#IT'S CHRISTMAS NOT XMAS

By: Mentor Martin (2019)

Good.. 25th December is here!

It's a day that encompasses 360 days in one. Think about it.

This is the only day where:

• The 'Saints drink'
• Terrible accidents happen
• An easy score to the robbers
• School fee is spent
• Dowry cash is spent
• The Marys' surrender
• Authority is lost
• Ceditors exalt
• The Satan enjoys
• God anger resets

... just to mention a few.

Mentor Martin (2019)

How I pray that we may realize who is being born & the reason why.

*Isaiah* *9:* *6*
 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
My you take a moment in this season and reflect on God's divine mission & Love for mankind. (From Bonface, 2019).

Christ is the reason for the season. And by the way, it's Christmas Not Xmas (Place Christ at the center).

Merry Merry Christmas All!!

Cancer: Disease or Death?? (Part 3 continued...)

Grading  of Cancer

Please review the previous blog post here:
https://mentormartinke.blogspot.com/2019/12/cancer-disease-or-death-part-3.html?m=1

Grading is how slowly or quickly the cancer has spread. Grading is based on the rate of differentiation (that is, how different the cancer cell is from the normal cell) & rate of growth.

Cancer cells can either be low-grade or high-grade. There are 4 grades of cancer; Grade 1 to 4.

Grade 1 - cells are well differentiated
Grade 2 - cells are moderately differentiated
Grade3 - cells are poorly differentiated
Grade 4 - cells are undifferentiated

(Grades 1&2 are low-grade while grades 3&4 are high-grade)

Explanation:

In Grade 1, tumor cells are almost similar to normal cells. They grow slowly. Patient's with this grade are easier to manage because their condition is less severe.

In Grade 4, tumor cells are completely different from the normal cells. They grow and rapidly spread. Patients with this grade are managed by chemotherapy with an attempt to eliminate the cancerous cells from the normal ones.

Mentor Martin
(In the Lab) 2019

Laboratory Tests used to assess Grading and Staging of Cancer
Physical examination
Imaging Tests e.g. CT Scan, X-ray, MRI & Ultrasound
Surgery
Biopsy

Note:
Roman numerals are used when staging. Numbers are used when grading cancer. I thought you should know this difference.

Now you know.

Our great discussion continues...
Cancer: Death or Disease?? (Part 4 coming...)

Cancer: Disease or Death?? (Part 3)

Cancer Staging & Grading

Well, cancer is a process. It just doesn't manifest. Just know, staging is how far while grading is how fast.

What is Cancer Staging?

It's how far cancer has spread. The "how far" equates to how much cancer is in the body.

Basis of Cancer Staging:

• Tumor size
• Site of origin
• Cancer spread or metastasis
• Where it has spread (Destination)

Stages of cancer

a) Stage 0
It's very early cancer almost at undetectable level. Cancer cells are only at the lining of an organ. They've not entered to affect the deeper tissues.
(b) Stage I
Cancer is only at the original site. It hasn't spread to nearby tissues.
(c) Stage II  
Cancer has spread to nearby areas within the original site.
(d) Stage III
Cancer has spread throughout the nearby area.
(e) Stage IV
Cancer has spread to other body parts.
(f) Recurrent
Cancer has been treated but has come back. It may recur at the original site or to a different one.

Staging System 
Doctors use the TNM System.

T - Tumor
N - Lymph Node involvement
M - Metastasis

Spread & Metastasis 

To spread is to diffuse or disseminate.
Cancer cells diffuse to invade a whole organ. Eg, breast cancer. Cancer cells can invade various tissues within the breast for example, milk ducts, lobules, etc.

Metastasis is whereby cancer cells affect other organs after affecting the primary site. For example, the milk lobules can burst to release cancer cells which can infiltrate the lungs. Naming would be; breast cancer metastatic to the lungs.

Now you know.

Continued.... Cancer Grading (next blog post)

#KCSE (My Story)

"Khai, B... Bi...  Bii... Biii... Matiang'i"

Former Education CS, Dr Fred Matiang'i (2016)

It was unusual saying from Elias, my younger brother. Nervous and tensed, he told me. 

On Thursday 29th December 2016, our KCSE results were released. It took place in Shimo La Tewa Secondary School in Mombasa County away from the usual Mitihani House in Nairobi.

The release was spearheaded by the then "Monkey business" Education CS, Dr. Fred Matiang'i. 

Looking confused, mesmerized, and with full attention on the screen, my mom uttered to me, "B, ni riu." (B, it's now). Tension continued to rise.

"Riu onadukuria?" (now you won't eat?). The same Elias again. He couldn't understand my situation. I only took a sizeable piece of ugali. Dr Nancy Macharia, the TSC Chairperson, gave her speech and commended everyone especially teachers and students for the work well-done. Deeper within me, I just wished that speeches could be exchanged for the short prayer meal. Patience was fading. 

Fortunately, the MC welcomed the Education PS, Dr Belio Kipsang to address the nation. I knew he was a man of few words. No penned down speech. With just his last three words, "Without further ado...," I knew it's time for the great Gusii man to unravel the puzzle.

"Munene ni okira." (the boss has stood). The unsettling Elias again. He didn't know that the ugali piece had already liquefied in the intestines. Guess what I did next...

Education CS began his speech. To break the atmosphere, he began by praising and thanking God for a long but successful year. I partnered him too.

"It's not rocket science... in fact, this year, we contracted a total of 74,810 professionals to work with us in managing KCSE exams," the Education CS announced. I just breath-took and wished that my papers didn't land in the hands of Europeans. You know what I mean?

