Reflection

Visual/Textual Rhetorical Analysis

I looked at the website curejm.org and had to argue if it was a reliable source and how I knew this. I realized that it is a reliable source because all the information is true and the author is credible.

Photo Essay

I used pictures to tell the story about my cousin, Caroline Farley, who was diagnosed in Juvenile Dermatomyositis in the winter. It went through the story about how she was normal and everything was fine, and then she got very sick. It was an easy topic for me to do because I already  had pictures of her and her illness.

Research Paper

I wrote my research paper on Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Throughout the entire semester I focused all of my projects on this idea, so it made it easy to write about it. I thought that I thoroughly explained what JDM is and how it can affect someones life.

Annotated Bibliography

Through my annotated bibliography I was able to find all my sources for my research paper. Unfortunately, at the beginning me and many of my classmates did not understand what the assignment was about, but after figuring it out it was easy. It also made writing the research paper easier.

Total Reflection

For all of my projects I focused on the topic of Juvenile Dermatomyositis because my cousin was recently diagnosed with the illness. Yes, I am happy with my choice, because I already had background information about my topic. My goals for my research was that I wanted to find reliable sources and to learn more about JDM, and i met my goals. Some interesting facts about my project are that JDM affects 11,000 children in the United States alone. Yes, this kind of project helped me gain a better understanding of my topic. This is because it was a research paper and through the research I learned more information. I had a total of eight sources and I was hard to find some information because JDM is not a common illness. From the research process of this project I learned that it is important to find reliable information. The piece that was the hardest to write was the Photo Essay because we had to have comments about what was happening in the photos. Unfortunately, there was no way for me to create a counter argument against people having JDM. zthe most fun project was the research paper because I got to learn more about JDM. I decided to organize the pieces in the order that they projects were completed. From my peers I learned that there are different way in which people write. Usually, I write about topics about medical things because I am a nursing major, but my classmates wrote about stars and movies too. Some things that I learned to change in my writing is how to make my paragraphs flow better and how to cite sources correctly.

Class Room Activities

Ajay's Essay

1.      Yes, I think that he has achieved that is pages are understandable without any help from Ajay. He asks the questions that go along with the pictures, and that helps the reader to understand. Without the questions, most of the things going on in the pictures would go unnoticed, for instance, buying the gun and getting an A.

2.      Yes, is think his essay’s opening page appropriately prepares his audience for his purpose. It has a question that sums up what his project is about. The photograph is appropriate because the whole project is talking about buying our grades and diploma and the picture is someone giving someone money.

3.      Yes, Ajay has framed and cropped his photographs to help his audience see what he wants them to see. There is nothing going in the background of the pictures that is not needed. The pictures are close up and you can clearly see what needs to be seen. I would not have done anything differently.

4.      Yes, Ajay’s captions are doing the work that he hoped they would do. If he were to have statements or assertions rather than questions, his project would have become more demanding and it would have seemed like he was yelling at his readers. Instead of saying, “Is how you get your gum just like how you get a grade?” It would read, “How you get your gum is just like how you get a good grade.” I feel as though it leaves no way for the reader to think about their interpretation and it is only about what Ajay thinks. No, I don’t think that the photographs would have worked without the captions because they explain what he wants you to see in the pictures.

5.      Yes, I think he has enough photographs to achieve the purposes he described in his statement of purpose because with the three pages of pictures the reader can understand what his message is.

I think that Ajay achieved the overall purposes he set for himself.

Analyzing Movie Posters

We think that Crazy Stupid Love was made within the last five years. Vertigo was made fifty years ago and The Wizard of Oz was made seventy years. The graphics on the movie posters are better quality. Vertigo looks very old because it does not have very good graphics. The Wizard of Oz’s pictures are hand drawn.

-Crazy Stupid Love is a Romantic Comedy because the woman’s leg is supposed to be sensual and the expression on the man’s face is humorous. Vertigo looks like a love story because the man is hugging the woman. The Wizard of Oz is a children’s movie because the poster looks like it is portraying a cartoon.

-In Crazy Stupid Love each of the actors pictures have a different background which makes them stand out from each other. The designers chose black so that they would stand out from the rest of the paper. In Vertigo the designer picked red because it is the color of love and yellow represents happiness. The clothes on the two characters are black and white so that they stand out on the movie poster. In The Wizard of Oz the bright colors are appealing to a young person’s eye. The drawing is supposed to look like a children’s book.

-In Crazy Stupid Love first you see the woman’s foot and then the man’s face, and then the title of movie, and then the actors. In Vertigo the first thing you look at are the two actors and then the name of the actors. In The Wizard of Oz the first thing you look at is the title, then the things in the blue box, and then the characters at the bottom.

-Crazy Stupid Love is an explicit Romantic Comedy. Vertigo is a classic love story. The Wizard of Oz is a fun, playful, children’s movie.

Peer Reviewed by: Sarah Biernacki and Dominca Mcnair For Trevor Cherry

In the world of video games, there are always people playing and there are more often than not people watching them play. This used to be just taking turns playing a single player game, but as of recently games such as League of Legends have developed such a large audience of people watching others play, that the best of the best end up playing in front of hundreds of thousands of players each week.

