I have been volunteering at Elmside for several now and have got to know the staff and residents there. On Sunday mornings when I volunteer, many of the residents go to the local church and it is always difficult to find enough wheelchairs.
I am doing some independent fundraising so I can afford to buy the home a new wheelchair;
So far I have raised £130.
On Sunday 11th July I am going to cycle from Elmside, Hitchin to Clifton via Baldock which is approximately 30km.
I'm definitely not a cyclist so this will be quite a challenge for me!
www.justgiving.com/Kirsty-Biggs
Tuesday, 8 June 2010
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Work Experience- Chemotherapy
On Tuesday I had my second day of work experience at the Lister, in a chemotherapy ward with the nurses. The room was small and had 6 armchairs in for the patients to sit whilst their blood was taken or whilst they were in therapy. The atmosphere was calm and the nurses were very friendly and patients we made comfortable with volunteers making cups of tea.
The nurses put the patients' hands in warm water to make the blood vessels come to the surface so they could attach a cannula. The drugs used to be administrated by the chemo nurse using a syringe however recent technologies from the USA has made things easier and reduced any issues with blood pressure. The machine disperses the drugs after giving the patient saline solution and allows the nurse to choose the rate of dispersal. If multiple chemotherapy drugs were being given, saline was used to flush the veins before the next drug was attached. For every drug administrated, there had to be a written record which had to be checked by another nurse. Some patients build up a tolerance to their medication; the nurses are unable to prescribe any drugs, so a doctor would have to be seen if the patient requires a higher dose. Also if the patient's weight changes, the dose will have to be altered to suit their new size.
I got the chance to go into a pre-chemo session with one of the nurses; these sessions are for those patients before they have their first treatment. The sessions take place in a quiet room; the nurse goes through all the possible side effects of the treatment and the patient is give the chance to ask any questions or talk about their worries. The nurse explained to me how important it is to have good communication skills as you cannot tell how a patient will react. Some patients get very emotional in the sessions, you must be a good listener to try and help the patient overcome their fears. The nurse also gave the patient a list of precautions, for example; the patient must avoid the sun and he is not allowed to eat cheese, pro-biotic yogurts or take-away rice due to the chance of bacterial infection, as his immune system will be down. The patient then was required to give his written consent and to have an MRSA swab in his nostril and groin, which would be sent to the pathology lab.
From spending my day in the unit I learnt that being in a ward allows lots of patient contact, unlike in the theatre when the patients were unconscious, and how sitting and talking to the patients can make a difference to them especially is they were in for a full day of therapy. A nurse explained to me how important it is as a doctor to have a good relationship with the nurses; if you have lots of patients to tend to in a ward and there are nurses able to take blood tests and administrate medication then they can co-operate and you can work as a team. Alike in the operating theatre, hygiene and the organised disposal of used equipment was maintained throughout the ward.
The nurses put the patients' hands in warm water to make the blood vessels come to the surface so they could attach a cannula. The drugs used to be administrated by the chemo nurse using a syringe however recent technologies from the USA has made things easier and reduced any issues with blood pressure. The machine disperses the drugs after giving the patient saline solution and allows the nurse to choose the rate of dispersal. If multiple chemotherapy drugs were being given, saline was used to flush the veins before the next drug was attached. For every drug administrated, there had to be a written record which had to be checked by another nurse. Some patients build up a tolerance to their medication; the nurses are unable to prescribe any drugs, so a doctor would have to be seen if the patient requires a higher dose. Also if the patient's weight changes, the dose will have to be altered to suit their new size.
I got the chance to go into a pre-chemo session with one of the nurses; these sessions are for those patients before they have their first treatment. The sessions take place in a quiet room; the nurse goes through all the possible side effects of the treatment and the patient is give the chance to ask any questions or talk about their worries. The nurse explained to me how important it is to have good communication skills as you cannot tell how a patient will react. Some patients get very emotional in the sessions, you must be a good listener to try and help the patient overcome their fears. The nurse also gave the patient a list of precautions, for example; the patient must avoid the sun and he is not allowed to eat cheese, pro-biotic yogurts or take-away rice due to the chance of bacterial infection, as his immune system will be down. The patient then was required to give his written consent and to have an MRSA swab in his nostril and groin, which would be sent to the pathology lab.
