Cultural Competency and Medical Practice in US: Hindu case

My journey in India was foremost to volunteer by providing the expertise I have learnt so far. Accessorily to that, it was also for me  to implement a survey of Hindu culture (Religion) in regard to health care provision. This will help me provide an appropriate care to any Hindu patients based on their culture hereas religion.
My entire work cannot be shared here as requested by my director. So, I will just give few observations.
It is known that some animals such as cow and pork are sacred in Hindu's faith, any Hindu will refrain eating its meat; which is full of protein. Knowing this, a health care provider (HCP) has to refrain to provide this source of protein to a Hindu's patient. An alternative to this will be to provide him/her with bean, rice milk or soy milk. The health care provider can request the Indian's family to cook for their sick relative. Just make sure that the meal is not AMA (Against Medical Advice).
I recall one Hindu telling me that a leftover (or tamasic in Hindu) is considered tainted with bad spirit, thus eating it will keep your mind, spirit and body unclean. This can be seen in people with anger, jealousy, and greed. My thought is that in face of a psychiatric patient of Hindu's faith, a HCP should not provide leftovers from last day, even from few hours ago so, not to exhacerbate the psychological condition of the patient. Instead of leftover, rajasic (foods condusive to healthy mind) should be given. These are, among other: fish, onions, hot peppers, etc. Another alternative is to provide what they call sattvic which are foods non-GI (Gastro-Intestinal) irritating and purifying to the mind. Among these we find fruits, nuts, whole grains and vegetables.
This survey has shown that, any health related decision is taken by the breadwinner herein the father or husband. An HCP has to know that in front of a female patient, he has to refer to her husband to conduct any procedure that needs consent. The same cultural fact is seen in Hispanic culture.
Hindu are known for fasting a lot. This practice according to Hindu's faith helps the body, mind and spirit rid off negative spirits and reinforce their closeness to their god. This can be done regardless of the health condition of the believer ( healthy or not). I have been informed that, for a sick patient, the fasting is a request send to their god to cure him/her from his disease. If this happens, an HCP has to provide medical advices so that the patient can make an informed decision about his/her condition.
Knowing such cultural facts will help us provide a more culturally competent care in USA, the most diverse country in the World. Also it is a way of bringing medicine to the patient in regard to his Culture(traditon, religion, language, convictions, etc). Health Care system are geographically closer to patients such as Hospital and  Nursing Homes in the residential areas, urban and rural ones. So, it is time to bring it to every patient's Culture in other words to tailor the health care provision to every individual. This will take time, ressources to meet this goal. And, it is a never-ending task since individuals are always changing in their life-time.

Jet Lag

I travelled a lot and will have many trips in the future to come. My trip to Calcutta, India from Chicago, US was a wake up call for me to start thinking of the remedy of jet lag I have experienced.

Here at the IGI Airport New Delhi
I was really tired and took a nap

I have decided to dig deep and find these for you and me so that we are well equipped to fight this common airtravel malady.
Jet lag is a set of symptoms we encounter during and after our flight from one time zone to another. These are insomnia, constipation, fatigue, diarrhea, headache, anxiety, dehydration, irritability and nausea as the most common travellers experience.
Many scientists are certain that jet lag occur because the body is incapable of adapting to its new environment and schedule. For example, leaving Springfield, Missouri USA to Calcutta, India which is 11h 30 min time difference has set my  biological clock to disruption. This body which is used to go to bed every 11pm in Springfield (10:30 am in Calcutta) was now forced to be eating breakfast at this time. Or going to work at 7:00 am (Springfield, USA) or (6:30 pm Calcutta, India) was forced to eat dinnner at this time in Calcutta. This shows how the traveller's body is going under tremendous and radical changes for it to adapt to the new country, culture, climate, etc.

Venice, Italy on a winter period where I felt
cold.

