#spine compression fractures

[ipscindia]

Vertebral Augmentation for osteoporotic spine fractures

Dr. Swati Bhat

MD & Director (IPSC, South Zone)

Consultant, IPSC Bengaluru

Academic Head, IPSC Varsity and Training Institute

Neuro- Spine Interventional and Pain Specialist

What is osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a  condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of hormonal changes, or deficiency of calcium or vitamin D. Most often it happens as we age.

How does osteoporosis lead to spine compression fractures?

Compression fractures are tiny breakages in the bones in our spine. As we age these bones are more likely to break due to loss of minerals that give strength to the bone. Over time, breaks in the spine bones cause its collapse ,called as compression fracture.

What is the difference between compression fracture of spine and wedge compression ?

Compression fracture  is commonly caused by osteoporosis. A compression fracture  causes a collapse  in the spine bone and typically results in a reduction of vertebral height  around up to 20% because of the fracture and can happen in any area of the spine but most commonly occurs in the thoracic spine.  A wedge compression  is the most common type of fracture which involves the  front part of the vertebral spine where the rest of the spine is unaffected as it is considered mechanically stable without causing any spinal cord damage.

Why osteoporotic fractures don’t heal on their own?

Osteoporotic patients differ from normal population  as they have  poor bone quality due to mineral composition,  content, and crystallinity. This could be lack of  growth factors, and framework cells, and agents promoting bone formation and bone strength .Due to these reasons fracture healing in osteoporosis becomes a complex process of bone regeneration where healing does not happen the way it happens in normal healthy individuals and fractures may take longer time to heal or may not heal at all.

What is diff b/w vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty and  which is safe ?

Vertebroplasty is a procedure where the doctor injects the cement into the cleft or the space created by the fracture. This is achieved by taking several shots under the x-ray guidance called fluoroscope that helps to visualize the extent and spread of the cement with in the spine bone. kyphoplasty is also undertaken to correct the fracture with a technical difference that there is a mesh with in the needle used for cement injection which is targeted towards the fracture and expands as the cement is filled inside 

What is the success rate of vertebroplasty ?

Vertebroplasty has more than 90% success rate to relieve pain , which happens almost instantly after the procedure. However it may vary slightly depending on how many fractures are present and factors like presence of other spine conditions. In long standing cases, other areas of the spine also start generating pain. In such cases, pain relief is significant immediately after the procedure but it may take some additional time to relieve the pain of muscles and the joints.

My fracture is an old fracture. Can I still undergo vertebroplasty?

Usually vertebroplasty should be performed with in 1 to 2 months of an acute fracture . However, MRI scans can reveal the condition of an older fracture that needs or may benefit from vertebroplasty.

How long does it take to heal from vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty?

Both vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty can be done percutaneously which means through skin, not requiring any surgical incision, cutting of muscles or  bones and causing any blood loss. The patient can walk back home the same day of the procedure. The Interventional pain specialist performing the  intervention will brief you on the Do’s and Do Not’s after the procedure in the immediate post procedure days.

What can you not do after vertebroplasty ?

You may be advised  to lie down in the bed after the procedure not allowing you to sit upright for 4-5 hrs. Bending or twisting the spine is avoided in the immediate recovery period for  few days .Lifting heavier objects is also avoided.

I have a spine metastasis. Can vertebroplasty cure my cancer spread?

Some cancers, such as lung, breast and thyroid cancer, often metastasize to the bones and spine leading to pain and collapse of the bones. In such patients, thermal ablation methods such as radiofrequency, microwave or cryoablation can be applied to the metastasis mass first, then vertebroplasty is performed through the same needle. The pain-reducing effects of both ablation and vertebroplasty may be increased when used together. But vertebroplasty cannot cure or stop the spread of cancer cells which may have its primary cancer source elsewhere.

How Painful is the procedure?

A percutaneous vertebroplasty can be a painful procedure but the procedure is performed under local anesthetic given at the skin deep down upto the bone where the fracture is to be corrected. This makes this extremely painless and safe as the risk of anesthesia is totally avoided.

Is vertebroplasty safe for elderly ?

Yes , it is completely safe for the elderly to undergo vertebroplasty .Elderly patients often have comorbid conditions like  diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and cognitive  problems which may make anesthesia extremely challenging requiring icu stay, prolonged hospitalization and recovery , but all of this can be avoided by doing percutaneous vertebroplasty .

What are the side effects  after vertebroplasty?

Cement leak is one of the complications which can be avoided by making proper assessment of the fracture before doing the procedure. This is often done by carefully examining the patient and checking the scans thoroughly , and maintaining caution during the cement injection .Minor complications like bleeding and infection can be avoided in almost all patients by following standard protocols before any intervention major or minor.

