Girl Fell Sleep in April, Woke Up in June

A 15-year-old British schoolgirl, Stacey Comerford, has just woken up from a two-month sleep to find she had missed nine GCSE exams. For real, you asked? Yes, for real!


The Sun newspaper reports that Stacey suffers from a rare neurological disorder called Kleine-Levin Syndrome, also known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome. According to the National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, the condition mainly affects adolescent males and is characterized by episodes of excessive sleep. Affected individuals are completely normal between these episodes but may sleep up to 20 hours a day for extended periods of time. It's estimated that the condition affects about 1,000 people worldwide.

Stacey Comerford told The Sun this is her longest episode. It's so unbelievable that when she's in an episode, she might still get up to use the bathroom or get a drink though she is not awake. Her mother, Bernie Richards, calls this the 'sleep mode.' She laso explained that Stacy has lost almost 28lbs due to her condition.

Wish Stacy and all my readers the best of health. Y'all enjoy ya weekend!


"Death's brother, Sleep."---Virgil (70 BC-19 BC), Aeneid.

Miss Ernie!

 

75-year-old Ernestine Shepherd, aka Miss Ernie, makes me feel lazy! And angry at myself too! Why, you ask? Click on this video and tell me how you feel after watching Miss Ernie doing her thaang! Inspired? Pissed at yourself? Angry? Motivated? Encouraged? Nothing? Something must gotta give, you bet! I do not like to swear, but today, after watching this powerhouse of a woman, I swore in my wrath: I must be fit come what may! No more excuses Nkiru! If Miss Ernie can do it, I can do it. And yes, y'all can do it too! Let's just do it!


By the way, thank you Miss Ernie for insipiring me and countless others who watched this and your other videos!


"Every patient carries her or his own doctor inside."---Albert Schweitzer, French philosopher & physician (1875-1965)

Runaway Husband

Nkiru Oh

Disclaimer: all the names in this write-up are fictitious and bear no semblance to anyone dead or alive.

Runaway husband? Can't recollect the last time I read that in the dailies. Yea, I know about runaway brides or wives. I know separation and or divorce are on the increase. But a runaway husband, as in literally running away? Nah...that ain't common at all!

My co-worker, Juma, told me one of the juiciest stories ever! Banfa and Ramota were High school sweethearts. After graduating college, they wedded in a private ceremony in one of the Caribbean islands. That was thirty-five years ago. Their marriage was blessed with four children, two boys and two girls. According to Juma, apart from Banfa's occasional complaints of his wife's increasing rigidity and declining bedmatics, Ramota was not aware of the her husband's ruse until she saw the divorce papers. The rest is now history.

Six months after his divorce, 65 year-old Banfa married the sexy bombshell, Jayatu. After wedding in an elaborate ceremony in Las Vegas, the lovebirds settled in one of the upscale cities of California. Within two months of living together as man and wife, rumors started circulating that Jayatu was cheating. Juma attested to seeing her in a compromising position with two different men who were not related to her or her husband. First time was on their wedding night, second was six weeks after the wedding. You ask why she did not tell her uncle? Well she said didn't want to risk being 'disowned' as was the case with whoever did not support the union!


This year marks their second wedding anniversary and Banfa has already made history! Are you still there? Brace yourself for the juiciest part please! Three weeks ago, Juma got an unexpected visitor in her two-bedroom apartment here in New Jersey! Banfa has run away from both his wife and their eight-bedroom-four full-bath mansion in California! Why? He is afraid for his dear life! Juma is now making sense of the numerous male-enhancing drugs she saw on the nightstand each time she visited her uncle and his new wife. He has taken so many of those drugs that he is afraid of dying of stroke or heart-attack! To make matters worse, even with enhancers, Banfa still could not keep up with the sexual demands of his 24 year-old heartthrob! To cut the long story short, he has filed for divorce! He detests his wife so much that he would not address her by name. He refers to her as "the murderess", and swore that she planned to literally "kill him with sex" so as to take all his money! Or how could anyone explain to him Jayatu's huge apetite for sex? She would not even allow him time to recuperate, which takes some days, before asking fore more. After he foamed in the mouth and fainted during the last sex marathon, he added two and two and ran away! Yes, Banfa ran away and swore to never go back to "the lion's den", as he now calls the beautiful home he once shared with Jayatu!

