#Course in Mechanical Ventilation

[thecluecourses]

Basic Easy Vent Mechanical Ventilation Course

The Basic Easy Vent Mechanical Ventilation Course aims to equip healthcare professionals with a solid foundation in mechanical ventilation. This course simplifies the concepts and practices of mechanical ventilation, making it approachable for clinicians without specialized respiratory care training.

Course Goals

To enhance healthcare professionals' knowledge and skills in mechanical ventilation, ultimately improving patient outcomes in critical care environments.

Learning Objectives

Grasp the fundamental principles and modes of mechanical ventilation.

Gain skills in setting up and operating ventilators.

Identify and address complications related to mechanical ventilation.

Interpret ventilator waveforms and adjust settings as needed.

Develop effective strategies for weaning patients off mechanical ventilation.

Key Learning Topics

Introduction to Mechanical Ventilation

Understanding Ventilator Settings and Modes

Interpreting Ventilator Waveforms and Monitoring Techniques

Effective Patient Management on Mechanical Ventilation

Safety Considerations and Complications Management

Basic Easy Vent Mechanical Ventilation Course, Easy Vent Mechanical Ventilation Course, Best Mechanical Ventilation Course, Mechanical Ventilation Course, Course in Mechanical Ventilation, Certificate Course in Mechanical Ventilation, Critical Care Course

[mudstoneabyss]

ough if only you all could see her (the Big Rico's fnaf fangame I'm making in my head)

[diginerve]

What is Ventilator? What are some common Types of Ventilators

Ventilator: Medical equipment that most people have heard about. It is one of the most common tools in critical care, often seen in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Healthcare professionals use ventilators for patients who have difficulty breathing on their own.

So, for students who aim to head into the critical care environment, learning about ventilators and taking care of patients with artificial airways is crucial.

Let’s learn about ventilators in detail.

What Do Ventilators Do?

A ventilator is a device that supports or recreates the process of breathing by pumping air into the lungs.  Additionally, a ventilator: 

Helps remove carbon dioxide from your lungs.

Provides pressure to keep the small air sacs in your lungs (alveoli) from collapsing.

The ventilator is used in scenarios where patients experience respiratory failure. When this occurs, a person cannot get enough oxygen, which can be life-threatening.

The following are the injuries that cause respiratory failure:

Sudden cardiac arrest

Lung disease

Spinal cord injury

Head injury

Stroke

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)

Sepsis and more.

Remember: Patients with different causes of respiratory failure require different ventilators. So, it is also essential to know about its various types.

Some Common Types of Ventilators

Pressure-limited assist control (PAC) ventilation

PAC ventilation is a type of mechanical ventilation mode that delivers a breath to the patient based on a pre-set inspiratory pressure (IP) limit. The ventilator will continue to deliver gas until a set pressure is reached, ensuring a breath is delivered regardless of the patient's lung resistance or compliance.

How it works:

The patient initiates a breath effort, triggering the ventilator.

The ventilator delivers gas flow until the set inspiratory pressure limit is reached.

The ventilator then cycles off to allow for exhalation.

The patient can breathe spontaneously between ventilator breaths.

 Synchronized intermittent mandatory ventilation (SIMV)

SIMV ventilation is a mode that combines mandatory breaths delivered by the ventilator at a set rate with the patient's spontaneous breathing efforts.

How it works:

The ventilator delivers a set number of breaths per minute (rate) regardless of whether the patient initiates a breath or not (mandatory breaths).

The ventilator synchronizes the delivery of mandatory breaths with the patient's spontaneous breaths whenever possible.

The patient can also breathe spontaneously between mandatory breaths.

Volume-limited assist control (VAC) ventilation

VAC ventilation is a mode that delivers a pre-set tidal volume (VT) to the patient with each breath. The ventilator will cycle off to exhalation once the set VT is delivered, regardless of the pressure reached.

How it works:

The patient initiates a breath effort, triggering the ventilator.

The ventilator delivers a set volume of gas (VT) into the lungs.

The ventilator then cycles off to allow for exhalation, even if the set pressure limit is not reached.

The patient can breathe spontaneously between ventilator breaths.

Above, we tried to give a basic idea about ventilators and their types; if you want to get more detailed information, including the resources, enrol in the Online Critical Care Course created by DigiNerve.

About  Critical Care Training Program

The course is designed for students and healthcare professionals to make Critical Care Medicine practices easy to understand. 

Learners will get a chance to dive into a range of critical care topics, including resuscitation, trauma management, hemodynamic instability, neurological emergencies, and sepsis management.

Though understanding the basics of such critical topics is challenging, but esteemed Chief Editors Dr. Yatin Mehta, Dr. Subhal Dixit, and Dr. Kapil G Zirpe at DigiNerve have put their best efforts into compiling all the resources that can make complex topics easy to understand.

The  Critical Care Training Program combines theoretical knowledge, case studies, and interactive learning activities that help participants enhance their skills and competencies in managing critically ill patients.

The best part is that candidates will receive Critical Care Certification Online after completing the course.

So, don’t wait anymore; visit DigiNerve Now to get more details about the course to start early.

[luvjunie]

— trust who?

pairing: e-42!miles x 1610!fem!reader

contains: angst, mentions of death, yandere?miles

summary: you were taken from him a year ago, and now it seems the universe has given him a chance to do things differently— and this time, he’s not letting you go. no matter what. wc: 1,648

a/n: i got a lil carried away w this one won’t lie, lol. i love this song, and i put a little twist on it to match the plot. song lyrics are in small, bold italics

🎧: Not You Too - drake (ft. chris brown)

“trust- trust who? trust me and i can set you free. left your man came straight to me you the real mvp, my love.“

dimmed hues of red lights spotted your vision as you came to, eyelids heavy as they peeled apart to reveal the room you assumed would be the setting of your demise. your head snapped up when you finally regained consciousness completely, fright-riddled eyes darting around to scout out an escape plan. but just as you went to move, you heard chains clink from above as your body swayed, and realized you couldn’t. you looked down to find your legs bound by rope, as well as your hands, as well as the rest of your body to a firm, stuffed sack.

feet dangling from the ground, you let your head fall back against the punching bag, defeated, and settled for your only remaining option. “help!” you yelled, voice rasped and weak. “help!” you tried again.

“don’t bother, can’t hear a thing down here.”

an artificial, robotic voice sounded from above, warranting your eyes to meet a masked man who resided on a high beam, crouched in place, watching you. how long had he been there?

he jumped down, catching himself and effortlessly hanging from one arm before his sneakers met the steel floor. they were untied, you noticed.

fear permeated your entire being as he strolled over to you, a semblance of uneasiness coursing through your veins, pumping into your blood and rendering your spine straight as the ominous figure stopped just in front of you.

“ple—please, i don’t know why i’m here,” the words tumbled out in a broken heap of suffocated, stifled sobs as tears welled in your eyes.

“shh, it’s okay,” he shushed you, a hand reaching out to gently pinch your chin, lifting your head back up after it’d fallen. his touch was delicate, like he was scared he’d break you.

“i’m not gonna hurt you, mi vida. i’d never hurt you… you know that.” the voice distorter cut out, your breath catching in your throat and your eyes fluttering over every inch of this strange mask. it reminded you of a ventilation mask you’d seen in miles’ room once, a mask used to protect your lungs from the fumes of spray paint.

as if your mind were working against you, you found yourself… calmer than you were just a few seconds ago, and even more confused. why did the voice sound so familiar?

something wasn’t right.

“who— who are you?” you gulped.

“you don’t remember me?” the shield over his face pulled back, the quiet sound of mechanical whirring as it revealed his face drowned out by the heavy thrumming of your heart in your ear drums.

here stood your boyfriend in front of you, the same features, but… different. his entire demeanor had shifted since you had last seen him just prior to whatever time it was now, to something sinister. his hair was longer, pulled back and braided. an accent, almost resemblant of his mother’s lingered on the tip of his tongue, dripping within the words he spoke. his face was harder, etched and carved like the weight of the world had chipped at it piece by piece, only to settle on his shoulders, leaving him with no time for himself.

this couldn’t be right.

“miles?” you choked out, mouth gaping to find your voice. “w-why… what am I—you’re, you… but different? what is this? where am i?”

a puff of air shot through his nostrils, his best effort at a laugh as a small, smile lifted the corner of his lips, braids gliding over his shoulders when his head tilted to the side.

