The Approximate Size of My Favorite Tumor Essay

The Approximate Size of My Favorite Tumor - Essay Example In â€Å"The Approximate Size of My Favorite Tumor,† Sherman Alexie portrays a character immersed in humor so to say, from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb! Jimmy Many Horses is an individual who owns problems galore to make his life miserable and humorous. His never-ending concerns are relationships, alcoholism, modern society versus traditional values and above all doomed lives. He regales the readers with his version of the history of his relationship with his wife, Norma. In the trials and tribulations of life, even when one is afflicted with the life-threatening disease like cancer, humor is the potential energy giver that lightens the burden of the painful and stressful hours and days of the patient, and those around him. My chosen aspect in this story is humor, humor, and more humor! That runs through each and every turn of the story. Detailed analysis and evidence has been provided in the ensuing paragraphs and at this stage, I need to make a speci al mention of the encounter of the couple with a policeman patrolling the highway and Sherman Alexie describes, â€Å"We watched him walk back to his cruiser, climb in, and drive off, breaking four or five laws as he flipped a U-turn, left 166 rubber, crossed the center line, broke the speed limit, and ran through a stop sign without lights and siren.† (5) Amazing observation! Jimmy struggles to come to terms with his alcohol addiction and terminal cancer that will carry him to the grave undoubtedly. Yet he is jovial and is unconcerned about his health concerns. He asserts with confidence, â€Å"Listen . . . if I stole 1,000 horses, I’d give you 501 of them.†(2) This man Jimmy is not an ordinary human being. He is willing to laugh in a near death situation and he goes on with his tantrums in all seriousness. Norma finds it difficult to put up with his willful laughter dispositions and leaves him temporarily to join the powwow circuit. Notwithstanding the abrupt separation, internally she intensely remembers the psychological bond with Jimmy and returns to him in his last days and by that time, she has ingrained something from his original asset of humor as she explains the significance of her return journey, in this meaningful composition, "Because someone needs to help you die the right way," she said. "And we both know that dying ain't something you ever have done before.† I had to agree with that." And maybe," she said, "because making fry bread and helping people die are the last two things Indians are good at." "Well," I said. "At least you're good at one of them." And we laughed. (6) Humor is contagious and Jimmy must have enjoyed the sparks of wit now seen in his wife. During the X-ray examination the tumor is identified and on Jimmy’s getting that information, he puts his stamp of humor and he offers its description by stating that "Well, I told her the doctor showed me my X-rays and my favorite tumor was just about th e size of a baseball, shaped like one, too. Even had stitch marks."(1) But at the end of the story, Norma has come to terms with his sense of humor and their domestic dialogues attain a new dimension. In the middle of the story, Jimmy’s metaphorical remark steals the thunder and he candidly says, â€Å"Still, you have to realize that laughter saved Norma and me from pain, too. Humor was an antiseptic that cleaned the deepest of personal wounds (4).  Ã‚  

