Life Spot

January 9, 2012

Give Life, Be A Living Kidney Donor!

KIDNEY TRANSPLANT DONOR REQUIREMENTS:

In 2009, 38 percent of the 16,830 kidney transplants were made possible by the bravery and generosity of living kidney donors. In that year, 6,388 lives were changed because of this life-saving act. All of those donors were willing to undergo surgery to have one of their kidneys removed and live the rest of their lives with a single kidney so that someone else could benefit.

The criteria to become a donor are relatively easy to satisfy, which means that an increasing number of individuals can become donors.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:
The University of California San Francisco Medical Center requires donors to be between the ages of 18 and 65. Donors must be reasonably fit nonsmokers. Transplant centers often reject overweight volunteers until they lose weight. Donors need not be related to the recipient. Surgeons perform thousands of transplants every year between nonrelatives.

BLOOD TYPE:
An ideal donor has either the same blood type as the recipient or has type O blood, which is safe for any recipient. The Rh factor does not matter. Rh factors are immunological markers found in blood that are characterized as positive or negative. For example, a type A negative donor can give a kidney to an type A positive recipient. In some situations, a kidney donor may be willing to donate to a particular person, such as a friend or relative, but cannot do so because he is a poor match. In these cases, donors should explore paired donation. Through paired donation, a poorly matched donor can donate to a more suitable recipient, and in exchange, his friend or relative receives a kidney from a different donor, one who is also poorly matched to a particular candidate.

TISSUE MATCHING:
A prospective donor should also have a close tissue match with the recipient. Doctors base this match on six different histocompatibility antigens, immune response markers that characterize the tissue. Doctors determine histocompatibility antigens of prospective donors using a simple blood test. Perfect matching is not required, but some matches are better than others. If a prospective donor is excluded because of an unsuitable tissue match, paired donation is, again, a possible option.

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION:
Donors should be free from medical issues that are risks for donation and transplantation. For example, a common medical exclusion for a donor is hypertension. Doctors also evaluate possible cardiovascular and kidney problems because these would exclude someone from donating, as would a prior history of some cancers. Other exclusions include diabetes, intravenous drug use, and certain infectious diseases—hepatitis, for example. Donors who are excluded for medical reasons can often be reevaluated once the condition has resolved.

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION:
Prospective donors also undergo psychological evaluations to confirm that they are free from any mental health issues that would make the procedure risky. For example, donors who are mentally unstable are not good candidates because they may be unable to care for themselves properly after surgery. Physicians also make an effort to select donors who would not be psychologically harmed if a recipient ultimately lost the donated kidney.

http://www.livestrong.com/article/130966-kidney-transplant-donor-requirements/

January 8, 2012

A Perfect Pair!

The two most perfect little ones ever!

My Grandson & Granddaughter

who are both so sweet and adorable,

I can't explain how much love I have for them.

They are so smart and growing up so fast, too fast.

Their Mommy & Daddy are doing a great job with them.

January 7, 2012

The History of Aromatherapy...

For 6000 years Aromatherapy has been a good alternative method of healing.

The humble beginning of Aromatherapy, which literally means therapy of healing through the sense of smell.

Aromatherapy dates back thousands of years and has been used by most of the ancient civilizations. Most of the stories of ‘the medicine man’ were of professionals schooled in the use of essential oils.

The Chinese civilizations used some form of aromatics dating back to 2700 BC. These historical references contain detailed information on over 300 plants and their uses. The Chinese also used aromatics in religious ceremonies, a tradition which is still practiced today. The Chinese were also involved in other ancient therapies such as massage and acupressure, hence the term eastern medicine.

Aromatherapy has also been used for many centuries in India. Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, uses dried and fresh herbs, as well as aromatic massage as important aspects of treatment.

In ancient Egypt, aromatherapy was a way of life. The essential oils of plants were used during religious rituals raising a higher consciousness or promoting a state of tranquility. Egyptians used the principles of this art in their cooking as well. Specific herbs aided in the digestive process, protected against infection and improving the immune system.

The Greeks acquired most of their medical knowledge from the Egyptians and used it to further their own discoveries. Hypocrites commonly known as the “Father of Medicine” was the first to study this scientifically. The Greeks found that some fragrances were stimulating while others had relaxing properties. Aromatherapy was used for both cosmetic and medicinal purposes.

The Romans learned from the Greeks and became well known for scented baths followed by massage with aromatic oils. With the decline of the Roman Empire, the use of aromatics faded and the knowledge of their use were virtually lost.

One of the few places where the tradition of Aromatherapy continued was in monasteries, where monks used plants from herbal gardens to produce infused oils, herbal teas and medicines. During the Middle Ages, it was discovered that certain aromatic derivatives helped to prevent the spread of infection.

