Patty Hearst Story (last part)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

continued from 2nd to last part

But what may have solidified her identification with her captors was the fact that she witnessed them die when the police surrounded their safe-house and open-fired on them. By this time, Hearst became convinced that all the things they were telling her were true and that the cops now wanted to kill her. Patty then was already brainwashed.

Brainwashing, Stockholm Syndrome or defense mechanism -- the real reason for Patty Hearst’s personality transformation remains shrouded in mystery. Despite the many theories used to explain the incident, people could only be sure of one thing. Somewhere, at some point in time, something happened in Patty Hearst’s life -- and that molded her into the person that she was before and after her nightmare.


Related stories:

Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)


Trivia:

On April 3, 1974, Hearst announced on an audiotape that she had joined the SLA and assumed the name "Tania" (after the girlfriend of Che Guevera, a primary mover in the spread of socialism in Cuba and Argentina). sources:wikipedia.org & www.crimelibrary.com


References:





photo source: www.super70s.com
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Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

Photo of Hearst taken by the San Mateo County Sheriff following her arrest on bank robbery and gun charges in September 1975.





continued from part 6

In brainwashing, the person’s identity may shift from one to another. A happy and satisfied individual then may turn into someone filled with discontent and grievances. Because Patty was under duress and the situation she was in was distressing, her psychological makeup was susceptible to being altered. She was bombarded with the SLA’s dogma about how society was cruel and how the underprivileged suffered. In addition to this, her captors repeatedly attacked how being rich was a fault on her part. They also told her that her parents no longer cared for her as they no longer met the ransom demands and that the cops were not going to get her out of her current state. All of these were too much for Patty to handle particularly because her life prior to the incident was protected and safe. Hence, she yielded to the SLA’s brainwashing techniques. (last part)


Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)






photo source: www.law.umkc.edu
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Love Worth Finding

Hey all!

This one's written by my co-writer LD51. I asked her permission to post it here. It's quite sentimental and touching. I also composed my response, my own expression of thoughts. Give it a check, if you care :-)





LOVE WORTH FINDING


IN ORDER TO FIND LOVE MY DARLNG, WE MUST PART.

IF DESTINY PERMITS, WE WILL MEET AGAIN.

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO LOVE ME BACK?

IT IS MY DESIRE AS YOUR QUEEN, TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, MY KING.

PLEASE PUT ALL BITTERNESS ASIDE,

AND COME IN FROM THE DARKNESS, INTO MY WORLD OF BRILLIANT LIGHT,

SO WE CAN CHERISH AND NOURISH EACH OTHER.

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, GUIDE US,

SO WE CAN MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS IN OUR LIFE,

TO ACHIEVE AGAIN, JOY, PEACE AND HAPPINESS.

WE LOVE YOU LORD AND WE NEED YOU.

BLESS OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, OUR HOME,

AND OUR MOST DESIRE IS TO HELP US FIND YOUR WORTHY LOVE,

"BECAUSE OUR LOVE IS WORTH FINDING."



See also:
My Thoughts: Response to "Love Worth Finding"






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Patty Hearst Story (part 6)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

On April 15, 1974, Hearst as Tania, was photographed wielding an M1 Carbine in the SLA robbery of the Hibernia Bank- Sunset District branch in San Francisco.









continued from part 5

In relation to the preceding statements, behavioral psychology would explain Hearst’s behavior in terms of learned helplessness. In this phenomenon, the individual gives up fighting for what she wants and becomes powerless. After having been subjected to traumatizing experiences such as being raped by the SLA and being blindfolded and kept in a closet throughout her ordeal, she may have felt as if there was no point in trying to fight. Furthermore, this feeling may have been increased by the standstill of the negotiation for her freedom when her parents withdrew from responding to the demands of the group after their initial response of giving free food in exchange for Patty was exploited by various people. The enhanced feeling of hopelessness turned her helpless and she allowed her captors to take control of her life. Unfortunately, this made Patty more vulnerable to being brainwashed. (to be continued...)



Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)




photo source: wikipedia.org
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Patty Hearst Story (part 5)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

Patty Hearst joined the SLA and posed as Tania for this publicity photo. Behind her is the SLA's emblem of a seven-headed cobra.






continued from part 4

Initially, these thoughts were okay because they allowed her to stay alive, with the SLA realizing that she was starting to see things from their perspective. After all, they could now use her as a means to get the world to listen to them. Eventually though, her newly acquired perceptions evolved into an emotional bond with one of the SLA members. She may have started to feel that individual’s pain and fell in love with him. When this happened, she also made his principles as the center of her life and abandoned her real self and became a neo-revolutionist like her lover. Hence, even when she had the chance to escape from the SLA, Patty no longer sought for freedom. (to be continued...)






Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)





photo source: www.leadpipeposters.com
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Patty Hearst Story (part 4)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

On February 4, 1974, Patty Hearst, then 19 years old, was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) from the Berkeley, California, apartment she shared with her fiancé Steven Weed.



continued from part 3

It is possible too that Hearst developed Stockholm Syndrome -- a coping mechanism that abused people employ in order to remain alive and avoid more pain. However, Stockholm Syndrome could actually become maladaptive when the person, due to the length of time spent with the abuser, could no longer move on with her own life. In Patty’s case, she may have formed a sense of loyalty to her captors after having been exposed to them for sometime. Her own physical and emotional pains were too much that she dissociated from these and instead focused on her kidnappers. She saw that they were human beings and like her, they have had painful experiences in their lives that made them the way they were. Somewhere in their hearts, they were wounded. They also had feelings. Therefore, they were not bad through and through. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)



photo source: images.google.com
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Patty Hearst Story (part 3)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

Patty Hearst and fiancé Steven Weed
before the kidnapping incident.



continued from part 2

On the other hand, her personality change could also be an unconscious result of reaction-formation, a defense mechanism wherein an individual acts opposite of how she really feels. Patty had a sheltered life before her abduction so she hated what happened to her and despised being kidnapped. But she could not face this fact so instead she embraced what happened and acted as if she was one with the SLA in their pursuit of their so-called purpose. The problem was that the defense mechanism became overwhelming that she could no longer disengage from it. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)



photo source: edition.cnn.com
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Patty Hearst Story (part 2)

From Patty Hearst to Tania: Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

Young Patty Hearst before her kidnapping.



continued from part 1

Since discovering that Hearst robbed a bank, many speculated on the possible reasons of her sudden identity transformation. The American public could not understand how someone who belonged to a prominent family could rapidly turn cruel and heartless. There were hearsays claiming that Hearst was associated with the SLA even before her kidnapping. Some theorized that her falling in love with one of the members influenced the change. Still, there were also those who believed that she was brainwashed into accepting the SLA’s ideologies.

If there is truth in Hearst’s association with the SLA before her abduction then her behavior afterwards could then be explained as the revelation of her true self. If this is the case, then Patty would have already sympathized with the creed of the SLA and was already against the rich. But because she, herself, was loaded she felt guilty about her wealth. In order to combat her culpability, she compensated for it by joining the group. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 1)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)


photo source: www.trutv.com
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Patty Hearst Story (part 1)

From Patty Hearst to Tania:
Shifting from one Personality Paradigm to Another

The abduction of Patty Hearst in 1974 was no ordinary kidnap story. She was a Berkeley undergraduate and was the heiress of the Hearst publishing empire. But what made her case more extraordinary was the fact that after having been held for ransom by the Symbionese Liberation Army or SLA, Patty Hearst joined the neo-revolutionary group and became one of them. She denounced her parents, dismissed her fiancé, announced that she loathed the wealthy way of life and upheld the principles of those who kidnapped her, changed her name to Tania and became romantically involved with one of the members. Like the soldiers of the SLA, Hearst became a callous and angry revolutionist out to get the rich and avenge the underprivileged.

Along with some of the group’s members, an excited Hearst robbed San Francisco’s Hibernia Bank two months after she was held captive. After wounding two bystanders and taking over $ 10,000 with them, the group fled the scene. Later on, she was seen sitting alone in a van and waiting for two of her colleagues, Emily and Bill Harris, to come back from shoplifting. When authorities apprehended them, Patty cold-bloodedly fired a series of warning shots, screaming "let them go, you mother f*ckers or you’re all dead!" The three escaped with no injuries. For a year and a half, Hearst spent her life on the run until she was found in an apartment and arrested by the FBI. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Patty Hearst Story (part 2)
Patty Hearst Story (part 3)
Patty Hearst Story (part 4)
Patty Hearst Story (part 5)
Patty Hearst Story (part 6)
Patty Hearst Story (2nd to last part)
Patty Hearst Story (last part)


photo source: wikipedia
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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part)

