#Post-operative care in Scotch Plains

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Navigating Recovery: Workers Compensation Physical Therapy and Post-Operative Care in Scotch Plains

In the journey toward recovery from workplace injuries or surgical procedures, physical therapy plays a crucial role. In Scotch Plains, Health and Fitness Professionals offers specialized services in workers' compensation physical therapy and post-operative care, ensuring that individuals receive comprehensive support and expertise during their healing process.

Understanding Workers' Compensation Physical Therapy in Scotch Plains

Workplace injuries can range from minor sprains to severe fractures, necessitating a structured recovery plan to ensure a safe return to work. Workers' compensation physical therapy aims to assist employees in regaining their physical capabilities, minimizing downtime, and preventing future injuries.

At Health and Fitness Professionals, our approach to Workers compensation physical therapy scotches plains involves:

Comprehensive Evaluation: Our therapists begin with a detailed assessment to understand the injury's extent and the specific job requirements of the patient. This allows us to tailor a rehabilitation program that addresses individual needs.

Customized Treatment Plans: Each therapy plan is designed to improve mobility, strength, and flexibility, targeting the affected areas to expedite recovery. Our therapists employ a variety of techniques, including manual therapy, exercises, and modalities like ultrasound and electrical stimulation.

Functional Training: We focus on restoring patients' ability to perform their job duties safely and effectively. This includes simulating work tasks in a controlled setting to build confidence and competence.

Education and Prevention: Educating our patients about proper body mechanics and ergonomics is crucial to prevent re-injury. We provide guidance on how to maintain a healthy and injury-free work environment.

Post-Operative Care in Scotch Plains

Recovering from surgery demands a structured plan to ensure optimal healing and regain full functionality. Our post-operative care services in Scotch Plains are designed to support patients through their recovery journey, helping them achieve a successful outcome.

Key aspects of our post-operative care include:

Personalized Recovery Plans: We understand that each surgical procedure and patient is unique. Our therapists collaborate with surgeons to develop a personalized rehabilitation plan that aligns with the surgical protocol and the patient's goals.

Pain Management: Post-operative pain can hinder recovery. Our therapists employ various techniques to manage pain and reduce inflammation, facilitating a smoother healing process.

Restoration of Movement and Strength: Regaining strength and mobility is crucial after surgery. Our programs focus on gradual progression of exercises to restore function while preventing complications.

Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment: Recovery can be dynamic, requiring adjustments to the therapy plan. We continuously monitor progress and modify the approach as needed to ensure the best possible outcomes.

The Expertise of Health and Fitness Professionals

At Health and Fitness Professionals, our team is committed to providing unparalleled care in both workers' compensation physical therapy and post-operative care in Scotch Plains. Our licensed therapists bring extensive experience and dedication to their practice, ensuring every patient receives personalized, attentive care.

We pride ourselves on fostering a supportive environment that encourages patients to take an active role in their recovery. Our holistic approach not only addresses physical healing but also considers the emotional and psychological aspects of recovery, empowering patients to achieve their health goals.

Tips for Effective Recovery and Maintaining Health

Adhere to Your Therapy Plan: Consistency is key. Attend all scheduled therapy sessions and follow prescribed exercises to maximize recovery.

Communicate Openly: Keep an open line of communication with your therapist. Discuss any concerns or changes in your condition to allow for timely adjustments to your plan.

Focus on Nutrition: A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals supports tissue repair and energy levels crucial for recovery.

Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration aids in muscle function and reduces the risk of complications.

Prioritize Rest: Adequate sleep is essential for healing. Ensure you get enough rest to allow your body to repair and rejuvenate.

Incorporate Safe Activities: Engage in low-impact activities recommended by your therapist to maintain mobility without risking further injury.

By following these guidelines and working closely with our skilled therapists, individuals in Scotch Plains can navigate their recovery journey with confidence and ease.

In conclusion, whether recovering from a workplace injury or surgery, Health and Fitness Professionals is dedicated to providing exceptional care and support. Our expertise in workers' compensation physical therapy and post-operative care ensures that you are not alone in your recovery process. Trust us to guide you toward regaining your strength, functionality, and well-being. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can assist you on your path to recovery.

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The notice, printed in black on a sheet of plain paper, appeared inside the lockers of a gym popular with members of the military. Jack had seen many such postings-requests for dog-walkers or notices for help moving, stuff like that. Cheaply xeroxed, and hurriedly composed, he rarely gave them more than a glance. But, this one caught his eye.  

“Wanted, current members of the armed forces between the ages of 20 and 46, height between 5’6” and 6’4”, weighing at least 165lbs for participation in a readiness study conducted by the Office of National Military Standards.”

“Readiness Study”, I’ll just bet! Probably some pornographer “offering to make me “star”, he laughed to himself, why don’t they just ask? 

A local address was given and the date listed was today in little more than an hour. Jack, a marine corporal, was curious. He fit the height and weight requirements, 5’11” and 180 lbs. So little other information was provided, but he was available at the listed time, so why not. It was curious to him that he hadn’t heard anything from official channels at the base. Maybe this was one of those clandestine operations carried out under the radar. Certainly, participation has to figure in future promotions, he thought. He checked the other open lockers for similar notices and found none, only bits of paper stuck to the inside of the locker doors, held in place by remnants of scotch tape. Was this an indication of a big expected turnout?

Jack hastily changed into his workout clothes, a pair of olive green shorts and a military issue sleeveless t-shirt. It was an old shirt, used since he joined up and his muscular chest and arms have necessitated cuts in the neck and arms holes and cropped about six inches, giving him the appearance, if not of “The Hulk”, then of a Hulk-to-be. Making his way to the gym floor, he paused at the full-length mirror just inside the door and gave it a quick “double bi”. It was a chest and biceps day and he felt sure that once they got a look at his 17 inch arms and 45 inch chest, he was a shoe-in for inclusion into the program.  

His workouts usually lasted an hour and a half and while he chose a time of day when the gym would be largely empty, there were still a few die-hard lifters like himself around to spot him when necessary and to size him up as he was sure they were aware of being sized up themselves. Were any of these guys scouts for the program? Sizing me up? He made sure to really push his reps. If 85 pound dumbell chest presses were his max, he made sure to go for 95 pounds and was surprised that he handled the heavier weight with ease-aware that he was being watched by the other guys who paused their workouts to stare. Nothing wrong with that, he thought, as he frequently did the same. Do I go for the hundred pounders next? He thought for a moment-what if I fail to get a rep? If he dropped the weights without completing a rep, he was sure to get a reaction. A muffled derisive laugh and an offer to spot him next time-the kiss of death for serious bodybuilders like himself. “What the hell”, he pulled a couple of hundred pound dumbells off the rack and slowly made his way to a free bench. Whacking your knee with a hundred pounds of iron can really mess it up so he was careful to hold the weights just above the knee caps and letting the motion of sitting down, bring the weights to rest on his muscular thighs. Another grunt and he was flat on his back-the two weights just above shoulder level.

Jack was stoked and he put his full concentration into thrusting the weights up off his chest. His pecs, dripping sweat and his heart beating so hard the whole bench vibrated “One—-two—thrrrrreeee” he counted out loud, and the massive weights rose up and paused a moment while he locked his arms and held them aloft. Jack was gasping for air, his chest pounding, his heart clearly visible in that massive chest. He brought the weights down to just above his shoulders and with a loud gasp forced the weights up for a second rep and then slowly brought them back down-emphasizing the slowness for the benefit of the other lifters who were now watching. “I know they’re as hard as me” he thought and dropped the weights to the floor. 

Jack sat up and paused to catch his breath for what seemed like an hour but glancing up at the clock showed only a couple of minutes had passed. He was on a roll. This was how his entire workout was to go. Each exercise, every rep he exceeded his personal best. After an hour Jack’s shirt was soaked with sweat and so stretched out from his swollen chest and arms, that he removed it and tossed it next to his gym bag in the corner. He looked at himself in the mirror and put together a posing routine to take advantage of massive chest and arms. The sweat running off his body collecting in his navel only to pour out when he flexed his abs. Damn! Why can’t every workout be this intense. He thought ahead to the the posted flyer. He needed to report in less than half an hour. Enough time to complete his workout but no time to shower. No problem-I’ll show up pumped up, sweaty and shirtless. That ought to attract some attention!

