We've had a new contributor via our Open Collective page. Yay!

They chose to remain #anonymous, which is of course fine, but if you're on #Mastodon and reading this message, thank you very much. We appreciate it.

There's so much we could be buying, but the new contribution just about covers two tourniquets, which is potentially two lives saved.

https://opencollective.com/blackflagmedical

We currently have two regular financial contributors who chip in €20 per month. We're exceedingly grateful for their ongoing support, but at this level it does take a long time to build up a large enough fund to buy a significant amount of #medical #aid.

Following on from yesterday's post about unexploded landmines, we'd love to send some lifesaving CAT7 tourniquets to #Ukraine. They're around €35 each.

Would you consider contributing via our Open Collective page?

https://opencollective.com/blackflagmedical

“Are you trying to make my life more difficult?!”

… yeah, I said that to a manager at the blood lab today after they gave me some serious BS about my ID and the validity of my lab slip, refusing me service. They surprisingly did the lab work after I said that. Amazing, isn’t it? /s

I don’t usually pull out my calm and pointed directness but I had to today. I hope my words sting for a while.

#SCOTUS will hear a #FirstAmendment challenge to a #Colorado #law banning professional #counseling services engaged in #ConversionTherapy intended to change a minor’s #gender identity or #sexual orientation.

>20 states have similar laws, which are supported by leading #medical groups. Kaley Chiles, a licensed counselor, challenged the constitutionality of the Colorado law in federal court, saying it violated her rights to free speech & the free exercise of #religion.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/us/politics/supreme-court-conversion-therapy.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=p&pvid=5E65F5FB-EE6E-4148-887B-140800683A9E

How to do CPR if you witness a cardiac arrest.

If possible, call an ambulance first.

TLDR: Antivaxxers are misinformed, defensive & contagious.

#TX school celebrates -> 14% <- #vaxx rate, not far from a #measles outbreak. The school PASTOR identifies/brags the school name and location. Then blames someone ELSE for that.

https://www.statesman.com/story/news/state/2025/03/07/texas-pastor-landon-schott-mercy-culture-church-private-school-low-vaccination-rate/81930160007/

DrRubin: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DG4nzzjMdSD/?igsh=MWF0a3Z1eDhxcW1rdw==

https://www.instagram.com/p/DG5zUkKMinn/?igsh=MWt6bndmNGNkMWw5dQ==

Today when I went in for my osteopathic manipulative treatment the nurse asked me if I’d like some water or apple juice and if I’d like the lights off during the session.

This was the view from the window.

My blood pressure stayed at 110/70, not even shooting up at the doctor for the first time.

This doctor understands.

"The 61-year-old Anaheim resident cares for her adult daughter, who is blind, and for her sister, a military veteran with severe post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions. Medi-Cal, the state’s version of Medicaid, pays Williams to care for them, and she relies on that income, just as her sister and daughter depend on her."

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/california-town-halls-medicaid-cuts-house-budget-medi-cal/

Both our baby kittens are sick and my life is pretty upside down right now, to say the least.

Vet visits, vet tests, midterm tomorrow, specialists doctors, medical tests, bloodwork, insurance approval hurdles for my new biologic … I’m exhausted.

“It’s ok that you’re not okay.”

I think it’s time to read the book with that title written by Megan Devine…

#medical #cats #grief #anger #fatigue #chronicillness

(Edit: added photos for the cat tax)

Australian company Cortical Labs has launched the CL1, the world's first #commercial "biological computer" that merges #human #brain cells with #silicon #hardware to form adaptable, energy-efficient neural networks.

https://newatlas.com/brain/cortical-bioengineered-intelligence/

#California #Medicaid #MediCal
When I finally was able to reach my #AlamedaCounty case manager to get my Medi-Cal restored, they said it was a mistake.

The reason given was I bought food with #EBT from Whole Foods, which is Amazon, which is in Seattle, WA ― so I must be living in Washington.

By that logic, since Safeway is an Albertsons Company, then they should have assumed I moved to Boise, fucking Idaho ― ten damn years ago!

Also, all my Medi-Cal bills are here in Alameda County.

Then they repeated every one of Trump's lies about massive fraud in Medicaid and Medicare.

Living in California doesn't mean you are safe as some believe.