Voting Question: REAL WORRIED ABOUT ME HEART!!!!!! HELP PLS LOL?
ive had chest pains for a while now and i went to the doctors and im booked for a ECG next week but me heart just stopped for like 10 seconds!?!! and i cried and ran and told me mum about it she said its just a palpatation cos i do drink alot of diet coke n stuff…
am i going to die?

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 23:30:47 GMT
Open Question: Addicted to Prescription Drugs?
My aunt is taking five antidepressants, a cough suppressant pill, a pill for parkinson’s disease (which she does not have) and a pill for congestive heart failure (which she also does not have). My family wants to help her. She is obviously addicted to prescription drugs and we are afraid. What can be done? Thank you.

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:52:36 GMT

Open Question: Can someone tell me what they think of the start of my english project?
?You?re so lucky to have wings, Raphy.? I sighed looking over my shoulder at the tall masculine figure standing behind me. I spread out my arms and flapped them up and down as if they could somehow magically turn into bright, pure angel wings like Raphael?s. When I was that age, about five or six, that was all I wanted. I didn?t care about my world crumbling away every passing second; I just cared about the fact I wanted to be just like him, to be one of his kind, to be able to soar across the sky and look down on the entire world below.
This evening was simply perfect. It was warm, but not too hot, the sun was just setting and I was on the beach with my favourite person in the world. This was the closest to heaven I?d ever get without my wings.
?There?s no use having wings and not being able to fly, kid.? Raphael said with a sigh as the ocean breeze swept through his sandy blonde hair. I looked at him as he gazed out at the amber sky that reflected in the sea, his dark eyes focusing on nothing else. Raphael was the most beautiful thing I?d ever seen; even now I?m still trying to find something half as stunning as him. His face was pale and angelic and his wings were beyond breath-taking. They were a black that made even the night sky look like day but the tips of the feathers were a stunning blood-red.
?But you can fly, Raphy, I know you can!? I said turning around to face him fully. I?d never seen him fly, but I knew he could do it. He clearly had the heart of a phoenix. He also had the power over fire and had supposedly been reborn hundreds of times straight from the ashes he?d created. That always made me wonder about how old he really was, he didn?t look a day over twenty but he?d always looked that way ever since the day he found me.
He laughed dryly, ?I wish I could… I really do… especially with a war like this brewing.? he murmured raising his head to the sky. I wished I knew what he was thinking at that moment, I still do. Raphael thought so much and talked so little, the opposite of me, but that just added to his divinity and the proud father image he tried to portray. I always had known Raphael wasn?t my real dad and he?d literally just found me one day, but I didn?t care. He was the only family I?d ever known. I guess that?s why it tore me apart so much when I woke up and never found him there.
?You?re always so dramatic, Raphy.? I said laughing, completely ignoring his comment on ?war?. I?m not sure why I did that, I really do regret not questioning him further. Raphael smiled and looked down at me and his dark, almost life-less, eyes started to sparkle like stars, for no apparent reason. It was a scarily beautiful sight.
?You know what, kid? he said after a long pause, ?I?m going to learn to fly tonight.?
My eyes grew and so did my toothy smile. Raphael was finally going to fly!
?Can you teach me when you?ve learned?? I asked hopefully cupping my small hands together.
?Sure, kid.? Raphael replied. I laughed as he bent down to hug me.
That was the end of a perfect evening.
The last evening I ever spent with Raphael.
I?d never found out what had happened to him or where he went.
Did he ever manage to fly? Did he kill himself in the process?
There were so many unanswered questions and if that didn?t add to the problems, an incredible war started exactly a week after he left, a war I found myself right in the middle of.
1
?Come on…., get up!?
?I don?t wanna!” I moaned turning back onto my side. It was safe to say I wasn?t a morning person and today was no exception. In fact, today was the tenth year anniversary of Raphael?s ?disappearance? and I had partially started to doubt he?d even existed. I mean, people with wings? Come on, that sort of thing was physically impossible. I actually didn?t really have any physical memory of him, but I did keep dreaming of a pure, beautiful, angelic man who had literally ?taken me under his wing? and after those dreams, I?d remember everything about him again, his voice, his personality, his stature, his fatherly features if only it was for a split second. But as soon as I?d remembered him, the memory faded within seconds until the next morning. It was so strange.
?Who cares if you wanna? You have to. Come on, … we?re in a war here.? Grey replied shaking me slightly. Grey was one of the many orphans like me who were practically soldiers fighting in a war we knew nothing about, but he tried the hardest to fight in this war and win it, hence why he found himself nominated the leader of our group. Grey had ironically beautiful wide gray eyes and pretty long grey-white hair with the same colour stubble to match. He had his fair share of muscle and fighting skills and was a natural born leader. He was also, most importantly, my first and only crush.
?So?? I murmured batting him away. Grey sighed.
?You?re the only one not awake you know.?
?I don?t care.? I replied pulling
btw, the … is because i haven’t thought of a character name 4 the main girl lol