And so it would…

The day was a hot one. Even though Jack pushed his workout into the late afternoon, the temperature still hovered around 98 degrees, with a level of humidity matching a sauna. Ahhh, the South in the summertime. Sweat was dripping off his body in streams and the intensity of his workout had his heart pounding so hard the dog tags bounced off his chest. His car had been sitting in the sun the whole afternoon and when he climbed inside the wave of heat swept over him. Euphoric from his elevated blood pressure, pounding heart, and the adventure to come, Jack sat in the intense heat of the closed car gulping deep breaths of air and enjoying the insane pounding of his heart as he arched his body against the seat back. His tags, flying up with every heart beat, throwing spits of sweat against the steering wheel. It was almost four thirty-he had about 15 minutes to get to the address listed on the flyer. He flicked on the AC and headed out to a location he couldn’t picture in his head. He had lived in the area only a few years so he wasn’t surprised by his lack of familiarity. He would be surprised, however, that the location the flyer took him was an empty lot in the middle of nowhere, the crumbling foundation of a long ago demolished gas station poking up through tufts of grass. This can’t be right, he thought, but the address matched. He was still a few minutes early. Jack climbed out of the car and sat in a shady spot along the edge of the lot. He didn’t sit long. Exactly at the scheduled time a car carrier, painted Army drab pulled to a stop directly in front of him. As he watched, the driver, a marine sergeant dressed in fatigues got out leaving the hauler in neutral.

“Soldier, here for the 4:30?” He approached Jack, who was now standing at attention, a force of habit on seeing a higher rank. “Can I see your I.D.?” 

“Can I see yours, sergeant?” Jack said warily.

“Fair enough, it probably seems a little sketchy, the middle of nowhere and all.” The sergeant pulled out his wallet and swapped with Jack. “I’m used to it-been doing this all day.”

While Jack was studying the Sergeant’s papers, he became aware of the sergeant staring at his chest. The weather, the workout and the current circumstances have kept Jack’s heart pounding. The sergeant no doubt noticed the dog tags jangling against his pump.

“I can hear it, corporal!” The sergeant said. “That’s quite a motor you got there. Pounding a good 180, sounds like!”

“Yeah, just come here from a workout.”

The two men kept their distance as each went over the other’s info. The sergeant broke the silence. “Well let’s get your vehicle loaded up. Got a schedule to keep. Here’s your I.D., everything checks…”

Jack cut him short. “Just a minute, sarge. Ya gonna tell me what’s going on?”

“No corporal, I’m not. I’m here on orders to make a pick up. Instructed to tell you to take it or leave it.”

What the fuck! Jack thought. This is a helluva lot to take on faith. He paused in consideration.

 The sergeant could see the deliberation and chose not to press him.

Jack pondered the situation. This was just too much, even with the paperwork he was shown. But, he also knew the marines. He was an enlisted man and any possible advancement might rest on his decision now. And besides, Jack smirked. I can take him!

“Yes or no”, the sergeant said as he walked back to the idling hauler.

“Pull up a little further and I’ll pull my car around.

When Jack brought his car around to the back, the sergeant pulled the lever activating the hydraulic ramp. He wasted no time adjusting the ramp, just brought it down with a slam. From the side of the hauler he directed Jack to drive his car up onto the ramp. Another pull on the lever and the ramp pulled up from the pavement. 

“C’mon out,” the sergeant shouted,” give me a hand securing your vehicle.” Jack slid himself out of the tight space between the car door and the hauler and jumped down. The bed of the hauler was a little higher than expected and Jack took a tumble. He’d have hit the pavement if the sergeant wasn’t there to catch him. Falling back, the sergeant grabbed Jack in a bear hug and pulled him straight up off his feet, knocking the wind out of him in the process.

“Can’t very well show up with damaged goods can I,” the sergeant laughed. Jack was aware that the sergeant hadn’t released his hold but instead positioned one hand over Jack’s pounding heart. Jack could feel the sergeants heart pounding as well. He was going to have to adjust his assessment of the sergeant’s strength. This was one solid dude. Better to just take orders and see where this goes. The sergeant released his grip and motioned for Jack to get into the cab.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the other guys” Jack asked as the sergeant climbed into the driver’s seat?”

“You’re it today!” And throwing the hauler into gear, pulled away from the curb. “Must be special, usually I’ve got a couple more your size up here in the cab-get’s a little overloaded with testosterone!”

But Jack didn’t feel special, he crossed one arm over his chest to attach the seatbelt, realizing he left his t-shirt back in the car. 

Noticing Jack’s discomfort, the sergeant said, “The cab doesn’t have A/C. You’ll be fine shirtless. I’ve got some water there,” motioning to the backpack at Jack’s feet.

As Jack leaned over to grab a water bottle he saw a couple of open bottles of poppers on the dash. The sergeant saw Jack staring at the bottles, “some of these drives are pretty long. This stuff keeps me alert.” Jack grabbed the window regulator but it came off in his hand. “Yeah, it’s broken, you know marine motor pool!” The driver’s window was open, but just a crack.

“Ya wanna roll down your window then? Jack said beginning to breathe heavily.

“Can’t. Broken too.” The sergeant’s eyes remained focused on the road, but he could hear Jack breathing heavily. “Don’t worry, a little poppers won’t hurt you, and we’ll be there shortly.”

“What’s shortly” Jack asked.“Three and a half hours, five with traffic. I stocked up incase the trip ran long.” He reached over without taking his eyes off the road and opened the glove box. Jack saw 4 six-packs of Jungle Juice, with three loose bottles just rolling around. Reaching in, he pulled out one of the loose bottles, cracked it open and set it on the dash with the other two. “Gotta replenish these regularly-they evaporate quick!”Jack’s head pressed into the head rest as his chest began to pound. He hadn’t really recovered from his workout, and now with the heavy fumes inside the stifling cab his heart was nearly at it’s max. His breath was coming in gasps and his dog tags made a constant jingling sound as they bounced with his heartbeat. The sergeant put his hand on Jack’s chest pushing the tags against his pump. “Yeah, you’ll do fine!” 

 Jack lost track of time, between the pounding in his chest and the pounding in his head, he felt like he was floating outside his body. He was no stranger to poppers, but this was way more than he thought he could handle. Periodically the sergeant would reach over and feel his heart pound, just brushing his left nipple with the course skin of his fingers. Jack’s whole body convulsed now. He had regularly had his heart up over 200bpm but this felt faster still. The brush of his nipple, caused him to come almost immediately. His right hand managed to knock two of the bottles from the dash. The clear fluid ran and puddled on the floor. The fumes became even more intense as they evaporated on the rubber mat. The sergeants hand was now more or less a constant pressure on Jack’s chest. Making sure to rub his fingers across Jack’s nipple. 

“Fuuuuuuck! I’m gonna pass out,” Jack’s head fell back against the headrest and tilted toward the sergeant. His mouth open and his breathing coming as short gasps. Sweat poured off his body and soaked the seat cushion. But his heart pounded on, with occasional tweaking of his nipple. He could hear the sergeant-but couldn’t tell what he was saying over the pounding in his chest. He watched as the sergeant reached around him to grab a couple more bottles from the glove box, open them, and place them next to the one remaining on the dash. Fresh waves of fumes filled the cab. How the hell is this not affecting him? His heart should have arrested he thought, and then dropped off again.

It was dark by the time Jack came to. He thought he must be dead. unchanged was the beating of his heart. Still hammering away inside him. Unchanged also was the heat and humidity in the cab of the truck. His shorts were covered in cum. “How many more times did I cum?” He asked the sergeant.

“Oh, three or four—six—a dozen? I lost count. Enough to glue you to the seat!” The sergeant chuckled. Glad to see you’re still with me. I’d have made this trip for nothing. After I broke into the second case you started convulsing again. I thought I’d have to drop you by the side of the road.”

Jack squirmed in his seat. From the floor he could hear the clinking of glass as he moved his feet.

“What the…,” he looked down at the floor and it was littered with little brown bottles.”…hell.” He glanced up at the glove box and saw only one box remained unopened. And the sergeant drove on. “How the hell aren’t you affected by this?” 

The sergeant pounded on his chest. “Strong as a fucking machine!”

Jack’s breathing was fast and deep. “Damn, my heart ain’t slowing down!” He exclaimed. The sergeant put his right hand on Jack’s chest.

“Yep!” He said. “Pounding out a good two forty the whole way! The cardiac specialists will be excited by this, Probably work up a whole battery of tests. Your trial is just beginning my friend.”

The truck had at last arrived at their destination. The sergeant flicked a badge to the sentry, who waved him in. They drove a short distance through a thick woods which ran right up to a pole barn with a large garage-style door. As the truck approached, the door clanked open, and without slowing down, the truck with its cargo drove into the darkness towards a faint light at the very end of the building. As they approached the lights came on, one by one, slowly revealing what looked like a well outfitted research facility. Jack, even with his vision blurred by the insane amount of poppers, could make out a treadmill and full workout facility. Men in white coats were standing in front of various pieces of diagnostic equipment, studying the gauges and their clip boards intently.