SUICIDE

continued from part 5

His family, relatives and friends could also be of assistance to the depressed person by being there to help him attend to tasks that he could no longer do such as his daily household chores. They should also make him feel loved and cared for deeply to alleviate his feelings of worthlessness. Furthermore, they could talk to the person, asking him whether or not he plans to end his life. If he answers the question with a yes, then his significant should let him feel that they take his plans seriously and that they understand that he is hurting deep inside. At the same time, they must emphasize that suicide is not the only option to go about things. They should also encourage him to see a psychologist or seek counseling. To display their concern, they could go with him to see a mental health professional for his initial session or actively help him in the assignments that his therapist might give him.

Again, with the right intervention and with more than sufficient love and care from his family, friends and relatives, the risk of suicide could be lessened and the behavior itself could be prevented. Had Dan's parents helped him through his feelings of overwhelming sadness and worthlessness, he may not have gone through the same fate. He may still be living.


This topic was requested long ago by one of my readers in US. Hey, if you're reading this, hang on tight, prayers always saves the day.





Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)

References





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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)

SUICIDE

continued from part 4

Suicide however can be prevented even in cases that seem hopeless. To avoid it from happening, intervention must be done for people who are depressed. One way is to give them medication to control their symptoms. There are many drugs in the market such as anti-depressants, tranquilizers and lithium that would help depressed individuals. Some of them may need prescriptions from a medical doctor while others are generic.

Another way is through psychotherapy. A person who undergoes the process of psychotherapy is helped by the clinician to understand the reason for his depression and then taught different ways to cope with his problems. For example, through the process of cognitive behavioral therapy, he may learn how to change his negative thinking and develop problem solving skills. Here, he may be asked to observe and write down the times and the reasons why he is feeling sad. Then, the therapist would gear him towards seeing how these reasons may be irrational and would challenge him to change his perceptions by requiring him to write down things that would counter them. If the individual then jots down that he is weak compared to everyone and that this is the reason for his sadness, the therapist would tell him to list down some of his achievements. Doing so would emphasize the irrationality of the thought thereby helping the person see himself in a more positive light. During later therapy sessions, he is taught to engage in behavior that would help him solve problems more concretely. Therefore, if he cannot see his strengths, he will be asked to do things wherein these could become visible. ( last part... )



Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part )




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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)

SUICIDE

continued from part 3

An important manifestation of depression is anhedonia. Anhedonia is a psychological or medical term that means "loss of pleasure for life". Generally, it pertains to a loss of interest in everyday living. Because clinically depressed people experience anhedonia, they are also likely to withdraw from society and increasingly spend their time alone. An increase in their alone time also increases the possibility of them committing suicide. This is because there is no one in their environment who could stop them from doing so.

But why do people engage in such desperate measure? Researchers agree that there are a variety of reasons for the occurrence of such behavior. Some think suicide is caused by chemical imbalances in the person’s system. Others theorize that it is a maladaptive behavior that people learn from their environment. A person then who grows up in a community where suicide is rampant may resort to the same thing when problems arise. Still, there are theorists who say that the act of suicide is passed from one person to another on a multigenerational level. Therefore, even when the parents of a suicidal person do not show the same behavior, it is possible that somewhere in his family tree, the pattern is repeated. Whatever is the triggering factor of suicide, the cause is usually different from it. Hence, the skirmish that Dan had with his professor may have been the trigger for his action, but he had been feeling depressed way before his suicide occurred. (to be continued...)



Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part )

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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)

SUICIDE

continued from part 2


Psychomotor agitation or retardation may also be manifested by depressed individuals. Agitated people may become restless and may be seen continuously pacing back and forth in an unsettled manner. On the other hand, those who have psychomotor retardation display the opposite of agitation. They may be stuck in one position for a long period of time, staring out of the window looking at nothing in particular or they could be sulking in a corner with glassy looks in their eyes, oblivious to whatever is happening in their environment.

