One time when I was younger I was refusing to take headache medicine and my mom said โthe person who invented that medicine is probably so sad you wonโt let them help youโ and now every time I find myself denying medicine I just imagine the saddest scientist making those big wet eyes like โwhy wonโt you let me helpโ and whoop then I take the medicine
As long as you are taking a SAFE dose of it, then it's *good* for you. Pain is bad for the body. The inflammation from prolonged pain can worsen chronic issues and make it harder to heal.
Ibuprofen is best for pain that has inflammation, while acetaminophen doesn't help with inflammation but is more broadly effective on other types of pain. As long as you are taking the recommended dose, you can even take them TOGETHER, since they have different mechanisms of action.
You do need to be aware of how much and how often you are taking any pain medication. Overdoses can be very painful (even lethal.) And if you are in chronic pain often enough that you need more than the safe dose, then you need to look into other medications to manage that pain.
(Also, if you are specifically taking Acetaminophen/Tylenol for your go-to pain management, getting some NAC and taking that with it reduces the risk of overdose AND may strengthen the effect.)
One other thing: NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen being the three big ones) can cause digestive issues with chronic use, including stomach ulcers. That doesn't mean "don't take them," it means "if you're at the point where you're on them all the time, every day, constantly, you should talk to a doctor about either reducing that risk or switching to another medication that doesn't have those side effects."
Also please please please consult your doctor if you are on any other type of medication that put large strains on your liver or kidneys before taking any kind of NSAIDs as they can recommend alternatives.
Yes Chronic Kidney Disease and liver disease prevent the use of NSAIDS entirely. Please remember this. Tylenol is the least harmful to these organs. If migraines are your problem, ask neurologist about the triptan drug family. Downside with these is nausea.
As a scientist, this is the way I feel when people in pain don't take the medication that was developed to help with pain:
Especially because as a scientist, I know that pain sensitization is a thing, and that experiencing pain for long periods of time can even train your whole nervous system to be even more reactive to potential pain. So if at all possible, I want my friends who are experiencing pain to try to control that pain as much as possible.
So if you are in pain, and you do not have any massive kidney and liver strain that prohibits you from taking a NSAID or paracetamol/Tylenol?
Please take the pain medicine. Please. Pleeeaaaaaase. I'm a scientist.
yeah i'm a scientist who specializes in designing new pain meds. suffering is not noble, this is exactly how i look when y'all don't manage your pain:
take the meds! i became a scientist in this field explicitly to help people! i became a scientist because i too experience chronic pain and i failed out of literally all pain meds on the market. those of us in this field, we make these things to be used. be safe, follow doses, and if you have questions, ask your doc and pharmacist!
This chapters Warnings:ย None I guess, this chapter is fluffy.
A/n: So, my last chapter was uploaded a year ago; I am so sorry to everyone who has been so patient. Life became so busy and consistently got worse after my first chapter in 2023. A lot has happened in 3 years. Some family passed away, I got engaged to my beloved, and currently I am moving! I don't know how to tell all of you that have remained so loyal to this fic how much I appreciate you. Chapter 20 is the final chapter and I am currently working on it so I promise this fic has a conclusion ... Let me know if you want to be in the tag list. I update chapter progress on the masterlist whenever something changes.
Please enjoy this chapter! I worked very hard on it so reblogs, comments, and likes are appreciated very much.
A week went by faster than you could blink; after embracing Tommy in the car graveyard, you felt endless relief. It seemed that every day became easier for you to let go of the old hangups that kept you from feeling comfortable in your own skin at the Hewitt house.
Luda Mae was over the moon about you returning to them, every day she would wake you up with the smell of bacon and eggs which made you wonder why you ever left in the first place. This morning was no different, you slowly wake up to the sounds of chickens clucking away in the front yard and a rooster crowing confidently. The aroma of bacon was carrying a surprise with it this time, you sat up from your bed and sniff the air. -oh, wow she must be baking somethingโฆ. Pancakes? - Your stomach grumbles, you felt quite hungry today, so you let your nose lead you into the kitchen, bedhead be damned.
You are greeted with a smile and a cheerful voice,
โMorninโ dear, I hope yer hungry for biscuits!โ Luda Mae whirls around the kitchen and grabs a basket full of warm bready delights and brings it to you.
โDonโt be shy now, take one!โ she watches you take one and bite into it; The warming feeling of buttered dough envelops your taste buds.
โDamn, thatโs a good biscuit Luda Mae.โ You didnโt have many words to give her, you were too busy enjoying the home-made marvel.
