#hospital team welcome to the most amount of pressure you have ever ever felt ever

[attractthecrows]

sighs dreamily. how fuccking terrible of an experience must it have been for the Inquisition surgery team that had to clean up the disintegrating arm stump Solas left the Inquisitor with at the end of Trespasser. POV you joined an organization that you think is set out to do good and like every other member you have something of a hero crush on the Inquisitor. who is now BLEEDING OUT on your table

[brrahbrrahcharacterimagines]

An Injured Friend (Peter Parker/Spider-Man x Reader)

MASTERLIST

Pairing: Peter Parker/Spider-Man x Reader

Word Count: 2105

Warnings: Violence, Injury, Minor Angst

A/N: I’m back guys! I hope you enjoy!

You felt like you had known Peter for forever. In reality it might have only been a little over a year, but you felt closer to him than you had ever felt to anyone else. You shared a special bond, a unique connection. Only it wasn’t the kind of connection people expected.

You were best friends. You did everything together, from shopping to homework to fighting crime. You were both members of the Avengers, and it allowed the two of you to bond. As you were both around the same age, the rest of the team assumed that you would end up together. If you were being honest, there was a small part inside of you that wanted the same thing despite how hard you tried to ignore it. But no matter how you felt about him, there were larger matters at hand.

“Y/N! Behind you!” Boomed Thor’s powerful voice. You spun, coming face to face with some sort of alien. 

Why does it always have to be aliens? You thought, ducking out of its grasp. You swung as hard as you could, hitting the monster in the face and sending it to the ground. Without missing a beat you grabbed the gun from your holster and aimed for the head, shooting and killing the alien.

“Nice work,” complimented Natasha, dealing with two aliens of her own. You rushed to help, although you knew she didn’t need it. Both foes were too busy focusing on Nat to see you run up behind them, burying your knife in one of their skulls as you shot the other. “You’re becoming quite the bad ass,” Natasha said with a grin.

“Thanks,” you chuckled, almost forgetting you were in the midst of a battle. A sharp pain in your leg brought you back quickly.

You fell to the ground, your leg no longer supporting you.

“Y/n!” You heard Natasha yell, falling to your side. You looked down, seeing blood pooling underneath you as it poured from a wound in your leg.

“Nat,” you whispered, your eyes wide.

“Shh,” she said, stroking your hair and trying to calm you. She continued glancing around, making sure the area was safe as the two of you stayed in place. “It’s going to be alright.”

“What’s going on over there?” Came Cap’s voice through your earpiece. 

“Y/n’s been shot,” replied Natasha. “They managed to get her in the leg.”

“Get her out of here,” ordered Steve. Natasha moved to pick you up, and you had to bite back a scream as the pain intensified. 

“It’s okay,” said your friend as the two of you booked it out of there. “It’s alright.”

You heard gunfire, feeling the pain pulsating through your leg. Your vision went blurry, getting foggier and foggier before everything went dark.

--

You woke up to a rhythmic beeping, looking around to find yourself in a room that seemed much too bright. You tried to get up, only to feel an IV tugging at your hand. A wave of pain coursed through your leg at the movement, causing you to let out a small yelp.

“You’re awake,” came a familiar voice. “Are you in pain? Are you okay?”

“I’m alright Peter,” you said, smiling shyly at the boy in the chair next to your bed. You felt ashamed for not having noticed him sooner. “I was just being dumb is all.”

“You aren’t dumb,” he replied immediately. “You’re hurt.”

“Thanks for letting me know, I couldn’t tell.” You replied sarcastically. “The throbbing in my leg doesn’t give it away at all.”

“It’s throbbing?” He asked worriedly. “Should I get the doctor back in here? She should know if you’re in pain-”

“Shh,” you said softly, cutting Peter off. “I was shot in the leg, I’m going to have to deal with some pain.”

Peter stood, moving closer to the hospital bed. He reached out his hand, grabbing your own in his. 

“It’s my fault. The only mission I miss is the one where you get shot.”

“Peter, it isn’t your fault. You just happened to be at a convention with Ned.”

“But I could have protected you,” he exclaimed softly. Your heart broke at the sadness in his eyes. He leaned down, eyes glistening. “I don’t want to lose you,” he whispered as he placed a kiss to your forehead. The doctor entered as Peter pulled away, making him say a rushed goodbye as he left. As the doctor examined your state your mind was elsewhere. There was something about his reaction that made your heart flutter. Your head felt like it was burning where his lips had touched you. You brushed it off, chalking it up to your injured state. After all, he was your best friend. Only your best friend.

--

The days seemed to pass slowly as your leg began to heal. Your teammates would stop by throughout the day to check on and entertain you, but you always looked forward to Peter’s visits the most. Before you knew it they allowed you to go home, but only so long as you didn’t put any pressure on your leg so that it would continue healing correctly. You knew it would be difficult, but you jumped at the opportunity to go home.

“Thank you for coming to help me Peter,” you said as your friend pushed your wheelchair to the car.

“I would never make you wheel yourself,” he teased, “plus you need somebody to drive you home and everyone else is busy.”

“Still,” you insisted as you made it to the car. “Thank you.” You looked up at Peter, ignoring the butterflies in your stomach as you met his warm eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he replied with a small smile. He loaded your few possessions from the hospital room into the back before coming back to you.

“Peter?” You asked. “How am I going to get into the car?”

It may have seemed like an obvious problem, but you had only just now realized as you looked up at the door from your chair. Peter looked at you quizzically. 

“As if I wouldn’t help out my best friend?” Before you knew it he had scooped you up, careful not to hurt your leg. You felt in ache in your heart as he called you his best friend, longing for it to be more. Your thoughts were quickly shoved away however as you rested your head on Peter’s chest as he moved you to the passenger seat. He picked you up as if you weighed nothing, likely thanks to his super strength. You felt the muscles in his arms ripple under you, and you had to admit you liked it. You fought against the blush rising to your face, mumbling a small thank you as he set you down and moved to put the wheelchair away in the trunk. He had some trouble folding it up, but was able to overcome it quickly as he joined you in the front seat.

“Are you ready to go home?” Asked Peter with a smile.

“Yes, please!” You groaned, making him laugh. His laugh was like music to your ears. You leaned against the window, watching the scenery pass by as Peter took you back to your apartment. 

--

You must have fallen asleep, as you awoke to the sight of your building in front of you.

“Wake up sleepyhead,” teased Peter. “You’re almost home.”

“Give me a break, I’m healing.” You retorted sarcastically.

After getting the wheelchair back out, Peter came to pick you up again. You couldn’t help but realize how close his face was to yours as he bent to pick you up. You let yourself get lost in his chocolate-colored eyes, relishing the feeling of his arms around you. What you somehow didn’t realize was how Peter’s heartbeat began to speed up as he held you. He looked at you so tenderly, wanting more than anything to never let go. Yet at the risk of seeming creepy, he cleared his throat, forcing himself to take his eyes off you and set you down.

Thankfully the elevator in your building worked. You’d had trouble with it before, walking up four flights of stairs for weeks until it was fixed. You had no idea what you would have done it Peter carried you up all those stairs. Not only would you have been pressed up against him for that long, but you would have felt so guilty for making him do all of that work.

You handed Peter the key to unlock your door, inhaling the scent of your apartment as he swung open the door. You were finally home.

“What can I do now, Y/N?” Asked Peter softly. You looked up at him, seeing his big puppy-dog eyes on full display. He truly was the sweetest guy you knew. You turned red as you began to speak.

“Could you help me into bed?” You could have sworn that the corners of Peter’s mouth began forming a smile, but before you could be sure he had you in his arms again and all your other thoughts went out the window. He laid you gently on the bed, making sure that you were comfortable with the amount of pillows as he pulled the covers over you.

You watched him with soft eyes as he took care of you. He was sweet and tender, always making sure that he wasn’t hurting you or making you uncomfortable. Every time he leaned in closer you got a scent of his cologne and it smelled like pure bliss. His hands would brush against you as he pulled the blankets around you, sending a fire coursing through your body. You locked eyes with him as he helped prop you up, noticing how close he was to your face. His lips were mere inches away from yours, and although he was your best friend all you wanted to do was pull him close and feel his lips move against your own. 

Peter cleared his throat, backing away as a fierce blush formed on his face. He tried to hide it, but he wasn’t very good at it.

“I guess I should get going,” he said awkwardly. Suddenly you had a burst of confidence.

“Peter?” You asked. He turned back to you quickly, meeting your eyes. “Stay,” you whispered. “Please.”

Peter knew he couldn’t deny a request from you. He climbed into bed beside you, sliding under the covers. He was mindful to sit on your good side, the side where he wouldn’t have to worry about accidentally bumping your leg. If he was close enough, anyway.

“I don’t bite,” you tease softly. Peter took the invitation, scooting closer to you. Although he seemed stiff, you felt the weight of his arm rest on your shoulders. Throwing caution and perhaps reason to the wind, you leaned into him. You could have sat there forever, content to be in his arms. He smelled amazing, and you felt safe. The longer the two of you stayed that way, the more relaxed you were. You felt Peter loosen up, his muscles becoming less tense.

“Why are you helping me so much?” You asked quietly. He paused before answering.

“I care about you.” He said. “Maybe more than I should.”

You looked up to meet his eyes. All you wanted in that moment was to feel his lips on yours. You got your wish as you both slowly leaned in, your eyes fluttering closed. As your lips pressed against his you could have sworn you felt a jolt of electricity through your body. It felt amazing, and it felt right. You moved your hand to the back of his head, running your fingers through his hair before you pulled away.

“As cliche as it sounds, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” he said breathlessly.

“I care about you too, Peter.” You said. His face lit up.

“I sure would hope so, after everything I do for you.”

You playfully swatted at Peter’s chest, trying not to think about the hard muscle underneath.

“Stop teasing me and snuggle with me again.” You joked. “I want to get some sleep in my own bed.”

Peter did as you asked, holding you tight. He pressed a kiss to the top of your head and you couldn’t fight the smile that rose to your face. The conversation about what you were could wait. For now, you were satisfied to lay in his arms as his soft breaths fanned across your neck. You were in the arms of the man you loved.

[gilbertgonzalezjr]

2010 - 2020 A Recap!

A decade, in an instant, told as only I can! (WARNING: Not for the faint of heart!) My Personal Highlights from 2010 - 2020

- Quit the California School for the Deaf after 10 year - Moved to Los Angeles - Had 22 [rotating] roommates in my one bedroom apt (just in the first year) - Got an agent, a manager, auditioned and started booking work as a Hollywood actor (Even recorded an original pop song in a major studio) - Got my certification and started working full time as an ASL interpreter. - Delivered my first sermon and became a preacher - Started a non-profit ministry - Rediscovered keto (formerly my version of “atkins”) and lost 100 lbs. - Got a boyfriend (my first [long term] relationship) - Met my 20+ year #1 favorite music artist: Celine Dion - Met many celebrities and influential people that I have always respected and admired and even became close friends with a couple of them. - Launched a video production ministry and started creating documentaries, short films, music videos, and featurettes of my own. - Officiated 2 marriage ceremonies - Got over my fear of flying - Tried mangos for the first time. I like them.

Life was good at the end of 2009. I was with my friends A LOT whom were (and still are) my family. I had just taught my first year of Bible Study and I was working at a job I really enjoyed… well, somewhat.

Now, I have never talked about this publicly before, but the school for the deaf taught me a lot in the 10 years I worked there to that point. I became involved because I loved to sign so much, I was really gifted at it, and I desperately wanted to help people (interpret). I wasn’t always greeted in the community with the same level of openness unfortunately. I was surrounded by very strong personalities and I was targeted a lot by the staff that were all much older than me. I was reminded of my place constantly. Comments about my youth, my “flamboyant” personality, and my being hearing (not deaf) would constantly come up as a negative. It became a hard place to work at. After a couple years of tolerating it, it began to wear on my health and I had to go on medication for anxiety. Staff members would brag to one another about how much they could put me through hoping I would quit or break. I was imitated, mocked, and teased endlessly. I was accused of “stealing” sign language (“their” language) for profit. I was not taken seriously by some and ignored entirely by others. One time, I was even removed from a Valentine’s Day party because the teacher didn’t want me to have a good time with the other staff and students knowing I bought them all small gifts with my own money. I was escorted by the teacher of the classroom to a printing room far across the other end of campus to make unnecessary copies of random books (“busy work”). She bragged about it later to our mutual supervisor. 

“You should have seen what I did to Gilbert earlier today. I got him so good! You should have seen the look on his face. Ugh! I don’t like him! He’s always so happy”.

My supervisor, whom I revered as a mentor, scolded her,

“You’re evil. What has he ever done to you?”,

to which the teacher replied,

“Nothing except that others, like you, like him. I just want to make sure he knows that I don’t like him and I don’t have to.”

It was classic bullying, by *staff*. I had come to learn that most people want what they perceive as “validation” and relevance so intensely that they are willing to take or create it however they can, especially at the expense of others… in whatever little corner of the world they are currently in.  At CSDF, specifically, there was a history of culture clashing from the deaf towards the hearing so a very tangible hostility was constantly felt by hearing staff members, even if they only meant to contribute and serve the community. It was super politically charged and I didn’t have the stomach to fight it everyday just to stay kind and happy in my daily interactions with other staff. I felt like I was in a pressure cooker and there was no place to come up for air. I knew I had to leave, or else it would make me just as bitter and jaded as they all were. I didn’t know how I was going to do that, but just around the corner, was my ticket to exceedingly do so. I was about to be free.

