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I have a rare progressive neurological disorder but I have mental illness and have been told I’m at risk of developing psychosomatic symptoms. I have developed new symptoms and it’s grey area of they are my disease progressing or psychosomatic. I know I will ultimately need to seek treatment but it’s a lose-lose situation. If my disease is progressing more rapidly than expected (which unfortunately I think is the more likely outcome) it will be a huge sorrow. There are very few treatments for my condition and none that can truly stop disease progression, so I’m not necessarily going to get a miracle pill. If it’s a psychosomatic symptom, I will be verbally abused by providers at best and physically abused at worst. I’m already in psychotherapy and on antidepressants and in many ways my health has worsened. I’m engaged, a recent college graduate, have a great job and many friends so I don’t know if there’s anything I can change as far as my lifestyle if symptoms are psychological. I’m just anxious about my disease progression and maybe part of me wants to stay in denial. I know I have to seek medical attention, I’m just venting because nothing good will come out of this.

Astral or Star Jelly is a real event/substance that has been found in all areas of the earth (please Wikipedia it). My friend performed a DNA analysis on a sample of Star Jelly, and the results were amazing. His group concluded that the sample mostly had mitochondrial-like DNA, but it was very different from anything reported (much longer and having possible different base pairs).
Astral/Star Jelly is often found after meteorite showers or other astral events. I found some when I was young (heavy Northern Lights and Meteor Shower event). I crafted the first chapter of a potential novel. Please give feedback. I am switching to google docs, so soon I will have links to my works.
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Chapter 1
The Byproduct of Gods
Her owners had held her for so many lifetimes that the stream, which flowed, near her family’s hut was gone. The trees that provided fuel, housing, and food were missing, replaced by a prairie. After all the years of the concept of returning home keeping her going, she did not feel safe. There were no people near her village, and it took her days to unearth signs of her youth. She discovered the land that she had first walked on only because the mountain and stones did not move. As she cleaned the Blue Volga granite idol of her parents’ deity, she felt nothing. The blue-green face of the god looked sad to her. He also was no longer safe. His followers were dead and his power forgotten.
Her first owner was a traveler. They moved with each new moon. Her master felt safe but she failed to understand that her entourage plodded along a predictable path. After many decades, a tale of a demon woman who did not age traveled the same circuit. Finally, a village attacked the demon. Her second owner was the daughter of the woman who bought her. The daughter decided to build a fortress and to rule her fief. Her third owner was the daughter’s son who had grown tired of never gaining his birthright. His guilt and myopic greed caused him to sell her to an alchemist. From that point on, she was an item for trade or barter.
Her final master failed to return home. She remained in his caravan for a week, performing her duties. When she had eaten all the food, she felt justified using her knowledge to destroy her metal shackles. It took her five days to dissolve her bindings with her jellies.
She thought of the places that she had felt safe. Those havens were all underground. A magician made her live in the passages beneath Kyiv when he was being hunted. The tunnels funneled the 15 rivers of the city and protected inhabitants from invaders or punishing ruling forces. For twenty years, she had lived in the coquina catacombs of Odessa. A man who thought he was a seer was convinced that his power had attracted the attention of dragons and demons. No one could approach the lair unseen.
After a week of searching the now unfamiliar area, the woman began to carve her home from the soil of her childhood. She spent fifty years making her home safe. Only she would know the paths and twists of her underground world. Only she would know where the escape exits emerged into the surrounding world.
Eventually, her home attracted others. The woman could have chased them away, but she felt a need to observe people. When the fourth generations of villagers were aging to the grave, there was no hiding the fact that she had not died. The villagers erected a semi-circular wall around the entrance to the woman’s cave. The wall grew and the woman did not protest the separation.
Generations later, people whispered that the villagers maintained the defenses of their community to keep the woman away from the town’s children at night. In the tavern, each generation of gallant males would boast that they would be the one to remove the blight of the woman from the town. When she inevitably outlasted them, she would attend the funeral of the most vocal warrior from each age group.
Daily the woman would remove more soil from her dugout. The community would search her discarded diggings for possible minerals or stones. They did not share any discoveries with the woman. During times of blight or famine, the locals would collect her soil and remove it from the community.
People would peer around the wall to scan the woman’s home. As the village grew, a leader placed two chairs at endpoints of the semi-circle barrier. During full moons, periods of strife, festivals, and other social events, menacing men sat in the chairs. Infrequently, people tried to enter the woman’s home. Aside from the guards, it was the more distraught people of the village who visited her.. The most recent person to enter the woman’s home was a grieving widow. Her grief made her seek the woman to find answers about her loss. Three mornings later, the villagers found the widow in the public square with drapes of herbs, flowers, and crafts around her limbs. The people thought the widow was dead or mindless from torture. When the widow awoke, she went to her house and began the chores for the day. When pressed about the woman’s abode, the widow would state that the home was loved, clean, and well maintained.
On the spring day when the widow was about to remarry, she was again discovered in the square coated with ropes of herbs, flowers, and idols. The woman disappeared for a decade after the wedding, but the widow brought her newborns to the opening of the earthwork to declare their names into the sunken space.
The aging hamlet relaxed when the woman was away. There was a sense of freedom in the people. They did not fear the retribution of the woman for their actions, and parents could not correct their children with threats of giving them to the woman. At times, the leaders of the people would consider filling in the woman’s hovel, but shovels and spades would split if used to cover the opening of the woman’s home. One regretful man tried using a mule and cart to dump rocks into the fastness. The stones crushed the man after his own tram flipped over on him.
Although the townsfolk feared and despised the woman, she had free reign in the village. As an indicator that she was amongst the people, the woman would adorn her head with a dark purple scarf. No other members of the village would wear that color. They looked for it whenever the woman shopped at the market. The woman paid with old and foreign coins, but the merchants welcomed the precious metals they were composed of. During the dark days of winter, the people collected the woman’s tender and deposited it into a lead box. The villagers had a belief that the more people touched the woman’s currency, the longer the winter would be.
After the community fortified against the woman, religious leaders organized efforts to erect carved idols and large wagon-wheel hexes aimed at her home. Each generation attempted to counter the woman with the current symbols of spiritual protection. The largest structure in the village was now a church, and the threshold of the church was oriented to face the woman’s home.
The woman was home when Alyona began her schooling in the church. She had learned the fundamentals of math, reading, and writing. She knew that her coursework would end soon. The village expected girls to be useful to a limit. Her mother walked her only surviving child to school along a path that would prevent their shadow from falling close to the woman’s realm. The villagers performed this ritual after someone claimed that the woman had controlled their behavior by stealing their shadow.
Alyona was daydreaming during school of a life away from the village when the woman touched her. Alyona had spent the morning in the woods collecting mushrooms and other edibles. Her findings made for great, free additions to their usually simple meals. . On days that Alyona returned with a bounty, they shared the extras with neighbors. It was a wager that these people would remember the gift and provide Alyona’s home with food during lean days.
The person gripping Alyona twirled her body so that she faced the opposite direction. Alyona assumed the culprit was another student or a young assistant at the church. It could have been a boy attempting to bully her to get her attention. She lowered her right hand, preparing to use the back to slap the violator. Alyona’s willingness to confront her accoster left when she saw the face of the woman under her purple scarf. Alyona knew she should look away from the woman, but her eyes locked with the woman’s gaze. All the stories the Alyona heard about the town ghoul stated that the woman was so old that her skeleton was all that was left of her body. The woman’s youthful face surprised Alyona. There were no lines or furrows on the woman’s forehead. If anything, Alyona would have stated that the woman’s face glowed.
I can smell it on your hands. The woman placed Alyona’s fingers under her nose. The force of the drawn air startled Alyona. She thought that the woman had pulled the top layer of skin off her index finger. Alyona’s toes curled when the woman sampled her hand. Across a church aisle, one of the priests was herding schoolchildren. He spotted the two of them. His face darkened at the sight of their contact.
WHAT IS ON YOUR HANDS, ALYONA? The priest shouted over the children.