According to scientists, it is a known fact that people, the lesser time zones they fly accross, the greater the adapatation to the new environment of the body. Travelling from North to South accross the globe or South-North is comfortable for the body to adapt quickly.For example, France (North) and Cameroon (South) are separated by one time zone or an hour difference, thus it easy for either national to adapt once in the country of destination. But travelling from West to East is putting the body into a radical change that it will needs more days or weeks to adapt to the environment thus the severe the jet lag will be. USA (West) is at least 11 hours separated from India (East) so it will take a lot efforts for either national to adapt once in the country of destiantion.

having good foods in a Venice's restaurant

Tips to cope with jet lag before, during and after the trip are to eat well, drink plenty of water, make sure to be physically fit, exercise while in the airplane every two hours so to prevent blood clot that, in turn can cause a heart attack or chest pain which can lead to death. Also it is recommended to meet your doctors before and after your trip abroad for medical advice. Another tip is to avoid ALCOHOL and CAFFEINE a day before, during and a day after your flight since these are contraindicated for a healthy body and can exhacerbate insomnia, cause dehydration and loss of concentration. Also, one can break his/her trip when it is too long. For example flying New York, NY. US to Bombay, India is a 15 h 37 min trip; instead of flying directly, one can choose an itinerary with a stop in Munich Germany or any European country for a day or hours since there are four time zones between Europe and India. This will reduce tremendously the impact of jet lag while the body will have time to rest and prepare to adjust in other changing environment.

A beautiful Italian

Other scientists recommend to change a schedule or to prepare the body to an upcoming schedule. My next trip is to Cameroon, Africa from Springfield, MO. US where I will spend a month. I need to prepare my body adjust to Cameroonian environment by scaling back my activity of daily living at least for an hour, this four weeks prior of my leaving. I will have to scale back one more hour for the first week, and two more the second, etc. This will prepare my body to adjust to the new time zone, which is between Cameroon and Missouri US 7 hours.

Having fun in one Jamaican's beaches

Another tip is to adapt to a local schedule. To put it simply, if a traveller from Hong Kong arrives in Kingston, Jamaica at 10 pm (noon  in Hong Kong), he has to go to bed instead of having lunch.
A traveller has also to wear shoes and clothes that are lose and light. This will ease the trip and also prepare your clothes according to the destination's climate. It is obvious that one going from Morrocco to Alaska, US will prepare the winter clothes to wear once in Alaska.

Niagara Falls That I visited

Another tip is to have a good accomodations that are conducive to a good sanitation and hygiene. If a traveller is accustomed to a hotel facilities in his journeys abroad, s/he has to keep this habit of living in hotel facility where a good sanitary conditions is a standard.

Having a breakfast in Munich
Germany

Eventhough some doctors prescribed sleeping pills to help one fight insomnia, it is recommended to take these pills upon Doctor's prescription. A traveller should not drive nor drink alcohol while under this medication. Another well known pills to fight insomnia is Melatonin supplement which is an OTC (Over The Counter) supplement. Doctors recommend that a traveller to enhance sleep should take between 0.3 mg to 5 mg of pill on the day a traveller arrives at destination, take this 30 minutes before going to bed. The traveller should continue taking this for a few days while at his/her destination.
Meeting all this prescription will surely help us figth this disease called jet lag. After coming back to India, I had insomnia and fatigue and a friend of mine who is Doctor talk to me about Melatonin. I then bougth it on a store like WalMart and, the first day, I started to take MELATONIN 30 minutes before going to bed. I can tell you that since that time, I have a deep sleep and can dream about my next trip to Cameroon.                         

SUDDER STREET in CALCUTTA

Here pausing with Volunteers from Spain
eating street foods on Sudder Street

Another Restaurant I used to eat
on Sudder Street

Any volunteer in Calcutta will go through one famous street called Sudder Street. One day during a sharing activity that is always done with a nun who speaks your language every Sunday at Mother's House, I have suggested that Sudder Street be named Volunteer Street. That can only be possible if I submit the request to the Calcutta Municipal Corportation.

Sudder Street is famous for, it houses many Restaurants (Street food stands and Conventional Restaurant). It also is a land of many Money Exchanges agencies (Please I suggest any volunteer once in Calcutta not to exchange money at the Airport but do it on Sudder Street) who offer high rate compare to Airport. For example a US dollar costs INR 44.50(Indian Ruppees) compare to INR 41.50 that you will get at the Airport. A EURO is  INR 66 compare to less you can received at the Airport. Also you finds here many Travel Agencies that book Train, Air and Bus tickets to different cities in India. This is where many volunteers book their tickets when they want to visit high touristic spots like Taj Mahal, Darjeeling, Varenasse, New Delhi, Bombay and other.