Can I go back home after vertebroplasty? Yes after checking your vital stability , you may go back home the same day of the procedure or the morning after.

[indospinehospital]

Osteoporosis & Compression Fractures - indospine

Fractures of the spine may occur due to a fall from a height, a blow on the head or shoulders, (usually with the spine flexed), automobile accidents, or sports such as horseback riding or gymnastics. Forcible flexion is the common injury, but flexion may be accompanied by compression bending or rotation.

[geekspren]

My hand got crushed in a basketball accident last week and I get it’s probably a two week thing to heal but holy shit I hate not being able to work out

[bsiofsa7]

This article discusses how our brain and spine play an essential role in our health. We often take these two organs for granted until we are faced with a severe injury or condition when the importance of having a well-functioning brain and spine becomes clear.

[contentment-of-cats]

Thrawn, age, illness, and injury.

Ahsoka talk below.

Fandom can be shallow and disappointing. First up, it's possible to dislike the representation of the character without shitting all over an excellent actor whose body of work is more than Disney can bound with contracts and Filoni's scripts. Disney got a full on smack in the face with Jon Boyega (who like Kelly Marie Tran got the shit end of the stick in 2 out of 3 of the sequels), you can bet that there are NDAs and 'you can't say mean things about us even if they're true' clauses.

Mostly I want to talk about age, illness, and injury and the way that people take it as a personal insult to their existence.

Let's start with the man himself. According to the Official Timeline (because everything eventually gets retconned and there is no actual canon) Thrawn was born 59BBY. He was 59 (two years older than I am now) when the space whales yeeted himself and as yet unknown other ships into the dark. Counting forward from the official timeline, he is at the very least 68 years old. He was in exceptional shape before the space whaling, yes. And no, he is not fully human, but is 'near human' - the Chiss evolved from human origins, their blue color explained in canon by something in the Csillan hydrosphere.

But let's look at this.

That is pain.

I'd guess about a 7 or 8.

Those tentacles are tight enough to hold him still, the twisting could induce torsion injuries to the spine and pelvis, cause spiral fractures to bone, dislocate joints, and compress/crush organs. Even with my Chiss physiology headcanon, I can't see anything but pain, crushing and twisting injuries, possibly with internal bleeding.

Additionally, I think that there could have been some kind of brain injury. While some of it could be the makeup and the lighting (or unlighting as the case may be), I think that the droop of one side of his mouth could be from nerve damage somewhere. My mother had a droop like that after a 'baby stroke' - transient ischemic attack.

He and Ezra were alone on the bridge, and he shot Ezra. Further, I can't see Ezra doing anything to help Thrawn after the credits roll. Once those Imps break through the blast door, he's going to be lucky to survive the fist minute.

In the great in-between that moment and the new canon?

So Thrawn, at the end of nine years is not just nine years older, but has managed to get his ship operable without a shipyard, not starve to death after the two years of consumables were gone, and not die of his injuries. (I've posted my theory that the survivors went into coldsleep to preserve the supplies.) Filoni has retconned bacta treatment into a magic potion - except when it isn't. The man is so inconsistent and wishy-washy that I could drive a 1960 Cadillac Eldorado through the smallest plot holes.

Y'all were expecting the buff blue daddy after all that. Elon Musk and 'dad bod.' I get it though, a lot of people invest in the concept of youth and health, go to extremes to hold onto it, even worship it - and denigrate the people who visibly age, are ill, or injured, or disabled. So many of the posts about Thrawn's portrayal in Ahsoka carry the stench of ableism and ageism. As for hating the character for his portrayal, blame Filoni instead.

[littleguyconnor]

Madcom pain/disorder/ailments hc’s 👍

Deimos: I think this guy is double jointed. He’s the most active of the group and pulls off the most physically taxing stunts just for fun, and he’s also a massive risk taker. Because of this, his joints hurt almost all of the time, constantly. It’s that kind of dull, aching pain that keeps you awake at night. The kind that gets worse with activity but still hurts when resting. The kind that eats away at you slowly. I think he also has some numbness and burning sensations in his fingers and hands. Dei also almost certainly has adhd, which makes him prone to overwhelm in battle a lot of the time, which is why he has a buddy system with sanford to make sure he doesn’t have a meltdown and die.

