Two desolate people – a misery shared can be a misery halved?

I was taking my usual evening walk in the park... wallowing in self-pity is what most people would call it. Of course my family understood; they all told me that – time and again and this gave me great comfort.

But then they would say the same stupid things like:

"You'll get over it Carol." or "But life has to go on, you have to try and forget Gary and the way that he treated you."

Oh they thought they were being good to me; and considerate with these words... but all they were actually doing to me... were destroying me.

I was making my way to my seat by the river, so that I could have my usual cry in peace; with no one to disturb me. I walked around the last turn on the path and the seat came into view.

My heart sank, usually there was no one around at this time of the autumn evening, but tonight... someone had stolen my refuge.

I felt resentment towards the person sitting on the seat. It was a man, a tramp by the looks of him, it was quite dark, but there was a light not far away from him so that I had a good view. He was holding a bottle in one hand and as I watched he lifted it and took a gulp from it.

Not only a tramp, but a drunk as well!

I started to turn in disgust, but as I did so, something about the man made me turn back again.

He was sitting with his head down a totally dejected look about him. He looked how I felt, and my heart went out to him in mutual sympathy.

He sat staring out at the water, but I could tell from my own experience that he wasn't really seeing it.

I took a step towards him without really being aware of having done so. Here was someone who truly knew how I felt, and tramp or not – I think I needed that more than anything.

I had walked up to him and was just standing behind him, he wasn‘t even aware of my presence. I could hear him talking to himself and I held my breath and listened shamelessly.

"Well Sheila you finally won. You totally destroyed me, I hope that you're happy now!" he murmured across the water, and I realised that he was talking to the woman who had hurt him, even though she wasn‘t there to hear him.

I also remembered with something of a shock that I used to do that, when Gary and I had first parted.

Whatever had happened to this man had only recently happened. This man was still feeling the first almost unbearable pain. Without thinking about it I reached out and touched his shoulder gently.

“She isn't worth it really you know," I whispered to him.

The man froze for a second before spinning around to look at me.

He really would be good looking I thought, if he had a shave and his eyes weren‘t full of such hatred and anger.

"Who the hell are you? What do you do... go creeping around the parks at night trying to scare people to death?”

He turned away.

I knew that he was just lashing out through his pain. After all how many times in the past few months had I done that to my family?

"I really do know what you're going through, honestly I do! I'm going through it myself.” I spoke quietly to him as I stood there.

"And I suppose that you’re going to tell me that things are going to get

Better? And in the mean time I should try to carry on with my life!" The man spoke bitterly.

I was surprised to find that I had indeed been going to say something along those lines. Instead I said: "No because I don't really believe that it does get that much better."

“Well that makes a nice change," he laughed humourlessly.

"It does get a little better though... that unbearable pain that you're feeling now... it does become bearable." I spoke quickly before he could interrupt.

For a moment he hesitated as if he were re-saying my words to himself; but then that totally dejected look swept over him again, as he said: "Just go away and leave me alone will you!"

As I stood there looking at him a feeling of anger swept over me at Gary and this Sheila; and others like them, who go around hurting people.

I turned around and started to walk away. After a couple of steps I realised the man had got up and was going over to the river.

"Go ahead!” I said angrily. "Throw yourself in... She's won all the other battles; give her the satisfaction of winning the war!"

With a sob I turned and ran, not even looking back to see if he had succumbed to the despair that had been eating him up alive!

When I arrived home a few moments later I went straight up to my room without even letting anyone know that I was home.

I sat on my bed just staring out of the window, my mind in total confusion.

A few moments later there was a gentle tap on my door, and my sister Anne peeped in.

“Hi” She said softly. "I thought I heard you creeping in... Are you okay?"

I smiled slightly although I was trembling.

“Yes I'm fine thanks."

Anne looked at me more closely. “You‘re shaking!" she said with concern.

“It's alright... honestly I'm just a little cold; it is autumn you know." I tried to add a little humour, but didn't quite pull it off.

“Tell me about it?" Anne invited gently.

This suggestion took me totally by surprise and Anne realised this.

"All that everyone has said to me so far; has been... I'll get over it, and I should try and continue my life." I just couldn't keep the bitterness out of my voice.

