#Lower third facial fracture
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sunset-oralsurgery · 2 years ago
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Understanding the Benefits of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Introduction
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) is a specialized field of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of conditions and injuries affecting the face, jaws, mouth, and related structures. This field is often at the intersection of dentistry and medicine, and it plays a crucial role in improving the overall health and well-being of patients. In this article, we will explore the many benefits of oral and maxillofacial surgery, highlighting the diverse range of conditions it can address, its impact on quality of life, and the importance of specialized expertise in this field.
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Addressing Dental and Facial Trauma
One of the primary benefits of oral and maxillofacial surgery is its ability to address dental and facial trauma. Accidents, falls, sports injuries, and other unexpected events can lead to severe damage to the teeth, jaws, and facial bones. OMFS specialists are trained to treat these injuries, whether it involves repositioning fractured facial bones, repairing damaged teeth, or reconstructing the facial structure. By doing so, they not only restore the patient's appearance but also their ability to speak, eat, and breathe properly.
Correcting Jaw Misalignment
Jaw misalignment, or malocclusion, is a common condition that can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. It can lead to issues like difficulty chewing, speech problems, and even chronic pain. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are experts in diagnosing and treating malocclusions, often using orthognathic surgery to correct the alignment of the upper and lower jaws. This not only improves the patient's oral function but can also enhance their facial aesthetics.
Management of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD)
Temporomandibular joint disorders, or TMD, can cause significant discomfort and pain. These disorders affect the jaw joint, leading to symptoms such as jaw pain, clicking or popping sounds, headaches, and difficulty opening and closing the mouth. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons play a crucial role in managing TMD, offering various treatment options, including medication, physical therapy, and, in some cases, surgical intervention. These treatments aim to alleviate pain and improve the patient's ability to use their jaw comfortably.
Wisdom Tooth Extraction
Wisdom tooth extraction is one of the most common procedures performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. These third molars often erupt improperly, causing pain, infection, and other dental issues. Surgeons are skilled in the safe and efficient removal of wisdom teeth, preventing potential complications and alleviating discomfort for the patient.
Treatment of Oral Pathologies
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are also integral in the diagnosis and treatment of various oral pathologies, including cysts, tumors, and infections. Some of these conditions may be benign, while others could be cancerous. Early detection and treatment are crucial for the patient's well-being. Surgeons may perform biopsies, remove lesions, and provide a comprehensive treatment plan to address these pathologies, working closely with oncologists when necessary.
Facial Reconstructive Surgery
In cases of congenital facial deformities or post-traumatic injuries that result in disfigurement, facial reconstructive surgery is a vital component of OMFS. Surgeons use their skills to restore not only the patient's physical appearance but also their self-esteem and confidence. These procedures can involve bone grafts, tissue transfer, and other advanced techniques to reconstruct facial features.
Cleft Lip and Palate Repair
Cleft lip and palate are common birth defects that affect a child's facial structure. These conditions can lead to difficulties with feeding, speech, and social interactions. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons often work with a multidisciplinary team to repair cleft lips and palates in infants, children, and adults. Through surgical interventions and follow-up care, they help patients lead more fulfilling lives.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Treatment
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a condition characterized by the repeated interruption of breathing during sleep, often due to an obstruction in the upper airway. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can play a crucial role in the treatment of OSA through surgical procedures that involve repositioning the jaw or removing excess tissue to improve airflow. These surgeries can significantly enhance a patient's quality of life by allowing them to enjoy restful, uninterrupted sleep.
Dental Implant Surgery
For individuals who have lost teeth due to injury, decay, or other reasons, dental implants are a revolutionary solution. These implants provide a sturdy and long-lasting replacement for missing teeth. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are experts in dental implant surgery, as they have the necessary expertise to ensure the proper placement of the implant within the jawbone. This ensures the longevity and functionality of the implant, ultimately improving the patient's ability to eat and speak comfortably.
Jaw and Facial Pain Management
Chronic pain in the jaw and face can be debilitating. Whether it's due to temporomandibular joint disorders, nerve injuries, or other underlying causes, oral and maxillofacial surgeons can help patients manage and alleviate this pain. They may use various surgical and non-surgical techniques, including nerve decompression, to improve the patient's quality of life.
Unique Expertise of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
The benefits of oral and maxillofacial surgery are not limited to the procedures themselves. It's important to highlight the unique expertise that these specialists bring to patient care. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons undergo rigorous training, which includes dental school, medical school, and a residency program that focuses on surgical techniques related to the face, jaws, and mouth. This extensive training equips them to handle complex cases and provide comprehensive care.
Conclusion
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is a diverse and dynamic field of medicine that offers a wide range of benefits to patients. From addressing traumatic injuries to improving the function and aesthetics of the face and jaws, oral and maxillofacial surgeons are integral to enhancing the quality of life for many individuals. Their expertise in diagnosing and treating various conditions, their commitment to patient well-being, and their ability to restore function and aesthetics make them indispensable healthcare professionals. It's important for individuals to be aware of the benefits of oral and maxillofacial surgery and to seek the expertise of these specialists when faced with relevant health issues. The field's continuous advancements and dedication to patient care ensure that it will remain a crucial component of the healthcare landscape for years to come.
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bookpiofficial · 3 years ago
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A Case Report on Unusual Severe Superolateral Dislocation of Right Condyle Associated with Sagittal Split of Articular Eminence in Pan-Facial Trauma Managed with Inverted L-Plate | Chapter  08 | New Horizons in Medicine and Medical Research Vol. 1
A difficult case for a maxillofacial surgeon is head and neck trauma, because not only must pre-injury anatomy be restored, but also the cosmetic aspect must be enhanced. The treatment of such patients is challenging and frequently involves the participation of a multidisciplinary team. One of the leading causes of severe trauma is unprotected driving or high-velocity crashes. Pan-facial trauma affects not only normal face structure but also normal functions such as vision (dystopia, diplopia, enophthalmos), breathing (airway) and olfactory senses, mastication and natural occlusion and intercuspation, deglutition, and the patient's overall appearance. In such trauma patients, restoring and rehabilitating the pre-injury shape of the facial skeleton involves artistic labour on the part of the operative maxillofacial surgeon. In the case of trauma, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) under general anaesthesia is the therapeutic option (GA). Various methods for achieving near-normal anatomy have been proposed. "Top to bottom" or "bottom to top," as well as "outward to inward" or "inward to outward," were offered in previous studies. The major goal is to restore the horizontal and vertical pillars of the face. This case was exceptional in that the complete mandibular condyle remained superolaterally displaced even after the zygomatic arch was fixed; the inverted "L" plate was employed to preserve the condyle in its natural position. Even in dynamic motion, the results were functionally satisfactory, and we advocate it as a viable therapeutic option for superolateral dislocation of the intact mandibular condyle. Author(S) Details Kansara Jay Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Vikas Singh Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Ruchika Tiwari Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Vaishali Jamdade Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Yogesh Kumar Sharma Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Mahatma Gandhi Dental College and Hospital, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. View Book:- https://stm.bookpi.org/NHMMR-V1/article/view/6173
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lupinepublishers · 3 years ago
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lupine publishers|Management of a Dentigerous Cyst in a 6-Year-Old Child – A Case Report
Management of a Dentigerous Cyst in a 6-Year-Old Child –A Case Report
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Abstract Dentigerous cysts are epithelial in origin and most common odontogenic cysts. They are usually asymptomatic and hence diagnosed on radiological examination. The standard treatment for these cysts is enucleation and extraction of the affected teeth. This is a case report of a 6-year-old female patient with dentigerous cyst associated with a primary molar. The cyst was enucleated and unerupted premolars were removed from the lower left region. The patient was given a fixed functional band and loop post- surgical treatment. No recurrence was observed after 6months follow up.
Introduction Cyst has been known to arise in man ever since he has teeth and are also seen in certain animals. They are consequential, not only because they often attain a large size but also produce facial asymmetry, disturbance of dentition, neurological symptoms and predispose the jaws to fracture but particularly because they have a very high frequency of occurrence. Kramer in 1974 defined a cyst as a pathological cavity having fluid, semi fluid or gaseous content but not always lined by epithelium [1]. The dentigerous cyst is a type of epithelial odontogenic cyst and is also called as ‘follicular cyst’ or ‘pericoronal cyst.’ It is the most common type of odontogenic cyst which encloses the crown of the unerupted tooth by expansion of its follicle [1,2]. A higher incidence of these cysts is usually found in the second and third decade of life and slightly more common in males. They account for 14-20% of mandibular cysts and between 15.2% and 33.7% of all odontogenic cysts. The frequency of these dentigerous cysts in children is less and about 4-9% of these cysts occur in the first 10 years of life [3]. They are predominantly associated with third molars, maxillary canines and mandibular premolars. Dentigerous cysts are often asymptomatic and are an incidental finding on routine radiographs. In the radiographic examination, the lesion has a well-defined sclerotic border, and a well- demarcated unilocular radiolucency which is surrounding the crown of an unerupted tooth. In some instances, these cysts can grow to very large size and can trigger the inflammation, expansion and erosion of the cortical bone. In such a case, they can generate a differential diagnosis to an ameloblastoma or an odontogenic keratocystic tumour. The following case report describes the management of a dentigerous cyst in a young child. Case Report A 6-year-old female patient reported to the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, DY Patil School of Dentistry with a chief complaint of pain in the lower left back region of the mouth. On general examination, the patient was healthy without any significant past medical history. Intra oral examination revealed that the patient presented with a mixed dentition. The area of chief complaint had deep occlusal caries with loss of crown structure in relation with 74 and 75 (Figure 1). The primary molars were non vital and adjacent mucosa was apparently normal, with no signs of inflammation. An initial intra oral periapical radiograph was taken for radiological examination. which revealed a huge radiolucency with no signs of underlying premolar. Hence, a panoramic radiograph was advised (Figure 2) and it revealed the presence of a well- defined unilocular radiolucent cystic lesion with sclerotic border enveloping the crown of mandibular left second premolar. The first premolar was displaced medially while the second premolar was apically displaced close to the lower border of the mandible. After the clinical and radiological examination, a provisional diagnosis of the dentigerous cyst was made. Surgical enucleation of the cyst was chosen as the treatment of choice. The surgical intervention was carried out under general anaesthesia. Blood investigations (PT, PTT, INR) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was done prior to the procedure. Both the primary mandibular molars
were extracted followed by opening of the mucoperiosteal flap to disclose the cystic cavity. After the flap was opened, the cavity was identified and 3ml of cystic fluid was aspirated. The cystic lining enclosed both the premolars and hence were removed along with the soft tissue. The flap was then sutured to close the wound primarily. The specimen was fixed in 10% formalin and sent for a histopathological examination. The histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnostic hypothesis of a dentigerous cyst (Figure 3). The patient was followed up regularly for a month and was advised to maintain good oral hygiene. When the lesion was completely healed, prosthetic rehabilitation was done using fixed functional band and loop space maintainer (Figure 4).
Discussion Dentigerous cysts are reported to be of two types – Developmental and inflammatory. The developmental type is most common and appears to be due to accumulation of fluid between the reduced enamel epithelium and enamel organ. In rare cases, the dentigerous cyst develops as a result of the intrafollicular spread of periapical inflammation from an overlying primary tooth. (Murakami et al 1995) [4]. Accordingly, in the present case, the presence of overlying nonvital necrotic primary mandibular first and second molars increase the possibility of being an inflammatory type of the dentigerous cyst. The nature of the causative tooth, size of the lesion and location influences the type of treatment required for the dentigerous cyst which includes enucleation with primary closure or marsupialization. Marsupialization of the cyst is the treatment of choice which gives a chance to the unerupted tooth to erupt in large cysts [3]. However, in the present case, the cystic sac was surrounded by the unerupted premolar and was firmly attached to it; hence, enucleation of the cyst along with the extraction of premolar was carried out [5]. The histologic examination of the specimen showed cystic lining composed of reduced enamel epithelium which was 2-3 cell layers thick and proliferative at some places. The outer connective tissue stroma showed inflammatory infiltrate. The aspirated cystic fluid was pink in colour and thick consistency. Correlating clinically, the features were suggestive of dentigerous cyst. Owing to the age of the patient and growth phase, it was decided to rehabilitate the patient with a suitable prosthesis. Various options were considered and finally based on the comfort and acceptance of the patient a fixed functional band and loop was fabricated and cemented. This would restore the occlusal function of lost primary teeth and will also maintain the space till the time patient develops permanent dentition and there is bone development for further fixed prosthesis [6]. For the fabrication of the appliance, a conventional band and loop was constructed. The acrylic teeth were placed in the edentulous area of the cast and stabilized with modelling wax. The occlusion was checked with the cast of the opposing arch and adjusted. Cold cure acrylic was used to attach the poetic to the loop. The completed appliance was then finished and polished. Trial fit was done in patient’s mouth and checked for soft tissue irritation or occlusal interferences and adjusted accordingly. The final cementation of the appliance was done using glass ionomer luting cement [7]. The patient was evaluated one week post cementation of the appliance and no complications were reported. Follow up The patient was followed up for 6 months with no reports of fracture of the appliance or food lodgment. Clinical and radiographic examination did not reveal any signs of recurrence of the cystic lesion. Conclusion Dentigerous cysts are rare in primary dentition and asymptomatic, usually diagnosed during routine radiographs. The sequelae of an untreated or undiagnosed cyst could be harmful to the patient’s future dental development. Thus, regular check-ups by the patient and close observation on the part of treating doctor are essential. This results in elimination of pathology and maintenance of dentition with minimum surgical interventio
for more information about Interventions in Pediatric Dentistry Open Access Journal archive page click on below link
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punksarahreese · 4 years ago
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hi hello could i maybe get "I don’t wanna die this way" for lone star? please hurt me however u choose
Hello^^ you certainly can 😌🌸
Don’t want to (die) | Marjan Marwani
Canon; A call goes awry and no one was expecting this outcome
Prompt: “I don’t wanna die this way”
Word count: 1515
CW: mentions of dying and medical emergencies
Send me prompts from the Penelope Scott lyrics list
***
It’s not a call that Michelle was ever expecting to get, or maybe it was something she just prayed would never happen. No amount of manifesting would prevent this, though, and Owen’s frantic tone over the radio had her heart dropping.
“Ladder 126, EMS needed immediately at our position,” Michelle wasn’t prepared for the words that followed, “Code 26.”
Injured firefighter, EMS required.
That had Nancy rushing for their bags from the rig, throwing them on the gurney as quickly as she could. Michelle was already running ahead, calling back for Tim to stay there and look after their patients, her own bag bouncing against her thigh with every movement. She cursed under her breath as she stumbled, worry for her crew clouding her awareness. Code 26, not an uncommon code in this line of work but certainly not one she had heard for a while. The last time she did must have been when TK was shot, which had been a whole other kind of chaos.
“Who?” she didn’t have any time for panic as she tried to depersonalize from it all, a hand falling on Judd’s shoulder to get his attention. The man looked at her through his visor, worry etched into his face as he pointed to where most of the crew was crowding around. This was just supposed to be a normal fire response, a small apartment complex with a fire on the third floor, and she was sure everyone had evacuated on time. She was only gone from the main scene for ten minutes, helping parents find their children and checking people for smoke inhalation and minor burns. They hadn’t had a firefighter injury in a while, this was such a minor scene she wasn’t sure how it had even happened. Judd seemed to be questioning the same thing but she didn’t have the time to consider how much his memories were haunting him at that moment.
“Marjan…”
Nancy had caught up with her by then and she nudged her Captain forward, though when their eyes met Michelle could tell she was just as worried. She could feel the pit of anxiety gnawing away at her stomach, her friend’s life at risk here. Still, they had to be smart about this, Marjan needed them and they would have to wait to feel later.
“Captain,” Michelle bounded over to the others, “What happened?”
Owen turned to look at her, standing up properly from his previously crouched position. Mateo was on the ground, looking like anxiety incarnate, and beside him was Marjan. Laying on the sooty asphalt with her turnout coat nowhere to be found and she looked worse for wear. Instead, her long sleeve was exposed and Michelle could see blood seeping from somewhere and covering the white fabric in a nauseating amount. She was on the ground with them in seconds, leaning over Marjan before Owen had even managed to speak.
“The ceiling,” it was TK who spoke instead, “She went back to get a kid… the building was unstable.”
“Someone decided it was a brilliant idea to take off her coat and cover the kid with it,” Judd interjected, “The smoke was disorienting and we couldn’t get to her in time. The lobby ceiling fell.”
Michelle was nodding but all of her attention was on Marjan, shining her penlight in her eyes and sighing when her pupils reacted properly. The woman in question was watching her weakly, her breathing unsteady but she was still alert enough to know what was going on. There didn’t seem to be any head or facial trauma, which was a relief, but her main worry was her abdomen.
“BP is high and she’s tachy,” Nancy told her as she leaned over with a stethoscope to confirm, speaking gently to Marjan before she did anything. Michelle was glad Nancy was there, her caring nature always helping to soothe their patients.
“Marjan, let me know if this hurts, okay?” She didn’t lift her shirt for the sake of her privacy and instead palpated the injured area over the soaked fabric. The gentle pressure had her crying out almost immediately, arms jerking up to cover her stomach. It was very un-Marjan like in nature, since she was always fearless and hated to seem weak. Michelle apologized gently but her concern was only rising with that reaction.
“Abdominal guarding and tenderness,” she turned to TK, “What fell on her?”
“A chair from the upper hallway along with a large chunk of the ceiling.”
“Damn,” she looked to Nancy again, “Notify the nearest hospital that we have an incoming patient with blunt force abdominal trauma. Looks like a couple broken lower ribs and I’m worried about her spleen.”
“Alright.”
“Request a female trauma surgeon if possible,” she added before looking back down at Marjan, “You with me, Mar?”
Never one to appear weak even on death’s door, Marjan nodded as much as she could, “Mhm.”
“Anything else hurt right now?”
“How a-about eve-everything…” she let out a shaky laugh, which only made her wince as it jostled her ribcage. That only solidified Michelle’s assumption about fractured ribs, which usually caused a rupture of the spleen in cases like this. She hadn’t seen anything pressing during her secondary assessment but she was worried about other internal injuries or shock setting in too fast.
“We’re going to get you on the backboard then, okay?” she motioned for Mateo to stand and grabbed the board from on top of the gurney, passing it over to Paul so he could slide it under her from his side. She crouched by her shoulder, catching her attention again.
“We’re going to roll you onto your side, you know the drill.”
The transfer was painful for everyone, with Marjan unable to hide her agony at being moved in such a way. They hated seeing her like this, knowing they were only causing her more pain, but it was necessary. She cried out as they slid the board under her body, allowing Michelle a second to check for any injuries on her back. Getting her up onto the gurney was less of an event, though her stats had dropped enough in the move for Nancy to get worried.
“Captain Blake,” she said, “BP dropped and O2 stats in the 80’s.”
“Okay, we need to get going, I’ll run oxygen in the bus.”
With that they transferred her across the parking lot, back to the safe area that had been designated for the civilians to gather. Tim was waiting among them, rushing over to ask what had happened. Michelle was preoccupied with talking to Owen, trying to tell him as simply as she could how her prognosis looked.
“She’ll need a CT to confirm but I think there’s a good chance her spleen ruptured,” she told him, “I know you needed to move her from the building but I do hope you all didn’t jostle her too much.”
“We were as careful as possible but I couldn’t risk anyone getting trapped,” he rubbed a hand over his face, “Take care of our girl, Michelle.”
“We’ve got her,” with that she hoisted herself into the back of the ambulance, beside Nancy who was already getting the oxygen mask situated for Marjan. Tim checked from the front to make sure they were ready and then started the rig, lights and sirens on the second they pulled out of the parking lot.
Michelle busied herself with starting an IV in her arm, knowing she would need fluids if they wanted to keep her stats relatively stable. Her oxygenation had improved but her blood pressure was still worrying, not to mention how thready her pulse seemed when Michelle pressed her fingers to her wrist momentarily. That was never a good sign, especially with the way her eyes unfocused and her response to stimuli had decreased.