“Where are the rest of the applicants? I wasn’t expecting to be the only one?” Jack said nervously. Jack was still pretty jittery from the popper fumes, only now dissipating from the cab. His heart was still pounding at a crazy 250 beats a minute.

One of the techs came up to the drivers side and spoke briefly with the sergeant. “Yeah, got a good recruit here, heart’s still pounding at 250-“

“250?” the tech seemed surprised. “In that case, let’s get him on the exam table pronto!

Two other techs appeared on the passenger side and opened the door. One tech, the beefier of the two, grabbed Jack under the arm as Jack slid out of the cab.

“OK soldier, we’re gonna take a short walk over here” the other, smaller tech motioned to an exam table about 20 feet away where a group of techs was now congregating. “ 

“Get him up on the table and hook him up to the ekg.”

The head technician now directed the group of assembled specialists beginning to gather around Jack. One tech pasted electrodes to Jacks’s chest. Jack could see his hand bouncing off his quivering pec as he attached the adhesive pads. 

“Should we do an angio set up as well?” Said another.

“Yes, we’ll want to see what’s going on in that pump before we start the full workup”

The lead turned to another tech, “Set up the pacer as well.” The lead tech marked two small XS on Jacks left pec. “This ought to give us some measure of control. Insert the probes on these marks. Watch the ekg. There will be a voltage spike when the probes touch the ventricle wall. Insert the probe and additional three centimeters.”

“Are you ready with the angio?” 

“Yes, check monitor three.”

Jack watched as the wire was threaded through the femoral artery and travelled directly into his heart.

 “We’ve got to get his heart rate down before we proceed. Have you got the probe in place?”

“Yes.”

“Ready to insert the pacer wires?”

Working quickly, the tech pushed the first pacer probe into Jack’s heart. Jack and the techs watched on the monitor as the wire entered the sinus node.

“First probe on target!” Then pushed the second wire about 3 centimeters from the first. “Ready!”

“Deliver 250 joules to arrest his heart and then set the rhythm for160. With any luck this kids pump should respond.”

“Clear!” The tech hit the button on the console sending a jolt of electricity into Jacks heart. In response to the shock, Jack’s heart barely slowed and then returned to 250bpm..

“Alright, we don’t have time to mess around. Hit him with 800. That should stop his heart.”

The tech reset the device for 800 joules. “Clear!” Again the tech pressed the button, delivering a massive jolt of electricity to Jack’s heart. His chest convulsed and his eyes rolled back into his head. The EKG showed flatline “Asystole! Get ready to activate the pacer. Set at 160?” Jack was unconscious now, his heart stopped in his chest. They stared momentarily at the lifeless body on the table. The lead tech looked over at the other techs. “C’mon, let’s go! Pacing at 160?”

The tech flipped the switch, sending a series of shocks to Jack, arrested heart to regain a sustainable 160 bpm. 

Heartbeat captured, heart beating at 160.

All right, prepare to reduce pacing rate to 150, and every minute bring his heart back down to 100bpm by 10. Switch off the pacing device and monitor his heart to maintain a steady rhythm unassisted.” Jack was conscious again and now aware that he was restrained to the exam table.

“What the…” Jack became agitated and started thrashing about against the restraints.

Take it easy.” You’re just newly back from your first cardiac arrest.

“Vital signs are good, BP at 110 over 90.”

“Respirations 22 per minute but dropping back to normal range.”

One tech placed the stethoscope to Jack’s chest. “-steady at 90-Heart sounds good!”

“No indication of damage on the EKG. This kids gotta hell of a motor!”

Jack’s breathing became more relaxed and he stopped fighting against the cuffs.

“We had to restrain you in case you became combative.”

“Are you putting all the applicants through the same tests?” Jack asked.

“Well, yes” the techs all exchanged glances. 

The lead tech now joined the group and explained to Jack the testing procedure. “Now that we’ve stabilized your heart rate, we’ll begin the actual testing. Let’s get him over to the treadmill.”

One tech disconnected the leads from Jack’s chest, while the others went to different stations, Jack could only make out shadowy figures around the perimeter of the room, but still no sight of the other inductees. The testing protocol now moved over to a small glassed-in room housing the exercise treadmill where a new tech was readying the equipment.

Jack, we’re going to apply these leads to your chest to monitor…

I know, I know. Been through this before.” Jack instinctively straightened up and pushed his chest out. 

The tech was momentarily distracted watching Jack’s heart beating in his chest. Pushing out forcefully below his left nipple. “Well…well this will be a much more extensive exploration of your heart under actual stress. The Amyl you were subjected to during your trip here, while it stressed your heart chemically, couldn’t give us a reading on how much your heart can take.

“Can take?” Jack caught him in mid sentence.

“Yes. Each of these tests is designed to take your heart to failure. Resuscitation is the end result of each of the tests. Each test will conclude only when your heart has arrested. Of course, if you should experience an infarct, that would conclude the testing immediately, and wash you from the program. This occurs quite often. In fact, you’re the only recruit that hasn’t failed the exam this session.”

And with that, Jack was harnessed to the treadmill. The EKG leads were reattached, and his arms were passed through what looked like a combination of life vest and backpack. 

“Kind of elaborate isn’t it?” Jack wrapped each hand around the padded straps.

The lead tech explained. “This isn’t an ordinary treadmill stress test. As you can see. These straps will keep you from falling off the belt and the backpack portion has an open pouch allowing us to add weight during the course of the exam. As the degree of climb increases, we will add weight in 25lb increments to the pack. To simulate an actual hike, the temperature and humidity can be controlled in the room. The mask will measure your respiration rate, but it will prevent you from communicating during the testing. We’ll start you off level at a temperature of 70 degrees and you’ll have 25lbs in your backpack. Good luck and we’ll see you at the conclusion of the test.”

Satisfied that Jack was correctly harnessed and all the monitors were recording his vital signs, the techs filed out of the small room and the door was closed. The treadmill was facing away from the wall of monitoring devices, yet Jack could hear the muffled talk of the techs outside the glass box. A small timer mounted on the wall of the enclosure counted down from 10.

“Jack,” the lead techs voice came through the glass. ‘Get ready to begin.”

The treadmill started moving. Just as the lead tech said, the pace was at a relaxed rate. Jack wondered how they were going to induce cardiac arrest…he was about to find out. After several minutes the counter again began to count down from ten. The pace became noticeably faster and there was a marked increase of the incline. A tech, reaching through the back of the box added another 25 pound weight to the backpack. Jack could feel himself beginning to sweat-was he getting hot from the exertion or were they also increasing the temperature. He watched the techs through the glass as they wrote on their charts and followed the readings on the monitors. He hadn’t noticed it before, but the timer also had a temperature gauge. It now showed 80 degrees, and it seemed like it was getting harder to breathe. His respirations picked up. 

“Jack, we are also changing the air mixture to reflect the rise in altitude. You’ll be sprinting in the mountains soon.”

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, Jack knew they were going to be changing again, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Barely ten minutes into the test and the angle and speed of the treadmill increased again. He didn’t notice the tech adding an additional 25 pounds to the pack. The temp had climbed too-now reading 90 degrees. Jack could feel the air mixture was thinner also. Each breath burned in his throat.

“Heart rate’s taken a big jump, reading 160bpm”

“Vitals are still excellent. Let’s increase the humidity of the enclosure” The lead tech was walking back and forth, studying the readouts while he adjusted the parameters of the test. “Increase humidity to 65 percent.”

The windows of the glass box began to steam up, and Jack could feel his heart pounding in his throat. He wasn’t about to give up easily so he pushed himself harder-his feet were pounding on the track of the treadmill keeping time with his heart. The straps supporting him felt tight across his chest, and sweat was now pouring off his body and hitting the track like rain. 

“He’s throwing off some PVCs, show me the EKG.” the lead tech studied the readouts. “Jack, your heart’s just a little pissed at you right now, but the EKG is still solid., so we’re going to continue.”

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, …as the timer reached one, Jack could feel the increase of incline, and one more weight added to the backpack brought it up to 100lbs., the humidity and temperature increased as well. His lungs were beginning to react to the low levels of oxygen and Jack was sucking so hard on the mask, he threatened to collapse the tube.

“100 degrees, 100 pounds, and 100 percent humidity, and your heart is still…” the lead turned his head to the techs now scurrying back and forth at their stations.