“you came back to me, mi amor. and god…you’re even more beautiful than i remembered.” he breathed, eyes flickering with sorrow for just a moment as they studied your face, a moment that was almost too brief for you to catch.

when he’d encountered you and his counterpart on the roof with his uncle, he swore his prayers had been answered. somehow, someway you’d been brought back to him— the pain of witnessing the bullet that pierced through your chest that fateful night just a year ago drifted from his mind, and replaced itself with the all consuming, peaceful, sleeping image of you the minute he’d picked you up and cradled you in his arms. it pained him to inject you with the needle to sedate you, but he had no other choice, he could never truly hurt you. no, he would never do that.

“i missed you so much.”

“first time in a long time hurtin' deeply inside”

the hand sporting his mechanical gauntlet lifted towards you, fingers bending so the claws wouldn’t scrape your skin as he let the cold metal brush against the swell of your cheek. the sound of the steel joints ticking made you flinch, chest stuttering for breaths you couldn’t keep within your overworked lungs as you turned away from him.

you looked at him with so much fear in your eyes, when all he’s ever wanted to do was keep you safe, to protect you, to make you feel comforted and secure. and he failed at that before, he knows that, but he’s ready this time. he’d been given a second chance, and he’d be damned if he let you slip through his fingers again.

“it’s me, hermosa… it’s okay, you know me. just trust me, and i can set you free, and then we can be together. just like old times.” his brows furrowed, his tone one of sincerity as he assured you, but it did nothing for your racing heart.

“trust—“ you sputtered, voice wavering when you spoke. “trust who? you? how can i when you have me tied up like this?!” you balked, your bewilderment such a stark contrast from his bleak, seemingly unmoving disposition.

“yeah… i’m real sorry ‘bout that. uncle aaron made me, so i tried not to make ‘em too tight. you know something like this would never, ever be my idea.”

you shook your head, was this some kind of sick joke? why wasn’t he understanding a single word that was coming from your mouth?

you grew frustrated, time was not on your side, and honestly you were getting tired of this game.

“i don’t know anything about you, i don’t even know who you are. you might have his face, and—and his body,” you looked him up and down. “but you… you are not my miles.”

he felt a pang in his chest, the words you uttered, the way you said ‘my miles’, as if he wasn’t right here, as if he wasn’t right in front of you. the version of himself he’d buried in the ground with you just last year wanted to jump out and yell at you, plead with you, anything to make you see he could be just like your miles, because he was your miles.

“oh,” he pulled the skin of his cheek between his teeth as he turned away with an agitated nod, extending his arm out to point towards your miles, who was still unconscious, chin dropped to his chest as he hung from another punching bag.

“him?” his voice raised in volume and broke apart with desperation, a humorless chuckle unintentionally escaping his trembling lips. “what’s the difference? huh? tell me.” he demanded, nostrils flaring as he tried to maintain his composure, staring deep into the eyes of the girl who would’ve burned the whole world down with him if he asked. the girl who was in his grasp, right in this moment, yet still so far from his reach— reserved for the one who had everything that belonged to him.

your head whipped to where he pointed, and the moment your eyes landed on your boyfriend your blood ran cold, a pained gasp rippling your chest. “miles! oh god, please!” you called out for him as you struggled against your restraints, his counterpart interrupting you by blocking your line of your view with his body.

“cálmate,” he hummed, “he’s fine, just unconscious. i’m not cruel. is that how you remember me, mamí?” he questioned, voice bleeding with hurt.

your gaze drifted over to your miles again, hope swelling within you when you heard him groan.

“no, no, princesa. don’t look at him, look at me.” he urged.

he didn’t understand. you always used to say you would love him in every universe, that you’d find him in every lifetime, what happened to that?

“please, we need to get home, if we don’t… he won’t be able to save his father, he—he’ll die. you have to understand.” you pleaded, the tears finally bubbling over your waterline, streamlining down your cheeks.

“you are home! it’s me, mi amor, i’m right here. what about everything we went through?” he asked tenderly, voice full of hurt and eyes still soaking in the slight difference in your features. he was too distracted by the fact that the girl he thought he’d never see again, was right here in front of him to even try and comprehend what you were trying to say. “please, don’t cry. you know i hate seeing you cry.”

nothing else seemed to be working, so you settled for empathizing with him. he was still miles, after all, different universe or not, he was still the same person deep down. and from the way he was looking at you, love flowing from the eyes that held so much anguish within them, you knew some version of you had loved him, too. in the same way you loved your own.

“look, i’m sure i-“ you stopped to correct yourself, “she, loved you, but i’m not her. i’m not from here, and i’m sorry she’s gone, and i’m sorry you have to live with this pain, but, please… you have to let me go.” your tone was forbearing, words teetering off into a hushed plea, your lingering apprehension threatening to tear through the seam of your heartfelt spiel.

“let you go?”

you nodded tentatively.

he moved closer to you, to unbound you from this elevated prison, you assumed. because maybe, just maybe you’d managed to get through to him.

but this wasn’t your universe, and this… this was not your miles.

for the first time in your entirety of knowing miles morales, you felt your heart stop— and not in the way that brought a flurry of warmed, passioned butterflies to flutter within you— but in a way that invited his words to settle like ice in your bones, allowed panic and dread to inhabit your senses, clutching you in a selfish grasp of resentment that had no intentions of letting you go— you realized, as this time, his gloveless hand swiped away yet another tear you hadn’t even noticed you’d shed.

“why would i do that?”

“I've given you enough time. hurtin' deeply inside.“

- please do not plagiarize, copy, or repost my works to other platforms!

likes, comments, and reblogs are very appreciated 💗

©luvjunie 2023

[icu-fetish]

ICU

Where am I? What happened? I was lying on a hospital bed in a large white room, surrounded by various medical equipment. My neck was immobilized by a medical cervical collar.

I lay on my back, staring at the ceiling. An attempt to raise my hand was unsuccessful. My body was completely paralyzed. The room smelled too strongly of... medicine. The quiet beeping of the machines created a monotonous background, reminding me that I was chained to this bed. These tubes... What are they for?

I couldn't even speak... In my mouth, I felt a cold, smooth plastic endotracheal tube that restricted the movement of my tongue and cheeks. Could I not breathe on my own? It seemed so. This large blue plastic holder on my face... to keep me from pulling out the tube? The air supplied by the ventilator had a constant temperature and humidity. Each ventilation cycle was accompanied by a characteristic click of the valve opening and closing, allowing air into my lungs.

I looked at the ceiling, trying to distract myself from these unpleasant sensations, but to no avail. Finally, a nurse came in. I tried to give a sign, but she didn't pay attention. I at least wanted to understand why I was in the hospital. And why was I connected to a ventilator. But she only adjusted the IV drip with a mechanical movement, as if I were just another object in the room. The nurse's gaze slid over me indifferently. In her eyes, I saw only another patient.

A lot of time has passed. The doctor came in, glanced at the monitor, and said, "The condition is stable." I still didn't understand what was happening to me. "Can you hear us well?" she added, but there was no warmth in her voice. "Of course you can't speak, but try to blink if you hear me," the doctor continued, watching my eyelids.

“Your body is paralyzed, so we are providing you with mechanical ventilation, enteral nutrition through a nasogastric tube, and parenteral drug administration through intravenous catheters. In addition, urinary catheter is used to maintain body hygiene. This is a complex of measures necessary to support your vital functions. We will regularly conduct examinations and adjust treatment depending on your condition.”

The doctor left. Tears rolled down my face, but I couldn't wipe them away. I waited again. I waited a long time. Suddenly, the door opened, and a young nurse entered the room. The nurse paused over my tests and frowned slightly. "We have some news for you," she said slowly.

Could it be worse? I can't move or breathe. I'm connected to medical devices. The white ceiling, the colorless wall, the hum of the machines – all this reminds me of the hopelessness of my situation. The nurse uttered this phrase as if pronouncing a sentence. "Soon you will have a new operation. Of course, you will be connected to a ventilator. You will have a tracheostomy. But at least you will be able to speak in a whisper." My eyes were dry from crying. What will it change? I will still be chained to this bed…

[magiccath]

It had to be you

tenth doctor x GN!reader

summary: what if it had been you in the radiation cell instead of Wilf?

A/N: sorry not sorry for this one

You really didn’t mean to get trapped. 

There were two glass cells. At least one of them needed to be operated at all times for the alien machinery to work. To open one door, you had to press a button in the opposite cell. 

There had been a man, a terrified civilian, stuck in one of the boxes. So you did what you always did - saved the civilian without really thinking. Now, you were stuck.

You supposed it was all fine now, though. The Time Lords had left, pushed back into the time vortex by the Doctor. All was well, right?