From spending my day in the unit I learnt that being in a ward allows lots of patient contact, unlike in the theatre when the patients were unconscious, and how sitting and talking to the patients can make a difference to them especially is they were in for a full day of therapy. A nurse explained to me how important it is as a doctor to have a good relationship with the nurses; if you have lots of patients to tend to in a ward and there are nurses able to take blood tests and administrate medication then they can co-operate and you can work as a team. Alike in the operating theatre, hygiene and the organised disposal of used equipment was maintained throughout the ward.
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
Work Experience- Plastic Surgery
On Monday I got the privilege of observing some reconstructive plastic surgery on my work experience placement at the Lister Hospital.
I had to wear surgery blues, 'crocs' and a hat scraping all of my hair back. The first operation I saw was only an hour long; an elderly man was having a skin graft on his scalp after suffering from skin cancer. I found this of particular interest as after suffering from 3rd degree burns as a young child, I also had a skin graft. The procedure is the most minor operation that the plastic surgeons conduct and took place whilst the patient was still conscious. The consultant shaved a thin layer of skin from the patient's thigh and put it through a roller, which gave it a mesh structure, and glued it to the scalp before carefully dressing the wound. The mesh increases the surface area of the skin so it can cover more of the affected area, also blood and other fluids can escape through the holes rather than becoming trapped and preventing the skin graft from working.
The nurses and consultants worked together as a unit to ensure that sterile techniques are maintained; this included the correct disposal of used equipment and dressings.
The next operation I observed was breast reconstruction surgery. Previously the middle aged woman had had her cancerous breast removed and tissue from her tummy had been used for reconstruction, however they had made it too large. An advantage of using the patient's own tissue is that the body does not treat it as foreign matter, unlike an implant where there is a risk of rejection. However when an implant is used it gives the breast a more realistic shape; the surgeons found for an older patient the aesthetic appearance is less important.
In theatre the consultants gave the patient liposuction to reduce the size of the reconstructed breast and removed her 'dog ears' using a tool which had an electric current running through it; this is used to cut through tissue but also to fuse blood vessels together to minimise blood loss. They then later constructed a nipple by carefully sewing the tissue together tightly. This part of the procedure took lots of concentration, measuring and intricate precision; it was the most time consuming part. The longest procedure that the surgeon had ever performed was a hand reconstruction which required a microscope to join tiny hair-like blood vessels together.
A second breast cancer patient was brought into the theatre for a 5 hour operation. The plastic surgeons were going to remove her cancerous breast and reconstruct her one from the tissue on her back, they were also going to give her implants in both breasts. The patient was only 30 years of age and had concerns over the appearance of her body after surgery. Part way through the procedure after the breast had been removed and the silicone implant had been inserted in the healthy breast, the patient needed to be repositioned. It took 8 members of the team to safely turn her on her side, without the risk of neck damage, so the back tissue could be removed. My work experience placement was only until 4pm and the operation wasn't going to finish until 7pm so I did not see the whole of the procedure.
It became obvious that the surgeons had good relationships between each other and had a good social group who spent time together outside the theatre too. Throughout the operations, the consultants, doctors and nurses worked as a team; monitoring heart rates, consulting other doctors on surgical decisions, counting used equipment and filling out paper work. Without co-operation the theatre would fall apart and standards would drop. Although they appeared professional, there were also signs that the members of the NHS were enjoying their work, chatting and listening to music whilst conducting surgery!
