Hodgkin's Disease: An Overview

Famous People With Hodgkin's Disease

Paul Allen- Investor and co-founder of Microsoft Corporation.
Charles Lindbergh- The first pilot to make a transatlantic flight.
Jackie Kennedy- Former First Lady
Gene Wilder- Actor

Learn about leading-edge treatments for Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma today.

Named after Thomas Hodgkin, a British physician who lived 1798-1866. Technically, the hallmark sign is the Reed-Sternberg cell, a giant, multinucleated cell, usually a transformed B lymphocyte, a type of white blood cell. However, simply put, Hodgkin's disease is the enlargement of lymph nodes that progresses to involve the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and lungs. The most common metastatic organs being the liver and spleen. This disease is spread by the lymphatic system, and is considered to be the most curable of lymphomas. A malignant lymphoma whose pathological hallmark being progressive enlargement of the lymph nodes on the side of the neck that spreads in a contiguous fashion through the body. The disease may affect people of any age, but occurs most often in adults in their early 30's. The incidence of the disease is higher in males than in females, and typically begins with a single lymph node and spreads to adjacent nodes. If not caught early, it will travel gradually to lymphatic tissue on both sides of the diaphragm or spread widely to tissues outside the lymph nodes. The degree of metastasis defines the state of the disease: early disease. Those with stage 1 Hodgkin's disease lymphoma have a 90% chance of survival 5 years of diagnosis. Stage II indicates involvement of an extra lymphatic organs and one or more nodes on the same side of the diaphragm. With Stage III there is evidence of disease on both sides of the diaphragm, often including the spleen. With Stage VI there is involvement of one or more organs or tissues with or without associated lymph node involvement.

Earliest Symptoms

Early symptoms may range from nothing other than a painless lump or enlarged gland in the armpit or neck. Others may develop fevers,night sweats, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Etiology

Epstein-Barr virus has been found in the cells of nearly half of all patients with Hodgkin's disease

Treatment

The goal of therapy is cure. not just palliation of symptoms. Treatment depends on accurate staging. Combinations of radiation therapy with chemotherapy have been traditionally used for stages I and II, chemotherapy for stages III and VI although chemotherapies that rely on multiple agents used together may be as effective. Bone marrow transplant or blood stem cell transfusion with chemotherapy also have been used in treatment, especially on younger patients.Drugs are chosen according to their effect on different phases of cell growth and proliferation. Often it is decided to use both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, especially in treating bulky tumor involvement of nodes and spleen.

Owning Basenji Dogs

 

The Basenji, A barkless Dog

I had always been a dog owner, but now that I was out on my own, I wanted to choose a certain breed that appealed to me. I went to several bookstores to look up dog breeds when I suddenly saw a beautiful dog that looked a lot like a fox on one of the book covers. It had pricked ears and an athletic build, and had basically, the look that I love in a dog, it was called a Basenji.
As I read the Basenji book, I became intrigued. These dogs are hunters, originally from Africa, are odorless and do not bark.
After years of having a dog that would not shut up, this was very appealing.





The last couple of dogs I had owned were wonderful animals, but they barked when I came home, barked when I played with them and barked when I left the house. I was just barked out
The reason that Basenjis do not bark is because they have only been domestic animals for approximately 100 years. They do not have the instinct to bark as domestic dogs do, and their infrequent sounds are more along the lines of what a wild dog does. They have a happy sound, often described as a yodel, however, they are very quiet by nature and if you enjoy their occasional yodeling, it must be encouraged. Basenjis are often referred to as the barkless dog.



The Basenji is kind of a cross between a dog and a cat. They clean themselves as cats do,and overall they are well groomed and mature by nature.
They are highly intelligent and one must be careful when doing things in their presence, because they will learn from watching you. My dog, Chica, learned how to climb a tree by watching the neighbors children. She was an incredibly smart dog that learned how to surf, and ride a skateboard. I have owned many smart animals before, but my female Basenji was intensely bright, and playful in a mischievous way, constantly playing little tricks on her brother, Buster. If you own just one Basenji, he will be a very devoted companion, if you own two, they will most likely be very competitive with each other. These dogs are dominant and intense.

