A lot of women have experienced bad odor coming from their private parts, but that’s not always a reason to worry. In fact, that fishy smell that makes many women rather uncomfortable sometimes happens for no particular reason.
Often, putting on clean underwear after bathing or showering is enough to bring your natural scent back to normal.
However, if the odor doesn’t go away despite good hygiene, or shows up with other unusual symptoms, it may be worth consulting your gynecologist.
If the fishy smell is accompanied with itching, pain, or other unexpected symptoms, it may signal an underlying issue such as bacterial vaginosis.
In fact, this bacteria is the most common reason for a fishy vaginal odor.
Bacterial vaginosis develops when the natural balance of vaginal bacteria shifts. Most common symptoms include thin gray or white discharge, a noticeable fishy odor (often stronger after intercourse), and itching or burning sensations. It needs to be treated with antibiotics.
Another reason that leads to fishy odor can be linked to poor hygiene, trapped sweat, and tight clothing.
Trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by a parasite, can also be the cause of the unpleasant smell coming from your private parts. This is treatable with medications, not home remedies.
Leaving a tampon in too long can also cause a powerful rotten odor, sometimes misidentified as fishy.
While the smell usually goes away on its own, it may sometimes stay longer than what is considered normal. In that case, it’s best to have yourself checked for bacteria or other underlying conditions.
Some ways to prevent the fishy smell from happening are maintain good hygiene, most preferably by gently cleaning the external genital area with warm water and mild soap instead of douching, wear cotton underwear, use protection to prevent infections, and avoid scented soaps, sprays, or feminine wipes among the rest.
You can also consider probiotics to maintain healthy vaginal flora if your doctor approves.
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Research suggest that your sleeping habits reveal more about your relationship than you might think.
Having a good night sleep is essential in order to be able to get through the day, and although the way you sleep at night may not affect your quality of sleep, it does reveal deeper psychological and emotional dynamics.
Experts say that sharing a bed with a partner offers surprising benefit, and relationship psychologists agree that sleeping near a loved one can enhance emotional connection, reduce stress, regulate body temperature, and even help combat insomnia.
But what does it mean if your partner is sleeping back to you? Maybe it’s a sign of distance?
Before jumping into conclusions let’s see what the experts have to say.
In many cases, sleeping back-to-back, or one of the partners turning their back while sleeping, is simply a matter of comfort. Some people need more space, cooler air, or a posture that helps them relax and sleep better.
As sleep specialist Dr. Rebecca Robbins explains, everyone has an ideal sleeping position, and turning away doesn’t always indicate emotional distance. However, if this change happens suddenly, it could be a sign of stress or a shift in emotional closeness.
This sleep position can reflect how couples navigate everyday challenges, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the relationship is struggling. In fact, a number of couples who sleep back to back has had a long and fulfilling relationship.
According to another expert, relationship psychologist Corinne Sweet, “this position suggests couples are connected and secure in themselves,” adding that “it shows closeness and independence in the relationship.”
What’s more, the back-to-back sleeping position, also called “Liberty,” is a position most common among couples, with 28% adopting the pose, according to Huffington Post.
The bottom line is that when your partner sleeps with their back to you, or you sleep back-to-back, it’s not always a warning sign, but simply a way of finding the most comfortable way to rest.
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Swelling in the hands and feet is generally not concerning, unless it happens suddenly and is accompanied by other symptoms.
The reasons behind the swelling can be various — from poor circulation to fluid retention and poor posture or movement habits. It usually goes away on its own, but if it persists, it can be a signal of an underlying health issue such as heart, kidney, or liver failure.
In many cases, changes in diet and lifestyle can make all the difference in managing the swelling in feet and hands.
Some foods naturally support healthy circulation and fluid balance while fighting inflammation. Adding these to your diet may ease swelling in your hands and feet.
Bananas are a rich source of several essential nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.
When potassium levels are low, the body tends to hold on to sodium, which leads to fluid buildup and swelling in the hands and feet. Including potassium-rich foods in your diet—such as bananas, avocados, and oranges—helps get rid of the excess sodium, which in turn improves circulation and restores proper fluid balance. Believe it or not, a simple habit like having a banana a day can go a long way in keeping swelling under control.
Cucumbers contain 90% water, which makes them the perfect vegetable that provides hydration to your body.
At the same time, cucumbers are rich in silica and antioxidants that support healthy connective tissues.
Since swelling can often be triggered by dehydration, adding cucumbers in your diet, whether raw, in salads, smoothies or in your water, can help you stay hydrated, reducing puffiness in your hands and feet.
Watermelon isn’t just sweet and refreshing but also one of the best foods for fighting swelling. Just like cucumbers, watermelon helps keep you hydrated, but it also serves as diuretic, helping the body get rid of the excess fluid.
At the same time, watermelon helps with inflammation due to being rich in vitamins A and C and lycopene.
On hot days, or after standing on your feet long hours, treat yourself with a cold watermelon, your body and soul will thank you.
Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and Swiss chard are packed with magnesium and potassium, two minerals that work together to keep fluid levels steady.
As discussed above, potassium helps the body release excess sodium, while magnesium relaxes blood vessels and supports healthy circulation.
Imagine something small but powerful that boosts your health and you get berries of all kinds: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, you name it.
These fruits are adored beyond their deliciousness, thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties. Also, the sweet berries are rich in antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which protect blood vessels and improve circulation.
Starting your day with a handful of fresh berries is the way to go.
Fresh pineapple chunks or freshly squeezed pineapple juice sound like the perfect snack. Add this fruit’s natural enzyme, bromelain, to the list of benefits, and you have an ideal fruit for fighting inflammation and improving blood flow.
Athletes often eat pineapple after injuries to help reduce swelling. Juicy and healthy, so what more could you ask for?
Celery can naturally reduce water retention thanks to its diuretic effects, while its fiber promotes healthy digestion and decreases bloating.
While some research claim that its diuretic effects are mild, other suggest they are in fact very strong, so the conclusion would be that it depends on how you consume it.
While celery juice has less fiber than the raw vegetable, it can be richer in water and butylphthalide, making it a strong natural diuretic.
You can enjoy it as juice or munch on the sticks as a snack, the choice is yours to make.
Ginger and turmeric are known as spices that have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. With that said, they enhance circulation, reduce stiffness, and help manage swelling.
Adding fresh ginger to tea or using turmeric in soups and curries is a simple way to take advantage of their natural health-boosting effects.
Unlike the fruits mentioned above, nuts and seeds aren’t rich in water and they don’t act as natural diuretics, yet the levels of magnesium they contain, especially almonds and cashews, helps fight swelling, including in hands and feet.
When it comes to nuts, however, you should avoid having the salted options since salt is what causes the swelling the most.
While the foods discussed in this article can be a helpful addition to a diet aimed at reducing swollen hands and feet, they should not be relied upon as the sole solution. If the swelling is persistent, seek medical help.
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Every year, my in-laws host a two-week vacation at their stunning estate, gathering all the grandchildren. The place has a pool, a stunning garden, and they even hire entertainers. Honestly, what’s not to like.
My son, who has turned six this year — old enough to finally get invited — couldn’t wait to experience the fun and joy all of his cousins has been bragging about for years.
The invite sounded like a win-win, our son would have all the fun in the world while hubby and I get two weeks of rest ourselves, of course while checking in on him daily.
So, when we dropped Timmy at Betsy’s, my MIL, we knew he would love it as much as the rest of the grandkids.
On the second day, Timmy called me on the phone, which wasn’t usual fro him.
“Mom, come pick me up from Grandma’s,” he said.
