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As an Italian-American all I can say is that may heritage would be a lot poorer without the Tomato. Which for those of you who do not know came from the America's

While a regular therapist could help Susan with her father issues, she also has issues dealing from the time she killed a vampire. That is NOT something she is going to be able to explain to a normal therapist. Justin knows that he doesn't want to become a woman as it isn't who he really is. Still knowing that said option exists through the existence of magic, would solve a LOT of his other problems has GIVEN him a bit of temptation. He seems to have mostly worked through it, and meeting Luke definatly ssems to have heped but there are hints that despite their mutual attraction to one another the relationship MIGHT go south. Elliot's Magical identity issues are being brought up as we speak. This brings us around to Ellen. Part of what makes her so Introspective (and why she tries to be so spontaneous) is in a search for differences between her and Elliot but as more similarities between the two of them pop up (I know what Elliot is feeling isn't exactly the same, but it is closer than his sense of identity) I can't help but wonder if Ellen might help but have new Identity crisis. In fact I can't help but wonder if Elliot is afraid on a subconscious level that if he also tries to become introspective and more spontaneous he will develop into a similar direction as Ellen will and therefore rob her of her identity. I want it to be noted that I am aware of course that would not need to happen ass they could develop different interests and hobbies. I am just saying that given how caring and considerate of other people's feelings Elliot is that HE would be worried it could happen. Tedd has huge abandonment issues as well as fear of being acceptance. Magic has complicated things. It allows him to achieve a long cherished dream but it is also something that cannot be revealed to the world. I DESPERATELY want to believe that Tedd spending all of his time dwelling on something that he believes will never happen, i.e. making magic public, is what Mr. Verres was referring to when he meant spending so much time as a girl can't be healthy as at least then he would just be being innocently insensitive, rather than transphobic. I hope this is enough for now I might go over the other characters later.

Again, as CritterKeeper has stated, please tell us if there is anything we can do. Even if it is just an Amazon wish list or something like it where we can purchase sympathy gifts or something. If we can lighten the burden a little for you, we will be glad to.

I really do not blame you. It sounds nightmarish. As always, we are keeping you in our thoughts. Our best wishes, and give our regards to Mrs. Prof.

4:36 p.m. CDT 20170512. I'm going absolutely [redacted] crazy dealing with doctors, nurses, insurance, and everything else regarding my health. Even Mrs. Prof is losing her cool, and we're even arguing with each other over the interpretation of our insurance plan. I'm tired of it all and I want it to go away. Ahem. Saw the electrophysiologist today. He wanted to put me on a beta blocker. I told him I have allergies (bad hay fever type mainly, with one or two others), which might complicate things. I asked him about an echocardiogram, which his nurse mentioned. He said that's a possibility if he's going to treat it more aggressively, but the medicine he'd use there is something my primary care physician doesn't want me on. End result: stalemate. He's sent me back to my primary doctor with a suggestion to use a beta blocker. If that's too dangerous, I live with my PVCs. If I take the beta blocker and it doesn't work, I go back to the electrophysiologist for the echocardiogram, after which I don't know what the hell will happen. In short, I don't need to see the electrophysiologist again unless something screws up. One less doctor to deal with. Good. Had chicken fried steak for the first time in ages after the appointment at a "diner" in north Dallas. Not bad. Very loud noontime atmosphere. Sounded like it was one argument short of a free-for-all. The podiatrist's nurse called while we were out. Got in touch with her and got handed a laundry list of things that have to be done between now and next Friday (20170519), which is when my foot surgery is scheduled. To wit: I have to have a CT scan done tomorrow (yes, on a Saturday). On Tuesday the 16th, the same day I have my lumbar caudal injection, I have to check in to the same hospital approximately two hours earlier and have pre-op stuff done (not sure what) for my foot operation. I go straight from there to having my injection. I had to initiate the creation and faxing of a bunch of reports from my doctor to be sent to the podiatrist and to the hospital no later than the 17th. Don't know why they couldn't have done that themselves. Finally, I have to check in at 5:00 a.m. Friday the 19th for the operation on my foot. We got a phone call just a few moments ago from the nurse/receptionist/doctor's wife (yep) about the insurance charges. Mrs. Prof went in armed for bear and got things billed on her terms. Did I mention Mrs. Prof negotiates contracts for a living? Finally, I got a phone call from the spine doctor's office saying that all of the above was safe to do around the date of the lumbar caudal injection. There's no overlap danger. Hooray! Now, the biggest worry I have out of all of this is going to be pain management on the 16th. I have to go in fasting at 11:00 a.m. for the pre-op, then move over at 12:45 p.m. for the injection. I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY PAIN MEDICINE IN MY BODY FROM MIDNIGHT THE 16TH UNTIL AFTER THE INJECTION PROCEDURE. Let that set in for a moment. I have acute lumbar nerve root disorder with searing pain from my waist down my right side. I have a severely fractured toe that is going to require screws and wires to repair. Both of them hurt bad enough when I have pain medicine in my system. I have no idea what kind of agony I'm going to be in when I'm dehydrated and completely without any medication of any kind, pain medicine included, in my system. If I were still doing sound design, I would want to bring a portable field recorder into the hospital to record myself, because I know I'm going to be generating some new and interesting horror sounds. The only sounds more scary are those created by Mrs. Prof when she argues insurance coverage with someone trying to bill us. [see above] So, things are set. We kick off tonight, with night one of the Abilify tapering off. Tomorrow is CT scan day. Sunday and Monday are "stop list" medicine withdrawal days. Tuesday is big day #1. Wednesday and Thursday are recovery days, and Friday is big (toe) day #2, with a follow-up on May 26th. God, I want this to be over before it even starts.

