By Brian Hamilton

Stress is something that people will have to deal with at some point during their lives. Some people are fortunate enough to not have to deal with too much stress during their daily life, but when your job involves taking care of injured and sickly patients it is basically a requirement.

When it comes to our health, the first profession that may come to mind are doctors. They are the first people that get called when someone is not feeling well or becomes ill and a doctor is the first person someone wants to see after being rushed to an emergency room.

While doctors are the ones that people usually associate with healthcare nurses also play a very important role in the treatment and recovery of patients that are assigned to their care. Monster.com  a job search engine, lists job requirement for nurses. The list includes developing a personal rapport with patients in order to understand care requirements, provide emotional, psychological and spiritual support to the patients family and friends, attending to patient’s problems and needs by utilizing team strategies and protect patients and other employees by adhering to infection-control policies, medication administration and storage procedures and controlled substance regulations. Given all of these requirements and the fact that nurses have to do this per patient, a nurse’s work load and stress level can be put into better perspective.

In 2012 a report was written by Vedran Djido, Redzo Causevic, Aida Ramic-Catak, Gordana Manic that looked into the causes and differences in stress experienced between doctors, nurses and medical technicians that were employed in the Bureau of Emergency Medical of Canton Sarajevo.

The authors of the report researched 115 doctors, nurses and medical technicians. Health care workers received a questionnaire consisted of 37 questions pertaining about stress experiences on the job.

According to the data compiled by the research the ten biggest stressors for the nurses working at that faculty were the unrealistic expectations of the clients and/or their family members, wrongly informed clients, fear of infection, informing family members about the death of their relatives and lawsuit threats.

Unrealistic expectations were the number one stressor for the nurses because they spend the most time with the patients, from the time they are admitted to when they are released.

A report by Greta G. Cummings evaluated the relationship between nursing leadership and nurse job satisfaction in Canada shows that nurses’ fear of infection may not just be paranoia. According to the report, “More than 8% of the nursing workforce is absent each week due to illness.” The report also noted that many Canadian nurses retire early and cite stressful working conditions as well as a lack of teamwork as their primary reasons.

One person who has experienced some of the stress that a nurse working at a hospital faces first hand is a woman by the name of Altia Hamilton. She worked at Mount Sinai Hospital and Lenox Hill Hospital and New York Presbyterian during the 90s. She like many nurses that enter the profession chose to do so because she really enjoys helping people and offering her services to those in need.  When asked if there was anything that she had been concerned about the profession before entering it she replied, “Yes because back in the nineties if you accidently got stuck with a needle you could potentially get HIV or pick up some sort of bug, especially if you worked in certain institutions you could pick up something. I actually picked up a real nasty flu like virus in ’98 while working at Lenox Hill that had me ill for about a week.” She also mentioned that working as a nurse requires a lot of mental will since you sometimes have to witness young people dying of different diseases as well as elderly patients passing.

Another person who was had quite a bit of experience nursing is a woman by the name of Una Morgan.  She worked at St Luke’s Hospital and was very passionate about the work that she did. She said, “The most fulfilling part was being able to identify symptoms that a doctor may have overlooked on a patient, there was this one time where I was taking care of a white lady and noticed that her toes were a bit purple, which could be a problem for somebody with diabetes and pointed it out to her doctor who admitted that she hadn’t even noticed it.” She also mentioned, “The job can be very exhausting at times, all of the running around, dealing with different patients and in some cases difficult family members, sometimes I wonder how I make it through the day.”

Almost all jobs cause their employees some sort of stress but nursing in particular seems to be more stressful than many other jobs due to the amount of work required, the potential health risk and the level of commitment one has to give. Anyone who considers entering the field should make a note of stress at work before they fully commit. Ian Kane, who was has been in and out of Kings County Hospital recently due to his father’s diabetes, may have stated it best when he said, “Yeah most of them [nurses] look very stressed, but they should’ve known it was going to be like that from the start. I just hope they can put that to the side and take care of who they need to take care of the best they can.”

 

By Joseph Delva

       It’s an early Monday morning, 7am, and 37-year-old, Kyle Jeffries, is running late for work.  After getting dressed, he hastily walks towards the Q train, just barely making it.  He reaches his job minutes before 9am, right on-time.  After greeting his coworkers, he sits at his desk.  He continues working at his desk till about 7pm with a handful of breaks in between.  Jeffries usually continues this routine for the rest of the week, even several weekends.  Kyle has been attempting this routine for the last three years now.

        Like many Americans, Jeffries hasn’t taken a vacation in years.  “I always plan to go away, but I never make it,” says Jeffries, “going on vacation is a bill I don’t have money for.”  Jeffries works as a nurse administrator in Brooklyn.  He explains that although he loves traveling, the cost of living has made it hard to do actual living.

       According to a survey taken by Expedia, over the past year U.S. workers received an average of 12 vacation days.  The same survey goes on to show that on average only about 10 of those vacation days are actually used by workers.  Even with those days off, only about 57% of Americans take them all.  So, not only do Americans receive less days, but they aren’t even using the few days they are getting.  Twelve vacation days is less than half of what workers in Europe receive.  German, France, and UK workers are entitled to 30, 30, and 25 vacation days, respectively.

