Possible Alzheimer’s Treatment:
I recently posted a bit about Alzheimer’s. I found the video very interesting and wanted to share. Now some interesting information came across my Facebook News Feed today. It is very “untested”, but, as I said, interesting. Remember, if you happened to see, the post with the Alzheimer’s video said that there is are certain protein fragments that are abnormal and their accumulation in the brain kills the brain cells with the result being Alzheimer’s. Well some researchers in Australia think they can use “a non-invasive ultrasound technology” to destroy the “neurotoxic amyloid plaques” thought to cause Alzheimer’s. They tested it on mice and the memory of the mice improved and there was no damage to the healthy brain tissue. The test results were that 75% of the mice got their memory back. Now . . . from what I understand this “breakthrough” is far from any actual practical application but it is pretty interesting if not amazing!
There has to be a start somewhere. So this COULD be the baby step to an actual cure.
Simple Show of Caring:
Another thing that came across my news feed that I thought was interesting — well, sweet is more accurate — is this thing that three mothers did in Palo Alto. Apparently last week there was a suicide. A teen used a Caltrain train to kill himself. The Channel 7 website states: “A teenager was fatally struck by Caltrain in Palo Alto Monday morning.
Caltrain officials say the teen was hit after he intentionally walked on to the tracks.
The student was a 15-year-old sophomore from Palo Alto High School.”
As often happens when someone in a small community kills themselves it affects everyone in that small community. I am not saying that the city of Palo Alto is the “small community” I am saying that Palo Alto High School is the small community. And what some mothers did was something simple and easy, but I think and hope it is having a big effect on the high schoolers in that small community. The mothers hung up pieces of paper shaped like hearts on trees to let the students know that there are people who care. The hearts had messages written on them. The notes ranged from “wishes” to words of encouragement. To me it sounds like a wonderful idea. So sweet in its simplicity. While I was reading the article and as I started typing this post I was thinking about how it would help the people feeling sad (confused/alone/whatever feeling they are having) because of the suicide. As I am typing just now it occurred to me that it MIGHT even help someone else who might be contemplating suicide themselves. They might read the notes or see the hearts and begin to understand that people do care. I don’t know. I was so much loving the idea of the care and concern BECAUSE of the suicide I didn’t even think of it helping possibly prevent one. I really like that thought.
I cannot imagine what the family of the child is going through. But I hope that the love the community is showing helps somehow.
Just two things that I saw this week. One I found interesting, one I found sweet. I know we all don’t see the same things all the time, so I thought I would share.
What do you think? Do you think the Australian researchers treatment sounds promising? Do you love the idea of the hanging heart notes?
Terre Pruitt's Blog 