Mentor Martin (2017)

"This year, we only had 141 straight As," the Education CS announced. "Gosh! I'm done," I just said it to myself. Then, he continued and said that about 15.4% (88,928 students) had a C+ and above. I just  wished that I could even be the bracket in the equation. 

To make matters worse, the Education CS said that there was no any A in English subject in the whole country. Considering that English and I were antagonists, 'I gave up'. But my mom just told me, "Ngai ebere dukamake." (God is with you, don't worry). This encouraged me to continue gawking at the screen.

"Students can receive a short SMS..." I knew it's time. "B, rehe index namba riu," (B, bring the index number now), the same Elias again. In a spur of moment, I received several calls from relatives and friends asking for the same. And I obliged. I had no phone (not even Motorola Droid).

With hours of waiting, patience eroding, I decided to text my friend Mugi (using my mom's Nokia).

Minutes after, he called back and said, "How's Matiang'i?" I recalled almost the same utterance made by my younger brother, Elias, even before the release. "B... Bi... Bii... Biii... Matiang'i." I said to him, "He is good." At least I realized that they were referring to something else, not the 'physical' Matiang'i. He said to me, "Mwanake, wina B+." (Gentleman, you have a B+). I just hang the phone up. But finally I got the results' SMS. Our family, Mom, Elias, and I greatly thanked God and 'Matiang'i'. 

Fortunately, my grade (B+) coincided with my nickname "B". And by the way, my blood group is B+ (positive).

Food for thought here...

Is there power in a name? Can a person's character coincide with the meaning of his/her name? And by the way, do you know the meaning of your name??

On my next blog... (Day 3 after KCSE results).

Cancer: Disease or Death?? (Part 2)

RISK FACTORS & CANCER TYPES.

I bet you didn't know this... about cancer. 

• Approximately 9.6 million cancer deaths by December last year.
• Second leading cause of death globally.
• About 1 in 6 deaths is due to cancer globally.
• Approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in the developing countries. For more info.visit (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK54028/
• Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer.
• Cancer causing infections such as human papilloma virus (HPV), are also a great threat cancer.
• Late-stage detection, inaccessible diagnosis and treatment are common among developing countries.
• Can either be benign (localized) or malignant (can spread to invade other body parts).

According to World Health Organisation (WHO);

Here are the most common cancers:-

1. Lung cancer
2. Breast cancer
3. Colorectal cancer
4. Prostate cancer
5. Skin cancer
6. Stomach cancer

 Cancers resulting to most deaths globally are:

1. Lung cancer
2. Colorectal cancer
3. Stomach cancer
4. Liver cancer
5. Breast cancer

In my previous blog (https://mentormartinke.blogspot.com/2019/12/cancer-disease-or-death-part-1.html), I highlighted about genes. The change in function of these genes is affected by environmental, behavioral and even hereditary factors.This now forms the risk factors.

Cancer lacks causes but has risk factors. This is like what is speculated to result to cancer. However, the cause of cervical cancer is known. It's caused by a virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

It's our responsibility to avoid these risk factors or else...

These risk factors include:

• alcohol use
• lack of physical activity
• tobacco use including cigarettes and smokeless tobacco
• ionizing and ultraviolet radiation
• urban air pollution
• being overweight or obese
• unhealthy diet with low fruit and vegetable intake
• sexually transmitted infections such as HPV-related
• infection by Hepatitis, Cytomegalovirus, Herpes virus or other carcinogenic infections
• indoor smoke from household use of solid fuels.

Early detection, diagnosis, and the right treatment will play a great role in eradicating this menace.

In one of my coming blogs, I'll address the grading and staging of cancer. Sometimes you'll hear a victim saying, "Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer." What does it actually mean??

Cancer: Disease or Death? (part 3) coming...

Cancer: Disease or Death?? (Part 1)

Cervical Cancer- HPV

By the way, what is cancer according to you?? Is it a disease or death?

Let's try to argue out what cancer really is.

Cancer:

It's uncontrolled division of cells resulting to a malignant growth or tumor.

We'll talk about two things here; cell and gene.

The body is made up of microscopic units called cells. Cells have internal structures called organelles. Cells undergo division in order to form other new ones. A group of similar cells forms a tissue which in turn form an organ. A group of organs form an organ system which makes up the whole organism. This division of cells is called mitosis. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mitosis)

What controls mitosis??

Genes. One of the cell's internal structures is the nucleus. Nucleus contains DNA. Genes are simply units of DNA that control all body functions in the human body. Genes are the 'team behind the scene'. Everything has got a limit, and so genes control ability of cells to divide up to a certain limit. They also control the rate at which cells die after their lifespan.

Genes & Cancer

3 types of genes are linked to cancer;

• Tumor suppressor genes. They control cell division. When these genes behave abnormally, cells end up growing without dying resulting to tumor (overgrowth).
• Oncogenes. They're cancer-causing genes. These actually turn normal healthy cells into cancerous cells.
• DNA repair genes . The DNA undergoes certain errors when being copied. These genes correct these errors. However, these genes may be defective and fail to correct the mistakes. This may lead to cancer. 

We've addressed what  cancer is and how it occurs. The great discussion still remains...

 Is cancer a disease or death?? Join me in my part 2.

Blogposts invite

Welcome to my blog:

My name is Martin Karuhiu. I will be sharing different blog posts about my own life experiences that have indeed shaped me to becoming. I will also address different areas on medicine, life, Internet, and religion.
I hope we will interact with you using this blog. Please feel free to comment and share.

#MentorSchoolof Thoughts
#Believe
#Become

Thank you in advance.

⇩⇩

My blog