#i already have a procedure scheduled in February | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

distilled-prose · 3 months

Text

First week in March 1974 ...it was fifty years ago today...

Winter quarter 1974 at the University of Georgia started out bleak and held that attitude for almost eight weeks. My class schedule included two labs, one being organic chemistry which was an open lab that required daily work all week long. My days would start in the cold dark and typically ended the same way. The sun had become a hypothetical concept for me. It was as if the entirety of the University of Georgia campus had devolved into some dystopian nightmare. Academically, it was to be the worst quarter of my college career. But that’s not why it’s memorable.

My roommates and I lived just off campus. While not excessively removed, it was not walking distance. But my only transportation was a stripped down 1967 Matchless motorcycle. On rainy days it was extremely uncomfortable. On many mornings it was below freezing before dawn and the drive into school was not only uncomfortable, but also exceedingly treacherous. The days slogged by, dreary, and unrelenting in desolate shades of gray. It is tremendously difficult to describe the bleakness of it all. However, even with exams looming on the immediate horizon, at the very end of February, Spring ignored the calendar and turned up SEVERAL consecutive gloriously sunny days, days in the mid to high seventy-degree range. It extended right into March. The winter quarter darkness had been banished. Life resumed. Campus dress immediately took a turn for the better with this long anticipated, most delightful weather. Everyone was relieved to put their coats away.

Coincidentally, at the same time, reports began filtering in about people in different parts of the country (mostly the south) running through public places without their clothes on. The news reports called it "streaking". Even Paul Harvey, in his noon time update ("Stand by for NEWS") mentioned it almost daily. It was like the manias described in medieval times.

Never a campus to be left behind, sightings of Streakers close to home began circulating. Through classrooms, across quadrangles, through the cafeteria, everything was fair game. It was all spread by word of mouth, as the internet and cell phones were still decades away. Coupled with the warm days and evenings, the activity seemed ideally suited for our circumstances.

My roommate (law school) and I (pharmacy school) were visiting friends of ours (“the girls”) at their apartment in a toney part of town. It was the first Tuesday of the month, March third, less than a week after the weather had gotten so wonderful. Someone called one of the girls and said there was a streaking event currently in progress at Russel Hall, one of the girl’s high-rise dorms. So, without much of any kind of delay, we headed right over to check it out. As reported, there were streakers circling the building and students congregated all around it watching. They were sitting in the grass, enjoying the unseasonably warm evening. It was well after dark, but jackets weren’t needed. It must still have been in the low mid sixty-degree range.

Periodically someone would exit the emergency stairwell facing Baxter street and run completely around the building, re-entering where they had started. While it didn’t seem odd at the time, all the streakers coming out of this girl’s dorm were male. My roommate and I went to check out the source of the excitement. “The girls” made themselves comfortable on the lawn. There were about a dozen guys, no girls, at the bottom of the stairwell when we arrived. Guys who were dressed were coming in and also leaving via this one exit door that opened to the side of the dorm facing the street. The procedure for that night was explained to us by this one guy who seemed to be the major coordinator for this impromptu event. One person would be sent out after they had completely stripped down. Another person also would be already stripped down and ready to go. After forty-five seconds or so, maybe a minute, the second person would be sent out while the next person stripped down. The exit door was opened just a bit so the first person could return inside without delay after completing their loop and get dressed. Although there was no rule (right word?) against it, nobody did a repeat run. So the spectators had a fairly constant spectacle of new streakers every forty-five to sixty seconds. Heaven forbid the spectators' interest was allowed to wane! My roommate and I decided to have a go, of course. After we finished our individual loops, got dressed, and came back out, we found our friends, and sat and watched as the night dreamily wore on. The girls were disappointed they did not recognize us in our moments of glory. But we didn’t volunteer for a repeat performance. It was all pretty heady stuff for the mid-seventies!

The campus was ALL abuzz the next day from the previous evening’s escapades. I’m certain there wasn’t much didactic learning going on that Wednesday. I certainly don’t remember going to my open lab… By Wednesday early evening the word was out. The University of Georgia was unofficially organizing to have the world’s largest streaking event on Thursday night, March fifth. Details were quite fuzzy, but it was supposed to start at the Meyers quad, on the south campus. I still can’t imagine how it was organized sans cell phones and emails. But by the end of that day everyone was looking for details. As Thursday developed, still without the focus on whatever academic major anyone THOUGHT they had, the plans became clear: Gather at the Meyers Quad and be ready to run by 11 p.m. The route was to be down Stanford Drive, past the stadium, and up into the Reed Quad. People had started gathering by 10, and the quad at Meyers was absolutely packed. One of “the girls” from our group was in the quad, not yet quite certain if she was going to run or not. A guy asked her why she hadn’t taken her clothes off. She deflected by asking him the same thing. He said, “I DO have my clothes off!” It was that crowded. She ultimately decided to watch instead of participating. Right about 11 everyone started running. The street was lined several deep with spectators all along the course. There were students, of course, and faculty, townsfolk, little children, old people, campus police, city police. It was quite the spectacle. Guys streaking outnumbered the girls by about twenty to one, as I recall, and much to my roommate’s and my dismay. The ending was extremely disorganized with folks wondering if they should put their clothes back on or not. Some folks had not carried their clothes with them, having left them at the start of the event. Some dorm residents were dancing naked in their windows in the various Reed Quad dorms. And I’m not certain who did the official counting, but the reports ended up claiming fifteen hundred streakers. We’d set the record. We entered the history books. And I sit here tonight, fifty years later to the day, amazed it all could have happened. (The day of the event, in the UGA school newspaper, Brad McCall posted the cartoon you see below. It was one of several he did during the build-up and immediate aftermath to that night.)

@goneahead @thelovelymazza6 @ends-2-beginnings @gorgeous-and-glamorous @littletornado @resistancekitty @frances17

16 notes · View notes

houseofbrat · 5 months

Text

For the record, I wish Kate well and a speedy recovery for whatever problem she has been admitted to The London Clinic for.

Because I do not believe for one second that she was admitted for "abdominal surgery." That was "planned." And needs to be in the hospital for 10-14 days, even though it's "non-cancerous."

Once you've eliminated surgeries related to cancer, then you've eliminated a whole bunch of surgeries that have long recovery times.

Hernia surgeries don't require three months of "recovery," and in the US, they certainly don't require you to be in the hospital (aka germ factories) for 10-14 days.

I suppose being in the hospital on iv antibiotics for a diverticulitis procedure is a possibility, except that the recovery from any kind of diverticulitis surgery is A LOT LESS than three months.

Easter is on 31 March 2024. Saying she won't do any public duties UNTIL April is two and a half to three months of "recovery."

And no, hysterectomies do not take that long to recover from.

Just ask Camilla.

12 APRIL 2012 The Duchess of Cornwall is to have a hysterectomy, it was announced last night. Camilla will undergo surgery to remove part or all of her womb at the beginning of next month. She will spend around four days in hospital then a further six weeks recovering. The 59-year-old duchess will still go on a ten-day visit to the Gulf states with Prince Charles, beginning next Monday. It is thought royal gynaecologist Marcus Setchell will carry out the operation at the private King Edward VII Hospital for Officers in London soon after she returns. She has cancelled a string of engagements.

That's right.

Clarence House announced when Camilla would be out of the public eye BEFORE the surgery happened. Not after she was admitted to the hospital.

Somehow Kate's "abdominal surgery" was "planned," yet William's entire schedule needs to be reworked all of the sudden? As in, announcing today that he needs to not do any public duties for a certain period of time until Kate is okay at home. Hey, it's not as if Kate has two parents who are retired. Two siblings. Other relatives. Or a nanny. Housekeeper. Other staff. Etc.

Because if this really was a "planned" surgery and not a sudden emergency, then why were KP comms teams leaking a trip to Rome less than a month ago?

And Russell Myers was leaking that Will & Kate were going to go abroad to visit the British military LAST WEEK???

Someone isn't being honest about what is going on, and it's definitely not me.

It sounds to me that The Princess of Wales had a nervous/mental breakdown and needed to be hospitalized. Except that they can't say that, so they're going with "planned" "abdominal surgery."

Because if it really was "planned" and not cancerous, then why wouldn't William be able to do an engagement here or there over the next few weeks? If the KP comms team is going to pretend that this is just a routine surgery--not urgent or emergent--then why is their behavior NOT matching the statements?

Crown Prince Haakon does engagements even when his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been ill.

Prince Albert works even when Princess Charlene has been ill.

But William's ENTIRE schedule needs to be reworked even though Kate's parents are retired and she has two siblings nearby and other friends and relatives? (And and other helpers...)

Yup. There is another announcement coming soon.

Not one that anyone else in the world is expecting--well, except for @mysteriouslytransparentwitch and myself.

It's that Dragon energy already coming in even though the lunar new year doesn't start until 10 February. That Green Dragon is bringing lots of surprises with it.

Super cold in the USA. Volcanic eruptions in an area of Iceland that hadn't had anything in 800 years.

And Princess Basement Baby!

Because Wales fandom ARMAGEDDON is almost upon us.

And is the Wales fandom prepared for it? Nope.

29 notes · View notes

killed-by-choice · 1 year

Text

Emma Beck, 30 (UK 2007)

“Living is hell for me. I should never have had an abortion. I see now I would have been a good mum.”

These were some of Emma Beck’s last words to the world. The suicide note was found near Emma’s body, where she had hung herself just one day before her 31st birthday. She was declared dead on February 1, 2007.

