Jaynotes | Vol. 30 No. 3 |Special Edition, Winter 2002

The President's Message

SPECIAL

~I TABLE

REPORT

1 OF

J

I

CONTENTS

The President's Message........................................................ !

The Story of Christophe Hanemann.....................................2

The Story of Bobby Wolfe ......................................................4

Each ~car I kx>k fomard to the mttung '' nh the Jlll'.1lb ofour n1commg 'tutk.'flb dunng the fiN \\t"Ck of \Chao~ I ~plain that \\e atjC">Uit h:n-e a W.'l1lant \\lth our parenb I bt'liew that ttl' (W1 of God\ plan for thcir ~n' that '' e work tt~'\.'lhcr to hnn~ out the ).!IUltlX.·" that God ha,, pla<'cd "1thin cach ofth<.111. \\ lx.11 the "':hool and (Xll1:1lts \\ld at cn)'..-..puqlO'le>, the student\ ~utTer. The )utlJlR men of)c:.uttftoun,h \\hen \\e moper:ue m encuuraging, clttlk.11ging. and ~UPIXlt'ttng them. ln many \\a~-. parenting t<xlt~ is more difficult than it "a.' 111 pl't!\iou..s

generatiom.. .-\t.lok">t·cnn.: .. is st;tnmg earlier and ending later. High school ~phomon:s bt-gin to en~¥~ge in .tlli\11) t<xlt~ that dt"C.".ub ago one sa"' u:.uall} bt-ginning among rollt>ge frt>:-.hmen.

It is aston~hing that 13~, of eighth grade Mudent.., nationwide binge drink at lea.'it once a \l(:ek. Binge drinking is defined ;t\ having more than fi\c drinks at one snung. The number of htgh ~ hool senior.. who binge drink run.s a.' high ;t' 30'.b. 'Jl1e a\erage age of on'l<.'t for drinkmg C. 12. Of those tt'\.'lb \\ho drink, 93% of them 'un b) :1ge l'i. underage drinkmg b not ;I l'\ltl' .md lurrnb' nte of I'U'''~'C. The ri.\k for ck." eloping akohoiMl b f< lUr time. greater for a fll'Nlll "ho staru drinking at a~:c 14 a' cornll:IR'tl to one \\ ho '-lart' ,u age 21 \.' many a' -+0% of the )Utmg pt."'plc \\ ho stlll drinking at ~~ 1'I will haYC a scnou..' aloohol <k.'JX.'f1dcncc pmbkm at :.<.llllC tunc m their II\"CS One tJa... better CJdd, \\lth Ru: ,1311 Rouk.'Ue P:!n:nts laugh \\ lu..11 I tell them that tiK1r br.un' are different from thtr.e of their son' The adok:X"ent brain L' more ndnt.'r.lhle to the effect, of alcohol on k."JI'Tilllg and memoo than the adult br:nn l' )ct the adole.t-ent brain i' ~e,., ~'It tti\'C to the cfft'Cb of alcoool on motor coordination In U{her wooh tt'Cil:lg<.-r.. Glll drink more and e~u..-.e more danugc to th<.m'l<.'he. lx:fiN"C tlx·y stumble or (XI." out.

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A Doctor~$. Story.......................................................................6

Teenage Alcohol Use • Is It a Problem?.............................9

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It C. no aclident of bnguage that the 1\0rtl"tntoXK'Jtton" n:fer.. to drunkenness. In large qu:muttt>:-. akoh<~ ''a (lOl'>(lll For )oung adolescent'> akohol b a poi"'m. It i-. a poi'~<m th;u t~m ha'e di-.;Nrou:. long-term cfht.s.