There have been many times that my two Basejis see another dog walking from their yard and when they run to the fence to jump around excitedly back and fourth, after the dog they are watching disappears from sight my two dogs start fighting with each other from their excess adrenalin.

Basenjis are not for everyone, but I will never be without one ever again, as I have found my match as far as dogs go.

Chica climbing a tree

Basenjis and Other Animals

I have found that Basenjis can get along well with cats. If they don't know the cat and are seeing it for the first time, there may be a chase, but once settled in the same household they tend to settle down and become friendly, even play mates. They are the same way with horses. If they are seeing it for the first time, they may run up to the horse, but common sense usually keeps them from getting up too close.
The biggest problem basenjis can have is often with each other as they are dominant animals and will vie for your attention. I have seen some of the best successes with basenjis being paired with a dog of a different breed and a cat, however, I have had two basenjis and enjoy having two, its just that I must admit they can pick on each other from time to time.

Buster & Chica relaxing in  mountain cabin

Figure Skating Champions, Sonja Henie, - Tanya Harding Scandal

 

Sonja Henie

The girl who brought ice skating into the main stream, was World Figure Skating Champion, Sonja Henie...
She was born on October 12,1912 in Norway, and became a three time Olympic Champion. First in 1928, again in 1932, and finally in 1936. A Ten time world champion in Ladies skating from 1927-36, and a six time European Champion 1931-36. She began to gain world recognition when she finished 8th in the 1924 Winter Olympics and by 1936 she was a full fledged star. To this day Sonja Henie as won more Olympic, and World titles than any other figure skater, but Henie did not stop there, she went on to become one of the highest paid stars in Hollywood.







By the mid 30s Henie was receiving fierce competition by younger skaters, and although she held onto her title, she wanted to cash in on her Championship status, and give up competing. Sonja signed a contract at Twentieth Century Fox and made a string of films that featured elaborate skating numbers, much like Ester Williams did with her championship swimming status a decade later.
Henie was also quite notorious. She had a sweet smile and an innocent face, but had three rocky marriages, and numerous affairs. Sonja Henie was known for her love of money and men. She did all she could to be wise with her money and make it work for her throughout her life.
She was diagnosed with Leukemia in the late 60s and passed away suddenly in 1969 at age 57.








 



Dorothy Hamill was U.S, Champion from 1974-1976 at the World Championships in Munich, Germany, and won a silver medal at the World Championships on 1975 at Colorado Springs. She gained national attention in 1976, when she won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Hamill was not only a great skater, but her hair was fabulous and cut so well that it became her trademark. Fashion in the 70s was a decade where long and stringy evolved into Farrah wings, and Dorothy Hamill added a refreshing alternative to the longs styles that had become so standard. It had a wedge shape that moved with her on the ice, fanning out while she spun around, revealing its perfect shape. All the while, the hairstyle kept snapping back into place.
Women all over the world began copying her trademark hairstyle, that evolved slightly a few years later into the Lady Di haircut, when Princess Diana became engaged to Prince Charles.

Hamill became a spokeswoman for "the short and sassy look."

Tonya Harding

She was worked hard on the competitive skating ladder as a child and finished 6th at the 1986 Figure Skating Championship, and skated again in years 87, 88, and 89, each time finishing better. Tonya was considered a strong contender at the 1990 Figure Skating Championship after having won Skate America in 1989. She was also noted for landing the first ever triple axel at the U. s. Championship, an event in which she won the title with the event's very first 6.0 card ever. Harding was riding high with a number of wins, and tremendous experience skating and competing under pressure.
Harding is one of the best remembered champion ice skaters, although its not really because of her skating style, or her cute personality, but because she is connected to the only violent, soap opera style attack, that has ever taken place between Champion ice skaters. Harding had been a troubled child, dropping out of high school, marrying at 19, and divorcing at 22, and now was heading for the biggest trouble of her life.