Emma was a well-known artist who found out she was pregnant in late 2006. It was quickly discovered that she was pregnant with twins. Emma was excited and told her boyfriend Ben, who she lived with at the time. He got upset at her and ended their relationship. Everything went downhill from there.

Ben didn’t want the twins and Emma ended up scheduled for an abortion at 8 weeks pregnant. Her mother later said, "I want to know why she was not given the opportunity to see a counsellor… She was only going ahead with the abortion because her boyfriend did not want the twins.”

Instead of giving Emma and her twins access to resources that actually could have helped, the NHS scheduled the abortion. Emma still showed obvious signs of not wanting to go through with it. She missed an appointment and then cancelled but later showed up to another appointment at an abortion facility clinic at Royal Cornwall Hospital in Treliske.

Emma’s suicide note was heartbreaking. She wrote, “I told everyone I didn't want to do it, even at the hospital. I was frightened, now it is too late. I died when my babies died. I want to be with my babies: they need me, no-one else does.”

Proponents of abortion often claim that abortion isn’t associated with depression. It was this belief that likely left Emma with no follow-up counseling or psychiatric care of any kind. Emma’s mother later told news sources that her daughter should have been offered post-abortive counseling. Dr. Katie Gibbs, Emma's GP, told a hearing, "She was extremely distressed by the abortion procedure, and I didn't think she ever came to terms with it.”

An inquest was held after Emma’s mother demanded answers about how her daughter and grandchildren had been treated. The inquest covered up the name of the abortionist, who wrote, “I am satisfied that everything was done to make sure that Emma consented to the operation… She had already been counselled by doctors by the time I saw her. As far as I can recall, Emma did not express any doubts about her decision. There is never any pressure put on a woman to choose either way.” The words were hollow to Emma’s mother and everyone else who hoped for justice. Emma had suffered two suicide attempts since the abortion, including the one that took her life.

Like so many others, Emma was exploited by abortion. She was coerced into it by a man who didn’t want to take responsibility for his own actions and left to pick up the pieces by herself afterwards. Her case is strikingly similar to too many others. Emma needed care, support and resources that were never given to her. Women deserve better than abortion.

#pro life #death from legal abortion #tw abortion #tw ab*rtion #tw coerced abortion #tw su1c1d3 #tw sui #tw sui attempt #tw selfharm #abortion debate #tw murder #abortion #unsafe but legal #unsafe yet legal

11 notes · View notes

warningsine · 8 months

Text

Sliding events at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be staged outside Italy after plans to build a new track in Cortina were dropped.

Games chief Giovanni Malago told the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Mumbai that costs had doubled to 80 million euros (£69.2m).

He said the Italian government wanted the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competitions moved to a new site.

Innsbruck in Austria has been suggested as an alternative.

However, no decision has been made as yet. The Games are scheduled to take place from 6-22 February 2026.

"As you know, this venue has been at the centre of a long and controversial process," said Malago, who is also the president of Italy's National Olympic Committee.

"Since the spring, a public tender procedure has been under way, going through different stages."

He said recent global financial trouble "has forced a reflection on the resources originally allocated by the Italian government".

"As a result, Milano-Cortina 2026 has identified another venue outside Italy. We are already working to explore all possible solutions and analyse the alternatives together with the IOC and international federations before submitting the choice to our board for final approval."

IOC co-ordination commission chair Kristin Kloster Aasen welcomed the move which is in line with its policy to avoid building Games venues without a clear legacy plan.

"This responsible commitment reinforces the position of the IOC that this venue needed to be reconsidered as the permanent legacy was not clear," she said.

But Flavio Roda, the president of Italy's Winters Sports Federation, criticised the decision, saying "the foundations for building the athletes of the future will be lost".

He added: "The reasoning of elevated costs isn't sufficient to explain such a serious decision. In Italy we don't have a single artificial track where teams can train, our athletes are forced to go abroad.

"I believe this is the final act, one that is destined to destroy the sliding sports movement in Italy."

#winter olympics #italy #sports

0 notes

bike42 · 1 year

Text

Mexico March 2023

The year has started off to be quite eventful for us. The first week in January, we attended a fabulous yoga retreat in Costa Rica. Jeff declared he’d never been so relaxed in his life, and believe it or not, he even loved the “Noble Silence” in the mornings with no talking until 10am.

We returned home and Jeff failed a cardiac stress test the next day (had been having some symptoms during the previous few months), so on January 17th he had another cardiac cath procedure and received two additional stents (joining the five that were placed after his heart attack in March 2020). He’s doing well and has already graduated from cardiac rehab (where is was not at all like the other participants).

The rest of January and February found us working with BrightStar to sell our Home Care and Staffing business, a process we started discussing with Shelly last May. As you can imagine, its hard for us to take this step as the business has been such a major piece of our lives for the past 16+ years. Shelly started a company called “BrightStar Owned” or BSO, which is run by a really sharp team that knew nothing about Home Care, but a lot about acquiring companies and streamlining operations. Before acquiring our enterprise, BSO consisted of 21 BrightStar branches located in AL, FL, AZ, TN, SC, Iowa, and of course the original Gurnee branch. We now have eight BSC branches (Madison, Janesville, Baraboo, LaCrosse, Racine, South Milwaukee, Central Milwaukee, and North Milwaukee), so our group will be the lion share of BSO going forward. Shelly has a plan to build BSO so its 20% of the BSC operation. She was very interested in our operation because of the strong culture and leaders that run the day-to-day operation. Our company will be a model for what she envisions that BSO can be. Jeff, Ryan and I will stay close to the business for the next year, acting as advisors to our team and consultants to the BSO directors. While its difficult to step away, the time is right. Considering that we never developed an “exit strategy,” things worked out just like they usually do.

We have realized that selling our BrightStar Care business was a transaction that will take us some time to process as there are so many emotions wrapped up in the deal. We’re so proud of the work we did together. Over the past 16+ years, we staffed nearly 1.5 million shifts. Mind-blowing. Lots of laughter, tears and good feelings of bringing peace of mind to our clients and their families, developing amazing managers that took ownership in the work, and of course the care staff – we couldn’t have done it without them.

This transaction won’t affect our two BrightStar Senior Living communities (Madison and Waunakee), so we’ll still be business owners and BrightStar franchisees. We have a wonderful team in place that takes care of the day to day for BSL, and it requires very little time and direction from us.

Our other exciting news is that we’ve closed on a lake home, north of Manitowish Waters. We just started looking last fall, and found the perfect place. We’ve bought a boat and are having fun furnishing the home and can’t wait until summer. Our plan is to go back and forth between Waunakee and Rock Lake. We’re still very engaged in our church, Waunakee pickleball, several boards and committees and volunteer gigs so we’ll manage to stay over-scheduled and busy in our post-BrightStar lives.

The last few weeks were extremely stressful as we worked to close our business deal. Conversations with attorneys for both sides about immaterial issues, a business broker that we were required to retain for the deal, who in the end did a ridiculous money grab - even though he’d been paid very well and had very little to do with the deal considering he didn’t find us the buyer!

We originally were going to spend a week in Mexico after our Costa Rica week last January. Our friends George and Kimberly Sanchez are building a massive rental property on the beach just north of Tulum and invited our hiking gang to be their inaugural guests. In December, they realized it wouldn’t be finished in January, so we “conservatively” rescheduled for late March - thinking our business deal and the property would both be wrapped up! Three weeks ago we heard from an optimistic George that they were working full speed and we could come but it wasn’t going to be finished. A week later, we heard from Kimberly that it wasn’t going to be ready - not even close (she was right). At the time, I was on a particularly stressful call about the deal, so I started researching for an alternative place to stay in Tulum. The rest of our group cancelled their plane tickets, but dreaming of Mexico was the only thing that got me through the few last weeks!

Of course, we had a snowstorm overnight in Madison with 4” of fresh stuff as we drove to the airport at 5am for our 6:30am departure - and the snow continued quite heavily! I never saw a plane encrusted with snow like that, but we boarded, sat about 30 minutes at the gate, then pushed back as they brushed the snow off the wings, hit us twice with de-icing fluid, then we waited for them to plow the runway, they hit us again with the de-ice and we were on our way to Minneapolis. About halfway there we broke out of the snow, and there was a fresh dusting of snow on the ground, but not at all like we’d left behind in Madison!

We’d had just an hour layover scheduled at MSP, and we were 90 minutes late departing Madison, but a quick power walk from C gates to G gates, and we walked right on the plane with about 5 minutes to spare. I’d checked other fights from MSP to Cancun and there were 3 more that day, so I’m confident we’d have made it regardless.

We arrived in Cancun just after 1pm. A warm, humid, blissful breezy day. We waited 90 minutes for our checked baggage - note to self, next time bring a carry-on and shop for clothes when you get here! We’d rented a car as Tulum is about 60-90 minutes south of Cancun - another hour lost to that process, but by 4 pm we were on the highway headed south.

Just after 5 pm we met George and Kimberly at their “house.” It was great to see in this state, and will be magnificent when we see it next year in its finished state. Even though George speaks fluent Spanish and has been onsite since January, it’s still been a nightmare for them - short cuts, people not reading the plans, installing things where they don’t belong, etc. After our tour, we went to a nearby restaurant and had a fabulous dinner, and time to catch up. It was great to chat with another former BrightStar owner as we are still processing all that, and hear about their grandkids and the upcoming travels they have planned.

