Umm Hi I guess, I'm hoping you people can give me a hand, or at least some advice and information. My doctor, heck all of the doctor's, has been stumped and I'm getting very frustrated.

First some backstory ...

About 3 weeks back I got into a car accident. Nothing too bad, for me anyways, just some scrapes, abrasions, and bruises. It's luckly I was belted in a had a full complement of airbags. The other guy was driving drunk and, as I understand it, wasn't belted in or anything. He swerved into my lane and hit me head on. The doctor's say I'm lucky to be alive let alone to walk away all but unscathed. The other guy, well he's dead, guess karma works sometimes.

Anyways after the accident I started having these terrible headaches, the doctors at first attributed it to some minor trauma from the crash, muscle strain in my neck and the like. After 2 weeks of that crap I went and saw a specialist, they ran an MRI then referred me down to Boston for a follow up at the Boston Utopia clinic, seems my MRI was showing something that might be a node.

Now I'm no rocket scientist but I know that Node = Nova and novas have cool powers or superhuman traits or something. Me? I've got nothing so far. I was down at the clinic until yesterday and the Utopia docs said that I did indeed have a node but is was small (Does size matter?) and that the tests show it is still growing. They claimed that I might be erupting as a "slow burn", they also said it might just be that I haven't discovered my powers yet. Seems that they don't know much.

I asked around and did some searches on the OpNet and I found this place. I'm hoping you folks might be able to give me some more info. Heck if nothing else maybe you can tell me if you've ever heard of this happening before.

Any help would be appreciated, in this one case I'd hate to think that I might be unique...

You've got it all wrong, Robert. On this particular forum everyone is required to be a unique and special snowflake.

Sorry, had to get that out. I kid. Mostly.

Anyway, welcome to the site, and welcome to the node party. I can't believe that the staff at a PU clinic let you out the door without giving you all kinds of reliable information. There's a lot of uninformed and downright dangerous nonsense on the opnet about the care and feeding of a node, and you could get really messed up if you take the wrong advice to heart. I'm not fearmongering, mind you; I'm just concerned.

Take it slow and pay particular attention to your mind, body, and senses. To abuse a cliche, get in touch with yourself so that if anything does change you'll be able to notice the changes. In the meanwhile relax and enjoy the ride.

Oh yeah, and if you get the chance, learn to teleport. It rocks.

Robert, being a nova means that most likely something has happened to you, it may just be very low key in your case and not something that's obvious. I would have expected Project Utopia's paraphysicians to have detected whatever abilities you might have, but the slow burn theory could be true. The most powerful point however is that every nova's physiology is potentially unique and therefore, a doctor can't always find everything because something's manifesting in such a way that they don't recognize it.

Similar to Dr. Madigan's suggestion, think back over everything that's happened to you since the car accident. Make note of anything that was different or that seemed odd. You may have been experiencing and using abilities without being consciously aware of it.

One thing I noticed in your description of the accident is the use of luck. Have you been very lucky in other situations lately? That may be a some clue as to a manifestation.

You may want to go back to the Rashoud Facility after another week or 2 and see if they detect anything else as well.

Thank you both for assuaging my fears. I was really concerned that maybe all I got was a lump in my brain, or worse that I had brain cancer and the folks with the MRIs couldn't figure out that it wasn't going to make me sprout wings.*sigh*

To answer some of your questions/comments:

The folks at PU wanted to run more tests but I'd had enough of that, my head was throbbing and they rufused to give me any nova drugs because they were unsure how I would react to them. After a few days I just walked out. Came back home to Portland. At least here I can be near my family and freinds.

I'm going to take a few more days off and relax, maybe I'll figure out what happened to me. I think I'll pick up some scratch tickets at the grocer today, maybe the luck thing is spot on, we'll see I guess.

If the headaches don't go away I'll make another appointment at the clinic but it wasn;t the best experience in my life and some of what I have read is pretty negative toward PU, so maybe I'll go it alone if I can.

No node? No powers? Then you ain't a nova and you got no business here.

Call us when you pop.

According to the folks at the Utopia clinic in Boston I do have a node. Unless you think they were wrong ... ?

I do.

In fact, I'd like to split your skull open and see it for myself.

Stop by, would ya?

Yeah, I'll get right on that. You enjoy proving how tiny your manhood is by picking on people unequipped to defend themselves?

Any Way ...

If anybody out there wants to NOT be a dick I'd like to know if anybody else has any more information for me.

Thanks

Bob

For a guy who just admitted he's unequiped to defend himself it's prolly be wise to watch who yer callin' a dick.

Now, what kinda help are you lookin for? You're a fuckin nova, get a damn record deal or sell your ass to a mega corp. WTF do you need us for?

Although, to fix the headache problem just sit upside down (I know it sounds wierd, but it works). If you need help on figuring out how sit on a couch in any position but the proper one, call a girl named Mithirl, she's a pro. The Node gets a rush from the extra circulation and it helps to calm it down and regualte your breathing (in through nose, out through mouth).

It'll help, some. Whatever you do, do not take anything they offer you.

Ah, witty repartee and some helpful advice. I appreciate that. I'll try it, if it could help my head I can't see a reason not to try it. Now what am I looking for? Well I'm finding a bunch of conflicting information online so lemme ask a few specific questions:

1) Assuming my powers have not yet developed, is there any way to direct how they do develop?

2) If my abilities are set and I just haven't figured them out what's a safe way to figure them out?

3) When will the whole Nova physique kick in? I could stand to lose a few pounds and frankly I wouldn't mind the male pattern baldness backing off.

