Cold agglutinin disease and covid-19 vaccine

Hello, I’m a 5th yr dentistry student in Centro Escolar University. I am looking for a patient for my Clinical Requirement.
Kung may kakilala po kayo nawalang isang ngipin sa harap katulad lamang po sa picture or kayo mismo ay i-pm niyo lang po ako.
May Libreng root canal treatment sa Molar(Bagang), pakibasa nalang ng details sa picture. PM or Reply nalang po kayo
All procedures will be done by the STUDENT CLINICIAN with a supervision of a LICENSED DENTIST.
KINDLY READ FIRST
Kung ano lang nakalagay yun lang po. Bawal po mangDitch dapat matapos po lahat ng procedures kasi sayang ng oras at pera na ilalaan.

I accidentally deleted my post and so I’m reposting (M27) and me (F25) I met him when I was 19 and he was 20 about to turn 21. I fell for him hard, I was so in love with him. A year into the relationship he became really bad alcoholic (finishing off a large bottle of vodka in a day) he would invite me over and want me to drink with him, his house mate and his brother. He would always urge me to keep up with him in drinking. I was a very easy going person who had a hard time saying no. I would drink until I got the spins and was sick to my stomach. A few times I got really sick at his house and throwing up and he would get mad at me and be mean to me while I was sick. I started to realize this was an issue, he was irritable most days (we went to college together) he would complain about his stomach hurting him. When I tried confronting him about with concern and care, he denied having any issue and gaslit me. He would hide his bottles. He would come to school drunk or hung over. He got in an accident (no other cars involved) and totaled his car. His mom had not listened to me when I brought up him having a drinking problem, after that happened his mom sorta acknowledged that there was something wrong there. He admitted he might have a problem. I poorer out all his bottles and cleared out his room of all the empties too and helped clean up his room (it had become a pit) he was not feeling well enough to do most of it because he was very depressed about his car being totaled (he really liked his car) I thought he was on the road to recovery. He started getting better at sneaking. I found him out a couple of times when he would basically treat me like a booty call. I would only go because I wanted to spend time with him. One time when I found out I had a long talk with him and he agreed to give me his ID because he didn’t feel like he could resist going back to booze. He ended up snagging his passport from his moms file cabinet. He got found out again. He started distancing himself from me even more and I was hurting so bad by this point. I had started isolating myself from friends because I didn’t want them to ask where my bf was. I just started throwing myself into my studies. I was on the brink of breaking up with him. His mom called me crying saying that he was drinking mouth wash and she thought he was possessed and he had tried to hit his brother. She told me he locked himself in his room and was laying down and they couldn’t tell if he was breathing. She begged me to come over and try to talk to him. I was so mentally distraught and I loved him and didn’t want him to die. I rushed over and when I got there he was not responsive and locked in his room. I wasn’t sure if he was breathing. His brother and mom were crying. So I climbed in through his small window (I’m 5’3 so I’m pretty small) I got into his room and shook him awake. He was hostile with me and told me to go away. I told him I didn’t want him to kill himself and told him he was hurting his family. After an hour of trying to get through to him with reason he finally agreed that the way he was living wasn’t good. He decided that day to try to get sober. I stayed with him at his house for a couple weeks to help him detox. He was having a lot of withdrawal symptoms. (Ps while he was an alcoholic I had found that he was texting a bunch of chicks trying to hook up with them. None of them were receptive to his advances) I had a long talk with him one night about all the cheating behaviors, I told him I loved him but I couldn’t stick around for that. I had every intention of breaking up with him after he got done with his withdrawals but he cried and pleaded with me that he was sorry and that he was drunk and didn’t mean to do any of it. I decided to forgive him because he claimed he wanted to be a better boyfriend. It took a long time and a lot of long talks for me to start rebuilding trust with him. I come from a dysfunctional family with a mom who is very controlling. When I didn’t come home for two weeks my mom started calling me telling me that if I was moving out I needed to come get my things. Meanwhile his mom was being toxic and saying things like “I liked you better when you were a drunk” and “why don’t you go get a job you lazy fuck?” So I decided he needed to get away from that for a bit so I arranged a trip to visit my brother who lived 6 hours away.
Not long after that trip I moved in with him and his family. Things were really good for a long time and it seemed like he was really trying to be a better person. Covid happened, he dropped out of school and I kept going. He asked me to marrying him (proposing with a piece of twine) he had no plans on when, where or how to save up for it. But then he chose to work at a bar as a bouncer with his brother and his friend and I told him it made me uncomfortable. Since he is a recovered alcoholic and had a history of cheating. I had a long talk with him about working towards a career and working towards a future together. Then that’s when things really spiraled out of control. He decided to run off to the navy, I begged him not to and tried to help him explore other avenues of ways to get into a career. I literally sobbed curled up on the floor in a bawl begging him not to do it and he coldly patted me on the back and said he was going. He left to boot camp making all these promises about sending me money while he was gone to help me with school and that he would buy us a house and we would get married after he finished boot camp. He didn’t want to get married before he left which gave me little security in the relationship. This move made me very worried about him relapsing on alcohol and also cheating. (People in the military drink a lot) btw we had been together for 4 1/2 years at this point.
He went to the navy for boot camp, I wrote him letters the whole time. I took care of his extremely needy mother. I cried a lot and was very depressed. I failed a couple classes because I couldn’t focus. (I’m an A-B average student, my gpa was 3.9) I wasn’t able to actually talk to him for 3 months. When he graduated I paid to fly out with his mom to see him. He seemed very traumatized when I saw him, he had lost a lot of weight. After that visit things long distance we’re very difficult. I came to see him as much as I could. I finally had come to terms with him being in the navy and I had decided to try to be more supportive and put my feelings aside. The second time I came to see him he started telling me that he wanted to get out and that he was anxious and depressed. So trying to be supportive, I told him if he wanted to get that he should try to get out. He was worried about what his mom would think of him. His mom had run around bragging to all her friends and coworkers. I told him he shouldn’t worry about what she thinks.
Well he decided to tell his mom about his choice to try to get out and she instantly called him a pussy and ridiculed him for wanting to leave. Probably because she didn’t want to have her bragging rights taken away.