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:05:59 GMT
Open Question: How can i lose 100lbs by the end of the year?
I am very obese and if I don’t lose weight i feel that I will increase my chances of diabetes and heart diseases. Im trying to look for gyms in NYC that will allow teens to work out with a personal trainer and im looking for a family nutritionist so that my entire family can regulate what we eat. Please help me im not trying to be in and out the hospital even dead before I graduation college. BTW im 14

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:36:44 GMT

Open Question: How can stem cell technology help cure heart diseases?
For e.g. Storing of cord blood so that new blood cells can be formed

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:06:41 GMT
Open Question: Midnight poem, something to read before bed?
Seafaring Premonitions
___________________________________________
As my thoughts they sunk today.
My heart shall drift to bay.
Shortly , very soon?
Dragged up from murky midnight deep
to shore on sand as waves do sweep;
so slow and soft, so calm and neat;
that with them spirits rise.
To whispered lands of summer?s heat
where daylight murmurs and salt air speaks
of sunlight tickles on sand kissed feet
and billowing laughter is sent to cliffs by the beach.
Like captain, with crew on ship just now home.
Or pirate who?s true; crossbones flag sworn.
Or explorer with view on new terra firma .
Adventures do beckon the depths of my essence
But moonlight ,she crescents ;
Her presence and rays do allure.
Causing tides to rise and thoughts unsure
as waves do crash
and currents swell;
leaving high tides splendid swoon.
As my heart, she?s swept to sea,
riptides rush and pull and heave.
Islands rise past point of view
as deep blue darkness traps the light;
and veins ,they panic, pump and fight
simply to survive?
As captain hears the shouts of men;
Pushed to plank by mutiny
and pirate eyes can only see
inside stony prison walls.
Or sadder still, the explorers ill
Strange ailments took his sight.
And just as he shall not live to see
More than shadows wrapped in light
My heart shall sink, with efforts fade;
Tour de force shall ebb and wane
By orb of night
And her cool gaze
As my thoughts they sink on morrow
As my heart does swiftly follow
Shortly, very soon?

Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:53:04 GMT

Resolved Question: pregnancy and medications?
I am not pregnant and I’m not sure we will be able to have another (not because of health reasons). We have 2 already. Our daughter is 6 (almost 7) and our son is 4. I have always wanted more. I have always seen 3 in our lives but financially our circumstances are pretty overwhelming and adding another would be…you know. HOWever…I still dream about one day having another…in the next few years hopefully if we can keep on top of our finances. My question is…I have been on wellbutrin SR (anti-depressant) for the last 3 years and Atenelol (a heart palpatation medication) for the last year–which has more to do with anxiety than anything, I have no known heart deformities or any other heart issues. What effects would these pills have on a baby say I do get pregnant. I would like to actually stop taking them at some point…for my own health reasons…I hate taking pills and if I can control my issues naturally I’d much rather do that. While pregnant with my first two…I was on zero medications and I have never been a smoker or a drinker…I was always in the best of health…so I’m pretty concerned about even wanting to try because of the medications I’ve been taking. Thanks!