In 1994, Harding's reputation changed forever when her competitor Nancy Kerrigan was walking off the ice after practice. She was suddenly struck in the knee by an unknown assailant wearing black and swinging a police billy club. It was not long before the unknown man was traced as Tanya Harding's ex husband, and the event caused a barrage of media frenzy in which Harding was portrayed as a demon with an ugly past, while Kerrigan was now the innocent damsel. The 1994 Olympics were watched with an intensity that went beyond who was the best skater. The American public was pulling for Kerrigan, and wanted Tonya out of there. It was as though the other skaters did not even exist.
Neither one of them won, but Harding's performance, as it turned out, was more stressed than Kerrigan's. She began her performance only to break down crying after slipping around the ice a few times. The judges let her leave the ice and fix her skates and make another attempt. She appeared again, but was clearly shaken by the publicity and pressure. She left the famous triple axel out of her routine and finished clean, but uneventful.

Nancy Kerrigan

Kerrigan rose to the national level after placing 3rd in the 1991 Figure Skating Championship. She received a bronze medal in the 1992 Winter Olympics and the following season she won the short program at the World Championship. She was receiving recognition and sponsors contracts from Reebok, and Evian to name a few.
Nancy began preparing for the 1994 Olympic season, and was working with a sports psychologist to get a grip on her nerves for competition.
Kerrigan's reputation as a skater more than doubled when she was captured on camera immediately after being attacked by a man who clubbed her knee and ran away. Kerrigan was crying and screaming "why, why, why", and the video was played repeatedly by all the news stations while the photo of Kerrigan crying in pain made the front cover of everything. When the it was discovered that her rival, Tonya Harding, was responsible, Nancy Kerrigan became the focus of the Olympics. Harding later pled guilty to the crime, but was allowed to skate in the Olympics. She may as well have been skating against Kerrigan wearing a black dress and carrying a broom, as the crowd was pulling for Kerrigan's win. Remarkably, just seven weeks after the attack, Kerrigan skated the best performance she had ever delivered in her life, while her foe Harding stumbled through hers.

 Kerrigan took the silver medal and Oksana Baiul walked away with the gold. Instead of everybody's sweetheart walking away with the silver to everyone's pleasure, Kerrigan received some bad publicity for the first time in her life. It seemed that while Karrigan waited over twenty minutes for Olympic officials to find a copy of the Ukranian anthem, Kerrigan was told by another skater that the delay in the presentation was because Baiul was putting on makeup. Kerrigan, showed an un-sportsman attitude by saying "oh, What's the difference, she is just going to come out here and cry anyway!" The comment was aired, and the public attitude toward Nancy Kerrigan was tarnished. Since that comment, she has been caught making similar remarks, and soon became widely viewed as angry and temperamental.

Littlewoods Dancing Girls; Liverpool in the 1950's

Liverpool in the 50s

Britain in the 1950's was a different place than it is today. Liverpool was still reeling from the effects of the war and the loss of its pride; the first overhead railway.
This was a time long before computers, and modern lifestyle as we know it.

Littlewoods was a name that many generations of Brits are familiar with. The younger generation will recall the department stores, and remember that it was once a major shopping catalog company, while those who were around in the 1950s will remember Littlewoods a little differently. It was originally a football gambling pool that had expanded to the legitimate world of department stores, and entertainment.

The country saw the last of Littlewoods in 2005 when over 100 of the remaining stores were closed due to the emergence of the internet. The gambling aspect of the company died long ago.
The social world of men and women in 1950s is reflected by the Littlewoods of yesteryear.


Littlewoods is a big company in Britain that may resemble something like SEARS in America. There were literally hundreds of them all over the U.K. in the 50’s. But besides being a chain of stores, it also was something like a lottery where locals would bet on the football (soccer) games. This aspect of Littlewoods was affectionately referred to as “the Pools.” It was that simple. You could have Just said you work in the "Pools" to anyone in Britain and they would know what you were referring to.



Just about every employed woman in the United Kingdom worked for Littlewoods, or had worked for Littlewoods at some time. It was simply a staple in the everyday lives of Brits for over 30 years.

With the complex task of checking the “lottery tickets” literally thousands of women were employed at the numerous offices throughout Britain. Each major town or city had approximately three large Littlewoods buildings, containing hundreds of employees.


