a rambling post

[new2008]

A really rambling post:

I remember when I was in primary school, we were having a group discussion with some fellow classmates. I tried to say something and my teacher made some comment and made me face away from the rest of the group of kids. I was just a child, and I could not understand why.........

I had such big dreams as a youngster, very smart. I knew what a laser was, how it worked etc. far smarter than my fellow clasmates, a real nerd :-)

I used to say that I will find a cure for cancer - I did not even know what it was, but I was so sure that I could save the world.........

More than 30 years later and all those big dreams have fallen apart, I gave up a long time ago trying to beat this horror and just make the best of my life.

I chanced upon this site by typing 'bb ruined my life' or something to that effect - I never imagined that there would actually be a site like this. Thank you Jimi, you have given me a bit of hope.

In a few years, I hope to get my phd in molecular biology, it will be in a cancer research. Obviously, i have been trying to find a cure for bb. I have an understanding of Microbiology, biochemistry and Genetics but I am no closer to beating this curse than anyone else, but I am trying (I am not that smart anymore)

Jimi, I know that you are not impressed with the few scientists that are trying to help.

Here are some of the reasons why so little has been achieved:

Money, a scientist depends on research funding, a proper lab needs equipment in excess of $100 000, centrifuges, PCR equipment etc. It is far easier to get this kind of financial grant if a scientist researches diseases such as Cancer and TB.

Greed, the days of Isaac Newton, Eienstein etc are long gone, scientists these days don't care about making the world a better place, they just care about making as much money as possible for as little effort. I guess it is the real world.

Millions of years of evolution - Bacteria are smart, they mutate far faster than you can imagine, they adapt to survive no matter what we scientists can come up with - some have learned to feed on antibiotics!

Sorry about the rambling post, I have been visiting this site for a month and finally felt that I should say something.

I believe that there might be a metabolic reason for this. something that predisposes us to this. Any scientists out there, tell me your theories.

Thank you again Jimi, you have given a scientist a reason to try a lot harder.

[Gabriel]

... the days of Isaac Newton, Eienstein etc are long gone, scientists these days don't care about making the world a better place, they just care about making as much money as possible for as little effort. I guess it is the real world.

Hey n2, let's remember that most 18th-19th C scientists were independently wealthy gentlemen who could fund their own research. Let's also remember that in today's media environment, "scientists who care" just don't make the news! You have to look very hard to find them. I know beyond a doubt that I work for one of these "caring scientists", and she may well be the Newton of bad breath (except for the wealthy part). cf: freshbreath.ca/info-articles-details.php?article=22

Millions of years of evolution - Bacteria are smart, they mutate far faster than you can imagine, they adapt to survive no matter what we scientists can come up with - some have learned to feed on antibiotics!

It's fascinating, isn't it? Unless of course you have to live with the little terrorists .. cf breathdoc.com/articles/biofilm.html

go here to see a typical image of bacteria in oral biofilm: breathdoc.com/index_may07.html

I believe that there might be a metabolic reason for this. something that predisposes us to this. Any scientists out there, tell me your theories.

Genetic predisposition is a very strong theory - what do you think?

[waitingforrelief]

i agree that genetic predisposition has a lot to do with it. my father has chronic bb. my mother didn't use to have it, but i suspect she's caught my father's bacteria. i've been able to detect some odor on her breath recently, but didn't have the heart to tell her that she should stop sharing food and utensils with him. from her body language, it looks like she's aware of it as well...

i've smelled it on my sister sometimes, not always. i'm not sure she's more prone to it because of my father's genes, or if she's caught it from either him or myself. i'm always paranoid that i'd transfer bacteria to my family. so i try my best in not letting them touch what i've eaten or drunk. but being embarrassed to talk about this problem, it's hard because soemtimes they'd just grab a bottle of water that i'd been drinking, etc., and would drink from it, not knowing or at least thinking that it's possible my bad breath germs could be contagious.

i hate that. i wish i could just tell them to stay away from me.