Vulnerable Population and Self-Awareness Research Paper

Vulnerable Population and Self-Awareness - Research Paper Example Most of these people fall under the categories of people with disabilities, children, and the elderly. The Service Community Assessment of Needs state that these groups are considered most vulnerable due to their being unaware of their situation and the lack of services and resources made available to them (Poirrier, 2001, p.73). Furthermore, these groups are very much dependent on other groups to fight for their welfare since they are mostly unable to do it on their own. A big percentage of these people are within the poverty level, and the concern does not yet include those who may be HIV positive, or may be suffering from mental issues, etc. As a nurse, one should understand that dealing with the vulnerable population is more than counting the numbers or acquiring percentages (Poirrier, 2001, p.36-7). It is about eliminating the factors that put these people into these situations. However, in this paper, a different view of vulnerable population will be discussed. Young adults may not normally be deemed as vulnerable in terms of nursing or health care. However, there are certain factors that show that this population is as susceptible as the elderly, the children, or the people with disabilities in terms of access to proper and adequate health care VULNERABLE POPULATION AND SELF-AWARENESS 3 (Poirrier, 2001, p.74). ... ople are are the peak of their strength and capabilities, and are given more options or choices compared to other age brackets (Stergiopoulos, Dewa, Durbin, Chau and Svoboda, 2010, p.1033). While this may be true in certain aspects, there is one big factor that prove this population can be as exposed to harm as the other vulnerable populations. Most of my researches and observations are within the community setting. I have seen and heard about homeless young people who are picked up from the streets and sent to the E.R. at every dangerous rise or fall of the temperature. I have seen and heard about young people experiencing the trauma of unwanted pregnancies, sexual assaults, or sexually transmitted diseases at a time when they are too young to be prepared for such major life events, just because they are living in the streets. As I go on seeing and hearing about these people, I have come to realize that these young individuals are as vulnerable as the ones that the health industry c onsider. My major concern here is the â€Å"harm being done to this population that will reflect further in their lives† (Poirrier, 2001, p.74-5). The National Healthcare for the Homeless Council states that among those falling under the 18-24 age bracket, a big percentage experience homelessness, and that the number continues to rise annually (Stergiopoulos et al., 2010, p.1032). Homelessness among these young adults reach up to 2 million a year (Stanhope and Lancaster, 2008, p.213). This alone speaks a lot about the large number of individuals exposed to multiple dangers and susceptibilities daily. This, too, VULNERABLE POPULATION AND SELF-AWARENESS 4 tells us that they require much-needed attention as much as the other considered vulnerable populations in the health industry. Furthermore,

Education Essay Example for Free

Education Essay Maraming Pilipino ay nananatiling †walang pakialam, walang interes, at walang komitment. † May pagkamanhid na nagaganap kaugnay ng mga usapin sa moralidad kaya madalas inuunawa na lamang yaong mga bagay na di dapat palagpasin;ang kasamaan ay hindi nasusugpo dahil lubhang abala ang mga tao sa pagkayod ng ikabubuhay. Kung gusto nating tayo’y umunlad, hindi ito dapat magpatuloy. Express your agreement or disagreement to the statement above. Give concrete examples. In what ways have colonial education developed this apathy or lack of interest? In what ways can the present system of education help solve this problem. To a certain extent, I agree and disagree with the statement, I do not wish to appear not  to have a stand on this so allow me to explain: If I were to be realistic, I would have to admit that the statement is true. An example is an ordinary teacher working in a public school who handles three subjects and an advisory class with 30-50 students per class. She has a family of her own with 2-3 children and a husband who is a government employee. She rents a house with a fee of 5 thousand a month, exclusive of utilities. All children are in school. Monthly expenses on food, transportation, school fees etc. exceed her and her husband’s salaries combined. To augment their monthly earnings both husband and wife take on additional jobs, the teacher has private tutorials after school and the husband drives for a family on the weekends and holidays. No one can question her integrity as a teacher; she does her work well and with sincerity. But with the bulk of her responsibilities not only with her own family but with her students, do you think she has the time to debate on issues such as corruption in government? An issue that she was born in and with already. An issue that she has no immediate solution for. An issue that continues even after the post has â€Å"changed hands†. That no matter who sits in government, same problem on corruption occurs but on different levels, depth and facets. For this ordinary teacher, she would rather focus her time on the daily problems she encounters and can provide immediate solutions for – like her students failing grades or, frequent absences. Or misunderstandings with a colleagues, or school projects of her kids. Can we fault her for simply focusing on solutions she has control over? Does that make her insensitive, numb, does not care or uninterested with the issues around her? Will her joining street rallies, taking a day off her from her responsibilities and a day’s pay from her salary, to denounce the government that seemingly disregards her problems address the corruption issue and solve it within the day she can afford to spare? I do not believe so. She does what she can, at times that she can. This attitude is  not  even colonial. It’s an innate Filipino and human value that we all take on when necessary. And the teacher’s attitude of providing solutions at her level no matter how mundane helps the community. Small things like inculcating honest values, and upgrading human respect for others to students under her care would make a difference, so when they grow up and they take on the leadership of the country, she hopes they would be a different brand of leaders. She is but one teacher, but even a small pebble when thrown creates a ripple in any body of water.