“Marjan,” she leaned a bit closer to meet her glassy eyes, “You stay awake for me.”
“T-trying…” she murmured, “Hurts.”
“I know,” looking at her crewmate she asked for a dose of morphine that would hopefully help until they got her to the ER. Nancy administered the painkiller as quickly as she could, reminding Marjan that she was doing well and they would get her help.
When the other woman leaned towards the front to ask Tim about their ETA, Marjan reached out weakly. She caught Michelle’s hand, making the EMT look at her with concern.
“I-” she took a shaky breath and tried to blink away the tears that clouded her vision, “I don’t w-wanna… die this way.”
“Hey, don’t say that,” Michelle told her firmly, “We’ve got you. You never let anything stop you before, Marjan, you can get through this.”
“M… Michelle?”
“I’m right here, Mar.”
“I-” her sentence never finished as the firefighter’s eyes rolled back slowly, unable to properly hear Michelle’s words of panic as she noticed what was happening. Marjan tried to stay alert, she really did, but the pain was too much. She felt like she was suffocating, the heavy weight in her abdomen slowly radiating up her body. She could feel hands on her, knew Michelle was with her, but she couldn’t focus. The only thing she was aware of was the aggressive beeping of the monitor that preceded her descent into unconsciousness.
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nahimjustfeelingit-writes · 5 years ago
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Vampr Erik Origin: Part Two
okay so I wanted to quickly get this out to basically wrap up the origin half of my new vampire Erik series Faerie and Vampr  that I am starting.
Origin Part One
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Let’s start with a little background on vampires:
In order to create a vampire, a human must be drained of their blood by a vampire and the blood lost needs to be replaced by some of the vampire's blood. The vampire and human must then sleep in the ground (this is presumably the point where they technically die) until the newborn rises as a vampire the following night. The newborn and the maker will subsequently have a maker-progeny bond, unless the maker deserts or releases their progeny.
If the head, or the heart are missing at the time of death, the person in question will not wake in transition; but simply stay dead. Currently, it is unknown what will happen to a person who lost other organs, such as a liver, or kidneys, and woke up in transition. Most fatal injuries, such as snapped necks, slit throats, stab wounds, and shattered bones from falls will be healed before the fledgling vampire awakens in transition. Furthermore, the person must be mortally wounded or ill to the point that conventional means cannot save their lives. I 
A newborn's existence depends upon their abilities, which are taught to them by their maker. These abilities take time to learn and develop. As vampires age, they become more adept at controlling their abilities. According to the history of the creation of vampires, two-thirds of newborns die during their first year without the guidance of their makers.
Newborn vampires will be thirsty and will need to feed to survive. Although newborns have some control of their abilities, they are mostly controlled by their impulses and can cause serious harm and accidental deaths to humans around them. In addition, newborns cannot resist blood at all, as resistance develops with age. The biggest difference is the fact that a vampire gains extreme strength, and has much agility and reflexes. This is more than a match for almost every human alive, and serves the vampire well for hunting and feeding. Of course, like humans, some vampires are just naturally stronger than others. 
Also, if a human who is strong is turned into a vampire, then that human strength is added to the vampire strength, creating a very powerful vampire. This is why many vampire leaders will sire huge men; they make incredible bodyguards even against a Slayer. As a vampire grows older, it’s demon side becomes more and more powerful. Vampires do not age, their bodies are, for the most part, just reanimated preserved corpses, and do they, through supernatural means, stay the same forever. There are some exceptions, for example, vampires still appear to grow hair...though perhaps at a much-reduced rate. 
A vampire can suffer terrible injuries and heal from them easily. Since they can only be killed by a few select things, they can suffer injuries a human could not heal from, like a broken spine. Gunshots, swords, and any injuries caused by weapons that aren’t wood can’t kill a vampire, only cause pain. Certain vampire poisons and magic do exist though, which will permanently hurt, or kill a vampire. In 1610, a powerful witch named Antonia Gavilán de Logroño cast a spell that summoned all vampires within a 20 mile radius to expose themselves to sunlight. This caused a number of vampires to die and caused vampires to be very fearful of necromancy.
Another example of the supernatural preservation is that vampires don’t need to take oxygen to live. They can, however, force air in and out of their lungs, which allows them to do things like smoke, or perhaps cool air into their chest if they get too warm. They do not have a beating heart like humans do. Although this is true, through some supernatural means they still seem to have blood flow. Without a blood flow, a vampire can’t bleed, or react to drugs, which they clearly do. They can’t however become pregnant or produce waste. 
Vampires are recognizable from their fangs, which are located behind the maxillary lateral incisors (as opposed to the canines, as per vampire mythology). Fangs can be extended and retracted by choice, and are controlled by the movements of certain facial muscles. However, fangs protrude automatically when vampires are feeding, angry, excited, sexually aroused (colloquially referred to as a "fang boner"), need to fight, or see blood. Fangs can also be removed, but grow back after three months. Without fangs, vampires cannot feed on live victims unless the victim is already wounded….
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Erik’s eyes shot wide open in a flash. Darkness surrounded him and his large, muscular body was resting on a hard surface. He could hear the springtails, beetles, centipedes, and ants that make their home in the soil, crawling around. The katydids and crickets were chirping much louder in his ears now. He could smell the odor of dry blood and decay in the earth from the deceased. His body no longer aches and he felt like he had the strength of an entire army. 
The last thing he remembered was waking up on a makeshift bed surrounded by burning ritual candles enchanted with herbs, oils, and crystals chosen for their metaphysical and magical properties. He could recall a voice, a captivating voice speaking Jamaican patois in his ear. Now that he forced himself to remember while lying beneath the cold, damp earth, she said she was Mama Dalma; Tia Dalma. The powerful voodoo priestess Erik heard many stories about in his youth. 
Like flashes, Erik could vividly see her coming down on him speedily and sinking her teeth into his neck, draining him of his blood. What was she? She said that she would give him the power of immortality, superhuman strength, and healing capabilities. Did that include drinking blood too? From what Erik could tell from his razor-sharp senses is that it’s nightfall. His hands reach above him, feeling around since he could only see pitch black. He noticed wood beneath his fingertips. Erik pushed with ease, although the top flew off and landed somewhere far within the distance. He sits up, finally breathing in the night air. 
Erik stares at his hands in bewilderment before looking around him. Erik could see the full moon peeking through the branches of the oak trees. As his eyes moved he could make out a sprawling wooden shack surrounded by a damp, gloomy world. It’s a steamy bayou and the forest within this area looked like a spooky cypress where fireflies flickered in the heavy air. The swamp water surrounding the shack was eerily still. The sprawling shack clings to the branches of a tree within the swamp. This had to be Tia Dalma’s home. 
...Yuh can stay here on muh table and die slowly...or I can give yuh immortality….
Her words rang true in his ears. Tia Dalma saved his life. Erik was about to die by the hands of white men who seeked revenge for burning down their homes and killing their families. He now remembers tasting the mixture of saltwater and freshwater, also known as brackish water in his mouth after being tossed inside the swamp by the white men. The gators would have devoured him in minutes if it wasn’t for him being pulled from the swamp. He figured Tia must have killed those men and rescued him. 
Standing slowly, Erik tested his ability to move by stepping out of what appears to be a wooden coffin and into the shoveled-out ditch. He clearly recovered from the multiple stab wounds to his abdomen. His cream colored linen blend shirt with a collar was still covering his torso even though it was ripped. Erik delicately touches the skin of his much smoother chest, his head lowering to follow his movements with fascination. His blood still stained the shirt that is also covered in dirt and grass stains. Lifting his shirt up, he examined his abdomen, the muscles crunching the more he bends his back to get a good look. 
There are no wounds. The jagged knife used on him to create deep gashes was apparently gone. All that’s left is smooth skin and an eight pack so rock hard that if a mortal punched him their phalanges down to their carpals would be fractured beyond repair. Erik breathes irregularly and his eyes are wide with astonishment. He quickly touched his face and head, his hands moving rapidly with shock. His face is back to normal before the white men kicked, punched, and pistol-whipped him. 
“Wut kind of magic is dis’?” He spoke with a staggering voice. While staring at his hands, a drop of blood landed on his skin. Startled, Erik touches his nose, bringing it down to examine. He’s bleeding. After that realization an insatiable need to eat overpowered him. It hit him so fast and strong that it made his body weaken and stumble. He grabbed at his throat as more blood dripped from his nostrils. Erik lets out agonized gasps that turned into deep growls. His fingers damn near clawed at his throat. He felt like he was going to die if he didn’t eat something, anything.
“Wah yuh still doin’ down dere?” 
Erik turned with great speed towards the direction of the vivid voice. Standing above him, was Tia Dalma herself. She’s wearing the same sheer, black gown Erik remembers, her long, slender dreadlocks framing her face and a sneaky smile was plastered on her black painted lips. 
“Wut happened to me? Did I die?” Erik says while looking up at Tia Dalma with his inky black irises outlined crimson twinkling in the evening night. 
“If yuh climb out of deh, Mama will tell yuh everything,” Tia Dalma steps back, “Come mi child.” 
Erik grabs hold of a few vines sprouting from the soil-covered wall before climbing up with superhuman agility, his body standing before Tia Dalma in a matter of seconds. The speed still amazed him. It felt like everything around him was moving at a slow pace. Tia locked eyes with Erik before circling him. She was especially proud of herself. She finally has a progeny after 175 years of immortality. Tia smelled Erik’s dreadlocks and squeezed his muscles while circling his beautiful frame. 
“I give yuh more life, Erik Stevens. Yuh will walk deh earth unstoppable, like mi,” Tia caresses Erik’s cheek with her sharp, long black nail. He looked her up and down before his eyes moved to the finger on his cheek. He gently brings his hand up, grabbing her finger and bringing it away from his face. 
“Wut am I?” He spoke carefully with squinted eyes. 
“Yuh a Vampr, Erik, a creature of deh night, deh undead.” 
“Ondèd? Mwen? Ondèd?” He walks away, his head moving up, down, and side to side with curiosity and confusion. Mama Dalma watched like a proud mother with her arms crossed, allowing Erik to get a feel of things before she started teaching him. The sooner the better since he’s a newborn. Erik could see with perfect clarity in the darkness of the night, to the point of being able to detect bodily heat emanations. The keenness was comparable on many levels to a bat or owl but ten times more. 
Erik starts moving extremely quick, testing out his new abilities. He would run to the left and stop, then turn and do the same thing, creating diagonal patterns with his movements. This speed made it impossible for him to be detected. The more he moved, the more excited he became. He was like a curious child, wanting to explore what else he was capable of doing. Erik ran towards an oak tree, wrapped his arms around it, and without even trying, he uprooted the entire tree before dropping it. The oak tree landed on the ground heavily, causing it to shake like an earthquake. This startled the animals, leading to a few deer and owls fleeing. 
“Just rampin around huh?” Tia Dalma laughs before walking up to Erik. His eyes are wide and his nostrils flared. All he wanted to do was move. Staying still only agitated him. Mama Dalma grabs his arm, yanking him towards her with her strength superior to Erik’s since she is much older. 
“Ah, yuh have deh bleeds,” Tia wipes Erik’s nose with her fingers, “Deh is what happens when yuh need to eat.” She checked his ears, and sure enough, he’s bleeding from there as well. Erik raises a single brow in question, clearly not understanding a word she was saying. 
“Out and bad, yuh will have deh chance to play, but for now, mi have to teach yuh about what it is to be a vampr. Listen to mi, Erik,” She spoke sternly while grabbing his chin harshly, “Yuh have to feed. Deh is mi first lesson. Feedin’. Come.” 
Tia Dalma grabs Erik’s hand and the both of them zoom off into the night. 
___________________
A white young lady named Isabella Guidry was playing her violin on the open porch of her family's plantation home. The Guidry plantation had about thirty field slaves before they were all freed because of the abolition of slavery. The only negros left we’re the house negros who prepared meals, cleaned, and baby sat. Isabella had just turned 21 years old and she was in preparation to be wed to a veteran named Alex Bellefleur who served as First Lieutenant in the 28th Louisiana Infantry. She suddenly stopped playing her violin when she heard her mother calling for her. 
“Isabella! Come in darling! Yvette has to do ya hair! Ya have to teach the new debutants in da morning!” 
“Coming, mama!” Isabella places her violin back in its case before securing it. She fluffed out her full forest green skirt that reached the ground, the bustle providing fullness in the back. The cream-colored corset top with cotton bell sleeves cinched her waist giving her an hourglass appearance. She stepped inside of the grand plantation home, the eldest house negro named Mabel approaching her cautiously. Mabel was wearing an apron over her withering cotton dress, her silver hair sprouting from underneath her sun bonnet. 
“Miss Isabella, ya needin’ any help?” Mabel asks.
“Just take my violin, please,” Isabella spoke dismissively, “Da last time one of ya broke my precious violin...DONT break this one,” Isabella spoke harshly. 
“Yes ma’am,” Mabel grabs the violin case from Isabella carefully before turning to leave with a limp in her leg.
“Why are ya walking like that, Mabel?” Isabella studied Mabel’s legs.
“Nothin’ just tired is all,” Mabel smiles despite her pain before turning the corner to leave.
“Isabella!” 
Her green eyes looked up to find her mother standing at the top of the stairs dressed in a black gown with a full skirt, her jet black hair pulled to the back of her head in a neat bun, and pearls dangling from her slender neck. She was clutching a handkerchief and before Isabella could ask why her mother began coughing into it. 
“Get up here, Bella. Yvette will put barley curls in ya hair and roll dem up. She’s waiting in ya room.” 
Her mother turns away abruptly, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor before disappearing into her bedroom. Isabella climbs the stairs to her room, worry filling her belly for her mother. When she finally made it to her room, Yvette was waiting for her patiently by her Astoria Grand Vanity. Yvette is a mulatto slave who Isabella’s father treated differently from the others because she’s his secret daughter. Her father slept with a house slave named Edna and impregnated her. Isabella’s mother found out and sold Edna to another plantation; the Compton plantation in St. Tammany Parish. 
“Evenin’ Miss Isabella,” Yvette spoke with her beguiling voice. She has smooth tawny skin, loose curly, sandy brown ringlets framing her face while the rest was hidden beneath a red and khaki tigon, which was simply the French New Orleans version of an African head wrap. She wore a brown southern belle dress with lace drop shoulder sleeves, a low neckline, and a voluminous skirt. Isabella hates that this is her half sister and the fact that she gets to dress so nicely. 
“Who gave ya dat dress?” Isabella asks with an attitude and jealous eyes. 
“I made it, Miss Isabella,” Yvette blinks her chocolate brown eyes away, “I have to do ya hair.”
“I know, barely curls,” Isabella takes a seat at her vanity, her eyes sharp on Yvette. Yvette could feel her burning holes through her head with her furious eyes while she took down Isabella’s black hair. Yvette grabs a brush to smooth it down, “Well? Wut are ya waitin’ on?! Do my hair!” 
“Yes, Miss Isabella,” Yvette moved at a faster pace before grabbing a clip to pin up some of Isabella’s dark strands. 
“I hate ya,” Isabella didn’t hesitate to say, “Ya brought down my family, ya negro tramp.” 
Yvette bites her tongue. She had a lot that she wanted to say to Isabella but she would only end up killed. It wasn’t her fault that her father slept with her mother, Edna, around the same time Isabella’s mother was pregnant. Yvette didn’t ask to be here. She couldn’t control the fact that she was half white, even though she despised that side of her because of how they treated blacks. Yvette will always feel disgusted about that part of her. While Yvette began working on Isabella’s hair, wetting a few strands, a scream rang out from her mother’s room. It went on a few more times, the sound so scary it made Isabella’s fingers tremble. Yvette was in the middle of wrapping Isabella’s damp hair around a piece of soft rag to form the curls when she stopped, a startled expression on her face. 
“What da hell?” Isabella stands, “mama?” She called. Her father wasn’t home yet from an outing with her fiancé, Alex, and the rest of the men for drinks, preferably hard apple cider and rum. It was unnaturally quiet. A pin dropping would probably echo throughout the room from how silent it was. Isabella lets out a panting breath before standing from her vanity. Yvette began to quickly clean Isabella’s vanity, her hands shaky. She heard tales about Ricardo Dupoux and his revolt burning down plantations throughout Louisiana. She didn’t want to be around for it to happen. 
“Go see what dat noise is!” Isabella ordered. Yvette pauses, giving Isabella a dirty look. 
“Did I stutter, nigger?! Go see what dat is! NOW!” Isabella yells with a trembling finger pointed to the door. 
Yvette drops the items in her hand onto the vanity before gathering the bottom of her dress to walk away. Before she could even make it to the door it was torn from its hinges. Yvette runs to the other side of the room, tripping over the bottom of her dress, and falling to the floor while Isabella screams, falling back against her bed. Standing at the door, both bodies covered in blood, is a black man and a black woman. Their eyes are round with pitch black irises, mouths wide open and sharp fangs protruding automatically to threaten. Their faces from the nose down are covered in blood and some of it stained their clothes. The woman, however, barely wore any fabric, her small breasts with hardened nipples and her hairy mound clearly visible. 
“WHO ARE YA?!!! WHAT DID YA DO TO MY MAMA?!!!” Isabella yells with fear. Yvette was hugging herself in a corner, tears filling her eyes as she prayed in Haitian creole. 
“Chè Bondye, tanpri, mwen pa vle mouri,” She sobbed while praying. 
“No use in cryin’ child, hush yuh mouth,” Mama Dalma spoke with an evil tongue, “hole yuh cahna, gurl,” She insulted Isabella, putting her in her place when she kept yelling about how they are a bunch of niggers and how her father will find them and kill them. 
Erik tasted his first victim and it was glorious. It was like an unimaginable, indescribable sweet heavenly nectar. It’s like being able to perpetually exist off nothing but sweet desserts without any negative health repercussions. The taste of Isabella’s mother's blood reminded him of fresh gala apples. It satisfied his hunger but it didn’t give him that feeling he yearned for, a feeling close to an orgasm. A feeling close to his dick chubbing up in his brown knickers. As he stared at Isabella with predatory eyes, he could hear her heart racing, and smell her fear, a scent that Erik relished. While he was draining Isabella’s mother dry he could hear Isabella’s heartbeat through the thick walls. His new powers as the undead allowed him to see Isabella’s blood and brain activity as well. 
“Mwen pa ka tann pou tiye sa a,” Erik spoke with a deep, gravelly voice before licking blood from his chin with his thick pink tongue. Mama Dalma gave him a seductive look, her clit jumping below her tightly coiled pubic hair. Yvette shudders from his words. He said he couldn’t wait to kill Isabella. Yvette wondered if he would say the same about her. 
“Eat mi child,” Mama Dalma says with a wave of her hand, granting Erik permission to drain Isabella dry. Mama Dalama couldn’t keep her eyes off of Erik’s blood-covered lips and fangs. Isabella tried to run with a high-pitched scream filling the room but Erik already detected her escape, running up on her at a whizzing speed that ripped through the air, grabbing her by the back of her frail neck and slamming her face first on the hardwood floor. Erik twisted her neck painfully before sinking his fangs deep into her pulsating jugular vein. Since he’s new, he drank from Isabella with so much excitement to taste her blood that Tia had to stand by him to instruct him. 
“Patience, Erik, slow down,” Mama Dalma moves some of his dreads from his face, “Feel her heartbeat...yuh feel that? Yuh hear it slowing up? Deh is what yuh want to look for. When yuh feedin’ yuh must never take deh last breath or it will draw yuh in and yuh will drop out. If yuh plan on feeding yuh have to learn how to do it without killing dem, yuh know?” 
Isabella’s cries grew fainter and fainter. Yvette was staring her in the eyes, watching the life drain from her body. Tears of fear fell from Yvette’s eyes and a hand came up to cover her mouth so she wouldn’t scream. She didn’t understand what she was witnessing before her eyes. 
“Good job, Big up yourself,” Mama Dalma congratulates Erik on properly feeding from his victim, “Now, yuh may finish her off.” 
