#below elbow prosthesis

[griffinhealthcare]

At our prosthetic care center, we understand the challenges that come with losing a prosthetic limb, and we are here to help you overcome them. Our team of experts provides compassionate care and personalized attention to ensure that you receive the right type of prosthetic services for your needs and that it fits properly. 

[amputeewomen]

Doing makeup with a hook prosthesis

[johnny-chaos]

hey ppl who draw post-canon gordon w a prosthetic . go to your browser of choice and search “bebionic arm prosthetic” or “below elbow prosthetic”. try to avoid resources that are sensationalized or presented as novelties please? focus on material with real people who use them every day . search for arm prosthesis demo videos and tips on how to use them or tips for living with a below-elbow amputation in general. i promise it’s more interesting than an all-metal hand that works exactly like a flesh one and isn’t even attached to the nub <3

here’s the dos and donts of the bebionic, and someone comparing multiple prosthetic hands, and someone trying different (above elbow) prostheses, and here’s a way they’re made (a lotta this is candid footage jsyk, but it shows how they move and are used)

for reference, there’s three main types, and thats body-powered/mechanical, myoelectric (the kind with nerve sensors) (note commercial ones can’t feel!), and passive/cosmetic (has no/little movement). they’re usually made of soft plastic, lightweight titanium, and silicone

now go be free <3

[brandyllyn]

Cross My Heart

Ezra x f!reader

Summary: "I do not know who I am when I am half a man." Words: 5.7k

For the #pedrostoriesgift23 Holiday Gift Exchange and the lovely @oonajaeadira who is my secret giftee! Your prompt was :

Romance, soft, yearning, hopeful. F!reader. If there's a kiss involved, I wouldn't complain. Random prompt: heart.

Hope you enjoy it, as per usual Ezra got a little (a lot) away from me.

My Masterlist

Rated: Teen Warnings: Talk of self harm / suicide but no one does it, discussion of medical procedures and prostheses, some use of ability based slurs by Ezra and others, canon typical violence, hint of spice

The smell hit him first.

Sterile, antiseptic. There was no tang of iron, or the almost vinegary smell of the Green. No dirt, no grime, no unwashed bodies or hint of explosives. Not the sweet stench of decay.

It smelled wrong.

Ezra grimaced as he scanned his identicard, watching the numbers flash up and a younger, cockier version of himself stared down from the screen. The picture was from before his first trip. Before he’d left the inner rings to find his luck in the reaches. Long before the Green.

A line of text directed him to sit in the waiting area and he glanced over the occupants. An older man in a wheelchair sat in the corner, head leaning forward and a line of drool dripping onto one thigh as he snored loudly. He was missing both legs above the knee. A few feet away, a scrawny teenager furtively glanced around the room with one eye, the other an empty hole she hadn’t bothered to cover. A woman with her left arm amputated below the elbow. A man around his age who had the pale, sickly yellow tinged skin that denoted liver failure. Another wheelchair. Another amputee. The room was full of those who had lost something. 

He felt right at home.

The Emric Chan Prosthesis Clinic welcomed everyone - the most destitute scavenger could come on their free clinic day and if the stars aligned have their life changed. The doctor he’d seen on the sling had recommended it to him. He couldn’t afford anything better than a hook but if he was chosen here he’d get a neurobionic arm.

A fresh start.

He finally chose a seat next to a woman near his age, maybe a bit younger. She was missing her forefinger on her right hand, a place she fidgeted with as he watched. Running the thumb of her other hand across it and grimacing as though it still hurt. He could understand that. Though it had been months since he lost his arm the stump still twinged occasionally.

“How long have you been waiting?”

Her eyes met his and he noted their pretty color, the ring of lashes that framed them and the soft “oh” her lips made before she answered. “I got here this morning.”

He frowned, “That’s hours ago, are they struggling to see people today?”

She snorted and a small smile pulled at her lips. She was quite pretty. “First time?”

He smiled in return, “I am a veritable virgin sacrifice to these halls.”

A laugh escaped her and she quickly covered her mouth, glancing around the room to see if anyone noticed. “I doubt that.”

He wanted to hear that laugh again. “In this I am yet a babe in the woods. I take it that it is not as straightforward as arriving in a timely fashion for my appointment?”

“No,” a fidget again as she tangled her fingers together. “They’ve got this algorithm. It looks at how dire your situation is, what kind of prostheses they have, what doctors are available… I don’t really understand it. You see Alaric in the corner?” She tipped her chin to the man snoring in the wheelchair and Ezra nodded. “He’s been coming here longer than I have. Once a month for the free clinic, just like us. He’s never even been called back.”

It seemed to Ezra that the loss of both legs might be considered a more dire situation than his single arm. “That is not exactly comforting.”

A small shrug. “It’s what it is, and for those of us with no other options… at least it’s hope.”

He sighed and leaned back in his chair, sprawling his legs in front of him and staring at the toe of his boot. “I do not have much hope, I’m afraid.”

She gave him a wan smile. “It is a long shot. I’ve been coming for almost a year. There’s also precedence they follow, even more so than your need. People from Ceti Alpha IV, some old families if you can prove you’re related, miners, colonists from-”

Ezra sat bolt upright. “Hold a moment there, did you say miners?”

“Yeah, the guy who founded this place made his money out in the reaches. One of their protected classes are IMC members.”

The Interstellar Mining Cooperative. Why hadn’t he thought of it? He was a member, at least he was pretty sure he was. They had some sparse benefits that he had never made much use of - but the appended callsign had landed him a few premier docking spaces and discounts on the sling. He hadn’t thought about it in years, yet the membership should have renewed unless something had changed.

“And if I were an IMC member?”

Her smile faltered a moment before returning. “Then yeah, you’ll jump to the front unless there’s another miner with something more serious.”

A flush of joy spread over him and he fumbled with his data pad. It took longer than it should, he was yet unused to working solely with his left hand, but soon he had his member page in his hand, a bright gold chisel in the corner.

“Well I’ll be damned.” He turned the data pad to show her. “It seems my luck has finally turned.”

Her nod was accompanied by another tight smile and she let out a soft sigh as she settled back into her chair. “I guess there’s always next time.”

“Do not look so forlorn, gem,” his grin was so wide it almost hurt. “While the loss of a digit is inconvenient, I assure you things could be worse.”

Her eyes fell to her lap, where nine fingers were intertwined. Brows drawing together she frowned for a moment before shrugging. “I suppose so. You should update your file, make sure you’re seen today if they can.”

He rose to his feet and then paused. Quickly, he dropped to one knee in front of her and reached out with his remaining hand to take her injured one. “You didn’t have to tell me, I would have never known. Thank you.”

“If it’s not you it would have been someone else.” Her eyes were sparkling and he wondered if they were tears. “There’s always someone who takes the slot. Always.”

“I cannot offer you a new digit, I myself am down to only five, but I would like to offer you dinner. If you would like?”

A moment of uncertainty passed before she nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

They traded identifications and he couldn’t help but look back as he crossed to the check-in. She had her hands pressed together to her chest, her lips resting on the back of one thumb.

He wondered if she was praying.

She wasn’t going to show.

Ezra tapped his fingers on the table and glanced around the room. It wasn’t the nicest place in the Narrows, but not the worst either. The food was good and if it came with a side of attitude in the basement of a pawn shop, who was he to judge?

The numbers on his watch clicked over and he sighed. He was in an extraordinarily good mood and she was ruining it. 

With a grunt he pulled the menu up on the table and selected a bottle of synthehol. It didn’t taste as good as the real thing, or so he was told, but it gave as good of a buzz as any. It arrived a moment later and he flicked the top off with practiced ease. Pouring his glass he held it to the light for a moment and then let a slow grin overtake his face.

He was getting a new arm.

A GH7 Neurobionic Prosthesis to be exact. Top of the line with a lifetime guarantee. 

A lifetime guarantee.

That would be enough to get everything back on track. To go back to prospecting if he wanted. According to the pamphlet the prosthesis would connect directly into his nervous system. The skin tone would match and he would be able to feel everything as though it was his original arm. In short, it would be as though it never happened. There were even opportunities to upgrade - if he could scare up the credits - and add in sensors and utilities that might help his life someday.

“Ezra?”

The soft voice jolted him from his reverie and he saw her standing nearby, a blue grey tunic belted at the waist and a pair of grey trousers underneath. A black armband peeked out from her sleeve. In a burst of motion he leapt to his feet, throwing his arm around her and pulling her into half an embrace.

“Darling, you came!” With a quick shuffle he led her to the other side of his table, letting her go long enough to pull the chair out and settle her into it. “May I offer you a libation? I have had finer vintages but it is quite nice in its own right.” At her nod he filled a glass for her, cheeks nearly hurting from the smile that wreathed his face when he sat across from her.

“I do not have the words to express my gratitude for your help this afternoon.” He pulled the menu up and spun it her direction. “Please, order whatever you like. This is my treat.”

“So I take it you qualified?”

“Passed with flying colors! My surgery is five spans hence.”

“That’s so good, just in time for the Prophet’s Name Day!” She flipped through the menu and ordered, flicking the holo away. “A basic unit or…?”

Taking it as a prompt he launched into the details of his new arm, pulling the brochure up on his data pad and showing her the specs. She made the appropriate oohing and ahhing noises as he did so, leaning in and pointing out some of the finer details such as the heating elements and pulse that would make it mimic the original even more closely than he had thought.

“It truly is a dream,” he sighed when he had finally finished. “And I have you to thank for it. If you hadn’t…” He swallowed, glancing away and feeling a flush come over him. “I must admit I was having thoughts of a rather permanent nature.”

Her hand came out to cover his, fingers intertwining. “Don’t talk like that.”

He turned his hand over in hers, returning her grip with a fierce squeeze, “I do not know who I am when I am half a man. My livelihood depends on the use of both - on the security of its presence. Without it… I ask you, what use would I be?”

“A man is more than his use, Ezra,” she scolded softly.

A shake of his head cut her off before she could continue. “Not for me. I am not made to be idle, nor to live on the charity of others. Had this not worked, had you not been there, well, I have cheated death enough to not begrudge her her final say.”

The look she gave him was commiserating but she didn’t argue. “I get it, sometimes it seems easier to just let go than it is to hope.”

“Oh, I have hope now, starshine, you have given me hope.”

She pulled her hand away and took a sip of her drink. “I didn’t do anything. You would have figured it out on your own.”

“Maybe,” he shrugged, “or maybe I would have let yet another chance at happiness pass me by.“ He gave her a considering look. She was pretty, in a way he might have overlooked in different circumstances. He had always been one to chase the flashy, to always be looking to the next thing and ignore what was in front of him. Maybe it was time to rethink that strategy.

“I don’t reckon you would be amenable to seeing me again?”

She looked away for a moment, lips pressed together as she nodded almost shyly. “I’m also in the ‘take a chance’ ship these days, and you seem nice.”

He laughed, “I can honestly say that no person has ever graced me with the moniker ‘nice’ before, but for you I shall strive to meet your aspirations.”