Sanford: Back, shoulder and neck pain, definitely. Lots of sharp pains that radiate everywhere and immobilize him. Tight, stiff muscles that make moving even an inch absolute burning agony. This man’s been thrown into walls spine first so many times. It’s made even worse with his interest in melee combat and spending time hunched over making bombs all day. I think San has to rest most out of the crew. Being in so much pain you literally can’t walk more than a few steps at a time isn’t exactly ideal for killing and maiming. San is depressed and autistic. Deimos’ upbeat personality and really, just him as a whole, is one of the main reasons he keeps going. Hank: Nerve damage. Full body aches and pains, normally debilitating hurt, all the time, constantly. The nerve damage I imagine is centered mostly around his spine. You know this man has crushed discs and compression fractures everywhere in that back. Also a lot of pain with his jaw and head. Migraines, headaches, clenched and stiff jaw, a lot of dull aching there. It affects his sleep incredibly so. Hurting so bad you can’t go to bed is awful, and they have to deal with that almost every night. That also leads to even more joint pain and the like. It’s just pain that never goes away and is annoying and uncomfortable no matter what you do. It also doesn’t help that they refuse to rest. Hank is autistic. They hate asking for help and keep everything to themself, obviously to their detriment. They only ask for help when they are so incapacitated that they literally cannot move and the situation is so much worse that it could have been.

[barbiehandlrr]

Scathe

CW: The Fall Guy Spoilers, migraines, chronic illness, internalized ableism

"Hey."

The voice is barely a whisper, but Colt hisses and buries his face further into his pillow. The pressure builds behind his eyes, and it's reminiscent of the early days after his injury. Is he in a cold hospital room, terrified and alone, or is he in his bedroom? Everything blurs together on days like this.

Everything hurts. His back is on fire, and his head? Colt has no plans to test his theory, but he's almost positive getting hit with a sledgehammer would hurt less. It's a brutal reminder of his injury, of falling from twelve stories, of an axil burst fracture and a severe concussion.

His body can do amazing things. It allows his hands to grip onto helicopters, assists his muscles to move in ways most could only ever dream of. His body had worked quickly to escape being burned alive. And honestly? The fact that he's alive at all is a testament to how powerful his body is. It's been to the brink and back, yet Colt can still run, jump, and contort his body with relative ease.

Well.

Most days, at least.

He hadn't been left totally unscathed. It had been easy to ignore once he'd been deemed recovered. He exercised, kept himself in shape, but he had no reason to overdo it. Now that he's back to full time stunt work, his body screams at him when he doesn't take time to rest, and he'd had a long week.

He really shouldn't have been surprised when he woke up to a migraine from Hell and searing back pain to accompany it.

Every sound is far too loud. The footsteps quietly pad across the room, but the other person may as well be stomping. The bed dips, and the other person gently cards their fingers through his hair.

"I'm gonna put a cold compress on your neck, okay? Try not to move."

Colt involuntarily shudders at the chill that trails down his spine. The chill is soon replaced by a broad hand rubbing gentle circles on his aching back, pressing ever so slightly when he comes across knots.

Colt hadn't been looking for anybody when he met Ken. They'd met on set, and Ken had taken his measurements for his costumes. Colt couldn't explain the affect this man had on him, but the second Ken laughed and smiled crookedly at him, Colt knew he was a goner.

Eight months ago, he wouldn't have imagined that they'd be here, with Colt practically living with Ken (and Barbara; they're a packaged deal, after all), waking up to the scent of his partner cooking breakfast, doing chores together, and relaxing with a bottle of beer (or in Ken's case, a glass of wine) on a Saturday night and watching trashy television.

It's all rather domestic. Just over a year ago, Colt never imagined himself living this life with anyone other than Jody.

And now here they are, Colt sprawled on the bed with Ken looking after him. Something inside of him feels raw and exposed knowing that his partner is seeing him like this. After isolating and solely caring for himself, he's not used to being so vulnerable. At least not like this.

They've got a decent groove now, though. Ken knows his partner's tells well enough to determine when to help and when to back off, leave Colt to his own devices. It had taken them a while to get here, with Colt often snapping and Ken being rejection sensitive.

Colt was determined not to screw this up, to not allow Ken to slip through his fingers, and somehow, they'd figured it out.

Colt removes his hand from its spot under the pillow and blindly thrusts it into the air. He's trying to get better at allowing himself to seek comfort when he wants it, and Ken is always so willing to give it to him. It doesn't take long before Ken's fingers entwine with his. Ken runs his thumb over Colt's knuckles. He's quiet, even when Colt moves to rest his cheek on his thigh.

"Don't you have work to do?" Colt hates the way his voice slurs during a migraine. If he had the energy, he'd roll his eyes.

"Nah." Colt doesn't open his eyes, but he can picture the other man's soft, crooked smile. "I'm right where I need to be."

