Lit Circle (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) Chapters 18-25: Time Master

Lit Circle (Chapters 18-25): Time Master

Lit Circle (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) Chapters 12-17: Sketch Master

Lit Circle (Chapters 12-17): Sketch Master

Lit Circle (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) Chapters 7-11: Discussion Master

Lit Circle (Chapters 7-11): Discussion Master

1. What actions did Gey take to stop cancer? (page 57)

2. Rather than shipping live cells in the mail, what did Gey do? (page 57)

3. Why were Henrietta's cell so precious? (page 58)

4. How did Carrel set out to prove that it was possible to keep tissue alive outside the body? (page 58)

5. Why was "benevolent deception" a common practice? (page 63)

6. Where were the tumors of her abdomen located? (page 65)

7. Why did George Gey never visit Henrietta in the hospital or said anything to her about her cells? (page 66)

8. To where did the tumors spread in her body? (page 83)

9. Why did people call Hector Henry, Cootie? (page 79)

Types of Connective Tissue

Epithelial Tissue Labeling

The Ovarian Cancer Brochure by Sharon Lei

 what I learned from the ovarian cancer brochure

After reading Sharon Lei’s brochure regarding the ovarian cancer, I learned quite a lot about it. Although there hasn’t been any evidence on why cancer starts in the ovary, we do know that there are factors contributing to it. The factors attributing to a higher chance of getting ovarian cancer includes: family history, age, obesity, pregnancy, and whether or not if you acquire breast cancer. Having ovarian cancer may not cause any obvious symptoms in the early stages but however, as the cancer grows, more symptoms begins to reveal. Bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, indigestion, black pain, constipation, and pain with intercourse are all symptoms of the ovarian cancer. Whenever you feel any of the symptoms above, doctors will recommend a physical and pelvic examination to check for whether if it is due to cancer or to some other causes. Treatments are given depending on the stages of the cancer but generally, there are three main treatments for ovarian cancer. The three treatments to the ovarian cancer include: chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation. Of all the three treatments, surgery is the most successful but however, if there are any reoccurrence of the cancer, chemotherapy is needed. 

Lit Circle (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) Chapters 3-6: Quote Master

Lit Circle (Chapters 3-6): Quote Master

1. “At that point, more than 15,000 women were dying each year from cervical cancer. The Pap smear had the potential to decrease that death rate by 70 percent or more, but there were two things standing in its way…” (page 29)

• I feel that this quote is important because it clarifies how women simply didn’t get the test and even when they did, only a small number of doctors knew how to interpret the results accurately. Some doctors mistook cervical infections for cancer and removed a women’s entire reproductive tract.

2. “The Greys were determined to grow the first immortal human cells: a continuously dividing line of cells all descended from one original sample, cells that would constantly replenish themselves and never die.” (page 30)

• This quote hints to the reader the events that are going to happen later in the story. TeLinde offered Grey a supply of cervical cancer tissue and began collecting samples from any women who happened to walk into Hopkins with cervical cancer, including Henrietta.

3. “On February 5, 1951, after Jones got Henrietta’s biopsy report back from the lab, he called and told her it was malignant. Henrietta didn’t tell anyone what Jones said, and no one asked.” (page 31)

• This quote demonstrates Henrietta’s character by revealing her thoughts and feelings. Henrietta went on with her day as if nothing had happened. She didn’t want to upset anyone over something she thought she could deal with herself.

4. “Then, two days after Henrietta went home from the hospital, Mary saw what looked like little rings of fried egg white around the clots at the bottoms of each tube.” (page 40)

• I feel that this quote is important because it indicates that Grey’s experiment is accurate. In the story, Henrietta’s cells kept growing doubling their numbers every twenty-four hours, stacking hundreds on top of hundreds, accruing by the millions. The cells grew twenty times faster than Henrietta’s normal cells and as long as they had food and warmth, the cancer cells seemed unstoppable.

5. “Then, three weeks after starting x-ray therapy, she began burning inside, and her urine came out feeling like broken glass.” (page 48)

• After beginning her radiation treatments, Henrietta began showing signs of side affects. The skin from Henrietta’s breasts to her pelvis was charred a deep black. But however, the rest of her body was its natural shade. 

Skeletal Disease Letter (Arthritis)

October 20, 2012

Dear Mom,

            How have you been doing? Are you still busy with work? Have you been helping me water my plants? I’m hoping to see my flowers bloom when I come back for a visit, mom. I have been keeping up with the weather forecast in Indiana and it seems to be quite chilly. Well here in California, it has been really hot lately and on certain days, triple digits temperature arose. Well, always remember to take a good care of yourself when I’m not around you. Keep yourself warm and wear plenty of clothes. Nonetheless, I’m here today notifying you about a bad condition concerning my health.