A bit of background:
For those unfamiliar, League of Legends (LOL) is part of the MOBA genre of games; MOBAS being multiplayer online battle arenas where teams of 5 look to kill their opponents as well as taking objectives to win the game. If you want to learn more about the game I suggest viewing the following video.


The video is a good way to understand the basics of the game so you have a general idea of what happens in a given game.

League of Legends has become so popular that the maker, RIOT games, are funding a professional league known as the League Championship series(LCS) similar to Major league Baseball where professional players compete head to head each week in the regular season and then move on to playoffs for the championship game.
the LCS is considered by many the future of Esports, or videogames played competitively,  as it provides a stable amount of content to be watched by fans as well as putting the competing players on a payroll so they can fully commit to competing each week.
like the Major leagues, there are also minor leagues where teams breed talent for the major leagues. Coke Zero has very recently created their minor league equivalent known right now as the Coke Challenger series where teams compete to be promoted into the next season of the LCS

Harry Wigget, the old manager for Team Fnatic, recently wrote an article about the Coke Challenger Series and how important it is to the amateur scene of League of Legends. The article itself can be found here at esportsheaven , a website dedicated to talking about the competitive scene of multiple popular games including League of Legends.

What It's All About

Wigget, was not too concerned about the rhetorical appeal of this post as some of the techniques are not used to great effect.
Regarding The Text:

When it comes to the text of the article, Wigget begins with a good amount of pathos to get the reader to feel compassion for those involved in Esports and try to empathize how difficult it can be when he writes, "pro players were either an LCS player, or were sitting at home and watching what they nearly had, the dream" (Wigget). The way Wigget words the ending makes the reader feel a connection to these players because everybody has dreams and many people can relate to being so close to something, but not being able to get it. I believe that this is very effective because the method used is from a very niche community that can be understood by just about everybody; however, with the idea that this is posted to a website dedicated to esports as well as being posted in the league of legends forum, just about everybody reading knows and is involved with League Of Legends so I don't believe it was necessary but it worked nonetheless. 

(this was just a random aside that i thought of, so it doesn't really have much a paragraph structure yet) Wigget was picked up by Fnatic before League of Legends started and Fnatic were the Season 1 World Champs and his team also won both the spring and summer split of the LCS on top of getting all the way to the semifinals in the Season 3 world championships.(lolgamepedia, not sure how to cite) All of this information could be used to influence the reader and Wigget could very easily give himself more than credibility to be taken seriously. Wigget, though, decided against including any of this information as he probably didn't find it relative to his topic, but I believe adding any of the information would inherently strengthen his appeal to credibility because people respect success.

logos: 

Wigget's use of logic in the article is very impressive. Wigget briefly talks about the history of the game and then takes an objective viewpoint on the amateur scene when he writes about the weekly tournaments in season 1 and 2, how they went away in season 3, and why they could and should come back in season 4. (Wigget)

visual: 

the first picture, seen here,

of the article is one of the author watching over players with the caption, "Harry in action watching over his developing talent". I feel like this image is not placed in order to get an emotional response form the reader but to instead, separate the intro from the body of text and make it more appealing to readers knowing there will be visuals along side the text. (dear reviewer of my rough draft, could you please comment on whether or not this image gets an emotional response; I'll love you forever).Yes this picture creates an emotional response because it looks like the boy is being left out and is sad.

this picture does help establish the credibility of the author, considering the picture is of himself working with the professional gaming team of Fnatic, it visually shows the reader that the author is actually involved with Esports.
the second pic is one of the season 3 world championship, hosted at the Staples Center with the caption
"Where every LOL player wants to compete - the LCS World Finals "

 if you consider the caption of this picture as part of the visual, then it slightly diminishes the credibility of the author because calling it the LCS world Finals is inaccurate because the Koreans play in a league called the OGN while the Chinese play in a league known as the LPL. so to call it the LCS world finals is technically incorrect but is only a minor set back because the wording isn't that important.
what is important in this image though, is the feeling you get when looking at it; when I first saw it, I thought to myself wow, this is how far League of Legends has come. the picture does a good job to show the scale of how big Esports can be. it also makes sense because Wigget is talking about tournaments and how the amateur scene can grow, so why not throw in a picture of the biggest event League of Legends has ever hosted.

the third and final picture of the article is the one seen here with the caption, "Roald Van Buren and FACEIT supporting the LOL amateur scene"

this picture with its caption feels confused to me, the picture is of a man smiling with success and the the caption describes it as him helping the amateur scene. the picture makes sense as to why it was added considering Wigget talked at length about how FACEIT is also developing the amateur scene, but the picture is only of a man and could have been the same person but more related to him developing the amateur scene rather than just smiling

how do the two work together?

the pictures and the text have a very odd relationship in this article. the main focus of the article is definitely the text. I think that the article gained very little by inserting the pictures in with the article. Yes it is nice to look at pictures while reading websites, but the pictures seem like they are just thrown into the middle of the text in order to break up ideas. if the visuals weren't in the article at all, i believe the message would be just as strong albeit a little harder to read all the way through.