Four years after competing in American Idol (2006), I was contacted at the beginning of 2010 by the President of Nova Talent International: Tammi Smith. She knew of my singing and wanted me to join Team USA and compete in the World Championships of Performing Arts. Several months later, I was in Hollywood, CA, amongst 50 other American performers and 52 other countries all with their own teams of talented contestants. I won 5 silver medals, made the semi-finals of the competition, and met my first talent manager and acting coach. It was then that I called my boss and gave my notice at the school. Within 3 short weeks, I was living in the city of angels, out of my car, with only my clothes, my cats, and a massive amount of faith. It was the boldest move I have ever done in my life.

It took me a month to book my first commercial and get my own apartment. I had spent much of that initial time with my good friend Kiki who took me off the Inglewood streets and let me crash on her couch while I auditioned and made my daily rounds with agents and scouts. It was hectic and her hospitality saved my life. I love you, Kiki! Thank you so much!

I fell in love with the Los Angeles Dream Center and its pastor Matthew Barnett on my very first visit. I was scared because I didn’t want to invest into a Church community if the Pastor was going to end up speaking terrible things against the LGBT community like I had previously experienced in the Bay Area. I hadn’t had a home Church like this, where I felt welcomed and celebrated and was able to serve so openly. I became great friends with Pastor Matthew and became the Church’s sign language interpreter and even starred as a lead in their Christmas play. It was all so magical. I felt special, chosen, and like I was starting to cause real growth in overly conservative circles. I started close friendships with so many of the young adults that attended there (my age group). It was like I stumbled into a dream. It wasn’t long, however, before I realized I was the butt of so many jokes behind my back with my new “Christian” friends when I wasn’t around. I wasn’t aware that I was the only openly gay attendee at the Church. The support that I received to my face was diminished by the comments made about me when I was gone. “When will Gilbert stop being so rebellious and learn that being gay is a choice, and he can simply choose out of that lifestyle?” ”Gilbert wants to start a bible study? How can we trust him? He thinks it’s okay to be gay. Yeah, I don’t trust that. I will not be attending.” “I will never attend Gilbert’s wedding if he marries a man. That’s an abomination.” I began to distance myself from the very people that I thought were my new friends.

Soon even, after that.. I stumbled upon a subculture at the Church that I had never even considered before… closeted gay Christian men! It was such a phenomenon to me, but they had their own community. I was not raised Christian so I didn’t know that in some circles, you can be as flamboyantly gay and “out” as you want as long as you don’t identify with the word “gay” or wholly accept your attraction to other men. I found myself running in circles of gay men that were just as gay as me (and in some cases WAAAYY “gayer”) but they would never talk about it. In fact, they would go immediately silent when I would discuss my desire to date Zac Effron or the guy from the Betty Crocker potato commercial. I would be confronted with “Gilbert, you have to not feed that. That’s an attack on your identity by “the enemy” (meaning the devil). “You’re not gay. You’re straight. You just have to keep speaking it over yourself until you feel its truth.”

I was so confused because I thought that being a Christian meant you had to live openly and honestly and it was *profoundly* obvious that none of us liked women. For some in the community, they would still even date girls and would go through the charade of pretending to be into them hoping that their attractions would be “corrected” and change one glorious day. It grieved me to see all these girls that thought they were dating the holiest boys around because they refused to touch them. The girlfriends did not want to accept or even see that their boyfriends were refusing to touch them only because they would rather be touching each other instead of the girls. Often they even would. I can’t tell  you how many times we would be hanging out and things would become so intensely homoerotic, that it would even make me uncomfortable. That was the secret though… they could “act gay” and indulge in that behavior in private because they were able to “release” with one another without acknowledging the constant elephant in the room. It was a level of delusion that I just couldn’t get into. I separated from all individuals within that community...  with the exception of one. The truth is, I had fallen deeply in love with one of them. He and I had insane chemistry... and I remained in that hopelessly romantic place with him... for 6 solid years.

For 6 years, I waited for this young man to wake up and understand it was okay to be both gay and Christian. I wanted him to be free and hoped that we could be together, officially. He never made that journey though. In fact, he confessed that was too afraid of what others thought and what his family would think and feel. His parents were famous ministers and he put his entire worth and value on his and their reputation. We had long talks about it, and hard conversations about our mutual attractions to one another. (He didn’t trust himself to sleep over at my apartment). Because I was the only one who was willing to acknowledge that I was gay, I was in an impossible situation.  The desire and weight of making the first romantic move was on me, full force, but as a friend, I also wanted to respect his “attempted” orientation as a “straight” man. The situation put us both in a constant stalemate.

Like most instances of unrequited love, or being stuck in “friendsville”, I couldn’t move forward because I was blinded by what could be, right in front of me. I was also plagued with insecurities stemming from our dynamic. “Was I not good enough to come out for?” “Was I not attractive enough to push this relationship past ‘friends’ into something more?” were my constant thoughts. Most importantly, I attributed my waiting for him to God. I wanted to do this God’s way and thought that waiting was achieving that. Love is “long suffering” and “about the other person” I would tell myself, I would quote Galatians 6:9 over myself and my situation everyday hoping God would reward me and allow this guy to “get it” and go on a journey that would end with him in my arms… but it never happened. I had enough at the close of 2016 and decided to kick myself out of friendsville. After Church one day, he walked me towards my car and half way there, I stopped him. I took him to a secluded corner, looked him dead in the eye, and asked him out on our first official “date”. He smiled and looked intrigued. He told me that he would consider it. I asked him to consider it himself and to not discuss it with the “non-affirming” people in his life that believed being gay was wrong. He agreed but then broke his promise later that day when he asked three different people what they think he should do. (I wanted this to be a decision he made, alone, for the first time, for him.) He came back very angry. He said that he now saw this all as a betrayal to our 6 year friendship and I had to accept that. I was was now the bad guy. It was my worst fear, but at that time I didn’t care. It was the key to my sanity. I had to realize that he was living a life for the approval of others… not himself. A relationship wouldn’t have worked for us that way. He was mad that I wouldn’t continue the charade anymore of staying in the “undefined” place we were always in. It was the hardest I grieved and the hardest path back to healing I had ever had to take. The only other time I cried that hard and that often in the weeks that followed was when my grandmother died. A broken heart does feel like a death, because it is. The harder part was feeling like I had to forgive God for never giving me what I waited 6 years for, and yes, I felt like He was the one that asked me to wait. It was a difficult journey. I was hurt and angry with God but that had to process quickly. I was still a minister and the ministry was counting on me to walk out what I had always taught them to.

The other big journey during this decade was not just discovering the Gay Christian community, but becoming an established leader in it and starting my own ministry.

I didn’t know what I was in for. It has been the most fulfilling journey and also the most challenging. I had thought gay Christian ministry was gonna be rainbows, unicorns, pizza, and movie nights while we all discussed how great Jesus was… and boy was I wrong. No matter how much I wanted to avoid it, politics kept coming up… government and “Church” politics. It was something I still have to get used to. I also met the combative side of people that can be so vocal about what they want from me, that they are willing to act out in unbelievable and often dangerous ways to try and force me to give it to them. I wasn’t prepared for that, and I faced it often (and still do).

Also, I originally believed that it was only the non-affirming world that didn’t understand me, personally and my perspective on life and faith, but I must admit that the times I have felt the most misunderstood, isolated, and alienated in my life was by my very own gay Christian community. I still love ministry and what I do, and it is still the place that I feel I do the most good, but the journey has been far from a walk in the park.

Since 2010, I have had an unusual amount of Judases in my life. My own talent manager (and close friend) went after my former roommate (whom I had strong feelings for) and he moved him into his yacht when I was at work. I came home to an empty apartment. They thought it would be fun to call me on speaker phone and brag about their new affair. I lost a manager, and roommate and gained a broken heart all in one horrific night. My anxiety attack was so bad that night, I thought I was going to die and nearly called 911. My second talent manager was no better. He moved a younger guy in with me from the UK so that he could have “sexual access” to him whenever he wanted. At first, he told me it was because he was a fellow actor, but once he later confessed his true motive, I never let him in my house again and protected my roommate (whom had become a close friend) at all costs.

In 2014, I had a ministry partner and best friend who tried to steal the ministry from under me and was collecting people behind my back to start his own Church. He was only moderately successful, and then when his Church launched, he burned his bridge with every single person that left me for him in a matter of days. I knew God would justify me, but it still hurt. During this time, one of my absolute closest and most trusted friends started sending homemade Snapchat porn to the members of the ministry behind my back. I had just helped him patch up things with his fiance (another Phoenix member) after he was caught by multiple members having an affair. And then in 2017, one of my closest friends whom had seen all the other stuff unfold, suffered a stroke and during his healing, began to actually self destruct. He turned on me and started pursuing very young members in our ministry, confessing to them that he enjoyed that they looked underage because that’s what he was sexually attracted to. I dealt with all of this at the time of being dumped by my boyfriend who I caught texting his female ex. Later, I found out that he had lied to me about his feelings towards her and how often they were in contact and were even still seeing each other. I felt like the world was caving in on me. The members I was pouring into the most were growing increasingly more unreliable and yet more demanding of me and my time. Then, a third leader (also a close friend) informed me that he too was stepping down. I didn’t know if I had it in me to continue anymore. I nearly gave up... but I didn’t. I pushed through, and I am so glad that I did. 

My 7 year journey with ministry has been some of the most exciting and fulfilling years I have ever had, but it has also caused me the most pain. I can see why some ministers leave the call and never return, remaining bitter and jaded. I don’t judge them. My heart goes out to them. We are all human and we all have our limit of what we are able to handle. I will say this though.... if you attend a Church or a Bible Study... be on time. Be reliable, and help out wherever you can. The leader needs all the help that they can get and they are doing this as a sacrifice of love, not obligation. They deserve your constant respect. I’ve learned that you can’t join a walk of life where you pour into the best of people without seeing and experiencing their worst as well, myself included. I have had to grow at an exponential rate to keep up with what I was teaching others. I believe the best teachers are  the ones that lead by example and therefore I want to always deliver a great example.

Being a minister is a path not meant for all, but for those that choose it, what a painfully glorious one it is. I will have to keep you updated as this is still a path I am on, growing every day, still trying to encourage others every day. I can share now that what I have learned the most is boundaries. I have learned that “yes” and “no” wield far more power than I could have ever imagined, and going forward, I intend to wield that power more and more, and hopefully in the future… without guilt.

Meeting Celine Dion earlier this year and watching our interaction go viral on the internet was surreal. It changed me forever by showing me that anything really is possible. We have always heard it in school, but to have evidence that dreams come true can be overwhelming in the most wonderful way. The moment her and I shared is something I have only wished in my heart until that point, nearly certain it would never get to happen. Thanks to God, the joke was on me.

Ending the year with our 6th annual Christmas video, “Extraordinary Merry Christmas” was appropriate on so many levels. The concept of the video is simple, “what makes a Christmas season ‘extraordinary’ is just the people you choose to spend it with.” I think this statement is far more true than just being limited to the holiday season. I think what makes life ‘extraordinary’ is also based off the individuals we meet and the relationships we get to cherish along the way.

My platonic soul mate Theresa Eugenio shared this song with me by the Jonas Brothers earlier both by phone and by her 2019 post and I would like to share it with you with a dedication as well. Going into 2020, I am more guarded with my time and my peace of mind. Yes, I am more of an introvert and far less social, but when I do engage, I do so with intention. I want people to be off their phones, and unveiled with me. I also want people to feel loved and supported by me like never before because I have learned that that truly is what is most important in any interaction.

Thank you to everyone that made this decade one to remember. It is absolutely my most EPIC decade to date. Let’s see if the next 10 years can compete. (SPOILER ALERT: I have a feeling that the next 10 years will not only will be able to compete these past 10, but they will be FAARR better! The best is truly yet to come… not only for me, but for all of us!

Happy New Year! God bless! 

[anagentinwriting]

To Catch a Thief - Part 14

Summary: Being an FBI field agent was your dream job but having been stuck behind a desk for most of your career you’ve almost given up. Fortunately, a series of robberies with minimal evidence forces you to assist a team in the field to help solve the case. But when the only thing left behind is a series of song lyrics, will you be able to find the perp? Or will the number of obstacles and lack of evidence keep you from solving the case?

Pairing: Peter Quill x Reader

Word Count: 2811

Warnings: Angst, Language, Fluff

To Catch a Thief Masterlist / Main Masterlist

You hit the ground hard and turned around noticing Peter wasn’t moving. “Peter,” you croaked, crawling over to him. “Peter!” You start to shake him forcing him to let out a groan. “Oh, thank god,” you breathed, resting your head on his chest.

“Calm down, sweetheart. I’m fine, it’s not like I got shot or anything,” Peter chuckled, making his chest vibrate. He places his hand on your back slowly rubbing up and down. You turned your head on his chest to see Peter grinning at you. “Cutting it a little close, don’t you think?” Peter piped up with his eyes drifting from yours to the doorway. You whipped your head around to see Gamora and Kraglin with Ronan laying on the ground dead. Wait. What? How?

“Sorry. The Collector and his Trinkets were a squirmy group to get their cuffs on, but it’s done. At least the two of you did good with distracting Ronan,” Gamora replied, holstering her weapon. Kraglin walked over to Ronan kicking his leg to make sure he was dead.

“I’m good at improv. Thought about a dance-off, but decided on a different route,” Peter replied, standing up and reaching down to help you up off the ground.

“What the fuck happened? You arrested The Collector and his minions. How did you two get in here?” You asked, staring at them with narrowed eyes.

“Did you forget about Peter’s earpiece?” Your eyes widened as it dawned on you. “All the way here he was telling us what to watch out for and what path to take. As for The Collector, T’Challa helped us out like he promised,” Gamora smiled, walking over to the paintings nodding at them with approval. You tilted your head sorting through her explanation before something dawned on you.

