chronicpainlife

[chronicpainlife]

About the Halloween Crowd Crush in the Itaewon District of Seoul, South Korea

The information here is to provide some clarification on crowd crushes, and some specific information on what happened in Itaewon. First, some general information:

The circled parts are very important: uneven ground + narrow passageway.

Let’s compare this to another crowd crush that happened in April of 2021 in Israel:

Again, we have a situation with a narrow passageway and a sloping floor (a staircase, in this case).

There is an idea that people will file through an area without much incident, it’s crowded and slow but it’s otherwise not going to be a problem. After all, if I fall down, I can just stand up again. But in reality, it is a matter of physics…at this density, we almost behave as a liquid. You fall down, and suddenly there are people on top of you.

Being on top of the pile, you cannot easily push yourself off. You can roll, but you’re only rolling across the pile, not off. You’re too high/far for any of the rescue people on the ground to pull you off (to reduce the pressure on lower layers). And you can’t easily push yourself up because people are squishy and squirming, there’s no way to get firm enough “ground” to push off. So you’re stuck trying to rock yourself off of the pile, putting additional pressure and taking more time. This is why rescue workers began pulling at the bottom layers rather than trying to pull/push off the top layers.

My students have been haunted by the images (not shown here, but shared on social media). Those images may haunt them for years, maybe forever. What we can do is use those bad images to remind us to be safe. It’s not their fault, of course. The victims had no idea this would happen…most people don’t understand crowd crushes. I know about them because of my fields of study. So it’s not to say it was their fault. But from this lesson, we can stop others from being in this situation. We can pause and go the long way, or wait a few more minutes to let the crowd dissipate, and we will be safer and the crowd will also be safer.

Unfortunately, VERY unfortunately, safety lessons are “hard learned”. It means that we only pay attention after a tragedy. THEN we think about safety.

It’s hard to deal with because this was something no one expected. It was an accident. And I think people are upset because they “should have” expected it. But really, only people like me who had to study this stuff, we know it’s a reasonable expectation but most people don’t. It’s not their fault; but now we are all very aware of it at the same time. Maybe now politicians can understand this risk better.

We have to remember there is no one to blame. Some people want to place blame; I think it helps them feel safe. If they can blame X, then avoid X, they believe they are safe from this type of harm. They blame “being drunk” or they blame “pushing”, or “they were too young to know better.” But really, it is not that. It was pure physics. A lot of people in a narrow alley + uneven/sloping ground + one or two people tripping and falling = a “wave” of people falling, too. It’s not about age, drunkenness, etc.

And that’s hardest for people to accept. We want to think we have control over our lives, over our safety. We want to think we can be safe if only we do XYZ. But a lot of life is just luck. And this makes people feel really uncomfortable, so they get upset and try to blame someone or something.

I think that’s why these tragedies are burned into our memories so hard, because not only are they devastating and tragic as a human loss, but they are also a very horrifying reminder that any of us or our loved ones can just…not be here tomorrow.

We do the most we can, and have to accept that it’s the most we can do.

If you need someone to talk to, my inbox is always open.

[chronicpainlife]

I don’t usually post this stuff but my friend is awesome and is going through a rough time; I want to help so I am posting this.

Her IG link: https://instagram.com/momcat_rescue

She works hard doing low-paying work and all her money goes to helping stray cats. She has saved so many cats, and has dealt with the emotional trials of losing some, too. Not only is she busy with this and work, she recently was in the hospital for a life-saving operation. All she thought about were how many cats still needed help.

With the rainy season, she is unable to work and still has her own hospital bills. She houses many former strays and they have run out of food. She is trying to sell her cellphone just to afford food for them for a while.

Currently, she still needs US $140 to cover their food. Her donation links are here: https://linktr.ee/momcats

She appreciates all donations and posts updates on the condition of the kitties. Donations are great, and so are reblogs 😻

[chronicpainlife]

Inspired by mid-migraine conversation

[chronicpainlife]

I’m doing a read of this book. If you need some background noise, there are no ads or loud sounds (occasional dog bark in distance but it isn’t “sharp”), no sudden meme inserts at a high volume/pitch…since I have chronic migraines, I made this for similar to listen to safely.

