Cancer

Although this is a topic that many of us are familiar with, I thought it would be good idea to revisit it so that we can all have a clear idea of what this disease is all about. More often than not you hear people saying cancer can spread and it can kill you. However, most of us wonder how it spreads? And how does it literally kill you? According to the American Cancer society, all cancers start because abnormal cells grow out of control. Untreated cancer can cause serious illness and death. As we all know, the body is made up of millions of little cells. These cells are constantly growing, dividing, and dying. At different stages of our lives, this cellular process goes about differently. For example when you are young, the cells divide and multiply at a faster rate to allow you to continue growing. But once we reach adulthood this process slows down and most cell division only occurs to replace damaged or dying cells. Cancer begins when cells in a particular part of the body grow out of control. This type of cell growth is very different from normal cell growth. Instead of dying off, cancer cells continue to grow and form new abnormal cells. These cancerous cells can also grow and invade other tissue cells, which is what makes them even more dangerous. In most cases, these cancer cells will eventually form a tumor.

Cancer cells often metastasize or travel to other parts of the body where they begin to grow and form new tumors. This happens when the cancer cells get into the body’s bloodstream. Over time, the tumors replace normal tissue. Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For instance, bone cancer and skin cancer are very different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. This is why people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their specific form of cancer. It is also important to remember that not all tumors are cancer. Tumors that are not cancerous are considered benign. Benign tumors can cause problems, but they cannot invade other tissues within the body; meaning that they also cannot spread to other parts of the body. These tumors are almost never life threatening.

Many men and women either know someone, or suffer from cancer themselves. This disease has become very common and this is why it is important to educate yourself about it. The best thing to do is to have an open line of communication with your doctor. Let him or her know if you see or feel something different with your body. Early detection may be the difference between recovery and the need for treatments.

At First Care of New York, we care for many cancer patients and can be there for you and your family, if they have been suffering from cancer and can no longer care for themselves or others. Our highly trained certified home health aides and personal care aides can be there to help them lead the most enriching life possible. You can count on First Care of New York to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for any and all Live in Care, Personal Care, Home Health and Companionship needs. For your convenience, we may even schedule a nurse to visit you or your loved one’s at home and evaluate the level of care that is needed. This will help clarify some questions you or your loved one may have. First Care is a licensed home care service agency that provides top quality aides to all our clients. If you would like to have more information, please feel free to contact us by phone at 718-741-5956 or on our website at www.1st-care.org.

Although this is a topic that many of us are familiar with, I thought it would be good idea to revisit it so that we can all have a clear idea of what this disease is all about. More often than not you hear people saying cancer can spread and it can kill you. However, most of us wonder how it spreads? And how does it literally kill you? According to the American Cancer society, all cancers start because abnormal cells grow out of control. Untreated cancer can cause serious illness and death. As we all know, the body is made up of millions of little cells. These cells are constantly growing, dividing, and dying. At different stages of our lives, this cellular process goes about differently. For example when you are young, the cells divide and multiply at a faster rate to allow you to continue growing. But once we reach adulthood this process slows down and most cell division only occurs to replace damaged or dying cells. Cancer begins when cells in a particular part of the body grow out of control. This type of cell growth is very different from normal cell growth. Instead of dying off, cancer cells continue to grow and form new abnormal cells. These cancerous cells can also grow and invade other tissue cells, which is what makes them even more dangerous. In most cases, these cancer cells will eventually form a tumor.

Cancer cells often metastasize or travel to other parts of the body where they begin to grow and form new tumors. This happens when the cancer cells get into the body’s bloodstream. Over time, the tumors replace normal tissue. Different types of cancer can behave very differently. For instance, bone cancer and skin cancer are very different diseases. They grow at different rates and respond to different treatments. This is why people with cancer need treatment that is aimed at their specific form of cancer. It is also important to remember that not all tumors are cancer. Tumors that are not cancerous are considered benign. Benign tumors can cause problems, but they cannot invade other tissues within the body; meaning that they also cannot spread to other parts of the body. These tumors are almost never life threatening.

Many men and women either know someone, or suffer from cancer themselves. This disease has become very common and this is why it is important to educate yourself about it. The best thing to do is to have an open line of communication with your doctor. Let him or her know if you see or feel something different with your body. Early detection may be the difference between recovery and the need for treatments.

At First Care of New York, we care for many cancer patients and can be there for you and your family, if they have been suffering from cancer and can no longer care for themselves or others. Our highly trained certified home health aides and personal care aides can be there to help them lead the most enriching life possible. You can count on First Care of New York to be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for any and all Live in Care, Personal Care, Home Health and Companionship needs. For your convenience, we may even schedule a nurse to visit you or your loved one’s at home and evaluate the level of care that is needed. This will help clarify some questions you or your loved one may have. First Care is a licensed home care service agency that provides top quality aides to all our clients. If you would like to have more information, please feel free to contact us by phone at 718-741-5956 or on our website at www.1st-care.org.

What is Cerebral Palsy?


In this week’s blog we will be discussing Cerebral Palsy. Every so often we meet an array of people who are branded with this disability, each of them reflect different physical conditions and even different levels of understanding. So much so that at times it makes you wonder what this diagnosis really means. And most importantly, how exactly does it affect the quality of life of the patient and the family? According to the U.S. National library of medicine, Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders that can involve brain and nervous system functions, such as: movement, learning, hearing, seeing and thinking. There are several different types of cerebral palsy, including: spastic, dyskinetic, ataxic, hypotonic, and mixed.

Cerebral palsy is caused by injuries or abnormalities of the brain, which are related to problems that occur during pregnancy. However, the child is still at risk of developing this illness within the first two years of his/her life. In fact, cerebral palsy can be diagnosed before a child reaches the age of two. In some cases the brain is injured due to loss of oxygen, there is no known reason as to why this occurs. It is believed that premature infants are at a higher risk of developing cerebral palsy. It can be caused by bleeding in the brain, brain infections, head injuries, infections in the mother during pregnancy and severe jaundice. Because there are so many variables, cerebral palsy affects people in many different ways. It can range from almost unnoticeable to very severe. Some of the symptoms include abnormal movements like twisting or jerking of the hands, feet, or arms. As well as tremors, unsteady gait, speech and hearing problems.

To learn more about the symptoms of cerebral palsy visit:

www.cerebralpalsysource.com.

Although, there is no real treatment for cerebral palsy, there are things you can do to improve the patients’ quality of life. The goal in each case is to make the person as independent as possible. This requires a lot of effort from both the family and a team of medical professionals. In most cases patients receive physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Cerebral palsy is a lifelong disorder. Long-term care may be required. The disorder does not affect expected length of life. Many adults are able to live in the community, either independently or with different levels of help. In severe cases, the person may need to be placed in an institution.

First Care of New York is a licensed homecare service agency that can help individuals that are having difficulties with activities of daily living. Our HHA’s and PCA’s can help with bathing, cooking, cleaning and even medication reminders, as well as other assistance, depending on one’s needs. One very important factor is that our HHA’s or PCA’s can accompany our clients to their doctor’s appointment to help our clients get the medical attention that they would need. Please feel free to contact us and find out how we can help. You can find out more about First Care of New York Inc. by visiting us on the web at www.1st-care.org or you can call us at (718) 741-5956.