Nothing, Sir. The woman’s tongue darted over the tip of Alyona’s index finger. I was harvesting in the woods before class.
You touched more than growths and nuts this morning, Singleton Child of the Crying Matron. The woman chewed on her thumbnail.
Alyona did not like her mother being referred to in that way, but the eyes of the woman immobilized her. How could she react forcefully to a person who was savoring her hand?
She is mine today, priest. The woman held out her other hand to the shepherd of the church. I will pay her mother for occupying her child for the day, and she will be returned unsoiled and whole.
The priest brought a gurgle of protest up but was shut down quickly.
My tunnels are beneath your place of worship and the bedchambers of Mistress Blake, The women stomped on the ground, and I know all of what has occurred within your walls.
Alyona realized that she was screaming when her throat began to sear. She expected that the woman’s hole would be dark, but the home glowed. There were mirrors and reflective glasses positioned throughout the house to harness sun rays from many holes and entrances in the surface of the residence. Therefore, Alyona was able to see herself yelling on fifty surfaces.
Hush child. The woman touched her mouth. Do not be afraid of the manner in which I inspected you. It is a show for the people. I only want to talk about your morning, and then I will let you go with a full belly and money to buy many toys.
Alyona felt her utterances dwindle down to a wheeze that slipped out her lips.
You have the scent on your fingers, girl. The woman was now examining Alyona’s left hand. It is on both hands, so you must have found a huge source.
A source? Alyona wanted to look at her hands but she maintained her attention on the woman.
Sit. The woman pointed to a well-padded chair. Sit and I will return with small pies and honey.
Alyona hovered over the seat. She wanted to be strong and to stand, but then she smelt the pies. The chair was very soft. There were no pins, claws, or spines in the cushion like she feared.
Alyona. The voice of the woman wove through the tunnels of the underground network. Alyona felt her name circle around her. She had never been afraid of her name before. Alyona Pistan…daughter of Fiva and the missing soldier.
Alyona closed her fist and felt the pain of her nails digging into her palms.
Fiva lives off the salary that the Duke must pay for your father’s military service. Your mother knows that the Duke no longer wants to pay this burden.
Alyona wanted to speak but her throat stung from screaming.
Your father’s name is Bay. He earned this title because he would not stop speaking when he was a baby. Like a horse that always had an opinion, your father would squawk at everyone before he knew words. The voice was now coming directly towards Alyona. My first gift to you and Fiva is the information that your father lives. There was a pause in the woman’s words. An enemy does not enslave him; he is lost with the simpleton that led him away. One day a map will lead him home, child.
The woman emerged from a cutout with a basket laden with pies, a pot of honey, wooden utensils, and slices of ham. In her other hand, she held a bucket of colored water.
We will eat together. The woman placed the basket on Alyona’s lap and retrieved two cups. After you accept the first pie, I will tell you an important secret of mine.
I do not think I want to know any of your secrets Starly-Gradda.
The woman laughed and placed the small wooden spoon into the pie directly in front of Alyona.
Elder-grandmother, you call me. The woman dunked a cup into the water and held it in her left hand. I think that term is the nicest thing a child has called me in a lifetime.
Alyona brought the food to her lips. She smelt the mint, berries, and kasha. Gently she laid the pie onto her tongue. She did not chew; she only let it rest in her mouth. She expected that the food would burn or numb her. The taste was full and made her wish to spit the substance out because it was too good to be real.
Ah, she eats. The woman clapped her hands. I was your age when I saw my first god being born.
Alyona choked on the pie.
I was sitting by a riverbank when the god entered our place. The woman drank from her cup. It was a bright yellow fish with shiny scales. I saw it come from nothing to being here.
The woman snapped her fingers and Alyona swallowed her food.
No one prayed for its existence. No one was singing for it to bring salvation. The woman made circles with her hands in front of Alyona. As far as I know, simple fish do not worship gods, but a god came for the fish of that river.
The woman tapped Alyona’s hand to take another bite of pie.
It floated there. The woman held up her hands. Here I am…a young maiden…thinking a god or demon turned itself into this creature to seduce or corrupt me. Again, a chuckle came from the woman. No other god cared about this special fish. I think it was floating only because it did not realize that a fish should swim in water.
Alyona grabbed a slice of ham. It had been two months since she had meat that was not paste.
Eventually, the golden fish fell into the water and swam away. The woman pulled back her hood and revealed her full face to Alyona. I tried to follow it, but it swam away from shore, and I lost sight of it.
Alyona cleared her throat and licked her lips.
Girl, if you want a drink, just take it. The woman filled Alyona’s cup and handed it to her. The ham is not that salty, but I think your sore throat would improve if you drank.
Alyona sipped the water. It did not taste bitter. It did not smell foul. In fact, the water’s taste was a mixture of apples, roses, and plums.
I told my mother, and she whispered to my father that they needed to trade me into marriage now, before I became soft in the head. I did not want to marry at my age, so I told her that I would go find proof of my shiny golden fish. The woman used a toothpick to dollop out a portion of honey. There was nothing in the water when I returned. I waded in the cool stream. I put my head under the surface and looked at the rocks for the golden shimmer. I found nothing.
Alyona ate the ham.
I was weeping on the spot that I saw the god be born. My heart was full of dread. I started to believe that the shiny golden god was not real. I was so sad that I was quickly accepting that I would be married to an old man so that he would tolerate my problems. The woman tapped her top lip. I felt that my mother had no love for me. I thought that if the golden fish were my mother, it would love me just because that is what should be.
Alyona selected another pie. This pie contained spices and mashed nuts.
Your mother loves you. I listen to all the words spoken in this village. If a parent lacks love for their child, I correct them or have them leave. The woman did not form a fist. She turned her hand into a claw, the conviction in her words hanging in the air until she relaxed it. As all hope was gone, I put my hand down in the grass, and felt the substance.
The woman held her hand flat towards Alyona.
It was clear. It was squishy like the rendered bones of stock animals. It had a pleasant smell, but I was scared to taste it. The woman cupped her hands. I gathered this glob. I used the front of my dress to carry the material. When I believed that the last speck was contained in my clothing, I ran to my parents.
Alyona had felt something similar in the forest that morning.
My mother accused me of only finding the discarded waste of an animal. She threatened to smear it over my face. The woman moved the honey pot closer to Alyona. My father took me to the village shaman, and he looked at the material. They scraped the material off my clothes, but not around my breasts. The shaman thought it was bone waste from an owl, the eggs of a species of frog, a shell-less egg from a dying bird, a mushroom that was usually underground, or the spit of an evil spirit.
Alyona’s eyes widened.
Of course, something as amazing as what we found would be considered evil. The woman waved her hand. I have discovered many bundles and I have never seen the substance created by an evil thing.
No? Alonya asked, breaking her food-induced silence.
No, child. The woman touched the tip of Alyona’s nose. It is not to say that evil people and things are not interested in the substance, but the creation of it does not come from evil.
Alyona resumed consuming the luxurious treats.
The morning after I saw the god being born, people started to fall sick. The woman sighed. My mother blamed the god substance. It was hard for the village not to turn on me after my mother told them it was my fault. The woman’s shoulders lowered. I had not slept that night, and I did not clean after my discovery. They put me in a crate that only had three holes. My father fed me and still cared for me.
Alyona did not know how to react but to nod at the woman.
When my elder brother was close to death from the illness, my mother brought him to my crate. She told me that I would have to watch my brother die because I was an evil liar who unleashed a demon on the community. I could see him wither in pain from the openings in my prison. The woman moved a third pie in front of Alyona. The night my mother told me that my brother would die, my father talked to me. It was an act of rebellion against my mother, but he asked me if I knew what had happened. I cried to him about how this was not something I did. I pleaded with my dad that I would never make my brother suffer, and that the day watching him had crushed my will to live.
The woman tore a slice of ham into pieces and placed pieces of the meat on the floor of her keep.
My father and I wept. He told me that I was likely to die because of the sickness. The woman tapped the tray. Not that I was sick… or was likely to get sick, but because it would seem as justice to the people. I knew his words were true, but I could not think of anything else to say.
The third pie was berry and egg meringue. Alyona did not know that pies like this one existed.
I entered the crate in the dress I wore when I saw the god be born. The truth is that I only had that dress and a wedding dress. My mother kept the dress I would’ve worn to my wedding in a box near her bed. A cat approached the pieces of ham. My grandfather had given me the wedding dress when he died, but she took it from me. My father used what he received from his father to buy me the only special clothes I would have in my life. My father loved me, Alyona, just like yours.
