The heart is the engine to the human body.

American Heart Association

“How very little can be done under the spirit of fear.”

Florence Nightengale

What is talent? Just entertainment or does it take natural talent with education included knowing how to care for a patient. A RN who went in as a contestant in the Miss America showing her career as an RN being her talent is ununusual but to getted mocked by “The View” in particular by Joy Behar. It might not be the normal way in a beauty contestant to show talent since usually its through a form of entertainment but hey it was going through a different pathway of showing talent in that individual’s eyes or way of thinking. She did make second place for however it was reached the judges picked her.

Getting more specific, the women of “The View” had fun mocking some of the Miss America contestants on Monday, but their condemnation of Miss Colorado has sparked outrage in the nursing community.

Instead of singing for the talent portion of Sunday’s beauty pageant, Kelley Johnson from Windsor, Colorado, walked out on stage in her nurse’s scrubs and delivered a unique monologue detailing her experiences in the medical profession with an elderly Alzheimer’s patient.

While the monologue sparked sympathy with many viewers of the ABC broadcast, the following morning Michelle Collins, Joy Behar, Raven-Symoné and Paula Faris mocked her performance.

Addressing this first if the judges didn’t want or find her entertainment appropriate she wouldn’t have been allowed to present this. To me this just shows closed minds of “The View” of the individuals who mocked this entertainment by Kelley Johnson. After Barbara Walters left the show in the past 2 to 3 years this show has fallen apart with good talk show hosts overall.

What is nursing?

An RN starts with the opportunity to make such a profound difference on the lives of people who truly need and appreciate it. Good nurses greatly contribute to the success and stability of healthcare institutions and to the mental and physical wellbeing of their patients. They give not only their book knowledge, but a piece of their heart to each and every patient they care for.

Those who succeed in nursing and gain the most personal fulfillment from it start their careers with certain unique qualities.

What care does a RN provide for a patient? Many are compassionate, sincere and most passionate to the job. If that’s not a talent than what is? To take in someone 8hrs, 12hrs or 10 hrs or even around the clock and provide nursing care may not be considered a talent on stage. Though it is definitely a talent because not everyone feels like that about their job or provides to their clientele their service with the attitude I should give service to this stranger as if it was my own family and what I would expect if I was in there shoes. So to ridicule and be condescending to a individual who tries to do talent a different direction is pretty low and out right mean. Do you know what the disease alzheimer’s disease even consist of. In short:   Alzheimer’s disease, also known as Alzheimer disease, or just Alzheimer’s, accounts for 60% to 70% of cases of dementia. It is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems with language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, not managing self care, and behavior issues. As a person’s condition declines, they often withdraw from family and society. Gradually, bodily functions are lost, ultimately leading to death. Although the speed of progression can vary, the average life expectancy following diagnosis is three to nine years.

 Alzheimer’s symptoms vary. The stages below provide a general idea of how abilities change during the course of the disease. Stage 1: No impairment Stage 2: Very mild decline Stage 3: Mild decline Stage 4: Moderate decline Stage 5: Moderately severe decline Stage 6: Severe decline Stage 7: Very severe decline

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that leads to personality changes, memory loss, intellectual slowing, and other symptoms. Although each person with Alzheimer’s is different, most progress through a series of stages, each of which is characterized by more serious Alzheimer’s symptoms.

Stage 1 (Absence of Impairment) There are no problems with memory, orientation, judgment, communication, or daily activities. You or your loved one is a normally functioning adult.

Stage 2 (Minimal Impairment) You or your loved one might be experiencing some lapses in memory or other cognitive problems, but neither family nor friends are able to detect any changes. A medical exam would not reveal any problems either.

Stage 3 (Noticeable Cognitive Decline) Family members and friends recognize mild changes in memory, communication patterns, or behavior. A visit to the doctor might result in a diagnosis of early-stage or mild Alzheimer’s disease, but not always.