Overall I think for his very first post on the website, Harry Wigget did a good job at using rhetoric to convey his message about the amateur scene of League of Legends. He employs pathos very early as well as ethos before moving into the main argument. The synergy between the visuals and the text was weak and could be better related, but overall the pictures are more or less just eye candy to look at while reading the article. 

Because this is a blog post, copy and paste it into a word document and fix spelling and punctuation errors.

works cited: http://lol.gamepedia.com/Fnatic#Organization

  http://www.esportsheaven.com/articles/view/id/5141#.UwJmSvldVUz

http://www.fnatic.com/content/9512

Research Paper

Statement of Purpose

My statement of purpose is to analyze the website of curejm.org. It is an organization that is affiliated with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Recently, my cousin was diagnosed with this illness. I hope that my paper will let people know about the illness and become more understanding of people. Also, I want people to be aware of it and know all the signs and symptoms of it, in case they or someone that they know gets it.

-I need to look at all the pictures on the website and how to portray what it is like to have JDM. I will talk to my cousin and see if she agrees that they correctly portray it.

-How they use words and colors to draw the person looking at it and if it is an effective way to make people aware about the illness.

Audience: I need to make my audience know that it is a serious illness and then maybe they will be more interested in the topic. I also need to understand that not everyone is interested in the same things that I am. Also I cannot use terminology that we use in nursing school, because someone who is a business major may not understand.

My Ethos: I need to show my readers that I am passionate about the topic because someone very close me to has it.

My Logos: I will use it to discuss the facts and scientific research.

My pathos: I have a personal connection with this illness and I can ask my cousin how she feels about the website and it really shows what it is like to have JDM.

Choice of medium: I will be writing a paper.

Ideas about arrangement: I will start off with an overview of what the website looks like and what my thesis statement is. I will then go into detail about all the pictures and links on the website. I can also talk to my cousin and have her review the website and give me her opinion.

 Juvenile Dermatomyositis

What if one day you thought everything was normal and then you realized that you may never be able to do every day activities again? This describes the life of someone who has just been diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. JDM is an autoimmune disease that can cause a skin rash and weak muscles, although there is no known cure, there are many medications that can suppress the symptoms of this illness. There are a few tests that doctors can run to diagnose someone with JDM. If the illness is caught soon enough the patient may be able to regain all strength back and live a healthy normal life. When someone becomes diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis it can change the way they live in many different ways because they have to adjust to taking medications. They also have to be aware of the precautions they might have to take.

Juvenile Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (JIMM) are a group of rare, autoimmune diseases that have symptoms of muscle weakness. The most common member of this group is Juvenile Dermatomyositis, along with having symptoms of muscle weakness a skin rash is also seen in a patient. Any form of a JIMM is so rare that most doctors will never see a case while they are in the field of medicine, this can cause early diagnosis, which is important, very difficult to accomplish (Laxer 365).

For any illness, a patient might not have every single sign and symptom, so some patients might not have muscle weakness and only have a rash. Muscle strength is the most important symptom that doctors assess. This is because if not treated soon then the patient could lose their muscle coordination. Although muscles weakness can happen with any muscles in the body the most common are the shoulder, hip, paraspinal, and abdominal. One could also have weakness of the throat muscles also known as dysphonia. This is detrimental because it could cause one to not able to carry out the action of swallowing (Laxer 366). Some other symptoms include fever, weight loss, and fatigue. Fatigue can cause the patient to not carry out much activity like they normally would. Most students can only go to school for a few classes causing them to potentially fall behind in class work.

There are a few tests that doctors can perform to test the strength of the muscles. One is Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), which is used in everyday physical therapy testing. Using dynamometry they test the muscle strength using strength measuring devices. In order to assess the body it is divided into different group muscles. Pressure is applied on each muscle and the doctors look for how the patient reacts to the pressure that determines what “grade” they receive. If the patient can hold the test position against strong or moderate pressure then they pass the test. If they are able to hold the test position with slight pressure or no added pressure, they receive a grade of fair. If no contractions are felt in the muscles and no visible movement is seen then they receive a zero (Laxer 366). Another test that can be performed is the Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS). It is a 14 step performance balance test that can test the muscle strength, endurance, and physical function. The patients endurance is tested using time and seeing how long the patient can keep a raised leg off of the table for a certain period of time. Unfortunately, this test is extensive and can cause the patient to become more fatigued that normal (Laxer 367).

Another way that a patient can be diagnosed with through testing to blood to see if there are high levels of muscle enzymes such as aldolase of phosphocreatine kinase (Meneghini 155). Aldolase is an enzyme that helps to break down sugar into energy and it is found in the muscle tissue. Phosphocreatine kinase is found primarily in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. Through the blood work doctors are able to see the levels and proceed testing the patient or diagnosing them with JDM.