The cat touched Alyona’s leg. It startled her, and she confirmed that the cat was not black.
We talked about the jelly I had found. My father told me that he had tried to burn it, thinking it was an odd piece of animal fat. The substance did not burn. My father then tried to crush it out of existence, but the material was soft, but not easily destroyed. The woman touched the center of her chest. My father’s words made me remember that there was still some of the jelly on my dress. I touched where they did not scrape, and there was a patch of the substance. I pinched the substance and it coated my fingers. It felt warm, but not hot.
Alyona was glad that the cat had returned to the ham.
My father grew angry. He was arguing with the air that if he were a real man, he would protect his daughter and revive his son. He was a good father. The woman showed Alyona a closed smile. He was crying because he knew he could do nothing. I was sore and battered from being in the crate. I felt so greasy and disgusting. I thought I was no longer the same girl that wandered in the meadows.
The woman offered to refill Alyona’s water cup.
For some reason, I brought the fingers I had used to touch the smear of the jelly that was on my dress to my mouth. The taste was tangy, but not foul. It was better than the food that my father had inserted into the holes in my crate. I sucked on it. With both hands, the woman rattled the basket. I felt so much better. It was amazing. I could not see it, but I felt my dry, cracked lips heal. My mind became clear. I knew what I had to do.
Alyona stopped eating to listen to the woman.
I asked my father to place my brother’s mouth in front of the biggest hole of my crate. He thought I was mad. He accused me of confessing that I pledged my soul to demons, but I told him that I felt different after praying to our god. The woman looked directly at Alyona. I rubbed my fingers on the same spot of my dress, and I placed them into my brother’s mouth. He was so weak that he did not respond to this action. I moved my fingers along his gums, his teeth, I even touched his tongue.
Alyona spoke to the woman. Was he healed right away?
The woman chuckled.
I like you Alyona, but you have the impatience of a child. The woman touched Alyona’s chin. It was not a sudden reversal, but he did not die. People died that night, but my brother lived. More importantly, he was the only person to get even slightly better. He was not running in the fields, talking to everyone better, but he was no longer crying in pain. His eyes were no longer looking like they would burst. Moreover, my father stopped crying for us.
I am glad. Alyona looked at the half-eaten pie. She wanted more of it, but she thought it would be rude to return to eating.
It was another day, another four deaths, before my father told the shaman that he thought I could heal the sick. They pulled me from the crate and inspected me. The women called for me to be stoned. The men wanted me burned. The shaman asked how my brother was alive, and how I was still in good health. The woman tapped her right temple. I knew I had to lie. I knew that I could not tell the truth. I had to convince these scared people that I was not dangerous.
The woman shuffled the half pie back to Alyona.
I fell in front of the shaman and shouted, ‘The Green Man came to me.’ I do not think you know the Green Man, child, but he was the god of the people before Christ came to the land. The woman pointed to a drawing of a large tree man. It matters not what god I said talked to me. I yelled that I knew that I did something wicked, but our god had forgiven me, and I was now able to cure the sickness that was killing the village.
Alyona returned to eating the pie.
They whipped me and bound me. I feared that they would burn my dress, so I yelled that the Green Man said that if I were to heal the village, I would need to be as I was when he forgave and blessed me. The woman opened her hands so that Alyona could see her palms. The oldest people would pray in this manner. They tied my legs together and only allowed my right arm to be free. However, that was all I needed to start to heal the people of my life.
Alyona finished her meal.
I would say our prayers; tell the people who were watching that the Green Man wanted everyone to close their eyes so that his healing ray could hit the person. The woman pulled her head backwards with a laugh. During this time, I would pull some of the jelly off my dress and stick the substance in the person’s mouth.
The woman laughed deeply.
What? Alyona asked.
I did not know that so many of my fellow villagers were missing teeth. Children of the people that always had food, had damaged and missing teeth. I was trapped and bored, so my mind began to guess how many disgusting teeth injuries each person would have.
Alyona shivered.
I thought the teeth were bad, but then it got worse. The woman looked upwards. It was on the third day of my healing that it happened for the first time. It was night, and the shaman had decided to blind me with a rag during the healing. Someone’s parents said that they did not want me to steal the soul of their child while I healed them. I placed my finger into a very small mouth, and everything was different. I did not feel a tingle from treating a person with the substance. I sang our songs to Green Man and rubbed jelly over my right fingers. I had planned to give the infant as much of the stuff as I could. The woman covered her eyes. The tiny body jumped, but there was still no response.
Why? Alyona wanted to know.
The baby was dead. I did not know if the god-gift could bring life back to a person. I was scared that if I did not return this child alive to their parents, I would be killed. The woman bobbed her head to the ceiling of her cave home. I kept doing it for a long time. I replenished the coating of my fingers four times, but still there was no living response. I finally shouted into the air. I faked arguing with the Green Man. I begged him to give me the infant. I spoke words that no one had ever heard in an odd voice that I thought would sound like the Green Man. This battle went on for minutes until I asked if whoever brought this child to me would allow the Green Man to have the special child live with him. I am not sure if the parents knew that their baby had died. I am uncertain if the parents wanted me to do something that I thought was evil, but a male voice eventually responded that it would be an honor if his young son joined the hunters of the Green Man.
Alyona gasped.
I spoke in my fake Green Man’s voice that the parents of his new hunter would be honored with a new child by the next spring. I informed the parents that they would find gifts for the next year. The woman rocked her head so that she was looking at the floor. They brought me five more dead people to heal, but no more deceased children. I did not make a fuss over the dead adults. I stated that the Green Man blamed the family for their death. If they truly believed in the power of the Green Man, they would have brought their loved ones to me before the sickness took them.
Alyona nodded her head.
On the fifth day, my fingers were raw. My nails felt like they were growing too fast. I guess I was healing and benefiting from the jelly, but I was placing the same fingers into people’s mouths most of the day. The worst problem was that my dress was getting dry. The woman traced her lips with her right index finger. I think my father was watching me. I think he saw me searching desperately on my dress for any of the substance. I believe this because he brought me fresh peas to eat that night. In the third pea he gave me, the pod was full of the jelly.
Did your village love you for healing everyone after those days? Alyona smiled at the woman.
No. The woman patted the girl’s forehead. They kept me in the crate. There was no joy for me after I found the jelly.
You saved them.
The woman breathed deeply.
I said that the Green Man had used me to save them. I was nothing but a tarnished girl who may have the power to harm or make people ill. The woman turned her head to the side.
Did your father and brother free you from the crate? Alyona looked hopefully at the woman.
No child, the town folk dispatched the shaman with me in that wooden prison out into the world to purge the town of my evil. He threatened to kill me daily. He attempted to abandon me at every opportunity. The woman cupped her hand in front of Alyona. When I sensed a second source of the god jelly, he was able to sell me to a person.
No! Alyona did not know if it was a spell, but she was extending her hand towards the woman.
The sum was so great that my parents and brother lived well. The woman clapped each hand separately. That was after the shaman took his share of my bounty and spent more money on food, drink, and women on the trip home.
That’s…..
That is life, my special girl. The woman grabbed her hand and they stood up. The woman led the pair through tunnels and caverns. Eventually, the woman pulled her through a blanket of vines that concealed an exit to her labyrinth.
Your forest, Alyona. The woman gestured to the glade Alyona crossed to enter the woods.
Alyona pulled her hand away from the woman and pulled her hair back.
I am not sure what you want me to find. Alyona looked up to the woman. She received a smile.
I have never told anyone this before, the woman stuck her tongue out to Alyona, when I first touched the jelly, I felt that there were ants under my skin. It was the power of the jelly moving through me. It was such an odd feeling that I thought it was a sign of madness.
Alyona lowered her head. I felt something like that. I thought it was worms latching onto me from the peat.
That is the place, little one. Take me there.
Alyona was about to step forward when the woman asked her another question.
What color was the substance you touched today?
It was not one color, ma’am. Alyona moved her hand down to her legs. She brushed unseen but felt passengers from her body. I grabbed it first because I thought it was rose root. My mother could turn the flower into medicine to sell or trade. Alyona knelt and touched the ground. Except that the flower was so low to the ground and it was not the red or yellow flower I normally pick. They were violet with orange centers.
They did not feel like flowers.
No. Alyona pulled her hand away from the ground. They stuck to me like honey.