By now it was dark, and we drove 7 more miles south and found Papaya Playa Project on “hotel row” in Cancun. Helpful staff met us at the car and took our luggage, and directed us to registration in the dark. We were overwhelmed there with options for the week, vegan popsicles, and need to swipe credit and debit cards for who even knows what (similar to the rental car procedure). Then our guide walked us through the courtyard where a Saturday festival was going on, through the restaurant that had circus-like performers walking around, and onto a boardwalk through the jungle to our room. The room itself reminded me of our place in Santorini but with a different view! The room, closet, shower and bed are all plaster - open, yet functional. We have a private terrace with lounge chairs, a hammock and a pool. Because of the fence giving us privacy, we can’t see the ocean, but we can hear it. Even though we won’t really get a feel for the place until we see it in daylight, I think it’s the perfect retreat we were looking for!

#papayaplayaproject

0 notes

the-hufflepuff-bitch · 1 year

Text

March 14, 2023

Happy Pi Day!

So my appointment with my primary care physician went well on February 2. She got me a referral to an electrophysiologist. Met with him on February 27th.

My SHG on February 10th was more middle of the road. This time they were able to see a uterine polyp. So I got that surgery scheduled for February 23rd, turns out that if you can handle the discomfort of an SHG you can handle the discomfort of having your polyp removed without anesthesia.

For a polypectomy (aka polyp removal) the options are full anesthesia or no anesthesia but pain meds and a local anesthetic. Since I'd already done the full anesthesia without issue, and the worst part of the SHG was cramping because I forgot to take an OTC pain med ahead of time, I decided to try it awake this time.

There a few stages, whereas I didn't have any prep for the prior surgery this time I had vaginal suppository to reduce ulcer risk. It triggered cramps for me, like I woke up in throughout the night due to cramps. Then I got to take two opioid medications, one of which I have a history of paranoia on without food, and an anti-nausea medication. Then off to the hospital. The room I was in had curtains for the multiple beds and everyone was there for various reproductive endocrinology reasons - I overheard someone else going through either IUI or IVF. Got ready, got local anesthetic. When it was time for me to have my polyp removed, I was walked into the procedure room. Got in the stirrups and then they filled my bladder so they could press down on it with an ultrasound machine. Then they got the tools in removing the polyp. Basically my bladder was being pressed against on two sides. But, I was able to watch the same screen as my doctor to view my polyp. Turns out it was multiple polyps. But they're removed now. After the surgery, I went home. By the time I made it home though, I'd hit my low food warning and was shaky and nauseous. I didn't have that issue with prior surgeries, and I think part of that was due to the saline drip.

A polypectomy basically starts your period as well, so to move forward with IUI I'm now waiting for my next period. Should be due around the end of the month - just in time for my SIL's baby shower.

My appointment with the electrophysiologist was less straightforward. He thinks I just have general low blood pressure. He recommends I eliminate caffeine from my diet (on day 2 of my period when all I feel is fatigue) and increase my salts and water intake. I also had an echocardiogram last week, to verify no physical issue with my heart. It is normal. But after eliminating caffeine and trying to increase salts/water intake I'm still dealing with lightheadedness.

So I'm in a holding pattern now. But I'm working on reducing my work stress as well. That is a whole other tangent I'm not going into here.

#my life post ectopic #polypectomy #low blood pressure #infertility journey

0 notes

bijouxbbxo · 1 year

Text

My GoFundMe

Hi,

My name is Bijoux. I'm a transwoman and a self-employed artist living in Portland, OR. I created this GoFundMe to help pay for my FFS and BFS (facial / body feminization surgery). While hormone therapy has and will continue to do wonders to improve my gender dysphoria, much of the dysphoria that I deal with is the result of how testosterone has permanently shaped and affected my body and bone structure through puberty and adulthood. This is something I struggle with every day and permeates every aspect of my being...my outlook on life, how I relate to myself, my body, my perception of myself and the perception of me by others. I scheduled surgery in February to help correct this damage by feminizing the shape and bone structure in my face and liposculpting my breasts and butt.

While I am currently on a waiting list with OHSU to receive FFS and other surgical procedures, the list is extremely long. It's a nightmare. The wait seems like an eternity. FFS literally has me on a "4-5 years" waiting list currently and I was added last January. My mental health can't wait as I already waited up to my mid 30s to come out and live authentically as a transgender person. After researching available options outside of the USA, I have decided to get help from an office called 'the Facial Team' based out of São Paulo, Brazil. They are reputable and were recommended to me by multiple reliable friends.

I'm currently a self-employed artist/musician. I'm using my savings and selling lots of my belongings to pay for the majority of the bill...but I really need help to reach my goal. My surgery's total costs are $122,749 REAIS (about $23,731 USD before exchange fees) but they are likely to be adjusted after my first in-person consultation. I set the goal for this page at $13k. The money donated to me will be contributed directly to my surgery and will not be used for traveling or any other expenses.

As I am selling some of my recording gear / music instruments, if you're a musician or a fan of my music, please feel free to contact me about purchasing items from me... Most of them are appearing on my instagram story for sale - @bijouxcone

Thanks for reading, sharing donating... xo ~Bijoux

0 notes

x--daughters-of-darkness--x · 1 year

Text

NITA STRAUSS Holds Clinic, Question-And-Answer Session And Meet-And-Greet At Guitar Center In Hollywood

Former Alice Cooper and current Demi Lovato guitarist Nita Strauss took part in a clinic, question-and-answer session and meet-and-greet on Saturday, February 18 at Guitar Center in Hollywood, California. Video (courtesy of the Clyde Shenefield YouTube channel),as well as photos, can be found below.

This past December, Nita underwent a surgery for a torn meniscus.

Nita's meniscus surgery was overseen by Dr. Michael Banffy, an orthopedic surgeon at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles who is also a team doctor for the Los Angeles Rams. The procedure took place seven months after she first sustained the injury while on the road with Cooper.

Strauss, who has been the in-house guitarist for Los Angeles Rams football games since the team moved to SoFi Stadium in 2020, discussed her operation in a social media post in November. At the time she said in a video message: "Surgery has had to be pushed to the end of the year — after Christmas, after the last Rams game — and then it'll be a full month before I can do anything at all again. So no shows, no performing, no nothing. I'm super disappointed at that; I was hoping to already be on the mend by now. But it is what it is."

In an October 2022 interview with Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station, Nita said that she had "been touring with a torn meniscus since May. So I'm actually not as injury prone as I usually would be, because I'm taking it a little easier," she added. "I have surgery scheduled at the end of this tour, between Rams games and everything else I have going on. So right now I've been playing through the most serious injury I've ever had and really just trying to take care of that, make sure it doesn't get worse before it gets better."

Asked if she had to take cortisone shots in order to deal with the pain while performing on stage in recent months, Nita said: "I've had two. I now can't have any more because it's too close to my surgery date. It's getting tough now, but we're making it through.

"All I can really do is keep it under control," she explained. "It's just the realities of running around on stage for 20 years; every once in a while you're gonna get hurt."

According to the Mayo Clinic, a torn meniscus is one of the most common knee injuries. Any activity that causes you to forcefully twist or rotate your knee, especially when putting your full weight on it, can lead to a torn meniscus.

Nita made her live debut with Demi last July with a performance of Lovato's single "Substance" on ABC's Emmy Award-winning late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!".

Strauss had been playing with Cooper since 2014 when she replaced Australian musician and former Michael Jackson player Orianthi. She joined Alice in time for a mammoth MÖTLEY CRÜE tour. She was recommended to Cooper by the legendary rocker's former bass player and WINGER frontman Kip Winger.

In October, Nita released a new solo single and accompanying music video, "The Wolf You Feed". The track features a guest appearance by Alissa White-Gluz of ARCH ENEMY.

"The Wolf You Feed" was the second song Nita has released featuring a star guest vocalist, the first being the "Dead Inside" which featured guest vocals from DISTURBED's David Draiman and saw Nita become the first ever solo female to have a No. 1 hit at Active Rock radio. She also returned to her instrumental roots last year with the release of single "Summer Storm", a fast-paced, emotive shred-fest.

As well as performing with Cooper, Nita has also played with R&B star Jermaine Jackson, early MTV darlings FEMME FATALE, video game supergroup CRITICAL HIT and popular tribute band THE IRON MAIDENS.

In April 2020, Nita launched "Rock Guitar Fundamentals" — a three-module online guitar teaching program suitable for learners of all levels. The course is available at www.iwanttoplayguitar.com.

youtube

#Nita Strauss #2023 news #metal ladies #metal music

1 note · View note

sassasrdr350pwp · 2 years

Text

Date of the SASSA SRD R350 Status Check

Everything you need to monitor the status of your SRD benefits via SASSA, including payment dates and collection times. The South African Social Security Administration, or SASSA, releases a payment schedule for the R350 Social Security Benefit each month. The Covid-19 Special Social Relief benefit is distributed and supported by the government via this organization. Additionally, they are in charge of those receiving disability assistance and child support.

Check the SASSA status

You may verify and get your R350 social assistance payment via a variety of ways. See how to use the Moya App to check the SASSA status. Additionally, you may use WhatsApp or SMS on your phone to check your Sassa status.

Bank account payment

You may skip standing in line at the Post Office by receiving payments via your bank account, which is likely the easiest and quickest method to get benefits. According to the grant application, the monthly payment would be sent to the beneficiary's bank account. Please take notice that the Covid-19 R350 financing application procedure REQUIRES that the bank account information or cellphone number supplied for payment BE REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE APPROVED APPLICANT USED TO ENSURE THAT THE PAYMENT IS SENT TO THE CORRECT RECIPIENT.

