Christina Coggin
English III
Lori Liverman
April 1, 2014
Leukemia
Leukemia is a disease that has a long history of affecting families and friends of individuals that are suffering from this tragedy. Leukemia comes in many different forms and has many different causes that create day-to-day struggles for the patient and the people surrounding them. Leukemia can be transmitted but luckily it is a curable disease with the correct treatments and for patients’ that are dedicated to their physical health.
Leukemia was founded around the time of the 4th or 5th century. Leukemia was discovered in dinosaur bones. John Hughes diagnosed leukemia in 1845. Back in historical times, arsenic was the most common type of treatment for leukemia. As the Webster’s dictionary describes arsenic is “a trivalent and pentavalent metalloid poisonous element that is commonly metallic steel gray, crystalline, and brittle and is used especially in wood preservatives, alloys, and semiconductors” (Arsenic). Studies say and believe that childhood leukemia was based on their lifestyle as an infant. In well-organized countries, families were normally small and had a better level of hygiene. Having good hygiene decreased the chances of getting infectious diseases or the risks of getting sick. A child’s immune system works up to fight off infections because of breast-feeding and the mother’s immune response. Leukemia normally starts to form in bone marrow. Bone marrow forms three different types of blood cells and each of these have a specific purpose in one’s body. These three different types of blood cells are: leukocytes, erythrocytes, and blood platelets. Leukocytes also known as “white blood cells” fight off disease and infections in the body. Erythrocytes ...
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...ll need to visit the doctor for a checkup every six months. Regular check-us help the doctor note any changes in the patient’s health and if it needs to be treated. If a patient has any issues between each of the check-ups they should contact their physician. After the patient’s leukemia has been treated there isn’t always a guarantee that the cancer won’t come back. That is why it is very important for patients’ to see their doctor regularly to check for the return of leukemia. Regular check-ups also help to determine health problems that can occur after cancer treatments over time.
In conclusion, leukemia is a disease that many people suffer from. The hardest part is trying to cope with the affect leukemia has on the patient mentally and physically. Having family and friends to support the patient and guide them through this tragedy helps them out tremendously.
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. During this time, life is not only difficult for the patient, but also for their loved ones. Families must learn to cope together and to work out the best options for the patient and the rest of the family. Although it may not be fair at times, things may need to be centered on or around the patient no matter what the circumstance. (Abbott, 2003) Sacrifices may have to be made during difficult times. Many factors are involved when dealing with chronic illnesses. Coping with chronic illnesses alter many different emotions for the patients and the loved ones. Many changes occur that are very different and difficult to get used to. (Abbott, 2003) It is not easy for someone to sympathize with you when they haven’t been in the situation themselves. No matter how many books they read or people they talk to, they cannot come close to understanding.
The National Cancer Institute articulates the importance of this support to a cancer patient, suggesting, “that having good information and support services can make it easier to cope,” adding, “friends and relatives can be very supportive,” and concluding with the usefulness of support groups (NCI website www.nci.nih.gov).... ... middle of paper ... ... York: Random House, 1991.
I have chosen to write about the constellation Cancer (The Crab). I chose Cancer because it is one of only a handful of constellations that I am actually able to identify in the night sky. Cancer is one of the twelve Zodiac constellations; people whose birthdays fall between June 21st and July 22nd have Cancer as their sign. Cancer is the Latin word for crab, and despite the fact that the constellation looks more like a lobster then a crab, it is still referred to as a crab. The constellation is visible from the northern hemisphere from late winter to early spring.
In 1998, the most common cause of child and adolescents death claimed approximately 2500 young lives in the United States alone. The cause of this dreadful loss of life was due to childhood cancers. This paper explores the changes in the life of children dealing with cancer, families that have been affected by these diseases (also known as pediatric cancer) and a small part of the journey they experience. Cancer does not discriminate and affects all members of the family unit. This paper investigates the challenges that a family will experience from the first diagnoses through palliative care. It examines research and statistic about childhood cancer from organization as the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the National Cancer Institute's (NCI), Children’s Cancer Research Fund (CCRF), and other cancer research organization. Although there are 12 major types of cancers that affect children, the main focus in this paper will be acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). It will also include an interview, the personal experiences of a family, real life emotions, and the effect on the parents and sibling of the (Ashtyn) child presently facing acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Life is no longer what formerly was known as being normal. Life with cancer becomes a new journey, the new normal family life that, unfortunately is not normal, but a life that includes cancer.