"If there was strife and contention in the home, very little else in life could compensate for it."--Lawana Blackwell

Could it Be a Phobia or What?

 Nkiru Oh


A conversation I had with a friend few days ago produced this write-up. Deji (not real name) and I were grocery shopping when he suddenly whispered, "hmmmm...seems someone around here has 'ablutophobia'!" Am like -ablu-what? He repeated, "seriously, Nk...some body here has ablutophobia!" I laughed more out of ignorance cos I had no clue what that meant. After the supposed 'ablutophobe' passed by my walking encyclopedia-friend blurted out that ablutophobia means "having an obsessive fear of washing or bathing"! Never heard of that! And so, I decided to test some of my co-workers and friends on their knowledge of phobias. Trust girls, almost everyone knows claustrophobia. Yea, fear of closed space, or confinement, right? But wait until you read some of our findings!

Beside the fun we had learning so many uncommon fears, I realized that a knowledge of some of those phobias may help explain some people and behaviors that we term 'weird' or 'bizarre'. That made me want to share this list with you. Remember that a phobia is having an obsessive fear of an object, person, people, thing, etc. The person possessed of a phobia is a -phobe. For examples: macrophobe, claustrophobe, ablutophobe. Below is some of the rare phobias I found. Happy reading:

Acarophobia: having an obsessive fear of itching.
Acerophobia: having an obsessive fear of sourness or sour things.
To avoid boring you to next week, I won't keep repeating 'having an obsessive fear of'. Will just say 'fear of'. Let the fun continue:

Acrophobia: fear of heights, high places.
Agateophobia/Dementophobia: fear of insanity.
Agathophobia: kindness. Fear of kindness...mmmmmm!
Agryophobia: fear of streets or crossing them.
Agriozoophobia: fear of wild animals.
Ailurophobia: fear of cats.
Alektorophobia: fear of chickens or roosters.
Allodoxaphobia: fear of different opinions. 
Amychophobia: fear of being scratched.
Aneblophobia: fear of looking up.
Androphobia: fear of men.
Anuptophobia: fear of staying single.
Aphenophobia: fear of riches or wealth. Are you kidding me!
Apeirophobia: fear of infinity.
Apotemnophobia: fear of persons with amputations.
Arachbutyrophopbia: fear of peanut butter sticking in mouth. Trust me, some sound crazier than the others!
Atelophobia: fear of imperfections.
Athazagoraphobia: fear of forgetfulness or being forgotten.
Basiphobia: fear of falling or being unable to stand.
Brontophobia/ Ceraunophobia: fear of thunder and lightning.
Blogoophobia:fear of blogs, writing them.
Cacophobia: fear of ugliness.
Caligynephobia/ Venustraphobia:fear of beautiful women. Wow..wow...wow!
Catagelophobia: fear of being ridiculed.
Catapedophobia: fear of jumping
Cathisophobia: fear of sitting. This one is really serious!
Catoptrophobia: fear of mirrors.
Coimetrophobia: fear of cemeteries.
Clinophobia: fear of going to bed.
Coprastasophobia: fear of constipation.
Cyprianophobia: fear of prostitutes or veneral disease. Isn't this one nice?
Cypridophobia: fear of veneral diseases.
Cyprinophobia:fear of  prostitutes. Mmmm...if many people have this fear, I wonder...!
Deipnophobia:fear of  dining.
Dikephobia: fear of justice, lawsuits.
Didaskaleinophobia: fear of going to school.
Dishabiliophobia: fear of undressing in front of someone.
Dystychiphobia: fear of accidents.
Gamophobia: fear of marriage.
Geliophobia: fear of laughter.
Genophobia: fear of sex.
Hamartophobia: fear of sinning.
Haphephobia or Haptephobia: fear of being touched.
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia: fear of the number 666.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia: fear of long words.
Novercaphobia: fear of your step-mother. This one is really serious na!.
Ochophobia: fear of vehicles!
Ommetaphobia or Ommatophobia: fear of eyes! Now, how does one explain this one!
Optophobia: fear of opening one's eyes!
Orthophobia: fear of property.
Okay, may be you know those ones, how about these:
Rhypophobia:fear of defecation.
Sarmassophobia/ Malaxophobia: fear of love play.
Sinophobia: Fear of Chinese, Chinese culture.
Sitophobia or Sitiophobia or Cibophobia: fear of food or eating...mmmmmm....
Uranophobia or Ouranophobia: fear of heaven.
Urophobia: fear of urine or urinating.
Venustraphobia: fear of beautiful women.
Vestiphobia: fear of clothing.
Vitricophobia: fear of stepfather!
Wiccaphobia: fear of witches and witchcraft.
Xenophobia: fear of strangers or foreigners.
Xerophobia: fear of dryness
Xylophobia: 1. fear of wooden objects. 2.fear of forests
Xyrophobia: fear of razors.
Zelophobia: fear of jealousy.

