I went to the doctors
My whole life turned upside down with a single statement.
When I came to this website. I hoped to find a non-judgment platform to share personal information about myself without having to reveal myself. Life is something not one person should have to go through alone. I don't care how much you say you don't need anyone. We were built with two arms, two legs, two eyes, and two ears. Yet we were only built with one heart...I believe we are meant to find our other to make ourselves complete. I have yet to find this person.
I share this because I am one of those people. I find that I would rather be by myself than have to worry about another life. I worry a lot. I think a lot. You can do that when you are by yourself.
But this story I share with you is a doctor visit that happened earlier this week. I share it because I don't know who else to tell...
Six months ago, I was in the hospital with a blood clot. I was on birth control and the doctor had said the number of hormones coming out of that patch and into my body had put me there. I wasn't surprised. Blood clots were a side effect of the patch, but they said for my age and how active I seemed to be was concerning. A blood clot shouldn't have been there or had grown to the size it was. I was there for a week and a half getting pumped with new blood and blood thinners.
This had scared me. The one thing I had prayed for in life, was to be healthy. I didn't care about anything really. Money and accessories aren't really my priority. As long as my body could carry me to do my day to day activities. I would be truly happy. This was no longer the case.
From then to now I have had to have blood draws every week and stay on a medication that is kinda hard for me to take. I hate pills, I think they're the worst thing on the planet and sometimes I would forget to take them. Even with alarms and time dates. I guess I wasn't taking it that serious either. In the back of my head, in six months' time, I would sit in that doctor's office and they would tell me I would no longer need to take the pills and I would live my life freely now.
Fast foward to last Tuesday, I was now sitting in the lobby hoping for some good news. No more pills, no more blood draws, no more having to schedule my life. My name was called. The nurse called me back to sit in a little waiting room. Waiting for the doctor, I stared at the pictures on the walls. Cancer awareness. Blood posters. A skeleton of a man labeled.
"I have a bit of bad news." He walked into the room. A tall Arab man with a white button-up, black tie, navy blue pants, and a black belt. "Going over your results you are seven times more likely to develop blood clots than the average person." What did that mean?
He kept talking, "So you are going to have to stay on the medication for the rest of your life." I was shocked. That is not what I wanted to hear. But that was my life now.
"And unfortunately, you are going to have to plan for things on this medication and because of your condition. When you want to get pregnant, you have to plan. You are going to have to get on a different medication and be monitored for the health of your baby, so nothing bad happens. I can talk to your primary, so you can further discuss this with him."
I am 18. Words like a baby and healthy and unfortunately and medication. He just spilling out words that were I never planned to hear in this lifetime. I knew there were pills to take with pregnancy but now if I wanted pregnancy, a whole other life form would be at risk of dying inside of me. I started to cry walking out. Plan for pregnancy. A day, a month, a specific time. Monitored? What did that mean? Wires and heart monitors? More time in the hospital? I went home and researched. Blood thinner and pregnancy. A baby could be at risk of forming its own blood clot and could lead to miscarriage. How do you avoid an accidental pregnancy? Birth control and condoms. Nothing is a hundred percent effective and I love having sex truth be told. Now I feel everything is at risk. I don't wanna put another at risk. I don't want accidents.
I cried and became a bit depressed. I haven't been out of bed in a while now. It's like my life had turned around. Am I blowing this outta proportion and thinking too much about it? I wanted a baby, I wish for a boy. A healthy baby. But now I don't know who exactly to tell. I tried to tell my sisters but completely lied and said everything was fine. I guess we'll find out. They'll find out. My partner will find out. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
About the Creator
Luna Ruiz
i remember writing my first story in 1st grade. It was about a girl like me, she had glasses and long dark hair. she was teased on, but was very smart with her words...
Day 4 of Quitting
If this is how sobriety feels, maybe it’s better to go through life a little buzzed… this, along with other hits like, I want to kill myself, I wish I was dead, and I’m going to throw myself off a bridge have been the only thoughts on rotation these past few days. I promise myself that if, in a month, I still feel like this (‘this’ meaning despondent, full of rage, and simultaneously numb) I can go back to smoking. Until mid-February though? Nicotine is off the table.
