The Many Faces of Discrimination

I’m yet to meet someone who openly admits to discriminate against a person or a specific group of people.  As our culture  evolved, less and less groups may be discriminated against and a new expression was born: “Politically correct.”

Politically correct, doesn’t mean discrimination disappeared overnight or  slowly. Perhaps, it only means  it is “whispered about,” instead of “screamed out loud!”

In a country like ours, also known as “the melting pot,” the concept of discrimination should logically not even exit.  Unless one is Native American, we, or our ancestors, came here from elsewhere, for some reason, at one time or another. Yet, more than ever, the topic of discrimination is passionately debated, to admit the least.

As a first generation immigrant, I often wondered what’s “the big deal?”  I am still debating in my own mind, and decided to write about it in hopes by the time I am finished writing this post, “clarity,” or at least more understanding of the true roots of this serious issue, would become more obvious.

Who are those discriminated against?

Legally, in our culture we make a written statement on all documents that there is NO discrimination based on age, race, sexual preference, sex, disability, etc.

However, daily we hear news and  watch images of violence directed against certain groups just because they don’t conform to certain norms of acceptable. Often, we know or hear about people who were not hired because of their age or a disability, or were fired just as they were about to reach the age to qualify for certain benefits or retirement.

If life were as generous with you, as it were with me, you might even have known a person who was secretly going through the process of changing their gender. People who presented themselves as men for their 9 AM- 5 PM jobs and transformed themselves in ladies to go out of the house after dark for fear the neighbors would discover their secret.

Recently, I watched “The Imitation Game,” a historical thriller starring  Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of Alan Turing, the cryptananalyst whose work, and his team’s, during  World War II saved the lives of approximately 14 million people. Alan Turing was gay  when in England to be gay was still considered  a crime. He was given the choice to either go to prison or subject himself to hormonal therapy. He chose the latter and after a year completed suicide…His work saved the lives of millions, but no one saved his!

Volumes could be written about racial discrimination, disability, gender, but I am not aware of much having been discussed about  discrimination against a white,  educated   woman  who legally  immigrated from Europe to the United States. No one, to the best of my knowledge even thinks of such a possibility! One might be tempted to think such a person is privileged.

I might have never thought discrimination against such a person existed but I am  one of these people and my experiences of a life-time are factual.

I remember, when I was successful at my first job, which involved public speaking, and although bilingual, I have an accent, my boss’ remark was:

“When I hired you and your accent, I gambled! I thought, if the audience likes ‘IT” (my accent and me!!!) that’s great! If not, I’ll fire her!”

When a few years later I told him I was expecting a baby, he said:

” Well, that teaches me a lesson, never to hire women of child-bearing age!”

One might consider these comments insignificant, perhaps I was too sensitive, and may be compared to the horrific way other groups and people are discriminated against, what has happened to me throughout my life, pales. Not so with the event which triggered my intense thoughts about discrimination. Here is the story:

My neighbor rushed me in the E.R. of a major hospital.  The first reaction of a medical professional working in the triage  where I was rushed was to tell my neighbor,

“May be she speaks like this because she is not from here.”

He assured this medical professional I did know English  and that was not the way I spoke when I didn’t have a stroke!

The neurologist arrived in time and the miracle drug hPA was given to me. A drug which completely reversed my symptoms ONLY  BECAUSE IT WAS GIVEN within an hour from the start of the stroke’s symptoms!

In other words, if my friend was not there to speak up for me, I could have been misdiagnosed and in the best case scenario died, in the worst, become a vegetable, in a nursing home, for the rest of my life!

Discrimination…

racial

sexual

gender

disability

A combination

Has anyone thought that an European, educated woman, could have lost her life because she had an accent and someone, in the triage of an ER was BLINDED by their habit to discriminate to such a degree that  the symptoms of a stroke could have been missed?

As I  hoped,, I gained some clarity on  this topic:

I conclude that in truth, discrimination is not about the people or the groups discriminated against, but about those who have so little education, such huge egos and narrowness of minds to not understand that the world doesn’t start and end with them and their values.

As the story illustrated,  anyone could be discriminated against! It could be anyone, anywhere!  Be proud of who you are and live your lives with purpose and in peace!

Rodica M.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STROKE! WHEN IT HAPPENS TO YOU! TIME IS BRAIN!!!

They say, “TIME IS BRAIN,” to underline the importance of getting to an Emergency Room as soon as symptoms start!

Before Monday, I believed this statement to be true . Now, I know it is true and essential if you want the symptoms reversed completely and your life back as it was before the STROKE!

It is my hope that this story, written through the eyes of someone who suffered an acute stroke on Monday, and is writing this post on Thursday, will help someone, somewhere, go for help as soon as symptoms start!

I believe that we all know the symptoms, which have been repeated over and over in a zillion forwarded emails and posts. I also know that now, that I experienced a stroke, NOT all of the symptoms I remembered were present, but the ones who were present were overwhelming and scary, so scary, that I could understand why one would not want to believe something so terrible is happening to them and would want to wait.