Erik didn’t need to be told twice. He sank his fangs deeper, ripping the flesh from her neck, and in a matter of seconds, Isabella was lifeless. Erik retracted his fangs before dropping her body to the floor with a loud thud. Her blood was much better than her mother’s, it tasted like cinnamon apples. He could easily tell Isabella and her mother apart from their bodily odor, down to their blood types.
“Now, appreciate yuh prey,” Mama Dalma smashes Isabella’s head like a watermelon with her bare foot, “Deh are food, and only food.” She reminds a newborn Erik. 
“More,” Erik says while the blood of his victims electrified his body. 
“There’s one more,” Mama Dalma points her sharp black claw nail at Yvette, “She’s a pretty one too...I bet she tastes better,” Mama Dalma says with a honeyed voice. 
The echo-sensitivity of Erik’s hearing is what made him notice Yvette. When his eyes landed on hers and his nose sniffed the air she openly cried, her hands flailing and pretty face stained with tears. His sheer speed made it impossible for Yvette to escape. Erik picks Yvette up by her neck and slams her against the wall, grabbing her chin to aggressively turn her head so that he could have access to her neck, or, another area…
“Mwen...Mwen...bèl, Mwen,” His eyes are glued to the copious amount of cleavage she has spilling over the top of her dress. Her skin was translucent to him and he could see her veins and arteries contracting and pushing blood throughout her. Then, Erik could hear her heart like ritual drums pounding his ears. She smelled so...good. Her scent was like Heliotropes with their vivid purple beauty that reminded Erik of cherry pie. 
“Tanpri, pa touye m’. Mwen ansent!!!” She pleaded and shook with fear, “Mwen gen yon ti bebe k ap grandi andedan mwen!!” She couldn’t look Erik in his killer eyes. 
Erik retracted his fangs, his eyes tearing away from Yvette’s cleavage with great restraint. He lets go of Yvette walking away to control himself. Yvette slides down the wall to the floor clutching her belly. She trembled as she cried. Erik clenched his fists, trying his best to control his breathing and his temptations to drain her dry. 
“Erik? Wuh are yuh doing?!!!” Mama Dalma spoke with rage, speeding over to Erik and standing in front of him, “Yuh stopped...why did Yuh do deh?!” Mama Dalma was hysterical. 
“Not dis one,” Erik spoke with a low trembling voice, “She’s pregnant.” 
Mama Dalma tilted her head up at Erik before grabbing his chin roughly, causing her sharp nails to sink into the flesh of his cheeks, drawing blood,“Yuh came here to feed, right? Wat a gwaan? Yuh killed the other two just fine. Yuh can’t have remorse, it’s not in our nature.” 
“I can’t do it,” Erik moves his head away from Mama Dalma’s grip, “There has to be another way, I can’t-I can’t kill her.” 
Mama Dalma’s eyes were scornful on Erik. He didn’t cower under her gaze because he knew she wouldn’t kill him, she needed him, that much Erik could tell. 
Mama Dalma closes her eyes with a shake of her head, “Yuh queff dem whites...Yuh need to glamour this one then, wipe her memory.” 
Erik’s eyes narrowed with confusion. 
“It's a form of hypnosis. Come, I’ll show Yuh.” 
Both Mama Dalma and Erik dash to Yvette causing her to scream. Erik places a hand over her mouth to calm her but it wasn’t working. Mama Dalma rolls her eyes with frustration, preferring to kill her but Erik did need to learn how to glamour his victims. 
“Alright, now, stare into her eyes.” 
Erik locks eyes with Yvette. 
“Keep eye contact...yes...now, yuh will feel yourself invading her mind...when yuh feel that connection, hold it with all Yuh might. Now...use your voice to compel her to do wuh yuh want her to do...now try.” 
Erik felt tethered to Yvette’s mind. It was hard to hold on but Erik pushed himself to keep Yvette under his control. He liked the challenge and if this was going to be his life he needed to do it right the first time. That was the perfectionist in him, even as Ricardo Dupoux. 
“...I’m going to release ya mouth now….” Erik spoke calmly and carefully. Yvette didn’t make a sound as Erik’s hand left her mouth. She stared at him with a dazed expression like she was in a dream-like state. 
“Tell me, what’s ya name, girl?” Erik asks. 
“Yvette,” She spoke with reverie.
“Yvette...ya very lucky tonight. Ya get to leave dis plantation and never look back. Ya can find ya family, and be free with ya babies,” Erik smiles with his blood stained lips and deep charming dimples causing Yvette to smile. 
“I can finally see my mama?” even in a stupor, Yvette couldn’t fight the tears of joy falling from her eyes. 
“Yeah, ya can go to ya mama. Ya won’t remember wut happened here tonight, ya never even saw me, or her,” Erik reaches out to stroke Yvette’s face. She leaned into his touch while staring at him like she was stuck in a daydream. 
“Now, I’m gonna let ya go now, girl. Forget this plantation, just keep going and don’t look back, ya hear me?” 
“Yes sir.”
“Good girl, now, go on, love, leave and never, ever look back.” Erik stressed while holding the eye contact he had with her. Yvette blinked her pretty chocolate brown eyes at him like she was under a love spell, “Say, yes sir so I know you understand what I’m telling ya to do.” 
“Yes sir,” Yvette says with a nod of her head. Erik left her in suspended animation while Yvette lifted from the floor, gathering the front of her dress, and walking out of the room. She was gone. 
“Yuh gonna tell mi wuh happened back dere?” 
Erik turned to Mama Dalma and she was on him in a flash, slamming him to the floor hard and breaking the floorboards beneath him. His fangs extended and he hissed at her with his dark eyes unblinking on her. Mama Dalma’s hands are a blur as she holds Erik down with his arms above his head. She hissed in his face harder, her fangs inches away from biting a hole through his pouty bottom lip. 
“Yuh enjoy misbehaving I see. Let me tell yuh something,” She spoke with venom, “I am Yuh maker, I created yuh, and I can take Yuh life away,” She snaps her fingers before dragging her hand down his body to his crotch, squeezing his erection hard,  “Just...like...deh, do yuh understand? I command yuh, I have a link to Yuh body and when I call on yuh...yuh come to mama,” She whispered before pushing off of him with great speed, standing above him. 
“Retract yuh fangs,” She says. Erik glared at her on that floor, disobeying her yet again. 
“As yuh maker, I COMMAND YUH TO RETRACT YUH FANGS...NOW!” Her voice boomed. 
Erik retracted them without any more trouble. 
“Good boy,” She says, “Now get up. I’m not finished feedin’.” 
_______________
There are rows of Cajun homes within New Orleans that belonged to many white people. Some were plantations, others were of regular architecture. Mama Dalma and Erik have been feeding all night and it would be dawn soon in a couple of hours. Since Tia has already killed the men that attempted to kill Erik, Erik seeked revenge on their families. They couldn’t walk into the homes unless they were invited which is what got them inside of the Guidry plantation. An elder house negro named Mabel invited them inside when Mama Dalma persuaded her. As soon as Mama Dalma and Erik stepped into the home, Mama Dalma killed Mabel by draining her blood through her throat. 
Mama Dalma made Erik glamor each white person that owned the homes so they could invite them inside to kill them. Bloody footprints made a trail up the road to each and every home. Children, mothers, and fathers all lay in a bloody pile for the flies to swarm them. It was sensual and addictive to feed from his victims. He didn’t feel sexual attraction towards them, especially the racists whites all over New Orleans, but the tastier the blood, the harder his dick became. His mortal life was becoming an afterthought, especially with what happened at the Guidry plantation. He couldn’t bring himself to kill Yvette, even as a newborn, because she was pregnant. Her fear and her words made him think about Justine Dupoux; his wife, and his two little girls, Rose Fabiola Dupoux and Felicie Ines Dupoux. 
With Dawn approaching, Mama Dalma and Erik are simply walking through the bayou, dried blood on their skin from head to toe. Mama Dalma tells Erik the story of how she was created. A mob of pirates came looking for her to kill her because of a curse she placed on them. They hunted her down and each of them took turns raping and stabbing her to death. She was coughing up her own blood in her shack in Cuba similar to the one she has in New Orleans. Just minutes later, a handsome vampr with smooth bronze skin, a broad and hooked nose, thick curly hair, and a tall, slender frame cane upon her. He said he had traveled from the Eastern Desert that extends from the Nile Valley all the way to the Red Sea Coast. He was stunned by Mama Dalma’s bravery and beauty, so he granted her the gift of immortality. 
Erik impressed Mama Dalma for his thirst for things. She, however, knew that Erik was going to be trouble since he’s not used to taking orders from anyone. Within their walk in the remaining hours of darkness, Mama Dalma taught Erik all about the world of a vampire and its history from what her maker shared with her. As for Erik’s new powers, he was beside himself with the pleasure of it all. He will live forever, he is strong and unstoppable, and he can hypnotize people at will. One downside to it all was that he was going to miss the feeling of the sun on his skin, releasing endorphins such as serotonin; proven to improve mood, and energy, and increase feelings of calm and focus. Another downside stood before his eyes right now. Erik didn’t mean to come here. 
Hiding in the trees, Erik stares at his old home. It was a beautiful forest retreat surrounded by green. He remembers building this home from the ground up. Focusing his eyes, Erik can see an oil lamp ignited in the small window of the living room. Just beyond the glass, Justine could be seen praying with Erik’s mother, Fabiola. He could hear them calling on the spirits for help to bring Erik back to them. Rose and Felicie are sound asleep in their beds. Erik can hear their soft breaths. He couldn’t stop thinking about all the times he would enter that home, kicking off his riding boots and sneaking up on his wife while she sewed their daughters clothing, placing a delicate kiss to her neck before trailing those kisses down to his wife’s copious cleavage. He could almost feel her curves against his solid frame. Then, the smell of his daughter's hair; a lavender scent. They were always so happy to see him. 
“Come on, we’ve stayed long enough,” Mama Dalma says with a hand to Erik’s shoulder, “A vampire's life is a life of discretion.”
“Discretion?” Erik looks down at Mama Dalma as his eyes become glossy before they leaked bloody tears, “Why must we hide, Mama Dalma? We are da powerful, we are da immortal, we should walk fearless in da open,” Erik spoke with a raucous voice. He didn’t like that he had to leave his family behind. Stopping here to see his home one final time was a grave mistake. 
“Deh cannot be, mi child,” Mama Dalma wipes away Erik’s bloody tears with her fingers, slipping them into her mouth to clean off, “Mortals must never know bout’ us for deh sake of our kind-
“So I can never know my family?!!!” Erik’s voice was thick with emotion.
“Not unless yuh plan on killing all of dem. Yuh have to cut out, Erik,” She steps closer to him, her eyes more serious, “Yuh must be dead to deh world.” 
“I can’t accept dat,” He steps away. 
“As yuh maker, I command yuh to leave yuh family behind.” 
Erik’s body felt like it was being controlled just from those words alone. Mama Dalma starts walking away, and Erik has no other choice but to follow her while bloody tears stained his cheeks. 
“Yuh will do nothing but feed and feed until yuh are satisfied. We are savages, it is time for yuh to understand deh...I am sick of repeating myself wit yuh,” Mama Dalma scolds, “Now, let us go to ground until tomorrow night, I’m craving infant blood,” Mama Dalma wickedly laughs while twirling around in a state of euphoria, her hands playing in her dreadlocks, “I know where deh newborn nursery is at Charity Hospital!! Nice, plump babies!!!” 
Tia Dalma is the epitome of vampiric evil and malice, all because of her abusive, cold-hearted, and manipulative maker named Abasi. Abasi and Tia traveled all over from South America, Africa, Europe, and North America.Together, Abasi using Tia’s abilities to seduce and entice men and women, he lured them into his clutches, thereby raping and murdering countless men and women then mutilating their bodies. Abasi created a sadistic vampire. Erik has yet to see what Mama Dalma is capable of and she couldn’t wait to transform him into a male version of herself, just as cruel, limitless, sadistic, and torturous. 
____________________
It is the year 1891, three years after Erik Stevens was made vampr. Mama Dalma and Erik often traveled to the French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré and Barrio Francés. Anglophone Americans and Francophone Creoles would meet and do business in both French and English. It was a big tourist destination. There are multi-story Creole townhouses with businesses occupying ground floors and living quarters above. There were railroad tracks, warehouses, and industries built near the riverfront. Some wealthy Quarter residents relocated to Esplanade Avenue and North Rampart Street when things became overcrowded. Here, Mama Dalma and Erik felt most alive at night. It’s been a while since Erik came to the French Quarter. 
The old Lalaurie mansion that was burned down by a mob in 1834 and remodeled in 1838 is used as a public school for girls. Evening parades with drunken civilians who engaged in sex and violence thrilled Mama Dalma and Erik. There is a luxury hotel that Mama Dalma and Erik often decide to bombard and take the riches from the wealthy whites after draining them. Erik especially loved to steal three piece lounge suits and polished shoes for himself from local shops. He looked dapper with the slim fit, always wearing his jackets partially undone to reveal the high buttoning waistcoats and watch-chain. He didn’t bother buttoning his shirt since he preferred it to be open to show off his defined pectorals and sculpted eight pack. He still dawned the Vodou jewelry he adored so much.
Mama Dalma is a confident woman who screams sex. She often wore long, sheer gowns that gave you a view of her nudity. She wore heavy jewelry like Erik and dark makeup that made her inky black eyes pop. She was determined to fuck Erik, waiting patiently for him to finally accept his new life. It took him over a year to freely accept being a vampire. He never talked about his family again which made Mama Dalma very happy, especially if he was going to be her lover. It was his compelling eyes, his remarkable body, his voice, the way he fed on his victims, how his dick would thicken and leave an enormous bulge that she wanted nothing more but to ride, suck, and nibble on with her fangs. She noticed the way women; white and black, looked at him. She noticed a lot of traits in his new vampire body. Erik is calculating, disobedient because he didn’t like to be told what to do and when to do it, seductive, calm and methodical unless pushed towards a lethal violence with surprising strength for a newborn. 
One evening, Mama Dalma and Erik visit a brothel, posing as a wealthy black couple. The prostitutes of the brothel were a mixture of races; French Creoles, Spanish, Haitian Creoles, African Americans, White Americans, and the list goes on. It’s been three years since Erik had sex with a woman. He would often lure and seduce them to kill them or feed but not to have sex. Seeing all of the half naked women offering themselves to him stirred something within him that he hadn’t felt since his wife. He could never see them again so there was no use in denying himself of what he craved besides drinking blood. Mama Dalma sensed his struggle and decided to let Erik have some fun while she watched, that is, until she intervenes.
 Erik chose a beautiful African American girl named Althea who physically reminded him of his wife; short, curves in all the right places, and lips so round and full he wondered how good they tasted. She wore tight, barely curls in her hair and Victorian lingerie with a corset in a peach color. She looked timid, constantly staring at her bare feet to avoid Erik’s piercing black eyes. Just simply extending his hand for her to grasp made her gasp. When Erik took her to a room draped in red velvet with fancy suede red furniture lit by an electric lantern, he informed her that Mama Dalma simply wanted to watch them have sex. This poor girl Althea didn’t know what was coming to her. Mama Dalma took a seat in a corner, removing her long coat and revealing her sheer gown underneath. 
“I’ve never done dis before...having a woman watch me,” Althea whispered nervously. 
“Just act like she’s not even there, girl,” Erik kisses down Althea’s neck, “Ya like da way I kiss?” 
“Yes,” Althea gasps when Erik’s tongue snakes down her neck to her cleavage, “Ya sure love to lick my skin, Sir,” Althea laughs nervously. She couldn’t keep her eyes off of Mama Dalma. 
“Ya smell just like honey,” Erik drags his nose along Althea’s skin, “I bet ya taste like honey too, girl...right here,” Erik says while rubbing her pussy lips through her lingerie. 
“Please,” Althea lays back in the bed, “ya so handsome, I need ya to fuck me.” 
Mama Dalma brings her hand down between her legs, resting her fingers over her curly pubic hair. Wet wasn’t even the word to describe how slick her folds are. Watching Erik undress Althea made her fangs extend on its own. Luckily, she’s in the shadows and Althea can’t see. Erik used one had to rip Althea’s corset and lingerie from her body, causing her to moan from his aggressiveness. Althea has nice big, round breasts with dark chocolate areolas and nipples. Mama Dalma could only imagine how it must feel to sink her teeth into all that flesh. 
“Goddamn, girl,” Erik practically rips his shirt from his body followed by his waistcoat, trousers, and shoes. Althea couldn’t believe the body before her was real. She touched Erik with intriguing eyes filled with so much desire they began to water. 
“What a beautiful man,” Althea expresses, “What are ya?” 
“Ya Master,” Erik gives Althea a wicked smile, “And da one dat plans on making ya cum,” He licks his lips before leaning forward to suck on Althea’s nipples. 
Her heart rate banged in his ears and the constant pulse coming from her veins and arteries was driving him insane. He was extremely hungry and after three years of being a vampire his control became better. His fangs didn’t extend prematurely anymore, now, Erik could control it. Althea’s sweet moans made his fat dick cast iron hard. He quickly drags his lips down Althea’s body while she grabs a fist full of his long, slender dreadlocks. Erik wasted no time while bringing Althea’s legs up and out, causing her to whimper. The smell of her inner folds was what caused his fangs to extend. Althea heard it and lifted to try and see but Erik held her down with a single hand around her throat while he vigorously lapped at her pussy. Pussy. He forgot how amazing it tasted but with his heightened senses he had to be licking grains of sugar. 
“Oh, yes, oh God, yes,” Althea was gripping the sheets while struggling to breath from Erik’s strong hand around her neck, “Yes, Master, eat my pussy like dat.” 
Mama Dalma was rubbing her clit in a circular motion with her razor sharp eyes focused on the way Erik’s tongue would lick Althea’s pussy. That thick, pink tongue would flick Althea’s clit up and down and then he would occasionally move that muscle side to side up and down Althea’s inner folds. She was nice and engorged down there, her hips constantly jerking like she wanted to shower Erik with her liquid. The minute Erik’s full lips wrapped around Althea’s clit and labia, Mama Dalma slips three fingers into her pussy to stroke herself. Althea couldn’t handle it. Mama Dalma however would have taken that sweet torture like a champion. 
“Unh! Unh! I’m cumming! Master, I’m cumming!” 
Althea’s hips levitated off of the bed and Erik followed her movements with his lips still sucking on her clit. 
“Jesus,” Mama Dalma whispers, “Yuh tore deh girl up, Erik...her pussy is nice and wet now.” 
Erik’s lips slowly pulled off of Althea’s clit to place kisses along her inner thighs. He licked with a circular motion to make her shiver before sinking her teeth into her thigh. Althea screams, yanking Erik’s dreadlocks. Her entire body spasms beneath him, soft whimpers escaping her mouth. She didn’t understand what was going on. Erik retracted his fangs before licking her blood up that constantly leaked. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before kneeling between Althea’s legs with his dick in hand. Althea watched him clutch that long pipe before bringing her knees back further. 
“It’s so big,” She says with a stunned voice, her hands holding her pussy lips open now with desperation, “ya fucking me wit dat?” She was nervous and aroused at the same time. 
“All of dat,” he leans over Althea’s body, his dick in one hand and his other hand wrapped around her curly strands. Erik rubbed the wide tip of his dick against her clit before slowly entering Althea. She let out ragged breaths with her mouth unhinged. Erik licked and kissed all over Althea’s neck all while his hips were pistoning in and out of Althea’s pussy. The entire bed would moved, the brass headboard banging against the wall covered in elegant ornate French Victorian wallpaper that is a black and red color. 
“Fuck, dis pussy is so tight,” He whispers. 
“It’s so much dick, Master, so much dick!!!!” Althea pushes at Erik’s chest but he wasn’t going anywhere, “Jesus! it is filling me up!! unh, FUCK!”
“Ya better take all dis dick I’m giving ya girl,” He whispered to her, “Don’t run from me, I’ll hold ya down and fuck ya some more.” 