I want to inform you about what has been happening to me lately. I’m really worried about my current leg condition and I don’t know whether it’s if I have inherited arthritis from dad or if it’s from my injury in soccer. Recently, my left foot has been swelling up to my ankle. Not only that, but I also feel pain on my left leg all the way to my knee. The swelling and pain started four months ago but has gotten worse. The pain feels as if a needle is jabbing my leg and the swell has troubled my sleep and appetite. The only way for me to relief the pain is to rest and pat my leg. Whenever I sit, I always have the need to rest my leg slightly high. Combining the symptoms altogether, I have a really high chance of receiving arthritis.

            Last Saturday, I went to see a specialist and took a physical examination. In my physical examination report, it was said that my left foot is slightly swollen and can only do limited movements compared to the right foot. The specialist gave me painkillers to reduce the swelling, but it only worked temporarily. So then, I went to see a rheumatologist where I took a blood, urine, joint fluid, and x-ray test. After coming back for several visits, my rheumatologist told me to treat the type of arthritis I have by doing physical therapy and drinking pain medication depending on my discomfort level. The doctor was very helpful and assured me on the understanding of the treatment and how the condition might affect me. Following the next few months, my feet hasn’t been as swollen and the pain got better. Walking up the stairs isn’t as painful for me anymore. Well, that’s about it, I hope you’re not as worried as I was.

Sincerely,

Hong 

Research on CPR

CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

CPR, also known as Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a technique performed on a person who isn’t circulating blood or is no longer breathing. A person can suffer brain damage or even death without oxygen. The purpose of performing CPR is to deliver a flow of oxygenated blood to the brain. However, this technique is only a temporarily procedure to keep blood flowing to the brain.

CPR may perhaps be necessary in many different emergencies and using the appropriate method will give someone a possibility of survival. Nonetheless, it should only be performed only when a person isn't breathing or circulating blood. Once you have determined whether or not a person needs assistance, evaluate the person’s responses and be aware of things such as eye opening, sounds from the mouth, chest movement, or other signs of life such as movement of the arms and legs. In infants, rubbing the chest over the breastbone can help to determine any aspect of responsiveness. Always remember to call for emergency assistance whenever CPR is needed.

The three components of CPR are: compressions, airway, and breathing. The main part in performing CPR is chest compressions, which helps to restore the flow of blood to the heart, brain, and other organs, by pressing down firmly and quickly on the center of a person’s chest. After completing the procedure of thirty chest compressions, validate whether if the person’s airway is open and supply air to the person’s lungs by using the method of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Repeating the process of thirty chest compressions followed by two breaths rapidly can sometimes rescue a person's life. When performing rescue breathing to a victim, always check for signs of life.  

Lit Circle (Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks) Chapters 1-2: Word Master

Lit Circle (Chapters 1-2): Word Master

1. Penicillin (page 14)
a group of antibiotics derived from Pencillium fungi
2. Syphilis (page 15)
a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum
3. Asylum (page 15)
an institution for the maintenance and care of the mentally ill, orphans, or other persons requiring specialized assistance
4. Litany (page 16)
a form of prayer used in services and processions, and consisting of a number of petitions
5. Palpated (page 17)
to examine by touch, especially for the purpose of diagnosing disease or illness
6. Nicotine (page 19)
a colorless, oily, water-soluble, high-toxic, liquid alkaloid, found in tobacco and valued as insecticide
7. Booze (page 21)
any alcoholic beverage
8. Idyllic (page 24)
pleasing or picturesque in natural simplicity
9. Cinder Block (page 25)
a concrete building block made with a cinder aggregate 
10. Shanties (page 25)
a crudely build hut, cabin, or house 

The two words that I find the most important are penicillin and syphilis. Of all the words on the list, those two words taught me the most in terms of medical terms. 

cell and/or tissue poetry

cell

microscopic, vital

reproducing, protecting, transmitting

nucleus, cytoplasm, epithelial, connective

covering, supporting, controlling

adipose, connective

tissue

Anatomy and Physiology

September 5, 2012

things that I've learned and things that I'm still confused about

Through the past weeks of being in Physiology, I've learned quite a lot of things. Being placed in this class taught me the eleven body's organ systems including the structural components and functions of them. There are plenty of visible landmarks on the surface of our bodies. Another knowledge that I've gained from this class is knowing the proper anatomical names of the anterior and posterior body landmarks. Now that I've learned the proper names, I can then refer to the different regions of the body by saying the name rather than just saying something like the armpit. One thing that I'm still confused about is the directional terms, more specifically, terms such as: superior, inferior, and superficial. Although, I do know the meaning of each and every one of them, I wouldn't know how to show it if someone was to ask me to.