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Heart attack symptoms in men and women
Symptoms the same for both, study finds
© beerkoff - Fotolia.com

The symptoms of a heart attack is men and women are very similar, a new study has found.

"Both the media and some patient educational materials frequently suggest that women experience symptoms of a heart attack very differently from men," said Martha Mackay from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, who led the study. "These findings suggest that this is simply not the case."

In the study, scientists monitored the symptoms of 305 patients undergoing angioplasty - a procedure which involves inserting and inflating a balloon into narrowed arteries to expand them.

This briefly causes symptoms in the patient simililar to those experienced during a heart attack.

Researchers found no difference in the symptoms reported by men and women, including rates of chest discomfort and 'typical' signs such as arm discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, indigestion-like symptoms, and clammy skin.

While both women and men experienced typical or non-typical symptoms, women were, however, more likely to report throat, jaw and neck discomfort than men.

"Clear educational messages need to be crafted to ensure that both women and healthcare professionals realize the classic symptoms are equally common in men and women", Ms MacKay said.

She added that suspected heart disease patients should be questioned more thoroughly about their symptoms by doctors.

Heart attack warning signs (women and men)

Pain

This includes:

• Sudden discomfort or pain that does not go away with rest
• Pain that may be in the chest, neck, jaw, shoulder, arms or back
• Pain that may feel like burning, squeezing, heaviness, tightness or pressure
• In women, pain may be more vague
• Chest pain or discomfort that is brought on with exertion and goes away with rest
Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing

Nausea
• Indigestion
• Vomiting
Sweating
• Cool, clammy skin
Fear
• Anxiety
• Denial

Do you believe in superheroes? After you watch this video, you will.

Amy Pankratz, a stay-at-home mother of three in South Dakota, crafts custom capes for sick children and their siblings. She reads their story, she thinks about them, and she prays for them as she is making each cape...infusing it with special powers of hope and courage for each child. And it works! As 5-year-old Brooke Mulford (a.k.a "Super Brooke") says, "It helps me to be brave".


Superhero Capes Provide Hope & Inspiration for Sick Children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRxT-1N07og

------- FORWARD THIS TO YOUR FRIENDS -------

Hi,

I wanted to draw your attention to this important petition that I recently signed:

"THE NATION SPEAKS - “NO!, not in my name’’"
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/joininghandsinhealth/

I really think this is an important cause, and I'd like to encourage you to add your signature, too. It's free and takes just a few seconds of your time.

Thanks!
------------------------------

Did you know... new EU Laws secretly approved behind closed doors, threatens to destroy your health, rights & freedom of choice? Therefore, you will no longer have access to thousands of 'safe' natural products & foods used successfully for centuries to heal illnesses such as Cancer, Diabetes, Heart Disease or to maintain overall health.

SIGNING OUR PETITION TODAY can stop this tragedy and help 'safeguard' yourself, loved-ones and future generations.

5 Smart, Easy Ways to Use Essential Oils in the Home
By Annie B. Bond

During the time of the Black Plague a family of perfumers robbed the dead.

As perfumers they knew well the antiseptic essential oils, and they infused them in vinegar and rubbed them on their bodies; by doing so they protected themselves from certain death. The famous Vinegar of The Four Thieves recipe, sometimes called Grave Robber’s Blend, is a result of this practice.

That aromatic plants possess antiseptic properties has been known for some time from scientific tests. These plants include (from the most potent to least): thyme, rosemary, eucalyptus, peppermint, orange blossom, maize, poplar, pine, Indian hemp, tobacco, belladonna, hop, and poppy.

Try some of these essential oil formulas in the home when you need their antiseptic qualities:

1. Antiseptic Bathroom Spray
Combine 10 drops of essential oils to 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. Spray on area of concern, but don’t rinse.

2. Peppermint Spray for Mice
Mice hate peppermint. Add 2 teaspoons of peppermint to 1 cup of water and spray in areas where you think that mice might frequent.

3. Air Freshening Spritz
Sometimes an area of the home can smell stuffy, and spraying a little essential oil blend in the area can brighten the feeling of the space. Combine 1 teaspoon of essential oils to 1 cup of water in a spray bottle, and spray into the air.

4. Sick Room Spray
If someone in the family has an infectious illness such as strep throat, you can spritz some antiseptic essential oils in the room where they are staying.

