Metal music to soothe the soul: interview with Jake Segura of ‘Citizen Soldier’
I started doing a deep dive into metal bands and their positive impacts recently, and though there are so many bands that are changing the world, there's always been one that stood out: Citizen Soldier.
Lethal allergies aren't your punchline
TW: ableism, bullying, anaphylaxis
The fact that that has to be said is sad. The covid-19 pandemic unfortunately showed just how many people don't care about their fellow humans, and that number goes down when you throw in disabled people or something that might slightly inconvenience them.
Anaphylaxis
Sniffling, sneezing, and itching are the worst that allergies can be - right? Unfortunately, they can be so much worse.
There's a whole spectrum of allergy symptoms, but the worst is anaphylaxis (also called anaphylactic shock). If untreated, anaphylaxis is fatal!
The strange world of vitamin D & B12 deficiencies
The combination of symptoms from vitamin D deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency had produced a near perfect syndrome that mimicked lupus.
The Keyhole Craniotomy
The thought of performing a brain surgery through a hole the size of a penny sounds like science fiction - but it's possible! This surgery offers a lot of benefits over the traditional "open craniotomy". This isn't suitable for everyone and every type of surgery, but is a groundbreaking surgical technique.
Assistive Animals
There are three main types of assistive animals: therapy animals, service dogs (occasionally miniature horses), and emotional support animals.
Autosomal Dominant Hypercalciuria
Simply put, autosomal dominant hypercalciuria is a rare genetic condition that causes the calcium receptors in the kidneys to take too much calcium out. This often causes the kidneys to leach calcium from the bones, leading to osteoporosis and osteopenia and hypercalciuria (high levels of calcium in the urine). This can cause recurring kidney stones, UTIs, and abnormal levels of calcium and other minerals in the body.
ABLE accounts
With disabilities, the income and asset restrictions for SSI and Medicaid, it's usually impossible to save up for anything! I'm sure I'll discuss how outdated the caps are in a future post, but for now, I want to discuss something that many people - including those who qualify - don't know about: ABLE accounts.
New Rule: don't be ableist on TV
TW: ableism, hatred, ageism, fatphobia, ableist slurs - also directed to CHILDREN
New rule: hateful people get de-platformed.
Though Bill Maher mostly got famous for roasting Republicans, he's made sure that everyone knows he can be just as hateful as a conservative, while still being an atheist who likes weed.
My Skincare Collection
Over the years, I've tried many products and have found a few that I always keep around and use often as well as some that I use when I'm having a particularly rough time.
Elon Musk has an ableism problem
TW: Ableism, Aspie supremacy
Elon Musk, the richest man in the world with a staggering net worth of $238 billion, has as much money as he does controversy and problematic behaviors. Though there's no shortage of criticism I could give, I'd like to focus on his ableist views, behaviors, and remarks.
Beginner's Guide to Supporting Chronically Ill Loved Ones
While there's often no clear answers and it varies depending on the individual, the condition, and so much more, but there are many things that are universally good to support your loved ones.
Tick Diseases
Aside from being extremely annoying and covering you in the most itchy bites I've experienced, they carry a lot of diseases! These diseases are nasty; many cause lasting damage and are just sheer misery!
Fireworks aren't always fun
they are serious triggers for neurodiverse people, those with PTSD (veterans and those who have experienced violence), those with breathing difficulties, people who suffer from headaches, and those who are generally sensitive to loud noises.
HIV Epidemic
The first cases of HIV/AIDS in the US were gay men and some of the opportunistic infections were nicknamed things like "Gay Man's Pneumonia" and Kaposi's Sarcoma, a type of cancer often seen in AIDS patients, was nicknamed "gay cancer".
Don't let bugs bug you: summer safety
Prevention is ALWAYS the best option when dealing with diseases. Thankfully there are several things that you can do to prevent bug bites
Queer Disabled People in History
Disabled people and queer people alike are both likely to be hidden, but both have existed for as long as humanity has - as have queer disabled people. Those who rose to historical prominence often have those parts of their identities shrouded by the world - or at least it's attempted.
Emeryl Redwine
Emeryl is a nonbinary queer artist with multiple conditions, including: anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, and dysmenorrhea. They predominantly do fantasy artwork that is inspired by anime, comic books, and video games to develop their own personal style.
Andrew Gurza
Andrew Gurza is a Canadian disability awareness consultant with Cerebral Palsy who focuses a lot of his work in sex positivity and sex education in regards to the sex lives of disabled people.
Jessica Kellgren-Fozard
Jessica is a British YouTuber based in Brighton, England. She is probably best known for her videos on disability, queerness, and vintage fashion. She has multiple disabilities, including: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), post orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy (HNPP), and is deaf as a result.