The list goes on. While this may be fun, I hope it helps to understand some behaviors! You can add any uncommon ones you know...

"No passion so effectually robs the mind of its powers of acting and reasoning as fear." --Edmund Burke

The Story of a Kidney and an iPad 2

Nkiru Oh

Once upon a time, a 17 year-old Chinese boy wanted to buy an iPad 2 and an iPhone but had no money. Nothing unusual anyway. Then in April of 2011, a broker contacted him on the internet and offered to help him sell one of his kidneys to obtain the gadget! Becoming unsual. Come April 28, 2011, somewhere in Hunan Province China, the broker arranged and a surgeon removed the boy's right kidney...stop right here! Now getting weird! Yes, a surgeon, threw his Hippocratic Oath to the dogs, performed an illegal surgery on a child, in a hospital not qualified to perform organ transplants, to obtain the child's kidney for resell to the highest bidder! If that is not atrocious and heineous, then I do not know what is! People say that wonders shall never end. I choose to say that wonders are just beginning! So many unnatural ocurrences, many in the realms of the absurd and bizarre, that I am beginning to think that the world may actually be coming to an end! I mean, literally!

Adults are supposed to be wiser. They are supposed to protect children. Often times, education is  equated with nobility. If this is so, how does one explain the this surgeon who was one of the five miscreants in the kidney-for-iPhone/iPad case? How low can humans go? How wicked can some people be? And to think that the devil-incarnate-broker gave the boy about $3,500 out of $31,500 realized from d sale, and split the rest of the money with the surgeon and his other partners-in-crime! Oh by the way, the boy now is said to have renal problem, and his condition is deteriorating! Hope those criminals rot in prison for the rest of their wretched lives...and that is after they would have been made to donate one kidney each for a good cause! Damned souls..


"It's motive alone that gives character to the actions of men."--Jean De la Bruyere

Could That Be Bell's Palsy or...?

Disclaimer: this write-up is not intended for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care professional. It's solely to increase awareness about Bell's palsy.

Nandi woke up one morning and noticed that one side of her face was swollen. She touched her face but felt stiff; half her face was drooping; she had one-sided smile; and her eyes would not close! No way, this can't be true! She tried to ignore the whole saga unfolding by concentrating on her morning chores. Within few hours Nandi was having headaches, pain around her jaws and inside her ears on the affected side, and a decrease in her ability to taste.

By now she had become very alarmed! She tried to cry but the tears would not come. Nandi found out she could not make facial expressions! Not only that, she had developed increased sensitivity to sound on that affected side. That side was becoming weaker too. She looked at her face in the mirror and almost fainted from fright and the caricature-like image of her face. "This is it," Nandi cried! "Someone must have charmed me in the village! O God why? So this is how am gonna die! O God, why me?" Mind you Nandi returned from a visit to her native country three days prior. Wait a minute! Poor Nandi just experienced signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy without knowing it!