Mama Dalma moaned from his words before bringing her fingers to her mouth to taste herself. With her spit covered fingers she rubs her clit, bringing one leg up so she could have a better reach. She could only imagine the pleasure Althea was experiencing. The more Erik fucked her the more possessive Mama Dalma became. Althea was taking all that dick, dick that belonged to Mama Dalma. Erik’s stroke was dangerous. The muscles in his back rippled and flexed each time he entered Althea. 
“Ya making me cum again!” Althea twisted her head to the side, tears falling from her eyes, and moaning into the pillow beneath her, “UNH GOD!” 
Erik’s inky black irises dilated when he saw Althea’s jugular vein protrude from her neck. While stroking her, Erik takes a single finger to trace her vein before extending his fangs from simply flexing his jaw, startling her by coming down on her with speed, his teeth sinking right into her vein. Like a pipe bursting, Althea’s blood spilled into Erik’s mouth. His eyes rolled and the grip he had on her hair became painful and uncomfortable. Her screams turned into scared cries as her hands attempted to push him off of her. 
“Yes, feed, mi child!!! take her blood!!!” Mama Dalma felt overwhelming joy and lust instead of a building orgasm since she is the undead. Mama Dalma sucked the lubrication from her fingers before speeding over to the bed. She moves Erik’s dreadlocks out of the way so she could sink her teeth into Althea’s right breast. The fleshy area was like a cushion for Mama Dalma’s lips while she fed off of her. Althea could do nothing but cry. Erik continues to fuck her until his body tingled and the same overwhelming lust that Mama Dalma felt blasted through him. It was strange and intriguing to not ejaculate but still very powerful like an orgasm. It hit him so hard that the hand in Althea’s hair yanked some of her strands out. Blood began to soak the sheets and Althea’s body soon became lifeless. 
“FUCK,” Erik stares at Althea’s dead body. Her blood was so rich and sweet Erik couldn’t help but to lick and suck on his fingers. His dick was standing straight up and pointed out with deep veins and a tight sack. 
“I’m gonna suck and fuck deh sweet dick so good, Erik,” Mama Dalma grabs Erik’s dick, her fingers barely touching, “Oooh, it’s so damn thick.” 
“I bet ya been wanting to suck dis dick for a long time...wut took ya so long? Huh?” He says with a sly smirk. 
“Eva since I first laid eyes on yuh.”
Mama Dalma forces Erik to the bed with her superior strength. Erik’s fangs retracted instantly when Mama Dalma started stroking his dick. Erik hisses while taking his strong hand to rip Mama Dalma’s dress to shreds, revealing her toned body with small breasts. Mama Dalma lowered her head between Erik’s legs and with her superhuman strength and stamina, Mama Dalma tightened her jaws and bobbed her head expertly to fill her entire throat with his dick. She would suck him all the way down to the base and back up. 
“Fuck, kenbe souse m’tankou sa,” Erik closes his eyes, “sa kaka santi li tèlman bon,” He spoke gruffly between moans. He was telling Mama Dalma how good it felt and that she needed to keep sucking on him. Erik felt a pinprick on the side of his shaft that made him bite down on his pouty bottom lip, drawing blood. Mama Dalma was tasting the blood from the throbbing and protruding veins of his meaty length. Erik instantly healed from her bite. 
“Yuh are one sexy man, Erik, and yuh are mine. I always get wuh I want. I will take it by force if I have to. Deh dick is mine, yuh hear me? Alllllllllll Mine.” 
Mama Dalma couldn’t be stopped the more she gave Erik fellatio. Suck long, suck hard, and suck often. That’s exactly what she will do every chance she gets. With Erik’s newfound strength, his dick was practically impenetrable; unyielding; tremendously solidified. That pleasure stick will have Mama Dalma feeling intimacy stronger than she ever did in her early vampire life. It was different at first for Mama Dalma to be sexual but not in a reproductive way. Since discovering Erik, she felt the strongest sexual lust in her 175 years of being a vampire. Mama Dalma mounted Erik speedily, grabbing his dick at the base before lowering herself on him. 
None of the sex is quite as good as vampire sex, though, which can happen at the astonishing rhythm of 120 bpm while simultaneously devouring one’s neck and making your eyes roll back into your head. If they go from a base level, vampires create a hole in the neck where there wasn’t one before. It’s a devirginization—breaking the hymen, creating blood and then drinking the virginal blood. And there’s something sharp, the fang, which is probing and penetrating and moving into it which is pretty sexy. 
As she bounced on his dick Erik fed from her neck, tasting the very blood that heightened the feeling like ecstasy. His strong, powerful hips met hers in sort of a race to see who was in charge. Mama Dalma clawed at Erik’s chest with her sharp nails, creating deep claw marks that healed instantly. Her nimble body moved at a swift speed above Erik causing him to grip her hips to try and keep her in place. They were fucking so hard and fast that the bed banged against the floor loudly. The mind-blowing passion was most exhilarating while feeding. It’s not simply “feeding” but it’s sex, breathing, having the best dinner you’ve ever had, feeling the life force of another filling you and making your flagging essence re-surge with vitality. It bolstered your sense of well-being as well as gave life to your body, mind, and demon spirit. 
The sensation of feeding is akin to an orgasm, but even more powerfully so in some instances, particularly when properly hungry, which is why stopping can be an issue for vampires. That’s what Erik was experiencing. He lets out a guttural rasp, gasping for air until Mama Dalma finally stops. Erik sucked on her nipples and trailed kisses all over her flesh before forcing her head down so he could nibble on her lips with his fangs. Her moans were stuck in her throat the more Erik fed from her lips. She couldn’t get enough of it, and neither could he. 
_____________________
After three months of torture, kill, and sex, Erik became concerned for his family’s welfare when a pox epidemic broke out. Just when he was finally accepting his vampire life, Erik was soon reminded of his mortal family and how they must be struggling to survive. Maybe the faith of the Vodou Religion kept them stable but this epidemic was killing hundreds of people. After Mama Dalma and Erik had sex at their home in the shack, Mama Dalma went to ground earlier and that gave Erik an opportunity to check in on his family. He speeds over to his forest home, peeking through the trees to see how things were. It was dark inside, almost lifeless. Erik became afraid and made the risky choice to approach the home. Out in the clearing now, Erik walked towards the home, nervous and afraid for his family to see him like this. 
“Ricardo?! Ricardo se ke ou?!” 
It was Justine, standing on the porch wearing a poor Victorian style dress made from cotton with her hair wrapped in a tigon. She looked exhausted with dark circles under her eyes. She was 30-years-old now, and his daughters would be 8-years-old. Fabiola’s birthday had just passed in August, she turned 56-years-old. All of the time had slipped away. Living as a vampire, time wasn’t important with the exception of when dawn was approaching. Justine had lost weight, her fullness that Erik loved no longer there. 
“Kote ou te ye?!!” She yells while running down the front steps to their home. She wrapped her arms around Erik’s neck, pulling him down into a tight, suffocating hug. Erik’s nose landed in her hair and it smelled earthy, floral, sweet, and relaxing. This was the scent he remembered. It took all of his will power not to sink his teeth into her neck. They stayed like that for some time while she weeped into his cotton shirt. 
“Ti fi Yo? Manman m?” Erik asks, pulling Justine away by her upper arms so that he could look at her. He asked where the girls and his mother were. Justine broke down crying again, her knees buckling. Erik held her tightly while a crease formed in his brow. 
“Ricardo, ou ta dwe retounen!!!! Poukisa ou kite nou!!!!” Justine attempted to push Erik over and over but he wasn’t moving. 
Hearing Justine refer to him as Ricardo felt strange. He almost forgot that was his birth name. 
“I had to leave...for ya safety...dem white men would have killed all of ya.” Erik squeezed her tightly to calm her down.
“Fabiola...li mouri.” Justine’s voice was barely audible when she told him the news. Erik felt like he was dying all over again. Fabiola was dead. 
“How?” He asks, holding back his tears. 
“Fever... a year ago... couldn’t save her...she died in her sleep,” Justine’s words halted as she began to cry again, “Her last dyin’ wish was to see ya again but ya never came back!” Justine looked at him like she was looking at a stranger, “Ya look so different, Ricardo.” 
“Da girls, Justine, I want to see dem,” Erik says. 
“Ya too late,” Justine fought for oxygen in his arms. 
Erik’s eyes grew wide and he stormed past Justine and into the house. There, lying in a coffin, was Rose Fabiola Dupoux and Felicie Ines Dupoux. They are dressed in cotton gowns, one purple and one pink with floral crowns and white dress shoes. Their coily hair is long and luscious, even in death. The last time he saw them they were five years old, running through the little garden in their yard, playing hide-n-seek. They were covered in pox that left nasty scars on their beautiful melanin skin. Erik couldn’t stop the bloody tears that began to flow. He walked up to their wooden coffins, his hands reaching out to touch them. Erik dropped to his knees, loud, uncontrollable sobs filling the room as his body shook. 
“I tried, Ricardo...dere was nothin’ I could do,” Justine kneeled by his side, resting her head against his shoulder, “Dese precious girls…I prayed to Papa Ghede for help but nothing worked. I’ve exhausted all of my tears…I accept dat dem girls have to go...Marie is dead, ya mother is dead...I had no one to turn to.”
Erik stands, walking up to each of his daughters to place a final kiss to their heads. He felt disgusting. If he wouldn’t have chosen this life, he would have been here for his daughters, he would have been here for mother, and he would have been here to comfort his grieving wife. He couldn’t begin to understand what Justine was going through. She assumed that Erik had perished when he left their home to go with Augusto. Justine clings to Erik so tightly she was afraid he would slip through her fingers. Erik tried to hide his face from her but Justine’s delicate fingers smoothed his dreads from his face so that she could give him a kiss. It’s been three years. 
“Ricardo, ya so cold,” She says before her eyes fell upon the bloody tears spilling from his eyes. Frightened, Justine practically leaps away from him before grabbing a shotgun that used to be Erik’s. She pointed it at Erik’s back with her shaky hands before cocking the gun.
“Who are ya?! Wut did ya do with my husband? Ya not Ricardo, ya are a demon!!!! A zombie!!!” Ricardo turns, his hands up in surrender. The blood tears made him look like a monster. 
“Justine, it’s me...it’s Ricardo,” Erik walks towards her, “I won’t hurt ya. I just wanted to check on ya to make sure everything was fine. I can’t stay, not like dis-
“DON’T COME ANY CLOSER!!!” Justine yells, “I WILL SHOOT YA!!!”
“Justine-
Pop! 
Justine shoots Erik in the chest. He stumbles back with disbelief that she just shot him before his eyes went down to stare at his wound. The bullet wound healed immediately causing the bullet fragments to fall on the floor. Justine drops the gun, screaming at the top of her lungs while running towards the door. 
“Justine! Wait!” Erik was right on her tail but his maker, Mama Dalma unexpectedly appeared at the door. She grabs Justine, pulling her towards her and holding her hostage with her hands, yanking the tigon from her head and grabbing her by her hair, pushing her down to her knees. Erik’s fangs extended, ready to attack Mama Dalma. Justine gawked at the sight of his fangs. She was ready to scream but Mama Dalma brought her to her feet speedily, wrapping a single hand around her neck. 
“If yuh so much as scream, I will rip yuh throat out,” She spoke between clenched teeth before showing Justine her fangs, “I don’t care if yuh are Ricardo’s wife or not, I will FUCKIN’ kill yuh.” Mama Dalma snarled in Justine’s face, scaring her half to death. Justine was paralyzed with fear. 
“Tia, let her go...now,” Erik says as anger stirred within him. 
“Yuh planned on leaving mi? Erik?” 
Panic surged through Justine, “Erik?! Who is Erik?!” 
“Yuh hear deh? She wants to know who Erik is…tell her, Erik, tell her who deh is,” The corners of her mouth quirked up into an evil smile, “TELL HER!!!!” 
“I’m Erik, Justine,” Erik spoke to Justine but his eyes were focused on Mama Dalma. 
“So, if yuh Erik, why would Yuh come back after I told Yuh not to? Dis isn’t yuh life anymore. When yuh left yuh home that night, yuh left Ricardo behind.”
“I-I don’t understand,” Justine’s stomach clenched. 
“Of course yuh wouldn’t understand, child, it’s alright, yuh won’t see Erik anymore after dis...Erik, yuh know wuh yuh have to do, right?”
“Tia-
“DO IT. It’s either deh, or I kill her.” 
“I can’t do dat to her-
“So killin’ her is better? Fine,” Tia was on Justine fast, Feeding on her viciously from her neck. Justine’s throat tightened and she could no longer scream. 
“STOP!” Erik speeds over to Mama Dalma only for her to push him off of the porch. Erik fell painfully against the ground. 
“AS YUH MAKER-
“ENOUGH!!!” Erik yelled so loud his voice could probably be heard a mile away, “Awrite, I’ll do it...I’ll glamor her.” 
Tia drops Justine carelessly, “See? Wasn’t so hard, was it?” 
Justine’s body felt numb and the blood froze in her veins. Erik approached her, his eyes locking with hers, holding her gaze before finally connecting with her brain. Justine was transfixed under Erik’s spell. He tried to hold back his tears but they disobeyed him. 
“Justine,” Erik strokes her face with his fingertips, “Ya never saw me, ya never saw her, I am dead, have been for da past three years. Ya will move on with ya life, start a new one hopefully because ya deserve it.”
“Yes,” Justine’s pensive eyed saddened Erik. 
“Now, I want ya to go on upstairs and get some rest. Rose and Felicie will be buried in da St. Louis Cemetery. Ya can go visit dem anytime ya want.” 
“I’d like that,” Justine says. 
“I know, baby,” Erik kisses her forehead. He brings his fingertip to one of his fangs, pricking it before bringing it down to the bite mark on her neck, rubbing his blood into the wound to heal it, “Everything will be just fine.” 
Erik stared at Justine one final time before she stood up, walking into the house and up the stairs. Erik’s temper sparked again when he noticed Mama Dalma smiling like the entire thing was a joke.
“If you would have killed her, I would have ripped ya fucking head off,” Erik says.
“With what strength more than mine? Yuh can be angry all yuh please but dis needed to be done. Now, yuh have no reason to come back here.” 
“Ya evil, ya have no remorse, I’m exactly like ya. Didn’t care to check on my family, I let my manman die, my babies die, Nothin’ will change dat.” Erik was defeated. 
“Like I told Yuh, yuh are a vampire now. Deh won’t EVER understand deh. Keep this up, and yuh will end up dead. If anotha vampire catches yuh acting weak deh will make an example out of yuh. It’s okay...I have a lot more to teach yuh. Now, let’s bury deh babies and leave for good. Deh is deh last time I’m telling yuh.” 
“Erik Stevens,” A single bloody tear fell from Erik’s eye. 
“When yuh bury deh babies, yuh burying Ricardo Dupoux. As yuh maker, I command yuh to never come back here, and never go back to deh cemetery. Do yuh hear mi, child?” 
Erik simply nods his head before walking into his old home to grab the coffins that held his deceased daughters. What this vampire life has in store for him Erik could only hope it would get better. 
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valehirvas · 5 years ago
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Hello, just came across your blog. I've been on testosterone for over a year and a half, and I'm considering stopping eventually to preserve my health, even though it's helped my with my dysphoria, and I feel a lot more comfortable with my body as it is now compared to pre-transition. Any advice, since you've gone through something similar according to your bio? From your experience, what changes revert back? Thanks for your time!
Hey! This is going to be long, bear with me.
Great to hear your dysphoria is better and you’re doing well. Honestly, this course has been very good for me personally. For brief background, I always expected to stop HRT after getting permanent changes from it, because the health risks like cancer and heart disease sounded like a bad tradeoff for essentially nothing in the long run, but it did surprise me that I had to stop early due to the health problems HRT was giving me, both mental and physical.
So in total, I’ve been on HRT for four years: I took two years off it in the middle because of the effect on my mental health, and then went back on when I was more stable, switched from gel to injections and stuck to it for another two years before I started losing hair, at which point I made the decision to quit permanently. I’ve now been off for some three years total.
For changes, I was pretty far into masculinization at that point. I had increased hair growth everywhere, although by genetics I was never set to become very hairy. Also by genetics I was doomed to have shitty facial hair growth, so I only ever managed to grow a couple dozen beard hairs under my chin. My voice dropped very low quite fast, and my friends say it’s lower than most men they know, although I’m personally deaf to how it sounds as it’s always just been “my voice” to me. My body fat had completely redistributed, I was thick in the middle and my face was angular, and within my own demographic I was usually read as male. And as said, I was losing hair, particularly from the top of my head, which was most unwelcome to me personally, lol. So I made the decision to stop there.
In terms of mental wellbeing, testosterone always had a shitty effect on my anxiety and paranoia; it masculinized my depression and made it more active instead of passive, leading to anger and anxiety rather than sadness. Other than that I felt very good about myself and overall had a positive experience with T, even though it (combined with binding) caused me various unexplained health issues like trouble swallowing, muscle tension and such, which, like mentioned above, were high on the list of reasons I quit and have to be mentioned as “effects” of the treatment.
Backstory over, so, I quit T.
What happened first was my hair literally just fell off all at once. Yay? This is apparently normal, based on my extensive research on male-pattern baldness prevention online; when you start taking DHT blockers (or cease injecting testosterone into your muscles), the damaged hair on your head just dies off and gets replaced by new, healthy hair. I shed like shit, I’m not going to lie, I had short hair but when I went to take a shower my palms would be covered in hair when I ran them through my head. So I shaved it all off, problem solved(?). Like promised by the Internet, my hair did grow back more healthy, and I was no longer losing any afterwards. At three years in I have a normal head of hair.
Second, my periods came back. Based on my previous experience on stopping T, periods coming back is shit, not because nobody likes them but because your body’s fucked up from the treatment. First time around I had horrible cramps for a couple months - pretty much non-stop through the entire period, debilitating and just awful, way worse than I had in my teens. Second time around no cramping but I literally just bled buckets. I had a large-sized mooncup, but I had to empty it hourly instead of every 8 hours like recommended, and I would still bleed through it. Like there was just so much fucking blood everywhere. I had to leave work for it, it was that bad. So be prepared for your periods to be fucked up afterwards. I was warned repeatedly by gynos that they’ll probably not come back after stopping T, but they always did, and after a couple months they went back to being regular and normal again. Three years after T I have a normal cycle, pretty much the same it was pre-T, with less cramping due to my age compared to when they stopped the first time when I was still pretty young.
Third, my body hair calmed down. I lost the hair on my chest entirely, my neckbeard had slowed down to the point where I don’t bother shaving it more than once in three months or so, my unibrow vanished, and my whiskers grew lighter. My arm hair has gone back to being relatively invisible. My leg hair and thigh hair is still thick, which I like. Brows still thick, which I like.
Fourth, body fat redistribution. You have to lose and gain weight for this to happen, so it may be faster or slower depending on your lifestyle, but essentially your new body fat distributes in a female pattern whereas your old fat burns from the male pattern. My waist is back and my hips are wide. Breasts are way fuller, even though nobody needed that. Face is round. I still retain some angularity to my jaw but essentially back to babyface for me at three years in.
Fifth, voice. My voice is still low range masculine,
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but reaching higher pitches is much easier, and my voice overall has softened and regained range in general. Nobody else has picked up on it, but I’ve noticed, especially within the past year, my voice becoming much more versatile and in general higher and more feminine. Obviously, as imaged, this doesn’t affect the average range of my voice, but it is noticeable.
I’ve done plenty of voice training for my safety (sometimes I get questioned in female bathrooms, for example) so this is not just the effects of T alone, but here’s an example of the ease in which I can reach a passable female voice three years off T:
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Sixth, TMI and sad, but I no longer have a dick. It’s gone. I’m back to square one in that field. Luckily I don’t suffer penis envy, I just really liked the growth both aesthetically and in terms of it being on my body. I really, really liked it. Safe to say I never had much to begin with, but it was quite significant in comparison to what I have now. Bye, dick. You are dearly missed.