“Peter, you’re a fucking idiot,” You turned toward him, poking him in the chest. “Why would you push me out of the way? You could’ve died. And why didn’t you tell me the plan?”

“Sucks to be in the dark doesn’t it,” he teased. “As for pushing you out of the way, I wanted to make sure I could do this again.” He put your hands on your hips and pulled you close to him.  He leaned down and kissed you, again. His lips were intoxicating against yours like he was the perfect drink you didn’t want to set down. You leaned into him wrapping your arms around his neck pulling him in closer. He moaned in your mouth sending a shock up your spine and goosebumps to your skin. This time this kiss wasn’t going to be your last.

Kraglin cleared his throat from beside you forcing you two apart. “Why don’t we put some pressure on that wound, so you don’t bleed out.”

“Wound….what wound?” You pulled away from Peter to see his shirt sleeve covered in crimson red. “Peter your arm is bleeding.” Lifting his shirt sleeve, your eyes flashed to the small bullet wound on his upper bicep.

“Huh...would you look at that? That blue bastard shot me.” He rotated his bicep to get a better look at it. “It doesn’t even hurt.”

“It’s the adrenaline, but once it wears off you’ll be a world of hurt.  And from the looks of it, you still have the bullet lodged in there,” Kraglin said, examining his arm.

Kraglin hands you a clean cloth and a small bottle of vodka from his bag.  You cleaned the wound as best you could and tied the cloth snug around his bicep. Peter watches you the whole time unable to can’t keep the adoring smile off his face. You rolled your eyes tying the last knot to hold him over until we get him to a hospital.

“Do you want to see this necklace? I mean, we did come all this way.” Kraglin asked, standing next to the pillar and the goblet.

“He’s right, we did come all this way,” you agreed with a shrug. “We should at least check it out.”

“I agree with my girl.” Peter nudged you on the arm.

“You’re all are idiots. Valkyrie wanted this stone locked away.  She knows what this stone is capable of and I don’t think it’s a good idea to mess with something we don’t understand.”

“Well, you’re outvoted, so let's figure out how to open this other secret passageway.” Peter clapped his hands together, wincing at the sharp pain shooting up his arm.

Kraglin pulled a two-liter bottle of water from his bag and started pouring it into the goblet. “I may have an idea. Valkyrie wanted blood to flow into this, but what she might not have known roughly two liters of water weigh the same as a half gallon of blood. Now, a half a gallon of blood is the amount you can lose before the body hemorrhages and dies. So, as long as Valkyrie was going by weight and not viscosity this should open the door.”

You don’t know how Kraglin knew this random bit of information, but then again, you didn’t know much about him. He was good at keeping up with current events, random facts, and connecting things together most people might miss.  He wasn’t good at research or profiling, but he didn’t have to be. His strengths outweighed his weaknesses.

Kraglin dropped the last drop of water into the goblet. The mechanism started to tick like it was calculating the weight as the goblet pushed the mechanism down.  The floor in front of the pillar started to recede back creating a dark secret passageway.

“Kraglin does it again.” Gamora patted him on the shoulder. You smiled at him and he nodded in your direction.

You shined your flashlight into the passageway before descending down the ladder on one of the sides.  Peter went in after you followed by Kraglin and Gamora. You beamed the light across the room and spotted the necklace on a headless bust.  You stepped closer to it and noticed this necklace wasn’t like the others in any way. It was a choker instead of sitting loose around the neck, and it didn’t have addition jewels on it, instead, it was only the Soul Stone. It laid in the center of a gold plated chunky choker consisting of engraved lines and symbols around it. It was a simple necklace but captured the orange stone's beauty.

“Interesting. A choker. Did you know the Ancient Egyptians would often put jewelry on the parts of their body they felt needed protection. The throat being the obvious choice along with the head, wrists, and ankles. Crazy enough they believed it gave them special and protective powers,” Kraglin informed.

Looking past the necklace there was a message from Valkyrie in Xhosa:

Ndiyakuvuyela. Uyenzile. Wonwabile? Ngaba ufumene yonke into oyifunayo, okanye ulahlekelwa yinto yonke okanye wonke umntu kwinkqubo? La matye angenza iimangaliso zenzeke kodwa zingonakalisa abantu ubomi. Ndiye ndafumana isandla sokuqala, ngoko shiya okanye ukufa kwakho kuya kuba ngamatye. Valkyrie

“Does anyone here speak Xhosa?” Gamora asked, shining her light around the room.

“Yes,” a deep voice said from behind everyone. T’Challa stood behind us scanning the message before reading it aloud. “Congratulations. You made it. Are you happy? Did you get everything you wanted, or did you lose everything or everyone in the process? These stones may make miracles happen but they can also ruin people lives. I have experienced first hand, so leave it or your death will be by these stones. Valkyrie.”

“Where is she? I thought she would be in here with the stone.” You asked, glancing around the room. The only thing in the room was the bust with the necklace and an exit door.

“She’s right where she wanted to be buried next to the one she loves,” T’Challa answered your question.

“Omf.” Shuri jumped off the ladder helping Meredith down from behind her. Shuri was carrying the five necklaces around her arm but they were no longer broken. How did she repair them so fast?

“Peter, your mother wanted to... Oh, this one is gorgeous. It would look amazing on me right, brother?” She grinned, admiring the necklace. He looked unamused by his sister, forcing you to smirk. “I would rock this. Oh my god, is this vibranium? Wow! She did wonders with it.”

“Shuri, we’re leaving it here,” her brother piped up.

“What, why? Orange is totally my color,” she pleaded, reading the message on the wall. “Oh yes, I understand. I trust her judgment, I mean she knows what these stones can do.”

Meredith came across the room wrapping you in a big hug. Your arms stayed by your sides not knowing what to do. She squeezed tighter until you gave in and wrapped your arms around her.  Peter watched the two of you with a huge grin on his face.

You forgot what it was like to get hugged by a mother.  It felt so warm, comforting, and safe. You squeezed your eyes shut to relish in the moment before she pulled away and held you at arm's length.

“I’m sorry, that was forward.” She held out her hand to shake, which you took with a welcoming smile. “I’m Meredith Quill and you must be the neighbor my son can’t shut up about.”

“Does he ever shut up though,” you quipped, forcing Meredith to giggle. You peeked at a blushing Peter standing behind her staring hard at the floor. “But, yes I am the neighbor, he can’t shut up about. YN LN.”

“This is so cool!” Shuri shouted with excitement.  “The necklaces are glowing. Even the etching on the collar is glowing.” You watched as the glow from the Soul Stone weaved its way through the engravings on the collar making it shine brightly in the dark room. “I wonder what this means?”

“Legend says when Valkyrie stole the five stones she also took away their glow.  You see, they work better together as a team. They can’t perform miracles alone, but as a team, they’re more efficient. If or when these stones were ever united they said it would be unimaginable,” Kraglin informed.

“Is this a good or bad thing?” Peter asked, staring at the shining stones.

“The legend never went that far.”

“Why can’t we destroy them?” Gamora questioned, raising a brow.

“Many have tried, and they didn’t live long to tell about,” Kraglin explained.

“Then, we should leave and return these necklaces back to their rightful owners. It’s not a good idea to leave them all in one place since we don’t know what the outcome could lead to.”

Everyone agreed it was best to leave the Soul Stone necklace behind and it’s what Valkyrie would’ve wanted. Besides, it was best to leave something alone that couldn’t be explained then mess with something you knew nothing about. You didn’t know if you were the only one who felt it, but when the necklaces started to glow you felt at ease.

When you returned to the States about a week ago, you and Peter picked up right where you left off, but things were a little more than friendly. He also returned your birthday vinyl to you, and it hasn't left your record player since; he did an amazing job with it. Although you and Peter have been hooking up, neither of you haven’t even mentioned your true feelings towards each other. You were beginning to feel like that moment in the cave never happened, and it was all in your head.

Gamora and Kraglin returned the necklaces back to their rightful owners, and The Collector and his Trinkets were awaiting trial. The Collector was being charged with a long list of crimes including but not limited to murder and theft. The case was closed, and your first case was in the books.

Tonight there was a celebration party at Trash Panda, and you promised the others you’d take everything to lock up until the trial. You were putting the last bit of evidence away when you noticed Peter had two copies of his debriefing. One dated the same day as yours and the other was the following day. How did you not know Peter came in the next day? Why didn’t Kraglin or Gamora say anything about it? Out of curiosity you put the disk into your computer and clicked play.

“State your name?” Gamora voice asked not seeing her in the frame.

“Peter Jason Quill.”

“How did you find out YN was on the case?”

“Oh, we’re going that far back.” Peter raised his eyebrows pursing his lips.

“We need to cover all the bases?”

“Let’s see I first got suspicious when she brought home a box labeled Infinity. Then, she invited me over to her place after I picked her lock.” He winked at the camera. “And that’s when I saw the book Rare Gems and Stones from Around the World as well as the lyrics I left behind scribbled on a piece of paper.”

“You befriended her. Was it to get close to her or to keep tabs on the case?”

At first, it was to keep tabs on the case. The Collector and his Trinkets found out she was an agent on the case and my neighbor. After I got back from Norway, they wanted me to get closer to her.  I tried to get information, but she never told me anything. After a while, I learned more about her.  Like, she grew up in the foster system after her parents passed away and has been raising herself ever since.  Everyone she trusted after that ended up betraying her. She even went as far as running away when things got bad or frustrating.  I could relate to what she was going through because that could’ve been me if my mom died when I was little.”

“Do you care about her or was that an act, too?”

“Are you asking as an agent or as her friend?”

“As her friend.”

“Yes, I care about her. She’s an amazing woman. I turned myself in because I didn’t want to put her through having to arrest me.”

“How thoughtful of you,” Gamora quipped out of frame.

“Thanks, I think,” Peter smirked, running a hand through his hair.  “I want her to know I do care about her and I wasn’t lying about that.”

“Of course. Would you say you’re in love with her?”

“Whoa, love. Love is hard. Terrifying even,” he said, staring hard at the tabletop. “Could I see myself falling in love with her? Yes, and I may already be well on my way.” He looked back up to Gamora, biting his lip. “This feels more personal than another debriefing.”

“Oh, it is. This is more for mine and Kraglins benefit. We need to protect our teammate.” Peter waved at the glass behind Gamora acknowledging a hidden Kraglin. “She does care about you, and I want to make sure you don’t break her heart.”

“That’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Good. She doesn’t know about this personal line of questioning I am delivering to you. But, I will make sure she knows you may be an a-hole, but you’re not 100% a dick.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“Wait...what,” you exclaimed, staring at yourself in the black computer screen. “Peter’s falling in love with me. Do I feel the same? Am I even ready for this type of commitment?”  You put your head in your hands shaking it. “No. no. no. You’re not. No. I can’t be. Am I?”

You leaned back in your chair rubbing your fingers on your forehead.  What is love? It’s a song by Haddaway, but that doesn’t answer anything.  Sure in the song, he is trying to get this one girl, but she doesn’t feel the same, and he keeps getting hurt. Is it love or a crush? Is that what you're feeling? A crush or is it love? The only time you’ve seen what real love looks like was from your parents. You don’t even remember what that looks like?

“Oh my god! What am I doing? I’m deciphering my life with song lyrics now,” you groaned. “This is solving nothing.”

Your trust issues have always gotten in the way of your relationships. Every time you let someone in they would let you down, so you gave up on relationships and chose to focus on your career. With all the hell Peter put you through, you still trusted him. He may have manipulated and deceived you, but he also saved your life. Is that what love is? Sacrifice. Willing to give up something valuable for something that means so much more to you. Did Peter mean that much to you as you did to him? Were you open to getting hurt if this doesn’t work out? Or do you do what you do best and run.

A/N: Just when you think things are going to work themselves out. There is one more part left, what do you think is gonna happen? Is Peter worth sticking around for, or will she ask Yondu to be reassigned to a different field office? Find out next week and as always thanks for reading!

[dcarevu]

DCAU #11: Two-Face (Part 1)

“All men have something to hide. The brighter the picture, the darker the negative.”

We’ve made it, guys! We’ve made it past the developmental/establishment stage of Batman the Animated Series for the most part, and from here on out, the show elevates to a whole other level. Like virtually all tv shows, there will still be ups and downs, and a few bumps on the road, but it is pretty well known that not only does Two-Face mark the true start of the masterpiece that is this series, but is also one of the absolute greatest episodes.

Villain: Rupert Thorne Robin: No Writers: Randy Rogel (teleplay), Alan Burnett (story) Director: Kevin Altieri Animator: TMS Airdate: September 25, 1992 Episode Grade: A

Oh man, so what do I say about this one that hasn’t been said already? Probably not a whole lot. While not a lot of people set themselves up to look at, analyze, and write about every episode of the DCAU, doing just Batman is more common. And granted, I don’t allow myself to read any reviews of any episodes until after my posts on them are written, I am still for the most part aware of what people’s opinions are with some of these high-profile episodes. So I think the best thing to do is continue just like I intended. Not caring about necessarily writing something that people haven’t heard before, but instead just writing whatever is on my mind for reactions, and also expressing Char’s thoughts as someone who has never seen the series before. After all, most reviews of this show come from people who have seen it prior!