“Doctor?” you asked, your voice shaky “If you could let me out.” 

He turned his attention to you, his face riddled with sadness. You didn’t understand why he was so upset. All he needed to do was use the Sonic to unlock the door. 

“Yeah,” he said, smiling sadly. 

“There’s… well there’s a bit of a noise going on in here. Can you please get me out?” you asked, worry seeping into your voice. You didn’t want to seem too scared, but you were.

“The Master left the nuclear bolt running. It’s gone into overload,” He explained, but not like he usually did. There was no childish excitement, and his words were slow and simple. He never explained things like this to you, and it worried you. 

“Is that bad?” 

“No, ‘cause all the excess radiation gets ventilated inside there,” he gestured to the cell next to you. “Vinvocci glass contains it.” You didn’t completely understand the mechanics of it, but his tone suggested it wasn’t the best thing. 

“All 500,000 rads about to flood that thing,” he continued 

“Oh,” you laughed anxiously, “you better let me out then.” 

“Except it’s gone critical. Touch one control and it floods,” he pulled the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket, “even this would set it off.” He twisted the tool in his hands, staring at it with a disappointment you had never seen before. 

That’s when it occurred to you. To open the door, he would have to step into the radiated cell. If he tried to use the sonic, it would flood your own cell with radiation. He couldn’t get you out without killing himself in the process. 

Of course, this is how you would die. Helping someone else. The universe was incredibly cruel at times. 

“I’m sorry,” you whispered. “Just leave me.” 

“Ok, right then, I will.” He laughed and began to walk away and for a minute you really believed he might leave you there. You weren't even mad. After a few steps, he spun back around.

“You just had to go in there didn’t you?” He laughed, but it didn’t seem funny to you. 

“You had to go and get stuck!” He shouted, voice cracking with pain. He was sad, and he was angry, and those things made him cruel. You knew this, but that didn’t make it hurt any less for you. 

“There was a man in here, he was scared,” you gasped, “I couldn’t just leave him.” 

“Cause that’s who you are!” The Doctor cried, throwing his hands up. He was right - that’s who you were. Something that only a few hours ago he had loved you for. Now, he seemed to resent it.

“Really,” you said, “just leave me. We’ve had our times. I can be done now.” You meant it. It had been a good run, but all things ended.

“No,” He laughed, “we could do so much more,” He screamed, tears gathering in his eyes. 

“So much more!” He shouted, looking up at the ceiling in agony.

“But this is what I get,” He sneered, “My reward.” 

“Well, it’s not fair!” He screamed, throwing a bunch of nearby objects off a desk. You had never seen him this distraught. He was such a peaceful, happy man. 

He was panting now, tears streaming down his face. The worst part was, you were stuck. There was nothing you could do to help him. Nothing you could do to calm him down. You were helpless.

“Doctor,” you begged, fighting back your own tears. 

He ignored you and started walking towards the cell. He had made up his mind, it was better to lose himself than lose you. He could never lose you. Ever. You were the most important thing in his life. “No! No!” you shouted, throwing your hands out, “Please! Please don’t!” you cried. He continued to ignore you, facing forward in a stoic manner. 

You sobbed, no longer caring about staying strong. You couldn’t let him do this. Not for you. 

“It’s been an honor,” he whispered sadly, hand resting on the opposing cell door. You shook your head, tears staining your cheeks as you silently begged him to stop. 

“Better make it quick,” he said before throwing the door open and stepping inside. 

You rushed out of the cell, knowing it would be all kinds of foolish to stay inside. You were mad at him, so incredibly mad for choosing your life over his own. 

Almost immediately, the Doctor began groaning in pain. He clutched the walls of the cell, scraping for any kind of support as the radiation coursed through his body. His knees gave out, causing him to fall to the floor. His hand dragged along the glass as he fell. 

You couldn’t take it, you rushed over to the cell. You placed your hands on the glass, desperately wanting to do something. Anything that could take the pain and suffering away. 

“No!” you shouted, banging against the glass as hard as you could. It wasn’t a pretty picture. In fact, it was far from it. Tears streamed down your face, and not in an elegant way. You screamed at the top of your lungs, guttural sounds that were painful to hear coming from your own mouth. Your hands banged against the glass. You knew it was futile, but that didn’t stop you from doing it. 

You couldn’t bear to see him like this. 

He curled up in a ball on the floor, gripping his hair in excruciating pain.

At that moment, you would have done anything to stop it. It could play out a thousand different ways, and in every scenario, you would much rather be the one in pain. 

Just as soon as it had started, it all stopped. The system shut down, and the Doctor’s body began to relax. You stopped your banging, stunned by the sudden calm. The room was painfully silent, your screams replaced with nothingness. The silence was deafening. 

Slowly, the Doctor got up from the floor and looked around at the controls in the cell. You couldn’t bring yourself to stand up.

“Systems dead. I absorbed it all. Whole things kaput,” he said, like it meant nothing. 

You sniffled the rest of your tears down, using the rest of your strength to pull yourself up from the floor. You didn’t know how to react. 

He pushed the door open with ease, “Oh, now it opens,” he laughed. 

He looked the same. He hadn’t regenerated or died. He looked… fine. 

“Are you ok?” you asked. The Doctor didn’t respond, he didn’t really know how to. 

You couldn’t believe it. He was fine, he was really, truly, fine. You threw your arms around him, holding him as tightly as you could. He allowed one of his arms to gently wrap around your waist to support you. 

You kissed him, and then you did it again. And again. And when you had exhausted that, you leaned your forehead against his, gasping for breath. 

“You’re fine,” you whispered, closing your eyes. He was fine. Your Doctor, safe in your arms. The two of you would be ok. It was going to be ok.

You pulled back to examine him, to make sure he really still was your Doctor. A part of you still didn’t believe that it was ok. That he was ok.

“Only a few battle scars to show for it,” you laughed, running your fingers gently over his cheekbone, careful not to touch his cuts.

When you pulled your hand away the Doctor grunted and ran his own hand over his face. When it pulled away, all of his wounds were gone. 

“Doctor?” you gasped, horrified. You slipped out of his arms, your feet planting themselves back on the floor. 

It didn’t take long for the Doctor to realize why you were upset. He looked down at his hand, all signs of injury erased. 

He took a deep, shaky breath, “it’s started.”

[captain-charlemagne]

Cosplay Build Breakdown - Stede Bonnet

When I completed this costume a few months ago, I promised I would write up a build breakdown on how it was made, and what it was made of, and provide information in case anyone wanted to build it for themselves. I can't promise that this will be exhaustive, but it will be informative, and you can always reach out to me if you have any questions!

Details under the cut!

The Coat

The coat was made of silk duchess satin and lined in silk dupioni, and because this was a uniquely tailored coat, I had to draft the entire pattern for it myself. The buttons are screen accurate and airbrushed gold, antiqued with a black acrylic wash. The trim along the front edge was hand dyed twice to achieve the dark gold color seen here, and hand stitched on to preserve the curve of the garment. I hand wove soutache braid into the trim as well. The trim toggles along the left side of the coat were crocheted by me out of a gold baker's twine.

The pockets are functional, but that's not what makes them special.

This vertical trim is extant from the 18th century - three hundred years old, sourced from a seller in the UK who specialized in antique trim. Since I couldn't know what was used on screen, I went for something that existed in the historical Stede Bonnet's time.

The shoulder devices are called cockades, and I hand made both of these! They're hand-gathered little beauties!

The Waistcoat

The waistcoat was a modified 18th century waistcoat pattern - I had to draft in the waist seam and alter the pocket placement. The fabric used was the screen accurate fabric from Rodeo Home Fabrics - it's called Metro, and the shade is "Jade". Because this pattern was meant for cis men, I had to add in a (period accurate) lacing mechanism to accommodate the hips I was born with, as w ell as any weight fluctuation. The pockets are functional, of course, and the fob medal is a 3D print by Kitty Krell, modeled after the screen accurate Oddfellows fob medal that we see him wear on screen. Not seen as well is the linen shirt underneath, which was made in the 18th century style. The lace used on the sleeves and linen cravat is not screen accurate - but it is close, and it is vintage! The cuffs are attached with velcro so that I can change them out depending on which outfit of Stede's I am wearing, so I only had to make one shirt!

Other Things

The black sailor's neckerchief was made from black raw silk, and the breeches were made from an 18th century pattern - they have a functional drop front and functional knee buttons and buckles!