“Pressure’s falling, 140 over 110…”

“Big spike in heartrate, 200bpm”

“Increase the flow of air through the mask-let’s take over his breathing”

Air was now being forced in and out of Jack’s lungs. “Watch the respiration rate and set volume at six liters, we don’t want to burst his lungs.” Jack was struggling now. The relentless pace of the treadmill, the forced breathing, the weight, temperature, humidity-all of it was causing him to stumble on the belt. It was only the harness that was keeping him upright. What was keeping his heart beating was now of intense interest of the techs. He could hear them arguing through the glass.  “This guy’s a machine!” “I think we ought to supplement his air supply with an increase in nitrogen.” “His heart is already maxed out at 230bpm.” “Are we sure? His heart rate was 260 when he came in, without any damage to the myocardium.” “Well, we’ve got him all hooked up, why not find out?” “How long on the treadmill?” “30 minutes” “Hmmm,” the lead tech walked up to the glass intently studying the specimen inside. Previous candidates had all experienced myocardial infarction within 15 minutes, and here Jack was at 30 minutes, still with a rock-steady heart pumping at 230bpm.. “OK, up the nitrogen to 90 percent” When the increased level of nitrogen reached Jack’s lungs, his heartrate soared to 275bpm. The increased workload this placed on his heart caused a marked enlargement to his left ventricle. The enlarged ventricle in turn stretched the membrane of his aortic valve to where it couldn’t close completely. The techs noted the regurgitation caused by the flowback of blood into the ventricle and kept a close eye on the EKG and other telemetry. Up till now Jack’s heart was more than capable of optimal performance, but at 275 bpm, it was only a matter of time before his heart arrested-or infarct-or worst case-exploded. A tear to his myocardium now would be instantly fatal, even with immediate intervention. Jack’s heart, now swollen to twice its normal size and even with the regurgitation of the valves in his heart kept pumping. “Is the catheter still in. Place?” “Yes, the tip is right here in the coronary artery” The tech pointed to the angiographic image on monitor 2. “Alright, I want to inflate the balloon at the end of the catheter to simulate a 25% blockage.” Jack kept up the pace on the treadmill oblivious to what was happening around him. As the balloon swelled in the coronary artery, Jack’s heart was under continued assault by the medical team. His heart having to work harder than ever to supply sufficient oxygenated blood to keep his heart beating had now swollen to a size seen only in men weighing in excess of 300lbs or those bodybuilders who have been addicted to steroids. Sweat was pouring down his chest, collecting in his navel, spilling out and splashing on the treadmill. His heartrate hovered near 300bpm even while blood pooled in his ventricles and his heart valves unable to close properly. Now there were pronounced changes to his EKG and his once rock-solid heartbeat started throwing off irregular beats and pauses, the murmurs caused by the leaking valves was now a roar. “Increase inflation to 50%” the lead tech now instructed his team to ready for the inevitable as the balloon swelled to block off 50% of the blood flow in Jack’s coronary artery. And suddenly, not more than a minute in… “He’s arresting!”  So this was the limit they were waiting for. “Get him down!” Shouted the lead tech. “Over to the table-assess his condition.” Jack was unconscious now. His heart had stopped beating. But was his heart still viable? He slumped over as the two techs unstrapped him and spread him out on the exam table. There was a flurry of activity around him now. His sweat-soaked body still showed the muscular build even while limp on the table. The mask was removed-substituted with a breathing tube. The next few minutes will be critical. “BP zero!” “Full arrest” “OK everybody, keep focused.” The lead shouted. “EKG-flatline!” “Begin CPR” “Defibrillator ready, charged to 600!” “Ready with the adrenaline? “Right here” “Get me three syringes-cardiac needles, c’mon faster!” “Stop CPR “  “First syringe!” The lead held the needle up to make sure there were no air bubbles and plunged the first needle directly into Jack”s heart. Even with the commotion in the room, the lead could still hear the shrill whine of asystole on the monitor. “Nothing” “Prepare to defib”, the lead quickly grabbed the paddles from the assistant-“clear” The lead pressed the paddles against Jacks massive chest and delivered the first of many shocks. His body convulsed with the charge. His chest punching up off the table. “No change!” “C’mon soldier” The lead readied the second syringe and quickly shot the contents into his still heart. “No change, we’re ready in surgery, wanna crack his chest?” But the lead didn’t hear as he grabbed the paddles again.”clear!” Again the electrical charge surged through Jack’s chest. Again his back arched and relaxed. “Again-clear!” “Again-clear!” “Again-clear!”

The lead tech became concerned that too many electrical shocks would severely damage the heart muscle, he pulled away the paddles

“Continue CPR” This time the big tech, easily the size of a linebacker, rushed up to the table and placed his giant hands on Jack’s chest. Even as large as his hands were, they were dwarfed by the size of Jack’s chest. He began CPR. The force of his hands compressed his chest and caused Jack to groan.

“He’s coming around-“

“No, that’s just the air being forced out of his lungs”

“One, two three!” The big tech counted out the compressions. Each so explosive, they caused Jack’s body to bounce up on the table.

“Six, seven eight…” At 10, he stopped and another tech pushed air into Jack’s lungs through a mask. Now Jack’s chest, just moments ago, crushed down on the table the air forced into his lungs caused them to swell.

“Easy!” The lead tech called out. “He’s not a balloon.”

It seemed like hours since Jack’s heart had arrested, but looking at the monitors, it was only about 12 minutes. Again the big tech resumed counting.

“One, two ,three-“ 

The shrillness of the alarm was replaced with a steady beep. All the techs present let out a cheer. Jack’s heart had resumed beating! Even the lead tech gave a sigh of relief.

“That was cutting it a little close! Keep an eye on him and report back to me every 10 minutes.” The lead tech now returned to a small office at the end of the room. Leaving his techs to handle the follow up.

When the lead tech entered his office he was startled by the presence of the sergeant sitting at his desk.

“Looks like you almost lost me another one.” The sergeant exclaimed.

“Well, no more so than the others. His resilience has proven a surprise though. Bet you were a little scared!”

“Nah!” The sergeant was still looking at the lead tech. “I knew he could do it! I was very thorough in my selection process. When will he be ready for the mission-I’m on a tight schedule.”

“Well, no more so than the others. His resilience has proven a surprise though. Bet you were a little scared!”

“Nah!” The sergeant was still looking at the lead tech. “I knew he could do it! I was very thorough in my selection process”

“Well then I have good news for you! Don’t plan any trips for the forseeable future. If this kid has a good night, we can be ready to go tomorrow morning.

“That’s what I was hoping to hear!” The sergeant now stood up to leave ”I’ll be here at 08 hundred.”

One of the techs supervising Jack’s recovery squeezed past the sergeant as he left.

“He’s up and wants to speak to you.”

 “Well, that was quick!

The lead tech went over to the recovery area to check on Jack. He was a little concerned that Jack had enough and they’d have to “process” him out. He quickly forgot about that when he saw Jack was up and anxious.

“Alright, what’s next?” Jack said with a characteristic enthusiasm that caught to lead tech by surprise. “I’m ready to go!”

“Well, let’s take a look at your stats.” The lead read each monitor and read them out loud. “BP 120 over 70, heart rate 60, blood gasses look good, EKG rock solid” The lead pressed the bell of his stethoscope to Jack’s chest. “Hell, your heart sounds are perfect!  Anyone examining you would think you just walked in off the street, and not been in cardiac arrest for 15 minutes or subjected to the regimen we’ve put you through.”

“So like I said, what’s next?” Jack said with more than a little impatience in his voice. 

“Well,” the lead spoke without looking up from his clipboard. “like everything else in the service, it’s hurry up and wait! Your next round will start promptly at 08 hundred hours. I suggest you get some rest. If you’re hungry, we’ve got a pretty good cafeteria. Why don’t you put on your shirt and get something to eat.” Now turning to one of the techs present. ”Get him cleaned up and remove all the…”

Without finishing his direction, one of the two techs in the room started removing the leads to all the monitors and pulled the intravenous lines, leaving the  in Jack’s forearm.

The sergeant now appeared only this time stripped to the waist. Jack now knew what he felt that time serge held him up. Two tubes, one larger than the other were coming directly out of his chest and taped to his chest and belly led to a fanny pack on his right hip.

“What gives” Jack pointed at the tubes. 

“I figured you’d have a few questions. In short, this contraption keeps me alive. This tube…” holding the smaller of the two in his hand, “ …leads to a small air pump. The air powers my mechanical heart, keeping it beating at a steady 90bpm. This other, is connected to a second, bigger pump provides oxygen to my artificial lungs. Together, they keep me going.”