“What happened, honey?” I asked, thinking he just missed me and his daddy.
“GRANDMA JUST… DOESN’T LIKE ME. I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE. THE THINGS SHE’S DOING…” he said before the call was abruptly cut off.
Worried, I called my MIL and asked what was going on, but she assured me that Timmy had things wrong and that everything was perfectly fine.
However, I wasn’t at ease and decided to go and check on Timmy.
When I arrived at my in-laws’ enormous property, I saw all the kids gathered at the pool while Timmy sat all alone, crying and trembling.
I rushed towards him and asked him what happened.
“Grandma says I’m not like the rest of her grandkids,” he said while sobbing. “She says everyone is very close with one another and that I don’t belong with them.”
His words shattered my world. Betsy invited my son just to make him feel sad. I couldn’t possibly understand why she would treat him any differently so I confronted her.
“How can you say such things to a six-year-old?” I asked her.
As cold as she was, Betsy said, “You see, I’m not convinced that boy is my son’s child. He’s nothing like the rest of our grandchildren.”
I fumed. “Are you accusing me of cheating on my husband?” I asked, shocked.
“What else explains your son not fitting in,” she said.
I grabbed Timmy by the hand and told him that we were leaving. I wouldn’t let my son stay a minute somewhere where he wasn’t welcomed or loved.
When I told my husband about the incident, he wasn’t really surprised. “You know what my mom is like,” he said, “just let her be.”
But I couldn’t do that. What’s more, my husband wasn’t disturbed and it felt like he had heard his mom’s words before. I was certain he had told him I wasn’t faithful and that Timmy wasn’t his son.
The very next day, I had a DNA test done to confirm paternity.
About a month later, the results came back, showing a 99.99% match confirming that my husband is my son’s father.
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When I showed the results to Betsy, she simply replied, “Well, Timmy is welcome to our next gathering, I guess.”
While my husband told me not to make a big deal out of it, I knew I’d never let my son around that woman ever again.
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The small town of Willow Creek moved at its usual lazy pace that Tuesday afternoon, and no one noticed the presence of the soldier who had been into war for fourteen long months.
That afternoon, Private First Class Nathan Keller walked up the gravel driveway of an old farmhouse while his boots crunched in rhythm and his duffel bag bounced at his side. He was finally home.
Nathan was given an early compassionate discharge, citing medical reasons, for an injury he sustained. Luckily, it wasn’t a life-threatening one.
As he walked, he pictured the surprise on the faces of his loved ones, his mother and his sister Lily. He knew they would be over the moon to see him after so long. “It’s gonna be the best surprise ever,” he thought to himself. Sadly, what he didn’t know was that things changed back home, and he had no idea just how much.
The second he set foot on the porch, something felt wrong. Unlike what he remembered, the house was unusually quiet. When he tried to get inside, he was surprised to see the door was left unlocked. He knew his mother always locked it three times.
Inside, he noticed the dust on the furniture, as though no one lived there any longer. A photo frame lay shattered on the floor, the smiling faces of his mother and sister buried beneath cracked glass.
Nathan’s chest tightened. Something was terribly wrong.
He started calling for his mom and sister, but there was no reply.
As he carefully walked down the hallway, he turned the corner and froze. Lily was curled on her bed with her back turned, and although she could feel someone entering the room, she didn’t turn around.
“Lily…,” Nathan whispered, and it was then that Lily turned, startled, and gasping when she saw him.
He thought he would cry tears of joy, but instead, she cried tears of fear and pain. When he approached her, he noticed the purple-yellow bruise across her cheek and the cut on her lip.
“What happened?” he asked, shocked and confused.
Lily shook her head, sobbing quietly.
In that moment, Nathan understood that he hadn’t come home to peace. His battle wasn’t on the battle field but in his own home in Willow Creek.
“Nathan, mom’s gone,” Lily said, unable to contain the tears from running down her face.
“What do you mean she’s gone,” Nathan asked.
Sadly, their mother passed away some three months ago, and Lily couldn’t reach him to tell him the news.
After the funeral, she was left all by herself. She did stay with some relatives for a while, but she then returned home, and that’s when Rick, a man their mother used to date briefly, appeared. At first, he pretended to care about Lily, but over time, he turned her into a prisoner in her own home.
He wouldn’t let her speak to anyone, reach out to family, or have any friends. He moved into her home and treated her like a maid. What’s more, he beat her and mistreated her, and she had no one to turn to.
“Don’t worry, Lily,” Nathan said. “I’m here now. You are safe.”
Nathan reached out to a former combat pall who now worked as a lawyer, he contacted social services, and alerted the police. But things didn’t move as fast as he expected. They needed evidence and a testimony from Lily, and that very evening, Nathan was going to have it.
When Rick returned to the house that evening, he started yelling at Lily for not cleaning the living room. And just as he was about to hit her, Nathan appeared from the kitchen and grabbed him by his hand.
“Who the hell…” Rick yelled, his face twisted in shock.
“I’m her brother,” Nathan said, “and you just made the biggest mistake of your life.”
But Nathan didn’t need to fight because the police was already on their way. With Lily’s testimony, photographs of her injuries, and medical records, Rick didn’t stand a chance. He was arrested and charged with assault, unlawful custody, and child endangerment.
Rick’s arrest, however, didn’t erase Lily’s trauma and scars. She needed time and therapy in order to heal completely, and she was only able to do it because her brother was now at her side.
Nathan decided not to return to his military career, instead he fought for legal guardianship of Lily, who was 17 at the time.
When the truth spread through Willow Creek, the town changed too. The neighbors regretted not noticing the signs and not stepping in sooner. However, the shame soon turned into action. The entire town rallied around the brother and sister. The local diner offered Lily a part-time job, a retired teacher began tutoring her in math, and a neighbor gifted an old piano so Lily could play again.
A year later, when Lily graduated high school with honors, everyone understood that she had finally healed from the ordeal. She was again the vibrant girl everyone remembered her to be.
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45-year-old Jenny Duncan is sharing her story about her battle with cancer and how she regrets hiding her symptoms from her doctor only because she was too “embarrassed” to speak openly about what she had been experiencing.
Namely, she first started experiencing symptoms while on vacation in Lanzarote in 2019, but she didn’t think about it much.
The reason why was because she was fit and healthy and didn’t think something serious could be going on.
Jenny was starting a new job as a head teacher in the UK where she is from, so when she experienced stomach ache and noticed blood on the toilet paper, she believed it was because of the stress and the excitement the new job brought.
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She did however took photos of the blood in her stool because she wanted to keep track, and one night, as she and her husband were lying in bed, he noticed one of the photos and learned what she had been going through.
“He said: ‘What on Earth? We need to get you some help’. And because he is normally so calm and measured, I knew I had to do something,” she shared.
It was then that he urged her to visit a doctor, and sadly, she learned of the devastating cancer diagnosis. Jenny had stage 3 bowel cancer.
“I was only 45, and I thought bowel cancer was something that only happened to older men,” she said of that time.
She frequently experienced bloating and gas after eating, and figured it was just her busy workload showing up as stress-related symptoms.
“I was very tired, but I thought that was just due to the pressures of work,” Jenny added. “I used to come home late and get straight back to work.”
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She said she thought it was embarrassing to talk to her doctor about poo and simply hoped the symptoms would disappear on their own.
When she learned she had cancer, Jenny regretted not visiting a doctor earlier, when she first noticed blood on the toilet paper.
“I do regret not going to the doctor straight away. I could kick myself for letting it go on so long. But I didn’t know that bowel cancer could affect someone in their forties.