I had to wear surgery blues, 'crocs' and a hat scraping all of my hair back. The first operation I saw was only an hour long; an elderly man was having a skin graft on his scalp after suffering from skin cancer. I found this of particular interest as after suffering from 3rd degree burns as a young child, I also had a skin graft. The procedure is the most minor operation that the plastic surgeons conduct and took place whilst the patient was still conscious. The consultant shaved a thin layer of skin from the patient's thigh and put it through a roller, which gave it a mesh structure, and glued it to the scalp before carefully dressing the wound. The mesh increases the surface area of the skin so it can cover more of the affected area, also blood and other fluids can escape through the holes rather than becoming trapped and preventing the skin graft from working.
The nurses and consultants worked together as a unit to ensure that sterile techniques are maintained; this included the correct disposal of used equipment and dressings.
The next operation I observed was breast reconstruction surgery. Previously the middle aged woman had had her cancerous breast removed and tissue from her tummy had been used for reconstruction, however they had made it too large. An advantage of using the patient's own tissue is that the body does not treat it as foreign matter, unlike an implant where there is a risk of rejection. However when an implant is used it gives the breast a more realistic shape; the surgeons found for an older patient the aesthetic appearance is less important.
In theatre the consultants gave the patient liposuction to reduce the size of the reconstructed breast and removed her 'dog ears' using a tool which had an electric current running through it; this is used to cut through tissue but also to fuse blood vessels together to minimise blood loss. They then later constructed a nipple by carefully sewing the tissue together tightly. This part of the procedure took lots of concentration, measuring and intricate precision; it was the most time consuming part. The longest procedure that the surgeon had ever performed was a hand reconstruction which required a microscope to join tiny hair-like blood vessels together.
A second breast cancer patient was brought into the theatre for a 5 hour operation. The plastic surgeons were going to remove her cancerous breast and reconstruct her one from the tissue on her back, they were also going to give her implants in both breasts. The patient was only 30 years of age and had concerns over the appearance of her body after surgery. Part way through the procedure after the breast had been removed and the silicone implant had been inserted in the healthy breast, the patient needed to be repositioned. It took 8 members of the team to safely turn her on her side, without the risk of neck damage, so the back tissue could be removed. My work experience placement was only until 4pm and the operation wasn't going to finish until 7pm so I did not see the whole of the procedure.
It became obvious that the surgeons had good relationships between each other and had a good social group who spent time together outside the theatre too. Throughout the operations, the consultants, doctors and nurses worked as a team; monitoring heart rates, consulting other doctors on surgical decisions, counting used equipment and filling out paper work. Without co-operation the theatre would fall apart and standards would drop. Although they appeared professional, there were also signs that the members of the NHS were enjoying their work, chatting and listening to music whilst conducting surgery!
Sunday, 18 April 2010
"Diet affects the risk of Alzheimer's Disease"
An article reported in The Times stated that "Eating lots of nuts, fish and poultry, whilst cutting down on red meat and butter could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's"
The study followed the dietary patterns of 2,000 elderly people (aged 65+) in the New York for an average of 4 years. However there are causality issues; we cannot be certain that the reduced risk of AD is due to diet, there are other extraneous variables which haven't been controlled such as whether the participants exercise regularly, smoke or have a history of Alzheimer's in the family.
The study was a cohort study so none of the participants had Alzheimer's disease at the start, researchers could then over the duration of the study see who developed the disease. The researchers have concluded that a dietary pattern is strongly protective against the development of AD; however further research is required.
I found this article of interest as I have recently completed a paper on the disease and it's current treatments available. I am also focusing my biology coursework on Alzheimers.
The study followed the dietary patterns of 2,000 elderly people (aged 65+) in the New York for an average of 4 years. However there are causality issues; we cannot be certain that the reduced risk of AD is due to diet, there are other extraneous variables which haven't been controlled such as whether the participants exercise regularly, smoke or have a history of Alzheimer's in the family.
The study was a cohort study so none of the participants had Alzheimer's disease at the start, researchers could then over the duration of the study see who developed the disease. The researchers have concluded that a dietary pattern is strongly protective against the development of AD; however further research is required.