It wasn't wit. I was serious. Call me a dick again and you'll be in pain. This isn't baseline Op-Net... this a place of people who are chatting online one second while teleporting around the world to deliver a bucket of fried chicken to a fellow nova in that same chat room moments later.

Piss one of us off, and we can find you.

Great to have node now... huh?



Live a normal life. Your powers will make themselves known in time.



If you're a nova, you got it already. Just cuz you popped doesn't mean your hair will grow back, it just means you'll prolly quit losing it.

But I've seen stranger shit. Like inbred bulldykes growing barbwire tendrils...

Welcome to the freak show.

Actually, your question about physique triggered an idea. How are your appetite and sleep patterns? Are you eating what you would consider normal portions and needing 6-10 hours of sleep a day? Or are you eating double or more what used to be normal and needing much less sleep?

If appetite, etc are still completely normal, it's possible that you put yourself into a quiescent state and you're essentially powered down. (Like a car, no matter what potential it may have when it's running, it's a more or less inter when it's not on).

You might want to go someplace outside where you have some privacy and nothing around that you might damage accidentally if you have some wild, uncontrollable ability. While there, try to get out of that quiescent state. I'm not sure how you'd best visualize it, perhaps 'turning the key' on a car or flipping a light switch, or main power circuit.... whatever works for you.

I'm a paraphysician... amazing you were right in Boston and Project Utopia didn't mention me. So if you'd rather have someone there as a precaution, let me know and I can try to get there. I'm not sure what my schedule over the next few days is looking like though, so... let me know with some lead time if possible.

In answer to your other questions:

1. Training, just like for everyone else.
2. Practice, practice, practice. But preferably as I mentioned above, someplace open and relatively safe.
3. Some of that would be guided by your own desires, perhaps even ones you don't know you have.

Prolly cuz yer a quack.

Moving on ...

Lou Anne, I may take you up on that offer. Meantime I need to go car shopping.

You may also want to try various self-tests of physical and mental ability. There are some Novas who rather then developing outward-projecting quantum abilities, internalize their power.

Increased intelligence, manual dexterity, strength, memory...things of this nature.

We are all different, so it may take you some time to discover your true potential. I wish you luck.

Welcome to the board.

This was actually my post, had some signal distortion or somesuch...

Fixed that for you.

Hi all!

Well I think I know at least how I avoided serious injury in the accident now.

Hmm ... let me back up.

A friend of mine was moving into his new house this weekend. Since, other than the headaches, I feel fine I decided to help him move. He's got some old heirloom bedroom furniture, rock maple, heavy as hell and built like a battleship. We were trying to get the dresser up to the second floor master suite and his grip slipped. He dropped his end (he was leading up the stairs) and I lost my footing. Next thing I know I'm flat on my back on the first floor landing with a huge dresser on top of me. Well actually it was hovering about a half inch from my chest.

Any way I was fine except some bruises consistent with a tumble down the stairs. I went to NovaPowerz.net ( I know I know it's fanboy site - I needed info in a pinch) From what I read there it sounds like either a protective shield of some sort or maybe Telekinesis. I kinda hope its TK as that would be cool, maybe I an use it to fly! According to that site my powers most closely resemble that of Cestus Pax *shrug* can't all be good news right?

I'm gonna try practicing after work to see if I can move something or not. If that doesn't work I'll have to figure out a safe way to test the shield option.

Headache is still persistent but lesser now, I can manage it easier. I have been eating more than normal lately as well, thanks for the heads up Lou Anne, I guess I'm just a late bloomer

Lucky you. You got to survive a car accident. I got to kill 12 people. Ahhh... the fickle ways of fate and eruption.

Anyway, welcome to novahood. Call me when you want to learn how to fly.

Pitch the guy from building. Teach him self-sufficiency.

Screw all this cheery bullshit, let the guy fend for himself, we have enough issues to deal with right now without having to wipe the n00b's ass.

So you got a node, great, big fuckin' deal you and thousands of other people in the world. Big woop.

Reven, I DO know how to teach people to fly. I really don't need you telling me how to do it.

Throw him from a building? No, I prefer dropping into a volcano. Gets the point across much faster.

Points for creativity. I'll bring the beer.

If you want help ask a doctor, don't jump on a forum known for it's share of angry folks and say "Hey, pretty please, tell me why I'm so gosh darn special."

Man up for fuck's sake.

In an indirect way, he did ask a doctor. Two of them, actually. At least, that's how many M.D.'s I know of who have participated in this thread. There's several more lurking on the forum who may have read his post.

It's all good.

Sheesh sorry I asked

Thanks go out to Lou Anne and Dr Madigan for the help.

I think maybe I should go and experience being a nova more before I come back, maybe then I'll have the right sour attitude for this place.

Don't mind the self-appointed abuse squad, Robert.

Trooper's an Elite, which as near as I've been able to figure out in my 15 node-enabled years, effectively requires a massive increase in machismo, primarily located in the speech centers.

As for Revenant... well, that's just Revenant. Good man to have at your back in a fight, not so wonderful a choice for a meet-and-greet.

It's no biggie, I've been pretty damn irritable myself, having a constant throbbing headache for the better part of a month will do that. Usually I just let this kind of stuff slide off but my patience has been wearing thin. Add to that the fact that it's tourist season up here and I'm about ready to buy a gun and climb into the nearest clocktower or bellfry.

Dude, don't sweat it. Even if you "just" got a Force Field deal, they're getting better all the time on training novas on how to expand their abilities. And you could get a decent job as a bodyguard. Sign on with the mercs; they'll get you the training you need.

(DeVries here. Non-glamor division, but I'm sure I'll move up soon. Even novas have to keep plugging away, right?)

Yeah, it's because I'm an Elite that I have little patience for this kind of bullshit. That's it.