Leukemia 101 what you need to know about

by: Mansi gupta

Cancer in any form is a deadly disease. But when it affects the most vital components of the body then their fatality increases manifold. One such type of cancer is cancer of the blood, technically known as leukemia. Blood is the most important tissue of the body. It is the connective tissue which carries and supplies oxygen and other vital elements to the remotest parts of the body. The importance of blood can be understood by the fact that it is the most important of all the connective tissues which provide the nutrients and other vital elements to the body.

The most dangerous feature of leukemia is that it is related to the blood which has access to almost all body organs including the all important brain and heart. The incidence of cancerous cells being carried to the different parts of the body increases drastically due to this fact. Another striking aspect of the blood cancer is that it affects the leukocytes or the “white blood corpuscles” of the blood. These are the ones that protect the body from external infections. Thus the immunity of the body is seen to decrease drastically due to leukemia. The main effect of the disease is that the body starts producing infected and abnormal cells that hinder the function of blood i.e. carrying of oxygen.

A patient suffering from leukemia is seen to loose weight due to anemia. This happens because the cancerous cells are unable to carry the hemoglobin properly which is the chief source of iron to the body. And due to that the body looses all vitality. The situation of the patient becomes vulnerable because the brain also starts to dysfunction due to infected blood. Headache, night sweats etc. can be commonly seen to occur as an attachment to this deadly disease.

The people living in areas prone to radioactive waste disposal and activity are most common targets of leukemia. Overexposure to radioactivity causes the cells to mutate and function abnormally. The children who are diagnosed with Down syndrome have a high probability to develop leukemia. Over exposure to Benzene, the industrially important hydrocarbon is also a known cause of blood cancer. The abnormal cells are easily detected under the microscope. Thus the doctor suspicious of such a disease advises the patient for a bone marrow examination. The onset can be detected by the swollen lymph nodes of the body which are commonly found in armpits, around the neck and at the thigh.

Chemotherapy is the most effective but a very painful way of killing the cancerous cells. The patient is subjected to drugs orally. The patient undergoes tremendous pressure as he is injected with lot many chemicals at a time. Another treatment is through the radiation. It is also very treacherous way of getting treated. The patients are seen to loose hair and texture of skin.

Leukemia though very dangerous is still curable and the research in the field is also being done on an extensive basis. Proper treatment at the right time can prevent the reflux of this disease. Methods like bone marrow transplant, which may be required at a later stage, are also effective in treating the patient. Above all to over come with the disease a person needs to be loved and supported by all. Leukemia is fatal disease but life is mightier then it.

About the author:
Mansi gupta writes about leukemia topics.

Let Them Eat Cake — Just Not at Your Wedding

by: Blake E. Kritzberg

It’s a fact, however odd it seems, that some brides don’t like cake — and don’t want one at their wedding reception. Others like cake just fine, but prefer to serve something a little more distinctive for dessert. On the whole, brides pass up cake at their wedding because they:

- don’t like it

- want something nontraditional and edgy and are bored by “the norm”

- want something that more personally represents them or their geographical area

- attended too many catered weddings where no one touches the cake because they’d already had a full meal plus dessert

- have a venue that tacks on high cake serving fees

I must admit I’m tempted to stare when someone tells me “they just don’t like cake.” Because, as everyone knows, wedding cake is no longer just cake. Wedding cake has morphed into something that, in the right hands, borders on a religious experience.

Today’s chefs know that a good cake — one light years away from the “packing material” type of old — is full of delicious, creamy fat. And not that horrifying vegetable shortening, either. The modern wedding cake is loaded with real butter, moist base material (poppy seed cake, pound cake, carrot cake, banana, chocolate, red velvet and more) and tempting fillings (amaretto, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, raspberry, white chocolate).

The exterior, too, has gotten sleeker and lovelier in response to today’s streamlined bridal fashions. All the former hallmarks of questionable taste — fountains, pillars, mugging couples on a cake topper — are gone. So how can any bride resist?

Many don’t, but a few persevere in wanting something else. Fortunately, weddings these days are about personal choice and individuality — they don’t have to have one. And the alternatives to cake are many.