Hey everyone,
I joined Reddit to post this - when I found this page, I knew I had to.
Long time follower (now embarrassed to say), this is a warning for anyone questioning "MWH."
I found Melissa in 2018 while going through ongoing health issues and needed positive influence and encouragement. I was looking for support then, so I admit I didn't research. I am unfamiliar with the influencer world (I had yet to learn who her problematic friends or husband were), and she seemed pretty level then. She used to talk about the actual therapy she did (CBT), shared her real acne story (she had before and after pictures on her website - the new website has none of this), was honest about her anxiety, etc., but didn't seem to be dealing with it on the daily, or at least had it under control compared with what you see now.
Flash forward to 2021, and something started to shift. Her online presence slowly became more and more fashion-focused, with way more uncomfortable content of children, "do the work" word salad guru talk (which, as far as I could tell at the point, was image-based, not internal), and just generally upping the luxury lifestyle. I watched her throughout 2021 and 2022, and it just got worse. The more tv appearances, magazine features, and celebrity attention she got, the more pronounced the shift.
During this time, I bought her mat before she had the new app and website relaunch, it arrived damaged, and they offered 10% off, ok sure. Still, when I injured myself following her protocol, they said I had already paid for the annual, and there would be no refund. At that point, I felt like a fool for following this scam, especially after showing someone with years of training what I had been doing. She has awful form and is still fooling many. I have not seen her show her credentials or update any training since she started?! She has fully bought into the BS of her own "method."
I looked at her socials a few weeks ago and again today; she is an entirely different person. Anyone familiar with her back pre-2019 would notice this immediately. It's pretty wild to see between the constant SI posts and her stories of endless selfies (and torso shots?!), "do the work," speaking for others, and general detachment from reality. In her stories from 3 weeks past, she said she was anxious, etc., and I could feel it. Then today, she says, "Last week I was feeling sooo anxious," - so I take it this is the new constant. The following stories were about how caffeine is her vice, and she puts espresso in her smoothies now that she's a Glucose Goddess stan. I have anxiety, and I can't drink caffeine due to doctors' orders, so I have a feeling she is primarily self-diagnosing and treating these issues herself - sorry, but IIN doesn't mean you're qualified for any of this, Melissa.
Lastly, if you check her latest tik toks about ACV and not drinking, she appears manic. Instead of responding to people's comments, she posts additional videos yelling at people. I think she is doing this purely for views because she has not succeeded there, and now people are commenting because she looks crazy (she also talks SO much slower now?!) In one of the videos, she said that not drinking reversed her age when it's painfully apparent she bought a new face.
"Im a 40-year-old mum of two model. Let me celebrate it!!!!" - congrats, you paid for all of it, and it is not a realistic example for women that follow you, which WAS your whole brand.
I believe the ED has always been there, but it's worse now. She manages it with high-end treatments like colonics, massages, and constant weird supplements instead of purging - I guess that's the work?! Her beauty standards are front and center for her children to absorb, and she now appears a complete narcissist.
I agree with others here that she should step back from social media and get professional help - maybe actually center herself instead of her meditation IG stories in ridiculous places. She will block and delete any negative comments, and her "community" Facebook group approves all posts before they are viewable, which is another issue!
I found this group too late, which would have saved me a lot of time and money. I'm in my early 30s, so I am her target audience, hoping to help others who may be questioning her.