Luda sees your pleased expression, she smiles โMmmmhmโ she nods her head at you, satisfied with your review.
Once you finished the last bite of your biscuit, a plate of sunny side up eggs and two thick strips of bacon was placed in front of you. Luda Mae gently rubbed your shoulder and said,
โIm givinโ you the best pieces before the vacuums come in and hoover up my hard workโ you laugh and she kisses your head before making her way to the patio door.
She loudly calls for Charlie and Thomas who were in the barn finishing up some chores. You got up to look out the window and saw a dark grey sky, clouds that looked heavy with rain hung low in the atmosphere above you.
Luda Mae came back inside and huffs โWhew, them clouds are looking full, seems weโll get a sprinkleโ she sits at the table, and you take your seat in front of your plate.
โMight be a cozy day today, I feel like I donโt see those too often since moving downโ you slowly poke your fork into the bright yellow yolk, and it slowly oozes out of its shape spilling the cheerful color all over the plate.
Luda Mae sits back in the chair, one hand on her hip,
โSo, you picked out a weddinโ day yet?โ
You stopped chewing and stared at the plate blankly, replying
โI guess I felt like I needed to lay low for a bit to not push Tommyโฆ in case he changes his mind?โ You felt wrong saying it out loud. Luda Mae lets out a chuckle,
โYou really are a strange one dearโ she shakes her head and places her hand under her cheek to lean on. She continues,
โIf you think that boy ainโt chompinโ at the bit to make you his, wellโฆ maybe we ought to get your head checkedโ
You let out a giggle; Tommy had never given you reason to doubt his devotion to you.
You look over at Luda Mae, โYou know what? I want to get married to him as soon as possible. Why wait?โ
Luda Mae freezes in disbelief, a smile grows slowly on her face and she asks,
โNow it ainโt nice to tease an old ladyโฆโ
You shake your head and reply,
โThere is literally no reason to wait, I donโt need a big fancy dress or venue. I just want him to be my husband.โ
Luda Mae squeals and holds her face in her hands,
โHow does two daysโ time sound? Can yโwait that long dear?โ
You laugh, โYeah I think I can manage thatโ
Luda Mae grabs your hand and leads you out of your chair, she pulls you up the stairs.
โL-Luda Mae! Where are we going?โ you felt confusion and excitement bubble up inside you.
She doesnโt say anything and leads you into her sewing room, the one room you had not yet been able to view at your own pleasure. The smell of fabric and flowers hit you as you enter inside. The room was cozy and cluttered with large swaths of fabrics from many different eras folded or strewn haphazardly. There was bright sunlight coming through the large French panel window facing the front of the house overlooking the chicken coop, it was illuminating something that was reflecting on the walls of the room but was hidden behind a rack of clothes.
Luda-Mae stopped and faced you,
โAlright dear, I took the liberty of makinโ you something, I sure hope you like it.โ
She turns and moves the clothing rack to reveal a stunning white wedding dress. You gasp in awe of its beauty and feel unable to speak.
โWell now I know its not from a fancy store or nothinโ but I made it just for you.โ She waits for you to reply but you cant even utter a sound. You just stare with your mouth open.
Luda-Mae starts getting flustered and begins pointing out features on the dress.
โNow, now -uh looka here sweetheart, look at them little flowers I pinned!โ she starts pointing out some small fabric flowers she sewed onto the skirt, they were a pale yellow and pink assortment of buds and blooms.
You shake your head and blink hard so you could snap out of the trance. You take a deep breath,
โIs thisโฆ. For me?โ you ask.
Luda-Mae looks at you in confusion,
โOf course, Dear! I made it fer the weddinโ!โ she exclaims.
You throw your arms around Luda-Mae and squeeze her tightly,
โI canโt believe you did this just for me! Itโs the most beautiful dress Iโve ever seen!โ
Luda-Mae lets out a sigh of relief, โI was startinโ to think you werenโt likinโ it!โ
You release Luda-Mae from your hug and walk up to the dress, you took the soft fabric in your hands and felt the little flowers dotting the skirt.
The dress was a maxi length with a pink ribbon making a princess waistline; It had large, sheer, bishop sleeves that buttoned with yellow flower buttons on the bottom. The neckline was a simple sweetheart neckline with white sequins loosely scattered around the bust, it shimmered like fish scales in the sun.
