Lumbar fusion Essay -- Health, Diseases, Back Pain

In 1993, Will, a 49-year-old pipeline welder started experiencing back pain. At first he believed the pain was due to normal muscle strain after working hard on the job, but many years later the pain still hadn't subsided, and had become increasingly worse. In 2002, Will was experiencing higher levels of pain in his lower back, and pain traveling down the back of his left leg. Over the course of a year this pain grew into a stabbing sensation in his thigh, that would come and go in electric shock like bursts. Will was having a difficut time working with sudden onsets of debilitating pain so he decided to take some time off from work and consult his doctor. Will's first examination by his primary care physician consisted of testing his flexibility and checking his back muscles for stiffness and spasms after performing load bearing exercises. Will's doctor found signs of a muscle strain, so he sent him home with a prescription of ibuprofen, and advised Will to take some time off work to rest. Taking things easy after two weeks off from work hadn't improved Will's condition, so he returned to see his doctor. X-rays were taken and the doctor discovered signs of arthritis in Will's spine. The doctor wasn't sure of his diagnosis, so he reffered Will to a spine therapy specialist to undergo physical therapy in hopes that the pain might be alleviated after strengthening the back muscles. If the back pain still didn't improve after taking these measures, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) of the lumbar area would be considered. Low back pain is the fifth most common reason for all physician visits in the United States, [1] so when doctors see patients with cases of chronic lower back pain like Will's, they typically suggest medicati... ...her important consideration is that artificial disc replacement surgery requires an anterior approach through the stomach, and can cause major damage to important blood vessels, intestines, and urinary system components. Will's herniated discs are located in the lower lumbar region, and these vertabae have a low degree of flexation compared to vertabrae higher up in the spine. This means that replacement discs won't aid that much in retaining mobility, and lumbar fusion won't reduce flexation by that high of a degree. The experience of the surgeon should also be taken into consideration, and few surgeons have adequate experience with total disc replacement at this time. These reasons lead me to believe that a lumbar fusion would be the safest surgery for Will, providing adequate pain relief, and wouldn't limit his range of motion enough to warrant replacement discs.

Observational Essay Essay

Observations are a type of primary research that involves spending time watching people or other creatures interact with each other and the world around them. Observations are used in nearly every field and can be incredibly useful in gathering information. Types of Participation Before observing, consider how you as an observer may alter the event being observed.  ·How fully will you participate in the event?  ·Will you simply sit, watch, and take notes with no interaction?  ·Will you interact with the participants?  ·Will you become a participant yourself? These different choices can radically change what you end up observing. The mere presence of an observer may alter the events–and if you interact with participants, you further risk changing what takes place. The other side to this is that by not participating in an event, you may not gain a complete understanding of that event. How to Observe When observing, it is especially important to separate observations from your feelings or reactions to observations. A good way to do this is to take your observations in a double-entry notebook. A double-entry notebook has two columns, one for what is directly observed and one is for what the observer interprets from the events. Here is an example: Observation: The teacher walks around the circle and speaks to each student individually. Interpretation: The teacher seems to want to make sure that each student understands the assignment. If you are observing a group that is not found in public (such as a group of card players, a sports team, or a special-interest group), it may be wise to plan to spend multiple sittings with the group. This will allow the group some time to adjust to your presence (and hence, for you to get more accurate observations). Recordings vs. Note-taking How will you be observing? Will you be taking notes in a notebook? With a laptop? Will you be recording your observations in some way (with a digital camera, video camera, digital recorder, etc? How you choose to observe is  another important consideration that can affect the quality and results of your observations. Remember that you cannot capture everything that takes place with a recording or by even by taking detailed notes. What to Observe Observational skills require some practice! The key to being a good observer is to pay attention to the details of a situation, write as much as you can, and write it as detailed as possible. Before you observe, you should consider how you will focus your observations–because you can’t focus on everything! Research is required for this essay. Read the sample observational essays and note how the students integrated research into their work. source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/559/07/ Write an observational essay about an intriguing place, person, or activity in your community. Your essay may be a brief profile of an individual based on one or two interviews: a description of a place or activity observed once or twice; or a longer, more fully developed profile of a person, place, or activity based on observational visits and interviews conducted over several days. Observe your subject closely, and then present what you have learnedin a way that both informs and engages readers. Use lots of description. Possible topicideas for observation (see your text for more ideas): -a church or temple (interview the minister/members) -a classroom (interview teacher/students) -a popular hangout -a hospital -any place that’s different or gets you outside of your comfort zone -a ride along with an officer -an AA meeting -a protest -a jail -hospice -homeless shelter -shelter for abused women with children