The revival of the use of essential oils is credited to a Persian physician and philosopher known as Avicenna. The Persians initiated a method of extraction known as distillation, and study of the therapeutic use of plants once again became popular. The knowledge of distillation spread and the lost process was once again returned to Europe. By 1200 AD, essential oils were being produced in Germany and were based mainly on herbs and spices brought from Africa and the Far East.

When the conquistadors invaded South America, even more medicinal plants and aromatic oils were discovered, and the wide variety of medicinal plants found in Montezuma’s gardens provided a basis for many new and important remedies and treatments.

Throughout the northern continent, Native American Indians were using aromatic oils and producing their own herbal remedies, which were discovered when settlers began to make their way across the plains of the New World.

Although herbs and aromatics had been used in other world cultures for many centuries, it was not until the 19th century that scientists in Europe and Great Britain began researching the effects of essential oils on humans. It was French chemist, Rene Maurice Gattefosse who discovered the healing powers of lavender oil after burning his hand in his laboratory. He published a book on the anti-microbial effects of the oils in 1937 and the term “Aromatherapy” was born.

The discovery of Penicillin and creation of synthetic drugs has conditioned modern society to readily accept instant cures. In many medical circles, aromatherapy and holistics as a whole are considered “soft” sciences, because cures are less speedy and are difficult to prove scientifically. The proof of the effectiveness of aromatherapy lies in our ancestors, who survived throughout the ages in this hard world equipped with only a natural instincts.

During World War II, the French army surgeon Dr. Jean Valnet used essential oils as antiseptics. Later, Madame Marguerite Maury elevated aromatherapy as a holistic therapy. She started prescribing essential oils as remedy for her patients. She is also credited with the modern use of essential oils in massage. Aromatherapy works the best when used on the mind and body simultaneously.

Even after reading the history of aromatherapy many westerners remain skeptical of this science. Only after they consider the modern uses of aromatherapy do they say “Oh, I get it.”

Some of the more common and mainstream examples of aromatherapy include: Mentholated vapor rub (to loosen congestion in the chest and breathing passages), Spa treatments such as the use of Eucalyptus especially in a steam room, Perfumes, Colognes, deodorizers and room fresheners.

For a list of essential oils used in aromatherapy blends click on the following link: http://aromatherapy4soul.com/essential-oils-a-z.htm

Source of the history of aromatherapy can be found at the following link:http://yellowstaressentials.wordpress.com/2008/12/29/history-of-aromatherapy-2/

January 6, 2012

Pitbulls are wonderful dogs & great family pets!

FIND THE PITBULL...

Only one of the pictures below features the real American PitBull Terrier. Take the test to see if you can find it. To find the breed of a dog, click on image. Note there are no mixes or rescue dogs of unknown background who's breed could be debated. All dogs have been picked from breeders' websites

and should be good representatives of their breed.

When you are done, ask your family and friends to take to test and watch the results. For many people, a Pit Bull is a a big headed dog, or a dog with cropped ears. For some it's a brindle dog,

a big, stocky dog, or one with an eye patch.

Often dogs that attack are identified as pit bulls when they are not. There are 20+ breeds that are

commonly incorrectly identified as pit bulls.

For more information on the Pitbull go to the link below:

http://understand-a-bull.com/PitbullInformation/PitBullIndex.htm

To take the "Find The Pitbull Quiz" go to the link below: http://www.pbrc.net/poppysplace/games/AdultFindabull/findpitbull_v4.html

Veterans Rebuild Their Lives with Service Dogs!

Service dogs can add assistance and joy to a veteran's life!

As you're aware, veterans in America still do not receive the treatment and care they deserve. Veterans have laid down their lives to protect our country, and we have a moral right to provide for them after they return from service.

Service dogs are just one way we can give back to our veterans. Those who served in the armed services, and especially during wartime, can experience many emotions and difficult circumstances when they arrive back home. At times it can be hard to return to normal life, performing regular daily activities, connecting with others, or managing the stress of what they've been through. These difficulties are compounded when a soldier has been injured or is experiencing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Service dogs can add assistance and joy to a veteran's life, without adding the extra burden of payment for services. In addition, helping train a service dog can enhance a veteran's experience back at home and help him or her manage PTSD.

Shelter dogs in particular should not be overlooked when considering a dog for service training. Shelter dogs are in more dire need of rescue than breeder or pet store dogs, and can provide just the same quality of service.

I am writing to ask that you continue to advocate for our veterans by crafting legislation that would create a program that would allow them to help train all types of healthy dogs, including those from shelters. In doing so, we may be able to save the lives of more veterans and dogs in need.

Please go to The Veteran's Site and sign this petition! Simply click on the link below: Thank You!

http://theveteranssite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=10&campaign=VeteransShelterDogs