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An illustration of my life, loves and various random information
that you may or may not find the least bit useful...
all from the island of St. Simons.

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Last day of November

Is it just me or has the year flown by? This month too. I can't believe tomorrow is December. That's cool by me. I love December; the weather, the end of the year, Christmas.

So, I don't follow Stem-cell research at all, so I don't claim to know a lick about it. However, I was reading this article the other day about something very interesting. Have you ever heard of people saving the blood drawn from an umbilical cord when a child is born? Yeah, me neither. Here's the deal... Parents will save this blood, because it is rich in elastic stem-cells (something that is good when trying to duplicate the cells) in preparation of later needs in life. For instance, let's say when you are 35 you are diagnosed with a cancer and your bone marrow is deteriorating. Bone marrow transplants are very hard to do and harder to find someone with the same kind. If your parents saved that blood when you were born, doctors could go and "grow" more marrow for you. Pretty interesting huh? What about if you have a sibling that has a problem? When your born, your parents might save that blood in order to possible help your bro or sis in the future. It's pretty expensive though. A $10k set-up fee and about $100 a year. It may be expensive, but more than 100k people have done it in the US so far. However, saying all that, I still don't know where I stand on Stem-cell research... pretty interesting though. Just some food for though. Have a good day.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am personally a huge fan of stem-cell research! I am sure that does not surprise any of you out there, though. I could get into the whole debate again... but there is no need to bring up another one, unless someone wants to :) haha.

Anonymous said...

I don't really know much about the subject, someone fill me in on the controversy. Bum, I'm sure you won't let me down :-)

Anonymous said...

yeah, i have heard all about that. a plastic surgeon here, dr. diane bowen, filled me in. (no, i didnt have anything done there!)

Anonymous said...

that's not what I heard Brennan

Anonymous said...

good one, rob.

Anonymous said...

paige, when i read your comment the first thing I thought was "Oh, great, I give rob 2 seconds to start." he never fails!!

Anonymous said...

hahahaha. sure doesnt.

robbie, you should be more original. and what happened to "turning over a new leaf" ???

your stomach better now kelly? mine got better right in time for thanksgiving :-D

Anonymous said...

yeah, it's better- I wasn't able to gorge on t-day, which is probably a good thing! I lost 10 pounds, gained back 5, but at least I've kept 5 off. that's the least my body can do for making me vommit for 5 days!!!! I'm glad you are feeling better too!

Anonymous said...

yay for losing weight! haha. i lost some, but am damn sure it came right back, given my excitement that i could eat again. :)

robbie asked us to stop ganging up on him. awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. haha, im kidding robbie. please dont say something awful.

Anonymous said...

hahaha, ganging up on rob is the BEST!!

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, it's a blast. Lets do it some more. It's only been a 2 week festival of making fun of me. HAHA

Anonymous said...

Kelly, basically the controversy to stem-cell research, well, the condensed version, is whether or not we actually need to take the cells from fetuses. A stem-cell is a group of undifferentiated cells, which basically means that those cells can become any one of 100s of different types of cells (i.e. bone marrow, skin, etc...). Now, there in lies the controversy. Believers that life begins at conception are usually against stem-cell research because we must take the cells from the fetus. They believe that we could take cells from a still born or some other small child that does not live long. Well, if that is the case, then we would not have stem-cells because all cells have already developed into the type of cell that they are going to become.

I realize that was a very drawn out explanation and probly did not give you a very good idea of what i am trying to convey, but i am doped up on hydrocodine right now. thats my excuse. i apologize. if clarification is needed, and it probly is, i will try to do a better job later on. unless someone else who can see/think straight wants to help out.

Anonymous said...

oh goat, I forgot about your teeth!! how are you? are you doing OK?

Anonymous said...

this is a little drawn-out, but i think its easy to understand...click on my name :)

Anonymous said...

This tangents too close to abortion (THE hot button issue today, no question) for me to jump in and debate, but it strikes me as odd that privatized medical research companies have not jumped all over this. When new research comes up, those companies are usually all over it so that they can be the first (and richest). Take the Viagra technology...now everyone's marketing a similar drug. I just feel like these companies are shying away from this reasearch for some reason, or they have a reservation about the research and I would be curious to know what it is.

Anonymous said...

Oh and Robert and Paige, I don't know either of you, but you two flirt like two 7th graders. Go out on a date already.

Anonymous said...

there couldnt be a history there or anything could there? We just couldnt be joking around with each other could we? I guess not. That would make too much sense

Anonymous said...

uh, we tried the dating thing, thanks. DOESNT WORK. the friend thing works waaaay better. its a 7th grade thing to say "go out on a date already." only people who know us (KELLY, haha) are allowed to make fun of us like you tried to. but have a grrrrreat night. :)

Anonymous said...

Yes, kelly, i am doing great! well, according to my father i look like a chipmunk and i love my drugs and my mouth hurts, but other than that i am doing a-ok. the whole mashed potatoes diet is kinda fun- NOT. haha.

as for the robbie/paige thing.... its great. robbie is like that with everyone and no one cares. they definitely do not need to go on a date- much better as blogging buddies. haha. its keeps us all amused.

Anonymous said...

thanks sara :)

Anonymous said...

Wow, be a little defensive about it...geez, it was merely a joke. No need to jump down anyone's throat.

Anonymous said...

well, any girl that has been with robbie has been scarred for life. It's always very sordid with him. This all goes way back to the good ole' HS days in Pool's class :-) yank it!

Anonymous said...

true story (not that i know from personal expierence...)I love you robbie!

Anonymous said...

sordid? haha, what an awful word. :)

Anonymous said...

Kelly, I dont think we need to get into a bash Robbie mood. I dont know what I did to deserve it, but it is very harsh.

Anonymous said...

robbie. all you did in high school was make fun of me. i was too skinny, i looked chinese when i put my hair up in a ponytail, etc etc ETC... no one is being mean to you. you pick on people all the time.

Anonymous said...

Robbie, it's always a sob story with you: "I'm balding, no girls like me." You are staying true to form! and you dish it out just as bad. we tease you bc we all love you- that's what friends do and if it really hurt your feelings you know we'd stop. you like the attention. AND paige has a point- don won chuck or whatever you call her- that is pretty mean!

Anonymous said...

hey kelly, i hear that stuff from him occasionally as well...:)

and its dok won shuk. dont you forget it! hahaha. at least thats not the worst thing i was called... so its not so bad! ill just never ever wear my hair in a ponytail again around him. (kiddin.)

robert: really, i dont make fun of you to be mean. i get crap from you too. have since we were really young. thought you could take it. sorry.

Anonymous said...

I know I'm just kidding with you. I know it's all in good fun. HAHA.