D}~ng before one's ume b a tcnible tragt'{ly whent"Ver tt happen\

Substance Abuse: The Jesuit Response............................. l2

but the most dio;concetting for me have lx.'Cn the funerals ofje.uit alumni in their fonies who ha'e dtt'tl bt't~lll"'-' of the :d>U"'-' of ,llcohol that bc..'gall when th(.) \\ere Mudent-. in high schml. In the ltst ten ~car.., \\C ha1e buril'd at lc:t,tten rcbu\cl~ young graduate-. who.•.c: GtU"'-' of dt::~th imuh l'd alwhol abu'>C

C·harity Trauma Program....................................................... l4

Our student\ lire at the h:v.anlou' intl'r.t't tion of ti\O tlmgemu' mentalities: the adoiL·•,c:ent mutlKk: c)fIll\1nohilit\ ,md the ~t'\\ Orleans 'Pint of lai'i.'it'Z /e; bonlemfh router Childrm a-. young a-. 12 \"eal'> old Glll ea:.i~ obclin alcohol tn thh Ot\. Tht· public mtOXICllJOn o(}uung :Jdole:.,cent-. at Mardi Gr:l\ lliO\ili graphic t'\"idenre that our pennhsi\-ene.., IJa, ~llll' tfK> ftr

1 SPECIALREPORT: TEE ,\ ' AGERS & ALCOHOL

Unfo•tunarely New Orleans has a ve•y cavalier attitude toward the drug that is most abused by its adolescents. The culture of New Orleans has for many years encouraged a laissez-faire attitude about underage d1inking. The great strength ofJesuit High School is that we are counter-cultural. \Yie present a challenge in a "big easy" culture that is satisfied with mediocrity. \Y/e teach hard work and persistence in a culture that values the "quick fLx" solution to evel)' problem. Challenging the prevailing auitudes tO\'.'llfd underage drinking is not popular in aculture that lives for the moment.

Research demonstrates that adults, and espedaUy parents, have tremendous influence on the decisions young people make about alcohol and other substances. One's peer group is not the sole detenninant of adolescent choices. Parents have a responsibility to set reasonable limits for their teenage children. They need ro know where they are going, with whom they are going, and when they will return home. Parents need to see them when they come home at night. Parents need to know the parents of their sons' friends. Most importantly parents need to set an example by consuming alcohol moderately, if at all. \Yihen it comes to underage drinking, there are three clas.<;es of parents: the clueless, the powerless, and the complidtous. The clueless parent has no idea what is happening. At jesuit we tl)' to educate parents about what is happening among adolescents in New Orleans t<XIay. The second class, the powerless, know what

is going on bur don't know what to do about it. Here again, jesuit offers help ro individuals and groups to help parents set and enforce limits. The complicitous belong ro the third class. It is nothing short of reprehensible for parents ro provide alcohol for underage cl1ildren. It is astonishing that some parents think nothing of providing a keg of beer for 14 year olds. Considering the legal liability, I know few things more stupid than serving alcohol ro someone else's minor child.

At rhe conclusion of last August's orientation for new parents, I offered those parents who think that they may fall into the category of complidtous the oppo1tunity to receive a refund of their tuition payments. Providing alcohol for other people's minor children is aserious breach of the covenant. Our community is better off without such families.

I encourage all members of our jesuit High School community to consider greatly the infom1ation in tl1is special edition of the jaynotes. To my knowledge, this is only rhe second time that an entire edition of the]aynotes has been devoted solely to one ropic. I can tllink of no more appropriate topic than underage drinking.

H is time for us to stop poisoning our children.

e

Rev. A11tbony McGitm, SJ '66

The Story Of C . . . . " "'-"· tophe Hanemann E

ach morning ChristOphe Hanemann is reminded of a decision he made founeen years ago. Even if the sleepy cloudiness of his first waking moments tricks him into tllinking he is as normal as most of us, his ve•y first step tells him otheJWise.

Christophe is panially paralyzed. He walks with a limp-slowly, gingerly. His speech is deliberate, calculated, slightly labored, as if his mind and his mouth are not quire in sync. His sentences are full of cliched expressions, perhaps providing a comfonable haven for his thoughts. His memory sometimes fails him. An observer might mistake Christophe for a stroke victim. But this is no elderly man whose history of high blood pressure finally has caught up with him. This is a young man who decided early in his life ro begin drinking. This is a young man who decided to drink and drive. This is a young man who now must live with the consequences of rhar decision.