I found this article of interest as I have recently completed a paper on the disease and it's current treatments available. I am also focusing my biology coursework on Alzheimers.
Monday, 12 April 2010
Art Project: Dissection
For my AS art exam I have decided to focus my work on the topic of DEATH AND DECAY, which has been extremely interesting. My boyfriend is currently on an apprenticeship, training to become a butcher, he kindly prepared 4 birds for me to photograph.
Also he disected the birds exposing the interior organs, I find dissections very educational and wish we got to do more at school. It was an opportunity to not just see the organs, but see how they are arranged and positioned around each other.
Many people think that it is ironic as I am infact a vegetarian, yet I am choosing to see dead animals.
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
Targeting Obesity
It has been reported by the BBC that we are required do at least one hour of exercise a day to target the growing issue of obesity as the recommended 30 minutes may not be enough to tackle the excessive weight gain.
The longitudinal (12 year) study was researched on 34,000 Americans, however they were all female participants so the results may not be so eaily generalised to both sexes. It may also be noted that the sample used was ethnocentric. The research has further limitations, for example, the women's diet was not controlled or recorded during the study; this could have been a major extraneous variable. Also self report methods were used to record the participants exercise levels and weight so the accuracy is questionable as bias may have been introduced.
Further studies may need to be conducted to take diet into account and other lifestyle factors which may alter an individual's risk of suffering from obesity.
We do already know the great health benefits of exercising, these include:
The longitudinal (12 year) study was researched on 34,000 Americans, however they were all female participants so the results may not be so eaily generalised to both sexes. It may also be noted that the sample used was ethnocentric. The research has further limitations, for example, the women's diet was not controlled or recorded during the study; this could have been a major extraneous variable. Also self report methods were used to record the participants exercise levels and weight so the accuracy is questionable as bias may have been introduced.
Further studies may need to be conducted to take diet into account and other lifestyle factors which may alter an individual's risk of suffering from obesity.
We do already know the great health benefits of exercising, these include:
- a decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, premature death.
- a decrease in blood pressure, body fat, cholesterol levels, arthritis symptoms, mental and muscular tension, feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Relaxes and revitalizes, increases concentration and energy levels
- Increases self-esteem, self-confidence and promotes psychological well-being.
Recently I have started to exercise more, regularly attending aerobics classes; also I am starting to go on bike rides with my Mum. I am aware that I am not exercising as much as I should be, however some is better than none and I hope to improve my health a little!
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Personal experience of Cancer within the family: Update
My Gran was moved out of the hospital and into a hospice in Letchworth, where she was having rehabilitation. She has shown great improvement, she is now walking and able to use the toilet herself; however she was still suffering with high levels of anxiety and only allowed her 4 children to visit her. On mother's day they came to the hospice for tea and cake, however being with too many people causes her stress.
Very recently the hospice have made the decision that she is well enough to go home, so my Dad helped her as it was causing her distress. She is still coming back to the hospice but allowed to live in her own home with one of her sons. The hospice has formulated a plan with the family know as 'hospice at home' where member of the care centre will come to visit. The plan also includes details on both friends and family members to come and visit her.
It is unsure of, what the next step will be and is dependent on how she is developing.
Very recently the hospice have made the decision that she is well enough to go home, so my Dad helped her as it was causing her distress. She is still coming back to the hospice but allowed to live in her own home with one of her sons. The hospice has formulated a plan with the family know as 'hospice at home' where member of the care centre will come to visit. The plan also includes details on both friends and family members to come and visit her.
It is unsure of, what the next step will be and is dependent on how she is developing.
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Elmside
Today I started my voluntary work at Elmside, a home for elderly care in Hitchin. Many of the residents go to church on a Sunday morning however those who do not often find themselves with little to do. I am volunteering for this morning period. Today I started talking to residents to keep them company and doing crosswords with small groups. Before I am able to make hot drinks in the cafe I need to learn the health and safety precautions.