[stasyabarto]

Strange: your spine is broken

Peter: doesn't sound bad

Strange: three complex compression fractures

Peter: still optimistic

Strange: I had to operate on you for 14 hours

Peter: relatively good news

Strange: your aunt called, you forgot to buy milk for home

Peter: now this is an Avengers level threat

[ging-ler]

Hey y'all, I got a compression fracture on my spine and will be off work for a while and very bored. I might set up some art requests soon!

[todderwodders]

WIP WEDNESDAY

Faline/Gortash, the early days +18

Tagged by the lovely @lamortwrites and @nullshocked tagging anyone else who may wanna share something! This is your sign! Post! That! WIP!

Gortash spreads his legs wide on the slopping little chaise set in front of his mirror, away from the humidity of his bath, in perfect view of the day’s natural light. He is naked, his man’s gut hanging over the towel knotted around his waist. It does little to hide him, which Faline suspects is intentional. Not because he expects her to strip her own clothes and service him, there is simply not enough time for that, but rather simply because he can. The outline of a half filled prick, strained against damp cloth, always seems to inspire a strange kind of glee with men when they are in close proximity to objects of desire. Pride in their subpar prick, a half baked seduction that they do not expect but half hope will do the trick of effortlessly landing a bedmate.

Faline resists rolling her eyes.

She has seen him naked many times and while he is not ugly or reeking or particularly crude, his body gives much of himself away.

When Gortash is naked he slouches ever so slightly, limps ever so slightly, one leg favoring the other. The leg is easier to theorize over. He has a cane he does not use enough, he has a lift in one shoe. He stands crooked without support, one leg naturally sloping inwards when he does not put his weight on it. The shins are relatively symmetrical in length, one knee pops fiercely if he is in the cold for too long.

Faline considers this damage to not be related to the state of birth nor one which is obligated by gestation.

Surely, many people are born with unmatching limbs, made worse by the inclination to compensate for such weakness as they grow, the longest limb bearing thicker muscle and bone growing denser than the other.

Most of these people do not whine at the cold, or groan with such relish when they slip into a hot bath, however, as if the pain is persistent and only relieved in small increments where gravity is not so fierce. Repeated breaks, fractures, ripped tendons that take far longer to heal than any bone present themselves to her with each review.

His upper body is more a mystery to her - the way that he is pulled much like a string rung doll, shoulders rolling fascinates her. Very few people she has studied present such inborn change to the spine.

The straight necks of priests and scribes are common, causing a tightness that often leaves their bodies stilted to one side or another, riddled in pains. Often enough is this followed with a curve starting from lumbar to neck, however.

What Gortash seems to possess is a ruination of the spine’s natural curve that is born of a certain, very lucky type of person. The kind with a reputation to speak of, who has in the past, confided in her lap, in tears or boasting loudly, often drunk, about.

The rack for the fancy lads, a sturdy tree and rope for the once dirt poor. The arms are wrenched up and back at an angle and the misery in flesh is left to suffer all the same. Some suffocate as the ribs compress, some have their arms wrenched from the socket. Some die. Some don't. Do it often enough in short periods and much like a wax candle on a hot day, it tilts.

In short, he is a mess. A collection of badly healed wounds over slowly blurring ink designs and hair and muscle.

Gortash leans back. The little piece of vanity from a more strapping youth flits in the sunlight, a gold ring through his belly button that nearly matches her own. “He is a god. He may be as eccentric as he pleases.”

Gods, what a prick.

“Yes, milord.”

He smiles, pulls the towel away before he takes himself in hand. A matching ring decorates the taunt flesh of his foreskin. He tugs at himself lightly, closing his eyes.

“Mass is in half an hour. Milord." He smiles, that slow, thick smile that shows off fangs he does not have.

“So?” He says, running a finger over his balls, the hair on him in this place tightly curled and thick. He somehow smells musky even freshly bathed, pungent and thick on her nose, made less by the cold slip of his aftershave. Nearly sweet, nearly burnt.

She watches him stroke himself, cock filling slightly in his hand. She is glad he may take his sweet time - she thinks of who he will blame when they are late. Not himself, most assuredly.

“Mm,” he says softly, before unceremoniously dropping himself between his legs. “No. No, you're right, fruit. I should wait.”

“Wait,” she parrots. “Going to see someone tonight?”

“Mm, I have a stirring, but I don't know if any one person will be a hassle. Won't you attend–”

“Use your hand, and I will watch very disapprovingly. Perhaps I will be kind and throw a hateful glare your way when you slip a finger into your ass.”

“You are such a treasure.”

“I am a professional.”