It is difficult to related to these days, but there were absolutely no computers in use, and the women checked tickets manually, and it was a very slow process, as the tickets were not just single bets of this team or that, but rather 6-10 different and complex bets on a single ticket alone.
The women who did the clerical work had the opportunity to participate in the Littlwoods dance team. This meant that if they made the team, and there were shows to do, they did not have to check any tickets, or do any boring clerical work. Instead, they were dressing up in exotic costumes and performing dance routines, often recreations of recent musicals that were being released. Some of these women who were particularly talented, were invited to do minor tours, and shows across Britain, and participate in television commercials promoting Littlewoods products.
My mother was a Littlewoods dancer and I believe these were the very best times of her life.

Managing Risks With Futures & Options

Who Trades Futures and Options?

Futures, commodities and options. Just what are futures and options?
There are professional speculators and hedgers, but the majority of those trading futures and options are ordinary people who are interested in making money in the markets.
To be successful:
It certainly helps to know a few things about the financial markets to consider online trading.

To be successful:
It certainly helps to know a few things about the financial markets to consider online trading.
You should also have enough money to develop a trading plan that enables you to keep making trades in the markets long enough to make enough money do capitalize on your next big trade.

f you don't have enough money, you won't last. And if you don't have a good trading plan, your money will quickly disappear.
If you have never worked the stock market before, or you have not traded in years read this- Guide To Understanding Money and Investments.

Calls and Puts

If you are sick of the sight of your stagnant mutual funds and are interested in something much more aggressive Futures and Options may be just what the doctor ordered.
It must be pointed out right away that trading is not really investing; its speculating. Meaning that you are assuming a risk with the hope of profiting from market fluctuations. This requires great ability to analyze situations and predict outcomes. This is not your buy and hold strategy that most of us have been taught.
One of the cardinal rules to begin is money. Yes, if you don't have a lot of money you will not last long at all. You will also need nerves of steel, a plan, and knowledge. Who said it would be easy?

Calls
In the world of trading buying stock wit the hope or assumption that is will go up is called, "buying a call."


Puts
When a trader buys stock with the hope that it will go down is called "buying a put."Buying a "put" option is usually done as a pure speculative vehicle or as protection against the potential for stock prices to fall. When buying a put", you are accomplishing virtually the same concept as short selling without the additional complications. "Puts" also leverage investments because you don't have to spend as much money as you would trying to do a short-sell.
Basically, buying a "put" will limit risk and loss to the premium you paid for the "put".

Market Analysis

It is beneficial to understand the technical and fundamental aspects of the market.

• Monitor different markets to see which ones are moving or are likely to move. Assuming that you have an understanding of the environment and the variables of markets to trade.
• Becoming an expert in at least one or two markets, and then trading them exclusively. The advantage is that you can get a good feeling for these markets and your chances of success become greater.
• Some traders use the candle stick method of watching market patters, and other seasoned traders can actually use fibonacci grids.

Going Short

This is when you are trying to make money when prices fall. Literally you are borrowing an asset from someone so you can sell it at a high price, wait for prices to fall, buy it back at the lower price, return the asset to the lender, and pocket the difference between what you sold it for and what you had to pay for it.

Swing Trading

This type of trading enables one to profit on markets that are stuck in narrow trading ranges or prices that are moving sideways or withing trading channels, up or down between levels of support and resistance.
In order to profit with trades in markets with narrow ranges, a swing trader will rely on trend lines, Fibonacci levels, and moving averages to find areas of support and resistance that can be used to establish prices at which they will buy, sell, and short sell. A Swing trader will take action when the bottom of the trading range shows weakness.

Los Angeles area Golf Guide

Guide to Los Angeles area Golf, where to find your perfect course

If you live in Los Angeles county and are interested in knowing a few good golf courses, you have come to the right place. Los Angeles has many golf courses, it would be impossible to name all of them, but these are a few of my favorite golf courses in the area. I have included same information about the fairways and overall facilities. Enjoy your Los Angeles Golf experience!

De Bell Municipal Golf Course, 1500 Walnut Burbank

Hilly Terrain and large terraced greens make this course a challenge. (818) 845-5052

Prices approximately $25.00 weekdays and $30.00 weekends

Cart fee per person $13.00

General store, rental clubs, food service

*** A short 9 hole course is right next door ***

Griffith Park Golf Course 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. Los Angeles

Municipal Course (323) 663-2555
Harding course, has hills that line narrow fairways. Overall size is shorter than Wilson

Wilson course, is the longer of the two located in Griffith Park. (clubhouse with many facilities)

Prices approximately: $22.00 weekdays, $30.00 weekend.