“I do know how you feel, but up until now you weren't really ready for it." She smiled slightly: "Now though – something has changed... what's happened?"

"What makes you think that something has happened?" I asked.

"Because you're different, you look as though you are angry now!"

I Suddenly I tipped my head back, and just laughed for a few minutes... and then I found myself telling Anne all about it, about Gary and the way he had used me; until something better came along, and then when I told him that I loved him how he had laughed in my face and then turned his back on me and then he’d just walked away... and finally I told her about my encounter in the park and how I had felt.

"Well it looks like you‘re getting over Gary at last." Anne said with a smile.

“Yes... but what about this man in the park? Do you think I should have left him there? I'll feel ever so guilty if he does anything drastic like that; and I could have helped." I looked worriedly at my sister  Anne.

“I don't think he'll do anything silly," she said with a slight grin.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I’ll tell you something shall I? When you and Gary first broke up; and you used to take those walks through the park, one of us used to follow you!"

Anne's grin widened at my look of total shock.

“But you know that I would never do anything like that!" I exclaimed.

"You were very depressed, those first few weeks and totally unpredictable most of the time. We were never quite sure what you were going to do next, so one of us started to follow you."

We sat talking for a while, but my thoughts were still with the man in the park.

"Look, if you're really that worried about this unknown bloke in the park,

then we'll go and see if he's still there or if he‘s jumped," Anne stood up and went to fetch her coat.

A few moments later we were walking through the park, we went along the path until the seat came into view.

"Well it looks like he's either left or he‘s jumped in!" Anne said looking at the empty seat.

"No I don't think he jumped." I had been looking in the bin just near me, at the top of it, a bottle had caught my attention. It was half full and I was sure that it was the one the man had been drinking from.

"Come on, we might as well go home." I told Anne.

When we got home we went into the kitchen and made ourselves a hot drink.

Later I had a hot bath and the opted for an early night. I didn't need to explain anything to mum and dad, because Anne – bless her, did that for me.

For the first time in a long time I went straight to sleep that night without so much as a single thought of Gary entering my head.

I went to the shop where I worked the next day, and although I wasn't exactly bursting with happiness, everyone I worked with noticed a change in me, Heather the girl who worked at the same counter as me asked if I had got a new boyfriend, but I just laughed and told her I didn't need a boyfriend.

Although I thought of the stranger in the park quite often over the next

I few days, I never went back. Then one night just over a week later I was on my way home from work, walking past the park... when for some reason I went inside.

I knew I wouldn't be missed at home because everyone was going out and the house would be empty by now.

I walked along the path until the seat came into view.

There sitting on it was the stranger, I stopped on the path a few yards away from him and watched him for a few moments. He was probably getting himself drunk again and I didn't think he would welcome the intrusion I turned to leave, and the man turned and looked at me

In March 2010 life changed for Tom and Sarah. He lived in Dubai, she lived in England.

They had both been married for a long time, but something was missing in their relationships. The spark had gone and they had found themselves drifting away from their spouses. Love was still there, as was friendship, but things were not right, not for a long time.

Tom had been writing for a while and posted his stories on Short Fiction.

Sarah started reading stories of all genres, when one day she read a story written by Tom and felt compelled to send feedback to comment on it.

He courteously replied, thanking her for her comments. Sarah looked to see what else Tom had written and read another story, sending feedback again. She liked the easy, friendly manner with which he replied, certainly not flirtatious or coarse, which had been the case with a few other male writers she had sent feedback to.

Replying to feedback and responses to the comments continued and developed into friendly chat, telling each other of their lives, their families and their marriages.

The coincidences in their lives were astounding. They both had a love of cats and they each had two daughters. Tom worked in the building and construction industry; Sarah was brought up in a family of builders. His wife had worked in the Department of Health and Social Security, and so had Sarah.

His elder daughter was in the Police Force, her younger daughter wanted to be a Police Officer. His younger daughter was a Primary School Teacher, preferring to teach the youngest children; Sarah worked with young children in a Pre-School.

They found out a year later that Tom and his wife had their first foreign holiday in The Hotel Sahara Beach in Monastir, Tunisia. Unbelievably, that was where Sarah and her husband had their first foreign holiday ten years later.

