Second 20%: Tissue Engineering

My first 20% project was on surgery.  While I was researching surgery, I came across an interesting topic: tissue engineering.  Tissue engineering is the future of medicine.  Doctors and lab scientists have "grown" tissues from a skin sample.  The next big thing in medicine is "growing" a kidney or a body part suitable to your body.  This is a safer way to get transplants done because your body will surely accept the part as opposed to rejecting someone else's part.  When I came across this topic, I was amazed at how advanced our medical professionals and technologies are.  That is why I want to do my second 20% project on tissue engineering.  I would like to consult some tissue engineers and professors from the Wake Forest School of Medicine's Institute for Regenerative Medicine.  Some problems that I could possibly come across are not completely understanding the procedures for tissue engineering and not being able to find enough information.  Especially since I want to become a surgeon, tissue engineering truly fascinates me.

Terri Schiavo Case Study

     The Terri Schiavo case is very controversial as we have seen in class.  Some websites take one side while other websites and articles take the other.  Everyone has their own opinion of what they would have done in a situation like Terri's.  Some people think it was unjust to take her off of the feeding tube.  Others think that it was justified to take her off her feeding tube.  In class, I took a side: the decision to let her die of starvation and dehydration was justified.  But now that I have been thinking about it in the back of my mind, I believe that the decision regarding Terri Schiavo was unjust.  If it was regarding someone who was brain dead, or the irreversible end of brain activity, then it would have been just.  But in Terri Schiavo's case, she was alive and breathing.  In other words, she was still a person.  She wasn't the same person she was before the accident but she still is a person.  My definition of a person would be someone who has human DNA, alive, breathing, and able to feel emotion.  And Terri was able to do all of that.  She would move her eyes around the room when people moved, she would talk to her mother, and her bodily systems (her lungs, heart, brain and digestive system) worked.  She had trouble getting food down her esophagus.  In addition, the feeding tube process was not painful for her and it was not difficult. (slate.com)
     Her husband did not help in this situation.  He was appointed her legal guardian on June 18 , 1990 by the court.  Surprisingly, the Schindlers (parents) did not disapprove of this appointment at the time.  Michael Schiavo filed a petition to remove her feeding tube in May of 1998.  As we have discussed in class, Terri told Michael that she didn't want to be kept alive "artificially".  When Terri was in a nursing home, Michael was in a relationship with a woman named Jodi Centonze.  Jodi and Michael Schiavo supposedly met at the dentist's office.  She had been through a divorce and his wife was in a nursing home.  According to some of his friends, he was lonely and heartbroken all those years and finally bonded with someone after such a long time.  Michael had a child with Jodi and still claimed that he should be the one making the crucial decision for Terri. (sptimes.com)  Some websites have stated that Michael wanted Terri's insurance money after she died so Michael and Jodi could have a good life.  Jodi was in the middle of this situation but she never wanted to be a part of it.  With that being said, I believe that the Terri Schiavo decision was unjust.  Terri was still a living person who was breathing, could experience emotions (she was happy when she saw her parents), and could move her body to a point.  I think she should have been still on the feeding tube because scientists could still develop something that could help her get better.  Science has been improving all these years.  Maybe if she was still on the feeding tube, she would have been treated with new medication.
   I have decided to answer the questions about AUTONOMY (Who should decide for Terri Schiavo? When and why should people decide for me?).  I really think the Schindlers made a mistake by being quiet when the court announced Michael Schiavo as Terri's legal guardian.  Furthermore, he was not the person to make the decision.  Terri's friend stated that after watching a movie about a girl in a coma, that Terri said that she would want to be kept alive even in that state.  Terri's parents should have been the legal guardians.  According to our class discussions, her husband, Michael, didn't allow treatment and the her parents secretly allowed Terri to get the treatment they though she needed when he wasn't there.  As you can see, Michael Schiavo was not the right guardian for Terri.  If something were to happen to me, I would want my parents to make a decision for me because they have known me all of my life and there is no one else in the universe who would know me better.  Also, I would want them to make a decision for me when I am not able to respond, am in an irreversible coma, or brain dead.  If I was on life support, I would not want to live artificially.  

