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Day 19 Update

On Day 19, we rested ? We’ll have a complete update tomorrow, I promise!

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Day 19 Update

On Day 19, we rested ? We’ll have a complete update tomorrow, I promise!

Also posted on Tumblr at: http://ift.tt/2mufmOh

Day 19 Update

On Day 19, we rested ? We’ll have a complete update tomorrow, I promise!

Also posted on Tumblr at: http://ift.tt/2mufmOh

Day 18 Update

In the service of self-care and not utterly exhausting myself, I took the night off and curled up with a nice book (by some guy named @afhenley) and a beer or two.

For tonight’s update, then, you get a guest post by Dan himself!

Day
18 Update: Today I woke up refreshed but really warm! Seems that the
morning low-grade fever is continuing to nag so they ran blood tests to
ensure that there was no infection. The good news is that I don’t have
an infection, the low-grade fever is probably just a mild cold/ick that
is going on.

First up was Occupational Therapy, which their goal is to get you
ready to go home as you are now (whereas Physical Therapy is designed to
get you better). With that in mind, had a shower with a walker transfer
to rely less on the Wheelchair overall. The Therapist made sure to note
that my use of walker is getting better every day.

After lunch, I had Physical Therapy where we went up and down stairs
that were the same height as what we have at home. While it was only 4
steps, was quite exhausted after each round of going up and then down.
We are going to try to use the regular stairwell in the next few days to
see if I can handle the 9 steps to get to the landing, and then the
other 9 steps to finish going upstairs in time to get home. We finished
with some stretching, which when you don’t use muscles for a while in
your legs, they can  get really tight.

Finally, had 30 minutes of Recreational Therapy and learned how to
play Rummikub. May need to pick that up for general game play at home.

Shortly before dinner, Ian from Chambana (Champaign/Urbana, IL) came up to visit and
brought donuts and tasty sodas and we chatted for about 2 hours. Was
great seeing him and catching up him. He warned me about some potential
pain once to nerves really get back to working.

Thank you everyone for keeping up with the updates and sending out the Love/Support/Thoughts/Prayers/etc. It is much appreciated!

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Day 17 Update

Huge news today! Dan’s doctors and therapists reviewed his progress and decided (as expected) that he could benefit for another week of rehab (and possibly a few more days after that). Even better, the insurance company OK’ed the week extension. This is going to be wonderful for his recovery, and will make a huge improvement in his walking ability and independence in the future.

We got a couple of handy items from the doctor as well. First off she certified Dan to have a wheelchair and a walker when he leaves the hospital. We also got documentation for our travel insurance claim for the cruise and for waiving the change fee on our United tickets (we’ll get credit that’s good for a year, but that’s better than losing the airfare entirely). We also got the form for a temporary handicapped permit which I need to take to the DMV in the next few days.

Therapy continues apace as well. Dan was able to try 4” and 6” steps (the steps in our house at 7”). He was able to walk 50 feet then 69 feet as well. Additionally there was work with arm strength endurance, tub and transfer techniques, and the walker. As always, the improvement is incremental, but it’s still improvement.

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ask-the-werewolves: ask-the-werewolves: Werewolves Versus #4 is…

ask-the-werewolves:

ask-the-werewolves:

Werewolves Versus #4 is now available! Pre-order it for $1 (or more! please!) to get a version with bonus material, or get the basic version on March 8th! Also, be sure to support all the creators who made this issue so great!

March 8th is here! WV#4 is now available at a pay-what-you-want rate! 

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Day 16 Update

The big news today was “Family Training”, where Dan, Tom (me), and Jackie (Dan’s mom) met with Dan’s physical therapist, occupational therapist, and care coordinators. The physical therapist showed us how far Dan has gotten in walking and the ease with which he was able to get in and out of a car. The occupational therapist talked us through some of the work they’ve been doing and demonstrated the necessary assistive devices for bathing.

We also discussed additions we are going to need to make around the house. We plan on adding grab bars by the toilets in the parlor and master baths, as well as grab bars in the bathtub/shower in the master bath. We have already purchased a bathtub transfer bench. The railing in the stairwell will need to be reinstalled with more brackets to provide more support, and another railing will need to be installed on the other side of the stairwell.

We are working under the assumption that Dan will be in rehab for another week. He will come home with a walker for getting around the house and a wheelchair for going outside of the house. Whether he will be able to attempt stairs at all when he gets home will be completely up for grabs. If it’s not something that can be done easily, we can move the guest bed downstairs temporarily and work from there.

The list of challenges ahead a pretty long. It could get us down, but we’re going to work together to get through this and improve every day.

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Day 15 Update

A new milestone today: Dan walked 64 feet with his walker, followed by another 38 feet. The rehab gym also has a 1988 Chevy Cavalier that they use for testing getting in and out of a car. He was able to transfer to and from a wheelchair without a problem. Among other exercises he worked on standing at a counter for extended periods while performing tasks one-handed (and stabilizing himself with the other), and improving leg and arm strength.

We had a couple of sad tasks today too. We needed to cancel our cruise reservations for next month, as well as a theater outing we were supposed to take in a few weeks. We were able to cancel the flights with no penalty, but could only get credit and not refunds. Hotel reservations were easy to cancel. Unfortunately, the cruises were into the time period where we can only get a 50% refund. The good news is that we paid for the cruises with a credit card that comes with travel insurance so I initiated the claim for that today.

Cancelling all of these arrangements was tough, but we know that there will be plenty of other opportunities for travel and fun. For now we’re focusing on getting Dan as well as possible as fast as possible.