A grin played on her lips and she met his eyes. “Well, handsome then.”

“I am delighted that you think so,” he grinned in return. “Now, why don’t you tell me about your life before you found yourself seated in this lovely establishment this evening?”

They spoke for hours. About her time working in the dockyards, the early deaths of her parents, and the unscrupulous manager that necessitated her move to the Narrows. In return he spoke of the brother he had lost in the silicon mines, the various adventures he had been on while alone, and of Cee.

“A spitfire if ever I have seen one,” he claimed as a bot cleaned the table next to them. “She’s the reason you find me with less than the standard number of limbs.”

“Oh really?” She seemed shocked. “And you’re still taking care of her?”

“I am not ashamed to admit that I have not always been the best of men - when survival is on the line I can be positively ruthless. And Cee, well… Cee is much like myself. There is a spark in her, a fight. It is a trait I wish to nurture.”

“I don’t know if I could be like that,” she responded. “Be so heartless I hurt someone else just to save myself.”

“I’m wounded you think me so pitiless. Perhaps you could give me a chance to show you my softer side?”

He expected her to turn timid - everything he had learned about her so far gave the picture of a woman who was not prone to rash decisions or impulsiveness. So he was pleasantly surprised when she grinned at him.

“I could be convinced.”

He walked her home, of course. He liked to think himself a gentleman and was nothing if not an opportunist. Which was why when she tilted her head to his at her door he instantly swooped in, reaching out to pull her hips to his and slanting his mouth across hers. He groaned when she arched against him, biting at her lip before pulling back and giving her a slow smile.

“Would you like to come inside?”

His smile widened and he lifted a hand to brush against her cheek. At least, he would have had it been there. He could even see it, the calloused hand with the short fingernails gently tracing what he knew must be soft skin. 

But the absence jolted him from his good mood and he took a step away from her with a grimace. “I would like to be whole if we ever…”

She took his hand in hers, stepping into his space again. “You know I don’t care about that, right Ezra?”

Giving her a wane smile he nodded, “I do know that. But I care.”

“Then I understand.” After a pause she gave him a mischievous grin, “But we can still kiss, can’t we?”

“We absolutely can do that,” he assured her, backing her into the door and closing the distance between them once more. “As often as you’ll allow.”

Her only answer was a low moan that rumbled into his skin and set him afire.

It was going to be a long six spans.

“You don't have to go with me.”

Ezra guided her around a group of teenagers and chuckled as he squeezed her tighter. “You act as though it is a burden to spend time with you.”

“It’s boring. I know, I've been doing it for a cycle.”

It was free clinic day and Ezra had shown bright and early at her flat with a bag of pastries to help her start the morning. She had seemed surprised by his arrival, wrapping a shawl over her shoulders but inviting him in for morning caf and together they had devoured the pastries before she began her trek to the other end of the City.

“It's no trouble, it will give me time to think on my own matters.”

She smiled at a vendor and he gave the man a once over before dismissing him.

“Matters like if you want to include a full arm tattoo?”

He snorted. “The thought occurred but it holds no charm for me. Rather, I've been trying to remember if I had a mole on my pinky or not.”

“Isn’t there a whole saying about knowing things like the back of your hand?”

He stopped her with a slight tug, pulling her into an alcove. With a quick movement he covered her hand with his. “Do you have any?”

She frowned. “On the outside of the back, I think? More like a freckle.”

“Anything else? Scars? Do you know how long your nail beds are?”

She huffed and tugged her hand free, crooking a smile and pointing out the freckle. “For the nail beds, I’d just have them match the other hand.”

“Ah starshine,” he wrapped his arm around her waist again, “your skin is far more unblemished than mine. It will be strange to see skin as marred as mine was - but perhaps it is better to have a clean slate? These are the question that plague me.”

“It’s not-”

Someone shoved into her and she fell against him suddenly. He lifted his other arm to catch her but nothing moved but the short stump. Thrown off balance they both stumbled and, after seeing to her well-being, he rounded on the perpetrator with a fierce frown.

“Watch where you are going.” The man was around his size, maybe an inch taller. Ezra sized him up in a glance, a street thug who would barely be worth the effort of a fight if it came to it.

“Keep your pumbavu bitch out of my way.”

Ezra carefully shifted his expression to the smoothly friendly one he reserved for wayward prospectors who happened to cross his path with more gems than sense.

“There is no need for that kind of language, friend, there is plenty of room for us all.” He gestured at the narrow sidewalk. “Perhaps an apology and we can all be on our way?”

“Apologize?” the man snorted. “To some ampee and whoever was pathetic enough to take your credits?”

“This is your warning,” Ezra told him slowly, shifting his stance and reaching for the knife in his belt. “There will not be another.”

“And what are you going to do? Shoulder me to death?”

Ezra barely waited for him to finish the sentence, palming the blade and slashing out in nearly the same motion. He heard the soft gasp from behind him but ignored her, all of his concentration on the man in his sights. The blade whistled through air and Ezra adjusted, stepping forward and flipping the blade around to catch him on the backswing. From his peripheral he saw the punch coming from his right and raised his hand to block it.

With nothing there the blow caught him squarely in the jaw, sending him reeling back as his vision danced. The force of it made him drop his blade and he heard it clatter to the metal grates beneath their feet before slipping through and disappearing below.

“Prophet’s nutsack, I’ll fucking-”

Suddenly she was there, between them, throwing her arms out and pleading with the man. “Please, this is all a misunderstanding. No one’s hurt, can’t we just leave it at that?”

Ezra, for one, felt hurt but he didn’t say anything about it, shaking his head and trying to stop his ears from ringing.

“Tell your cripple boyfriend to mind his own business.”

Snarling, Ezra prepared to launch himself at the man once more but she had his cheeks in her hands and the concerned look on her face quelled his ire.

“Are you okay? How’s your head?”

“It will be fine, I’ve had worse.”

“Ezra…” she chided, “what were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that rat needed a lesson in manners.” She laughed and he realized suddenly how petulant he sounded. “Are you okay, starshine?”

She laid a hand to her chest, “My heart is racing. That can’t be good for me.”

“A little adrenaline keeps you young.”

She gave him a wan smile even as she took deep, steadying breaths. Holding a finger to the pulse point on her wrist she stood a moment longer before she seemed satisfied. “Don’t do things like that, okay?”

“I can make you no promises,” he held an elbow out for her to take and continued them on their way. “I am a man more suited to fight than flight.”

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?”

Ezra nodded absently, the white walls around him almost mocking in their sterility. His life was about to change and here he was sitting on a paper covered bed in little more than a nightgown.

“And you’re sure you don’t want me to tell Cee?”

“No,” he cut her off quickly, running his hand through his hair and likely ruffling it beyond recovery. “Cee does not need to know of any of this until it is finished.”

She was bustling around the room, folding his clothes into a neater pile and tossing him concerned glances. “I can’t believe you feel more guilty about her than she does about shooting you.”

Ezra shrugged. It was a discussion they had had before and he knew she didn’t understand. She didn’t need to, but he liked that she was trying. 

“Trust me, starshine, she feels exactly as much guilt as she should for her actions.” He caught her arm as she went by again and pulled her to stand between his legs. Pulling her hand to his lips he kissed the spot where her finger was missing. “Are you planning to rearrange the entire room?”

“I’m nervous,” she admitted, leaning into his embrace and settling her head on his shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want me to wait here for you?”

“Absolutely not.” He pushed her away so that he could meet her eyes so she would know how serious he was. “Assuming all goes well I will come find you after, don’t you worry about that.”

She didn’t ask what he would do if it didn’t go well - and he didn’t know what his answer would have been regardless.

“HG460372 Theta?”

The voice at the doorway sounded bored and Ezra glanced up as it read off his IMC number. 

“Present.”

“Follow me.”

He slipped off the table and pulled her in for a kiss. “I’ll see you this evening. Wait up for me?”

“I’d wait forever for you.”

For that she got one more quick kiss before he followed after the nurse.

Ezra flexed his fingers, noting the fine brown hairs on his knuckles and the small scar at the base of his thumb. With his left hand he pressed two fingers to his wrist, feeling the steady pulse. The skin wrinkled and moved as he tested it, marveling at the fine interconnected lines.

“Ezra?”

He whipped his head up. He hadn’t even noticed the door sliding open. But there she was, her eyes wide and lips parted as she stared at his new arm. 

At his whole self.

“Oh Ezra, how does it-”

He cut her off with a hand to the back of her neck, pulling her towards him even as he backed her into her small flat. Fingertips felt the hairs at the top of her spine, felt the give of her skin, felt the warmth of her.

“Ezra,” she managed to push him away slightly even as he wrapped his other arm around her waist. “Show me the-”

“I want to feel you, starshine.” They were at her sofa now and he carefully pushed her onto her back, straddling her waist with his knees before pulling away. “We can speak of the particulars at a more opportune time.”

She giggled and yanked him back to her and he caught himself on his prosthetic. He could feel the rough weave of the upholstery even as he shifted his weight so he could use his right hand to undo the buttons of her shirt.

“The doctors told me I should practice my fine motor skills,” he pushed her shirt apart and cupped one of her breasts in his hand. The soft material of her bra gave beneath his fingers and he traced upwards to pull the cup down before he felt something new. 

“What is this?” With a sly grin he traced his fingers over the faint ridges running from her breast up to her shoulder. “A body modification? Do you have others? A tattoo perhaps?”

She faltered, her smile freezing on her face. “Can we not talk about that, Ezra?”

“Ah, a youthful indiscretion? I understand.” He helped her shrug her shirt off and his eyes caught on the band of black encircling her left upper arm. He’d noticed it before, not really giving it much thought. But now that it was exposed he could see that the lines under her skin ran directly to it.

“I must admit you have my curiosity, am I allowed to remove this or-”

She sat up so quickly she nearly brained him, only his quick reflexes allowing him to rear back and avoid a broken nose.

“Do not!”

He spread his fingers wide, noting with pride how strong both of his hands looked. “I will not if you do not wish it, of course, but I should know the bounds of what I can and cannot do. May I touch it at all?”

A deep breath lifted her breasts and he tried to ignore the motion while she gathered herself.

“It’s probably better if you don’t.”

“Then I will not.” He lowered his hands to grip her wrists, massaging the skin with his fingers. “Your secrets are your own, but I hope you will allow me one more question?” At her nod he lifted her left hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. “Is it dangerous? A drug of some kind?”

“No.” A long silence stretched before she elaborated. “It’s a battery pack.”

Slowly, he let his fingers trace over the edges of the band, following the lines embedded into her skin until they disappeared into her chest. Under the pads of his fingers he could hear the steady, delicate thump of her heart. “A battery pack?”

She didn’t answer but he didn’t need her to. At once the realization crashed on him and he cursed, damning himself for an idiot as he realized how oblivious he had been.

“The clinic - you are not visiting to get your finger replaced, are you?”

She shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes.

“Starshine, why didn’t you say something? I could have-”

“There’s nothing you could have done,” she interrupted, suddenly taking his hand with her own.