There are other symptoms of JDM that are less common but can happen in any patient. Calcinosis can affect up to one third of the children that have been diagnose with JDM. It is when they develop small lumps of calcium under the skin or in the muscle. It can feel like pebbles and can vary in size. In most cases the body naturally absorbs the calcium eventually. If the body does not, then the small bumps eventually make it to the surface of the skin and they can become infected. Vasculitis Ulcers are holes in the skin or gastrointestinal tract, when they occur in the skin they can look like open sores, and inside the body they can harm the digestive tract. Contractures are muscles that are shortened causing a joint to stay in a bent position. This can be from a calcinosis crossing over a joint (What is JM). Lipodystrophy is a loss of body fat. The fat cells become damaged in either specific parts of the body or all over the body. If the face is affected it can cause one to look “bony” and have sunken cheeks. Lipodystrophy is seen in approximately 10%-40% of patients who have JDM (Laxer, 369).

One prime example of a patient over coming JDM and leading a normal life is the story of Caroline Farley. She thought that her Christmas of 2013 would be like every other Christmas, but this was not the case. During Christmas break she developed a rash on the back of her hands and on her face and ears. She was visiting Chicago from North Carolina, and Caroline and her family thought that the reason why she had a rash was just dry skin. Also, one day she realized that her neck hurt her, but not thinking much about her pain, she just figured she slept on her neck in a different way causing her to become sore. When she went home to North Carolina and her rash persisted, Caroline’s parents decided to take her to the doctor. After seeing just a regular pediatrician, the doctors recommended that she go see a specialist for Juvenile Dermatomyositis at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Mrs. Farley and Caroline met with Dr. Lauren Pachman. After running multiple tests, she was diagnosed with JDM. Caroline started taking medications including Prednisone, Methotrexate, and an ointment for her rash. Currently Caroline is coping with her illness in a positive way. “Sometimes I get tired easily, and I only go to a few classes at school at day. One time a boy at school asked me what happened to my hands and I told him that I hurt them going sky diving, he totally believed me” (Farley).

When someone is diagnosed with certain cancers it may have been because they smoked and were diagnosed with lung cancer. While with most illnesses it is known why people are diagnosed, unfortunately doctors and research do not what causes JDM. Since JDM is an autoimmune disease it could possibly be related to other autoimmune diseases. One reason why someone might get an illness is genetics, so if someone in the family has an autoimmune disease it is more likely for another person in the family to develop one. Caroline has a cousin who has an illness called Ulcerative Colitis, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the digestive system. Genetics is the only known reason why people get JDM or any autoimmune diseases, but hopefully with research it will soon be found what other causes there could be.

Dr. Lauren Pachman is one of few doctors who treat JDM in the United States, she works at Children’s Memorial Hospital, in Chicago, IL. Her and her team study JDM and they have found that genetics and environmental factors can be causes of why people are diagnosed with JDM and other autoimmune diseases. They are interested in the TNF-a-308 protein associated with the A allele in genetics. When someone is first being diagnosed they have found high levels of this. They study muscle biopsies to look for changes in DNA. “This intensive research effort broadens the clinical, genetic and immunological characterization of the child with JDM, which is a critical aid in guiding current therapy and may lead to novel targeted interventions.” Along with her research she continues to see patients who had JDM, including Caroline Farley (Lauren M. Pachman’s Research Interests).

The immune system is defined as part of the body that protects the body from infection. When it attacks itself this causes inflammation. During any autoimmune disease the immune system becomes overly active and it starts to attack itself. This occurs to be a problem because it attacks healthy tissue doing harm to the body instead of protecting it. The inflammation that is seen is found in the blood vessels under the skin and in the muscles. When the blood vessels in the skin become inflamed this causes a rash. It does not itch but it looks like dry skin and the can cause the skin to crack and bleed. Inflammation of the blood vessels in the muscles is more detrimental to the patients health. This is because the patient could lose all muscle function if not treated and in order to be treated one needs to be diagnosed with JDM first (What is JM).

JDM will not go away on its own and the only way for someone’s symptoms to subside is to take medications. One important medication is called Prednisone, it is a corticosteroid that is used to treat people who have low levels of corticosteroid levels. This means that their bodies do not produce enough steroids. Prednisone can be used to treat various illnesses including arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and other conditions affecting the lungs, eyes, skin, kidneys, and other organs. In JDM prednisone reduces swelling and alters how the immune system works. This medication can be taken as a tablet or a concentrated solution to take by mouth. It is important to eat food right before the patient takes the medicine. Patients should always take the medication everyday and they need to make sure not miss doses. This is important because if someone just stops taking it the body might not have enough natural steroids to properly function. This can cause symptoms including fatigue, upset stomach, weight loss, changes in skin color and mouth sores (Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information).

A patient has to be weaned off of prednisone meaning that they cannot just stop taking it one day. Every day or every few days the amount of medication should be lowered. In some cases as a patient is being weaned off, their symptoms may come back and they doctor will raise the medication intake again.  Although prednisone does help with the symptoms of JDM, there can also be some severe side effects. These include weight gain, mood swings, and if taken for a long period of time, growth stunting (Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information). Caroline is currently taking prednisone and her reactions to the medication are what most people have said about it. “To be honest, I know the medicine is helping me, but it makes me so hungry all the time, and as I eat I gain weight, and it is not very fun. Although when I am hungry I try to eat healthy foods. I dance regularly so I suppose that is my exercise” (Farley).

