The Boy who cannot Sleep

I began my brainstorming for a research paper topic in a strange way. I knew I wanted to explore a subject that really interests me, or else the paper would be dull and painful, so I typed into Google “the weirdest medical conditions.” I was not disappointed: pages of websites with names such as “Twenty Mysterious Medical Syndromes” and “Ten People with Unbelievable Medical Conditions” popped up, filled with outrageous stories about rare medical conditions. I learned about a girl who is allergic to water, a man who cannot feel pain, a four-year old boy who can’t ever sleep, and many other bizarre, live-altering conditions (1, 2).

Although these outlandish medical conditions are very interesting, to say the least, I am not sure if I want to write a full research paper on one. First off, I’m not sure how much information I will be able to find about such rare diseases. Also, I would rather learn about something a bit more relevant to society. So I began tossing around other ideas: I considered stem cell research, glaucoma (a friend recently told me that some patients with this condition are prescribed marijuana, which has become a controversial issue), and the causes of cancer. As of now, I think I am leaning towards the cancer angle. My friend had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma when we were in high school, so maybe I will explore that specific type of cancer. I’ve always wanted to understand the condition better, and the research paper seems like a perfect opportunity to do so.

Sources:
1. http://www.oddee.com/item_96473.aspx
2. http://www.medicalassistants.info/blog/20-strange-and-mysterious-medical-syndromes