It was a call at midnight. A counsellor psychologist at the Tele Mental Health Assistance Centre Srinagar picks up the call.
"The caller had irresistible ideas to self-harm. He wanted to end his life and before that, he wanted to talk to someone about it,” says Areej Khalid, the counsellor at the Tele Mental Health Centre in Srinagar.
The Centre is located at the old building of the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Srinagar (IMHNS), previously called the Psychiatric Disease Hospital. The toll-free phones at the centre are buzzing, counsellors picking them up, some talking to them in Kashmiri and some in Urdu, advising the callers what to do.
That night Khalid heard the caller. “He was in terrible pain,” she says during her 30-minute break.
"I used techniques I learned during my training to achieve pause in him. I tried to create a momentary interruption to break the cycle of self-harm thinking. I am grateful that I succeeded," she says.
"I was able to take him to the safety of his family's supervision," she says. She guided him to a nearby mental health facility for further treatment and it all happened on through a call.
Later when the person called again, the crisis was over and he had started following a psychiatrist and is on weekly cognitive behavioural therapy sessions with the centre.
“The midnight calls are mostly about crisis situations with many youngsters talking about self-harming or having such thoughts,” says Khalid.
The Tele Mental Health Centre Srinagar since its establishment in October 2022 has received nearly 12,500 calls related to mental health disorders. These include around 500 “crisis interventions" in people having self-harming ideas.
The centre has a three-tier system in place. The first line is of counsellors, who receive calls from people having depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, exam stress and other anxiety issues.
The centre has a three-tier system in place. The first line is of counsellors, who receive calls from people having depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse disorders, exam stress and other anxiety issues.
The counsellors are all psychologists. The typical session lasts around 30 minutes but some sessions take more time.
In case the counsellors feel that any caller needs a psychiatrist’s advice, they transfer a call to a psychiatrist or a clinical psychologist on call. The third tier of the system is the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Srinagar (IMHNS
“It started slowly but now we receive around 100 calls in a day and most of these calls are from women,” says Khalid, who like other counsellors has been trained at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences Banglore and IMHANS Srinagar. She says if the counsellor comes to the conclusion that the caller needs medicine, or having a recurring panic attack, the counsellor transfers the call to the psychiatrist or clinical psychologist on the call.
While 70 per cent of mental health distress calls are handled by the counsellors themselves, 30 per cent of calls are escalated to the consultants.
“Most of the calls are stress related. We also get calls from those persons already diagnosed with mental disorders like anxiety and OCD,” says Suriya Sanam, another counsellor.
The calls also reflect the prevailing mental health situation in Kashmir. There has been a rise in mental health cases in Kashmir in the past thirty years of conflict.
According to a study “Mental health in Kashmir: conflict to COVID-19” 45% of Kashmir's adult population (1.8 million) is suffering from some form of mental distress. There is a high prevalence of depression (41%), anxiety (26%), post-traumatic stress disorder (19%), and 47% had experienced some trauma.
“Our counselling is affordable and we are just a call away. That might be the reason people feel it much more secure to call and confide to us,” Sanam says. She says that the highest number of calls revived in a day was 160 when an advertisement about the Tele Mental Health services had come up in widely circulated local English daily of Kashmir.
“We also get calls from persons involved in substance abuse. We receive such distressing calls during the night hours,” says Sanam.
Over the years Kashmir has seen a spike in substance abuse cases and the government is considering drug abuse as one of the serious issues.
According to the latest survey, “Prevalence and Pattern of Substance Use Disorders in Ten Districts of Kashmir” carried out by the IMHANS, Kashmir, the Valley has an estimated sizable population of 67 468 substance-dependent individuals. While opioid dependence prevalence in all the 10 districts of Kashmir is 2.23% and the total number of opioid dependents is estimated to be 52 404 in the Kashmir valley making it an epidemic.
At the Tele Mental Health Assistance Centre of Srinagar, 19 counsellors are on the job in different shifts throughout the week catering to different calls. All these counsellors are women.
Dr Patley Rahul, an Assistant Professor at the NMHANS Banglore, says people who call the centre and open up about their self-harm thoughts are the most important calls. “These are the kind of patients who need attention and care. The suicidal thoughts are fleeting thoughts. These thoughts stay unless there is some intervention done,” he says
“In this respect, Srinagar centre is doing exceptionally well,” he says.
“When someone is in distress they want a listening ear. This calms them down and also motivates them to avail the psychiatric services. That is the whole idea of Tele Mental Health services,” he adds.
The Srinagar centre is now considered a model centre among 22 centres. These centres are coordinated by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences a medical institution in Bangalore.
Dr Rahul says the data of Srinagar Centre is impressive. “How the counsellors have handled nearly 500 suicide calls shows their competence,” he adds. “We are thinking to replicate this model in other centres of the country,” Dr Rahul says.
The Tele Mental Health service concept came after Covid-19 in 2020 lockdown when everything was shut and availing of medical facilities became a tough challenge. In October 2023 the concept took shape after the government of India under NHRM opened these centres in 22 states across India. Of 22 centres, the Centre at the IMHNs is the only centre that is fully functional.
Dr Arshad Hussain, professor at the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in Srinagar (IMHNS), says the past six months' performance of the Tele Mental Health Service has two messages, quantitative and qualitative.
“The quantitative statement is nearly 12500 people have sought help regarding mental health issues second highest in the country meaning thereby that this mode of Mental Health delivery has acceptance in our society. And qualitatively these calls have a life-saving potential statement as pause has been achieved and these people have been linked to mental health services," he says
"They definitely have chances of better outcomes if comprehensive safety plan and treatment is done following a pause," he says.
While he concedes that the tendency to self-harm is a very complex problem and a mere pause is not enough, he says, "We need to treat underlying mental health issues in many of them to save lives.”
"We have been able to link most of them to the nearest mental health service and pause can act as mental health first aid for such people," Dr Hussain says.
“We are able to give first aid. We are able to achieve linkages. There are people who don’t know where to go. We guide these people to avail mental health facilities. Thus we create linkages,” he says.
Dr Hussain says initially women callers outnumbered men but now men are catching up as well. "Our centre is unique in the whole of India with more female callers. It is in sync with what we see at OPD at the hospital. Most of our patients are women,” he says.
Besides, as the counsellors are women, women prefer to call them. “Maybe they feel more empathy and maybe through word of mouth they ask others to avail of such services,” says Khalid smiling.

https://www.outlookindia.com/culture-society/from-the-listening-post-of-mental-health-distress-calls-in-srinagar-weekender_story-287839

