

Leo and Raph had nimbly caught the Yokai and settled him on the floor.

Draxum stayed stiff for a few seconds before reclaiming control of his limbs. “You saw nothing.”

“Saw what?” Donnie asked mildly.

“Exactly.” He snorted; he was already visibly relaxed.

Leo and Raph stayed where they were. 

“Want to sit on the couch or on a bean bag?” Raph offered. 

“You’ll probably start feeling dopey.”

“I’m fine!” He almost tipped over again.

“This is awesome,” Mikey said.

“Wait another ten minutes for it to be hilarious,” Donnie smiled.

After only five minutes, Baron was sat down bleating softly and looking at his fingers with amazed eyes.

“Awwwww, you guys, look at him,” Mikey cooed.

“That’s what Dad did the first time,” Leo noted.

“…. Why do I have so many fingers…” the Yokai pondered as he examined each one. “Five seems like too many….”

Mikey burst into another fit of giggles. “And three isn’t enough.”

Donnie had slumped a little on the couch, his torso pressed into the cushion. “Actual turtles have five…” And he sounded pouty.

“…why don’t you have five?” Draxum asked. 

“Mutagen is weird,” Leo said. All tension had gone out of his voice. He was sitting in a perfect lotus pose. “It’s unknown.”

Drwxum's brow furrowed. “…but your dad has five….”

Leo gave him a long, languid look. “Weird and unknown,” he repeated very slowly.

“….sooooo weird….”

“Yeahhh…. Weirdddddd…” the faun started laughing.

Mikey scooted closer. “Soooo?”

“……yeahhhhhhhh.” Draxum laughed, tumbling onto his back.

“Yeeeaahh?” Mikey knelt by him. “Feeling pretty good, huh?”

“….yeahhh…” Draxum had a massive loose smile, and he was kneading the air like a cat.

Mikey made a long trill and stretched out next to the tall faun. He rested his hands on his plastron. “Glad you like it, Draxy.”

“Meeee likeeee… the colors.” He started laughing.

“Okay, I love this guy,” Raph chuckled.

“I love you toooo.”

They all burst into loud, chittering laughter complete with hoots and clucks, probably waking someone up, not really caring.

“Whaaattt laughing?” Draxum pouted. 

Leo patted his shoulder. “You’re funny.”

“Thanks.” He smiled a goofy smile.

Donnie had begun doing yoga poses on his own, Raph had scooted closer to Mikey and begun massaging his right leg, and Leo was calmly observing, while facing the doorway.

Draxum pointed at Donnie. “What’s the stretchy turtle doing?”

“Yoga,” Donnie said.

"Yoga?"

“YOGA,” Mikey intoned, as deeply as he could.

“It’s just stretching and breathing,” Donnie said, in a Warrior pose.

Donnie repeated the moves. Mikey chanted, “go go!” very softly.

Draxum stood up on wobbly legs and tried to copy.

Mikey coughed to smother a snort.

Raph whispered, “He bends like a tree."

Leo just smiled docilely.

Donnie stopped, calculating. “You’ve never done this sort of thing?”

“Er. Not particularly, no,” Draxum mumbled. 

Donnie set his chin on his fist and hummed. He began to circle Draxum, looking him up and down

Draxum started humming the Jaws theme.

Mikey lost it and yelled out his laughter. “I did that once!”

Draxum sighed. “Young Michelangelo cursed me with modern media references…”

“Yeah, that’ll happen,” Raph said. He helped Mikey to his feet and began helping him through a standard tai chi form.

“I know THAT though.” Draxum declared as he noticed the form.

“That might be easier,” Donnie said. “Yoga has gotten painful for Mikey, but qigong forms are very gentle and less strenuous on traumatized connective tissue.”

“Mmmmm nice.” Draxum smiled. “Good for him.”

“That’s what I say when Donnie says words,” Raph nodded. Donnie continued on his own.

Mikey’s right ankle turned hard and he hissed.

Draxum frowned. “Are you okay?”

“Looks painful.”

“It is,” Mikey said. “But it’s fine.”

“It’s not.”

Raph mouthed “thank you” at Draxum. 

Mikey just shrugged. “You get used to it.”

“Doesn’t mean it’s fine.” Draxum snorted. “I’m sure Yoshi got used to his torment too, after a time.”

Mikey stiffened and stared at the faun. “….oh.”

Raph began rubbing his biceps. “He’s right, you know.”

“Of course I’m right! I am the very model of a warring warrior scientist!” The second part was almost sung.

Mikey’s look of shock morphed to one of delight. “I LOVE parody songs.”

“Thanks! I sang it about destroying the turtles!”

Delight became confusion and disgust. Mikey blinked.