      The United States is one of the only advanced economies that does not guarantee paid vacation.  European countries mandate at least 20 days of paid vacation per year, and up to 30 or more days in some countries.  The United States, due to the absence of government standards, nearly 25% of its citizens have no paid vacation and no paid holidays.  Vacation time is a birthright in Europe and more of a privilege in America, but would an increase in vacation days actually help to alleviate the disparity when we aren’t using the days we do have?

       One of the reasons this is happening is the increasing threat of job security.  Economic struggles over the past 6 years have left Americans in doubt.  Workers would rather protect their jobs by working more.  Aside from the lack of legislation there’s also a difference in cultural norms between America and Europe.  J. Paul Narkunas Phd, Professor of Literature at CUNY John Jay, thinks that religion plays a role as well.  “According to Max Weber, a prominent sociologist, (Americans) have inherited a work ethic built on protestant and capitalist ideals,” says Narkunas.  Protestantism as a religion promotes duty and hard work. As such Protestant ethics morally sanctions profit through hard work.  About 54% of the founding fathers, signers of the Declaration of Independence were Protestant.  About 40% of Americans today are Protestant.  “Protestant notions of duty and hard work are so ingrained in American society they still continue to affect us,” says Narkunas.

          Expedia’s survey showed that younger workers in America are more likely to use their vacation then older workers.  “I have about six paid vacation days this year and I plan to use all of them” says Stephanie Lubin, 21-year-old Chase bank employee.  Lubin goes on to say “if I don’t use them I lose them anyway so even if it’s just a stay-cation I’m not going to work.”  Lubin like most young workers firmly believes in taking advantage of her vacation days.

           Where does that leave Kyle Jeffries and millions of Americans like him?  Short of moving to France where the workdays are shorter and vacation days are longer there are many ways to take advantage of the days we do have.  Many companies and credit cards offer frequent flier miles and promotional discounts on resorts and flights.  Funding a vacation has gotten a lot more cost friendly over the years.  Also vacations don’t have to be extravagant ventures.  “The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is profound,” said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist told ABC News. “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24-hour time-out.”  So even a “Stay-cation” is not without its benefit.

              Friday March 25^th, 2013 Kyle Jeffries booked his first plane flight to Vegas.  He’s going with some friends from college and is looking forward to the change of scene.  “Hopefully something doesn’t come up at work.”

By Navita Nauth

Imagine that every few seconds there are students checking their phones. They want to see what’s the latest update on their Facebook accounts or if there’s anything new on Instagram. Sometimes in class, they take a sneak peak at their phones, looking for an outlet from the mundane tone of their professor’s voice. It’s unthinkable for them to be without their phone for more than a few minutes. They do everything through their phones: talk, text, web, video chat, surf the Internet, play games; it’s all in a day’s work for them.

If this behavior sounds familiar, it’s because phones have now become our new best friend. With the amount of time students are on their phones and cannot function unless they have it with them, there is reason to believe that cell phones may be addictive.

However, cell phones, as a legitimate addiction is a difficult proposition to sell because of how integrated technology is with students’ lives. The convenience of being in contact with everyone, while sitting on a couch, has revolutionized the way people communicate.

The Time magazine conducted a Time Mobility Poll that surveyed almost 5,ooo people of all age groups and income levels in eight countries: the US, China, India, South Korea, South Africa, Indonesia, and Brazil.

The survey found that one in four people check their phones every 30 minutes, and one in five every 10 minutes. A third of the participants admitted to feeling anxious when they’re without their phones.

Indeed, the fear of being out of contact with someone via mobile phone is called nomophobia. The Huffington Post reported that SecurEnvoy, a UK digital security company that surveyed 1,000 people in the United Kingdom, suggested the term.

The Post also reported that almost 66 percent of people are afraid of either losing or being separated from their phones and 41 percent of people have more than one phone.

However, there is a difference between the vernacular and medical use of the term addiction.

“In medicine, addiction refers to an abnormality of the brain’s reward system, and this is the underlying abnormality present during drug addiction,” said Stuart Gitlow MD, acting president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. “The term ‘addictive’ is used by the lay public to indicate repetitive use of anything from potato chips to sex to work to chocolate. But that term is not equivalent or comparable to the term “addiction” as used by the medical community.”

The ASAM public policy statement says that an addiction affects the neurotransmission and interactions of neurons (brain cells) within the reward structures of the brain, such as the nucleus accumbens (the brain’s pleasure center).

Gitlow explains that it is not addictive behavior for people to spend a great deal of time doing the things they like. “Repetitive behavior of this nature is not indicative of the presence of addictive illness,” he said.

Cell phone addiction is not recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual DSM as an actual affliction, yet there is still  concern as to why people find cell phones so attractive.

Israa Ismaeil, senior and International Criminal Justice major, thinks that cells phones do have the ability to be addictive because of how attached she was to all the new features that the phones had to offer. “When I first got a cell phone, I was in the seventh grade and I was basically addicted to what everyone was addicted to, which was texting,” she said.

As a student, she finds that her cell phone is her trusted companion and that it makes her work and studies much easier. She explained that cell phones are convenient because of all the things a person can do with it such as read a book, download a PDF file and surf the Internet.