This is Alan Burnett’s first episode of the series, and once he and Dini were both activated, oh man. It is clear that they saw eye-to-eye with Bruce Timm and Eric Radomski, and it was a collection of the right people joining forces at just the right time. Both Dini and Burnett had worked on some pretty basic Saturday Morning Cartoons prior (along with some higher quality stuff), and writing for those types of shows must have felt like interning and doing nothing but pouring coffee for those that hold the job you truly want. They could use their creativity, sure, but knowing their visions for this show, it is apparent how stifled they must have been. Which is fine, they were still doing what they loved for a living, and getting very necessary experience. Maybe without these formative years and working on these cheesy cartoons from the 80’s, they wouldn’t have had the jobs to come up with the beautiful stories that they did. Creativity and writing is something that can get worse without practice and training, and sometimes that training truly does need to work much like it did in The Karate Kid, not being apparent until after it is completed. But while I’m not a fan of everything that Alan Burnett contributed to the DCAU, there is no denying what a valuable member to the team he was. Welcome aboard, Alan. But now let’s talk about the episode itself.

Two of the things mentioned in the series bible are as follows: the villains were to much of the time be human and have motivations, and the show was to be a noir crime drama, sometimes focusing more on everyday mobsters than colorful super villains, and not necessarily being a “monster of the week” type of show. And while Harvey Dent/Two-Face is very much a monster when it comes to appearance, this episode falls right in line with these rules. I had to think a little bit when I wrote who the villain would be for this episode, because yeah, Two-Face is a well known member of Batman’s rogues gallery, but Rupert Thorne is the real monster here. And goodness, what a cool villain he is. His voice actor, his lines, even his motivation, while not as sympathetic as Harvey’s, makes a lot of sense! He’s a mobster trying to do mobster things, and Harvey Dent is a real problem for him. But you also totally wanna see the creep get creamed by Harvey, because damn, you feel Harvey Dent’s pain tenfold. Leave the guy alone, he’s going through enough!

And throughout the episode, things just go further and further downhill for Harvey Dent, exponentially. He lashes out in public. Okay, that’s bad and gets a lot of press. But it’s nothing he can’t recover from. Then we find out it’s a recurring thing that he’s seeking professional help for, and just now getting worse. Then Rupert Thorne gets involved and severely threatens Harvey’s career as a politician. Then we have that god damn explosion, and at that point, you just know that there is no recovery, particularly as he flees the hospital, abandoning any hope for treatment. You feel the pain at the pit of your stomach as you watch, and let me tell you, even though I have seen this episode before (albeit only once), my heart was beating during certain scenes, particularly when he is talking with his psychiatrist and when he is at the “meeting” with Rupert Thorne and his goons. A couple times I heard Char gasp, and when that explosion happened, she had her mouth covered for a good while, hardly able to believe that Harvey Dent, one of Bruce Wayne’s best friends, a surprisingly clean-cut, honest politician, and someone we have seen a couple times now, is the villainous Two-Face that she has heard about before.

It’s not even just his character. It’s the fact that the episodes of this show so far have been good, but not this level. This is a serious, adult episode that I think would actually be pretty intense for children. I made a joke to Char when we were discussing the episode, and I said, “But it’s just a little kid’s cartoon!” and she responded with, “No it is not.” We deal with politics in a way that’s actually engaging. We deal with the struggle of a severe mental disorder and childhood trauma. Gosh jesus, the way this episode handles the mental disorder! Char and I both applauded it. Bruce Wayne telling Harvey how proud he is that he’s seeking mental help just warms your heart, and looking back after watching the episode (along with part 2, which has been watched, but we’ll discuss that next time), it almost brings a tear to your eye. Especially since all that could have been done was done. Harvey was getting help. His finance, who is a great character by the way, gave him all the love and support she could have. Bruce Wayne encouraged him to get better and even stepped in as Batman to try to save his friend. But sometimes with life, you can do everything right and it’s never enough. That is what makes this story a genius tragedy. Much better than what they were originally planning with the character, where they would have had him get acid thrown in his face like his traditional origin, and then develop the episodes. Him struggling with these mental problems for longer than his scars have existed feels so much more real, and adds to what makes this character so complex.

Then we have the style and animation, and it does nothing but enhance everything. Director Kevin Altieri outdid himself here. Some of the shots, including one of the most iconic images ever of his other face being revealed for a second when the lightning strikes, are simply beautiful. There were a lot of other little things like the rain on the window at night, which Char specifically noted. There was a specific close-up shot as well when Harvey was bandaged in the hospital that was extra stylized, but it standing out and being different than the other animation worked in its favor. It fit the mood so well. A different animation studio would do Part 2, which is a bit of a shame, as it didn’t end up looking nearly as good as this one, but I’m glad they blew their load on this one at the same time and made the visuals match the episode concept so well. Animation similar to some of the first episodes of the series would have killed the vibes which they were going for. It was a mini horror movie, lacking any amount of camp (something that Nothing to Fear didn’t do nearly as well). Also, TMS is very well known for being a studio of amazing quality and detail.

Something cool that Char noticed was that Grace, Dent’s fiancé, didn't touch him when it came to calming him down and forcing “Big Bad Harv” away, and it’s evident at another section of the episode that touching him in this state tends to set him off a lot more. This is a cool subtlety, and it shows that Grace is very in tune and familia with Harvey, and is definitely the closest thing to a safe-haven that he has. When he is with Grace, it gives you hope, when he is with almost anyone else, well, Char put it best, you could cut the tension with a knife. I think this is what leaves your heart beating throughout the episode, and what makes it so suspenseful. That tension. But while watching, you hope that the pressure is relieved. Instead, it ends with quite literally an explosion. We’ll see how things resolve next time.

Char’s grade: A Major firsts: Rupert Thorne, Two-Face, a two-part episode

Next time: Two-Face (Part 2)

Full episode list here!

[our-legacy-rp-blog]

JAYLIE has been accepted for the character DELANEY ALLAWAY

An outstanding application, Jaylie! You really captured Delaney, and the amount of thought you’ve put into her character really shows. You’ve got a great eye for character detail, and we can’t wait to see where you go from here. Welcome to OL, and be sure you fill out the checklist HERE.

OOC name & pronouns: Jaylie (she/her)

Age:23

Timezone: GMT+8

IC INFORMATION:

Character’s name: Delaney Allaway

FC: Lily Collins

Position request: Seeker on the Gryffindor team (if not already filled)

Birthday: June 17. Gemini are known to represent dual natures in one. They are expressive and sociable, but also tend to suddenly get serious, thoughtful and restless. They are fascinated with the world itself, extremely curious, with a constant feeling that there is not enough time to experience everything they want to see. I think this describes Delaney very well – she’s always on the move, wanting to experience as much as she can, although at times she can also be prone to sullen moods and sudden bouts of thoughtfulness.

Wand: 11½”, Sycamore and unicorn tail hair core. A sycamore wand is always eager for new experiences and tends to lose its brilliance when engaged in mundane activities – much like its owner. Delaney is a curious witch and makes a good partner for her wand, especially since she is always challenging herself with spells that are past her level of competency (even if the results aren’t always good). Along with a unicorn tail hair core, Delaney’s wand is extremely faithful to her and enables her to produce consistent magic, although she discovered that it tends to perform better when she brings it along with her whenever she is breaking the rules or trying something new.

Patronus: Delaney has obviously tried casting the patronus charm on more than one occasion, but has never succeeded in casting a corporeal patronus. If she could, it would be a dolphin. There is an adventurous and carefree nature to the dolphin, one that is reflected in those with it as their patronus. They are often social and loved by most. They are strong and like to explore new things and meet new people. These traits are mirrored in Delaney, who is communicative and enjoys experiencing and learning new things. Dolphins also symbolise freedom and if there is one thing Delaney values, it is her freedom.

Boggart: Herself, being trapped within glass walls.

Delaney is always up for an adventure so when a few of her fellow Gryffindors asked her along to go boggart-hunting in her second year, she agreed in a heartbeat. It wasn’t as fun as she thought it would be, though, and till now she still remembers what she saw when she faced the boggart.

It was as if the boggart could sense her fear beneath her suppressed memories, ones that even she could hardly remember.  She saw herself surrounded by glass walls which were so high that they never seemed to end. She – or rather, the image of herself – pounded her fists on the walls but there wasn’t so much as a crack. Her mouth opened her mouth to cry for help, but no sound came out.

The reason is still unclear to Delaney now, but she has a subconscious fear of being trapped and unable to free herself, stemming from her younger years of being locked up in the Kinney household. Unlike now, she wasn’t allowed to make any noise or do what she wanted. One of the things she enjoys most about life is being free; having the freedom to do what she wanted, the freedom to speak her mind and express herself. Taking this away from her would be worse than asking her to run around Hogwarts in nothing but a towel (not that she has tried). She just hadn’t known how much she really feared that until she faced a boggart for the first time.

Headcanons:

When Delaney was first put into the foster care system, she couldn’t read or write. While she wasn’t underfed or physically abused, her parents didn’t teach her anything either. They spent as little time as possible with her. Being in the same room as her made them uncomfortable, therefore they avoided doing anything that would mean them being in her presence for an extended period of time and this, unfortunately, included teaching her the alphabets and numbers – things that a four-year-old would usually know by then. A kind matron acting as the temporary caretaker of the kids in the foster care system taught her how to write her own name on the fourth day she was there, and from then on, she learned something new every day, be it from the matron or the older kids. By the time the Ministry confirmed the Allaway’s adoption of Delaney, the girl could pretty much hold up her own end of the conversation, read and write basic sentences, and do simple counting.

Although Delaney loves all things dragons, her first love is, and always will be, the Antipodean Opaleyes. From the moment she laid eyes on the baby Opaleye for the first time, she knew she was in love. When its iridescent scales caught the sunlight, the then five-year-old girl had gasped involuntarily, drawing the smiles of her parents. It was the most beautiful creature she has ever seen. For the next few weeks, she spent almost every waking moment with the Opaleye until it stopped breathing fire every time she got closer and instead greeted her with a smoky snort.

Delaney wants very much to become closer to her brother, Lowry. The girl is easily satisfied and doesn’t want for much. However, if there was something she was envious of, it was her cousins’ relationships with each other. The Allaways were a big family, with aunts and uncles and cousins all living together in a communal environment. During her first day at Clarity Park, after meeting her new parents, she was told by the witch from the Ministry to stay outside and play with her cousins while the adults settle the paperwork. Still shy and reserved, Delaney sat under a tree while watching the other children. Seeing how her cousins played and protected each other in team games made her excited to have someone like that in her life as well. Afterwards, when Mimi and Sam told her that she had a brother, Delaney couldn’t keep her heart still. Even though she looked impassive on the outside, her mind was turning furiously. Would he be her protector, or she his?  It didn’t matter either way – she simply wanted someone she could play with like the cousins she saw earlier. Someone who was willing to accept her, despite the suddenness of her appearance. She didn’t understand what was it she felt then, but it broke her heart when Lowry refused to shake her hand or introduce himself that day. It broke her heart when he wouldn’t look her in the eye at breakfast the next morning, or in the days that followed. At one point in time, Delaney even thought to herself that she wouldn’t mind changing parts of her personality if it meant that Lowry would grow fonder of her. There was, however, one thing she knew she wouldn’t be able to change, even if it was to get her brother to like her…

She hates the quiet. While Lowry excels when working in silence, Delaney finds it too overwhelming and her brain always refuses to cooperate when she must do so. She always feels a need to fill in the silence and has therefore developed a habit of talking to herself whenever she’s alone. She doesn’t care much for what others think of her when they overhear her mumbling to herself; after all, it’s a free world, surely everyone is entitled to their own methods of focusing.

History:

The Kinney family were a muggle family living on the outskirts of Belfast and paying their way through honest and earnest means. Julia worked as a school teacher for younger children, while Michael was an electrician in the local neighbourhood, fixing appliances or light fixtures. They lived modestly, scrimping and saving where possible in order to have a treat every now and then - a nice dinner out, a trip to the city for the day. Julia and Michael, who had met not long after leaving school themselves, were not boastful or idealistic people: they were in love, but they also believed in the practicality of a good marriage. They could support one another and whatever family they created, and that meant something. Their first child was a boy named Caleb - healthy and happy, the young couple were overwhelmed with the pressures of first time parenthood, scrambling to understand how to take care of a baby and give it everything it needed. Though Caleb was a handful, the pair were flushed with success and quickly got pregnant a second time soon after. This time round, they were prepared – armed with experience and the know-hows of taking care of a child now, they were excited to have a second child join the family.

However, bizarre incidents followed. From the moment of her conception, Delaney was… strange. Meetings with the doctor resulted in the technology failing or the scan photos to come up blurred, distorted, or simply black. Her birth caused a power surge in the hospital, and the back-up generators were forced to kick in. Julia noticed that her pregnancy was much more tumultuous and restless than it had been with Caleb, and at one point wondered if there was something wrong, but none of it mattered when Delaney was born - a healthy girl delivered in the waiting arms of her parents, who were happy she was alright. The strange occurrences faded from the minds of her parents as the throws of parenthood began all over again - Julia and Michael were too busy to notice the signs of early magic that were happening with Delaney until it was too late. Shocked by what they saw - their baby girl making lights flicker, objects move, and on one memorable occasion, making her toy dragon shoot flames from its mouth. They were scared, and rightfully so - raised devoutly Catholic, Julia and Michael were terrified of their own daughter, and quickly fell into a pattern of neglect and fear that dominated the first few years of Delaney’s life.

She was kept away from her brother and instead forced to stay in her room under lock and key. Though only a baby and, soon, a toddler, Delaney was given little time with her parents - though fed, washed, and changed, she was largely left on her own. The girl spent most of her days by herself, locked in her room, with no one to play with or talk to. She used to cry when she was younger but as she grew older, she begun to comprehend that her parents only grew angrier and more scared of her whenever she did so, and therefore stopped. Julia and Michael feared bringing in a priest and having him confirm the worst, not to mention the unwanted attention and notoriety that a modern day possession might bring them. They were simple people; they didn’t want to create waves. So Delaney grew up a lonely but not uncared for little girl, her magic coming in spurts over the years and only serving to continue scaring her parents. It was only when Delaney left the house to receive her vaccinations that others became aware of what was happening inside the Kinney house. Delaney accidentally used magic in front of a muggle that alerted the Irish branch of the Ministry of Magic to her case - and when they came to the house to alert her family, they found her locked in her room. The conditions were terrible, and though Julia and Michael made excuses, the Ministry couldn’t sit by and let it continue.

