Robert Edwards

Most children dream about the day they will grow up, get married and have kids. What if you were told you could never have children? This problem breaks hearts all over the world everyday. It is estimated that ten percent of all couples are infertile. For years infertility has been a problem, but with the advances in science we are finding new ways to treat it, and allow these couples to have children of their own.
Robert G. Edwards won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2010 for the invention of In vitro fertilization. (IVF). Robert G. Edwards was born in Batley, England in 1925. After serving in the British army during World War II Edwards went back to school to study medicine. He received his Ph. D in 1955 and focused most of his time on the reproductive system. Edwards worked mostly with Patrick Steptoe in the lab. These two master minds worked day and night until they created the first “test tube baby” in on July 25, 1978 at 11:47 pm. Edwards began his work on in vitro Fertilization in the 1950s and successfully completed it in 1978, but did not receive the Nobel Prize in Medicine until 2010. In Vitro Fertilization is a very controversial topic and many religions and social groups fought against the use of it. Many religions argue that it is immoral and selfish. They believe that life should only occur naturally and some even believe that the children that are created this way are not human. A large group of people argue that it is just a way to allow infertile couples to have a family that they have always dreamed of and that there is nothing wrong with it.
Robert Edwards biggest stride came in July of 1978 when he created the first “test tube baby.” Lesley and John Brown had been unsuccessful at conceiving for the nine years they had been married when they agreed to allow Robert Edwards to test his experiment. Both Lesley and John created the necessary materials to create the child, but because of Lesley’s blocked fallopian tube they were unable to conceive naturally. Edwards performed the experiment he had been working on for years. He mixed the egg and sperm together in a test tube, and observed very often. After a few days the fertilized egg was placed in Lesley’s uterus where it spent the rest of the term developing. Louise Brown was born July 25^th 1978 by way of cesarean section, and she was perfectly healthy. Brown lived a healthy and normal life, despite all the publicity. She gave birth to her first son, Cameron, in 2007, whom she conceived naturally.
Robert Edwards worked very hard on this experiment, but he was not the first person to believe this process was possible. It was stated in the Nobel prize press release, “Other scientists had shown that egg cells from rabbits could be fertilized in test tubes when sperm was added, giving rise to offspring. Edwards decided to investigate if similar methods could be used to fertilize human egg cells.” (The Nobel Prize committee. Par.5). Scientists in the past had wondered if this was possible, because other animals such as aquatic mammals are able to fertilized eggs outside of the body. Robert Edwards used information from other scientists and was able to develop a process safe enough for humans.
In vitro fertilization is a very complex process that took years of hard work to develop. In vitro fertilization is a process when a egg from a woman is fertilized outside of the body and is able to be places back into the womb. The fertilized egg is then able to develop naturally and grow to full term. Like any other pregnancy there are risks that go along with In vitro fertilization. Multiple births have been seen with In vitro fertilization. The chances of having twins or triplets with In Vitro fertilization is much greater than with a pregnancy that occurs naturally. A few cases have involves large numbers of children such as six or eight children. This is very uncommon, but has happened. With any pregnancy there comes risks, but with the advances in science the complications are becoming less common.
In vitro fertilization has changed our world. Many couples suffer from infertility, but because of Robert Edward’s hard work and dedication treatments are being used and becoming more safe. Over four million couples have successfully conceived, delivered and raised children by way of In vitro fertilization. Robert Edwards has allowed many couples to fulfill the dream of having a family of their own, which was once impossible. He has helped create millions of happy families and they are so grateful for all of his hard work over the years.

Inappropriate television

Inappropriate television and video games are becoming more and more popular in our generation. It is almost impossible to find a show on television that does not involve sex, drugs, alcohol, or inappropriate language. I feel that my generation experienced a lot of this but not nearly as much as the young children today. I spent most of my time as a child playing outside and with friends and family. Television has become a much bigger part of children’s lives. Not only is this causing social skills problems, but these children are beginning to show more violent actions. They are shown these inappropriate actions so young that they do not understand that they are wrong. Children that are exposed to realistic war video games at a young age seem to be more aggressive and are much more likely to be involved in gangs or inappropriate actions. Sex is also a big part of television which seems to be influencing younger children every year. Girls are becoming pregnant at young ages as low as thirteen because of the pressures they get from television. It is scary that our world is so easily influenced by television. It is corrupting our children and the future of our world could be in danger if nothing is done to protect the innocence of our children.