The stockings are silk stockings, and come from American Duchess. The shoes also come from American Duchess, but I had to paint the heels red myself and add the silk ribbon. They are open lachet style, just as we see him wear on screen.

The Wig

I styled this wig myself - it was a lengthy blond lacefront from WigIsFashion, which I stitched additional wefts into the back, and put into a whole pincurl set. I steamed the set with a hand steamer, and plucked the recedes while ventilating some hair into the widows peak to better emulate Rhys Darby's hairline. From there, it was just a matter of styling and trimming the wig into the right shape.

And that is about that! My rings were sourced on Etsy and are turqouise, garnet, and aventurine.

Thank you to R.L. Photography for the photos, and an immense, endless thank you to my partner, my Edward, @sonotthekraken for all your endless cheerleading and support. Because of you, I was able to take home the Best in Masters Award at Fan Expo Dallas, and take wonderful, beautiful photos with you. <3

[dancingdonatello]

Hey! i love your writing! its beautiful and amazing! I was wondering if you could do a Donnie x reader where the reader has really bad anxiety and fidgets when they get anxious to take their mind off it so in order for them to stop biting their nails/picking lips/picking skin/ etc he makes them a fidget toy??

I cant wait to see what you come up with! drink water and charge ur chromebooks people

donnie x gn reader

“Rate this one through ten.”

“Um… an eight?”

For the past hour and a half, Donnie had been giving you things to rate. These things ranged from button clicking noises to the sound that was made from a joystick going back and forth as if you were playing a video game.

“And this?” Another clicking noise.

“A four.” Donnie nodded very seriously and then turned around to keep fiddling with whatever he was making. His back kept you from getting a clear view of what it was.

You bounced your leg and brushed a hand over your lips.

A spray of water hit you in the face. “Hey!” You spluttered, dumbstruck at the sight of a spray bottle in one his mechanical arms. “What do you think you’re doing?” You wiped your face off.

“How will your lips ever heal if you keep picking them?” Donnie huffed, waving the bottle threateningly when you wiped off your lips. You glared at him and he returned it.

After a moment of staring you down, he slowly turned back around.

“Alright.” The arms went back into his shell and the spray bottle fell to the ground. He turned around with his hands clasped together. “Are you ready?”

“I guess?” you held your hands out and an irrational fear of him dropping some rat or spider in your hand made you twitch nervously.

Donnie grinned and released his hands. A cube fell into your cupped hands. You brought it closer to look at it.

It just looked like a fidget cube. “Oh. Thank you.”

“Of course.” Donnie’s chest puffed out proudly. “Go ahead and press a button.”

You did.

“You like buttons with this certain noise.” He motioned for you to press it again. “You like switches with this amount of give. You like joysticks with this sound, also.”

There was definitely a lot of care and attention put into this.

“And!” He snatches it away from you for a moment as he pressed a small switch on the bottom. “It glows.”

“Thanks... but,” He placed it back onto your outstretched hand gently, “you know I can buy these online, right?”

An offended look crossed his face. “What? You dare compare my work to some shabby manufacturers who care more about quantity than quality?”

“What? No!” You waved your hands but kept a grip on the cube. “It’s just… this is a lot of work just for me.”

Donnie scoffed and took the cube from you again. He held it up to his scrutinizing gaze. “This? A lot of work? Absolutely not. If you want more things to fidget with on it, it’d be easy as recounting the first 100 digits of Pi. This was only the first prototype.”

“The first?” You took it back from him. You clicked the switch to make it glow a certain color. “What more can you add?”

Donnie laughed and picked up a screwdriver. “Wanna find out?”

“Nope!” You hid it in your hands. “This is fine for me.”

Donnie let out a disappointed sigh and threw the screwdriver carelessly behind him. “If you insist.”

“Thank you,” you said genuinely. “But how will I know what to give you as a gift in return?”

“Mess with it instead of your skin and we’ll be square.” He waved you off, seemingly distracted by a new sheet of metal he picked up. But you saw how he glanced at you out of the corner of his eye. “I hate thinking about your skin cells clogging up my ventilation system.”

“Right…” You smiled happily, pressing a button rapidly on the cube. It sounded just like someone repeatedly clicking the top of a pen in class.

Donnie jerked at the sound, his eyebrow twitching in agitation. “Maybe this was a bad idea.”

[honourablejester]

Okay, so Archives of Nethys has updated to have some material from PF2e’s Remaster. And I like the new Wizard Arcane Schools? They’re actually really exciting to me.

Moving away from D&D’s schools of magic, abjuration, necromancy, etc, spells don’t have a school anymore, though studying an arcane school will let you learn certain spells. But these schools are more … I don’t want to say ‘practical’, but they do kind of feel like … magic you study towards a purpose? It’s not about what the spells are, the arbitrary categories they’re deemed to fit into, it’s about the kind of things you want your magic to do. Your school is a collection of magic you’ve studied towards a goal. I’m not sure how to phrase this, but I like the ethos. And. There’s just a couple of particular schools that excite me just for existing.

Particularly, I’m just going to be honest here, the School of Civic Wizardry. Is it a good subclass? I have no clue. But I love that it’s a thing that exists. If you want to study magic to build things, to transport things, if you want to be an architect arcane, honey baby, have we the school for you! If you became a wizard to help build and maintain cities, there’s now a school for that. That just makes me happy.

I also enjoy the School of Ars Grammatica. It’s the school of runes and wards, the magic of words, the underpinning geometries of magic. Wards are an idea in fantasy that have always fascinated me, and you also can’t go wrong with the magic of communication.

Then there’s the School of the Boundary, for when you want to get spooky. This is the school of summoning, seeing, traversing. Trespass and transgress. I really really really like the boundary, the liminal, as a theme. People may have noticed. So, yes. Excellent school. Do enjoy it.

And then, of course, there’s the School of Mentalism. The magics of the mind. I just really like illusions?

This is not to knock the schools of Battle Magic, Protean Form or Unified Magical Theory, of course. I’m just. Likely gonna pick a few of the others first.

I do also love that the entries for each give examples of actual schools, as in places in the setting, where you might have learned particular Arcane Schools. Embedding your mechanics in your setting, and vice versa, is always a thing I enjoy.

But yes. I really just want a wizard construction worker now? An architect arcane. None of this arty farty ‘what is the meaning of magic’ stuff, magic is so you can build a building without having to move rocks with your body like an idiot. Okay? Magic exists so we can make things easier. There’s no need to get complicated and silly about it.

It’d be funny to have a party that’s a small wizard construction/building inspection firm? You have your Civic Wizard who does the building, your Ars Grammatica Wizard who does the warding and puts the magical phones in, and then you have the black sheep, the Boundary Wizard, who does building inspections and tells people whether their shit’s haunted or if they just built too close to the sewer and the ventilation in this end of the city isn’t the best.

I’m intrigued, let’s say. I like where this is going. And yes, I’m gonna make a dwarven wizard in a hard hat and sturdy boots. Naturally. Heh.

[cosmic-spider]

Off the planet

Hi and welcome this was based off on a story I found on AO3 that I really liked. But it was discontinued so the first chapter is based a bit of the story I read.

═════════⊹⊱❖⊰⊹═════════

Everyone, please remember-" your professor, Mr Altalune, kept talking about this assignment about bringing something from your families history, something inspiring they worked on.

But of course, you didn't really care. You just wanted to leave this damn class already.

Which luckily for you, you we're going to pretty soon due to the fact that it was almost time to leave. But, even when you supposedly didn't care, your mind wandered off thinking about the subject.

"(..What could I even bring?)" you looked down at your notebook which had nothing on it besides a few doodles that you subconsciously drew, little stars, spirals, really anything random.

You zoned out a bit, just staring at your notebook and it's doodles, everything else around you seemed twice as loud. You could hear the sound of light air coming from the ventilation system, the clicking of mechanical pencils and pens, and the soft whispering of people talking.

"Hey, do you know about that rumor? About..what was their name.." The two girls behind you were talking about you as the girl speaking just said your name, another rumour about you that people were whispering about already. You guys were in college, why we're people still gossiping like they were in high school?

"No- I didn't! I need to send that to the group chat." you probably would've turned around to the two girls and tell them that you could hear them but, you didn't wanna talk.

So, you just let them continue with their conversation as they giggled to each other while gossiping like high schoolers.

RING,RING,RING

Finally, the day was finally almost over. You'd have tomorrow off from college but, would have work as well.

But, at least you would get to sleep in. You started packing up your stuff into your bag, still thinking about what to bring for this assignment.