Raph smirked. “Yeah, there’s the villain tendencies.”

“But you’re better than that,” Leo spoke up, looking directly at Draxum.

“I am now, wasn’t then.” He started to hum the song again. “We want those little tuuuuurrrrtles to crush them with our iron fists from Brooklyn to the Bowery Hill and grind them into nothingnessss…” he seemed happy singing, and then got suddenly sad.

“You okay?” Leo asked.

“….I’m sad now.” He pouted, shrinking and crossing his arms.

The others stopped moving and stood around him, Mikey taking his hand and patting it. “That happens. The drug makes you dig up deep thoughts while it relaxes you and all.”

Draxum pressed his face into Mikey. “Mmph.” 

The faun seemed to be crying.

“Oh, okay, we’re sitting.” Mikey rubbed his back, leading him to the couch.

Draxum softly bleated. “Whyyyyyyyy…”

"Why are we sitting or why in general?" Mikey asked.

“Eruhhhhhh…. First’n.”

“We’re sitting on the couch because it is comfy and you are sad,” Mikey told him.

“Mm. Comfy couch.” Draxum melted into the cushion.

On his other side, Leo stared at his head. “Can I touch your ear?”

“…why?”

“Because it looks soft and fuzzy."

“….okay.”

Leo very carefully, very gently stroked Draxum’s ear with a fingertip. “That’s all.”

The ear flicked into the touch, and Draxum gave a soft snort.

“Told you he’s fuzzy,” Mikey grinned.

“Fluffy,” Draxum said. Not fuzzy.”

“Fluffy,” Leo nodded.

“Yes. Very.” He started petting his ears.

Leo tilted his head. “Ears are weird.”

“Heyyyyy.” Draxum pouted.

“Yeah,” Mikey chirped, tapping his own ear slit.

“My ears are beautiful!”

“Yours are,” Raph said, pointing.

“Mmmmya. And puppy ears. Puppy ears are cute.”

“Puppy ears are an excellent tactile source of oxytocin,” Donnie supplied, hands behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

“Mmmm words….” Draxum closed his eyes. “Gargoyles are like puppies. That’s funny.”

“Explain,” Donnie said.

“They’re good to pet. And they like protecting their owners, and they eat from the garbage, and Sleep in little beds by the fireplace…”

“Awwwww,” they all chorused.

Mikey reached over to squeeze Draxum’s hand. “Where are they?”

“….yeah….”  Draxum said very softly.

“I don’t know. I miss them.”

The four turtles hung their heads in solidarity. 

Donnie suddenly sprung up and took off. Moments later he was back, and dumped Klunk onto Draxum’s lap. He returned to his place on the couch exactly.

“….kitten.” Draxum said simply, staring at the kitten.

“Kitten,” Mikey agreed.

“Kitten!” Raph grinned.

“Why kitten?” Draxum wondered. 

Donnie leaned sideways, until his head was on Mikey’s shoulder. “You said you miss your gargoyles, who you said are like puppies. We don’t have a puppy but we have a kitten.”

“…..they’re not the same though. Fluffy.” He pet Klunk’s ear.

“No they are not,” Donnie confirmed. 

Mikey began to stroke Klunk's head.

“….he is vibrating.” Draxum commented when Klunk started purring.

“He’s purring,” Leo explained.

“Wwwwwhy?”

“No one really knows,” Donnie said. “The prevailing theory involves multiple vocal cords.”

“….it’s nice.” Draxum very very carefully pet Klunk along his back.

As Klunk’s purring grew stronger, Leo began scritching the kitten's chin. “It’s healing.”

“I sense no mystic properties in this purr.”

“Vibration,” Donnie said. “It’s physics.”

“Vibration is healing?”

“Yes,” and Donnie's eyes lit up brightly. "As much as it is destructive."

“Hmmm…” Draxum considered, and he picked up Klunk by his scruff. “Acceptable.“

Klunk mewled his upset and wriggled.

Leo helpfully put his large hand under the kitten.

Donnie abruptly pulled out his tablet. “Let me introduce you to Bill Nye The Science Guy.”

“Who is this Nye of the science?” Draxum demanded. 

The tablet was placed in his lap, Donnie eagerly tapping play on the first episode.

Raph softly chanted, “Bill! Bill! Bill!”

“....so I take it his name is Bill.”

Mikey and Donnie were now piled next to him. “His name is Bill,” Mikey giggled.

“Mm. And no personal space, lovely. If I had horns I’d headbutt all of you.”

“No you wouldn’t,” Mikey said.

“Yes I would. Just like this. Nya.” He bunted Mikey gently with his head.

Donnie lifted his head from Mikey’s shoulder and snorted in amusement. “That’s a cat.”