Their tastes in music were almost the same, they watched the same TV programmes, and they both loved the cinema and theatre. Their taste in music and wine were almost identical, and they both loved eating out and taking part in quizzes.

They even found that they had exactly the same make and model of mobile phone. Months later, they discovered that they even had the same make of watch, (both, unusually, light powered) with the same (his and hers) gold and silver watch straps. The similarities in their tastes were uncanny.

They completely clicked; two peas in a pod.

By April they were completely comfortable with each other, exchanging up to ten or more emails a day sometimes. They told each other things that no one else knew; building up a real sense of trust between them.

Very quickly they realised that what they felt for each other was more than just friendship and that they were falling in love.

They waited for each other’s emails with eager anticipation, and soon the need for more contact grew. They both got Msn and chatted whenever they could, filling the void in their lives. Their thoughts were so in tune that they often typed the same thing at the same time, so often, in fact that they almost expected it.

Sometimes they would talk on web cam, falling deeper in love every time they saw each other, but frustrated that 3400 miles still separated them.

They talked on the phone whenever they could, desperate for physical contact.

In August 2010, Tom's younger daughter gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Tom and his wife were returning to England to see their daughters and meet their new grand-daughter.

This would be the only chance for Tom and Sarah to meet up, it might not happen again until May of the following year. They needed to affirm that what they thought they felt for each other was real.

It’s one thing falling in love over a period of months via the internet, but what if they didn’t have the same attraction when they met…..in the flesh? They needed to know, before they could make any decisions regarding their futures.

In August they met, the attraction was instant, their instincts and feelings had not let them down.

In December they moved in together in England and their love is very real.

They have a wonderful loving relationship based on love, affection, total trust and openness. There is nothing they can’t talk to each other about, they talk for hours. They respect each other; they listen to each other and give unconditional support.

Theirs is a very unusual love story. Most internet affairs don’t work, but this is different.

Two people whose paths crossed at a time they both needed more than they were getting in their marriages, found each other.

Not a brief, lustful fling…. after living together for over a year, they know this is real love

Hair accessories continue to be hot, especially among the younger crowd. However, they can be difficult to find and expensive. The alternative is to make you own. Using the following steps, you can make your own beautiful hair accessories.

1- Decide what type(s) of hair accessories you want to make. These include barrettes, combs, bobby pins, ponytail holders and headbands.

2- Decide how you want to decorate your hair accessories. Some ideas include hand painting designs on the the accessory; adding trims such fabric, lace, braid or feathers; bejeweling or beading; and/or adding silk or ribbon flowers.

3- If you don't already have the supplies on hand to decorate your hair accessories, make a trip to purchase whatever you need.

4- Spray paint your hair accessories the base color you want for your design. Allow it to dry thoroughly before doing anything else with the accessory.

5- Paint a design directly on to the hair accessory, using craft paint that is appropriate for the type of headband chosen such as fabric or plastic. This technique is particularly effective for headbands and hair combs.

6- Add glitter to any hair accessory as desired.

7- Adhere fabric, lace, or fur to headbands that will match or compliment your clothing. Be sure the secure the edges to prevent the headband from fraying. This technique work particularly well for headbands and hair combs but can also often be effective on certain types of barrettes.

8- Adhere decorative trim like lace, braid, roping or beading to the hair accessory. This technique works well on headbands, hair combs and barrettes.

9- Add feathers to a hair accessory. This works well for most types of hair accessories with the exception of bobby pins or ponytail holders.

10- Adhere jewels to a hair accessory. While glue should work well for individual jewels or recycled jewelry items, it is best to sew strings of beads on to hair combs and, in some instances, headbands.

11- Adhere beading to a hair accessory. While glue may work for some types, it is best to sew beading on to hair combs and, in some instances, headbands.

12- Add sequins to any hair accessory. Individual sequins can be glued on, however, lines of sequins for adhere better when sew on.

13- Adhere other decorations such as coins, buttons or seashells to a hair accessory. This technique works best on large hair accessories such as hair combs, barrettes or headbands. However, it can also sometimes be used on bobby pins and ponytail holders in smaller forms.