"Every morning when I wake up, my life is a living hell," Christophe says mauer of factly, as if he does not even comprehend the significance of his statement. Christophe's hell began on aj une night in 1988 just one month after his

SPECIAL REPORT: TEENAGERS & ALCOHOL

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graduation from j esuit High School, where he admits to being lectured on the value of appropriate choices. But this was not a night for clear thinking or wise decisions. This Monday night was filled with celebration near the end of the graduation season. The party that started at the home of a recent graduate of a private girls school eventually found its \vay to an uptown bar where the game of choice was "quaners," a game in which numerous straight shots are downed quickly. And Christophe was an eager panicipant. Later that night sometime between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. as he was driving a friend home, Christophe lost the game of Russian Roulette he had played so often. \XIhile driving north on Carrollton Ave., he failed to see the red light and the crossing car on Canal St. The crash left him in a coma for a month and paralyzed for a lifetime. His passenger and the occupants of the other car received minor injuries. They escaped the bullet that changed Chtistophe's life forever.

up ballgames, pitch and catch, a leisurely jog, throwing a Frisbee around are activities nm for Christophe but for his friends ... and his observation. He will always be in the audience, never a participant. Something else that's absent from Christophe's life is self-pity. "I made my bed, and I have to sleep in it," Christophe observes. And then he considers the impact of his actions on those closest to him: "It was incredibly selfish of me to pm my family through this.

Their life has been tumed inside out. My one regret is that evety parent wants his child to be petfect and I'm not. I sold my mom and dad shon."

It's obvious that Christophe's family has provided him \vith the foundation from which he can reconstruct his life, a foundation to help him move forward.

Christophe is making the most of the life he now must live. He holds down a job in the hotel industry. His days are filled with therapeutic activity, mostly smmming. And he finds time "to give something back," never forgetting the lesson his high school drilled into him.

Christophe "gives back" by talking to high school students about the imponance of their decisions, especially decisions involving alcohol. His advice, from "the horse's mouth" as he would put it, is strong and to the point: "Don't play Russian Roulette. lf you like your life as it is now, don't do what I did.

Look at me. Is this what you want for yourself?"

"It was incredibly selfish of

me to put my family through this. Their life has been turned inside out. My one regret is that every parent wants his child to be perfect and I'm not. I sold my mom and dad short."

Christophe's upbringing was fairly typical for a New Orleans family. Social drinking was pan of the culture. Crawfish boils and po-boy lunches were occasions for abeer or two. The adults drank. So drinking became the badge of adulthood.

The fom1ula was simple: drinking = adulthood. And so for an eleven year-old boy who mnted tO be mature, who wanted to be an adult, the decision to drink chan1pagne at a Sweet Sixteen pany for a ftiend's sister was an easy one.

And the decision to drink too much, to become drunk, was just as easy, for in his mind it meant he had become a man. A young boy's New Orleans rite of passage was renewed once agam.

Now initiated into the teenage culture of New Orleans, Christophe was prepared for the social scene of high school life. Weekend keg parries, Mardi Gras street gatherings, pre and post dance affairs were all designed for a good time, and the only way to have a good time was to drink. Christophe made sure he had a good time. Often. And in his eyes that's all he was doing on that June night in 1988: having a good time.

Christophe does not consider his "giving back" to be heroic.

"It's the right thing to do. Anyone in my situation would do the san1e thing." But some might disagree with Christophe's assessment of himself. This past Mardi Gras at a function for the Krewe of Orpheus, Christophe told the honored police and firemen of New York City, "You realize that you are heroes?"

One responded, "No, we're not heroes. The men who died on September 11 are heroes." And another (knowing Christophe's ~~oty) looked at Christophe and said, "No, Chtistophe, you are 1 hero. You are my hero."

\XIhile Christophe's days are full of activity, it's the vacancies, the absences, the empty moments that grab one's attention. Pick-

Christophe is lucky. He can tive with the results of his decision.

Others who have made the san1e decision cannot.