"I am no such thing! I am a faun! I think."

“You mean like the Greek myths?” Leo asked.

“Yes, I suppose.” Draxum hummed. “It’s the closest to what I am, I think. I’m not entirely sure WHAT exactly I am, though. I know there’s no others that look like me. None that remain, anyway.”

There was silence from the turtles. Raph cleared his throat. “Yeah, that sucks.“

Draxum shrugged. “It is what it is," he said, “I learned to live with it in isolation. Until my goyles, of course. And then Big Mama, and Hamato Yoshi.”

“Relationship and connection is important,” Leo said.

“Mm. Wasn’t so much for me growing up. Didn’t bother with companionship until I was grown.”

“And look how you turned out,” Raph snarked. Donnie snorted.

“Perfect?”

Mikey grinned. “Sure, what the hell.”

“Exactly! See, the orange one agrees!”

Mikey patted his shoulder. “Sarcasm, dude.”

“I’ll just ignore that, then.”

"We'll help you figure it out. Sarcasm is a fine art." Mikey grinned.

“Then I MUST LEARN IT!” Draxum intoned. 

Mikey decided to cuddle up to him. “Well, then, hit play on the next episode.”

Draxum hit the screen.

“…no, not like that.” Mikey went deadpan.

Leo burst into wild laughter, doubling over.

Sighing, Mikey showed Draxum how to “LIGHTLY TAP” the screen. He held up his finger and repeated softly, “lightly.”

Draxum tapped, completely missing the right button and accidentally closing out the tab.

“I broke it.”

“No, dude, you just closed the tab, we can bring it back up. Here.” Mikey was patient as he demonstrated.

“MAGIC MAN BROUGHT BACK THE SCIENCE BILL!”

“Wh- I’m not magic,” Mikey said, genuinely puzzled. That set Raph off laughing. Donnie, utterly reclined with his long legs out, snorted a few times. Leo was just watching, head propped in his hand.

“Well, ‘mystic’ if you’re asking for the correct terminology,” said Draxum. 

“But I…” Mikey thought about this. “Yeah, okay. Guess there’s not much difference between that and psionic powers like in comic books.”

“The only difference is in the words.” Draxum nodded.

Donnie grinned. “I told you so. Clarke’s Third Law strikes again.” Mikey stuck his tongue out at him.

“Who is Clark? How many laws had he made?”

Donnie took a deep breath. Mikey held up a hand. He minimized the Nye video, pulled up a search page, and typed in Clarke’s Third Law.

Draxum grinned. “Ah, the strange technology will report all to me!”

“You know who Draxy sounds like?” Raph asked.

“Orson Welles?” Donnie asked. “Jules Verne? Nostradamus?”

Raph paused. “Actually, yeah. Like a science fiction writer from the 19th century.”

“I’ve met a couple of those.” Draxum commented absently.

“You did not, shut up!” Mikey gasped. “Really?”

“Well, yes, many Yokai are very long lived…”

“It would make sense,” Donnie said. “Imagine actually existing alongside Clarke himself, or Isaac Asimov. Or hell, Ray Bradbury.”

“Lost in the geek sauce,” Raph grinned.

“Oh, hush, I saw you reading Joseph Campbell,” Donnie smirked.

Raph sniffed. “I like talking about mythology and archetypes. I am a cultured brute squad.”

“You are indeed a brute squad unto yourself.”

“Well, most of the ones you know would be human.” Draxum said. 

“A few were Yokai, living out their days in their shifted form, and others were famous to Yokai but probably unknown to you.”

Raph’s eyes suddenly bulged. “Nawww, don’t tell me, Lovecraft?”

“Yes. And Shakespeare, Edgar Allen…” he started listing off.

“What!” Leo gasped.

“Aww, no way,” Mikey giggled.

“Is it so astonishing?”

“Well, no,” Mikey said. “Not when you think about it. But humans love conspiracy theories.”

[brightlotusmoon]

Was thinking about some TMNT disability headcanons earlier today! I dont have a TMNT blog to post em on but I thought you might like them

Raph's shortsighted, and Rise Raph lost his sight in the eye that was infected by the Kraang. He's got ADHD, IED & ODD too.

Donnie's got a whole bunch of stuff going on by his late 20s. CFS, fibromyalgia, and gastrointestinal issues. He alternates between a wheelchair and crutches and uses a custom-made back brace that fits his shell.

Mikey has autism & ADHD, no question. Wears headphones for sensory processing issues. I think he's also hyperflexible, maybe hEDS? He wears braces for that.

Leo's got some nerve damage in his hands as well as hand tremors. He needs things to help with his grip.

