SENS: The New Model for Immortality

Dr. Aubrey de Grey is considered both insane
and a genius in the scientific community.

Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence, (SENS) is Dr. David de Grey's forward thinking theory of the aging process. Dr. de Grey is a biogerontologist studying the biological effects of aging on life forms. SENS is Bioengineering at the cellular level involving stem cells and gene therapy to explain how the body cannot just live longer but stay young. His aggressive theories on aging are shaking up the scientific community. He thinks aging research is moving far too slowly.

The Revolutionary Cambridge Meeting

In 2005, Dr. de Grey invited leading scientists from all over the world to Cambridge University discusses his revolutionary ideas on biology and aging. His goal was to bring together researchers of very different fields who normally don't talk to each other because they are work is so specialized. Molecular biologist, geneticists, stem cell cloning and gene therapy experts and bioengineers all came together in one forum to discuss bringing the SENS model into reality.

The Seven Point Plan

SENS involves systematically replacing defective or worn out parts of the body of the genetic and cellular level. The program hinges around a seven-point plan.

(1) Cell atrophy: cells that die off and are not naturally replaced such as those in the brain and the heart can be replaced manually to continue the function in maintaining the tissues of the heart and brain. Eliminating cell atrophy is the basis of stem cell research.

(2) Proliferation of unwanted cells: this refers to the fat cells that replace muscle and lead to diabetes. SENS suggest genetic modification of these types of cells could trigger them to attack themselves rather than the muscle tissue. Research in this field of genetics is controversial in its own right.

(3) Protein cross-links: formation of links between certain proteins that are the resulting loss of elasticity in tissues like artery walls that causes high blood pressure. Researchers are developing drugs that react with these links and break them.

(4) Accumulation of waste byproducts outside the cells: cellular garbage that that builds up outside the cells such as annelids in the brain that causes Alzheimer's.

(5) Accumulation of waste byproducts inside the cells: causes problems like hardening of the arteries and heart disease. Researchers are looking at designing genes and enzymes they can digest theseintra-cellular waste products.

(6) Mitochondrial mutations: aging damages the mitochondria that produces energy for the sales activities. Geneticists are looking at ways to adjust the mitochondrial DNA to fortify it from such mutations that occur during the aging process.

(7) Chromosomal mutations: runaway cell division such as cancer in theory can also be eradicated by making adjustments in the chromosomal DNA to fortify it from mutations.

The Issue of Ethics

Each of the seven points of the SENS program is not just highly controversial. Most of them are illegal in most of the countries of the world.

During the latter part of World War II, all the great physicists and engineers were brought together for one historical meeting to discuss the possibility of the atomic bomb. They pondered their moral responsibility and the implications the creation of such a destructive device would have on mankind. And they chose to create the device. Ironically, all the great thinkers came together at Cambridge University to discuss the possibility of vastly improving the functioning and health of the human body. But unfortunately, unlike the nuclear bomb, the research involved is too radical to be considered ethical by the nations of the world.

Afraid of People: Struggling with Social Anxiety

We are all familiar with that quiet kid at the back of the classroom, who never raised his hand. Typically, social anxiety disorder begins during the early teens. Teen often feels like an outsider, or simply someone who just doesn't fit in. Perhaps it's a coworker who rarely speaks at meetings. Someone has to ask their opinion. They display visible signs of fear or discomfort. We know people like this and we've all suffered through the own bouts of shyness. But for some people, shyness goes way beyond what most people could possibly imagine.

Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder is the third most common mental disorder in our society after depression and substance abuse. Interface millions of people worldwide. But what does it feel like to suffer from this disorder, how does it affect families and what causes it? Scientists have recognized the disorder, learned something about the biology, and how common it is in the population. Few people with social anxiety disorder noted, there is very effective and safe treatment available to them. The focus of treatment is to restore confidence, security around friends at a higher level of comfort in the workplace and social gatherings.

People on the Edge

Social anxiety disorder doesn't just include anxiety around others. Those suffering with this disorder typically feel a general state of nervousness all the time. The anxiety is centered on dreading their day and the prospect of being around others. For some, the dread turns into panic. Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is among six main kinds of anxiety disorder psychologists now recognize and is considered the most common.

Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder

Social anxiety disorder typically presents with a generalized uneasiness and over sensitivity to the perception of what others may be thinking. They will often describe themselves as paranoid, but this is not the case at all. The anxiety stems from an interpersonal state of insecurity. So every time they are around other people they feel constantly judged, criticized for evaluated by others. The feelings do not have to be validated. The mere perception alone results in the anxiety.

Loss of Potential

Another problem associated with social anxiety disorder is the loss of potential. These people tend to be the most sensitive and most caring people in our society and the ones we can learn the most from.

Seeking Treatment

The first step is to realize what you are feeling is not simply shyness. If you can rate your anxiety from mild discomfort at the thought of being around others to borderline panic while in a social group, this is not normal. If you're displaying physical signs as a result of being in the presence of others, such as sweating, fidgeting, shortness of breath this is not normal. Although treatment focuses on building self-confidence and building social habits every case is unique and thus requires unique approaches. If you suffer from social anxiety disorder you need not continue to suffer alone.

Caroline Berg Eriksen: Post-Pregnancy Fitness Controversy

Caroline Berg Eriksen just 3 days post-pregnancy

In the past one of the main concerns of pregnancy regarding ultra-fit women was potentially losing their figure. But today, it seems the ability to bounce back post pregnancy is the new wave in mommy fitness. Fitness writer and wife of soccer player, Lars-Kristian Eriksen, Caroline Berg Eriksen posted a stunning and provocative flat-stomach self-image on Instagram just days after giving birth.

Ironically, Mrs. Eriksen's amazing post pregnancy rebound has been met with mixed criticism. Many bloggers, news agencies, experts in social media posts around the world have put the photo under the public limelight in the past few days. Some claim Mrs. Eriksen's post pregnancy photo is yet another example of our obsession with beauty and the unrealistic expectations placed on women today.

Some accuse Eriksen's posting of her post-baby abdominals as merely nothing more than an act of self exhibitionism. The now famous photo does seem to be starting quite a bit of mixed P.R. for the fitness writer. Sarrah Le Marquand, writer for the Australian Telegraph tweeted Eriksen as a "shameless exhibitionist," but warned that the disparaging opinions regarding her photo only adds to the judgment new mothers must contend with post pregnancy.

Apart from Caroline Eriksen's post-baby photo controversy, most of the feedback has been positive with supporters congratulating the new mom on baby and fit tummy. But what does this most recent controversy about pregnancy and body image say about us as a society?

Maria Kang is a fitness blogger and mother who posted her ultra-fit post pregnancy photos on Facebook and even criticized other new moms who do not bounce back so quickly. While discussing her raw vegan diet, some wondered if Australian mom-to-be Loni Jane Anthony's diet was actually healthy for her baby. These incidents caught very little media attention leading us to ponder if the subject is less about content and more about celebrity.

Perhaps in the fray, we've all lost sight of what really matters. While it is important to stay fit the special time post pregnancy is a time for nurturing and bonding with the new addition to the family. If new mothers decide they wish to prioritize these first few days to spend time resting with their newborn who are we fitness nuts to criticize?

The Walking Dead: Krokodil in the US

Krokodil results in Necrotizing Fasciitis.
Click here for more information

Two Chicago area sisters are describing the horrifying side effects of the new designer drug, AmberKrokodil. and Angie Neitzel, sisters from the Chicago area, say they believed they were purchasing heroin but were given the new drug instead. When they began to seek the deep sores forming on the bodies they immediately check themselves and to the local hospital where was found they were suffering from necrosis.

Krokodil

Krokodil (desomorphine) is the new designer drug believed to have originated in Russia and has only recently begun cropping up in the United States. The drugs typically popular among heroin addicts because the effects are similar in the drug is much cheaper than heroin. But the resulting side effects of taking Krokodil are a debilitating deterioration of the bone, musculature and tissues.