            Another medication used to treat JDM is Methotrexate. It can also be used to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain types of cancer. It is in a class of medications called antimetabolites, which is a chemical that inhibits the use of a metabolite. This plays a role in metabolism. It works to treat JDM because it decreases the activity of the immune system. This medication can be taken by mouth or as an injection. It is important for the patient to take the medication as directed by their doctor. Some patients have taken the medication daily instead of weekly and the results have been fatal. Some side effects of Methotrexate include: dizziness, drowsiness, headache, swollen, tender gums, decreased appetite, reddened of the eyes, and hair loss. While those are not serious side effects, some serious side effects include blurred vision or loss of vision, seizures, confusion and loss of consciousness (Methotrexate: MedlinePlus Drug Information).

            In another case study a girl of the age of three has trouble walking and running and she had a fever. She was taken to multiple doctors and received an ointment, which is another medication used to treat the rash and she takes multi vitamins to help with her weakness. Unfortunately, eleven years later her symptoms not only persisted but also progressively got worse. Her rash spread to the back of her hands and on her fingers, the skin over her knuckles had grown to be thick. She had difficulty standing up from a sitting position and vice versa. After doing blood work, the doctors found that she had high levels or kinase and aldolase in her blood. Because the doctors did not diagnose her with JDM early, her symptoms worsened. If JDM is caught early enough then the patient can lead a normal life on medications to help suppress the symptoms (Ishaque).

            Juvenile Dermatomyositis is an autoimmune disease that can cause a skin rash and weakened muscles. The origin of the illness is unknown but through research, it may be seen to come from genetics and environmental factors. There are a few ways that doctors and researchers can diagnose a patient, one being a strength test to see how much pressure the muscles can withstand and they can also look at the patients levels of aldolase and kinase in their blood. From the results the patient can then be put on medication to help with the symptoms. Some medications include Prednisone and Methotrexate. Although each drug does have its fair share of side effects, the good that it does to help the patient is better than the negative outcome. Even if a patient is on medication for JDM and their symptoms are gone, they will always have the illness. Hopefully in the future doctors and researches can find a cure for all autoimmune diseases!

           

           

Works Cited

Farley, Caroline. "Juvenile Dermatomyositis." Telephone interview. 7 Apr. 2014.

Ishaque, Sidra, et al. "Juvenile Dermatomyositis." Journal Of The College Of Physicians And        Surgeons--Pakistan: JCPSP 21.7 (2011): 434-436. MEDLINE Complete. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Lauren M. Pachman’s Research Interests. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Research              Center, 2014. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

Laxer, Ronald. Pediatric Clinic Pediatric Rheumatology. Philadelphia: Elsevier,     2012. 365-369. Print.

Meneghini Carlo. An Atlas of Pediatric Dermatology. Chicago: Year Book Medical            Publishers. 1986. 153-156. Print.

“Methotrexate: MedlinePlus Drug Information." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S.   National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

"Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National     Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

What Is JM? Cure JM Foundation, 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.

Visual/Textual Rhetorical Analysis

How does one depict what it is really like to have an illness? Can a website create the emotions and the struggle that some illnesses take someone through their life? In analyzing the website curejm.org, the signs and symptoms of Juvenile Dermatomyositis are explained and using visuals, we can see what it is like to live with this illness. There are three components used to analyze the website. The first being ethos and how well the website is credited. The second is logos, does all the information make sense and does it have evidence? The last component is pathos; does the website really show what it is like to have this illness? The visuals and texts are analyzed with all of these elements.

            At the bottom of the web site it says,

“This website is provided for educational and informational purposes only. Cure JM is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services and this information should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem. The site author and the content providers make no representation or warranties, expressed or implied. Providing links to other websites does not imply that Cure JM endorses the information or services provided on those websites. The organizations operating those websites are solely responsible for the content found on their websites.” (curejm.org)

            This states that the web site is credible because it shows that it does have an author, although no specific name is given.

            The website uses logos by saying that JDM is a rare and life-threatening autoimmune condition affecting approximately 17,000 children in the United States alone. All throughout the page it continues to give facts and statistics about the illness. For example, “JDM begins in childhood or the teen years. The average of onset of JDM is between six to seven years old; 25% are age 4 or less.” (curejm.org)

            Through the use of pictures and dialect the website expresses what it is like to be a child and have this illness. This brings out the appeal of pathos because it applies to one’s emotions, when we see what the symptoms look like and what the side effects of the medications are. Looking at the pictures, we can see the rash on the skin and how the medications can make children gain weight. The pictures on the website are categorized by body part.

In looking through all the pictures of the faces, all the children are smiling. I think this is done on purpose so that the children still look happy and that they can still lead a normal life with the illness. The website uses words like attacking, sufferers, and weak; this shows that the illness is very detrimental and that every person that has to deal with it goes through a struggle.