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Book Review: Boots, by Angel Martinez

 

Boots, by Angel Martinez

Willem’s lost his job and his boyfriend, and now possibly his mind when his cat calls him a nitwit.

Willem’s father never approved of his artistic talents, his choices in life, or the fact that he’s gay. When the only thing Horst leaves to Willem is the family cat, he thinks it’s his father’s last insult from the grave. That is, until the cat starts talking to him.

Though Willem’s lost his boyfriend, his home, and his job, Kasha, who claims to be a magic cat, reassures him that all will be well. All he needs is Willem’s trust and a good pair of boots. But giving boots to a talking cat has unexpected consequences when odd events ambush Willem at every turn, such as the appearance of a handsome stranger in his arms at night. While he begins to suspect Kasha’s plans might be dangerous for all involved, how can he distrust such a charming kitty in cowboy boots?

Rating: 4 out of 5

This novella is a fun, breezy retelling of the venerable Puss in Boots story, with a gay twist. I went into the story knowing of the story, but not really familiar with the details. This probably helped me enjoy the story more, but I could tell when the more traditional story elements were updated for the story, usually in a humorously meta way (the evil ogre is a lawyer AND an investment banker!).

Aside from the two main characters, Willem and Kasha, the other characters in the story are loosely sketched. The romance between Willem and Kasha is cute, though the dreaded insta-love comes out of nowhere. To be fair Kasha has had decades of admiring Willem while a cat so he knew what to expect. Willem, not so much, but I’m willing to roll with it. The cat’s machinations to better the life of his master make for an engaging read, and the author wraps up the story neatly with an adorable ending.

Martinez’ writing is enjoyable, and she does a good job telling the story economically in the short 113 pages. The bedroom door is wide open here, and the intimate scenes are quite steamy (and amusing. One word: spines. Ow). I’ll definitely be seeking out Martinez’ other work!
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Day 14 Update

Two weeks in the hospital, and probably another 10 days or so to go.

Dan really pushed himself hard in
physical therapy today and it showed. Rather than tire himself out on the
parallel bars, he moved directly to the walker in an attempt to see how far he
could walk. He managed three walks in a row with short rests in between: 38 feet,
50 feet, and 32 feet. His arms were shaking and he was clearly fatigued at the
end, but this is incredible progress! This is by far the longest distance that
he has walked so far. He ended the session practicing going from sitting to standing
at a table and side-stepping around it, as well as other exercises. Normally he
would have occupational therapy today but he was give the day off. Normally he
would have had the day off from physical therapy too but in the interest of
getting as much work done as possible before the insurance company sends him
home, he wanted to do the PT today as well.

The rest of the day has been given over to relaxing. One big
bright spot was that we were able to bring over our dogs, Charlie and Nora, to
visit. This is the first time Dan has seen them in two weeks and I know it
really helped brighten his spirits.  Kevin
is on his way over to visit, but I have come home for the day to do some
shopping, do laundry, and relax a bit myself. Back to the grind (for both of
us) tomorrow!

Also, thanks to all of you for your kind words of support and encouragement of my posts here and elsewhere. It means so much to me and helps keep me going!

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Day 13 Update

Dan started occupational therapy bright and early at
6:30 AM today with practice with daily tasks – getting dressed, washing and
folding laundry, etc. A big step forward was standing at a kitchen counter and making
coffee. He was able to do everything except measure out the grounds, which required
two hands. As long as he was able to keep one hand on the counter though he was
fine.

Later in the morning Tom and Ian (a friend from St.
Louis) joined to watch Dan’s physical therapy session. After some leg stretches
he put on his AFOs (ankle-foot orthotics, L-shaped braces that go on each foot)
and made his first attempt at walking. Dan walked seven feet between parallel
bars four times, then moved over to his new walker where he walked an
additional 12 feet for a total of 40 feet for the day. Tom helped by following
immediately behind with the wheelchair in case Dan needed to take a break and
sit down at any time. Another big milestone is that he has graduated to minimal
contact from the therapist which means that while they keep hold of his gait
belt for safety while he is standing and walking, they are not providing any
support or guidance.

After the therapy sessions, we had an excellent
conversation with Dr. Meesala, his rehab/spine doctor. Dan is in Acute Rehab on
a week-to-week basis. He was re-upped for a second week on Wednesday and will
be re-evaluated again this coming Thursday. We have been concerned that the
doctors and therapists would suggest that he go home after this week. The
doctor put our minds to rest saying she wouldn’t even think of suggesting it.
Until Dan can walk unassisted 150 feet and at least has some way to address
going up and down stairs (something he has not even attempted yet), they do not
want him leaving rehab. While we both want Dan home as soon as possible, we
also know that the longer time he spends in rehab the better his quality of
life (and Tom’s as well) will be when he comes home. Because of this, we are
both extremely happy at the prospects for the immediate future.

The afternoon was spent visiting with several friends,
including Brian, Michael, Colin, Mike, Dr. Mike, and Chris. It was great to
have fun conversation and catching up. These visits help more than anyone can
know, and we appreciate everyone taking the time to come out and say hi. All
the socializing was tough on Dan, and a good reminder that he had some pretty
major surgery just two weeks ago. While he really enjoyed it he was clearly
exhausted when we left him this evening. It was a really great day though –
good progress and good company is always wonderful!