A Times of India article reported that “clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany says an overwhelming number of people are addicted to their cell phones and are in denial over it causing restlessness, insomnia, anxiety and even depression.”  The article also stated the causes of such an addiction could be loneliness, lack of self-esteem or need of constant validation.

“The fact that our brain’s insular cortex, which is associated with feelings of love and compassion, gets activated, points to how most of us start ‘loving’ our phones as we do our spouse or family member,” the article said. Psychologists use the same therapy treatments for phone addicts as they would for patients suffering from anxiety, insomnia or obsessive thoughts.

Yet the countering argument is “It’s like investigating that the world is flat. It’s not even possible, doesn’t even make sense that cell phones should be addictive. A cell phone does not give rise to the physiological response that is part of addictive disease,” said Gitlow.

He explains that what is indicative of an addictive disease is whether or not a person is continually doing something he knows is unhealthy for him.

It may also be that it is not the cell phones that people are addicted to, but the different applications the phone has to offer. How often a person uses his phone may also depend on how new he is to the technology.

“I think cell phones can be addictive for people who’re now discovering the technology and are learning how to apply it to their life; for instance, the app such as Facebook and Twitter, because they give people a chance to connect with others without having to be there in person,” said Jason Chester, Junior, English major.

Whether or not people are addicted to their cell phones is still debated, but what is known indicates that there may be underlying psychological concerns about how much a person needs his phone.

“People can function without their cell phones, but they’ve become so used to having all the information it gives them that its use may seem addictive, when in reality, they’re just making the most of what it has to offer,” said Chester.

By Dale Gopie

Think about how important plastic is to everyday life. Nursing mothers depend on plastic bottles to carry their baby’s formula. Thousands of people use Tupperware to store and reheat their food. From pens that are held in class, to the phones that are raised to your ear, almost everything people come into contact with is made from plastic, so why isn’t plastic labeled with warnings advising consumers that it may be dangerous?

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an artificial industrial chemical that mimics and disrupts hormone receptors in the body. It was first discovered as a synthetic estrogen in the 1930’s but was discontinued shortly after with the introduction of different chemicals. Later, chemist discovered that BPA could be used to make two types of plastic, polycarbonate and epoxy resins. BPA is mostly utilized to create hard clear plastics (polycarbonate) that are widely used today and applied to the inside of cans (epoxy resins) that store food and drinks.

One major convenience store 7 – Eleven carries many of the food industry’s top selling brands. Many, if not all the products have no labels specifying if the plastic contains BPA.

“Almost everything in my store is made of hard plastic.” 7-Eleven manager German Vargas said.

The FDA cleared BPA in the 1960’s for safe use. However, according to FDA’s website recent health issues have been shown that weren’t assessed in previous standardized tests. These new statistics on health issues caused by BPA has been considered by the FDA as a cause for “some concern.”

On April 4^th 2013 the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research (NCTR) released a consumer update report stating

“That they were able to build mathematical models of what happens to BPA once it’s in the human body. These models showed that BPA is rapidly metabolized and eliminated through feces and urine. They found that BPA is “exactly the opposite” from some other toxins, like dioxin, that can stay in the body’s tissues for months or even years. The center’s toxicology research has not found evidence of BPA toxicity at low doses in rodent studies, including doses that are still above human exposure levels.”

Despite the FDA’s backing of the chemical BPA as safe, the FDA still decided to ban BPA from being used to make baby bottles and sipping cups as a precautionary measure. A collection of states have decided to take matters into their own hands and have placed bans on certain BPA products.

The USA Today published an article stating that  BPA plastic containers have been found to leak at higher rates when heated in the microwave, used in the dish washer, or scrubbed. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) more than 1 million pounds of BPA is released into the environment each year.

Dr. Leonardo Trasande is an associate professor of pediatrics and environmental medicine at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. Dr. Trasande has published research in Health Affairs which found that children exposed to chemical like BPA in the environment cost 76.6 billion dollars in 2008.

A study published on the NYU Medical website suggests that laboratory tests indicate even low levels of BPA are harmful to children and adolescents by increasing stress and inflammation within the body causing protein leakage into urine.

In a CBS news interview posted on their website Dr. Leonardo Trasande  believes that the leakage is an early “biomarker for renal impairment and future risk of developing coronary heart disease.” This happens when human kidneys fail to filter out toxins in the body and bloodstream causing toxins to be released through waste.

Even though FDA has banned BPA in all baby products, the chemical is still used to coat nearly all canned goods consumers buy. NYU Medical Center says studies show that aluminum cans polished with BPA cause a disruption in multiple mechanisms within the human metabolism.The CDC conducted a separate study that linked obesity to adults with higher levels of BPA their urine,  which illuminates possible alterations in human metabolism.

Dr. Trasande admitted that studies cannot “definitely confirm that BPA contributes to heart disease or kidney dysfunction in children, together with our previous study of BPA and obesity, this new data adds to already existing concerns about BPA as a contributor to cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents.”