Obtain payment

People may collect your benefits from Post Office branches (SAPO/Post Bank), Pick-N-Pay, or Boxer retailers if you don't have any bank account information. You might also use a bank mobile money transfer (cash deposit option). Only until you have received an SMS confirming that payment has been received will you be able to claim your rewards. View the SRD Benefit Payment Dates for this week by using the table below.

What is the current status of my SASSA?

Unfortunately, a lot of individuals can't obtain the R350 since when they check their Sassa status online, it simply says "pending." The following statement was most recently released by the official SASSA on June 1st, 2022:

Payments under the next COVID-19 Special SRD grant cycle, which begins in April 2022, will start to be made in the middle of June 2022.

Before the bank information are verified, SASSA will keep removing past-due payments from the cycle. The payments will be paid on a monthly basis rather than all at once. No one will receive a payment in excess of twice in a given month even if multiple payments are made. Many of these payments will be made by SASSA for a month until the backlog is cleared, at which point they will continue to be made on a monthly basis.

Dates for SASSA payments in December 2022: Age-related allowance, effective December 1, 2022 Disability allowance - starting on Friday, December 2, 2022 Every other Sassa benefit will begin on Monday, December 5, 2022.

What is the process for the R350 Review after the SASSA Status Check?

They verify their personal information and financial situation throughout the evaluation procedure to make sure they are vulnerable people. There have lately been instances of processing reconsideration petitions being delayed as a result of communication with banks and financial institutions taking longer. Remember that in order to qualify for the covid-19 award, you must already be receiving covid-19 response funding from the government.

How can I check the R350 Grant?

If you find that your Covid-19 SRD R350 claim status is "Pending Re-Apply," you should take the following actions to contest that status:

You may reach the SRD website at https://srd.sassa.gov.za. The "Application for Reconsideration" tab should be selected. Select "Click here to apply for a review" after that. Name, ID number, and mobile phone number are required. To evaluate your payment, do the following steps. When does the grant for SASSA R350 expire? The government's Covid-19 grant of R350 and the distribution of benefits will be extended for another year, until March 2023, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa. On February 10, in Cape Town, the State of the Nation Address (SONA) made this announcement. It hopes that the Distress Aid would continue to assist South Africa's most vulnerable citizens. This funding should be seen as a short-term opportunity to assist those individuals in exploring other career paths. For each new SASSA Application, review the regulations.

By using SRD Grant applicants may also monitor the progress of their SRD applications on the official SASSA website by logging in at srd.sassa.gov.za.

Use this link on the online dashboard to see the SASSA official website's SRD grant application status: https://srd.sassa.gov.za/sc19/status

Enter the South African ID number of the applicant. The phone number you used to submit the application should be entered. Reconfirmation of SASSA is no longer necessary. The SASSA declared on September 9 that recipients would no longer need to certify their benefits every three months. Many individuals don't like this procedure. Individuals are no longer needed to submit their screening question responses every three months, and SASSA is not changing its requirements in this regard.

Unpaid but approved SRD Covid-19 Advantage Those who have chosen to send payments in cash or whose records show outstanding bank accounts, bank accounts whose verification by the National Treasury failed, or bank accounts that are awaiting verification from the National Treasury are considered approved but unpaid.

1 note · View note

kayla1993-world · 2 years

Text

Ontario patient says Canadian doctors deemed her cancer inoperable, so she'll pay $100K Cdn for surgery

For the last four years, Kylee Carnegie-Middlebrook has done everything she could to get rid of the cancer that's continued to grow inside of her.

But in February, she said, doctors told her the disease had spread beyond control and advised her to begin palliative treatments. "It was like total devastation," Carnegie-Middlebrook, 30, a resident of Harrow, Ont., told CBC News.

"I felt like I had spent so much time telling myself that I never wanted to get to that point, and I heard the words and my whole world just fell apart."

Carnegie-Middlebrook was diagnosed with appendix cancer in 2018, shortly after getting married. She said Canadian doctors who treat this type of cancer have denied her the surgery she feels she needs to save her life.

Carnegie-Middlebrook had already undergone cytoreductive surgery (CRS) with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) once before at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, two years after her diagnosis of this rare form of cancer.

Carnegie-Middlebrook said Canadian doctors have told her that her cancer is now inoperable, so they won't perform the CRS with HIPEC surgery again.

"It's scary, honestly," Carnegie-Middlebrook said of travelling outside Canada for care. "It's tough to think you'll go into an enormous amount of debt to save your life."

CBC News has also heard from one other person dealing with cancer at the time who had been denied the CRS with HIPEC surgery in Canada but was able to get it in the United States.

Kylee Carnegie-Middlebrook was first diagnosed with cancer in 2018. This year, doctors said the cancer had spread too much for her to be eligible for another surgery.

Carnegie-Middlebrook describes CRS with HIPEC as a "controlled car crash," and says people in the appendix cancer community have coined it the "mother of all surgeries."

The appendix is a small pouch of tissue in the abdomen and is part of the intestines and colon, which absorb nutrients and remove waste from the body.

Dr. David Bartlett, who specializes in CRS with HIPEC surgery in the U.S., is set to operate on Carnegie-Middlebrook in November. Bartlett told CBC News the surgery involves physically removing all tumours, which can total hundreds to thousands.

Bartlett said that if a tumour is difficult to remove from any organ involved, the organ would be removed as well if it isn't necessary. Once the procedure is complete, the patient's insides are bathed "in a hot chemotherapy bath to kill cancer cells that we can't see," said Bartlett, chair of the Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Cancer Institute.

Depending on how much the cancer has spread, the operation can take anywhere from three to 20 hours. "We have seen several patients from Canada and it's always the same reasoning, which is just that they have not been offered the operation in Canada," said Bartlett.

He added that sometimes patients also don't want to wait for a scheduled surgery in Canada and find they can get an earlier date in the U.S.

After her cancer diagnosis in 2018, Carnegie-Middlebrook underwent surgery and chemotherapy. She was considered cancer-free until 2020. Since then, the cancer has returned twice.

Carnegie-Middlebrook's first CRS-HIPEC surgery was 10 hours long and was performed by doctors at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto in August 2020.

The specific reasons, according to Carnegie-Middlebrook, were that the cancer had come back too quickly and doctors were uncertain they could remove all the tumours.

"I just wanted them to try," said Carnegie-Middlebrook. No matter how much she pushed, she said, the doctors wouldn't budge. "It's my life. I know I'm just a patient to them, but 'no' was the answer."

Based on her condition and similar cases, Carnegie-Middlebrook said, doctors told her she had about a year to live. A spokesperson for Mount Sinai told CBC News it does not comment on patient treatment decisions and its clinicians were not available for an interview.

But the hospital's surgical oncologist, Dr. Andrea McCart, said in a statement that all treatment decisions are discussed with several specialized radiologists, surgical and medical oncologists, "to come up with the best treatment plan for each individual patient."

"Cytoreduction and HIPEC are complex procedures; repeat surgery even more so. Patients are highly selected and the procedure may not be offered for a variety of reasons that include both patient and tumour factors," McCart said in the statement.

She said if doctors suspect the surgery wouldn't benefit the patient or if there is a high risk of complications or death, it wouldn't be offered. Bartlett said he doesn't want to speak for Canadian surgeons, but when it comes to the "risk-benefit, going through a complex operation with significant risk, in the U.S., there may be more appetite for that than in Canada."

"I would say there's a different philosophy in terms of the level of aggressiveness, and a lot of that comes down to your experience with the procedures."

He said that with this sort of rare cancer, there isn't enough data available to outline the best guidelines for treating it. Bartlett said he acts aggressively with early recurrences and has found that often, doing a repeat CRS with HIPEC surgery is more effective and leads to a better outcome.

Moving forward, Bartlett said, there needs to be more organized clinical trials that provide guidance on these sorts of rare cancers. Canadian bioethicist Kerry Bowman, who teaches at the University of Toronto, said Carnegie-Middlebrook's situation is "very worrisome," though he added he doesn't know the full details of her case.

He said the top concern for him is accessibility. "The Canada Health Act has various principles that underpin it that are both practical and ethical, one of which is accessibility, which just as it sounds, means that appropriate and reasonable treatments have to be accessible to Canadian citizens," he said.

"The Canadian health-care system is under such strain presently that I do think questions of accessibility are going to begin to emerge around the country, in which can we actually get the treatment that we require."

He said the Canadian government should look at ways to better support patients if more of them start to rely on U.S. health care due to the lack of resources in Canada.

For now, Carnegie-Middlebrook said she's in the process of applying for out-of-country Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) coverage, but she's been told it's unlikely to be approved.

She said her doctors are the experts OHIP consults with when looking into whether to approve such coverage applications. She said her doctors told her it would create a "dilemma" if they denied her the surgery, but then told OHIP to cover it outside Canada.

In an email, the Ontario Ministry of Health said Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) helps the ministry look over funding applications for out-of-country cancer treatments.

It said Cancer Care Ontario uses several experts to review the applications, and they are required to declare a conflict of interest. The reviewer could be excluded from the review if he or she is the treating doctor or has assessed the patient, the ministry said.

Carnegie-Middlebrook's mom, Marg Carnegie, started a GoFundMe called Kylee's Fight for Lifesaving Surgery to help them pay for the U.S. surgery.