“How long…:

“How long have I been bionic, so to speak? About 18 months now. But they can’t function indefinitely. Two years is about their max. Which is why you’re here. Almost since the implantation of these artificial organs I’ve been looking for a permanent replacement.” Turning now to the lead tech,” how many applicants have I interviewed?”

“Almost two a month.”

“So let’s say 36 applicants have applied and been rejected.”

“So you’d better be finding a suitable donor, and soon” Jack exclaimed.

“…I have already, in fact I got his application just a little over a week ago. Ran him through some preliminaries and then a more rigorous series of tests-came through as a perfect match.”

Placing his huge, furry hand on Jack’s chest. His index finger rubbed over and over Jack’s left nipple causing Jack’s heart to race. 

”In about an hour, you’ll be wheeled into the operating room. I’ll already be prepped and my chest opened.  At this time under partial sedation, the surgeon will open your chest and abdominal cavity, a bone saw will cut through your sternum and rib spreaders will crank open your chest cavity. Your heart and lungs will be carefully but quickly removed from your chest and transferred to an ice water bath and brought over to my table where my open chest will have been cleared of the artificial heart and lungs. Then, barring any unforeseen complications, your heart and lungs will be transplanted into my chest.  Think of it as service to your country.”

All the while, the sergeant was explaining the transplant process and without Jack noticing, the surgical team was strapping Jacks wrists and legs to the operating table. By the time Jack was aware of what was going on, the techs had already hooked him up to the various monitors and inserted a central line through his neck. The immediately injected Jack with a paralyzing agent to keep him from struggling on the table.

“Let’s keep moving people-we gotta get this soldier prepped.”

Jack could turn his head but the full breathing apparatus prevented him from talking. From his vantage point he could see the sergeant strip. With his shirt off Jack could make out the scars from previous open heart surgeries. The scar tissue had built up pretty thick’ running from his neck down to his navel. Clearly, the sergeant had been through this a few times already. How many other guys like me has he “recruited” for this honor. How many more will there be. While Jack watched, the sergeant was prepped. First his chest and belly were shaved. This took some time, because even though he was flat on his back, his chest and abdomen were deeply muscled. Two surgical assistants were tasked with shaving the sergeants body. He watched as the sergeant was anesthetized, hooked up to monitors and then, surprisingly quickly, a scalpel sliced through his muscled body. He could hear the bone saw cutting but everything was getting hazy as the sedatives took effect.

If Jack had been fully conscious, he’d have been aware that the bone saw he heard was actually cutting through his rib cage, that’s how quickly the operation was proceeding. The surgical team now prepared to open Jack’s chest. He could hear the cranking of the rib spreader, but couldn’t feel the surgeon’s hands as reached into the open cavity and took hold of his heart.

“This is just about the biggest heart I’ve ever seen” the surgeon said as he felt the beating organ, pressing his gloved fingers into the pulsing ventricles. The surgeon felt the surface of the heart, paying particularly close attention to Jack’s coronary artery. “Good color, and very supple, no apparent hardening.” Now addressing his surgical assistants. “You may remember recruit 22. His heart looked as good as this and when I pressed my finger into the artery” he demonstrated for them. “When I pressed here, he suffered a massive infarct. The plaque inside was dislodged and traveled through his heart, rendering the entire organ useless.” 

“Here, this is where we will sever the aorta.” He traced his finger just above the aortic arch. “Once clamped we will begin the removal of his heart. Team two will then simultaneously remove the lungs. Alright you can clamp here.”

At the moment the aorta was clamped, Jack’s entire body tensed and slowly relaxed.

  The sergeant had just picked up a new recruit and loaded his car on the carrier. The jumped into the cab. The recruit messed with the A/C controls.

“Geez, does’t this thing work?’

“Well, that’s the army for ya. The radio’s pretty good though” as he turned the dials.

They broke into a news report. “We have a gruesome story to finish out the 5 o’clock hour, Methodist General hospital reported that an unmarked van was found this morning in their ER drive up. Doctors on the scene weren’t prepared for what was waiting for them. The body of a young man, approx 25yrs old, possibly a solder stationed at the local base was discovered in the back of the vehicle. His heart and lungs had been removed, and his chest cavity packed with ice. Reports are still sketchy. We reached out to the base commander but he hasn’t responded. We will update as information comes avai…”

The sergeant turned the dial, “Enough of that! Find another station! There’s gotta be music on there somewhere.” 

As the recruit turned the dial, the sergeant reached over, opened the glove box and pulled out a box of poppers. “Here, open a couple of these.” And dropped the box in his lap.

“Is this standard procedure for this program, sarge?” The recruit said skeptically.

“Yeah, it makes the trip go faster, oh, and one more thing, drop the “Sarge”,  my name’s Jack.”

[eponymous-rose]

Best-Laid Plans...

We had a great arc-ending session last night, so I thought this might be a fun chance to share how I prep as a DM... and how things inevitably changed in the game itself!

(If you’re one of my players stumbling onto this, hi, and also thank you again for the amazing scotch. Please let me know you’ve found this account so I can be careful about what I give away in these posts in the future!)

Basically, the entire goofy premise of this arc was, “Hey, so bards have access to the spell Modify Memory. With carefully targeted concerts, a boy band could secretly be changing the fate of nations.”

This campaign’s set (mostly for my convenience in early-game worldbuilding) in CR’s Tal’Dorei campaign setting, during the year gap that happened toward the end of their first campaign. The party started in Kymal, since it was a good-sized city in the middle of everything that hadn’t really been explored too much in the show.

As the campaign begins, the monster-hunting guild from the show, the Slayers’ Take, are expanding their operation into Tal’Dorei’s Dividing Plains (in large part because Vanessa wanted to get Lyra out of Vasselheim for a while), and their first round of advertising for potential new recruits has pulled in a pretty good crowd. Under Lyra’s eccentric delegation, the players get grouped together for a job that involves checking out the mysterious disappearance of a bookish elf in town, under the assumption that some monstrous beastie has devoured him, and that beastie should probably be hunted. Instead, they find a lot of deep-dive research into the Feywild, along with a weird portal in his basement that takes them to a strange pocket plane where they fight some sentient plants and talk to an extremely creepy entity that offers them protection from scrying eyes in exchange for an ill-defined favor.

After getting jumped by a group of kobolds (one of whom they sort of accidentally befriend via cookie-related bribes and implications that they may be some sort of deity), the group decides that avoiding whatever’s trying to take them out is a good call. They head back to report a modified version of their findings to Lyra... and find her standing over the corpses of all the other Slayer's Take hopefuls, badly shaken and completely baffled as to why she'd do such a thing. They opt to hang out and wait for the authorities to take her into custody, which results in a bit of confusion and a night spent in jail with their kobold pal.

The city watch eventually opts to let them go, but offer the party a job joining their security detail for the city's charismatic but not-terribly-effectual margrave as he does a meet-and-greet tour of the local casinos. The group agrees to meet at the margrave's mansion that evening to help out... and they promptly spend the day smuggling illegal materials across the city wall for a friendly local tavern owner. As you do.

The meet-and-greet is fairly uneventful until the margrave enters one of the largest casinos in town (the two largest are, of course, fronts run by the Clasp and the Myriad crime organizations, respectively), at which point the party's recollection of events starts to diverge. The druid and the fighter see mysterious black-robed figures attacking from an upper balcony of the building, and are about to chase after them... when the other two members of their party suddenly collapse, unconscious and bleeding. The sorcerer and the ranger saw something very different. After succeeding at a wisdom saving throw that the others failed (the results of which were kept secret from the rest of the party), they managed to shake off the effects of a Modify Memory spell and see what really happened: a single black-robed figure stalking up to the margrave and shooting him in the head with a crossbow. They attempt to engage the attacker and are quickly cut down by the attacker's allies.

In the chaos, the party are joined by one surviving hopeful of that first night at the Slayer's Take, who'd disappeared before the carnage started: a human woman named Zo, who manages to smuggle them out through a passage underneath the casino. Once the injured party members are patched up, she reveals that she's a Spireling working for the Clasp. She's very careful to dance around most of the group's questions, and is very curious as to how they survived the attack on the Slayers' Take, which the group manages to avoid answering as well. It's all very tense, but eventually Zo strongly requests that they venture into the nearby mountains to find a powerful and ancient creature that once pledged its aid to the Clasp. When they hesitate, she casually threatens their families. Thieves' guilds, man. Often helpful, but definitely not nice. She smuggles them out of town through the Clasp's web of sewers and tunnels.

