The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 37-38

HeLa Quotes Chapter 37-38

1) "When Deborah got to her doctor's office, her blood pressure and blood sugar was so high, her doctor was amazed she hadn't had a stroke or heart attack while we were in Clover." (297)

This is foreshadowing Deborah's eventual death because of the multitude of health problems that she had. Though she has many health problems, she is much more focused on honoring her mother at conferences and learning as much as she can about her mother's cells. 

2)"But we both knew the break from HeLa wouldn't last--" (297)

There was a brief time when Rebecca and Deborah were not researching Henrietta's medical files, but it appears that they can't take a "break" from the HeLa life, seeing as they are surrounded by people angry about not receiving profits from the cells, or people who pester them for more information on HeLa cells. 

3) "...everything else seemed to be spiraling in the wrong direction." (298)

At this point of the story, Deborah's son was arrested, and family tension soared between Deborah and her brothers. They even were against Deborah speaking at the conferences, but Deborah insisted on honoring her mother. Soon after, the bombing in 9/11 occurred and the conferences were canceled. 

4) "About an hour into the service Deborah, realized she couldn't move her arm." (299)

This is the climax of Deborah's health problems. She was at the congregation and then had a stroke. At the brink of death, her grandson Davon slapped her face to keep her alive, which saved her. Still, Deborah was unfazed by her health crisis and still wanted to go to school to take her tests. 

5) "Better than since before I found out they took my mother cells. I feel so light, you know? It lifted my burden." (301)

The Lack's journey with Rebecca Skloot helped them seek closure with their mother's cells and the truth. Instead of being angry and resentfully seeking money from John Hopkins, they wanted to learn about HeLa cells to feel closer with their mom. They became proud of the cells' contributions and let go of their anger. 

6) "Cause there's nothin to be scared about with my mother and then cells. I don't want nothin to keep me from learnin no more." (302)

In this quote, Deborah states that from this point forward, she will dedicate her life to learning, something inhibited by HeLa harassment, pregnancy, and early marriage. The only thing in Deborah's way now if her health, something she aims to improve through her education. 

7) "It's too late for Henrietta's children . . . This story ain't about us anymore. It's about the new Lacks children." (302)

Though Deborah was so excited to take courses and have a formal education, she realized that her time is over. There has been too much damage done to her in her old age and she can't continue studying. All she wishes now is for the children of the next Lacks generation to become educated. 

8) "Clover was gone." (305)

The town that Henrietta and her family grew up in was nothing but a corpse of a town. The town, and it's history with Henrietta, has disappeared. None of the Lacks family knew about it until Skloot informed them. When this town went down, the members of the Lacks family began suffering from unfortunate events. 

9) "Death just following us and this story everywhere we go" (306)

In the 2000's, Gary had died of a heart attack, Cootie's mother died for unknown causes, Fred died from throat cancer, Day died of stroke, and Cootie killed himself from all the trauma. This generation of Lack's was quickly disappearing. 

10) "I really believe she's up in heaven, and she's doin okay, because she did enough suffering for everyone down here" (309) 

Deborah has a bright way of facing death. Instead of grieving over not being on earth anymore, she rejoices at the thought of finally meeting her mother. She makes the point that Henrietta was a selfless woman who suffered in her living so people would be better after her death. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 33-36

Chapter 33-36 Vocab

1)juleps (ch33 p.269)-a sweet drink, variously prepared and sometimes medicated

2)epilepsy (ch33 p.270)-a disorder of the nervous system, characterized either by mild, episodic loss of attention or sleepiness (petit mal) or by severe convulsions with loss of consciousness (grand mal)

3)cerebral palsy (ch33 p. 270)-a form of paralysis believed to be caused by a prenatal brain defect or by brain injury during birth, most marked in certain motor areas and characterized by difficulty in control of the voluntary muscles.

4)dementia (ch33 p.275)-severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain.

5)pneumoencephalography (ch33 p.275)-an X-ray of the brain made after the replacement of the cerebrospinal fluid by air or gas, rarely used since the development of the CAT scanner.

6)probes (ch33 p.276)-a slender surgical instrument for exploring the depth or direction of a wound, sinus, or the like. 