As you heard the girls go over to their friends and whisper to each other, probably telling them all about the rumor they heard about you.

Even if you wanted to yell at them, you couldn't and just, focused on leaving the class while you finally finished packing up everything and putting it into your bag before you left the place.

You made it off college perimeters and made your way to the sidewalk to go straight home to your apartment. As you stopped yourself in the middle of the sidewalk as you finally thought of what to bring for that assignment. You grinned a bit to yourself while rushing off, not a moment to waste.

Okay, maybe walking was a bad idea, maybe you should've brought your car that day. But hey, I guess that's your fault for not bringing your car to school in the first place.

Since it wasn't too long of a walk to make it to campus and back to your dorm and, the weather was supposed to be perfect today. Turns out, it wasn't. It had started raining pretty heavy but, it was worth it. Looking up with the side of your hand pressing against it, you finally saw it.

Your family mansion

You quickly glanced around for a moment to make sure nobody was looking before walking towards the front door of the mansion.

Just in case since you didn't feel like talking to someone nor explaining why you were going into this abandoned, old mansion in the first place.

You gently put your hand onto the door handle, twisting it which made you surprised that the door wasn't locked but you weren't complaining.

You hesitated for a moment before you walked into the mansion, unsure of what to expect but looking inside, it just seemed like any normal house that was abandoned for years.

Cracks, indents, mold, and vines everywhere, the whole 'horror movie house' kinda look. You started walking around as the floorboards creaked under every step you took which, made you slightly nervous everytime.

As you finally started looking around a bit more you found a folded piece of paper on the ground which was...ripped. You stared at it for a good moment before hesitantly picking it up.

Finally getting a good look at it, you finally noticed that it was actually a flyer. Looking at it, it seemed like a advertisement for some sort of museum? The biggest line read:

'Copper 9' wasn't that a planet and, wasn't it destroyed?? Nonetheless, you continued to look through it and noticed at the bottom it said 'supported by the founder of Jcjenson'

..the founder of Jcjenson..you swore that you've heard that before. Your uncle mentioned something about that before, didn't he?? Maybe he worked there..

And that's when you got the best idea

"(If I go to that museum, I'll surely be able to find some stuff my uncle made!)" you smirked to yourself a bit, and well, yes you could've found something in that house but.

It was really starting to creep you out at the moment so, as you finally decided to leave you kept the flyer in your pocket for later, still remembering the rain.

Maybe you should've at least brought an umbrella instead of your car, or maybe you should've chosen somebody else in your family for this damn assignment but now, it's too late. Finally noticing this...big white building

'Yes!!! Yesyesyes!' you smiled, rushing yourself towards the building but stopped for a moment

'..its run down...?' you took out the flyer from your pocket and looked everywhere and when you finally turned the flyer around, you noticed the date.

"GODDAMNIT!" you yelled out in agitation, who else wouldn't be pissed? You got yourself drenched for nothing practically...or, did you?

Huffing, you looked up at the building again, noticing the front door. As you looked a bit closer, you noticed the door war slightly open. You smirked to yourself

'Maybe this wasn't for nothing after all..' you put the flyer away which was now also soaking wet as you ran towards the door.

You quickly checked your surroundings and after making sure nobody was around you entered the building, only leaving the door open a crack as you finally started slowly walking around the run down museum.

Despite the fact that the museum was run down, it still had everything in it, blueprints, weapons, everything. But, there was only one thing that was very disturbing about this place, the powered off robots.

Yes, they were powered off but there was just something...wrong with it, as you looked around you found...a spaceship? You looked down at the small stand that had practically a whole essay about what this spaceship was

"(..I'm not reading all of that.)" you looked at the near end part which read:

'it will not be able to start without keys says the creator,’

you didn't read the rest of that and just thought.

"(Keys, I gotta find the keys)" you started looking around for the keys for that damn spaceship, while also looking at everything else that was pretty interesting to you and while looking, you paused at the front of a door with a sign at the top that read;

'bosses office' your lips curled into a smirk subconsciously, thinking of a great idea

"(One peek wouldn't hurt..)"you creaked open the door only your head popping out of the side, you finally opened the door all of the way before entering and started look around before you found a bunch of papers on a desk in the room. You picked one up

"(..eh, they won't know)" and started to read it

'Copper 9 has finally been inhabited by the Dissasembly drones J, V and N. They will make sure all of the faulty worker drones will be parished I'm sure of it, you have nothing to worry about at the moment besides...what was their name again? [Name], yes, [Name]. I'm sure my brother will be happy for you to be there when they are born, you have nothing else to worry about."

why were they talking about you? Who's serial designation J, V and N? What are worker drones? You shook your head

"(I'm...taking this with me)" you put the paper into your other pocket before deciding to look around again for the keys for that spaceship.

Looking at the rest of those papers probably would've took too much time anyways...as you were about to leave the room you nearly tripped on something in the middle of the room, causing you to yelp as you looked down, it was a small wooden box with indents of flowers such as roses and lilies.

You slowed picked it up and looked at it a bit closer, it didn't have a lock on it neither was it really, protected. It was pretty damaged but, that didn't matter at the moment as you shook the box you heard something inside which you thought were the keys for the spaceship it was just, a dagger

"(Well, at least I can protect myself now)" you thought, smiling a bit as you left the room with your new dagger in hand.

You were exhausted, but you continued looking everywhere for those damn keys and couldn't find them but, perhaps it would be your lucky day because as you finally made your way back to the spaceship.

You decided to at least check the inside of it to see if it had anything for this stupid project of yours and as you entering you immediately felt slightly...uneasy but, that didn't stop you.

You started looking around in the small space that actually wasn't too bad for a spaceship. Considering this has been in a run down museum for who knows how long, you finally noticed that the keys were already in the ignition which honestly.

Made you a little bit pissed at yourself but also a little bit more nervous. As you went near it you noticed a small note on the chair near the spaceship controls, and as you picked up you didn't notice that you had flipped a switch which caused the spaceship door to close

"Wha?.." you immediately looked up at the screens of the spaceship and it all showed

PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF IN:

50 SECONDS

"Wait- NO!" you immediately started panicking you started looking over all of the controls and the room. Immediately grabbed your phone out of your pocket with the dagger and immediately tried to contact anyone you could.

PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF IN:

45 SECONDS

You dropped your phone onto the floor of the spaceship because of how shaky your hands were at the moment.

"Dammit!" you exclaimed subconsciously before you bent down and grabbed your phone. Once again and started trying to call the person again as you watched the timer.

"I'm sorry, but-" you hanged up as it went straight to voicemail. You immediately tried again and again and again but even then it went straight to voicemail. You then tried to start texting them in hopes they would answer as you felt panic overtake you

PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF IN:

26 SECONDS

you tried calling every number you knew, even the police but, they all went to voicemail even after trying what seemed like million of tries afterwards.

"How does the police station phone go to voicemail?!" You yelled, you felt so powerless as you looked back up at the screens.

PREPARING FOR TAKEOFF IN:

13 SECONDS

You felt your knees go weak as you fell backwards as your back slid against the wall of the spaceship still looking at the screens.

Your knees were wobbling as you thought of all of the horrible things that could possibly happen. You could be stuck in space, or maybe even worse than that. You felt warm tear stream down your face as a voice started to say the final countdown

5

.

.

.

.

.

4

.

.

.

.

.

 .

.

.

3

.

.

.

.

.

.

2

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

1

Off the spaceship went with you, you screamed as your head hit the wall, incredibly hard, making you drop your phone and fall into the ground and the last thing you saw before passing out were the screens showing only one thing

Destination : Copper 9

[thecluecourses]

European Diploma in Intensive Care ( EDIC) 2 Preparatory Course

The EDIC (European Diploma in Intensive Care) Part II preparatory course is designed to equip candidates with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully pass the EDIC Part II exam. This exam focuses on the practical aspects of intensive care medicine, including patient management, clinical scenarios, and procedures.

15 - 17 November, 2024

 Medical Cobotics Centre (MCC), Phase III, Okhla Industrial Rstate , New Delhi

What you'll learn

To prepare candidates for the EDIC examinations by providing in-depth knowledge and practical skills in intensive care medicine

Objectives

Master the theoretical knowledge required for the EDIC Part 1 exam.

Develop clinical skills and judgment for the EDIC Part 2 practical exam.

Enhance understanding of ICU management protocols and guidelines.

Improve critical thinking and decision-making in intensive care scenarios.

Familiarize with the format and expectations of the EDIC exams.

Key Learning Points

Practical skills in patient assessment and management.