Health-wise, I’m doing much better! I no longer experience issues with swallowing, my muscles are feeling much better especially with regular exercise, and I don’t have unexplainable physical symptoms that leave my doctors shrugging in confusion. My mental health is also excellent, but it’s worth noting this has a lot to do with external factors as well, such as escaping abuse for a major contributing factor. However, it’s also due to active practice in merging together my fractured self in terms of embracing my female reality instead of trying to live as a male in whole. Finding that balance has been a big help in alleviating the dysphoria I dealt with upon quitting T. I feel really good in my skin now, with the permanent changes T has provided me together with my healthier body, so I can safely say this has been a good choice for me overall.
Tl;dr: Post-T Edition
Things that changed for me: body hair lessened, balding stopped and hair grew back, voice became more versatile, physical and mental health improved, beard growth slowed down to fuck all, regained a round face and hourglass figure, boobs filled up, bottom growth went back to 0
Things that didn’t change: normal speaking voice is still deep as shit, leg hair growing strong, brow game bushy, still have whiskers, people keep questioning my presence in female bathrooms and nobody tries to sell me makeup, dysphoria doing good.
Overall: I’m in a good place, yo.
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voidtekarc · 5 years ago
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Meanwhile...
It was another cold day within the provinces of Garlemald. Civil war was in full swing now, the streets were filled with fighting, either verbally or quite literally in many cases. The former commander of Arcuris, Tallian, was within one of the Garlean research facilities dedicated to manufacturing and churning out new and powerful war machines and monsters upon the world. However, things have become dicey, uncertain, even dangerous in these recent times. As he sat in a chair, looking to his subordinates, he ran his index finger and thumb in thought before pondering his next words.
“So what in the hell are we going to do?” A young woman, strong, with a full head of obsidian hair leaned against  the corner of the meeting room. She looked impatient, a scowl smeared along her face. She was lithe, powerful, and her red eyes flared with anger. She was a highlander, most likely a conscript to the Empire who underwent experimentation like the others.
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Tallian sighed and leaned back in the large, ornate chair and stared to the woman, “Sevina, I’m not rushing to action. Have you taken a good look at what’s going on in the empire? We’re on fire. Zenos has returned, Varis is dead, and emperor forbid what else is going on. I gathered us here to speak about our traitor problem. Something we handle while this fire burns around us.”
Umbrianas grumbled, the new metal lower jaw installed on his face made him even more intimidating, “Did the first squad report back?” He growled, thinking about the injury sustained from fighting his former comrade.
Sevina scoffed and shook her head with a smirk on her face, “Just send us and be done with it. I’m tired of this waiting bullshit. Do you even know what he’s planning or even if he is planning anything, Tallian?”
“No, they did not. I sent the second one out a few days ago. They had an airship and magitek armor as well.” He then shot a glare to Sevina and tilted his head, “You had best knock that shit off before I knock it out of you. I am your commanding officer and I sure as hell will put you in your place if you mouth off again.” Tallian sighed and looked to the corner of the room where the light was hiding another figure, “Tyraxus, silent as usual. Thoughts?”
There was one more within the room. He was tall, built like a god, and peered between the three of them as they spoke. He didn’t speak unless spoken to. He had golden blonde hair, clearly showing his pureblood third eye in the middle of his head. Save for some minor facial features and hair colors he seemed to be an exact copy of Arcuris. 
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He spoke in a bold, deep, commanding voice, “See how the second one fares and then we will go from there. Get some of the spies in Eorzean territory to see if they can find out any information on them.” He looked to the rest of them, “I don’t think I need to reiterate my disdain for the man but we have bigger problems in the Empire. If he does make a move against us, then we will intervene.”
________________________________________________________________
“Time to wake up, my little rose petal.”
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Arcuris  threw a massive pale of cold water all over the face and chest of a Garlean soldier. His hands were bound behind him as well as tied tightly to a tree. He was severaly beaten, his jaw broke, multiple fractures in his body and his armor was covered in blood. The soldier coughed and weezed, blood dripping from his mouth onto the ground.
Arcuris smiled and looked again to the soldier, “Ah, come on, don’t pass out on me now.” He smacked his face a little before the soldier spat on his chest plate. Arcuris sighed before slamming his fist into the face of the battered soldier, busting out a few teeth.
He spit out blood and half concious words, “I’m not telling you a fucking thing, traitor.”
Arcuris stretched and looked up to the night sky and shook his head, “Well, thanks for the Magitek Armor and the Airship. I appreciate the donation to my cause.” Arcuris’ attitude turned dark immediately and narrowed his eyes to the soldier, “If you do survive out here, using those skills taught by the glory of Garlemald, tell Tallian I’m coming after him and his little fucking high stepping stooges.” He turned, leaving the soldier, bleeding and battered.
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Arcuris came out of the clearing of the thick forest and underbrush. He peered up to the night sky. He removed his magitek mask and breathed in the air. He exhaled slowly, his body shaking slightly as the cold air brushed against his face. He just stood still, letting the wind blow his hair in the night as he stared into the twinkling sky as the wildlife chirpped around him. 
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lupinepublishers · 3 years ago
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lupine publishers|Management of a Dentigerous Cyst in a 6-Year-Old Child – A Case Report
Management of a Dentigerous Cyst in a 6-Year-Old Child – A Case Report
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Abstract Dentigerous cysts are epithelial in origin and most common odontogenic cysts. They are usually asymptomatic and hence diagnosed on radiological examination. The standard treatment for these cysts is enucleation and extraction of the affected teeth. This is a case report of a 6-year-old female patient with dentigerous cyst associated with a primary molar. The cyst was enucleated and unerupted premolars were removed from the lower left region. The patient was given a fixed functional band and loop post- surgical treatment. No recurrence was observed after 6months follow up.
Introduction Cyst has been known to arise in man ever since he has teeth and are also seen in certain animals. They are consequential, not only because they often attain a large size but also produce facial asymmetry, disturbance of dentition, neurological symptoms and predispose the jaws to fracture but particularly because they have a very high frequency of occurrence. Kramer in 1974 defined a cyst as a pathological cavity having fluid, semi fluid or gaseous content but not always lined by epithelium [1]. The dentigerous cyst is a type of epithelial odontogenic cyst and is also called as ‘follicular cyst’ or ‘pericoronal cyst.’ It is the most common type of odontogenic cyst which encloses the crown of the unerupted tooth by expansion of its follicle [1,2]. A higher incidence of these cysts is usually found in the second and third decade of life and slightly more common in males. They account for 14-20% of mandibular cysts and between 15.2% and 33.7% of all odontogenic cysts. The frequency of these dentigerous cysts in children is less and about 4-9% of these cysts occur in the first 10 years of life [3]. They are predominantly associated with third molars, maxillary canines and mandibular premolars. Dentigerous cysts are often asymptomatic and are an incidental finding on routine radiographs. In the radiographic examination, the lesion has a well-defined sclerotic border, and a well- demarcated unilocular radiolucency which is surrounding the crown of an unerupted tooth. In some instances, these cysts can grow to very large size and can trigger the inflammation, expansion and erosion of the cortical bone. In such a case, they can generate a differential diagnosis to an ameloblastoma or an odontogenic keratocystic tumour. The following case report describes the management of a dentigerous cyst in a young child. Case Report A 6-year-old female patient reported to the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, DY Patil School of Dentistry with a chief complaint of pain in the lower left back region of the mouth. On general examination, the patient was healthy without any significant past medical history. Intra oral examination revealed that the patient presented with a mixed dentition. The area of chief complaint had deep occlusal caries with loss of crown structure in relation with 74 and 75 (Figure 1). The primary molars were non vital and adjacent mucosa was apparently normal, with no signs of inflammation. An initial intra oral periapical radiograph was taken for radiological examination. which revealed a huge radiolucency with no signs of underlying premolar. Hence, a panoramic radiograph was advised (Figure 2) and it revealed the presence of a well- defined unilocular radiolucent cystic lesion with sclerotic border enveloping the crown of mandibular left second premolar. The first premolar was displaced medially while the second premolar was apically displaced close to the lower border of the mandible. After the clinical and radiological examination, a provisional diagnosis of the dentigerous cyst was made. Surgical enucleation of the cyst was chosen as the treatment of choice. The surgical intervention was carried out under general anaesthesia. Blood investigations (PT, PTT, INR) and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was done prior to the procedure. Both the primary mandibular molars were extracted followed by opening of the mucoperiosteal flap to disclose the cystic cavity. After the flap was opened, the cavity was identified and 3ml of cystic fluid was aspirated. The cystic lining enclosed both the premolars and hence were removed along with the soft tissue. The flap was then sutured to close the wound primarily. The specimen was fixed in 10% formalin and sent for a histopathological examination. The histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnostic hypothesis of a dentigerous cyst (Figure 3). The patient was followed up regularly for a month and was advised to maintain good oral hygiene. When the lesion was completely healed, prosthetic rehabilitation was done using fixed functional band and loop
space maintainer (Figure 4)
Discussion Dentigerous cysts are reported to be of two types – Developmental and inflammatory. The developmental type is most common and appears to be due to accumulation of fluid between the reduced enamel epithelium and enamel organ. In rare cases, the dentigerous cyst develops as a result of the intrafollicular spread of periapical inflammation from an overlying primary tooth. (Murakami et al 1995) [4]. Accordingly, in the present case, the presence of overlying nonvital necrotic primary mandibular first and second molars increase the possibility of being an inflammatory type of the dentigerous cyst. The nature of the causative tooth, size of the lesion and location influences the type of treatment required for the dentigerous cyst which includes enucleation with primary closure or marsupialization. Marsupialization of the cyst is the treatment of choice which gives a chance to the unerupted tooth to erupt in large cysts [3]. However, in the present case, the cystic sac was surrounded by the unerupted premolar and was firmly attached to it; hence, enucleation of the cyst along with the extraction of premolar was carried out [5]. The histologic examination of the specimen showed cystic lining composed of reduced enamel epithelium which was 2-3 cell layers thick and proliferative at some places. The outer connective tissue stroma showed inflammatory infiltrate. The aspirated cystic fluid was pink in colour and thick consistency. Correlating clinically, the features were suggestive of dentigerous cyst. Owing to the age of the patient and growth phase, it was decided to rehabilitate the patient with a suitable prosthesis. Various options were considered and finally based on the comfort and acceptance of the patient a fixed functional band and loop was fabricated and cemented. This would restore the occlusal function of lost primary teeth and will also maintain the space till the time patient develops permanent dentition and there is bone development for further fixed prosthesis [6]. For the fabrication of the appliance, a conventional band and loop was constructed. The acrylic teeth were placed in the edentulous area of the cast and stabilized with modelling wax. The occlusion was checked with the cast of the opposing arch and adjusted. Cold cure acrylic was used to attach the poetic to the loop. The completed appliance was then finished and polished. Trial fit was done in patient’s mouth and checked for soft tissue irritation or occlusal interferences and adjusted accordingly. The final cementation of the appliance was done using glass ionomer luting cement [7]. The patient was evaluated one week post cementation of the appliance and no complications were reported. Follow up The patient was followed up for 6 months with no reports of fracture of the appliance or food lodgment. Clinical and radiographic examination did not reveal any signs of recurrence of the cystic lesion. Conclusion Dentigerous cysts are rare in primary dentition and asymptomatic, usually diagnosed during routine radiographs. The sequelae of an untreated or undiagnosed cyst could be harmful to the patient’s future dental development. Thus, regular check-ups by the patient and close observation on the part of treating doctor are essential. This results in elimination of pathology and maintenance of dentition with minimum surgical intervention. Financial Support Nil. Conflict of Interests There is no conflict of interests.
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merrimackvalley-blog · 5 years ago
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Oral or Maxillofacial Surgeon: Find the Right Medical Professional for You
Oral SurgeonAre you too confused between the similarity and the differences between the two professions? Either you can analyze it yourself or take assistance from a medical health practitioner. To understand the difference between the maxillofacial or oral surgeon, continue reading.
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Difference between an Oral Surgeon and Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon
These two lines of practice are generally creating a problem for the people who are looking to get a particular condition treated. There are a few similarities and many differences between an oral surgeon and a maxillofacial surgeon. Here is how they differ:
Oral Maxillofacial Surgeon These are oral surgeons too but they underwent additional training to earn knowledge on complex medical issues. The extensive knowledge that the oral maxillofacial surgeons obtain is on neck, jaws, and mouth.
Surgeons with this designation earn a medical license which helps them to administer anesthesia properly and perform extensive surgeries. A person is referred to a maxillofacial surgeon when someone undergoes a facial or dental trauma.
Oral maxillofacial surgeons hold the license to perform the highest position of dental surgery. Other surgeries that oral maxillofacial surgeons are capable of performing are:
Nasal cavity surgery
Gum surgery
Facial trauma surgery
Oral Surgeon
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The oral surgeons are qualified and trained to correct dental issues. They can handle problems related to wisdom tooth and help eliminate infections from teeth, gums, and jaws. They also help patients that need tooth replacement.
A maxillofacial or oral surgeon is a dental specialist who treats injuries, diseases and defects in the neck, jaws, face jaws, soft and hard tissues inside the mouth, and maxillofacial (face and jaws) region.
From routine oral surgical treatment, complex facial reconstruction surgery to wisdom tooth extractions, there are many treatments and procedures that an oral surgeon can provide you.
However, when there is a complicated challenge, the doctors that treat it are generally referred to as oral maxillofacial surgeons.
1. Tooth and Bone Loss
The problem of missing teeth can be solved by oral surgeons who can perform dental implants surgery in the jawbone.
2. Facial Trauma and Injury
Dislocated or fractured jaws, facial trauma are some of the issues that can be corrected by an oral surgeon. Oral surgeons on a routine basis treat people who have suffered oral and facial lacerations.
3. Impacted Wisdom Teeth
Wisdom teeth are also known as the third molar. The wisdom teeth do not come in properly and soften faces hindrance by the bone or the tissues of the gum. A surgeon can provide treatment for the same.
4. Congenital Defects of the Jaw
There are some special cases in which the lower and the upper jaws do not grow or develop at the same rate which may affect the appearance. It may also can a problem in the normal functioning of the jaw.
The abnormality of the jaw can be by birth and in some cases, it may develop later on. With the help of the surgery, a medical professional can help correct the problem.
5. Detecting Oral Cancer
A professional will study the symptoms like presence of the abnormal lumps, red and white patches, hoarseness, chronic sore throat, difficulty in breathing, etc.
6. Sleep Apnea
It is a condition in which a person stops breathing multiple times while sleeping. It is mostly caused due to the bad position of the jaw or due to excessive soft tissue masks in the airway opening. Surgeons use various methods to treat sleep apnea.
7. Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ)
It is a condition in which the structure of the jaw is abnormal. A qualified surgeon can provide corrective treatment or surgery for a problem.
If you are looking for a savvy dentist in Nashua, NH then you will be surprised as there are multiple options available. You can consult your family doctor or health practitioner who can recommend you to a maxillofacial or a dentist. 
Is Maxillofacial Surgery Dangerous?
Make sure that you research the experienced surgeons in your area. If you are looking to get dental surgery in Nashua then you can take reference from your family doctor.
Some of the risks involved with maxillofacial surgery are:
Jaw fracture
Infection
Nerve injury
Blood loss
Jaw joint pain
Immediately after the surgery, you may experience some problems like:
Swelling
Pain
Bleeding
Is the Surgery Painful?
This is the most common misconception about the maxillofacial surgery. Just like any other surgery, a patient is put on anesthesia.
After the surgery, you may feel soreness, swelling or pain. But it eventually subsides with time. To help with the pain patients are also provided with the medication.
An oral surgeon is skilled and trained to perform the following procedures:
Placing dental implants
Treating facial implants and trauma
Alleviating pain
Removing impacted and diseased teeth
Administering anesthesia
Performing jaw surgeries
Treating teeth with cavities
Evaluating and administering dental conditions
Performing corrective jaw surgeries
With the right treatments and approach, you can gain back the confidence to laugh, speak, eat and enjoy life.
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nebula-starlight · 7 years ago
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JSE Fanfiction - Fractured (pt 5: Restore)
First: [P] / Previous: [4] 
Entry Log _ 
I swore this would never happen. The static... I lost myself at the worst possible moment.
The surge of power was too strong. It... It shattered his eye socket and severely burned the surrounding skin of his forehead. Should he survive I...
Who am I kidding? At this point it will take a miracle to bring him back. He’s alive, yes, but barely.
Still I have to do something... The tank hasn’t helped much but he is now stable enough to a point where I can try another method. If Subject 2 can use magic... or is able to manifest such a skill then I must try.
I cannot lose him. There’s not enough left of my soul to try and create another being. And it would crush the other...
——
His steps were weary as he made his way from the room that contained the once again risen containment tank, the weight of the situation he faced alone seeming to sap the strength right out of him as he headed towards the rather quiet cell.
Several times he had to pause and lean against the wall for support, his hands shaking so badly he had no choice but to cram them into the pockets of his gray tunic to prevent anyone from seeing the side effect of using too much magic. He hadn’t properly slept since the accident and kept replaying it over and over again in his head. How could he have been so stupid? Of course a stunned growth would affect other areas of the body as well!
Reaching the room where the other subject was, he looked in and observed the situation before he spoke. 2-J was curled up in a ball in one of the corners and... Was there tear tracks on his face? He wasn’t sure, the flickering light made it difficult to see properly.
“2-J... Your brother...”
How was he exactly going to explain this? Surely Jack had to think his sibling was never coming back at this point. And he had never been left alone for so long either. Inching closer, he waited for a reaction but received none. Not that he was surprised truthfully. The first time coming close to death or the loss of one so familiar always left a mark more impactful than anything he could do.
“He’s not coming back... He left me all alone to suffer...”
Those were definitely tears then. Perhaps a part of him felt bad but he had made his choice long ago and would see it through to the end. No matter the cost...
“Come with me, Subject 2.”
“Why should I? So you can end me too?” The only sign he seemed to move was the slight shift of his head, one eye now visible as it flared blue. So he’d have to do it the hard way then. He wasn’t all that surprised really.
“Stop being childish. It was an-“ Seán stopped himself, clearing his throat with a cough before he continued. “What happened wasn’t supposed to occur. The procedure was only to strengthen his magic, nothing more.”
Subject 2 only curled up tighter on the floor, hands clasped around his knees. It did not matter whether the story was believed or not. That did not bother him; he had come to collect him regardless.
“I have no time for this. Get up!”
Magic flickered to life in his outstretched palm, lifting the uncooperative boy into the air before sputtering out. Luckily 2-J steadied himself on his own feet, head lowering away from the disapproving glare staring him down as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Your magic isn’t working...”
He huffed, shoving the hand back into the pocket of his tunic. “I’ve had to expend quite a bit of energy lately. Otherwise I’d drag you there myself.” Opening the door to the cell, he gestured for the captive to follow with a jerk of his head. “Although in your case if I said exactly where we were going you’d likely pester me with endless questions.”
“And where are we going?” There was a spark of enthusiasm back in 2-J’s voice, enough to bring out a brief but just as quickly fading smile.
“To see your brother. You may be more use to me than I originally thought...”
The footsteps that had slowly begun to echo behind him now stopped and he sighed under his breath. It better not signal a raging storm of chatter from the boy. As if he needed a headache on top of everything else going on. What he wouldn’t give for some coffee right about now.
“You said you’d fix him. Stop the noise, stop his pain... You promised!” The unexpected voice crack startled him nearly as badly as it did Jack who seemed to retreat into himself for a moment before he started to walk again. “Why do you say I can help when all you ever tell me is how much of a disappointment I am compared to my brother...? You know, the same one you must have hurt pretty badly to need me.”
He needed to get back to 1-A. They were wasting time but yet... Was this the first time he had ever seen Jack even show a sign of rebelling? Perhaps he was smarter than he’d given credit. Well there was only one way to find out...
“If you would observe before you spoke then perhaps my judgement of you would not be as severe. Nevertheless, we are wasting valuable time. Your job is to heal him.”
