Awesome CTLSO back and neck brace up for grabs on eBay

I propose a new semi-regular sort of post...Fantastic eBay finds.

While it's highly unlikely that you'll be able to buy a lot of cast themed things on this global marketplace table (however you can usually buy the items required for casting such as fiberglass, cast padding and cast stockinette - as well as items like crutches and cast shoes), there are regularly fantastic medical bracing items available. (And I know that a lot of my fellow casters, also appreciate and enjoy neck and orthopedic braces, just like I do.)

Unless otherwise stated, I don't personally know any of the people who are posting their items on eBay, the selections ("highlights" if you will) that I'll put up here will be ones which caught my interest and that I hope some of you might find equally interesting.

This week while cruising through good 'Bay, I came across this stunning CTLSO Back Brace with shoulder stir-ups. Wow! The price - as to be expected - has already risen to nearly $200 US, but my stars, is it the sort of brace that makes me weak in the knees at the thought of wearing it. It's a tad too rich for my blood though this week, and so I'm not bidding, but I sure wish that I was. The bidding on this item will end on 29-Jan-07 01:02:48 EST, and the seller (who has perfect eBay feedback) says that they will ship worldwide.

It (the brace) appears to be in very good condition. It combines a solid white plastic (clam) shell torso/back brace with an attached hard collar neck brace/cervical collar (somewhat like a Philadelphia style neck brace, but larger and more sturdy looking - complete with an attached headrest!). Even if you haven't the slightest intention of buying it, this brace is so superb that I suggest you take a few moments just to gawk over it. Perhaps I'm so drawn to this lovely body brace because, in a way, its sheer size and color reminds me a bit of a white cast. Plus, I've long adored neck/halo braces which head braces attached to them, so this back large brace just screams out to my tastes all the more.

If anybody who reads this blog ends up ordering it, please let me know what a treasure it proves to be!

CTLSO Back Brace

A warm welcome to 2007

Aaaaahhhh, the New Year! I can hardly believe that it was mid November when I last posted here. My apologies to all of my loyal, wonderful readers....I've been so busy with work and other activities that I really haven't the time needed to write blog posts, and so this is one of those "sorry I've not posted for a while posts".

2007, that's amazing, isn't it! Who doesn't remember 1997 or 1987, like it was just yesterday. If memory serves me right, 1997 was the first year that I ever became aware of an online casting community, and thusly discovered that I wasn't the only soul with a burning desire to have their limbs swaddled in plaster (or fiberglass) and to watch others wearing casts.

Here's to the all of the potential that this coming year holds. Be it casting or any other aspect of your life, from the bottom of my cast loving heart, I truly wish each and everyone of you a joyous, healthy and prosperous New Year! May you be blessed with new muses and inspiration!

Teddy needs a hug

I'll plainly admit it, I do have a perpetual soft spot for adorable things, and this body casted little teddy bear is one of the cutest things that I've chanced upon in ages.

Beyond it's "awww" factor, this bear reminds me of many, many, many days (who am I kidding, it's more like countless hours) that I spent playing "hospital" as a child, When I couldn't lasso a friend or relative into being the person that I wrapped in casts (aka, tension bandages, white fabric, gauze, white bed linens, etc) - or in conjunction with them - I would lovingly swaddle my dolls, stuffed animals and Barbies in all manner of casts (most often full body casts, but I had a penchant for LLCs too - especially on Barbie's mile long gams).

There was so much simple, beautiful innocence about those days. At five or six years old you don't have to contend with all of the sexual thoughts that later come into play (for nearly all casters). I was the doctor or nurse (complete with costumes and a play doctor's kit) and these toys were merely my wounded patients who required a huge dose of TLC.

It was fun, it was special, and when I look back upon those carefree casting days, I am thankful for each and every one of them. For they helped to shape me into the casting enthusiast, and quite frankly the woman, that I am today.