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Day 12 Update

TGIF? Dan started his second week in the rehab ward today. Occupational therapy included a refreshing shower. He was able to stand (while holding the grab bar) and then transfer to the shower bench. After that, there was a series of upper body exercises. Physical therapy was after lunch. He graduated from the cardiac walker to a standard wide walker (something that can handle his weight better with more stability) and practiced walking. He did five walks, the longest distance was 36 feet – not as far as previous days, but with less assistance from the physical therapists and more controlled. Then he tried laying on his front and doing leg stretches to help with muscle control.

Right before dinner, Dan got new toys: a matching pair of AFOs (Ankle-Foot Orthotics). These are molded L-shaped braces that go from the upper calf to the ball of the foot. He hasn’t had a chance to walk with them yet, but in the transfers he did with them on he thinks that they will really improve his walking motions.

The rehab ward, at least the small portion that Dan is in, can have up to nine patients. Given that they are required (if able) to take their meals in a central common area, you start to learn more about the people there and their stories. Over the last few days four people have left, and three new people have come in. This changes the social dynamic of the group dramatically; the new people are quiet, so the sociable atmosphere has mellowed a bit.

Normally Dan would have either Saturday or Sunday off to relax, but given that he wants to get as much therapy in before his insurance company sends him home, he is opting instead to continue therapy through the weekend. There are also quite a few people planning to visit tomorrow, something that he appreciates very much. Busy days ahead!

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Day 11 Update

It was an
exhausting but extremely rewarding day overall. Dan didn’t sleep very well
since the room was way too warm. He also woke up with a slightly elevated temperature
but this passed quickly, so there were no worries there.

The first half hour of physical therapy included a lot of
stretching of leg muscles. The physical therapist was the same one from last
weekend; she said she saw a lot of improvement between Sunday and today. After
an hour break of relaxing it was another grueling hour and a half, which
included doing both a 36 foot and 46 foot walk with the cardiac walker. Dan’s
legs are still very shaky while walking, pivoting freely not just at the ankle
but at the hip as well at times. He needs to not look at his feet while walking
and just trust the staff since he concentrates on getting each step exactly
right instead of making progress. They tried tying a gait belt from the walker
to the wheelchair to provide more resistance to forward motion as well. He
ended PT by doing multiple stretches throughout his legs to get them stronger as
well as to measure progress. Dan appears to be improving incrementally but it’s
going to be very slow and steady to get to walking where he needs to be. His
endurance improves every day.

Lunch was
next, then off to occupational therapy where there was more practice transferring
back and forth from the wheelchair to the toilet, followed by a new set of arm
stretches using resistance bands. As part of that session they also talked
about how to use a reacher and how to use that to assist in getting clothes on
in the morning.

For
recreational therapy Dan met Jazzy Blue, a blue harlequin Great Dane who was a
complete sweetheart. He spent a good 15 minutes petting the dog and chatting with
their owner. It was a great way to wrap up the day.

Since there
are concerns about insurance (as there always are) Dan isn’t taking the weekend
off from physical and occupational therapy so he can keep up the improvement.
He has negotiated with the scheduler for set his therapy for early Saturday morning
so I can meet up with friends in the afternoon and evening. He may see if this
is possible for either early or late Sunday as well so he will have more time
to visit. Seeing all the friendly faces this weekend is something that Dan Is very
much looking forward to!

There are
many people in the rehabilitation ward who are leaving tomorrow and more coming
in which it will change the overall atmosphere of the place. He has a private
room right now, and unless there is a huge influx of patients will hopefully be
able to keep it that way for the next few days at least.

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“For same-sex couples, taking a lover’s hand is almost never an unselfconscious choice. You have to…”

“For same-sex couples, taking a lover’s hand is almost never an unselfconscious choice. You have to think about where you are, whether you’re safe, and you have to look. By the time you determine you’re safe, you’re not even sure you want to hold hands anymore. The genuine moment has passed, but you’ve invested so much energy and angst that now you can’t not take your lover’s hand. You wind up holding and the only reason you take your lover’s hand is to prove that you can.”

–

 (via optais-amme)

I hate to admit it, but even after 18 years together this is still true for us. I’m trying to fix it but it’s going to take time.


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Day 10 Update

It was kind of an anxious day today, since Wednesdays are when all of the therapists and doctors for the Acute Inpatient Rehab facility get together and discuss the progress of all of the patients. We were hoping to get an idea of when Dan might be going home, and when he might be able to return to work, but no such luck. They are encouraged by his progress and recommended another week of treatment (this was expected – we were told going in it would be 2-3 weeks). We had a bit of concern when there was a question whether the insurance company would cover the additional week, but the approval came surprisingly fast. Another week it is (at least)!

Occupational therapy today was practice transferring from a wheelchair to the toilet. Good news – the portable hospital commode (which is taller) is no longer needed and Dan can use the standard toilet, though with the grab bar. This was followed by arm endurance exercises with weights attached to his arms, both gross motions (arm cycling) and fine motions (putting pegs into a pegboard).

Physical therapy this afternoon involved more walking with the cardiac walker (24 feet today, less than yesterday but better controlled), practicing sitting to standing and back again, and standing in one place with the cardiac walker – for six minutes in one go! The day ended with a visit to the therapy psychologist. She started teaching Dan how to use hypnosis as a way to relax and dull nerve pain. It was surprisingly quite effective. He went into the session with back pain around level 4 and it was down to 1 by the end. Dan recorded the session so he can play it back later as well.

The goal is for each day to be better than the last. It’s not always going to be leaps and bounds, but forward progress of any kind is a success.

