In the Dungeon

She was rotting away. She could feel it.

Erasmus had left her there to rot. After everything.

She was following what she believed to be best. He was the one who had taught her to do that.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Her eyes were closed but she knew, she knew that he was in her cell. Watching her. Waiting for something. Something that wouldn’t come. He wanted an explanation, but she didn’t have one.

She couldn’t explain to him that there was some deep tether in her gut that his plan would go wrong. He was too proud for her to say anything like that. She couldn’t explain to him that she threw away what he saw as his future on a “gut instinct.”

So he continued to stare and she continued pretending to sleep.

She could hear him shift, she could hear him breathing. It was making her nervous. She wanted to tell him but she couldn’t.

She just couldn’t.

The Power (Rangers) of Representation

Over the weekend, my friend dragged me to a Ventura movie theater to watch the Power Rangers. Yes, Power Rangers. I remember walking into the movie theater wishing I could go get my nails done instead. I sat down and prepared myself to fall asleep.

Right when my eyes started to flutter, Billy Cranston, the soon-to-be blue ranger, admitted he had autism. Not in an embarrassed or comical way, just simply put. Jason Lee Scott, the red ranger, responded with sarcasm, which Billy said he didn’t understand.

While this scene may seem insignificant and random to most, it is just the kind of positive, informative representation that people with autism need. Billy’s autism isn’t made to be the punchline, the means of a joke. Billy is a valuable member of the team, just as strong as the others. He was even the first to morph, something the entire team struggled with.

billy Cranston
Photo Credit: comingsoon.net

This moment is joining the many moments in media embracing autism. Sesame Street is introducing its first character with autism, Julia. She’s afraid to shake Big Bird’s hand when she first meets him, prompting Big Bird to get upset. However, Elmo explains to Big Bird that it is harder for her to come in contact with others. By the end of the episode, she is playing tag with the group and is jumping with excitement.

These moments are so momentous because they’re bringing awareness to a larger audience. They’re informing the public through interesting storylines and complex character developments. They’re also bringing much-needed representation. Now, little girls and boys with autism will believe that they can be superheroes. Preschoolers will learn about their best friend’s disorder, and these successes will pave the way for new stories to be made.

World’s First Head Transplant Surgery

Photo Credit: CBS

It has been announced that the world’s first head transplant surgery is scheduled for December of this year, a surgery that could be a turning point for modern medicine and people alike. The surgery is set to be preformed on Valery Spiridonov, who has Werdnig-Hoffmann disease which leaves him unable to stand or walk.

The surgery, that is estimated to be at least $10 million, will last for approximately 36 hours. The condensed plan of the surgery from A Person Who is Not Very Scientific is that the doctors, Sergio Canavero and Xiaoping Ren, will cool Spiridonov’s body to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and cut off the heads of Spiridonov and the donor at the exact same time. Then the doctors will somehow connect the spinal cord and nerves from Spiridonov’s head to the donor body.

Many transplants like this have been done with animals, but most have failed and many are skeptical of the upcoming risky procedure.