Finding for certain that BPA is the cause of these increased health problems is extremely difficult because it is widely used everywhere. This sets up difficulty for scientist testing because finding a population that has not come into contact with BPA is highly unlikely, BPA is everywhere. Plastic soda bottles that has floated on to shores of third world countries have been used for slippers.

The NYU Medical Center discovered that 92 percent of children in the United States have some traces of BPA in their urine.

“It is crazy; hard plastic is everywhere around us. It protects the hot food we sell; we display our lottery tickets through a hard clear plastic plate. Every business industry seems to be influenced by hard plastic.” German Vargas said peering through the plastic case that guards the refrigerated food.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reinforced our widespread contact with BPA. In 2003-2004 the CDC found “detectable levels of BPA in 93% of the US population aged 6 or above.”

“I heard about BPA in chemistry class, my professor was ranting about the effects it had on the body.” Krizha Adona said. Adona is a biology major at Brooklyn College.

Even though BPA is linked to many harmful health issues, lawmakers are skeptical to create legislation to regulate the chemical without definitive evidence. However, individuals that wish to take their health into their own hands can avoid BPA by making informed decisions when shopping.

“Bamboo water bottles are the best because they don’t involve man-made pollutants to make them, everything is all natural.” Krizha Adona said with a smile on her face.

A number of companies who produce canned goods have wholeheartedly decided to eliminate BPA as an epoxy resin. These companies include Eden Organic (except for their tomatoes,) Native Forest, Vital Choice, Wild Planet (but has decided it will make the change within two years.) Companies are making changes almost daily as they realize consumers are beginning to avoid BPA products and choosing the BPA free competition.

Conscientious choices can also be made when choosing water bottles and Tupperware. Buy a water bottle that is stainless steel, glass or other natural creations such as bamboo, it might cost a little more but it won’t leak harmful chemicals. Food can be stored in stainless steel containers or glass bowls instead of polycarbonate plastics. There are always alternatives but customers have to be mindful when they shop.

 

 

 

 

By Michael Brocking

Six months later and still no real recovery in sight.

In the days following the initial destruction of hurricane Sandy, neighbors came together to aid one another in any way they could.  Those who had food shared the food they had; those who had generators shared them allowing neighbors to charge their cell phones, radios and other devices.

The morning after the night of October 29^th, 2012, Vivian Michael, whose Lanai High Ranch home has a gas stove in the kitchen, anxiously made coffee for her and her neighbors in an effort to distract herself from the shock of the devastation.

When Vivian and her husband Bill had minor flooding from hurricane Irene the year before they were dropped by their homeowners insurance they had had for thirty years, since moving to Oceanside.  Because they do not have homeowners insurance FEMA, the Federal Emergency Managment Agency, responded reatively quickly once their clam was filed.  After two weeks without power Bill was finally able to contact FEMA, “about a week later we got results” said Vivian.

Bill had recently finished repairing their downstairs den area from hurricane Irene when Sandy hit and destroyed all his hard work.  The night of the flood Bill came down the stairs to see the new wood flooring he had put down destroyed, floating in the water.

The flooding from Hurricane Sandy ruined the entire lower level of both the home Bill and his wife Vivian live in as well as the home they own across the street, where their daughter Jeanie lived.

Jeanie was asleep in her bedroom when the surging water began rising.  Her father in an attempt to contact her used a flashlight, flicking it on and off to send strobe-like lights as if S.O.S. signals through the window which woke her up.  Listening to the sound of rushing water, she jumped out of bed only to realize she was knee deep in pitch black water; quickly grabbing a bag and filling it with all she could think of, Jeanie frantically fled from the house.  “I was freaking out!” said Jeanie reliving her experience.

By that point the water was already at her waist as she struggled to make it across the street which by then had become a river.  Once inside with her parents Jeanie realized she had forgotten her rabbit across the street.  The next morning the water had receded from the streets but remained trapped within the lower level of the house where Bill found Jeanie’s bunny unharmed in its cage floating in the water.  “Thank God the bottom of the cage was plastic, otherwise poor rabbit would have drowned” said Bill.

In the days immediately following the hurricane came the realization that there was no communication with anyone outside of a few block radius.  No cell phones were working because all the cell towers were down; there was no transportation because all the cars in their neighborhood had been flooded.   Most unsettling, was the fact that there was no police nor fire department presence.  When describing their experience during those two weeks Vivian said “Abandoned on an island, that’s how we felt.”

For days there was no means of transportation and even after neighbors were able to rent vehicles the gas shortage made it near impossible to get gas.  People would wait on line for hours and hours then right when they were the next ones in line the gas station attendant would come out with a sign that read “NO GAS.”  The only solution was to jack up the flooded cars, puncture the gas tank with a screw driver and drain the tank of its gas to use in the rental car, until that ran out.

All the stores in the neighborhood had been flooded and most were closed or unable to open while the larger stores like Stop & Shop began cleaning.  Either way there was nowhere to eat at or get food from in the neighborhood.

A few days after the initial incident, Vivian was in the kitchen when she was alerted by the sound of the doorbell; she answered the door to find her next door neighbor standing before her in a nightgown and bathrobe.  The woman had been renovating the upstairs of her home and was living with her husband and young children in the first floor of the house during the construction.  When the water surged they lost most of their belongings including their food supply.  Looking as though she hadn’t slept in days she asked Vivian if she had any food to spare for her children.  Vivian answered with goose bumps, “of course please come in, come in.  I don’t have much but whatever I do have, here…” as she began filling a cardboard box.