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Day 9 Update

An extremely tiring but rewarding day today! An important decision from the physical therapist was that a standard walker is a very bad idea for Dan right now – it’s just not stable or sturdy enough. Therapy included practice with a rolling cardiac walker (imagine a tall walker that you rest your forearms on). Although he had two people with him providing guidance, Dan walked twenty-two feet the first time, and thirty feet the second time. This is a great improvement!

Recreational therapy was up next. This is to provide a little fun with all of the hard work – sometimes games, sometimes just relaxation. Today’s session was playing catch with Chance, a very friendly but focused German shepherd (shown here).

After lunch it was into occupational therapy. This included moving a weighted sliding box on a table to build upper-body strength, lifting a lightly weighted bar (not too much due to his back healing), and going from sitting to standing to sitting repeatedly to gain more control in his motions.

All of this therapy is definitely taking a lot out of Dan by the end of the day. He is feeling accomplished overall, and getting great positive feedback from his therapists, though it’s still a long road ahead. By tomorrow afternoon we will hopefully have a better idea of when he might be going home and when he can return to work.

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ejacutastic: never try to consider yourself one of “the good” privileged people because tbh that…

ejacutastic:

never try to consider yourself one of “the good” privileged people because tbh that just is cutting you off from continually learning and continually deconstructing your privilege and learned bullshit. every time i’ve thought “ok i’m one of the good guys now” i’ve learned more fucked shit i’m doing and deconstructed more bullshit and if you continually cling to “BUT I’M NOT RACIST/SEXIST/TRANSPHOBIC/ETC” you’re refusing to face the possibility that you could still be doing really bad shit and that means you’re part of the problem. being aware of privilege doesn’t mean you’re absolved of it.

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Day 8 Update

This morning’s occupational therapy was very upper-body intensive, which is good since that is going to be necessary. The only downside to this was that the afternoon’s physical therapy included his first attempt at walking with parallel bars. Dan was able to practice walking motions while carrying the majority of his weight on his arms. Definitely an improvement, though.

I mentioned it this morning, but I sort of buried the lede yesterday: Dan’s physical and occupational therapists told him that given his current state and the improvement that he has shown, the chances are very good that he will be able to walk unassisted in the future. Now, how long that will take is still up for grabs, but that is still fantastic news.

More good news today: Dan has been approved for short term disability for four weeks at 100%, (after burning a week of vacation) and another four weeks at 100% is available if necessary (it drops down to 66% after that). With luck he will be able to start back to work before that eight weeks is exhausted.

Interestingly, one of the therapists asked Dan what his goals were to go home. He said he wanted to walk (assisted) 50 feet, and have a way to go up and down stairs by himself, among other things. The therapist seemed to think those were good goals, and that he may not need three full weeks of therapy for that.

All in all, there weren’t necessarily any huge breakthroughs today, but a lot of very promising tidbits. That’s the kind of thing that keeps Dan (and me!) going. He is maintaining a strong positive outlook and a firm belief that this is something that can be beaten. Damn, I love my husband!

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Day 7 Update

Another busy day today, with three full hours of therapy. Occupational therapy this morning was working on transfer from the wheelchair to the bed and to the tub bench, as well as chair push-ups (pushing out of the wheelchair using his arms), and leg raises. Physical therapy this afternoon was some exercises while lying on a mat and practicing going from sitting to standing with a walker. It turns out that he had been doing it wrong (since he hadn’t received any training), moving too quickly. Now it is a nice smooth procedure and a lot more stable!

It was also quite busy visitor-wise. Thanks to Jim, Jenne, Woody, Jake, Misti, Jeff, and Rusty for coming by for extended visits. I know that Dan was a little wiped out after his therapy but seeing all these friendly faces really helps keep his spirits up!

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Day 6 Update

Fantastic start to the day! Dan got a shower and got to wash his hair. It’s amazing what a difference something small like that can make. There was 90 minutes of physical therapy this morning, consisting of “walking” motions while sitting in a wheelchair, moving his feet back and forth on a skateboard, and learning better ways to transfer from the wheelchair to the bed and wheelchair to the commode. The walking motions were great since he said he had more feeling in his feet than before, a tingling like the nerves are trying to wake up. The new transfer procedures are a huge improvement in getting around, too.

I came over after lunch, then we had a great visit with Linnaeus, sitting in the cafeteria, chatting and catching up. Unfortunately right after he left Dan was hit with another IBS attack, a quite painful one. He is currently skipping dinner to relax in bed and waiting for the pain and nausea to pass. Tonight will be a quiet one. I’m going to step away from a bit and get some dinner, then come back and just hang out and keep him company for a bit.

There’s a bit more going on tomorrow, according to his schedule. Occupational therapy from 9:00 AM – 10:30 PM, then physical therapy 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM then again 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM. I expect Dan is going to be pretty worn out by Sunday night, but company is welcome during the day.

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Day 5 Update

Three hours of therapy this morning, mostly establishing a
baseline for comparison as Dan improves. He also got a better idea of what life
will be like here in the rehabilitation ward, and it’s certainly an improvement
over where he has spent the past few days.

Dan has the afternoon off and is sitting comfortably in a
wheelchair next to me as I type this (he was sitting up for four hours
straight!). He didn’t sleep well last night due to thunderstorms and nurses
going in and out of the room, though as he heals more that should decrease. We went
for a nice wander around the hospital (with him in a wheelchair of course,
though with no input from me) so he could see more than just the usual area
around his room, too.