5. Essential Oil Deodorizer
Place a drop or two of antiseptic essential oils in odor areas of your home.

Caution: Note that you should check with your doctor before using essential oils if you are pregnant or if your immune system is compromised.

Possible breakthrough in skin cancer treatment

Cancer cells induced to 'eat themselves'

Cases of deadly skin cancer, also known as melanoma, are increasing at alarming rates in the UK - it is now the biggest killer of women in their twenties as we reported here.

When advanced melanoma does not respond to either chemotherapy or immunotherapy, and cannot be treated with surgery, the survival rate is usually very low.

But Spanish scientists have discovered an unexpected vulnerability in melanoma cells that can cause them to effectively eat themselves, known as autophagy.

The processes involved are complex and not fully understood. Previous research has shown that autophagy can play a part in both the halting and the spread of cancer cells.

Normal healthy animal cells are able to recognize and respond to invading viruses. Animal cells, including humans', contain single strands of RNA (ssRNA). In viruses, the RNA is double stranded (dsRNA). This allows human cells to identify the cells containing virus and recognise it as a threat.

In the new study, scientists found that melanoma cells still retain the ability to recognize and respond to dsRNA, raising the possibility that if introduced into melanoma cells, they could be fooled into attacking themselves.

By introducing a chemical designed to mimic dsRNA into the melanoma cells, they were able to stimulate melanoma cells to digest themselves. But the scientists noted that the manner in which the chemical mimic was added to the cells was critical to the success of the process.

Encouragingly, when tested on mice the process resulted in "significant anti-melanoma activity...without notable side effects" according to Dr. Maria S. Soengas, who authored the study which appears in the August edition of the journal Cancer Cell.

At this stage it is too early to say if this process will be of benefit in human cases, but it does represent an exciting new avenue for further research.

Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The Inspiration By God Newsletter


Dear Friend,

I hope you will enjoy learning about a hidden gem in the Southwestern U.S.

Loretto Chapel was completed in 1878 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Due to a formidable error, it was built with no access to the choir loft twenty-two feet above. A ladder was suggested as a means to access the choir loft but that seemed far too impractical to the nuns. Several expert carpenters were consulted and the verdict was the same "building a staircase would take up too much room in the small church due to the height of the choir loft". The only two alternatives were to climb to the loft via a ladder or tear the entire balcony down and rebuild it.

Legend has it that the Sisters of the Chapel made a novena (a devotion consisting of nine separate days of prayers) to St. Joseph (the father of Jesus), the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth and final day of prayer, a man appeared at the Chapel with a donkey and a toolbox looking for work. Months later, the elegant circular staircase which had two 360 degree turns with no visible means of support was completed, and the carpenter disappeared without pay or thanks. After searching for the man (an ad even ran in the local newspaper) and finding no trace of him, some concluded that he was St. Joseph himself, having come in answer to the sisters' prayers.

To this day questions surround the number of stair risers relative to the height of the choir loft and about the types of wood and other materials used in the stairway's construction.

Over the years many have flocked to the Loretto Chapel to see the Miraculous Staircase. The staircase has been the subject of many articles, TV specials, and movies including "Unsolved Mysteries" and the television movie titled "The Staircase."

We look forward to your comments on this "Angel".

Credo Mutwa - Before my Eyes Close in Death

I went recently to the Kalahari region of South Africa to spend time with my great, great friend and soul-mate, the Zulu sanusi (high shaman), Vusamazulu Credo Mutwa.

The hours and hours of my interviews with Credo, and so many off-the-cuff moments, were shot by another great friend, Bill Ryan of Project Avalon. Here Bill asks Credo to say a few words at the start of the day to check the microphone levels and what followed was not 'one-two, one-two', but a passionate defence and advocacy of Africa, the continent he loves so, so much.

Please follow this link to read more and see the amazing video.
http://www.davidicke.com/headlines/38298-credo-mutwa-before-my-eyes-close-to-death

Strange things in 911 footage - look closely

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3AwEz0K-UI

Theories And Bizarre Events On 9/11

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4YsLnIFEr4

Creepy! U.S Dollar bills (5, 20,50,100) contains hidden pictures!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMgGC9W-ks8

Last Supper by Da Vinci has hidden images?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UUMCQ65On0

El secreto del dolar y los iluminati

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gU7hGaw9xEU

Hidden images on money

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhB8FXbmxAI

What Is Pelvic Pain?