Carnegie said this whole process has been difficult for her and has left her frustrated with the healthcare system. "There've been some really great people coming forward to help, and we appreciate it," said Carnegie.

0 notes

hopelesslylost10 · 2 years

Text

DATE: February 19th, 2022

I want to start by saying this. I without a doubt never expected this to happen when I decided to re-download tinder.

It was a Saturday night. I was sitting at the bar trying to deal with what enviable was the end of my 4 year marriage to a man I thought was the end all be all for me. We had a pretty tough relationship at the beginning and it got easier but it was always hard. Despite all of it I never thought the day would come where I'd wake up and not want to be with him or not love him. A month prior to his we had gotten in a huge fight about the normal thing we fought about... kids! When we first started our relationship I wanted nothing to do with having kids, then my sister got pregnant with twins and that made me realize even more I was meant to be that Aunt. The fun loving, always there for them whenever, no responsibility or cares aunt. But he wanted kids and he accepted what he thought was his fate. A childless marriage and he was okay with that. Fast forward the January of 2021 I found out new years day I was pregnant and man was I surprisingly over the moon with excitement. I was going to give the two loves of my life a cousin, a forever best friend... He on the other hand was not happy at all, he said over and over he wasn't ready and wasn't sure if he wanted kids anymore. I was sad but he knew it would make me happy so he supported it. I later that month had a miscarriage and that's where our problems started. I was devastated, I didn't leave our bed for over a month. What was wrong with me, why couldn't I carry a baby, why wasn't I enough of a woman. He was perfectly fine, unphased, unbothered by the whole thing. This of course made me drift away, made me realize I changed my whole life, everything I was for a man who wouldn't even change one thing for me anymore. Unfortunately a year later on the anniversary of my miscarriage I found out I was pregnant again Despite having an iud and having sex maybe 4 times that past year. I was excited but I knew what he was going to say. So I put my feelings aside and I schedule the procedure before even telling him the news. I remember sitting him down explaining it to him and saying I had the appointment already on the books. All he said was good. A week later I went to the appointment by myself. That was it, that was my final straw. I told him that night I was done and he just responded with okay.

A few weeks later(Feb 19th) I downloaded tinder... I filled it with pictures of my normal hilarious and happy personality and a great bio(I have always been very charming) I knew what I was doing and what I was looking for. Meaningless, emotionally unavailable sex. That's all I wanted. So I'm swiping and swiping. I'm going against everything I normally like. If you were remotely cute right you went. That's when it happened a profile pops up. Great beard, beautiful brown eyes, a smile that could melt snow off the mountains just down right handsome. Location about 15 miles away... perfect I thought I'll swipe right and give it ago. WE MATCHED. Hell yeah I thought but I'll play it cool, I'll wait to see if he messages me first...

1 note · View note

maybege · 3 years

Text

... Stays In Quantico - FBI Part 2

Summary: Back in Quantico, you are reminded just how difficult your situation is. (Part 2 of the FBI Series)

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x fem!Reader

Wordcount: 3.1k | Rating: T

Warnings: descriptions of an anxiety attack

Here we are! I am so excited to finally start sharing this story with you. Having binged through all 15 seasons, I just want to say now that (1) this story will be canon-divergent and (2) it will be a slow burn. It is my first longer story about Hotch and I hope I will do his character justice. As always, you can find the posting schedule linked in my masterlist.

Have fun reading and let me know what you think.

masterlist | crossposted on AO3

“I don’t know what to think.”

“This is not the kind of job where you don’t know what to think.”

“I know.”

“Hard to believe from someone who just told me she doesn’t know what to think.”

You shifted in your seat. The office you were in was colder than the bullpen of the BAU and you wished you had remembered to bring your cardigan with you. Now all you were wearing was your short-sleeved dress and heels.

To be fair, you had presumed this would just be a standard meeting with the in-house therapist. After the incident in Kansas City, it seemed like standard procedure and you were glad to have been offered this opportunity.

Now though, sitting in the way too soft armchair with the brunette older woman looking at you over her glasses, this felt more like an evaluation than anything else. And you absolutely hated it.

You looked at the still-life of a fruit bowl on the right wall, right next to a bookshelf full of framed certificates. A woman who was proud of her accomplishments.

The first and last time you had had an evaluation was when you had first started working at the FBI and back then you had been sure that you had failed it. You had been sure you had failed all of it.

Your grandmother always used to say that if you looked for flaws long enough you would find them.

Dr Johnson looked like she spent her life looking for flaws.

“Tell me again why you chose to work for the FBI – and the BAU specifically.”

You would not make it anyway. Fuck it.

“There is so much hurt in the world,” you started, watching her eyebrows rise over the frames of her glasses, “I would feel better knowing I am trying to do something against it. And as for the BAU,” you shrugged, “Chief Sector Strauss approached me about it and I thought I would be stupid not to take the opportunity.”

She hummed, looking down at her file. “You don’t have any official FBI training.”

“No.”

“Any formal police training?”

“No.”

“Gun training?”

You hid your smile at the thought of the recent debacle for the gun qualification.

“I took down an UnSub in Kansas City last week,” you reminded her, “That is why I am here.”

She did not react to it. “In fact,” she leafed through the papers in her hand, “You only recently finished college. How did that go for you?”

“Good,” you nodded, trying to keep your knee from bouncing, “It was good.”

“What did you major in?”

“English,” you replied and when you saw her raised eyebrow, tried to elaborate, “Um, English literature to be exact and I have a minor in law as well.”

“Why only a minor?”

“Pardon me?”

“Why did you only minor in law? Were you not good enough?”

To cover the unease from her question, you crossed your legs. “I had no interest in law,” you answered truthfully, “My passion was and is with literature.”

The full truth was, you simply did not like law students. That and the pressure they were under was, you were convinced, what brought many lawyers to an early grave. But she did not need to know that about you.

Ironic that you had ended up in the BAU after all this.

Totally not stressful.

She said your name, then, slowly, and leant forward. You tensed, knowing that look too well. Was this the moment she would tell you that you had failed the valuation? The moment Hotch would come into the office and hand you your resignation with that disappointed look in his eyes.

Maybe the way Kansas City had ended was just a way to disguise the true going-ons of your work here in Quantico?

“You have been here, what, seven months now, Agent?”

“Yes, eight months, coming February,” you replied, meeting her gaze and swallowing the dryness of your throat.

“Would you say you have adjusted to your life here in Virginia?”

You frowned, “What do you mean?”

Dr Johnson made a vague gesture as if encompassing everything and anything, “Do you have friends here? Family? How do you get on with your colleagues?”

Well, you certainly had not been expecting this kind of question.

“I live together with a friend,” you answered slowly, “My family lives in Idaho.”

“Idaho,” Johnson smiled, “A long way from home, no?”

“Yes.”

“Look, Agent, I am not going to lie,” she sighed, putting her pen down on the notepad, “I am not sure if you are the right fit for the FBI.”

You’re not the only one, you thought with a grimace.

“I am sure you are a good person, that your motivations for working here are true,” she elaborated, “But your lack of training? Your lack of … experience,” she gave you a pitiful look, “I am simply not convinced you are cut out for the work we need here.”

You had always thought it but hearing someone else say it to your face hit deeper than you ever could have thought. Your fingers started to tremble and you clasped your hands together, squeezing them to somehow force yourself to remain with as much dignity as you could.

“Okay,” you nodded, taking a deep breath in the hopes that it would keep your tears at bay, “What – what does that mean?”

“As there are no reasons for a suspension based on your mental health, the next step would be that I get in contact with your supervisor,” she threw a look on her paper, “SSA Aaron Hotchner, is that correct?” you nodded and she continued, “A written evaluation of your role at the BAU will be requested and then we will go from there. Best case scenario is you won’t leave at all, worst case scenario …”, she trailed off.

Of course, she did not need to finish the sentence for you to know what she was saying.

Worst case scenario: You would leave the FBI.

Realization washed over you and you smiled tightly at her. “Thank you, Dr Johnson,” you stood up, reaching a polite hand out to her which she took, “If you will excuse me, I should get back to my desk while I still can.”

Dr Johnson smiled kindly at you which only made it worse. She was pitying you. She felt sorry for you. Sorry for your incompetence, sorry for you not belonging in this place.

You felt like you would throw up any minute.

“Of course, Agent,” she said softly, “I will inform your supervisor of my recommendation. You will receive a copy of the protocol within the next week.”

You nodded, not meeting her eyes as you hurried out of her office.

The staff washroom on the third floor was always empty.

You knew that from the fact that you had often used it as a refuge after nearly dissolving into tears in the bullpen. That and the fact that the third floor was far away enough for anyone of the BAU to search for you here made it the perfect place to come after your talk with Dr Johnson.

You threw a look on your watch.

Six minutes. You would give yourself six minutes and then you would go to your desk and work on those reports and show Dr Johnson that you loved your job and that you were capable of doing it. You would show her that you were not the anxious, incompetent student she saw in you but someone who could be an asset to the team.

I am not sure if you are the right fit for the FBI.

Tears shot into your eyes and you locked the little cabin behind you, sitting on the edge of the toilet as you rushed to grab a few pieces of toilet paper.

The first sob echoed in the tiled room and you pressed the tissues to your mouth, hoping it would muffle the sounds somewhat. Your skin felt too hot and too tight and you could already see how your makeup would be ruined by the tears no matter how hard you tried.

And you had left your backup mascara in your bag at your desk.

Great. Just great.