Hinduism And The Child Bearing Process Theology Religion Essay

Hinduism And The Child Bearing Process Theology Religion Essay Having a baby and changing your life with a new being is a very important part of life. Regardless of culture and traditions, it is a very special process for most mothers, fathers and families in all cultures around the world. This essay will look in depth into the ways the Hindu culture views child bearing, infant feeding, post partum beliefs and in general how their beliefs differ from our Canadian modernized culture. Child-bearing The Hindu religion in itself is a very tight-knit culture, relying a lot on the power of their Gods and finding enormous strength in the faith itself. The child-bearing process is no exception. Ceremonies are usually performed during pregnancy to ensure the health of the mother and growing child (Hindu, 2012). Initially at conception a ceremony called samskar is performed and this involves prayers of hope that a child will fulfill the parents obligation to continue the human race. There are rituals that the father practices with the mother such as the father parting the hair of the pregnant mother three times upward from the front to the back, this is believed to assure ripening of the embryo inside. Also, charms may be placed on or around the mother that ward off evil eyes and witches and demons. As the pregnancy advances there are a set of prayers that are held during a ceremony to continue the blessings of the mother and child. Between the fourth and seventh months of pregnancy a ceremony called Simantonnayana is held in which the father combs his wifes hair and expresses his love and support for her. Traditionally in the seventh month of pregnancy Hindus have another ritual that is performed which would be compared to a modernized Canadians version of a baby shower, this is called Seemantham. This event is organized by the family members and involves gift-giving and religious rituals. A prayer to fire is recited to sooth the expectant mother. Light instrumental music is played, and it is believed that this will refine the development of the babys ears (Hindu, 2012). During pregnancy the mother usually assumes a passive role and follows directions of the trained professionals (Leifer, 2011). During all examinations and the actual birthing process a female couch is usually preferred and they value the teachings of professionals. While the woman is in labour, her head is usually covered and if any examinations are to be done to the mother the husband must always be present. Rituals immediately following the birth of the child are practiced as well. Prior to the cutting of the umbilical cord, the father may touch the babys lips with a gold spoon or ring dipped in honey, curds and ghee. The word vak (meaning speech) is whispered three times into the right ear, and mantras (prayers) are chanted (Leifer, 2011). This ritual is normally called Jatakarma and is viewed as a sacrament or samskar. This ritual is given by the father to welcome and give blessings to ensure a long life, peace and to continue the generation of talent for the newborn child. After the newborn is delivered the sex of the child is not revealed until the placenta is delivered. This information is with-held to delay stress of the mother if the gender of the child is not of her preference until after the placenta is delivered. One of the last rituals in this category includes the performance of Namakarana (a ceremony done to name the child). This is held between the tenth and forty-first days of life. This particular ceremony marks the childs formal entry into his or her seat of Hinduism. Names are chosen according to astrology (BeliefNet, 2012) and a consultation is done in deciding the name of the child and usually names of Hindu gods or goddess are chosen and preferable. Hindus believe this tradition is special and a blessing because you will have an added benefit of remembering how your child was named. Infant Feeding Typically a newborn baby in the Hindu culture is breastfed; the belief is that by feeding the child breast milk, mothers are worshipped by the Hindu goddess Durga (the mother goddess). It is believed that breast milk is thought to have special powers which are in their religious text as the Sushrauta Samhita. These texts also recommend delaying breastfeeding until true milk comes in. (McKenna, 2009). Following religious beliefs a mothers colostrum and prelacteal feeding is discarded. Among some Hindus colostrums is discarded because of a belief that its thickness and viscosity may be difficult for the newborn to swallow. Also, there are beliefs that the first breast milk is stale or old from being stored in the breasts for the duration of the pregnancy (McKenna, 2009). Mothers ensure that their breasts are washed and all colostrums are discarded for the first day until the true milk comes in. Hindus also believe that by discarding the colostrum they are purifying the tubes of the mot hers mammary glands. Prior to the mothers giving their child the true milk, Hindus give prelacteals which their religious beliefs and cultural backgrounds state they are to have positive effects on the babys gastrointestinal and genitourinary systems. Hindus use prelacteals like honey and ghee, which are thought to evacuate meconium, reduce colic and act as a laxative (McKenna, 2009). When the infant reaches an age of six or seven months an Annaprasana ceremony is performed for the first solid foods. Annaprasanas meaning is anna= rice and prasana= to enter, thus the reasoning why rice is typically the first food given, and is given at this ceremony. The difference of the month for the ceremony depends on the gender of the child. A girl childs ceremony is held on an odd month, while a boys ceremony would be on an even month. When a baby gets solid food for the first time numerous prayers are offered to the child. It is believed with Annaprasana that the flaws that arise due to intake of impure food are removed. At the ending of this ceremony different articles such as books, fruits, toys and money are spread in front of the child. The baby is allowed to touch these items and it is believed that what the baby touches first will be his interest for rest of its life. Post Partum Beliefs Typically in most Indian cultures after a baby is born there is a lot of family support for the mother and many believe that the baby is to be handled as little as possible to allow its spine to grow normally. For the post partum women sponge baths are usually done (Leifer, 2011) in the Hindu culture. Usually the woman who delivered the child is kept in seclusion for 40 days postpartum (Leifer, 2011). This time of seclusion allows for bonding of the woman and child and immediate family. After this bonding time is complete then other family, friends and presents are welcomed into the home of the child. A traditional art of painting the skin with Henna is also performed on the woman after having a baby. Hennaing a woman after she gives birth is a traditional way to deter the malevolent spirits that cause disease, depression, and poor bonding with her infant. The action of applying henna to a mother after childbirth, particularly to her feet, keeps her from getting up to resume housewor k. A woman who has henna paste on her feet must let a friend or relative help her care for older children, tend the baby, cook and clean. This allows her to regain her strength and bond with her new baby (Cartwright Jones, 2002). Personal Reflection The process and importance of having a child in the Hindu religion really intrigues me. Although every culture finds importance and happiness in the process of a new child being welcomed into their family, the Hindu religion has opened my eyes into how special and meaningful this process can be. All the ceremonies and special activities that are done to embrace this beautiful time in life made me wish some of these special events were incorporated in modernized Canadian cultures. I truly believe that having this much culture and religious belief incorporated into having a child makes it even more special. It is very important as a nurse that you take the time and consideration to value all the different areas that cultures around the world celebrate and embrace different parts of life, such as having a baby. As a nurse you must be respectful of each and every persons beliefs and be culturally aware that every person regardless of race, color or culture may choose to embrace this part of life in their own way. It is the responsibility of the nurses and health professionals to make this the best possible experience for them and in turn being respectful to their wishes, regardless if they are different than your own.