Delaney was removed at the age of four from her family and put into the foster system for witches and wizards. Because she was so young, the Ministry actively searched for a home that would take her permanently - and that was when the name of the Allaway’s cropped up. Known for running Clarity Park, a sanctuary for magical creatures and beasts, the Allaway’s were reclusive and isolated from most of the wizarding world, but they kept a few old contacts within the Ministry for situations involving creatures. In passing, Delaney’s case was mentioned, and very quickly the Allaway’s decided to take her in. She was, after all, much like the other cases they took, albeit a human one but no less of a troubled cause. For the first time in her life, Delaney was allowed to be a child - and quickly she adapted to her new surroundings. Wild, free, and talkative, Delaney shed her old skin and became a young girl who was loud and active - traits that she had learned to suppress in order to keep her parents happy. Clarity Park was her home, and she spent days running among the pens and enclosures of the animals, learning their names and qualities.

But the one creature that captured Delaney’s attention the strongest was dragons. Clarity Park had rescued and rehabilitated several abused dragons, but Delaney’s favourite were the Antipodean Opaleye breed. Friendly, beautiful, and easy to train, Delaney handled several of the baby Opaleye’s before they were shipped off to dragon reserves, which had more space. Delaney found that she had a knack for dragon rearing and was encouraged by her parents, Mimi and Sam, to continue developing her skills with the dragons that passed through Clarity Park. For them, there was no danger in Delaney or her gifts, and they raised her like their own alongside their biological son Lowry. Mimi and Sam were hesitant to tell Delaney about her past the older she got, especially as they witnessed the changes she’d made since arriving - they didn’t want to ruin her childhood by bringing up the bad, and possibly repressed, memories from life as a Kinney. But for Delaney, these were times that she could hardly remember; she knew that the Allaway’s were not her biological family, but it didn’t matter so much when she was loved and cared for by their communal way of taking care of each other. The thought of looking for or even finding out more information about her biological family has never crossed Delaney’s mind – to her, the Allaway’s were and always will be her family.

There was, however, a downside. Delaney and Lowry did not get along, and it was, to Delaney at least, almost a one-sided competition that she wanted no part of. Though she loved Mimi and Sam and called them mother and father, she knew that Lowry came first to them and was not envious of that position. She understood that she was the intruder in Lowry’s life and gave him a wide berth, hoping that, with time, they might become friends. But Lowry never softened, and instead seemed to only grow colder toward Delaney over the years. When the time came to head to Hogwarts together, Delaney thought that it would bond them - but it didn’t. Gryffindor called to both of them, and Lowry seemed angry that they were once more stuck together. She watched as he made friends with other people and pretended like they weren’t family - a blow that stung and left her to make friends with others in his absence. Although it wasn’t all bad for Delaney as Hogwarts allowed her to focus her magic, the wild thing inside of her that had caused so much trouble, she also knew that she would never stop trying to bridge the distance between her and Lowry.

Taking to her subjects eagerly, Delaney found her stride in subjects like Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology, and Transfiguration - things that tapped into her strengths or allowed her to challenge herself. And it became clearer over the years that her direction in life lay with dragons, and that one day she might be a dragon trainer herself at a reserve. But the time between the present and that dream was a long one, and Delaney set about working hard and proving herself a strong witch. A dedicated student, an active and athletic person, as well as someone who always seeks to better themselves, Delaney is a proactive Gryffindor who embodies the traits of her house. Talkative, friendly, and with a wicked sense of humour, Delaney is type of person to be at the forefront of social events, conversation, and extra curriculars. She wants to be bold and live without fear, learning from her early years with her family - she never wants to feel as though she can’t be herself, and freely encourages others to do the same. For Delaney, each day is important, and she tackles it with a fierce heart and a steadfast belief that anything is possible.

Now:

If someone were to bring up the topic of werewolves in a conversation with her, Delaney would refuse to take sides. For some reason, they always remind Delaney of dragons – the same words used to describe the dragons once upon a time are now also being used to label the werewolves. They are beasts – too fierce, unpredictable, dangerous, and uncontrollable. The solution to that were the dragon reserves. Dragons kept in captivity and studied. If the werewolves and wizarding community cannot find peace with each other, is it going to end in the same way? Only it would be worse, because werewolves are not beasts, at least not in Delaney’s eyes. They feel, they think, they talk – in a common language with wizards and witches alike. Some of them are born a werewolf, some are made, but not all are happy with their circumstance, not all hold the same extremist views as the culprits who have been making headlines of late. It is frustrating, to say the least, hearing all the negative press about the current state of the wizarding world.

Not one to remain fixed for long, Delaney chooses not to dwell on it and instead focus on other things like getting out of detention, quidditch, and getting those grades which she needs to pursue a future as a dragon keeper. Throwing herself into schoolwork and extra curriculars, Delaney strives to live each day without regret. She simply wishes to experience as many things as she can while she is still able to. Straightforward with her feelings (though some would call her tactless) and with an inability to turn down a challenge, the Gryffindor often finds trouble following her even if she doesn’t mean to cause any. However, she has no time for anything that slows her down or anyone who would stop her from achieving her goals. Ultimately, family and friends will always be her priority, and she will protect them no matter what it takes.

[brainsinmyheadfeetinmyshoes]

Celia’s Birth Story.

Welcome, Celia Fe! Born 08.05.17, surprising everyone 23 days before her due date. 

*****

At my 36wk mark on Monday, I had a funny inkling that the baby would be here soon. I called to make a hair appointment and thought, "Wouldn't it be ironic if she's born before then?" The inkling kept tickling my mind and emotions and I wrote it off as a sense of preparedness. I was prepared for labor and delivery, and it was just me, ready to get to the other side.

By Wednesday, the inkling grew frenetic. I just KNEW she would be here soon. I was filled with strange new energy to get ready, quick. Pack the hospital bag. Take maternity photos with the boys NOW because the weekend might be too late. Get out the carseat and wash the cover. Just totally overwhelmed by this sense that she was coming SOON. And after I ate a hearty yogurt-apple salad at 3pm, I wasn't hungry again. Strange, I'm always hungry...

At 7pm, I tweaked an abdominal muscle somehow. It felt like the baby kicked or elbowed me and it triggered a sharp round ligament pain... except the pain spread to the other side, and lasted for hours. I couldn't roll over in bed or walk to the bathroom without assistance. After five hours, I phoned Labor and Delivery and they suggested I come in for monitoring. The jostling car ride over was terrrrrrible, but it was kind of nice to have a practice run since we hadn't delivered at this hospital before.

They kept us in triage for about six hours, then sent us home. Contractions started while there, and were regular, but I only dilated 1cm. The doctor credits the abdominal pain to carrying very low with very weak muscles. She said she could tell that the musculature was stretched thin because she could see baby's movements clearly without even palpating. She recommended a support belt, even if I only used it a few days, and sent me to labor at home.

We got home soon after 8am Thursday, and I proceeded to sleep most of the day while Erik took on the boys. I had the genius idea to try using our jersey-knit-fabric baby carrier to help support my belly once I dared to stand up and it made a huge difference. I had found a pelvic tuck-and-lift exercise that I intended to try anyway with my low belly, so this made it very easy to do. It entails manually lifting the belly during a contraction while tucking the pelvis in and bending the knees, for ten consecutive contractions. This presumably gets baby over the pubic bone and into the pelvic cavity, also coercing her to rotate into an optimal position if necessary. Contractions had continued most of the day at regular intervals and were around 5min apart at this point, so it was a straightforward activity. I think ultimately, it worked magic, because my pain went from a 7-8 at the hospital, to a 5 late Thursday, and ultimately, was nonexistent when active labor began. My belly felt and appeared higher than it had been as well, reducing that abdominal strain, with much less overhang over my pubic bone and a much more heartburny, cut-off-air-supply feeling at my breastbone.

Thursday night, contractions all but disappeared, so everyone got pretty solid sleep. Friday, I craved oatmeal for breakfast, despite it being an unfriendly gestational diabetic breakfast, but I needn't have worried about that--my appetite remained nearly nonexistent. It was extremely hard to choke down food these two days, made worse by the guilt that I should keep my energy up for active labor. I learned that I was likely experiencing "prodromal labor," which is essentially when early labor comes in fits and starts. It features very real contractions, at regular intervals, with real pain, that are productive at effacing and dilating the cervix, but never seem to amount to much. It can last up to a month before active labor begins. After a quiet morning, mine started up again in the afternoon at 15min apart, then progressed to 10min apart, and disappeared at bedtime. I resigned myself to this pattern for days on end. On the one hand, prodromal labor often shortens active labor which is nice, and gives you a chance to practice relaxation and breathing techniques, but on the other, it's total crap for morale and is physically taxing. Plus, who wants to be in limbo?! Either baby is coming or she's not...!

Around 1am Saturday, an extra hard, long contraction woke me up, and it was followed by three more before I finally got out the timer. They were between 60-90 seconds long, every 5-6 minutes. (Everything prior had been a minute or less long, with less intensity.) I got up to shower and move around, figuring they would stop if it was more prodromal labor. But they didn't. So then I thought, maybe they'll stop when I lay back down. But they didn't. After a few that required serious concentration, I was ready to hit the hospital. I could only take so much solo. Our sweet neighbor came over at 3:30am to stay with the boys, and off we went, with contractions every 3-4min.

I was admitted at 4:15am, at about 4cm dilated. I had been waffling about an epidural--I had one with Lucian, with a bad experience, and had no choice but to skip it with Lionel. So having a choice now was tough. The thought of getting hooked up to an IV, waiting for labs to come back, talk with the anesthesiologist, sit very still while they hooked it up to my back, the chance that I would be a passive agent at delivery... the hassle hardly seemed worth the (sheer bliss of) numbness. On the other hand, being a hero for hours upon hours as I slooooowly dilated was not something I had the morale to do. So a rock and a hard place. I got the IV drip just in case (extra fluids never hurt), but the conversation pretty much ended after that, because things moved quickly, thank heavens.

Within an hour I was at 6cm, which is rapid progress. It was the same every contraction: Erik would put his hands on my shoulders and apply pressure, and I begged him to give me a pep talk (even though I hate pep talks and he hates giving pep talks and also, he sucks at giving pep talks), while I inhaled, then moaned deeply, 5-8 times. Breathing was the thing I did poorly with Lionel and I didn't want to make the same mistake this time. The very sweet nurse, who stayed with us the whole time, constantly said, "Good job, you're doing great" about my breathing. At some point, I told her, "Tell me I'm one of the best you've ever seen," (Again, seeking that pep talky validation, haha) and she said, "You're really doing everything so well! Your Blah-Blah Breathing Technique is perfect. Do you do yoga?" And I almost laughed, because me, do yoga? Maybe four times in my life. I suck at breathing, that's why I DON'T do yoga. Ha! But maybe this will initiate me to a yoga practice since I apparently am capable of being a pro breather.

I had the urge to pee around this point, but the act of squatting on the toilet squared up the pressure way too much, so my grand plans of walking and moving during labor went right out the window then, and I just stayed in the bed. But it was really great to feel like that was 100% my choice, which was not an autonomy I felt I had with Lucian and Lionel.

Things got pretty dire at 7.5-8cm. It was totally textbook. That's when women tend to want to give up. To think they can't do it. They really need to gather themselves between contractions so aren't chatty or cheerful. The sounds of labor follow a certain pitch and scale. But damn, it was really hard. During the car ride, I had explained to Erik that the pain during a contraction was like changing gears in a car, with identifiable levels requiring deep breathes, then faster deep breathes, then a low moan with each breathe, then a louder moan, etc. You can physically feel the uterus kind of inch upward, like drawing up a curtain, bunching at the top to dilate at the bottom. Each time it bunches, the pain amps up. And from 8-10cm, that curtain was totally being yanked into place within me. And I couldn't find the corresponding response, since I was already moaning and groaning up a storm and had nowhere else to go. Especially when the urge to push kicked in, when it felt like my uterus was squeezing so tightly, I had no choice but to join it.

The one thing that got me through that last 10 minutes before pushing was a cherry popsicle. I was drenched in sweat, and couldn't open my eyes, and the contractions came every 1min, and I was so tired and just wanted to rest, and the thought of that icy sweet relief got me through each contraction because I couldn't wait for another taste. It was a perfect gift. 

The team assembled quickly as I escalated. My waters hadn't ruptured throughout ALL of this, and I felt enormous pressure. I just wanted to push, if only to force that pressure away. Two residents managed the delivery and through my last 1-3 contractions as I begged them to let me push, they said they wanted to wait for the attending physician. F*** that, man. I know there are protocols that they need to follow, but I feel like they had enough notice to get themselves organized. I recall mention of baby's heart rate slowing down and I think that was the main motivator for them to let me push. Apparently the attending physician WAS present, but I never registered her entrance. They poked that amniotic sac, and oh, the relief as the clear fluid poured out. Only not. I recall pushing being a welcomed reprieve from contractions with Lionel, something I bore cheerfully, but I wanted this baby OUT. I didn't pay any attention to riding the waves or pausing between contractions, I just inhaled and pushed, inhaled and pushed. Erik thinks it lasted for three contractions. I think it was for maybe 6-8 counts of 10, which didn't necessarily correspond with contractions. Who cares. At some point I was positive her head was out, but when I asked, they said she was only just crowning. Which made me push harder, damn it. 