Mississippi River deaths

River deaths have been very common in our area and along the Mississppi river in the past. We have lost many young health people because of these deaths. By the time all of these stories are exposed, they all lead back to to much alcohol consumption. The police have been studying these cases more and more because the numbers are becoming alarmingly high. Many people believe that there is a serial killer in the area and is targeting young males. People believe that this killer is luring drunk or partially drunk men and throwing them into the river. Evidence to make this story more believable is the old smiley faces that have appeared at almost all of the sights believed to be where the person had entered the river. I sometimes wonder if this story is an atempt for the people of our area to cover up the true drinking problems in our town. It is almost impossible to go downtown la Crosse without seeing numerous amounts of sloppy drunk people. I also have trouble believing that these large numbers of deaths are happening naturally. This story interests me because I don’t know what I believe. Some day this mystery will be uncovered, but until then people need to use their heads while out at night and drinking.

hunting

It is time again for another season of hunting. My feelings about hunting are mixed. Obviously if there was not a hunting season, we would have a large overpopulation of animals, and what would we eat for thanksgiving? Especially in Wisconsin we have many car accidents involving deer every year, but this number would increase so much if hunting was not allowed. Hunting also worries me. I personally think giving a twelve year old a gun is very dangerous. I have a lot of friends and family that hunt, and I worry that they will run into someone who is not responsible out in the woods and have an accident. There are many hunting accidents every year, some involve a small cut while cleaning the animal. But there have been deaths because of carelessness and horseplay. Most people have heard the story about the young man that were accidentally shot a few years ago by another hunter. An estimated thousand people are shot accidentally every year during hunting season in the United States. Most of these are not fatal, but there are a few deaths recorded every year. I feel that hunting is a great thing and we need it, but it should be controlled. It can be dangerous, I hope that this year every person who decides to hunt thinks very clearly and makes good choices to keep everyone safe including the hunters around them and themselves.

Gardasil vaccines

Many young women in the past few years have been given the Gardasil vaccines. The doctors suggest it to most women ages anywhere from 9 to 26. This vaccine is giving in three separate shots to help prevent againsts four different types of HPV. They also believe that this shot will prevent other reproductive related health problems. In my opionon this is a good thing, but I still have a few concerns. I was not giving much of a choice on the topic, when you are nine or ten years old your parents make your decisions for you. The doctors push this vaccine so hard that the parents feel that it is the best thing for their child. I was not told any of the side effects or possible risks before receiving the shots. Most women experience pain around the injection cite, which is to be expected. (don’t most shots hurt?) But this drug has kept the lawyers busy. There have been multiple deaths and serious illnesses caused by this vaccine. Some woman have experienced blood clots, misscarrages and seizures after receiving the vaccine. I think Gardasil is a good vaccine and should still be distributed. Every drug on the market can cause side effects and death, but what worries me most is the young women receiving it are not fully informed. It also worries me that this is a relativly new drug, and we still do not know the long-term side effects, but yet most of the women of this generation are receiving it.