When word spread that homes left by the owners were being burglarized Vivian worried, like many in the neighborhood.  She kept candles lit after the sun would set and even into the night so that looters would know people were home and leave their house alone.

Most frustrating to Bill and Vivian is the lack of help their neighborhood received from the government.  The federal, state and county governments have demonstrated to their constituents, with their inadequate response to the emergency situation that Sandy has been and continues to be here in Oceanside, that they are ill equipped to react to disasters of this magnitude.

The inconsistency in the amount of help, who gets help, when they get help, has caused disillusionment with the government’s ability to respond effectively to the immediate needs of the public in an emergency.  The lack of aid to the Oceanlea neighborhood of Oceanside has been a disheartening example for many who call this community home.

One day, in the initial two weeks following the flood, standing in front of her home on the corner of Elaine Drive and Lawrence Avenue in Oceanside, Vivian watched as a military truck drove down Lawrence and turned on to Elaine.  Thinking they were there to lend a helping hand to the Oceanlea area Vivian smiled and waved.  The soldiers aboard returned the waves and smiled back at her but did not stop, they continued down the block to whatever destination they were destined for.  Shocked and disgusted all she could do was stand there, her mouth agape, horrified.

When Bill was finally able to get cell reception he contacted FEMA, along with his boss, Vice President of The Ritz Carlton New York, to inform him of his tragic predicament.  The man responded by showing up at Bill and Vivian’s home with platters of food and an industrial size generator along with gallons of gas to power it and warm the house.  He then put on his boots, rolled up his sleeves and went downstairs to help Bill begin to empty the putrid water that was stinking, still sitting like a swimming pool in his den.  Vivian was so moved by the man’s kindness and generosity she was brought to tears when she found herself speechless as she tried to thank him.

“The man drove to Pennsylvania because of the gas shortage to fill these large tanks of gas to power the generator and keep us warm.” said Vivian as she fought back tears of appreciation.

Many long time Oceanside residents approaching retirement have found themselves wondering what to do, like Bill and Vivian who’ve enjoyed their thirty plus years spent in Oceanside.  The couple was planning on selling their two homes and retiring to Maryland to be with their son Socrates, his wife, and children.  Bill and Vivian’s time spent in Oceanside was wonderful watching their children grow up then sending them off to college and afterwards watching as they began to start lives of their own.  With their son and grandchildren living in Maryland, they were planning on selling the houses after Irene but then Sandy hit and like many in their situation now, they worry: “how can we sell our house now?”

“I want to leave, I really do.  I mean how many times can you be knocked down?” said Vivian while using a handkerchief with a pink colored rose stitched on one side to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes.

Although local officials were seemingly nowhere to be found, some local stores came to the aid of those affected by super storm Sandy.  Stores like Home Depot gave discounts such as voiding all taxes on items needed for home repairs like tiles, washers and dryers, etc. to aid victims of hurricane Sandy.  Residents affected by hurricane Sandy need only bring a letter from the Town of Hempstead stating they do, in fact, live in an area affected by the storm.

After several calls, Nassau County executive Ed Mangano remained unreachable.  However, according to a Sandy Recovery Report & Community Update, the Town of Hempstead has waived Building Department permit fees till June 1^st, 2013 for “in-kind” super storm Sandy-related repairs as well as permit fees for temporary housing trailers and storage units or pods.

Project Hope of South Nassau Communities Hospital has rallied to aid those psychologically affected by the events of super storm Sandy.  Project Hope is a program operated by the New York State Office of Mental Health and funded by FEMA.  This program offers free, confidential services, workshops and individual counseling for families, adults, and children to provide relief and emotional support during these hard times.

Adult support workshops are being offered at the Oceanside Public Library on Tuesday mornings from eleven to twelve and again in the evenings from seven to eight; for those interested call (516)377-5400.

“It’s really good that the community is doing something to help itself after what happened” said lifelong Oceanside resident Samantha Champagne referring to the various workshops and counseling services emerging in Oceanside since hurricane Sandy.

“It’s going to take a while but we’ll get through this.”

By Stephanie Hom

Looking refreshed and awake at an hour others are just getting off work, Jason Wong sipped on a warm chai latte while peering out the glass window of a corner Starbucks in New York City. “I remember when I used to be one of them,” Wong said, with nostalgia in his eyes as he watched people carrying brief cases and book bags walk by the window. Dressed in a white V-neck cotton shirt with the letters “RN” stitched in red on the left chest, with light blue cotton pants, and Asics running sneakers, Wong was ready to clock into his night shift as a registered nurse at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

At 30, Wong was into his second year as a registered nurse as well as his second career. He started his career in investment banking after graduating from CUNY Baruch College. “I was working in an investment bank doing operational work. Or as I would call it, monkey work,” said Wong as he rolled his eyes, “because you can train a monkey to do what I was doing.” Wong took another sip of his latte as he reminisced about his former career.

