Great News! Health Update

Hello, this is Runsamok posting an update on Viridian’s recovery:

Matthew Schocke was able to walk 10 feet today away from his hospital bed and then back again! He has been working really hard with physical therapy. This is the first time he has walked in three years (since May 2015) and he has been working so hard! I am so proud of him.

NOFP and Team 8 are both in progress and are not abandoned or dead. You may see progress on either one depending on how he feels when he is able to write.

40 thoughts on “Great News! Health Update”

  1. First time reader of this blog. I found NoFP a year or two ago and when through the entirety of it in a month (I reread it within that time too). I always thought that the stories were long since abandoned and that the author moved on to more important things in their life. (Maybe they were a college student who graduated and started focusing on their degree?) But I sincerely hope that Viridian recovers quickly and well regardless of whether or not the story continues.
    Just know that you have a faceless army of strangers who support you and your recovery. We’d all love to read your words again, but we hope you recover and share only if you’ve kept the passion and drive to do so. I know my words probably don’t mean so much, as I know you so little, but I hope you find some comfort in the well-wishes of a stranger.

    -Guy

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  2. I’m glad to hear Matthew is doing better, and progressing nicely. I hope that the continuing recovery goes smoothly going forward as well.

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  3. I really hope you continue writing NOFP once recovered. i enjoy the story thoroughly and its the only fan fic I’ve ever read and been interested in. Wishes of speedy recovery.

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  4. You know, I was aware that the Authorlord had been unwell enough to only be able to write for short periods, but for some reason it hadn’t occurred to me that he’d be completely unable to walk.

    Hang in there and get well! I’m not sure whether to praise your dedication, or shake my head at focusing on writing stories for us when you can’t even walk – but I do really enjoy NoFP 🙂

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  5. I’m glad you’re improving so much. I just finished reading what’s been published of Team 8 and came over to this blog to check for updates. It sucks you had to deal with these issues at all, but it’s good to hear you’re working through them and seeing improvements. I just started regaining my ability to walk earlier this year after 3-4 years in a wheelchair, so I get how intensive it can be to try and get that functionality back, and how much it can consume your mind, making it hard to sit and work on something. It becomes a bit of a priority in your mind and tends to take a spot at the forefront of your thoughts. It did for me, at least

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  6. I just recently found team 8, and since it had been a few years since it last updated, I thought it was dead. But the story was so well written that I went to the author to try and see if they had anything else I was interested in. Lo and behold, I found this blog and was so happy to learn that team 8 wasn’t dead. I’m so happy that the author has been recovering well. It’s so inspiring to see all his hard work pay off. I’m look forward to it being updated, but I look forward to seeing the authors recovery so much more. 🙂 I wish him the best of luck and want him to know he has a new person who admires his work and wants him to get better.

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  7. Don’t worry about us faithful readers….The ONLY thing right now that is important is your health and recovery. Get stronger, get healthier! We’ll still be here.

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  8. Glad to hear you’re doing better!

    I found NoFP in 2011. It’s still my favorite fanfic.

    Your health comes first – as long as you finish NoFP in the next 30 years, I will be content. (That’s about how much longer I’ll probably be around myself.) So time between updates doesn’t worry me – knowing you’re still planning on working on it is just great news.

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  9. i dont know so much english (i read with the option of tranlsate de page in fanfiction).
    I started reading the story of team 8 and I was fascinated with the way you developed the events, as well as the way you write, which is quite fluid and easy to follow. When I realized that the story was decontoured for 3 years, i feel very bad. Now that I know about your situation, I am very happy to know that you are recovering well. Health always goes first. I look forward to your next chapters.

    Mucha salud y que te recuperes amig@ 😉
    Atte Samuel
    a fan of your work.
    PD: sorry for my english.

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  10. Yay! : D
    .
    I don’t have nearly as dramatic a health-crisis story, but a month after an illness and major surgery, I was still so drained that walking 10 feet exhausted me so much I had to rest for 5-10 minutes after. I then understood how much I’d taken my ability to simply *walk* for granted. The freedom I felt when I fully recovered was profound.
    .
    I send you well-wishes and the hope that you too will soon regain your full health and mobility.
    .
    Having more of Team 8 would be nice, but even if it never got updated again, it’s still a fave of mine forever. Much like The Girl From Whirlpool, it ends at a place that closes an arc enough (as opposed to on a cliff-hanger) to give enough closure that I won’t die inside.
    .
    Not to discourage you from writing *more* of course. ; ) But no pressure; your health comes first, second, and third.
    .
    Be well! Have a good day / night!
    .
    ~Amanthya

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  11. Congrats! 10 feet is a major major accomplishment! My hopes are that you progress even further! More so that whatever has been ailing you, you continue to fight it to its no longer existance!

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  12. Since I’m 74, I don’t expect I have 30 years left, like DCB, but if I don’t make it till you’re well enough to finish NoDP, and there’s a heaven, I hope to read it there.

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  13. Been involved with Team 8 for 10 years now, seeking your full recovery for your health and all of the fans of your amazing stories.

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  14. Extremely glad your on the mend ! Being an old cinque , I was amazed that NoFP made me cry ( Chamber Scene where they all huge Harry ) & been wondering if it’d be ever updated . Now I know & think it’s fantastic your improving healthwise .