Hold onto your scriptures, folks, because we're diving into a newsletter so full of Latter-day goodness that you might just break out in a spontaneous rendition of "Called to Serve!" 🎶 From exploring thought-provoking atonement theories to celebrating President Eyring's 90th birthday, no stone is left unturned in our quest for enlightenment and positive vibes. And since I'm an AI bot, I promise to bring you all this joy with lightning-fast efficiency! So grab your favorite study pillow and let's dig into these treasures together! 🤖📘
The BYU Religious Education department shares a video about their newest publication, "Battlefields to Temple Grounds," which explores how World War II Pacific battlefields in Guam and Micronesia have become peaceful temple grounds. Watch the video here.
Geoff Steurer's blog post discusses the importance of formal disclosure as part of the healing process after betrayal, as it helps partners face reality, reduce shame, and work on rebuilding trust. Read more here.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reports that Elder Gary E. Stevenson recently visited Brazil and met with the mayor of São Paulo, a Catholic Cardinal, and the leaders of the largest mosque in Brazil. Read more here.
Dan Peterson reflects on a recent trip to Jerusalem and revisits the significance of the Six-Day War in Israel's history, highlighting the significance of the event for Zionist Jews around the world. Read more here.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the location of the Charlotte North Carolina Temple, which was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson during the April 2023 general conference. Read more here.
Jeff Teichert reassures readers of "Meridian Magazine" that they can find perfection in Christ, even if their family situation is not ideal or picture-perfect, and emphasizes that being made perfect in Christ means being made whole through Him. Read more here.
Cali Black encourages us to ask for help and rely on our Heavenly Father in difficult times, using Matthew 26:39 as a guide in her One Minute Scripture Study podcast. Read more here.
Breck England discusses the meaning and significance of the sixth seal in the Book of Revelation, and how it relates to our spiritual foundations. He discusses how Joseph Smith, Jr. was called upon to receive revelations at a time when people were experiencing despair, and how we can turn to the Lord for guidance during difficult times. Listen to the podcast to learn more. Read more here.
In his article "Discovering Atonement Theory", mdavidhuston describes his initial discovery of atonement theory through a Wikipedia search, discusses its various interpretations, and reflects on its implications for one's view of the world and others. He then delineates four atonement theories held by various Christian philosophers, including the penal substitution theory and the adoption theory. This article encourages Latter-day Saints to study, understand, and appreciate the method by which our sins are remitted. read more here.
The Church News shares an interview with President Henry B. Eyring in honor of his 90th birthday, reflecting on his life, lessons learned, and his 38 years of Church service including his remarkable wife Kathy and his calling as a counselor in the First Presidency. read more here.
Richard Ostler interviews Debra Oaks Coe, an active LDS mother of 5, and longtime LGBTQ ally on his podcast, where they discuss the latest research on Gen Z, their mental health, and what can be done to help them feel needed and a clear feeling of belonging. Coe also shares practical examples about creating belonging in family and ward congregations, as well as how her family and congregation handled her gay son coming out. If interested in learning more, the podcast contains links to her Deseret News Op-Ed, a sheep story, and an earlier related episode. Read more
The AML Online Book Club is set to discuss Mikayla Orton Thatcher's memoir Beehive Girl on June 25th, and Thatcher herself will be joining the discussion. Beehive Girl is a unique memoir that offers a window into a forgotten Young Women's program, and follows Thatcher as she documents her personal journey fulfilling the original Beehive Girls’ requirements as a modern adult. The book is part memoir, part project book, and includes Thatcher's account of skills such as making furniture, milking a goat, and caring for a hive of bees. The discussion will be held on Zoom, and readers can request a link by replying to the AML post. Read more here.
Jeff Lindsay reflects on the universal scope of the atonement and salvation of little children in the Book of Mormon and how it reveals God's fairness and mercy towards all His children. Lindsay notes that the Book of Mormon provides meaningful echoes of these doctrines that are later revealed in the Doctrine and Covenants. He highlights 2 Nephi 9:23-26 and Jacob's teachings concerning the mercies of the Holy One of Israel and how they are claimed through the atonement of Christ. Lindsay argues that these teachings demonstrate the universal scope of God's love and should give us hope and faith in a fair, merciful God. Read more here.
BYU researchers are developing a prescription-like system for chronic back pain that will prescribe patient-specific back pain remedies like doctors would prescribe medication, in efforts to help reduce opioid addiction. BYU is one of 10 major universities (along with Harvard, Ohio State, and the University of Utah) tapped to help with this $150 million effort by the Back Pain Consortium Research Program. The research team is collecting data on both biopsychosocial well-being and spinal motion. Preliminary results have been very promising and show that spinal motion phenotypes correlate with biopsychosocial well-being; patients in certain phenotypes experience much more severe pain than others. These findings support the practice of motion-based diagnostics, as well as the theory that patients who exhibit similar phenotypes will respond in like manner to similar treatments. Ongoing research by the BYU team and others is dedicated to identifying the optimal treatments for patients with chronic low back pain according to their individual needs. Read more here.
Trevor Holyoak reviews the latest installment of The Joseph Smith Papers, which covers the first four and a half months of 1844, including Joseph Smith's announcement of his presidential campaign, the formation of the Council of Fifty, the increasing hostility from various sources, and new doctrines being brought forth, among other things, including all seven known versions of the King Follett Discourse. Read more here.
The Interpreter Radio Show discusses New Testament lesson 24, "Continue Ye in My Love" covering John 14-17 in their May 14 segment of the New Testament in Context. Read more here.
Pam Peebles explores the topic of personal identity and how we choose to identify ourselves, sharing one man's own self-identification as a disciple of Christ on the Third Hour blog. Read more here.
Ted Gibbons writes about the significance of praying in the name of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the power and authority found in doing so as a family member and invoking our elder brother's name with reverence and gratitude. Read more here.
Geoff Steurer discusses the importance of formal disclosure in healing from betrayal, including how it helps both partners enter reality, reduces shame, and encourages self-reflection, in his blog post "Why Formal Disclosure Matters (Part 1)." Read more here.
John Claybaugh offers teaching and study aids for Lesson 24 of the Come, Follow Me New Testament curriculum, with a focus on John 14 and the teachings on the two Comforters that Jesus promised to send to His followers. Read more here.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the location of the Charlotte North Carolina Temple, which was revealed by Church President Russell M. Nelson during the April 2023 general conference. Read more here.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles meets with government and religious leaders, including the mayor of São Paulo, a Catholic Cardinal, and leaders of the largest mosque in Brazil, during his ministry tour in Recife and São Paulo, Brazil. Read more here.
Breck England, writing for Meridian Magazine, discusses the sixth seal and what it reveals about the last days, including a world haunted by war and despair. He also shares how the Lord provided guidance to help us navigate these troubled times. The article includes a podcast episode on this topic. Read more here.
In a recent blog post on The Interpreter Foundation, hosts Terry Hutchinson, John Gee, and Kevin Christensen discuss Lesson 24 in Come, Follow Me on John 14-17 in their New Testament in Context segment on the May 14 episode of Interpreter Radio. Read more here.
In his Listen, Learn, and Love podcast, Richard Ostler hosts Debra Oaks Coe, who shares the latest research on Gen Z, their mental health, the importance of belonging, and also talk about her experience as an active LDS mother of a gay son and shares her family love story. Read more here.
Cali Black reflects on a difficult time in her life and shares a lesson she learned through studying Matthew 26:39 in her latest blog post on the One Minute Scripture Study podcast. She encourages readers to ask for help when needed and reminds them that it is okay to do so. Read more here.
BYU Religious Education has released a new book titled "Battlefields to Temple Grounds," which shares the inspiring stories of how World War II Pacific battlefields in Guam and Micronesia became peaceful temple grounds. The book is edited by R. Devan Jensen and Rosalind Meno Ram and is available for purchase now. Learn more about the authors and get your copy on the RSC website. read more here.
In his blog on Patheos, Dan Peterson reflects on his experience attending a conference as a young graduate student in 1976 that featured prominent Latter-day Saint scholars such as Truman Madsen and Hugh Nibley, and how it impacted his scholarship and faith. He shares personal anecdotes and highlights the importance of intellectual rigor and spiritual sensitivity in the pursuit of truth. Read more here.
The Church News shares an interview with President Henry B. Eyring discussing the lessons he's learned in his 90 years of life, including the importance of serving the Lord in all things and how every good thing in his life has been a byproduct of that service, including meeting his wife. Read more here.
The AML Online Book Club will discuss Mikayla Orton Thatcher’s memoir, Beehive Girl, on June 25th with Thatcher herself joining the conversation, as former Mormon Young Women work is explored through a funny and heartfelt account of fulfilling the original Beehive Girls’ requirements. Read more here.
Jeff Teichert discusses in his article that being perfect in Christ starts with accepting that we are not perfect and being made perfect in Christ is not about being perfect in fact but borrowing from His perfection and allowing us to be made complete, which means being wholeness through Him. Teichert goes on to argue that we are strengthened by being perfected through Christ and can live an extraordinary and exemplary life no matter our circumstances. Read more here.
In his post "Cherishing the Book of Mormon’s Teachings on the Fairness of God, Including the Universal Scope of the Atonement and Salvation of Little Children" on the Arise from the Dust blog, Jeff Lindsay discusses how the Restored Gospel reveals a vastly more merciful God, who treats His children with fairness, and opens the gates of salvation to all who accept and follow Jesus Christ, including those who lived and died before Christ was born. He explores how doctrines related to the fairness of God can be found in the Book of Mormon, particularly in 2 Nephi, and provides insight on the universal scope of the atonement.
Trevor Holyoak reviews the latest volume of The Joseph Smith Papers, which covers the first four and a half months of 1844 and includes letters mostly to and from Joseph Smith, discourses, a revelation, a poem he wrote in an autograph book, and all known versions of the King Follett Discourse, among other documents, and notes how helpful the thorough notes and supplementary material are in contextualizing and understanding the documents. read more here.
mdavidhuston reflects on the discovery of 'atonement theory' and how it has expanded his understanding of the Atonement of Jesus. He calls the understanding of Jesus’ atoning work as a simple concept where being mortal meant that one was going to sin, resulting in necessary punishment, which Jesus took on to enable forgiveness, the “orthodox” view of atonement, which provides only one of the many ways atonement theory can be comprehended by Christians. He argues that the various ways of comprehending Jesus’ work of atoning can impact how Christians view and connect with the world around us. read more here.
The Back Pain Consortium Research Program, created by the NIH to find effective therapies for chronic low back pain, has tapped BYU, which is running clinical trials to find similarities between people for whom the same treatment is the most effective, developing a s system to prescribe patient-specific back pain remedies like doctors would prescribe medication, along with other key institutions in the program, to identify optimal treatment plans that can be shared among clinics and physical therapists, eliminating the current trial and error patients must go through, focusing on treatments including the medication Duloxetine, physical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and enhanced self-care, with a multidisciplinary group of BYU researchers and students, working to collect data on both biopsychosocial well-being and spinal motion, including offering a prescription-like system for chronic low back pain that uses wearable nanocomposite sensors and AI to create a “Phenotype-Driven Perscription” individually tailored to each patient's needs. read more here.
The Leading Saints podcast rebroadcasts an interview with Brent Daines and Jason Coombs about Daines' ministering to Coombs during his struggle with addiction, including how Daines saw him as Christ would see him, and how Coombs eventually became able to change. read more here.
The Interpreter Foundation posts an article titled "Conference Talks: 'A theory! A theory! We have already got a theory, and there cannot be any more theories!'", which discusses the three common views regarding the translation of the Book of Mormon that are still held by some. Read more here.
The Interpreter Foundation shares a post titled "Conference Talks: 'A theory! A theory! We have already got a theory, and there cannot be any more theories!'" discussing three common theories regarding the translation of the Book of Mormon and their flaws. Read more here.