Stage 4 (Early-Stage/Mild Alzheimer’s) Cognitive decline is more evident. You or your loved one may become more forgetful of recent events or personal details. Other problems include impaired mathematical ability (for instance, difficulty counting backwards from 100 by 9s), a diminished ability to carry out complex tasks like throwing a party or managing finances, moodiness, and social withdrawal.

Stage 5 (Middle-Stage/Moderate Alzheimer’s) Some assistance with daily tasks is required. Problems with memory and thinking are quite noticeable, including symptoms such as:

• An inability to recall one’s own contact information or key details about one’s history
• Disorientation to time and/or place
• Decreased judgment and skills in regard to personal care

Even though symptoms are worsening, people in this stage usually still know their own name and the names of key family members and can eat and use the bathroom without assistance.

Stage 6 (Middle-Stage/Moderate to Late-Stage/Severe Alzheimer’s) This is often the most difficult stage for caregivers because it’s characterized by personality and behavior changes. In addition, memory continues to decline, and assistance is required for most daily activities. The most common symptoms associated with this stage include:

• Reduced awareness of one’s surroundings and of recent events
• Problems recognizing one’s spouse and other close family members, although faces are still distinguished between familiar and unfamiliar
• Sundowning, which is increased restlessness and agitation in the late afternoon and evening
• Difficulty using the bathroom independently
• Bowel and bladder incontinence
• Suspicion
• Repetitive behavior (verbal and/or nonverbal)
• Wandering

Stage 7 (Late-Stage/Severe Alzheimer’s) In the final stage, it is usually no longer possible to respond to the surrounding environment. You or your loved one may be able to speak words or short phrases, but communication is extremely limited. Basic functions begin to shut down, such as motor coordination and the ability to swallow. Total care is required around the clock.

Although the stages provide a blueprint for the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms, not everyone advances through the stages similarly. Caregivers report that their loved ones sometimes seem to be in two or more stages at once, and the rate at which people advance through the stages is highly individual. Still, the stages help us understand Alzheimer’s symptoms and prepare for their accompanying challenges

The following seven stages were developed by researchers and physicians to describe how you or your loved one will

Late Stage Quality of Life

It’s important to keep your loved one comfortable during the late stages of Alzheimer’s, but this can be challenging because the disease affects your relative’s ability to tell you when he or she is uncomfortable. Still, it’s crucial to continue communicating and providing comfort by nurturing your personal connection with your loved one. There are several ways to recognize pain and provide comfort during late-stage Alzheimer’s disease.

Late-Stage Coping and Anticipatory Grief

While late-stage Alzheimer’s creates many practical caregiving challenges, the hardest part of caregiving is often the risk of caregiver burnout and the grief that caregivers feel while their loved ones are still alive. Learn how to avoid caregiver burnout and how to work through grief and loss while you care for your relative.

So I say nursing is a talent and people should think sometimes before they talk on television possibly hurting others or a group.

When the kidneys become damaged, waste products and fluid can build up in the body, causing swelling all over the body.

Web MD

      End stage renal failure

There are numerous causes of kidney failure, and treatment of the underlying disease may be the first step in correcting the kidney abnormality. Some causes of kidney failure are treatable and the kidney function may return to normal. Unfortunately, kidney failure may be progressive in other situations and may be irreversible.

1. Urination Changes

The kidneys are responsible for handling urine, so it makes sense that urine will start to change if the kidneys are failing. Some examples of urination changes include: • Urine comes out bubbly or foamy • Urine may have traces of blood • You may have the overwhelming urge to urinate during the night, waking up • Urination occurs more often and appears pale • Urination occurs less often and appears dark • You may have difficulty attempting to urinate

2. Fatigue

The kidneys are responsible for producing a specific hormone called erythropoietin (EPO). This hormone is responsible for instructing the body to produce red blood cells, which are meant to carry oxygen throughout the body. If the kidneys start to fail, they will make less EPO, which means fewer hormones are directing the body to produce the necessary amount of red blood cells. At the end of this cycle, you’re left feeling very tired and weakened throughout the day. Experiencing fatigue even when you seem to get enough sleep at night is one symptom that the kidneys are not producing enough hormones for your body.