“I could have given you my spot.” He clenched his fist, staring at the ripple of tendons and wires. “I could have forced them to see you instead.”

“Really? You told me you were days from killing yourself if the clinic hadn’t worked out.”

Ezra didn’t reply, his mind a jumble of conflicting thoughts. A month ago he would have agreed. Told her that to live even a moment longer as a cripple was too much. But now…

“I could have waited my turn, if it meant you getting yours.”

“It wouldn’t have mattered,” she shrugged. “You can’t give up your place like that.”

He laid a palm flat to her chest. “How long?”

“The cardiac unit is a stopgap, they gave me eight months if all went well.”

He stilled, fingers briefly clutching at her. “And how long ago was that?”

“A full cycle.”

“A year,” he croaked, feeling as though perhaps all of his hair had turned white with that statement. “But…”

She pressed her hand to his, over her chest. “It was longer than I ever expected. I fell into the stasis field at the shipyards a year ago - it totally fried my system.” 

“And so you need a new heart.”

“A Yutani-7 artificial heart to be exact, but yeah. Can we get back to the kissing now?”

Ezra leaned back as she reached for him and then couldn’t help a wry smile at her exaggerated pout. “Starshine, you can’t spring a terminal condition on a man and expect him to perform for you.”

She tried to give him a seductive look but betrayed herself with a soft sniffle. “I ruined it didn’t I?”

Shifting to lie next to her, Ezra pulled her into his arms, tucking her head beneath his chin and petting down her back. “You ruined nothing. I am only morose you did not tell me sooner so I might have had time to come to terms with the knowledge before being asked to ravish you.”

“So is ravishing off the table then?”

She sounded so forlorn he couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course not, but perhaps tonight is not the time-”

It was a marvel she managed to surprise him, leveraging herself upwards and yanking his face down to hers in a wild, rough kiss. When she finally broke away for air they were both panting.

“I don’t know how much time I have left, Ezra.”

“An uncharitable blow, starshine.”

“Please.”

Well, who was he to deny a woman who begged so sweetly?

“I have a surprise for you.”

She blinked up at him wearily, a confused frown on her face before she answered. “What?”

“A surprise,” he whipped the blanket from over her, smiling at the adorable bundle of fleece and sweaters she was wrapped in beneath. “Are you cold?”

“Poor circulation,” she mumbled as she slowly sat up, rubbing a hand across her eyes. “Side effect of - you know. What do you mean a surprise?”

Letting his smile slip he sat at the edge of the couch, settling his hand on her knee. “How are you feeling?”

“Cold, a little out of breath. Pretty normal stuff all things considered. What surprise?”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you now would it?” He jumped to his feet, yanking a sweater from a nearby chair and holding it out to her. “Here, I don’t want you to be cold.”

“Ezra, why are you bleeding?”

He glanced down at his arm, at the thin tendrils of synthetic red liquid that rose from a series of scratches that ran the length of his forearm. “No reason, come on.”

She caught his hand but he quickly shook her off, bustling her into the sweater and out her door. One of her neighbors had set out candles for Name Day and he carefully steered her around them.

“If I can’t ask why you’re bleeding can I ask why you have a black eye?”

“You may not,” he responded cheerily.

“Ezra…”

He pulled her close to his side and navigated her out of the alley. “I must ask that you hold your queries until the end of the day, starshine. All will be revealed in time.”

A soft huff escaped her but she didn’t say anything, letting him lead her through the underbelly of the city and to a building they both knew far too well.

“Ezra it’s not the right day,” she told him as he led her to a side entrance.

“You are correct.” He pulled the door open and ushered her inside. A long hallway stretched in front of them and Ezra walked down it with confidence until he found the office he was looking for. A man was sitting behind the desk, his grey lab coat marred by a spot of blood and a drawn look on his face.

“Is this the patient?”

“It is,” Ezra responded as he sat her in a chair. “And you have the item?”

“They’re not easy to find, you know. I had to forge about ninety seven different manifests.”

“Ezra…” she whispered, eyes wide, but he cut her off with a squeeze to her shoulder.

“And will that complicate matters?”

The doctor steepled his fingertips above the desk and sighed. “It won’t.”

“Good, good.” Ezra was pacing behind her, darting glances around the room and flexing his prosthetic arm as though worried it might remember its origins in a room nearby. “So you can begin?”

“My family?”

“Safe,” his smile had a hard edge and he didn’t try to hide the knife at his belt. “For now.”

“Then let’s get this done.”

The doctor rose and she rose with him, a look of concern marring her perfect features. “What have you-?”

“If harm befalls her,” Ezra threatened softly, grabbing a fistful of the doctor’s coat, “you know what will happen?”

The doctor gave him a curt nod and Ezra let him go. Waiting a moment he finally turned back to her. To his lover, his starshine…

His everything.

“What is happening?”

“A Name Day miracle, for all intents and purposes.” She seemed confused and he leaned down to press a kiss to her lips. “I might have performed a few dastardly deeds to move your case to the front of the line.”

“Oh Ezra, you didn’t-”

“Hush,” he kissed her once more. “I would do it again a thousand times over for you.”

“But what about after, Ezra? What happens to you?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, “I suppose I will need to find myself a new place to live, perhaps outside of where the law might reach. I don’t suppose you would want to come with me?”

For all his bravado he was shocked when she nodded, and even more so when she threw her arms around his neck and pressed her forehead to his. “After you’ve done this for me? I would follow you anywhere, Ezra.”

“Sweet starshine,” he held her to him tightly for a moment before releasing her and stepping away, “you need to go and get your new heart.”

“You’ll be here when I’m done?”

He pulled her hand into his, pressing a kiss to the back. “I promise.”

“Cross your heart?”

With a smile he rubbed his lips on the blank spot where her finger once sat before letting her go. “Of course. But I must warn you, mine hasn’t been my own to promise for some time now.”

For updates on stories please follow and turn on notifications for @brandyllyn-writes

Tagging in Adira once more. I hope you enjoyed your Ezra Holiday treat. @oonajaeadira

[randomwriteronline]

Mata Nui refused to sleep.

He had not given a reason for it, in the distinct way one does not give a reason for something they find immensely discomforting, so none had bothered to pry further, and he had never slept.

This was a useful problem. Useful, because he could still rest through meditation whilst remaining aware of his sorroundings, meaning there was always someone to keep an eye out for the many rogue crawlies that infested Bara Magna at night and any Bone Hunter ambushes, so there was no need to take turns keeping awake and vigilant; a problem, because Kiina now had to be wrestled to sleep lest she abused the down time they had to pester the stranger on space and planets and the such, and Mata Nui was more than glad to speak of anything she might have inquired about at length.

That would have also been a useful problem, as his explanations were told in a low gentle monotone that could have lulled a furious Rock Steed into a chittering pup gently kicking and pawing at the sand in its slumber, if the Gaquri would have managed to stop interjecting with far too loud a volume of voice.

As it was, however, all their conversations did was hinder everybody else's attempt at getting some shut-eye.

When Ackar awoke, the night was perfectly silent.

He wondered briefly why in Plude he'd stirred. A sudden flesh-rendering pain jolting through his right shoulder answered him a little too eagerly for his tastes, and he groaned as he kneaded into it with his fingers.

"Ackar?" a half whisper reached him.

He grunted in acknowledgement.

Mata Nui shifted from where he sat to lean over him: "Is something the matter, my friend?"

The Glatorian pushed himself upright with a bit of difficulty: "Nothing, nothing... Give me a second," he muttered, "I shouldn't sleep with it, but - urgh! Alright, alright, hold my elbow a moment, would you?"

He hissed his thanks through gritted teeth as his limb was caught in a gentle grip. His fingers slipped below his armpit and fumbled angrily with the folds of his skin as his grimace twitched with each spark of pain: at last, with a few clunks and exhausted pops, the arm went limp in Mata Nui's hold as it detached from the rest of Ackar's body, leaving the Glatorian to sigh in relief and move his hand closer to the crook of his own neck.

His friend stared at the body part suddenly in his palms with no shortage of surprise.

"It is a prosthesis," he noted, a little awed: "I did not realize that."

"Yes, well - it's not really your fault for that. It's not that easy to tell, and I never mentioned it," the Glatorian replied as he did his best to massage his aching shoulder blade.

The motion attracted the attention of blue eyes: "Are you hurt?"

"Ah... Nothing to be worried about. I should not sleep with it, is all. It decides to start stinging like Plude if I do that too much."

"You have slept with it all these nights, though."

Ackar gave a lopsided smile: "I know, I know - but when you're out here in the desert, it's always better to have two arms at the ready rather than one."

Mata Nui nodded solemnly, with a grave air about him, as though the Glatorian had bestowed great wisdom upon him instead of basic Bara Magnan common sense, and the veteran warrior could not help chuckling a little at him.

The otherworlder took great care to place the fake limb on the sand so that it would not jam its inner mechanisms before turning once more to his friend: "May I help you?"

"With what?"

"Your shoulder."

"It's just inflamed muscles."

"It doesn't seem as though you can reach the spot bothering you very comfortably on your own. I would be glad to lend a hand."

"Oh? You have experience with this?" the Glatorian teased him lightly, but he did slowly begin unfastening his chest armor with careful movements made surprisingly swift by half a lifetime practicing with only one hand.

"I do not," Mata Nui confessed, completely missing any and all implications: "But I do wish to be of help."

"If it would please you, then, be my guest," Ackar smiled. "Though I will say, at the cost of sounding like a frail maiden - take off your gauntlets at least. I'm pretty sure you'd rip my flesh right off of me if it got pinched in your armor."

"I see. That is an unfortunate request."

"Why so?"

"I am physically incapable of removing my armor."

The other just shrugged casually as he pulled off his undershirt: "I can help you with it."

"You are very kind, but I did not mean that it is impractical to fasten or get out of," the otherworlder clarified. He placed a palm on where his clavicle should have been, lightly curling his phalanxes around the edges of the golden yellow metal covering his upper half: "Taking this off would be akin to skinning me."

Ackar responded to the information with a wide eyed stare.

"Ah," he convened finally: "That'd be quite terrible."

"It would indeed, my friend."

"So - hold it, hold it. You've been naked this whole time?"

"I... Would not... Describe myself as such."

"No, no, I mean--" the Glatorian reworded himself as he scooted over, "This whole time, we've been running around fighting for our lives, fending off vicious beasts and Bone Hunters, and you haven't had a single piece of protective gear on you?"

Mata Nui blinked: "I am shielded," he replied.

"I don't mean Click and the whole - thing, that you make him do that turns him into a shield," Ackar said as he settled down with his back to his friend. "I mean something that keeps your soft insides from getting sliced in half at the first swing of a blade, or from getting skewered by the first Thornax launched into the back of your knee."

"I am shielded." the other insisted.

"By what?"

"My carapace."

His fingertips laid on the Tapyri's back, only to retreat in confusion a moment after. Whatever puzzled him was eventually deemed inconsequential, as he returned to study the shoulder blade beneath his fingers in search of any anomalies beneath the skin that could clue him in on where to strike.