[robotslenderman]

okay so speaking of periods -

I work in radiology and every now and then I learn about this new bit of body horror that keeps me up at night.

last year it was compression fractures. fucking horrific. turns out that if you have osteoporosis sometimes your spine is like "yeah, nah, fuck this mate" and a vertebra will just collapse under its own weight. that's right, you could be innocently minding your own business and your spine will just fucking break under the weight of holding you up. once had a patient walk around with one of these for six months before she decided she should see a doctor about her back pain and SURPRISE BACK BREAK!

anyway, I learned about a new horror when we had a patient come in asking to be scanned for endometriosis. For those that are lucky enough not to know, the endometrium is the part of the uterus that sheds blood during a period, which is what causes us to bleed. endometriosis is when that tissue grows outside of the uterus instead of inside it. it is extremely fucking painful and I'm probably going to get scanned for it soon myself bc I thought you could only have endo if you're in excruciating pain for the entire period but I recently found out that being incapacitated for just a day or two is a risk factor so we'll see.

anyway.

so this lady says she's getting tested for endo and slides us a referral.

it's for a chest xray.

I'm like. "hold on, that's a chest xray. endometriosis is a pelvic ultrasound."

this lady then informs me she's one of the unlucky few who may have been cursed with The Horrors.

thought endometriosis was periods on hard mode? nah. thoracic endometriosis is period hard mode. that's when endometrium grows on and around your fucking lungs. and you know how that shit bleeds during menstruation? welp, if you have thoracic endo and that shit decides the inside of your lung is fair game, you cough up blood every time you're on your period!

I very professionally informed the patient "fuck THAT" but given the circumstances she was very understanding of my outburst.

[heyitssashag]

Over the weekend, we tried to get into the Christmas spirit. The kid and I made salt dough decorations. Then my parents took us to a Christmas fair, a lighting ceremony and an amazing lunch.

My pain levels were surprisingly pretty low throughout the day until we hung outside. Standing in one spot for a while in the cold doesn’t bode well for me. Other than that, it was a really nice weekend.

I read a book (actually, I listened to it on Audible), called Bright Line Eating. The author was a former drug and food addict turned PhD and healthy person. She includes a lot of science behind what happens in our brains when you’re a food addict and how sugar is basically as addictive as heroin. The food plan is all about portion control (weighing your food), cutting out all added sugar and flour. (Fruit is okay.) I read it because I was recommending the book to others… but I hadn’t actually read it. lol. I just heard good things about it. It’s a pretty hardcore diet but I can see why it has to be if you’re truly a food addict. Anyway, there’s a lot of research backing what she was preaching so I’m on day 3 of no sugar or flour. I figured I’ll try it for a month and see if it actually makes a difference in how I feel. In no way shape or form will I be actually weighing my food, meal planning, joining a support group or eating at specific times because I don’t care about losing weight. However, I’m writing down what I’ve been eating each day as she recommends. Anyway, if someone is struggling with weight loss/food addiction and they thrive under a structured regimen, then I think this program can be very helpful and will work.

A friend of my parents passed away this week from colon cancer. He was diagnosed a few months before I was (the first time) back in 2018. He went into remission for a while, then it came back. He wasn’t much older than me. I haven’t seen him in a long time but he gave encouraging words to my parents to pass on to me - especially when I was first diagnosed. I felt like if he was thriving and powering through, so could I. It’s a hard blow that he’s actually gone now. He left behind a beautiful family and many, many friends.

Cancer is an asshole.

I took an extra week off the Ibrance and had lab work done today. Now I know that it takes exactly 2 weeks for my blood to return to a normal person’s levels. Maybe I’ll go get a tattoo tomorrow. lol. Kidding. (Fun fact about me: I’m allergic to tattoo ink.)

I looked at my MRI scan and it turns out I have a compression fracture in my lumbar spine - at the L2. Which is where most of the cancer is. I’ve been complaining about lower back pain in that area for a long time now. The fracture was apparently on the last full spine MRI which was August of 2022. So it’s been there for well over a year and no one bothered to tell me. Awesome. (Glad I made that neurosurgeon appointment.)

I’ve been still getting in my walks. On Saturday I took a light backpack with my chair and a thermos of tea. It weighed 6.5 pounds and it was a little too heavy for my neck. After about 30 minutes of walking, I was feeling sore. So I cut my walk short and went to the beach. I saw a sea lion which was cool. Wasn’t able to get a photo, though. …but here’s some boats.

Anyway, I have a busy week ahead and need to get up early. I’m reading a weird book. Will give a review later. Going to read a bit more before bed.

[lesbianslovebts]

Negative vent post. Uplifting words welcomed.