7)biopsy (ch34 p.281)-the removal for diagnostic study of a piece of tissue from a living body.

8)hive (ch34 p.284)-something resembling a beehive in structure or use. 

9)welts (ch34 p.284)-a seam in which one edge is cut close to the stitching line and covered by the other edge, which is stitched over it.

10)telomeres (ch36 p.296)-the segment of DNA that occurs at the ends of chromosomes.

11)atypical (ch36 p.296)-not typical; not conforming to the type; irregular

12)histology (ch36 p.296)-the branch of biology dealing with the study of tissues. 

13)singularity(ch36 p.296)-a singular, unusual, or unique quality; peculiarity. 

14)morphologic (ch36 p.296)-dealing with the branch of biology dealing with the form and structure of organisms

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 29-32

Mindmaps

HeLa Lit Circle Charts

Chapter 13-14

Chapter 13-16

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 25-28

Doctors discover another reason for Henrietta's cancer and unique cells: Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV. HPV was discovered to be able to cause cervical cancer and approximately 9 out of 10 sexually active adults carry it. The HeLa cells tested positive for the HPV virus. 

In the midst of a lawsuit, learning about her mother, and discovering that she has a younger sister in a mental institution, Deborah is pummeled by stress. By the end of chapter 28, Deborah suffers from a mental breakdown.

Disease Blog: Arthritis

Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of your joints. Most kinds of arthritis cause pain and swelling in your joints, the space in which two bones meet. There are many types of arthritis. For example, there is osteoarthritis, which is the most common type of arthritis. It usually happens as a result of an injury or old age. 

Symptoms of arthritis include fatigue, joint pain, joint tenderness, joint swelling, joint redness, joint warmth, and joint stiffness. You will also experience decreased range of motion. Some types of arthritis can be caused by uric acid crystals, infections, or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus.


If you have these risk factors, then you are susceptible to getting arthritis: family history of arthritis, old age, are a women, past joint injury, and obesity.

The treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have. For all arthritis in general, analgesics help reduce pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help control both pain and inflammation. There are also many over the counter counterirritants that help with pain, as well. Physical therapy can be helpful for improve range motion and strengthen the muscles surrounding joints. 

Alternative remedies with little evidence include acupuncture, glucosamine, electrical nerve stimulation, yoga, and massages. These remedies have only been reported to work but is not scientifically proven to help.

Weight loss, exercise, heat and cold application, and assistive devices can improve your lifestyle if you have arthritis.

Reference:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/basics/definition/con-20034095

Career Blog: Athletic Trainer

Athletic trainers (ATs for short) are health care professionals work with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. They treat professional, college, secondary school and youth athletes, dancers, musicians and military personnel. Athletic trainers can work in schools, physician clinics, hospitals, and manufacturing plants.

Many ATs include formal instruction in injury/illness prevention, first aid and emergency care, assessment of injury/illness, human anatomy and physiology, therapeutic modalities, and nutrition. Most ATs have bachelors or masters degrees. Over 70% of certified athletic trainers hold at least a masters degree. You must also pass  the test administered by the Board of Certification. When training, trainers must work under the supervision of a physician.

The salary of an athletic trainer is typically from $35,000 to $75,000 a year.

References:
http://www.nata.org/athletic-training

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lack Chapter 21-24

Discussion Questions for Chapter 21-24

Chapter 21

1-What can we deduce from Rebecca's first meeting with Sonny Lacks about his character?

2-Why do Sonny and Lawrence keep repeating "That's a miracle"?

3-What does David Lacks think about all that Henrietta's cells have done?

4-What do the Lacks think that the Hopkins doctors did to black people?

5-What is the Lacks family's biggest complaint about how they have been treated by the Hopkins doctors?

Chapter 22

6-Why didn't the surgeons honor Gey's request to have his body donated to research?

7-Did Gey benefit from research he lent his body for?

8-What was the purpose of President Nixon's National Cancer Act?

9-How did Henrietta's name become public?

10-Should Henrietta's name have been released at all?

Chapter 23

11-How did Bobbette find out about HeLa cells?