3. Swelling

Because of the way the kidneys interact with the body and handle the process of urination, they also are largely responsible for removing the extra fluid within your body. Kidneys that are starting to fail won’t get rid of that fluid as well as they should be. As a result, it stays inside the body — and while it’s in the body, it has to go somewhere; the fluid starts filling in pocketed areas. You may experience swelling in one or both ankles, the legs, the face, hands, as well as feet. While the swelling can be mild, it can also swell to difficult stages; for instance, it might be hard to wear a regular shoe. This is edema.

4. Nausea

Healthy kidneys also take on the role of the body’s garbage men; that is, they’re responsible for getting rid of waste in the body. In the event of kidney problems or failure, waste won’t exit the body as efficiently as before, causing a buildup of excess waste in the bloodstream. This is known as uremia, and it can cause feelings of nausea or make you need to vomit. It should go without saying that your body doesn’t like being filled with waste, and it attempts to purge the waste by way of vomiting.

5. Bad Taste in Mouth

When kidneys begin to fail and cause uremia, or a buildup of waste in the body, the body may react by producing the taste of metal in your mouth or causing bad breath. Overall, you might taste a rather poor flavor in your mouth that causes you not to taste food in the same way as you did before. In particular, this may make you less interested in eating meats. In addition, you might start to notice some weight loss as a result of not eating. This could be due to the taste issue or you may simply not feel hungry enough to eat much.

6. Rashes

Developing uremia as a result of kidney disease doesn’t stop with metallic taste or the need to vomit. The waste buildup in the bloodstream manifests further by causing patches of rashes on the skin and causing itchiness. In some cases, patches of skin can break out in what appears to be acne as well. These itchy rashes can be difficult to relieve; in more progressed instances, the itch can feel like it goes right down to the bone, making it difficult to feel relief by way of scratching.

7. Chills

As explained in a previous slide, the kidneys produce the hormone EPO to signal the body’s production of red blood cells. Failing this, there are fewer blood cells, which is anemia. Anemia comes with its own set of symptoms, the most prominent but overlooked being chills. If you feel cold, even inside of a warm room, you could be experiencing anemia.

8. Leg Pain

One of the more characteristic symptoms of chronic kidney disease include feeling discomfort in the back or in the legs. In some cases, the feelings of discomfort could be painful. It is also possible to experience pain as far as the upper back. Problems that can cause pain include: • Kidney stones and infections, which cause severe spasms of pain • Bladder infections, which can produce a burning sensation during urination • Polcystic kidney disease, which produces painful cysts on the kidneys and liver.

9. Out of Breath

If you have been experiencing shortness of breath lately, it could be connected to the kidneys in two different ways. The first possible connection is a result of the extra fluid buildup; sometimes, this extra fluid builds up in the lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Otherwise, the shortness of breath can be a result of anemia; in this case, there are an insufficient number of red blood cells available to carry oxygen throughout the body. This leaves the brain and body starved and short of breath. If you experience shortness of breath, sit down for a moment and calmly attempt deep breaths. The experience is naturally frightening, but panicking can only lead to more difficulty breathing.

10. Dizziness

Anemia as a result of kidney disease has one more grasp on the body: It can make you dizzy and cause you to have trouble concentrating on things. When this happens, your brain is becoming starved of the oxygen it needs to be at full power. When your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen, it manifests beyond dizziness and concentration problems; you can also experience memory problems and other issues with cognitive functions. This symptom often goes hand in hand with fatigue due to the taxing effects on the brain.

If you have some of these symptoms and noticed them after change in your diet with putting weight on go to your doctor or even a urologist or renal doctor and get checked out.