The Disappearance of Miranda Gaddis

Miranda was born November 18, 1988, in Oregon City. She attended Gardner Middle School  and dreamed of becoming a model one day. Miranda belonged to a dance team and was described by friends as being outgoing, funny, and very loving. In 1995, Miranda’s natural father was found guilty of abuse and sent to prison. A boyfriend of her mother later abused Miranda and was convicted and sent to prison. She spent a short time in a foster home because of the abuse. Despite her troubles, Miranda seemed well balanced and enjoyed her family, which included her older sister Maryssa, younger sister Miriah, and younger brother Jason. It is not surprising that Ashley Hope and Miranda Gaddis were friends. They were on the same dance team at school, lived in the same apartment building, and even resembled each other. They also shared similar pasts of having been sexually abused as young children. The apartment complex that Ashley and Miranda lived in was built in the late 1990s. It provided affordable housing for single mothers and lower-income working families, as well as the mentally ill. It had a high occupancy rate and was filled with children. Families would come and go, and children learned to make friends quickly with the new residents that moved in. It was near the edge of the complex, where Ward Weaver and his family, decided to rent a home. The Weavers had a young daughter close to Ashley and Miranda’s age, and it was not long before the three became friends. Ashley and Miranda spent time at their new friends house, sometimes staying overnight at slumber parties. Miranda, unlike Ashley, did not stay at the Weaver house for extended periods of time. She had other interest and friends that kept her busy in other activities. On Jan. 9, 2002, Ashley disappeared on her way to school. The police interviewed Miranda  and other friends of Ashley’s. As information filtered in, the authorities began to suspect that Ward Weaver was involved in her disappearance, but no arrest was made. Miranda was very involved in her friends investigation, offering the police personal information that Ashley had shared with her. Miranda knew the trouble that Ashley had experienced during her extended stays at the Weaver home. Ashley confided in her that Ward Weaver was violent and raped her while on a vacation in California. Miranda, who was not timid with her opinions, warned friends to stay away from the Weaver’s home because she felt Ward Weaver was dangerous. Some theorize that Weaver blamed Miranda for his daughter being ostracized at school, and in the neighborhood where they lived. Two months went by, and Ashley Pond was still missing. Life for Miranda was beginning to return to normal. On March 8, 2002, the day started out like most school days at Miranda’s house. Her mother, Michelle, left at around 7:30 a.m., for work. It is assumed that Miranda left to go to her bus stop at her normal time, around 8 a.m. She walked the same path that Ashley did on the day she disappeared – right near the door of Will Weaver’s house. Around 1:20 p.m., Michelle Gaddis received a call from her oldest daughter, informing her that Miranda was not at school and that none of her friends had seen her all day. The school confirmed her fears, reporting that she was absent in all her classes. Michelle immediately went to the police to report that her daughter was missing. Now haunted by two disappearances, the police and the FBI went on a round-the-clock investigation in hopes of locating Miranda Gaddis. The residents of Oregon City feared that a child abductor was busy deciding who his next victim would be. The missing girls mothers were convinced that the person responsible, knew both girls. The police focused on this theory as well  and returned to question many of the same people they interviewed just two months before  when Ashley disappeared. Some of the information they received, pointed to Ward Weaver, just as in the case with Ashley Pond, but still, no arrest was made. A Break in the Case A cry of rape by Ward Weavers sons girlfriend  brought an end to the police search of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. The woman, half nude, ran from the Weaver home, screaming that Ward Weaver had tried to rape her. Weavers  son followed up with calls to the police, saying his father admitted that he killed Ashley Pond. These accusations allowed the police to search Ward Weavers property. On the weekend of August 24-25, the bodies of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis  were found on the property of Ward Weavers rental home. Ashleys body was discovered inside a barrel, in a hole, under a concrete slab that had been poured soon after she was reported missing. Mirandas remains were found in a shed on the same property. An autopsy confirmed the identity of both girls. Ward Weaver Is Arrested On October 4, 2002, Ward Weaver was indicted for the murder of Ashley Pond, 12, and Miranda Gaddis, 13, as well as other counts in an unrelated case, which including sex abuse, attempted rape, aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse, all of which he plead not guilty. On September 22, 2004, ​Ward Weaver plead guilty to killing two of his daughters friends then hiding their bodies on his property. He received two life sentences for the deaths of Ashley Pond and Miranda Gaddis. See Also:Ward Weaver lll: A Life of BrutalityProfile of Ashley Pond