The book takes an unexpected turn right away…join me!

https://youtu.be/6zCVLuNYE9Q

#atheist #atheism #christianity #christian #fundamentalist #atheist bible study #chronic pain #migraines #chronic migraines #spoonies #out of mana

[chronicpainlife]

[chronicpainlife]

#chronic pain #fibromyalgia #migraine #chronic illness #chronic fatigue #migraines #spoonies #disability #out of mana #cfs

[chronicpainlife]

Saw the original and had to meme

#chronic pain #chronic migraines #migraine #cfs #fibromyalgia #teaching with chronic pain #working with chronic pain #migraine memes #migraine meme #spoonies #spooniememe #out of mana

[chronicpainlife]

I’ve never even had temporary relief from a chiropractor!

#chronic pain #fibromyalgia #migraine #chronic illness #chronic fatigue #migraines #disability #spoonies #cfs

[chronicpainlife]

I'm too stressed and overwhelmed to write this all out again but I have other posts explaining fully. I'm a chronically ill black lesbian, I'm trying to pay a lot of medical bills, I also recently just had covid (including on my birthday 🙃) which means I missed work for 9 full days. and all my other posts are losing traction so I never reach goal and continue to fall further behind.

Please help if you can I'm so tired and need more appts but need to pay certain amounts of the previous ones before the next. Black women recieve terrible Healthcare in this country and it took 15 years to get a good doctor. Please help me not continue to suffer. I'm just...exhausted.

Me and my gf, a Trans lesbian are paycheck to paycheck trying to continue my care (as well as her own less) while working and maintaining our home and utilities bills as well. Anything will help us at all even purchasing food from our wishlist so we don't starve while paying medical bills

TLDR: chronically ill black lesbian needs to pay for continued health care; she and trans lesbian gf need funds for bills as well after getting covid and missing work

pypal: [email protected]

vnmo: Serena-Manning

cshapp: $sailorsylvie

DM for Zelle

DM to pay any bills thru their web portals

WISHLIST OF FOOD NEEDS!

Please share to s1gnal b00sting blogs and Thank y'all so much for the continued help, you are literally saving my life 🖤

[chronicpainlife]

I am once again paying money to make you look at Gunther.

[chronicpainlife]

reddit but in the pokemon universe

[chronicpainlife]

Not sure what we’ll talk about, especially with this starter migraine, but a livestream starts in 15 min: https://youtu.be/fq93JYPMWEs

#chronic pain #fibromyalgia #migraine #cfs #chronic illness #chronic fatigue #migraines #disability #spoonies #out of mana #fibro #chronic fatigue syndrome #chronic pain memes #fatigue #spoonie #migraine memes #brain fog #pain #chronic migraines #fibromemes #Youtube

[chronicpainlife]

This one hovered around my heart for over a year <3 

[chronicpainlife]

#chronic pain #fibromyalgia #migraine #cfs #chronic illness #chronic fatigue #migraines #disability #spoonies #out of mana #fibro #chronic fatigue syndrome #chronic pain memes #fatigue #spoonie #migraine memes #brain fog #pain #chronic migraines #fibromemes

[chronicpainlife]

The Golden Girls ~ Life Lessons

Dorothy has been feeling ill for a number of weeks, and is worried that there might be something seriously wrong with her health. But, after seeing numerous doctors and specialists, no one can give her an answer as to what the issue could be, and instead dismiss her concerns with claims that she’s simply depressed about being single or getting older. Dr. Budd, in particular, suggests that she ‘take a cruise’ or ‘change your hair colour’ to make herself feel better, as his own wife did. Dorothy begins to wonder if it’s all in her head, but the girls assure her that they know she’s sick because they know her. Finally, after her friend, Dr. Weston, recommends her to specialist Dr. Chang, Dorothy is diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Relieved and happy that she finally has a name for what’s wrong with her – and that she’s not ‘crazy’ like the doctors originally made her believe – she takes the girls out to a celebratory dinner and sees Dr. Budd in the restaurant, where she decides to confront him about his treatment of her.

(Watch it here.)

#yasss queen #the golden girls #life lessons #dorothy zbornak #golden girls #season 5 #bea arthur #tv shows #classic tv #80s tv #retro tv #chronic illness memes #chronic pain memes #chronic pain #chronic illness #fibromyalgia #migraine

[chronicpainlife]

What do you wish you were taught in school?

[chronicpainlife]