(Teddy bear shot from Phi on Flickr)

That about wraps it up

(Thanks to Strange Hobbies for this great picture of a man in a mummy cast!)

Am I jumping the gun a little here? :-) I mean seeing as how Halloween is soon approaching, I thought it only appropriate if we took a look at a unique type of cast, which some people adore endlessly and others wouldn't be caught dead in...(I know, don't quit my day job).

I don't feel the need to tell you what a true (Egyptian) mummy is, surely you all learned about them, just as I did, in elementary school. Instead let's delve into the realm of recreational mummy casting (no, this does not mean that you cast up your dear, sweet mother). Mummy casting means that you are put into - or alternatively you put someone else into - cast which is designed to mimic the look of a real, millenniums old mummy.

There are largely two routes that one can take to create this look; first off you can take the bandage road and wrap yourself in several rolls of white bandages (the type of bandages is really up to you, some people like heavy gauze others prefer heavier types like white colored tension bandages), thereby achieving something that might look quite entirely like a Halloween costume (not of course, that there is anything in the least wrong with that!). The second, and more labor intensive route is to have yourself cast (you'll need at least one willing helper here, if you're to cover your entire body) in either a plaster or fiberglass cast so that your limbs are "pinned" to your body (instead of being casted individually, such as in a full body cast) and you look as though you were just dug up during an archaeological expedition.

In reality, the mummies of ancient Egypt (or other societies who also practiced this "art form" for that matter) were not encased in fiberglass or plaster, instead (usually) linen bandages were swaddled around their bodies, after the removal of the corpses' internal organs, in order to preserve them for the afterlife (I realize that I've just simplified what is a very difficult and skilled task to an almost pre-school like level, my apologizes there). Today however - at least in terms of recreational casting - the idea is certainly not to gussy up a dead body for the great beyond, but instead to create a desired look and experience for the caster.

Mummification using casting materials, or any other stiff/hard/tight/restrictive material such as latex, rubber, leather, Saran (plastic) warp, vet wrap, duct tape, or pvc, is something that does not appeal to everyone. It has more than a slight overtone of bondage to it, because you (or the person in the mummy cast) is left essentially at the mercy of all who know about their current role. A person in a mummy cast is very similar to one in a full body cast, where in all four limbs, the torso and possibly the neck/head/face are entirely encased in one large, continuous cast. On the other hand, a fair number of people like mummification because it allows them to become a bondage victim.

Sometimes, though certainly not always, you'll come across images where a person is wrapped up (usually in some sort of bandage or vet wrap type material) much like a mummy, but in addition to that, some or all of their limbs, will have been tucked/pressed/contorted in order to create the look of an amputated limb. One common fact in the majority of mummy casts and bondage costumes that I've seen is that it's highly important to cover the person's mouth. This creates a look which is a bit like a ninja's face mask, but moreover it looks a lot like the way that ancient mummies' faces were wrapped up. I like this aspect a lot because I'm a bog fan of face, head and neck casts. There are even some mummification instances (again, usually with bandages not casts) where the wearer's entire face is coved so that no skin (or almost no skin, they still have to breath safely somehow) is showing, thusly they are wrapped from the bottom of their feet to the very top of their head (a breathing tube can be used in if the entire face is wrapped in order to ensure that the casted person can still get enough oxygen). Nice, really, really nice!

Though I do admittedly prefer "traditional" full body casts, as a lover of large casts I can instantly see the appealing and alluring aspects that a mummy cast offers. It's restrains, large, cumbersome, and sensual (the feeling of being "trapped" or "helpless" creates sensory deprivation for the wearer, plus getting to feel the bandages or casting material over your whole body at one time is thrilling and for most people who are into casting, highly erotic).

If the idea of wearing a non-cast (in other words not using plaster or fiberglass for your mummy outfit) appeals to you (and or/your partner[s]), than I highly recommend that you read this instructional article from the (med fetish lovers!) site, Medicaltoys.com.