Zombies

The users are typically referred to as zombies because the long-term use of Krokodil results in the flesh eating necrosis as well as greatly reduced neurological function. Krokodil is highly addictive, causing zombie-like symptoms and a slow painful death for many of its users. The recent emergence of the drug United States could soon have a major impact on the larger inner cities were high cases of heroin use heaven typically noted.

Cheaper and More Potent

It is speculated that desomorphine is 8 to 10 times the potency of morphine and is much cheaper than heroin. Addicts desperate for a fix may have to switch to the dangerous new drug rather than suffer their symptoms and physical withdrawal. The two sisters in the Chicago suburb of Joliet were only two of the five reported cases. Both admitted to the heroin users but said that they did not know what they were given was desomorphine.

Major Health Concern

The concern with his emergence of the drug in the United States is that heroin addicts could beunknowingly getting this drug believing their receiving heroin. More so, it is believed that heroin dealers are cutting heroine with this new drug to increase their volume. This is a potentially new horrifying development in the already tragic reality of those suffering from addiction to heroin.

Determining how many cases of the drug within the United States is still very difficult. At the current time is believed the drug is just now making its emergence here. The drug has taken a devastating toll in Eastern Europe. We can only hope that with education and treatment for those at risk for coming in contact with the drug will be enough to prevent its widespread affects here United States.

Can Low Self Esteem Affect Your Health?

There are many benefits to taking the time to really get to know who we are and accepting ourselves. We tend to forget that we are also valid people. We certainly expect others to accept us as deserving of love. But do we have this same expectation of ourselves?

Studies show that we often neglect to validate ourselves and our identity which can lead us to mistrust our own decisions and become dependent upon others to make decisions for us. This can lead to feelings of insecurity when others do not validate us. We hold little value in ourselves and begin to feel isolated and alone. In my own life I found that I hindered and prevented myself from opening up and feeling secure around others.

Seeking Help
One should not be ashamed to seek counseling. It becomes imperative that we seek help when our self esteem becomes so damaged as a result of personal trauma or loss that it begins to affect our quality of life. I was able to work through my insecurities with the purpose of overcoming social anxiety. But counseling taught me to love myself as well as love those around me. Once I was able to do this, love was returned to me from everyone I met.

What is love?
What is love? There are many interpretations, but in a nutshell, love is giving freely of yourself with no expectation of receiving anything in return. Imagine for a moment the implication of this simple definition. How vulnerable would you now feel if you loved someone? Imagine the trust that would be required to achieve true love. It's frightening. By this definition, do you love yourself?

What is there about me to love?
I had never considered doing a self evaluation before. Several weeks of my counseling sessions were dedicated to this question. I was surprised at how difficult it was for me to list even one page of personal qualities I possessed that deemed me deserving of love. It was easier to focus on the negatives. So a different approach was needed. What would others appreciate about me once they get to know me?

When I look at myself in the mirror and I expect me to be thinner, younger looking and more appealing overall. I instantly place unreasonable demands upon myself both physically and emotionally. No one knows me like I know myself and I am not very appreciative of myself. During my sessions I was told, "You are the first person you should love without expectation." After a close self evaluation I was ashamed at how little I regarded my own self worth. Had a partner treated me the way I often regard myself I would not feel much loved at all.

Do others in my life love me?
This doesn't get any easier. When I compared our simplified definition of love to myself I was heartbroken. I was frightened to learn how others felt about me. I asked my closest friends and family what they loved about me. I had already determined who in my life I felt I could safely love without reservation or expectation. Again, my findings were astonishing. The question was, "What do you love about me?" Some whom I have trusted my entire life responded as if I had asked, "What would I have to do to earn your love?" If this is the response you get from others they do not regard you as a friend, partner or even family. This is not love butemotional abuse. I was devastated at how little I was regarded by others whom I deeply loved.

To make matters worse, the friends in my life that I had not shown much regard for actually surprised me with their response. These are the friends and family I had always typically taken for granted. "Are you okay? Why would you ask such a question? If you need anything you know all you have to do is let me know."