Dan is showing great mobility in the wheelchair (good
upper-body strength!) though hopefully he won’t be relying on that long-term.
Every day more feeling is coming back to his feet, though it’s still
incremental improvements. He did a great job of going from sitting in the
wheelchair to standing in the walker, though is definitely unsteady on his
feet. He can lock his knees and stay upright, but for heaven’s sake don’t try
to move those feet!

All in all, a great first day in rehab. Things only go up
from here!

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Book Review: The Lords of Davenia series, by Mason Thomas

 

Lord Mouse (Lords of Davenia, Book 1), by Mason Thomas

Scoundrel by nature and master thief by trade, Mouse is the best there is. Sure, his methods may not make him many friends, but he works best alone anyway. And he has never failed a job.

But that could change.

When a stranger with a hefty bag of gold seduces him to take on a task, Mouse knows he’ll regret it. The job? Free Lord Garron, the son of a powerful duke arrested on trumped up charges in a rival duchy. Mouse doesn’t do rescue missions. He’s no altruistic hero, and something about the job reeks. But he cannot turn his back on that much coin-enough to buy a king’s pardon for the murder charge hanging over his head.

Getting Garron out of his tower prison is the easy part. Now, they must escape an army of guardsmen, a walled keep and a city on lockdown, and a ruthless mage using her power to track them. Making matters worse, Mouse is distracted by Garron’s charm and unyielding integrity. Falling for a client can lead to mistakes. Falling for a nobleman can lead to disaster. But Mouse is unprepared for the dangers behind the plot to make Lord Garron disappear.

The Shadow Mark (Lords of Davenia, Book 2), by Mason Thomas

Auraq Greystone, once a military officer with a promising future, exists on the fringe of society. Accused of murder, Auraq is on the run from the ax-until two fugitives crash into his solitary life. One is a young man named Kane. The glowing marks on his arm pulse with an otherworldly power, and they have made him the target of a sinister organization called the Order of the Jackal. When the old man protecting Kane dies in an ambush, Auraq swears an oath to take his place.

But the runes are far more significant than they realize. They are a message from the shadow realm, a dark memory of the past-one holding evidence of a bloody massacre and its savage architect; one that will shake the kingdom to its foundation. Risking arrest and execution, Auraq fights to get Kane to the capital city where the cryptic marking can be unlocked. And with assassins close on their trail, Auraq might never get the chance to show Kane what’s in his heart-or the way their journey together has changed him.

The Shadow Mark is an epic tale of magic, murder, conspiracy, betrayal, and-for the two men tasked with unraveling the mystery-love and redemption.

Ratings:
Lord Mouse – 4.75 out of 5
The Shadow Mark – 4.25 out of 5

One of the big challenges of writing high fantasy is how to approach a genre that is so well-traveled. You can spend a lot of time world-building, and try to create something novel. Alternatively, you can sketch out a world (general social class structure, level of technology, where the characters fit into the world) and let the reader fill in the blanks. Mason Thomas takes the latter approach here, and in my opinion it’s an excellent choice.

The driving force in these books is the characters. Mouse is clever, sarcastic, and morally questionable at times. Garron is a strong-principled man, born to the noble class but not blinded by it (usually). The two make for a fun pairing as they spark off one another initially and slowly grow together. Auraq is smart and wise in the ways of the commoners’ world, and willing to honor an oath at all costs. We get less of a good mental picture of Kane, which is why I favored The Shadow Mark somewhat less. He is a likeable enough character, although driven by forces beyond his control.

The bulk of Lord Mouse is essentially a caper. Mouse setting up the escape, then Mouse and Garron (and some unexpected allies) finding their way out of captivity. The mystery is wrapped up neatly and the ending is quite satisfying, with no cliffhanger. The Shadow Mark is more of a quest as Auraq and Kane fight to find someone to make sense of the glowing marks. Again, the mystery is wrapped up well, though there are a few loose ends left over for later books.

I believe that one of the hallmarks of a good author is the quality of their secondary characters, and the roles that they play in the story. Thomas populates the books with a wide cast of characters, and they are well-defined and interesting to read. You know what their motivations are, or what they might be, or perhaps you think you know, but you’re wrong! This makes the story so much more enjoyable.

Thomas’ writing is a pleasure. The stories are well-plotted and well-paced. Descriptions are lush but not overly drawn out, and the reader is able to easily imagine what this world looks like. A stereotypical fantasy-world map might be useful here, but it’s not really a necessity. For all that these books take place in the same world at approximately the same time, they are stand-alone and could be read in either order, though a few references are made in The Shadow Mark that tie it loosely to Lord Mouse. The “heat level” here is relatively low, and all but nil in The Shadow Mark. I’m just happy to see strong gay main characters in well-written fantasy stories!

I am very much looking forward to book three in this series.
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Day 4 Update

Dan was moved over to the rehab ward of the hospital today. This is going to be a big improvement for him. It will include daily hygiene routines, like taking a shower and brushing your teeth, putting on and wearing normal clothes, and communal meals with the other patients in the middle of the ward. Initially, he is scheduled for 90 minutes of occupational therapy and 90 minutes of physical therapy. The therapy is done at a gym several floors down, so he will get to go out and about around the hospital, though in a wheelchair.

Dan received some lovely and thoughtful gifts today from Perro & Mahoney and Mwako (silly lion!). Thanks to Lex for an absolutely gorgeous walking cane! It may be a while before he can use it, but it will be extremely useful down the line.