Simulation-based training for common ICU procedures.

Case discussions to develop diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Communication skills with patients, families, and healthcare teams.

Real-time decision-making and prioritization in critical situations.

[fang-feraligatr-blog]

My new Toa Team at long last!

You've all waited so long for these so I'm just gonna jump into it!

First up, Pyrus. Toa Pohalan of Fire!

First and Foremost, I will explain Pohalan later. Pyrus like most of his current team is actually a toa from another group that was brought to the accursed lands of Bota Magna by the whims of fate, and his experience might not be as deep as the other toa, but his Elemental Powers rival that of even the Great Tahu! In fact due to an encounter with a rather aggressive nui-rama, Pyrus burnt out all the organic material in his right arm and now has what we would equate to an entire motorcycle for a right arm, engine and all. His golden blade was a gift given to him from an old friend before he left for Bara Magna, only for the fusion of Bara Magna and Aqua Magna to throw him off completely and land on Bota Magna instead.

His kit features the Mask of Time-stop, which allows him to literally stop everything around him for exactly 30 seconds. He can also focus this power to pause one specific object or individual for 15 seconds. It takes a lot of concentration, or in some cases desperation, to activate it so he's not prone to use it much. He's also got his replacement arm that sports it's own ventilation system so he never burns himself out again, and the gear system in his hand allows him to hold onto anything, and never let go. His Golden Sword of Fire is powered by a stone containing a blue flame that allows him to wield the sword even when exerting an extreme amount of power.

He leads his current team in hopes of finding a way back to his original destination, unaware of what fate has in store not just for him, but for all the universe.

Next up: Moku, Toa Pohalan of Air

Not usually one to be concerned with things like "emotional responses" and preferring to use his head rather than his heart to decide things, Moku is a calculating and ingenious Air Toa that prefers to work alone for the most part. So why he's willingly working with the others is a mystery, until you ask him and he says, "They're the best odds of survival I have". He seems cold, but in reality he only works with his logical side because emotions and feelings are confusing to him. That said, he's a mechanical genius who, using his own methods, basically turned himself into a toa and even augmented his armor into a fashion that he found both practical and stylish. His biggest drawback is that he's rather sarcastic and constantly butts heads with the Toa of Water because of it.

His kit includes the Mask of Mechanisms, which allows him to understand how to use any mechanical object simply by looking at it. This is incredibly useful to him as he likes to tinker from time to time, leading to him being the brains of the team. Despite being a Wind Toa, he's no gust of wind to ignore as his armor is EXTREMELY HEAVY! So heavy that he NEEDS that rocket engine on his back just to get off the ground. His flight is slow at first but it builds up speed fast and eventually gets powerful enough to break at least Mach 9, pushing on ten. This of course would make him hard to steer and slow down normally, but that's where his wind powers impress along with his shield (which he built himself of course). Placing his shield in front of him at top speed and utilizing his wind powers, he creates a massive sonic boom in front of him that stops his speed entirely, and obliterates pretty much anything in front of him, something that took several attempts and many broken armor pieces including his old mask to perfect. His weapon of choice is an energized Axe with a hilt guard and a flail attached. The flail is usually there for show, but if pressed he can use it along with more wind power to turn it into a deadly accurate weapon!

Now onto: Kanaka, Toa Pohalan of Stone

Before you ask, yes his right arm looks like a Visorak, but no it is not a Visorak, it is simply his right arm. And yes he does drag it behind him when tired. Kanaka is what we would know as a Wild Man, being one of two natural residents of Bota Magna, he and the Toa of Earth have been friends and survival partners for a long long time. Slow and lumbering, he makes up for it by practically being invulnerable to anything, unyielding and unstoppable. You really can't stop the rock when Kanaka is is your foe. Not one to say much, he really only speaks when he has something important to say, and even then in as few words as possible. Stalwart and strong as the mountains themselves, Kanaka is also a gentle giant, often listening to the others complaints and offering helpful opinions on the mater, and he absolutly loves rahi of any kind.

His kit includes his Mask of the Wild, granting him the various abilities of any rahi he knows of. This allows him to not only be one of the few toa's of stone that can swim, but possibly the only Toa of Stone that can fly. He can communicate with all rahi and is often seen as the king of the beasts. His weapon is the mighty Gaia Mallet, a hammer that's heavy enough that lifting it feels like moving a mountain, something that another mountain wouldn't have much trouble with so naturally he's the only one who can wield it. He also has a tail which never stops surprising his team, and his right arm has claws that tear through anything. Beyond all that, he does tend to get ferocious in battle and is often seen going into a frenzy against his enemies, not only making him stronger but faster than he should be able to move at all! If you're going to take him out, take him out FAST, otherwise he'll unleash his rage and smash you into oblivion.

Next: Taniwa, Toa Pohalan of Earth

Most people say that in order to be a toa you have to be a matoran first. This is not true, and Toa Taniwa is proof of this. A former Rahi that was imbued with the power of stone and the intelligence of a toa from an accidental interaction with a toa stone. Taniwa is in a constant struggle between his more intelligent Toa half, and his instinctual beastly half, but it's a struggle he's gotten used to now. Possessing the strength of a beast and the intellect of a Toa puts him on par with a Toa Hordika, and like any Toa, he's only as mean as he looks if you're a threat. Sharp claws, gnashing teeth, night vision and toa armor to boot, Taniwa is a monster in battle, but a loyal friend to those he trusts.

He's a good doggy.

The only other thing that really needs mentioning is that he CAN talk...but while his head does most of the head things you think it would do, his tail is how he talks. A small mouth can be found on the end of his tail that only exists to speak and nothing else. Any other mouth function you can think of happens in the mouth in his head, the tail only talks. What's weirdest abut it is that he can talk to someone without facing them thanks to this, but it never stops being weird. Stealthy for sure, but weird.

He is still a toa though, and despite having no mask to speak of, he still has amazing control over his element of Earth. Kanaka and Taniwa have been friends for about as long as they can remember now, and you cannot have one without the other.

Now for: Kali, Toa Pohalan of Water.

Armored in bullet proof metal, and armed to the gills, Kali is not your usual Toa of Water. She has a million ways to kill you, and no mater what she's always planning how she can end as many people in any given room at any given time and get away with it. She's cold, she's calculating, she's meticulous and skilled. She's so talented in fact that it seems like the only thing she doesn't have is a sense of humor or a tolerance for sarcasm. Never without a weapon of some kind, no one is ever quite sure if they're safe around her. Not much is known about her personal life, and that's just how she likes it. In the end though she is a Toa for a reason, and if there's one thing she hates more than anything else, it's Evil. Turns out that deep down she has a heart of solid gold and a will to defend others, but she hides it well.

She's armed with a sniper rifle that fires shots of hyper compressed water that she supplies herself that can penetrate a 10 inch thick steal SLAB and has the precision to snipe a sand scarab from the other side of the desert. A shoulder mounted zamor launcher that fires special zamor spheres that explode on impact and cause a torrent of water to slam opponents into walls, flat onto the ground, or up into the air only to come crashing down hard. She ripped the head off a Vahki unit at one point and now uses it as a special disk launcher. Incredibly accurate and fast, this is a close quarters firing weapon when her enemies are too close for the rifle. Her mask is the Mask of Focus, allowing her to lock on to her enemies both physically and mentally. At range it negates drop off for shots fired and makes those shots unaffected by wind as well, and close up it allows her to single out priority targets and take them out with precision. And you'd better pray she doesn't run out of bullets, or she'll show you her own version of CQC, CQK. Close Quarters Killing. She'll unholster her blades from her ankle sheathes, and then focus a blade of pure water down them to cut and slice her opponents to death.

Now for a shocker: Matoro, Toa Pohalan of Ice

Yes, THAT Matoro, and he's just as confused as you are. After the death of Makuta, Hali found herself lamenting that it almost felt like Matoro's death was for nothing, as the Matoran universe was now essentially gone. These thoughts found they're way into the Mask of life and by it's own will, it spent it's own life to revive Matoro with a few additional gifts. Upon his revival, Matoro discovered he was not on his home planet, and in fact had somehow ended up on Bota Magna. He also soon discovered that his time as a Toa Ignika and a Toa Mahri had somehow been connected through the use of his masks from both times. After an untimely surprise from a Dinosaur Rahi near a cliff face, Matoro fell to his death only to wake up a moment later. He soon discovered his mask powers from the masks on his shoulders and the one on his head came together and he can now revive from deaths like nothing ever happend. A now more skeletal like build and the fact that death itself meant nothing to him as the mask power activated automatically upon death, Matoro started feeling like he shouldn't exist really, and like his very existence was some sort of sin. This lead to giving him a more macabre outlook on things but all in all, he's the same duty bound toa he was before.