“Kidney donors don’t have to be close relatives of recipients, but they do need to have the right blood type. And kidneys from living donors tend to last many years longer than kidneys from deceased donors.”

Virginia Postrel (born January 14, 1960 is an American political and a cultural writer).

“Lyme disease makes hundreds of thousands of people sick every year; it is the most commonly reported tick-borne infection in the United States.”

Lyme Disease Research Foundation

“If you have a genetic predisposition to ovarian cancer, your doctor may recommend regular pelvic imaging and blood tests to screen for the disease.”

Dr. Edward Tanner (an assistant professor of gynecology and obstetrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland).

Most people are aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but how many of you are also aware that September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month? This cancer is the more silent sister to breast cancer which takes over the month of October with a worldwide pink party and numerous product promotions, some tasteful and some less so. Maybe people and product promoters are just drawn to pink versus the more reserved teal blue color for ovarian cancer. More likely it’s because breasts are visual and ovaries are invisible to the eye. But ovarian cancer is very visible to those diagnosed and to their loved ones.

We need to make more noise about ovarian cancer awareness. But first you have to listen… to your body. Ovarian cancer can be sneaky. Symptoms, such as indigestion, bloating, painful intercourse, menstrual irregularities and back pain, can point to other less invasive conditions. While breast cancer has screening protocols like mammograms and breast self-examination, there is no reliable screening for ovarian cancer. Unfortunately for many women the disease is often detected at an advanced stage. Both breast and ovarian cancer are diagnosed in women of all ages and ethnic backgrounds.

Ovarian cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the ovaries. Women have two ovaries, one on each side of the uterus. The ovaries — each about the size of an almond — produce eggs (ova) as well as the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Ovarian cancer often goes undetected until it has spread within the pelvis and abdomen. At this late stage, ovarian cancer is more difficult to treat and is frequently fatal. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to be treated successfully.

Surgery and chemotherapy are generally used to treat ovarian cancer.

Early-stage ovarian cancer rarely causes any symptoms. Advanced-stage ovarian cancer may cause few and nonspecific symptoms that are often mistaken for more common benign conditions, such as constipation or irritable bowel.

Signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer may include and don’t ever ignore them:

• Abdominal bloating or swelling
• Quickly feeling full when eating
• Weight loss
• Discomfort in the pelvis area
• Changes in bowel habits, such as constipation or diarrhea
• A frequent need to urinate (urgency including difficulty to void)
• Increased Abdominal Size
• Painful Sex
• Heavy menstrual bleedingWhen to see a doctorIf you have a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer, talk to your doctor about your risk of ovarian cancer. Your doctor may refer you to a genetic counselor to discuss testing for certain gene mutations that increase your risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Only a small number of women are found to have genetic mutations that can lead to ovarian cancer.
• Certain factors may increase your risk of ovarian cancer:
• Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any signs or symptoms that worry you.
•  

• Age. Ovarian cancer can occur at any age but is most common in women ages 50 to 60 years.
• Inherited gene mutation. A small percentage of ovarian cancers are caused by an inherited gene mutation. The genes known to increase the risk of ovarian cancer are called breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2). These genes were originally identified in families with multiple cases of breast cancer, which is how they got their names, but women with these mutations also have a significantly increased risk of ovarian cancer.
• The gene mutations that cause Lynch syndrome, which is associated with colon cancer, also increase a woman’s risk of ovarian cancer.
• Estrogen hormone replacement therapy, especially with long-term use and in large doses.
• Age when menstruation started and ended. If you began menstruating before age 12 or underwent menopause after age 52, or both, your risk of ovarian cancer may be higher.
• Never being pregnant.
• Fertility treatment.
• Smoking.
• Use of an intrauterine device.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. “In years past we used to call ovarian cancer the silent killer but it’s really not completely silent, at least in some patients,”

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.”