Crochet bracelet/ hair band with beads

This is another very delicate one, can be used as bracelet, or as hair band too!

Crochet bracelet with beads

This is a very delicate crochet bracelet made for my grand daughter!

crochet necklace

This is a simple necklace, just added few beads to it, as my grand daughter loves beads.

crochet choker

This choker is my own design. I only have to stitch the button at the back.

LIVER CANCER -what it is, cause, symptoms, diagnosis

What is liver cancer?

Liver cancer is an abnormal, uncontrolled growth of cells in the liver. The liver is the largest internal organ of the body. It helps to regulate and store blood glucose (sugar). It helps get rid of drugs and toxins and produces important proteins. The liver also produces bile, which helps the body process fats and get rid of waste products. There are two types of liver cancer: primary and secondary. Primary liver cancer starts from the cells of the liver. The two most common forms of primary liver cancer are: Hepatoma, which is often associated with cirrhosis and hepatitis B or C infections Cholangiocarcinoma, a rare tumour developing in bile ducts cells. Secondary liver cancer occurs when a cancer starts someplace else and spreads to the liver. A secondary liver tumour may not be found until it causes symptoms.

What is the cause?

Although the exact cause of liver cancer is not known, the contributing factors include: Heavy alcohol drinking  Hepatitis B and C infections, cirrhosis, and other chronic liver ailments Chronic liver disease Haemochromatosis

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of liver cancer are: Pain, especially in the abdominal area or around the right shoulder blade  Loss of weight  Loss of appetite  Pain or swelling in the abdomen  Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of eyes)

How is it diagnosed?

To diagnose liver cancer, the physician notes the symptoms, checks for weight loss, malnutrition, weakness, examines for enlargement of the liver and other signs. Certain tests required include: Blood tests for anaemia and liver functions  Alpha-fetoprotein level (a protein that sometimes occurs in the blood when liver cancer is present)  Ultrasound exam of the liver  CT scan  Hepatic artery angiogram (a process in which a local anaesthetic is given and the person is injected with a dye-like substance; a series of x-ray pictures are then taken and examined for signs of any abnormal growths in the liver)  Biopsy (a procedure in which a local anaesthetic is given and then a small sample of tissue from the liver is obtained through the skin with a hollow needle)

How can it be treated?

The treatment depends on the stage of the disease and whether it is primary or secondary liver cancer.

LEUKEMIA -causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, side effects, types

How is leukaemia caused?

The causes of most types of leukaemia are not clearly known. Some of the possible causes may be: Exposure to harmful radiation in large doses Exposure to certain chemicals like benzene over a long period of time Certain genetic defects Exposure to certain viruses (called retroviruses) that may cause leukaemia.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms in chronic forms of leukaemia may not appear for a long time and the person may be able to lead a normal life. However, acute leukaemia presents with symptoms like: Fatigue associated with anaemia due to the lowered number of cells which carry oxygen Paleness of the face Continuous low grade fever  Bleeding from gums or nose due to decrease in the number of platelets Vulnerability to infection due to lowered immunity Appearance of small red marks or petechiae (blood clots in the skin)  Abnormal menstruationin women Unexpected loss of weight with loss of appetite.

How is it diagnosed?

Chronic leukaemias are diagnosed mostly when the patient goes in for a routine blood test and the sample shows an abnormal amount of WBC’s. Subsequently, specialised tests may be done to determine the exact type of leukaemia. A bone marrow biopsy in which the bone marrow is sampled using a needle, confirms the presence of leukaemia. In acute forms, the patient may seek medical help when he feels excessively tired and loses appetite. The above tests confirm the diagnosis.

How is it diagnosed?

Chronic leukaemias are diagnosed mostly when the patient goes in for a routine blood test and the sample shows an abnormal amount of WBC’s. Subsequently, specialised tests may be done to determine the exact type of leukaemia. A bone marrow biopsy in which the bone marrow is sampled using a needle, confirms the presence of leukaemia. In acute forms, the patient may seek medical help when he feels excessively tired and loses appetite. The above tests confirm the diagnosis.

What is the treatment?