Within probably five minutes though, she slithered out, 1hr 45min after I set foot in the delivery room, and they put her right on me. She gurgled and cried right away so the neonatal team didn't have to sweep her off, though they did assess her right away and she passed with flying colors. Delivering the placenta, an unpleasant memory from my other two births entailing much unceremonious yanking of the umbilical cord, was no big deal this time, requiring only two small pushes. As they rinsed me off, someone (maybe it was the attending physician) said, "Does it make it better to know you had zero tearing?!" So no stitches for me. A nice reward I suppose, though things are so messed up from the waist down postpartum, it doesn't seem like such a huge perk. Maybe I'll be grateful in a few days, when the swelling has gone down and I'm not using sitz baths. I don't know. Tearing was never one of my big hangups.

They brought her right back for skin to skin contact. She was so peaceful, though alert, and had no trouble starting to nurse. In fact, she's a champ breastfeeder with a hearty appetite and thank goodness--they have to check her blood sugar at least six times, and get good readings before we're discharged because of the gestational diabetes. But go me for managing my sugar well enough for her not to tank. Also, because she's considered preterm (by only two days but still), all the usual concerns about weight gain and jaundice are especially heightened. Despite being only 5lb 15oz, all the medical staff assess her to be very healthy, appearing more advanced than her gestational age. So it was just time for baby girl to come out!

Erik says he was really impressed by me throughout. I seemed calm and in control, did a great job breathing, managed the pain well, and did everything like a champ. It feels good to hear, of course. But despite having that same sense myself--I knew what was going on and what to do this third time around--coming out of labor and delivery, all I've felt is relief, with a slight tinge of negativity. It was a hard battle won. Such a hard battle. The pregnancy wore on me. The gestational diabetes wore on me. The prodromal labor and abdominal pain wore on me. So my feelings of, "Whoa, that was really something, can I try it again and do better?" after Lucian, and "Whoa, I delivered a baby in an hour with no epidural, I'm a rockstar!" after Lionel, are in sharp contrast to a feeling of not wanting to do this again for a long, long time. If ever.

Another way I know labor impacted me differently this time, is that when they gave me Pitocin to control the bleeding immediately after delivery, each tiny little cramp I felt entered my psyche as, "Oh God no, not another contraction," and I braced myself. It took quite awhile to mentally accept that it was over. So it caused a little emotional trauma I think.

Finally, I was so excited to write out Lucian and Lionel's birth stories. It was cathartic. A processing mechanism. Something I had to do before I could get any sleep. This time, while I've still written all this out in less than 12 hours following her birth, it came from a place of, "I guess I gotta document this one too," despite the strong desire to just leave it in my memory. Perhaps that means I did a proper job of emotionally processing in the moment. Or perhaps I'm just so bone-weary from these hard years of childbirth and child-rearing, it feels like an excessive mental exercise. Regardless, I've written the thing now, and I know I won't regret it!

Erik is bringing the boys now with cupcakes to celebrate Celia's birthday. I can't wait for them to meet her. And I can't wait to eat a cupcake.

[twinsoflima-blog1]

WHAT YOU SEE

full name: Caleb “Cal” Matthias Sylvester

face claim: Dylan O’Brien

age: 19

birthday: January 14, 1998

birth order: Eldest (OC)

hometown: Lima, OH

gender identity: Male

pronouns: He/Him

orientation: Homosexual

occupation: Student & Bartender at Scandals

area of study: Performing and Media Arts

WHERE THEY’VE BEEN

Tw: Heart Condition, Fainting, Clinical Depression & Anxiety

SYNCOPE: Growing up, you would have never thought Caleb was more than Ohio’s average little boy; he was always so energetic, so friendly and polite, he loved to play soccer with his friends, in middle school he was the captain of the track team, and he was always jumping around without a care in the world. He was just like any other little boy, both of his parents were quite wealthy; his mother coached the Mckinley High Cheerios, and they usually returned from competitions with first place, and as for his father, he worked at the biggest hospital in Princeton, New Jersey, he was the most qualified doctor in the building and it was safe to say that with his titles of being the Head of Diagnostic Medicine, Residency in Pathology, Nephrology, Infectious Disease Specialist and being an Intensivist, he had more than your regular GP qualifications. Sure, both of his parents weren’t the friendliest people in the world, but they knew how to raise and love a child, so who could complain? But things with Caleb slowly started to deteriorate when he was in Seventh Grade, his mood went from being this happy and energetic little boy to a little boy who threw temper tantrums, suddenly wouldn’t eat his meals, and was starting to become easily agitated and just wanted to sleep. Like any parent would, they first just put it down to him being near the age of puberty, they thought it would pass by the summer that year, little did they know, though, while their wishes came true, as soon as Caleb went into Eight Grade, everything went downhill. His mother was seven months pregnant at the time, she had only recently broken the news to her son that his little sister would be born with Down Syndrome, and that was fine, the problems started when his grandmother came to visit, Caleb was simply just in one of those moods, but everyone paid no attention to him, except, of course, his medical expert of a father, Caleb was turning a pale bluish colour, he looked exhausted in a matter of minutes after having just gone up and back down the stairs. If his father hadn’t needed the aid of his cane to walk, he would’ve rushed to his son, but sadly, by the time he had managed to get to him as quickly as he could and had drawn attention, Caleb was blacked out on the ground, involuntarily gasping for air as his pulse raced and his heart fluttered in an unusual way. He was rushed to the hospital, both his parents by his side when he woke up from having a variety of tests done, all of them coming back to the same shocking conclusion; Caleb had been diagnosed with a complex form of a Transposition of The Great Arteries in his heart, there were only a handful of people that had the same complexity of the condition like Caleb did, but unfortunately, Caleb would also suffer from a more severe symptom of the condition; Syncope, also known as fainting that was caused by the complication of his arteries flowing the blood through his body in the wrong direction; the blood that was supposed to go to his heart, went to his brain, and vice versa, meaning that there was a lack of oxygen going to his brain, which, is the most common cause of people collapsing. He would have to create a completely new routine for himself, and the life he had once known, would probably never exist again.

MOVING: As anyone could imagine, the diagnosis of his heart condition was a stressful time for everyone in his family, it meant changing everything they once knew to ensure it would be alright for him. But because of the stress and pressure it put on Caleb’s parents, they came to the difficult decision that maybe it would be best if he went to live in New Jersey with his father; the man was more qualified than any normal GP, he specialised in some of the most complex cases, and with his mother still being pregnant at the time, the last thing she needed was more stress. It was a difficult decision that had to be made, and Caleb could understand that, but it didn’t make the transition from Ohio with his mother to New Jersey with his father any easier. Caleb had always believed that his father was busy and stressed all the time from work, it made him think that his father would have practically no time to be with him, but he was wrong. His father spent so much time making sure that he was safe and happy; they spent all of their free time together and amazingly, Caleb never once felt like he needed to try to be perfect around his father, he was comfortable and could just himself, and while at first, the move was hard, Caleb honestly never wanted to look back. Moving to New Jersey had been the best thing for both himself and both his parents.

CHANGES: The first year of Caleb’s diagnosis of his heart condition was definitely one of the most difficult years of his life; he had to go through a countless amount of hours in the hospital getting a variety of different tests and procedures done; being poked and prodded by different types of doctors and medical students. It was something Caleb hated the most about his condition, he just wanted to back to the time where he could be somewhat normal again, back to the life he had where people didn’t stare at him for having this new bluish tinge to his lips, fingertips and toes, he wanted to go back to the life where he could still be on the track team, where he could still run around with his friends playing sports. The life of being pale, being picked at like a little test subject and seeming sickly all the time wasn’t what he had ever imagined in his life, but this was the reality, this was his new life, and whether he liked it or not, there was no easy way out. His condition was too complex for surgery to be done, so the only thing that could really be done was his cardiac specialist putting him on medication to relieve some of the pressure from his lungs so his breathing would be somewhat easier again. But this was a life sentence that he didn’t know what he had done to deserve it; he could never get piercings, he could never get tattoos, he would never be like every other teen that went out and got wasted, he would always be on medication and would have to be careful with absolutely everything. He would have none of those experiences and he hated it, but at the same time, he was still only a kid and he didn’t understand completely, so all he could hope was that one day he would understand and accept himself even just a little bit better than he did now

FIRST INSTRUMENT: After everything Caleb had been through the year of his fifteenth birthday, his parents knew that they needed to somehow do something to try and cheer their son up; at first, his parents thought that the arrival of his little sister Robin would somehow lift his spirits, and it did, but only for a very short amount of time. Deep down, they knew it was only a matter of time until their precious little boy would be diagnosed with Depression and he was, by Christmas that year, he had been diagnosed with Clinical Depression and Anxiety, he didn’t even want to celebrate Christmas that year, he just wanted to stay in his room curled up in his bed ignoring the world. His father even had to watch him taking his medication to ensure he didn’t attempt to overdose, things were bad and nobody wanted it to get any worse, so, his parents decided to get deep into their savings to give their son one of the best Christmases of his life. On Christmas Morning, Caleb was greeted with more than a handful of presents, but out of everything he had received that year, the one thing that stuck out to him the most was his black Yamaha P Series P35B 88-Key Digital Piano, it was the one thing he had always stopped to look at when he went to the local Music Store with his father, but he was always too scared to mention how much he would like one. In his mind, why would he ever mention it? He didn’t play the piano, he had never shown a key interest in music, so Caleb always believed that if he brought it up, he would be pestered to prove how dedicated he would be and that would just put him off completely. Now it was here, and God, he was so happy, as soon as Christmas Breakfast was finished, he pleaded with his parents to help him set it up in his bedroom. All he wanted to do was to play it, and he did, not once did he ever go to a piano lesson. He thought himself how to play and by the time he was seventeen, he could play like he was a professional. It was the one skill he knew made his parents proud, but what he never shared with them was once he had mastered the piano, he had also taken up the interest of writing his own songs. Of course, he still suffered from his depression and Anxiety, but with the piano there to occupy him, his anti-depressants doses were gradually lessened. It was safe to say that the piano he had received for Christmas that year was what saved his life. Somehow, it got him out of that dark place better than any medication could have done.

BACK TO OHIO: As soon as Caleb had graduated from High School, his mother and little sister had asked him if he would come back to Ohio, and deep down, he didn’t want to go. He loved living with his father and while yes, he missed his little sister and mother, he had built a life for himself in New Jersey, he had made friends and he didn’t want to leave, and everyone could tell, so his father decided to make some sort of compromise;  his father made the decision to transfer over to Lima General Hospital to work, they needed a doctor as qualified as his father was, so he was welcomed with opened arms, plus, with the amount of money he made from his job, he was also able to buy a big house in Westerville for the two of them to live. Caleb felt horrible that his father had to pack up and leave, but the older man had assured him that he was ready for a change, so this was the path they were now going to go down. By the new school year after the summer in 2016, Caleb and his father were happily settled in Ohio once again, but this time, the four of them weren’t just celebrating a house warming; Caleb had also been accepted into a college just outside of the city to pursue his dream of studying Performing Arts. Everything was finally looking up in the world and Caleb couldn’t have been happier.

WHERE THEY’RE GOING

PLOTTING

FALLING IN LOVE: Caleb is such a quirky and shy character, so digging into this type of plot would be extremely fun, he has absolutely no idea what it feels like to be in love, deep down, he thinks it’s just a fairy tale. I really think this would be incredible to explore with him! It would be amazing to see him go from not believing in love to transitioning to the belief that love is possible once it’s with the right person.

OPENING UP: He definitely isn’t ashamed about his heart condition, but at the same time, he’s never been close enough with a friend to actually be able to really open up and talk about his own concerns. Of course, he could go to his father considering he’s a doctor, but at the same time, Caleb just wants someone his own age to be able to talk to, they probably wouldn’t understand it, but I could definitely see it being something of a challenge for Caleb to do, he’s such a guarded person, so it would be lovely to have a plot with him connecting with someone enough that he could just vent and not worry about it being said back to people.

HOSPITAL PROCEDURES: Caleb has never had to have surgery on his heart before, but with him being older, he would have to once again go through the process of multiple procedures to check on his condition. I think it would be interesting to see him in that type of environment with no guard up, plus, I think it would be pretty hilarious seeing him in the aftermath of an anaesthetic. Hospital appointments are a regular part of Caleb’ life, but no one other than his family have seen him in those situations. I think it would be great to get to plot it all out, from the leading up to it, to the recovering, I think it would add that extra human quality to Caleb.

CONNECTIONS

CHILDHOOD FRIEND: Although Caleb has moved around, I would like to imagine that through it all he’s had that person there to stand by his side through everything he’s been through; someone who will keep it totally real with him. This is the one person that can argue with Caleb and he wouldn’t worry about losing them forever. They’re also the only person that has ever heard the songs that Caleb has written.

MENTOR: This is someone that Caleb really looks up to when it comes to his music, he personally believes that they know everything there is to know about the music industry; Caleb definitely looks up to this person on their journey with music and he hopes one they he can be even a little bit as successful as they are.

FIRST LOVE: Caleb has never been in love before, so I would love for Caleb to have that romantic connection with someone. This connection would probably be the person to see Caleb at his highest and lowest points, someone that can make him feel loved even when he’s feeling worthless. They know how to make Caleb feel better, even if it’s a simple hug or a peck on the cheek, Caleb is usually happiest with this person.

THEIR GOALS

At the moment, all Caleb really wants is to pass his exams and continue to go further with his Performing and Media Arts, but he also wants to make friends and really make Ohio feel like home in the same way New Jersey did. He knows it will take a while for that feeling to settle, but he would much prefer it if it came sooner rather than later.