“If I’d have known my poo and looked back and not been embarrassed and paid more attention to my body, would I then have got help sooner and would I be in this position now? I don’t know.”
She started chemo treatments during the time COVID-19 was making its way into the UK. That left her isolated and having to go through the treatments and the surgery all by herself.
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While her tumor disappeared, Jenny was told in 2022 that the cancer spread to her lymph nodes. This time, it was incurable.
“I absolutely lost it, I was crying and I kept telling Stuart ‘I’m going to die, I’m going to die’. I withdrew for a few days, didn’t want to see anybody,” she said.
After spending time alone, Jenny returned to work and enjoying life with her adult sons.
She is now living with stage four bowel cancer and undergoes scans every three to six months. She will restart treatment if her condition worsens. “I’m grateful for every day,” she says.
According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of bowel cancer can include changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss.
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Eight-year-old Liam Parker was rushing to school, as usual, running late to class. His backpack bounced against his shoulders as he was trying to make a cut through the parking lot, unaware that what he would stumble upon there among the cars would put him into trouble with his teachers yet again.
Liam only had a single warning left about being late to school ever again before his teacher, Mrs. Grant, called his parents.
With the thought of having to be there on time, Liam thought nothing would stop on his way, but then, he spotted a silver sedan parked under the sun. Inside the vehicle, there was a baby whose face was red. The little one wouldn’t stop crying, and Liam knew he needed to do something about it. First, he knocked on the car’s window, but no one appeared. The baby was all by itself and there were no adults in sight.
Although he wasn’t sure what to do, he knew he needed to get the baby out of the hot car, but when he tried to open the door, he realized they were all locked.
Without hesitating, he picked a rock from the ground and smashed it against the window. Scared and not knowing if he had done the right thing, Liam said, “Sorry Mr. Car” to himself and grabbed the baby.
The baby’s damp skin pressed against Liam’s shirt as he cradled him carefully, rocking him gently and whispering, “Don’t worry, you’re safe now.”
Suddenly, a woman’s scream could be heard. “What are you doing to my car?!”
Liam froze. His hands started trembling even more.
She was fuming and screaming, but then she saw her baby. “Oh, my God,” she said, “I just needed some milk, I wasn’t supposed to be away more than ten minutes. I guess I lost track of time.”
She started kissing her child, and then turned to Liam and said, “Young man, you saved my baby.”
But before he could say anything, Liam heard the school bell ring and started running towards the school.
However, he didn’t get there on time. “Liam Parker, you are late again. I’m calling your parents once the lessons are over,” his teacher said.
“But Mrs. Grant, let me explain…,” Liam said. Sadly, his teacher didn’t want to listen. What’s more, she laughed at his excuse and didn’t believe a word he said.
His classmates started teasing him, calling him “Late Liam.”
But then, during the second lesson, the classroom’s door opened. It was the school’s principal, together with the woman whose baby Liam saved from the hot car.
“There he is,” the woman exclaimed. “I needed to thank him for what he did for my baby,” she said. “Young man, you are a hero. If it wasn’t for you, God knows what would have happened to my baby.”
The entire class was stunned, they all stared at Liam.
“See, Mrs. Grant, I told you I was telling the truth,” he said.
That day, Liam Parker was the hero. And his teacher did call his parents, but not in order to scold him. On the contrary, she told them about their son’s quick thinking and bravery.
Of course, no matter how heroic his action was, Liam was made to make a promise that he wouldn’t be late ever again, except if someone needed saving.
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California Governor Gavin Newsom is making a strong effort to fight back against Donald Trump’s push for redistricting in Texas by attempting his own power move ahead of the midterm elections, and he’s showing a lot of enthusiasm for the battle.
At the moment, Democrats in California and across the country are calling for their leaders to be more aggressive, and Newsom is stepping into a direct showdown with Trump that carries very high stakes. Newsom, who has attacked Trump’s administration and the president himself many times in the past, claims he can win in securing five extra Democratic seats in the US House to balance out the five that Texas Republicans are trying to capture through mid-decade redistricting.
If he in fact does that, he could easily position himself as the symbol of a Democratic revival in the midterm elections, even as his influence in Sacramento declines because of term limits, the Intelligencerreports.
California Governor Gavin Newsom/ Reuters
Although it wouldn’t literally bring Trump’s presidency to an end, as Newsom claimed in a recent social media post, having Democrats in control of the House would definitely create more obstacles for him in Washington.
However, despite Newsom’s confidence, his words do carry risks for both himself and his party.
According to many, Newsom’s attempt to counter Texas Republicans’ redistricting backfired since his 24-hour ultimatum only gave them time to regroup, while California’s independent commission left him powerless to act as quickly as Texas lawmakers. So, instead of deterring Republicans, it fueled division and raised doubts about Democratic credibility.
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The risks now stretch beyond Texas. If California retaliates, other GOP-controlled states could join the fight, a contest Republicans are better positioned to win. Newsom’s plan could fall apart if voters reject the ballot measure. Many people trust the independent system already in place, and even Schwarzenegger might rally against changing it.
If Newsom succeeds, Democrats could pick up seats and gain momentum heading into the midterms. But if he fails, it might give California Republicans a boost and hurt his chances on the national stage.
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Angelina Jolie and daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt shared a mother-daughter moment at the Golden Globes 2025, and it’s safe to say that all eyes were on the duo. This doesn’t really come as a surprise knowing that the Tomb Rider star steals the spotlight whenever she makes a public appearance.
This time, the mother and daughter complemented each other, gathering the attention of many.
The actress dazzled in a whimsical silver sequined gown, while her 19-year-old daughter turned heads in a striking white dress adorned with a black tree motif curling around one hip. Both gowns were designed by Alexander McQueen.
This isn’t the first time Zahara to accompany her mother at such an event. In fact, the duo attended Palm Springs Film Festival Awards together earlier this week.
Angelina Jolie earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her role as opera icon Maria Callas in Maria. This is her nineth Golden Globe nomination, winning three.
The musical drama tells the story of the celebrated opera singer’s glamorous yet turbulent life in 1970s Paris.
Speaking of the experience of making the movie, Jolie told told Cynthia Erivo, “What got me the most was, towards the end of [Maria’s] life, there was a lot of cruelty, and she was very unsupported. I knew that the whole team wanted to approach it with love and respect for her, so I thought we’d try.”
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In order to prepare for the role, Jolie learned Italian opera for seven months. “I didn’t realize the practice of it and the learning of it is one thing, but it was finding my voice and letting my voice out that was really hard for me. And I was really emotional about it,” the actress revealed.
While promoting the Netflix film, Jolie paid tribute to Callas by wearing the opera singer’s own Cartier jewelry at the Venice Film Festival in August 2024.
“I chose not to copy [Maria’s] looks because they are hers, and her Venice carpets were stunning, so I gave a little nod to her—in a different way,” she toldVogue at the time, adding, “You can imagine how special it was to wear a piece of jewelry that was hers.”
Jolie spoke to Peoplemagazine of the making of the film during the American Film Institute Festival premiere of Maria in Hollywood on Saturday, Oct. 26, saying she shares a “certain loneliness” with Callas that comes from being a dedicated worker.
“I don’t want to speak too much about it because it’s too personal, but there’s definitely a loneliness and a work ethic,” she said of her connection with the opera diva whose character she portrayed. “I may be many things, but I’m a very hard worker, right?”
She added, “I’m an imperfect person, but I work very hard and she does.”
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It’s not a secret that most people would gladly alter certain aspects of their faces or bodies in order to feel more confident about themselves. Today, with the rise of plastic surgery and the wide array of cosmetic procedures, improving one’s appearance can feel almost effortless.