The treatment of leukaemia usually involves intensive chemotherapy using drugs that kill the cancerous cells. The drugs are given as injections into the veins or by mouth; they are given at regular intervals over a period of time. They are very powerful and result in loss of hair and symptoms like nausea and loss of appetite. In some cases of leukaemia, especially inchildren, bone marrow transplant may be done. This is an expensive procedure where a person’s diseased marrow is replaced by a healthy marrow from a matching donor. This matching is very important since the body rejects foreign marrow very easily.

What are the side effects of treatment?

Chemotherapyis a very powerful form of therapy and results in loss of hair. It also damages normal cells in the bone marrow thus making it weak and highly prone to infections. Sometimes these infections can be life threatening. The person may also bleed very easily due to the destruction of platelets. Other associated symptoms like nausea, tiredness and anaemia are also common. After treatment, the patient may recover normal functioning depending on the severity of the disease. 50% of the patients lead a normal and disease free life after a bone marrow transplant. However, the disease can recur any time and thus regular monitoring is required. This monitoring will reduce in frequency as time passes and the patient ceases to show any symptoms of recurrence of the condition.

What is leukaemia?

Leukaemia is a type of cancerthat affects the white blood cells called leukocytes. Blood contains three types of cells – red blood cells or RBC’s that carry oxygen, leukocytes or white blood cells, WBC’s that help to protect the body against infections and platelets cells that help in blood clotting. These blood cells are produced in the bone marrow that is present in the cavities in bones. The leukocytes are of different kinds and various types of leukaemia are named after the kind of leukocyte affected.

What are the different types of leukaemia?

Leukaemia may be acute or chronic. The former develops suddenly and with rapidly worsening symptoms, and the latter spreads slowly over a period of time. Examples of acute leukaemia are:

1. Acute myelocytic leukaemia (AML) – it occurs in adults and in children less than a year old. Caused by a rapid increase in immature WBC’s, AML is characterised by bleeding from the gums and nose, proneness to fatigue and joint pain. Due to decrease in the production of RBC’s by the marrow, anaemia may occur. Patients often have enlarged lymph nodes.
2. Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) – this is the most common form of leukaemia in children aged 3 to 7 years. It is a progressively harmful disease where the WBC’s do not mature fully and thus are unable to carry out their functions properly. These cells multiply and replace the normal cells till finally bone marrow failure occurs. The child is prone to infections due to lowered immunity and bleeds easily if injured due to the blood’s decreased capacity to clot. He may also get tired very easily hampering his normal routine.

Examples of chronic leukaemia are:

1. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) – this is the commonest variety of leukaemia and occurs mostly in people over the age of 50. The symptoms are not very sudden and are usually vague, so the person may not seek treatment till very late. It is usually detected in a routine blood test since the person may not show any symptoms. It is caused due to a slow but steady increase in the number of WBC’s in the blood.
2. Chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) – associated with a chromosomal abnormality, CML commonly occurs in people between the ages of 35 and 60 years and is characterised by a chronic phase which can turn acute suddenly. There is no known prevention at this time but chemotherapy is started as soon as the disease is identified.

BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT -what it is, why done, procedure, indications, risks, prognosis

What is bone marrow transplant?

Bone marrow transplant is a procedure in which healthy bone marrow is transplanted into a patient whose bone marrow is not functioning properly. Problems in bone marrow are often caused by chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer. This procedure can also be done to correct hereditary blood diseases. The healthy bone marrow may be taken from the patient prior to chemotherapy or radiation treatment (autograft), or it may be taken from a donor (allograft).

What is bone marrow?

Bone marrow is the soft, sponge-like material found inside bones. It contains immature cells called stem cells that produce blood cells. There are three types of blood cells: white blood cells, which fight infection; red blood cells, which carry oxygen to and from organs and tissues; and platelets, which enable the blood to clot.

Why is it done?

If a patient develops a disease of the blood cells, especially cancers such as leukaemia, he may require high doses of chemotherapy to destroy the cancer. However, this also destroys normal blood cells. Alternatively, hereditary or acquired disorders may cause abnormal blood cell production. In these cases, transplantation of healthy bone marrow may save a patient's life. Transplanted bone marrow will restore production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

What is the procedure?