In addition, a sudden change in appetite is significant of a depressive episode. However, contrary to the popular belief that depressed people often have weight loss, the change in weight as a result of the change in appetite may go either way. For some, they may unexplainably gain weight even when they do not eat. For others, they may shed a lot of pounds even when they keep on taking in food. The reason behind this phenomenon is the differences among people’s metabolism. There are individuals who may have slow metabolism that even a decrease in their appetite does not automatically mean that they will also become thinner. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part )


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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)

SUICIDE

continued from part 1

Daniel Lewis, or Dan to his family, is only one of the many people who are driven to suicide due to problems and overwhelming sadness. Many people who engage in such behavior often think that death is the only solution to their current dilemmas. They may also be diagnosed with Major Depression.

People who suffer from Major Depression are often preoccupied with thoughts of dying unable to stop thinking about it. They may also have feelings of worthlessness and guilt even when there are no reasons for them to feel this way. These beleaguering emotions distract them and they could not think with clear heads. Because they are preoccupied, they may not be able to concentrate on things. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part )


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Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 1)

SUICIDE

Dear Mom and Dad,

I am sorry for having been a mistake in your life. I am sorry for existing. I love you both.

Dan.




The short but painful letter was Daniel’s last attempt to ditch his irrevocable feelings of despair. His parents found it crumpled on the bed, beside Daniel’s limp body. Scattered around him were sleeping pills and an empty bottle of Prozac. Daniel had a drug overdose. He died on the spot.

Because of their unending responsibilities at work, Dan’s parents spent most of their waking hours at their law firm. They brought their legal concerns everywhere, even to the dining table. Since Dan generally was a quiet son who earned good grades and never got into any trouble, they thought that he was okay. Unknown to them, Dan had been struggling with depressive episodes since he entered law school. Even when he did well in his classes, he had no desire to become a lawyer and only enrolled in Berkeley to show his parents that he could follow their path. A few days before his death, he experienced a skirmish with one of his professors who insulted his deductive capability in front of the entire student body. ( to be continued...)


Related stories:
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 2)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 3)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 4)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (part 5)
Understanding and Defying SUICIDE (last part )


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Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 4/4)

Have you seen the movie Secret Window? The character in that film, Mort Rainey, played by Johnny Depp has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Similar movies are Hide and Seek which starred Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning; Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho with Anthony Perkins acting as the loony ; and of course Sybil which is based on the true story of Shirley Ardell Mason.

What then is Dissociative Identity Disorder? Let's all find out...


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continued from part 3...


The diagnosis of DID does not necessarily mean that the person will forever have it. Although prognosis may not be very good, it is still possible for someone who has DID to be able to function normally after having undergone therapy. The general goal of intervention is to integrate alter-egos so that they may be lessened and may form a single personality. The alters then are geared towards acknowledging the roles of one another and working on resolving the trauma that the person has experienced.

Although there are people who suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder, it should be noted however, that not everyone who experiences childhood trauma would automatically develop separate personalities as the resilience of the individual also plays an important role in the process. In fact, a few decades ago, the number of DID cases worldwide was merely a little bit higher than a hundred.


Related stories:
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 1/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 2/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 3/4)

References...


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Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 3/4)

Have you seen the movie Secret Window? The character in that film, Mort Rainey, played by Johnny Depp has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Similar movies are Hide and Seek which starred Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning; Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho with Anthony Perkins acting as the loony ; and of course Sybil which is based on the true story of Shirley Ardell Mason.

What then is Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Let's all find out...


♥♥

continued from part 2


But why does an individual develop Dissociative Identity Disorder and how does this process occur?

When a person, usually a child, is subjected to extreme and repeated sexual abuse, she may create alters in order to escape the pain that she experiences in real life. When the child forms a fantasy world, she disconnects herself from what is real and engages in fantastical thoughts about being another person. When this happens frequently, it may result to an aborted development of the child’s sense of self. The sense of self then breaks down into many different selves that have their own identities, as the child is unable to integrate all of them into one single person. This is then the time that alter-egos may evolve from the child’s experience of trauma and would take the form of the abuser. It could also be that the part of the child that holds all the happy memories would evolve into another “self” or that the unreleased anger would evolve into an aggressive identity. Whatever form it may take, the alter-ego is always different from the host personality. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 1/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 2/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 4/4)


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Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 2/4)

Have you seen the movie Secret Window? The character in that film, Mort Rainey, played by Johnny Depp has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Similar movies are Hide and Seek which starred Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning; Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho with Anthony Perkins acting as the loony ; and of course Sybil which is based on the true story of Shirley Ardell Mason.