Cart fees: $24.00 per cart

Los Feliz Municipal Golf Course 3207 Los Feliz Bl. Los Angeles (323) 663-7758

Tight fairways lined with trees ans small greens, some with bunkers. This is considered a starter course, however, I would never recommend it for those who have not played at least half a dozen times. It can be intimidating and dangerous with the fairways being so close together. A nice Grille at the entrance that serves a fine BLT.

Prices approximately $5.00

Roosevelt Municipal Golf Course 2650 N. Vermont Ave. Los Angeles (323) 665-2011

9 Hole Executive Course with challenging tight and hilly terrain. Beautiful, and picturesque. Driving range available.
Prices approximately $11.50 weekdays and $15.00 weekend
Pull cart fees $3.00

Scholl Canyon Golf Course 3800 E. Glenoaks Bl. Glendale (818) 243-4100

Challenging executive course with beautiful views of city, canyons, and trees. For confident players. Facility includes driving range.
Prices approximately $15.00, weekend $22.00
Cart fees $12.00 per person.

An Insiders Guide to Los Angeles Golf Courses

An excellent guide to Los Angeles golf courses, from a longtime resident, that includes a broader range of courses in Los Angeles and surrounding areas.

Verdugo Hills Golf Course 6433 La Tuna Canyon Tujunga (818) 352-3161

18 hole, par 3
Prices approximately $15.00
My personal favorite course for beginners.If not ready for all 18 holes, one may play the first 9, or the last 9 holes. The last 9 is a flat course and the first part is very interesting and had a little hill, not common in beginner's courses. There is a gift shop and a place that serves hot dogs, ect.

• Amazon.com: amazon golf
  Amazon.com: amazon golf

Betty Broderick, Dan, Children and Linda Kolkena

Dan Broderick Marries Betty

Betty & Dan Broderick

Betty was born, Elisabeth Anne Bisceglia in Eastchester New York. In 1965, Betty met her future husband, Dan Broderick, while attending college. The couple were married on April 12, 1969, in a lavish Catholic wedding, and Betty returned from her honeymoon pregnant with her first child, daughter Kim. She gave birth to four more children: a daughter called Lee, two sons named Daniel and Rhett, and an unnamed boy who died two days after birth. Her children were her life and Betty became the ultimate stay at home mom. Her life consisted of picking up her children from soft ball practice, ballet lessons, and entertaining her four young children at home with crafts, and sleep overs.

Dan was in medical school when Betty married Dan and he was almost finished when he had a change of heart. Somehow Dan lost interest in medicine and gained interest in Law. Its seems that Dan was disenchanted with the limitations that doctors were having imposed upon them, such as managed care, HMOs and the ultimate threat of government healthcare. Doctors were being pushed around by big business and as a result, the amount of reputable medical professionals was dwindling away. Dan wanted to earn a lot of money and do it in a straightforward way. His disenchantment with what was happening to the medical profession lad Dan to become cynical in general, and Dan decided that he could make straightforward money by suing people who graduate from medical rather than working as a medical professional and being pulled apart by greedy lawyers.

Dan's father was kind enough to support his sons education but refused to pay for another expensive education after Dan had practically completed his long haul in medical school, so Dan and Betty paid for it by themselves. 

Betty Broderick Struggles For her Husband and Children

With her husband working and going to school full time, Betty seldom saw Dan Broderick. She was busy taking babysitting jobs so that she could take car of her children and make money at the same time. Her life was as unglamorous as can be. Four young children of her own, and other tiny tots being unloaded on her every morning. Betty was seldom seen in anything other than sweats or jeans. Her hair was stringy most of the time and she seldom wore makeup. Her life revolved around children and their well being. Betty enjoyed being a super mom but longed for more time with her husband. She was planning for the future, knowing that with patience and hard work, Dan would become a success and she would have time to relax when she was approaching her forties.