Pelvic pain refers to pain in the abdomen below the belly button. This pain can accompany a wide range of conditions. It may be a harmless sign of fertility, a digestive disorder like IBS, or a red flag for a life-threatening emergency. In the slides ahead, we explore 18 causes of pelvic pain. But be sure to see your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Appendicitis

This is an inflammation of the appendix, a tube of tissue connected to the large intestine. The symptoms include sharp pain in the lower right abdomen, vomiting, and fever. If you have these symptoms, go to the ER. An infected appendix must be surgically removed or it will eventually burst, spreading the infection within the abdomen. This can result in life-threatening complications.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic digestive disorder that causes recurring belly pain, cramps, bloating, and diarrhea or constipation. Doctors don't know what causes it, but there are strategies to control the symptoms. These include diet changes, stress management, and medications to treat diarrhea or constipation.

Mittelschmerz (Painful Ovulation)

If you have painful twinges halfway between your periods, you may be feeling your body ovulate. During ovulation, the ovary releases an egg along with some fluid and blood, which may irritate the lining of the abdomen. This is called mittelschmerz from the German words for "middle" and "pain," because it occurs mid-cycle. The pain may switch sides from month to month. It isn't harmful and usually goes away within a few hours.

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)

PMS is known for triggering mood swings and food cravings. It can also cause abdominal cramps, low back pain, headaches, tender breasts, and acne. Hormonal changes may be to blame. Stress, lack of exercise, and some vitamin deficiencies may make the symptoms worse. If PMS is interfering with your daily activities, talk to your doctor. Lifestyle changes and medication can often help.

The chart shows hormone changes during a normal menstrual cycle.

Menstrual Cramps

Every month, the uterus builds up a lining of tissue called the endometrium, where an embryo can implant and grow. If you don't get pregnant, the lining breaks down and leaves the body as your menstrual period. Menstrual cramps can occur when the uterus contracts to help push out this blood. The cramps are usually felt in the lower belly or back and last one to three days. A heating pad and over-the-counter pain relievers may help.

Ectopic Pregnancy

This is a life-threatening emergency that requires immediate treatment. It happens when an embryo implants and begins growing somewhere outside of the uterus, usually the fallopian tube. The symptoms include sharp pelvic pain or cramps (particularly on one side), vaginal bleeding, nausea, and dizziness. Urgent medical attention is needed.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

One of the most serious complications of STDs is pelvic inflammatory disease or PID. This infection can cause permanent damage to the uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes (seen here, swollen and red). In fact, it's the leading preventable cause of infertility in women. Symptoms include belly pain, fever, abnormal vaginal discharge, and pain during sex or urination. PID is treated with antibiotics, and in severe cases, surgery.

Ovarian Cysts

A follicle houses the maturing egg during the menstrual cycle and releases the egg when you ovulate. Occasionally, a follicle doesn't open to release the egg or recloses after releasing the egg and swells with fluid, forming an ovarian cyst. This is usually harmless and goes away on its own. But large cysts may cause pelvic pain, weight gain, and frequent urination. Ovarian cysts can be identified with a pelvic exam or ultrasound.

Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids grow in the wall of the uterus and are sometimes called fibroid tumors, but they are not cancerous. Fibroids are common in women in their 30s and 40s and usually cause no problems. However, some women may experience pressure in the belly, low back pain, heavy periods, painful sex, or trouble getting pregnant. Talk with your doctor about treatments to shrink or remove problematic fibroids.

Endometriosis

In some women, endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. Growths may form on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, bladder, intestines, and other parts of the body. When it's time for your period, these clumps break down, but the tissue has no way to leave the body. While this is rarely dangerous, it can cause pain and produce scar tissue that may make it tough to get pregnant. There are treatments for endometriosis, but there is no cure.

Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection (UTI) begins when germs get into the urinary tract. A UTI can cause problems anywhere from the urethra to the bladder and up through the ureters all the way to the kidneys. Symptoms include pressure in the lower pelvis, painful urination, and a frequent urge to urinate. The infection usually isn't serious if it is treated promptly. But when it spreads to the kidneys, it can cause permanent damage. Signs of a kidney infection include fever, nausea, vomiting, and pain in one side of the lower back.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are globs of salt and minerals that deposit in the urine. They can be as tiny as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. As the stones move from your kidney to your bladder, they can trigger sudden, excruciating pain in the belly or pelvic area. Your urine may turn pink or red from blood. Check with your doctor if you think you have kidney stones. Most will pass out of your system on their own, but some require treatment.