12-Why did researchers want DNA from the Lacks family?

13-What was the role of informed consent in the Lack's encounters with the Hopkins doctors?

14-What were Deborah's fears about her mother's cells being alive?

15-What is the significance of Hsu's request?

Chapter 24

16-Why did Rogers go looking for the Lack's family?

17-How did Rogers discover Henrietta's real name?

18-Did George Gey profit from his research with HeLa cells?

19-Why did Deborah start researching her mother's cells?

20-Should McKusick and Hsu have published the information about the Lack's family?

Planeria Quiz

QUIZ


QUESTIONS

1. What type of symmetry does the dugesia have?
radial 
bilateral 
asymmetry

2. What term is used to describe how a planarian can regrow its body parts?
regeneration 
fission 
cephalization

3. Which of the following is associated with the planarian's nervous system?
flame cells 
diffusion 
ganglia

4. Asexual reproduction can occur through a process called:
transverse fission 
binary fission 
cocooning

5. A hermaphrodite is an animal that:
can asexually reproduce 
can regenerate 
has both male and female parts

6. The dugesia belongs to the phylum:
platyhelminthes 
planaria 
turbellaria

7. How could a a person catch a dugesia?
using a net to siphon them from the surface of the water
using a hook and raw liver to attract them

8. An animal that has no internal body cavity to hold organs is called a(n):
turbellarian 
hermaphrodite 
acoelomate

9. How does the dugesia obtain oxygen?
diffusion 
through gills 
with its flame cells

10. The dugesia will tend to stay in what areas?
dark 
light 
warm

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 17-20

Timeline (20 events between Ch17-20)

Ch17

1-Chester Southam tested for negative effects of HeLa cells on cancer patients

2-The test subjects quickly grew nodules 

3-Southam got 150 volunteers from Ohio prison

4-Prisoners had increased immunity to cancer

5-Southam began to inject gynecology patients 

6-Because of Southam's fault of not giving the subjects informed consent, his staff refused to help inject subjects. 

Ch 18

7-HeLa cells went up with the second satellite ever in orbit by the Russian space program in 1960.

8-Lewis Coriell published an article saying HeLa cells contaminates other cells and makes them act identically to HeLa. 

9-In 1960, French scientists discovered somatic cell fusion. 

10-In 1965, two British scientists Harris and Watkins fused HeLa cells with mouse cells

11-PR for cell culture made worsened after people thought the HeLa-mouse fusion would form a "mouse-man."

Ch19

12-Deborah Lacks for pregnant with Alfred "Cheetah" Carter's baby

13-Joe killed Ivy and turned himself into prison. He served 15 years. 

14-Deborah and Cheetah married. He became abusive, committed adultery, and was irresponsible. 

15-Deborah took the children and left Alfred. 

Ch 20

16-In September 1966, Stanley Gartler vied that scientists were simply growing and regrowing HeLa when they thought they were creating human tissues. 

17-T.C Hsu from University of Texas reports suspicions of cell-line contamination. 

18-Robert Chang from Harvard University refuted Gartler's claim by explaining that he grew cells from his daughters amniotic sac, and neither he nor his wife have the generic marker G6PD-A. 

19-The debate over the HeLa bomb begins. 

20-Scientists develop genetic tests and were led to Henrietta's family. 

Iron Deficiency Anemia

Disease anemia- pick an anemia, describe symptoms, treatment, prognosis, include a picture and reference

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common type of anemia and is usually caused by chronic blood loss by excessive menstruation. Moments in life such as growth spurts and pregnancy call for an increased demand in iron.

Some symptoms include tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, glossitis, and rapid heart rate. In some instances, the patient suffers from a craving of strange food items such as starch, ice, and clay.

Mild to moderate cases of iron-deficiency can be treated with dietary improvement and iron supplements. Severe cases involve treatment in the hospital, blood transfusions, iron rejections, or intravenous iron therapy.

Close monitoring is needed to ensure that excessive iron supplements are not consumed as this can lead to toxicity, especially in children.