My gramma had an open wound on her leg for a while that finally closed. But neither us nor the nurses who regularly came out to the house knew that staph had gotten into her blood. Then it got into her spine, so her back was killing her for several days at home. We had to help her out of bed one day, it was so bad. We got her into her wheelchair, and then she thought she could go to the bathroom by herself. Well, we were stupid to let her try. She fell between the toilet and the tub. 2 EMTs, a cop, and like 6 firefighters came to drag her out of the house and ambulance her down to the hospital. On top of the existing back pain, she had a compression fracture from the fall. We found out about all the other stuff then, too.

She was in the hospital for about 2 weeks getting serious IV antibiotics to clear out the infection in her blood. They put a PICC line in for her to continue receiving intravenous antibiotics for 6 more weeks to clear out the infection from her spine. My mom had to fight the staff on multiple occasions to keep them from sending her home. Finally, they sent her to a transitional care unit where she would continue getting the antibiotics and start physical therapy. Except the TCU fucked up her warfarin dosage and made her INR skyrocket to 12. (Her blood was dangerously thin.) She went back to the hospital according to protocol.

Then Sunday, she fell out of bed at the hospital while trying to sit up. The staff were there and apparently witnessed it. Since it was a "gentle" fall and they did an "assessment," they decided not to do imaging of her back. My mom spoke with several people, all but begging them to do imaging of her broken, infected back to see if more damage had been done. One nurse was an absolute bitch to my mom. So she had her brother call to see if they would listen to a Man's Voice. They agreed to it, but then my gramma refused because it hurts too much to lie flat on her back on the hard MRI table. We tried to talk her into it, saying they could give her extra pain meds before starting, but she refused.

So tomorrow, they're going to send her to another TCU to continue antibiotics and PT. But who the fuck knows what happened to her back! The PT will probably do more damage than help, and that's if she even agrees to do the PT. If she refuses, I'm sure they'll kick her out. But we can't take care of her at home with this level of serious injury. My mom and I both work full time to keep the bills paid. My brother is on disability. My gramma has no money. We'd have to send her to a hellhole of a home, and if that happens, she'll resent us to death. Literally, she will just stop caring and die. And I wouldn't blame her! I can't even imagine her pain right now! Mental and physical!

On top of that, our house is falling apart because we are all multiply disabled. I'm immunocompromised and suffering from a severe cold that I picked up from my nephew despite being masked around him at all times. With my immune system, I could get lucky and be better in 1-2 weeks, or it could be 6-8 weeks. I only have 1 day left of PTO, which I have to save for a True Emergency, as if none of this is an emergency. Thankfully, my PTO renews on June 1st, but I have to make it through 7 more days of work like this.

I can't even begin to get into the household dynamics right now, but my mom has ruined her own health and aged 10 years in the past 1.5 years since my brother moved in. She will do anything for him if he asks, no matter how it destroys her. But if I ask for something, she is no longer there for me like she used to be. She racked up credit card debt for my brother and his lawyer for the divorce. She lets his kid come over every weekend, never mind the migraines, meltdowns, and illnesses it has caused me, and she will continue to do so. Even though I no longer have meltdowns and have grown fond of the little guy, he is a danger to my health. (It's not his fault! He's gonna get sick like all kids do, and his mom is an anti-vaxxer.)

I can't move out. I can't afford it, and even though my mom isn't able to be there for me like she used to, she still helps me with some things. (I am autistic and need support.) I love my mom. I resent her for her choices. I fear losing her above all else. She's my best friend. I am angry that she won't take care of herself. I watch her age and decline in health and burst into tears. We've made it through so much together. And somehow, we'll get through this, too, but I am so scared and tired.

[sixlane]

Tell publicly 3 facts about yourself or your three favourite songs or favourite books (it can be anything, really-whatever you want to share/feel like talking about) then send it some people you like <3

ily baby

euge hello hello! i also got this from han @honeybcj (hi han ily) so i’m gonna answer all in one

ok here are some fun facts about me:

i’ve made 4(ish) short films. i’ve been doing these with my friends since 2020 (the things lockdown did to us all) and we have a lot of fun. we usually shoot them in one weekend so it’s a very intense and tiring process but we love it!

i read 63 books last year

i did gymnastics for a loooong time but had to quit when i got a compression fracture in my spine

[uncle-mojave]

Update to the update to the update. She's in ICU to monitor her blood pressure for the next few days then back to rehab. She's got two infections and a compression fracture of her lower spine.