3 SPECIAL REPORT: TEE N AGERS & A.LCQHQL

e

ohhr \\"olfo:'OO could ha,·e written the ~raristb regarding akoholism among those who begin drinking as teenagers.

B

"I was a freshman at Jesuit when I started dtinking," Bobby s;tid.

"We'd stand mnside of the drug store and ask people who were going in if thev would buy us a six pack. Thev would and then we'd go to the fly in Audubon Park and dnnk. h \\~tsn't a big deal 'loon we looked a little older~> we'd go 111 to buy it oursclws. '\'o one en:r asked for an 10."

By ht'> sophomorl' yc-Jr at Jesuit, he had hts dri,cr\ liccn'>C.

"'11tat's a titkct to drin: to a bar." he ~d . lie and hi-, ftiemb would hit all of the uptown bars. many of whkh arc still in existence. ";\o one checked IDs. It wa' all htgh school kids in the bars. There Wll'i not a problem getting tn."

During his junior year a new restaurant and bar was opening uptown and h~.: and his friend~ asked the owner if hl· would need some hdp. "\Ve figured we'd be busing tables or working in the kitdten. lnste-.td, he asked if we \\;llltlxlto tx· bartenders. So at 16 years old. I was a bartender. ~o one ner ;t'>klxl for an 10." h w~b during hb junior year that he began drinking during the week and nor jw.t on weekends. He'd tell ht'> pan.:nrs that he was going to Mudy at the library and ''ould make it to on~.: of the bars for 2S·cent beer nights or 2-for·l night that were so popular. "I'd come home late when I kne11· my parents would be :L~leep so they wouldn't know. B)' this time I was dtinking e\'ety day. but still doing well in school."

By the time he ''~l' a senior. Bobby was drinking during the day~ on \\t'Ckend-, and ere!)· nighr of the \\tx:k.

If his family qul~tionLxl him, he would simp!)' say that he "had a few It\ no big de:tl." Ife'd always ge1 home safely. \\nat he didn't realize until much later was that he was lx:ginning to depend

on the alcohol. "lnl'txlcd it to function sooallr.

It w~ts 'rml.' I • could only be wtth (ll~lple tf I had a couple of beers. It was 111 my senJOr )l~u· that I moved away fmm beer and on to hard liquor. I could get drunk faMer. I felt more grownup. "!guess thinking about it now I realized inside that I had a problem. but \\hen I'd drink. it made it all fine."

College onlr acrcltt:uc.:d the problem. &>bby kept a refnger.uor filled with beer and mdka but wt-ckemb 1\trc when he did hts hl~t\)' drinking. ''I wanted to gt11hruugh schml."

By sophomore year he had k-Jrned to schedule all of his classes in the moming, use the afternoon to study, ;md hit the bars in the evening. "\X1ten the bars opened at 5:00, "I W<h the fit~t one in. I ncrer missed :t happy hour, and I dt~mk evt•ty rime I ate. At l.'il' the bat) d<l'ied at 2:00am. :md I never left earlil•r In fan, after thtl'• dosed. I would continue to think "ith ftiends at their apartmrnr.-. until 3:00 or ~:00 am. I'd grab four or fire hours sleep and makr it to cl:h.'i. I might haw been a liule gro~·. but I 11:t., in ch". I C\ en kept a gotxl GPA through all of this."

On weekends he'd rome to I\e11 Orleans and party here until the sun came up. lncrallr. He'd sleep unril 1:00 pm, get up, and have some roffee, a liule lunch, and start drinking again hr 4:00p.m. "Blackouts srancd to occur. \X11ole weekcnds were lost. I'd hL-ar from my friends: '&>y you had a good time last night.· But I w;t\ in mllcgc, I was supposed to be doing this."

Gmduation from I.Sl ume and went. and Bobbv had a degree in ptint joum:tli~m IlL stx·urt.xl a plum job at thl l.'il 'il:hool of Ocntistn· . a'> an txlitonal consultant in the Publil Rel:uon~ department. A' such, he prepa.n:d the school's alumni newsletter, did pre.,~ relto;N..>s, as.\isted in recruitmem, and

SPECIALREPORT: J1Tf l!:v,HH! RS, & ALCOHOL

4

edited papers prepared by the doaors on staff. It 'vas a good job, and he was good at it and destined for a long career.

yards and crashed again. An off-duty policeman stopped, came to the car, and told him to wait there for state troopers.

