Annual CT Scans

I was given the question: Should annual CT scans be given to detect early signs of lung cancer, and should insurance or the individual pay for these scans. This question got me thinking. It would be nice to know at least once a year that you are safe from cancer by just getting one scan done. Sure there could be something that did not show up on the scan but for the most part a scan like this is accurate. By having this exam you would know that nothing is wrong with you and you are healthy. Many people tend to think about their health and wonder. People want to know if some part of their body has a cancerous spot. We all know that you do not feel cancer and it is painless in the beginning. If a person does not get checked out then they will never know. There are many benefits from this type of scan. Not only will the test scan your lungs, but it will scan all internal organs, soft tissue, bones, and blood vessels. A person would have the satisfaction of knowing that the doctor did not see any problems. The CT scan allows better detailed pictures then the old-fashioned x-ray. It is a more advanced machine with many perks. The only problem is this sort of test does not come at a small price. The average price of one CT scan is over $2,000! That is a big sum of money to pay out a year on top of all of the other bills that have accumulated. In my opinion, I believe that an insurance company should cover this sort of exam. It is actually no different than an annual physical or yearly check-up with a doctor. Sure it may cost more, but it is a good procedure to have done. I am not saying that an insurance company should have to pay the entire amount to have this procedure done, but I do believe that should pay at least 75%. The whole point of insurance is for it to be there when you need it. If a person sick and have to go to the doctor, it’s there. If a person has a baby an insurance company pays. How is this any different? Older women are recommended to have a yearly mammogram done to check for signs of breast cancer. The CT scan is no different than that except for the price. They both check for cancerous spots and do the same job, but are different machines. An insurance company covers a yearly mammogram, how is a yearly CT scan any different? I believe that it is a good idea to have an annual CT scan done. It should be thought of as another annual checkup. I also believe that the insurance company should cover this expense just like they do an annual checkup.

The Internet-Positive or Negative?

The internet has gotten a lot bigger over the past decade. Many people like it but many people do not. While I was growing up the internet was just getting popular and being used. I remember when I was in elementary school we had the old fashioned computers that were only used for games or typing. I remember my teachers using over-head projectors to display pictures and writings to the class. Most were hand written write in front of us and very useful. Once I made it to middle school the internet had taken storm. The schools wanted the entire student body to learn and know how to use the internet as a resource for information. This was a fun and exciting time. Who doesn't want to go use a computer instead of sitting at a desk writing on paper and reading books? It was always the best day of the school week when we got to go to the computer lab. I believe that learning and using the internet for educational purposes is a positive thing. Yes I do believe it can be a distraction at times with all of the vast developments and social networks, but overall it is a great resource and a faster way of information. Before the internet became popular a person would have to go to the library for every book on a topic just to write an essay. Yes the library is important, but when you are crunched for time and can't make it to the library the internet is a great resource. People say that the internet is affecting learning but to me I think it is a way of improving learning. Yes the articles posted online may be shorter than a book, but it gives you the same information in a shorter amount of time. I do not think that the internet is a easy way out. I believe that the information that is put on trusted sites is just as informational as a book written on the same topic. I do not believe that the internet is going to replace books, it will help promote them. Many times the articles on the internet are traced back to a book. Sections are taken out of books and quoted. This is a means of sharing with the searcher that there are books about the topic and if you want to learn more the book is there. A lot of times a reader does not need a detailed explanation of a topic therefore the internet is used to get the information that is needed. If a reader needs a deep explanation and description a book is there also. I believe that the internet is a useful tool that we all can benefit from using. I believe that the internet and books are used intertwined, but in a more efficient way. The internet is a way to quickly find information on a topic and a book is a way to get a more in depth explanation of a topic.

How to Know Who to Trust?

There are a lot of dishonest people in the world and it is difficult to tell who they are. Everyone wants to know that they have someone to trust and tell all of their problems to, but how do you choose that person? A way to tell is their background. If a person is used to being the center of attention and only cares about them self, you know they are not someone to trust. If a person is in love with them self it’s not likely that it will change. Another way to tell is how a person acts around others. If you notice that the person is nice to others to their face, but then talks about them behind their back you know they are not trustworthy. Sometimes it is really hard to tell if a person is someone to trust. The best thing to do is get to know a person well before sharing private and intimate thoughts and feelings with them. A person's business is only theirs to share, but if shared with the wrong person it may no longer be just between the two people. Many people find it entertaining to carry on a conversation about others business. In my opinion I feel that it is not. A person has to be unsatisfied with their own life to concentrate on another. Whether your business or someone else’s, it should be keep quiet and personal. The world has enough to worry about besides drama.

Surpreme Court and Walmart

The Supreme Court recently ruled in a case that was being led against Walmart. The case was led by Walmart employees, but not all. This case was led by women because of claims of sex discrimination. The women were trying to get justice for not being treated fairly at work (Walmart). This lawsuit started out with just a few women but quickly increased to over one million women over the nation. The Supreme Court ordered that the case was too complicated and that all of the women could file their own lawsuits instead of one big one. This means not as much money is involved, and a relief for Walmart. I believe that the Supreme Court did Walmart a huge favor by shooting down this case. Walmart is an extremely popular business chain that has stores located all over the world. They are known for their good points and their bad. Walmart is known to be a convenient store because everything you need is all right there. By shutting this case down, Walmart has saved a lot of money and is not affected. I do believe that if the women are being discriminated against, they should get justice, but the Supreme Court shutting the case down shows you whose side they are on. The Court is looking out for the economy and a big profit making company here in the United States. Can you blame them? The economy, as we all know, is not its best right now and every little save we can make helps. I believe this is the thinking that was behind those that voted against letting the Walmart case go forward. The women involved with the sex discrimination lawsuit can all separately fill and take action against Walmart, but how many of them actually will. Taking action will take money out of the women's pocket, which for most do not have the money to spend. The actual amount of women that will pursue a personal case against Walmart is slim to none because their chances of being rewarded are very low. All in all, the Supreme Court acted the way they thought was best by thinking about the economy not the people.