Of course, these procedures aren’t cheap, and for those who can afford them everything goes down to simply choosing the right procedure and paying for it. Still, it’s not just about having the cash. Changing your body can take an emotional and physical toll, and the results last far longer than a quick shopping spree.
Devyn Aiken is a young woman who decided to undergo a rhinoplasty and change the appearance of her nose.
She always wondered how she would look like had her nose wasn’t that big, and for years, she dreamed of altering it.
When she turned 30, that dream of hers finally turned into a reality.
Devyn said that the procedure cost $11,000, money she was saving for 10 long years.
However, despite her decision to change her appearance, she shared with her TikTok followers that she had never thought of herself as ugly.
On the contrary, she always felt she was a beautiful girl.
“I thought I was a pretty girl, I didn’t think I was ugly,” she shared in her interview just nine weeks post-surgery. “You could ask anyone—they would say I was very confident, very secure with who I was. I just thought I had a huge nose that I hated.”
With the procedure, she didn’t seek validation nor she wanted to change her looks entirely. Instead, it was a personal choice and proof that true confidence comes from making changes for yourself, not for others.
Since her rhinoplasty, Devyn has turned her TikTok account into a space for open discussion about plastic surgery, sharing everything from before-and-after photos to updates on her recovery. In the process, she has unintentionally become a go-to voice on cosmetic procedures.
Her comment section reflects a mix of reactions: supportive messages, questions from people considering rhinoplasty, and, naturally, some criticism from those who question her choices. Despite the range of responses, she remains dedicated to her goal: fostering transparency and honesty about her journey.
“I documented it from day one, I posted a video when I was still in bed recovering,” she recalled. “I just thought, ‘Wait, this might help other people,’ I wanted to document everything about the journey.”
When it comes to her transformation, this young woman is unapologetically open and chronicles her journey brutally honestly.
“I left all my videos up, my photos, and I’m just owning it. I got a nose job,” she says. “I’m not going to erase who I was. And I love posting the before and after because it’s such a dramatic difference.
“The earliest I can remember wanting a nose job was at 14. I asked my mom, ‘Can I have a nose job?’” she recalled. But at that age, doctors refused to operate on her because she was still very young and her face was still developing.
When she turned 18, she scheduled her first consultation. The only obstacle she faced at the time was the money. “I had a deviated septum, but nothing that required surgery,” she explained. “It was purely cosmetic. Insurance didn’t pay. This was straight-up vanity.”
After ten years of saving every penny, she was finally able to undergone the much-wanted surgery.
“I just feel so happy every time I look in the mirror,” she said in an interview. “It’s literally life-changing … Now I can just shop in peace. I can go out in peace and I don’t have to worry if someone’s making a comment. I feel relieved.”
As expected, most of her videos are met with criticism from people who are against plastic surgery, but over the years, Devyn learned how to ignore the nasty comments.
“I was a little nervous putting myself out there because I get nasty comments every day. Every time I log onto my social media, there’s a disgusting comment,” the TikTok star said. “People just have a misconception that [with] plastic surgery, you’re like this fake bimbo. You’re making yourself into someone else. That’s not the case. I’m just enhancing and improving myself.”
You can take a look at Devyn’s complete transformation in the video below.
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My evenings at home with my baby daughter Ivy were small miracles. Her soft laughter, the warm cocoa, and the quiet joy of a baby finally asleep seemed to be everything I have always longed for.
That evening, as my baby girl nestled in her ducky blanket, her breathing calm and gentle, and my husband Judson stirred cocoa in the kitchen, I lay on the couch and thought to myself, “So this is what happiness looks like.”
Indeed, the world was at my feet and I felt like the happiest person there was.
However, as days passed by, there came the nights that weren’t that peaceful. At first, I just thought I was just imagining things, and Judson tried to convince me that I was too tired to be thinking clearly, but I knew I wasn’t making things up, that faint rustling coming from my baby’s room was as real as that coffee mug I was holding in my hand. I could hear it, sense it, feel it…
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As the noises from the nursery kept coming back night after night, Judson tried to convince me that it was the house settling, the pipes, or the old windows making it.
At the end of the day, the house was indeed an older one and things needed to be repaired, but that strange sound… it was definitely coming from my daughter’s room.
No matter how much everyone tried to convince me to let it go, I simply couldn’t, so I called Kaylie, my friend who knew everything about baby gadgets.
“Are you out of your mind?” she asked me when I told her I was suspecting someone was entering my house at night. She even started laughing, but still, she told me everything about that baby monitor she had purchased for herself months prior. It had night vision, audio, video — everything.
That night, I set it up carefully and felt a sense of security.
I went to bed, ready to have the much-needed sleep when I heard a scream. It was 03:15 in the morning and the baby monitor showed shadows.
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I woke Judson up and rushed to Ivy’s room. She was disturbed by something and wouldn’t stop crying.
“You are making a big deal out of this,” Judson said. “She’s still just a baby, and babies cry… for no apparent reason.” He then asked me to stop being paranoid because it affected everyone. But I knew what I saw. There were shadows on the baby monitor, and I was certain someone was sneaking into my daughter’s room.
And then, I saw Ivy’s milk bottle was on the floor, and it was warm, as though someone had just warmed it for her.
I started panicking even more. Was I going mad?
Judson explanation was that perhaps I’d sleepwalked, maybe it was the hyper-vigilance of new motherhood. But I knew better. Someone was there, and I was about to prove him wrong.
I made sure everything was closed, the front door, the garage door, everything. And then, just as I approached the window, I saw it, a pendant — a cracked silver heart. I hadn’t seen that pendant in years. It belonged to someone who was not part of my life any longer.
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Morning came and I left Ivy with the babysitter. “I’ll be back in no time,” I said. Then I got into my car and drove to the house I haven’t visited in what seemed like an eternity — my mother’s house.
Time seemed frozen there. Lace curtains, chipped ceramic owl on the porch. And my mother, waiting.
“You broke into my house,” I yelled.
“I just wanted to hold her, just once,” my mother said.
“But how did you get inside? How did you get past the security system?” I asked, needing answers.
But just as my mom was about to start speaking, Judson appeared at the house — “Honey, I can explain,” he said.
“What is going on? Judson, you knew my mother was the one getting inside our house and let me believe that I was imagining things? That I was going mad?”
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It turned out Judson caught my mother sneaking, but she then told him the whole story about her life and he decided to trust her.
“What’s the whole story, Judson?” I asked. “Well, that’s not my story to tell,” he answered, leaving me alone with my mother.
What my mom said next changed my world. It turned out my father was having an affair with ant Jessie, the woman whom I frequently saw while growing up. The one I believed was like a mother to me. The same woman who kept telling me my mother left me and had nothing to do with me.
What Jessie and my father did was used their influence to put her in a psychiatric facility. They said she was unstable.
“They kept me locked away for five years. Jessie was head of the department. She and your father made sure I couldn’t see you. Couldn’t call you. Nothing.”
My mom also told me she watched me from a distance. When I started college, when I got married… but now that I had a child, she wanted to be part of the baby’s life, and Judson helped her.
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He approached slowly and said, “I believed her, Reina. I didn’t want to at first. That’s why I hired a private investigator. I needed to know the truth. And she was telling the truth. Everything checked out. When I found out, I went to a lawyer. We’re working on it now.”
Judson also explained that he let my mom enter by disabling the security system in the house.
I was disappointed she and Judson lied to me, but they assured me they just waited for the right time to tell me the truth. And for whatever reason, I wasn’t mad at them any more.