Bone marrow transplant patients are usually treated in specialised centres and the patient stays in a special nursing unit (a bone marrow transplant unit) to limit exposure to infections. The hospitalisation period is from 4 to 6 weeks, during which time the patient is isolated and under strict monitoring because of the increased risk of infection and/or bleeding. Donated bone marrow must match the patient's tissue type. It can be taken from the patient, a living relative (usually a brother or a sister), or from an unrelated donor. Donors are matched through special blood tests called HLA tissue typing. Bone marrow is taken from the donor in the operating room while one is unconscious and pain-free (under general anaesthesia). Some of the donor's bone marrow is removed from the top of the hip bone. The bone marrow is filtered, treated, and transplanted immediately or frozen and stored for later use. Then, transplant material is transfused into the patient through a vein and is naturally transported back into the bone cavities where it grows to replace the old bone marrow. Alternatively, blood cell precursors, called stem cells, can be induced to move from the bone marrow to the blood stream using special medications. These stem cells can then be taken from the bloodstream through a procedure called leukapheresis. The patient is prepared for transplantation by administering high doses of chemotherapy or radiation (conditioning). This serves two purposes. First, it destroys the patient's abnormal blood cells or cancer. Second, it inhibits the patient's immune response against the donor bone marrow (graft rejection). Following conditioning, the patient is ready for bone marrow infusion. After infusion, it takes 10 to 20 days for the bone marrow to establish itself. During this time, the patient requires support with blood cell transfusions.

What are the indications?

Bone marrow transplant may be recommended for: Bone marrow deficiency disease caused by: abnormal red blood cell production, such as thalassaemia or sickle cell disease  aggressive cancer treatments (chemotherapy, radiation therapy), especially for leukaemia or lymphoma  lack of normal blood cell production (aplastic anaemia) Immune system disorders (immunodeficiency) such as:  congenital neutropenia  severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome Bone marrow transplant is not recommended for: patients with heart, kidney, lungs, or liver disorders  patients with other diseases that may limit survival

What are the risks?

The risks for any anaesthesia are: reactions to medications  problems breathing Chemotherapy given prior to bone marrow transplant (conditioning) can cause significant toxicity, such as mouth sores, diarrhoea, liver damage, or lung damage. While waiting for bone marrow to grow, the patient is at high risk for infection as also bleeding. The major problem with bone marrow transplants (when the marrow comes from a donor, not the patient) is graft-versus-host disease. The transplanted healthy bone marrow cells may attack the patient's cells as though they were foreign organisms. In this case, drugs to suppress the immune system must be taken, but this also decreases the body's ability to fight infections. Other significant problems with a bone marrow transplant are those of all major organ transplants - finding a donor and the cost. The donor is usually a sibling with compatible tissue. The more siblings the patient has, the more chances there are of finding a compatible donor.

What is the prognosis?

Bone marrow transplant prolongs the life of a patient who would otherwise die. Relatively normal activities can be resumed as soon as the patient feels well enough and after consulting with the doctor.

The patient will require attentive follow-up care for 2 to 3 months after discharge from the hospital. It may take 6 months to a year for the immune system to fully recover from this procedure.

Protect yourself from heat stroke

Drink lots of fluids through the day.

Wear light-coloured, loose-fitting clothing in hot weather.

Avoid dark coloured clothes as they absorb more heat.

Cover your head.

Limit exposure to the hot sun and wear a broad rimmed hat if working in the sun.

Avoid strenuous activity in hot or humid weather.

Crunch in Bed for flatter stomach

Before you even get out of bed in the morning, do 10 stomach crunches while lying flat on your mattress. Increase daily by one until you get up to 100.Try it. You may eventually have to set your clock to wake up 15 minutes earlier, a small price to pay for a flatter stomach.

Drinking enough water good for health

Drink enough water to help flush toxins out of your system. It is a natural way to keep your metabolism humming and promote weight loss. The best skin moisturiser and hair conditioner is water. It may even offer protection from some forms of cancer.

Back exercises can prevent low back strain

Strengthening and stretching the lower back muscles helps prevent low back strain. While exercising do only what is comfortable and stop the moment you feel pain. If you have any back problems consult a doctor before starting

Fruits for breakfast keeps you fit

Eat fruits for breakfast. Eating fruit helps your body to take in antioxidants that may help to lessen the effects of free radicals inside the body. Free radicals are chemical compounds that come from pollution and even the air around us. Having fruits detoxifies the body and keeps one energised and fresh.

