Steps to a Cure

Featured writer: Nashia A. Choudhury

“There is no disease that God has created, except that He also has created its treatment.”  This is a teaching that many believe, even though struggles in life may cause them to forget it.  When many a person is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he may lose hope and begin to despair.  This can become a bigger problem when healthcare professionals tell him that his condition is “incurable,” and he only has a few months to live.  There are some, though, who choose not to give up.  They are willing to fight for their lives, and this choice helps lead them to a discovery that may benefit others as well as themselves.  One such person was James “Rhio” O’Connor.

James “Rhio” O’Connor was diagnosed with mesothelioma.  Mesothelioma is a rare skin cancer that is caused by asbestos from various products that are used today.  Rhio was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma at the age of 61.  He was told to “get his affairs in order” by his doctors, but he refused to give up.  He decided to research his alternatives, worked with professional clinicians, and was able to implement his research into his own life.  He decided to research his alternatives, and by working with professionals in the field, he was able to implement this research into this own life.  Rhio lived for another seven and a half years after his diagnosis because he was able to gain information from other specialists and make an informed decision.  In the end, nutrition played a big part of his longevity.  He was able to live longer because he understood the need to be healthy in order to survive with the cancer.  The “cure” went beyond radiation, chemotherapy, or surgery.  It gave him a second chance at life.

This story brings home the fact that surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation are not always the answer.  The average patient does not realize that there are alternative choices that can allow a person to live a healthy lifestyle. Many of these choices come from nature.  If I were ever in this condition, I believe that I would also follow in Rhio’s footsteps and try to find an alternative treatment for my illness.  I would trust in God and help advance treatment of my cancer through research, which would help me make an informed decision. Research into my disease would also allow me to make more informed choices.  However, research in the field is just the first step in the process.  Researchers would be able to share their findings, and the knowledge would help us determine what works and what does not.  After this I would determine the best way to search for the cure.

Once diagnosed with a disease, I would try to grasp an understanding of my illness.  My first step would be discussing my choices with my healthcare physician.  I would find researchers and physicians specializing in my illness and try to determine what would be the best course of action.  I believe that researchers and clinicians in the field would be major assets in this research because they are actively dealing with the disease on minute levels and would be able better understand the capabilities of this illness.  After this, using my own understanding, and working with the researchers and clinicians, I would try to get a better understanding of the disease.  I, as a health science major with a strong background in the sciences and mathematics, believe that I would be able to contribute to the research.  I would talk to other patients of this illness and try to understand the treatments that they have gone through.  They would be able to tell me what has worked and what has made it worse for their individual situations.  I would try to work on different aspects of the disease.  Even if I were not able to find a cure for myself, I would want to help those who suffer and will suffer from this illness.  I feel it is my duty to help try to cure people, and I believe that in these circumstances, I would be prompted to try to find a cure that works for different individuals.  I understand that this “cure” might be different for each and every person affected by the illness.  I would try my best to tailor different therapies and natural vitamins to help each individual personally.  I hope that I would be able to succeed and help save many lives.

My family and friends would play a big part in my decision to start this process of finding a cure.  My family has always encouraged me to be the best that I am capable of being.  They have taught me to reach for the stars, and believe a cure exists and can be found.  If I made this decision, they would support me and stand behind me as I went through this journey.  My friends are the greatest.  They will always be there to offer support and encouragement.  Sometimes I feel as if they are my personal cheerleading team.  I know that based on this decision, I would not only find support, but also teammates who will help me in this journey.  They would feel it was their duty to help me overcome this obstacle, and they would wholeheartedly support my decision to try to find a cure for this illness.  Through this journey, I will hopefully be able to find a cure that is able to help all those who are affected by this illness and make a difference in the world.

Day 1: This is kinda hard

Goal for today, buy a camera.
The reason? Our family used to have two camera’s. One of which was broken, and another one was lost.
In my family, I am usually the one who forgets or breaks items. I have lost an mp3 player, and then forget that my other one was confiscated by my mother and found it a year later. I always break/lose jewelry, and leave it to me to forget my wallet in another state.
So surprisingly enough, the breakage of one camera and the losing of another had nothing to do with me at all. In fact, it was two of my four siblings who were responsible. Now, my mother is asking questions as to where the our camera’s are. And so, knowing that neither of the two siblings will do anything to actually buy a new camera, I have decided to take charge.

Lo and behold, it is 10:35 pm and I am still struggling to find a good camera.

If I had known it was going to be this hard I would have signed up for the Peace Corps.

However, I still have one and a half hours left. Wish me luck.

365 days

In my health science class last semester, as an assignment, I made a goal that was to be completed by the last day of class. The goal wasn’t hard, and Alhamdulillah, I was able to complete it.