The DNA Dilemma: A Test That Could Change Your Life

     The TIME article we recently read in class about Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) was really eye opening and fascinating.  I did not know that by just a DNA sample, the person's whole medical future could be revealed.  This is yet another example to prove that technology is advancing pretty quickly.  Many people have to deal with painful diseases such as cancer.  As a result, these families won't be living their lives to the fullest.  Others may be living life like no one's ever lived with many adventures but may be suddenly diagnosed with a chronic disease.  In Laurie Hunter's case, her family has medical history like her mother and aunt died of breast cancer and her brother died of testicular cancer.  In addition, a third round of tests found that seven genes were missing from Amanda's first chromosome.  Doctors found out that Hunter could have the same deletion along with her other two children.  Knowing that a deletion (linked to very rare tumors) that you have can affect your children's lives forever is devastating.  If I were Hunter, I would feel awful because that would mean my children are suffering because of my deletion. 
     If I had the choice to get Whole Genome Sequencing done, I would refuse to get it.  To begin with, I wouldn't want to know the possible diseases I could have until later on in life.  For example, if I do get WGS done, at let's say age 26, and the test results said that I would develop a type of cancer in the future, I wouldn't want to know.  I would not be able to live my life to the fullest even if I wanted to.  There would always be this hole of sadness inside of me every time I laugh.  I wouldn't want that.  Also, if I did get it done, I would want my doctor to tell me things that can be fixed.  If I was diagnosed with something that cannot be cured, I would want my doctor to tell me later.  But if I was diagnosed with something, whose conditions can be controlled or even prevented, I would surely want the doctor to tell me immediately.
     If I was a parent and I had the chance to give my baby WGS, I would allow it because I would want to give the best treatment and usually the earlier the diseases are found, the earlier the treatment can begin and as a result, my child would get better faster.  But if it was the other way around (I was the child), I wouldn't want my parents to get WGS done for me.  My parents would probably keep me from playing any sports or do anything that can cause injuries.  If I was old enough to understand my condition, I wouldn't want my parents to tell me anything and just let me live my life.  Furthermore, if I was the doctor, I would keep in mind, the patient's situation.  Some things I would take into consideration are: patient's family and friends, patient's economic status, and the patient's ability to handle bad news or mental stability.  A patient's family and friends should be considered because these are the people who would constantly be around the patient.  The economic status should be considered because they may not have much money but then the insurance would greatly increase.  The patient's ability to handle bad news is a crucial factor because if they handle it the wrong way, it won't be healthy for the patient and their family and friends.

Reflections and Resolutions

     2012 seems so long ago especially since everything significant (for me) happened in the beginning of the year.  It's quite difficult to recall everything I discovered about myself but I have managed to name a few.  I always thought I was shy and don't talk to new people unless they talk to me but I proved myself wrong last March 15.  Last February, I placed 3rd in the region for Business Calculations in FBLA.  I went to the State Competition.  I was nervous because there was so many people there.  But I talked to almost everyone!  I surprised myself with this.

     Another thing I noticed is that I am independent but also open-minded.  I realized this when I opened myself to suggestions my friends had to offer about any problems I had.  I am also independent because I don't usually rely on anyone.  I realized how emotionally strong I was when my best friend was hospitalized from a car accident.  I always considered myself as a sensitive person.  Although I spent hours in the room with him, I composed myself and always got through the school day.  His dad was driving him from school to the doctors (because he was sick) and a big truck collided with the car.

     His dad was in the hospital for about 2 weeks with neck and back injuries.  My best friend, on the other hand, was not so lucky.  He had whiplash, a sprained neck, a fractured leg and back.  He spent about 5 weeks in the hospital.  From this experience, I learned that life doesn't always turn out as you think it would.  He was out of the hospital in April and he was in a wheelchair then too.  It was hard for him but he got through.  All of his injuries healed except he is still afraid to be around trucks.  I learned a lot about myself as I helped him through his daily routines.  

       I believe in New Year's Resolutions because I usually set up reachable goals for myself. I set up goals for myself as the year goes on but a new year is a new start.  I have an interesting tradition.  I write all of my problems I want to fix throughout the year and transfer them to a paper exactly 10 minutes before New Year.  Then I hang them in my room, near my dresser.  This year, these are my resolutions:

• Spend more time with my family on the weekends without going on my macbook or watching TV.
• Try not to be lazy take a walk with a friend.
• Help out more in the house.
• Be a better friend to all my friends especially the new ones I made this year.
• Be better person by walking for a charity.
• Learn something new everyday.
• Get healthy by eating more vegetables and less "junk food".
• Be more optimistic and see the positives in a situation rather than the negatives.
• Relax more.
• Make room to read books.
• Try not to hurt myself at least once a day.