Who should avoid liquorice (mulaithi)?

Avoid liquorice (mulaithi) if you have high blood pressure, diarrhoea or use laxatives. Though it gives relief in cough and sore throat, it raises blood pressure and lowers potassium levels, leading to irregular heart beats, muscle weakness and twitches.

Fight cervical cancer by getting vaccinated against HPV

Get vaccinated against HPV:The following two recombinant HPV vaccines are readily available in India:

a.Gardasil, which is a vaccine against HPV types 16 and 18 (oncogenic) and types 6 and 11 (these HPV types account for 90% of genital warts in the western countries - exact data for India is not available). Approximate cost per injection is Rs 2,800, which is given intramuscularly. Side effects are almost negligible - commonest is soreness at injection site. Other mild side effects are headache, mild fever, itching at injection site and, sometimes, fainting (common after any injection especially in teenage girls). Therefore the women/girls are advised to lie down or sit for 15 minutes after reciving the injection. Rare case reports of muscle weakness in girls have been reported (Guillain-Barré Syndrome,GBS). Analysis of this rare adverse event has shown that this was not related to the vaccine, and the US FDA continues to recommend Gardasil for vaccination. It is manufactured by Merck and is recommended for girls between 9 and 13 years of age (before sexual exposure). If not given at this time, it can be given till 26 years of age. Doses are given at day 0, and then 2 months and 6 months after the 1st injection.

b.Cervarixis a vaccine against HPV types 16 and 18 (oncogenic), which currently cause 70% of cervical cancer cases worldwide and 90% of cancers in India. Approximate cost is Rs 3200 per injection. Recommendations for vaccination are same as for Gardasil. The recommended dosage schedule is the same. In India, Cervarix is being administered to women up to 45 years of age. It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Both companies do not recommend testing for HPV prior to giving vaccine (not cost effective, according to them). However, in women who are already sexually active a baseline Pap smear is a must, prior to giving vaccine, and colposcopy (if indicated).

Also, though almost 90% of cervical cancers in India are caused by HPV types 16 and 18, it must be brought to the knowledge of the woman / parent of girl receiving the vaccine that she needs to be continuously screened for cervical cancer by Pap smear (for the girl child, after she becomes sexually active). This is because the vaccine will not protect against the 11 other oncogenic HPVs. Counselling of the woman or the parents of the minor girl prior to vaccination is essential.

Research is on for evaluating the benefits of the vaccine in boys / men, as HPV causes genital warts and penile cancer in men. The issue about a booster dose is not yet resolved (research is on going). However, both companies say that it is definitely effective for five years.

The vaccine is contraindicated in girls and women with a known allergy to yeast and any component of the vaccine, or moderate or severe illness at time vaccine is scheduled. If the woman notes she has conceived after receiving the vaccine, she need not undergo a termination of the pregnancy. The vaccine has not shown to harm the pregnant woman or unborn baby, but as such vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy. A woman can receive the vaccine during lactation.

Additional advantages of HPV vaccine

These oncogenic HPV types cause majority of vulval and vaginal cancer; therefore, the vaccine protects against these cancers as well (though vulvar and vaginal cancer are very rare). Recent studies have shown that some oral cancers are caused by these same oncogenic HPVs (transmiited through oral sex); vaccination can possibly protect against these cancers as well.

Challenges ahead

Although there are many options for preventing HPV infection and cervical cancer, all have limitations. Preventing HPV infection is challenging because the virus is easily transmitted and generally does not produce any symptoms. Genital warts caused by some types of HPV can be treated, but no treatment can eliminate the underlying infection and the virus can remain infectious for years. Condom use has been shown to have a limited preventive effect because HPV can reside throughout the anogenital region. Nonetheless, women can protect themselves from HPV infection to some degree by ensuring regular condom use and limiting the number of sexual partners. While it is clear that vaccines will not eliminate the need for effective cervical screening and treatment for many years to come, they can substantially reduce the burden that cervical cancer imposes on women and health services.

