The month of November starts one of my favorite times of the year – the holiday season. But as the weather turns cold and buildings everywhere start getting adorned with holiday decorations, a not-so-fun time of year starts at colleges all across the country. I call it crunch time.
It’s, once again, time for midterms. Teachers are all assigning big papers or projects that, by some unfair coincidence, all end up being due around the same time. Finals are creeping closer and closer. And, most importantly, this month is a wake-up call, reminding all students that they only have about a month and a half to kick it into high gear and get their grades up. Uh-oh.
It’s no wonder that this time of year is one of the most stressful for college students. In addition to all the stress of exams and deadlines, this is the time of year when most students are also getting sick, causing us to miss school and important deadlines. And I can’t say that the swine flu epidemic here at CSU Sacramento has been helping the matter much.
I, myself, got infected with the H1N1 virus a few weeks ago. This flu kept me home from school for two weeks after I was diagnosed. This put me behind again in all my classes, after I already got behind in my classes in early October due to missing two weeks of school to recover from a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. This time, I missed two exams, one paper deadline, and multiple assignments.
While some professors are understanding when it comes to illness and personal problems, other professors could care less for what reason you miss an exam or a term paper deadline. One of my professor states in the syllabus that, unless you made other arrangements with him beforehand, you can make up a missed exam only if you have a letter of incarceration or hospitalization. However, he did not respond to either of the e-mails I sent him before the exam, explaining that I was sick, and to try and make other arrangements. How helpful. Another professor of mine has similar requirements, adding that if you don’t meet them, to either drop the class or take the zero on the exam. So, should I have come to school then and infected all my classmates with swine flu?
It’s disappointing that many professors are so unwilling to cooperate with students and help them get back on their feet when the student is getting behind and needs help. Instead of helping, they’d rather the student fail the class. How does that help students learn? And don’t professors know that this seriously adds to students’ stress? I find that I am much more successful and less stressed in classes where I can have an open communication with the professor about anything. Students are more likely to learn and do well if they feel the professor is helpful and actually cares.
Despite the high-stress during this time of the semester, there is a silver lining. The truth is, six weeks is a substantial amount of time, and it’s usually enough time to get grades up. The comfort of that knowledge is enough to get most students through these last six weeks of the semester. Or maybe it’s just the comfort of knowing that after finals, we have five long weeks of winter vacation before the start of the spring semester.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Repunctuate Your Life...Or Not
“Who says? Who says ‘that time of the month’ has to be every month? Who says?”
So starts the commercial for Seasonique, a newer birth control that allows women to “repunctuate their lives” by having only 4 periods a year. Seasonique is not the only birth control of its kind on the market. Another birth control, Lybrel, allows women to banish their period completely by taking a low dose combination birth control pill continuously for 365 days with no placebo breaks.
The idea of having less frequent or completely nonexistent menstrual cycles has become very attractive to women, and many women have opted to take this kind of birth control over other standard kinds. But are these types of birth control safe? And is it true that monthly periods are not necessary in order for women to be healthy?
In 2007, a chain e-mail about the death of a 31-year old woman, Nicole Dishuk, started circulating. Dishuk died on the 29th of August in 2006 after suffering from a stroke. The e-mail attributed her stroke to the birth control she was taking, Seasonique, claiming that the lack of a monthly period caused a blood clot to form in her brain. It was later proven that there really was a Dr. Nicole Dishuk McKeon from North Coventry, Pennsylvania who did indeed die from a stroke at the age of 31. But the cause of the stroke was never actually disclosed.
To this day we still don’t know if Dishuk’s stroke was due to the birth control she was taking or due to a previously existing medical condition that put her at a higher risk for stroke. Regardless, this e-mail raised questions and worry in the minds of women all throughout the country.
Today there is still not a clear answer to the question of whether or not periods are important. According to WebMD, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists takes no official position on menstrual suppression. Individual doctors, however, voice a range of different opinions.
Says Sharon Mass, MD, an ob-gyn in Morristown, N.J. “Menstrual suppression can often ease troublesome periods or conditions that worsen around that time of month. Initially, it was for patients who had medical indications, for example, a history of endometriosis, menstrual migraines, symptomatic periods with bloating, breast tenderness -- things like that.” Leslie Miller, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington, discusses the convenience factor of suppressing menstruation, and how women often want to skip periods for special events, such as honeymoons or vacations. Moreover, Miller explains that women who are on standard birth control aren’t actually having a normal period. What it is, is actually “withdrawal bleeding” that results from the drop in hormones during the placebo week.