For casters who want to embark on the pleasurable experience of wearing a mummy cast, you will need to get a hold of enough to casting material to cover your entire body (or as much of it as you want casted), this naturally varies depending on your overall body size and height. Usually it requires a little less casting material than a full body cast because the limbs are not individually wrapped, but instead the casted person is locked in place with a cast that hold all of their limbs against their body. Another thing to determine is the duration that you wish to wear your mummy cast for. If it's a few hours you might be able to get by with out a potty break, but if you're seriously considering the idea of an over-night - or longer - stint in a mummy cast than you are certainly going to require a helper, and means by which to relieve yourself (catheter, bed pan, etc). If your face is covered as well, you'll also begin to become hungry that longer that you go without food. For these two reason (and certainly others), mummification is usually a relatively short lived experience, because it renders you so totally immobilized and helpless to the world.

A mummy cast offers the rec caster a fascinating challenge and a very unique experience. Where as most of the non-casting public couldn't tell you what "LLC" or "SAC" stood for, they would instantly know what you meant if you said "mummy bandages", because over the years Hollywood and TV have continually used mummies in all manner of films, and therefore they've become a commonplace object of mystery and intrigue. Another interesting facet of this style of cast, is that it is something which has virtually no usage in terms of actually being used by doctors as a means of treating an injury. In other words it's a variety of cast which exists almost entirely amongst recreational casters and bondage fans.

You're the only person who knows if wearing a mummy cast is right for you. If you're not certain you want to be that heavily casted, consider being mummified in one of the other materials such as duct tape or vet wrap, which make for a restorative adventure even without the use of plaster! No matter what, remember that the whole point of recreational casting is to explore those areas of cast-play that most appeal to you, and if this means mummification that by all means explore that avenue. After all, mummification might just be the very source of modern day casting itself.

Photobucket killed my account - why?

Hmmmm, technology, can't live with it, can't live without it! Today is one of those days when it get under your skin just a tad. I was greeted this morning by an email from the website Photobucket.com which simply said this, "Unfortunately your account has been banned because it violated our terms of service. These terms apply to both free and premium accounts. Admin".

Well that was right out of left field. It was the first time I've ever heard from them, and I sure as heck would have liked either a warning to remove whatever they deemed unfit or at least a reason as to why my account was deleted. I've contacted them, but I'm doubtful that I'll get an explanation. To be frank, the only things that I had on that particular account were mountains of casting pictures, all of which showed only adults (mostly women) in casting scenarios. Best I can figure, perhaps some of the more R-rated ones just didn't sit right with them (and to think that I honestly thought I was keeping it fairly clean!). I'm not a happy camper about this because it means that I loose hundreds of casting pictures that I've collected from all over the web - pics that in some cases I did not have stored elsewhere.

But what can one do? I suppose this is a harsh lesson learned about online photo sites. In the future I will have to stick with either the most complacent of casting images, or have keep my files someplace a whole lot more secure. I want to apologize because I know that now some of the pics (such as in the body cast article) on this blog are gone now as a result of my account being deleted. If I find them again, I'll re-post them in their respective original places.

For now, I guess all I can do is see if they'll send me a reason and start looking for a place that's as hard as dried fiberglass to get through were I can keep my photo collections. I'm very up for suggestions if you guys have any.

Does Steve Jobs like casts?

Okay, forgive the title, I couldn't resist :-) This new Mac vs PC add is so awesome that I can't help but wonder who in the marketing department is a rec caster (or at least hope that such was the case).

In their on-going attempt to both humorously - and ever so slightly passive aggressively - try to top one another (in what reminds me of a Spy vs Spy cartoon for some reason) we see that in this clip PC has at last come to suffer real physical pain as a result of being an easily "crash-able" system.

While most people can grimace in total sympathy towards PC at the idea of having your computer crash and burn, few amongst us feels anything but delight as we see John Hodgman (the PC character) sitting in a wheelchair decked out in a left arm SAC, left leg LLC (though it doesn't appear to go much beyond his knee) and right arm LAC - all of which have the general appearance of being made from white plaster.