Interstitial Cystitis (IC)

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic pain condition related to inflammation of the bladder. The cause is unknown. People with severe IC may need to urinate multiple times an hour. Other symptoms include pressure above the pubic area, painful urination, and pain during sex. The condition is most common in women in their 30s and 40s. Although there is no cure, there are ways to ease the symptoms.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Pelvic pain is a warning sign for some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs.) Two of the most common are chlamydia and gonorrhea (shown here through a microscope); they often occur together. They don't always cause symptoms, but when they do, they may trigger pelvic pain, painful urination, bleeding between periods, and abnormal vaginal discharge. It's important to seek treatment to prevent serious complications and avoid infecting your partner.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Many women will have some type of pelvic organ prolapse as they age. This occurs when an organ, such as the bladder or uterus, drops into a lower position. It usually isn't a serious health problem, but it can be uncomfortable. The most common symptoms are pressure against the vaginal wall, feeling full in the lower belly, discomfort in the groin or lower back, and painful sex. Treatment options range from special exercises to surgery.

Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

Varicose veins commonly occur in the legs (seen here in the upper thigh), and they can sometimes develop in the pelvis. Blood backs up in the pelvic veins, causing them to become swollen and painful. This is known as pelvic congestion syndrome. The pain tends to be worse when you sit or stand. Lying down may provide relief. There are minimally invasive procedures to treat pelvic congestion syndrome.

Scar Tissue

If you've had surgery in the pelvic or lower abdominal region, such as an appendectomy or a C-section, or infection in the area, you could have ongoing pain from scar tissue. Adhesions are a type of internal scar tissue that forms between organs or structures that are not meant to be connected. Abdominal adhesions can cause pain and other problems, depending on their location. In some cases, adhesions must be surgically removed.

Vulvodynia

Vulvodynia is chronic vulvar pain that has no known cause. The pain affects the area around the opening of the vagina. It can be constant or recurring and is often described as a burning, stinging or throbbing sensation. Riding a bike or having sex may make the pain worse. It is not caused by an infection. And a diagnosis of vulvodynia is made only after ruling out other causes of vulvar pain. Treatment options range from medication to physical therapy.

Pain During Sex

Pain during sex (dyspareunia) can be caused by many of the conditions we've discussed, most of which are treatable. Other reasons for painful sex are vaginal infections or insufficient lubrication. Sometimes there is no medical explanation for pain during sex. In those cases, sexual therapy may be beneficial. This type of therapy can help resolve inner conflicts about sex or past abuse.

Chronic Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain occurs below your belly button and lasts at least 6 months. It may be severe enough to interfere with your sleep, career, or relationships. The first step toward getting your life back is seeing your doctor for a diagnosis. Most of the conditions we've discussed respond well to treatment. Sometimes, even after a lot of testing, the cause of pelvic pain remains a mystery. But your doctor can still help you find ways to feel better.

Advanced Crystal Healing Configurations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeLzqf7iM48

Crystal Healing Properties of Amethyst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yBW4qDef8s

Crystal Healing Properties of Aquamarine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAg1x4GMKJI

Rainbow Aura Quartz Crystal Cluster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ2i4KaKgLM

Searching for Crystals in Snowdonia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KezYUDysU1I

Two-Legged Dog to Inspire British Troops Wounded in Afghanistan
BY MARC HERTZ

A dog named Faith inspires others simply by being able to walk with just her two hind legs.


There are some things you have to see to believe, and Faith is one of those. She's a labrador-chow mix born without one front leg and another that was severely deformed, only to be removed when Faith was seven months old due to atrophy. What's truly amazing about Faith is that, despite having only her two hind legs, she can still walk on them, as you can see in the video below.

Faith is something of a celebrity, having appeared on Oprah a few years ago, and according to The Sun, she's actually an honorary sergeant. The US Army gave her that title because she's helped disabled veterans trying to overcome injuries they sustained in war zones, even donning a military jacket when she visits bases or hospitals. As her owner, Jude Stringfellow, was quoted, "Faith seems to inspire these young men. It's very emotional watching them respond to her. She shows what can be achieved against great odds."

Now, she's planning to go international. Stringfellow wants to bring Faith to the UK, so she can bring her own brand of inspiration to those troops wounded in Afghanistan. Before she can do so, though, quarantine rules will have to be met. For the sake of those wounded soldiers, let's hope they have the chance to see Faith "marching" their way.


