Dead Star Essays

Dead Star Essays Dead Star Essay Dead Star Essay Based on a true story, the film begins portraying Lorenzo Odone leading his chief life on the Comoro Islands where he learns, plays and enjoys interacting with other people in the place. Lorenzo is the son of Michaela and Augusto Odone. At the age of 6, things start to go wrong with him. He begins to have strange memory problems, blackouts, he collapses, he raves and he loses his hearing.So his concerned parents got worried and take him to the doctor. When Augusto and Michaela talked to the doctor, they were told that Lorenzo has been diagnosed with the childhood cerebral form of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a progressive degenerative nervous system disorder. This disease has no cure and quite rare. The doctor explained to Augusto and Michaela the slowly arising symptoms that will be experienced by their son until he will be disabled and die in 2 years.The parents’ hearts were shattered upon hearing all those especially for Michaela when she found out that his son got this disease from her because mothers, who are the only carriers, pass this to their sons. They took Lorenzo to one of the worlds foremost experts but bypass the slow lane of medical research. They decided to be independent to medical science because they believe that the time remaining will not be enough if they would still wait for ongoing medical examination for ALD.They take matters into their own hands and start their own investigation of the disease even though neither has a scientific or medical background. The couple spends countless hours in medical libraries reading journal articles and talking to researchers and doctors. Although doctors tell the Odones there’s no hope for their son, Augusto tries to find out all he can about the disease. He keeps on discussing with his wife how to reduce and normalize these fatty acids that hinder Lorenzo’s regular body metabolism.They even make Lorenzo go through a diet which inhibits him the intake of saturated fat-containing food. This strategy still keeps the oleic acid of Lorenzo keeps on rising until they found out that it is not enough to restrain the entrance of saturated fats in his body but also to reduce the process of its body to produce this fatty acid. As Augusto continues on their studies he was able to sum up all the variables to know the right treatment for his son. After much hard work and some inspiration, they helped develop a treatment for ALD made from olive and rapeseed, which name Lorenzo’s Oil.The Odones had to fight the medical establishment and even other parents of ALD boys to win acceptance of their discovery. At the end of the movie, Lorenzo is able to communicate by a modified sign language. The story ends on a positive note as several children with ALD who have been treated with Lorenzos Oil are shown to be healthy. 1) Basically, we can relate the story to the present lesson in genetics for the cause of Lorenzo got his illness from his mother. Meaning, the adrenoleukodystophy or ALD is one of the inherited diseases carried by a mother’s gene and this is associated with the Law of Inheritance.With this topic, it can be further explained through our discussions in genetics about questions like: What are the processes involve on how Lorenzo got ALD? Why is it that this disease can only pass in to male offspring? In the movie, Augusto and Michaela also include Genetics as one of the subject matter they should study in order to recognize and gather all the needed information for them to understand even the deeper edges about the rare disease Lorenzo’s carrying so that they can formulate its treatment. ) The story is all about a father and a mother fighting for their son to live despite that their belief appear as impossibility for the people that surround them. As individuals, it would be quite easy to feel helpless while up against a disease such as ALD. But Augusto and Michaela Odone refused to just stand while their sons life slipped away from them. Instead, they decided to learn as much as they could about their sons devastating illness and then set about to find a cure. They spend almost 24 hours in thinking and doing everything they could to save their son’s life.Normally this part will touch every viewer’s heart but what made my tears fall was when Michaela is giving away this line to her son saying, If this is too much for you my sweetheart, then you fly. You fly as fast as you can to Baby Jesus. Its ok. Mama and papa will be ok. This tore my heart because it shows that with all the efforts and no matter how Michaela wants to see her son alive, she will always be ready to let him go for the freedom of Lorenzo from all the pain that he is suffering. 3) The story is a true masterpiece about hope. The arents in order to survive their son to illness didn’t depend their son’s chance to live to the doctors instead, they exceeded the ability of any doctor could do and at the same time performed as an extraordinary parents with full of faith on what they are doing. Because of hope, they turned misfortune into miracles and tragedy into triumph. With all the struggles that they had been through, it made they’re life more meaningful and this only means there’s no difficulty God will give us that we cannot surpass. 4) The movie making is spectacular and of highest quality.I wept several times when watching this film. This is a n intense drama with fine acting and something to think about deeply. The emotional roller coaster of confusion, assurance, despair, determination, disappointment, guilt, love, joy, and perseverance are beautifully depicted. It’s also quite inspiring. I have immense admiration for Augusto and Michaela. Facing mockery, skepticism and criticism, they persevered in their quest to help stop a deadly disease. The Odones struggled and conquered their misfortune, and their achievement was outstanding.