14- Adhere silk or ribbon flowers onto any hair accessory using either glue or by sewing it into place.

Cambridge began as a small river settlement, but over time grew to be a prosperous city. In 1284 the first college of what would become Cambridge University was founded. Today, Cambridge is considered one of England's premier cities for culture, arts and learning.

Roman Establishment
    The town of Cambridge began as a settlement on a hill that made a convenient crossing point of a large river. Romans built the first town on the river they called the Granta, and built a port, church and other buildings.

Anglo-Saxon Expansion
    The Anglo-Saxons expanded the settlement on what came to be known as Castle Hill, as it could be easily defended. They built St. Benedict's church nearby, today the oldest building in Cambridge. The Anglo-Saxon name for the city was Grantabrycge. Due to good trading links with Europe and a strong market, Cambridge prospered.

Norman Occupation
    The Normans conquered England in 1066 and built a castle on Castle Hill in 1068, though very little of it remains today. Around 1130, the Norman Knights Templar built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (known today as the Round Church), one of four round Norman churches in England. By this time, the town was known as Grentebrige or Cantebrigge, which eventually became Cambridge. Soon, the river began to be called the Cam, to go along with the name of the town.

University of Cambridge
    In 1201 and 1207 King John granted charters to the town of Cambridge, ultimately leading to the establishment of Cambridge as an independent town. In 1209 a few Oxford students moved to Cambridge to escape hostile townspeople in Oxford. They began studying at a local priory, and their group formed the basis for the University of Cambridge. Small colleges developed one at time, beginning with Peterhouse in 1284. As the university grew, a violent rivalry broke out between the "town" (citizens of Cambridge) and the "gown" (students).

Expansion and Decline
    Under King Henry VIII control of the university was removed from Catholic leaders and a great deal of new building was undertaken, including the iconic Kings College. In 1584, Oxford University Press, the oldest printing and publishing house in the world, was founded. Between 1584 and 1800, however, there were no new colleges established; this was a time of decline for the university and the town. Then, in the late 1800s, several colleges were founded (including the first for women), and the town and university blossomed again.

Modern History
    In the early 1800s, development of Cambridge spread outside the loop of the river to the south and east. In 1845, the railway reached Cambridge. During World War I, many soldiers camped in Cambridge, and a large hospital was built that later became the university library. In 1951, King George VI granted Cambridge a charter, making it a city despite its lack of a cathedral, a traditional requirement for city status in England.

Believe it or not, there is a way to apply your own makeup that is quick, goof-proof and easy, yet noticeably improves your appearance. Follow these steps for everyday use, or as a base for more dramatic and varied looks

1- Apply the foundation that perfectly matches your skin tone. A foundation brush uses less product, but a makeup sponge is just as effective. If your complexion is already smooth, clear and even, and it is a regular day with no special occasion, you might want to stick to under eye concealer and forgo foundation completely. On the other hand, if you are a little self-conscious about perceived flaws, you have the option of using spot concealer with the edges seamlessly blended into your foundation.

2- Fill in the spaces in your brows with a pencil that is slightly softer than your hair color if it is dark, or as dark as the darkest hair on your head if you are blond. Stroke on the pencil as if you are drawing in tiny fine hairs. Make sure your pencils are always sharpened so you don't tug on your skin and create harsher looking brows. For a milder effect, you can also utilize a small angled brush dipped into brow powder. Shaping your brows does wonders not just for eyes, but for your overall look.

3- Put eyeshadow primer on your lids. With an eyeshadow brush, press on some flesh-colored or taupe shadow with subtle shimmer. On your top lash line, smudge on a brown eyeliner. Do not extend past the outer corner of your eye so as not to drag down your eyes in appearance. Select a lighter colored eyeliner, like a soft caramel, and smudge it onto your lower lash line. Run a cotton swab over both your top and bottom lash lines for more natural definition. Finish up your eyes with a waterproof mascara on top lashes. Your bottom lashes are optional, as to lessen the possibility of smudging. Depending on your coloring and your preference of intensity, pick either a black or dark brown mascara.