\l'hile his friends were building their careers and relationships with women, all Bobby wanted to do was drink. He was at the point now where he drank to get drunk. He was 25 years old, and at 10:00 am he'd start calling his friends to find out where they would go drinking that night, and he'd be thinking about what he was going to drink that night. "I never drank at work, but I did think about it.

Drunk and disoriented, Bobby got out of the car and decided to sit on what he thought was a bench at the side of the overpass. Thinking it was a bench, he leaned back, and fell some 20 to 22 feet to the concrete below.

"Often I'd think that! might have a problem, but then I'd think Tm too young to be an alcoholic. Alcoholics are old.

Alcoholics are always alone and miserable. I've got a ton of friends and my family loves me.

I couldn't be an alcoholic."

Amazing~·.

he sunived. He was losing \ital signs and was rushed to East Jefferson Hospital. His skull had 57 cracks in it when the doctor began tO perfonn a 10-hour craniotomy during which he remon~d several clots. Father Wayne Roca, S.J'57 was called to administer the Sacrament of the Sick.

The doaor's assessment of the operation was simple: 'We're not sure if he will make it or what type of person he will be if he does."

Bobby 6nally reached the point where he was no longer getting a "buzz" from alcohol, but he did not believe it was a depre:;sant. "It made me feel great." He seldom had more than one date with a young lady because they couldn't keep up with his drinking. ''I'd order a drink for my date every time I'd order a drink for myself. At the end of the evening, she'd have a few full drinks in front of her and I'd ha' e empty glasses.

Bobby spent six days m ICU during which the llrst '18 hours were touch and go. He ne,·er was in a coma. \\'hen he was mm·ed from ICL. the llrst thing he asked for was "a pitcher of beer."

Because he had not lapsed into a coma and because he had no broken bones or physical problems other than his cracked skull, he was moved from East Jefferson after three weeks and into the Brain Injury Unit of Touro Inflnnarv.

•

"I began to get depressed. I couldn't fall asleep at night without a drink. I had to drink to sleep- so I'd go to a bar for a few and then come home to bed. I was still ha\ing blackouts. but no buzz. I even had the shakes in the morning. But I didn't drink to stop them. I had to go to work and I didn't want to smell like alcohol at 8:00a.m. \\'hat I didn't realize was that the alcohol from the prC\ious night was coming out of my pores all day, so I smelled like alcohol anyway."

Because he had no physical disabilities, his rehabilitation in the section designated as M6 at Touro lasted only three weeks. He underwent physical. occupational, vocational, and speech therapy. but he progressed quickly.

Then, on the night of]uly 23. 1988, Bobb} went out to "Happy Hour" as always. He decided to leave the bar and go to a friend's home in .Metairie to continue drinking. He was alone on the Interstate going over the Oakland Avenue overpass. He fell asleep and crashed into the bridge railing. His car spun 80

It had not registered with Bobby yet why he was in the state he was in. He could look in the mirror and see nothing'' rong.

But inside, much was wrong. \X'hile at Touro, he began to miss his friends and one night left Touro and walked to a bar a block away. He was soon escorted back to Touro. "I don't

5 SPECIALREPORT: T E'VAGER

& ALCOHOL

remember who took me back."

Following his discharge from M6, he entered Touro's TI.C facility where he underwent rehabilitation for seven months.

When he completed his tenure at TI.C, he returned to his job at LSU that had been held for him. "But it just didn't work out," he said. Although there are no physical signs of injury, Bobby's damage was to his right frontal lobe where all of the cognitive thought processes take place.