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When it comes to personal space, many people tend to draw clear boundaries, but the truth is that those “rules” of respecting someone’s privacy doesn’t really apply to dogs.
Yes, dogs are the best friends a human could ever ask for. Their love and loyalty cannot be matched, that’s for sure, but they also have a few quirky habits that can catch their owners off guard, like their tendency to shove their nose where it clearly doesn’t belong.
Just as they instinctively greet other dogs by sniffing their behinds, they often extend the same curiosity to people. That’s the reason why many dogs, without a second thought, will nudge their nose right into a human’s crotch. It may feel awkward for us, but for them, it’s completely natural. So, why do dogs do it?
What many of us see like an embarrassing invasion of privacy is a dog’s way of getting to know someone better and saying “hello.”
In fact, a dog’s nose is one of the most extraordinary tools in the animal kingdom, and everyone who has ever owned a canine can tell you that.
While us humans have about 6 million scent receptors, dogs have up to 300 million which makes their sense of smell around 10,000 times stronger than ours.
What’s more, dogs possess an additional olfactory organ called Jacobson’s organ (or the vomeronasal organ), located just above the roof of their mouth. This special structure helps them detect pheromones—chemical signals that reveal detailed information about another individual, whether it’s a fellow dog, another animal, or even a human. Since that’s plenty of data to process, dogs’ brains dedicate about 40 times more space to scent than ours do, which is what makes them superheroes of smell, able to track down anything from hidden drugs to changes in blood sugar. With this in mind, it really doesn’t come as a surprise that they make extraordinary service dogs that help the ill and the vulnerable.
So, why the crotch?
Well, dogs sticking their noses in our crotches is rather awkward, but they’re not trying to embarrass us. On the contrary, it’s all about dogs being super-powered sniffers and having instincts they can’t turn off, no matter how much we want them to.
One of the reasons why dogs tend to sniff our crotch is because of sweat glands, specifically, apocrine glands. These glands release pheromones, which carry information about age, sex, mood, and even reproductive status. While dogs have these glands all over, the strongest signals come from the genitals and anus, which is why butt-sniffing is considered to be a canine handshake.
Humans also have apocrine glands, mainly in the armpits and groin, and since armpits are hard to reach, the crotch is the next best information hub for the dogs.
For breeds such as Beagles, Bloodhounds, and Basset Hounds, resisting to smell humans’ crotches is nearly impossible.
What Can Dogs Detect?
During certain situations, the smell humans release becomes stronger. Menstruation, childbirth, or even recent sexual activity can increase the release of pheromones, which makes dogs more eager to investigate. That’s also why they have a thing for underwear.
In his book How Dogs Think, Stanley Coren, PhD, explains how Australian Shepherds were once trained to sniff out cows that had just ovulated, helping ranchers time breeding more effectively. While it hasn’t been scientifically proven that dogs can reliably detect ovulation in humans, they certainly notice changes in body chemistry. This same skill is what makes them useful in medical research, including the early detection of conditions like ovarian cancer.
If you want to prevent your dog from sniffing your crotch, there are some tips and tricks vets and experts share.
However, you should have in mind that it’s more difficult to train dogs what not to do rather then what to do.
Some trainers recommend redirection rather than punishment. A reliable technique is fist targeting, where the dog learns to touch your closed hand with their nose on cue.
Present your fist to the dog.
When they touch it with their nose, immediately mark the behavior (“yes!” or click) and reward with a treat.
Repeat until consistent, then introduce a command such as “touch.”
Once the dog understands, you can redirect them whenever they approach someone’s groin. Because you can position the fist anywhere, it’s easy to block the behavior before it happens. Others can also offer their fist as a greeting instead of becoming the target of an awkward sniff.
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Cremation is the process of incineration of the body of a deceased person at very high temperatures, with only a relatively small amount of “ash” left at the end, for the family to either keep, bury or scatter. The truth is that cremation remains taboo in many cultures and religions, but despite that, it has gained popularity over conventional funerals in recent years.
There are many misconceptions surrounding the process of cremation, which leads people to feel scared of it — but that fear simply comes from the unknown.
Lauren, a former funeral home worker who goes by @lovee.miss.lauren on TikTok, decided to walk her followers — over 2.5 million — through the process of cremation and bust a few common myths.
According to her, the most common question she gets is, “How can I be certain that the ashes I receive truly belong to my loved one?”
Lauren walks families through the process, explaining that when a body arrives at the crematory, it is tagged with a metal ID plate carrying a unique number. That plate stays with the body throughout cremation. Afterward, the ashes are sealed in a bag with the proper identification, and the family is given a cremation certificate listing the person’s name and registration number.
Some of the questions people ask may sound unusual, but they address real concerns. For instance, one person asked if a tampon is removed when a woman passes away during her menstrual cycle. Lauren explains that, in most cases, an autopsy is performed before cremation, and items like tampons are removed—especially if embalming is part of the process. All of this is done following strict protocols and only with the family’s consent, ensuring the body is treated with dignity and respect.
Louise Singer, manager of Bramcote Bereavement Services in the UK, explained that before cremation, coffins are inspected for items that cannot be burned, such as metal objects. She stressed the importance of checking for pacemakers, as they can explode in the heat and even shift a massive cremation chamber.
Well, not only does the process of cremation itself raise questions for those who decide to have their loved ones cremated, but also the question of what happens to the soul afterward. This especially bothers those who are religious and believe in the afterlife and in the concept of the soul living forever.
Different religions, traditions, and beliefs offer different answers to this question.
Though the mechanics of cremation are clear, what happens to the soul is still shrouded in mystery.
1. Hinduism and Buddhism: A Path to Liberation
In Hinduism, the cremation is the preferred process when a person dies. It is believed that the soul (atman) is eternal and simply leaves the body at the time of death. The act of cremation helps the soul detach from its physical form and move on to its next life through the cycle of reincarnation (samsara).
In Hindu belief, fire is considered a sacred purifier that releases the soul from the body.
In Buddhism, just like in Hinduism, cremation is commonly practiced, with the difference that Buddhism does not hold to the idea of a permanent soul. This religion teaches that consciousness continues in a cycle of rebirth. According to those who practice Buddhism, cremation isn’t only a ritual but a gesture of acceptance, honoring impermanence while opening the path to what comes next.
2. Christianity: Faith in the Afterlife
Over the centuries, Christian views on cremation have changed. For Christians, especially Catholics, burial was historically favored because of the belief in bodily resurrection. Today, most Christian denominations accept cremation, provided it doesn’t reject the belief in resurrection.
Christians believe that the soul is judged by God and moves to heaven, hell, or a waiting state like purgatory after a person dies. The body’s treatment—whether burial or cremation—does not affect the journey of the soul, but faith and one’s relationship with God are what truly matter in determining the soul’s path after death.
In Islam, cremation is strictly prohibited. Muslim tradition calls for the body to be buried as soon as possible following death, in a manner that is both simple and respectful.
Muslims believe the soul leaves the body at the moment of death, but remains linked to it until the Day of Judgment. This prohibition emphasizes the dignity owed to the human body, with burial serving as an expression of respect and obedience to God’s commands.
4. Secular and Spiritual Views
In today’s world, there are plenty of people who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, or they simply adopt a more secular perspective.
Cremation, in these contexts, is often viewed as a natural return of the body to the earth. Some hold that the soul journeys to another plane, becomes one with the universe, or lives on through the memories and impact left behind.
Others, particularly scientists and humanists, view consciousness as ending at death, making cremation a personal or ecological choice rather than a spiritual concern.