Changing my outlook
I became aware that I needed to hold myself in higher regard. Low self esteem had affected every aspect of my life. It not only influenced my personal outlook but how I was perceived by every one around me. These startling realizations had shown me who in my life I could trust to love without expectation and without fear of being used, manipulated or hurt. I learned why I was being hurt so often by those I had invested so much of myself emotionally. I had to redefine my view of friendship and family. It was a painful task in many ways but repaid with much more joy than I could have imagined. I now have a closer bond with those true friends and family in my life. I also have an inner peace with myself. I envy the person I see in the mirror today.

Migraine Headaches: Do Home Remedies Work?

There have been  home remedies for the cure of persistent headaches for ages. Many old people swore by mass consumption of alcohol as a remedy. This later led to the popular remedies which employed tonics containing high percentages of alcohol with peppermint flavoring. But the reality is that those suffering from chronic migraines have found no relief from the pain. This has caused many to seek any suggested method possible to ease the pain caused by their migraines. We examine some of the leading alternative treatments to alleviate the pain of migraine headaches.

Burning Paper

This remedy claims that inhaling the scent of burning paper will relieve migraine pain within minutes. Migraine sufferers often report a burning wood smell just before the onset of a migraine. Using incense and aromatherapy work because our sense of smell is a direct path to the brain. The aroma activates our Limbic System and is the reason why certain odors trigger an immediate response. Smoking cigarettes burns paper and tobacco yet has not been found to have any beneficial health effects at all.

Ginger Tea

Treat yourself to a warm cup of ginger tea to cure a headache. Grate fresh ginger and add to a cup of warm water. Allow it to steep 4-5 minutes, then enjoy. A 2011 study found when using the tablet form of ginger at the first sign of headache, the supplement helped prevent a severe migraine. Side effects from use included mouth numbness and nausea.

Antihistamine

A migraine sufferer describes how antihistamine helped her get relief from her migraines. While some claim antihistamine helps with their migraines, one of the common side effects of taking too much antihistamine is a headache.

Hot & Cold Water

eHow describes a method of filling your tub full of hot water and placing your feet in hot water with an ice pack on the back of your neck. Apparently this method employs the cold pack to cool the blood going to the head and thus affecting the constriction or dilation of the blood vessels. No explanation as to how heating the blood flow to the lower extremities affects the blood vessels in the head. No studies yet supporting the hot/cold water method.

Yoga

Some claim the relaxing and stress reducing effects of yoga can relieve migraines. The reported benefits of yoga include increased circulation, increased oxygenation via deep breathing exercises, and release of tension and stress. Each of these factors are reported to be potential causes of migraines. Again, there are no studies proving the healing power of yoga to relieve a migraine but this does appear to be a valid option.

Strong Pain Medication

The Mayo Clinic only lists pain relieving and preventative medications in the treatment of migraines. You should consult with your physician before taking any over the counter medication. You should never accept someone else's prescription medication for your migraines. All prescription medication should be prescribed to you by your physician.

Sources:

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Previously Published on Yahoo! Voices

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com

My Six Pack Abs!

After a regular check up I reviewed some ultrasound images of my abdomen with my physician. At first glance I thought perhaps the doc had accidentally switched my images with someone in far better shape. I mentioned that those abdominal muscles in the images seemed slightly more defined than mine. He assured me those were my well proportioned healthy and fit abdominals hidden snugly under an excess of abdominal fat.

I was surprised and slightly excited. I had thought they had disappeared long ago with my hairline. I wanted to get those abdominals back in the limelight again but how? The doc looked at me with his familiar no nonsense expression and told me the key to removing excess fat is no big secret. Simply take in less fatty carbs than your body expends each day. Diet and exercise adequately achieve this goal. But where I typically have trouble is failure to follow through.

I don't necessarily have the best role models in my family. We love to cook and we love our greasy fatty foods. In my family either you eat what's on the table or you do without. I knew a salad could be made without the creamy ranch dressing, bacon bits and shredded cheese with a side of sweet whip cream and fruit. But I wasn't quite sure I could sit down at the table and munch on a bland salad while my family enjoyed veal, meatballs, Parmesan chicken and even more scrumptious sides of gravy mashed potatoes and cheesy noodles. I would surely give in and sneak back to the fridge.

