The Banquet (1958) - René Magritte

Thank you so much for all of this! I think being tested to see if I have developed allergies is a good idea. I live in rural Wales so there aren't any dermatologists around, but I could try asking my GP - hopefully I'll luck out and they'll listen!

Hello there - I had a question which I think(?) you might be able to help with. Or at least point me in the direction of more information.

I have a few chronic illnesses and disabilities and as such there's many gremlins I deal with. One thing that crops up a lot are comorbidities between my conditions.

I'm trying to be more vigilant with regards to my health - as a child there were many, many missed opportunities to get my symptoms seen to by a doctor (all squandered due to my parents nor believing me about my symptoms).

Anyway, I wanted to ask about MCAS and if you know it's possible to have it but not realise it?

I've had a few incidents like this, but mostly forgot them or ignored them. But yesterday I ate some basil from my windowsill plant and I had what can only be described as an allergic reaction. I'm not allergic to any foods (as far as I know) but I've eaten from this exact plant before and been fine. I have mint growing next to it which I also ate and it caused the same reaction. Again, I've eaten from this exact plant before. It was like my mouth was burning or stinging and the leaves felt, spicy? In my mouth. I'm not sure how to describe it but I hope you know what I mean. Today I ate from the exact same plants and had no reaction whatsoever.

I've definitely had similar things happen before- but events like yesterday are few and far between. But utterly confounding when they do happen. I have urticaria (diagnosed since age 18) which I suspect is relevant, somehow.

I'm starting to wonder if a lot of my symptoms I've written off have actually been MCAS. But I'm not sure. Do you have any advice around talking to a doctor about this or if I have a leg to stand on so to speak?

Sending my best wishes!

Hey friend, sorry to hear you've been dealing with some neglect.

And considering MCAS was only really recognized as a condition in the last 15 years, it's absolutely possible to have it and not know until symptoms get worse. I was experiencing anaphylactoid reactions my whole childhood, but because I tested negative on IgE tests (I still do), it was dismissed as anxiety right up until I hit my 30s and I experienced my first episode of full-blown idiopathic anaphylaxis.

(Note: anaphylaxis is not a requirement for diagnosis, and not everyone experiences it.)

You should discuss your inconsistent allergies with your doctor or allergist. I would also advise pursuing allergen testing, as new allergens can develop at any time, even if you don't have mast cell instability.

If you suspect some form of mast cell instability may be the root cause of your issues, I'd suggest checking out The Mast Cell Disease Society. (Their website is in the process of being updated, still. But they have good resources there.)

Their signs and symptoms (and triggers) page has recently been updated and is fairly concise:

If any of that rings a bell, it might be worth bringing up with your allergist, but fair warning, not everyone is receptive to the idea of mast cell disorders outside of mastocytosis. (And even then some doctors gaslight their patients to hell and back.)

If you do find yourself in this situation, try joining a couple of support groups to see if there are any MCAS aware doctors in your area, or alternatively, try the TMS physician finder tool:

TMS - The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc

Find a Physician - TMS - The Mast Cell Disease Society, Inc

Find a Physician Loading store locator from Stockist store locator…

Sorry if it seems like I'm just throwing a lot of links at you, but they are very useful links and I'm not at my best right now to explain things.

I hope this is helpful and if I missed something, please let me know.

I wish you luck in remedying your chronic health issues <3

Did they change the font on tumblr mobile for [username] reblogged [username]?

You never think it's going to happen to you until it does.

Hi, my name is Luke and I'm 24. As of two days ago, I spent the last of my money on rent and I have precisely £27 to my name. I can't afford food at all any more - let alone rent and bills.

I know the world is so full of despair atm. Especially with what's going in in America. But I beg you to give me a chance, midst it all.

Depressingly, I only ever seem to make sales when I'm in a dire situation. Ideally, I need to make sales before then so I don't end up in the dire situation in the first place, but alas. I'm poor and hungry and can't heat my home. I'm wracked with guilt every time I fail to make progress on the project because I'm so damn focused on survival I have little time for what brings me joy in this world. And that's depressing!