Years after working in finance, a field he studied throughout college, Wong hit a breaking point. “I had a quarter life crisis,” said Wong as he held a hand to his forehead in mock disbelief. “At the age of 25, I asked myself, ‘what am I doing with my life?’”

He wasn’t the only one asking himself this question.

“On average, men held 11.4 jobs and women held 10.7 jobs,” according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Men and women hold an average of about 14 jobs by the time they turn 40.” According to another survey conducted by RiseSmart, a job search site, finds one in three people already employed spends an hour a day looking for a new job.

Wong looked down at his white cup as he twirled the cup around between his hands. “I felt emptiness. I knew crunching spreadsheets and hosting conference calls was not the reason why I am here,” said Wong as he shook his head in disapproval.  ”I was unsatisfied with my career.”

Trapped in an unsatisfying career, Wong took his frustration out on people around him. “I exploded and yelled at my family for the silliest things. The slightest thing would set me off,” said Wong, “the truth was, I was angry at myself.” Wong knew he had to make some life changes. He took a deep breath. “I didn’t like my old job,” said Wong, “I learned and gained a lot of experience but I did not like what I was doing.” He looked out the window at something in the distance, “so I looked deep within.”

After months of soul searching and researching for a solution to his predicament, Wong decided to change careers. “After seeing how I was hurting others and myself, I just quit my job without a real plan,” Wong said with a shrug of his broad shoulders. “I used to volunteer with an ambulance corp, so I researched different medical professions and I decided to become a nurse,” said Wong with a grin, “I wanted to help others, work with my hand and make a difference.”

Trading the corporate suit and tie for blue medical scrubs and sneakers was an easy decision for Wong, but the transition to a completely different career was not. “I saw all my peers advance in their career and here I am starting over,” said Wong, “it was depressing and exciting at the same time.”  Wong laughed at the thought of the simultaneous emotions. “School was fine, I enjoy studying. The toughest part was not having a steady income,” said Wong before he gave a slight sigh. “When I started as a nurse, the first six months was very hard. Everything was new and I had no idea what I was doing. But after six months, I got good at what I was doing,” Wong said with a smile.

Proof of his good work came in the form of a letter. “I received a letter of thanks from one of my patients when I was three months into my nursing career,” Wong said as he recalled his most memorable experience in his new career. “The letter praised me for being a great nurse and how I made a difference in his care.  The patient even sent a copy to our hospital CEO and I got another letter of thanks from the CEO.” Wong was beaming from ear to ear. “When a patient thanks for me for the help I provide them, it really makes me feel special.”

After receiving recognition for a job well done, Wong knew being a nurse was what he was meant to do. “I realized I am here to help others,” said Wong with a smile.

Wong did not recommend quitting a job without a plan before beginning a new career. “Plan out everything carefully and know what you are doing,” said Wong with an assertive tone, “ask yourself if you are happy with what you are doing with your career. If the answer is no, then definitely consider changing careers. When you are ready, just go for it and never look back.”

“It will not be easy, but at least you can live your dream,”  said Wong with a nod of approval. “Follow your dreams and don’t let the nay-sayers hold you back. You only get to live once. Live life how you choose.”

 

By Yumna Khan

 

Caffeine and Adderall are stimulants meant to increase the physiological activity in the body, but the latter has now become the latest trend among students diagnosed with Attention Deficit or Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) and prominent among those who are not diagnosed.

“Now we are in the information age and it’s much harder to concentrate, leading to more diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. However, it was much less treated before,” said Rhoda Berger, a psychiatric nurse and therapist in Kings County, treating 15 to 18 year-olds.

Adderall is an oral medication used to treat ADHD and may be prescribed for other purposes other than as a stimulant by doctors, according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In 2012, $9 billion was spent on purchasing stimulants to treat ADHD, an increase from $4 billion in 2007, according to IMSHealth.com.

“Pharmacies are always on shortage, I have to go around several stores looking for Adderall, but it wasn’t hard for me to get a prescription from my doctor,” said a senior graduate student at John Jay College, who preferred not to be named due to her use of the drug and will be referred to as the user.

“Taking medication to enhance test scores and the ability to cram for exams is not new,” said Dr. Himani Janapana, a psychiatrist in Brooklyn, treating patients above 16 years of age.

“Teens who have symptoms of ADD, are undiagnosed until they start lagging behind in classes and aren’t able to keep up with course work in college,” said Janapana.

Many parents want their children to compete and take Adderall, while some students are just “medication seekers,” in particular those in colleges, said Berger.

Adult patients especially tend to mislead doctors in order to obtain prescriptions using false complaints of having symptoms of ADD/ADHD, said Janapana.

A senior at the College of Staten Island heard about Adderall from a friend and is considering getting prescriptions through false complaints of attention deficit disorders and preferred not to be named because he is not diagnosed with ADD/ADHD; he will be referred to as the student.

“It seems like everyone is taking something to get better grades. I have a hard time getting work done, right now it seems like the best option,” said the student.

He has never been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and doesn’t think he has the disorder, but plans to complain about severe concentration issues to his family doctor, even if it means misleading the doctor.

The symptoms of ADD/ADHD include distractibility, lack of focus, impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inattentiveness, according to helpguide.org.