In the home there is an area where sufferers from dementia live; these residents have a photograph of themselves outside of their room, due to the memory issues with the condition. I found this particularly interesting as I have recently completed a report on Alzheimer's disease with a friend, which may hopefully get published on the internet.
In the home there is an area where sufferers from dementia live; these residents have a photograph of themselves outside of their room, due to the memory issues with the condition. I found this particularly interesting as I have recently completed a report on Alzheimer's disease with a friend, which may hopefully get published on the internet.
Friday, 19 February 2010
Obesity
2 articles of interest on the topic of obesity in children and in elderly people.
"Indulgent Grandparents 'overfeed' kids and make them fat"
The Daily Mail headline (16 Feb) makes a link between childcare and obesity, based on a study looking at different childcare for infants (ages 9 months to 3 years). The results showed that 75% of children receiving informal childcare were provided by the grandparents. The children receiving full time informal care with their grandparents had a 34% increased risk of suffering from obesity. However the sample size was limited to children from a more advanced socio-economic group, suggesting that the study lacks in population validity; making it difficult to generalise to a wider community.
80% of 3-6 yr olds and 25% of children under the age of 3 are in childcare/ early education, which researchers believe is a valuable setting for obesity prevention.
I found this article of interest because obesity is an ongoing problem in more economically developed countries. I also found this of personal interest as my Mum is a childminder, and teaches children the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and diet from a young age.
These labels have been categorized using body mass index (BMI) as a measure, which is not the most accurate measurement; for example it does not take the changes in body fat distribution associated with old age into consideration. Further research will need to be done into this topic to make further conclusions and also the use of BMI as a measure will need to be evaluated.
"Indulgent Grandparents 'overfeed' kids and make them fat"
The Daily Mail headline (16 Feb) makes a link between childcare and obesity, based on a study looking at different childcare for infants (ages 9 months to 3 years). The results showed that 75% of children receiving informal childcare were provided by the grandparents. The children receiving full time informal care with their grandparents had a 34% increased risk of suffering from obesity. However the sample size was limited to children from a more advanced socio-economic group, suggesting that the study lacks in population validity; making it difficult to generalise to a wider community.
80% of 3-6 yr olds and 25% of children under the age of 3 are in childcare/ early education, which researchers believe is a valuable setting for obesity prevention.
I found this article of interest because obesity is an ongoing problem in more economically developed countries. I also found this of personal interest as my Mum is a childminder, and teaches children the importance of having a healthy lifestyle and diet from a young age.
"Being fat can help you live longer in old age" The Daily Express
it has been reported that the death rate for people aged 70-75 is lower for people who are considered overweight, after a cohort study took place in Australia. Those considered obese have the same risk as those considered a healthy weight and those considered underweight have the highest death rate.These labels have been categorized using body mass index (BMI) as a measure, which is not the most accurate measurement; for example it does not take the changes in body fat distribution associated with old age into consideration. Further research will need to be done into this topic to make further conclusions and also the use of BMI as a measure will need to be evaluated.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Personal experience of Cancer within the family
With 2 of my grandparents having suffered from cancer, I find the development and research into the improvements of the condition to be impacting our lives dramatically.
My grandmother was diagnosed roughly 2 years ago with terminal cervical cancer, 4 years after having her last smear, and appeared relatively unaffected, despite the tumor having grown to the size of a grapefruit. However, since Christmas, there has been a dramatic decrease in her health.
Originally diagnosed with severe depression; she became increasingly anxious, her concentration and memory was declining which frustrated her immensely. After showing similar symptoms to the condition and portraying signs of dementia, she was prescribed anti-depressant medication by a psychiatric nurse. Weeks later, after being omitted to hospital due to her symptoms worsening, my family received a devastating shock. Recent scans had shown that she had infact developed two brain tumors, one of 5cm in length and the other 3cm. She is currently resting at UCL hospital, transferred from the Lister in Stevenage (our local hospital). It is becoming more difficult for my family to visit her as regularly now that she is in London. To my disappointment I have been unable to visit her since Christmas, as a large amount of visitors would cause her distress. Although, she has had plenty of supporting visits from her children, my Dad has been up for many hours at a time to comfort his mother.