So, one of my (3-m) good friends (3-m) moved abroad a few years ago with his then wife. They had a messy breakup not long after, then he immediately rebounded into a serious relationship with someone else, with whom he now has a child.
I remember him as a good natured, creative, curious and kind optimist, who cared about people and the planet. He grew up in a wealthy part of my country and has parents loved and supported him; he had a comfortable childhood and he was popular and well-liked as an enthusiastic, playful person, and he's got several siblings and they seem like decent, well adjusted people too.
I've been chronically ill for the last few years, so that's been on my radar front and center: first with an infectious disease then with some kind of fucked up reaction to the c-19 vaccine, which I've always recognised might be related to some kind of immune hangover from the previous illness-it's just impossible to know (TO BE CLEAR-I SENSE CHECKED THIS POST WITH MODS BEFORE POSTING IT BC IT DISCUSSES THIS). Adverse reactions happen to lots of medicines, for lots of reasons, and always have. Anyway, we've stayed in touch while he was away, and his life seemed to be going really well: good job, promotions, nice house, money and space for passion projects, his partner built up a successful, popular business. I met her briefly when they visited, and know she doesn't drink and was into 'wellness' but not much more than that; she seemed pretty stand offish among his friends but ok, it can be overwhelming meeting lots of people for the first time like that too.
The cracks seem to have started because of Covid and lockdowns: he told me she was dead set against the vaccine and that somehow it was not covid but people's fear and negativity that was provoking the ill-effects of the virus. Looking back that seems aligned to 'manifestation' and all that stuff, which it seems she is big into. That's fine if it just related to her, but it turned out she was also against him getting vaccinated, to the extent where she'd become angry with him. The vaccination of their kid-not just for covid, for anything-had also seemingly become a bone of contention too, and I could tell he was uncomfortable and concerned about that at the same time he seemed to be playing devil's advocate.
It pissed me off that my negative reaction to the vaccine seemed to have been used as some kind of justification for this. To be clear: I'm pro science, the reaction i had was the reaction I had, and I can't say if it was a direct, off-target response to the shot or some latent immune dysfunction I already had, but equally, I can recognise that peer reviewed studies have shown my experience isn't *so* rare and there's been questions about the integrity of the data obtained from the pre-trials as well as their effectiveness. I don't see it as being indicative of a conspiracy theory in any way: more like corporate greed and governmental panic in the face of a serious public health threat and global economic meltdown, and any discussion of wider impacts should be an evidenced based, expert led discussion. To be clear, while i've had the experience I've had and feel I've the right to talk about it, I've also never used it as a way to discourage others from getting vaccinated: if I was anti-vax I wouldn't have taken two doses to begin with.
Anyway, at the point these discussions were happening I worried about him getting sick and dying with a new kid, and felt he was being manipulated not to get it, and during long conversations, I did what I could to recognise that it wasn't risk free, but stressed my reaction was atypical and that nobody else in my family or friend group had experienced it, and that it could prevent the worst case scenario: in short, he was more likely to die from Covid than have negative impacts from the vaccine. It became pretty clear at that point he was parroting talking points he didn't really understand, and fundamentally, he did not understand that the vaccine wasn't there to prevent you getting the virus, but was instead intended to prevent it killing you if and when you did get it.
Eventually, he got it, but because he would have lost his job otherwise. She didn't, and has since given up her successful business in favour of pursuing a career as some kind of personality 'analyst'/parenting coach- something I didn't know much about but from everything I've read, seems to be a load of pseudo-scientific bullshit. Since then, his outlook has become far more combatative and paranoid: first talking about people like Jordan Peterson, then about government oppression surrounding covid restrictions and vaccine mandates, and most recently it's morphed into right-wing influenced theories that are essentially climate change denial and conspiracies relating to that, as well as 'lib bashing' and anti-trans memes. I no longer recognise this person as the tolerant, kind, and compassionate one I was friends with, and I can see where it's all heading.
The thing that confuses me the most is that fundamentally he's a winner in life: he's had a good upbringing, loving friends and family, a free choice of countries to migrate to, does what he wants to professionally, and has chosen to live in one of the safest, most liberal democracies in the world with good worker's rights and free healthcare. And yet, in this liberal, healthy, comfortable environment, he's fallen into some weird bubble of conspiracy, paranoia and hostility, and not only that, but he's now punching downwards at groups of people that when I knew him in younger life, he would never have done. I woke this morning to another shitty right wing meme about Ukraine being used by America as a stick to beat Russia, and immediately asked him what the joke is and if Russian war crimes should be allowed to stand without intervention.
I literally can't summon the strength to talk to him about it or speak to him at all now because it feels like to do so would only open pandora's box and formalise the end of our friendship. I've tried forwarding him some links that debunk the climate stuff he was ranting about but he didn't respond to any of them. At the point where I've been really ill for such a long time, and with all that does to the number of friends you have, the loss is perhaps a bit harder to bear and I've just not had the energy or strength to take on that sadness and stress. I think it's pretty clear all this stuff has been emanating from his partner and her group of friends, and I'm sure it's easier to roll with it than rock the boat when you have a child with that person, but can't really highlight that without basically seeming to be shitting on their relationship.
So, what to do? I feel like if I take a principled stand and say i'm not going to remain friends with him because his views are fundamentally incompatible with mine it might just solidify his stance and leave him completely under the influence of his partner. But equally, my influence obviously hasn't been enough to stop him getting worse anyway, so drawing a line under it might make him reflect a bit about where all this stuff leads to? He's supposed to be visiting again during summer which would be the first time I'd get to see him in 4 years and meet his kid, but as things stand i don't want to meet up if it means just holding my tongue if she/they start talking shit: in short, instead of looking forward to it I'm thinking of the quality of our phone calls over the last year and it's a source of dread.

A Brief Introduction

I used to struggle with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO). It got to the point where I was afraid to eat, as every meal, even small ones, would trigger brutal heartburn. My skin was peeling off my hands, almost to the point of bleeding. Constant stomach and intestinal pains, bloating, belching - I was like a gas machine. I couldn't do any sports because any physical strain would provoke gastric acid reflux and severe heartburn. A perpetually irritated esophagus caused discomfort whenever I ate.
But, it seems, I managed to heal all this. Everything is good again now: I eat almost whatever I want and don't suffer.

Part 1: Backstory from 2017 to 2020

Rash, Blisters, Stress, Didn't Pay Much Attention

• Blisters began to itch, so I visited a dermatologist and took tests: no fungus, no skin problems.
• Went to an allergist, conducted a ton of expensive allergy tests, no problems found.
• Saw a gastroenterologist: they found mild gastritis, but it wasn't causing problems.
• I let it go, thinking it would pass on its own.

Part 2: 2020 - 2023. Symptom Worsening

COVID-19 Pandemic and Businesses issues causing a lot of stress

In 2020, COVID-19 hit. My businesses were crumbling due to lockdowns - restaurant chains, coffee shops, and educational schools. I was paranoid about the health risks and potential loss of relatives due to the pandemic (several of my close friends and acquaintances had lost relatives to COVID-19).
I was working 24/7, sometimes eating whatever was at hand, and that's when my digestive problems began. Heartburn, discomfort, and lower abdominal pains started occurring more frequently.

Health Issues and COVID-19

I got vaccinated, but still got infected with COVID-19, and it took about a year and a half for my sense of smell to return.
My immunity was feeble without vitamins and proper diet, and there was a lot of psychological and physical strain (I tried to exercise 4-5 times a week, running, to somehow compensate for the work-related stress with sports).

Seeking Medical Assistance and Temporary Relief

Eventually, I started visiting gastroenterologists to understand the cause of the heartburn. Nothing critical was found in the stomach, except for an irritated mucosa.
I went to some doctors, and they prescribed Omeprazole and similar acid-lowering medications. They gave some relief for a week, but then the symptoms worsened.

Health at its Worst and a Slight Ray of Hope

After several courses of Omeprazole and similar drugs, my condition only got worse. In the end, it got to the point where I was afraid to eat. I eliminated everything from my diet except water and simple boiled dishes, but I still had constant heartburn, gas, skin peeling on my fingers, etc.
Ultimately, I was fortunate to meet the 4th or 5th doctor, after whom I began to see small improvements.

Part 3: Getting Slightly Better, But Not Much

The Different Approach That Started Helping

This doctor's approach was a little different, and in the end, it started helping.
The doctor ordered some tests, and we discovered that I had a chronic E.Coli infection in my intestines, which should not be there. Usually, it causes acute poisoning and quickly leaves the body, but it also produces pretty strong toxins (which, as I would understand later, caused inflammation in the intestines, which in turn caused skin problems on my hands). (link to wiki and articles)
Symptom 1: Skin rash - Check.
This infection, as I understand it, (correct me if anyone has more detailed knowledge), by receiving nutrients, begins to actively produce an excessive amount of gases. This causes constant (every 1-2 minutes) burping and the desire to pass gas, which in turn creates excessive pressure in the intestines. This pushes stomach and intestinal contents towards the esophagus and disrupts the proper functioning of all digestive processes.
Symptom 2: GERD - Check.Symptom 3: Burping and Farting (sorry) - Check.Symptom 4: Abdominal pains and cramps - Check.Symptom 5: Stones in the gallbladder and slight pains in gallbladder area - Check.