THE PLAYER

name: Em

pronouns: she/her

age: 21+

timezone: GMT

[alikhoynezhad-blog]

44 Patient Reviews for Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, MD, PhD

"I was referred to Dr. Khoynezhad by my cardiologist due to the complex procedure needed to repair my aortic root. I had my aortic valve replaced with a mechanical valve and ascending aorta graft in 2004. My last check up the root had enlarged. An appointment with Dr. K explained the procedure and the risk. I scheduled my surgery at Long Beach Medical Center. Dr K saw me every day I was in the hospital. I am so glad I was referred to Dr. K and his staff for my surgery. After 9 weeks, I am back to work feeling great.

Thank you to Dr. Khoynezhad, office staff Laila & Rebecca, and Long Beach Medical Center. "

-- William Hayes, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, Maze Procedure, 02/27/2018

"Dr. K. and staff did a fantastic job prior, post and the surgery it self. The procedure was thoroughly described and all questions addressed in a manner you could understand. Dr. K has a great sense of humor that makes you feel at ease. The operation for me was easy with little pain and a fast recovery and rehab. I highly recommend Dr. Khoynezhad and staff and thank them for a successful surgery."

-- Fred (Skip) Hayward, Aortic Valve, Transcatheter, Root Replacement, 11/01/2017

"Dr. Khoynezhad is professional, extremely competent, knowledgeable and easy to talk to. He is willing to answer all questions and surrounds himself with staff that has the same attributes. This is very important when facing open heart surgery that you have complete confidence in your medical team. "

-- James Belford, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 02/08/2016

"When I found out in October 2015 that I needed to have my aortic valve and root replacement, I did much of my research here on Adam Pick's website www.HeartValveSurgery.com. I found the site to be very helpful!

I very quickly attracted to Dr. Khoynezhad through his video and bio as an expert and with aortic valves. Through his video, he appeared to have a sincere, calm and poised demeanor. I took a very small leap and chose Dr. K as my surgeon. After our first appointment, I was most impressed and everything I had read about Dr. K from the testimonials was confirmed. Not only is he one of the premier experts in the aortic value arena, he has a truly sincere demeanor and cares deeply about his patients. Our consultation was unrushed and he took the time to answer all of my questions and concerns in detail. From beginning to end, his staff is very communicative, supportive and friendly.

As for the procedure itself, I couldn't be happier and I'm so grateful for Dr. K's expertise. Being that I'm a relatively young patient (54), I asked if he could perform the operation with a smaller incision as I still spend a lot of time at the beach and in the water. To my great surprise, Dr. K was able to complete my new value replacement and aortic root (graft) with only a 4 inch incision. When wearing a v-neck t-shirt, there is no sign of the incision.

After the procedure, I was awake within 1 hour and sitting upright in a chair breathing on my own after 2 hours. Out of ICU under 24 hours. From there, I was walking the halls of the hospital the next day and released to go home on day 5. Since being home, I've have a very pain free experience and now after 2 weeks, I'm taking 3 - 4 miles daily.

Thank you so much Dr. K for your caring, thorough, precise workmanship and taking the extra time/effort to keep my incision to a minimum!!! I am so grateful to have chosen you as my surgeon. I highly recommend anyone to put your life in Dr. K's hands!!!! He is truly amazing!!!"

-- Alan Godfrey, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 01/19/2016

"I was introduced to Dr. Khoynezhad and his team by my pastor. My Ascending Aortic Aneurysm was found during a wellness check by my cardiologist, and the rest is history. From my first appointment to my 6 month follow-up, this experience has given me a great respect and appreciation for Dr. Khoynezhad. I thank God for Dr. Khoynezhad. Thank you, God bless."

-- Mike Eddy, Aortic Valve, Tricuspid Valve, Valve Repair, 12/10/2015

"Since the very first moment I met Dr. Khoynezhad during my first consultation, he conveyed not only knowledge, professionalism and answered to all my questions in a very clear way, but most importantly: there it was a very human and warm human being talking to me, in a very welcoming way. To me that counts as much as his knowledge.

I felt I could trust him right away, and 2 weeks down the line he performed my surgery. I had an aortic aneurysm, which can sound quite a scary thing to have, but having Dr. Khoynezhad as my surgeon, I didn't feel as if I was in danger but actually, I was looking forward to my little 5-day-vacation at hospital. And do you know what?? That's exactly how it felt to me. My recovery was much faster than I thought it would be, he personally came to see me and check on me. He CARES!

The very small scar on my chest is almost invisible. Last but not least, I am also very grateful to Dr. Khoynezhad's team: each and everyone of them showed concern and care towards me. Thank you!"

-- Daniel Soifer, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 07/06/2015

"Dr. Khoynezhad is by far the greatest surgeon I have ever encountered. I performed my due diligence in researching and meeting with many, many surgeons to help me decide who I would choose to perform open heart surgery on me (I had an aortic aneurysm that needed to be removed and a bicuspid leaflet valve that needed to be repaired).

The first sign Dr. Khoynezhad was more competent than all the previous surgeons I met with was the fact that he recognized my aneurysm was in fact larger than what any of the past surgeons had diagnosed. I had been hospitalized twice with severe chest pain and high blood pressure in the weeks before meeting Dr. Khoynezhad and continued to have several episodes after my second hospital stay but none of the cardio surgeons I met with from the hospital nor any of the ones I followed up with outside of the hospital properly conveyed the magnitude of my aneurysm nor how urgent it was for me to get it fixed before it ruptured. Despite my pain never subsiding and continuing to experience frequent episodes of faintness and extreme chest pain, everyone but Dr. Khoynezhad told me I could wait a year or so before having my surgery. I kid you not, they did not see the urgency in my deteriorating health and actually told me to endure such horrific symptoms for up to a year - I guess when your diagnosis is way off, it's not surprising for your recommendations to be as well!

Usually I'm very skeptical when doctors are quick to recommend surgery because you always worry about their hidden ($) agenda but I honestly can say this brilliant man literally SAVED MY LIFE! If it wasn't for Dr. Khoynezhad, I may have taken the advice of all the previous surgeons thinking my aneurysm is smaller and less threatening than it actually was and continued without seeking surgery and my aneurysm would have ruptured and I could have been dead right now. How could you put a price tag on such brilliance? On such competence?

Dr. Khoynezhad is as professional and comforting of a doctor as anyone could ever pray for. He is extremely patient and kind both with myself as well as my boyfriend and family. He met with all of my loved ones prior to surgery and spent an ample amount of time explaining everything in detail and answering all of our questions. He never rushed through anything (unlike most hasty doctors these days) and smiled and was pleasant the entire time - and has been consistently this way with every one of my visits and I have had many with him by now. You can just sense his kind, humble nature when you meet him.

On the day of surgery, Dr. Khoynezhad finished removing my aneurysm and repairing my bicuspid leaflet valve both AHEAD of schedule! My boyfriend and family were all surprised when he came out to meet with them as they were expecting me to be in surgery for nearly another hour.

As far as his work goes, what more can I say? There is a reason he is the head surgeon. My surgery was phenomenal and I have been making a very quick and healthy recovery. I feel so much better now that my aneurysm has been removed and blood pressure lowered. I can't imagine how those previous doctors were suggesting I wait an entire year in pain and agony when I should have addressed it immediately. Dr. Khoynezhad came by and visited me several times while I was staying in the recovery room for a few days. He even surprised us by dropping in on a Friday night after 8:00PM just to check in on me and make sure I was okay! We were all pleasantly surprised to see him following up so diligently after all of the bad experiences I have had with other surgeons over the years (for unrelated matters).

Dr. Khoynezhad's staff has been equally competent and cordial. They have followed up diligently and have helped me tremendously every step of the way. I also am grateful to all of the staff and RN's as they, too, are the friendliest, most professional hospital staff I have ever had the pleasure of being cared for by.

I can't speak highly enough of Dr. Khoynezhad and would strongly recommend him to anyone and everyone who may have a need for cardio surgery. You will not find a better surgeon, a better professional nor a kinder soul in this industry of tainted, impatient doctors. I thank you Dr. Khoynezhad for everything - we need more doctors like you!"

-- Tara Scheckwitz, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, 04/02/2015

"Dr. Khoynezhad is everything you want in a heart surgeon. His expertise, experience and ability to relate to the individual patient's concerns made him my top choice.

When searching for the right surgeon for me, Dr. K. called me back personally to discuss my case. Every other surgeon went thru their scheduler or some other go between...some of whom never called me back. Dr. K. explained my condition and educated me on what was wrong, how he would fix it and my outcome. I was very close to an aneurysm in my aorta and didn't know it. Dr. K. expedited my case and saved my life. I heartily recommend Dr. Ali Khoynezhad."

-- Ron Steel, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 03/09/2015

"I had known about my condition for around 5 years and knew that at some point I would have to have surgery. Knowing this can certainly put a little fear into ones mind. I was born with a bicuspid valve on my ascending aorta which should have a tricuspid valve. Relating to a connective tissue disorder, this can also affect the ascending aorta also.

As a result, I discovered, by chance, that my aorta was dilated to around 45mm. Over the last few years, this increased slowly and the time came where I had to make the decision to go in for surgery. Having been to a couple of different places beforehand, I was Introduced to Dr. Ali Khoynezhad. I was immediately put to ease and felt very comfortable as everything was explained in a good informative manner. My mind was made up and I went ahead and planned the date.

From the day I went in for surgery, till the day I left, only a few days later could not have been a better experience. Having gone in early on a Monday morning for the surgery and before I knew it I was in the ICU for recovery. Later the next day I was in my own room and was already feeling good and looked after very well indeed. Dr Khoynezhad would come and visit everyday and stay as long as needed to answer my never ending questions. Each day I was feeling better and better. I could have probably left on the Wednesday, only 2 days later but I guess I had to be monitored for a little while longer. The results from the surgery were all very good and I had a minimal incision which wasn't particularly painful at all. Obviously I was taking pain killers but I still had expected more and was pleasantly surprised.

I left the hospital on the 5th day having already been up and about everyday before then. On the 7th day I did a steady walk of 7 miles. I was very keen and was advised by the Dr. to keep active. 7 miles was probably not necessary, but I felt fine and was happy to be out again. I would thoroughly recommend Dr. Ali Khoynezhad to anyone needing to have heart surgery as he is one of the best in his field, professionally and personally. Also the staff were out of this world and made me feel comfortable throughout my whole visit. It's been 6 months now since the surgery and I'm doing really well. I've been walking almost everyday since and been jogging for 3 months too.

Where as before where I would easily get out of breath, now I just feel the muscles in my legs working. I'm so happy that I've had the surgery and for anyone worried about it should be put at ease and make an appointment with Dr. Khoynezhad. "

-- Mark Holden, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 11/10/2014

"Remarkable. Dr. Khoynezhad and his team are incredible. He is a very kind, thoughtful and extremely talented surgeon. The stress of having a second open heart surgery was greatly relieved by having such wonderful communication with the doctor and his staff leading up to surgery.

Now, almost one year later, I've never felt better taken care of. I feel I am alive today because of Dr. Khoynezhad's vision of how a heart patient should be treated."

-- Deborah Goodwin, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 07/31/2014

"My experience was wonderful - Dr. Khoynezhad has an amazing bedside manner and made me feel like I was in the best hands. I never had any doubt that the surgery would go well. He gave me undeivided attention, explained exactly what would happen before, during, and after surgery.

HIs staff was also amazing -- especially Mihaela his PA. My wife was able to easily communicate with Mihaela through email and telephone messaging. I would HIGHLY recommend Dr. Khoynezhad. And, the surgery went VERY WELL and 8 months later I am doing fine. "

-- Harold Green, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 07/21/2014

"Dr Khoynezhad is the most amazing surgeon. He is very approachable and eager to answer all questions you may have. He is very reassuring and comforting. He is very knowledgeable and explains everything in detail in the manner you can fully understand.

When you shake his hand you know you have the right man. I can't say enough to express the gratitude that I have for him and his helpful staff and I would never go anywhere else."

-- Aaron Youngreen, Aortic Valve, 07/07/2014

"I can't say enough about this great man, from bedside manners to the results of my surgery. Great experience with Dr. Khoynezhad."

-- John Stimpfig, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, David Procedure, 06/05/2014

"Dr Khoynezhad takes time to sit & answer all questions in a forthright, comprehensible manner. He is available at all times. My surgery went well & I was pleasantly surprised to be active in a very short period of time. I was going up and down stairs as soon as I got home!"

-- Polly Businger, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 04/29/2014

"From the moment I met with Dr. Khoynezhad I knew I was in competent hands. He explained my surgery so I could understand and answered all of my questions. I had an ascending aortic aneurysm and Dr. Khoynezhad and his team saved my life. I saw him everyday after my surgery and he always had a smile and a kind word of encouragement. My sternum was completely opened, yet my incision is only in the cleavage of my breasts.

Incredible!!!!!!!

I saw him today for my six month check up and I am very healthy.I went back to work 8 weeks post surgery. I will recommend Dr. Khoynezhad to anyone who needs Heart Surgery. He is beyond amazing and the doctor who will save you or a loved one. He saved mine."

-- Mary Shannon Jones, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 03/11/2014

"After a shocking diagnosis of a 6.5 cm aneurysm on my aorta, I was referred to Dr. Khoynezhad for surgery.

I really cannot say enough great things about Dr. Khoynezhad. He immediately made me feel comfortable about the upcoming surgery and took the time to answer all of my many questions. He even scheduled a follow up meeting before surgery to answer some of my additional questions. His nurse Mihaela was also a joy to work with. It's now been just over 7 weeks since my surgery and I am back to work and back to doing my cardio at the gym.