You admire the handywork put into the dress, your own sewing skills clearly fell short of Luda-Maeโs years of experience. You asked her,
โWould you teach me what you know? I loved sewing back in Rivers but never could I dream of making something this intricate.โ
Luda-Mae smiles at you,
โWhy Iโd be happy to teach you whatever you want dear, I ainโt goinโ nowhere!โ
You continue to gaze at the dress longingly, Luda-Mae stands behind you and puts her hand on your shoulder admiring her own work with you.
โOh shoot, what all are we waitinโ on? Try it on dear! I need to know if I still got the eye for this stuff.โ
She took the dress off the mannequin bust and brought it over to you, it was modestly light, and you saw the back was corset style with a pink and yellow ribbon. She closed the room door and helped you undress, sliding the dress up was easy enough but you needed help for the back.
As Luda-Laced up the ribbons you ask her,
โWhere did you get this beautiful fabric from?โ
She laughs, โWell now, I had actually gotten the fabric a ways back in the 60โs. One of the fabric stores nearby -oh now what was it called?โ She looked upwards and squinted her eyes trying to remember.
After a short pause, she waved her hand in the air and continued lacing you up,
โWell it doesnโt matter no more anyhow. There was a big ole sale on the real kind of chiffon what with the rise of nylon and what not.โ She patted your back to signify she was done.
You turn to face her and continue listening,
She gasps and smiles, her hand covering her mouth, you could see the shine in her eyes of tears beginning to form.
โI assume by your reaction it looks good? It fits like a dream.โ
She turns you around and pushes you to the long mirror near the door.
You couldnโt help but smile widely. The dress made you look like a fairy princess; you twirl yourself and watch how the fabric floats like a cloud with your movement.
โItโs exactly like I always imaginedโ says Luda-Mae.
You turn to look at her, โAlways /imagined?โ you ask.
She nods, โI went and bought this here fabric to go and make this exact dress, hopinโ it would get used for my own wedding day. Those bells never did ring, but I sure am glad I kept it around all these years.โ
You felt honored to be able to make her vision come to life, this dress now meant even more to you than before.
โSeems I still got the eye.โ Luda-Mae looks pleased with herself, โI might need to just lift the skirt off the floor a tic but other than that, I do believe this here dress is ready.โ
She begins to undo the corset backing and helps you out of the bodice. You put your clothes back on as she hangs the dress back on the mannequin.
โI donโt know how to thank you; this is such an amazing dress.โ
She shakes her head and smiles,
โJust think of it as a wedding gift then.โ
You hug her again and she squeezes you back,
โWell go on then, I got to go talk with Loretta about havinโ her husband doinโ the officiating.โ
She lets you out of the room and you immediately go back to your home, I need to go find shoes that match and what hair and makeup I want to do! Oh what jewellery do I have? Ahhhh! You were immediately panicked as you felt the reality of the wedding setting in.
Making your way down the stairs you see Tommy coming in the front door, he was sweaty and thirsty.
โTommy! I have some good news for you!โ you run up to him and hug his abdomen.
He stood still for a moment, when you looked up at him you could see his eyes smiling above his mask. He hugs you back and picks you up, holding you in one arm as he heads toward the kitchen.
You kiss his forehead and hold onto him while he opens the fridge with his free hand and grabs the pitcher of orange juice. You reach to open a cupboard and grab him a glass, this makes him chuckle.
โHold on a sec Tommy I really want to tell you something!โ
He puts the pitcher down on the table and takes the glass from your hand, setting it next to the pitcher without letting you down from his arm. He turns to face you and his eyes soften as he smiles.
โOk, what are you doing in two days?โ
He looks confused and shrugs, โNothinโโ
You smirk at him โOk good because were getting married that day.โ
His eyes widen and he stiffens as if a ghost passed through him, โH-Huh?โ he was in disbelief.
โWe are getting married in two days!โ you laugh but then feign concern and say,
โUnless, oh noโฆ unless you donโt want to marry me any-โ He cuts you off with a cheerful laugh.
โNo foolinโ ?โ he asks.
โIm serious!โ
He laughs with joy and lifts you in the air as he spins around in circles.
โWoah donโt spin me into space before we can wed!โ you laugh and he gently places you down on the ground.
โYโreally sure yโwanโt this?โ He seemed to not believe what he heard.
You wag a curled finger to signify him to come closer, he bends down to you and you hold his head up to your face with your hands,
โI have never been more sure about anything in my life.โ
You begin to see tears well up in his smiling eyes, you take off his mask and pull him towards you by his shirt. He laughs as he falls forward, having to brace himself with one arm on the wall behind you.
