RikkaPik
LightNews LightNews
banner
rikkapik.bsky.social
RikkaPik
@rikkapik.bsky.social
150 followers 340 following 330 posts
Suffering from ME/CFS, turning to art to keep (almost) sane. PTSD survior, broken brain lefty and demiace Gen X.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by RikkaPik
galder.bsky.social
Best of 2025 summary! Can't believe it's nr. 9 already. Let's hope that 2026 gets to be even more creative.

#art #warcraftart #artsummary #artsummary2025
December 16, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
deathbyhibachi.bsky.social
Peaceful

#Art by Ungfio
Cloaked reaper with three doves
December 16, 2025 at 7:41 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
New from Australia:

Mapping the complexity of ME/CFS: Evidence for abnormal energy metabolism, altered immune profile, and vascular dysfunction

Free fulltext:
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

"these findings indicate mitochondrial dysfunction and energy stress"

#MEcfs #CFS #PwME
Graphical abstract plus Highlights • This study involves age- and sex-matched 61 healthy controls and 61 ME/CFS patients • Abundance of AMP and ADP, with reduced ATP/ADP ratio in immune cells • Lower proportion of terminal effector memory T cell, NK, and DC subpopulations • Elevated plasma proteins associated with vascular and anti inflammation activity In brief Heng et al. apply a multi-omics approach combining analyses of energy metabolism, immune cell composition, and plasma proteomics. They reveal altered energy metabolism and immune profiles, alongside plasma proteins associated with vascular dysfunction in ME/CFS, highlighting coordinated dysregulation across multiple biological systems in this disorder.
December 16, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
volksverpetzer.de
Wir waren so vertieft in die Vorbereitung der Projekte für 2026, dass wir fast vergessen hätten, dass wir dafür auch Geld brauchen😅 Helft uns bitte & teilt unser kleines Crowdfunding, um unsere neuen Ziele für 2026 möglich zu machen! DANKE EUCH dass ihr uns möglich macht❤️ crowdfund.volksverpetzer.de
Unterstützte Volksverpetzer 2026!
Finanziere unseren Kampf gegen Fake News 2026!
crowdfund.volksverpetzer.de
December 15, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
softgritspoonie.bsky.social
Why introverts hate talking on the phone. As I said a ringing phone is incredibly intrusive. Like an alarm clock or a crying baby, it demands attention right now! When someone calls, we have to switch gears quickly, renting our focus away from whatever we're doing and when you're deep in thought, like most anniversary spend their days, it's really irritating. Furthermore, they don't have time to mentally prepare for the conversation, which, for introverts, can be like pulling teeth.
December 15, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
deathbyhibachi.bsky.social
💀

#Art by Hook Hope
Skully screams in disbelief
December 15, 2025 at 6:35 AM
rikkapik.bsky.social
Okay, Caturday Furi in the early morning. #Caturday #cat
Cat on a chair
December 13, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
nasibov.me
December 13, 2025 at 6:10 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
deathbyhibachi.bsky.social
Grave Horn

#Art by Rahul Nath
Skeletal moose sticking his tongue out
December 13, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
From the US:

Systems Immunology of Long Covid: Insights from the STOP-PASC Clinical Trial

www.medrxiv.org/content/10.6...

Screenshot from Science for ME weekly update

#LongCovid #PASC #PwLC #postcovid #postcovid19 #LC #Covidlonghaulers #PostCovidSyndrome
Systems Immunology of Long Covid: Insights from the STOP-PASC Clinical Trial — Evan Maestri et al. "Despite considerable heterogeneity in LC, we have demonstrated via multicohort meta-analysis conserved dysregulation in inflammatory immune pathways. The proteins in the LCS Score which are consistently elevated in LC in multiple cohorts are associated with inflammation (IL6), monocyte (SIGLEC1/10) and neutrophil activation/granules (AZU1, PGLYRP1), and T/NK cell granzymes (GZMH, GZMA) suggesting a persistent dysregulated immune response."
December 12, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
chromatowski.bsky.social
1-min action item!

At the end of 2026, Medicaid recipients will be subject to work requirements unless deemed “medically frail”. This is very dangerous for people w/ME (including those w/Long Covid ME) who get sicker from exertion.