Excellent headcanons! I'm picturing Mikey with snake jewelry that some of my hEDS friends use. I could see him with fibromyalgia too considering how he naturally moves and how his knees would go through a lot of trauma.

I've had a 2003 headcanon where Mikey has arthritis by the end of the series, and either fibro or hEDS. AuDHD poster boy.

Donnie makes custom braces for everyone. Raph's got some torso pains and Leo has epic scar tissue that Mikey uses Reiki on.

[brightlotusmoon]

Not a hot take: All the ninja turtles throughout every iteration are disabled in multiple ways with chronic pain. We know they're all neurodivergent by now. It's time to discuss the physical and neurological trauma.

In this essay I will

[brightlotusmoon]

Mom sent me a real updated article on fibromyalgia, and I know mutuals who could use it.

[brightlotusmoon]

I would not wish any companion in the world but you - Chapter 94 - BrightLotusMoon, Sissystinger - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Bay Movies) [Archive of Our Own]

Sorry, Bay Leo, but nobody trusts you to be normal about anything. Rise Leonardo especially.

(in which Bay Mikey has a seizure in the Rise kitchen and we're being respectful and sneaky about it.)

-

Leonardo left Mikey and hurried to the spare room, shared the one Donnie and Leo shared. Verrry carefully, Leonardo shook Donnie.

Donnie's eyes snapped open and he sat straight up without using his arms, a testament to his core strength. "What's wrong, what happened?"

This automatically woke Leo, who was already out of the bed.

Leonardo hissed through his teeth when he realized Leo was up too, but he tried to salvage the situation. “Sorry to scare you. I just… need your help organizing the med bay? You know, moving some more important stuff into more… accessible places in case we need them.”

Donnie gave him a long look.

"Go back to sleep, Leo," he said, not taking his Very Understanding eyes off Leonardo. "It's nothing. I got this."

Leo mumbled and got back under the covers. "Sorry, ninja reflex." He was in fact only half awake, and fell asleep immediately.

Leonardo mouthed a ‘thank you’.

Once they were outside of the room, Leonardo leaned to whisper to Donnie, still taking great care to not alert Leo.

-

[brightlotusmoon]

Hello, this is probably really random, but you’re one of my FAVORITE Mikey writers / theorizers lmao. I’ve read a ton of your works and I loved the analysis posts I got to saw :D I wanted to ask if you’ve seen the rottmnt mikey character analysis by skulltrots yet, since I’m coming straight from that video (as in, it’s playing in the corner of my screen as a type this lmao) and really wanted to start seeing peoples opinions on it! If you haven’t yet, no biggies! Thanks fam :D

—fellow Mikey enjoyer of every iteration

First of all, AAAAAA thank you thank you thank you, I'm so happy when people in the fandom tell me that. My Mikey posts have been more and more about awareness and understanding of my self and others, too.

Second of all, wow, you're in my head, because I just blogged that exact video and nodded along until my neck cramped. What timing! 🧡

[brightlotusmoon]

It's been a year since I got a medical marijuana card. I now have favorite strains, I know a fuckton about terpenes, I know which strains I can't handle alone, I know what strains I prefer as bud, vape, resin, RSO, or literal butter.

I left the dispensaries this weekend skipping* and whisper singing the names of the beloved hard to find strains in my shiny new bags that the stores gave.

(*Spastic Hemiplegia makes it really hard)

[brightlotusmoon]

Fibromyalgia Tender Points

https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/fibromyalgia/fibromyalgia-tender-points

Not me doing even more research on my own disorders to make a fanfic scene more real and emotional and relatable ha ha ha I can totally do that now without being considered weird, and it only took twenty years!

@remmushound this will be useful for Splinter's massage therapy for Mikey.

[brightlotusmoon]

idk why but epileptic mikey (specifically 2012 cus that's the iteration i have brainrot of rn) brings me so much comfort like aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

You know what? This ask brings me so much comfort. I based Mikey's epilepsy and fibromyalgia on mine.

[brightlotusmoon]

The Role of Neurogenic Inflammation in Fibromyalgia Pathophysiology - Rheumatology Advisor

@remmushound for the Mikeys. Because I forgot that it happens. *itchyyy*

[brightlotusmoon]

Mm. It's raining again.

Fibromyalgia sometimes makes rain feel like donuts and screaming.

[brightlotusmoon]

Someone: "But how can you write a story about a disabled ninja? Ninjas aren't supposed to be disabled, that's the idea, they're supposed to be peak human ability."

Me, staring, completely blindsided: Uh. There's four of them with turtle DNA that would mightily disagree with you. First of all. Second of all, I commend your audacity. That's some impressive ingrained ableism.

I'm genuinely not sure what to say to this. Help.