What then is Dissociative Identity Disorder?

Let's all find out...


♥♥

continued from part 1

Alter-egos have their own thinking style, separate life histories and individual behaviors. They are basically break away identities from the host personality and the only thing that really binds them to the real person is that they share the same body. In mind, thought and heart however, they are different. It is possible that alter-egos are aware of whatever is going on in the host’s life even when they are not taking over the host’s body. On the other hand, in many cases the host is oblivious to the existence of alter-egos. One common feature of Dissociative Identity Disorder is memory gaps. Due to these holes in the person’s memory, it is possible that the individual may experience disorganization of the self.

The emergence of alter-egos could occur anytime. Ordinarily though, there are specific circumstances or situations that would trigger their appearance. These situations are normally connected to the trauma that they have experienced. (to be continued...)


Related stories:
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 1/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 3/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 4/4)





photo source:
www.contactmusic.com (movie 'hide&seek')
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Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 1/4)

Have you seen the movie Secret Window? The character in that film, Mort Rainey, played by Johnny Depp has Dissociative Identity Disorder. Similar movies are Hide and Seek which starred Robert De Niro and Dakota Fanning; Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho with Anthony Perkins acting as the loony ; and of course Sybil which is based on the true story of Shirley Ardell Mason.

What then is Dissociative Identity Disorder? Let's all find out...


♥♥

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), more commonly referred to as Multiple Personality Disorder, is the occurrence of more than one "self". Here, there is a host, or the actual person who has been diagnosed with the problem. There is also the presence of an alter-ego, or the other "self".

It is interesting to note that alter-egos can range from one to a hundred. For more common cases however, the number of alter-egos do not exceed ten. These alters may take different forms. They could take the personality of the abuser or be the avenger of the abused. They may also be the keeper of family secrets or the expresser of forbidden desires that the host must not show to the world. They could be younger than the actual person or even of opposite sex. In Dissociative Identity Disorder, alters can virtually take any age, any sex and any characteristics. (to be continued...)


Related stories: Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 2/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 3/4)
Dissociative Identity Disorder (part 4/4)

photo source: www.answers.com

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Man's Severed Finger Grows Back (part3 of 3)

VIDEO:

*to avoid loading interruptions while watching clip, play from beginning to end then click replay*



continued from part 2


Human Tissue Regeneration – Junk Science or a Novel Prize Breakthrough?


Another critic of Spievack’s story said that the claims were merely “junk science”. Professor Simon Kay, a leading plastic surgeon and professor of hand surgery at the University of Leeds had dismissed the claims of pixie dust causing finger re-growth. Kay studied the before and after photos of Spievack’s finger injury and said that the injury in the first place did not look serious. To his observations, it was an ordinary fingertip injury with unremarkable healing. He added that all wounds go through a repair process and this is what might have happened to Spievack’s. Because there is a lack of clinical evidences to support the claims of the Spievack brothers and Badylack, Kay had called their story as “absurd and over-egged in the extreme”.

Despite these criticisms, the case of tissue regeneration has reached the US Army’s interest and they are not automatically dismissing this possibility. In fact, the US Army is presently pursuing this line of research and is investing millions of dollars on it. Just recently a wounded American soldier by the name of Harris underwent a history-making procedure that could help him re-grow a finger that he had lost during a bomb attack in Baghdad, Iraq. This surgery is part of a $250 million dollar research pursued by the Pentagon and other national top medical facilities like the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Steven Wolf, the lead research surgeon of Brook Army Medical Center, stated that although the technique of using this collagen dust in regenerating tissues seems to be science fiction, it also appears to be incredibly promising. Wolf further said that if they could pull it off with Harris’ surgery and growing back missing body parts, the next step they would probably do is growing back body organs such as the pancreas and the heart. With a final comment, the surgeon added that in the future, this science fiction discovery may not only benefit the military but also the civilians.



Written by: Guest Writer

Related stories:
Man's Severed Finger Grows Back (part1 of 2)
Man's Severed Finger Grows Back (part2 of 3)


References:
The amazing 'pixie dust'...
Regrown finger is 'junk science'
Salamander-inspired therapy may aid injured vets


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