Failures of Capital Punishment Essay -- essays papers

Failures of Capital Punishment Is the death penalty a just way of punishing those who commit a horrible crime? The answer to that depends on the standpoint of an individual. Fox Butterfield of the New York Times notices that â€Å"In the view of some, the failure to enforce the death penalty reflects and enduring ambivalence about the capital punishment. Others say that the death penalty opponents have found ways to triumph over the public will to carry out executions.† In a capitalistic standpoint, there is the notion that it simply costs too much. There is another and more simple standpoint and that is that the death penalty is not working. This is where I personally stand on the issue. The death penalty is a just punishment for a convicted individual, but the system in the United States is not functioning properly for it to be a means of punishment. As far as deterrence goes, Amnesty international states that â€Å"studies have consistently failed to find convincing evidence that the death penalty deters crime more effectively than other punishments.† Roger Hood, an author that wrote The Death Penalty: A World-wide Perspective, Notes the UN’s research on the subject and states that â€Å" ‘Research has failed to provide scientific proof that executions have greater deterrent effect than life imprisonment and such proof is unlikely forthcoming. The evidence as a whole still gives no positive support to the deterrent hypothesis†¦.† Hood is strongly for the abolition of the death penalty. He explains that â€Å"abolition has harmful effects. In Canada, the homicide rate per 100,000 population fell from a peak of 3.09 in 1975, the year before the abolition of the death penalty for murder, to 2.41 in 1980, and since then it has remained relat... ...bolish the death penalty.† The cost issue is another standpoint opposing capital punishment. The fact that the capital punishment process has some major flaws is a good reason to think about whether or not America should incorporate it as a punishment. Sure, many people are for the idea if it, but there are too many legal issues and problems that are defeating the purpose if the death penalty. Richard Dieter, director of the Death Penalty Information Center, an anti-death penalty group, claims â€Å"that the zeal for capital punishment will eventually wane.† Once Americans realize that the capital punishment system is not perfectly functional, then change will occur. The bottleneck in the courts and jails across the country will be cleared, and the United States of America will be added to Amnesty International’s list of countries that have abolished the death penalty.