Tough old bird

[highwaytothedangerzone502]

Ghost Story - Chapter 42

Pairing: Rooster x Female OC

Word Count: 1709

Warnings: Mention of death, swearing

Summary: No one will miss a ghost. It'd been a running joke for as long as anyone could remember, something Ghost herself started, and she always said it with a smile on her face or with mirth in her voice. The untouchable stealth pilot in every sense of the word, no one could've predicted the depth of her turmoil over recent events, nor the extremes she would go to in order to protect the man she loved, not even those closest to her. Now, all that was left of the young aviator for Maverick, Hangman, and Rooster were the memories of the past, which would slowly fade with time. She'd come into their lives and made an unforgettable impression, and then, like a ghost, she was gone... Then again, ghosts can't die a second time.

Notes: None

Chapter Songs: H.O.L.Y God, Your Mama, and Me

****

Maverick

Rooster woke up not long after his surgery. The first thing he tried to do was stand while mumbling about needing to find Ghost, and although still heavily drugged, it took a Herculean effort between Maverick and Hangman to force the giant back onto the bed. Affronted, Rooster glowered at the two men and demanded, "What the hell are you two doing? Where's Ghost?"

"You just got out of surgery, Bradley," Maverick explained gently. "Your leg was broken, and you have a compressed spine that will thankfully heal without surgery. Along with some cuts and bruises, it's a wonder you don't have more injuries, let alone serious ones."

"I don't care about me. Where's Ghost? Is she-"

"Alive but in surgery. She was in worse shape than you."

Rooster's wan demeanor blanched, causing the bruises on his face to stand out even more prominently. Maverick thought his son may pass out. "Sh-she made it through? I thought she died after-"

She has already. Maverick thought, reliving the moment he heard there'd been a code blue in her operating room. Miraculously she pulled through, but he'd been even more on edge since it happened. Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell that to Rooster, so he said, "Yeah. From what I know so far, she has a concussion, compressed spine, broken ribs, punctured lung, and a broken wrist."

"I knew her ribs were bothering her," Rooster groaned, slamming his head back into the pillow. 

"Easy. You need to be careful with your neck."

"What happened out there?" Hangman asked, uncharacteristically devoid of his usual strength. 

"I don't know how it happened, but she collided with an enemy fighter. Her wing sliced through it. Never saw her eject, so I feared the worst," Rooster replied, sinking into his sheets. His fight evaporated, and Maverick could see his godson struggling to stay awake. "I found her crash site, thought she'd died in it until I saw a parachute in the distance and went to investigate. She was unconscious when I reached her, although she came to pretty quickly. Ghost was furious I was down there. Kind of reminded me of your reaction, Mav."

Rooster chuckled softly. Maverick smiled. "It's the only appropriate response."

"Then what happened?" Hangman prodded.

"We headed in the direction where we'd seen an enemy fighter land. Trekked through the snow and the trees, and my ankle or leg was already fucked up, but only where it caused me to limp. When we got to the base, I tripped in a hole and made it ten times worse. Probably broke it or fractured it at that point."

"How would you even have walked if that's the case?"

"One, I was more concerned about the literal terrorists surrounding us while we casually strode onto the base like we belonged. Telling you, if Ghost and I can't fly again, then we need to go into acting. Two-" Rooster held up three fingers, frowned, and put one down- "adrenaline is a hell of a drug, Seresin."

"How did you steal the plane?"

"We have you to thank for that. I think Ghost might've been planning to set fire to something, but when the air raid siren went off, we managed to take a plane without much issue, although, really, we have Ghost's bilingualness to thank for that."

Hangman cocked his head. "Ghost is bilingual? What's her second language? Spectral?"

"Russian!"

"Russian? She speaks Russian? Since when?!"

"Do I look like I know that? She did yell at a guy trying to climb into a plane, and it was kind of terrifying but also kind of hot and-"

"Captain Mitchell," Cyclone interrupted, garnering everyone's attention immediately. Maverick stood, anxiously awaiting the news. "Ghost is out of surgery, but she's still in critical condition. They had a few close calls in the operating room, and she did flatline once."

Hangman sagged against the foot of Rooster's bed. "Do they know if she'll pull through? I know critical-"

"They can't tell, unfortunately. They're not entirely sure how Ghost survived it in the first place. For all intents and purposes, she should've died after that second ejection because they believe her lung had already been punctured at least slightly from the first one. These next few hours will determine if she'll live through it."

"Will Ghost be able to fly again?" Maverick asked, knowing that would be the second question out of her mouth once she had an answer on Rooster.

"That, I'm unable to tell. Ghost won't need surgery on her spine, incredibly. Her wrist fracture wasn't horrifically severe, not as bad as Bradshaw's leg here," Cyclone said, nodding to Rooster. "How's he doing?"