Attempting to Balance the Microbiome

So, this doctor wanted to try to balance my microbiome. He prescribed diets like Fodmap, a lot of supporting medicines to feed the right bacteria, and at the same time, he wanted me to take antibiotic-type medicines to kill E.Coli. It was also thanks to this doctor that I found out I have confirmed lactose intolerance and Gilbert's Syndrome.
We started with bacteriophage, as one of the most gentle ways to kill E.Coli without disturbing the other "good" bacteria.
During the time I took bacteriophage, the symptoms were getting better (the skin and everything), but when I stopped it (after 14 days or so) things returned to where they were before.

Recurring E.Coli Infections

After that, I retested and we found E.Coli again.
Now we tried the antibiotic rifaximin (in small dose), the effect was the same: better symptoms, everything got back after I stopped taking antibiotics.
Now, I took the test and found out that I didn't have any normal E.coli in my intestines, apparently it was replaced by the infectious E.coli.
The third time, it was prescribed to take bacteriophage first for 10 days, then rifaximin in small dose (200 mg twice a day for 14 days or so).
The result was exactly the same: symptoms return, E.coli persists in the test.

Struggling to Balance the Microbiome

During the antibiotic treatment, I took supporting prebiotics, probiotics, and other drugs. However, the probiotic with E.coli was not available in my country, it was not produced, and there was none in pharmacies at all.
After that, I moved from the country to another country and lost contact with my previous doctors.
Since I had been suffering from this for 5 years already, I was almost desperate to cure it all. I collected all the information I had, everything I discussed with doctors, everything I read on medical resources, confirmed by verified medical research, and decided to take a risk and wage a final battle with E.coli and my problems.
Disclaimer: I do not recommend and even warn against self-medication. I am not a professional doctor and I was lucky that it helped me. I initially consulted with literally dozens of doctors, read all thematic resources, acted on the results of my current tests and analyses.

Part 4: Relief

Having moved to another country, I decided to do the following:

1. Take a large dose of rifaximin for treating E.Coli (550 mg x 14 days).
2. Support the balance of the microbiota during the entire intake of the antibiotic by taking Saccharomyces Boulardi.
3. Follow a fodmap-diet throughout the entire drug intake period.
4. Completely eliminate sugar during the antibiotic treatment, for 2 months from the start of the antibiotic treatment, and limit sugar intake after that (i.e., no sodas, chocolates, sweet drinks. I clearly noted a worsening of symptoms immediately after their intake).
5. After the end of antibiotic treatment, I took Mutaflor for a month (starting with 3 tablets twice a day for the first 3-4 days, then two weeks 2 tablets twice a day, then 1 tablet twice a day). Remember, according to my test results, I had little or no normal E.coli in the intestines and instead, the pathogenic E.coli was actively hanging out and enjoying life.
6. I restricted, but did not completely remove, the consumption of lactose.

I finished the treatment a month ago and so far, I don't see any symptoms of the disease: skin problems are gone, heartburn, rumbling in the intestines, gases also disappeared.
I may feel heaviness in the intestines after consuming dairy products in large amounts (for example, Greek yogurt with berries before bedtime), but if I limit the consumption of dairy products, I do not feel any problems with the intestines.
Now I am trying to solve problems with the gallbladder and smoothly return to a normal active life: I'm not afraid to eat, exercise, I don't wake up with pain in the abdominal area at night or in the mornings.

Part 5: Final and Good Luck

I hope that such a detailed story will help some of you not to despair, find the right doctor, the right approach, and the right reasons for your problems and to wake up without pain in the intestines again, eat any food without fear, and enjoy life again.