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:46:29 GMT
Open Question: My penultimate question regarding lack of genetic diversity in dog breeds?
Okay, here goes. I’ve asked a few questions pertaining to this, but they quickly became muddled. I’m hoping to get it all down in a clear understandable way. This is ridiculously long, so I’m only expecting it to be read and responded to by breeders/people interested in breeding/people who belong to a KC. Since it’s so long, I’ve used “***” to mark parts where I’m talking about something I directly seek an answer to, and not just parts of my argument. Feel free to respond to whatever though.
I agree that professionals should be in charge of breeding. An understanding of genetics, and knowledge of the breed are not optional skills, they’re absolutely essential. Having said that, I can’t help but feel that breed standards are too strict, and too focused on the visual. This, combined with closed registries have led to a lack of genetic diversity in dog breeds.
Dog breeds do have a problem with a lack of genetic diversity. You can argue it, but it’s been shown in several studies. I will allow that some breeds are better than others in this department, but they all have a problem to some degree (even if it’s not very bad at all) with a lack of genetic diversity just due to the system of breeding and pedigrees that is in place.
I want to define inbreeding also, I feel it may become a point of confusion. I’m not talking about mother/son and father/daughter crosses exclusively. Although those do happen far too much. I’m talking about the system of closed registries where an entire breed can owe its parentage to only a handful of dogs.
The “Pedigree Dogs Exposed” documentary was based on research from the Imperial College of London. From their report, “The researchers’ analysis showed that, for example, Boxer dogs were so closely related to one another and had such little genetic variation between them that genetically, 20,000 dogs looked like a population of about 70. In the Rough Collie breed, 12,000 dogs looked in genetic terms like a population of about 50.” Again, I know some breeds are better than others here.
I think we can all agree that’s a problem, can we not? The only possible thing to do about it is to introduce new blood (not from a different line “new”, with different breeds new). I am not suggesting that suddenly BYB’s have a fantastic point of view, and should breed to their heart’s content. I am also not suggesting that a beagle/pug mix (for example) is going to have none of the problems of either breed due to “hybrid vigor”. I’m not under any such delusion.
***I do think though that there should be nothing wrong with a breeder of any breed introducing a mutt (mostly of the breed its going to be bred into, but not completely, say a 75% mix) into the line as long as the mutt conforms within reason to breed standards, has known parentage, has had health testing and excels at what the breed excels at. The breeds need this to happen if they’re going to continue for the next hundred, two hundred, or five hundred years, do they not?***
The odd fear of “mixed blood” contaminating a line is not backed up by science. Any geneticist will tell you that genetic diversity in a population is a very good thing.
***A very well versed and interesting poster on another of my questions pointed out to me that it’s possible to get a pedigree dog (of the same breed as the one you’re breeding it to) from a different country that is more genetically different than the dogs available to breed in the same country. In this way a breeder could end up with puppies more genetically different than if the breeder had found a match locally. If this is the case, and the genetic variation is indeed increased significantly, how are the results of the study by the Imperial College of London explained? Surely that can’t go on for an extended period of time before the populations become genetically more and more similar, can it?***
There is an argument that bring in new, mixed blood would introduce new diseases into the breed. It’s a fair point, but I’m not entirely convinced. I’m not convinced for two reasons. The first is that the scope of the problem with a lack of genetic diversity in breeds is such that it seems a reasonable risk to take in order to increase the genetic variation in the population. It seems an odd argument to me that in order to protect the breed, it must become more and more inbred.
The second is that even with the all the mutts that come as a result of unintentional breeding, idiots, and puppy mills, mutts live at least as long as purebreds, who have such care and health testing taken in their breeding. “The median lifespan of all dogs in the study, which included 20 breeds and mixed breeds, was ten years, reports Proschowsky. Mixed breeds managed to eke out an extra year, dying at a median age of eleven-years-old.” The study examined 3000 dog deaths.
***The question is, is it possible for a mutt to exist that conforms mostly to breed standar
***The question is, is it possible for a mutt to exist that conforms mostly to breed standards, excels at what the breed excels at, and is healthier than some dogs of that breed which are bred by breeders? The answer is, of course, yes, that dog can exist. Now tell me why it would not be a good, nay, essential thing for the breed to have it? Also tell me how doing this now is any different from when it was done originally to create the breed?***
Congratulations to anyone who got through that. My interest is purely for the well being of animals, and I hope I didn’t offend anyone. I know breeds to some people are a bit of a sacred cow, but I see no reason these things can’t be discussed in a thoughtful way.
Unstoppable, could you provide more detail? You didn’t really address anything I said. You may be right, but how can I ever know why if you don’t explain?
Unstoppable, I guess you’re not up for actually answering any of my questions? I’m happy to change my mind about something if I learn new information. You’re not providing any.