Anxiety filled you at the thought of having to prove yourself even more than before. After Kansas City and Hotch’s encouraging words, you had somehow hoped that the hard part was over now. That you could focus on delivering good work instead of questioning if everyone doubted your belonging in the unit.

But maybe they were and they were just too polite to mention it? Maybe Dr Johnson was finally saying what they all wanted to spare you from?

Tears were rolling freely over your cheeks now, dropping onto your dress and you cursed, trying to wipe it away and somehow keep your face dry. There were still quite a few hours left in the workday and although you hoped there would not be a case coming in today, you were working along with a team of profilers.

You were like an open book to them even if there was the agreement to not profile each other.

A look on your watch told you it was nearly time to go and you took a moment to listen if anybody was there before stepping out of the little cubicle. It was completely abandoned.

Much like you had expected, you looked an absolute mess and just seeing yourself in the mirror brought fresh tears into your eyes.

“Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity,” you echoed the motto, gripping the edge of the counter and taking deep breaths, “Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity.”

“Hey, kid, how did it go?”

You entered the chaotic bullpen, just barely avoiding crashing into Anderson before making your way to your desk. Reid was seated across from you which meant that no matter how much of a mess you left at the end of a day, it still looked comparably neat.

Now though, it was nearly empty.

“Hi Derek,” you smiled tightly, your eyes still irritated from your impromptu cry session as you sat down at your desk.

You had splashed cold water on your face in hopes of somehow feeling and looking better. Still, you immediately went for your bag, scrambling to find your emergency mascara and lipstick to sneak back into the washroom before anyone noticed.

Especially –

“Agent,” Hotch’s voice boomed through the office and you winced, feeling the heat of tears collecting in your eyes again. You stayed ducked over your bag, hoping that maybe he did not mean you. Maybe he wanted to talk to Derek or Emily or Reid or –

Cleanly polished shoes appeared in your field of vision and you swallowed.

“In my office. Now.”

“Yes, Sir,” you mumbled, hastily wiping your cheek of a stray tear before straightening and following him up the stairs. You ignored Derek’s worried look, instead choosing to straighten your shoulders and stoically look ahead.

This was but an extension of the interview with Dr Johnson. You could do this even if the man terrified and intrigued you more than he should.

You had barely stepped foot in his office when he sat down. “Close the door. Sit down.”

You did, feeling much smaller than you had in Dr Johnson’s office. His lips were tight and he looked incredibly displeased, even for Hotch’s standards. You must have majorly messed up.

His hands were clasped in front of him and your eyes fell to his fingers. You swallowed heavily, hands wringing in your lap as you waited for him to start talking.

“Dr Johnson just informed me that a written evaluation of your performance on this team is being requested.”

“Sir, I can explain, I –“

He raised a hand, effectively silencing you and your mouth snapped shut.

“You do not need to explain anything,” he said calmly, “Dr Johnson is only doing her job and after what happened last week, it might not be such a bad idea.”

You nodded, trying to not seem as nervous as you were.

“Do not worry yourself over it. I meant what I said in Kansas,” he stated, facial expression unreadable, “You are a valuable addition to this team and I look forward to seeing your contributions in the future.”

“Yes, Sir,” you looked down on your hands, trying to hide your nervousness, “Thank you, Sir.”

“Call me Hotch.”

“Yes, Si- Hotch,” you corrected yourself with a sheepish smile. He was sitting at his desk, hands folded on top of it as he looked at you. And fuck, it should be forbidden to look this good. You froze, licking your lips and hoping you would be able to blame it on the dryness of your lips instead of you imagining what it would be like to feel his mouth on yours.

Not the time, a rational part of your brain reminded you, So not the fucking time.

Shuffling through the crowded metro you pressed your phone to your ear.

“I promise, it is all right, mom,” you assured her, letting yourself fall into one of the free seats, keeping your bag pressed against your chest. An elderly woman threw you an offended look and shuffled away from you as if you had any interest in stealing her dog off her hands.

“I am just worried, honey,” your mom said on the other side of the phone, “We are all worried. It is a hard job, isn’t it? And why do they keep putting you up for evaluations? You haven’t even been there for a full year!”

“Mom –“

“Are you okay?” she interrupted you in that voice that only your mom had, “Truly okay?

Your head fell against the window of the wagon, the heaviness of the day washing over you. You took a shuddering breath, “No, Mom, I – I don’t think I am.”

There was a sigh on the other side of the line. She was disappointed and worried, you could hear it already and it did not help to calm the anxiety raging in your stomach. You could almost see her in front of you, the pity in her eyes and the little furrow between her brows.

“You can always come home, hon, you know that, right?” she asked carefully and you cringed at how quiet she was being, “We can still find somewhere else for you to work. A nice option. You can come back home and dad and I will help you. I know it can take some time to find a good position. But you had so much fun doing literature, why not go back to it? You don’t have to stick there if it doesn’t make you happy.”

“But it does make me happy, mom,” you protested, wincing at how desperate you sounded, before adding quietly, “Saving people is what I want to do. And I can do it.”

“I am not saying you can’t, sweetie,” she assured you, “But maybe it is not what you should do with your life, hm?”

You could see that the light was on in the living room when you entered the small hallway. The sounds of the TV washed over your ears and you smiled.

“I’m home!”

A non-committal grunt answered you and you grinned, knowing that he was probably too entranced in whatever crime show he was currently watching. You let your keys fall onto the little side table and made sure to lock the deadbolt before making your way to Josh.

Your heels made clicking sounds on the floor and you took care to be as quiet as possible. “Hi,” you grinned, waving at him.

Josh was tall and lanky. And despite being offended if you ever told him that – looked exactly like one would imagine a law student to look. He was always well dressed and took great care when it came to all things cultural. He drank the best wine, read all the important books, watched all the niche movies to impress people.

Sometimes you joked that of the two of you, he was the one who could be expected to work for a government institution.

“It’s late,” he commented, nodding to the screen, “You’re usually here by the second episode.”

“I wanted to get some reports done,” you explained, shrugging out of your coat, “Had a chat with my boss today again. I thought it might be better to not give any more opportunities to criticize me. How was your day?”

“Boring,” he replied, “Attended that one event about intellectual property and want to lunch with a few friends from uni. You should come with us sometime, you will like them.”

You nodded, already thinking ahead of a day when you would have enough free time to join him and his friends. Dr Jones’ words about having a strong social life to fall back to echoed in your mind and you decided to make more of an effort to make friends.

It would be all right.

There was some Chinese takeout in Josh’s lap and you spotted a few grocery bags in the small hallway to your room and the kitchen.

“Did you get me the bananas like I asked?” you asked, slipping out of your heels.

Josh kept munching on his noddle, making a vague gesture that led you into the kitchen. And there, on the tiny dining table were two green bananas.

“They are not even ripe yet,” you called into the living room, “And I asked for four bananas, not two.”

“What do you need them for anyway?”

“I wanted to bake banana bread,” you said, turning to get out some flour and chocolate chips, “It’s an easy breakfast to have in the metro.”

Josh sighed, walking into the kitchen and throwing himself onto the black dining chair. “You barely eat at home anyway, that’ll just go to waste.”

“Which is exactly why it is nice to have something ready to eat on the go,” you explained, wondering if he had overheard your words.

Cracking two eggs into a bowl, you hummed. “I could bring it into the office,” you mused, starting to mush up the bananas, “I think JJ mentioned she liked it once.”

“To the colleagues that despise you?”

You frowned, “They don’t despise me. They are very nice to me, Josh.”

Josh took the last bite of his noodles, setting down the little container “By the way, Greg is coming over tonight.

“But it’s almost midnight,” you stated, throwing a confused look towards the clock, just to make sure, “Didn’t you say you will leave for that Seattle trip tomorrow?”

“Yeah, if it gets too late he will just stay on the couch,” Josh replied, shrugging. You nodded, not saying anything but knowing deep down that George would occupy the bathroom that morning so you would have to get up even earlier than normal.

That would be a stressful day.

#maybege writes #aaron hotchner x fem!reader #aaron hotchner x reader #hotch x reader

166 notes · View notes

365days365movies · 3 years

Text

February 18, 2021: The Danish Girl (Review)

Before I go into ANYTHING else...let’s talk about the actual Danish Girl, Lili Elbe, or Lili Ilse Elvenes.

Oh, uh, full warning, this is gonna be LONG, so skip to the bottom if you’re just here for the Review! OK, history time!

Now, what the film The Danish Girl notes about the beginning of the transition is pretty spot-on, from what I can tell. After marrying portrait painter Gerda Gottlieb in 1904, the two lived in Italy and France before moving to Paris in 1912. Yeah, that’s over 14 years before they’re shown doing so in the movie. Inaccuracy #1. In 1908 (here comes number 2), Elbe (Einar at the time) painted this portrait of trees along a fjord in Denmark.

Yeah, NOT in 1926, as the film says. But, yeah, that’s a nitpick, I recognize that. Anyway, the revelation came when model Anna Larssen (not “Ulla”, which is Inaccuracy #3) was late, and Gerda asked Elbe to fill in. When Larssen eventually showed up, she suggested the name “Lili”. Basically, this scene from the movie was pretty goddamn accurate.

Except for the dates, anyway. Because while the movie mostly takes place around 1926 and afterwards, this probably happened closer to 1920, in Paris. So, yeah, Lili spent a LOT more time as Lili in real life. Additionally, Lili was pretty goddamn public about the whole thing, inviting guests and hosting parties as herself, rather than as Einar. At the same time, Gerda was getting pretty goddamn famous for her paintings of Lili, like this one.