"Your what?" Ackar asked.

"My body is naturally armored," he explained without breaking focus: "Much like insects, certain species of reptiles, or likely the Vorox and Zesk from what I could observe of them, I am covered by an exoskeleton meant to protect my organs and sustain my body. It is unclear whether I possess an additional endoskeleton, like you, but I must confess I am not very keen to find out."

"Huh," his friend noted. After a moment, he added: "Because you'd have to be skinned."

"Yes."

"Very fair."

That was quite the load of information.

By all means, this wasn't necessarily the first time they'd heard of carapaced sentient beings - the Fezeri of the Iron tribe had something of the sort, and if you tried searching through their old settlements enough you were bound to find some molts that had survived the passage of time - but they still had bones in them. Like normal people.

And yes, of course, Mata Nui was abnormal under every aspect if you looked at him for longer than two minutes.

But being a huge humanoid bug?

Now that was unexpected.

More than everything else.

Including coming from space. Because even Kiina had imagined that spacepeople would have had bones in them, or at least been aware of having them.

All of a sudden the Glatorian gave a short snorting laugh.

"You're so confusing," he said whistfully, craning his neck back. "By the looks of it one would guess you're just a slightly irregular fellow, and yet you're some sort of alien who's more like Click than any of the rest of us. You're just full of surprises."

"Oh! I suppose that is true," Mata Nui mused.

He sounded somewhat amused by his resemblance to the beetle. Like he hadn't noticed it himself until now.

His fingers slid on what seemed like a slight bump under the oily skin. That must have been the problem, he thought to himself, and without further ado dug his thumb in the spot: against his carapace he almost felt the individual fibers of muscle flatten under the pressure he exercised upon them, the tight knot they were wrapped in struggling not to yield and unfurl.

He didn't quite get the time to focus on that, however, as he was startled out of the tactile sensation by a deep gurgling sound rattling almost right in his audio receptor.

Ackar, for his part, was trembling so much that the flesh folded around the back of his ribs seemed to be trying its hardest to imitate the vibrating tempo of a dragonfly's wings as it raced its peers across the surface of a lake.

"Oh, I think you found it!" he gingerly said before his friend could wonder whether he'd accidentally hurt him - which in a matter of seconds was no longer a concern seeing as the Glatorian all but leaned further into his thumb: "Go on, go on, those bastards are hard to get rid of--"

Another growl reverberated through the otherwise still air, and Mata Nui realized it was coming from directly under his palms.

Ergo, it was coming from Ackar.

He tried digging harder into the skin: the shoulder wiggled around his finger in a very curious way and the gurgling's volume raised a little more, while the trembling returned to rattle through the Tapyri just as hard as it had before.

Sound and tremors repeated in varying intensity as he continued to knead his fingers against the suffering spot, usually accompanied by the body in question trying to recline directly into the pressure much like certain creatures do when gently scratched in specific areas. He deduced these reactions must have been positive ones, meant to communicate a contented or happy disposition - perhaps specific to the Fire tribe? The trembling in particular, with its very visible reverberations all across the being's frame, seemed to require the presence of an amount of skin which was notably higher than what he could glimpse on Gaquri and Lebori alike... Although Ackar was also significantly older than Gresh, Berix and Kiina, and it would not have been wise to rule out the possibilty of age playing an important part in determining the quantity of soft tissue.

Speaking of the skin, though he was very taken with the large splatter-like marks all across his back, there was also something else that was puzzling if not outright concerning him about it.

"You're sweating quite a lot," Mata Nui noted out loud.

Ackar leaned so far into his hand that he almost dropped down right onto the sand.

"Ah - 'sss not sweat," he drawled through the rumbling in his neck: "Don'- don't frrreak out now, ok- 's mucus."

His friend hummed, unbothered: "That explains the consistency."

"Don' worrrrrry about it - 's norrrmal, yesss? We - us Tapyri, we jusss' make it, see... For the, the tem- RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Sorrrrrry, so'ry... We live near volcanos 'n' open lava pools, so the temp'raturesss would shrrrivel us up..."

"I understand... It keeps you hydrated in otherwise extreme climates."

"Uh-huh... Plus 's easierrr t' wash off the ash like that... Jusss' ssscoop it all off, and the'e, all clean like an oil'd up--" an even more powerful gurgle took over his throat, and he arched his back so much that Mata Nui had to quickly catch him with both hands before he slipped right out of his grip. Now that the Tapyri's face was in view he could note with great interest that his thin teeth were paraded in a wide trembling grin, almost clattering together, and that his eyes were squeezed shut as if he were in great pain - although the effect his expression gave off, even looking at it upside down as the fallen god was, seemed closer to exceptional enjoyment. He watched him mutter a curse under his breath before his voice raised again, slurring in bliss: "A'e you su'e you've nev'r done this beforrre? Y're good!"

"I am afraid I only have theoretical knowledge at my disposal, although in great quantities," his friend replied, a little embarrassed as he laid the other's head down onto his armored legs.

Ackar grinned a little wider as his nape touched down on something pleasantly warm: "Ahhh, booksss, booksss..." he chuckled, wriggling in place, fingers idly pulling the air in uncoordinated motions: "I g'ess they'rrre good f'r sssom'thin', eh?"

His chest jumped with a giddy silent giggle, causing his rumbling to stutter a few times.

Now that he looked at his actual arm better, Mata Nui realized that its back too sported large splatters of different pigmentation. He caught it in his free hand very carefully, turning it over to observe it better while the Glatorian simply allowed him to, maybe not even noticing: their position and shape was not as random as it appeared, but instead seemed to follow an imperfect pattern which mirrored that flanking the man's spine. A quick glance at his prosthesis revealed no such detail on the fake flesh.

Such a curious thing, he mused as he thoughtlessly played with the organic limb - pressing on its palm, lifting it, bending its elbow and wrist to watch the skin crease and muscles tense or relax. He'd seen this sort of appearance on a few creatures along his travels, usually to ward off predators by denoting some sort of poisonous nature... Perhaps the Fire tribe had evolved to secrete a type of venom mixed into their protective layer of mucus in response to threats, or it could have been a strategy of ages past that had managed to survive with each subsequent step they'd taken up their evolutionary ladder for some reason or another.

He'd never had a tongue to test the effects of different poisons personally, and while he might have had one now (though he wasn't sure, since he had not had the time to properly study or think about this body's anatomy much) he was a little uncertain on whether his friend would have appreciated having his fingers shoved in Mata Nui's mouth for the sake of scientific research.

He had come across a few sapient species that considered that a formal greeting, but he would rather not take his chances.

Maybe he could have asked later.

He felt Ackar's shoulders shift and squirm in his lap to get more comfortable, and he returned his attention to him just in time for the Tapyri to open his eyes and meet his gaze in turn.

For a small period of time they simply looked at one another. The otherworlder continued idly moving the other's limb, exercising a gentle pressure upon his palm as he shifted the arm up and down without any rhyme or reason; Ackar himself just let him do as he pleased, only blinking back at him, face stuck in a neutral expression, not making a singular attempt at stopping him.

"Oh," he spoke at last with a nervous laugh: "Well. Hello."

What a strange thing to say. Mata Nui tilted his head slightly: "Hello," he replied in tone.

"I've made myself comfortable, haven't I?"

"If you are referring to your position, I took the liberty to recline you myself in order to keep you from getting injured."

It was unclear if the information reassured the Glatorian or not, as his reaction was to widen his pupils slightly, considerably darken the skin of his nose, and only peep: "Ah."

"You were leaning rather far back. You could have fallen."

"Ah," he repeated. "Thank you, friend."

"It was my pleasure."

Ackar's nose turned a little darker again.

Mata Nui touched it thoughtlessly: its temperature had increased, he mused to himself, so perhaps blood was rushing to that specific spot for one reason or other.

"You might be building a fever," he warned.

"I do not believe I am," the Tapyri replied a little stilted, again with an embarrassed chuckle, "But thanks for worrying."

Concerns soothed, the fallen god dug a digit back in the pained spot and earned another gurgle for his good deed, which reverberated this time across the plates of his legs. He was surprised to find it caused a weird, pleasant sensation akin to a feeling he unfortunately was not sure he had a name for yet.

He returned his attention to his friend: "How is your shoulder feeling?"

Ackar had shut his eyes again, and squirmed in a sort of pleased manner: "Betterrr," he replied, growls now coming from his throat in shorter bursts. He cracked open an eyelid to look at his own arm being maneuvered by Mata Nui's hand as though it were the limb of some sort of machine, losing himself in the feeling of the armored palm and the limp movement of his own joints: "Havin' fun?"

The other followed his gaze, and instantly turned bashful: "Oh - I apologize. I was lost in thought," he whispered sheepishly, placing the limb down on the Glatorian's chest.

His friend cackled: "It's quite fine, it didn't hurt."

Another gargle rumbled through him as the last kink in his muscle was smoothed down.

Mata Nui continued massaging the spot either way, and Ackar continued quietly responding to his kindness with soft purrs; and for a short while, as the desert breathed its tired chill and the winds didn't blow any sand into their eyes or noses or mouths, they simply remained quiet.

Fingertips ran across his arm softly, slowly.

If he concentrated enough he could hear how the barely perceptible sound them scraping the mucus off of one another.

It was terribly comfortable.

Terribly soothing...

A soft monotone stirred him from the torpor he was falling into: "In truth, I was quite taken with your skin's markings."

Without opening his eyes, Ackar turned his head: "Hm?"

"These," his friend explained. He felt him trace an unclear shape on his forearm a few times, gently: "You present an irregular pattern of noticeably different pigmentation both here and on your back. The closest condition I could try to compare it to would be vitiligo, but it does not appear to be anything like it."

The Glatorian hummed softly: "Oh, we just have them... They're common, to us Tapyri. Splatters, spots, dots... Various colors, too..."

"How curious," the otherworlder murmured. He moved from one spot to the other seamlessly, following their borders. "Poisonous creatures often advertise their toxicity to potential predators through similar visual cues."

"Is that so..."

"Perhaps you too have some."

Ackar chuckled as he humored him: "Perhaps I do, who knows!"

"Like a salamander."

"And what is that?"

"It is a term that indicates a family of small amphibians of which many species contain a potent poison within their mucus-covered skin. Their appearance is quite similar to that of lizards, so they are often mistaken for reptiles despite their lack of scales. Land-dwelling turtles often incur into a similar yet opposite misconception, being believed to be amphibians when they are not."

"Hm. And their poison, what does it do?"

"It is deadly in exceptionally small doses and can affect the victim by means of contact with bruised skin, ingestion, inhalation, and injection."

"Oh, I'd like that."

"You would?"

"Yeah, why not? First sand bat to swallow me whole gets a nice surprise, and I take that bastard down with me."

He laughed softly, reclining his head further into Mata Nui's lap.

His yellowish eyes looked up again curved into half moons, meeting the fallen god's own with a lopsided grin: "That'd be a nice little consolation at least, wouldn't you think?"

His friend's glowing irises looked back down at him with a sort of vacuous glimmer.