Increasing my exercise to work off the delicious fatty carbs was an option. But after doing the math, I realized I'd need to run a 10k marathon everyday to make a dent. I get winded going to the mailbox. And a treadmill is already collecting dust in my basement. I stopped using that soon after my daughter hung a doughnut in front of it to encourage me to run longer. I admitted It was quite funny and grounded her.

I would need to incorporate fitness into my entire day to stick with the goal. My six pack abdominals deserved to be seen! The small changes I made in my diet as well as the exercise I incorporated into my daily routine began to pay off in less than two weeks. And it wasn't so drastic as to cause the backlash that had made me give up in the past.

Each morning I prepare two eggs over easy and two slices of toast. I included a pad of butter and dab of grape jelly for the toast. I learned later this was actually a good thing. The small amount of butter and jelly provides a quick energy boost but is not so excessive that can't be burned off during the day.

I then began to hike the 30 minute walk to the coffee shop to complete my writing assignments. No need to power walk or build up a sweat. The simple casual walk 30 minutes per day is doing its work even if it doesn't seem like it at first. This is jump starting your metabolism which is the major fat burning mechanism of the body.

I would advise avoiding coffee unless you have a granola bar handy. I carry a healthy granola bar to snack on in my bag. I allowed myself a straight medium cup of dark roast without the cream of sugar. I typically get hungry and crave something sweet such as a danish or doughnut after drinking coffee.  I get the munchies for the sweets in the display case even though I had recently eaten breakfast. I satisfied my premature munchies with my granola.

After a day at the coffee shop completing my assignments, I begin my relaxing walk home. Smart phones are wonderful inventions. I have a good play list of music that I listen to on my walk and the short 30 minute walk is over all too soon.

The good thing about salad is you can eat a lot of it and still do your body good. With salad, variety is the spice of life. There are many delicious and healthy ways to prepare salad that will not be counterproductive to your now decreasing waistline. My passion food has always been subway sandwiches. My favorite selection was the roast beef with double meat extra cheese with oil and vinegar with a healthy gob of mayo. Little did I realize that this is essentially a delicious salad.

With some slight modifications I could make a salad with oil and red wine vinegar, topped with shredded cheese and some sliced squares of salad Canadian bacon. Toss in some cherry tomatoes a slice of pickle and a side roll and I'm eating a healthy and delicious subway salad. By the time dinner is served I'm not trying to shovel the table in my mouth anymore. My dinner portions are smaller following the afternoon salad snack.

It's been nearly 3 weeks now and I am sticking with my diet. Honestly, I don't even feel like I'm dieting. But the bathroom scales don't lie. I'm 15 lbs lighter than I was a month before. Some notable unforeseen perks have manifested as well. I'm breathing easier and have more energy. Also knowing I'm reducing the workload on my heart is a great feeling. And my well defined abdominals are beginning to peak out at the sides. I can hardly wait!

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com

Alcoholism: The Drunken Reflection

In my younger days I could drink with the best of them. I would get drunk and my worries would float away along with my dignity. I was known to be a goofy drunk. But as time went on my drinking became a problem. I suffered through some very difficult struggles on my long path to sobriety. Today I don't even prefer to drink and I am happy to play the part of the designated driver. But as I witness my friends having a ball I am not tempted to return to my bubbly days. In fact, seeing them sloppy makes me happy to be sober.

I would have liked to have written about how nice it was to return to a night club after 10 years. Although it wasn't an unpleasant experience the revelation was sobering. I guess I first noticed the same people were still there after a decade. Like the old guard they never left their posts. I don't consider myself old by any sense of the word. But I admit I'm slightly too old to be lingering at the night club each weekend. Could that have been me sitting on the stool peering out over the crowd like some stone relic?

Each time the very attractive bartender refreshed their drinks, the relics would smile at her with red eyes and say something inappropriate. She would politely take their tips and return to refresh my coffee. In the old days I always wondered where the pretty bartender went after filling my mug. Now I know she went to stand by the older gentleman sipping his coffee near the back.