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 19:53:28 GMT

Open Question: how can i improve this scene?
it’s just the 1st draft of a prolouge for my english project. i’m 13. all critism is appreciated.
?You?re so lucky to have wings, Raphy.? I sighed looking over my shoulder at the tall figure standing behind me. I spread out my arms and flapped them up and down as if they could somehow magically turn into bright, pure angel wings like Raphael?s. When I was that age, about five or six, that was all I wanted. I didn?t care about my world crumbling away every passing second; I just cared about the fact I wanted to be just like him, to be one of his kind, to be able to soar across the sky and look down on the entire world below.
?There?s no use having wings and not being able to fly, kid.? Raphael said with a sigh as the ocean breeze swept through his blonde hair. I looked at him as he gazed out at the amber sky that reflected in the sea, his dark eyes focusing on nothing else. Raphael was the most beautiful thing I?d ever seen; even now I?m still trying to find something half as stunning as him. His face was pale and angelic and his wings were beyond breath-taking. They were a black that made even the night sky look like day but the tips of the feathers were a blood-red.
?But you can fly, Raphy, I know you can!? I said turning around to face him fully. I?d never seen him fly, but I knew he could do it. He clearly had the heart of a phoenix. He also had the power over fire and had supposedly been reborn hundreds of times straight from the ashes he?d created. That always made me wonder about how old he really was, he didn?t look a day over twenty but he?d always looked that way ever since the day he found me.
He laughed dryly, ?I wish I could… I really do… especially with a war like this brewing.? he murmured raising his head to the sky. I wished I knew what he was thinking at that moment, I still do. Raphael thought so much and talked so little, the opposite of me, but that just added to his divinity and the proud father image he tried to portray. I always had known Raphael wasn?t my real dad and he?d just found me one day, but I didn?t care. He was the only family I?d ever known. I guess that?s why it tore me apart so much when I woke up and never found him there.
?You?re always so dramatic, Raphy.? I said laughing, completely ignoring his comment on ?war?. Raphael smiled and looked down at me and his eyes started to sparkle, for no apparent reason.
?You know what, kid? he said after a long pause, ?I?m going to learn to fly tonight.?
My eyes grew and so did my smile.
?Can you teach me when you?ve learned?? I asked hopefully cupping my small hands together.
?Sure, kid.? Raphael replied. I laughed as he bent down to hug me.
That was the end of a perfect evening.
The last evening I ever spent with Raphael.
I?d never found out what had happened to him or where he went.
Did he ever manage to fly? Did he kill himself in the process?
There were so many unanswered questions and if that didn?t add to the problems, a war between all of humanity started an exact week after he left, a war I found myself fixed right in the middle of.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:23:10 GMT