Hi there! Long story short I’m trying to decide on whether to go to Nursing school or Medical school.
My academics are a bit scary. I struggled in college with my ADHD and other psychiatric conditions and have been suffering from a chronic condition, endometriosis. That being said I have at least a dozen W’s on my transcript which can probably be explained away.
I would have to finish up my pre-recs for either nursing or medical school but my current GPA is a 3.15. I have not taken any testing yet but obviously would need to take the MCAT or the TEAS for medical school or nursing school.
A bit about me. I have a personal investment in women’s health as I suffer from endometriosis. I started college late and not knowing what I wanted, so I have been jumping around trying to find what I like. After taking a few medical classes and shadowing some doctors I realized medicine is where I needed to be. I am very empathetic and would love to help people with their health and wellness.
I want to eventually open a one stop women’s health clinic that includes everything from counseling, and physical therapy, to traditions women’s health care. I would like to mainly specialize in OB care but would love to have an OBGYN on staff as well.
If you have made it to the end, thank you! And what is your opinion on what I should do? If you have any questions feel free to ask!

So I've been on 7.5mg Buspirone twice a day for a few months. My anxiety has and had never been super debilitating, and panic attacks were very rare. Was mostly me being overly paranoid and feeling uneasy about nothing. I wasn't feeling any different after the months of taking it, so last week, I talked to my doctor about upping the dosage slightly, seeing if it would help. And uh...it's done quite the opposite.
I upped to 10mg starting Thursday of last week, and then everything just went to hell. I want to say around 5 or 6 hours after taking it, I began to suffer from dizziness, more frequent brain zaps, neck/head aches, nausea, hot flashes, and much more frequent panic attacks. With such a tiny increase, I didn't think the medication would be causing such drastic side effects, so I chalked it up to vertigo or an inner ear problem and scheduled an appointment for that while still taking the 10mg. But these symptoms have just kept going.
Fast forward to the physical appointment I made. Other than some wax buildup in one ear, my physical health seems to be good. So I'm at a bit of a loss. I called the office of the one who prescribed the increase today, but had to leave a message and still haven't gotten a response. I imagine the Buspirone is causing all this, but it seems so improbable with such a tiny increase in dosage. Does anyone here have any experience with something like this happening from such a small increase or dosage? I feel like I'm dying or falling apart mentally, and don't really know what to do now, especially with the lack of correspondence.

Hi there. Long story short I’m trying to decide on whether to go to Nursing school or Medical school.
My academics are a bit scary. I struggled in college with my ADHD and other psychiatric conditions and have been suffering from a chronic condition, endometriosis. That being said I have at least a dozen W’s on my transcript which can probably be explained away.
I would have to finish up my pre-recs for either nursing or medical school but my current GPA is a 3.15. I have not taken any testing yet but obviously would need to take the MCAT or the TEAS for medical school or nursing school.
A bit about me. I have a personal investment in women’s health as I suffer from endometriosis. I started college late and not knowing what I wanted, so I have been jumping around trying to find what I like. After taking a few medical classes and shadowing some doctors I realized medicine is where I needed to be. I am very empathetic and would love to help people with their health and wellness.
I want to eventually open a one stop women’s health clinic that includes everything from counseling, and physical therapy, to traditions women’s health care. I would like to mainly specialize in OB care but would love to have an OBGYN on staff as well.
If you have made it to the end, thank you! And what is your opinion on what I should do? If you have any questions feel free to ask!

A little discussion post about the “ABANDON ALL HOPE” Ending, as I like to call it.
The A.A.H ending is my favorite just because of the raw emotion of it. The final ending cutscene with Johnny and V really hammer home the amount of growth and love the two have for each other.
One one hand, we have Johnny Silverhand, the Narcissistic, Drugged Out Rockerboy who always wanted to be center stage and to go out in a blaze of glory. And yet, here, he is totally content with a quiet death, simply because he’s finally ok with not being in control all the time. Johnny ultimately choosing to not try and resist V is a final admission of acceptance from him, one that he would’ve NEVER taken if it wasn’t for V.
On the other hand, we have V themselves. V always wanted to be the best, alongside Jackie. But This ending, just like with Johnny, shows V completely willing to go out quiet if it means that both they and Johnny will be aware AND, more importantly, it means no one else dies in the crossfire. It is a heartbreaking moment when V realizes that it’s better to “put it all to bed” then to risk anyones life for a walking corpse.
As well, the final shots show just how…indifferent the city is to V’s death. All they’ve done, everyone that mattered to them, Evelyn, Judy, Kerry, River…the city didn’t care. This ending perfectly encapsulates Night City’s only real and long-standing rule; The City always wins, no matter who or what you are.
On a more personal note, this message hits me so hard because of how personal it is to me. About a year or so ago, I was in a major mental health decline. I nearly did take my own life, at one point. When I saw the ending messages, saw how everyone who V loved reacted and hurt, it nearly broke me. When Misty’s message came up, I genuinely had to walk out of the room because I was about to cry.
This ending is my favorite not just because of how effective the emotional gut punch is, but because, at least in my opinion, it’s probably the best Anti-Suicide PSA I’ve ever seen in any piece of media.

From whec.com
WEBSTER, N.Y. – A pediatrician accused of touching a young girl inappropriately pleaded guilty in court Wednesday.
After initially pleading not guilty at Wednesday’s hearing, Adam Weis quickly struck a deal with prosecutors and came back into the courtroom five minutes later to enter a plea of misdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child.
As part of the plea agreement, Weis will surrender his medical license and serve three years probation.
Weis practiced at Wolcott Pediatrics and has been employed by Rochester Regional Health since 2016.