I remembered this uneasy sense of awkwardness in the old days. I felt I had to have a bottle in my hand to fit in. And I remember needing two shots initially to relax me and get me into the spirit of things. I did not feel awkward this night. I had come to accept and like myself in the years since I was last here. I no longer needed to be intoxicated to talk to people and feel comfortable in a crowd.

The night was quite a learning experience. I actually enjoyed myself. I probably shouldn't say that as a recovering alcoholic. But I had seen a different side to the nightclub that I had not witnessed previously. As I put my totally trashed friends in my vehicle, I felt a bit of trepidation when the police cruiser pulled up along side. Instead of the expected intimidating glare the officer gave me a friendly smile and said, "Get them home safely, Sir."

I walked the attractive bartender to her car and politely accepted her number. But I confided in her that I had a beautiful young lady at home. I dropped my friends off one by one. Some of my friends, I had to carry. I returned home at a reasonable hour to find my mother asleep on my couch. She had not been up all night awaiting my call from jail as she once had. I sat at my daughter's bedside and pulled her covers up to ward off the chill and she stirred awake. Her sleepy eyes peered up at me. She asked if I had enjoyed my night out. I had enjoyed my return to the bright lights and festive atmosphere of night life. But I was much happier to be home.

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com

Health Care Providers at Risk

I'm good at what I do because I love it.

I have been associated with the health care field for much of my life. I was a volunteer and first responder at our local fire department, EMT, Certified Nurse's Aide then attended college toward a Bachelor's degree in the nursing program. I have great respect for those that dedicate their lives to the demanding health care profession. This is not an article about my love for the field of health care. It is quite the opposite.

The term Burn Out is used often in the health care profession. It is a leading cause of good nurses and EMT's leaving the field. It should not be assumed we are simply tired and bored with saving lives day in and day out. Burn Out in the health care field refers to the monotony of constantly struggling with the unrealistic demands of administrations, medical-legal jargon and risks to our license every day we put on our uniform. The joy I felt after saving someone's life was the reward that made it all worth it. A gentleman once came to our table while I was having dinner with friends and exclaimed, "This man saved my life. I just want to thank him." I could honestly say I loved my work.

As an EMT, I enjoyed my job but the business side of the profession I could live without. We were constantly under changing administration and always having to adjust to changing policies. Supplies were difficult to keep stocked and sometimes our patient care suffered for it. 

We even had to protect ourselves from our own management who would lay the burden of failing equipment and lack of needed supplies on our shoulders. I left the career I loved after our office finally closed. After a bitter and childish rivalry between our new EMS Service and the local established service, we were left jobless. Those of us who worked for the new service were prevented from ever working with the local service. After witnessing the behavior of the local EMS administrator, I lost all respect for the man and had no desire to work for him.

While attending college toward a nursing degree I was offered a position as a Nurse's Aide in the state operated mental facility for the elderly. Our orientation was basically various insurance agencies attempting to get us to sign up for their policies. I was sent to work in the elderly ward. Again, the job of caring for my patients was greatly rewarding. All seemed well until after our first scheduled health physical.

A week following our physical examination 14 of us had been relieved of our positions with no apparent cause. A former health care worker called me later to inform me that I needed to go to a doctor immediately. Each of us that had been relieved had been exposed to the tuberculosis virus. The facility had taken insured patients with active TB and neglected to warn the staff. I started a regimen of treatment for 6 months for my exposure. I was among the few lucky to have only been exposed. Other health care workers were not so lucky and developed active TB. We had no legal recourse due to the fine print in our employment contracts stating we relinquish our rights to sue a state facility. This cost me a semester of college considering I could not go near patients while under treatment for TB. My coworkers who were now sick would spend the rest of their lives under house quarantine.