His kit includes an enhanced version of his Mask of Astral Projection as well as his mask of Necromancy, both of which get activated at once whenever he dies giving him a combined "Mask" of Immortality. His Ignika sword is now a little weightier than before and he's made use of a recently discovered staff that allows him to share his power of Immortality with others if he needs to. His now bone-like armor makes him very light, but also surprisingly durable. Most long range weapon shots just pass right by him or right through him without causing damage, and despite looking like mostly bones, his powers of ice will chill you directly to the bone before he shatters you like glass with his mace like staff. For now that's all, but there is one more. Another 7th toa to look forward to, but I am exhausted and SPENT. So for now I tease you with the 7th along with the whole Toa Pohalan Team! Bye for now!

But what is a Pohalan??

It's the Matoran word for revival. This is the team fate has decided is going to revive the universe from it's massive collapse and revive the Great Spirit himself. They will soon learn however, that Mata Nui cannot exist without his other half...

[gumjrop]

The Weather

Twenty-seven US states remain at High to Very High levels of SARS-CoV-2 detected in wastewater since February 28, 2024, with five states not reporting.

Wastewater levels are decreasing throughout the country except in the Midwest. The South is still experiencing extremely high transmission. As a reminder, the last two weeks, shown in gray, are provisional data. These values may change as additional wastewater sites report data.

Despite these ongoing high levels of transmission in most of the country, and in defiance of pleas from civil society to protect the most vulnerable among us, the CDC has once again decided to walk back already insufficient protections – this time in the form of isolation guidance. It announced on Friday at 1 pm that it will repeal the 5-day isolation period for COVID-19 and instead treat COVID-19 like it does other respiratory viruses like flu and RSV, linking isolation length with symptomatology and fever. This policy, of course, is not based on the best evidence–just vibes and a lack of care for those of us still dying (1000s weekly) and still becoming disabled by Long COVID. 

Last week, the CDC recommended that people 65 years and older should receive an updated booster. It did not approve a booster for other people in high-risk categories because they didn’t bother studying the benefits and risks in these groups.

Wins

OK. So it’s been a rough week. But you know what? We are all fighting back. We see you all making calls, creating and signing petitions, joining and expanding Mask Blocs, creating and distributing zines, and making your own air-cleaning systems. We see so many more masked, tested, and ventilated events than we used to! We are mobilizing collective power to keep each other safe and to transform this state. 

Next week, March 11, will mark the 5th anniversary of the declaration of the pandemic. We’re not where we should be, but this pandemic has radicalized a lot of us. Keep connecting. Keep finding your people. Keep going. We will win. 

Oh! And check out these Free COVID-19 and flu test vending machines in King County, Washington!

Variants

JN.1 is still the most dominant variant circulating in the United States and is projected to account for 92.3% of all circulating variants by March 2nd, 2024. Two JN.1 descendants, JN.1.13 and JN.1.18, are now the second and third most common circulating variants, projected to be at 3.3% and 1.8%, respectively.

To check for circulating variants within your community, you can find your HHS Region through the CDC Variant Tracker dashboard.

Long Covid

In an article published in Science, Drs Ziyad Al-Aly and Eric Topol reviewed the perplexing case of Long COVID. They discuss the lack of consensus and systematization when it comes to the classification of the disease, partly due to its different mechanisms and manifestations. For example, younger adult and female Long COVID patients are more likely to be afflicted by fatigue, dysautonomia, brain fog, and post-exertional malaise, while older patients are more likely to deal with cardiovascular and metabolic complications. They also discuss the current potential treatments for Long COVID, but express that since nonpharmaceutical interventions have been neglected, vaccines are the only available therapy. However, vaccines are unable to prevent Long COVID. Ultimately, they state that the only way to prevent Long COVID is by ending COVID transmission, such as by administering pan-variant neutralizing intranasal vaccines.

On March 15, 2024, the Long COVID March will be taking place in Washington D.C. at the Lincoln Memorial. The march is intended to mobilize Long COVID patients and allies to demand acknowledgment and policy changes from the government. You can read the march’s mission statement, which includes a list of objectives. 

Take Action

Join us in demanding the CDC reinstate the 5-day COVID isolation policy. Despite the guidelines having already been dropped, we must still fight for adequate protections from COVID to safeguard our communities from harm. Make your voices known by sending a letter to the White House and your elected officials through our Action Network. The People’s CDC will also be implementing other action items in the coming weeks, so look out for those!

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[frostymj]

I wanted to do more for Prodigy Celebration, but I'm having some creativity block right now.

But there was a short story I posted to the Discord some time ago, but haven't posted anywhere else. I thought today might be a good day.

Minor mentions of hunger, imprisonment, death, not graphic. Just a conversation shortly before Lost & Found. I tried to imagine the scene of Dal first telling Gwyn about the Window of Dreams. Good ending.

Prisoner Dal R'El grunted with determination as he climbed the metal walls of his detention cell on Tars Lamora. Close enough to the ceiling, he pushed himself to reach out, and was successful this time at grabbing hold of the ventilation grate.

He wasn't known for being the strongest kid by far, but he was agile enough to pull himself up to peer through the wire mesh to the fan mechanism inside, to see if the ventilation shaft was big enough for him to possibly squeeze through.

"The vent pipe is only 10 centimeters in diameter. You're not that skinny."

Realizing he'd been caught, Dal shot his attention to the voice outside the cell.

Gwyndala, the prison warden's daughter, stood casually with her arms crossed, amused by his antics.

Dal let go of the grating and landed heavy on his feet. "Gwyn! What brings you all the way down here..." He stepped toward the opening, careful not to get shocked by the force field, so he could see if anyone else was with her. "...with no watchers?

Gwyn sighed. "Just thought I'd see how you're doing so far. Figured maybe this could help." She pulled a honey lychee from her concealing robes and placed it through the passthrough. She knew it was his favorite, and watched as Dal's eyes widened, but he tried to act casual as he took it and bit.

"How long has it been now?", he mumbled through chewing.

"Three days."

"Hm. Could've sworn it's been four." He sat cross legged on the floor. "But, you know, brain gets fuzzy without food or water after a while."

"Five days detention. You know the rules for trying to escape. Just like last time, and the time before that." It was a grueling punishment. Some didn't survive it. But Dal was particularly resilient. She couldn't help but add "still better than where you would've wound up if you hadn't been caught."

"I would've figured something out," he gave his usual protest.

"You hid in the chimerium loading car, about to be dumped into smelting. It would've roasted you. How would you figure that out?" She was hoping a challenge would prompt him into telling her his next move.

But he just chuckled. "C'mon Gwyn, where's your sense of adventure? Oh that's right, it got locked away in these dungeons along with the rest of us."

Of course she bristled at his attitude, but she couldn't deny part of her was drawn to the truth of his words. Something she was starting to realize she wasn't getting from her father.

"All you have to do is keep your head down, and you'll survive." She tried not to sound too concerned for his safety, but she was.

He paused before his next bite and shot a piercing look up at her. "You know your father's going to work us all to death in these mines anyway. What difference does it make?"

Gwyn closed her eyes. Again, he was right. Her heart ached for all of them.

"But I know that's not going to be me."

She scoffed. "How do you know that?"

Dal pondered down at the half eaten lychee for a few quiet moments.

His voice was more gentle when he spoke. "Have I ever told you about the Window of Dreams?"

When they first met, she wouldn't have expected such softness from him. But over their conversations she had caught glimpses of a tenderness underneath his bravado and biting sarcasm. "What is it?" she asked.

"It's a pulsar cluster. The most beautiful nebula." He gazed up at the walls of his cell, but he wasn't looking at them. His wistful smile told her he was back on the ship, gazing into the stars.

She was stung by the longing to be out there too.

"Waves of vibrant red and wisps of blue, with a heavenly white light at the center. And they emit an electromagnetic resonance that makes the hull of the ship sing like a choir of angels."

Gwyn leaned her shoulder against the door frame outside the cell, and lowered herself to the floor with him to listen.

"They say if you gaze into it long enough, you can see your future."

"And what did you see?"

He shifted closer to lean against the door frame himself. They were now separated only by the force field between them. He closed his eyes to remember the moment, still smiling gently. "Adventure,.. freedom,.. safety,.. family,.. love..." his voice tapered off.