Victorian Gothic Literature: Scientific vs. Medieval Thinking Essay

Victorian Gothic Literature: Scientific vs. Medieval Thinking      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Creatures of the night have always held a fascination and horror for people in all cultures. The English fascination with sensational and gothic literature came to a peak, after slacking slightly following the Romantic period, in the late Victorian period with such works as Dracula, The Strange Adventures of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. The literate populace avidly devoured this type of literature. While most publishers merely churned out serial horror stories en masse, such as Varney the Vampyre, many serious writers used this genre as a means to force their audience to think about their beliefs. Serious Victorian Gothic literature plays on the fears and emotions of the era, an era that was especially fearful since their beliefs had been ripped out from under them, largely by contrasting modern science with medieval superstition and belief.    The Victorian era was similar to our own in that it was a time when people weren't really sure what was true or what they believed. As this prayer, believed to have come from the Victorians shows, " 'O God - if there is a God - save my soul - if I have a soul' " (Houghton 22). New theories about the age of the earth had demonstrated that something was out of kilter with the bible, since the earth seemed to be older than the biblical account would show. Darwin had gone one step further and shown that man hadn't been created but evolved through natural selection. A generation was growing up in a culture that had had the rug of its beliefs pulled out from under its feet. The main difference between the Victorian sense of doubt and our post-modern doubt is, "faith in the existence of u... ...completely destroyed by his dabbling in alchemic science.    Much of Victorian Gothic literature plays to the Victorian doubt in what they believe, especially as concerns science and what is largely assumed to be medieval superstition. By playing on these fears, authors are able to create stories that are horrifying on several levels. First of all, the action that goes on in the book is enough to make the readers skin crawl. However, the authors go farther and use their audiences natural fears and doubts to create a story that is sensational on all levels.    Works Cited Davenport-Hines, Richard. Gothic: Four Hundred years of Excess, Horror, Evil and Ruin. North Point Press: New York, 1998. Houghton, Walter E. The Victorian Frame of Mind. Yale University Press: New Haven, Conn, 1957. Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Penguin Group: New York, 1992.

Physics Lab Safety Booklet Example Essay

Why Is Laboratory Safety Important? Lab Safety is important because a safe work space, is a productive work space. When everyone follows all rules and regulations the assignment will get done and no one will be hurt. Some of the chemicals and substances can be harmful if used incorrectly, so there all certain ways we protect ourselves. Lab Safety Symbols This is the fire symbol, it means something is flammable. So keep it away from flames or it will catch on fire. This symbol is for toxic or poisonous chemicals. Safety procedures are to protect you and others also in the lab. Safety Symbols continued The symbol below means that a chemical or substance is corrosive, which means that is can cause visible disintegration of human tissue or any other substances or materials it may come in contact with. These two symbols mean that a substance or a chemical have dangerous fumes. Those fumes will harm you if inhaled. These three symbols are the different types of radioactive symbols you might see. Radioactive waste can harm both humans and the environment, so handle with care. Lab Safety Equipment These are goggles, they are use to protect the eyes. Gloves (below) are used to protect the hands. ï ¿ ¼Safety Equipment cont. This is a lab apron. It is used to protect the clothing from spills, chemicals or substances that might go through the clothes and damage skin. ï ¿ ¼ Measuring Instruments This is a triple beam balance. It measures mass in grams. This is a graduated cylinder, it measures volume in milliliters. This is a ruler, it measures length in both centimeters and inches. ï ¿ ¼Safety Rules This is a fire blanket, it is used when a persons hair or article of clothing catches fire. This is a safety shower with an eye wash station built in. If you ever get anything in your eyes, go swiftly over to the eye wash station , turn in on and hold open your eyelids and let keep using it for 15 to 20 minutes.