The group does a little meandering outside the city, makes some friends, has a good old-fashioned dungeon crawl, helps patch things up a bit between a devil and a deva (the most awkward of ex-girlfriends)... and everyone occasionally gets pulled into the Feywild for tests and trials, apparently being administered by an underling (a deeply sarcastic satyr woman who delights in her surreal brand of middle management) of the same entity that contacted them way back at the beginning. There's a lot of near-death experiences, an attempt at befriending a blink dog, and everyone winds up assigned a particular symbol. It's all very mysterious, but the party's getting stronger as a result.

Eventually, the group finds the Clasp's protector, a bronze dragon, killed with a dire warning written in its blood on the wall behind it.

They very nearly decide to make a run for it, but after some deliberation, they instead sneak back into Kymal to find that things are... pretty much normal, for the most part. According to the inhabitants of the city, the margrave's fine and dandy after the assassination "attempt". The party tries to head back to chat with their pal the tavern owner, but find his tavern abandoned and in the middle of being robbed... by a group including their old kobold buddy. The kobold cheerfully switches allegiances to their side (the fighter has a bag of infinite cookies), helps them chase off the robbers, and introduces them to a fastidious street-cleaner friend who witnessed a body being removed from the casino during the assassination "attempt".

The party finally decides to go poking around the margrave's mansion, where they run into their tavern-owner friend who seems to be doing the same thing. He admits that his relationship with the Clasp may be a little more friendly than he first implied, and says he's sniffing around on Zo's orders. He's startled when an ordinary-looking toolshed appears, covered in chains. The party realizes that the fighter's symbol from their Feywild excursion is a link of chains, and as soon as he touches the chains, they vanish.

The party, plus the tavern owner (a gold dragonborn monk from Marquet named Orshi), wind up in a strange sequence of puzzle rooms running under the margrave's mansion that generally require them to leverage the symbols they were given in the Feywild to solve - for instance, the solution to one puzzle can only be written in a book by the druid (whose symbol was a feather) using a feather quill, and the ranger (whose symbol was an eye) is the only one who can see the correct path through a maze.

And right in the middle of all those puzzles is where we left off!

So here's my preparation: 

I had a set of things that needed to happen in this session:

Finish up the puzzles with something that leveraged the symbol of a glowing star.

Reveal that the Fantasy Backstreet Boys (mentioned in passing at least once per session as passing through Kymal on tour) are an illusion created by a powerful group of magic-users to get them access to (and the ability to modify the memories of and/or get away with assassinating) important figures in towns across the Dividing Plains and beyond.

Answer some of the party's extant questions, because they'd been in the dark long enough and deserved some closure.

I set it up with seven brief (1-2--page) documents, laid out as follows:

Recap of the previous sessions (we hadn't played in a few months).

Puzzle rooms! The first puzzle was a play on a moving tile puzzle from an Uncharted game, where the hints leading to the correct path could only be found by having the sorcerer (with the symbol of a glowing star) be the one to light the room up. I decided at the last minute to be a jerk and also do the classic countdown puzzle room, where the doors lock behind the party and an extremely ominous countdown from 20 starts, which can be reset by pressing a button in the middle of the room (the idea being that the party's own paranoia will keep them mashing that button while they search every inch of the room... but it turns out that the countdown is just until the door opens and means nothing more; it's a great test to see how convinced your players are that character death is a possibility, because if they hesitate a lot you're probably pushing it too hard, but if they don't hesitate at all to let the countdown run out they're probably feeling a bit immortal). These puzzles are being manufactured by an entity with a vested interest in just plain annoying the group, so it seemed like a good call.

Description of the final cavern, where they see a single yuan-ti in a blue robe practicing his illusion of the Fantasy Backstreet Boys while on a conference call with his boss (whose voice is the only thing present, coming from the form of a floating silver orb). This one took some rehearsal, because I had the ominous dramatic background music slowly fading out to "Backstreet's Back" to time up with the reveal. That was a real “what is my life right now” moment.

Two documents with different dialogue possibilities based on whether the group is detected or manages to stay stealthy (if they stealth, they can potentially overhear a long conversation between this yuan-ti and his boss; if their approach is noted, they're likely to be attacked on sight).

Stat blocks for the yuan-ti (essentially a warlock) and two clockwork snakes he keeps under the stage, as well as a stat block for Orshi, who's likely to be fighting alongside the party to help make up for the extremely lopsided CR of these enemies. In addition, the room has some fairly poorly built security features in the form of statues scattered around the room - at initiative count 20, roll a d12 to pick the effect the statues have on everything in a 10-foot radius. Ideally, they're supposed to have negative effects (the yuan-ti is smart enough to do anything to avoid getting caught in those radii) like a stun, a brief application of the Confusion spell, sleep, etc., but they're malfunctioning and occasionally result in positive effects like a brief application of the Haste spell or a small pool of temporary hit points. Strategy-wise, Orshi will fight as long as the group does and will generally try to help them out where he can; the snakes are unintelligent and will often attack random enemies if surrounded instead of strategizing; and the yuan-ti is extremely smart and ruthless and will target one enemy until it's dead before moving on to the next.

The aftermath of the fight: in the middle of any looting (some fun potions and a store of trade bars of gold and silver that were being used to help bankroll this operation), Zo comes in through a hidden passageway with some of the Clasp's people. She reveals that she'd sent Orshi poking around the tool shed explicitly as a distraction so she could get her people into the margrave's mansion to poke around. They found some of the margrave's very confused staff, but no sign of the guy himself, and eventually stumbled across a secret passageway leading from his sleeping chambers down here. They'd come down ready for a fight (and if the party had delayed another day in starting this whole exploration, that fight would've happened without them), but they missed the excitement. Zo answers a lot of the party's questions (I have six or seven potential questions listed along with some point-form answers she'd give) and helps them piece together that it looks like this yuan-ti and his boss are part of a larger cult that's been pulling in mercenaries and ne'er-do-wells across the continent to quietly usurp the leadership of cities and towns for some unknown purpose possibly related to one of their snake gods. The Clasp sent Zo to the Slayer's Take to make sure they weren't trying to make a bid for power in the city (which, surprise, was Vanessa's alternative motivation), and she coincidentally got caught up in this mysterious cult's more permanent way of dealing with this upstart organization that could pose a threat to their plans. She apologizes for the earlier brute-force tactics in getting them to comply, arranges to meet Orshi at his tavern the next morning to figure out how to proceed, and invites the party to join that meeting as well. Orshi invites the party to stay at his tavern free of charge.

As they're leaving, the party are briefly pulled into the Feywild by their very excited middle-manager satyr friend, who explains that, given their performance, she's been authorized to answer some of their questions. I wrote up a series of potential questions and answers about their employer (some unknown but immensely powerful Fey creature seeking to extend their influence into the Prime Material plane - essentially, the entire party is getting a bit of a Pact of the Archfey warlock vibe), the satyr (a minor dignitary with the Seelie Court who got herself into potentially fatal trouble and had this mysterious employer to thank for pulling her out of that situation), and the place where they've been training (not actually the Feywild, but a pocket dimension made to look like it). If they ask about the elf whose disappearance started all this, she reveals that he was doing research into the Feywild, made contact with their employer, and they'd been working together to start bridging the planes, which resulted in the portal they'd stumbled into. The yuan-ti cult got wind of his research and had him killed, which accidentally drew the attention of the Slayer's Take, which got them killed (with Lyra - an extremely powerful wizard - framed via Modify Memory spell to wrap up the loose ends). Once the questioning's done, she congratulates them again, and we leave it there for the night.

I also write something up for the possibility that the party is defeated: they have a different Feywild encounter immediately, where a more subdued satyr tells them that they've been revived/healed and are currently prisoners of the yuan-ti. She assures them that their mutual employer will be looking out for them, answers some of their questions, then regretfully leaves them to their fate. Whereupon, as it turns out, Zo is about to spring her attack...

So that's the preparation I had for this week's session! Very linear, without a lot of branching paths, but I also had to be very sure about every faction's awareness, motivations, and willingness to share certain information, so it wound up being pretty involved. It also felt really contrived on paper to have these info-dumps, but I suspected it would feel more natural to the players given how badly they were looking for those answers.

And... here's what really went down!

The party solved both puzzles fairly quickly (which was a good indicator that they may be getting a bit complacent vis-a-vis potential character death, which is Good To Know for ominous reasons). The stealth check into the main chamber was only DC 13, with a group check (so all they needed was 3/5 members to succeed), but they failed hilariously with a couple of natural ones, so the yuan-ti was ready for them when they arrived. The Backstreet Boys reveal was very funny.