Sara Beth

Have you ever heard the song “Sara Beth” by Rascal Flatts? Many people have never heard this hidden  track on their “Skin” album. Every time I hear this song a chill runs down my spine and it takes every muscle in my body to hold back the tears. The song takes me back to the day I lost Sara.
It was a cold and rainy day, typical weather for a funeral. I do not think anyone was prepared for what they were about to see. Sara’s entire family was standing at the door. I have never seen a mother with so much emotion crammed into one day. Despite being extremely upset she managed to greet me with a smile. She whispered in my ear, “you know this is the best for her right?” my eyes began to well up with tears, but I was determined to stay strong. We walked past the beautiful display of flowers surrounding pictures of Sara at her best. I heard my brother whisper my name. I looked up and I think that was the first moment I realized all of the people. I have never seen so many people packed into that church. We managed to find a place to sit in the back.
The first reading was beautiful and tear jerking, but I am not able to remember a word of it. My body sat motionless in my seat, but my mind was turning. I flashed back to the first moment I met Sara. She was a free spirited girl on my sister’s volleyball team. She greeted me with a hug and a conversation that made it feel that I had known her forever. There was a moment of haze in my memory and a new memory emerged. It was almost as if my brain fast-forward. I was on stage. It was my middle school Christmas play. I was a newsie. As I shouted out the only line I had, I looked into the crowd. Sara was watching with her big brown eyes and contagious smile. Not only had she came to the show, but she had borrowed me a costume. Sara had a quirky personality and style, which made it easy for her to find the best outfit.
My brother put his arm around me which snapped me back to reality. He was trying to be strong for my mother and I, but it was obvious he was in just as much pain as every other person in the room. It became nearly impossible to hold back the tears as the mass went on. A poem Sara had written was read during the ceremony. It was almost as if she was saying her last goodbye to everyone. This poem was all to familiar. I had heard it before. At that moment my mind flashed again. I do not know how a smile could not have appeared. It was a warm summer night. Yarn and knitting supplies were scattered everywhere. Sara, my sister and I sat cross-legged on my sisters bed, as Sara explained how to knit for the millionth time. After hours of work and laughter I managed to knit a row. The smile must have vanished off my face as my mind began to flash forward, I knew what was next. I was back in the hospital room with Sara. Her mom sat in the chair next to her bed, sipping her coffee. She looked as if she had not slept in weeks, but she would not leave her daughters side. With fear I turned to look at Sara. A smile spread across her face, but I am not sure how she did it. She has tubes and wires attached everywhere. A bald doctor walked in and began to talk with her. Sara had a very energetic tone as she joked with her doctor. She told him her hair would be back before his was.
I snapped back to reality just in time. Every person was given the chance to touch the casket and say there last goodbye. Surprising from where we managed to find a seat, I had a great view. It was very difficult to watch Sara’s close friends and family say their last words to her.
After I said my goodbye I slumped down in my seat, this day was much more difficult than I was expecting. I wiped away a few tears and looked up. At this moment my entire life changed. There was a sweet innocent little girl looking up at Sara’s casket. Her mother was standing next to her holding her hand. The worry in the mother’s face was very alarming. She was given the difficult task of explaining to her daughter why she will never see her friend Sara again. This young girl, she could not have been most than three years old had the same bright eyes, contagious smile, and bald head Sara had.

            The moment I saw that young girl will stay with me forever. The young girls presence alone reminded me of Sara. When I hear the song Sara beth, I not only think of Sara and the many great memories of her, but I also think of the young girl at her funeral and how Sara’s love lives on in all that knew her. At the funeral that day I did not even know that girl’s name. Little did I know that young girl was going to be one of the most influential people in my life.

Millions of Mileys

I had much more difficulty trying to decide on a blog topic for today. I looked through many articles and besides the elections, I found a lot of articles relating to famous people doing stupid things. It seems that Paris Hilton, Lil Wayne, and Miley Cyrus are all this world has to talk about anymore. In my opinion I would rather sit in a dark room with no electricity or heat than watch miley Cryus music videos anymore. Miley has thousands of very young fans and it makes me sick to thinks all of these young girls think they should be like her. Can you imagine what our world would be like if we had just ten more Miley’s, let alone thousands. In all honesty, I would rather have a thousand Miley’s in our world than a thousand Paris Hiltons. Paris is not as much of a role model for youngsters, but she seems to attract a lot of television attention with her fake appearance and blonde personality. Her entire life is in the news, but I am still trying to understand why people care. It seems like another interest of our world is whether or not Lil Wayne is in jail or not. He is constantly back and forth with drugs and other issues. I feel that these people are bad examples for the children of our world. I also do not understand why we give them the attention they get. If the paparazzi and the film crews were not around as much they might be able to live a little more normal life, and leave the rest of us alone.

brett favre

The title to this blog post can provoke many different opinions. Some people see Brett Favre as a legend and one of the best players ever seen in the NFL. While others seem his as a traitor and a cheater. Brett Favre had sixteen very successful seasons with the Green Bay packers. This is where he became very well known and loved by all of Wisconsin, while hated by many other jealous teams. After these great years he left his “home” at Green Bay to play for the New York Jets. He played (no pun intended) for a year in New York, and returned back to the mid-west for this 2009 season. He was not returning to play for his beloved team, but to play for their biggest competition. Brett Favre is currently on his second year playing for the Minnesota Vikings.
Brett Favre lost many fans because of his unfaithfulness to his “home team,” but that was not the only thing he was being unfaithful about. He recently admitted to leaving messaged on a young sports announcers cell phone and trying to get in contact with her. There was also inappropriate photo texts sent to her, but it has not yet been proven it was him who sent these photos.
I was so shocked to hear about Brett Favre’s recent scandal. I have been a Favre fan for as long as I can remember and I still cheer for him when he plays, but I am beginning to lose respect for him, which most people already have.