First Person: Faith the Dog Inspires With Two Legs


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqplI66cHsI

This Labor Day, Domestic Workers See Victory in New York
Posted by: Robin Marty

The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882, so it seems only fitting to honor a new development in employment in the city. Last week, Governor David Paterson signed a new law ensuring domestic workers receive the same rights as most other employees of the state.

Via the New York Post:

Gov. Paterson yesterday signed into law the nation's first measure to safeguard the rights of domestic workers, guaranteeing the unsung household heroes such benefits as paid time off and protections against discrimination.

A small army of nannies, caregivers for the elderly and housekeepers -- mostly women and immigrants -- erupted in cheers when Paterson put pen to paper to make the bill law at a ceremony in Harlem.

"They are the structure and function of our society. They have been the skeleton and underpinning of our success," said Paterson.

"They are the wind beneath our wings, and we have totally disrespected them until today."

Under the new law, the state's estimated 280,000 domestic workers -- previously excluded from virtually all labor laws -- will have rights other workers have long taken for granted.

They will be entitled to overtime pay at time and half if they work more than 40 hours a week -- or 44 hours a week for live-in staff -- as well as three paid days off annually, after a year of working for a family. In addition, employers must now give their household staff at least one day off for every seven days worked, or else pay them at an overtime rate.

Domestic Workers United had been working to pass the bill, which was an attempt to bring legal regulation to an industry that is almost exclusively female, predominantly filled by immigrants, and reports a myriad of staff abuses, primarily due to ignorance on the part of the employer or lack of recourse on the part of the employee.

According to the American Prospect:

[Domestic Workers United Director Priscilla] Gonzalez says problems facing the domestic work force are many: They're decentralized, so they can't organize in the same ways as other workers. Many labor laws don't address them, so they lack a legal route to seek redress if their employer mistreats them. In the New York metro area, the roughly 200,000 households that employ domestic workers are varied and often uninformed of the rules. Ninety-nine percent of the work force is female, and 95 percent are immigrants, an oft-exploited group doing work that's already devalued because it's domestic. And 60 percent of domestic workers are heads of households, so problems the women face reverberate through their own households and their communities.

Although this is a first of its kind bill, as an equal rights issue it can only be expected to eventually spread throughout the country, offering protections for all domestic workers regardless of their location.

DailyOM - The Greatness in Others

today@dailyom.com
June 9, 2010

The Greatness in Others

Recognizing Our Own Greatness


We cannot recognize greatness in others unless we too posses that same quality in ourselves.


A person who is said to possess greatness stands apart from others in some way, usually by the size or originality of their vision and their ability to manifest that vision. And yet those who recognize that greatness, whether they display it themselves or not, also have greatness within them; otherwise, they could not see it in another. In many ways, the achievements of one person always belong to many people for we accomplish nothing alone in this world. People who display greatness rely upon others who are able to see as they do, to listen, encourage, and support. Without those people who recognize greatness and move in to support it, even the greatest ideas, works of art, and political movements would remain unborn.

We are all moved by greatness when we see it, and although the experience is to some degree subjective, we know the feeling of it. When we encounter it, it is as if something in us stirs, awakens, and comes forth to meet what was inside us all along. When we respond to someone else’s greatness, we feed our own. We may feel called to dedicate ourselves to their vision, or we may be inspired to follow a path we forge ourselves.

Either way, we cannot lose when we recognize that the greatness we see in others belongs also to us. Our recognition of this is a call to action that, if heeded, will inspire others to see in us the greatness they also possess. This creates a chain reaction of greatness unfolding itself endlessly into the future.


Ultimately, greatness is simply the best of what humanity has to offer. Greatness does what has not been done before and inspires the same courage that it requires. When we see it in others, we know it, and when we trust its presence in ourselves, we embody it.

Advanced Crystal Healing Configurations

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeLzqf7iM48

Crystal Healing Properties of Amethyst

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yBW4qDef8s

Crystal Healing Properties of Aquamarine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAg1x4GMKJI

Rainbow Aura Quartz Crystal Cluster

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ2i4KaKgLM

Searching for Crystals in Snowdonia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KezYUDysU1I

Reunited with the Vietnamese 'girl in the picture'

Nick Ut's famous image of Kim Phuc fleeing the napalm attack on her village


By Rebecca Lumb
BBC News

Kim Phuc, the Vietnamese girl in one of the unforgettable images of the Vietnam War , has been reunited by the BBC with Christopher Wain, the ITN correspondent who helped save her life 38 years ago.