Recently, my younger cousin was diagnosed with JDM and it was a very dramatic and scary experience for our whole family. It worried me because JDM is a form if an illness that I have and I did not want my younger cousin to have to go through what I went though. From reading all the information for the family, it explained everything that a family needed to know about the illness and there was a phone number to call if there were any questions. When my cousin was first diagnosed, my mom called the phone number on the website. Although it says that it is the foundations information, it goes to the woman who started the foundation. When my mom called her, they stayed on the phone for hours and talked about the woman’s son who was diagnosed when he was little and my mom got a lot of information from the woman. This shows that the people who are in charge of the website want to help anyone who has this illness.

I asked my cousin to review the website and to decide if it correctly describes JDM. My cousin Caroline Farley said,

“It feels like your muscles are always exhausted. Like you just worked out really hard or did something tiring. It also hurts because your muscles are sore and in a few places my muscles actually hurt just when you touch them from the outside. Sometimes I feel weak, like a paper doll sometimes, as it got increasingly worse it also became very annoying and especially because I am usually pretty active so not being able to zip up my coat without help was frustrating to me.” (Farley).

            Through her explanation, it is shown that the website correctly depicts what it is like the have the illness and that all the scientific information is correct.

            The predominant focus is the text because there is more information about JDM then there are visuals. With all the information there are pictures that represent what it is talking about. For example, after reading about one symptom there is a picture creating a visual. It talks about how a skin rash is one of the first things that is seen with this illness, and then there is a picture.

This shows that the text and visuals complement each other. The visuals deepen the understanding of the text because the text might use big words that not a common person would understand, but after seeing the picture it shows what it really means. The visuals are placed in various locations throughout the website. Some are throughout the text that is explaining the information and some pictures are under their own category of pictures.

            In perusing the website, I believe that it correctly depicts what it is like to be a patient living with JDM. Pathos is used throughout the website with all of the pictures because they show the children and what their skin looks like having the illness. Ethos is used because the author is a credible source. Logos is used throughout the website because it has facts and statistics. There is more text in the website than pictures, but all the pictures go hand in hand with what is being talked about throughout all of the text. 

Works Cited

"Cure JM Foundation Is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization Dedicated to Finding a Cure for       Juvenile Myositis (JM). JM Is a Group of Rare and Life-threatening Autoimmune    Conditions Affecting Approximately 17,000 Children in the United States Alone."Cure   JM Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.

Farley, Caroline. "JDM." Telephone interview. 17 Feb. 2014.

Research Paper

Juvenile Dermatomyositis Statement of Purpose

My statement of purpose is to analyze the website of curejm.org. It is an organization that is affiliated with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Recently, my cousin was diagnosed with this illness. I hope that my paper will let people know about the illness and become more understanding of people. Also, I want people to be aware of it and know all the signs and symptoms of it, in case they or someone that they know gets it.

-I need to look at all the pictures on the website and how to portray what it is like to have JDM. I will talk to my cousin and see if she agrees that they correctly portray it.

-How they use words and colors to draw the person looking at it and if it is an effective way to make people aware about the illness.

Audience: I need to make my audience know that it is a serious illness and then maybe they will be more interested in the topic. I also need to understand that not everyone is interested in the same things that I am. Also I cannot use terminology that we use in nursing school, because someone who is a business major may not understand.

My Ethos: I need to show my readers that I am passionate about the topic because someone very close me to has it.

My Logos: I will use it to discuss the facts and scientific research.

My pathos: I have a personal connection with this illness and I can ask my cousin how she feels about the website and it really shows what it is like to have JDM.

Choice of medium: I will be writing a paper.

Ideas about arrangement: I will start off with an overview of what the website looks like and what my thesis statement is. I will then go into detail about all the pictures and links on the website. I can also talk to my cousin and have her review the website and give me her opinion.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis

What if one day you thought everything was normal and then you realized that you may never be able to do every day activities again? This describes the life of someone who has just been diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis. JDM is an autoimmune disease that can cause a skin rash and weak muscles, although there is no known cure, there are many medications that can suppress the symptoms of this illness. There are a few tests that doctors can run to diagnose someone with JDM. If the illness is caught soon enough the patient may be able to regain all strength back and live a healthy normal life. When someone becomes diagnosed with Juvenile Dermatomyositis it can change the way they live in many different ways because they have to adjust to taking medications. They also have to be aware of the precautions they might have to take.

Juvenile Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (JIMM) are a group of rare, autoimmune diseases that have symptoms of muscle weakness. The most common member of this group is Juvenile Dermatomyositis, along with having symptoms of muscle weakness a skin rash is also seen in a patient. Any form of a JIMM is so rare that most doctors will never see a case while they are in the field of medicine, this can cause early diagnosis, which is important, very difficult to accomplish (Laxer 365).

For any illness, a patient might not have every single sign and symptom, so some patients might not have muscle weakness and only have a rash. Muscle strength is the most important symptom that doctors assess. This is because if not treated soon then the patient could lose their muscle coordination. Although muscles weakness can happen with any muscles in the body the most common are the shoulder, hip, paraspinal, and abdominal. One could also have weakness of the throat muscles also known as dysphonia. This is detrimental because it could cause one to not able to carry out the action of swallowing (Laxer 366). Some other symptoms include fever, weight loss, and fatigue. Fatigue can cause the patient to not carry out much activity like they normally would. Most students can only go to school for a few classes causing them to potentially fall behind in class work.