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Sometimes, you believe that you know someone better than you know yourself, but that suddenly changes and that person starts feeling like a stranger all of a sudden. I felt exactly like that when my wife of fifteen years started pulling away, not only from me but from our daughter too. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why because Levine had always been a devoted mother and a loving wife.
She used to be the woman who filled our lives with warmth, and then out of the blue, she suddenly became so distant that her laughter was replaced by silence. I would see her staring out the window, lost in her thought, or quietly wiping away tears when she thought no one was watching. Whenever I would ask her what bothered her, she’d simply say, “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”
When things went too far, I begged her to tell me the truth, because it was more than obvious something was wrong, but she said it wasn’t the right time for any truths to be revealed, and told me to wait.
Then came the day everything unraveled — I returned home with Emily, our daughter, and found an envelope on the table with my name on it.
Inside was a letter from Levine in which she opened up about the things that led to her estrangement from her own family.
Levine had cancer; stage 3. She wrote it was incurable and the prognosis was dull.
Further, she explained that she wasn’t afraid of dying but of the thought of burdening Emily and me, so she checked herself into a hospice two states away.
At that moment, I couldn’t stop my tears. My hearts shattered into pieces when I realized Levine’s silence came from love, not indifference.
Despite her wish to be alone, Emily and I traveled to the hospice the very next day. Seeing her frail broke me, but her face lit up when she saw us. Emily sobbed, “Mom, why didn’t you tell us?” Levine whispered, “I thought it would be easier this way.”
We remained by her side in those final weeks, trying to make new memories. Though her strength faded, her spirit blossomed, offering Emily words of love and wisdom for the days ahead.
When Levine’s last moment arrived, she wasn’t alone. She left this world holding my hand, with Emily by her side. She had hoped to protect us from pain, but in the end, we faced it as one.
Today, Emily and I live with her memory.
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When Dr. Carter saw a short line at the airport, she felt relieved because she was in a desperate need to catch a flight quickly for a critical case. But then, she accidentally dropped her purse and everything inside scattered on the floor. As she knelt to collect her belongings, Michael and Dana, a couple, approached the counter.
“I need two tickets to Santa Monica, please,” Michael said. The man at the counter looked worried. “We only have two seats left,” he said, sharing an edgy look with Dr. Carter.
“I need to get on this flight, please. It’s an emergency. I’m a doctor,” Dr. Carter said while picking up her things. Michael didn’t want to wait. “The tickets are clearly ours,” he insisted, showing his credit card. Dana felt sorry for Dr. Carter. “Maybe we should wait, honey?” she suggested to Michael. But Michael disagreed. “We’re not changing our plans,” he said firmly.
Dr. Carter begged him, explaining that it’s about saving a life. But Michael wouldn’t listen. “Life’s tough. We all have our problems,” he said and asked the man at the counter, Luke, to proceed with the booking.
Dana wasn’t pleased with the way Michael treated the doctor and tried to tell him that, but Michael simply wouldn’t listen.
Once on the plane, Dana felt disappointed with him again after watching how poorly he treated the flight attendant. Michael’s acts made her question their relationship.
At one point, he asked for free martini drinks, which made Dana uncomfortable, but Michael didn’t seem to care.
As he was having one drink after another, he suddenly started gasping for air after an olive from the martini had gone down the wrong way.
Dana quickly wrapped her arms around Michael’s waist and pushed upward. Passengers stared as she tried again and again. At last, the olive popped out of his throat and bounced off the seat ahead.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Michael coughed and then asked for more drinks, this time without olives in it.
“Michael, you need to be more careful, especially with your heart condition.”
Michael laughed. “My heart’s just fine, Dana. It takes more than an olive to take me down.”
But he wasn’t right. Moments later, he collapsed onto the floor of the aisle. A nurse on board rushed over, saying Michael was in tachycardia and needed urgent care. Dana grew anxious as paramedics met the plane and rushed him to the hospital. There, under harsh white lights, staff hurried him down the corridor. “BP’s dropping,” a nurse called out with concern. “Where’s Dr. Carter? We need her,” one of the doctors could be heard saying, and Michael knew that same sounded familiar.
Some time later, Dana found herself sitting beside Michael in the hospital room. “He’s stable, but it’s touch and go,” a nurse said.
When Michael awoke, weak and disoriented, Dana told him, “You had a heart attack. Dr. Carter saved you.”
The name triggered a flood of memories, the airport, their argument, and the searing chest pain. Moments later, Dr. Carter entered, and Michael recognized her at once. “You… you’re the one from the airport,” he said.
“Yes, I got here on a charter flight. Lucky for my patient and you, too,” Dr. Carter replied.
Michael was embarrassed. “I’m sorry for how I acted before… you saved my life. Thank you.”
Dr. Carter smiled. “Take better care of yourself. You’ve got a second chance,” she advised.
Michael then looked at Dana and apologized. He was now aware of his behavior and he realized how poorly he treated people around him. But this experience taught him that he needed to change. He needed to become a better person.
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On July 4, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB) into law. Under OBBB, tax reductions worth trillions that were scheduled to expire in 2025 will now remain in place permanently. It also adds new breaks, including tax-free overtime pay and an extra deduction for seniors. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the measure is expected to raise federal deficits by $3.4 trillion over the next decade.
The No Tax on Tips Act, a provision under OBBB that will allow tipped workers to deduct up to $25,000 from their taxable income, has been passed by the US Senate.
This is expected to provide direct financial relief to millions of Americans who are part of the service industry.
This bill is popular among workers, especially those who work in hospitality, but just like the overtime deduction, it isn’t technically a true tax cut but a targeted deduction that favors some groups over others.
Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who introduced the bill along with Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada, said, “This is about fairness. These workers are putting in long hours and living paycheck to paycheck. They deserve to keep more of what they earn.”
Senator Rosen emphasized that service workers in tourism-heavy economies like Nevada are the “backbone of the economy,” and that the bill offers them “the respect and support they deserve.”
The No Tax on Tips Act proposes amending the federal tax code to make tip income exempt from federal income taxes. Under current law, tipped workers must report their tips as income, and employers are required to withhold taxes. If the bill becomes law then tips from customers would still need to be reported but they would no longer be taxed at the federal level. The change applied to tips only and excludes wages and employer-paid bonuses.
The deduction excludes automatic service fees, such as mandatory 20% tips for large parties. It also doesn’t apply to anyone in Specified Service Trades or Businesses (SSTBs), which covers professions like law and finance where skill is the main asset.
According to supporters of the bill, it eases burdens on small businesses and increases take-home pay for workers.
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Fans of The Fall Guy might remember Heather Thomas as the stunning stunt double-turned-bounty hunter who shared the screen with Lee Majors in the ’80s.
Besides being an actress, Thomas was also a model who graced posters in bedrooms and dorms across the country. However, once The Fall Guy wrapped in 1986, she slowly pulled back from Hollywood and eventually stepped away from acting completely at the age of just 41.
Recently, gorgeous Heather Thomas opened up of the reasons that led to the decision to end her acting career.
Speaking on Still Here Hollywood podcast with Steve Kmetko, she explained that her role of Jody Banks came with a toll—a flood of stalkers that simply wouldn’t leave her alone.
The former actress revealed that the situation was “really bad” and that at one point, she was dealing with “at least two a week.”
“I had tons of restraining orders,” she further shared, adding: “I had two little girls, and a guy’s jumping our gate with a giant buck knife. In those days, I don’t know if this is true now, but people would fixate. You could be in a soap commercial, and they would fixate on you.”
She explained that at the time “there weren’t a lot of stalker laws, and I just needed to be home anyway.”
