Posted by This project covers the objective: Describe disorders of blood and how they can be treated
I was born with Hereditary Spherocytosis which is a condition that effects my red blood cell structure. Normal red blood cells are shaped like biconcave discs which allow for more flexible movement. This is important because our blood cells pass through tightly woven splenic cords in the spleen on their way to circulate throughout the rest of the body. Spherocytes are shaped as the same suggests, like spheres. This lack of surface area makes it difficult for the blood to move through the spleen. When spherocytes come upon splenic sinusoids they are attacked by macrophages who see them as a threat due to their odd structure. The macrophages phagocytize the misshapen erythrocytes which ultimately leads to anemia, enlarged spleen (more prone to rupture), and in severe cases gallstones. I had a more severe form of H.S which required a splenectomy (removal of the spleen) and cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder) to treat my disorder. The spherocytes still remain but I do not have to worry about an exploding spleen or anemia anymore.
Wow, this project was extremely creative and intriguing. It really drew my attention right away and showed a lot of depth and insight about a disease in which is commonly unheard of. I remember reading about how spheritic shaped red blood cells can cause major issues in the circulatory system from our text books this semester, specifically how it affects the capillaries and I recall how they can enter the tiny capillaries of appendages, get lodged within them and not be able to get out which can eventually cause loss of blood flow in the appendages; however (from what I recall) our books didn’t cover how it affects the spleen in this way and how this disease can cause this many issues within the body.
This project was very eye opening for sure and I’m grateful for having this person as my partner. I really had no idea how intrusive the treatment for this disorder is and how if it is left untreated, it can cause an array of other disorders. I think the video project was a good idea for the art aspect of this project and it really demonstrated clearly and accurately how the pathophysiology of this disease occurs. It looks like my partner put a lot of work and effort in this project and it defiantly shows that this is an issue she truly cares about and would love to spread awareness about. I would truly be interested in reading the research paper that goes along with this project!