4- Brush blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Blend away any hard edges with your sponge to avoid an artificial look. Your best option as the color of your blush is the same one that naturally appears on your cheeks when your skin is flushed. Dab on some pinkish-gold highlighter onto the tops of your cheekbones upwards towards your temples, and blend as well. It is very important that your skin looks as though it glows from within, not like you are deliberately trying to get your makeup noticed.

5- Find a lipliner the color of your lips but more vibrant. Staying away from shades that are obviously not found on a real human helps keep your look authentic. When drawing on your lip shape, stay on top of your actual lip line for a full but natural look, unless you want to make alterations. In this case you'd draw just slightly under or very minutely over your lip line to capture the illusion of smaller or larger lips respectively. Fill your lips in; to add more life to them, you can choose to either dab a clear gloss on, or a moisturizing lipstick the same color as your lipliner.

6- Take your oversize fluffy brush and sweep translucent powder lightly over your forehead, nose and chin, where you deliberately wish to remove shine. Avoid getting powder on the highlighter so as not to dull down the already subtle shimmer. Clean up any remaining uneven lines or product distribution with your makeup sponge. When you step back to survey your look, you will see that you are now a more polished version of yourself. No fussing around with complicated colors.

 Maintaining a youthful appearance starts with proper skin care. There's no magic formula, but the simple things count in a proper skin-care regimen.

1- Treat your skin as it were fine silk -- always try to touch gently. When we wash our faces, shave or apply makeup, is the time that facial contact is often made. Wash in a gentle, circular motion in an outward direction. Never use your nails or apply pressure to the face. The eyes and lips have the thinnest layer of skin on the face. Refrain from rubbing your eyes. Over time this may cause wrinkles and crow's feet. Instead, pat the eye area down when drying or applying face cream. Use soft, quick patting gestures. Never pull or stretch your eye when applying eyeliner to get that cat's eye look. This will cause fine lines to the eyes in no time. Practice applying eyeliner; it won't be perfect at first, but practice makes better. Take the time to properly remove makeup; don't be impatient and just rub abruptly until the smudges disappear.

2- Do some research. Some great facial creams out there live up to their name, but consider what ingredients are in those miracle creams and skin care products. Stick to products with more organic and natural ingredients.
Your daily facial regime should include a high-quality SPF sunscreen. If you love to tan, leave your face out of the equation. Instead, opt for bronzers to enhance a beautiful facial glow; you can achieve that desired look and still save the skin cells from the sun's rays. So the next time you tan, lather up sunscreen, probably a SPF 50 or higher, to the entire surface of your face. Apply a higher SPF range for your eyes and lips to protect the thin skin layer of those areas; they are most susceptible to sun damage. The eyes are usually the first indicators to a maturing look, so always apply a face cream with a high SPF value to that area.

3- Give your skin a treat. Once or twice a week, your skin deserves special treatments or a facial to boost the skin's healthy appearance. Use a facial scrub once or twice a week to de-surface the skin of dead cells. The overall effect is a smooth, glowing surface to the face. People with sensitive or mature skin need a finer or gentler scrub because the skin is more delicate.
Mud packs range from moisturizing to deep pore refining. Moisturizing mud packs are like conditioners for the skin. They leave the skin soft and supple, and are great for dry and combination skin. Deep cleansing and pore refining mud dry out the debris trapped within the pores and also minimize the pores' appearance. They are also great for oil-prone skin.

4- Try a few skin-saving secrets to achieve and keep a youthful appearance.
For a vitamin C scrub, cush a couple of vitamin C tablets, mix with a tablespoon of honey and apply to the face. Use gentle circular motions to scrub the face, then leave on for five to seven minutes. The antioxidants in the vitamin C will supply a natural glow while exfoliating the dead skin cells. The honey will nourish and moisturize the skin, leaving it soft to the touch.
Try olive and emu oil for younger looking eyes. Olive oil is naturally full of antioxidants and vitamin E. The oil has similar properties to the sebum in our own skin and absorbs very easily. This oil can help replace the sebum and other vital nutrients stripped away from harsh soaps. Like olive oil, emu oil greatly penetrates the skin without clogging the pores. Emu oil is rich in omega fatty acids essential to skin health. The replenishing effects of these two oils keep elastin intact, promoting an extended youthful appearance to the eyes.
Try fruit acids for skin resurfacing. We're all probably familiar with chemical peels and their amazing results on the skin. The enzymes of specific fruit works much in the same way, except much gentler on the skin. Blend a slice of pineapple and apply to the face. Leave this on for about 15 minutes, then rinse.