"He's-" Maverick turned around to find his son passed out and snoring softly- "exhausted. Mainly worried about Ghost. You just missed him. He was up and talking."

Hangman and Maverick explained to Cyclone what Rooster had conveyed to them only moments before. The admiral listened intently, his mouth pursed into a grim, thin line. When they finished the brief overview, the admiral sighed. "Thank you. I'll need both of them to give statements about what happened. When Rooster's awake, coherent, and able to move, have him come to my office. When you're ready, you can go see Ghost."

Maverick wanted to bolt to her room, grab her hand, and plead with his daughter to wake up so he could tell her the truth, that she wasn't alone in this world like she thought she was, that she had family, that she had him. However, he refrained. Turning to Hangman, he said, "Do you want to see her first?"

"I don't want to go alone, sir..." Hangman confessed, shoving his hands into his pockets. Understanding where the aviator came from, Maverick moved to join him on the walk there, but not before shooting one last glance over his shoulder to check on Rooster. His son still slept soundly.

Upon entering Ghost's room, Maverick's breath caught in his throat. The sight of her hooked up to all the machines was too reminiscent of Carole being in the hospital. Had the steady beating of Ghost's heart monitor not been there, Maverick would've believed her already dead. Rooster had been wan, but Ghost... she might as well have been one, for the seasoned pilot had never seen anyone that shade of white before. No living person, at least.

"Shit," Hangman breathed, turning deathly pale. He sank onto the foot of her bed, hesitantly placing a gentle hand on her leg. Meanwhile, Maverick moved to her side, taking her good hand in his. It was cold to the touch. 

Charlie, Ice, Goose, Carole- if any of you are listening, help her pull through. Maverick prayed, his hand shaking in Ghost's. We're not ready to lose her. Please don't make her the first wingman Hangman loses. Don't make Rooster lose another person he loves. Don't make me lose my daughter before I've gotten the chance to know her as such. Please don't take her from us now.

"If she doesn't pull out of this..." Hangman began quietly, eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "How did you do it? After Goose died, how did you keep flying?"

"I almost didn't," Maverick admitted, his mind involuntarily flashing back and comparing the events of today to those of the past and coming to a gut-wrenching realization that the past had a tendency to repeat itself in a sickening manner. Before, it had been a Mitchell holding a Bradshaw. This time, it'd been a Bradshaw holding a Mitchell. The only difference was that Ghost managed to cling to life, albeit barely. 

"What kept you going?" Hangman asked, his green eyes piercing Maverick's.

"I temporarily quit Top Gun, but Viper, Charlie, and Carole all had a part in convincing me to go back. Carole, Bradley, and Ice, in particular, helped me for the next few years after. Carole and Bradley, by providing a family I could come home to, and Ice, a friend who could ground me when I got reckless. They also reminded me that Goose wouldn't have wanted me to stop flying because of his death." Maverick sniffed, taking the opportunity to push down the rising lump in his throat. "He's with me every time I'm up in the air. He'll be with me to the day I die."

"I know we all lose a wingman at some point, but I don't want Ghost to be my Goose... I don't want to lose any of my wingmen, but her-"

"I know," Maverick said understandingly. 

A clattering in the doorway caused both men to jump. They whirled around to find Rooster barely standing and using the doorframe to support himself, his crutches sprawled on the floor. Noticing his son's sickly shade of green, Maverick rushed for the trash bin and put it in front of Rooster just before he hurled the little contents of his stomach.

"Damn it, Bradshaw," Hangman snapped, hurriedly grabbing a chair for the newcomer to sit in. He and Maverick lowered Rooster into it so he wouldn't hurt his back by collapsing down. "You shouldn't have gotten out of bed."

"You almost sound like you care, Seresin," Rooster jested weakly. He waved their worried hands away, eyes settling on Ghost. His joking demeanor evaporated instantly. "How is she?"

"Not good," Hangman said truthfully, sitting back down in his chair. "She's in critical condition. These next few hours will determine whether or not she's going to live."

"Bradley, you should be resting," Maverick said gently. "You should be back in bed. You're not helping her by over-exerting yourself."

Rooster hung his head, mumbling, "She won't want me here when she wakes up anyway. I'll leave."

He struggled to stand, and Hangman and Maverick both moved to assist him. Hangman slung Rooster's arm over his shoulders and said, "I'll take care of Bradshaw. Keep an eye on her. I-I can't right now."

Although Maverick hated to have Bradley out of his site, he hated the idea of leaving Ghost even more due to her state. "Thanks, Jake."

"You too, Pops."

Maverick smiled at the nickname, one he only allowed Hangman to call him. Then he settled into his chair and prepared for a long night watching over his daughter.

****

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