They were a very nice blue.

The otherworlder's hands were heavily segmented, each articulation encased in a golden shell fitting perfectly against the others. It was really curious how he'd never noticed that until he had his cheeks cradled into one of those palms, weirdly coarse and warm like sand.

Mata Nui looked directly into his eyes: "You are so deeply interesting," he said with such earnest awe.

He sounded so starstruck - he was so starstruck, staring at the Glatorian utterly entranced as though he was marveling at the sight of in the most incredible discovery of this age.

"If the circumstances of our meeting had been different, less wrecked with quests and worries," the fallen god continued, speaking awfully softly as he returned his mellow grip to the Tapyri's hand and began shifting his arm around aimlessly again, to feel the shift of muscle and skin and mucus, "I would have loved to simply watch you live for weeks on end. To take note of your speech patterns, your specific anatomy, how your body moves, how it reacts to stimuli..."

"That," Ackar murmured, breathless: "Is a bit forward - isn't it?"

His friend leaned his head to the side ever so slightly, not blinking.

"At least you should first..."

He choked on his own breath very briefly; he shut his eyes with a little bewildered wheeze and smacked his palm on his face.

Great Beings.

That could have been incredibly awkward.

Mata Nui, who was still holding onto his hand waiting for an elaboration with a fair share of interest on the matter, decided the necessary amount of time for an explanation's request to be polite had passed and curteously encouraged him: "Do continue. I would like to know the proper steps to follow."

But the Glatorian shook his head with a breathy cackle: "Don't- it's nothing, don't think about it. I'm very tired and talking stupid."

"I apologize. I should let you rest, then."

"Oh, no, if you - if you want to talk about something, it's fine."

A surge of warmth radiated from the carapaced fingers wrapped around his hand: "It would not bother you?"

"No, no... You've got a soothing voice really, so it wouldn't... I don't know how long I can listen to you consciously, but if you'd just keep telling me about... Oh, I don't know..."

"Would you like me to continue with the salamanders?"

Oh, he knew that little wiggle that had just shaken his friend's legs. It was the same as Kiina's flapping knees while sitting crosslegged, Gresh's one-handed claps and the weird little laugh Berix sputtered when he saw something he liked way too much.

Mata Nui really wanted to tell him more about those beasties.

Maybe he was excited about the similarities he'd found between them and the Tapyri. Or maybe he just liked talking - he'd always seemed awfully happy rambling to Kiina.

Either way, the little terrors had already gotten in his good graces with their poison, so why not learn more about them?

"I reckon I would," he smiled.

His arm was lifted again, and he could now see the excitement in his friend's eyes: "It would be my pleasure," he assured him. He leaned a little further down, closer to his face: "What would you like for me to start with?"

The Glatorian twisted his mouth for a moment: "To start, to start... The legs, let's go with those. How many do they have?

"They tend to have four limbs, two front and two hind, although certain species completely lack the latter," Mata Nui began without missing a beat: "The number of toes is also variable, but never exceeds four on the front and five on the rear. A rather incredible ability the entire salamander genus can vaunt is that of fully regenerating entire limbs without any trace of scarring."

Ackar hummed, amused, and moved his lone shoulder blade as though its arm was still attached: "That's a real good one, I'll say... Don't quite get the lack of back legs, though."

"Specimens that showcase such a peculiar characteristic tend to be fully aquatic throughout their entire lifetime, so perhaps an additional pair of limbs were considered more superflous to them than they were to other species that maintain an amphibious existence or even turn completely terrestrial upon reaching adulthood - though still favoring damp, cool habitats due to their permeable skin, preferrably near water." the otherworlder explained. Then, as though remembering it suddenly, he added in a slightly humored tone: "Sapient inhabitants of the planet on which I observed these creatures most often associate them to fire, particularly to the ability to resist it unharmed or putting it out entirely. A misconception created by the salamanders' habit of making their nests in rotting logs, from which they would flee when they were placed in the fire, also led to the belief that they were born from flames."

Something else they had in common with Tapyri...

One of their oldest tales, a myth to tell children - they were the spawn of embers, born from ashes still warm of extinguished bonfires, from the glowing rivers trickling down the sides of volcanoes...

Ackar squeezed his eyes hard and forced himself concious. A small sigh escaped him: he was already fighting a losing battle with his eyelids to keep them open, lulled into a thoughtless state by Mata Nui's excited monotone gently and eagerly pouring as much information as he could into his head.

His throat rumbled weakly, its grumbles vibrating against the equally pleased lap wiggling beneath his head - oh, if he could stay awake a little more, just a little more...

"Their diet tends to vary based on their environment and size, but they are known to eat anything the deem large enough," Mata Nui kept going softly, stroking the Glatorian's hand with his thumb: "Among their most common preys are insects such as flies, beetles, cicadellidae, moths, caeliferae and aquatic bugs, arachnids such as mites and spiders, earthworms, hexapods, and various larvae, while larger species may also hunt crabs, small mammals, fish, and other amphibians; in case of particularly scarce resources they might also resort to cannibalizing other salamanders, something that often happens between young specimens. Their jaws have each a row of small teeth capable of bending inward to keep the prey from escaping, sometimes helped by patches of teeth found on their palatine bones and vomer as well to better hold it down - aquatic specimens rely on them to macerate and tear the prey, as their tongues lack muscles and cannot be flicked out to catch food in the way their terrestrial counterparts' can. This is made possible by their ability to secrete a sticky mucus from glands positioned on the roof of their mouth and the tip of the tongue itself..."

And he continued talking for a good couple of hours, droning in the night with his quiet excitement without worrying too much about Ackar's silent snoring adding itself to the sound of Kiina, Gresh and Berix, simply happy to listen to them breathe and live around him and talk, talk, talk about all the marvelous things he'd loved alone until now.

[shivunin]

Post-Trespasser Emmaera

I wanted to make a quick post about Emma's prosthetic since the topic (re: that poll) is going around at the moment.

I based her prosthetic on the ones Götz von Berlichingen wore in the early 1500s. Götz was a knight/mercenary who lost his right arm at the elbow in 1504 when "enemy cannon fire jolted von Berlichingen’s blade against himself" (Source). He commissioned his prosthesis from a local blacksmith, and the prosthesis in question had hinged fingers which were capable of locking in place in blocks of two. von Berlichingen used his iron hand to wield a sword (rather successfully) and eventually commissioned a second prosthesis which was capable of grasping smaller objects (including a quill; he wrote a whole autobiography which wasn't published until 1731, well after his death).

But more to the point here: Götz von Berlichingen's arm was an incredible example of engineering even at its time. The design of its second iteration (pictured below) was driven entirely by his experiences with the first. He wanted the second version to have leather straps to hold it more firmly in place and fingers that were capable of more exact articulation as well as wrist joints that could pivot.

When I decided to write Emma post-Trespasser, I did a lot of research on what it was like to live with one hand, but von Berlichingen's story was the one that stuck with me the most. I spent a lot of time looking at these schematics and trying to figure out how Dagna could make something like this in the Dragon Age universe.

Because the off-hand motion in the game's animation is usually one that's supporting the staff, not specifically twisting it, I thought it made the most sense to conceptualize something along the same lines as the second iteration above. A mage would need something capable of pivoting/angling with the movement of the staff, and that's pretty easily achieved with hinges, as seen above, and (though ball bearings weren't invented until 1794) ball bearings could allow the hand to pivot 360 degrees (something you, uh, maybe wouldn't want if your hand is locked onto the staff). The fingers, elbow, and wrist are lockable using pins in the joints and a buttons on the back of the hand release each respective set of joints.

I like the idea of them having to go through several iterations of prostheses to find out what actually works for the Inquisitor (Dagna is a genius, but this isn't necessarily the sort of project she's worked on before) with consistent input from the person using it, just as von Berlichingen was able to adjust the second iteration of his own prosthesis to better fit his needs as a fighter. It is something she has to actually train with to use effectively, of course, just like using any new tool in combat.

Now---she does have a more ostensibly fantasy version that has hinged fingers which grasp when she manipulates the lyrium in them with magic. She doesn't use this version often because, frankly, the lockable fingers of her regular prosthesis can do anything she would really need them for and having to expend constant concentration to use the other prosthesis isn't really worth it to her (though she appreciated the thought).

The first one is for combat and when she is in her workroom (it's easier to grind herbs if she's holding the mortar still) and she uses it almost exclusively if she's going to be wearing a prosthetic at all. Usually, due to damage her residual limb has taken from the combat prosthesis, she just hangs out without any prosthesis. In her home, the chairs are modified with a mouthpiece so her hound can pull the chairs away from the table for her, and there are a lot of other ways the house has been set up as she needs. She has various other tools she can use to, for example, hold paper steady while she writes. But when she needs it---and since she went through her vigilante period, she has used the prosthesis to fight---she does have the arm Dagna made her.

Anyways---I obviously think von Berlichingen is fascinating (I haven't even touched on him kidnapping nobles or that his hand is part of his hometown's crest), so I recommend reading more about him in general. Sources: NIH, Atlas Obscura (which is the easier read), image source 2, and the Wikipedia article if you want the summary.

[marv3l-drag0ns-rp]

Grandrath!Cadmus

He/They Pronouns Minecraft OC

Cadmus has navy blue scales covering their body, and a light blue mane around their neck and on their spine. He has two sets of horns- one straight, and the other curling around their jaw. They used to have wings when they were little, but lost them due to infection during the mining camp. Instead, they have a prosthetic made from an elytra and some clever redstone engineering by their friend.

Their Backstory, below the cut:

Got lost/wandered away from home as a kid As he grew up, they started doin pretty heroic things, and kind of got known as a super strong and cool folklore guy who was always willing to lend a hand. At some point, slavers caught wind of this super strong guy, and thought "oh man perfect guy to force to help us dig mineshafts to become rich!" so they went out and somehow caught cadmus. They leveraged a hostage against them during a difficult fight- Cadmus never figured out what happened to the kid, but wants to know.

Cadmus gets caught, and he goes to labor mining camp, where the conditions SUCKED. Cadmus was one of the stronger workers, so they were kept mostly in the mines digging or taking resources up to the top like a pack animal. Their mane was shaved (which was a BIG cultural ouchie), their horns filed down (bigger ouchie) and their wings were bound. Cadmus wasn't yet full grown, so that severely stunted the growth of the wings. In a big cave in, cadmus got trapped by the rubble, and was left down there for a couple months in a kind of desperation hibernation thingy. The wings had been caught by some rocks, so they weren’t doin too good, and when he got found again, the wings were amputated right below the elbow equivalent because they weren't workable. Cadmus woke up during the amputation, went on a berserker frenzy, killing the slavers and freeing a couple other prisoners. They then fled, making it to a village where they got their wings officially (safely) taken care of, but they didn't have wings anymore (sad). they were super scared of bein seen as a monster by the townfolk, so they almost dipped, but they stayed to make sure they didnt die of infection

When they were fully healed up, cadmus met a wandering group called "the nomads", where they joined the brigade, and started building up a new empire modeled after their home- that which is now known as "Grandrath", and they managed to make a wing-prosthesis (elytra inspired)

[ryuichifoxe]

Feeling someone brush against his mental shields is an entirely new experience that only happened once before in the sewers, and just because the contact is expected doesn't make it any easier. It's strange and unnerving for once feeling like a prey instead of the hunter.