There are a few tests that doctors can perform to test the strength of the muscles. One is Manual Muscle Testing (MMT), which is used in everyday physical therapy testing. Using dynamometry they test the muscle strength using strength measuring devices. In order to assess the body it is divided into different group muscles. Pressure is applied on each muscle and the doctors look for how the patient reacts to the pressure that determines what “grade” they receive. If the patient can hold the test position against strong or moderate pressure then they pass the test. If they are able to hold the test position with slight pressure or no added pressure, they receive a grade of fair. If no contractions are felt in the muscles and no visible movement is seen then they receive a zero (Laxer 366). Another test that can be performed is the Childhood Myositis Assessment Scale (CMAS). It is a 14 step performance balance test that can test the muscle strength, endurance, and physical function. The patients endurance is tested using time and seeing how long the patient can keep a raised leg off of the table for a certain period of time. Unfortunately, this test is extensive and can cause the patient to become more fatigued that normal (Laxer 367).

Another way that a patient can be diagnosed with through testing to blood to see if there are high levels of muscle enzymes such as aldolase of phosphocreatine kinase (Meneghini 155). Aldolase is an enzyme that helps to break down sugar into energy and it is found in the muscle tissue. Phosphocreatine kinase is found primarily in the heart, brain, and skeletal muscle. Through the blood work doctors are able to see the levels and proceed testing the patient or diagnosing them with JDM.

There are other symptoms of JDM that are less common but can happen in any patient. Calcinosis can affect up to one third of the children that have been diagnose with JDM. It is when they develop small lumps of calcium under the skin or in the muscle. It can feel like pebbles and can vary in size. In most cases the body naturally absorbs the calcium eventually. If the body does not, then the small bumps eventually make it to the surface of the skin and they can become infected. Vasculitis Ulcers are holes in the skin or gastrointestinal tract, when they occur in the skin they can look like open sores, and inside the body they can harm the digestive tract. Contractures are muscles that are shortened causing a joint to stay in a bent position. This can be from a calcinosis crossing over a joint (What is JM). Lipodystrophy is a loss of body fat. The fat cells become damaged in either specific parts of the body or all over the body. If the face is affected it can cause one to look “bony” and have sunken cheeks. Lipodystrophy is seen in approximately 10%-40% of patients who have JDM (Laxer, 369).

One prime example of a patient over coming JDM and leading a normal life is the story of Caroline Farley. She thought that her Christmas of 2013 would be like every other Christmas, but this was not the case. During Christmas break she developed a rash on the back of her hands and on her face and ears. She was visiting Chicago from North Carolina, and Caroline and her family thought that the reason why she had a rash was just dry skin. Also, one day she realized that her neck hurt her, but not thinking much about her pain, she just figured she slept on her neck in a different way causing her to become sore. When she went home to North Carolina and her rash persisted, Caroline’s parents decided to take her to the doctor. After seeing just a regular pediatrician, the doctors recommended that she go see a specialist for Juvenile Dermatomyositis at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Mrs. Farley and Caroline met with Dr. Lauren Pachman. After running multiple tests, she was diagnosed with JDM. Caroline started taking medications including Prednisone, Methotrexate, and an ointment for her rash. Currently Caroline is coping with her illness in a positive way. “Sometimes I get tired easily, and I only go to a few classes at school at day. One time a boy at school asked me what happened to my hands and I told him that I hurt them going sky diving, he totally believed me” (Farley).

When someone is diagnosed with certain cancers it may have been because they smoked and were diagnosed with lung cancer. While with most illnesses it is known why people are diagnosed, unfortunately doctors and research do not what causes JDM. Since JDM is an autoimmune disease it could possibly be related to other autoimmune diseases. One reason why someone might get an illness is genetics, so if someone in the family has an autoimmune disease it is more likely for another person in the family to develop one. Caroline has a cousin who has an illness called Ulcerative Colitis, which is an autoimmune disease that affects the digestive system. Genetics is the only known reason why people get JDM or any autoimmune diseases, but hopefully with research it will soon be found what other causes there could be.

Dr. Lauren Pachman is one of few doctors who treat JDM in the United States, she works at Children’s Memorial Hospital, in Chicago, IL. Her and her team study JDM and they have found that genetics and environmental factors can be causes of why people are diagnosed with JDM and other autoimmune diseases. They are interested in the TNF-a-308 protein associated with the A allele in genetics. When someone is first being diagnosed they have found high levels of this. They study muscle biopsies to look for changes in DNA. “This intensive research effort broadens the clinical, genetic and immunological characterization of the child with JDM, which is a critical aid in guiding current therapy and may lead to novel targeted interventions.” Along with her research she continues to see patients who had JDM, including Caroline Farley (Lauren M. Pachman’s Research Interests).