So here is where we’re at: likely 2-3 weeks in the rehab ward, then 4 weeks of in-home therapy, and outpatient therapy thereafter. The reality is that this is some serious nerve damage. It will take 12-18 months of recovery, and some things may not come back at all. Right now, standing unaided is impossible and walking is out of the question. But that is just right now. Every day that goes by brings improvement, large and small. Dan is a fighter, and I know he is going to work his ass off every possible moment to beat this.

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Hello, it is my job to make people second guess openingly asking for asks. :D Just kidding, but really quick question. Probably the most important question I ask everyone. Waffles, Pancakes, or French Toast?

Tough call, but I have to go with French toast. How can you go wrong with some good thick bread, soaked in a delicately-flavored custard, topped with some dark maple syrup…

Dammit, now I want some French roast.

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Q&A

(snagged from @wynteruniverse, who Tumblr won’t let me tag for some reason)

Not that anyone cares, but I desperately need distractions right now and this looks like a fun one.

Nickname: Duncan, Duncan da Husky

Star sign: Aquarius

Height: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)

Time right now: 14:44

Favorite music artist(s): Lordy, this changes at a moment’s notice. Lately I’ve been on a dance/pop kick so there’s a lot of Tiesto, Martin Garrix, David Guetta, etc. I also like ambient instrumental stuff like Tycho, Explosions in the Sky, and Lowercase Noises. Finally, I’m a sucker for folky/rock stuff like Passenger, Carbon Leaf, and Spirit of the West.

Last movie I watched: I don’t really watch many movies. The last movie I saw in a theater was Jason Bourne.

Last tv show watched: Building Off the Grid. Yeah, it’s a dumb homebuilding show, but it’s fun to skip through occasionally.

What are you wearing right now?: Business casual – blue striped long-sleeve button down shirt, gray slacks, black walking shoes. Because I should be working but can’t concentrate enough to do that 🙂

When did you make your blog?: Which one? I started my LiveJournal blog in January 2002. I’ve been blogging off and on using various platforms since then. I started this Tumblr blog in August, 2013.

What kind of stuff do you post: Book reviews, random musings I don’t want to post to Twitter (which gets autoposted to Facebook for my family to see), occasional fanboying of some of the authors and artists I follow here, reblogging of things that amuse me.

Do you have any other blogs?: I no longer post to LiveJournal and have imported all of my posts to my WordPress site at http://ift.tt/2mcDtDU. Posts to this Tumblr are also echoes to that site. I post far more frequently  (for better or worse) to Twitter, at http://twitter.com/duncandahusky

Do you get asks regularly?: Not at all, really. I’m an open book though so if anyone ever has any questions, fire away!

Why did you choose your URL?: Duncan da Husky is me 🙂 I picked up the nickname Duncan when I was active in the Society for Creative Anachronism back in the early 1990’s (Lord Duncan MacKinnon of Tobermory is still registered with the SCA’s College of Heralds, as is my unique heraldic device!). When I became active in furry fandom in the late 90’s, I was already used to being called Duncan more than my real name so I kept that. I identify closely with dogs, and Siberian huskies especially, so there you go.

Hogwarts house: Hufflepuff, according to Pottermore. Eh, I’ll take it.

Pokemon team: No habla Pokemon

Favorite color: Purple

Average hours of sleep: I aim for eight, but more usually it’s around six and a half.

Lucky numbers: Um. 7?

Favorite characters: Balto (Balto), Nick Wilde (Zootopia), Deacon Parish (Amy Lane’s Promise Rock series), Ox (TJ Klune’s Wolfsong), Bear (TJ Klune’s Bear, Otter, and the Kid series), Roan Mackichan (@notmanos‘ Infected series)

Favorite public figure: None at the moment

How many blankets do you sleep with?: Always a comforter, and an extra blanket for the winter months as well

Dream job: Alaskan tour coordinator

Blah blah tag people whatever – fill this out if you want to, how about that?

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I am confused

killfrost2:

Why are all of the toys from my childhood on this shelf labeled retro?

I’m sorry, you’re now old. Please report to the senior center for your cardigan and rocking chair. Enjoy your episodes of Matlock and Murder She Wrote. ???

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duncandahusky:Nothing like stress-testing the “in sickness and in health” part of our wedding vows. …

duncandahusky:

Nothing like stress-testing the “in sickness and in health” part of our wedding vows. I’m at his side no matter what happens.

So, to be somewhat less cryptic: My husband (40 years old) collapsed yesterday after losing feeling and control in his lower extremities. It turned out to be congenital spinal stenosis – an abnormally narrow channel for the spinal cord between the vertebrae. Basically, the bone was growing into his spinal cord. This has been going on all along and was a ticking time bomb. I guess it’s good that he was at home, but I got to learn what it’s like to call 911 and have the ambulance come to your house (the EMT’s were awesome, by the way).

Off to the hospital we went, and late last night he had emergency spinal surgery: lumbar laminectomy from L2 to S1. There was a good bit of trauma to the nerves in his lower back, and nerves don’t bounce back quickly. We are looking at 12-18 months of recovery, a good portion of which is going to be learning how to walk again.

I’m not going to lie. This is fucking terrifying. It is going to change our lives completely, but this is the new normal and we have to deal with it. The important thing is that I still have the man I love, and god dammit together we will make this work! The support we have received from our friends and family near and far has been overwhelming and immensely gratifying. We are not alone in this, and for this I will be eternally grateful.

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Book Review: Rogue Magic, by Kit Brisby

Rogue Magic, by Kit Brisby

While trapped in a stalled subway train on his morning commute, PR rep Byron Cole flirts with Levi, a young waiter with adorable curls. But Byron’s hopes for romance crash and burn when Levi saves him from a brutal explosion-with outlawed magic.