In my follow up appointment after surgery, Dr. Khoynezhad was also fantastic at answering my questions and making sure I was given the right information to have a perfect recovery. I am extremely pleased I chose Dr. Khoynezhad for my surgeon."

-- Mark Eisenberg, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 02/10/2014

"I had three procedures, aortic valve replacement, aortic root and 1 CABG.

Dr. Khoynezhad and his staff are very professional and available to answer any pre and post op questions. It's been 2 months and I feel well and am able to walk briskly for a mile or more with not problem."

-- C. Hendrix, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 01/21/2014

"Dr. Khoynezhad fixed my aortic aneurysm on December 17, 2013. By February 1, 2014, I was swimming again. He is either a genius, a magician or a Michaelangelo, or all three.

I always felt like I was in the best possible hands. And, that if fate intended it, Dr. K would make sure I lived to see my grandkids and maybe their kids too. He and his surgical team were compassionate, intelligent, available and just a pleasure to know and be treated by."

-- Ted Green, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 12/17/2013

"Dr. Khoynezhad explained my condition in easy to understand terms. He detailed the procedures, took the time to answer my and my wife's questions, and addressed the psychological impacts of this type of surgery. He quickly gained my confidence. He visited me twice a day after the surgery. I highly recommend Dr. Khoynezhad if you're considering CT surgery. It's been over a month since my surgery. While I'm still recovering, my strength is returning. I'm sure that this procedure saved my life."

-- Michael Van Nordheim, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, Maze Procedure, 12/03/2013

"I had an aortic valve replacement and triple heart bypass.

Dr. Khoynezhad has done more than 2,000 such procedures. I rate the overall care by Dr. Khoynezhad as "Excellent". The doctor took considerable time with me pre-op and post-op. I am 80 years old, back at the gym and now back to excellent health. "

-- Arthur Porter, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, 10/28/2013

"Dr. Khoynezhad did a great job. Feel wonderful two years after the procedure No problems at all. I highly recommend him."

-- John Chapman, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 09/27/2013

"Hands down one of the best surgeons you could work with. Ali and his team made one of the most complicated surgeries seem easy. My recovery is ongoing and progressing well. The nurse staff is also excellent. "

-- Chris Magnuson, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, David Procedure, 09/03/2013

"My experience was amazing. I totally recommend this sugeon. "

-- Francisco Marrari, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Transcatheter, 07/02/2013

"I was very fortunate to be referred to Dr. K and his team. Not only is he a great surgeon, he was great at explaining the procedure and why I needed it. When I first saw him, I got cold feet and didn't get the procedure I needed -- which was a David Procedure for an Aortic Aneurysm. He made sure I saw him for a follow-up. When I got cold feet again, he asked if he could speak to my wife. That did it, and it is a good thing I had it done when I did, because my Aorta was "paper thin" in spots. The Nurse Practitioner is great. When you have a question or concern she calls back on the same day and will spend as much time as you need to explain the what and why of your question. Also, I had a few complications after surgery, and am I glad Dr. K was my surgeon. Not only did they fix the complication, but Dr. K did an outstanding job reassuring my wife that everything was going to be fine. Open heart surgery is certainly no walk in the park, but if you need it have it done by Dr. K. I am a very active person, and after a week I was walking a block and at 2 weeks 15 minutes. It has now been 3 1/2 months since my surgery, I'm walking 45 minutes and lifting light weights at the gym. Oh, and people are amazed at my scar, you can barely see it!"

-- Joe Nestor, Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 04/22/2013

"Dr. Khoynezhad is wonderful, kind, caring and informative. I had an aneurism on my aorta, near my heart, that had to be removed. Part of the aorta was replaced with an artificial tube, in addition to a valve replacement. The surgery was very successful and the follow-ups have been great. He is blessed with special gifts of knowledge, talent and a gentle soul. His staff was nice, courteous, lovely, and caring. Dr. Khoynezhad made it a point to advise my four sons to be checked, as well. This pre-cautionary advice was taken seriously and all four of them were checked, due to family history. "

-- Eleanor Rivas, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 04/15/2013

"Dr. Ali Khoynezhad performed the David Procedure on me and did an exceptional jobs. He repaired my bicuspid valve and removed my ascending aortic aneurysm. I was out of the hospital in 4.5 days and my recovery is going very well. He is extremely talented, humble, and was always willing to spend as much time as we needed answering any questions we had. I believe him to be one of the very best in the county at this procedure. His staff is wonderful and the ICU nurses were great. His Nurse Practitioner, Mihaela, was comforting and a great asset to my wife and I throughout this entire process. I highly recommend that if you have a valve or aortic issue and might need surgery you contact him as soon as possible."

-- Scott Reiber, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Mini Sternotomy, Root Replacement, David Procedure, 02/25/2013

"The specific procedure was for a aneurism on the ascending aorta... For such a complicated surgery, the post operative time was very pain free and problem free. I was very, very pleased and had no complications with the surgery at any time to the present which is now almost ten months later.

Dr. Khoynezhad and his staff were exceptional. Everyone involved took the time to answer any questions I had and were kind, comforting and helpful. I would highly recommend Dr. Khoynezhad based on my experience with him and his staff."

-- james engstrom, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 11/07/2012

"Excellent surgeon! He explained the very complicated procedure in a way that was understandable and comforting. I was very lucky to have Dr. Khoynezhad perform my operation. I recovered very quickly and I am doing everything I did before I was diagnosed."

-- John Wehrly, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, David Procedure, 09/10/2012

"Dr. Khoynezhad was top notch. I saw him in early July and had my surgery two weeks later. Earlier in the year, I had been diagnosed with an aortic aneurysm. I received some conflicting information from my original cardiothoracic surgeon and found out the the aneurysm was growing in size and needed attention soon.

After doing a large amount of research online, I reduced the number of potential sites for the surgery to four. Dr. Khoynezhad was the closest and I met him first and was very impressed. I scheduled the surgery immediately. I had a number of side effects immediately after the surgery including arrhythmia, blood sugar problems, extremely painful back spasms and fluid buildup in the chest cavity.

As a result, I took a bit longer in the hospital than originally hoped for. In the following months, I developed a ventricular pseudo aneurysm (which was repaired by Dr. Kar who was a colleague of Dr. Khoynezhad) and had lingering arrhythmia problems.

However, one year later, I celebrated the anniversary of the surgery with a 15 mile hike that included a 3,000 foot change in elevation in the Sierras. The only medications I currently take are fish oil, a vitamin tablet and one baby aspirin a day.

On my last annual visit, Dr. Khoynezhad told me that I wouldn't need to see him again for two years and that the tissue valve they used to replace my original valve was doing much better than expected. Consequently, I would probably not need the expected replacement as soon as I was originally told. I was and continue to be in very good hands with Dr. Khoynezhad."

-- Brent Shenton, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Mini Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 07/17/2012

"Dr. Khoynezhad is a fabulous person in addition to being the best surgeon I could ever hope to have. He gave me confidence and he has an excellent bedside manner. I am a lucky person. I never worried for one minute about the outcome. I just knew Dr. Khoynezhad would do an excellent job. It is one year since my surgery and I take no meds at all! All the nurses were great too. I am a very happy man and have added their names to my list of wonderful people I admire most! Thank you doctor Ali. And thank you again! What could be better in the world than being excellent at helping people save their lives. God bless you! You are the BEST!"

-- George Jones, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, David Procedure, 07/12/2012

"From the diagnosis on through surgery and after, Dr. Khoynezhad has been so incredibly supportive. He explained everything all along the process and always listened & listens to me & my concerns. I completely trust him and find him to be incredibly knowledgeable yet human. He is so supportive of my needs still. His staff are awesome and professional and very humane. My surgery was a success and my recovery has been monitored so professionally yet humanly by Dr. Khoynezhad and his staff. And least important but a plus is the fact that my scar is so minimal which shows their surgical skills."

-- Danny Ray, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, David Procedure, 06/25/2012

"At age 52, I was diagnosed with a 5.45cm ascending aortic aneurism after an accidental fall that broke 3 of my ribs. The CT scan had revealed this silent but deadly monster lurking just behind my rib cage. It was speculated the aneurism had probably been there for years and I was told consult my primary physician about future treatment.

My primary physician encouraged me to find the best qualified surgeon I could because the procedure is highly specialized. From a Google search I found an aortic aneurism program at Mount Sinai in New York. Mount Sinai recommended Dr. Ali Khoynezhad, at Ceders-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles as expert in this very difficult procedure. After setting up a initial consultation with Dr. Khoynezhad and his staff, my wife and I most were most impressed with his caring nature and his ability answer all of our questions and concerns about my condition and the procedure ahead.

The David Procedure, as it is called, was about 5 hours in length and totally successful. Dr. Khoynezhad was able to repair my aortic valve rather than replace it with an artificial one. My aorta was replaced all the way up to the arch with a Dacron tube.

Looking back on the experience 15 months later I think the following moment sums up the type of surgeon and person you are placing your trust in when you choose Dr. Khoynezhad. At the end of our first meeting with Dr. Khoynezhad and his nurse practitioner Mihaela te Winkel, Dr. Khoynezhad shook our hands and said, "We're going to be friends for life." He was right and we are so fortunate to have found him."

-- Jeffrey May, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Mini Sternotomy, David Procedure, 05/14/2012

"Exemplary communication both before and after surgery. Results with Dr. Khoynezhad are excellent and follow-up care has been thoughtful and professional."

-- William Alderson, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, 04/09/2012

"Dr. Khoynezhad was awesome. I wish wish all doctors had the "bedside manner" and enthusiasm that he and his staff do! Surgery was successful, with no major complications."

-- John C., Aortic Valve, David Procedure, 03/05/2012

"Dr. Khoynezhad did an outstanding job. He explained everything thoroughly before the surgery. His bedside manner is charming and the surgical were all that could be desired. I have follow up visits with him or his assistant every year. I was totally satisfied with my experience with Dr. Khoynezhad."

-- John Thornbury, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, David Procedure, 02/13/2012

"I would like to strongly endorse Dr. Ali Khoynezhad for the extremely high quality care I received when Dr. Khoynezhad’s team performed a Bentall open heart surgical procedure on me in February of 2012.

This surgery was performed to resect a 6.5 cm ascending aortic aneurysm and replace my aortic valve. The surgery was complex, and included hypothermic circulatory arrest. The surgical outcome was excellent, and the entire team took time to answer all of my questions before the surgery, and provided excellent post-operative care both in the coronary ICU and when I was moved to the coronary care unit. The nursing staff also did a superb job in my post-operative care.

I returned to work a little over 3 months after the surgery and I enjoy an active, full life that includes daily bicycling as well as hiking in the mountains on summer vacations."

-- Richard Chadwick, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Median Sternotomy, Root Replacement, 02/02/2012

"Dr. Khoynezhad is wonderful, friendly, caring and truthful. He has excellent staff and follow-up care. We even looked at lab results on his phone together."

-- Kathy Williams, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, 02/01/2012

"Dr. Ali Khoynezhad will always be near and dear to my heart. Pun intended! Dr. K performed the David Procedure on me flawlessly. The best thing about Dr. K is how confidence inspiring he is. Every step of the way -- before and after the procedure -- Dr. K was always correct in his diagnosis of my status whenever there was an issue that came up. I'm 45 years old and have resumed my fully active lifestyle including basketball, mountain biking, weight training, and training for the LA Marathon. I would be happy to speak to anyone about my experience with Dr. K. He and his staff will take excellent care of you! "

-- Jared Underwood, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 12/19/2011

"Great experience from beginning to end. Clear explanation of procedure and what to expect. Excellent bedside manner. Great team"

-- David Katzman, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 12/01/2011

"Dr. Ali Khoynezhad is an amazing surgeon. He has a warm and caring bedside manner. What also should be noted was his bedside manner with my family, I was told that was extraordinary. I am very happy with my results and highly recommend Dr. K. "

-- John Feinour, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, Root Replacement, 08/08/2011

"I cannot possibly say enough about the bedside manner of Dr. Ali Khoynezhad not only with me but with each member of my family. Dr. Ali Khoynezhad became my friend and gave me a great feeling of trust. I know the surgery was a success and I am recovering very well."

-- Robert Beren, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 06/13/2011

"Dr. Ali Khoynezhad and his team went above and beyond the level of care provide to me and my wife by talking to us about the procedure before and after surgery. I was made to feel I was in the best hands possible. Even the care weeks & months after surgery were unsurpassed. The nurses and Doctor Ali Khoynezhad are bar-none the best in the business. "

-- Ken Kline, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, Root Replacement, 03/29/2011

"I was diagnosed with an ascending aortic aneurysm and bicuspid aortic valve in July, 2010. I lived in Colorado, but had lived in California and was aware of the group Dr. Khoynezhad belonged to. After meeting with several surgeons here in Colorado, I flew to LA to meet Dr. Khoynezhad. He was also recommended by my Cardiologist at Scripps in La Jolla, Dr. Roy Avalos. The moment I met him, I knew he had the skills to do the job as well as the warmth and kindness which was so comforting to my daughter. The procedure was lengthy, but totally successful. He was able to repair my aortic valve rather than replace it with an artificial one. My aorta was replaced all the way up to the arch. I was so thrilled to see him at my follow-up visit in December. He is a true rock star to me. Also, I can't forget to mention his wonderful staff and those fabulous nurses in the intensive care unit. I would be happy to talk to anyone wondering about this surgery, the aftermath and Dr. Khoynezhad. "

-- Mary Patricia Power, Aortic Valve, Valve Repair, David Procedure, 01/25/2011

"My experience with Dr. Ali Khoynezhad was very good. He explained the procedure in simple language and answer all questions posed by my family and me. I am very happy with my results."

-- Alan Weisbart, Aortic Valve, Valve Replacement, 12/15/2010