The immune system is defined as part of the body that protects the body from infection. When it attacks itself this causes inflammation. During any autoimmune disease the immune system becomes overly active and it starts to attack itself. This occurs to be a problem because it attacks healthy tissue doing harm to the body instead of protecting it. The inflammation that is seen is found in the blood vessels under the skin and in the muscles. When the blood vessels in the skin become inflamed this causes a rash. It does not itch but it looks like dry skin and the can cause the skin to crack and bleed. Inflammation of the blood vessels in the muscles is more detrimental to the patients health. This is because the patient could lose all muscle function if not treated and in order to be treated one needs to be diagnosed with JDM first (What is JM).

JDM will not go away on its own and the only way for someone’s symptoms to subside is to take medications. One important medication is called Prednisone, it is a corticosteroid that is used to treat people who have low levels of corticosteroid levels. This means that their bodies do not produce enough steroids. Prednisone can be used to treat various illnesses including arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and other conditions affecting the lungs, eyes, skin, kidneys, and other organs. In JDM prednisone reduces swelling and alters how the immune system works. This medication can be taken as a tablet or a concentrated solution to take by mouth. It is important to eat food right before the patient takes the medicine. Patients should always take the medication everyday and they need to make sure not miss doses. This is important because if someone just stops taking it the body might not have enough natural steroids to properly function. This can cause symptoms including fatigue, upset stomach, weight loss, changes in skin color and mouth sores (Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information).

A patient has to be weaned off of prednisone meaning that they cannot just stop taking it one day. Every day or every few days the amount of medication should be lowered. In some cases as a patient is being weaned off, their symptoms may come back and they doctor will raise the medication intake again.  Although prednisone does help with the symptoms of JDM, there can also be some severe side effects. These include weight gain, mood swings, and if taken for a long period of time, growth stunting (Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information). Caroline is currently taking prednisone and her reactions to the medication are what most people have said about it. “To be honest, I know the medicine is helping me, but it makes me so hungry all the time, and as I eat I gain weight, and it is not very fun. Although when I am hungry I try to eat healthy foods. I dance regularly so I suppose that is my exercise” (Farley).

            Another medication used to treat JDM is Methotrexate. It can also be used to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain types of cancer. It is in a class of medications called antimetabolites, which is a chemical that inhibits the use of a metabolite. This plays a role in metabolism. It works to treat JDM because it decreases the activity of the immune system. This medication can be taken by mouth or as an injection. It is important for the patient to take the medication as directed by their doctor. Some patients have taken the medication daily instead of weekly and the results have been fatal. Some side effects of Methotrexate include: dizziness, drowsiness, headache, swollen, tender gums, decreased appetite, reddened of the eyes, and hair loss. While those are not serious side effects, some serious side effects include blurred vision or loss of vision, seizures, confusion and loss of consciousness (Methotrexate: MedlinePlus Drug Information).

            In another case study a girl of the age of three has trouble walking and running and she had a fever. She was taken to multiple doctors and received an ointment, which is another medication used to treat the rash and she takes multi vitamins to help with her weakness. Unfortunately, eleven years later her symptoms not only persisted but also progressively got worse. Her rash spread to the back of her hands and on her fingers, the skin over her knuckles had grown to be thick. She had difficulty standing up from a sitting position and vice versa. After doing blood work, the doctors found that she had high levels or kinase and aldolase in her blood. Because the doctors did not diagnose her with JDM early, her symptoms worsened. If JDM is caught early enough then the patient can lead a normal life on medications to help suppress the symptoms (Ishaque).

            Juvenile Dermatomyositis is an autoimmune disease that can cause a skin rash and weakened muscles. The origin of the illness is unknown but through research, it may be seen to come from genetics and environmental factors. There are a few ways that doctors and researchers can diagnose a patient, one being a strength test to see how much pressure the muscles can withstand and they can also look at the patients levels of aldolase and kinase in their blood. From the results the patient can then be put on medication to help with the symptoms. Some medications include Prednisone and Methotrexate. Although each drug does have its fair share of side effects, the good that it does to help the patient is better than the negative outcome. Even if a patient is on medication for JDM and their symptoms are gone, they will always have the illness. Hopefully in the future doctors and researches can find a cure for all autoimmune diseases!

           

           

Works Cited

Farley, Caroline. "Juvenile Dermatomyositis." Telephone interview. 7 Apr. 2014.

Ishaque, Sidra, et al. "Juvenile Dermatomyositis." Journal Of The College Of Physicians And        Surgeons--Pakistan: JCPSP 21.7 (2011): 434-436. MEDLINE Complete. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Lauren M. Pachman’s Research Interests. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Research              Center, 2014. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

Laxer, Ronald. Pediatric Clinic Pediatric Rheumatology. Philadelphia: Elsevier,     2012. 365-369. Print.

Meneghini Carlo. An Atlas of Pediatric Dermatology. Chicago: Year Book Medical            Publishers. 1986. 153-156. Print.

“Methotrexate: MedlinePlus Drug Information." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S.   National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

"Prednisone: MedlinePlus Drug Information." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National     Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.

What Is JM? Cure JM Foundation, 2014. Web. 08 Apr. 2014.