Betty was pleasantly relieved when Dan started his own practice and began to earn a reputation as a powerful attorney in the exclusive La Jolla area in San Diego. The money began pouring in when Dan won his first million dollar case. The Broderick's were now living on easy street, buying a large home, and taking skiing trips. For Betty, it seemed that almost immediately after things started to smooth out for she and Dan financially, things became disastrous emotionally.

Dan Broderick at work

Dan was seldom around and colder emotionally than ever. When Betty decided to rekindle their romance by showing up at Dan's office for his fortieth birthday unannounced, she discovered that he was out with his young secretary, Linda Kolkena. Betty confronted Dan about his affair and sited Dan's showing up late from work repeatedly, and not being affectionate with her while Dan denied everything and told Betty that she was imagining everything.
This led Betty to some crazy behavior. She burned all of Dan's expensive suits in a huge bonfire and on another occasion, and regularly called him names in public.

Linda Konkena

Linda was Dan's secretary who could not type and managed to be promoted to legal assistant. She had arrived at the perfect job. She could come and go as she pleased, she was over paid and her boss bought her a brand new sports car. Linda was not going anywhere. She loved her boss, Dan Broderick, and she now had a taste of the good life. She wanted it all! Linda fantasized about marrying Dan Broderick, living in a mansion with him and having his children. The only obstacle was Mrs. Betty Broderick and her four children.

Betty was tugging Dan on one end and Linda was tugging at Dan on the other side. Dan attempted to break it off with Linda several times, but Linda was persistent. She kept pleading with Dan until he finally gave in to his emotions for Linda and admitted to Betty that he had been seeing Linda for several years.

Betty was a loose cannon. She could not tolerate Linda enjoying the lavish lifestyle that she had worked so hard to earn. She felt as though she had worked for twenty years and someone else was getting the paycheck. She was not the same by all accounts. She was not the level headed supermom the socialites respected, she was now, "crazy Betty" who swore like a sailor, talked endlessly about Dan and his mistress and could not move on.

Dan and Betty had one of the craziest divorces in La Jolla history. Betty was awarded a handsome alimony settlement but that was not good enough for Betty. She wanted revenge.She could not tolerate the idea that Dan and his sleazy secretary were going to ride off into the sunset to have a family and live in the lap of luxury when she had spent her youth in sweats covered with baby food and jelly.

Dan and Linda

The Second Broderick Wedding & Murder

Linda had waited years, endured rejection and a sloppy divorce to reach this point in her life. She was now going to be Mrs. Dan Broderick, and live in his mansion in the best part of La Jolla. She planned her wedding, wore her beautiful white dress and walked down the isle. Betty Broderick was never far from their minds. She still found reasons to call Dan and leave endless messages calling Linda names. Betty was sulking on their wedding day, and her downward emotional spiral was growing more and more out of control. Even Betty's close friends had abandoned her, and as Betty was also discovering, people like money and power. Dan was the one with the money and power. This led many of their mutual friends to side with Dan and Linda, leaving Betty to brood.

The Murder Hoouse

Betty had purchased a gun one month before Dan was married to Linda. It has been speculated that Betty planned to go to the wedding and shoot the bride and groom. Betty must of thought better of doing this, or perhaps she knew that the couple had heard of her purchase and she would be unable to complete the deed. Whatever her reasons, she did not attend the wedding and the bride and groom were unscathed. Seven months into Dan and Linda's marriage, Betty shot and killed the couple while they slept. The murder occurred around 5:30 am on the morning in1989, two days before Betty's 42nd birthday. Two bullets hit Linda in the head and chest, killing her instantly, one bullet hit Dan in the chest as he was reaching for the phone, Dan was 44; Linda was 28.

Betty turned herself in to the police, and never denied that she had fired the gun five times. Betty's explanation at two trials was that she had never planned to kill Dan and Linda. She claimed that she went temporarily insane while standing in their bedroom and seeing them asleep in bed together. Her account of the murders, at her second trial, was that, that she was startled by Linda screaming, "Call the police!" and, immediately fired the gun.

Linda and Dan Broderick are listed as buried together at Greenwood Memorial Park in San Diego.


Read more about the Broderick murders click here.

The bedroom where Linda and Dan were murdered