Brace yourselves, this is gonna be a long one.
Table of Contents
1…… The Main Goal
2…… What I’m Seeking
3…… Personality
4…… Interests
5…… Physical Characteristics (with pics)
6…… Expectations of You
7…… Living Situation
8…… Deal Breakers
9…… Closing Remarks
(1)
The Main Goal:
Well if you’re browsing this subreddit then much like me, you were alone this weekend and I’m sure you’d like to change that as much as me. I won’t lie, I am going through a rough part of my life right now. It’s difficult for me to find the energy for anything at the moment and I’m just really seeking affection in general, anything that will give me a push. I don’t want to be that person who brings everyone down but I could really use someone to talk to right now. I’d really like to find someone who’s similar to me so much to the point that we do everything together and talk about everything while not having to pretend to be interested. I want someone with whom we can mutually spew our emotions onto and have those feelings reciprocated. Not an emotional punching bag, but an emotional teddy bear to hug and cuddle until everything feels better as many times as we need. There’s people who I’m sure have told you the same, they’ll be there no matter how many times you need the support, no matter how many times the insecurities and bad thoughts come back but they don’t mean it. I will be the exception, I’m not so ignorant to think some nice words and tales of relating to you will magically forever heal whatever ails you then get mad when you seek the same support again. Mental ailments are rarely temporary and I don’t care about someone because they’re perfect, caring about someone means being there no matter how many times they need you to be. It doesn’t feel like a chore, it doesn’t get old, and it never will.
(2)
(2.a)
What I'm Seeking:
I will upfront let you know if I’m clicking better with someone else or if you’re the one, I’m not here to tread the sea of fish or keep my options open, I’m here for one singular person.
(2.b)
Relationship:
A relationship is difficult for me right now, it’s been nearly half a year since I got out of my last relationship and the reasons for it ending are partially responsible for how I’ve been feeling and why it’s so hard for me to seek the comfort I so desperately crave. I will tell you about it but for the sake of not treating the entirety of the internet as my therapist, it’ll be in private. I really need the comfort of intimacy and the warmth of someone who cares. I'm not going to feel better if I just sulk and don’t move on. This is my attempt to get better, I’ll admit I’m not great right now and I don’t expect you to be either. If we can help each other heal, then I’d be more than happy :) A relationship isn’t just being there for when someone’s at their best. Even if a relationship is hard at the moment, I do want a life partner and I don’t want to be alone. Things aren’t going to get easier without you so I don’t want to hesitate. I view my other as an equal, I don’t like categorizing us into specific roles. We take care of each other and treat each other how we like to be treated, whatever that is, it's as simple as that. I don't care if you're "successful" or not, living simple lives with our days filled with love is the ultimate measure of success to me.
(3)
Personality:
(3.a)
On the Surface:
As you can tell I can be rather… stoic but that’s largely due to my current stressors, I truthfully am goofy and fun loving but I just can’t find it in me right now. I want to return to that but without someone to light up my world it’s been difficult to just have fun and enjoy stuff. I’m definitely more introverted, you won’t catch me at any parties or really outside at all. I definitely prefer being home though the occasional outing is not out of the question and one day I’d like to travel to other countries because I think that kind of perspective is important.
(3.b)
The Core of My Being:
I like being a spectator to it all and if we bear witness to humanity burning or its miraculous recovery, I want to watch it with you. I enjoy watching humanity advance, less so when it devolves but I want to watch it to the end nonetheless. I’m both a realist and someone who lives with my head in the clouds dreaming of scenarios or worlds that don’t exist. I’m saying that I enjoy a good narrative and can suspend my disbelief to enjoy something but you won’t catch me refusing vaccines or ignoring blatant facts for the sake of some pseudo science or witch doctor’s remedy. I’m an atheist but I do not rule out existence after death, not because I’m agnostic but because due to the nature of potentially infinite time at some point after how many googol years with a googol amount of 0s after that, something’s bound to replicate your consciousness perfectly at some point. It’s actually a really fascinating topic I like talking about. If infinite time and infinite possibilities exist, does non existence exist? Though that’s an awfully existentially dreadful thought process considering the ramifications of infinite existence and infinite possibilities during said infinite existence. I would say I’m confidently left leaning and I don’t think I could truly get along with anyone right leaning, at least America’s definition of right leaning. Left and right seems to have just become; do people deserve to suffer or do they deserve to live good lives? Being political is not something I expected to become but how can you not be when crimes against human rights are being passed on a daily basis and at the end of the day, everything’s political. Oftentimes I imagine the perfect moment as relaxing with my significant other playing games or cuddling in a cold room under blankets.
I value that special someone above all of the existential thoughts, the bad of the world, the good of the world, they practically become my world. So many worries wash away when I’m with them. I don’t know if that’s the defense mechanism my brain created to not feel bad 24/7 but if it is, I’m currently without it.
(3.c)
Insecurities:
I talk of philosophy and politics here but really I spend most of my time just playing games, watching stuff, and trying to not be sleep deprived. I’m also nowhere near as well spoken, heck sometimes I feel like my speech is broken. I won’t claim to be something I’m not, I sit at home while I complain about the world doing nothing about it wishing I had someone here with me. I’m not noble nor do I really want to be, I have morals I uphold but much like most other hypocrites I acknowledge that my comfortable life is built on the suffering of others without doing anything about it. Why? My sleep problems? Am I depressed? Is that why I have no energy to do anything? Do I just think nothing I could do could help? I can’t nail it down myself, maybe it’s a mix of everything, maybe I’m just a bad person. I have always told myself that if I had wealth I would help people but if I get that kind of wealth will I just become a wealth hoarder who tries to justify my riches as something I earned rather than something given to me through incredibly lucky circumstances? If I do help people is it because I’m a good person or out of guilt? Will I die alone? I feel like I drive everyone away with my clinginess, I get paranoid often and need reassurance often. It’s something I want to work on, something I’ve been trying to work on. Hearing that someone cares about me just never gets old. I value self awareness even if it’s painful.
(3.d)
Socializing:
I’m definitely a socially anxious/awkward mess, especially around strangers. I do feel a large amount of anxiety in public, people can’t tell by looking at my face since I kind of go stone faced in an attempt to block everything out but yeah you’ll notice that if we go out in public. Growing up my pediatrician said I was probably autistic, never got a formal diagnosis so that’s just great. But yeah that explains why I can’t make eye contact with people, I kinda just stare at the ground and avoid their gaze at all costs. A lot of these social struggles go away to a great degree once I know you for a bit but yeah I apologize for how terrible I am at socializing at first. Don’t let my social struggles fool you though, I love cuddling and being close with my person.
(3.e)
Sexuality:
I am a heterosexual male, though I’m not very masculine like at all. I may even be a bit feminine sometimes. Not that I believe any activity or manner of acting belongs to a gender but I don’t know how else to describe it. I’m definitely super affectionate and love it when my partner is too. I am open to dating demi people but I do have a libido so I don't think asexual would work out.
(4)
Interests:
(4.a)
Video Games:
As stated before, I do spend a lot of my time playing video games. It’s been hard lately with me having no energy but I really do want to play more games and have a good time playing them with you! I primarily play on PC though I do have a switch. I’m primarily into platform fighters, roguelikes, open world, survival, and sandbox games. As for single player story games, I enjoy watching them through twitch or youtube but for the most part I don’t play them myself. I’d watch you play them though!
Here’s a list of games we can play:
-Minecraft (Java)
-Risk of Rain 2
-Gunfire Reborn
-Roboquest
-7 Days to Die
-Phasmophobia
-Rust
-Unturned
-Bloons TD 6
-Platform fighters: Super Smash Bros. Melee, Slap City, Multiversus, Flash Party, Fraymakers
Whatever you want to play I’ll give it a shot! I will say that League bores me to death but I’ll play it for you :) I try to avoid MMOs, not because I don’t like them but because of how addicted I can get to them. I enjoy learning games in-depth so MMOs can be a fast track to addiction.
I recently got Kerbal Space Program 2 and ehhh not really worth it right now but hopefully later it will be? I’m super excited for Tears of the Kingdom! In the far off future I’m excited for Rivals of Aether 2 which is a platform fighter releasing in 2024, let me know of your most anticipated releases and I’ll see if I could play them with you!
Also I never got into FPS games but I could totally see myself playing like CoD with you or Escape From Tarkov. Any FPS really, I’m down.
I am a fan of Pokemon but with how things have been lately I don’t know how long that will last. Pixelmon is a common Pokemon mod I play for Minecraft if you want to play that! Also if I say I want to play something with you I mean it but there are often times when no matter how much I want to I'm just drained and can do little more than lay in bed so please don't think I'm making an excuse.
(4.b)
Science:
I really enjoy keeping up with the latest advances in pretty much everything, it could be biology, technology, astronomy, anything! I love seeing progression and I love talking about it! Really I could go on and on about what I’m obsessing about that day. I particularly love technology, ask me for my laptop specs I dare you. When I was little I always wanted to be a scientist of any kind but then insomnia and fear of college stuff hit me like a truck aaaand that’s the end of that dream.
(4.c)
Anime:
You got me, I like anime but I’d like to think my tastes are benign.
Here’s some of my favorites I can list from the top of my head:
- To Your Eternity
- Vinland Saga
- Spice and Wolf
- Re:Zero
- Mob Psycho
- Dr. Stone
- Attack on Titan
- Spy x Family
- My Hero Academia
- Ranking of Kings
- Demon Slayer
Okay I can go on and on but I will say I don’t like pointless fan service and the spamming of cliche anime moments. I mostly enjoy action and anything well animated if it doesn’t have a potato story. Heck Demon Slayer could be my top 3 out of season 2’s animation alone. I don’t watch slice of life often or romance but I would with you!
(4.d)
Misc:
I’m not going to go on and on about the tiniest little things when the main ones are covered but I’ll watch pretty much any show with you and anything really. I like random youtube videos that explain some kind of lore or mystery, sometimes mini documentaries too.
As for food I looove sushi and I’m a sucker for fast food. Okay and candy, definitely candy.
I used to play tennis but haven’t really had the opportunity nor friends to play it with and I’m way too socially anxious to seek it out. Also I will say that when we move to something like discord I type waaaay more casually. I’m not going to expect long paragraphs back and forth like we’re writing English papers for each other, I do enjoy long conversations but seriously don’t worry about having to put the utmost effort into every response, I just like making good first impressions I guess.
(5)
(5.a)
My Physical Characteristics:
I’m 5’8 (172cm), 128 pounds (58kg), with curly brown hair and blue eyes. I like keeping my hair long in the winter and cutting it in the summer. I’m pretty slim in general so if you’re looking for someone large, that’s not me. I don’t work out but my work is pretty physical so at least I’m not totally inactive. I don’t have the urge to work out or gain muscle but I do want to maintain my slim figure so if I start losing control of that I’ll work out. I like to keep my face shaved because I don’t think I look good with a beard/mustache so if you’re into those I apologize. I have an average amount of body hair? I’d prefer to be completely shaved but it’s easy to lose motivation with that battle, if you prefer shaved then I’d have no problem complying. Anyways here’s what I look like: https://imgur.com/a/MZZgf2t
(5.b)
My Physical Preferences:
Having physical preferences makes me feel shallow, if I could make myself not have them I would but unfortunately that’s now how that works. I don’t care if you’re shorter or taller than me and I don’t care if you weigh more or less than me. All I ask is that you’re slim-average weight. I would never ask for someone to be something I’m not. I don’t care about tattoos or piercings.**(6)Expectations of You (Relationship Only):**I am not looking for someone “exciting” or someone to “keep me on my toes” I’m not looking for someone to cater to my every whim or anything like that. I don’t care if you’re “boring” or if you aren’t “successful”. I know it’s a common thing for people to not want a “boring” relationship and to seek something argumentative or something with constant challenges but I just want to be with you. During the exciting times, the boring times, and everything in-between, all of it will be great with you! Maybe we do argue sometimes or maybe there will be challenges but that will never be something I purposefully seek out and I don’t want that to be something you seek out either. I will not play tricks on you and I will not play mind games, I expect the same from you. We all have personal measures of success we may or may not have lived up to but what I care about most is our commitment to each other. If we have each other we can get through tough times, near the ends of our lives I want us to look back and feel that this life together was worth more than anything. That’s not saying I want us to be haphazard, I don’t want us to make poor decisions for the sake of yolo and I want us to always be rational, especially with each other. I want you to be someone I can trust to make decisions and weigh the options with a level head, I’ll try my best to live up to the same for you. Most of all I want empathy, understanding, someone to feel the utmost comfort and trust in.
(7)
Living Situation:
Currently my life is pretty relaxed, I work 3 times a week as a night shift stocker. I currently live in a 2 bedroom apartment with my roommate but we’re looking to move into someplace larger by the end of the year if everything works out. The internet is weirdly great for Ohio too like I have fiber and later this year we’re supposed to be getting dedicated fiber so that’s neat. I’m not attached to Ohio so the ultimate goal living location wise is probably moving to a country that won’t send you into a lifetime of dealing with the repercussions from one medical emergency.
(8)
Deal Breakers:
Might as well make this simple and make it a list.
- Anti-vaxxers
- Unironically believing astrology
- Right wingers
- Hard drugs (occasional 420 and alcohol is fine, may even join you)
- Wanting children, there was a time when I was younger when I wanted children but with the state of the word that’s a definite no and I feel like I wouldn’t be able to handle the stress. I’d love a stress free life with as much time with you as possible.
- Homophobic
- Transphobic
- Racist
- Super Religious
- Don’t be a bigot and don’t deny facts.
(9)
Closing Remarks:
Well you made it, I was thinking that finding someone I’d be willing to put a lifetime of effort into at least required this much effort. If I think of anything more I’ll update the post. Also about timezones, it really doesn’t matter where in the world you are. I don’t have a sleep schedule and I have most of the week off from work so it really doesn’t matter.
I request that in your response you do put effort into it, it doesn’t have to be anywhere near as long as this but at least enough so I know that you read this and enough about you so I know why you saw potential compatibility. I will seriously read all of it and respond the best I can. I do also request a pic included in your response (sfw please) or one soon after we start talking to prove identity, I’ll send identity proving pics too. As long as this post is up, you can send a reply!