When I finally was able to attend college again I completed 4 of 5 semesters toward a Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. During my last 4^th Semester clinical, a young mother lost her baby during childbirth. All the nursing students as well as the student instructor huddled around the pediatric nurse attending to the stillborn infant. The operating physician stated the mother was losing blood. None of the nurses seemed to hear him. I stepped forward and stated that I was a licensed EMT and I would help. We stabilized the mother. The student instructor and other attending nurses did finally help him finish.

The mother was one of my patients. I was with her when she awakened and I informed her that she had lost her child. I asked her husband to come in and I stepped out. My nursing instructor pulled me into the nurse's lounge and berated me for my lack of empathy for the child and the mother. She informed me that it was my place as her nurse to remain at her side while she dealt with the emotional pain of losing the child.

I began taking off my equipment and filled the instructor in on some things she had overlooked. She and the other students whimpered over the infant that was in the competent hands of a pediatrician and left the mother to bleed out. When the mother awoke, I took her vitals and administered her medication. The task of dealing with her loss was well covered by a strong and loving husband with whom I had spoken already.

I had worked in and around the health care field since I was 16 years old until I was 30. I was considered a veteran in the field when most people my age were barely out of high school. I still love the work and I keep my EMS license current each year. But I will never do it as a profession again.

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com

Gall Bladder Symptoms are Not Easily Diagnosed

I was 35 when I began to experience some mild recurring upper abdominal pain. I had previously been diagnosed with acid reflux disease and was taking Nexium for symptom relief. This seemed to have reduced the pains somewhat but did not completely relieve them. The pains were getting sharper and more frequent. At my next doctor's visit I described the pains as a sharp stabbing feeling below my mid-sternum.

The doctor prescribed me Prilosec and warned me again about greasy fried foods. I had cut down on such foods but agreed to eliminate them from my diet. The new medicine and diet seemed to be working. I was having fewer symptoms over the next few weeks. I kept a bottle of cherry Rolaids in my pocket at all times. I was at work when my first serious attack hit me. I was a night supervisor at my local newspaper. We were running the early morning paper off the presses when I felt the pain in the center of my chest. I nearly fell over. I went into the locker room and knelt down on the floor. It doubled me over the pain was so intense. I really thought I was having a heart attack. It felt like something was on fire in my chest. I could barely breathe. I clocked out early and went home.

The rest of the night was a struggle. I thought if I could just get something to come up the pain would go away. This was how I best described the pain. It feels like food poisoning. On top of the stabbing burning pain you feel physically ill. When the pain would not subside, I decided to go to the emergency room. In the waiting room the pain seemed to simply go away. I was seen by the night physician who could find nothing physically wrong with me. I didn't even feel any discomfort when the area of my abdomen was pressed. It was like the pain was never there. I made another appointment with my family physician.

By this time I the sharp painful attacks were hitting me almost daily. And the tests were indicating nothing wrong with me physically. I had gotten frustrated with going to the doctor just to have them scratch their heads. No medication was working to relieve the now agonizing pain. This was affecting my work and I couldn't sleep through the night. In desperation I fastened a belt around my upper torso with a shirt tied up in a knot to keep constant pressure on my mid-sternum region. This was the only relief I could get. I was scheduled for another appointment with a gastroenterologist. A day before my appointment I began to get chills and became pale as a sheet. I collapsed and woke up in the hospital.

Only after my gallbladder had ruptured did it release poisonous bile into my system that the tests were able to record. A simple ultrasound weeks before would have shown that my gallbladder was full of stones. My physician explained there are so many different conditions that mimic the same symptoms that it's difficult to diagnose the gall bladder as the cause. I looked at him with some frustration and recommended he put an ultrasound at the top of his list of tests to perform when his next patient complains of stabbing upper abdominal pains.

Sources/Resources

Gall Bladder Symptoms

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com

DUI: An Officer Saved Me From Myself

The deputy shoves me hard over the front of his cruiser and cuffs my hands together. I turn around and lean against the car. He instructs me to stay as he questions my wife. The blue lights flash in my bloodshot eyes as the passing cars slow down to see what is happening. The remains of my car are scattered into the battered tree line. The deputy knows she was driving, the witnesses have already told him. But my statement doesn't match the witnesses. I continue to insist I was driving which was complicating his job. She was obviously intoxicated and open containers were found in the car. The officer is arguing with my wife to get her to admit to being the driver when I slump forward and fall to the ground. I tasted thick blood in my mouth before losing consciousness.