Open Question: Do I have what it takes to get into NYU, let alone any college?
I’ve been looking online for scholarships, since my grandma and i collectively make under $24,000/year. I’m not very sure if i can make it into the colleges i want to get into :[
I got straight A’s on my report card this year
My Average is a 94
My gpa is a 4.3, on a 5.0 scale
I take honors classes
I’m in four clubs, and plan to go to honduras in august for the malta corps
I have been to china with my dance school to dance in a festival
I am part of the people to people leadership program
I am part of the national society of high school scholars
I am a first honor student
I have organized the GORED fundraiser at my school to raise money for the american heart association, since my mom died of heart disease.
I have over 200 hours of community service
That’s all i can think of now, but does it seem like i am going in the right direction? or should i just give up on wanting to go to NYU?
Oh, and i am ranked 59 out of 185.
and i have gotten an award from school for typing 97 WPM with 96% accuracy.
i’m not bragging. i actually think i’m underqualified compared to some of the other people i know.
and i dont want to go to rutgers, sorry.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:30:30 GMT
Open Question: What do you think of this short story?
The borderline
?Miss Reece Carrison, do you, or do you not plead guilty for the murder of Mr Dean Brogan remembering you are under oath?? The judge asked through his syrupy foreign accent.
?Not guilty.? I proclaimed from my inferior placing in the grand hall. A faint murmur rippled through the jury amongst the cries of my mother and father. I didn?t care to spare their dignity when I was practically asking for the death penalty. I stared through my eyes numbly not caring about my consequences.
In the recent centaury the world had declared its differences by splitting it into two halves. Criminals were rebelling against the law abiders to enforce their own cruel world and its laws. I was born to blue banded criminals, a single band lower than that of the black banders. It was, and always had been my job to uphold my families? name. I was destined to commit a crime and see myself branded by the High Court of the Dark side, as one of their future leaders. Anyone who steps through the billowing halls of the High Court dreams of the powerful mark given to the untouchable chosen. With decent banding, money, food and shelter didn?t matter; the world would be your oyster bearing the fruits of your sinful labour. Anyone would take there own life to be in my position, murder was worth a black banding, a chance for a seat on the court?s council and all the decoration and glory that goes with it. I myself would have done the same but life wasn?t worth living without my Dean, no matter what side of mother earth you are.
Dean was a Christian boy, brought up by wealthy and godly parents; he was on the Light side. He believed in peace which my world was destroying. I was the opposite; my parents were rich but were devious and unforgiving. I?d been like that once too, merciless and spiteful. I?d believed in blood shed and terrorism, but Dean changed that. He relight the love my ancestors had passed down silently in there blood. I saw through his eyes instead of the tinted red ones I?d supposed were all mine.
We?d met on the borderline of the Dark and Light. It was the centre line of a boarded up supermarket. I was in hunting out my prey, someone I could draw my first drops of blood from. I?d just turned sixteen, the age of banding. Mother and father had set me on murder, theft and adultery weren?t good enough for the likes of a Carrison. After all the years of craving the pleasure of taking blood I could finally cease my thirst. It was known that killing a fellow human of the Dark side was worth a lower banding than that of the Light. This made me instinctively make my territory the borderline and I would have breached it if my patience ran dry. So I spent hours prowling the grounds, waiting for a glimpse of the purest white (the Light?s side chosen colour). I lurked behind the bins and readied myself.
When I finally saw the flash of white I was straight for the kill. I pounced onto a seemingly ignorant Light. Savagely I poised my gleaming dagger on my prey?s chest. I looked hungrily into my targets eyes and forced more pressure onto the knife?s tip. Then my eyes widened. I realised he had a similar dagger placed just below my heart. A Light was never armed, it was just not possible. Surprise and fearful adrenaline pulsed through me. I rolled off him and stood, my arm tensed with the dagger at hand. He mirrored my actions.
?Lights aren?t supposed to carry weapons, everyone knows that.? I stammered steadying my pulse.
?I thought Dark?s never gave up so easily.? He retorted sharply. I shot him a more venomous look than before. He slipped the knife into a leather case. ?I?m Dean.? He held up his hands defensively as if surrendering. Reluctantly I did the same.
?Reece.? I grunted looking at him shiftily. He pulled a hand through his tufted hair. I watched. He was dangerously stunning. His movements were swift but graceful. Although handsome he had the worst sense of humour.
?You wanna go for a coffee? I think you damn well owe me one!?
In the end I think that?s what made him special and somewhat mine. He wasn?t scared to rebel against the rules, I liked that.
Secretly we?d meet up and let the world diminish around us. Light and Dark became grey between us. We?d share secrets and ambitions letting our guards down if only for a couple of hours.
I was going to meet him when I found him. He lay still on the borderline of Light and Dark, his pure white shirt infected by stains of red. I held him in my arms as the rain fell. Then they found me, the Dark side police. They?d greeted my as if I was hero, Light killings were rare and more honourable. I was bundled into a police car, Dean?s body in the car behind and was laden with the promise of a black banding. I was too ashamed to look back.
I continued to glare at the judge, knowing my fate was what I wanted, the chance to be with Dean once again. With a quick nod from the judge, an officer led me brutally to a private room I?d only ever seen in my