There is still some doubt if these signs should be categorized as a disorder or if they are just “behavior less tolerated in today’s high demanding world,” according to psychologytoday.com.

5.2 million children from 3 to 17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD with boys being two times more likely to become diagnosed compared to girls, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

It can be diagnosed as early as childhood or never be noticed and may develop in adulthood without previous signs, according to helpguide.org.

Janapana uses the Connors self report, a set of questions to evaluate adults’ symptoms and uses the Connors scale for diagnosing ADHD in children. These assess if the patient experiences restlessness, inattentiveness, or mood changes among many other problems.

“I do a very thorough history of the patient using the ADHD checklist, with children you can just see if they are hyperactive,” said Berger.

There are usually three reasons why students can’t concentrate: ADD, hyperactivity, or a learning disability.

“If the lack of concentration is not rooted in any of these, it means ADD medications won’t work,” she said.

“It’s important to start working or studying after taking Adderall, the effects last up to 18 hours for me, even though it’s only supposed to be 8 hours,” said the Adderall user.

“If you take it and you don’t try to focus, it won’t work,” she said.

The user began to take Adderall as an undergrad to help alleviate her anxiety, an issue she has been dealing with for several years. She swallows the pill frequently during finals week.

There are many positive affects of Adderall, making it an attractive drug among students; however those are not the only affects one may experience.

“It’s easier to get work done, it’s like binge working, otherwise I wind up browsing Facebook,” said the user.

After taking the small pink pill, the user said,

“It makes me feel jittery, and I felt like I was buzzing, it felt so productive.”

In patients with ADD/ADHD it helps in increasing concentration, improving function, and decreasing impulsivity, said Janapana.

“I have seen some really excellent results of Adderall,” said Berger.

When prescribing Adderall, Janapana informs her patients of potential side effects.

Stimulants can cause heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, bipolar illness, aggressive behavior, and manic symptoms such as hearing voices, according to the FDA.

The FDA also points out direct side effects of Adderall, which include, slow growth of height and weight, seizures, decreased eyesight, and loss of appetite.

“You have to remember to eat because it cuts your appetite and can be dangerous. I especially have to be careful because I get migraines when I don’t eat,” said the user.

“One afternoon I took a dose of Adderall and couldn’t fall asleep till 6 a.m.,” the user said.

Addiction may occur despite these negative affects she said.

“But everyone is an individual and addiction depends on a person’s capability.”

If people without ADD diagnosis consume Adderall it would lead to addiction, said Janapana.

“You steer clients away from Adderall,” because its easier to abuse, said Berger.

The federal government has categorized it as a schedule II drug, which has the highest dependency and abuse potential.

Aware of the criminal consequences, the user never sold her medication to others, when students would ask to buy it off of her.

The student at CSI is unsure if he should buy the drug off of another student at the college, and considers seeing his doctor first.

He said “it’s unfair it feels like everyone around me is cheating and getting away with it, while I’m worrying about good grades.”

However, medication is not the only answer according to Berger, who does not always recommend it; rather she focuses on helping students organize their life, since there are so many risks related to Adderall.

“There are no magic pills, you have to have motivation,” said Berger.

 

 

 

by Ahmad Jaradat

Clutching my knees as I fell to the black and blue mats with my mohawk and white judo uniform, sweat poured down my red face.  The pain in my knee was unbearable and for the next five seconds, I felt as if my knee was crying out. My knee felt like it popped; like it was bare. That was the greatest physical pain I ever felt: I had torn my ACL.

I would receive my yellow belt in a few minutes, which was bittersweet. My teammates looked at me with concern, and I saw a hint of fear in their eyes because what happened to me was something anyone dreaded: an injury that will keep me out of commission for a long period of time.

I hopped on one foot to get my yellow belt on the last night of Judo training, left without taking a shower and took a cab to Brooklyn and went to the hospital. I was told that I had a full tear in my ACL, which is the main ligament that holds up the knee. This is where my struggle — or more accurately put, where my Jihad — began. This is where my journey began making me who I am today. I’m a practicing Muslim.

After my injury, I was inactive for a long time. For six months, I didn’t go to school, was jobless and didn’t play any sports. I spent most of my time at home lying on my bed. I was always in constant pain. I couldn’t sleep because the throbbing pain in my knee was too much. My inability to get up and do my basic daily routines caused my depression. Something worse could have happened to me though. I could have been struck by a car or a train. I could have been paralyzed or blinded. But at the same time, it felt like rock bottom.

I had plans I wanted to do over that summer and it was all taken away from me. It all had to be postponed. I used to question that I would ever be 100% physically fit again. That thought hurt my heart. I knew that for the time being, I had to take a few steps back in the progress I had made in martial arts and more broadly, my physical fitness.

What happened was a nightmare, but I would endure. That was the thing: being in that state, which was horrible because of the pain and the feeling of being powerless, changed me. I managed to muscle through it physically and mentally.

I read books and spent more time with my family to pass the endless time. I spent less time hanging out with friends because I was less mobile. No one really came by to see me and I figured that no one wanted to be around to assist a cripple every five minutes. I was accustomed to being out all night with friends, at house parties, at clubs and just being out in general. It was my daily lifestyle. So, I was lonely. I sat on the roof top at night, smoking Parliament cigarettes, while my heart tugged at this feeling of emptiness.