References:
http://www.health24.com/Lifestyle/Your-Blood/Anaemia-20130216-2

A Day In The Life of a Histologist

Career Histologist- describe a day in the life of, what training is required, salary, include a picture and reference

A histologist is one who detects, diagnoses, and treats diseases by analyzing cells and bodily fluids. They search for parasites, bacteria, and other microorganisms. They must be able to match blood for transfusion purposes and test drug levels in the blood that shows how a patient may be responding to treatment.

Histologists must have knowledge in using advanced computer software and lab equipment to analyze tissue. You only need an associates degree at minimum to become a histologist, but most have bachelor degrees in fields of medical technology or another type of lab science. Many employers require their applicants to be certified by the American Medical Technologist or National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel.


Salaries for histologists range from $26,430 to  $50,250, with the median being $32,840.


References:
http://diplomaguide.com/articles/Histologist_Career_Info.html

Liver Cancer

Disease cancer- pick a cancer, describe symptoms, treatment, prognosis, include a picture and reference

Most people don't have signs and symptoms in the early stags of primary liver cancer. When signs and symptoms do appear, they include weight loss, appetite loss, upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, abdominal swelling, jaundice, and white, chalky stools.

The type of treatment you get for liver cancer depends on the stage of cancer you have. Some examples of treatment include

-Surgery to remove a portion of the liver-best done if tumor is small

-Liver transplant surgery-only an option for early-stage cancer

-Freezing cancer cells-extreme cold can destroy cancer cells

-Heating cancer cells-heat from electric currents can destroy cancer cells
-Injecting alcohol in the tumor-alcohol causes the tumor to die
-Chemoembolization-the drugs can cut blood flow to cancer cells and all the cells receive are chemotherapy drugs
-Radiation therapy-high-powered energy can destroy cancer cells and shrink the tumors
-Targeted drug therapy-targeted drugs interfere with the tumor's ability to generate new blood vessels


Tests and procedures used to diagnose liver cancer include blood tests, imaging tests, and removing a sample of liver tissue for testing. Once liver cancer is diagnosed, the doctor will determine the stage, or extent of the cancer. Staging can be classified as Roman numerals I-IV or Alphabet letters A-D. Stage IV or Stage D is the most severe type of cancer.




References:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-cancer/basics/definition/con-20025222

A Day In The Life of a Cell Biologist

Career cell biologist- describe a day in the life of, what training is required, salary, include a picture and reference

Cell biologists infect tissue culture cells with a type of bacteria, such as Salmonella, and analyze the cell in a number of ways. They compare it to uninfected cells, and observe the changes that happen to those cells. Nowadays, many cell biologists are focused on observing what cell reproduction can reveal about cancer. Other cell biologists create vaccines or work with food and cosmetic manufacturers. To be a cell biologist, you must have analytical skills, active listening and interpersonal skills, and math skills. You must also know how to use compueter software such as the graphical imaging software and spreadsheet software.

Cell biologists usually have a Ph.D in cell biology or a related field of biology. You don't need any years of training after you have your degree to be a cell biologist which means you can get a job right after getting your degree. 

The annual pay for a cell biologist is $66,260.


References:
http://www.ehow.com/about_6766583_do-cell-biologists-do_.html
http://education-portal.com/articles/Become_a_Cell_Biologist_Education_and_Career_Roadmap.html

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapters 13-16

Notable Quotes from The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

1. "[The HeLa factory] was built for one reason: to help stop polio" (Chapter 13, p.93).
The polio epidemic became widespread just after doctors discovered how to use HeLa cells to cure diseases. Consequently, the cells immediately played a part into the medicine industry. However, no credit or royalties were given to the Lack's family even though the cells were used to change the medical state of the nation.

2. "HeLa was a workhouse: it was hardy, it was inexpensive, and it was everywhere" (Chapter 13, p.97).
Once again, the HeLa cells are shown to be an industry, a medical breakthrough. And once again, the Lack's get nothing. Seeing the revolution that the HeLa cells have brought to the world makes you wonder: Was it worth it for Gey to steal a tissue sample from Henrietta for cultivation? The medical advancement that became possible as a result of it shows that it was. Despite the success of HeLa cells in curing all sorts of diseases, you cannot ignore the unethical truths of how they came to be.