When Chris last saw Kim, she was lying on a hospital bed with first-degree burns to more than half of her body, after a South Vietnamese napalm bomb attack.

It was 8 June 1972 and Chris and his crew had been in Vietnam for seven weeks, covering the conflict for ITN.

I found our reunion much more moving than I'd anticipated... Kim was quite emotionally charged, and that's catching

Christopher Wain

He remembers the day clearly: "That morning we'd arrived at the village of Trang Bang, which had been infiltrated by the North Vietnamese two days earlier. They were dug in, awaiting a counter-attack.

"In the late morning, two vintage Vietnamese bombers started to circle overhead - this wasn't anything unusual, but because we had been into the village we knew something was going wrong."

Many of the villagers had already fled to the shelter of a temple, among them nine-year-old Kim.

"We thought this would be a safe place - but then I saw the plane - it got so close," she remembers.

"I heard the noise of the bombs then suddenly I saw the fire everywhere around me.

"I was terrified and I ran out of the fire. I saw my brother and my cousin. We just kept running. My clothes were burnt off by the fire."

Chris and his crew were about 400m from the point where the four canisters of napalm had exploded.

"There was a blast of heat which felt like someone had opened the door of an oven. Then we saw Kim and the rest of the children. None of them were making any sound at all - until they saw the adults. Then they started to scream."

Lasting memory

A Vietnamese photographer, Nick Ut, was also covering events in South Vietnam that day.

As Kim ran down the road, her arms outstretched and screaming for help, he took what is now seen as one of the most memorable images of the Vietnam War.

She was still running when Chris stopped her and poured water over her, while directing his crew to record the terrible scenes.

Chris helps Kim as the horrific scenes are captured on film

"We were short of film and my cameraman, the late, great Alan Downes, was worried that I was asking him to waste precious film shooting horrific pictures which were too awful to use. My attitude was that we needed to show what it was like, and to their lasting credit, ITN ran the shots."

Nick took Kim to the nearest hospital, the US-run Saigon First Children's Hospital. Shortly afterwards, his photograph and the film footage appeared all over the Western media.

One result was that everyone wanted to know what had happened to the little girl.

It was Chris who found Kim the following Sunday, in a small room at the British hospital.

"I asked a nurse how she was and she said she would die tomorrow," he says. So he got her moved to a specialist plastic surgery hospital, for life-saving treatment.

Kim stayed in hospital for 14 months and went through 17 operations, remaining in constant pain to this day.
Her image became a lasting memory for a generation - but the little girl herself disappeared from public view.

Powerful gift

Then, 10 years later, a journalist from Germany tracked Kim down.

She was at university studying medicine but the Vietnamese government cut short her studies and ordered her back to her village to be filmed and interviewed. She was now a propaganda tool.

Even when she succeeded in resuming her studies, this time in Cuba, she was still expected to fulfil her duties as a "symbol of war".

I realised I have a powerful gift... now that I have freedom I can control that picture

Kim Phuc

It was at Havana University that she met Toan, a fellow student from Vietnam. They married and took a honeymoon in Russia, which provided them with a unique opportunity to flee to Canada.

"I heard rumours that a lot of Cuban students stay in Canada on the way back from Moscow, when the plane stops to refuel. By doing this I was finally able to gain my freedom."

Kim settled down to a peaceful and anonymous life in Canada with her husband and two children, but in 1995 she was traced by another journalist and the picture was splashed across the front page of the Toronto Sun.

"I wanted to escape the picture because the more famous it got, the more it cost me my private life. It seemed to me that my picture would not let me go," she says.

However, the realisation came to her she did not have to remain an unwilling victim. The photo was, in fact, a powerful gift that she could use to help promote peace.

"I realised that now that I have freedom and am in a free country, I can take control of that picture," she says.

'Impressive woman'

This idea led her to establish the Kim Phuc Foundation, which provides medical and psychological assistance to child victims of war.

Chris continued with ITN for another three years as defence correspondent, covering amongst other things the Yom Kippur War and the invasion of Cyprus. Later he moved to the BBC.

He retired in 1999 and never expected to see Kim again.

"At the time, it was just another story, though an appalling one. It was certainly the worst thing I ever saw.

"Later, when interest was rekindled, I felt that Kim was being used. That was why 10 years ago I declined a proposed on-screen reunion with her on the Oprah Winfrey Show - it sounded exploitative."