He sees the frozen expression on Emery's face as the truth is revealed. Expects an attack more than anything else, and definitely not shooting words and casual conversation. He acts so calm, it must be a facade.

A moment passes and although the air between them is still charged with tension Em goes back to work. Relieved, he releases his grip on the device that rests in his pocket and puts his free hand back on the table.

"It takes a certain kind of stupidity if you ask me." he breaths out weakly trying and failing to show no emotion.

"Oh the hand?" short pause " Yeah I tried to fix it myself but in the end I needed someone to take a look at it. It has been bothering me for a while now." It's a good enough excuse, so sure, he lets Em think that he is no good when it comes to tech.

At least if he can't find what's missing I can easily fix that at home.

The hand is in pristine condition otherwise although it is clearly a very old model. Em doesn't see much of these, maybe one or two of his clients have them. Old veterans who came back from war or other kinds of duty are usually still equipped with them but civilian amputees definitely don't get these at the hospital.

"I am actually left handed so I don't use them for... that. Well I was right handed before but then shit happened so here I am." he scratches the ridge of his nose. Em can see now in this close proximity that it was broken before and healed just a little bit wrong and doesn't have an entirely smooth curve anymore.

Oversharing much?

"Anyway, you have a pretty nice place here. I take it the shop is going well the cilents must be satisfied" Yeah, that's right casual conversation just like a normal person would do. Doing great!

-✘

Em thinks his controlled expression in the face of small talk and the fact that he recognizes some of the stolen parts, worthy of an academy award.

”You're right about one thing," he says, steady hands removing more plates and setting them aside with their respective screws. His voice is just as even, the customer service persona dropped in favor of remaining calm. " You are a dumbass. For coming back, I mean. And I'm one for not tossing you out on your face.”

Might not be the dumbest thing Emery has ever done but it's up there. Top three.

Still unsure if the man in front of him is just another telepath or a runaway re-gene like himself. You'd think a military grade prosthesis would be a dead giveaway. It's not. Neither is the palpable paranoia. And his usual intelligence gathering strategy is off the table. Doubts it would end well for either of them if he tried.

Curious, his eyes flicker to the rolled up sleeve. Below the elbow. Tight. Nothing to show at the collar either. Similar to his own but that's a far cry from proof. He follows the movement of the other hand, really taking in the details. Prominent facial features and scars. Em doesn't recognize him. Though that's not saying much, there are only a handful of cuckoos he could confidently identify. Two were recycled before...

Emery shakes his head, trying to chase away the building migraine accompanying the memory.

Don't go poking that bear or you won't get any fucking sleep this week, Becerra.

So, he refocuses and asks him to flex his hand, observing how the inner mechanisms work in harmony. A beautiful thing, really. Calming. Technology usually was. Outdated sensor is definitely a problem.

Tool cabinets line one wall and half of another. Some smaller chests house actual tools, most are used to keep spare, specialized parts organized. He makes sure to keep his hands visible approaching them.

Blue. Second drawer has the sEMG sensors. Should try a newer processing board while I'm at it. Get everything up-to-date.

The only sound in the shop for the next few minutes is Emery rummaging through drawers.

“Most people project. Y'know? Makes the job a little easier, saves me time and customers money, avoiding unnecessary tests.” The admission breaks the silence and he glances over his shoulder on the way to another cabinet. “Don't get me wrong. I'm glad you're not, but we both know that hand is too well maintained for me to believe you don't have a better understanding than you're letting on. Unless this is some sort of test...”

Supplies in hand, Emery walks back but can't quite bring himself to sit. Instead, he looks the man in the eye. Searching for answers, a clue, anything.

“What else are you getting out of this? And if you crack some two bit joke about a hand job, I will kick your ass and throw you back in the sewer. I'll be sure to send an itemized bill via rat.” There's a crack in his mask, the hint of a smile at his own joke threat, but it's gone in a blink. A guarded weariness takes its place. “Look...if you want reassurance, I'm not interested in ruining your life. Pretty sure the name you gave is fake anyway.”

[fellsilver]

LOSS OF LEFT ARM & PROSTHETICS.

It has been canon for many years that Mys.tra's Chosen can recreate lost limbs. However . . . You can pry amputee Laeral from my cold, dead hands. This post intends to explain the circumstances leading to the amputation, the long-term effects of said amputation, and give an overview of prosthetics. Necessary disclaimer, however, that I am not an amputee or a medical professional. I'll always endeavor to do my research and not dive into what I've no business diving into, but mistakes are always possible.

BATTLE OUTSIDE EVERESKA.

Laeral fought on the frontlines during the Return of the Archwizards. It was she who led the Army of the North to Evereska besieged. Unfortunately, they were betrayed by the Shadovar, and the phaerimm infiltrated their camp, turning the minds of the soldiers. Although Laeral was unaffected, she found her troops were suddenly fighting themselves. Burlen, a Vasaan escorting Khelben, was among those turned. It was he who raised his darksword against Laeral, amputating her left arm below the elbow as she tried to defend herself. She managed to escape the battle with the help of Kuhl. Alas, her time under the Crown of Horns affected her ability to heal; although it is still leagues above a normal person, it is altered from the miraculous healing other Chosen exhibit. Between this and the effects of the darksword, her arm was permanently lost.

LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

The severing of Laeral's arm was, at least, a clean cut thanks both to Burlen's skill and the nature of the darksword. However, she nearly passed out due to the pain, loss of blood, and general shock of losing a limb; she could not even stand in the aftermath. The darksword itself presented an additional complication in that it had struck her with searing cold, afflicting her left elbow with superficial frostbite. Her silver fire sustained her life, as did Khelben's aid once they reunited, but a ride to a secure location to regroup with survivors from a battle hardly provided an ideal environment to heal. Unfortunately, infection set in as well. Although being one of the Seven and Mys.tra's Chosen prevented it from claiming her, she still had to endure the silver fire fighting it off.

The loss of her arm took Laeral out of the fight for about a month. It was an injury that might have claimed anyone else's life. Miraculous healing preserved her, but it was not instantaneous. Furthermore, she had little time to adjust to having only one arm. Having to learn to cast spells and generally adapt tasks to only one arm while at the tail-end of a war is a far from an enjoyable experience, and it put notable strain on her right arm.

The long-term physical effects have proven typical, with the exception that the silver fire blazing through her veins wards off infection. She has experienced phantom limb pain, although that has lessened significantly over the centuries and seems now to largely be triggered by cold. This has presented an unexpected complication in the summer when the heat causes her residual limb to swell and the fastest way to reduce said swelling is through cold immersion. When she has the time, she prefers compression and elevation of her residual limb before wearing a prosthesis. Furthermore, although her silver fire staves off complications such as arthritis, she often experiences strain, pain, and fatigue of her right arm and shoulder.

The long-term psychological effect is a touch trickier to track. She lost the limb over a century ago, after all. In the immediate aftermath, she attempted to simply power through as if she hadn't lost the limb at all. There was a war on, and she didn't have time for this inconvenience. This refusal to accept her limb loss let alone slow down enough to adjust to it presented a problem for the first few years. She was given to overuse of her prosthesis and was resistant to adapting tasks + her environment. Now, however, it's simply a part of her life. She's adapted every spell possible to be cast one-handed; is aware of her needs + preferences and adapts her environment accordingly; and she's achieved a better balance in terms of when to wear a prosthesis and when to let it rest.

Perhaps the most unexpected side effect of limb loss has been the role it's played in rekindling her love of dweomers and artificing. She is one of the most prolific creators of enchanted items in history but slowed significantly after falling under the Crown of Horns. She's still not as prolific as she once was, but designing and enchanting prosthetic limbs has become a passion of hers. Particularly if she can make prosthetic limbs more accessible or useful to those who use them.

NOTES ON PROSTHETICS.

Firstly, Laeral has not had the same prosthesis for over a century. Even caring for them as well as possible, they wear down or get damaged. It's simply the nature of things. Additionally, she's always tinkering with her prostheses and trying to improve them. I'm going to focus on an overview rather than nitty-gritty details with a concentration on present day.

Laeral's prostheses fall into three primary categories: mundane, attuned, and deeply attuned. Mundane prostheses are simply prostheses without any magical alteration. For her, these typically take the form of activity specific prostheses when a magically assisted prosthesis is unnecessary or undesirable. The materials vary depending on the intended task but tend to be simple in design. (Meaning she's not covering them in gold and jewels.) Although she could craft these herself, she usually outsources to a trusted professional guided by her specifications. She does, however, lay webs of enchantments over them to help them endure.

Attuned prostheses are ones she's crafted with enchantments — which means, as the name implies, she has to attune to them after they've been crafted. Once that's been achieved, she's personalized her web of enchantments so well over the years that the prosthesis holds to her arm comfortably and can be used as if it was a real limb. The movement of it is fluid — but it's still an artificial limb. She has no feeling whatsoever in it. It's very useful, although not well-suited to delicate work. She has toyed over the years with the idea of using these prostheses as arcane focuses but has ultimately considered it not worth the risk. It is worth the risk, though, to add compartments for storing items such as enchanted rings or wands. She also deems it worth the risk to work spells into the material itself; meaning she might work in a rune that, when touched, transports her to a particular location. These could be considered her "iconic" prostheses; she wears them to official functions, when teaching, when working on most projects, etc. so they're the ones people most often see her wear.

Deeply attuned prostheses are an elevated version of her attuned prostheses. She might have two or three of her attuned prostheses just in case, but she only ever has one of these at a time. They are more difficult to make and more taxing to attune to. She attunes with them so completely that it is as if her limb was restored. This prosthesis does not become flesh once she's attuned, but she does have a sense of touch through it. It is somewhat deadened compared to if it was a flesh limb, but she can heighten the sensation through concentration, and it overall allows for more delicate work than if she had no sense of touch at all. Unlike an attuned prosthesis, she does not build in secret compartments or stored spells as she does not wish to interfere with the complex weave of enchantments. Also unlike an attuned prosthesis, though, she will use a deeply attuned prosthesis as an arcane focus the way one might a staff. Her sisters have jokingly equated it to her version of war paint for she favors this prosthesis when going into battle or on a potentially dangerous mission.

[the-martyrfication-of-the-matron]

You mentioned something that is related to GoT and I gotta info dump about Jaime's prosthetic for a second because it is something I genuinely enjoy the show for NOT doing.

I love the fact that they never just attached a blade to the end of Jaime's arm or made the prosthetic hand capable of properly holding a sword. This is due to the fact that neither situation would ever work.

If you were to go with the "just attach a sword to the stump" well, now you just got a stump with a blade. Since his hand was amputated above the wrist, he has no mobility to actually use the sword. He is only able to use slashing motions IF THAT. He is limited to only using his sword and elbow to do an activity that the wrists and fingers do at least half of the activity for.