After leaving his job, he began collecting disability. "I wasn't working I had plenty of free time. I had money. So I began going out again drinking. The doctors at Touro had warned me that I should not drink After abrain injury there is linle tolerance for alcohol. Before the accident I could drink aU night. :-;ow, two drinks would put me out. I bt>gan to up5et my family and my friends, but I thought I W'a\ only doing what I had always done. I was fired twice. Then, through the help of my family, I realized that I really did have a disability, and more importantly, I had a dise-JSC: alcoholism.

"At that point I found the support I needed to take each day one at a time. To not rely on that drink...to n.-alize what drinking had done to my life and me. That rcali1.ation was I2 years ago and I haven't had a drink since.

"I never thought drinking was bad -all of mr friencb did it.

Alcoholl'im dc>Clin't happen to people like me from a good schcx>l, a good family, with a good job. Alcoholism doesn't happen to people like us. The ones it happened to had it coming to them.

"I never considered myself an alcoholic because my friends drank t<X>. But I drank more than they. The bigge.'>l delusion was that everyone was drinking to get drunk, while the reality was that others were drinking to hare fun and could stop at any time. I was the only one who couldn't.

"Alcoholics are old, I thought. Alcohol made me feel good.

Alcohol was something I couldn't have a fun time without.

"I started drinking in high school with everyone else to be like evel)'one else and never realized what would happen.

"All of this could have been avoided if I would not have started a'> young:~:> I did."

T<xlay, Bobh) Wolfe has held a steady, gcxxl job at a i\ew Orll-ans la11 finn for ten years. He works in the finn's senices department where copies are made, maills sorted, and courier work b perfom1ed.

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Dr. Gary Glynn A DOCTOR'S STORY

D

r. Gary Glynn'66 lives with the human results of drinking and driving vittually every day as head ofTouro Infirmary's neuro-trauma rehabilitation facility.

Alx>ut 50 percent of the patients admiued to the facility have injuries associated with some type of substance abuse.

As a Physical, Medical, and Rehabilitation specialist with subcertification in spinal cord injuries, pain management, and electro diagnostic medicine, Dr. Glynn has seen and treated spinal cord and brain injuries of all severity. And of those he's treated about one-third to one-half of the patients are between 15 years to 25 years old.

Gary Glynn began his career in Denver. After jesuit he attended LSU and LSU Medical School. He did his residency at Lettem1an Army medical Center in San Francisco. During his residency at Lettennan, he spent several months at Craig Hospital in Denver, one of the most respected spinal cord and brain injury facilities in the world. FoUowing his discharge from the service, he went back to Craig and began working.

Family medical problems caused his return to New Orleans on a year's leave from Craig. After the first year, Craig extended his leave for another year with the hope of his returning on his track as the nex1 medical director. When it became obvious that he would nOt be able to rerum to Craig, he accepted a position at F. Edward Hebert Hospital.

When a consultant's position at Touro became available, he agreed to assist for a year in establishing a rehabilitation facility.

"They wanted to do a good thing and I could help get the services up to speed and speed-up the development of the program. In 1984 we opened what is referred to as M9, a general rehabilitation facility."

But it was in 1986 that real changes occurred. ''We opened the neuro-rraurna rehabilitation and I realized that I could be part of something that would raise the standards of care in this area.

There was no up-to-date, modem standard fadlity in New Orleans and even though I had been away from Craig for two

SPECIA-L REPORT:

1/'11:/J.;:v,~t

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years, I felt we could make real progress here. Today the facility has 63 beds and the neuro-trauma unit alone has 24 beds- twice the number of 16 years ago when it opened."

What typeS of brain injuries are treated? "Every blunt trauma to the head can cause a different type of injury," he said, "depending on what area was hit. Some patients have only brief loss of consdousness, some stay in a vegetative state and never come out, some come out, and some die. Most people's idea of coming out of a coma is based on what they have seen in movies or on television. A person wakes up and everything is as it was. That's seldom the case. In most cases there are residual physical, cognitive, ancVor emotional effects."

For those who lose consdousness but do come out of a coma, there can be many manifestations of brain injury.