3. "Gey was relieved that companies had taken over HeLa distribution so that he didn't have to do it himself, but he didn't like the fact that HeLa was now completely out of control" (Chapter 13, p.103).
Judging from this quote alone, Gey did not intend for HeLa to become a widespread trend in the medical world; the overwhelming amount of work he was met with and the great number of people working with the cells came as a surprise to him. Just not a pleasant surprise. Gey showed his disapproval in the HeLa trend by writing streams of letter to other scientists, trying to restrict the way they used Henrietta's cells.

4. "That wouldn't have protected the Lackses' privacy, but it certainly would have changed the course of their lives" (Chapter 14, p.107).
. . . and it did. Even though the media used a pseudonym "Helen Lane" to take credit for carrying the cells in her body, somehow reporters found a way to link the cells to Henrietta Lacks. Readers understand the living Lacks' struggles with reporters when thinking back on the chapter that Skloot discussed her attempts to speak with the family. Apparently, the family became plagued by people taking advantage of HeLa cells for medical and media fame.

5. "One of Gey's colleagues told me that Gey created the pseaudonym to throw journalists off the trail of Henrietta's real identity. If so, it worked" (Chapter 14, p.109).
This is just a rumor. We don't know if Gey was the one who created the pseudonym of if Gey created the pseudonym for said reasons. It is possible that Gey used it as a ploy to not having to give royalties to the Lacks. Because Helena Lane was a made up person, Gey didn't have to give any money up to anyone regarding the cells.

6. "Despite the beating and molesting, Deborah felt closer to Galen than she ever had to Day" (Chapter 15, p. 114).
It is very unfortunate that Deborah suffered such a traumatic childhood, and did not even know how wrongly she was treated by her uncle Galen. It makes one think, how would things have changed if Henrietta was alive? If Henrietta gave Deborah the love and attention she wanted, then Deborah would not have accepted affection from Galen. This goes to show that when Henrietta was alive, she kept her family strong on their feet. Once she's dead, her family crumbles and becomes a big mess.

7. "'You just got to go to school,' Bobbette said. 'Don't mess with boy cousins, and don't have babies until you're grown.'" (Chapter 15, p.116)
Bobbette knows what she's talking about. This mindset was rare for women in those days who wanted, contrary to Bobbette's advice, to have many kids so that in the future, the kids will benefit the parents. Bobbette not only teaches Deborah to value herself and fight back against anyone who tries to take advantage of her, but also tells her the consequences of cousin-incest. This breaks the cycle of cousin-incest in Lacks Town, with Bobbette being one of the first non-Lacks to marry a Lacks.

8. " . . . a tiny woman's dress shoe with open toes. I wondered if it was Henrietta's" (Chapter 16, p. 120).
Even when Henrietta's objects still remain present, people behave as if she did not exist, which is ironic considering how popular her cells are. Perhaps there are other reasons why those who knew Henrietta didn't want to talk about her. Maybe they were tired of talking of her to the reporters and scientists who took advantage of them and harassed them for information.

9. "'I heard they did a lot of research and some of her cells have develop a lot of curing other diseases'" (Chapter 16, p.122).
Cliff seems to have a more positive response to the scientific research of HeLa cells than the Lack's did. He didn't suffer as much harassment from the press as the Lack's family did but he has a point in the positivity in this tone. The HeLa cells, despite bringing about injustice to the Lack's, solved many of the world's medical problems and is probably one of the most vital medical advancements in history.

10. "'My daddy's uncle kept a lot of the colored Lackses as salves.' Ruby said. 'That must be where they got their name. Evidently they took it when they left the plantation. That's the only thing I can figure" (Chapter 16, p.125).

Ruby is either ignorant of the slave-master relationships between the white Lacks and the colored Lacks or is a racist who chooses to pretend that such relationships didn't happen, even though she and Henrietta are related. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 11-12

HeLa Chapter 11

1)diaphragm(83)-a muscular, membranous or ligamentous wall separating two cavities or limiting a cavity.

2)transfusion(83)-the direct transferring of blood, plasma, or the like into a blood vessel.