In developing countries like India, lack of effective screening programmes for cervical cancer further adds to the menace. As a result, no clinically significant reduction in the incidence of cervical cancer has occurred during the past three decades in India. In developed countries, by contrast, there has been a major decline in cervical-cancer mortality after the introduction of large-scale screening by Pap smear cytology. The limited success of such screening in developing countries has stimulated evaluation of testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) and visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA).

Things all women should know about cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is preventable – screening and vaccination are key interventions.
Most women will have HPV, but only few will develop cervical cancer.
Only HPV infections that persist can lead to cancer.
Using an HPV test with a Pap test in women over 35 years can better identify women at risk for cancer.
An HPV vaccine that prevents 70-90% of cervical cancers is now available.
Women should talk to their healthcare providers about screening for cervical cancer and immunization.

Fish oil helps cancer patients preserve muscle

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy may be able to avoid the accompanying muscle loss and malnutrition by taking fish oil supplements that contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Malnutrition among cancer patients is a big concern as the disease itself leads to wasting while chemotherapy adds to it by causing patients to lose muscle mass.  This malnutrition leads to fatigue, a decreased quality of life, an inability to receive necessary treatments, and shorter survival.

To explore the therapeutic potential of fish oil supplements, the researchers offered 16 cancer patients undergoing an initial 10 weeks chemotherapy regimen in Canada a daily dose of 2.2 grams of a particular omega-3 fatty acid called eicosapentaenoic (EPA). While these patients took fish oil supplements throughout their chemotherapy treatment, a second group of 24 patients underwent the same regimen minus the fish oil. All patients in the study were suffering from lung cancer. Muscle and fat were periodically measured using computed tomography images. Blood was collected and weight was recorded at the start of the study and throughout chemotherapy.

Patients who did not take fish oil lost an average of 2.3 kilograms whereas patients receiving fish oil maintained their weight. Blood analyses also revealed that those in the fish oil group who had the biggest bump in bloodstream EPA concentrations also had the greatest muscle mass gains. Specifically, nearly 70 percent of those in the fish oil group either kept their pre-chemo muscle mass or gained muscle. By comparison, less than 30 percent in the non-supplement group kept their original muscle mass, and overall, patients in this group lost 1 kilogram of muscle. Total fat tissue measurements were unaffected by fish oil supplementation and no side effects were observed.

Fish oil may prevent loss of weight and muscle by interfering with some of the pathways that are altered in advanced cancer. This holds great promise, because currently there is no effective treatment for cancer-related malnutrition. The researchers concluded that fish oil supplementation appears to be a safe and effective way to prevent malnutrition among cancer patients and patients with chronic diseases, and may ultimately prove to be of benefit for other groups of people, such as elderly patients who are at  risk for muscle loss.

Vulvodynia

Vulvodynia

Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain that has no known cause. The pain affects the area around the opening of the vagina.  It can be constant or recurring and is often described as a burning, stinging or throbbing sensation. Riding a bike or having sex may make the pain worse. It is not caused by an infection. And a diagnosis of vulvodynia is made only after ruling out other causes of vulvar pain. Treatment options range from medication to physical therapy.

Scar Tissue

I had such a problem after my surgery, with severe pain, which at first doctors refused to accept that I wasn't imagining, but really having severe pain. Then after many tests, as in those days, CTs, Ultrasound hadn't come, so after barium meal & enema x-rays, they thought that may be I had tuberculosis in my stomach, so, when they opened it up for surgery, found these adhesions, which was a finger long was removed ! Being a veteran of 10 surgeries, I know what pain is all about !

Scar Tissue

If you've had surgery in the pelvic or lower abdominal region, such as an appendectomy or a C-section, or infection in the area, you could have ongoing pain from scar tissue. Adhesions are a type of internal scar tissue that forms between organs or structures that are not meant to be connected. Abdominal adhesions can cause pain and other problems, depending on their location. In some cases, adhesions must be surgically removed.

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

Varicose veins commonly occur in the legs (seen here in the upper thigh), and they can sometimes develop in the pelvis. Blood backs up in the pelvic veins, causing them to become swollen and painful. This is known as pelvic congestion syndrome. The pain tends to be worse when you sit or stand. Lying down may provide relief. There are minimally invasive procedures to treat pelvic congestion syndrome.