Bell's palsy occurs when the nerve (cranial nerve VII) that controls facial muscles on one side of your face becomes swollen or inflamed. When this happens, your face feels stiff and droops. Herpes simplex virus, which also causes cold sores and genital herpes, is said to be the most common cause. Other viruses that have been linked to Bell's palsy include:

• The virus that causes chickenpox and shingles (herpes zoster)
• The virus that causes mononucleosis (Epstein-Barr)
• Another virus in the same family (cytomrgavirus)

A mild case of this sickness disappears within a month but recovery from a case involving total paralysis differs. For most people, "Bell's palsy symptoms improve within a few weeks, with complete recovery in three to six months. About 10 percent will experience a recurrence of Bell's palsy, sometimes on the other side of the face. A small number of people continue to have some Bell's palsy signs and symptoms for life."

 Before you accuse that old man/woman in the village, or the wicked neighbor who recently gave you an evil look, or that person who had a fight with you at work, or in the dream last week, or..., please, see your physician first!  

Below are some  images of faces affected by Bell's palsy (from Google Image):

MEN AND DIABETES...and Women Too!

Nkiru Oh

Disclaimer: this write-up is not meant to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care professional. It is merely to raise awareness about Type 2 Diabetes!

I recently discovered one more reason why I should always love and be thankful for being a woman! After reading the BBC news article of 10/3/2011, titled "Men 'more prone to type 2 diabetes", am like, "thank God I am a woman!" Men must be wondering why I am jubilant. Let me clarify please. I ain't happy because men are more prone to developing diabetes. Am ecstatic because having extra subcutaneous fat on the behind and hips are beneficial, at least for once! Yippee!

According to researchers, men are 'biologically susceptible' to diabetes. How? Why? They store their fat in their liver and waist, two bad areas for fat storage! Women, on the other hand, are said to be endowed with more fat storage havens on their thighs and hips! Yes, thighs and hips as opposed to the liver and the waist! Due to this difference in fat distribution, the researchers opined that whereas men "need to gain far less weight than women to develop the condition...women need to accumulate more fat overall than men to develop the harmful fat deposits linked with diabetes." Mmmm...! And when I remember another finding that women who breastfeed for long have decreased risks of some cancers, I went wow, women are the bomb! Mothers with flat boobs can rejoice after all! Yea, their flat boobs have paid off, and exponentially too!

But before all the heavy-set ladies get carried away, let us remember that storing our excess fat in those two aforementioned areas have their health risks also! Besides diabetes, think about severe joint problems! Imagine being crippled by arthritis! How about being at higher risk for chronic conditions as hypertension and high cholesterol; coronary heart disease; stroke; gallbladder disease; some cancers, yes for example, colon, endometrial,etc; sleep apnea and other respiratory problems? You bet these are killer diseases if left unchecked! Gosh, what a jab! So what next? I have started to work on my excesses! Can't afford to not wear my block-heeled shoes! Diabetes scares the crap outta me too! You might as well start on yours. Seems nice if we share our ideas and compare notes later! What do you think?

The Glasgow University research team also found that men developed diabetes at a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than women. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BMI is a number "calculated from a person's weight and height...[which] provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems." It is a tool for indicating weight status in adults in relation to height. BMI ranges are as follows (from CDC):

BMI	Weight Status
Below 18.5	Underweight
18.5—24.9	Normal
25.0—29.9	Overweight
30.0 and Above	Obese

Some classify BMI of 40.0 and above as Morbidly (deadly) Obese. Below are guides to calculating BMI (from CDC):