3)nauseated(83)-to affect with nausea; sicken.

4)asbestos(83)-a fibrous mineral, either amphibole or chrysotile, formerly used for making incombustible or fireproof articles.

5)calluses(83)-a hardened or thickened part of the skin; a callosity.

6)thrashing(85)-the act of a person or thing that thrashes.

7)convulsed(85)-to cause to suffer violent, spasmodic contractions of the muscles.

8)ward(85)-a division, floor, or room of a hospital for a particular class or group of patients

9)analgesics(85)-a remedy that relieves or allays pain.

10)disoriented(85)-confused as to time or place; out of touch

HeLa Chapter 12

1)obituary(89)-a notice of the death of a person, often with a biographical sketch, as in a newspaper.

2)autopsy(89)-inspection and dissection of a body after death, as for determination of the cause of death; postmortem examination.

3)morgue(90)-a place in which bodies are kept, especially the bodies of victims of violence or accidents, pending identification or burial.

4)pathologist(90)-the science or the study of the origin, nature, and course of diseases

5)incision(90)-a cut, gash, or notch.

6)formaldehyde(90)-a colorless, toxic, potentially carcinogenic, water-soluble gas, CH 2 O, having a suffocating odor, usually derived from methyl alcohol by oxidation: used chiefly in aqueous solution, as a disinfectant and preservative, and in the manufacture of various resins and plastics.

7)uremia(90)-a condition resulting from the retention in the blood of constituents normally excreted in the urine.

8)toxins(90)-any poison produced by an organism, characterized by antigenicity in certain animals and high molecular weight, and including the bacterial toxins that are the causative agents of tetanus, diphtheria, etc., and such plant and animal toxins as ricin and snake venom.

9)catheter(90)-a flexible or rigid hollow tube employed to drain fluids from body cavities or to distend body passages, especially one for passing into the bladder through the urethra to draw off urine or into the heart through a leg vein or arm vein for diagnostic examination.

10)undertaker(91)-funeral director

Why do you think Henrietta wasn't more vocal about her condition? Give support for your conclusion.

Henrietta did not express her pains over her conditions because she could not be weak, or at least she could not appear weak. She keeps her family stable by watching over the children, caring for Day, and cooking for all her family members. If Henrietta showed pain then the rest of her family would falter. Even when she decided to come out about her cancer, she only told two of her closest cousins, and lessened the situation by saying "Nothing serious wrong with me . . . I'm fine" (46). I think that Henrietta wanted to protect her family and not worry them, even if it meant silently suffering through the pains of cancer and cancer treatment.

Was John Gey ethical when he took Henrietta's cells? Why or why not?

No; Gey did not have consent from Henrietta or anyone in Henrietta's family to use her tissues for research. Henrietta only signed a form that allowed doctors to perform necessary surgery, and even then she was manipulated into signing it by the nurses, considering that Henrietta lacked the ability to read and comprehend words. When Gey took her cells, it was more for his cell culture project than for helping Henrietta be rid of her cancer.

The HeLa cells proved to be revolutionary to the world of medicine, but in the instant that Gey ultimately stole Henrietta's cells, the Lacks's family would enter a life of suffering and injustice. Politically, his actions were beneficial to all of mankind. Ethically, it was unjust, especially after seeing how the Lacks dealt with the consequences without any royalties

.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 10

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Chapter 9

How are tumors formed?

Tumors are masses of cancer cells that pile up. It starts with one mutation, turning a regular cell into a cancerous cell. The cancerous cell behaves abnormally in that they have no signal to tell them when to start and stop reproducing so they are continually doing so. Oncogenes turn normal cells into cancer cells by interfering with these dividing signals. The suppressors will try to stop cancer cells from behaving abnormally, but the cancer cells usually overcome the suppressors. The cells can also destroy themselves in a process called apoptosis, but once the cells become cancerous, then apoptosis is not possible. Scientists have developed several drugs to treat cancer but the cells that escape treatment metastasize and form new, stronger, drug-resistant tumors.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (chapter 7-8)

Drawings to represent Chapter 7 and 8.