The secret to a satisfying wedding cake alternative is simple — presentation. Whatever you’re serving, stack it in tiers. Follow this simple tip and you can turn almost anything into food fit for the most special occasion.

Tiered puddings and mousses

Pre-chill wine or champagne glasses, and fill with:

- Chocolate, chocolate orange, lemon mousse
- Rice, coconut rice or wild rice pudding

- Raspberry, hazelnut or regular tiramisu

- White chocolate, key lime, blackberry or biscotti parfaits

- Heavy whipped cream, topped with sweet in-season berries

If your budget’s ample, you can also stack up individual-sized

- Caramel, anise, pumpkin flan

- Cr?me brulee — regular, eggnog, blueberry, espresso, coconut

Tiered Pastries

Cream puffs are the staple — and for good reason. Remember that cream puffs don’t have to be round; you can use cookie cutters to fashion them into lots of creative shapes. You can also go beyond them and stack up:

- Gooey cinnamon rolls

- Funnel cakes

- Baklava

- Souffl?s served in individual custard cups

- Cream horns, ?clairs, St. Joseph’s pastries, sfogliatelle, cannoli, napoleons, baba rum

Straight from the Shelf

You won’t be the first bride to try this. Stack those tiers high and proud or create an entire freestanding “cake” with:

- Sno Balls, Suzy Qs, HoHos, Ding Dongs, Twinkies

- Krispy Kreme donuts, Moon Pies

Other Options

- Chocolate-dipped fruit

- Chocolate truffles

- A chocolate fountain

- Sugar cookies or brownies with your initials in cellophane wrappers

- Fancy pies: key lime, lemon, chocolate pecan, coconut custard, cranberry apple, macadamia nut, peanut butter and white chocolate cream.

Whatever you choose, try to retain the cake-cutting part of your ceremony. The cutting of the cake is an ancient ritual and a powerful symbol of unity between the couple and their guests. It doesn’t matter if you’re really digging into a lemon meringue pie — your guests will still want to ooh and ahh as you cut it together and feed each other.

About the author:
About the Author

Blake Kritzberg is proprietor of “FavorIdeas.com” Stop by for a huge selection of wedding favors , Bridezilla’s weekly adventures, and free resources for brides: save-the-date ecards, screensaver, wallpaper and wedding web site templates.
http://www.favorideas.com

Legal Issues Surrounding Divorce

by: Maui Reyes

There are two types of divorce: absolute and limited. Absolute, or “divorce a vinculo matu monii”, is the judicial termination of a marriage based on marital misconduct or other statutory causes after the wedding ceremony—such as adultery. After the divorce, both parties are deemed single again. Limited, or “divorce a mensa et thoro” is a separation decree, where the marriage is not fully terminated, and the couple still retain their civil status as married.

There are seven steps in having a divorce. While the process varies from couple to couple, depending on the situation of both parties, there are some essential procedures in filing for a divorce. One thing is certain, however: divorcing couples who are mature enough to agree on certain issues makes for a smoother divorce.

First, one party must file a petition for divorce. Even if both parties agree on a divorce, one must file the petition, which states the ground for divorce. There is such a thing as “no fault” grounds, which simply states that the relationship is no longer viable (such as “irreconcilable differences”). While many states allow this, some states still consider ground faults, such as adultery.

A temporary order is the next step. This is for claiming temporary financial support, child support, of custody. This is granted a few days after filing, and remains in effect until a formal court hearing. One should file for this ASAP.

A service of process is then required. This is to prove that the petition has reached the other party as well. A response is then needed from the other party. He or she must file a response to the petition, and is allowed to either dispute the grounds or defend himself or herself from them. Disagreements on custody or property division should also be filed with the response.

A negotiation for the division of property and custody comes next. The court usually lets the couple and their respective lawyers handle this, but if they cannot agree on anything, the court has to decide for them. Children are usually the responsibility of social workers, whom the court calls in to check on the living conditions of each spouse if it is fit for the children. A trial then ensues, to smooth out issues the couple couldn’t resolve by themselves.

Finally, an order of resolution is given, which ends the marriage and contains the division of property and debts. If the couple has negotiated these issues themselves, they can write their own order of resolution and submit it to court. If it meets the requirements, the judge approves it.

About the author:
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