Measurement Units	Formula and Calculation
Kilograms and meters (or centimeters)	Formula: weight (kg) / [height (m)]2 With the metric system, the formula for BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Since height is commonly measured in centimeters, divide height in centimeters by 100 to obtain height in meters. Example: Weight = 68 kg, Height = 165 cm (1.65 m) Calculation: 68 ÷ (1.65)2 = 24.98 [ie. 68/1.65=41.212/1.65=24.977=24.98]
Pounds and inches	Formula: weight (lb) / [height (in)]2 x 703 Calculate BMI by dividing weight in pounds (lbs) by height in inches (in) squared and multiplying by a conversion factor of 703. Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 5'5" (65") Calculation: [150 ÷ (65)2] x 703 = 24.96  [ie 150/65=2.307/65=0.0355x703=24.95=24.96]

Note that 1foot=12 inches; 1kg=2.2lbs

Also, note that BMI is not a diagnostic tool! It is only one factor related to risk for disease. To assess one's likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends looking at two other predictors:

• One's waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases). [40ins or less for men; 35ins or less for women. Note that waist circumference is measured around the navel and not below the waist...*wink*]
• Other risk factors one has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity.

Consider the following too: as per CDC:

At the same BMI, women tend to have more body fat than men.

At the same BMI, older people, on average, tend to have more body fat than younger adults.
Highly trained athletes may have a high BMI because of increased muscularity rather than increased body fatness.

In effect, both men and women need to be aware of the issues at stake and how to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. The disease is caused by too much sugar in the blood. This happens when the body stops making enough insulin or becomes unable to utilize the insulin produced to regulate sugar levels in its various organs! Anyone who is overweight should try to avoid gaining additional weight. And, being overweight with other risk factors (such as high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, or high blood pressure), pose more risk! Weight loss is advised. Even a small weight loss (just 10% of one's current weight) may help lower the risk of disease. But please consult with your physician about the best weight loss regimen for you!

The Power of the Spoken Word!

Nkiru Oh

One night during the Winter of 2010, I encountered what was to become one of the sweetest, most satisfying workdays in my career as a health care professional. I was with some co-workers when Viveen (not real name) wobbled in and sank in the remaining empty chair at the corner. Before I could ask any question, she said resignedly, "V (my middle initial)...I am now a diabetic! I was diagnosed three days ago! My doctor checked me and my blood sugar was more than 500...yes, I am now a diabetic V!" Before I could say a word, she continued, tears running down her face, "he even gave me insulin shot...yea...said he had to...my sugar was too high." Again she repeated like a chorus to a music stanza, "I am now a diabetic...V....I am a diabetic!" When I looked at her face, I saw not only fear but hopelessness. I saw helplessness. I saw dejection and despair. I saw  resignation and emptiness. I saw a woman who believed she had received a death sentence and was waiting for the executioner in the gallows! I did not bargain for what was unfolding in front of me. The sight of the once energy-filled, vivacious Viveen, sitting on that chair like a piece of rag, stretched me beyond my training and experience! I quickly said a silent prayer, "Lord, pls tell me what to say!"

 While we were at it, as she sat there breathing heavily and sweating profusely despite the cold night, two of her friends cum colleagues came to give her what I chose to call the 'last sacrament'. One brought her two packs of unsalted crackers, the other a bottle of water, both gifts she absent-mindedly accepted and mumbled her thanks. The one that brought the crackers instructed her like a matron, "you know this is what you should be eating from now on. Now eat before your sugar gets messed up!" And both left. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach! Here were two people with no clue about diabetes, already 'teaching' and messing her up for real! Lord have mercy!

Viveen was about to open the crackers when I spoke. I honestly do not remember my exact words but based on what Viveen told me again yesterday, and probably for the hundredth time, the words literally brought her back to life! I remember bringing my chair closer, sitting about 2 feet from her, putting both hands on her shoulders, with her permission, and engaging her eyes as I spoke. I remember telling her that diabetes does not define her or any who has it; that it is a disease which if managed properly especially at the early stage, minimizes one's chances of developing complications years later! I remember asking her to discard those 'special gifts' together with the mindset with which she accepted them, to face diabetes and fight it as if there was no tomorrow! I asked her to discuss with her doctor so she would start walking immediately to lose some weight; and to work with her health care team to put the disease in check! Yes, exercise helps the body to utilize nutrients, and working with the doctor and the team is very crucial! I remember seeing Viveen sitting up, lightening up and wiping her tears as we spoke, and finally breathing a deep sigh of relief by the end of our talk! We then hugged and went back to our various units.