5- Cut down on junk food. Too much processed foods creates an overload of free radicals that eventually destroy skin tissue. The face will eventually look dull and tired. Drink more water and antioxidant-filled teas to chase away free radicals, flush out toxins and replenish much needed moisture to the skin. Eat good omega fat. These foods produce the lipids responsible for holding moisture in our skin and safeguarding elastin. Eat plenty of nuts, seeds and fish.

Neurosurgeons perform extremely complex medical operations on the brain, spinal cord and other components of the nervous system. They treat individuals suffering from all kinds of neurological conditions and diseases, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. Successful neurosurgeons must be patient, confident and rational individuals who exhibit solid judgment and surgical skills. They must be passionate about their work and care deeply about their patients. They also need the stamina and commitment to complete the long, arduous training process, which typically takes at least 13 years.

1- Start preparing for the career while still in high school. Excel in mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry, anatomy and psychology courses. Volunteer at a local hospital and start thinking seriously about how you are going to pursue this challenging career.

2- Choose an appropriate college or university and apply for admission into the undergraduate school. Base your decision on the quality of the school's math and science departments, and if possible choose a school with a strong undergraduate neuroscience program. Consider other factors such as cost, distance from home, lifestyle, size of the school and matriculation statistics.

3- Obtain a bachelor's degree in one of the natural sciences and complete requirements for med school. These requirements typically include coursework in biology, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, anatomy, calculus and English. Strive for a diverse liberal arts curriculum with plenty of elective courses in the humanities, social sciences and fine arts. Medical schools like to accept well-rounded individuals.

4- Take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) exam. Your scores on this exam are one of the main deciding factors in your acceptance into medical school and you should plan to spend at least six months preparing for it. Schools use the MCAT to predict your chances of success in medical school.

5- Choose and apply to a medical school with a strong neuroscience department and plenty of course offerings in this area. Again, consider other factors as well, such as cost, prestige, size of the school and available facilities.

6- Complete medical school and take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Take classes related to neuroscience whenever you have the option. All aspiring doctors, including neurosurgeons, are required by law to pass the USMLE before they can practice. This exam tests an individual's knowledge of medical theories, practices and techniques.

7- Enter into a residency program with a focus on neurosurgery. Residencies for neurosurgeons are long and challenging due to the complex procedures, technology and concepts involved. Most take between six and eight years to complete. Stay focused and decide what area you want to specialize in.

8- Complete any additional training required for your specialization. You may choose to specialize in cancer treatment, pediatric neurosurgery, sleep disorders, meningocele repair, craniotomy or other area. Specialization usually requires at least one additional year of training.

9- Become an active contributor to the neurosurgeon and medical community at large. Many successful neurosurgeons don't just perform surgeries. They also contribute research in the field, teach classes to med students and lead seminars.

Because of the depth of knowledge required for a surgeon to successfully complete a variety of procedures, fields of medicine relating to surgery are broken down into categories. Differentiation may be based on patient age but is also based on the part of the body, or organ system, to which a procedure applies. Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery is heart and chest surgery undertaken on infants, children and young adults.

 

Training
    Becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon has many of the same demands required of other doctors, with the addition of special training. All cardiothoracic doctors graduate from college with at least a four-year degree, attend medical school for another four years, then complete a surgical residency followed by a fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery. Pediatric specialists often are required an to have an additional fellowship working in pediatrics. This may total anywhere from six to 10 years of training after medical school. However, if surgeons choose to complete their surgical residencies and fellowships in a pediatric hospital, there may be no need for further specialization. In addition, surgeons must receive board certification to practice medicine in their state.