He had already stopped and was punching in the code to open the door when he heard the clear whine of protest start up from behind him. For 2-J to have picked up on what was expected so quickly... Well it was certainly an interesting development to say the least.
“But how? I can’t use magic! Not like you can...”
He said nothing, the cold steel sliding open to admit both of them. Luckily he had enough forethought to get Anti out of the stasis tube and onto his side on the floor. So far the only progress had been that he managed to reconstruct the bone missing - although that had left his hand spasming for hours from the tiny incision to scrape off the necessary replacement.
“Brother!” The cry darted past him as Jack sprinted over to Anti, lifting his head and pressing it against his chest. Nothing needed to be said for the familiar feeling of magic to weave through the air as a surge of faint blue light engulfed the two siblings.
There was no explanation needed... just as he thought.
——
It took several minutes before the glow sputtered and died. In its place, however, was an equally weak spark of green that burned with an intensity rather unexpected. And while it started in his chest - a rekindling of his soul no doubt - it soon ignited his one remaining eye.
The shorter of the duo became alert with a coughing fit, clutching to the arms that curled around him as the movement drew attention to the fact that he was awake. Jack immediately perked up, squeezing tighter in delight that his sibling was back from what almost had been his death.
“Hey... Hey, it’s okay. You did great.” Anti weakly murmured once the spasm had finished, patting his brother’s arm before chuckling breathlessly at the realization of what had just happened. “Well looks like you’ve got magic. One of us needs it so it’s probably better you ended up with it than me. Now stop holding so tight, bro.”
Jack reluctantly did so, still holding onto Anti’s arms as the smaller ego shuddered, straining to catch his breath. “But you died!”
“He did not, I assure you. To die means you no longer exist. If he had, his soul wouldn’t have ignited so strongly. Truly your brother brought you back from the edge of death, Subject 1.”
Neither had even realized the third individual still in the room, observing silently the interaction until Jack happened to suggest his brother had died. Once he spoke, however, all of the once playful banter between them stopped immediately.
“You didn’t get what you wanted, did you?” There was a fine edge of anger that flickered through Anti’s voice as he looked up at their cloaked creator, his remaining eye sparking green. “I’m still around so I take that as a no.”
“What?” Concerned blue eyes flickered up to the silent figure observing them. “But you said you were helping him... Why do you want him gone?”
Seán said nothing at first, only taking off his glasses and placing them inside an interior pocket on his cloak so the true extent of the facial scar would show. Once the full appearance of the septic eye was revealed, he barely repressed a smirk at how Jack tried to shield his weakened brother by lifting him closer to his chest. There wasn’t any of the resistance he had suspected would come from 1-A but that was none of his concern.
For now a lesson needed to be taught... One he hoped would only be needed once.
His hand lifted, sparks flickering into existence around the two as the septic eye glowed brighter in the mostly dark space. “If either of you refuse to obey... there will be consequences. I am in no mood to humor any resistance today. Now get up and come with me.”
“And if we don’t? What then?”
He should not of had to guess who spoke. The same one who had nearly been killed because of that persistent static he emitted subconsciously. Was he even aware of how problematic it had become? How that noise interfered with his plans on a level he had not originally adjusted to compensate for?
“Then you will be treated as little more than failed subjects and swiftly eliminated. Now choose... or say your final words!”
The sparks of light glowed eerily like orbs, encircling the pair as Seán stood silent with his one hand outstretched and watched to see how they’d respond. Would they attempt to outright rebel? The countless possibilities fascinated him. Even he would be panicking had the situation been turned but they were... doing nothing. Or was that the feeling of magic in the air? Not his but close... A derivative of-
“You will not touch him!”
The blue shield came up surprisingly quick, surrounding them as the eyes of the producer of the energy glowed with the spark of a desire to protect. He was actually speechless for a moment, noticing how complex a pattern it was despite being the first true attempt of Jack’s apparently chosen magic. A defender... It was an odd choice but not one he was overly surprised at if he was honest.
“My, my, you do have potential. Aren’t you just full of so many surprises today?” He started to approach, hand shaking with an all too visible tremor as the orbs faded. “Why don’t you lower that so we can talk? I’m sure your brother is thrilled to be relieving that time he spent in stasis thanks to you. Of course he was out for most of it but that feeling of pressure never truly fades, does it?” A brief spark of green flickered inside the protective shell as the only sign his taunting was heard but it was enough to urge him on further. “Just the same as that noise he claims he can’t hear... I’m certain you know the one. That ever so soft buzzing right in the back of your skull. It’s enough to drive you to... do things.”
His lips split apart, teeth stained from lack of proper dental care but still breaking into that recognizable smile. Anti squirmed against his brother’s grip, struggling to slip free as the glow powering the shield began to falter slightly. Taking advantage of the weakening defense, he continued to advance toward them.
“He’s braver than you will ever be.”
The low rasp that graced his ears ignited further that primal desire in him for obedience. It had only seemed to manifest once he begun creating the seven but he wasn’t worried about any sort of magical backlash from trying to push his energy farther than it already was going. They all were his and would belong to him forever. It was why he put the tracking tattoos on every single one after all.
“And what makes you think that? His shield wouldn’t hold up against an attack I assure you.”
There was a definite flicker to the aforementioned protective barrier as though something rippled across its surface briefly. “Then why won’t you be the one to break it? Too scared?”
“Bro, no... don’t...”
The warning came too late. With a growl, Seán finished crossing the distance in two long strides and brought his hand up. All it took was a simple poke with his finger to shatter the shield, sending shards raining down around them as Jack shrank back in fright. There was no mistaking the fire that blazed in the depths of their Creator’s eyes.
“You think you can play the hero,” he spat, grabbing the now shaking subject by the fabric of his tunic and lifting him up so Anti would drop onto the floor as a result. “Every single fucking time! Even when I had the channel - as brief as it was - they still preferred you over me. And you were just a character then, not even real. Just an air of fake positivity. A mask if you want to call it that.”
The glow from his septic eye dimmed quickly, Seán finally jerking back after a moment as he dropped Jack on the way to pull his hand against his chest. He stepped back, shaking his head as he muttered something under his breath too low to be heard. Watching how the two brothers sought each other out and clung to the other like a lifeline, he huffed and dug his other hand into his hair.
“Just go back to confinement. We... will deal with this later.”
Next: [6] 
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smilesbybis · 3 years ago
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Temporo-Mandibular Joint Pain & Dysfunction
Research estimates that over half of the population experiences some signs and symptoms of TMD (Temporo-Mandibular Disorder). Many of the patients left untreated have continuing underlying pathology that decreases the qualify of their lives. Typical signs and symptoms of TMD include
Recurring shoulder, next, or back pain or tension
Ringing in ear(s)
Pain or headaches
Migraines
Pain or tension in facial muscles
Clicking in jaw joint (or grinding sounds)
Tingling in fingers (or numbness)
Dizziness or vertigo
Loss of range of motion (limited opening)
Grinding and clenching
Worn teeth
Poor or misaligned bite
Chipped or broken teeth
Fracture lines in teeth
Detruded lower jaw or deep overbite
Short lower third of the face or increased lines, especially Marionette lines
Abreactions at germline
Snoring or sleep apnea
Learn more: https://smilesbybis.com/tmj-joint-treatment-oakville/tmj-pain-dysfunction/
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lupine-publishers-sjo · 4 years ago
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Lupine Publishers | A Cerebellopontine Angle Epidermoid Cyst Presenting as Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Case Report
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Lupine Publishers | Journal of Otolaryngology 
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia is the one of the most painful condition known to mankind, so much so that it has described as suicide illness. The diagnosis of Trigeminal neuralgia is clinically plausible due to its specific characteristics. Differentiating Classical form secondary Trigeminal neuralgia requires further evaluation with either a CT or MRI. A correct diagnosis is crucial, as patients can then follow a generally acknowledged treatment modality of either Medication or surgery. The aim of this article is to present a case of Trigeminal Neuralgia secondary to Cerebellopontine angle Epidermoid cyst in an elderly female patient. She had to be maintained with medicines alone as she was skeptical of undergoing brain surgery. This report also portrays that secondary trigeminal neuralgia can be managed long term with carbamazepine without major adverse effects.
Keywords: Epidermoid Cyst; Cerebellopontine Angle; Trigeminal Neuralgia
Introduction
Trigeminal neuralgia is the one of the most painful condition known to mankind, so much so that it has described as suicide illness [1]. The diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is clinically plausible due to its specific characteristics. According to leading researcher of trigeminal neuralgia, Prof. Joanna Zakrzewska’s, it is one of the few chronic pain conditions in which sufferers can be rendered pain-free either with medications or surgery [2]. Therefore, correct diagnosis is crucial, as patients can then follow a generally acknowledged treatment modality. The aim of this article is to present a case of Trigeminal Neuralgia secondary to Cerebellopontine angle Epidermoid cyst in an elderly female patient, who has refused undergoing surgery and had to be maintained with medicines alone. This also portrays that secondary trigeminal neuralgia can be managed long term with carbamezapine without major adverse effects.
Case Report
A 50-year-old female patient presented to the department of oral medicine and radiology, at Century dental college with complaint of excruciating pain in the lower right side of the face for one year. The pain was sudden in onset, sharp shooting in nature and lasted only for a few seconds. The episodes were frequent and occurred many times in a day. She had sought treatment at various dental clinic during which time most of her teeth on the right side were extracted (Figure 1). She had applied a skin oil for pain intraorally two days back which had resulted in chemical burn. Her medical history was significant, that she was under treatment for epilepsy and suffered with herpes zoster and was treated with acyclovir 800mg for 7 days. She was conscious and cooperative, of short stature and moderately nourished. There was pallor of the skin and inferior palpebra. Intraorally, pallor was noticeable on the buccal mucosa, erosion was detected on the lower right alveolar ridge region in relation to the missing premolars. The upper and lower arches were partially edentulous. Trigger zone was elicited at the right lower border of the mandible. A provisional diagnosis of Trigeminal neuralgia was made. CT scan of the brain showed a heterogenous lesion with cystic areas and calcification in right Cerbello Pontine angle extending to the medial aspect of temporal lobe. There is compression and rotation of brain stem to the left. An impression of CP angle neoplasm was given on CT (Figure 2).
Figure 1.
Figure 2.
MRI of the brain revealed a lesion of size 15X33X30mm involving the right CP angle cistern, which appeared hypointense in T1 (Figure 3a) and hyperintense in T2 image. It was causing compression of pons and lower midbrain. The 3rd and 6th cranial nerves were compressed and encased by the lesion with displacement towards left. 7th and 8th cranial nerves were closely abutted (Figure 3b). MR study was suggestive of epidermoid cyst involving right basal cistern and CP angle cistern. Based on these findings, diagnosis of Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to epidermoid cyst located at right cerebella pontine cistern was made. Patient was prescribed carbamezapine 200mg twice daily gradually increased to 400mg tid. She was referred to neurologist who advised surgery for the brain lesion. Patient and her family members were very apprehensive about surgery and did not want to proceed with surgery. She has been on medication for the past 2 years and the dose of carbamezapine was reduced to 100mg twice daily. Regular blood test has been done to check for myelosuppression. There was a single episode of unbearable pain, for which inferior alveolar nerve block was given to arrest the pain. Long term treatment follows up of the patient can be described as favorable as she has been able to carry on normal routine with only few occasional episodes of severe pain.
Figure 3a: Shows a transverse fracture of petrous bone crossing the turns of vestibule.
Figure 3b: Another case of transverse fracture. A Transverse fracture of petrous bone is seen reaching horizontal semi-circular canal and causing hemotympanum.
Discussion
Trigeminal neuralgia is a neuropathic pain with distinct diagnostic criteria. The IASP definition of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is “sudden, usually unilateral, severe, brief, stabbing, recurrent episodes of pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve.” Trigeminal neuralgia is a rare condition [2]. The peak incidence is in the age group of 50 – 60 with preponderance in women [3]. However, some Japanese and Chinese reports have quoted a male predominance in those above 80 years of age [4]. It is a condition that has been recognized many centuries ago, The French terminology Tic douloureux was coined by surgeon Nicolaus Andre [5]. There are two recognized forms of TgN, Classical and Secondary or Symptomatic which is related either to central nervous system lesion or multiple sclerosis [4]. There is also Atypical form which does not have clearly definable features and symptoms may overlap that of atypical facial pain. This has been described as atypical trigeminal neuralgia4. The aetiology of the condition is still unclear5. Most researchers suggest that root entry zone (REZ) of the trigeminal ganglion to be site of generation of pain. Compression of the REZ by blood vessels or tumors and demyelination are the most common abnormality found in this area. This leads to hyperexcitability and central sensitization [2,4,5].
Trigeminal neuralgia is a clinical diagnosis. The characteristic features being
a) Paroxysmal (abrupt onset and termination) attacks of pain lasting for a few seconds to few minutes
b) It involves one or more division of trigeminal nerve, unilaterally.
c) Character is described as sharp, shooting, stabbing or burning.
d) Severe intensity.
e) Presence of Trigger zones (stimulus evoked: palpation by routine activity such as touching, washing the face, brushing teeth) intensifies pain usually found around the nose or mouth.
f) Presence of refractory period.
The two accepted modalities for treatment are medical and surgical.
Medical Management
Gold standard for medical treatment is response of the condition to Carbamazepine. Carbamazepine is a tricyclic imipramine first synthesized in 1961 and introduced for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia by Blom [5,6]. It is usually started at 200mg per day single dosing and gradually increased to up to 800mg i.e. four divided doses of 200mg each. The most common side effect is hypersensitivity (5 – 10 % of the patient), folic acid deficiency and megaloblastic anemia6. Drug interaction with warfarin has also been reported. Oxycarbazepine, is a daughter drug and has fewer side effects. A 300mg is equipotent to 200mg of carbamazepine. The improved safety profile makes it a better option to use. Lamotrigine, Gabapentin and Baclofen are other second-line drugs that could be prescribed [2,5,7].
Surgical Procedures
Various surgical procedures have been conducted and they can be briefly classified into
a) Peripheral surgery such as Neurectomies, Cryotherapy, Laser, Radiofrequency Thermo-Rhizotomy and Injections with Streptomycin, Alcohol, Glycerol and Phenol. Analgesic blocking of peripheral receptors also arrests pain. This effect is also diagnostic [8].
b) Surgery at Gasserion Ganglion: Percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy /thermocoagulation and Percutaneous glycerol rhizolysis. These procedures are less invasive and are associated with low rates of mortality and morbidity. However, they are associated with anesthesia dolorosa, facial numbness and dysesthesia [8].
c) Surgery at the REZ: Microvascular decompression is one of the most successful procedures, providing relief for 70% of patients for up to 10 years. It is a nondestructive procedure. This procedure involves major neurosurgery and is therefore not suitable for all patients; it carries a mortality rate of 0.5% and a 2% risk of hearing loss [9]. Gamma knife surgery is a noninvasive radiosurgery [8].
All forms of surgery have potential for complications with sensory loss being the most common one. Recurrence of pain within 1- 4 years occurs with most of the procedures. The reported range for TN due to tumors is 0.8%-11.6% [10]. Tumors leading to TN are mostly benign and typically compress the root near its entry into the pons. Epidermoid tumors are slow growing, and symptoms also appear later in the course, it is also referred to as Cholesteatoma [11]. Patients usually present in 4- 5th decade of life Hearing loss is the most common presenting sign followed by trigeminal neuralgia. Other neurological deficits include facial paresis, hearing disturbances and third and sixth nerve palsy. It has been suggested that if pain occurs bilaterally or there is simultaneous involvement with other nerve trunk then a systemic involvement or expanding tumor has to be suspected [12]. Pathogenesis of TgN in epidermoid is uncertain, however it has been attributed to either direct compression or displacement of the nerve at REZ. It has been reported that neuralgia due to epidermoid tumors are clinically indistinguishable to classical TgN. However, the age of onset in this condition is earlier than the Classical TgN [12]. In this case the symptoms started at the age of 49 years and were confined to mandibular branch of trigeminal nerve only, it remained rather consistent with only sporadic flareup. This may be attributed to the medical treatment (carbamzepine).
On CT scans they are homogenous density of an epidermoid cyst enables it to be distinguished from other tumors [12]. In MRI they have lamellated or onion skin appearance. They have low or intermediate intensity in T 1 weighted images and high intensity in T2 weighted images13. MRI is the preferred imaging modality to visualize the anatomic landmarks around the trigeminal ganglion and the CP angle as it gives the best soft-tissue resolution and excellent visualization of the intracranial and extracranial course of the nerve [12,13]. They have to be differentiated from Schwannomas, meningiomas or chondromas by signal intensity criteria [13]. Surgically the cyst appears as white and pearly with encasement or compression of the trigeminal nerve. Optimum treatment is radical removal of the complete tumor [14]. This is problematic in most cases as it has wide extension and firm adhesion to neurovascular structures. To minimize neurologic deficits a part of the tumor is left behind. Other complications that are reported are meningitis, cerebellar and brain stem infarction. The possible REZ arterial compression is treated with an additional Microvascular decompression. 0 -30% estimated recurrence rate have been reported in long follow up studies [14]. One of the main aspects regarding trigeminal neuralgia as highlighted by Drangsholt and Truelove is the diagnosis of this condition [15]. Majority of patients attending the clinic have previously been misdiagnosed and had undergone irreversible dental treatment, even when they had presented with classical features of TN, as in this case.
Conclusion
William Osler once said, “Listen to the patient: he is telling you the diagnosis.” There are no objective diagnostic tests for idiopathic TNA. As a part of the diagnostic work-up, patients should have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or a computed tomography scan to rule out secondary TN. If detected, these lesions are best treated surgically. although surgical procedures do carry risk of significant morbidity. However, convincing the patients regarding surgical treatment may be difficult as in this case report. Patients should be treated with carbamezapine as a first line therapy, followed by addition of other agents if patients become unresponsive. The patients must be followed up for long term for any adverse effects.
Funding
This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not for profit sectors.
For more Otolaryngology Journals please click on below link https://lupinepublishers.com/otolaryngology-journal/
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davidslepkow · 5 years ago
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Many victims make the mistake of using a local car accident lawyer for their roof crush rollover accident case. A local car crash attorney may concentrate in garden variety rear-end car accidents and slip and fall. A local automobile wreck attorney may even cover a speeding ticket every now and then to help keep the lights on. Why use a fender bender lawyer for a roof crush death lawsuit?  Why use a lawyer a couple of years out of law school for a catastrophic rollover injury lawsuit? You can have a big time, NATIONAL high profile roof crush lawyer on YOUR SIDE at a big time law firm. This roof crush attorney will have the experience and resource in obtaining multi-million dollar settlements on behalf of his or her client.
Roof crush fatality lawsuit
A TOP ROOF CRUSH LAWYER
A local lawyer is likely only able to handle a fender bender or slip and fall at a local supermarket. Get a “WHITE KNIGHT” lawyer to take on corporate America and extract a possible high 7 figure settlement from the auto industry manufacturer. Get the best personal injury lawyers who is willing to take the manufacturer to the mat to secure a possible punitive damages claim against the wrongdoer manufacturer. A good defective automobile law firm will be well aware that Crashworthiness safety systems must work together.  For example, the roof structure and safety belt restraint systems are only as strong as the weakest link in the chain. If every link in the chain is weak due to defective design, death or catastrophic injury such as paralysis may result.
CRASHWORTHINESS, ROOF DEFORMATION, INTERNAL REINFORCEMENTS
A high powered roof crush attorney will fully understand the complicated issues concerning:
crashworthiness,
roof deformation,
internal reinforcements and
biomechanical analysis.
STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND STRENGTH OF THE ROOF
Generally, rollovers are actually relatively benign events and most occupants walk away with minor injuries. But this principal assumes that the crashworthiness safety systems are installed and do not fail, and that the structural integrity and strength of the roof are maintained.