When Levi is imprisoned, Byron begins to question everything he’s ever believed. How can magic be evil when Levi used it to save dozens of lives? So Byron hatches a plan to save Levi that will cost him his job and probably his life. If he doesn’t pull it off, Levi will be put to death.

Byron discovers that he isn’t the only one questioning America’s stance on magic. And he learns that Levi is stubborn, angry, and utterly enchanting. Time is running out, though. Byron must convince Levi to trust him, to trust his own magic, and to fight against the hatred that’s forced him to hide his true nature his entire life. The more Levi opens up, the harder Byron falls. And the more they have to lose.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This was such a fun book! Brisby has done a very nice job of world-building here, imagining a world like our own but some people are born with magic. Magic is seen as dangerous, a threat to society and rigidly controlled. Mages are required to be registered with the government and wear magic-nullifying bracelets. Sure, the bracelets cause constant pain and a high percentage of registered mages commit suicide, but at least society is safe, right?

Byron is the nephew of the chairman of Cole Industries, an enormous company that is the driving force in magic suppression and control, possibly more powerful than even the government. For him to start questioning his beliefs is a very big deal indeed.

The plotting and pacing of this book were great, and the suspense really ratchets up throughout the book. I adored the main characters. Byron is socially inept and “weird” and yet a good and thoughtful man who is trying to do the right thing. Levi is someone who has always just tried to fly below the radar but now is forced to endure medical testing and be subjected to some truly horrifying procedures. I would have liked to get a better feel for Levi’s personality before this all went down, but it’s understandable why he is written the way he is. I loved that Levi maintained a grim sense of humor and sarcasm throughout the story, though. The blossoming romance between Byron and Levi was incredibly sweet, and I was cheering them on the whole time.

The side characters are great as well, from Victoria, the anti-magic scientist recruited to help Levi, and Eleanor, Victoria’s maybe-girlfriend and Byron’s snarky roommate, to Byron’s shady, unscrupulous uncle. They and others supported the story well and yet still seemed well-developed.

Brisby’s writing flows well, and she does a good job of slowly ramping up the pacing as the suspense kicks in. Little modern touches like social media addictions and smartphone games help to ground the story in the present and help the reader get a better mental picture of the book’s world. Overall the “heat factor” is pretty low here save for a few intimate moments, but the developing relationship between Byron and Levi is even more enjoyable to me than paragraphs of steamy scenes anyway.

I happily recommend this book, and look forward to seeing more of Kit Brisby’s writing in the future!

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Book Review: Wolfmanny, by Julie Talbot

 

Wolfmanny, by Julie Talbot

Three hot werewolves, sexual tension thick enough to cut with a knife, an impending Colorado winter, and a rambunctious pack of werewolf pups. Stand back and watch the fur fly.

When Kenneth Marcon loses his nanny to a bite from one of his inherited kids, he knows he needs someone strong to contain five werewolf children. What he finds isn’t a stalwart nanny, but a werewolf manny named Jack. Kenneth and his assistant, Miles, aren’t sure if Jack is what they need, but he’s what they have to work with.

Jack’s got what it takes to keep the kids busy-and attract both Miles’s and Kenneth’s attention. The two old friends have been circling each other for years, but with Jack as the final piece to the puzzle, it’s time to finally act on those urges. When Kenneth is forced to travel instead of solidifying the bond with his new mates, Jack and Miles take desperate measures to get him back, even as they save the kids from one disaster after another. Amidst the chaos, they have to learn how to become not just a pack, but a family.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

This book was far more entertaining than it has any right to be. The world-building is sketchy (we know there are werewolves and shifters of other species), the dramatic conflict is low, we have insta-mates (“I have just met you and I know that we are destined for each other!”) and really not much of any import happens. And yet – the characters are very sweet, the domesticity is comforting, and the ménage à trois is hotter than heck!

Jack is a former soldier of some type now an employee of Nose to Tail, Inc., a company of various types of shifters that you hire to get things done when they must get done. This isn’t his first “manny” (male nanny) job, but it may be his most complicated, dealing with a teenager, two tweens, and two toddlers/cubs. The father, Kenneth, is a multimillion-dollar business mogul trying to find time for his family and his business. Miles, Kenneth’s second-in-command, has been devoted to Kenneth all his life with no hint of romance and is swept up into the threesome with a gratified astonishment that is simply adorable.

Almost the entire book takes place at the family’s isolated Colorado home. Scenes typically devolve into a frenzied display of Jack juggling the kids’ needs and working with the multitudinous house staff to make the whole thing run. To be honest, the way it was written appealed to the logistics geek in me, which is probably another reason I enjoyed this book so much! The scenes in bed are well-written and aside from being damned sexy also make me smile to see three men so genuinely happy together.

Talbot’s writing flows well, and while the books pacing got a little slow at times, it was still a fun read. The fact that these characters are shifters is more incidental to the story than anything, but it does add some interesting touches. I would hope that future installments in the Nose to Tail, Inc. series up the dramatic tension a bit, but I suspect I will happily read them even if they don’t.

(I made it through the entire review without commenting on the book’s title. Just…yeah. It’s an awful pun and let’s leave it at that!)

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Book Review: Bayou des Enfants (Rougaroux Social Club #4), by Lynn Lorenz

It’s been nearly a year since Scott and Ted set up house together in St. Jerome. Life is good. Ted is trying to get his PI business off the ground with the occasional job and still painting for the gallery. Scott is alpha of the pack and sheriff of St. Jerome.