One of the bedrooms at Galaxy Hotel

Sudder Street is full of hotels of which the most known and cheapest ($3 a night) is Hotel Maria. Here you can find dormirtories and single room with price ranging from $3-$7. The sanitation here is compared to a third world country so prepare for it. There is also Galaxy Hotel that I like the most. It is mostly double bedrooms with prices ranging from INR 300 and INR 400 for a single($6-7). I recommend this one. It is clean and safe and the owner is very nice.

Entrance of Fairlawn Hotel
one of the expensive



So, I recommend hotels like Galaxy, Maria, Paragon, Modern Lodge for a volunteer who is coming in Calcutta for a long stay. These hotels are the most populated by volunteers, tourists and are cheap.



Veg Sandwich that I love to eat at
Spanish Cafe



Restaurants well known on Sudder Street are Blue Sky Cafe and Spanish Cafe. These restaurants offer good Thailand, Indian and Western foods. There are also other good one besides the above-mentionned who provide good and clean foods. On Sudder street, there are also many shops to buy Indians dresses and any item you need. The New Market, which is one of the biggest in the area provides a variety of shops such as an Under ground Mall, shoes and dresses, and Hotels. The Blue Beyond or Lindsay hotel provides a restaurant at its roof from where you can view Calcutta in the night, it is romantic to have a date there. One can live on Sudder Street without needing to go some where else. I will really like the Municipality of Calcutta to name it Volunteer street. Sudder Street is always busy. This is also where

Muesli Fruit Curd the breakfast that
I always took either at Spanish or Blue
Sky Cafe

                              yellow cabs are stationned to wait volunteers leaving to the Airport. It cost INR 250 for a yellow cab to drive a passenger to the Airport.

A yellow ready to pick up a volunteer at
Galxy Hotel to the Airport

Sudder street will never forgotten by any volunteer who have come to Calcutta. Let it known that not only volunteers live on Sudder street, also people coming from around the World mostly the bag-packers enjoy living here while visiting Calcutta since it has cheapest hotels. Some can be there for a short stay and move to another city afterward.

Blessed Mother Teresa House

this was after a morning mass, noviciates are gathered to receive
blessing from a father whose birthday was today

Mother House is located on 54 AJC Bose Road in Calcutta, India. This house, is the headquarter of the Missionary of Charity in the World. This is where Mother lives, works and died. In this house, you find Mother's tomb, two to three churches with the church on the second floor being the one regularly attended by the nuns and the volunteers. It is allowed to take only pictures at the Mother's tomb which is located on the first floor to the right of this picture.

Mother's tomb room. the only area of
the compound where we are allowed to
take picture.

There is also the room of Mother which is to be visited from 9AM-12PM and 3PM-5PM Monday-Sunday except Thursday which is the holiday. Here also, it is prohibited to take pictures. One can only see from behind a fence. This room is typical to Mother's life as regard to her humility, chastity, poverty and renunciation to all type of material comfort.
In this compound, there is also the Mother's Museum which portays Mother's life from the beginning of the foundation to her death. One finds here, everything belongings to Mother during her life. It is also prohibited to take picture here.

Here pausing with a Palestinian's volunteer in the
Volunteer's room

Again on this first floor, we have the volunteer's hall where all volunteers meet every morning after the mass to take the breakfast (banana, loave of bread and chai or Indian's tea). Here, the nuns in charge of volunteers give the last informations about the day and also give passes to the newcomers who have not registered yet. This is one of the hot spots where you have the sense that, the World is present. All the volunteers meet here every morning before departing each to the assigned site of work for the day. Also, some gatherings of the volunteers are done here. People come from all the continents regardless of religions, that is why you find Non-Catholics and Catholics coming to work for the common good of the poors as Mother did during her lifetime.

Two volunteers talking after the morning
mass in the chapel of the second floor.

Entrance to Mother's compound

Mother House is receiving many visitors throughout the day. These are tourists coming all over the World some of whom are here to volunteer. Also these are Indians from Hindu or Muslims coming to pay tribute to Mother. It is beautiful to see how Non-Catholics bow to Mother's Tomb in Hindu or Muslim tradition. During visits, rosaries are tributed on demand. Eventhough the compound is not big, a guide is available if one needs to tour it. At the entrance, there is/are always nun(s) to provide information.