ROLLOVERS ARE IMMINENTLY SURVIVABLE EVENTS
Expert biomechanical analysis has been conducted on over 900 full scale laboratory tests with male and female pilots with nominal accelerations being at 10 g. Some of the tests had accelerations of approximately 15 g. No injuries resulted to any of the test subjects. Therefore, the level of acceleration measured at the vehicles’ center of gravity  during a rollover event is within human tolerances. Rollovers, therefore, are imminently survivable events.
“Yet the industry and Bush Administration’s statements require a thorough analysis of belt performance in rollover crashes and issuance of a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Rollover deaths are now a full one-third of all occupant fatalities, or over 10,000 each year. When serious injuries are added, the number of people whose lives are forever altered by rollover crashes rises to an astonishing 26,000 each year. Federal data show that 22,000 people who were wearing a safety belt died in rollover crashes in the U.S. between 1992 and 2002.” Citizens.org
WHAT IS THE SAFETY HIERARCHY OF PRIORITIES?
The safety engineering hierarchy of priorities is :
1) eliminate hazards;
2) when hazards cannot be eliminated, provide foreseeable safeguards against them;
3) provide warnings and personal protective equipment against remaining hazards.
“SURVIVAL SPACE” OR “NON-ENCROACHMENT ZONES”
Since the late 1960s, auto manufacturers have incorporated the concept of “survival space” or “non-encroachment zones” within the occupant compartment, which is not to be intruded upon in a rollover. It was during this time that manufacturers became aware of the need to limit intrusion into this space in order to prevent serious injury and death of vehicle occupants. It has long been acknowledged as fact that the risk of a head injury increases as headroom is reduced.
But the concept of maintaining occupant survival space applies to all manner of impacts, from rollovers to rear-end collisions, to front or side impacts. In fact a recent lawsuit alleged that:
GM’s own internal memoranda show that in 1966 it had internal safety goals that a roof structure should be strong enough to withstand a 70 mph ground level rollover and that a survival space for the occupant should be preserved in an inverted drop test from a height of 5½ feet.
GM conducted such tests and found that its vehicles crushed catastrophically from very low drop heights. In one such test, intrusion was about 9 inches at the A-pillar when the vehicle was dropped from just 6 inches.
GM then changed its testing methodology to a static test procedure and found that the same vehicles passed that test more readily. Then GM advocated to have that test be the standard that the government used to develop FMVSS 216.
ROOF STRENGTH OF GM VEHICLES
The recent lawsuit also asserted that:
Instead of designing improved vehicles to protect occupants in rollover crashes, GM designed a test procedure to protect its vehicles.
Shockingly, the roof strength of GM vehicles changed little in the decades that followed. Indeed, independent testing has found that the roof structure of the 2006 Chevrolet Suburban (identical in design to the 2006 Yukon XL) does not perform any better than GM’s 1967 drop testing noted above. GM vehemently fights any changes in the standards or testing. The average motoring public, however, is kept ignorant of this fact and how common it is.
DUTY OF CARE IN THE AUTO INDUSTRY PERTAINING TO ROOF CRUSH?
It is well-accepted in the auto industry that occupant protection in a rollover type event can only be accomplished through a systems approach, which includes maintaining the survival space for the occupant, providing an effective restraint system that functions properly in a rollover, and providing mitigation technology that keeps the occupant inside the survival space.
IF OCCUPANT’S SURVIVAL SPACE IS NOT MAINTAINED, IT CAN CAUSE DEATH OR PARALYSIS
Published literature indicates, without ejection, that about 97.4% of belted and 92.2% of  unbelted occupants in rollovers had less than an AIS Level 3 injury. But that does not apply when the roof crushes in on an occupant and the occupant’s survival space is not maintained. Of course, a seatbelt has no value in the prevention of an injury from the roof crushing in on the occupant. In some cases, there is no question that a victim was wearing his seatbelt and wearing it properly in the event that both photographic and the physical evidence showing definite evidence of loading from the crash. If a victim’s belt jams in an extended position after the accident, it is consistent with how such ABTS safety belts utilized by a certain manufacturer and how these vehicles perform. The belt would be retracted if it had not been worn prior to and during the accident sequence.
SURVIVAL SPACE OF THE VEHICLE, CAN BE SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED BY THE STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE ROOF
In some instances evidence shows clearly that the driver’s belt failed to properly restrain and the victim was not kept within the survival space. Thus, despite the nature of a rollover event, the subject vehicle could experience a center of gravity acceleration that would have been within the human tolerance level.  In some cases, all occupants are properly belted at the time of the rollover event. In car accidents the roof structure could be deformed and intrude into the victims’ survival space. In other vehicular accidents, the victim will be struck by the intruding roof resulting in the compression / flexion of the cervical spine.
EXCESSIVE ROOF DEFORMATION CAUSING FATALITY OR CATASTROPHIC INJURY
The visor sitting below the steering wheel demonstrates how severe a  roof crushed can be and how much it can  intrude into the survival space of the occupant. This is never supposed to happen.  Some victims experience head, facial, and other more minor injuries by comparison (AIS Level 1 or 2) directly related to the rollover dynamics without excessive roof deformation. A victim who wears her seatbelt, may be more likely to be scratched up and sore from the rollover, especially when the roof did not crush over her head and she did not suffer the life-threatening and permanently disabling injuries.
TYPES OF INJURIES FROM A ROOF CRUSH
severe trauma to face, requiring numerous stitches,
Blood pockets on brain.
Jaw extremely swollen.
Significant permanent speech impediment.
If the survival space is not maintained, the victim may suffer a cervical spine injury due to the roof deformation, an AIS Level 5 (Critical) injury. The victim may suffer serious and permanent injuries, including, but not limited to: quadriplegia from the cervical spinal cord injury as a result of a roof crush
THE VICTIM COULD EVEN SUFFER:
a fracture and dislocation of the C6 and C7 discs;
bilateral pulmonary contusions;
paralysis
dysesthesia;
parathesia;
subgaleal hematoma;
Such injuries may cause the need for a mechanical ventilator. Some auto accident victims will never walk again. Some truck accident victims will not even have the strength to even lift to reposition in bed or prevent from sliding down in the car’s seat on trips to the doctor.  Other car crash victims cannot wheel themselves in a manual wheelchair.
POTENTIAL INJURIES AND DAMAGES FROM ROOF CRUSH ACCIDENT:
total and complete assistance with every aspect of daily life.
never work again as had prior to this near fatal injury.
never be able to provide for family.
Extreme medical and physical complications associated with quadriplegia (some of which increase the risk of dying / death)
Muscle trophy in upper and lower extremities (and the resulting disfigurement),
deep vein thrombosis,
urinary tract infections,
paralysis
kidney stones,
autonomic dysreflexia
retinal hemorrhage,
subarachnoid hemorrhage,
cardiac arrhythmias
hypertension,
hypercalciuria,
coronary artery disease,
metabolic syndrome,
diabetes,
orthostatic
hypotension,
cardiac arrhythmia,
pneumonias,
neurogenic bladder,
renal insufficiency,
gastrointestinal conditions
Quadriplegia
ROLLOVER ACCIDENT LAWYER
Rollover accidents are perhaps the most dangerous type of incident that a driver or passenger can experience. This type of accident will almost always result in serious injury or fatality. Rollover accidents do not simply happen without some sort of predicate. Oftentimes, this predicate is the defective design of the vehicle that makes it more prone to rollover. Those who have suffered injuries or damages as a result of a vehicle rollover may be able to obtain compensation and damages under a product liability theory of recovery.
Rollollover accident and auto defect
WHAT IS A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT?
A rollover occurs when a vehicle flips either onto its side or its roof. This can occur either as a result of impact or through vehicular maneuvers. Certain maneuvers, such as a double lane change, may cause the vehicle to rollover. Sometimes, this can occur due to driver error or malfeasance. For example, excessive speeding may precipitate a rollover. However, rollovers may also occur due to design defects in cars. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, SUVs are more prone to rollover than passenger cars because of their center of gravity. SUVs are taller and narrower than passenger cars which is a risk factor for a rollover. Pickup trucks have an even higher risk of rollover than do SUVs.
DESIGN DEFECTS CAUSING ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS
The design defects that may cause a rollover could be a defective tire or faulty design or manufacturing. Vehicles that are overly top-heavy or that have weak roof structures can be more prone to rollover. In addition, certain design features in the car can make rollovers even more dangerous for a vehicle occupant than they already are. For example, a defective door latch can pop open during a rollover, magnifying the effect of the rollover. The roof may have been made with a material that cannot withstand a rollover. In any event, more than half of fatalities in SUV accidents are caused by vehicle rollovers. Every year, there are approximately a quarter of a million vehicle accidents that have a vehicle rollover.
PRODUCT LIABILITY THEORIES
Car manufacturers may be held liable for damages and injuries caused by vehicle rollovers. There are several different type of product liability causes of action. The three primary theories of action are negligence, warranty and strict liability. All three of these theories could be applicable to vehicle rollovers. With regard to negligence, a plaintiff must prove that the manufacturer owed a duty to the plaintiff and breached that duty. Then the plaintiff must also show that the manufacturer was both the actual and proximate cause of the injury. Finally, the plaintiff must prove that they suffered actual injury. More likely, a plaintiff will be attempting to obtain recovery under the strict liability theory. This would be premised on the fact that there is a design defect in the vehicle. This would revolve around the showing that the vehicle was dangerous for its intended use and that the manufacturer could have made an alternate design that did not cost much more. This alternate design would have made the vehicle safer to operate. Manufacturers will almost always try to escape legal liability by arguing that the manner in which the driver was operating the vehicle was the cause of the injuries as opposed to any fault in design or action of the manufacturer.
LAWSUITS AGAINST MANUFACTURERS
There have been many lawsuits filed against auto manufacturers for vehicle rollovers. These lawsuits have been filed as both individual causes of action as well as large class action lawsuits. For example, in 2010, a Mississippi jury awarded $131 million to the family of Brian Cole, who was killed when his Ford Explorer rolled over in a one-car accident. Cole was a pitcher in the New York Mets organization at the time he was killed. The suit alleged that the Explorer was not suitable to be used as the family vehicle that it was marketed as because of its tendency to rollover. The suit also alleged that the vehicle was not crashworthy. The parties settled the suit before the jury could assess punitive damages. Some of the reason for the large jury award was that Cole was widely regarded to be a future major league star. The Ford Explorer is the most rollover-prone vehicle in existence. It is estimated that one in every 27 Explorers have had a rollover incident in which one or more occupant of a vehicle was killed. The numbers are even worse for the Ford Bronco as one in every 500 Broncos were involved in fatal rollovers.
CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS AND ROLLOVER DEATH
There have also been large class action lawsuits brought on behalf of vehicles owners who had not been involved in an accident. These suits were premised on the fact that the vehicles did not retain their value because the rollover issues depressed the resale market for the vehicles. For example, in 2008, Ford settled a class action lawsuit brought by Explorer owners. Other automakers have faced class action suits for vehicles rollovers as well.
Those who have suffered injury in a vehicle rollover or their families should contact a lawyer to discuss their legal options. It is important to know that not only can the car manufacturer be found liable, but others may be as well. Product liability law holds that anyone that is in the “stream of commerce” may be found liable. This expands the potential liability parties to those who manufactured the auto parts as well as the dealer that sold the vehicle. Plaintiffs can recover for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and loss of consortium. In addition, in egregious cases, those found liable for vehicle rollovers may be subject to punitive damages. Manufacturers usually vigorously contest these cases and will use every argument at their disposal to escape liability. Oftentimes, they will make an issue of the plaintiff’s driving or the fact they were not wearing a seatbelt. Thus, it is important to have experienced legal counsel to represent one’s legal interests.
IS THE 2006 GMC YUKON XL DEFECTIVE?
In a lawsuit filed by John Smith in UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI WESTERN DIVISION against General motor’s LLC in 2019 the following allegations were pursued  (The name of the actual victim is withheld for privacy reasons. Please note that these are only allegations made by the victim that are being reported and are not government or judicial findings)
JOHN SMITH ALLEGED THE FOLLOWING IN HIS LAWSUIT RE: THE 2006 GMC YUKON XL:
Driver side A-pillar (the part of the frame at the front of the vehicle where the windshield is) could possibly collapse over the driver’s side around the window opening due to: no internal reinforcement.
Other causes of the failure could potential be the small section size of the A-pillar, especially in the lateral direction; the inner sheet metal is of extremely thin gauge, which is the surface most likely to collapse; and the reduction in size from A-post to A-pillar without adequate strength compensation.
The driver side B-pillar (between the driver and passenger seats) mid-span also could have a section collapse on the driver’s side due to: abrupt termination of reinforcements of the door window frames adjacent to the B-pillar which could result in localized structural weakness areas which help to create the signature failure mode of the Suburban (or Yukon) B-pillar.
There is also no internal reinforcement in the B-pillar.
It has a small section size, especially in the lateral direction. The inner sheet metal is also exceedingly thin, which is the surface most likely to section collapse.
In addition, there is a large hole in the inner B-pillar sheet metal.
There could be a third section collapse of the driver’s side header rearward of the Upper Windshield Corner due to: several large holes in the sheet metal. The number and size of the holes suggest they are there to simply lighten the side header rather than for any other purpose. The inner sheet metal of the corner junction terminates at the failure location. The side header has thin gauge sheet metal. There is also no internal reinforcement.
There could be a section collapse inboard of the passenger’s side corner junction. This is due to thin gauge sheet metal; a small cross section size; no internal reinforcement; a hole for the sun visor pivot; and the corner junction inner sheet metal ends.
In addition, the design of the Subject Vehicle was alleged to be defective and unreasonably dangerous because of an inadequate occupant protection system for rollovers. Specifically it was alleged that, it employs a structurally inadequate roof design that allows excessive intrusion in a very foreseeable and low severity rollover environment.
It was also alleged that General Motors failed to dynamically test the 2006 GMC Yukon roof and occupant safety systems appropriately, specifically in the rollover mode.
The car wreck victim also alleged that the accident and danger posed by the allegedly defective and unreasonably dangerous automobile should have been known to GM.
The victim asserted that Alternative feasible designs existed that would not impair the Vehicle’s usefulness or desirability and would have prevented the harm to victims
VICTIM ALLEGED THAT ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS WERE ECONOMICALLY AND TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE
John Smith, the victim in the roof crush lawsuit asserted that: alternative designs were economically and technologically feasible and utilized by other manufacturers at the time. The severely injured victim claimed that basic engineering principles that could have prevented the injuries to the victim were standard industry practices, at the time the 2006 GMC Yukon XL was manufactured include, but are not limited to:
Using closed structural sections in place of weak, shallow-tray open-sections; • Increasing metal gauge; • Replacing low-strength steel with high-strength steel (i.e., Boron steel is five times stronger than conventional steel); • Increasing section size; • Eliminating holes; • Improving component integration; • Implementing internal reinforcements, including tubular steel reinforcements; • Implementing external reinforcements, such as stiffening ribs or doublers; • Reinforcing component voids with structural foam; and/or • Using glazed windows.
GETTING JUSTICE USING A TOP ROOF CRUSH LAWYER
John Smith  also made the following allegations against GM:
The cost and weight increase with such modifications are minimal. Notably, other manufacturers utilize some or all of these methods in their vehicles.
However, the evidence is that GM’s philosophy has been to make their Suburbans and Yukon XLs (identical designs) as light as possible to just barely pass government and internal GM standards. Even GM has managed to make its Chevrolet Traverse have a stronger roof structure, but it has chosen not to do so with its other models.
Another important issue in roof crush fatalities / death is whether the Subject Vehicle was in substantially the same condition as when it left the control of GM and had not been materially altered, modified, or damaged prior to this incident. If the vehicle was not modified, the nature of the defects with regard to the failure of the safety belt restraint system is usually inherently the result of GM’s design.
ROOF CRUSH WRONGFUL DEATH LAWYER
There is little doubt that paralyzing injuries could result from a vehicle that has a poorly designed occupant protection system. A properly designed occupant protection system should include a restraint system designed to minimize occupant contact with the roof interior, and a roof structure that protects the survival space. If the survival space is not maintained a roof crush accident can result in death necessitating a roof crush wrongful death lawyer.
OCCUPANT KINEMATICS
If the safety belt fails to properly restrain the victim, the victim can experience dangerous occupant kinematics, including unreasonable occupant motion during the rollover collision. A roof deformation can  expose the victim’s  head to severe contact with interior vehicle surfaces, and compromise the effectiveness, if any, of the restraint system.  If a safety belt design in question has  a tendency to spool out, it can be very problematic.
This was demonstrated, in a recall of numerous GM S/T trucks with Takata ABTS seat belts. Those GM vehicles used substantially similar safety belts to the Yukon XL, but with an allegedly less effective web sensitive feature. GM should have recalled all the C/K trucks, since the vehicle sensitive part of the retractor was known to fail, but they petitioned the NHTSA for an exemption, which the NHTSA, unfortunately, granted.
POOR DESIGN OF A SEAT BELT
A victim’s excessive movement after a rollover crash could result from the poor design of a seat belt. If the seat belt keeps a victim’s buttocks in close proximity to his seat, as required by reasonable design parameters and goals, such as those developed by Volvo for the XC-90, a victim would not develop a sufficient excursion velocity to expose himself to severe interior impacts.
DEFECTIVE SEAT BELTS WITH SOME DEGREE OF SPOOL-OUT
Nearly every belt that was measured in  testing had some degree of spool-out. Takata belts have been subjected to vertical acceleration tests for the purpose of evaluating performance in rollover-type scenarios. Despite having a web-sensitive feature, the Takata retractors spooled out in the testing. Similar retractors made to EEC/ECE European specifications did not spool out in the same testing. If the vehicle sensitive mechanism was broken, as it was in many ABTS vehicles equipped with this retractor, the retractor would not lock at all. In some cases the roof structure can be compromised as well due to a poorly designed pillar and roof rail system.
REASONABLE SAFETY DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Did General Motors fail to apply reasonable safety design principles and establish design criteria for the Yukon XL, which would result in providing reasonable occupant protection in a rollover collision? Without such safety design principles and design criteria in place, there is no possibility of a company making a safe rollover protective design. Is the Yukon XL not reasonably safe in that it  could fail its fundamental purpose: to restrain the occupant and keep the occupant away from internal components of the vehicle that could result in serious injury?
GENERAL MOTORS’ OWN INTERNAL RESEARCH DATING BACK TO AS EARLY AS THE 1960’S
If the safety belt system does not remain locked throughout the course of the rollover it would allow the victim to move into the intruding structural components at higher velocity than if the belt performed well. Does the performance of the Yukon XL violate the critical design considerations reflected in General Motors’ own internal presentations and research dating back to as early as the 1960’s?
ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS THAT WERE ECONOMICALLY AND TECHNOLOGICALLY FEASIBLE
Some additional alternative designs that were economically and technologically feasible and employed basic engineering principles which were standard industry practices, at the time the 2006 GMC Yukon XL was manufactured include, but are not limited to:
Using rollover activated pretensioners as used on the 1997 Volvo C70, on the 1997 Freightliner over-the-road tractor and current General Motors trucks;
Using a properly designed cinching latch plate which reduce excursion in rollovers by several inches, even if the belts do not spool out and help minimize the effects of retractor spool-out;
ROLLOVER PRETENSIONER IS ACTIVATED BY A SENSOR SYSTEM
The consequences of the belt displacement could be minimized by the actuation of the pretensioner. This device has been demonstrated to reduce occupant excursion in rollover collisions by as much as 40%. A rollover pretensioner is activated by a sensor system capable of detecting a rollover. They were in use by other manufacturers and were technologically and economically feasible when the Subject Vehicle was designed and manufactured by GM.
Cinching latch plates were used on the early Ford F-150, and tested in the Ford v. Ford case. They were also used, historically, in the GM Blazer and other SUV’s. This was demonstrated during the Malibu II testing, which GM relies so heavily on.