Texting While Driving

“Where you at?” A young teenager died recently attempting to respond to this question via texting while driving. On average there are about 570,000 deaths or injuries in automobile crashes caused by cell phone distractions each year. Most people jump to conclusions when they hear about a accident due to call phone distractions. They automatically assume it was a young driver who was being careless and texting. This does happen often, and many adults are at fault for this as well. Every person that picks up their phone while driving is at risk. Many people believe they are good multitaskers and can handle it, or they are just going to do it this one time. It is so easy to become distracted and swerve into the other lane, or into the ditch.
At the bottom of this post you will find a link to a video I recently watched. This video shows how quickly a fun day can turn into a tragic accident. Driving, especially with other people in the car, is a huge responsibility. Many people do not realize that until their best friend is laying in the seat next to them dead, or seriously injured.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMYKXSPgaIw

Thrill or Tragedy?

You hands fly into the air as the adrenaline rushed through your body. You open you mouth, only to realize you can’t scream. The feeling a rollercoaster causes is incredible. The sensation that you are flying, but is it worth it? These rides can be unsafe and have been known to cause serious injuries and death.
There are many stories that begin with a fun day at the amusement park, but end in tragedy. It seems that most of these deaths are young people that have bright futures ahead of them. Some of these stories include mechanical error. A relatively receient story that most people are firmilar with is the story about the teenager who lost her legs on the “superman” thrill ride. Another popular story was the twenty-one year old whose harnessed released while riding the “Extreme” rollercoaster in Baton Rouge. Not all of injuries and deaths from thrill rides are mechanical errors, there are many incidences including worker and victim mistakes. If the rides are not accurately checked throughout the day it can lead to errors and death. I think the most common reports of incidence at amusement parks include mistakes made by the victim. The person failed to follow the rules of the park, or had an unknown health condition. I think this topic hit a lot closer to home when an 11 year old girl died at the six flags in Gurnee, Illinois. This young girl choked on a piece of gum or candy while riding “Raging bull.”
I would be a liar if I said that any of these stories stop me from going to amusement parks. I use this information to remind myself that there are risks, but I believe you have to live in the moment. I am planning a trip to six flags this weekend, and without a doubt I will be riding the “Raging bull”.

approach to learning

Every person has a different learning style. Some children can listen to a person talk and learn very quickly, while others need more of a hands-on atmosphere to succeed. There are also many people that excel best with both situations also.
Tinkering school was defined as a place where children can pick up dangerous objects and be trusted to use them properly. At first glance a tinkering school, you might become concerned. It sounds unsafe and very different from normal classes. The children are allowed to use power tools and dangerous materials to learn new ideas. They are giving problems to solve, and put into many new situations. The children are not tested on the skills, or examined in any way, but seem to excel very quickly.
After many years of school and testing I have learned that I succeed best in situations where I am aloud to do things myself. I struggle with test taking and listening to long lectures. I find that if someone is to give me an example and allows me to try it for myself is when I learn best. For example, I am currently in a very hands on class, but there is one part of the class where you can not use your hands at all. We are required to explain what we would do in a certain situation without any demonstrations. It is very difficult for me, but also a way for me to learn from a different point of view and gain more skills.
I think this school is a great idea, and I hope that many children are given the opportunity to attend it.
If you would like to view this video the link is http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/gever_tulley_s_tinkering_school_in_action.html

Labor Day

Family and friends were the most important part of my Labor Day weekend. If I was not out and about with my friends, I was relaxing with my family. Many of my friends were back in town for the weekend. We enjoyed bonfires and a few games of ultimate frisbee.


My parents hosted a cookout Monday. Many family members came to visit and we all enjoyed our day off. It was espesically nice to see my brother. We are both are currently studying in the medical field. We spent most of the day sharing stories and laughing.

Did you know?

A student passes me in the hallway and sees brown hair, green eyes and pale skin. That is an accuarate description of me, but there are many things about me that you will miss if you never take the time to talk to me. You will never know what I do in my free time, my goals for the future, and even something as simple as my dog’s name.


I have had a passion to dance since my first dance class a few years ago. I have taken classes in jazz, modern, ballet and even hip hop. I performed my first solo piece last year at the LaCrosse Dance centre end of year showcase.

Most people would describe me as very ambitious. I am currently in the EMT program and I hope to advance to the paramedic next year. A few of my other goals for the future include getting my helicopter pilots license and fundraise one thousand dollars for St. Jude’s childrens research hospital.

I love animals. I have had mutiple pets in the eighteen years I have been alive. My first pet was a bichon frise, which I still have today. I also reciently got a second dog, which is a yorkie. I have had many other pets such as birds, bunnies, hamsters, and fish.