I was driving to an appointment on a road I knew well, yet, it seemed narrower than I remembered it, as the cars coming from the opposite direction seem to come towards me. I wondered why there were so many bad rivers on the road! I was going in 20 miles a hour and the engine was making a funny noise… or perhaps  the noise was in my head? Something was wrong, I knew it, but didn’t know what.

Instead of going to my appointment, I went home listening to my gut feeling and not to my brain which was telling me I should not miss my appointment!

I barely made it in front of my house, and stopped the car in the middle of the road, blocking traffic!

Thankfully, my friends and neighbors, Jessica and Aram were  on the porch.

I sat there, in the driver’s seat, in the middle of the road,  disoriented.

Not that I remember the events, but they told me later what happened…

What I DO remember, is that my friends came to the car’s window and I wanted to tell them something was wrong. When I  tried to articulate my thoughts, which were clear in my head,  my words came out  slurry, and I had no control over them!

I felt as if I was in a bubble, and the words were forming just right inside the bubble, but when I wanted to push them through the walls of the bubble, somehow, they had a mind of their own, were not listening to me anymore. I tried to stand up, but my entire body felt like jello and I fell back on the seat!

I WAS NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF MY MIND OR BODY! IN AN INSTANT MY RAPIDLY DYING BRAIN REMEMBERED SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS OF STROKE,

“I HAVE A STROKE! PLEASE TAKE ME TO THE HOSPITAL NOW! I asked Aram, and off we drove!

Pinnacle Harrisburg Campus is 5 minutes away from our home and we arrived in the Emergency Room only 15 minutes from when I noticed the symptoms.

So… now we were in the E.R. of a major hospital!

LESSON # 1:

GO TO THE HOSPITAL AS SOON AS YOU NOTICE ANY SYMPTOMS!!!

THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH!!!

LESSON #2:

ONCE AT THE HOSPITAL, TELL SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY, YOU ARE HAVING A STROKE!!!

I was lucky Aram stayed with me and “translated” the mambo jumbo” coming out of my mouth. One non-medical employee uttered the opinion that I might speak like that because I had an accent. Aram assured  the person I was a well-educated person, who published a  book, and I speak English fluently when I AM MYSELF.

LESSON #3:

IF YOU HAVE AN ACCENT, MAKE SURE UNEDUCATED HOSPITAL EMPLOYEES, ARE SOMEHOW INFORMED SLURRED WORDS ARE NOT AN ACCENT BUT A SYMPTOM OF STROKE AND TIME IS BRAIN!   


At last, I was in a  hospital room  in admissions, and all I remember is a crowd of medical professionals assessing me and my effort to spit out words and all that came out were letters flying in every which direction and refusing to form the words  I ordered!

LESSON#4:

ACCEPT YOU ARE COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL!

I HAD TO TRUST IN GOD AND OTHERS AND HOPE THEY WILL SAVE MY LIFE! NOT EASY TO DO FOR SOMEONE WHO TOOK COMPLETE CONTROL OF HER LIFE MANY YEARS AGO!  SUDDENLY I REALIZED I WAS NOT IN CONTROL!!! I HAD TO LET GO OF THAT ILLUSION!!!

Dr. O. Agbe- Davies,  a Pinnacle neurologist, entered the  exam room, and as out of it as I was, I do remember he had a cool bow tie! He saved my life!

I was thirsty.  My lips were cracked, my throat on fire. I bargained for a sip of water, even a swabs soaked in water, but none of my begging tricks worked! Now I understand it was for a good reason, as my stomach should have been empty in case a procedure was necessary.

After all my neurological exams failed to be normal Dr. Davis told me because I came immediately after the symptoms started I was a candidate for a powerful clot buster,  tPA. This miracle medication COMPLETELY REVERSED MY SYMPTOMS! 

Thanks to the many factors that worked together, a miracle happened and I am myself again, resting at home and writing this post because I feel, if ONE person goes to the hospital in time to reverse all the symptoms,  I didn’t waste my time.

This is a story written  after I stepped into my LIFE again, after  the confining bubble I experienced while having an ACUTE STROKE was busted by the miracle medication, tPA!

I am taking this opportunity to thank Dr. Davis and the wonderful staff in the Intensive Care Unit of Pinnacle Harrisburg Hospital.

I am also thankful for Aram, who took me to the hospital and helped  the hospital staff decipher the  mambo jumbo coming out of my mouth, and Jessica and her dad, who picked me up on discharge.

I am thankful for my friend Melissa, who on her birthday, went to feed my dogs and African Grey, and Dee, who helped with the entire operation of entering my house.

Oh! I forgot to mention, Duke is a guard dog, and no one dares enter his territory, so  feeding them and letting them out was a complex operation which required courage!

Thank you also to my friends  Christine and the Martins  for always being so thoughtful.

IN CONCLUSION:

 

TIME IS BRAIN! THE LONGER YOU WAIT THE MORE BRAIN CELLS DIE BECAUSE THEY ARE DEPRIVED OF OXYGEN!

YOU ARE NOT IN CONTROL,  GOD IS, AND THE DOCTORS AND HOSPITAL STAFF! 

PLEASE SHARE AND SAVE A LIFE!

Rodica