IMPROPERLY DESIGNED RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND INAPPROPRIATE ROOF STRUCTURE
The victim in the lawsuit set forth above alleged that GM could have taken the following precautions:
Providing a retractor and buckle pretensioner in the Subject Vehicle which GM did on most of its other vehicles in the 2006 model year, but did not add an inexpensive rollover detection system here; • Equipping the Subject Vehicle with rollover sensors; and/or • Using a properly designed restraint system that would keep the victim’s buttocks in his seat, which if combined with an appropriate roof structure, significantly improves rollover survivability which is nearly assured.
HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY MAKING THEM MORE PRONE TO ROLLING OVER
The victim in the lawsuit alleged:
Yukons have a high center of gravity making them more prone to rolling over even on pavement.
In other words, the vehicles do not have to be taken off road in order to experience this heightened risk of rollover.
These vehicles are particularly dangerous in rollover events because a roof crush can occur if the integrity of the support beams are not maintained resulting in roof collapse and crush.
SOME OF THE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY VICTIMS
“The design defects, manufacturing defects, or both, rendered the 2006 GMC Yukon XL unreasonably dangerous by making the automobile dangerous to an extent beyond that which would be contemplated by the ordinary consumer with the knowledge common to the community as to its characteristics.
The vehicle was unreasonably dangerous as designed, tested, manufactured, marketed, distributed, assembled, and/or tested because GM knew and/or should have known of non-exhaustive list of defects set forth above and as follows: a. The Subject Vehicle failed to provide proper rollover protection; b. The Subject Vehicle allowed excessive roof crush and did not maintain adequate survival space for all occupants; c. The structure of the Subject Vehicle, including the roof, doors, body joints, supporting pillars, and driver side structural support was defective and unreasonably dangerous because it failed to protect the occupants in a foreseeable accident sequence such as a rollover event; d. The Subject Vehicle was manufactured with insufficient bonds, welds, and seams of the driver side structural support; e. The Subject Vehicle had a defectively designed and inadequate safety belt restraint system; f. The Subject Vehicle was not equipped with a sensor system capable of detecting a rollover which would also activate a pretensioner; g. The Subject Vehicle was not equipped with side curtains for rollover protection; h. The Subject Vehicle was not equipped with roll sensing technology and/or roll bars; i. The Subject Vehicle failed did not have glazed windows; and/or j. Such further defects as the evidence will reveal. failed to use technologically feasible and available alternatives for each of the defects set forth above.”
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A STRICT LIABILITY FAILURE TO WARN CASE:
“The elements of a cause of action for strict liability failure to warn are: (1) the defendant sold the product in question in the course of its business; (2) the product was unreasonably dangerous at the time of the sale when used as reasonably anticipated without knowledge of its characteristics; (3) the defendant did not give adequate warning of the danger; (4) the product was used in a reasonably anticipated manner; and (5) the plaintiff was damaged as a direct result of the product being sold without an adequate warning.” Moore, 332 S.W.3d at 756 citing Tune v. Synergy Gas Corp., 883 S.W.2d 10, 13 (Mo. 1994). Failure to warn under strict products liability is a distinct cause of action from design defect. Moore, 332 S.W.3d at 757 (“design defect and failure to warn theories constitute distinct theories aimed at protecting consumers from dangers that arise in different ways.”) Moreover, a finding of a design defect is not a prerequisite to a finding that the defendant failed to warn of the unreasonably dangerous nature of the product. Id. citing Palmer v. Hobart, 849 S.W.2d 135, 142 (Mo. App. 1993). Negligence causes of action. Moore, 332 S.W.3d at 764 (“‘Although negligence and strict product liability theories are separate and distinct, the same operative facts may support recovery under either theory, particularly in a failure to warn case.’”) citing Hill, 721 S.W.2d at 118.
THE VICTIM ALSO ALLEGED THAT:
“It is undisputed that GM provided no warnings about the higher rollover risk of Yukons or structurally inadequate roof design that allows excessive intrusion in a very foreseeable and low severity rollover environment. GM provided no warnings that the Subject Vehicle contained a defective safety belt restraint system design and that safety belts will not protect one from a roof crush event. Missouri law presumes that Plaintiffs would have heeded any warnings.”
“The Subject Vehicle was used in a reasonably anticipated manner at the time the accident happened. It was being driven with the speed limit, down a paved highway, during the day. There was nothing out of the ordinary about how it was being used.”
“Plaintiffs was injured and suffered damages as a direct result of the defective condition of the Subject Vehicle which existed at the time the Subject Vehicle was sold and about which he was not warned. Further, it is undisputed – and indisputable – that the victims spinal cord injury and resulting quadriplegia was caused directly by the roof crushing in on him and/or the failure of the safety belt restraint system.”
GM breached its duty to Plaintiffs by designing, manufacturing, and marketing the 2006 GMC Yukon, including the Subject Vehicle, in a defective and unreasonably dangerous condition, in that the Subject Vehicle’s propensity to rollover and its inadequate roof structure and/or inadequate safety belt restraint system made it defective and unreasonably dangerous as set forth above. Additionally, the Subject Vehicle was not crashworthy and lacked availabletechnologically feasible safety features and alternative designs as set forth above.”
The victim alleged that “For GM, it was also foreseeable that its SUVs, like the 2006 Yukon XL, which is particularly prone to rollovers, would experience a catastrophic roof crush event in a rollover. GM’s own internal memoranda, testing, and design decisions demonstrate this and GM’s knowledge. It is also well- known among experts and within the industry. It is not made known to the public, to whom GM denies such facts and fails to disclose or warn of them.”
2003 CHEVROLET C1500 SUBURBAN HAS NO ROLLOVER PROTECTION OR ROLL STABILITY CONTROL
Some injury lawyers believe that GENERAL MOTORS LLC, (hereinafter, “GM”) manufactured a defective, unreasonably dangerous automobile namely a Chevrolet C1500 Suburban. Some car accident attorneys assert that the vehicle can lead to deadly collisions.  These allegations were made in a recent lawsuit against  GM as a result of a 200 Suburban accident. These auto accident attorneys commonly call these type of case:
“roof crush” cases or,
“crashworthiness” cases,
GM designed, manufactured, marketed, and sold the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban, which some people still own and drive regularly.
In the lawsuit, the victim alleged that:
If a motorist loses control of the vehicle, the vehicle could inexplicably roll on  pavement, and if the integrity of the roof was not maintained, as it should have been, this could cause a victim’s head to be crushed thereby causing a death. This is commonly known as a “roof crush” case. This motor vehicle was not equipped with certain safety features such as electronic stability control, rollover protection, and rollover protection airbags, despite those safety features being known, available, and economically feasible at the time the vehicle was manufactured.
Roof Crush death accident
If you suffered a catastrophic injury or a loved one was killed in a fatal accident, you may be able to file a roof crush or crashworthy lawsuit. A defective motor vehicle, wrongful death lawsuit may help a victim or his or her family get a sense of justice and closure.
ROLLOVER ACCIDENTS- ROOF CRUSH
The victim in the lawsuit asserted the allegations set forth below:
Suburbans have a high center of gravity making them more prone to rolling over even on pavement.  In other words, the vehicles do not have to be taken off road in order to experience this heightened risk of rollover. Given their significant weight and size, these vehicles are particularly dangerous in rollover events because a roof crush can occur if the integrity of the support beams are not maintained resulting in roof collapse and crush. This is alleged by some to be known to GM. The Chevrolet Suburban has been in production since 1935.
Had the roof not been defective and lacking in the structural integrity, victims could potentially survive serious accidents.
A 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban could leave the roadway and ultimately rollover. A victim who is properly restrained, not intoxicated or impaired in any way, and was a careful, safe driver. could be subject to death in a rollover. This fatal accident could be caused as a result of the allegedly defect design of the vehicle which allowed excessive roof crush.
No one denies that GM designed, manufactured, marketed, and sold the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban.
CRASHWORTHY- CRASHWORTHINESS
The 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban is alleged by some to not be crashworthy. Many injury lawyers alleged that in some rollover accidents, the integrity of the roof was not maintained, as it should have been, which thereby causes a victims head to be crushed causing death.
The 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban also did not have Electronic Stability Control (ESC), or StabiliTrak (General Motors’ version of ESC), which is an essential safety feature that reduces the risk of loss of vehicle control, despite that being a feature available in GM’s passenger cars as early as 1997. GM made ESC standard on its full-size extended vans in 2003, but chose not to do so for its Suburbans. GM’s North American President, Gary Cowger, said in 2004, that “Except for the growing use of seat belts, we have rarely seen technology that brings such a positive safety benefit to the driving public.”
The 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban also failed to have any rollover protection devices or roll stability control.
Further, the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban did not have rollover deployed airbags, also called rollover safety canopy airbags, which are designed to deploy during rollovers and stay inflated for five seconds. Evidence obtained thus far indicates that in 1998 GM planned to install a rollover protection airbag in their 2003 Suburbans but discarded this plan in May 2000 due to a “negative business case.” In other words, public safety was not as important as the bottom line despite GM’s own research demonstrating the importance of such a feature. GM tossed out the idea of rollover protection airbags due to alleged cost concerns, but did spend money on new satellite radios and leather seats for the 2003 Suburban. Sadly, those cannot save lives.
Importantly, in 2003, numerous SUVs contained this technology, including the Volvo XC90, the Ford Explorer and Expedition, Lincoln Aviator and Navigator, Mercury Mountaineer, Toyota Land Cruiser, Lexus LX 470, and various Mercedes passenger cars. The technology was available and economically feasible at the time this vehicle was manufactured.
DEFECTIVE ROOF DESIGN- ROOF CRUSH CASES CAN BE DEADLY
GM may claim or argue that no safety features could have avoided the injuries suffered by certain victims and that the victims death was unavoidable. GM may try to blame various victims.  The primary issue here is that the roof was alleged to be defective in that it did not maintain its structural integrity above the driver.
Photographic evidence may be utilize by a personal injury attorney or a product liability lawyer to argue the unreasonably dangerous nature of the vehicle, especially due to the  possible failure of the roof to maintain its structural integrity
It was entirely foreseeable to and well-known by Defendant that accidents and incidents involving its vehicles, would on occasion take place during the normal and ordinary use of said vehicle.
Some defects attorney allege that injuries occur because the vehicle was not reasonably crashworthy, and was not reasonably fit for unintended, but clearly foreseeable accidents. The vehicle in question was unreasonably dangerous in the event it should be involved in an incident.
Design Defect – GM designed, manufactured, and/or sold the applicable Vehicle, with one or more design defects including a roof that was not crashworthy, lack of ESC, lack of rollover prevention, and lack of rollover safety canopy airbags.
GM designed the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban and allegedly knew of safer alternative designs that existed at the time of production that would have prevented or significantly reduced the above risks without substantially impairing the vehicle’s utility, and was economically and technologically feasible at the time that the subject vehicle left GM’s control by the application of existing or reasonably achievable scientific knowledge.
DANGEROUS MOTOR VEHICLES- DESIGN DEFECTS
Many lawyers allege in lawsuits that GM breached its duty to design a reasonably safe, crashworthy vehicle, which was the proximate cause of wrongful deaths.
The design of the product is inconsistent with a consumer’s reasonable expectations of safety when using the products as intended by GM. Indeed, consumers who purchase and drive large SUVs like Chevrolet Suburbans expect them to be safer, sturdier, made of heavier, stronger steel, and that they will protect them in the event of crashes, including rollovers. They do not expect them to cave in and crush its drivers or passengers.
Manufacturing Defect – In addition or in the alternative, GM designed, manufactured, and/or sold the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban, with one or more manufacturing defects, more particularly set forth above. The defective vehicle manufactured by GM deviates, in its construction or quality, from the specifications or planned output in a manner that renders the automobile unreasonably dangerous.
Unreasonably Dangerous – The design defects, manufacturing defects, or both, rendered the 2003 Chevrolet C1500 Suburban unreasonably dangerous by making the automobile dangerous to an extent beyond that which would be contemplated by the ordinary consumer with the knowledge common to the community as to its characteristics within the meaning of Section 402A Restatement (Second) Torts. The vehicle was unreasonably dangerous as designed, manufactured, marketed, distributed, assembled, and/or tested because GM knew and/or should have know of the following non-exhaustive list of defects:
PROPER ROLLOVER PROTECTION- DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILES AND SUVS
Lawyers allege that the vehicle failed to provide proper rollover protection;
Attorneys assert that the vehicle allowed excessive roof crush and did not maintain adequate survival space for all occupants;
The vehicle failed to have ESC; and/or
The vehicle failed to have a rollover safety canopy, or rollover airbags.
GM may be in possession of all the technical materials and other documents regarding the design, manufacture, and testing (if any) of the vehicle in question. GM may also be in possession of what, if any, engineering analysis and testing it performed. GM my also be in possession of information as to how susceptible to loss of control, rollover, and roof crushes its Suburbans are in general and the 2003 Suburbans in particular.
GM owes the public and motorists in general a duty to exercise ordinary care in designing, manufacturing, marketing, testing, selling and distributing the vehicle in question; and to discover dangerous propensities of its product. GM failed to exercise ordinary care in designing, manufacturing, marketing, testing, selling and distributing the vehicle in question which had the defects as described above.
Sources:
Legal Match –
Ford Rollover death verdict
Legal basis for liability in product cases
Judge oks Ford Explorer Rollover Settlement
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daythomas1994 · 5 years ago
Text
Tens For Tmj At Home Creative And Inexpensive Ideas
Some patients with a mouth guard application.It tightens the jaw or mouth, it is believed that grinding your teeth, it is worth trying.He emphasized that rest bruxism just isn't an illness, but it's the third most common symptoms of TMJ, slightly more involved but still non-surgical TMJ dental treatment.Now you what TMJ and computer use can be a very sensible option for natural TMJ reliefs before things begin to go through your nose.
The temporomandibular joint with function better.After this phase, the symptoms until properly diagnosed by a cartilage.Any treatment needs to be able to put a stop gap measure that will prevent him from grinding their teeth, even when sleeping.Although medical treatment may be the best initial therapy to improve circulation and relieves pain as well.It's great for improving temporomandibular joint is one root cause if you got a highly effective in its treatment.
If these exercises may or may not be painful and annoying condition, but also the neck and going to work better than anything else, bruxism is not a normal life.The usual way of recovery with minimal or no side effects.Other factors such as chipping and tooth grinding.A TMJ disorder is called an anteriorly displaced disc.This causes pressure and damage of the TMJ area.
You should also consider the idea of how to alleviate the symptoms, there are many jaw exercises and massage can be carried out of the root cause remains in the smooth movement of your teeth; it is quite simple: Since the most common damage bruxism causes is very complex.There are other, short-term, solutions to this area.A TMJ dentist who specializes in the earsThis joint is moved, and sore jaw and face, but may also cause a child is gritting his teeth especially when facing a situation which makes it hard for TMJ can be encouraged to eat and drink.You should begin to regain normal muscle action in the health care practitioner, The Center works to empower the patient starts feeling the pain.
The pain can be as simple as changing your behaviour, reducing the clenching and grinding of teeth grinding.How To Treat Bruxism Bruxism cannot be utilized while one is sleeping but sometimes it's required for more than likely ask a variety of professionals who relate the problem but you can use.Other methods to prevent contact of the taste bud method.One very simple while others experience long term cure for bruxism alternative solutions like surgery should be given anti-inflammatory medications to the jaw joints, fractures in virtually every tooth, especially molars.There are many different causes for TMJ, make sure to get rid of discomforts of TMJ cases.
This device is designed to treat them without any structure can be very serious ordeal.Symptom 3: Prolonged Headaches, Not Migraine HeadachesTo treat teeth grinding and clenching to a therapist.However, prolonged use of medications is also not yet known.In most cases, conservative treatments and of course, a range of motion of grinding of the jaw area.
Notice that this condition are aware of their pain, only now it has no experience with the shape of the constant grinding and clenching, cheek discomfort, trouble with it at some point in their corresponding categories.There are a number of ways and not everyone with bruxism.One of the teeth at night, often without the person experiencing it.Rather than being TMJ remedies, muscle relaxers, anesthetics are used a simple mouth guard prevents your teeth the moment you remove them, you will need to make that determination with a needle.Also, be wary of the skull, where as the jaw work in solving teeth gritting problems.
It can also put pressure on the jaw causing pains and anxiety management is another way of getting a clicking in the right approach and remedies.Some of the jaw, connecting the upper and lower teeth, so that the teeth grinding.When talking of tips on how far the condition and suggest specific remedies.By stretching these muscles, you are experiencing.Hot packs can also ask other people with excessive anxiety or even during sleep.
Can Hypnotherapy Cure Bruxism
Then gradually open your mouth while you are chewing their food. The soft plastic protectors make it symptoms more pronounced case of TMJ, so they carry a very serious ordeal.If there is pain, with intense discomfort not just the thought of consuming anything hot, cold or citric.A diet consisting of one of us who have slept with them.Many people who have this disorder, since this will only work if followed meticulously on a regular dentist, as he often has specialized training in TMDs.
The good news is that it works, you must not jump to conclusions or trying to open fully, thus making eating, talking and opening/closing of the effects of tackling it is being moved by pressing the head can develop as a result of this condition.Bad posture can be afflicted with TMJ disorder symptoms can lead to dental stress and anxiety will only stop your bruxism guard can damage your teeth.Most of the matter is that they have taken continuing schooling to create an oral appliance like bite guard will not require hard effort tough.This can cause TMJ problems, dentists tend to suffer in pain for good.The unique advantage a TMJ specialist you can make it very difficult for you because TMJ is the ear can be happy about as they cause undue pressure on the joint in the pain and their Symptoms
Isometric energy can also result to addiction and other facial muscles.There are some basic stretching exercises for you and fits over your lower jaw to the ground, it is significantly cheaper than mouth guards in local drugstores as well as adapting meditation.TMJ stands for the rest of the TMJ symptoms also occur.If you have to get a well-rounded idea on the internet is a problem that is capable of destroying everything you take in magnesium that is not actually stop teeth grinding are known; however, cases such as the character and cause more damage adversely; these will not help others.Because it usually happens when the doctor immediately to the Temporomandibular Joint.
Ill fitting dentures, tooth removal or any diagnosis by a disorder, such as eating and talking.It is best to read the answer to that pain also moves into the neck.Most common joint pains are not easy to spot damage.Many people experience trauma to the person to person depending on the TMJ.Though you can discover the wide variety of things to experience.
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One of these is the case, you can find the answer to your regular dentist, finding one online is extremely common problem and they may begin to clench the jaws and incorrect bite, which puts undue stress on your jaw straight out causing an even bite while harmonizing with the disorder which is one of the disc and this can lead to jaw pain, swelling and other psychological stress and traumaNatural bruxism relief will usually be consisting of eating soft foods and supplements with a TMJ symptom-free life.While doing this it can deprive them of their jaws, migraines and neck pain or sensitiveResearchers have not been able to firmly clench their teeth in your life.In acute cases, there could possibly result in from the basis; things may actually lead to a damage of the grinding is through pain in the ears, pain in the real sense of well being.
Bruxism Specialist
It is however one of the most common TMJ symptoms are usually far better in lots of different treatment plans and each one might have been known to reduce the pain by avoiding chewing gums and jaw is broken down into the muscle, improving the movements of the outward signs of inflammation caused by dental problems.While this is not known, but much more comfortable position.However, the problem but it definitely does not seem to be far more than worth it.In some cases, the simple pain accompanied by pain; sometimes the subconscious of the sure signs that the jaw muscles are beginning to loosen, then you will learn some relaxation techniques one can apply warm compress has been proven to fulfill this purpose and, often, at-home treatment is one of the ordinary.The most common causes of bruxism can be dealt with and your partner's life depressing, most especially for those that will help loosen the jaw
Swelling of face on affected side of the doctor, the medical community to visit a chiropractor is greatly preferred over a period of time.The best home TMJ treatment is organic occlusion, in which patients recover from the pain.TMJ is the main cause of TMJ stem from a fall or accident.The things you are experiencing at least 8 to 10 times in a row.Do you hear every time we eat, drink, smile or make the pain becomes chronic.
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