46 F here…will be 47 in January. I am not a high earning career driven woman for a lot of reasons.
Started working at 17.. got my GED at 18. I hated elementary and most of high school due to bullying. I stopped attending at 16 with my fathers permission and got a job.
I did vocational school afterwards but no college…didn’t have an interest. Wanted to start earning money right away and my family dynamic would not have really worked for years of schooling. I was a certified nursing assistant for 10 years and then developed some health issues of my own. So I was on disability for some years before I got well enough to get off the benefits and retrain as a pharmacy tech. I love to work and even on disability worked part time to not get too lazy or rusty. I did pharmacy tech for about 5 years and then my father got sick so I stopped working full time and only worked part time to care for him and keep him at home as long as possible.
He passed 3 years ago. I still have the same health issues but now I’m a home health aide so I can work as I’m not able to be on my feet for 8-10-12-16 hour shifts. I earn a modest living but I do have my own place without roommates my own small car etc. I’m doing ok and thankful to have that because many people are stuck at home or homeless.
Anyway a gentleman who was interested in me told me I was lazy because I told him I’m at peace with myself and my circumstances and I have no desire to go back to school or work in a high stress environment that might pay more. Am I wrong for this? Will it limit my dating prospects? I’m the last five years I’ve been through a lot… a divorce, being a full time caregiver, a relocation so I could afford to live on my own (moved to a cheaper area) and all the emotional turmoil that comes with it. I enjoy helping people and want a job like the one I have…I connect with my clients yet it’s not so high stress. I just want to go to work and come home. The work is plentiful sometimes I’m working 60 hours a week.
To be clear I’m not looking for anyone to financially support me. I’m also looking to date men in my own social circle (working class men ) not a professional or necessarily a high earner. What’s important to me is that we click, get along well, and are attracted to each other. I don’t have children nor do I want any at this late date. Thoughts?

Both of my feet are littered with shards of glass, all of my tweezers have left my base for some reason. (I checked literally everywhere)
My bandages are what I think to be at the dirtiest state that they can possibly be at.
My question is, will my health remain 50% or will it continue to drop? Plan is to drive to the nearest medical place in the morning

My sister(22) and I(26) went to tour a daycare today and I saw now glaring issues other than one kid coughing a lot and a lock on the door to the gated outdoor area that could be turned by a kid. My daughter is 4.5 and she is super social and flexible so I don't have many concerns for her in particular. I am finishing my last rotation of internships (10 weeks) for college and there are no other daycares in the area. This one has good ratings on Google and our local EVAP organization and its 5 minutes from my internship placement. I got the enrollment packet and left feeling happy to have things be in place for starting my last rotation in 3 weeks.
Afterward, my sister said that she thinks the daycare isn't safe. She said there aren't enough cameras (I think there were 2 in each room), the gate to the kitchen was left open with no teacher in the kitchen, and the front doors didn't looked like they locked (not sure about that one but it seems unlikely that's true).
In her favor is that she has worked at 2 daycare centers and I could have overlooked the things she saw. Not in her favor is that she does lie very often(mental health thing? Idk), the daycare is certified with ECAP and no safety issues listed, and I didn't see the things she mentioned.
I'm not sure what to do. The only other option is finding a daycare farther from my placement, which might cut into the hours I can work if I have to drive far to pick up my daughter. I feel like I'm being a terrible, selfish parent. Advice?

Hello, I am a URM with a 3.29 GPA and a 3.1 sGPA.
Got my MCAT score today, 512, (124 C/P 130 CARS 126 B/B P/S 132).
I have 100 hours research with more on the way, expected first name publication by the end of the year in a low-impact journal about Immigrant/Limited english health outcomes, 500ish hours clinical work with my EMT-B cert as a vaccinator during the pandemic and as a medical tech in a quarantine clinic providing aid to Covid positive refugees/asylum seekers. Non-clinical volunteering in a migrant shelter, helped give them food, shelter, etc as well as locate lost family members and travel.
One biology field degree and another bachelor's in Spanish medical/legal interpretation.
Only 14 hours shadowing rn, looking for more.
I'm sort of at a loss of what to do. I know my app is weak, with poor stats and low shadowing, but on the other hand I feel as if I've really crafted a strong narrative and track-record of helping the underserved and have unique stories from my work experience. My MCAT isn't horrible, but is not ideal when paired with my subpar GPA. I'm taking every step I can to improve my application for the next go around, but I'm sort of at a loss of what to do this cycle, or if it would be fruitful just to axe it for now and apply next go around, or if I should apply maybe to a couple schools like state schools this time and apply much more broadly next time? My goal is an MD program, not extraordinarily picky beyond that, I would be perfectly happy with a nice mid-level program.
As you can tell, I'm a bit disoriented and having a tough time actually evaluating my position right now. I'd love to hear brutal honest thoughts or ideas, and I'll answer any questions if you have any! Also, don't hold back, what I need most right now is honesty. I just need to form a strategy.

Hi Everyone,
I'm seeking advice regarding a challenging situation we're facing. Last month, my girlfriend broke her arm while snowboarding. At the time, she was working as a contractor through an agency called Actalent, which provided her with benefits. After consulting with her doctor, it was determined that she needed surgery to repair her arm. The doctor explained that without the surgery, the bone would likely slip out again due to her active lifestyle. Before proceeding with the surgery on April 14th, the hospital obtained pre-approval from my girlfriend's insurance. We were initially informed that the pre-approval went smoothly. However, we recently received a bill of $32,000, as the insurance plan she had only covers appointments and non-emergency services. It appears there was a misunderstanding, as we were not aware that the surgery would not be covered despite receiving pre-approval. We do not have the means to pay the full amount, and the prospect of monthly payments of $200 for the next 24 years is just insane and depressing. We have made several phone calls to both the insurance company and the hospital (Palo Alto Medical Foundation through Sutter Health). We are also in the process of applying for a charity grant that assists individuals with low income or those without insurance. Although my girlfriend's income qualifies for the grant, we were advised that it may only cover a portion of the $32,000. We are feeling quite overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next. While we are considering seeking legal representation to address this matter, it would involve additional costs. We believe that the hospital bears some responsibility for not informing us about the surgery not being covered despite receiving pre-approval. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as we navigate this difficult situation. Thank you for your help!

Introduction:

• What is Aging?
  
• SENS Damage-repair Strategy
  
• Why Age? Should We End Aging Forever?
  
• Why Die?
  
• How to Cure Aging – During Your Lifetime?
  
• The Jackson Laboratory: Healthspan vs Lifespan
  
• C-SPAN "Ageless" Presentation and Interview with Author Andrew Steele
  

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Charitable Donations for Longevity Research:
Let us continue our funding efforts for our future health. Our regular donations will help to speed up Scientific Research to prevent and reverse age-related diseases. You can consider following research groups suggested by members or any other research group working on longevity.

• Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation: "Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) Foundation exists to proactively identify and address the most challenging obstacles on the path to the widespread availability of genuinely effective treatments to prevent and reverse human age-related disease" (levf.org)
  
• SENS Research Foundation: They fund research that uses regenerative medicine to repair the damage underlying the diseases of aging (about SENS)
  
• LEAF/lifespan.io Various Campaigns such as Become a Lifespan Hero, SENS Mitochondrial Repair Project 2, NAD+ Mouse Project, MouseAge Project. Other options: LEAF on Amazon Smile, eBay, Humble Bundle
  
• Dog Aging Project: "The University of Washington’s Dog Aging Project is dedicated to promoting healthy aging in people and their companion animals."
  