I knew that I would eventually walk again, but never without pain. It’s been almost three years and to this day, my knee still hurts.

After some time, I started working again doing pizza deliveries. It was very painful to walk up the stairs to make deliveries.

I began  to hang out with friends a little more and finally was having more fun. I felt my sense of humor grow after my injury. I would make a joke out of my horrifying experience after my surgery at Long Island College hospital. “I threw up outside the hospital, on the road, in front of my house and it was mainly apple sauce.” I’d also joke about how I used to walk with my cane. I used to hobble around with it like an old man.

Yeah, I was having fun, but my life was different now. All I could think about was my injury and the detour my life took.

Everything happens for a reason and I wanted to search for that reason. The truth has a thousand deviations. Being without friends and feeling left out led me to grow a certain level of independence in my life. I didn’t need anything. I was alone and all my mind would do was think. Even around people, I felt this sense of loneliness. It was like searching for something and not knowing what you’re looking for. I wasn’t sure about anything in my life anymore. My name is Ahmed, which means praiseworthy of God. I always lived up to my name. Even in my worst of times, I always acknowledged the existence of Allah. The thing is, that wasn’t enough.

One night I had this incredible outburst. I had given up philosophizing, thinking, contemplating about friends, life and what to do, and just looked up to the sky and asked Allah for guidance and to show me the way. “Take it away! This feeling, I don’t want it! I’ll do anything!” I wasn’t really thinking deeply about it but I just said it in the spur of the moment, in hopes to receive an answer. At the time, I did not contemplate submission to Allah but it just happened that way out of frustration. No miracle happened and I went on with my life the same as I would any other day.  I still hung out with friends and partied.

The night I asked God for guidance was simply an acknowledgment, but it wasn’t a deep contemplation. As the religious narration goes, “If one comes to Allah walking, then Allah comes to him running and if one reaches out to Allah with a hand then Allah reaches to him an arm’s length.”

I would receive the guidance I had desired. It was rough. I began to put my injury in perspective. To me, the injury was a sign. It was, if not anything else, a cleansing of my sins. It was also  something that brought me to the point where I can say, “All praise is due to Allah” for both the good and the bad. I praise him for causing that injury. Not only because it brought me closer to him but because I trust him to wherever he takes me. However, to get to this point, I had to be put through certain calamities, to find my inner peace. It reminds me of the way one smelts gold ore to gain its beautiful shape and color.

Allah showed me that he is the only one I can depend on. Friends don’t love me as he does and, heck, not even my parents love me as he does. I began to pray a little more. Not the required five times a day but it was a start.

One night though, around 4:30 a.m. I decided to ditch everything and completely submit to Allah. I rejected partying, I rejected a woman, and just outright left a party. I sped home in my dad’s Mercedes Benz C280. I wanted to challenge myself; the Fajr prayer was always the elusive prayer because it’s hard to wake up at dawn.

As soon as I reached home, I made ablution (purification through water) and began praying. I started reciting the verses in the chapter of “The Cow” and the lines of “The Throne” and suddenly began to feel very emotional. I couldn’t finish the lines because I choked up at every word. “Allah never slumbers…He guides who he wills.” For the first time in my life, I cried during prayer. I was wearing a white and green striped Lacoste button down and had a buzz cut and I was praying in my empty living room.

At that moment I knew I had let go of everything: the friends, the night clubs and the girls. I felt like God was always there leading me to this point. I could see from the corner of my eye, my younger brother staring; either he didn’t understand why I was crying or was just surprised to see me pray. During prayer, I couldn’t believe this feeling inside me. It was like someone greeting me with open arms after I had neglected him. All those years of keeping a small space for Allah in my heart began to pay off. I would now give him my whole heart.

When I put my head to the ground, I didn’t want to move. I wanted to stay there and savor that moment when tears were filling my red and green patterned carpet; I wanted forgiveness and wanted to be as close to Him as possible. They say you’re closest to Allah in prostration.  This was it, I felt happy. Every time I prayed, I got the same feeling.

Since then, I have grown a beard, which at one point reached a fistful. I have given up partying and given up women until I could get married. It’s not easy to deal with the stares people give me.

When I would talk to people some would get red faced, while others talk to me as if they’re not paying attention to the words I am saying, as if the words are blocked out by my beard. It’s also hard having to reject shaking hands, hugging and kissing women socially. It’s very strange when women get offended by a guy not hugging them because all I am trying to do is give them respect and fulfill the rights of my Lord. Growing a beard and respecting women is the way of the beloved prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

I have to explain these things virtually every day, which is my jihad. What is even more difficult is my personal jihad. As the Prophet Muhammad once said, “the best and most triumphant of jihads is the one over self.” I have to overcome my own desires. I do this by fasting, praying and just remembering that feeling of gratefulness to Allah for inviting me back into His graces. I had practiced before in my life but stopped. Only this time though, I feel like if I ever wandered off this path, I might not get back on and so I continue to strive and hold on to my faith.