“The word 'leukemia' is a very frightening word. In many instances, it's a killer and it's something that you have to deal with in a very serious and determined way if you're going to beat it” - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Many people, including tons of children, fight leukemia every day trying to beat this vicious cancer. Without knowing how leukemia is exactly caused, it puts a damper on how to avoid it.
In conclusion, cancer is a disease that has impacted millions of people throughout history and the world. With the assistance of medical professionals; early, professional, and accurate diagnosis, treatment, and mental/ emotional support of family members, friends, and doctors, the emotional impact of cancer can become much more bearable.
...health while going through cancer. In this case, their family leads to the emotions that can impact the patient’s health and decision-making.
Cancer. The word by itself can conjure images of severely ill and frail people attached to IV medications and chemotherapy drugs as they cling to life in a hospital bed. Other illustrations and pictures depict unrecognizable, misshaped organs affected by abnormal cells that grow out of control, spread, and invade other parts of the body. Cancer studies show that close to one-half of all men and one-third of all women in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer during their lives. Today, millions of people are living with cancer or have had cancer. As patients are newly diagnosed with their specific type of cancer, whether it be breast, lung, prostate, skin, or blood cancer, etc., each patient has to consider what will happen with their future health care plan and who will be involved in their long journey from treatment to recovery. Once diagnosed, cancer patients become the focal point and the center of all activity in terms of care but cancer not only physically invades the patient’s body and well-being, it goes beyond the patient and significantly affects the emotional stability and support from from their loved ones and caregivers. Based on the insidious nature of cancer and typically late detection of malignant diseases, family members (either spouses, children, parents, other relatives, and friends) often become the patient's main caregiver. These caregivers, also known as informal caregivers, provide the cancer patient with the majority of the support outside of the medical facility or hospital environment and become the primary person to provide various types of assistance. They provide the physical support with bathing and assisting in activities of daily living, they become emotional ...
The Phase I trial will be discussed here as it pertains to the topic at hand. The typical treatment for cervical cancer if surgery is not a viable option – like if the cancer has spread, then called locally advanced cervical cancer – is chemotherapy and radiation treatment at the same time. This phase I clinical trial is simply looking to add ipilimumab to this regimen, but once the chemo/radiation has been completed (LACC article). Chemo and radiation destroy tumor cells, which causes tumor-associated antigens to be released. Once released, these antigens are exogenous (outside the cell) and will be presented to helper T cells to initiate an immune response.
Leukemia is a cancer of the white blood cells. It begins in the bone marrow, the soft tissue inside the bones. Within the bone marrow is where white blood cells are created, that help fight off bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms within the body that cause infections. The disease develops to when the white blood cells are being produced out of control. The cells that are being produced do not work properly as they should, they grow faster than a normal cell would and don’t know when to stop growing. Overtime, if not treated properly, the white blood cells will over crowd blood cells, creating a serious problem such as anemia, bleeding and infection. Leukemia cells can spread to the lymph nodes and other organs in the body causing swelling and pain.
Leukemia like any other cancer is devastating especially when it affects children and especially when they are too young to understand most of what is happening to their bodies. Facts like these are what should be used to motivate researchers and caregivers to help to make the process of treatment and care for patient dealing with disease one that is pleasant and supportive. The research should be taken seriously and it is hoped that in the future a cure can be found and the cause of the disease can be explained. It is also hoped that achievements like those can give families who are coping with disease or who have lost loved ones to the disease can find closure and solace in knowing that other may not have to go through what they have.
...l risk factors that are fully linked developing multiple myeloma. Therefore, preventative measures remain unknown.
No matter who it happens to, any type of cancer is heart breaking. However, one’s heart seems to crack a little bit deeper when you hear a child has been diagnosed. Several forms of cancer can arise during childhood. The most common is called acute lymphoblastic/lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). In fact, it is so common between the ages 0-14, that people refer to it as childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Kanwar, 2013).
Bone cancer is classified into primary bone cancer & secondary bone cancer. Basically, Primary bone cancer starts in the bone; then the cancer initially forms in the cells of the bone; while the secondary cancer starts elsewhere in the body and gets spread to the bone.
A child with leukemia will not have the same physical development as a healthy child. Around the ages from 6-8, children begin to slowly gain height and weight. The child with leukemia may grow slower and most likely lose weight, instead of gaining it. Another milestone children at that age go through is self-conscious emotions. The child may feel self-conscious because they look and live very differently from their peers. This may cause them to feel emotionally upset. Peers who are unaware of their diseases my tease and bully the child, which causes them emotional