I did not know the full impact of our talk until about three weeks later. I saw the new Viveen, happier and energetic as ever. When she hugged me and told me all that happened in the past few weeks, I cried for joy! Viveen, after discussing with her physician, started to walk in the park. In three weeks, she already lost about twelve pounds, and she gladly showed me her new girth! Within a few months, her doctor reduced her medications to the barest dose. Need I say she is not on insulin! And her blood sugar has remained within the desired range!

I cried again last Saturday when we met at a party. Almost everyone there has heard about my encounter with Viveen that Winter night two years ago! What made me cry again for joy and wanna share this incident with the world was what one elderly woman said to me at that party. She put her hands on my shoulders and said, "My child, Viveen already told us what you did. Our words can kill. They can also heal. God uses people to help people. Please do not ever change!" I felt on top the world knowing that through one person, Viveen, I have ended up positively impacting many more lives! Yes, words can kill! Words can also save and heal! We can start impacting the world one person at a time! If after reading this piece someone realizes the need to say some kind words to others especially those that are hurting, and or becomes mindful of the power of the spoken words, my aim for sharing the story would have been achieved!

ADDICTED TO PRESCRIPTION DRUGS!- Part One

By Nkiru Oh

Disclaimer: This write-up is not meant to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment or as a substitute for consultation with a qualified health care professional. It is merely to create awareness of this brain disease known as "drug addiction".

Addiction, whether to food or drugs, is a terrible disease which has destroyed many lives! According to Webster's, a disease is "any departure from health presenting marked symptoms; malady, illness; disorder." Addiction is a departure from health and all it stands for! The American Society of Addiction Medicine aptly depicts addiction as "a disease process characterized by the continued use of a specific psychoactive substance despite physical, psychological or social harm," The addict continues despite the harm to self, others and society. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines drug addiction as "a chronic, relapsing brain disease that is characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, despite harmful consequences." It is termed a brain disease because "drugs change the brain...its structure and how it works...[and] these brain changes can be long lasting, and can lead to the harmful behaviors seen in people who abuse drugs." Drug addiction is a killer-disease which has destroyed, and still is destroying lives on a daily basis!

 Sad as it is, drug addicts have the need to use drugs to "feel normal." The compulsion is so overwhelming that the user becomes highly preoccupied with obtaining the drugs of choice, through legal or illegal means, to satisfy the cravings. Nothing else matters until that need for a shot is met! Abrupt stop of use or failure to satisfy the cravings leads to serious and or painful withdrawal symptoms. Four  things that easily come to mind are 1. Addiction is a disease. 2. Addicts are not weak-willed! Their brains react differently to effects of drugs. 3. Addicts need help to stop! and 4. Relapse is common!
Drugs of abuse, according to the NIDA include Alcohol; Cocaine (powerful, addictive stimulant); Inhalants; LSD;  Ecstasy (one of the deadliest); PCP (Phencyclidine); Hallucinogens; Heroin (highly addictive, most abused and most rapidly acting opiate); Marijuana; Methamphetamine; Anabolic Steroids; Tobacco/Nicotine; and Prescription Drugs. This write-up concentrates on Prescription drug addiction because it seems to be  the least emphasized by society and medical personnel.
Many erroneously believe that an addict is only one hooked to crack, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, PCP and other illegal drugs but prescription drugs are said to be the "second most commonly abused category of drugs, behind marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs," and thousands die every year from drug addiction. Prescription drugs become addictive when they are used for non-medical purposes or in a manner "inconsistent with their labeling or for reasons they were not prescribed." Because the doctor prescribed it does not make it okay to use drugs other than what it is meant for or to share it with one it wasn't ordered for. Its addictive effects are also dangerous as drugs obtained illegally from the streets.