By sleepy drafts8 days ago in Longevity
More Than 5 Million Native Plants Reintroduced in Deserts Are Slowing Land Degradation and Rebooting Arid Ecosystems
Deserts are often seen as barren, unforgiving landscapes, but they are far from lifeless. These ecosystems, while harsh, support unique biodiversity and provide critical environmental services, from carbon sequestration to regulating local climates. Yet, decades of overgrazing, unsustainable land use, and climate change have taken their toll, leaving many arid regions struggling with soil erosion, loss of native vegetation, and diminished ecological resilience. Now, a bold rewilding effort is turning the tide: over five million native plants have been reintroduced into deserts worldwide, and the early results are promising. The scale of the initiative Across regions from the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa to the arid plains of Australia and North America, conservation organizations, local communities, and governments have collaborated to replant native species that were once nearly wiped out. These plants range from hardy shrubs and grasses to iconic desert flowers, all carefully selected for their ability to survive in extreme conditions and restore ecological balance. The numbers are staggering: more than 5 million individual plants have been transplanted over the last five years, covering thousands of hectares. While this effort is labor-intensive, involving soil preparation, irrigation during establishment phases, and ongoing monitoring, the environmental payoff has been remarkable. Slowing land degradation One of the primary goals of these reintroductions is to combat land degradation, a process that affects over 40% of the planet’s land surface. In deserts, degradation is particularly acute because soil erosion occurs rapidly in the absence of stabilizing vegetation. Without plants to anchor the soil, wind and water can strip away fertile topsoil, creating a feedback loop of declining vegetation and worsening erosion. Early monitoring reports suggest that reintroduced native plants are helping to stabilize sandy soils and reduce the spread of desertification. In some areas of the Middle East, for instance, wind erosion rates have decreased by up to 30% in regions where shrubs and grasses were replanted. This stabilization not only benefits the environment but also local communities that rely on the land for grazing, agriculture, and other livelihoods. Rebooting arid ecosystems Beyond slowing soil loss, these plant reintroductions are rebooting entire desert ecosystems. Deserts are home to a diverse array of wildlife, including insects, birds, and mammals that rely on native plants for food and shelter. By re-establishing vegetation cover, these efforts have triggered a cascade of ecological benefits. In parts of the Sonoran Desert in North America, researchers observed a noticeable increase in pollinator populations, such as bees and butterflies, following the reintroduction of native flowering plants. Similarly, small mammals and reptiles that had disappeared from degraded areas are gradually returning, attracted by improved habitat structure and food availability. Climate resilience Another key advantage of reintroducing native plants is enhancing climate resilience. Many desert plants are adapted to survive extreme heat, drought, and poor soils. By re-establishing these species, ecosystems can better withstand climate-related stresses, such as prolonged droughts or extreme heatwaves. Additionally, some species improve soil moisture retention and reduce surface temperatures, creating microclimates that further support biodiversity. Community engagement and knowledge transfer What makes these rewilding efforts particularly successful is the integration of local communities. Indigenous knowledge about native species, planting techniques, and seasonal cycles has been invaluable. In some regions, schools and community groups participate in planting days, turning conservation into a source of pride and education. This engagement ensures that restored areas are maintained, monitored, and valued over the long term. Looking ahead While the reintroduction of five million native plants is a significant achievement, experts caution that long-term success requires continued investment, monitoring, and protection from overgrazing, development, and climate pressures. However, the initiative provides a compelling example of how targeted, science-backed restoration can reverse environmental damage. For arid ecosystems, these efforts are more than just planting trees and shrubs—they represent hope. They demonstrate that even the most fragile landscapes can recover when humans actively collaborate with nature, restoring not only plants but the entire web of life that depends on them. As the world grapples with climate change and land degradation, the lessons from these desert rewilding projects offer a blueprint for action: by investing in native biodiversity, we can slow degradation, rebuild ecosystems, and create landscapes that are resilient, productive, and teeming with life once again.
By Fiazahmedbrohi about 22 hours ago in Longevity
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.