If they decided to make the hand have the ability to hold the sword, that has the same problems as the previous with MORE. Jaime's prosthetic is said to be made out of solid gold, and with the average hand weighing around 400 grams, the solid gold hand is already an astronomical weight in comparison. Adding a sword to that is already incredibly dangerous because swords are not light either and as someone who has inherited a variety of swords from my deceased grandfather, even a short sword would be too much.

This isn't even taking into account the fact that amputees and people lacking a limn require a twice as much energy to move the limb that they lost. i.e. You loose your leg below the knee, that knee and hip has to work 2x-7x as much to compensate, especially with a prosthetic.

i don't often see characters in fantasy books with prosthesis beyond the usual like, cyber-punk, magical bullshit. y'know, the stuff where you can tell this person only added in prosthesis bc they thought it looked cool.

but i am currently midway through Godkiller by Hannah Kaner, which i am finding very fun, from an obsessed-with-gods perspective. and one of the main characters, in the prologue, loses her leg. throughout the rest of the book (up until the point im at, at least), she struggles with her leg. She has a prosthesis, but she misuses it, wearing it for too long and for purposes her prosthesis is not meant to be used for, and its something that causes her constant pain and irritation.

I won't speak for how good the rep is, it's not my position to state that, but it really opened up my eyes to how often fantasy uses prosthesis as a cosmetic, rather than actually paying attention to how they function. Like yeah, functioning sword hand would SEEM cool, but how would it actually... function? clearly, not well.

i just think books need to pay attention more that just bc something isn't as 'cool', doesnt mean it's worse than the 'cool' alternative. sometimes it's actually better.

[griffinhealthcare]

Griffin Healthcare is a leading provider of prosthetics and orthotics services, specializing in crafting advanced prosthetic limbs. Their expertise encompasses the design and fitting of prosthetic arms and legs, ensuring optimal functionality and comfort for users. With a focus on lower limb prosthetics, Griffin Healthcare pioneers innovative solutions in orthotics, delivering personalized foot care solutions. Their commitment extends beyond mere devices; they strive to enhance the lives of individuals through cutting-edge orthotic interventions. Whether it's crafting prosthetic limbs or offering tailored orthotic support, Griffin Healthcare remains dedicated to empowering individuals with mobility challenges, embracing a holistic approach to healthcare that combines technology, compassion, and precision.

Foot care solutions play a crucial role in maintaining the well-being of prosthetic users, ensuring a comfortable fit and reducing the risk of complications.

[amputeewomen]

Alena in the Snow (short story)

Once, during my high school years, I developed a crush on a girl named Alena. She was captivating in a way that seemed almost unattainable to me. We went to the same school, but she seemed to belong to a different world, one that I could only admire from a distance.

Years passed, and life took us on separate paths. Alena's parents lived not far from my place, a gentle reminder of a past affection, but with time, she became a distant memory, a flicker of teenage yearning that faded into the backdrop of my life.

However, fate has a peculiar way of reweaving old threads. When Alena was 23, she fell gravely ill. I only learned of her condition when it had escalated dramatically. She was hospitalized, battling a severe illness that resulted in the necrosis of her lower arms and both legs. The news struck me with a profound sadness, reviving emotions I thought were long gone.

Driven by a mix of concern and revived affection, I found myself at her bedside in the hospital. She was unconscious, unaware of my presence, but I stayed there, silently supporting her in her fight for life. It was during those quiet, somber moments that I realized the depth of my feelings for her.

Miraculously, Alena survived. I was there when she woke up, offering a familiar face amidst the disorientation and fear. In those vulnerable moments, our connection rekindled, growing stronger with each passing day.

As she recovered, I found the courage to confess my past crush to her. Her reaction was heartbreakingly self-deprecating. With teary eyes, she joked, "You surely wouldn't want to date someone like me now, disabled as I am." Her vulnerability was palpable, a mixture of humor and deep-seated insecurity.

Without a moment's hesitation, I assured her of my sincere feelings. "Alena, my affection for you goes beyond any condition. I would love to date you, no matter what." It was a moment of raw honesty, a declaration that transcended physical limitations.

From that day forward, our relationship blossomed. We fell in love, not in spite of our circumstances, but perhaps because of them. Our bond, forged in the crucible of adversity, grew into a deep, unconditional love. It was a love that celebrated not only what was present but also what was lost, and in doing so, found something truly beautiful. As Alena's recovery progressed, she was fitted with prosthetic arms and legs. This marked the beginning of a demanding, yet transformative rehabilitation journey. Throughout this period, our relationship flourished. We found strength in each other's presence, our bond deepening with each challenge we faced together.

We spent countless hours at the rehab center, where Alena demonstrated incredible resilience and determination. I marveled at her spirit; she tackled each exercise and therapy session with a fierce tenacity that inspired everyone around her. Despite the hurdles and frustrations inherent in adapting to her new prosthetics, Alena's progress was remarkable.

During this time, our relationship evolved from just dating to something much deeper. We found solace and joy in each other's company, and it wasn't long before we decided to move in together. It was a natural and exciting step forward in our journey as a couple.

Our first significant activity as cohabitants was decorating our home for Christmas. Alena, ever enthusiastic, dove into the task with her usual vigor. We spent hours hanging lights, setting up the tree, and placing decorations, transforming our living space into a festive haven. It was a heartwarming experience, filled with laughter and shared moments that I cherished deeply.

One evening, as we were putting the finishing touches on our outdoor decorations, a light snowfall began to blanket our surroundings in a soft, white layer. Excited by the picturesque scene, Alena stepped outside to admire our handiwork. However, still adapting to her prosthetics, she lost her balance on the slippery snow.

In an instant, I rushed to her side, but to my relief, she was already laughing, unharmed. The snow had cushioned her fall, and she lay there, smiling up at the falling flakes. I joined her on the ground, and there we were, lying in the snow, laughing together under the gentle glow of our Christmas lights. It was a moment of pure joy and love, a testament to our journey together, filled with challenges but also with laughter and unwavering support. Our love had not only endured but had become a source of strength and happiness in both our lives.

[bionicpno]

Above Elbow Prosthesis Parts and Below Elbow Prosthesis Parts

Prosthetic limbs have revolutionized the lives of individuals with limb loss, enabling them to regain mobility and independence. Two common types of prosthetic limbs are above elbow and below elbow prostheses. These prosthetic limbs are made up of various components and have different cost considerations. In this article, we will explore the key components of above elbow and below elbow prostheses and discuss the factors that influence their cost.

Above Elbow Prosthesis Parts

Socket

The socket is Above elbow prosthesis parts that fits over the residual limb. It is custom-designed to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. The socket is typically made from lightweight and durable materials such as carbon fiber or thermoplastics. The quality of the socket greatly affects the comfort and functionality of the prosthesis.

Elbow Joint

The elbow joint allows for flexion and extension of the prosthetic arm. It is a crucial component that mimics the natural movement of the human elbow. Advanced elbow joints may include hydraulic or electronic mechanisms for smoother and more natural motion.

Forearm

The forearm of the above elbow prosthesis connects the socket to the terminal device (hand or hook). It is designed to be lightweight and sturdy, allowing for ease of movement.

Terminal Device

The terminal device is the end component of the prosthesis, which can be a prosthetic hand or a hook. Prosthetic hands are designed to replicate the function of a natural hand, with fingers that can grasp and manipulate objects. Hooks are simpler and more durable, making them suitable for heavy-duty tasks.

Control System

Modern above elbow prostheses often include advanced control systems that allow users to operate the terminal device. These control systems can be body-powered, myoelectric, or a combination of both. Body-powered prostheses are controlled by body movements, while myoelectric prostheses use muscle signals to control the prosthesis.

Below Elbow Prosthesis Parts

Socket

Similar to above elbow prostheses, Below elbow prosthesis parts also have a custom-designed socket that fits over the residual limb. The socket's fit is crucial for comfort and functionality.

Elbow Joint (for some designs)

Below elbow prostheses may include an elbow joint component that allows for flexion and extension of the prosthetic forearm. However, many below elbow prostheses are simpler in design and do not have an elbow joint.

Forearm

The forearm of the below elbow prosthesis connects the socket to the terminal device. It is designed to be lightweight and easy to control.

Terminal Device

The terminal device of a below elbow prosthesis can be a prosthetic hand, hook, or other specialized attachment. The choice of terminal device depends on the user's needs and preferences.

Control System

Control systems for below elbow prostheses can also be body-powered or myoelectric. Body-powered prostheses use cables and harnesses for control, while myoelectric prostheses rely on muscle signals. Some users prefer the simplicity and durability of body-powered designs, while others opt for the enhanced functionality of myoelectric systems.

Cost Considerations

The cost of prosthetic limbs can vary widely based on several factors:

Type of Prosthesis: Above elbow prostheses tend to be more complex and costly than below elbow prostheses due to the additional components required for elbow motion.

Materials: The choice of materials for the socket, forearm, and terminal device can impact the cost. High-quality, lightweight materials may increase the overall cost.

Customization: Custom-designed prosthetic limbs are tailored to the individual's specific needs and anatomy, but this customization can add to the cost.

Control System: Myoelectric prostheses with advanced control systems tend to be more expensive than body-powered designs.

Prosthetic Clinic and Fitting: The cost may also include fees for prosthetic clinic visits, fitting, and adjustments.

Insurance Coverage: Health insurance policies may cover a portion of the cost of a prosthetic limb, reducing the financial burden on the individual.

Maintenance and Repairs: Prosthetic limbs may require maintenance and occasional repairs, which can incur additional costs over time.

It's important to note that the cost of a prosthetic limb can vary significantly from one individual to another, and financial assistance programs are available to help individuals cover the expenses.

In conclusion, above elbow and below elbow prosthetic limbs are essential devices that provide individuals with limb loss the opportunity to regain their independence and functionality. These prostheses consist of various components that are customized to meet the user's specific needs. While the cost of prosthetic limbs can be a concern, factors such as the type of prosthesis, materials used, and insurance coverage all play a role in determining the overall expense. Ultimately, the goal is to provide individuals with limb loss the best possible prosthetic solution to enhance their quality of life.

[delvenservices]

Prosthetic in Upper Limb Market Size, Share Analysis

Prosthetic in Upper Limb Market, By Amputation Levels (Shoulder Disarticulation, Forequarter, Transhumeral (AE), Transradial (BE), Wrist Disarticulation, Partial Hand Fingers, Humeral Neck, Glenohumeral, Elbow Disarticulation, Others), Phase (Preprosthetic Phase, Interim Phase, Advanced Prosthetic Phase), Prosthetic Design (Passive/Cosmetic Restoration, Mechanical, Myoelectric, Task Specific Prosthesis), Component(Socket, Harness, Elbow System, Wrist Units, Terminal Devices, Shoulder Joints, Others), End User (Hospitals, Clinics, Others), Distribution Channel (Orthopedic Clinics, Hospitals & Surgical Centers, Others), Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America)

Market Overview

Global prosthetic in upper limb market is anticipated to reach USD 298.4 million by 2020 growing at a CAGR of 5.3% during the forecasting period, 2020-2028. 