Which, yeah, are really good! Also, they were considered lesbian erotica by many! YEAH! And here’s a fun fact: Gerda may not have been straight-up straight. Yeah, the film and the book (we’ll get there) kind of ignored the fact that their marriage was annulled by the Danish government, not by the two of them. Inaccuracy #4. Now, obviously, their relationship ended, and Lili ended up getting together with a man (we’ll get there, too), but there are a LOT of unanswered questions about Gerda’s sexuality, and views of sexuality (which is barely hinted at in the “male gaze” speech in the beginning).

After the annulment, the two just...drifted apart. Their relationship dissolved, and the details on that are fuzzy. By 1930, Lili was headed on a completely different path. She wasn’t a painter like Einar (and it turns out that she thought of them as two entirely separate people, like two souls living in the same body, which the movie got mostly right), and she was mostly unsatisfied with her career, life, and other things. And that is where Drs. Erwin Gohrbandt and Magnus Hirschfeld come in, NOT Kurt Warnerkros...yet. He’d come in for the other five (YES FIVE) surgeries, but wouldn’t be involved with the first. Inaccuracy #5, and also #6, while we’re at it! See, the film would make you think that Lili was the first complete gender reassignment surgery, but she was actually the second. The first would be Dora Richter, in a procedure that was performed by Dr. Hirschfeld from 1922 - 1931. YEAH. BIG-ASS INACCURACY THERE. Here’s Dora, by the way:

Anyway, Lili had her first procedure, to remove the testicles, performed in 1930. In the same year, the divorce between Lili and Gerda was finalized, and Lili legally changed her name. Two more procedures were performed, the first to implant an ovary, and the second to remove the penis and scrotum. Inaccuracy #7, by the way. And, hey, let’s go for number 8! Let’s talk about Henrik, a dude who didn’t exist. He and Hans were both very loosely based on an art dealer named Claude Lejeune.

Claude was an art dealer (there’s the Hans part), and was indeed in love with Lili. They got together around early 1931, and he’d actually been in love with her for a good, long time. He proposed to marry Lili, and she accepted, also hoping that the two would be able to have children together. But to do that, it was believed that Lili would need a uterus. And, obviously, having children would be MILES more complicated than that in basically EVERY way, but this was early in medical science’s understanding of some of that biology.

In any case, however, Lili would need both a uterus and a vagina to feel whole. And so, the fourth surgery was scheduled. And she had that surgery in 1931, a couple of weeks after Dora Richter successfully had the same surgery performed. But, sadly, Lili wouldn’t be so lucky.

Lili’s body rejected the uterus, and while transplant rejections of any kind wouldn’t necessarily be fatal now, they definitely were back then. They attempted to remove it, but that subsequent 5th surgery caused infection, which caused a fatal heart attack three months later. Lili Elbe died on September 13, 1931, at the age of FORTY-EIGHT. Yeah, Inaccuracy #9.

By the way, you may be wondering: what about Dora Richter, the first successful person to get these surgeries? Well, she disappeared...in Germany...as the Nazis were coming into power...yeah. Fuckin’ YIKES.

And so, that’s the true story of Lili Elbe. And there are far more differences than that, I’m sure, but those 9 inaccuracies aren’t insignificant, that’s for sure. Although, it probably doesn’t help that the movie was based on a fictionalized book.

Oh, uh...did I not mention that? Yeah, this movie is based on The Danish Girl, by David Ebershoff, which means that this film is essentially a cinematic game of telephone. Which, uh...not great. Granted, Ebershoof made some other...interesting changes, which the film didn’t inherit. In the book, for example, Gerda is named Greta, and is American? Um...why? I dunno, it’s kind of weird. Oh, and that’s not including one more issue with the movie. But, you’ve waited long enough, huh? Recap of the film is here and here if you wanna check that out! Let’s get to the Review already!

Review

Cast and Acting: 8/10

I am...conflicted. So let me start here by saying that the acting in the film in and of itself is fantastic, all-around. Not a weak actor in here, that’s for sure. Let’s start with the side-roles, for once. Ben Whishaw, Matthias Schoenaerts, and Amber Heard are all good. Heard’s accent is a little shaky, but they’re still all solid performances. OK, how about Alicia Vikander? She’s great! And she won the Oscar for...Best Supporting Actress. Um...wait...Supporting? But not Best Actress? Uh...OK. That’s a little weird, let’s be honest here. But, Alicia Vikander did deserve that win over...oooooooh, Rooney Mara in Carol? Maybe not...damn.

And OK...let’s get into the elephant in the room, huh?

Eddie Redmayne is fantastic as Einar Wegener/Lili Eber, and I genuinely think he had a great shot to win Best Actor...but, yeah, Leonardo DiCaprio definitely deserved it, I think that goes without saying. Hell, that year had a SOLID line-up for best actor. And Redmayne had even won it the year before for The THeory of Everything, another biography where he played Stephen Hawking. But ALL of that said...HNNNNNNNNNG, there should have been a transgender actor cast in this role, ideally. Now, I’m fully aware how difficult that would be, as Hollywood isn’t extraordinarily diverse in terms of including trans actors in massive mainstream projects. It’s better now, but it’s nowhere near ideal. But if anybody knows an actor who would’ve fit this role and performed it well, I’m DEFINITELY interested. So, despite that controversy, Redmayne was pretty goddamn great in this role. But, uh...that doesn’t mean everything is perfect...

Plot and Writing: 5/10

OK, that seems low, I know. But it’s pretty goddamn damning that this movie was based off of a heavily fictionalized book instead of the actual life story of Lili Eber and Gerda Gottlieb. And because of that, there are not only some missed opportunities, but some straight-up damning inaccuracies. That’s a set of pretty poor decisions, I tell you what. Not sure why Lucinda Coxon came to that decision when adapting this screenplay, but it wasn’t exactly nominated for Best Screenplay. And the writing certainly isn’t bad, but it is...overly saccharine sometimes, especially for a film based (loosely) on a true story. I dunno...just not the best set of choices here, sorry to say.

Directing and Cinematography: 8/10

Tom Hooper shouldn’t direct musicals. However, since this wasn’t a musical, directing and cinematography here is pretty damn good! Real talk, this is a gorgeous looking movie, and the way shots are framed are fantastic. Perfect? Weeeeeeeell...given the fact that painting is a main focus of the film, for both Gerda and Einar, there should’ve been more painter-quality shots in here, I think. And while the cinematography by Danny Cohen is pretty fantastic, I can’t say that it’s perfect. Still, in terms of lighting and general skill, it’s still quite a good looking movie.

Production and Art Design: 10/10

But the deficiencies in the direction are EASILY compensated for by the production design! Like, hot DAMN, this is a good looking movie, like I said! That goes from the construction of the sets, to the gorgeous outfits all over the place, especially Lili’s outfits. Some iconic pieces of wardrobe there, that’s for sure! But if I have ONE complaint...this movie never once felt like the 1920s. Yup, good old anachronistic complaints from me again! Yeah, I’ll change the record one of these days, I promise. But even with that, it’s hard to ignore just how good this movie looks, to be honest. It’s just...gorgeous.

Music and Editing: 8/10

As I type this, I’m listening to a track of the film on YouTube, and it is a beautifully delicate tune. I’m not sure that I’d be able to associate it with the film if presented to me on its own, but it’s definitely a nice track to listen to by itself. Playlist worthy? For somebody, almost certainly, but not for me. One of these days, a film like that’s gonna pop up, I swear. But for now, Alexandre Desplat and his score are gonna stay off my iPhone. This really is a nice score, though, I promise. Editing by Melanie Ann Oliver is pretty good as well, and I’ve no complaints about it, to be honest. Overall, this side of things was quite nice, if not the most notable thing I’ve ever seen or heard.

I might have been a little harsh, but it’s still got an 78%.

This is a good movie, but...I dunno, the inaccuracies do bug me. Hell, there are WAY more than what I’d mentioned, and I mentioned a lot. Not to mention the other glaring issue: no trans people at any stage of the production? Really? No script consultants, no writers, no NTOHING? That’s...egregiously bad. Like, holy shit, guys. And, yes, this includes Redmayne, because even though he performed admirably in the role...I dunno. I’m no expert on ANY of this, as a cissexual dude with cissexual experience, but it feels a little...reductive, is all. Like I said, if any other actors have been suggested for this role, I’d love to know. The whole thing feels...I don’t know, just not great.

And by the way, that’s without even TOUCHING the question as to whether or not this film is authentic to the trans experience. Again, I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA, but I’ve also heard that this film isn’t universally acclaimed in the trans community, so to speak. And I’m definitely interested in the reasons for that. All I know is this: from the perspective of a complete outsider, I was intrigued by this films view of the transgender experience, specifically as seen in the earliest days of those realizations happening and being publicly known and reported on. And that’s all I can really comment on, in truth.

WHOOF. That was a goddamn topic, huh? And now, I’m going to continue on the the month of romance with...wait, the 19th is my 5-year anniversary with my GF, pictured here:

Ravishing. Anyway, I think I’ll let her pick from my choices for this next one. Hold on a sec...OK, then. Sing it with me now! AND DO I DREEEEEAM AGAAAAIN, FOR NOW I FIIIIIIIIIIIIIND...