The Ethics of Social Media After Death

In class, we have been discussing the ethics for a few weeks now. But recently, we came across a new topic: the ethics of social media after death.  After watching  Adam Ostrow TED talk, "After your final status update" and Cyberspace When You're Dead from the New York Times Magazine, I can say that I have an opinion about this issue.  Obviously, my opinion is based off of my morals and values.  

I feel that whether an online profile is up is the choice of the persons who had passed.  As we have seen in class, there are a variety of services offered for people's online profiles after death which clearly shows that there are a lot of people who care about their online profiles after death.  As Rob Walker said, "Not many people have given serious thought to these questions. Maybe that’s partly because what we do online still feels somehow novel and ephemeral, although it really shouldn't anymore. Or maybe it’s because pondering mortality is simply a downer."  I don't think my online profile is a big issue and I personally agree with Rob Walker.  However, as more and more people are switching from diaries and scrapbooks to blogs and online albums, the internet is becoming a place where loved ones can live forever.  

There are all these ethical questions: should your online personality live on? should your family members have a say? should this be included in a will?  I believe the person's family should decide what to do with their online accounts if the person who died didn't specify anything.  In addition, I feel that if the family knew the person well enough (which they should) that they would do whatever the passed wanted.  In addition, I feel that you should only include your online profiles on a will only if there are important stuff on it.  

Lastly, I was pretty surprised when Adam Ostrow mentioned holograms in his TED talk.  I can't even begin to understand why people would want a hologram of a lost loved one.  If I just came back from a funeral and immediately got a hologram of this person, I would not be moving on.  Getting a hologram of a lost loved one is like replacing them.  Furthermore, a hologram is not like any real person.  We recently had to write a response comparing the real and the virtual you.  If a hologram was created from the person's online profiles, and there was a significant difference between real and virtual them, then there would be a problem because the person wouldn't be the same.  

In conclusion, what to do with online profiles should be up to the person the profiles belong to or the family.  A facebook profile, for example, should not be a piece of property passed down but a memorial for the lost one.   

20% Project: Surgery

          My first 20% project of the year will be everything about surgery.  My Animoto video included some of the things I want to research but not all of it.  I would like to include: types of surgery, education to become  surgeon, surgical techniques, top schools for medicine/surgery and work pressure.  I want to learn about everything a surgeon does because it is one of my possible careers.  I have a surgeon, a lawyer and an economics expert in mind.  I am heavily leaning towards something in medicine which holds a variety of jobs.  When I first told my parents that I wanted to become a surgeon/doctor, my mom told me that she doesn't want me to do that because then I'll have to stay in college for about 5-8 years.  She'd rather have me do business or computer engineering.  My dad, on the other hand, told me I can be whatever I want as long as I am committed.  
          I want to research about surgery because I want to know it is something I want to do for sure in the future.  I anticipate on using the internet and some books I found in the library.  I feel that I will have trouble understanding most of the material I will be researching because it is more advanced and hard to understand.  I volunteer at RWJ in Hamilton so I would like to talk to some of the surgeons from: Neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, cardiovascular surgery, general surgery, vascular and plastic surgery.
                    

Chris Langan: Smartest Man in America

     After reading chapters 3-4 of the Outliers and watching the 1 vs. 100 on Chris Langan I would definitely agree with the fact that Chris Langan is successful.  I believe if one is successful, one is happy.  If one is happy about his/her life, one is successful.  Chris Langan is a great example of a successful being.  Although he didn't graduate from college because his mother forgot to hand in a financial aid form, Chris Langan overcame this obstacle and currently lives a modest life.  With an IQ of 194, he could be rich if he wanted to but he chose his life on a farm.  Chris Langan lives a simple life compared to Bill Gates or any other famous intellectual.  He has potential and he is happy with his wife, Gina LoSasso.  I believe Chris Langan is successful because he is happy and content with his current life.