Chapter 7

Though the growth of the HeLa cells were indeed miraculous and groundbreaking, the world seemed not to care. Worse, they associated cell culture with Naziism, racism, snakes, and "creepy science fiction." To the doctors this success is revolutionary, to Henrietta's family the news is going to be a source of burden for the rest of their lives. To the world, this was just another unimportant piece of news. 

Chapter 8

Throughout the chapter, Henrietta is described as being in excruciating pain. She does not receive any extra medical attention besides the care she receives during her regular appointments. Henrietta is not a woman who complains or shows struggle, so when she says she is in pain there must be something wrong. The hospital does not admit her in until it appears as if she were close to dying. 

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (chapter 5-6)

Discussion Questions for Chapter 5-6

Chapter 5

1. What are the effects of radiation on Henrietta's body? (pg. 42)
2. Do you think Henrietta slept around like Day did when he wasn't at work? If not, why? (pg. 43)
3. What do you think will happen to Henrietta's daughter Elsie in her condition? (pg. 45)
4. Will the radium treatments have lasting effects on Henrietta's body? (pg. 46)
5. Why didn't the doctors tell Henrietta about her fertility loss? (pg. 47)
6. Was Henrietta hiding the pain that radium treatments gave her? (pg. 48)
7. How come Day never questioned Henrietta's burned torso? (no answer in book)

Chapter 6

1. How does Professor Patillo know Henrietta's family? (no answer in book yet)
2. Is Henrietta's family still affected by her loss? How so? (pg. 51)
3. How much does Deborah Lacks know about what doctors did to her mother and her cells? (pg. 52)
4. How is Henrietta's family affected by the medical outbreak of Henrietta's cells? (pg. 54-55)
5. Do you think Day truly loved Henrietta? (no answer in book)
6. For how long would the author have to attempt to communicate with the Lacks family? (pg. 54)

The Immortal Life of Henreitta Lack (Chapter 3-4)

Timelines of Chapter 3-4

Chapter 3

1. TeLinde develops a theory about invasive carcinoma and carcinoma in situ that could save millions of women from dying of cervical cancer.
2. TeLinde gives presentation about carcinoma in situ and is heckled off stage.
3. Henrietta returns from her first visit to John Hopkins into her normal life of cleaning and cooking.
4. TeLinde calls Doctor George Gey and offers him cervical cancer cells to culture.
5. Doctor Howard Jones finds that Henrietta has epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix, stage 1.
6. Jones tells Henrietta that her cancer is malignant, but she keeps it secret from her family.
7. Henrietta returns for treatment and gives consent to surgery.
8. Henrietta is treated with radium.
9. Surgeon Wharton shaves two small pieces of tissue from Henrietta's cervix for research. 
10. The tissue sample was sent to Doctor George Grey's lab.

Chapter 4

1. The Gey's experiment mediums for suitable cell culture conditions.
2. Margaret Gey hires Minnie to sterilize the cell culture lab.
3. Gey gives his assistant Mary Kubicek the sample of Henrietta's tissues to cut up.
4. Mary cuts the tissue into one-millimeter pieces and labels them "HeLa."
5. Mary puts Henrietta's cells in Doctor Gey's "whirligig."
6. Doctors note good responses to Henrietta's radium treatment.
7. Doctors remove the radium before they send Henrietta home.
8. Mary notices Henrietta's cells turning into a fried egg shape.
9. The HeLa cells begin to multiply every 24 hours.
10. Gey sends his closest colleagues samples of Henrietta's cells.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Quotes (chapter 2)

Notable Quotes from Chapter 2

"No one could have guessed she'd spend the rest of her life with Day--first as a cousin growing up in their grandfather's home, then as his wife" ( pg. 19).
Incest???? This would obviously affect the health of their children. Could this have affected her?

"They spent much of their young lives stooped in those fields, planting tobacco behind mule-drawn plows" (pg. 19).
Of course Henrietta and her family had no choice but to farm and perform other laborious tasks for a living because of the Jim Crow era, but the constant presence of tobacco may have imposed a lasting health issue for Henrietta, especially since she was exposed to the tobacco at an early age, making her more vulnerable to harmful effects.