Things really weren't looking very promising, with her speech stuttered and her unable to control one side of her body, she required 2 nurses help her move and take visits to the toilet. As an intellectually engaging individual, the biggest issue for my Gran, was the lack of concentration; this made it too difficult to watch television, read books and even construct a conversation. However some days she appears to have improved; my Dad visited her last night reporting that she was able to stand up without any assistance and her speech had improved.
The hospital have prescribed her corticosteroids (a type of steroids), these are found naturally in the body and are released from the Adrenal Cortex. They can be used as cancer treatment for the following reasons:
My grandmother was diagnosed roughly 2 years ago with terminal cervical cancer, 4 years after having her last smear, and appeared relatively unaffected, despite the tumor having grown to the size of a grapefruit. However, since Christmas, there has been a dramatic decrease in her health.
Originally diagnosed with severe depression; she became increasingly anxious, her concentration and memory was declining which frustrated her immensely. After showing similar symptoms to the condition and portraying signs of dementia, she was prescribed anti-depressant medication by a psychiatric nurse. Weeks later, after being omitted to hospital due to her symptoms worsening, my family received a devastating shock. Recent scans had shown that she had infact developed two brain tumors, one of 5cm in length and the other 3cm. She is currently resting at UCL hospital, transferred from the Lister in Stevenage (our local hospital). It is becoming more difficult for my family to visit her as regularly now that she is in London. To my disappointment I have been unable to visit her since Christmas, as a large amount of visitors would cause her distress. Although, she has had plenty of supporting visits from her children, my Dad has been up for many hours at a time to comfort his mother.
Things really weren't looking very promising, with her speech stuttered and her unable to control one side of her body, she required 2 nurses help her move and take visits to the toilet. As an intellectually engaging individual, the biggest issue for my Gran, was the lack of concentration; this made it too difficult to watch television, read books and even construct a conversation. However some days she appears to have improved; my Dad visited her last night reporting that she was able to stand up without any assistance and her speech had improved.
The hospital have prescribed her corticosteroids (a type of steroids), these are found naturally in the body and are released from the Adrenal Cortex. They can be used as cancer treatment for the following reasons:
- To reduce inflammation
- To increase the patients appetite
- To treat the cancer itself (often along side with Chemotherapy)
- To relieve sickness
As a treatment for cancer, usually steroids only need to be taken short term. They can have side effects such as stomach irritation, mood changes, sleeping difficulties and swollen ankles, hands and feet (from water retention). My grandmother is taking extra medication to prevent the stomach irritation. She is still currently on the anti-depressant drugs, as it takes time to wean the patient off the drug, gradually reducing her dosage.
Today she is having her last session of radiotherapy, and the results should be visible after 2 weeks. Roughly 40% of all cancer patients are treated with Radiotherapy. In internal radiotherapy, a radioactive isotope is placed close to the tumor, either using an implant or drinking/injecting a liquid. Also sometimes the isotope is attached to another substance in order to travel to the affected area. Radiotherapy destroys the cancer cells in the treated area; normal cells are also affects however they can repair themselves. Radiotherapy is usually given over the course of a few days or weeks, giving the healthy cells time to recover.
The doctors have proposed to move her from the hospital soon, although there has been some uncertainty on whether she will be returning to her home, to our local hospital or moving into a care home. This is raising issues of responsibility and the costs associated with her care, within my family. Over the last couple of months, we have all become more anxious for her well-being; there has been too much stress to meet up and celebrate each other's birthdays.
Although we can't be there to see her, i know that we are all thinking of her and wishing for the best.
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