My Dad has given so much blood throughout his life that he keeps getting little awards. It makes him very happy that he's able to do it. It's an amazing gift to give and a wonderful way to live your values.

Very basic anti-racism training would get the interviewer to a place where they'd know how to firmly state what is harmful about what she said. It's not complex.

I much preferred pregnant people before even being aware of trans inclusivity. It just grinds my gears. I'm a person first - perhaps some women consider themselves more woman than person, I don't know. But we don't say pregnant female cat, or pregnant female mouse.

People with ME/CFS are the antithesis of quitters. To keep showing up and choosing life and trying to find ways to be more alive in the face of immense physical and societal challenges is courageous, disciplined, and heroic.

I love all sorts of fiction and essays, and sometimes I have such low capacity that I need the author to do all the work for me and make it compelling. This is a definite skill set and one I really appreciate. We don't say about pop music that it's trash because it's not cleverly constructed.

I have admired your work for many years now! Thank you for sharing it.

Of all the unhelpful things available to me when first diagnosed in 2005, the NHS provided a class with a physiotherapist about maximizing the restfulness of rest, and thinking back on it now it did feel quite radical. Later on in a better life situation I could finally understand deep rest as work.

If he was mine I'd call him pumpkin because it's getting to be that time of year.

Also a major win for the MCAS community!

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Desperate people will try anything. People don't know how desperate you can be if you have tick-borne illness. Some are stinging yourself with ten bees three times a week desperate. Many people are sell your house, sell all your possessions to find a remedy that works desperate.

I don't know if this is at all helpful but, having gone through treatment for babesia a few times (malerone, mepron, coartem), I've experienced a majorly intense low each time that passes after a while. It's almost impossible to withstand. If I can be of support to you please message me.

Have you ever tried airpop? My friend gave me some a days ago and they have this rubber seal around the nose that seems to help with airtightness and comfort:

airpopessential.health

Surgical masks are a bit more effective than cloth masks. You can make them more effective by closing the gaps.

The most breathable respirators we've found are breatheteq.

You can look for your local mask bloc here. They might be able to help find you something:

maskbloc.org

Also, there was a recent study (I have it somewhere) showing that surgical masks and even cloth masks are significantly better than nothing, so for kids and adults who are unable to wear respirators, there are harm reduction options.