"Night at the warehouse was a time of booze, gambling, prostitution, and occasional murders as farmers burned through their season's earnings" (pg. 21).
Sounds like there aren't many good adult influences for the children on the farm. This implies two things: the children learn independence and responsibility for themselves, and that some of them will grow up to be like these reckless farmers.

"People wouldn't use words like epilepsy, mental retardation, or neurosyphilis to describe Elsie's condition until years later. To the folks in Lacks Town, she was just simple. Touched. She came into the world so fast, Day hadn't even gotten back with the midwife when Elsie shot right out and hit her head on the floor. Everyone would say maybe that was what left her mind like an infant's" (pg. 23).
As present-day readers know, Elsie's conditions were not due to the fact that she hit her head coming out of the womb. It is because of the mix-up in Elsie's genetics that caused these problems. Fortunately, Henrietta and David's first child Lawrence was healthy. At the delicate age of eighteen, Henrietta has already given birth to two children. Over the course of her life, she will probably have a lot more kids.

"But Gladys always insisted Day would be a no-good husband" (pg. 24).
Day being a bad husband to Henrietta not only affects the stability of their family but also Henrietta's health. If Day catches STI's from sleeping around, then Henrietta would be infected with them, too. To make matters worse, Henrietta will not seek medical attention for these infections, as we can assume from her reluctance to get help with her tumor.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Quotes (chapter 1)

Notable Quotes from Chapter 1

"But I always have thought it was strange, if our mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can't afford to see no doctors?"(pg9) --Deborah Lacks
The readers of this book will wonder the same thing. How can doctors use Henrietta's cells as a hero of medicine when the doctors let her family suffer? It seems that the doctors are more interested in what the cells can do for them in terms of money and breakthrough, rather than the ethical codes of fair compensation. The fact that the Lack's are black may have imposed on the doctors that the family would not know that they should be compensated, so they did not bother to do so.

"She was afraid a doctor would take her womb and make her stop having children" (pg 14).
For somebody to care more about their ability to have children than their likeliness to live from a potentially deadly disease, Henrietta must be in extreme economic desperation, considering that having children at the time was mainly to assist families on the farm. She should have immediately sought help instead of worrying about their financial standing.

"She led her through a door to a colored-only exam room" (pg 15).
The hospital segregates between races. As a place that is expected to give equal care to all patients in today's society, it is appalling that the situation in Henrietta's time was discriminatory. Knowing this, it is understandable why Henrietta disliked going to her appointments at the hospital; it is just too unwelcoming.

"This was the era of Jim Crow--when black people showed up at white-only hospitals, the staff was likely to send them away, even if it meant they might die in the parking lot" (pg 15).
Despite this book seeming to be mainly about an medicine miracle, I sense there to be a great emphasis on race. This quote confirms my suspicions; how could Henrietta get proper medical attention when the white doctors are comfortable treating black patients and black patients are uncomfortable being treated by the white doctors? The racial tension may have also affected medical ethics as well.

". . . here she was, three months later, with a full-fledged tumor. Either her doctors had missed it during her last exams--which seemed possible--or it had grown at a terrifying rate" (pg 17).
If Henrietta could palpitate her tumor without any medical experience or struggle in general, then there are ulterior reasons for why they allowed the tumor to grow at extreme rates. Perhaps they did not want to treat her because of her race, or perhaps they wanted her to die and then use her body for study. The reasons are unknown but this gives insight to the readers to not trust the doctors. On the other hand, Henrietta's tumor growth was unforeseen. It is obvious that her cells are extraordinary.

What I Would Like to Learn about Reproduction

This year, I want to learn more about the steps it takes for a baby to form. How can legs, arms, stomach, etc. be formed from just a zygote and a sperm? Knowing this will give me a better understanding of babies, which of course could be important when I have children in the future.

I also want to learn how hormones activate peoples' reproductive systems. Surely there are some stimuli besides the obvious kissing and hugging that trigger sex hormones, probably something psychological perhaps.

So far, we have learned some interesting things about periods, like why girls who hang out together get their periods around the same time of month and why some period cycles have different effects from other menstrual cycles. Maybe we'll learn more interesting things about periods.