Prosthetics in the upper limb is putting an artificial device that substitutes for a missing part of the body. Upper limb prostheses can be applied anywhere from the shoulder joint through the fingers, including the fingers, the hand, the wrist, the forearm, the elbow, the upper arm, and the shoulder. Factors such as the rising prevalence of bone infection in the elderly population, osteoporosis, and rising incidence of road accidents are some of the major drivers for prosthetics in the upper limb market

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Key Findings

Global prosthetics in the upper limb market is segmented into amputation levels, phase, prosthetic design, component, end-user, distribution channel, and geography.

Amputation Levels segment is segmented into Shoulder Disarticulation, Forequarter, Transhumeral (AE), Transradial (BE), Wrist Disarticulation, Partial Hand Fingers, Humeral Neck, Glenohumeral, Elbow Disarticulation, and Others

Phase segment is segmented into Preprosthetic Phase, Interim Phase, and Advanced Prosthetic Phase

The prosthetic Design segment is segmented into Passive/Cosmetic Restoration, Mechanical, Myoelectric, and Task-Specific Prosthesis. Task-Specific Prosthesis segment is further segmented on the basis of application into Hunting, Bicycle Riding, Golfing, Swimming, Others. Myoelectric is further segmented into Hand Prosthetic, Elbow Prosthetic, Hand Feature, Greifer, Hook, Prosthetic Gloves, and Forearm Amputees. The mechanical segment is further segmented into above elbow and below elbow. Passive/Cosmetic Restoration is further segmented on the basis of material into Flexible Latex, Rigid PVC, and Silicone.

The component segment is segmented into Socket, Harness, Elbow System, Wrist Units, Terminal Devices, Shoulder Joints, and Others. The terminal devices segment is further segmented into Hooks and Hands.

The end-User segment is segmented into Hospitals, Clinics, and Others

Distribution Channel segment is segmented into Orthopedic Clinics, Hospitals & Surgical Centers and Others

Geographically, global prosthetics in the upper limb market is sub-segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa and South America and insights are provided for each region and major countries within the regions 

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Regional Analysis

North America region is the largest contributor to the prosthetic in upper limb market in the forecast period 2020-2028 and the Asia-Pacific region is expected to grow with the highest CAGR during the forecast period 2020-2028.

Competitive Landscape

Key players in global prosthetics in the upper limb market are

Ossur,

Fillauer LLC,

Endolite India Ltd.,

Ottobock,

Integra Lifesciences,

DePuy Synthes,

DJO Global,

AC Mould,

ARM Dynamics,

FLA Orthopedics,

BSN Medical,

Alimco,

Coapt LLC,

Kingsley Orthotic & Prosthetic Supply,

Naked Prosthetics,

SteeperUSA,

Texas Assisstive Devices LLC,

Human Technology Inc.,

Roland Toogood,

Steeper Inc.,

Touch Bionics Inc.

Recent Developments

The companies have come up with various promotional activities in from of launch, investment, acquisition, and other, for instance:

In 2016, Ossur has announced to acquire Touch Bionics Limited which is engaged in providing innovative upper limb prostheses and supporting services. 

In 2017, DJO Global has announced the launch of the AltiVate Anatomic Shoulder System which has features like has a short, bone-sparing humeral stem anatomically designed through morphologically-based fit analysis for optimizing the metaphyseal fit and stability.

Hence, tremendous progress has been made over the last decade and yet a lot more to come in recent years.

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Increase your understanding of the market for identifying the best and suitable strategies and decisions on the basis of sales or revenue fluctuations in terms of volume and value, distribution chain analysis, market trends, and factors

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Qualitative and quantitative data utilization to discover arrays of future growth from the market trends of leaders to market visionaries and then recognize the significant areas to compete in the future

In-depth analysis of the changing trends of the market by visualizing the historic and forecast year growth patterns

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[boxofteethrpg-blog]

https://boxofteeth.blogspot.com/2019/12/animus-artisan.html

Nobles of the Waning Court - The beauty of ripe fruit blended with the dread within autumn’s long shadows, every noble of the waning court is a vision to behold. Black, pupilless eyes dominate their fine-boned faces while sharp teeth lurk behind plush lips. The faeries’ ears are pointed like an elf’s, but slightly shorter. This is due to the antelope-like horns spiraling from their temples, the base of which are riddled with red-stained honeycombs. Waning court nobles wear their hair long, often braided with bones and sticks, and is a color of fall leaves. Their skin tone can best be described as bloodless. Commonly, these fey wear leathers cured of eldritch animals, cloaks made from a nightmare or displacer beast pelts, black iron plates, and amber adornments with petrified insects within. Most find their mien more savage than aristocratic. Stray direflies are their constant companions, always buzzing cryptic prophecies as they crawl about.

The greatest of these wrights find a way of harnessing the fury of forge flames within their bodies by bonding it with their inner rage. Their pallid skin darkens as if burned to charcoal save red veins of concentrated anger just below the surface. Smoke curls from the honeycombed base of the animus artisan’s horns as they blacken as well.

The Iron Gauntlet. The fey noble completes its transformation into an animus artisan by lopping off an arm at the elbow and fusing a rusty prosthesis in place. The iron gauntlet not only allows the animus artisan to reach into a burning fire without injury it also focuses the rancor in their veins into a psychic weapon.

[shaguncares]

An Introduction To The Orthopaedic Evaluation

Below is the list of common terminology to understand Orthopaedic Evaluation:

DHS Plate (Dynamic Hip Screw Plate)

The DHS Plate (Dynamic Hip Screw Plate) is a 4-hole centering dynamic compression plate with locking screws that provide compression to the plates. The plate is contoured to fit the proximal femur and distal femoral head. The DHS combines non-locking screws placed at the distal femoral metaphysis with locking screws placed at the mid-shaft and proximal femur.

This is an appropriate option for very unstable or comminuted injuries because it offers dynamic compression until definitive fixation can be obtained.

DHS Plate (Dynamic Hip Screw Plate) Specification

The DHS Dynamic Hip Screw Plate System is a modular system for percutaneous and minimal access surgery of unstable distal femoral fractures. The plate system is available in four different sizes (DHS 1-4) as well as with or without screws. The plates are made of 316L stainless steel and are available in 6 different lengths.

The DHS Plate (Dynamic Hip Screw Plate) Specification was developed by Dr. Robert W. Moser and Dr. Michael T. Sarrasin at the University of Wisconsin and Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles, California.

The designers of the DHS plate were motivated by a desire to improve the results of treatment for a broad range of adult femoral fractures and to greatly simplify the system of implantation and interfragmentary compression.

The DHS-hinged, dynamic hip screw plate is designed with a self-locking dynamic screw which incorporates a torque-sensitive mechanism that allows intraoperative determination of the optimum amount of intraoperative preload.

Consistent with the purpose of these plates, this preload adjustment may be made while the patient is still under anesthesia and before any significant bleeding has occurred; in this way, an appropriate degree of clot retraction can be achieved immediately before clamping or interfragmentary compression.

DHS (Dynamic Hip Screw) Plate Specification. With four screws per plate, no need to choose between two or four screw fixation. The DHS Plate has been designed to provide the optimum combination of compactness, superior stability, and ease of surgery in a dynamic hip screw system.

Elbow Prosthesis

The artificial joint components are usually made of metal alloys (a combination of two or more metallic elements). The metal used to make the components is usually cobalt chrome. Another metal alloy used for elbow prosthesis is titanium. These metals are strong and lightweight. They do not corrode and rarely cause an allergic reaction.

The most common type of elbow replacement is the unipolar prosthesis. A variation of this procedure uses bipolar components. In a bipolar elbow prosthesis, there are two stems or central hinges that allow the artificial elbow joint to bend.

Two plastic components are joined together with a plastic and metal ball at each end of the stems. In a unipolar elbow prosthesis, there is only one per side. One stem or central hinge allows the artificial elbow joint to bend.

Elbow joints that are damaged or diseased can be replaced with an artificial joint. The wrong-size artificial elbow joint parts can cause pain or gradually wear away the adjacent bone. The main reason for elbow replacement is an injury to the elbow or trauma, such as a fall on an outstretched hand.

Hip Replacement Prosthesis

The components of a Hip Replacement prosthesis may be made of metal, plastic, or ceramic and are often lined with a soft material such as polyethylene. Because the bone ends are cut precisely and smoothly, the new joint does not require healing.

The surgery may take 1 to 2 hours and you will receive general anesthesia. The surgeon will make either an incision near your groin area or an incision inside your thigh to reach the hip joint to replace it. X-rays are used to help guide the surgery as well as a magnification device (arthroscope--see image at right) attached to an overhead light source.

An artificial hip joint is surgically implanted to replace a diseased hip joint. Hip replacement has improved the lives of people with debilitating hip conditions. Whether due to arthritis, injury, or other causes, joint deterioration can happen to anyone at any time. As the weight-bearing surface of the joint deteriorates, pain and loss of mobility can develop.

Spinal Surgical Instruments

Spine Surgery instruments are used for the spine. These are usually implanted for patients who require spinal fusion and trauma corrections. Spine surgeons use these instruments to remove and place screws, plates, rods, and other types of hardware that support spine alignment.

For comfort, spine surgeons incorporate wound retractors and laminectomy retractors during surgery. These instruments help in removing a small fragment of the skin which is near the spine. They also help in removing the soft tissue along with bony segments within the spine. This helps in making the procedure easy and simple.

Nerve hooks, nerve root hooks, exploration hooks, and retractors are also used for removing a piece of bone along with muscles, nerves, and soft tissues. These specific instruments help in removing different tissue groups to make way for an implant or screws to be placed at a particular area of the spine.

Dental Instruments is a renowned manufacturer of Spinal Surgical Instruments, with a specialization in Surgical Instruments for Spinal Surgery. Some popular products include WOUND RETRACTORS - ROUND END, CURVED END, AND STRAIGHT END, LAMINECTOMY RETRACTORS, NERVE HOOKS, AND ROOT HOOKS, and EXPLORATION HOOKS.

Spinal surgical instruments are designed to assist surgeons in performing spinal procedures. The instruments are designed with precise and delicate features to assure reliable and safe performance for longer durations.

The tools are available in an array of variants with different options that consider the demands of individual surgeries. Each set of tools is available in a unique design, material, and other specifications. When you buy spinal surgical instruments, you will find:

Spinal Neurosurgical Instruments

Spinal Wound Retractor Set

Spinal Laminectomy Retractor Set

Spinal Nerve Hooks

Spinal Nerve Root Hooks

Spinal Exploration Hooks

Spinal Tips

All the products can be bought online from Shagun Cares worldwide including countries like Colombia, India and many more.

CONTACT US

COMPANY NAME: Shagun Cares INC

PHONE NO. 9811659010 

EMAIL: deepakshagun02@gmail.com

Address: Colombia

RESOURCE URL: https://www.shaguncares.com/