You gazed into his deep blue eyes and smiled, his smirk was so pretty to you despite his mangled face; you had grown to love his imperfection, and you blush thinking about how this hulk of a man would soon be your husband.
He gently lifts your chin and kisses your lips, tenderly at first but it grew with passion as you kissed back. This man loved you deeper than anyone you have ever been with before, you were his light and his comfort, you were his whole world and his future. Your heart sang knowing how devoted he is.
Summary: You are a 33 year old seamstress living in Rivers, Manitoba struggling to make ends meet and in threat of losing everything until you get a call from a lawyer who informs you of a distant relatives will. Now you own an orchard and have money in the bank on one condition, keep the orchard feeding the people in Fuller, Texas. You meet the Hewitt's and finally feel a sense of belonging in this cruel world, the family is special but one person in particular is stealing your heart... Thomas. Follow the story as you experience everything the farm life has to offer, the romance, the hardships, and the sins.
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19- writing complete! - art not started-
Chapter 20 -The final chapter- writing started (rough draft)
Thank you all for reading my silly little self indulgent fic, many of you are likely big fans of Thomas and his family, I hope you all get that same feeling of family and loyalty when reading this. I appreciate the patience you all have in waiting for chapters to come out, they may take me a while due to the art but I am happy to have a very fulfilling hobby as I continue through my journey of education in pursuit of my career. Don't be scared to drop a message and let me know what you think!
Wow, I cant believe I started this in 2023! nearly 3 years ago!!!! You have all been so patient waiting for the ending. Chapter 20 is in the works, I have not yet started the art on chapter 19 but I will 100% be starting that asap so you can all get a conclusion to this years long fic.
I am in the middle of renovations and moving, plus working full time so I am trying to get things done in between busy moments.
After this fic, I will be starting all my own original stories (roughly about 10 chapters each) I am extremely excited about it.
I just spit out a short story, I WAS going to make it smutty but I had no time lol. Anyway, enjoy my weird short computer fantasy.
Imagine, you were asked to oversee an old relic of a computer from the 1940s, it was an unknown model from an unknown company. It had been sitting and unused since 1954 and now has been left to collect dust. When you heard of the opportunity to watch over this historic item, you jumped at the chance.
The computer is the size of a room, it is being stored in an old warehouse and was placed in a security chain link fence to protect from thieves, you assumed. When you unlock the gate, all you can see is a massive structure under some fabric tarp.
Your curiosity was ignited; you wanted to see all the buttons and knobs and other outmoded tech this behemoth once proudly boasted. You hurriedly remove the coverings and see a grey metal surface, then the dials, and then the bulbs and buttons and other gloriously abundant accoutrements an ENIAC would be jealous of.
Never once would you believe this computer existed, only a few known computing devices were made in that era so this may have been a secret. You feel giddy at the privilege of being able to explore the technology unknown to the public.
You begin feeling all the buttons, running your fingers over the smooth enamel of green, blue, and red colors. You see 2 keyboards with thick keys, one was for letters, the other for numbers.
As your fingers press on some keys, you hear a loud satisfying โclackโ noise that nowadays you would have to pay good money for. As soon as you stop touching it you hear a low electrical hum.
Whatโฆ there is no way this thing is hooked up to any powerโฆ
Your thoughts are racing; you were worried about the possibility of causing some disruption in the system or possibly destroying delicate old machinery with the sudden turn on after all these years.
You scramble to look around this thingโs perimeter for a plug of some sort, your movements becoming more frantic with each disappointing view.
How is this possible? It must be poweredโฆ internally?
This machine continued to defy your understanding of computer technology, this was no common computer, this was something else.
The sudden clacking noise of a typewriter is heard from the far side of the cage. You cautiously check to see if there was someone else in here with you.
You find the source of the noise; a connected line of paper had come out of what you thought must have been the processor. You tear off the dangling piece and read what was written.
-Who are you?-
A chill runs down your back.
Is this thing asking for a user admin input? You wondered.
The wording seemed strange, โneededโ instead of โwantedโ makes more sense for a binary language system.
You look for the user console, you see a microphone to the side of where you stood. A thick red button lit up and you read โpress for voice commandโ.
This had voice command!? That is way beyond the technology of the age!
You gently press down on the button, a click followed by a buzzing noise signified that you could speak.
โI am your new caretakerโ
It spits out another line of paper.
Your heart stops for a moment as you read the words on the paper, you feel sick to your stomach at the impossibility of what you saw.
This old, out of commission computerโฆ knows your name.