This goal making has resulted in me wanting to do something new everyday.

So, starting Monday, August 10, 2009 I plan on doing something new for the next 365 days.
I have a couple ideas on what to do, but if you have any ideas feel free to comment. It can be anything, spiritual, emotional, or physical, as long as it is humanly possible.
A new post will be put up everyday on the something new

On day 365 I will pick my “Top 5 Best New Things To Do” and attempt to do all of them in one day.

S.C.

“Adding something new to your life is like adding an extra pinch of spice.”

Second Chances

You’ve been given a second chance, and Allah (swt) knows you don’t deserve it, but you have been given it all the same. So there you are, sitting in your professor’s office, milking it for all you’ve got on how you have always been an amazing student and you’ve never done so bad before. Miraculously enough, you some how manage to convince your Professor to throw out your worst grade, or add 20 extra credit points, or become buddy-buddy with them through out the semester. As a result, there is no way you can fail the class, no matter how unproductive you are. This is when you begin to realize that you could go to just about every professor you have and tell the same sob story and be able to squeeze out at least 20 extra-credit-sympathy points for their favorite student. And some how, without even implying you are smart, all your friends believe you are smart because even without studying you still manage to get an average of 3.6 each semester. But understand, it is not the professors who are giving you your second, third or fourth chance, it’s Allah (swt). Because as said in almost all my other posts, Allah (swt) LOVES to give out second chances. No professor in their right mind, would continually give you second chances if they knew what you were ACTUALLY doing, and that the story you tell them at the being of the semester is the same one that you have told to all your previous Professors.

You do realize, that no matter how loving Allah (swt) is, all your cheating and lying and laziness will eventually come back and bit you in the butt, right? It is probably around the time you start studying for your MCATS, LSATS, GRDS, etc. That is when you realize that, wow, you don’t really know anything. So, naturally, you find someone else to blame beside yourself. You complain to all your friends that college professors are just as bad as high school teachers. It high school, they teach you a bunch of material that is not even looked at in college, unless of course you are in an advance placement class. And how can your friends argue against you? Even though they seem to think that the studying material is straight out of class textbooks, you are the one with the highest GPA, so you are MUST be right. Your friends begin to think, maybe they are the ones who are studying wrong, and then begin to “find” flaws in every Professor they have had, not matter what their credentials are. Around this time you begin to realize what a fool you have been, and you may as well have given out 40 grand instead of wasting it on classes that you never actually went to, or studied for. However, if you are brave enough, strong enough, and rebellious enough against your culture’s standards, you could potentially go back and repeat college like an honest person. But Allah (swt) only knows how many people are actually willing to do that. And if you are one of those people, then may Allah (swt) bless you in every way for facing your mistakes and doing what is right instead of what “looks right.”

So if this is your senior year in college, and you GPA is due to the fact of your charm with the Professors, then you still have sometime to try and squeeze in some studying. If you are a junior, sophomore, or freshmen in college, then yes, if you try hard enough and want success, you will find a way to make things right. This is not to say that you should go to all your old professors and confess to them about your lack of effort. For one they will not able to anything about it, and for another, if you do end up having them again for another class they will definitely not be your number one fan. Also, if you actually DO try your hardest and are still struggling in the class, then by all means, ask for some help from your Professor.

One of the things that Allah (swt) wants for us to accomplish in this world is to have a good education. For some of us the only retainable education can be up until high school; for those of us who are more fortunate, we can complete college and then be able to get even more schooling. No where in the Quran or Hadiths, does it say to cheat, in fact, it has been widely emphasized to avoid cheating as much as possible. The immediate effects of cheating can be ones that either get us high grades or get us kicked out of school. The long term effect is always that we never really benefited from our classes, and that is what causes us to not be successful in life.

In the working world second chances are like winning a million dollars, twice. So don’t fake it, suck it up and earn it.

These Years

Maybe it is because I don’t have a social life, or my life consists of class, studying, exams and an occasional workout. Maybe it is because my parents unintentionally cocooned me in a world filled with little conflict and drama. Maybe it is because I am simply clueless. But in the past month I have learned things about my fellow peers that makes my jaw drop and my eyes the size of saucers.

I do not understand what exactly happened between last year and this year, but it seems that the people I have grownup with, some of which are my friends or acquaintance, have forgotten about Islam and their identity as a Muslim. That may sound a bit harsh, because obviously I am not perfect, but it’s the only simple way to explain things.

I’ve learned things about people who were considered the humblest of humblest, that shocked and sadden me. I have learned things of people who may have made mistakes in the past, but are making unbelievably huge mistakes now.