Deputy Chad Powell was sitting by me when I woke up in the hospital. The force of the impact had torn the lining of my stomach. This was as a result of my seat belt binding me and my precarious position at the time of impact. The bright red rash left by the seat belt still visible across my upper torso. Chad looked at me with a somber expression. "If I had believed you, I'd have taken you to jail 20 miles away from the closest hospital and you would have died. I know you pulled her from the driver's seat just before impact. The tree stabbed through the driver's seat. So she would have died. The only way your story adds up is if you were dead now in the driver's seat impaled by a tree."

I admitted to nothing but my wife had already confessed to being the driver. Chad Powell wanted something else from me. He wanted something I was not ready to give anyone. He visited me every day while I was in the hospital and even left his home number to my mother. I resented this. I had no love for law enforcement and neither did my family. But by this time, my mother had exhausted all means of reaching me. The thought of my own mother potentially turning me into the police infuriated me and ended contact with her.

My wife and I continued to have law enforcement come to our apartment as our marriage descended into madness and ruin. Each time, the Sheriff's Department was called Chad was there on the scene. He even showed up when he was off duty. I perceived it as a personal vendetta he had toward me. Sometimes officers take it upon themselves to such things. Each time he put me in the back of his cruiser I got a lecture from him. He asked me if this was what I wanted for my life. He knew my sordid family history, my time in military service and my college courses. Deputy Chad Powell had done his homework and I felt the weight of his influence. He informed me that my mother was worried about me and cried to him. I kicked the cage separating us in his cruiser to get him to stop talking.

Each court date I was to appear before the judge Deputy Chad Powell was there. He nearly had me denied bond on one of my pending charges related to a prior DUI. I was found not guilty of the charge and my attorney cited harassment against Deputy Powell. I smiled at Chad as I passed by him leaving the courtroom. It was possible I could get him fired and he knew it. He looked at the floor with an expression of strengthened resolve and said nothing.

I had decided to separate from my wife. I had not been rehabilitated of my ways but could not afford another fine or court case. All was well for a few weeks until she returned to my apartment and broke through my kitchen window. I had been drinking alone and she had been drinking all night. Our heated exchange spread into the parking lot and the Sheriff's Department was called. A deputy took my wife and Chad took me. He was in plain clothes and had nothing to charge me with that would stick in court. I smiled as I told him, "I'll have your badge for this."

It quickly occurred to me that he wasn't taking me to jail but driving out of town. I assumed it was time for Deputy Chad and I to come to blows. I asked him if he was sure he wanted it to come to this. He said nothing as he pulled into a darkened church parking lot. He exited the car and opened my door and walked ahead into the cemetery to the side. I exited the cruiser and peered around mildly confused. I saw he had stopped at a headstone. I stepped beside him and read the name on the headstone. It read, David R. Powell.

Chad explained to me that his younger brother would be my age. He was addicted to cocaine and drank heavily. One night he drove his car over an embankment and flipped three times. His vehicle was unrecognizable but he appeared to be unharmed as the highway patrol arrived. They leaned him against the patrol car awaiting the ambulance and moments later he slumped over and collapsed to the ground. He died on the scene. Chad explained I had done the exact same thing the night of my accident. And he couldn't allow me to meet the same end as his brother. "I don't know why I took you on as a personal project. I guess I saw so much of David in you. I couldn't save my brother so I guess I'm trying to save you. I'll take you back home now and you can do what you want."

Deputy Chad Powell was one of the people in my life that helped me make a change. He honestly is the example of what it means to go above and beyond. He is a very dear friend today and I owe my life to him. This experience taught me that alcoholism doesn't only affects the lives of those we love. It deeply affects the officers and EMS personnel that witness the tragedy every day.

Previously Posted on FullofKnowlege.com

Friend me on Facebook! www.facebook.com