Volunteers waiting for the bus to drop them
at their assigned site

After the Morning's breakfast and information, volunteers move out of the room to wait on the sidewalk for the bus to go to their assigned site. Some of which sites are not far from Mother House just walked there. For example volunteers schedule to work at Shishu Bavan which is two blocks away, just walk there. Other eventhough the site is far, decide to walk there in group of many.

It is an awsome experience to volunteer with the Foundation. It is spiritually revigorating and uplifting. One cannot regret to go there. I thank God to giving me the grace to volunteer for the expansion of his glory in the poor of Calcutta. To glory be our Almighty God, maker of Heaven and Earth, the Unseen and Seen.

"Please Don't Kill the Child" by Blessed Mother Teresa

At my arrival in the US, I found a three-year old case of child murder well known as Casey Anthony's trial. This trial has started in 2008 when, the child Kelly Anthony, 2-year old was vanished from the family view for 31 days without her mom reporting the dissapearance and, going to party at the Night Club every night. The late 2-years old Kelly was find dead in the swamp close to the family's house.
It is highly suspicious that due to the Casey Anthony's behaviour, she had killed her little girl to be parenting free. There is no doubt in Americans' minds. Unfortunately, Casey Anthony walk free from the court with a NOT GUILTY verdict. Yes the American Justice System, has let a murderer walk free from the court, the system has confirmed that you can kill a child and walk free in this country.

this how Mother was taking care of the abandoned kids she found on the
streets in many of her orphanages

Having known this verdict, I just recalled what Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta has said. She has worked to saved childrens' lives not only in Calcutta but also in the World through her multiple foundations she established in many countries.
I have worked in one of the orphanages of Mother in Calcutta named Daya Dan. Each kid there has a story. Some of them were picked up in the dumpsters by the nuns, where as other were handed to the center by mothers who did not want parenting because of cultural issue such as: It is shameful in Hindu's society for a girl to be pregnant while not married, or be pregnant due to rape. The kids there were rejected by their mother or the families.

Mother holding a kid in one of the Centers in Calcutta
during her lifetime

Blessed Mother Teresa said: "Please don't kill the child. I want the child. Please give me the child. I am willing to accept any child who would be aborted, and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child, and be loved by the child. From our children's home in Calcutta alone, we have saved over 3,000 children from abortions. These children have brought such love and joy to their adopting parents, and have grown up so full of love and joy!". I have witnessed this love of children by Blessed Mother Teresa through her foundation when I was volunteering there. I remember that, 3 to 4 children were adopted by families and two of these children went to Switzerland with the adopted families while other went to Germany and USA. 
We need to protect the lives of our kids in this World so that, the Casey Anthony's drama will not happen anymore. We need to start loving our family at home so that we can love the World as said by Blessed Mother Teresa. This love of kids will help us build a society of peace, of security and safety where all are safe and loved.   

Memories of the BALCONY

In times, it happens what some call the side-dishes of the main plate. The sidedishes can be there or not to accompany our main plate.
My main plate was to volunteer passionately with Blessed Mother Teresa along with the Foundation she left behind to improve the living  conditions of the poor of Calcutta. To bring them God's light and love. I am very happy for what I have done there and thank the Almighty God to give me such blessings to work for his glory.

one of the moments at that BALCONY

The side-dish here was an amazing encounter I have had during my journey in Calcutta. It sounds or seems as if she and I were meant to arrive and depart Calcutta on the same dates. We were working together at one of the dispensaries where we were assigned in the afternoon. We had a lot of joy working there, commuting together back and forth to the dispensary. When I felt sick, she was the one who accompany me to the Diagnostic Center to find what was wrong with my biological system. She was always there. At the evening, after the works, we were always meeting at my BALCONY on Modern Lodge which was my hotel. She was living just accross mine in the hotel called Galaxy.
At that BALCONY (now famous), we had fun, we laughed, we played. Whenever we went out on date, we were coming back at that BALCONY to finish our experience. What ever we did, the BALCONY was the final point to close our meeting.
That BALCONY will always be in my memory for ever for the love and excitement it brought to both of us.