Gwyn considered him quietly with a smile of her own. She wouldn't have guessed he dreamed of such sentimental things with such reverence.

"...that's how I know I'm getting out of here," he finished with renewed confidence, finishing the lychee.

She wanted that for him. She couldn't help but admire the courage of holding onto that hope.

With nothing edible left, he put the core of the fruit back through the passthrough "What about you?"

She was caught off guard and again looked up to see his bold eyes imploring gently into hers. She had never felt so connected to anyone than in that moment.

"What are your dreams?"

Gwyn blinked back to reality when she realized no one had ever asked her that before. "...I don't know," she felt a little embarrassed as she answered sadly. She half expected him to laugh at her lack of life experience. But she only saw a sympathetic smile. He wanted more for her too.

The moment was interrupted when the familiar clacking of metallic feet, and the chittering of approaching watchers on patrol startled her. Drednock must have noticed the surveillance cameras offline.

By the time the robots had rounded into the corridor of detention cells, they spotted the Diviner's Progeny standing over the prisoner.

"I suggest you think carefully about your insubordination," Gwyn coldly chastised him. "We won't be so generous next time." She abruptly turned to leave, but not without sneaking a sorrowful glance at him. He countered with a knowing smirk as she walked away. She was forced into this role, as trapped as he was.

---

It was some months later Gwyn stood at the windows lining the ready room of the USS Protostar.

Acting Captain R'el walked up from behind to join her. They both gazed out to the stunning sight of the Window of Dreams, singing it's glorious song against the ship's hull all around them.

"What do you see?" he asked.

She gently started crying with happiness as she took his hand in hers and leaned into him. Nothing separating them anymore.

Adventure,.. freedom,.. safety,.. family,.. love...

[icu-fetish]

After countless surgeries, I'm still paralyzed. My neck is still encased in a medical neck brace. It's rigid, yet surprisingly comfortable. For a long time, I was tethered to a ventilator. It was terrifying, of course. The constant hum of the machine... And the sensation of that long breathing tube inserted into me, it felt like I had been transformed into a plant, dependent on artificial sustenance.

When they extubated me, I felt a slight dizziness. Finally, I could breathe on my own. But the joy was short-lived. Every breath required effort, a constant reminder of my recent dependence on the ventilator. Seeing my struggle, the doctor, without a word, placed an oxygen cannula on my nose to support my breathing. For the next few hours, the doctors monitored my condition closely. Since my breathing was still unstable, they decided to run additional tests to rule out any complications.

The test results confirmed my worst fears. My heart sank as I awaited the bad news. The doctor slowly uttered, "We'll likely have to return to mechanical ventilation." I looked at her with a silent question in my eyes. 'Isn't there another way?' I wanted to ask, but the words got stuck in my throat. I tried to take a deep breath, but each inhale caused pain in my chest. It felt like I would never be able to breathe on my own.

I didn't even know what would happen next. I'd probably wake up, reconnected to the machine. "How long could this last?" I asked weakly, feeling my heart pounding in anticipation of the answer. The doctor shook her head. "It's hard to say." She gave me an injection, and I started to lose consciousness...

My eyes slowly opened. I lay motionless, strapped to the bed by countless tubes. I could feel the hard breathing tube in my mouth. Again, that familiar hum that reminded me of my helplessness. Before me stretched long tubes through which the ventilator rhythmically pumped air into my lungs, sustaining my breath, my life. The light from the lamp cut into my eyes, and the smell of disinfectants filled the room. Tears rolled down my cheeks...

I lay motionless, helpless, and felt forgotten by everyone. Now, I'm fed through a tube inserted directly into my stomach. The sensation of a foreign object in my abdomen causes constant discomfort. A sterile catheter inserted into my urinary tract underscores my vulnerability. Changing the catheter has become a part of my hospital routine, and though I tried to get used to the unpleasant sensation, I would close my eyes, wishing it would end quickly.

Nurses and doctors were constantly around me. They checked the equipment, asked me questions that I could only answer with a glance. My condition was gradually deteriorating, and I relied more and more on the machines that kept me alive. The doctors informed me of the need for a tracheostomy, which caused a new wave of anxiety. I imagined the breathing tube in my throat and felt panic. Would I ever be able to speak again? Would I ever return to a normal life?

Before the procedure, the nurse prepared me for the surgery, checking all the necessary equipment. Her hands were soft as she gently stroked my hand, trying to calm me. "I understand you're nervous," she said in a soft but confident voice. "We're going to make a small incision in your throat and insert a tracheostomy tube. This tube will allow for more effective mechanical ventilation." I realized I had forever lost control of my body...

After the injections, I fell asleep. I must have slept for a long time. I can't even open my eyes. However, I can feel that the breathing tube is no longer in my mouth. Instead, I feel a slight wheeze in my throat. I try to breathe through my nose, but hardly any air gets in there. All my breath is focused on the tracheostomy tube. The incision on my neck is a reminder of the surgery that changed my entire life. A large medical collar is placed around my neck. This is another change I must adapt to. I'm no longer who I used to be.

I still can't speak. Those long days spent with a tube in my throat seem like an eternity. This breathing tube has become a part of me. I feel like an empty shell. Only my body remains, supported by artificial machines.

The white ceiling, the monotonous hum of the machines – that's all I see and hear. I've already realized that I'll just lie here in this bed, a vegetable. But deep down, I still believe that one day I will be able to at least speak again, hear my own voice...

[queersouthasian]

Jack&Joker - U steal my heart!

One of the most popular Thai BL cps, Yinwar, are back with a heist themed BL after a long hiatus since Love mechanics.

*taps mic*

I refuse to spiral into insanity all by myself, so here is a thread of theories or rather poorly made assumptions regarding the characters and plot.

#1 Joker and Lupin

You know what Joker reminds me of, or rather who? Arséne Lupin.

Arséne Lupin AKA the 'Gentleman Burglar' is a French fictional book character,

There is a French live action drama on Netflix called 'Lupin' where a guy named Assane Diop, a long standing fan of the books, imitates Lupin to avenge his father's death.

Now, why am I mentioning Lupin out of nowhere? I remember binge watching the live action and wishing that one day we would have a BL with a similiar theme. The BL gods heard me lol. Joker, seems to be very similiar to Lupin/Assane. He is cocky, witty, bitchy, sassy and chaotically evil yet cares and loves beyond one may speculate.

And If Joker is our queer Lupin,

Tattoo is our Benjamin,

Benjamin used to replicate intricately made precious jewels/jwelery which helped Assane to rob the original and replace with the cloned item which looked indifferent to the human eye.

If that's that, if tattoo makes shit which gets used during heists, then maybe he was the one to create the gas which puts everyone to sleep. Literally anyone can argue that it could have been chloroform, something that's easy to access. BUT, considering the amount of 'chloroform' which flowed through the ventilators, people would have been dead. Atleast Anan. That shit results in muscle breakdown and can put people in coma.

And if we have the Assane, the benjamin, do we also have the Ganimard?

#2 Cards and Ganimard

Cards play an important role in the world of Joker, it's everywhere,

In his description

on the loan papers

It's his signature, of course.

But you know who else has a card related description?

Yes

Jack has what we call the "ace of spades"...

Now this is where this gets interesting,

If the joker is the 'harlequin' which symbolises chaos, unpredictability, wit and intelligence; who exactly what Joker is, The Lupin, then Jack is THE ace of spades, which symbolises intellectual power or spiritual growth BUT carry the reputation of being the 'Death Card' popularised during the Vietnam War. It's a die or domino with a single pip.

And If Jack is the 'ace', he can be the queer Ganimard,

This makes me think, either Jack will be the hindrance or guidance, maybe both.

It could be that, the only history Jack and Joker share is Jack getting conned by joker. IF joker did scam Jack on the 'superhuman project' which was assumbly his dream project yet Jack helps him, then he can be called inhumanely loyal and hopelessly in love.

"You are still kind and haven't changed"

And if Jack can cooperate with Joker so well (the whole fight scene against the guards), he would be the only one to know how Joker works or atleast have an idea. And If that's what it is, he would either directly join the heist by pretending to stop it and Joker, or he is actually going to do it 'cause, he is the "death card"

He is either with you, or against you.

The vibe till now seem very contrasting to Partners in Crime, while the later was more like a social commentry where two lovers rob the exploited, the rich. But this one is more like a cold witty thief who finds an extremely loyal admirer and falls for him BUT this could turn into a love story with betrayal. This show either is going to be chill, cool and quirky and little bit angsty OR extremely twisted and angsty. Let's see.