Perhaps it is because I am entering college, as well as my peers, and we have come to realize that the real world is different than from what we thought it was going to be. Granted, I knew that life would be harsh, but never this complicated.

One of the major difference between now and then for us is the amount of freedom we have. It is the years we get out first car and credit card. The years we first pay rent, and insurance. The years that we are free of our parents curfew, and free of report cards being sent to our homes.

I am not saying freedom is horrible. No, freedom is great, it is what almost every ethnicity in America had to fight for in some period of our countries history. It is what defines the United States, and lacks in other countries. It is what causes wholesome envy. It is the goal that revolutionizes third world countries and those civilizations without it. But is not always used correctly.

The 4 or 5 years in college is our stepping stone in the business world. A world that does not care if you were having emotional problems when getting that 2.0 in Biology. A world in which a major mistake in college will result in stepping 5 steps down in the business ladder.
In physiology, it has been found that the Limbic system, which has to do with an individuals emotions, has few physical connections to the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex is what controls our movements and speech among other things. Since there is few connections, it is hypothesized that this is why emotion is so hard to physically and mentally control. Meaning that emotions will find a way to impact all parts of our lives, even if it is in the middle of an exam.

The Holy Prophet [s] said: “Man is influenced by the faith of his friends. Therefore, be careful of whom you associate with.”
A word of caution to all students in college, keep your emotions in check by avoiding drama and conflict. Most importantly, it can be avoided my surrounding yourself with people who have good intentions. What you do today may not impact your tomorrow, next week or next month, but sooner or later your past actions will impact your future. OR, your actions today WILL impact what you do tomorrow and the years that fallow.

~S.C.~
Imam Sadiq [a] said: “My most beloved brother is he who (makes me aware of) my faults.”

Things to Ponder

Why do we always think of the most interesting things when we are in a class that requires 100% of our attention?

How can we remeber the birthday’s of the most people we barely know and never the remeber the ones of the people we love?

Why is it that all through elementary, middle, and high school we hated to have assigned seats, yet in college we always find ourselves sitting in the same seat for classes?

Why do we take classes in the summer when in the fall and winter we swear to ourselves we will take an actual summer break?

Why do we almost do something that we have wanted to do since childhood yet chicken out at the last mintue? Failure only leads to a stronger personality.

Why do the lives of celeberites entertain us even though we know half of what is said about them is not true?

The President of the United States was hired by us, so why do we shy away when we get the chance to tell him what we think should be fixed?

What really seperates the maturity of a freshman versus a senior in high school, is it really a maturity difference?

Why do we question “Why me?” to Allah (swt) in the middle of a disaster, but never question “Why me?” when He gives us happiness?

What do you ponder?

Our Summer Journey

Wow, it’s been a while. The sad part? It has not been a while because I have been busy, but because I was starting to feel that it was my obligation to have two posts up every month. Now I know how that Maniac Muslim guy feels, sheesh…
Any who, back with TWO new posts, hope all of you like them. I have been hearing a lot of feedback via facebook, texting, email, gchat, fbchat, but for some reason not through replying my posts. Ahhhh, well one can only wish for 1000 hits per post, can you imagine what my posts would be like if this was a vblog? So I’ll let your mind mull that one over as our summer journey into adventure, wonder, and adulthood begins…

…Ahh who am I kidding. Our summer journey will consist of classes so we can graduate early from college in order to have a break for a couple months. But then we find ourselves applying for law school, Med school, grad school, masters, all that good stuff. And after that? Well either we are getting married or begin our first professional jobs. No, our summer journey will consist of long hours of work at a place that was entertaining for the first week, and pays below minimum wage, thus making us take up a secondary job. Our first job pays for all the classes we are taking, and our rent; the second job pays for food, and the small slot of time in summer when we can actually take a breather. Our summer journey will consist of drama, that for some odd reason never occurred during the school year. Which doesn’t make sense, because if everyone is busy taking classes, working, and squeezing in time with friends, where in Allah’s name does this drama come from? My theory? It comes from all those poor unfortunate souls who do not know what the meaning of independence, responsibility, and maturity. And the fact that all of their favorite shows are reruns. Another proof that all TV shows are a big fat lie because there summer break is for some reason always happy go lucky. But like all bad situations, there is a silver lining. However, everyone has their own personal sliver lining. For me, Jummah prayer at the mosque is something always to look forward to, and that is where you reunite with friends you haven’t seen for months. It’s the place that almost every Muslim prays as one and unites as one Ummah.
So….what’s your silver lining?

Closure

In our lives we makes decisions that have an impact on our future. So the question that always comes to mind is, did we make the right choices?