February 19, 2021: The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

97 notes · View notes

vtforpedro · 3 years

Text

medical/life stuff - TWs in tags

hnnnnn this is long sorry I've got a lot of stuff going on and none of it is good lol beyond getting my third covid dose and flu vaccine, I guess. did those three days ago and only had mild fatigue and arm soreness this go around worried about actually getting covid from the pharmacy tho cause they didn't require masks and it was really busy hahahaha and so many people were coughing and sneezing and no one was social distancing hahahaha I am always scared of going anywhere, even to see my PCP, because of covid. it's my life now and has been since covid got to the US. I've only been this scared after going to the ER, truly hope I don't get sick. but looking forward to another year of fear either way anyway. have some abdominal stuff going on and there could be benign reasons but it hurts a lot. luckily I finally have my appt with an actual GI in two days. he's the same doc who did my colonoscopy/endoscopy. sooo we know I'm good from that procedure but when he presses on my guts and I react in Pain™ I'm a little afraid of what he might suggest lol 😩 also have some lady stuff going on that started a couple of weeks ago. I actually had an appt with an OBGYN scheduled so I could talk about getting off birth control since it's a leading (potentially) contributing factor to literally everything that's wrong with me. I canceled it because delta has gotten so bad and then of course my lady parts are now being weird. so I am going to reschedule in a few weeks once the vaccine is at its best cause I am also 1.5yrs behind on a pap also thanks to covid s i g h also! my leg muscles are atrophying. so that's really fun and exciting and I guess I get to set up an appointment with my pcp to figure out 🙃 what 🙃 I fucking do about it 🙃 because I can't do PT!!!! I can hardly do any physical movement which I assume is causing the problem because of my neuro shit, which is also not fixed and probably never will be idek how to process seeing my muscles shrinking in my legs. I'm trying not to think about it too much before I see my doctor but it's scary. it just is I don't know what else to say about it still in a weight plateau. trying to be kind to myself with reminders that I am stretched as thin as I can go and have new, awful stressors every fucking week (which makes me snack when I'm in breakdown mode and not on the good stuff, even if I'm sticking to my calorie budget) so it's not shocking weight isn't coming off. it still is, but at the most glacial pace. it's taken three months to get 9.7lbs down. should be at 15+. still really hoping I hit my big goal (just 10lbs away!!!!!!) before the end of the year I don't know if upping the dosage of nerve pain meds has helped or not because my IIH stuff is episodic now. my new neuro was actually willing to put me on the med no one else wants to without a lumbar puncture cause I am describing obvious elevated pressure in the brain which is causing expected IIH symptoms and he's not a moron. which is nice of him but I also don't want to be on it because it's not without moderate to severe risks? most people end up getting off it within a few weeks or months but hey at least he fucking believes me and said yeah it's prolly IIH but I can't diagnose you without the LP but let's cautiously treat it as IIH I've had two appointments with my psychologist now and I ...... like him....??? but also I don't??? he's fine personally, I think, but I have my doubts already about how he's going to be able to help me professionally. thinking of just calling it quits now and finding someone who takes my insurance so it'll be one less worry. I want to work on trauma and I feel like $150 was completely wasted last week so that's a red flag, right? lol finding a decent therapist is so fucking hard and I wish it wasn't my lease is up in mid-february so I will get a renewal offer no later than early-mid december. it's gonna go up over $400 lol four people have moved out in my building in the last month because of the increase. I paid $680 for this exact same apartment (before renovations but I barely

count them because they're cheap af) when I moved in and it's on the market for $1650-1720 now. makes me feel physically ill my mom can't afford it. she tells me she can, but I truly do not believe it. she says it would make her crazy trying to find somewhere else because I can't move in with her while my brother lives there, because I'm so disabled living there wouldn't be feasible for so many reasons, because I absolutely cannot stress Isis out (who had to go to the emergency vet again. but she's ok) or introduce my two cats to my mom's three cats, one of whom has FeLV. either way tho it's the disability!!!! I am trapped in my own apartment by my disability lmao my mom's friend wants to put me in his rental house but that's just too much. I can't have this giant upheaval in my life both physically and mentally. but I live and suffer in agonizing guilt every single day of my life because my mom pays for this apartment, which wasn't awful when I stopped working, but they've raised rent from $900ish to $1720 in *three years* it's insanity. I cry about this often because I can't move, my mom keeps telling me we can't, and not to worry about money but she's only saying that because it's impossible to leave I am so beyond stressed. this isn't counting what I went through with two (2) pen tablet companies to try to get a working fucking tablet so I could continue my commission. took 15 days but now I can work on art again. it was a nightmare september and october have been nightmarish months in every possible way actually lol rent wouldn't be *as* terrible if my disability claim got approved, but I would be shocked if not only it finished before early/mid-december, but if I get approved at all. and even if I do, every dollar would be going to rent and it wouldn't even be HALF OF RENT. I hate it here I hate this country I hate how it treats disabled and poor people I hate it hate it hate it hate my life too. I can't help it. I hate all of this and it feels like every time I'm begging the universe for a break it keeps throwing more shit at me instead. idk how to have hope anymore but that's been true for a long time now I suppose I have to be careful about how much/how hard I cry. a good hard cry no longer eases the tension but builds up insane pressure in my skull. I can't even cry for a release anymore like come on. it's a joke guys my life is just a joke now I had realllllllly hoped by the end of this year, after starting to lose weight in january, I would be telling you all that my IIH was cured. I shouldn't have hoped for anything at all p.s. I went back a couple of posts and realized I already talked about my neuro and the meds, sorry for saying the same stuff. I can't remember anything and I don't know what time is anymore

#medical #personal #vtforpedro personal #tw medical #tw depression #tw weight loss #tw anxiety #tw covid #im not looking for sympathy please dont think so. need to get this off my chest somewhere #im just tired #i am sorry for this rambling mess and for doom and gloom again #love you all #stay safe and healthy and be kind to yourselves

10 notes · View notes

themollyjay · 2 years

Text

Valentines Day AMA!

Okay, folks, the ask box on my author blog is now open.

You can ask me anything you like about my three upcoming novels. I’ll be taking questions from now until The 14th, and answering all the questions that day. The Back Cover Blurbs for each of the three novels I currently have scheduled for release in 2022 are below.

Scatter: Hearts of Heroes 1

When Deputy US Marshal Danielle ‘Danny’ Martin was told she’d gotten a promotion, she expected to be leading her own fugitive retrieval team. Instead, she got transferred to Pontian Florida of all places, and assigned to a Superhero support detail for Focus, a seemingly immortal superhero who is also one of the most famous lesbian icons on the planet.

Bad enough she’s got to spend every day working with a woman she’s had a crush on since she was five years old, but when she arrives at her new post, things start getting weird. It turns out that Focus asked for her by name, and it quickly becomes apparent that Focus wants to be more than just coworkers, or even friends.

After Focus has a violent reaction to Danny getting hurt in the line of duty, she starts looking into why the Superhero might be so fixated on her. She begins to suspect that seeing the future might be one of Focus’ powers, but when a mission leaves her stranded thirty years in the past, right at the start of Focus’s superhero career, everything becomes clear, except why the Focus in the past can barely seem to tolerate her presence.

Coming February 20th, 2022 from Desert Palm Press

Now Available for Pre-Order (Get a 10% discount with code 10DPP)

Mail Order Bride:

Ten years ago, aliens from a Galaxy spanning government called the Hegemony arrived in the Solar system and ever since Earth has been on a long, slow journey to becoming a banana republic. Samantha ‘Sam’ Murray has spent her entire high school career doing everything her mom could think of to earn a chance at an off-world education that would keep her from living a life of poverty. But with just a few weeks left before graduation there’s no scholarship in sight and Sam has her heart set on getting an apartment with her best friend and crush, Jenny, and maybe finding out of they can be more than just friends. All of her plans come crashing down when she finds out her mom has signed her up for an arranged marriage on another planet as a way to get her the off-world education she’s sure Sam needs.

Sam arrives on Talamh, a planet ravaged by disaster, expecting to find herself promised to some rich alien prince. Instead, she finds herself among a species that has no concept of gender, promised to a beautiful alien that makes Sam’s little gay heart skip a beat every time she looks at them. There’s just one problem. Orla, the person Sam is promised to, is already in love with their best friend Sorcha. As Orla and Sam’s betrothal moves forward, they find themselves falling in love, but Sam can’t help but worry that Sorcha will come between them. At least, until she and Sorcha start to develop feelings for each other.

Will desire and jealousy destroy all their futures, or will Sam, Orla and Sorcha find a way to be happy together?

Coming Summer of 2022 from Desert Palm Press

Transistor: Hearts of Heroes 2

When Naomi Woodward’s doctor recommended her for a clinical trial, it seemed like the answer to her prayers. She was finally able to get her gender confirmation surgery and the surgery was a resounding success. She finally looked and felt like the woman she always knew she was.

Her new face and new body finally helped her work up the nerve to ask out Anika, the beautiful nurse that lived across the hall. To her delight Anika said yes, but when they are attacked during their date, Naomi quickly discovers that the experimental procedure she went through had some unexpected side effects, and that when Anika told her things with her family were complicated, she really should have listened.

Now, armed with superpowers she barely understands, a snarky artificial intelligence in her head, and allies that include a Superhero, a Dragon, and the literal Devil, she has to keep Anika safe from the archangel who’s out to kill her while they work desperately to prevent a second civil war in heaven.

Coming Fall of 2022 from Desert Palm Press

#lesfic #lesbian books #trans books #queer books #nonbinary books #trans characters #agendered characters #queer characters #lesbian characters

4 notes · View notes