Thomas recalled: “Someone sent me a box of bullets, and people would send me funeral wreaths they stole from a graveyard,” and that she “always had a bodyguard in the house because that’s where I didn’t want to come home to a dark house.”
She shared one specific incident where she was forced to shoot one of her stalkers. “I had one guy one night cut my screen in my bedroom and got in, and I shot him,” she revealed. The gun didn’t have any real bullets but gun salt, and she never learned if the perpetrator was ever jailed.
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During her time on The Fall Guy, Thomas took on a role in the 1982 teen comedy Zapped! with Scott Baio and guest-starred on The Love Boat and T.J. Hooker. Later, she appeared in films such as Cyclone (1987), several TV movies, and smaller projects, including Red Blooded American Girl, with her final film being My Giant (1998).
In 1992, Thomas married entertainment attorney Harry Marcus “Skip” Brittenham.
The couple have three daughters, Shauna and Kristina from Brittenham’s previous marriage, and daughter India whom they welcomed in 2000.
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A touching story from a rural town found its way to the hearts of many. It wasn’t a story of crime and punishment, as everyone thought it would be, but one of loyalty and love like no other.
What started as a last wish of a man who was about to be executed, turned into something much bigger. It turned into a story of redemption and connections that go beyond what words can describe.
As the man’s final moments of his life approached, he was granted one last wish. What he said next, surprised the guards. He didn’t ask for any special food or a person he loved. He wanted to see his dog one last time.
For many, hearing such a wish could sound strange, but not to the people who knew the man and his dog, and their friendship that lasted a lifetime. In fact, the two were inseparable for years. The dog was with him through thick and thin. It was the best companion anyone could ever ask for.
The authorities granted the man’s wish and took the dog to the facility. Everyone who was present, including guards, officials, and witnesses, stood there quietly, waiting to see what was going to happen.
The moment the dog spotted its owner, it felt like the world stopped spinning. He immediately ran towards him, wagging its tail, and trembling with joy. It was an emotional reunion between two friends.
Even the toughest guards couldn’t hide their tears. The man wrapped his arms around his dog, whispering words only they understood. The dog rested his head on his owner’s shoulder, refusing to leave. It wasn’t just goodbye but a symbol of love, peace, and a bond that no one could ever break.
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When I met Emily, I somehow felt that she was the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. From the moment she entered the office, her presence radiated calmness and peace, the same two feelings she soon brought into my life.
Three years forward, we were planning our wedding and our life together. Honestly, Emily has always been loved by everyone, except for one person, her stepmother Margaret.
When she saw the ring I proposed Emily with, she asked if the diamond was real or one of the fake ones, grown in a lab.
She wanted to be involved in the planning of our wedding, but only because she wanted to make mean comments, judging our choices every step of the way.
“Oh, Emily, do you thing there is really need for such a big venue, you don’t have a lot of friends anyways,” she’d say, ironically.
She commented on the choice of the wedding dress, saying it looked cheap and that it would look better to someone with a better figure.
It has always been “small” things like that that Margaret would say at every chance she got.
When I asked Emily about it, she told me that her stepmom made her life a living hell while growing up, but whenever she tried to bring that up in front of her father, he wouldn’t believe her because Margaret pretended to like her in front of him.
So, fast forward to the day of our wedding, Emily slipped me a note that read, “Say no at the altar.”
I froze. However, I never doubted her judgement so I decided to play along because I knew she had something on her mind.
When the priest asked me if I take Emily to be my wife, I simply said, “No.” And that’s when Margaret showed her true face in front of everyone.
While everyone looked in confusion, she stood up and started laughing. “Well, well, well,” she said. “I told you. I told you all.”
“We spent so much on this wedding,” she snapped. “I told you it was pointless, a total waste of money. But no, you insisted on going along with this silly fantasy.” She threw her hands toward the decorated hall. “And for what? I told you this would happen!”
And she didn’t stop there. On the contrary, she told Emily that it was obvious this would happen since she wasn’t worth to marry a man like me. “You really thought he’d marry you?” she sneered. “I told you, sweetie. No one wants you.”
I wanted to defend Emily, but looking at how calm her face was, I stood quiet, knowing she asked me to say “no” for a reason.
“Thank you, Margaret,” Emily said confidently.
“For what?” Margaret asked.
“For showing your true colors.”
Emily turned to the guests, especially her father, and said, “Da, you always thought she was just strict, trying to make me responsible, but what she really did was tear me down every chance she got. I was never good enough, never pretty enough, never anything enough. She made me feel like a burden after Mom died.”
Emily continued, “So today I let her think she had won. Because I knew that if Adam said no, she wouldn’t be able to hide her reaction. And now you see the truth, don’t you, Dad?”
Not only her father, but everyone who heard Margaret’s words realized how much she disliked Emily.
Margaret scoffed. “Oh, please. He was never going to marry you. I just called it before it happened.”
Emily smiled. “That’s where you’re wrong. Because he is going to marry me.”
I stepped forward, taking her hands. “Damn right, I am.”
Emily’s dad asked Margaret to leave, and we proceeded with the wedding. It was the best day of our lives.
Eventually, Emily’s dad and Margaret reconciled, but at least he knew what kind of woman she has always been. As of us, we cut every contact with her for good.
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When someone is nearing the end of life, their body undergoes many changes, some of which may occur months before their passing. However, in the final 24 hours, loved ones may witness a common and often unsettling phenomenon—a noise known as the ‘death rattle.’
What is the ‘Death Rattle’?
According to Medical News Today, the ‘death rattle’ is caused by changes in breathing patterns and the buildup of secretions in the throat. Hospice Nurse Julie, an expert in end-of-life care, describes the sound:
“This is just a collection of a small bit of saliva in the back of the throat that just sounds really bad.”
Julie adds that fever is also common during this stage:
“We lose the ability to control the core temperature, so our temperature will fluctuate at the end of life. Again, it’s all very normal and part of the death and dying process if you are dying naturally at home.”
What Does the ‘Death Rattle’ Sound Like?
The ‘death rattle’ occurs when a person’s ability to swallow diminishes, allowing secretions to build up in the respiratory tract. The sound is often described as a “crackling, wet noise” that grows louder with each breath.
Some describe it as a faint groaning or snoring sound, while others liken it to a louder gurgling noise. Despite its alarming nature, it’s important to note that the individual is not experiencing pain or discomfort during this process.
Research shows that the average lifespan after the onset of the death rattle is around twenty-five hours. However, the process tends to last longer for those receiving hospice care compared to hospital patients.
What Can You Do to Ease the ‘Death Rattle Noise’?
While the ‘death rattle’ is a natural part of the dying process, there are ways to reduce its intensity to comfort those nearby:
Turn the person onto their side to allow secretions to drain.
Raise their head slightly to promote drainage.
Moisten their mouth with damp swabs to keep it hydrated.
Use suction to remove secretions when appropriate.
Limit fluid intake to prevent excessive secretions.
Administer medications designed to clear secretions, as prescribed by medical professionals.
It’s important to understand that while these measures can help reduce the noise, they likely won’t eliminate it entirely. Medical professionals can provide explanations and support to help loved ones cope with the situation.
A Natural Process
The ‘death rattle’ may sound distressing to family and friends, but it’s a natural stage of the dying process. Loved ones should take solace in knowing that the individual is not in pain or distress.
Understanding the phenomenon and its implications can help bring comfort and clarity during this difficult time. By being present and informed, families can focus on providing love and support as their loved one transitions peacefully.