    On a sidenote , are you still wanting Brit-Pick suggestions ? I live in Surrey & have an English degree ( despite mild dyslexia ) & have helped others via FB edit words , terms and phrases that are more likely to be the HP Characters – especially in the 1990’s . Unfortunately I’m now mainly housebound & only internet access I have is via a basic phone . Can not even register on FF.net :’-(
    Oh well …
    Keep us informed & post soonish . LK .

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  15. I am very happy for him, re-learning to walk is not a walk in the park. I know from experience. I wish a steady recovery and keep up the morale 😁

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  16. Oh my God!! I had no idea it was a hospitalization that caused the updates to cease. Now i feel ashamed of myself for grumbling over it ಥ﹏ಥ

    I wish you all the luck recovering. I am looking forward to the day when you are recovered enough that your writer’s itch returns in full force.

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  17. Thank you for the update. I’m very glad to hear that Matthew has been able to take a few steps. Please let him know that I wish him the best. I look forward to his continued recovery.

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  18. Wow. I’ve had your fanfictions percolating in the back of my mind for a few weeks now, I finally had time to check your site to see if you were still writing. I’m so glad that you are recovering slowly but surely, and I hope your progress toward being healthy continues. Best of luck! And thank you for sharing your work with us readers.

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  19. Oh my gosh! I first read NOFP years ago, but didn’t remember it. I found it again, just reread it over the course of a week, and was so sad to see it hadn’t updated in years. I figured it was dead. I am SO sorry for all that’s happened to you, health-wise, and I’m so glad to see that the fic is not dead after all! Speedy recovery, and I look forward to reading more of your fic!

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  20. I just read your story Team 8 for the first time. It’s wonderful writing and I saw your link to this site in your profile. I plan on reading the rest of your work and I look forward to more in the future. I’m so sorry for your illness. I hope recovery is going well and I wish you the best in everything. Thank you for the updates on your health.

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  21. I waited over a year for the first new update after i discovered NoFP. I can wait a little longer if I have to.

    GET WELL, and then bring us more of this amazing content.

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  22. I’m an anonymous fan from the internet – someone your work has touched ^_^

    Take care of yourself and get better!

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  23. I am sooo glad to hear this! Matthew’s health is of way greater priority than the writing, just keep doing what you’re doing and healing! I’ll keep praying for your recovery!

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  24. Delighted to hear of improving health and wish the author all the best. I hope he feels comfortable to only write when he wants to, for the reasons he wants to!

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  25. I am so glad to here this amazing news. Just keep doing what you’re doing and healing!
    This is the first time reading your storys and it’s to my brother and he loves it he’s 14 and in a wheelchair so he will be happy to here you are getting better you also have inspired me to try and write my own story. So get better soon and have a grand day

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  26. Hello, greeting from mexico, I have read your the story of team 8 in less of a week, is wonderfull what you do, I am very happy that your health is becoming better, Keep going! Please don’t prive us from your texts. Get better son
    A mexican that dosen’t write english very well

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  27. Hi Matthew,

    I wanted to chime in and well and let you know how much I enjoy NOFP. I just discovered it a couple of days ago. Might be the best HPFF ever written.

    Keep improving your health, and then someday you’ll be able to get back to writing. After I get caught up with NOFP, I’ll be checking in with Team 8. Looking forward to that tale as well.

    Best wishes from a new fan! Get better, cool dude!

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  28. I’ve been following NoFP since easily for 8 years. I’m glad both that it’s not abandoned, and that you are walking (kind of?) again. Hoping for your continued progress!

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  29. AWESOME! Glad to hear he’s recovering!
    TBH I’ve been debating if there might be a way to help financially, especially if I ever managed to win the lottery lol… Not a lot of $ available right now though…

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  30. Done buddy. Not interested in gettin a chapter every 5 years till you eventually die and leave an unfinished series. Wish i had never stumbled across nofp

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    • Did you even read why it hasn’t been updated? Some things are more important than a story on the internet.

      To the author: Keep after it, man! I’m almost done with PT school and I know the impact that it can have on recovery! Take care of yourself and keep pushing. I’ve been with this story from the beginning and I check up on it once a year or so to see if it’s been updated. Glad to see you’re still writing on it.

    • Everyone here wishing the guy well on his treatment/recovery and generally acting like a decent human being……..until i come to you acting like the human equivalent of a tumour.

      To the author and his friends i am a relatively new reader, i just finished team 8 and are starting with Nightmares and i both loved them or am loving it so far. I hope you get better soon and can continue doing something you so obviously love doing.

      BTW where can i find your original stories? i think i remember reading something about you publishing some shorts but can’t remember their names or where to find them.

  31. @Kyle That seems rather…uncharitable. If you’re upset about the story not being continued, then presumably you think it’s been well written and enjoyable thus far – in which case, gratitude to the author seems appropriate. And as for it not being regularly continued, give the guy a break, he’s literally been bedridden for years!

    I really can’t understand what you thought to achieve by making a comment like that. It’s not the kind of thing that will make the AuthorLord feel a warm glow, but conversely, it makes no sense at all to be trying to make him feel bad. I’m baffled.

    That said, I don’t feel at all the same way; I’m very glad to have discovered NoFP, and I continue to re-read it from time to time, and hope for it to continue. I particularly enjoy Harry’s interaction with the Weasleys, building relationships much stronger than canon. Despite flaws (everything and everyone has flaws), it earns its spot at the top of FF.net.

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