Prescription drugs most often abused include: OPIATES and MORPHINE DERIVATIVES: Examples, oxycodone (Oxycontin),  propoxyphene (Darvon), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol) and diphenoxylate (Lomotil), also used for cough and diarrhea, Codeine, Morphine, Fentanyl, and others. Opiates are very potent pain killers often used to relieve post surgical pain. They act "directly on the respiratory center in the brain stem, slowing down a person’s breathing." When used in excess, an opiate can "cause the respiratory centers to shut down breathing altogether, causing death." Health hazards from long term use include developing tolerance for the drugs: one must take higher doses to achieve the same initial effects; lowered heart rate & blood pressure; unconsciousness; coma; death; especially when mixed with alcohol! When used as directed by a physician, opiates are said to be safe and generally do not produce addiction. But bear in mind they are said to "also possess very strong reinforcing properties and can quickly trigger addiction when used improperly." Adhering to the doctor's order cannot be overemphasized!

DEPRESSANTS: the barbiturates, (Amytal, Seconal, Nembutal, Phenobarbital), benzodiazepines (Ativan,Valium, Xanax, Librium) and sleep medications as zolpidem (Ambien), zaleplon (Sonata), eszopiclone (Lunesta) and so on. These highly addictive drugs are used for anxiety, panic and sleep disorders.  Intoxicating effects include: "Sedation/drowsiness, reduced anxiety, feelings of well-being, lowered inhibitions, slurred speech, poor concentration, confusion, dizziness, impaired coordination and memory." Lowered inhibitions lead to bizarre behaviors! Possible adverse effects include lowered blood pressure, slowed breathing, tolerance, withdrawal, addiction; increased risk of respiratory distress and death when combined with alcohol. Long term users are advised to seek the assistance of medical professionals to stop use. Attempting to stop on their own may have serious withdrawal consequences!

 STIMULANTS: a class of drugs said to increase brain activity: alertness, attention, and energy that is accompanied "by elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate and respiration." These include amphetamines (Dexedrine, Adderall), methylphenidate (Concerta, Ritalin), and are used in weight loss treatment programs, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and sleep disorders. Users are said to express feelings of exhilaration, increased energy and mental alertness. Abuse of these drugs may lead to feelings of hostility and paranoia; dangerously high body temperature; increased heart rate and blood pressure, tremors, stroke, heart attack, aggression, hallucinations, panic, impulsive behavior, irritability, delirium, seizures, and obviously death!
Besides the risks these drugs pose when used on their own, greater risks occur when they are combined with other drugs or with alcohol. Serious adverse effects from drug interactions are emphasized!
In effect, drug addiction, which is an improper use of medications, is a disease with brutal consequences, and an addict needs help to stop! Do not be an enabler rather be a helper! Next we will discuss why people take drugs and signs and symptoms of drug addiction...

THE BEAUTIFUL YOU!

By Nkiru Oh
Some things baffle me and I want to share them with you. Hopefully, you may explain them better to me. I have observed that many blacks are turning white. I mean blacks from African nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. So what's this rave about skin bleaching all about? Do those people know the implications of bleaching their skin? Who says one must be fair or bleach one's skin to be beautiful? What are those people really thinking? Somebody explain please!

See, I was taught that our skin is our largest organ whose major function is to protect us from "microbes and the elements." It also helps to "regulate body temperature, and permits the sensations of touch, heat, and cold." Imagine being rigid! Mmmmm...! How about serving as "a waterproof covering that prevents excessive loss or gain of bodily moisture." No wonder they look so dry! So why should people destroy the epidermis, the first layer that creates skin tone, thus exposing the dermis, second layer with its connective tissue, hair follicles and sweat glands, to danger? Does anyone think of the harmful chemicals used in those bleaching products or their adverse effects?