20F, I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs.
About two weeks ago, my forehead hurt when touched or when I realised by eyebrows. The pain moved from my forehead to around my eyes. Then around eyebrow started hurting when I touched it or raised my eyebrow.
I figured it was a sinus infection. My eyes were also bloodshot for a bit and I had pain/pressure around my nose too. I had a bad headache for a bit too.
But now, the sinus symptoms are gone. I started feeling fatigued with the sinus symptoms, so I thought it was a sinus infection. Now, I have a stomach ache, tiredness and weakness and body aches and slight temperature.
I’m very stupid and googled and started to spiral and worry about adrenal crisis, since I have borderline hypothyroidism, which can be a symptom of Addison’s disease. I’m getting retested for hypothyroidism. I’ve had muscle aches and spasms for months, but I suddenly got very bad leg and stomach pain which lines up perfectly with the symptoms.
And then I started to worry about compartment syndrome because of the sudden onset leg pain, which I’ve had a scare of recently because I noticed that my calf had randomly swollen. It wasn’t a blood clot, it was suspected to be cause I have shortened Achilles’ tendons and toe walk, and put more pressure on the foot that has the swollen calf. The swelling hasn’t gone away. I’m still kinda worried about compartment syndrome.
I’ve been worried about the stomach pain. It seems inexplicable. I’ve had yellow poop that appears light brown but is yellow when I wipe for a while too as well, but that could be caused by anxiety. I kinda fell down a rabbit hole of stomach related stuff too.
But yeah, I’m terrified that it’s adrenal crisis or something, and I know that sounds stupid but my anxiety is so bad rn.
Can a cold/flu start with sinus symptoms that disappear? Can it cause stomach ache and leg pain? Please reassure me! I’m worried because I don’t have any diarrhoea, vomiting or snot and I’m not coughing, and the symptoms came on suddenly.

20F, I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs.
About two weeks ago, my forehead hurt when touched or when I realised by eyebrows. The pain moved from my forehead to around my eyes. Then around eyebrow started hurting when I touched it or raised my eyebrow.
I figured it was a sinus infection. My eyes were also bloodshot for a bit and I had pain/pressure around my nose too. I had a bad headache for a bit too.
But now, the sinus symptoms are gone. I started feeling fatigued with the sinus symptoms, so I thought it was a sinus infection. Now, I have a stomach ache, tiredness and weakness and body aches and slight temperature.
I’m very stupid and googled and started to spiral and worry about adrenal crisis, since I have borderline hypothyroidism, which can be a symptom of Addison’s disease. I’m getting retested for hypothyroidism. I’ve had muscle aches and spasms for months, but I suddenly got very bad leg and stomach pain which lines up perfectly with the symptoms.
And then I started to worry about compartment syndrome because of the sudden onset leg pain, which I’ve had a scare of recently because I noticed that my calf had randomly swollen. It wasn’t a blood clot, it was suspected to be cause I have shortened Achilles’ tendons and toe walk, and put more pressure on the foot that has the swollen calf. The swelling hasn’t gone away. I’m still kinda worried about compartment syndrome.
I’ve been worried about the stomach pain. It seems inexplicable. I’ve had yellow poop that appears light brown but is yellow when I wipe for a while too as well, but that could be caused by anxiety. I kinda fell down a rabbit hole of stomach related stuff too.
But yeah, I’m terrified that it’s adrenal crisis or something, and I know that sounds stupid but my anxiety is so bad rn.
Can a cold/flu start with sinus symptoms that disappear? Can it cause stomach ache and leg pain? Please reassure me! I’m worried because I don’t have any diarrhoea, vomiting or snot and I’m not coughing, and the symptoms came on suddenly.