I dislike having to make posts like this - but as I said at the start of this post - no-one ever thinks it's going to happen to them. If you can spare some cash, please consider buying a print or my dissertation to help me buy food (see here for my prints and diss). I have plans to introduce badges to my site as well - but sadly due to new postage laws they'll be UK only. However. I can ship prints to Canada, the US, UK and EU (with a view to shipping to Aus and NZ soon, amongst other places, if Royal Mail'll let me).

I hope one day to be able to make a post saying that I got out of poverty and am no longer surviving but thriving. Until then, your support is quite literally putting bread on the table. I want more than anything right now to be able to get back to doing what I love. But I cannot do so presently.

If you're about in Swansea on the 7th of February at 7pm, please consider coming to Elysium Gallery for the opening of Queer Land, an exhibition which my art is in! In spite of these circumstances I find myself in - I refuse to stop creating. Down, yes - but not out.

So please, please if you can, please reblog and purchase a print if you are able. It will help me wo much and I'm infinitely grateful to those who do.

Diolch

EMERGENCY COST OF LIVING FUND

Prynhawn da - I hate to have to do this again, but as I mentioned in my last post, I'm at serious risk of going into debt because of the cost of living crisis.

I have £35 in combined overdraft and upcoming bills to pay before the 7th of March or I will get into debt with my bank. Which is something I want to avoid at all costs.

If you see something on my gumroad (link in bio) you'd like, please email me at llyfrenfys@gmail.com and we can sort out payment through PayPal (same email).

I wouldn't ask unless it was a crisis - if you cannot buy something, please share. I currently have no money for food - I'm having to prioritise my bills so I don't get into debt. So anything you can spare will make a world of difference to me.

I wish it wasn't this way - that artists and writers like me weren't constantly stifled by living costs. But if you don't support small artists - we will go under. Queer art and writing is needed in the world and I hate that those of us who are most marginalised are the most vulnerable to these problems.

Please share and donate if you are able. Thank you

£0/35 raised

Fabric painting tests

Cymru Queers for Palestine disrupting and leading the Cardiff Pride Parade, Saturday 22nd June by Hannah Tottle

I have bitten the Meta bullet and finally made a Facebook for Prosiect Llyfr Enfys. To be fair I was already on Instagram - but I'm aware that not everyone uses Instagram, Tumblr or Mastodon. So I have made a page which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556691514316.

It'd be much appreciated if people could share this with anyone who uses Facebook who might be interested in my project and maybe follow if you'd like to keep up with the project there. I'm nervous to share too much on Facebook because I've faced queerphobia directly relating to my project on there in the past, but I'm hopeful people who will find my project useful will be able to stumble across me somehow. Diolch o galon !

Petitions - UK Government and Parliament

Petition: Legally enshrine the right of adults to physically transition using NHS services

Introduce a law to legally protect the right of those aged 18 and over to transition using NHS services. This should specifically cover phys

Uk peeps!! Let’s get this going! 🏳️‍⚧️🇬🇧

Y llyfr heddiw yw 'Trans Britain' a olygwyd gan Christine Burns, a gyhoeddwyd yn 2018.

Mae'r llyfr hwn yn wych iawn ar gyfer astudio hanes pobl draws ym Mhrydain Fawr c. 1910-2018. Dyma lyfr gyda thraethodau gan lawer o bobl - e.e. Christine Burns, Fox Fisher, Jane Fae, Mark Rees, y Parch Christina Beardsley ayyb. Mae pob un yn hynod ddiddorol i ddarllen! Roedd y llyfr yn ddefnyddiol iawn ar gyfer fy ngwaith israddedig hefyd.

Ydych chi wedi darllen y llyfr hwn?

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Today's book is 'Trans Britain' edited by Christine Burns, published in 2018.

This book is brilliant for studying the history of trans people in Great Britain c. 1910-2018. This is a book with many essay contributions - e.g. Christine Burns, Fox Fisher, Jane Fae, Mark Rees, the Rev Christina Beardsley etc. All are fascinating reads! The book was very useful for my undergraduate work also.

Have you read this book?

i know solid-state electronics are as opposed to vacuum tubes (big motherfuckers that they are) or electromechanical devices (HDDs, relays) but i want so badly to see the forbidden liquid-state electronics. please let me run my signal processing experiments in the Goop.