Some doctors believe that a monthly period, is in fact, healthier. Jerilynn C. Prior, MD, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of British Columbia, believes that a normal menstrual cycle is absolutely crucial to women’s health. She says that normal menstruation has beneficial effects on women's bone and cardiovascular health, and "to reduce it to 'periods don't matter' is totally unscientific.” The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research acknowledges that menstrual suppression may be useful for severe menstrual problems such as endometriosis, but its web site states, "We do not believe that continuous oral contraception should be prescribed to all menstruating women out of a rejection of a normal, healthy menstrual cycle."
The reality is, there’s not enough information to declare whether or not menstrual suppression is safe. However, we do know that there are many risks involving menstrual suppression and birth control in general, including effects on bone health, risks for blood clots and strokes, effects on fertility, and an increase in risk for breast cancer.
So ladies, talk to your doctor. And maybe think twice before deciding to “repunctuate your life.”
So starts the commercial for Seasonique, a newer birth control that allows women to “repunctuate their lives” by having only 4 periods a year. Seasonique is not the only birth control of its kind on the market. Another birth control, Lybrel, allows women to banish their period completely by taking a low dose combination birth control pill continuously for 365 days with no placebo breaks.
The idea of having less frequent or completely nonexistent menstrual cycles has become very attractive to women, and many women have opted to take this kind of birth control over other standard kinds. But are these types of birth control safe? And is it true that monthly periods are not necessary in order for women to be healthy?
In 2007, a chain e-mail about the death of a 31-year old woman, Nicole Dishuk, started circulating. Dishuk died on the 29th of August in 2006 after suffering from a stroke. The e-mail attributed her stroke to the birth control she was taking, Seasonique, claiming that the lack of a monthly period caused a blood clot to form in her brain. It was later proven that there really was a Dr. Nicole Dishuk McKeon from North Coventry, Pennsylvania who did indeed die from a stroke at the age of 31. But the cause of the stroke was never actually disclosed.
To this day we still don’t know if Dishuk’s stroke was due to the birth control she was taking or due to a previously existing medical condition that put her at a higher risk for stroke. Regardless, this e-mail raised questions and worry in the minds of women all throughout the country.
Today there is still not a clear answer to the question of whether or not periods are important. According to WebMD, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists takes no official position on menstrual suppression. Individual doctors, however, voice a range of different opinions.
Says Sharon Mass, MD, an ob-gyn in Morristown, N.J. “Menstrual suppression can often ease troublesome periods or conditions that worsen around that time of month. Initially, it was for patients who had medical indications, for example, a history of endometriosis, menstrual migraines, symptomatic periods with bloating, breast tenderness -- things like that.” Leslie Miller, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Washington, discusses the convenience factor of suppressing menstruation, and how women often want to skip periods for special events, such as honeymoons or vacations. Moreover, Miller explains that women who are on standard birth control aren’t actually having a normal period. What it is, is actually “withdrawal bleeding” that results from the drop in hormones during the placebo week.
Some doctors believe that a monthly period, is in fact, healthier. Jerilynn C. Prior, MD, professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the University of British Columbia, believes that a normal menstrual cycle is absolutely crucial to women’s health. She says that normal menstruation has beneficial effects on women's bone and cardiovascular health, and "to reduce it to 'periods don't matter' is totally unscientific.” The Society for Menstrual Cycle Research acknowledges that menstrual suppression may be useful for severe menstrual problems such as endometriosis, but its web site states, "We do not believe that continuous oral contraception should be prescribed to all menstruating women out of a rejection of a normal, healthy menstrual cycle."
The reality is, there’s not enough information to declare whether or not menstrual suppression is safe. However, we do know that there are many risks involving menstrual suppression and birth control in general, including effects on bone health, risks for blood clots and strokes, effects on fertility, and an increase in risk for breast cancer.
So ladies, talk to your doctor. And maybe think twice before deciding to “repunctuate your life.”
Monday, September 28, 2009
A Continuous Battle (Revised)
“Have you been feeling sick recently? Had a sore throat, anything like that?” my doctor asks me, snapping me out of my daze. I’m sitting in a doctor’s office at the UC Davis Medical Center Cancer Center, a place I’m all too familiar with. I’m at a routine check-up appointment – or what was supposed to be routine, anyway. My doctor just pulled up images from the PET scan I had the week before. His eyes are darting back and forth between me and his computer. Uh oh.
“Um, I felt a little sick about a month ago…my throat felt a little weird…” I stammer. I examine my doctor’s face, for a sign, for a spark of emotion, for any hint of information.
“Here’s the thing,” he starts. “Your throat and the area around it are white on the scan. There’s no telling which it is just by looking at the scan, but, you either have an infection there or cancer.” I shudder as his words reach my ears. I feel a strong sense of déjà vu.