20F, I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs.
About two weeks ago, my forehead hurt when touched or when I realised by eyebrows. The pain moved from my forehead to around my eyes. Then around eyebrow started hurting when I touched it or raised my eyebrow.
I figured it was a sinus infection. My eyes were also bloodshot for a bit and I had pain/pressure around my nose too. I had a bad headache for a bit too.
But now, the sinus symptoms are gone. I started feeling fatigued with the sinus symptoms, so I thought it was a sinus infection. Now, I have a stomach ache, tiredness and weakness and body aches and slight temperature.
I’m very stupid and googled and started to spiral and worry about adrenal crisis, since I have borderline hypothyroidism, which can be a symptom of Addison’s disease. I’m getting retested for hypothyroidism. I’ve had muscle aches and spasms for months, but I suddenly got very bad leg and stomach pain which lines up perfectly with the symptoms.
And then I started to worry about compartment syndrome because of the sudden onset leg pain, which I’ve had a scare of recently because I noticed that my calf had randomly swollen. It wasn’t a blood clot, it was suspected to be cause I have shortened Achilles’ tendons and toe walk, and put more pressure on the foot that has the swollen calf. The swelling hasn’t gone away. I’m still kinda worried about compartment syndrome.
I’ve been worried about the stomach pain. It seems inexplicable. I’ve had yellow poop that appears light brown but is yellow when I wipe for a while too as well, but that could be caused by anxiety. I kinda fell down a rabbit hole of stomach related stuff too.
But yeah, I’m terrified that it’s adrenal crisis or something, and I know that sounds stupid but my anxiety is so bad rn.
Can a cold/flu start with sinus symptoms that disappear? Can it cause stomach ache and leg pain? Please reassure me! I’m worried because I don’t have any diarrhoea, vomiting or snot and I’m not coughing, and the symptoms came on suddenly.

20F, I don’t smoke, drink or do drugs.
About two weeks ago, my forehead hurt when touched or when I realised by eyebrows. The pain moved from my forehead to around my eyes. Then around eyebrow started hurting when I touched it or raised my eyebrow.
I figured it was a sinus infection. My eyes were also bloodshot for a bit and I had pain/pressure around my nose too. I had a bad headache for a bit too.
But now, the sinus symptoms are gone. I started feeling fatigued with the sinus symptoms, so I thought it was a sinus infection. Now, I have a stomach ache, tiredness and weakness and body aches and slight temperature.
I’m very stupid and googled and started to spiral and worry about adrenal crisis, since I have borderline hypothyroidism, which can be a symptom of Addison’s disease. I’m getting retested for hypothyroidism. I’ve had muscle aches and spasms for months, but I suddenly got very bad leg and stomach pain which lines up perfectly with the symptoms.
And then I started to worry about compartment syndrome because of the sudden onset leg pain, which I’ve had a scare of recently because I noticed that my calf had randomly swollen. It wasn’t a blood clot, it was suspected to be cause I have shortened Achilles’ tendons and toe walk, and put more pressure on the foot that has the swollen calf. The swelling hasn’t gone away. I’m still kinda worried about compartment syndrome.
I’ve been worried about the stomach pain. It seems inexplicable. I’ve had yellow poop that appears light brown but is yellow when I wipe for a while too as well, but that could be caused by anxiety. I kinda fell down a rabbit hole of stomach related stuff too.
But yeah, I’m terrified that it’s adrenal crisis or something, and I know that sounds stupid but my anxiety is so bad rn.
Can a cold/flu start with sinus symptoms that disappear? Can it cause stomach ache and leg pain? Please reassure me! I’m worried because I don’t have any diarrhoea, vomiting or snot and I’m not coughing, and the symptoms came on suddenly.