There have been several incidents in my past in which I have made both good and bad decisions. To this day I am still benefiting and paying back for my choices. However, there are actions that I have taken in past that I still question today. Actions that have potentially effected other people, both in a positive and a negative way. One of the things that I would love to do is sit down with those effected by my doings, and would like to know if they ever regretted being my friend. I would like to have a conversation with those who I barely knew but had impacted their life, and would like to know if what I did in the past was beneficial to them. I would like to speak to those who some how wounded up in my calculating schemes and ask if they ever wondered how they ever ended up in whirl pool of drama and complications at such a young age. In essence, I would like to find closure, as does every other human being on this planet. And if you have never thought this way, perhaps you need to stop thinking about yourself and take a step back.

Islamically speaking, I would like to know if there was ever a time where I helped someone. I would like to know if I have been able to use what my teachers, parents, imam’s and hoffiz’s have taught me and used it to teach others. I would like to know if there is any way i have effected someone so I know Allah (swt) has not given up on me. It would be frighting, and something that i still fear, that the body that was given to me by Allah (swt) has been used and abused. I fear that the only things that spew out of mouth is hatred and lies. I fear that the only things that my eyes sees are those of adulterous material. I fear that my ears only hears gossip, rumors, and affliction. This is also another thing that many people have wondered about from day 1 and will continue to do so forever. But never give up on hope, Allah (swt) has given everyone thousands of opportunities to turn back to him, and will continue to do so until our last breathe.

While there are some people from our past that we still can ask about how we effected them, there are others we will never be able to question. People move on, people leave this world, people simply disappear to another parts of this world. The only thing we can do is pray to Allah (swt) and ask for his forgiveness if we ever hurt anyone we ever cross paths with. We must remember, even if we meet someone for a minute, a day, week, month, or year, they will some how be remembered you, and it is best that we try our hardest to leave a positive impact. After all, we are all majorly impacted by meeting one person for one amazing moment.

Good Day

It has been a good past couple days.

Days in which I have not had to worry about family drama, drama in general, grades, exams, projects, papers, classes and the everyday mishaps.

Allah (swt) has blessed me with the chance to have a couple days off. Yet, I know when tomorrow comes around I will be faced with several problems that can not be solved in a couple minutes or seconds. But after a solution has been made, victory is so much sweeter than if the issue was solved in a couple minutes.

There are many of us who complain that life is too complicated. In which, we are to deal with issues that are way beyound our perspective or expertise. We have to deal with friends who are have family problems, and have to deal with family problems of our own. We have to deal with gossip that is a never ending cycle of lies and misconception. We have to deal with the never ending dread of failing our next exam, test, quiz, paper, or project. We have to deal with the issue of doing the right thing even if the world has turned its back to us.

It would be nice to think that there will always be a human being that would be a constant throughout your life. It would be nice if there could be a human variable that is never changing and will never judge you for the actions we make, no matter how silly or idiotic. If you are the one in a trillion person who has a constant, than there are two things that can be derived from this fact. One, you are either very lucky or very blessed. Two, never take it for granted.

There has been an emphases in almost ever post that when dealing with something that is way over your head, there is a higher being that is willing to listen, willing to comfort you.

So if you ever have had a couple days of bliss, realize that there is most likely a huge hurtle to jump over in the following days or weeks. And if you are grasping on straws of hope, turn to Allah (swt) and inshallah you will be given a pool full of hope to dive into.

~S.C.~
“Company, company, where would we be without company?”

The Creator of…

Have you ever made a meal for the family? Not the ones that are from a box or take out.

A meal in which you spend hours of planning, make sure to get the best of all ingredients, and synchronize all five timers so the food will be perfect. You remember exactly how much of every ingredient you put into every dish that you masterfully created. You are proud of what you made, and you KNOW exactly how it was made.

So in a way you can tie the analogy with how Allah (swt) has created you. He created every part of your body especially for you, and ONLY for you. He knows what you are made out of, and knows each and every ingredient to make the special you.

There has probably been countless number of times in your life where you feel that there is no one in this world who will ever understand how you feel or what you are going through. And you are 100% correct. No one in this world truly knows what you are experiencing. But what if there was something better than a person to talk to? What if the thing that created you was the one who would listen to you always, and would always lead you towards the right path? Oh wait there is, Allah (swt).

So whenever you feel like you are going to crash and burn, open the book that has all the answers to everything you ever question. Open the book that allows you to understand what choices you should make and how to keep yourself on the straight path. What miraculous book am I speaking of? Why the Quran of course.

When your computer breaks down you contact the makers of the machine and ask them how to fix it. Usually the answer to fix the problem is available, but there is never a 100% guarantee.

So when you feel like you have broken, reach for Allah (swt) and there is a 100% satisfaction guarantee.