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50-year-old Nathalie Rose Jones, a woman from Indiana, was arrested after joining a demonstration near the White House and charged with two felony counts over a series of death threats she posted on the social media, both Instagram and Facebook, targeting US President Donald Trump.
Before the arrest took place, officials from the US Secret Service monitored the Instagram account “nath.jones” from August 2 to August 9, during which they reportedly found threatening comments about Trump.
According to the press release, Jones allegedly branded Trump a terrorist, referred to his administration as a dictatorship, and blamed him for the “extreme and unnecessary loss of life” caused by COVID-19.
The arrest was announced by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump ally and former Fox News anchor, who vowed “she will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
“Threatening the life of the President is one of the most serious crimes and one that will be met with swift and unwavering prosecution. Make no mistake – justice will be served,” Pirro said, as per the Daily Mail.
Nathalie Rose Jones/ Facebook
A post from Jones’ account which she shared on August 6 read, “I am willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea with Liz Cheney and all The Affirmation present.” In another post from August 11, she wrote, “Listen up, Donald J. Trump. I’m psychotic.”
On August 14, she wrote directly to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth pleading with him to “arrange the arrest and removal ceremony of POTUS Trump as a terrorist on the American People from 10-2pm at the White House on Saturday, August 16th, 2025.”
The Secret Service conducted a voluntary interview with Jones on August 15, where she reportedly labeled Trump a “terrorist” and a “Nazi.”
She allegedly added that, if given the opportunity, she would kill him at “the compound” using “a bladed object.”
She then blamed Trump of the death of those who lost their lives during the pandemic, claiming the reason were the vaccines, adding she wanted to avenge all the lives lost.
The very next day, August 16, Jones appeared at a protest near the White House, which raised alarms among federal officials.
Given her earlier statements and alleged threats, being near the President’s residence was considered a credible security threat.
Jones has been formally charged with transmitting threats across state lines and threatening the President of the United States, both of which are federal offenses. If found guilty, she could be serving prison time.
Officials point to the case as a demonstration of their persistent focus on protecting national leaders and maintaining law and order in the face of political extremism.
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Donald Trump extended an invitation to actor Tom Cruise to be a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s Lifetime Achievement this year but the Mission Impossible star wasn’t interested. The real reason Cruise rejected the US president has now been revealed, and many believe he is just desperately trying to stay away from making a political stance.
According to social media users who took their time to share their opinion on the matter on X, the megastar was wise to keep his distance from politics.
“I don’t blame Cruise, honestly,” one person commented. “Tom was in the middle of public perception for years and has finally dug himself out of it… avoid politics like the plague, it’s the way.”
Another said: “… I am so glad he refuses to have anything to do with Trump,” while a third wrote, “I don’t think Cruise is making a political statement for or against Trump. I think he’s just wisely staying out of the political arena altogether.”
According to the Washington, D.C. arts center, the award “recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world.”
The five recipients who will be honored in December are country music singer George Strait, rock band KISS, Broadway star Michael Crawford, singer Gloria Gaynor and actor Sylvester Stallone, the Independent writes.
According to the Washington Post, Cruise declined due to scheduling conflicts.
Back in February, Trump announced on social media that he had found an “amazing” chairman to take the Kennedy Center reins: Himself.
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“Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP,” he wrote at the time. “The Kennedy Center is an American Jewel, and must reflect the brightest STARS on its stage from all across our Nation.”
Boasting about being “98% involved” in the selection of this year’s honourees, Trump also stated that although he didn’t campaign to be part of the awards, he still enjoyed the idea of being on TV again.
This year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony will take place on Dec. 7 and will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
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My battle with cancer was a long and a tiring one, but I had my people around me, and I ended up winner. The day I got my “cancer-free” diagnosis, my boyfriends proposed and we decided to have our wedding as soon as possible.
But on what was supposed to be the best day of my life, my mother-in-law tried to humiliate me in front of everyone in attendance. She was well-aware my hair didn’t grow enough for the wedding and that I had a wig, but she wanted everyone to know that little secret of mine. Out of the blue, she came up and ripped off my wig, revealing my bald head to the entire room. “See? She’s bald! I told you!” she yelled in front of the guests.
All of a sudden, my wedding turned into a nighmare.
I stood there in the church, shocked and surrounded by whispers and stares, feeling completely exposed. And then, something happened that no one expected, something that made my mother-in-law instantly regret what she had done.
Although she believed she had won, her moment of victory was short-lived.
My friend Sarah came to my rescue. Her bold move and her words broke through the tension. She was with me through my battle with cancer, and she now saved my wedding. “How dare you humiliate someone who has already battled so hard to stand here today?” she said, and her words echoed in the church.
Before long, many of the guests joined in, and not only my friends and relatives, by my husband’s family, too. “You’re beautiful just the way you are,” someone said, while another added, “She’s a survivor, and that’s more than admirable.”
My husband was angry at his mother. “Mom, how can be so cruel to someone that means the world to me. You owe her an apology,” he told his mother, who at that moment realized that she was the villain in our story.
It was obvious that she was embarrassed by what she did to me. She obviously believed that our guests would laugh at me and my bald head, but she couldn’t be more wrong. Everyone there was so compassionate that it brought tears to my eyes.
Her action, however, no matter how cruel it was, helped me understand that my hair, or better said the lack of it, didn’t define who I was. From feeling ashamed, I suddenly felt liberated and decided to continue with the wedding without the wig on. It was who I was and I loved myself for my bravery.
My husband and I walked down the aisle into our new life together.
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According to Joseph Jorizzo, MD, from Wake Forest University, “your skin can be a window to your underlying health.” The truth is that the skin isn’t just a shield but a powerful communicator of your internal health.
Unexpected changes in your skin can sometimes be the body’s first warning that something more serious is happening internally and understanding these signs allows you to spot potential problems early and seek appropriate care.
Livedo reticularis (LR), also known as mottled skin, is a type of skin discoloration that can occur if there is an interruption of blood flow to the skin. According to a study on this condition, LR is often a temporary, harmless phenomenon that is the result of exposure to cold temperatures or stress, but can sometimes appear due to certain underlying health issues.
It appears as a purplish, net-like or lace-patterned discoloration on the arms or the legs and mostly impacts babies and assigned females between the ages of 20 and 50.
Mottled skin appears when the blood flow close to the skin’s surface changes, which can be caused by low oxygen levels in the blood, blood vessel spasms, or shifts in circulation. It can also be a result of certain medical conditions or a side effect of certain drugs and medications — mostly from amantadine (dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). The discoloration typically becomes more noticeable in cold weather and may fade when the skin warms up.
There are two forms of this condition: Physiological (Primary) Livedo Reticularis — a benign and temporary reaction to cold temperatures common in children, young adults, or people with fair skin, and Pathological (Secondary) Livedo Reticularis — more persistent and linked to underlying health problems such as autoimmune diseases, vascular disorders, or blood clotting abnormalities.
According to Verywell Heath, LR can be triggered by cold, septic shock, antiphospholipid syndrome, lupus, certain meds, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatitis, thyroid disease, and at people who are nearing their life.
Although uncommon, livedo reticularis may sometimes indicate severe systemic illnesses, including Sneddon’s syndrome, a condition that links the skin pattern with stroke risk—polyarteritis nodosa, or cholesterol embolization.
For primary livedo reticularis no treatment is typically required as it usually fades away by itself if the body is kept warm. For secondary livedo reticularis, however, a doctor may prescribe you medications such as anticoagulants (to prevent clots), corticosteroids (for inflammation), or drugs that improve circulation. Also, your doctor may recommend lifestyle changes that will likely include quitting smoking, regular exercises, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol.
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and is for information only.
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