Irregardless of what computer you turn on each night, at least one thing in this add is clear for cast lovers everywhere, Mac is certainly the runner up here!

The best Mr. Bean episode ever!

I remember the way my eyes sort of bulged out of my head with delight the very first time that I saw this video. Granted it's now many years later, and while lovingly embedded in popular culture, new episodes of Mr. Bean are no longer in production. It was hard to watch Rowan Atkinson performing as the sometimes scheming, eccentric, comical, confused, blundering, cheeky Mr. Bean and not laugh. The comedy was a throw back to times when less was more, and the emphasis was more on what was not being said (quite in keeping with the spirit of Charlie Chaplin). Yet amongst the mere 14 episodes in total of this humorous UK comedy that were made, no other episode could ever hold a candle up against this one: Mr. Bean in the hospital.

The plot begins with Mr. Bean lining up in the local emergency room as he's somehow managed to lodge his hand inside of a tea kettle. Impatient to see the doctor, Bean then begins to scheme his way to a better place on the waiting list by tampering with other peoples' tickets. What sets this episode apart however is that shortly into the sketch when Bean goes to take a seat in the waiting room he plonks himself down next to a very heavily casted woman!

We're not talking the sort of casts that you see every day on TV (heck or even once a year for that matter!) - a mere short arm cast, single long leg cast or pair of crutches. Oh no, here Mr. Bean's waiting companion is fully decked out in several casts and a neck brace.

In fact if we take a close look at this patient (her character's name is never revealed) she is wearing at least 5 (plaster looking) casts, seated in a wheelchair (with leg rests) and dawning a hard neck brace - which by the looks of it may be a Philadelphia collar. While she is not in a full body cast, protruding from her rather conservative clothing (this is early 1990's England after all :-)) we see that she is wearing the following casts, all of which are white coloured.

Her left arm is encased in a short arm cast and held closely to her chest with a somewhat simple cream hued sling; her right arm has a long arm cast that leads down to her thumb (and possibly her ring and pinkie fingers) being casted as well; her left leg is in a long leg casts and is supported in a flat, straight position on a black leg rest; her right leg is in a short leg cast which seems as though it hits around the knee, it's resting in a sitting position; lastly (and this really is the highlight of her casting combo for me) the injured woman's entire head and jaw are casted - all the we can see of her face is a small gap rectangular gap that has been left un-casted for her eyes and nose. This face and head cast leads straight into her neck brace.

Through out the skit she moves the un-casted fingers on her right hand, laughs, tries to speak (which is inaudible due to the cast over mouth) and is eventually wheeled from the room by a chipper looking pretty brunette nurse in a light blue gown and black nylons. Through out about five and a half minutes of this Mr. Bean clip we get to see a lot of that time being dedicated to shots that include the heavily casted female patient. Much, much shorter shots also show brief clips of three different men with arm casts and one man dressed in green on a pair of crutches with either a bandaged or casted foot.

I would really like to know if the woman's casts are real, or if they are simply well constructed fake casts. If they are not real, my guess would be that the costume crew used white crepe bandages over top of some form of white padding. Whether real or not, the casts look for all intensive purposes to be both well constructed and rather believable. Certainly, they make for a very convincing group of casts that many recreational casts would practically swing the English Channel to wear.

I love that after numerous years without seeing it, I was able to find this episode again and relive the sheer pleasure of watching a heavily casted woman (essentially publicing) in a wheelchair, sitting patiently as she waits to see a doctor. While I know it's almost impossible, there's always been this part of me that views this clip and thinks two things. One, did somebody on the Mr. Bean crew has a (secret) casting fetish and two, could you imagine if this woman really was wearing these casts for medical reasons and was hired to be an character in this show simply because of her beautiful casts. Unlikely, I know, but than again, so is the idea that a British comedy would feature such a heavily casted patient...