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:07:56 GMT

Open Question: How can I get fit and healthy?
Im 23 yrs old and have taken medication for a long time. For around 15+ (from 5-20) yrs of my life I have taken puffers (because i had asthma)
now i dont take puffers anymore, i dont need it. however, i believe the medication throughout my childhood - adolescence (puberty) years have permanently affected my condition. (i hate medicine) As a result I believe I have weaker bone density (i’ve broken my arm once playing soccer), can’t run much (very unfit as compared to my friends), have small wrists like a woman and i get sick quite often and i always have bowel problems (IBS) (looks like weak immunity). If i do a bit of running, i instantly get tired - ive read this new article in BBC that says heart diseases could be linked from long-term exposure of beta2protagonists ie. inhalers. i even have a small penis (must be because of the side-effects - it is not hereditary)
While saying all this - i feel low at times but i attempt to stay fit by eating healthy and things have improved. yet i still have frequent bowel problems (had stomach problem since i was a kid)
I dont know but can i get myself into ‘normal’ health form.

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 06:39:12 GMT

Open Question: pregnancy and medications?
I am not pregnant and I’m not sure we will be able to have another (not because of health reasons). We have 2 already. Our daughter is 6 (almost 7) and our son is 4. I have always wanted more. I have always seen 3 in our lives but financially our circumstances are pretty overwhelming and adding another would be…you know. HOWever…I still dream about one day having another…in the next few years hopefully if we can keep on top of our finances. My question is…I have been on wellbutrin SR (anti-depressant) for the last 3 years and Atenelol (a heart palpatation medication) for the last year–which has more to do with anxiety than anything, I have no known heart deformities or any other heart issues. What effects would these pills have on a baby say I do get pregnant. I would like to actually stop taking them at some point…for my own health reasons…I hate taking pills and if I can control my issues naturally I’d much rather do that. While pregnant with my first two…I was on zero medications and I have never been a smoker or a drinker…I was always in the best of health…so I’m pretty concerned about even wanting to try because of the medications I’ve been taking. Thanks!

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 16:46:29 GMT
Open Question: Information about an elevated quantitative C-reactive protein?
On routine health screening did a quantitative CRP that was 11.4 mg/l. My lipid profile is excellent and there is little history of heart disease in the family. I do have pretty classic age related arthritis with pain in waking and fatigue later in the day. May have recently had herpes type I on my lip. Can arthritis elevate a CRP? What do you think and advise? Thank you.
Jay

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:25:57 GMT

Open Question: Is my condition deadly?
For years I’ve had these weird heart beats where my heart skips a beat and then theres a hard THUMP in my chest right after. This happens a couple of times a day, especially when I’m lying down. I did some research and heard of something called PACs and PVCs, though I’m not entirely sure if I have this or not, I keep hearing from different people that they are deadly and that they aren’t deadly and I’m trying to figure out which it is. Years ago the doctor thought that she heard a murmur and they checked and said I was fine. I’m not having panic attacks when I feel the heart palpitations either. I don’t want to go to the doctor because I read that many people with my condition are just fine and that only elderly people with other heart diseases die from it, but I’m still scared.
It cant be Arrhythmia because my heart rate is normal and Ive had my heart checked before and it came out fine

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:54:06 GMT