Now, having met Kim, he's changed his mind, and no longer thinks of her as a victim of that picture.

"Despite everything that has happened to her, and all she's endured, she's become a very impressive woman."

DailyOm – Back in the Driver’s Seat
August 9, 2010


Back in the Driver’s Seat


The Passenger

Too much on your daily plate lands you in the passenger seat when you should be in the driver’s seat.


It’s easy to go through this fast-paced world feeling as if you are being dragged through your weeks on the back of a wild horse. Many of us go from one thing to another until we end up back at home in the evening with just enough time to wind down and go to sleep, waking up the next morning to begin the wild ride once more. While this can be exhilarating for certain periods of time, a life lived entirely in this fashion can be exhausting, and more important, it places us in the passenger’s seat when really we are the ones who should be driving.

When we get caught up in our packed schedule and our many obligations, weeks can go by without us doing one spontaneous thing or taking time to look at the bigger picture of our lives. Without these breaks, we run the risk of going through our precious days on a runaway train. Taking time to view the bigger picture, asking ourselves if we are happy with the course we are on and making adjustments, puts us back in the driver’s seat where we belong. When we take responsibility for charting our own course in life, we may well go in an entirely different direction from the one laid out for us by society and familial expectations. This can be uncomfortable in the short term, but in the long term it is much worse to imagine living this precious life without ever taking the wheel and navigating our own course.

Of course, time spent examining the big picture could lead us to see that we are happy with the road we are on, but we would like more time with family or more free time to do whatever we want at the moment. Even if we want more extreme changes, the way to begin is to get off the road for long enough to catch our breath and remember who we are and what we truly want. Once we do that, we can take the wheel with confidence, driving the speed we want to go in the direction that is right for us.

Oil spill in Gulf of Mexico in maps and graphics

A massive operation is under way in and around the Gulf of Mexico to halt a leak from a blown-out oil well and prevent the spread of the slick.

The graphic above shows the scene 1,524m (5,000 feet) beneath the waves where oil is leaking out of the damaged remnants of the oil well apparatus.

Below we explain the various attempts to stem the leak from the damaged oil lines on the sea bed.
Underwater efforts to cap oil leak

Initially, BP tried to lower a 125-tonne, 18-metre (59 feet) high container dome over the main leak on the sea floor. However, this failed when gas leaking from the pipe mixed with water to form hydrates, ice-like crystals, that blocked up the steel canopy.

Meanwhile, four robotic submersibles have been trying to activate the blow-out preventer, a set of huge valves designed to seal the well.

Experts believe the blow-out preventer (BOP) must have partially triggered otherwise the flow of oil to the surface would be more extreme than it is.

In an unusual move, BP, the British oil giant which contracted another company to drill the well, has also started using dispersant chemicals down at the leak site as well as on the surface.

A long-term solution is also in progress - drilling a relief well which can tap into the leaking well and take the pressure off the broken well. However, it could be three months before this is operational.

Up to five thousand barrels a day are thought to be leaking from the site of the Deepwater Horizon rig which sank on 22 April after an explosion in which 11 workers lost their lives.

The delicate eco-system of the gulf coastline is rich in wildlife including the brown pelican, many species of duck, turtles, and whales.

There are fears that the disaster could reach the scale of the 11m gallon Exxon Valdez spill off Alaska in 1989.

How the oil has spread

Approximate oil locations 22 April - 15 May

TACKLING THE OIL SLICK

Emergency teams are using several methods in attempts to deal with the oil at the surface, which has created a slick covering about 2,000 sq miles (5,200 sq km).

More than 275 vessels, including skimmers, tugs, barges and recovery vessels, are being used.

Skimmers, which skate over the water, brushing up the oil are also being employed and more than 90,000 barrels of oil-water mix have been removed.

Around 190 miles of floating boom are being used as part of the efforts to stop oil reaching the coast. A US charity is even making booms out of nylon tights, animal fur and human hair. Hair donations have been sent from around the world to help make the special booms, which will be laid on beaches to soak up any oil that washes ashore.

Dispersant chemicals, rather like soap, are being sprayed from ships and aircraft in an effort to help break down the oil - which is also degraded by wind and waves.

Burning is another method used to tackle oil spills - although it can be tricky to carry out and has associated environmental risks such as toxic smoke.

So far emergency crews have had little success in containing the spill using those methods.
New underwater technology aimed at stopping crude oil rising to the surface at the site of the leak has had some success.