It's a chance you take with any therapist in the Real World. They aren't interchangeable and they have to establish a rapport with their patient to be effective. Anybody that is highly judgemental of Tedd isn't going to get any useful work done with him. Ed Verres ought to understand that at least.

The issue I think, is everyone's definition of normal. The word "normal" gets thrown around so much these day, but I honestly don't think people truly use it properly. Normal, or status quo gives the impression of similarity and familiarity if you see someone doing something you would do, it's normal, someone has the same skin, eye or hair color as you, that's normal. The problem is, no one is going to be 100% like you. So really, the true definition of "normal" would be "me". Sure there's tolerance towards minor differences, but what people consider a minor difference varies from person to person. On the extreme end, people see someone committing acts of violence and say that's not normal. but at the same time, the quest for normalcy is littered with violence. Being the same should not be normal, being different should be. I should also add that Elliot is challenged by the fact that the poster asked not to tell anyone. So does Elliot betray the poster by telling Tedd? Does Elliot betray Edward by divulging information to the poster? So far Edward has been pretty lenient because all of the cases of other people finding out stuff have been accidental or beyond anyone's control. Edward would probably be mad if Elliot just up and told some complete stranger things about magic. Tedd might also not want Elliot to be the cause of magic changing either. Looks female to me.

Well, it is standard procedure...

I disagree. Character development is important and should never be ignored. As to Elliot not leaping heroically into action to save another person, remember that it is hard to keep someone else from drowning if you are having trouble staying afloat yourself. I confidently expect Elliot to go to work on that post as soon as she has recovered her equilibrium, but she needs to find it first.

Is this stuff available without prescription? I'm asking for a friend...

Wizards need money too, and magically creating gold or currency is generally frowned upon by the Department of the Treasury. The Wizards of the Coast found a means of transforming cardboard into dollars that didn't violate the laws of physics or economics. As for being on the payroll of the FBI branch that, in casa Verres, is called Dad's Government Business? The agency acts within the FBI as an official government service. And like many government offices, they are woefully underfunded. But Director Liefield is someone who actually is an expert in the subject, not a career civil serpent, bureaucrat, or politician. The only way they can operate freely through government shakeups and without excessive political oversight is to have independent funding. Wizards of the Coast, along with the Washington Wizards and the Wizards of Waverly Place, are the source of DGB's income.

Here you go.

I have absolutely no idea how to respond to a question like that. I'm pretty sure there is not one single answer that covers all situations and individuals. What I do know is that there are other forms of dysphoria, though they are not as often mentioned. For instance there are people who have a deeply set feeling that they have the wrong number of limbs. Some has even had perfectly working limbs amputated in order to make their body match their mind, though it takes a lot to convince a doctor to amputate a leg or an arm when there is no conventional medicinal reason to do it. Given things like that happens I'm pretty sure there are people suffering from race dysphoria, but I have no idea how common it might be. If you can imagine it there is a good chance someone somewhere can identify with it.

Maybe they're future-proofing in case medicine or technology advances enough to extend the human lifespan or do the whole "brain-uploading" thing or what have you. Maybe cryoprisons actually do exist and those people sentenced are currently frozen and having their brains rewired so that they can function as lawful citizens again upon their release. Of course, it's not looking like Taco Bell will win the fast food wars.

Honestly, I'm not sure anyone does. Trying to "correct" it by force very, very rarely ends well and may as well be considered brainwashing. One would think that if the cause was known, better methods would have been developed. As it is though, trying to "fix" the mind to match the body is a backwards way of dealing with it, it'd be less stressful and easier in the long run, to fix the body to match the mind.

Just got a call. Still waiting to find out what the soreness is, if it's appendicitis or something else. Thanks. (he's 13, and apparently that still qualifies him for children's hospitals instead of regular ones) [EDIT] Just got another call. He does not have appendicitis. Thank God. He gets to keep his internal organs. For now.

Honestly, I have nothing to add this conversation at this point. I just want to follow said conversation.

I'd be surprised if it doesn't end with Grace realizing that there's a security camera.

Prescription strength STFU? o.O Normal sized doses of Ativan would count. Never mind a "given in the ER to calm down freaking out people" level dose.