Pediatric Cardiology
    The field of pediatric cardiology deals with two types of cardiac disease: congenital and acquired heart disease. The overwhelming majority of cases seen by pediatric cardiologists are congenital disorders, which means that patients were born with their abnormalities. Acquired heart disease is more typical of older patients who have damaged their cardiovascular systems by making unhealthy choices during their life. Congenital heart diseases come in many degrees of complexity and severity. Disorders range from undeveloped blood vessels and chambers of the heart to dysfunctional valves to improperly connected components of the cardiovascular system. Some disorders can be managed with medication, but others require invasive procedures to correct.

Surgery
    When a team of cardiologists and surgeons decide surgery is the best option for treatment, there are two general types of surgery that can be undertaken. Depending on the patient's circumstances, surgeons will proceed with either reparative or palliative surgery. The purpose of reparative surgery is correct an abnormality in the cardiovascular system. This may include reconnecting vessels in the normal manner, installing prosthetic valves or vessels or repairing holes in cardiac tissue. Palliative care is the name given to treatment that does not entirely resolve an issue but serves to reduce the amount of discomfort or difficulty a patient must face. Such procedures might, for example, involve increasing or decreasing blood pressure in a certain vessels or altering the amount of work cardiac muscle must do to pump blood.

Surgical Statistics
    According to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, about 20,000 pediatric cardiothoracic procedures are carried out in the U.S. every year. Relatively minor procedures, such as those used to close small holes in the heart, have no mortality rate. More complicated procedures' mortality rates vary with the complexity of the case and may range anywhere from less than 5 and up to 30 percent. Considerations such as the patient's age also play a significant role in the likelihood of a positive surgical outcome.

Top Centers for Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery
    Rankings made by "US News & World Report" of the best pediatric hospitals for cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery in 2010 hold that the following medical centers are listed in order as the best in the country: Children's Hospital Boston, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Texas Children's Hospital, University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. Also ranked in the Top 10 are Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

As head of the U.S. government and commander in chief of the military, the president of the United States fills the most important executive office. This office has evolved over the years and will continue to do so.

History

After declaring independence from the British monarchy, early Americans struggled to create a strong, centralized government without becoming another monarchy.

Identification

Following the Continental Congress, which left too much power to each state, came the Constitutional Convention--which established the revised Articles of Confederation and the office of U.S. President arose.

Considerations

In 1788, Article II of the U.S. Constitution created the office of the U.S. President and executive branch of the United States government. Controls were built into the powers of the President to avoid the creation of a monarchy.

Features

President Franklin Roosevelt created the Executive Office of the President in 1939 as a decision-making support system for the President and as a means to remain well informed regarding national and international affairs.

Time Frame

United States presidents can be elected to two 4-year terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt held the office of President for four consecutive terms, but in 1951, an amendment limited terms to two.

Fun Fact

Grover Cleveland, both the 22nd and 24th President, held the office of president twice, in nonconsecutive years. Because of this, though someone might be the 100th President of the United States, he would only be the 99th person to have held the office.

The United States Army is responsible for land-based military operations for the Armed Forces. As the oldest branch of the military, the force was first brought together on June 14, 1775, as the Continental Army to fight in the American Revolution. The United States Army was properly raised by order of Congress on June 14, 1784, and has stood at one capacity or another since then.

Function

According to the Title 10 of the U.S. Code, the main objective of the United States Army is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies." This means that the Army will perform all tasks that are asked of it in defense of the country.

Structure

The United States Army is comprised of three branches: the Regular Army, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserves. Each force reports to the Department of the Army, which in turn reports to the Department of Defense. The Secretary of the Army, a civilian post, and the Army Chief of Staff, a military post, are in charge of the branch, reporting directly to the Commander-in-Chief, the President of the United States.

Size

According to figures from the Pentagon, as of January 31, 2009, the Army has a combined strength of approximately 1,088,000 soldiers; 547,741 are regular duty soldiers, 352,000 are in the National Guard and 189,000 are reservists.

Uniforms

On October 1, 2007, the Army switched from its traditional Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Combat Uniform for soldiers to the Army Combat Uniform. This uniform features digital camouflage patterns that can be used in a variety of conditions, including woodland, desert and urban areas.

Core Values

The United States Army has seven core values: loyalty to the U.S. Constitution, the obligation to fulfill its duties, respect for others, selfless service, honor the values of the Army, show integrity at all times, and face fear and adversity with personal courage.