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Friday, October 22, 2010

STEM CELLS

please oh please read this article: http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/10/ff_futureofbreasts/all/1


I have not felt so passionate in so long.


People on the left and right have argued about embryonic stem cells for years. The value from stem cell research could change our health care system for the better. If we could cure heart disease and diabetes, just two of the hundreds of conditions that stem cells could help with, our health care expenses would be cut down by about 75%.

Aside from a national point-of-view, this hits closer to home. The love of my life has Type One diabetes. His beta cells in his pancreas were killed by a virus, and he has to take insulin injections every night before bed, and with every meal. He's such a trooper, and I'm so proud of him.

To THINK....we could extract fat with liposuction (something I assist with weekly at work), put it through a machine that spins the fat and separates adipose (fat) cells from stem cells.....then inject those stem cells in a body area! STEM cells have the unique ability to turn into NERVE, MUSCLE, OR BONE CELLS. Embryos are full of stem cells. The mother's womb tells those cells to turn into nerves, muscles, and bones, and so grows a human. What scientists didn't know until recently is that stem cells can be extracted from fat in an out-patient procedure. They thought embryos or bone marrow were the two places they could be found. Well, there are over 100x more stem cells in FAT than in BONE MARROW. So let's all jump on the table and get liposuction. Insurance might even cover it as preventive medicine say, 25 years from now!

There are banks that you can pay monthly fees to that save and preserve stem cells. So, get liposuction now, and save those cells for later. Have a heart attack? Go get your stem cells. They will grow into cardiac tissue once they are surrounded by cardiac molecules in the heart. Need a hip replacement surgery? Go get your stem cells. Once surrounded by bone molecules, they will help regenerate bone growth.

From a plastic surgery standpoint (which, of course, interests me as it is my profession!), there is a huge market of women out there who do not like the 'artificial look' of implants. Many women would prefer having larger breasts but having a foreign silicone device implanted in their bodies is just not the right choice for them. However, having a little fat sucked from the thighs and having it injected to the breasts, then GROWING THEIR OWN NATURAL BREAST TISSUE from stem cells.......now that is appealing. I've had breast augmentation (implants) offered to me for free, and I'm one of those women who just didn't want the implants. Everybody has a different opinion of what "pretty" is, and I'm not knocking those knockers. Trust me, sometimes, I've thought about it! But the idea of growing my own natural breast tissue, while decreasing fat in an unwanted area, is definitely up my alley.

The article has way more science and information than this blog, so I encourage you to read it! Thanks :-)

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Concerts and Weddings

Well, Austin City Limits was a huge success. The weekend was probably my favorite ever! Camping was a blast Thursday night, and all three days of music were better than I was even expecting. My favorite shows were The Black Keys, Flaming Lips, and the Eagles. I thoroughly enjoyed canoeing with Richard Bates, and girl time at the campsite with Elise and Megan. George offered to take a picture for this couple, and while he was adjusting the camera, the girl yelled my name. What a small world! Out of 80,000 people, the girl was Ali Baucom, one of my favorites from my ISV trip to New Zealand a few years ago. Seriously! What are the odds?!

I'm looking forward to another show, tomorrow night, in Denton, too! At Dan's Silver Leaf, 8:30, George's band will be playing! I love when they play earlier shows, because my grown-up self can enjoy prior to bedtime. :-)


Here are some pics of ACL and the campsite:





Saturday was the Wigley-Hamm wedding. Those names crack me up, but the wedding was very elegant, beautiful, and fun. It felt like a 5 year high school reunion with all the girls. Most of the LHS '05 guys went to Matt White's wedding. Sunday, George and I went to one of his friends' weddings. Jarrett and Rachael's wedding was beautiful, too, and her dance with her dad got me choked up! That "I Loved her First" song really touches the heart :-)

Here are some pics from the weddings!

I've been very happy lately! Great weather, great friends, great lovin'! Rangers are doing well, too, which is the icing on top!

Thursday, October 7, 2010

my favorite weekend of the year!

....starts in about 4 hours. I'm circulating right now on a rhinoplasty (nose job) and though I should be focused, I can't WAIT to bounce out of town! Caitlin O'Shea and George are coming by my apartment when I get off, and we'll caravan to Austin. Tonight, George, Hammy and Elise, Cameron and Megan, and I are camping out in Austin. Vegan-Hot Dogs (taste delicious to me, excited to roast them over a fire!) and s'mores. Sleeping bags and the crunching sounds of leaves beneath our feet! The smells of insect repellent and campfire. Ahhhh, so excited to be out in this gorgeous October weather!

Tomorrow the concerts of Austin City Limits begin!!! I'll be sure to take a ton of photos and upload them on my Facebook page. It's going to be our 5th or 6th year, I can't remember! The weekend is full of gorgeous weather, beautiful people, fun music, and reuniting with friends I haven't seen since the year prior. I can't wait to see Jamie Johnson and Melissa Grady, my two little flower mound buds who have moved to ATX. Starting Friday, George and I will stay with our friend, Richard Bates. He just moved down there. Eventually, I predict, George and I will live in Austin. In the meanwhile, I'm enjoying my new loft in Keller. I'm so grateful for a job with flexibility. It's very nice to be able to take off tomorrow, and go to work late on Monday morning. I am SO HAPPY!!!!