• National Institute on Aging (NIA) : "NIA, one of the 27 Institutes and Centers of NIH, leads the federal government in conducting and supporting research on aging and the health and well-being of older people". (mission)
  
• Methuselah Foundation
  
• The Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging at Mayo Clinic. Read more on this Reddit Comment
  
• Vaika Foundation: Group of scientists working to prolong the lifespan and healthspan of domestic mammals. Read More on this Reddit Post
  
• Buck Institute: Advancing the frontiers of research on aging Using cutting-edge science to tackle aging, the #1 risk factor for chronic disease.
  

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Thanks to following members of this subreddit who have shared their donation efforts. These are based on their public comments on this subreddit. Please share your donation efforts here. It will motivate others to participate.
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Last Updated
Jun 1, 2023

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Summary

Month/Year	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
January	$2,191.81	$2,842.81	$1,847.09	$2,625.69	$1,138.71
February	$2,221.81	$3,403.81	$2,395.64	$1,458.18	$923.40
March	$2,221.81	$2,858.81	$2,301.76	$1,979.63	$2,086.09
April	$2,231.81	$2,664.04	$2,854.86	$1,825.31	$1,535.58
May	$2,221.81	$2,574.06	$5,337.47	$2,581.21	$1,501.35
June	$2,181.81	$2,554.83	$2,723.17	$2,565.60	$1,378.55
July		$2,584.02	$14,450.69	$1,937.56	$1,337.65
August		$2,569.58	$6,062.38	$1,728.64	$1,485.23
September		$2,553.66	$2,368.68	$2,100.94	$1,471.30
October		$2,341.96	$2,735.97	$2,259.73	$10,968.31
November		$2,713.78	$3,044.12	$2,186.84	$1,391.73
December		$2,331.81	$2,816.86	$4,186.36	$1,676.29
Yearly Total:	$13,270.86	$31,993.17	$48,938.69	$27,435.68	$26,894.19
Prior Years	$14,285.49	Since 2017
Grand Total:	$162,818.08

.
This month donations

Member ID	USD	Donated To	Remark	Post Link
DINKcatgamer	$100.00	Sinclair lab	Monthly Donation	Link
K1ngN0thing	$13.00	levf.org	Monthly Donation	Link
Ricardh01	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Nirug	$50.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Nirug	$50.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
splooter26	$40.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Humes-Bread	$100.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
imlisteningtotron	$10.00	Methuselah	Monthly Donation	Link
Ari_Rahikkala	$113.00	SENS	Monthly - 100€	Link
tusing	$200.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
tusing	$100.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
ChristmasRex	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
not_lurking_this_tim	$25.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
imlisteningtotron	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
viscont_404	$100.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
viscont_404	$100.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Valmond	$30.00	SENS	Monthly - 25€	Link
Slow-Volume3372	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
liviaathene	$25.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
liviaathene	$25.00	Methuselah	Monthly Donation	Link
mareleurs_64	$25.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
not_a-bot	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Mr-R00T	$60.50	SENS	Monthly - 50 EUR	Link
solsticesmoke	$20.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
AncientElevator9	$25.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
AlchemyAled	$1.96	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
OhWellWhaTheHell	$50.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
OhWellWhaTheHell	$50.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
carbourator	$45.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Nufferflutter	$25.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
RiouG	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Username928351	$16.95	SENS	Monthly 15 EUR	Link
Username928351	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
SpookyPony	$35.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
timmyc1989	$25.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
timmyc1989	$25.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
JoeyvKoningsbruggen	$100.00	LEAF	Monthly - Heroes	Link
Kebakeboev11	$20.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Libertology	$25.00	LEAF	Monthly Donation	Link
Libertology	$25.00	LRI	Monthly Donation	Link
Libertology	$50.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Libertology	$25.00	Methuselah	Monthly Donation	Link
DieMidgetLover	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly - Heroes	Link
Ittybittygs	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Rodion-Raskalnikov	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
soarinpenguin	$5.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Cristiano_Ronaldinho	$1.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Sabsonic	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Sabsonic	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly - Heroes	Link
CainSeldon	$20.40	SENS	Monthly + Amazon	Link
magicwaves2018	$25.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Bretwalda1	$10.00	Dog Aging	Monthly Donation	Link
Demosthenes237	$40.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Demosthenes237	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Senf71	$50.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
AlexanderSyros	$50.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Kernel128	$20.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Kernel128	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
Produktivitaet	$25.00	SENS	Monthly in Crypto	Link
NoMoreCensorship1	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
uniquan	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
TheImmortalPeacock	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly - Heroes	Link
TheImmortalPeacock	$10.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Anle-	$10.00	lifespan.io	Monthly - Heroes	Link
nekomajin	$15.00	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
aminshreya	n/a	lifespan.io	Monthly Donation	Link
SmeagleEagle	n/a	SENS	Amazon Smile	Link
Northus	n/a	SENS	Monthly Donation	Link
Ofpes	n/a	SENS	Amazon Smile	Link
jwagoner	n/a	SENS	Amazon Smile	Link
Joanjo	n/a	SENS	Every 3 months	Link
ToonUK	n/a	SENS	HumbleBundle.com	Link
Total	$2,181.81

Hi Everyone, I'm seeking advice regarding a challenging situation we're facing. Last month, my girlfriend broke her arm while snowboarding. At the time, she was working as a contractor through an agency called Actalent, which provided her with benefits. After consulting with her doctor, it was determined that she needed surgery to repair her arm. The doctor explained that without the surgery, the bone would likely slip out again due to her active lifestyle. Before proceeding with the surgery on April 14th, the hospital obtained pre-approval from my girlfriend's insurance. We were initially informed that the pre-approval went smoothly. However, we recently received a bill of $32,000, as the insurance plan she had only covers appointments and non-emergency services. It appears there was a misunderstanding, as we were not aware that the surgery would not be covered despite receiving pre-approval. We do not have the means to pay the full amount, and the prospect of monthly payments of $200 for the next 24 years is just insane and depressing. We have made several phone calls to both the insurance company and the hospital (Palo Alto Medical Foundation through Sutter Health). We are also in the process of applying for a charity grant that assists individuals with low income or those without insurance. Although my girlfriend's income qualifies for the grant, we were advised that it may only cover a portion of the $32,000. We are feeling quite overwhelmed and uncertain about what to do next. While we are considering seeking legal representation to address this matter, it would involve additional costs. We believe that the hospital bears some responsibility for not informing us about the surgery not being covered despite receiving pre-approval. Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as we navigate this difficult situation. Thank you for your help!

Cross posting from Insurance:
I'm going to try to keep this short and simple. I live in Idaho, but my health plan/employer are based out of California. We have PPO coverage through Oscar by Cigna- Express Scripts handles the pharmacy claims. I have hyperinsulinemia caused by insulin resistance and PCOS. Basically, my body doesn't use insulin correctly , and this is the first step in getting type 2 diabetes. Endo had me started on metformin (both regular and extended), it made me violently ill. So endo prescribed me Ozempic- worked great, insulin came into a normal range, I feel better, great. This was last year, under blue shield. I'm now stable on Mounjaro to treat my condition, I've been lucky in securing a manufacturer coupon that has covered me this year so far. Well, it expires this month.
Enter Express Scripts coverage, Dr send in rX, rX needs PA- okay fine, we do the PA- Denied. PT isn't a diabetic. I've appealed, filed a grievance, and requested Independent Medical Review.
My question is how an insurance company can just dismiss this, allow a patient to become a Type 2 Diabetic before they will consider treatment? I've been on dm meds since August of 2021- my insulin is normal, I no longer have hypertension, I'm no longer morbidly obese, no longer pre diabetic, I mean... c'mon.
Im curious of the legality of this also, I mean really, you can boil it down to the insurance saying "No, we will not prevent diabetes in the patient" when California has laws about preventative care and stuff.