If I Couldn't Fail...

There are so many things I want to accomplish in my lifetime, but will I ever really accomplish them? You hear people, all of the time, saying they have a list of things they want to accomplish in life but never do. Are they capable - absolutely. What is it that changes all of this about a person? Well there are many explanations. For one, a lot if not most people decide to start a family. Children and a husband are very distracting (in a good way) from your personal time to accomplish other things. Another is a job. If you think about it, we all spend more time at our job then we do at home, we have to. There is no other way to make a living if you do not have a job. You have to earn a salary in order to support that family you start. We also seem to get distracted by other little things such as the television, the radio, and our cell phones. You may not realize it, but at least once every hour I am sure you are doing one of the things I have listed above. I even catch myself sometimes.
With all of these distractions, it is hard to accomplish everything you have ever wanted. If I couldn't fail I would do everything on my to-do list. I would become a registered nurse with a master’s degree, I would spend most of my time with my family and daughter, I would earn as much money as I needed, and I would get anything that I wanted (car, house, etc.). All of this would be possible if I couldn't fail. If I dedicated most of my time to studying, I could get done with school faster. If I did not have a job I would be able to spend more time with my family. If I had the money I would get a car, house etc. Money is NOT everything but it is a way of life. I am determined to finish everything on my to-do list so I can accomplish all of the goals that I have set for myself.

My Prior Education...

Everyone says that college is extremely different than high school. This I agree with, but then again I don't. High school teachers are known for "working" with their students and giving them the "easy way out." This is very true, but I did not take advantage of that like most of my classmates did. I remember a lot of my teachers accepting work late, curving grades and dropping assignments because more than half of the class did not complete it. For some reason when these things happened, I was always the one that had already turned in my work and always ended up doing the work that no one else had completed. I was always the student that turned in all of her work, studied for tests, and paid attention in class. I never had to be reminded of what was expected of me and I was never a discipline problem. I believe by accomplishing all of my given tasks, as told to do, I helped better prepare myself for college. In college you are responsible for yourself. No one is going to tell you ten times that you have a paper due on Thursday or do your homework to prepare and take your math test this weekend. If you do not go to class you don't get in trouble, you just get kicked out. It’s all of YOUR responsibility now. No one is going to baby you and tell you every little thing that is expected of you. I like this because I am a very independent person and I feel every person is capable of following guidelines and completing given tasks, even if it is on your own time. It is all up to you if you succeed or fail in college. By thinking back to high school, I believe that my prior education is adequate in readying me for college. Since I was never a slacker, and tried my absolute best at everything I was given (for the most part, we are not all perfect) I was ready to dive into college and further my education.  

What keeps me motivated?

A lot of people go straight into the workforce after they graduate from high school, and others go to college. I chose to do both. People tell me all the time that doing both is a lot to handle, but I have the motivation to continue with a full load. A lot of people decide to work and go to college, and I am one of them. Sure it might be tough at times, but I have the strength and the support to accomplish whatever I want.
I have a beautiful three month old baby girl named Madison, and she is all of the motivation I need. She is the reason I work hard, and keep trying to better myself. She is the reason I wake up and go to work or wake up and go to school every day. I'm not saying that I had not already planned on going to college after I graduated high school, but when she came along she made me want to go even more. It is very hard to leave her in the mornings, but I know that I will not be gone all day, and she will be there when I get home. Not only my future, but her future is in my hands. I want to work and get a good education so I can support her, and be able to provide anything she will need in the future. My ideal goal is to become a RN and work at a local hospital. With this in mind I know that I will have a good job outlook with good benefits. I have always loved helping others and I am a very caring person. I know that if i succeed in the nursing program, I will be able to do what I have always enjoyed doing, being a support system. There are many other attributes that keep me motivated, but the number one thing is my baby girl. She is my world, and I will do anything for her.

Do you long for the past or look eagerly toward the future?

Do you ever catch yourself thinking about years that have past? What about years to come? Do you ever wish that you could go back in time, or speed things up? I think about both on occasion. When I find myself wanting something, or wishing something would happen I tend to look to the future where I might one day get what I am wishing for. An example of this is wanting to move away from my parents, and support myself and my family on my own. I am responsible for making that happen, and by attending college I am getting one step closer every day. Getting a good education means getting a good job. Most things in life are not handed to you, you have to earn them. I believe you have to work for what you want, and the only way to do that is by trying your best and working hard. When I look towards the future, I think of all the things I can one day have, but I do not wish it to come too fast. I like to enjoy the days I have; there is nothing more enjoyable then spending my days with the people I love.
On days when I am feeling a little blue or down I tend to think of the past. I think about all of the things that I have already accomplished, and all of the support I have had along the way. I love to think about when I was growing up, and how caring my family was (and still is). They have been my rock, and I would not be where I am today without them. I think about how it felt to be a child. How I never had any worries and my days were spent playing. Wasn't it nice to wake up and have no problems? All I thought about was what was for lunch or wondering where I was going to get to go that day. It was nice not knowing what the real world was about, and just being able to enjoy the simple days. Even though I look towards the future and think of the past, I do not wish for one to hurry up and come or wish to go back. I love my life, and enjoy every day.