Before the yuan-ti could just straight-up attack them, though, the party started taunting him mercilessly. He had snakes for arms (as you do), so they started asking how he did a whole variety of everyday tasks, causing a bit of an existential crisis. They pointed out the statues and asked if he really felt like he had to build an audience for his pretend band. The druid started flirting with him aggressively, which he was kind of into? This whole back-and-forth was being yelled across a cavern, so there was a lot of "WHAT? WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? Seriously, I missed it, say that again." and at one point a couple people just got really amused by the echoes off the chamber walls and started yelling random words, adding to the chaos. The yuan-ti's employer was just listening to all this in confusion, and when the yuan-ti turned to explain what was happening, the ranger took the moment of confusion to attack.

The battle was really heated, with the fighter nearly dying a couple of times (the yuan-ti latched onto him with Vampiric Touch and kept leeching his life), Orshi taking an impromptu nap, and the sorcerer getting viciously downed by the yuan-ti after she managed to hit him with a Witch Bolt. Eventually, though, the clockwork snakes were dismantled, the yuan-ti was surrounded and out of spell slots, and he was down to 1 HP and extremely desperate. I was about to have him attempt an escape by transforming into a snake, but the party instead demanded that he surrender. I had the newly healed sorcerer roll a Persuasion check... natural 20. He compliantly went down on his knees and raised his snake hands in surrender; he's definitely smart enough to know it's best to live to fight another day.

The party tried to interrogate him, but he generally ignored what they were saying in favor of being a creep (quietly cutting in while the sorcerer was speaking to ask her what it had felt like to be so close to death, if she enjoyed the feeling, if she'd like to feel that again). The druid, in dire wolf form, responded by licking the side of his head until his hair was thoroughly messed up and he was coated in drool. They didn't get much information from him, and the group eventually decided to knock him out again.

A big debate followed: the sorcerer thought it would be best to help clear things up if they took him prisoner, but the druid argued (via replies to Message, since she was still a dire wolf) that nobody in this city would be competent enough to hold him prisoner and that it would be best to kill him. Lots of discussion followed while the group split up to do some looting, and eventually Zo's name was brought up, and it was decided that it might be best to bring him to the Clasp.

It felt like way too much of a coincidence to have Zo pop up at that moment, even thought that’s what I had planned, so I let them explore the cavern for a while, coming up with some great loot here and there, but also missing some very powerful items with slightly-too-low investigation checks. The conversation turned to the yuan-ti and the burning question that occupies everyone's minds if they think about it too much: if his arms are snakes... what other parts of him are snakes? The debate came to a head (sorry) when the druid, in dire wolf form, decided to try to pull off his pants and find out. I had her roll a general Dexterity check because she was, you know, a dire wolf.

Natural 20.

Biggest laugh of the night: the look on my face as I tried to mentally work out the logistics for a giant wolf pulling someone's trousers off Extremely Well, followed by "Okay. So. You know the tablecloth trick?" 

We all learned something about snake anatomy that day, and the new catch-phrase of our D&D group became "Sorry about your browser history, DM." After cry-laughing as a group for several minutes straight, I finally had Zo wade into this mess and start answering questions.

She was startled that they'd managed to keep the yuan-ti alive and contained (as was I, honestly, since that wasn't a possibility I'd planned for) and agreed to have the Clasp take him into custody. I am Extremely Delighted that this villain is alive. The group was very concerned about Lyra, and Zo agreed to pull some strings with the city's guard to get her released. The party brought up the death of the Clasp's protector dragon in the mountains, and Zo fell silent for half a minute, processing what that meant. Finally, they all agreed to meet up at Orshi's tavern the next day. Orshi offered to let them stay, whereupon they revealed that his place was kind of ransacked and they may have left a severed head on one of the shelves in his back room. As you do. 

They were on their way back, had their interaction with the satyr, and managed to hit nearly every answer I'd prepared for, and we called it a night from there.

Next session: wrapping up this plot, downtime, and a little fleshing out of backstories while everyone paints minis!

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Addiction Treatment Centers In Nj

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The post Addiction Treatment Centers In Nj appeared first on Freedom From Addiction II.

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Baseball Elbow Injuries in Scotch Plains and Enhancing Post-Operative Care in Woodbridge by Health and Fitness Professionals

Baseball is a beloved sport, especially in Scotch Plains, where young athletes dream of making it big. However, with the thrill of the game comes the risk of injuries, particularly to the elbow. Whether you're sliding into home base or throwing a fastball, elbow injuries can sideline even the most dedicated players. Meanwhile, residents in Woodbridge recovering from surgery can also benefit from expert care to ensure a smooth recovery process. At Health and Fitness Professionals, we offer comprehensive chiropractic massage services in Scotch Plains, as well as post-operative care in Woodbridge, tailored to your health needs.

This blog will explore how our services can aid in recovery and enhance overall well-being. Whether you're an athlete dealing with a Baseball elbow injuries Scotch Plains or someone recovering from surgery, we provide solutions designed to get you back to your best.

Understanding Baseball Elbow Injuries

Elbow injuries are common in baseball due to the sport's repetitive throwing motions. The term "baseball elbow" often refers to medial epicondylitis, also known as "pitcher's elbow." This injury results from repeated stress on the inside of the elbow, leading to pain and inflammation.

At Health and Fitness Professionals, we understand how these injuries can affect your game and daily life. Our team offers specialized treatment plans to address these issues, focusing on reducing pain and restoring function. With targeted exercises and therapies, we help athletes regain strength and flexibility, minimizing the risk of future injuries.

The Role of Chiropractic Massage in Scotch Plains

Chiropractic massage is a powerful tool for recovery and injury prevention. In Scotch Plains, our chiropractic massage services are designed to relieve muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote healing. This form of therapy combines traditional massage techniques with chiropractic adjustments to enhance overall well-being.

For athletes, Chiropractic massages scotch plains can be a game-changer. It not only aids in injury recovery but also improves athletic performance by reducing muscle stiffness and enhancing mobility. Our experienced therapists work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan that aligns with your specific needs and goals.

Post-Operative Care in Woodbridge

Recovering from surgery is a critical time that requires expert care to ensure optimal healing. In Woodbridge, our post-operative care services are tailored to support your recovery process. We focus on pain management, rehabilitation exercises, and personalized care plans to help you return to normal activities safely.

Our team at Health and Fitness Professionals believes in a holistic approach to post-operative care. We work closely with you and your healthcare providers to ensure a comprehensive recovery plan that addresses both physical and emotional well-being. By prioritizing gentle rehabilitation and attentive care, we aim to enhance your recovery experience.

Combining Expertise and Compassion

At Health and Fitness Professionals, we pride ourselves on our commitment to combining expertise with compassion. Our team is dedicated to providing the best possible care for our clients, whether they're dealing with sports injuries or recovering from surgery. We understand that every individual is unique, and our approach reflects this understanding.

Our services in Scotch Plains and Woodbridge are designed to offer not only relief from pain but also long-term health benefits. By fostering a supportive and welcoming environment, we empower our clients to take charge of their health and recovery.

Tailored Treatment Plans for Every Need

One size does not fit all when it comes to health care. That's why we offer tailored treatment plans that cater to your specific needs. Whether it's a baseball elbow injury or post-operative care, our team takes the time to understand your condition and create a personalized plan that works for you.

Our approach includes a combination of therapies, exercises, and education to ensure that you have the tools you need for a successful recovery. By focusing on prevention and maintaining health, we strive to provide lasting results that go beyond temporary relief.

The Benefits of Choosing Health and Fitness Professionals

Choosing the right healthcare provider is crucial for effective recovery and overall wellness. At Health and Fitness Professionals, we offer several benefits that set us apart:

Expertise: Our team is skilled in a variety of therapeutic techniques, ensuring that you receive high-quality care tailored to your needs.

Comprehensive Care: We offer a range of services, from chiropractic massage to post-operative care, providing a holistic approach to health.

Personalized Attention: We take the time to understand your unique situation and develop a treatment plan that aligns with your goals.

Supportive Environment: Our welcoming atmosphere makes you feel comfortable and confident in your recovery process.

Taking the Next Step toward Recovery

Whether you're dealing with a baseball elbow injury in Scotch Plains or seeking post-operative care in Woodbridge, Health and Fitness Professionals is here to support you on your recovery journey. Our team is committed to providing the care and guidance you need to achieve optimal health and well-being.

We invite you to reach out and learn more about our services. By choosing us as your healthcare partner, you can rest assured that you'll receive the best possible care tailored to your needs. Explore the benefits of chiropractic massage, personalized treatment plans, and compassionate care—all designed to help you swing back into action.