It's not my business, right? It becomes my business when some one stands or sits next to you smelling like rotten fish! Am not being harsh. It's the truth! It becomes my business when someone, trust me they like to come close to your face and put their arms around your neck, comes within earshot and you become nauseated and sick to your stomach due to the stench of dead skin that is sloughing! What torment! Yes, it becomes my business when someone holds her hand out for a handshake and you quickly withdraw yours because her hand looks soooo dry and lifeless with black and white blotches on the knuckles! Gosh, those blotches, eeewwww! And when they get sick, my tax money goes into their care!

Will never forget one of my class mates in College. She bleached herself so much that she could not go in the sun without covering her entire body except the face. Even her bra straps caused her damage. As she put it "sunburn renders a bleached skin permanently black." Why go through the hassle then? Her skin looked so bad, not to her though, that one day a Prof. in our Health class used her to explain the disease, Vitiligo! Damn! The Prof. had no clue that 'beauty is just skin deep!'

What is more shocking is that men now bleach too! I have seen many men with "Fanta-Face-Coke- Legs", and "Guinness Stout-Knuckles" like those women too! How about the bleached necks that now look like turkey and or vulture necks as the necks of those women too! Can someone please tell them to stop trying to shake my hands! Their knuckles scare the crap outta me! And they shouldn't come too close either. I need to breathe too!

Depression: the Destroyer of Lives and Relationships

Depression is one of the most debilitating but least acknowledged diseases afflicting mankind. For years, scientists have been searching for origins, causes, and answers for the disease. It wrecks lives and relationships. At times, it operates subtly that the sufferer may not describe exactly what is wrong. It can also be wild and manifest in aggressive ways. In any manner it presents, depression afflicts without mercy. And it does not get the attention it deserves medically.

To the layman, depression is feeling sad. Often you hear people ascribe being depressed with any situation that does not go the way they wanted. For examples, "This rain this morning makes me depressed." "I was in traffic for 30 minutes and I was damned depressed!" "It snowed last night and I am now depressed." Really? That's all? Depression is more than feeling sad,  down or disappointed...

According to MediLexicon's Medical Dictionary, depression is "a mental state or chronic mental disorder characterized by feelings of sadness, loneliness, despair, low self-esteem, and self-reproach; accompanying signs include psychomotor retardation (or less frequently agitation), withdrawal from social contact, and vegetative states such as loss of appetite and insomnia."  Yes, depression does all those plus more.

Unfortunately, this debilitating disease is often ignored or treated with kid's gloves. Sometimes the sufferers, either due to ignorance, lack of access to healthcare, or fear of stigmatization in some cultures, do not seek help until it becomes a little too late. On the other hand, the sufferer may not get the aggressive treatment he/she needs. 

Bear in mind that I am neither a scientist nor an expert but I know what depression is. I know what it can do. I also have seen how dastardly it can be. I wish therefore to address depression the best way I deem fit. To do that effectively, please permit me to personify this malicious sickness. Here we go:

Depression!

Unexpressed anger! 

Suppressed emotions!

You thrive in darkness!

Sadness is your middle name!

Downward spiral!

Dejection!

Self-rejection!

Misery becomes you!
Depression!
Your nicknames are Gloominess!

Helplessness and Hopelessness!

Self-denigration is your last name!

You cause deprivation!

You crave hollowness!

You wallow in loneliness!

Depression!

Uncontrolled descent!

Despondency! Disillusionment!

You are oft called Despair!

Depression, you are a nuisance!
You destroy relationships!

You hold your victims captive!
You make them shadows of themselves!
You send them into penury!

You cause untold pain and anguish!

You hold in a grip and you squeeze so tight!

Depression, you entangle and never let go!

You enslave! You restrain! You possess!

You suppress! You repress! You oppress!

You have people on a choke-hold!
Depression, you smother! You destroy lives!

Depression, you are callous!

How stifling! How suffocating?

How painful, nasty and uncaring?

How cruel? How hurtful can you be?

Why do you flourish in malice?
Why are you so sneaky?
Why must you be a control freak?

Depression, I must expose you for what you are!
Depression, you are really devilish!