I’ve been in remission from cancer for 2 years and 5 months now. October 27, 2006, a little over a month after turning 18, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At once I was forced to undergo a countless number of procedures. A few days later on Halloween, I had surgery. In November, I had a CT scan, PET scan, brain MRI, bone marrow biopsy, and several blood tests. The first week of December, I started chemo. I went through chemo for six months, and after, went through a month of daily radiation.
It was, hands down, the most difficult year of my life. I remember how hard it was hearing the first time that I had cancer and how I cried the first time I noticed I was losing my hair. I hated giving myself painful shots in my thigh every other week, throwing up after chemo, and the monthly doctor appointments and PET scans I had every 3 months. That year was a whirlwind. Then, that spring, there was calm in the storm.
April 8, 2007, my pet scan was completely clean. I was announced in remission. Yes, I still had a month of chemo left to go, but I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Fast forward 2 years and 5 months later and here I am, still alive and thankful everyday for the new lease on life I was given. I have 2 and ½ more years to go before I am considered to be completely cured (5 years of remission altogether). To this day, every doctor’s appointment, every PET scan, and every blood draw is a nail-biting experience. I never know what to expect. My most recent PET scan is proof that I might still have something to fear.
This Friday, Sept. 25th, I’m having surgery to get my tonsils, adenoids, and some surrounding lymphatic tissue removed. My abnormally large tonsils (along with everything else removed) will then be biopsied.
If I’ve learned anything these past 3 years, it’s that cancer is an on-going battle that you have to keep fighting everyday of your life. Ever since I was diagnosed, cancer has been a dark cloud that has stayed in the back of my mind. The further along in remission I get, the smaller the cloud gets, but it never strays too far from my mind. Despite this dark cloud, I have learned to stay optimistic and to have faith, to wear a smile even when it’s hard. I look at this surgery as just another step throughout my long road of recovery. And when people tell me what a strong person I am, I tell them, well, it’s because I don’t have any other choice.
“Um, I felt a little sick about a month ago…my throat felt a little weird…” I stammer. I examine my doctor’s face, for a sign, for a spark of emotion, for any hint of information.
“Here’s the thing,” he starts. “Your throat and the area around it are white on the scan. There’s no telling which it is just by looking at the scan, but, you either have an infection there or cancer.” I shudder as his words reach my ears. I feel a strong sense of déjà vu.
I’ve been in remission from cancer for 2 years and 5 months now. October 27, 2006, a little over a month after turning 18, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin’s lymphoma. At once I was forced to undergo a countless number of procedures. A few days later on Halloween, I had surgery. In November, I had a CT scan, PET scan, brain MRI, bone marrow biopsy, and several blood tests. The first week of December, I started chemo. I went through chemo for six months, and after, went through a month of daily radiation.
It was, hands down, the most difficult year of my life. I remember how hard it was hearing the first time that I had cancer and how I cried the first time I noticed I was losing my hair. I hated giving myself painful shots in my thigh every other week, throwing up after chemo, and the monthly doctor appointments and PET scans I had every 3 months. That year was a whirlwind. Then, that spring, there was calm in the storm.
April 8, 2007, my pet scan was completely clean. I was announced in remission. Yes, I still had a month of chemo left to go, but I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Fast forward 2 years and 5 months later and here I am, still alive and thankful everyday for the new lease on life I was given. I have 2 and ½ more years to go before I am considered to be completely cured (5 years of remission altogether). To this day, every doctor’s appointment, every PET scan, and every blood draw is a nail-biting experience. I never know what to expect. My most recent PET scan is proof that I might still have something to fear.
This Friday, Sept. 25th, I’m having surgery to get my tonsils, adenoids, and some surrounding lymphatic tissue removed. My abnormally large tonsils (along with everything else removed) will then be biopsied.
If I’ve learned anything these past 3 years, it’s that cancer is an on-going battle that you have to keep fighting everyday of your life. Ever since I was diagnosed, cancer has been a dark cloud that has stayed in the back of my mind. The further along in remission I get, the smaller the cloud gets, but it never strays too far from my mind. Despite this dark cloud, I have learned to stay optimistic and to have faith, to wear a smile even when it’s hard. I look at this surgery as just another step throughout my long road of recovery. And when people tell me what a strong person I am, I tell them, well, it’s because I don’t have any other choice.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
A Continuous Battle
“Have you been feeling sick recently? Had a sore throat, anything like that?” my doctor asks me, snapping me out of my daze. I’m sitting in a doctor’s office at the UC Davis Medical Center Cancer Center, a place I’m all too familiar with. I’m at a routine check-up appointment – or what was supposed to be routine, anyway. My doctor just pulled up images from the PET scan I had the week before. His eyes are darting back and forth between me and his computer. Uh oh.
“Um, I felt a little sick about a month ago…my throat felt a little weird…” I stammer. I examine my doctor’s face, for a sign, for a spark of emotion, for any hint of information.