Tell HHS to exempt pwME and LC: actionnetwork.org/petitions/fr...
December 8, 2025 at 11:55 PM
rikkapik.bsky.social
Sick and tired of being sick and tired... 🤒
December 9, 2025 at 7:23 AM
rikkapik.bsky.social
Caturday... Furi hard at work...
Cat on desk between monitors with pens.
December 6, 2025 at 1:02 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
minemir.bsky.social
lighting study 🖤
December 4, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
From Austria:

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is the most frequent cardiovascular autonomic disorder following COVID-19 infection or vaccination

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#POTS #LongCovid
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome is the most frequent cardiovascular autonomic disorder following COVID-19 infection or vaccination — Leys et al. "Here, we aimed to investigate the type and frequency of newly diagnosed and exacerbated CAD following COVID-19 infection or vaccination in a large case series referred to the Innsbruck Dysautonomia Center."
December 5, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
From Belgium:

"These data demonstrate that IgGs from long COVID patients bind to peripheral sensory neurons and induce pain-related symptoms in mice."

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#PostCovidSyndrome #LongCovid #PASC
Pathogenic IgG from long COVID patients with neurological sequelae triggers sensitive but not cognitive impairments upon transfer into mice — Mignolet et al. "These data demonstrate that IgGs from long COVID patients bind to peripheral sensory neurons and induce pain-related symptoms in mice."
December 4, 2025 at 2:46 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
galder.bsky.social
And the last supporter reward of the year is here. Jiraiya!

#feline #cat #reward #rewardart #digitalart
December 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
From South Korea:

Distinct brain alterations and neurodegenerative processes in cognitive impairment associated with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#LongCovid #COVIDBrain #NeuroPASC
Distinct brain alterations and neurodegenerative processes in cognitive impairment associated with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 — Seo et al. "The convergence of structural MRI findings and proteomic alterations in the Cog-PASC group provides insight into potential pathophysiologic mechanisms. Cortical thinning, particularly in the cingulate and insular cortices, may be linked to the observed downregulation of synaptic regulatory proteins, reflecting impaired synaptic maintenance and neuronal connectivity."
December 2, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
Stanford author team including Ron Davis

Glymphatic System Dysregulation as a Key Contributor to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ChronicFatigueSyndrome #MEcfs #CFS #PwME
Glymphatic System Dysregulation as a Key Contributor to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome — Nemat-Gorgani et al. Hypothesis paper. "With the recent discovery of the glymphatic system providing a mechanism for the removal of metabolic waste products from the brain, primarily during sleep, we were interested in exploring the relationship between GD and symptoms of ME/CFS."
December 1, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
Opinion piece on the word "journey" as a problematic euphemism for #chronicillness.
"Sugarcoating my bitter pill, a chronic disease, by calling it a “journey” might sweeten it for you, but not for me"

www.statnews.com/2025/11/25/c...

Screenshot from latest Science for ME weekly update

#LongCovid
STATNews I have long Covid. Don't call my chronic disease a 'journey' Opinion piece by professor emeritus Peter Swensson on the word "journey" as a problematic euphemism for chronic illness. "Sugarcoating my bitter pill, a chronic disease, by calling it a “journey” might sweeten it for you, but not for me."
December 1, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
chromatowski.bsky.social
♥️
kmeekes.bsky.social Kristin Meekes @kmeekes.bsky.social · 18d
I’m a better nurse for being on social media and a huge part of that is because of people with Long Covid, ME/CFS, PEM, and other chronic illnesses sharing their stories online
November 29, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
chromatowski.bsky.social
Yep.

Link to ME-ICC: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Tweet from Todd Davenport @sunsopeningband Today's unpopular opinion is maybe the worst development in Long Covid research has been confusing PESE with PEM. Just because a person may have unusual and disabling symptoms and signs after an exertion (PESE) doesn't necessarily make it PEM. Please see the ICC-ME for details. 11:54 AM • Aug 18, 2025 • 32.9K Views
November 29, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
galder.bsky.social
Time to see some OC's! Show me your characters please, and tell me a bit about them. Tag someone who has OC's to share too!

I haven't done this in ages.

Here are some of mine.

#Warcraft #WarcraftArt #art #oc
November 28, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by RikkaPik
tomkindlon.bsky.social
#chronicillness #chroniclife #Spoonies #Spoonie
#ChronicallyIll #Disabled #Disability #ChronicPain
 Cat Lady's Quilt. catladysquilts +Chroniclllness 06/28/25 This is your friendly reminder that lying in bed all day is only enjoyable when it's RARE and VOLUNTARY. Bed rest is no fun whatsoever when it's half (or more) of my waking hours and there are a million and one other far more interesting (or pressing) things I would MUCH rather be doing. So please don't mistake my disability for luxury. If I don't rest this much, I will become too ill to function at all.
November 29, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Reposted by RikkaPik
nasibov.me
November 25, 2025 at 8:30 PM