Lydia gives off a soft groan as she turns, no longer asleep but wishing that she was. There were no duties today, she thought to herself, so why wake up early? rubbing her face on the pillow she smiles, enjoying the comforting warmth of Caldera. It is not long ago that she started sleeping in the dungeon, but she cannot think herself stopping anymore, being outside now feeling cold and empty compared to the feeling she gives her. Lydia stretches, knowing she cannot lie in bed and enjoy the feeling forever, even if she'd like to, and opens her eyes, ready to great Caldera a good morning
​
for a mass of eyes and meat to greet her instead
​
jumping up immediately, Lydia's instincts took over and delivered a knee kick to the mass, for her leg to simply sink into the malleable mass, the strike not yielding any results except stopping the eyes from looking at her. shaking, she looked around the room just to find it an amalgam of flesh, sinew and bone, somewhat resembling the shape of the room she fell asleep in, her bed itself being a tumour whose warmth she confused for that of her partner. dashing towards the exit, her Ki enhanced jumps leaving plopping and squelching sounds in her wake, she found herself outside, her short lived hope that the aforementioned room was an exception shattered as she looked upon Caldera's territory.
​
The whole area was covered by unnatural growths, stalks consisting of multiple sinewy bones with a bulb of opaque liquid as well as meaty tendrils writhing towards the sky making up most of the "flora", if it can be called as such, every one of them different than the last, the lake that was once filled with frogs and lunar lilies now a putrid pond of gastric juices with a mix of brown, red and green, an occasional bony star floating above it, like a solidified explosion. She turned around, her horror only growing as she saw where she just came out of.
​
A tree of meat stood tall, the eyes that replaced it's leaves gazing at it's surroundings lazily, bright red spores dispersing from it's bursting pustules, the sickening miasma spreading throughout the air, covering the sky in a red mist. the light of the pulsating red stars in the night sky left just enough light for Lydia's enhanced eye sight to make out the veins that covered the tree, all running toward it's center, her improved ears picking up the pulsating that permeated throughout the tree, the ground, and the world as a whole; the stars themselves beating in unison with the expansion and contraction of the veins, the pustules syncing their release with each beat.
​
whatever this substance is, it is in the Air, and though she cannot feel any direct effects on her body, she does not want to find out what will happen to her if she gets more of these spores inside of her so she slows her breathing, her ki flow slowing down as well, in an attempt to buy time from whatever was happening potentially happening to her too.
​
Lydia slowly starts to walk around in search of anything familiar, something or someone to ask what was going on, how to change her partner back - if she even was still in Caldera's dungeon, that is. but how could it not be? it is all in the same forms and places, though twisted beyond anything but recognizing the most basic semblances. What if this is how it would remain? what if that is what Caldera became? What if she was dead or subsumed? or even worse, what if this is what she became, unrecognizable and without a way to return?
​
Lydia wipes the tears off her face, her professionalism focusing her on the task at hand: to find anything with a semblance of reason. continuing the walk that her train of thought stopped, she walked along the Lake of fluids, the smell of digestive acid, sweet rot and decaying blood making her want to throw up, each breath as shallow as can be. walking along it, she notices the two forms in the middle above the lake, the former twin scions swimming in the air
​
one of them was covered in diseased scales, the green infection that permeated their whole body leaving them a bloated whiteish green carcass that yet moved, the infectious substance decaying with proximity to the other form, which had it's flesh melt and fall of in chunks and drip off in a brownish-black liquid, yet always regrowing just as fast as it fell off, the two continuing their existence in an unholy balance of growth and decay.
​
reaching the spa that now had burning blood as it's water, with hearts beating in the aforementioned synced pulse to pump the liquid corruption, she found the corpses in it, still in a form as if they were just conversing in a casual talk, with some showing signs of panicked exits. there were no expressions on any of them, their eyes and mouths covered in scar tissue as if someone gouged and cut them out just to leave them regrow. unable to hold it in, Lydia vomits on the ground, the nightmare only worsening - whatever this was, it was not just a twisted version of Caldera, but it also was murderous - or had a sick sense of humor replicating that scenario.
​
"This isn't funny, Caldera!" Lydia shouted shortly after emptying whatever her stomach had. "If this is another one of your weird horror attractions, then you really went to far with this one!! please, just stop, if you can hear me...". yet her only answer was the continuous pulsating of the place, uncaring about the tears streaming on her face or the sobs from within her chest. so she cried for some time, before breaking up to continue her search.
​
just as she walked out, she saw Jackie, staring at the dungeon entrance. with renewed hope, Lydia sprinted towards the Jackalope, the tears that flew now being those of relief, as she called out to her. right before she reached her though, one of her legs sunk into the fleshy ground, and any attempt at pulling it out failed. "Jackie! help me, please! what is going on with this place? " there was no answer, the hope slowly turning into doubt and suspicion, as the jackalope which was staring at the ground slowly raised it's head, the front still not visible.
​
"We...we have to save Caldera! you see the flesh too. don't you have any Idea how to free her from it? why are you not doing anything?"
​
The Jackalope simply turned to face her, And Lydia's blood froze. staring at her was a skull only half covered with flesh, some of it melting and some spreading out from the eye sockets, as a gurgling, deep voice came from within it. "Why...Would I Want To Return To What I Was Before..?", no comprehensible sounds being heard yet the meaning still blasting through her mind. She tried to run away, panic holding her mind prisoner, but she just sank deeper into the molasse made out of fat and muscles, restricting her movement further and further as the jackalope started slowly approaching, each step consisting of tendrils forming between her and the ground, pushing and pulling her where necessary to allow the unnatural movement.
​
"NO! DON'T COME CLOSER! GET AWAY!! GET AWAY!!!!" the screams doing nothing to stop Jackie's approach, she now stood above the body of Lydia, the lower part of it being swallowed by the ground. reaching out, the fur peeling back to let her uncovered flesh hold Lydia's face gently, the touch burning marks into her cheek, she spoke It Is All Right. There Is No Need To Be Afraid. You Will Join Us Too, And We Will Be One" Lydia simply screamed and trashed around, as the paws started melting together with her face, Jackie standing above her with her melting flesh flowing upon Lydia, Threatening to drown and burn her at the same time as Lydia's world spun, the eyes, The very stars pointing their looks at her and piercing her with their glares, a chorus of "Join Us" and "We Will Be One" filling her ears and heart, her whole body aflame, Her spirit feeling like it was being pulled from her body as "Lydia!" joined the chorus, repeating and repeating, "Lydia!" "Lydia!" "Lydia!!"
​
"LYDIA!!"
​
I Scream, my lungs feeling hoarse as if that is all I was doing, My body aching all over as I jump towards the corner with a battle ready stance. green, white, light brown, colors in my blurry vision as the only Instinct is just survival, fight against the enemy. the enemy. what enemy? I shake my head to clear my vision, My Brain in too much turmoil to focus my Ki willingly, and see a fearful and the dungeon core, the one meter diameter Emerald giving off a green light in pulses, it's focus entirely on me as her panic bleeds through, though said panic is about me and nobody else. An Involuntary Whimper comes out of my mouth as my body tries to speak yet my brain is frozen in shock as my legs give out and I collapse on the floor of the hollowed out tree trunk, feeling the hot tears flowing on my face as I bawled, the terrible feeling still inside my chest.
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In my peripheral vision, I see the beast moving towards me, wrapping it's paws around me - and immediately having my knee land in it's face as I push the monster away. no, nonononono, not again, you will not do that to me! the panicked thoughts stop as my mind seems to catch up with reality, as I see the somewhat malformed snout of Jackie covered in blood from my strike, a mix of surprise, shock, worry and hurt together on her face. I just hurt her. she probably was trying to comfort me, and I just retaliated by trying to kill her. oh shield, what am I doing? what happened to me? The sickness in my stomach now makes itself even more noticeable and I find myself sitting on the floor, still in the corner, bawling my eyes out as my body tries and fails to say something, only making some unrecognizable noises like those of a dying animal. I see Jackie standing up, approaching me carefully, as if still trying to comfort me, but feel myself tensing up and trying to back away even further, an unnatural panic holding me prisoner in a way that even my training cannot keep up with. seeing this, she stops, a wounded yet mostly worried expression still on their face, their mouth moving yet no understandable sound being processed by my head, as if hearing itself was dangerous to my very being.
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this went on, as I sat in the corner and continued to cry as my body produced sweat without end, the lingering sensation of being burnt alive enough to cause it to go into disarray, my coarse, dry throat signalling me that it was strained before hand and is strained even more now as I waited, unable to do anything else against the panic except let it wash over me, a loss of control I hated but had no choice in, as any attempt at saying something or moving towards them was met with incomprehensible noises or another wave of panic as my tense, shaking body refused to move, instincts triumphing over logic as emotions, which I thought I had in check, overpowered me instead. their gazes remained on me, not being distracted by anything else for a second, worry, sadness and anxiety remaining throughout the whole time.
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at last, I eventually was able to get up, moving towards the core and Jackie slowly as my body burned through most of the energy it could have used to holding me in the state of panic, and I fell into the arms of the mostly healed Jackalope, her magic having mostly patched up the wound I inflicted upon her, her paws immediately wrapping around and holding me. I was still shaking, though now just as much due to exhaustion, and simply let Jackie comfort me in silence. That was a terrible nightmare, and I was quietly wondering how it even came to be, considering that I never saw something like that before nor read about such a thing, neither as an account of reality nor even fiction. and why did it feel so real - why why do I still feel as if it actually happened, as if my body is about to melt? and...could it ever become true?
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Would Caldera ever do something like this? _Could_ she ever do something like this? I want to answer yes, but something tells me that what I was was the result of a life affinity too, though I do not understand, actually, how a life affinity, something associated with plants and balanced eco systems could turn into flesh, since flesh does not even fall into the domain of life. I look upon Caldera's core, which is glowing with a reassuring green light, as if she never could do serious harm upon anyone who did not deserve it through their own actions.
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yet while my head told me it could physically not be, my emotions still harboured fear, the affinity acquisition by her scions already being a development not speaking favourably for the impossibility for such a happening.
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As I thought this, I felt myself drifting away, becoming more tired by the second. I guess being in such an emotional state leaves you exhausted, no matter how much endurance you have... I should...probably ask her... if the dream.....has any........meaning.........
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***
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deep inside the trunk, Alexa and Giorno were discussing the details of the latest development. "We cannot bring her into the network again" stated Giorno, Alexa nodding in affirmation. "She got knowledge and information that she should not be able to after being connected through us. We cannot take what she has seen, and it is likely that she only saw it subconsciously, but we cannot reveal anything more to her, especially considering the importance she has for the Don". thinking for a moment, he added "and the Don herself cannot know about it either, if possible. it's best if she continues her life as is, without having this to occupy her mind" "that is what we are here for" agreed Alexa, sharing the order to keep quiet to everybody except the core and Jackie, the voice being too connected to Caldera to hide information that the Jackalope herself has from her master.