“Here’s the thing,” he starts. “Your throat and the area around it are white on the scan. There’s no telling which it is just by looking at the scan, but, you either have an infection there or cancer.” I shudder as his words reach my ears. I feel a strong sense of déjà vu.
I’ve been in remission from cancer for 2 years and 5 months now. October 27, 2006, a little over a month after turning 18, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Nodular Sclerosing Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A few days later on the 31st, I had surgery. In November, I underwent countless more procedures, including a CT scan, PET scan, brain MRI, bone marrow biopsy, and several blood tests. The first week of December, I started chemo. I had chemo for 6 months and after I finished, started radiation, which I had everyday for a month.
It was, hands down, the most difficult year of my life. From hearing the first time that I had cancer, to losing all my hair, to vomiting after chemo, to giving myself painful shots in my thigh every other week, to monthly doctor appointments and PET scans every 3 months, that year was a whirlwind. Then, that spring, there was calm in the storm.
April 8, 2007, my pet scan was completely clean. I was announced in remission. Yes, I still had a month of chemo left to go, but I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
2 years and 5 months later and here I am, still alive and thankful everyday for the new lease on life I was given. I have 2 and ½ more years to go before I am considered to be completely cured (5 years of remission altogether). To this day, every doctor’s appointment, every PET scan, and every blood draw is a nail-biting experience, as I never know what to expect. My most recent PET scan is proof that I might still have something to fear.
This Friday, Sept. 25th, I’m having surgery to get my tonsils, adenoids, and some surrounding lymphatic tissue removed. My abnormally large tonsils (along with everything else removed) will then be biopsied.
If I’ve learned anything these past 3 years, it’s that cancer is an on-going battle that you have to keep fighting everyday of your life. Ever since I was diagnosed, cancer has been a dark cloud that has stayed in the back of my mind. The further along in remission I get, the smaller the cloud gets, but it never strays too far from my mind. Despite this dark cloud, I have learned to stay optimistic and to have faith, to wear a smile even when it’s hard. And when people tell me what a strong person I am, I tell them, well, it’s because I don’t have any other choice.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Kanye West Gone Too Far?
It’s that time of year again – the time of year when the media is abounded with celebrity gossip, drama, and news. Yep, it’s award show season. And while most award shows hold the promise and potential of juicy celebrity news, one award show really delivered this last week: The 2009 Video Music Awards. This year on the VMA’s, hundreds of thousands of viewers watched Kanye West openly rip on young teenage pop/country star Taylor Swift as she accepted her first award of the night.
The night started off with the presentation of the first award, the award for Best Female Video. The award went to Taylor Swift for her video “You Belong With Me.” Taylor ran onto stage to accept her award, beginning to enthusiastically thank everyone. All of a sudden, Kanye West stormed the stage, grabbing the microphone out of her hand. He muttered, “Hold on, I’ll let you finish,” and then continued on to yell “I'm sorry, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time.” The camera shot to Beyonce in the audience, who looked stunned, and then back to Taylor, who looked as if she had been slapped in the face The audience did not respond well to Kanye’s rant; in support of Taylor Swift, they all stood and gave her a standing ovation. A still speechless Taylor was then escorted off the stage.
People all over the country were shocked by Kanye West’s rant – thousands of Facebook users updated their statuses, voicing their disappointment and questioning the meaning behind his unbelievable actions. Some where amused, thinking that maybe he was just standing for the integrity of the music business and didn't believe that Taylor deserved her honor. However, this was not the first time Kanye pulled this sort of stunt. In fact, two years ago at the 2007 VMA’s in Las Vegas, he lost his temper when his performance was set in a hotel suite instead of the main stage. He also voiced his discontent at the American Music Awards in 2004 when he did not win Best New Artist, claiming that he was robbed.
So why does Kanye West continue to cause these scandals? The general consensus of his rant at this year VMA’s is that he wrongfully attacked Taylor Swift, but for what reason? The Best Female Video category has nothing to do with Kanye and his awards and nominations; also, Beyonce definitely didn’t appreciate the “extra help.” In fact, when Beyonce won her own award for her music video later in the evening, she called Taylor Swift back onto the stage so that she could have her moment, the moment in the spotlight that was rudely disrupted by Kanye earlier in the show.
It seems like Kanye West is trying to draw any kind of attention to himself, whether it be negative or positive. However, it’s doubtful that he thought the reaction to his rant would be as negative as it was. Many people have even begun to say that his actions have made them want to stop listening to his music and support him as an artist. Is his fan base about to start shrinking rapidly? One thing’s for sure -- Kanye’s brief moment in the VMA “spotlight” is now gone, and it’s time for him to face the coming ramifications of his actions. And by the way, congratulations Taylor Swift! You deserved it.
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