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Enhance Your Recovery and Wellness with Health and Fitness Professionals

In the journey towards optimal health and wellness, having access to specialized medical and therapeutic services can make all the difference. Whether you’re an athlete recovering from an injury, someone healing from surgery or an individual seeking relief from chronic pain, Health and Fitness Professionals is here to support your journey. Our team offers top-notch services in sports injury therapy, post-operative care, and chiropractic solutions, strategically located in Plainfield, Woodbridge, and Scotch Plains, respectively.

Sports Injury Therapy in Plainfield: Expert Care for Athletes

Athletic pursuits come with the risk of injuries, which can set back your training and performance. However, with the support of a skilled Sports injury therapist Plainfield, recovery can be more efficient and effective. At Health and Fitness Professionals, our sports injury therapists are equipped with the knowledge and tools to address various sports-related injuries, from sprains and strains to more severe conditions like torn ligaments and fractures.

Our approach combines advanced therapeutic techniques with personalized treatment plans to ensure a holistic recovery process. We utilize methods like manual therapy, targeted exercises, and cutting-edge modalities to reduce pain and inflammation, improve mobility, and enhance overall performance. By focusing on your individual needs and goals, we help you return to your sport stronger and more resilient.

Post-Operative Care in Woodbridge: Supporting Your Healing Journey

Post-operative care is a critical component of a successful recovery after surgery. It involves managing pain, restoring function, and preventing complications. At Health and Fitness Professionals in Woodbridge, we provide comprehensive post-operative care tailored to your specific surgical procedure and recovery needs.

Our team of experts collaborates closely with your surgeons and healthcare providers to design a rehabilitation program that ensures a smooth and efficient recovery. We focus on pain management, mobility enhancement, and strength building to help you regain independence and quality of life. Our personalized care plans are designed to promote healing, minimize discomfort, and support your overall well-being during this crucial phase of recovery.

Chiropractic Care in Scotch Plains: Alleviating Pain and Enhancing Wellness

For those dealing with chronic pain, stiffness, or mobility issues, the services of a chiropractor in Scotch Plains can be incredibly beneficial. Chiropractic care focuses on diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal disorders, with an emphasis on the spine. At Health and Fitness Professionals, our chiropractors are dedicated to providing effective and gentle care to relieve pain and improve function.

Our chiropractic solutions involve spinal adjustments, manual manipulation, and therapeutic exercises that target specific areas of concern. This approach not only alleviates pain but also enhances your body's natural ability to heal. Whether you’re suffering from back pain, neck pain, headaches, or joint issues, our chiropractic care aims to restore balance to your body and improve your overall health.

Why Choose Health and Fitness Professionals?

At Health and Fitness Professionals, our mission is to provide exceptional care that empowers you to achieve your health and wellness goals. Our team is committed to offering the highest quality services in sports injury therapy, post-operative care, and chiropractic solutions. We pride ourselves on our patient-centered approach, ensuring that each treatment plan is customized to meet your unique needs.

Our specialists stay abreast of the latest advancements in their respective fields, and we utilize state-of-the-art technology and techniques to deliver the best possible outcomes. We believe in fostering a supportive and compassionate environment where you can feel comfortable and confident in your recovery journey.

A Holistic Approach to Health and Wellness

Beyond our specialized services, Health and Fitness Professionals advocates for a holistic approach to health and wellness. We encourage integrating physical therapy, nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle modifications to enhance recovery and promote overall well-being. Our team is here to guide you in making informed decisions about your health and to support you every step of the way.

Connecting with Health and Fitness Professionals

If you’re in need of a sports injury therapist in Plainfield, post-operative care in Woodbridge, or a chiropractor in Scotch Plains, Health and Fitness Professionals is your trusted partner in health. We are dedicated to helping you recover, rehabilitate, and thrive.

In conclusion, investing in professional health services is a vital step towards achieving your wellness goals. With Health and Fitness Professionals, you can rest assured knowing that you are receiving expert care tailored to your needs. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you on your path to recovery and optimal health.

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Best Post-Operative Care Therapist in Woodbridge, NJ

Health and Fitness Professionals encompasses a highly qualified team of therapists and nurses dedicated to providing the best post-operative care in NJ. This includes care given during the days following a surgery you may have gone through.

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Physiotherapists are medical health professionals who help people affected by illness, injury, or disability. They use exercises, manual therapies, counseling, and different methods to improve the movement and mobility of injured patients.

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Health and Fitness Professionals in Woodbridge.

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Spinal and postural problems can take your daily life difficult, and leave you weak and incapable of doing daily chores. Located in New Jersey, HF Rehab is a top chiropractic and treatment rehabilitation clinic that provides patients with the best treatment and care.

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What to expect during appointment with an accident chiropractor

Following a car accident, the first few days can be really difficult. You spend hours in finding the right repairmen, talking to insurance agents, and getting an alternate car on rent to keep things going. These chores can take a big toll on your physical and emotional health. Many accident victims face problems like headache, stress, back pain, neck tenderness, inflammation, and a general feeling of malaise. An accident chiropractic specialist can help in restoring health and treating injuries faster.

While most people would avoid these symptoms and assume them to be temporary body issues, it may be possible that they’re experiencing whiplash, internal injuries, or fractures that are not so severe as of now. Overlooking these symptoms can be dangerous and can create other problems so it’s better to see a good therapist or chiropractor to diagnose the issue and devise an effective treatment plan.

Chiropractor

Accident chiropractic is basically a practitioner who specializes in treating neuromusculoskeletal system of the body. They treat problems and injuries related to tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, and joints. Their main focus is always to offer therapies and alternative treatments to greatly improve your quality of life and decrease your pain. Chiropractic subluxation is a method that helps in addressing subluxation problem in children and adults.

Appointment with a chiropractor

The first step in visiting a chiropractor is finding the best specialist for you. Some insurance plans cover chiropractic treatments while others don’t. It’s important to contact your insurance company to know treatment options before picking a practitioner. They may even be able to recommend few doctors in your area. Other methods include, talking to friends and family to see who they recommend or search online.

Make sure you check what previous patients have to say about their personal experience with the clinic. Once you narrowed down potential chiropractors based on experience level and credentials, you can set up an appointment. If you’re going for chiropractic subluxation or any other therapy, you can discuss it on phone in advance to know about available solutions.

What to expect

It’s better to arrive early than the scheduled time and complete the necessary paperwork. Explore payment options by talking to present office staff. Know more about insurance coverage or available discounts. During your meeting with accident chiropractic specialist, they will review your medical history and basic factors that you think contributed to your pain and discomfort. They may also perform a physical examination of affected areas to diagnose and treat the root problem.

Then they may able to suggest a therapy or a combination of different treatments. It depends on your injuries, pain, or illness. Chiropractors normally adjust the neck and spine to restore normal movement. They can also perform electrotherapy or e-stim therapy to help repair injured muscles and prompt healing. Massage therapy is another treatment frequently used to ease muscle pain, release tension, and promote relaxation. For more information contact us: https://hfrehabnj.com/

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Choosing Physical Therapist for Workers Compensation in Woodbridge

Getting hurt in the workplace can be distressing as well as overwhelming experience. It puts a lot of burden on your shoulders whether you see it with a financial perspective, physical disability or emotional strain. With relevant laws in place, you always have an option to seek compensation for your losses especially when you’re injured because of someone else’s or employer’s negligence. But, this process can be long and tedious if you don’t take proper healthcare precautions while being temporarily disable to do any kind of work. Physical therapy workers comp Woodbridge is offered to people who get hurt on the job and need rehabilitation or any kind of post-operative therapy.

The clinic or therapist you choose should offer an effective therapy that could help you get back to your normal work routine as soon as possible. The physical therapy workers comp Scotch Plains you choose should possess up-to-date knowledge to diagnose your problem and help your body get back to normal condition.

There are three ways can you elect to use acupuncture or chiropractic care for a workers’ compensation case. These options are - in-network provider, predestinated of provider and waiting for 30 days.

The first option revolves around the network of your employer’s insurance carrier. It means if the employer’s insurance company has in-network healthcare providers, it can refer you to one of them. It is also legally valid if your manager wants to send you to physical therapy workers comp within his known network.

The second option may seem to you more appealing in which you can pre-designate the therapist you want in case of workplace injuries. For instance, if you have had an acupuncture therapy previously for some kind of injuries by a specific physiotherapist, you may choose him/her again as your acupuncturist. But this option is only viable if you have stored medical records of past treatment to show your company’s insurer.

The third and probably final option requires you to undergo a rehabilitation process under someone within your company’s network for a minimum of 30 days. After completing 30 days, you may choose physical therapy workers comp freehold of your own choice, as long as it’s recognized by the local authorities.

Along with being sensible with patients, physical therapists are often very humble and communicate with their patients in a compassionate and empathetic manner. So you must do a bit of research before choosing one.