But Scott’s mother, Darlene Dupree, is not content. She wants grandkids and she wants them now. Taking matters into her own hands, Maman, as Scott and Ted call her, works her magic in the middle of the night next to the bayou.

Before Scott and Ted know it, they’re saddled with two boys. Which wouldn’t be so bad, if someone in the pack would take them in. But no one steps forward to claim them and Scott and Ted are left with a terrible choice, take in the kids themselves or give them up to CPS, where the boys can’t hide what they are – werewolves.

It’s the wrong time and the wrong kids. But the first rule of the pack is to protect the pack and there is no other choice to make.

Bayou des Enfants (Rougaroux Social Club #4), by Lynn Lorenz

Rating: 5 out of 5!

I’ll start off this review with a guilty admission: Whenever I see a review of a book other than #1 in a series I haven’t read I immediately skip past it. Hopefully others won’t do so with this because it’s really quite good. While you might understand a bit more about the characters and the setting if you start with Book 1 (Bayou Dreams, which I gave a 4 out of 5 review here), I think this book would also stand alone. This is the continuing story of small-town Louisiana sheriff Scott Dupree and his partner, former New Orleans cop/private investigator Ted Canedo. I fell in love with these characters in Bayou Dreams and it’s wonderful to spend more time with them.

To date I have generally taken a pass on books with couples raising kids. It’s not that I have anything against kids or the topic itself, it just didn’t seem like something that would interest me. Since I’ve enjoyed the Rougaroux Social Club series to date I figured I would give it a shot. I’m glad I did! This is a very sweet story.

Scott and Ted are in a quandary. Scott wants kids but isn’t always that great at dealing with them. Ted doesn’t feel he’s ready for kids but handles them quite well. They take in Timothy (age 6) and Charles (age 10) on a temporary basis after their mother and abusive father are killed in a car accident. The difficulties they have adjusting and slowly becoming a family are incredibly endearing.

Their efforts at becoming a family are threatened by a homophobic community, though. I wish I could say that this aspect of the story is overblown, but I grew up in the American South and I know that even to this day such attitudes exist. It’s hard to read sometimes, but I think it is important to acknowledge that this homophobia exists and can be damaging in unexpected ways.

There is a nice little subplot to this book as well, where Ted and Scott struggle with their relationship and issues of dominance, masculinity, and gender roles both in their daily routine and sexually. This leads to some extremely hot times in the bedroom that I definitely appreciated!

This was a sweet, enjoyable book that I’m glad I took the time to read. I do hope we don’t have to wait another two years for the next book in the series!

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fozmeadows: thehoosh: kh2rac: sodomymcscurvylegs: iam-miracul…

fozmeadows:

thehoosh:

kh2rac:

sodomymcscurvylegs:

iam-miraculous:

lily-peet:

PREACH!

Give this a 100,000 notes please. This needs to be all over the internet.

THIS! Conservatives want to pretend that academia is made up of liberal elites instead of admitting that education and factual knowledge fly directly in the face of their ignorant, ridiculous views.

I’m surprised it took this long for someone to say this tbh

every tweet made my heart grow bigger

MIC DROP

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Book Review: Secrets & Truths, by Kimberly Hunter

Secrets & Truths, by Kimberly Hunter


For untold centuries, the history of the Regem Lupus, the Wolf King, and his Regem Conjugem, the Royal Consort, have been hidden. Many times they have surfaced, putting the Pack back in order. Only to have it all fall apart again after their deaths.

Until now.

This is the personal account of Caleb Lamont and Jett Valen. Told in their own words, follow along with them and discover how an ordinary human and a powerful Alpha Prime learn of their birthright, their heritage, and most importantly, their destiny.

So in the immortal words of Caleb Lamont, “Buckle up, bitches! It’s going to be a wild ride!”

Rating: 2.25 out of 5

This book started out so well. I have always been a complete sucker for the whole ordinary-guy-destined-for-greatness storyline, so I loved the premise here. Caleb, a soldier in a shifter defense force, is nearly killed but saved by a bite from a werewolf compatriot, making him a werewolf as well, and a very powerful one at that.  Woohoo, right in my wheelhouse!

But then you have the standard werewolf insta-mate trope (“I have just met you and I love you!” Wait, does this mean Dug was a werewolf? Never mind.) I’m willing to put up with this if it is written well. The problem is that we don’t get a lot of glimpses into the personalities of the two main characters, Caleb and Jett, so the whole thing falls kind of flat for me.

There is really very little action here. There is a lot of discussion about the history of the Regem Lupus (I agree with the earlier comment that it should more properly be Rex Luporum, “King of wolves”) and the politics of the human and shifter worlds. OK, so we spend 75% of the book talking and talking and talking and then things go completely off the rails.

I really can’t get around the ethics of what is proposed in this story. It is definitely au courant in dealing with income inequality and poverty and need across the world. The solution that is proposed, though, is for all intents and purposes mass murder. This is NOT OK. What can I say? I like my good guys to at least try to be good. This is pretty much amoral trigger-happy BS.

Regarding the writing, the story is told from first-person POV, but it jumps between Caleb and Jett. I frequently couldn’t tell through which character’s eyes we were seeing and it made the story confusing as heck.Finally, a bit more proofreading would be helpful. There were also a good number of places where incorrect words were used, like “diffusing a situation”.

I’m afraid I really can’t recommend this one, unfortunately.

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