Insight, judgment, shon term memory loss, paralysis of one or more limbs, coordination problems, complete immobility, language difficulty, blindness, deafness; the list can be almost endless. And if a patient is in a coma for more than a week, the odds of ever reaching a level of self sufficiently or competitive employment are not good.

"There can be some degree of language disformation, and that can be profound," he explained. 'What that means is that there are word-finding problems. It's like the other side of communications - the words coming out of their moutlls and what they are trying to say don't match. Some people experience something like this with a stroke, but this can be much more severe."

All of these effects, and so many more, can all result from a blunt trauma to the head. The inside of the skull is not smooth. It's rough and jagged. The brain kind of floats inside the cranium so when it's pushed up against a side of it, and one of those edges hits the brain, it's hitting a vital pan that controls how we act, walk, talk, judge -all the functions controlled by the brain. That's why every injury is different either in effect or severity.

7

"Depending on the injury, different treatment routines are established. We're pretty aggressive in that if there is any mobility of limbs and some cognitive ability, we immediately stan with self-hygiene and feeding one's self. From there we progress to physical and occupational rehabilitation" Glynn went on.

"But brain injuries can be insidious. The injury may be the loss of insight. If there are no physical injuries, the patient thinks there is nothing wrong. Pan of realizing you have a problem is to be able to see a problem. Problems like insight and critical judgment are difficult problems of which to convince a patient.

Sometimes the family can begin to give them insights into what they are doing wrong and they can alter their actions. But sometimes the family doesn't accept that there is a problem.

"Family education is one of the most imponant aspects of acceptance. They get a lot of misinformation at the trauma level.

I call it the "thrice tied to" syndrome: 1. They have been tOld ¡ their son or daughter will die; 2.

They've been told that if they don't die, they will be a vegetable; and 3.

They are told everything will be fine.

'The truth is somewhere in Dr. Gary Glynn '66 between. And that in between becomes very hard for them to accept when we stan to tell them. They see their son or daughter lying in the hospital bed. They figure ' ok, he's going to be all right.'

"It can be, and is, very difficult for parents to see their children in these states," he continued. "I've seen many patients whose parents could not handle it. We had one young man, a senior in high school, and president of his student council, a football player, who was drinking with his friends and riding in the back of a pick-up truck. He was sitting on the side. The truck hit a large bump. He went over and hit his head. He never lost consdousness. But he \V<IS young, in good health, so we admitted him to M6. He would have hours of very lucid, normal behavior. Then he would become violent, so violent we

SPECIAL REP 0 R T : TEEN A G E R S & A l C 0 H 0 l

had to pad his room and not allow anyone in it. He could hun himself so he had to be watched constantly. His parents came every couple of days for a couple of weeks. After that, they stopped coming. They could not handle what had happened to their son. ''\Yie have staff psychologists and psychiatrist who work with the families. Our caseworkers are constantly meeting with the families to make sure they understand what is taking place," he said.

In many instances the parents are like the children: they feel this could never happen to their child. This happens to other people's children. It's "New Orleans" to let them drink and have a good time.

"Please understand, not all of these injuries are from drinking and driving. Some are from other causes: falls from ladders, innocent automobile acddents, many, many reasons- but the results are the same," he explained.

"Underage substance abuse - be it alcohol or drugs - is the major cause of the cases we see.

'There are many teenagers who have a trauma to the brain but as I said have no outward physical signs of injury. They were a good football player, they had a 3.8 gpa, came from a good family, were motivated, good looking, focused on education, and they are now slow. They go back tO school and really need to be placed in a challenged environment. But they don't \vant to be singled out, so they try to do it in class as they had before.

They have to be singled out. They can't do it. That 30 or¡40 mile an hour acddent has changed them. They can make it, but they are going to struggle," he continued. t "One of the things we try to impan to the patient and the parent is that most of the recovery and rehabilitation is an ongoing process where there will be continual improvement.

Parents see their child lying in that bed and they don't understand that we, the medical doctors, have to be careful between sentiment and the potential implications, and fact. just because the parents weren't tOld that their child wouldn't get better, doesn't mean they won't. They can get better.

That's the good news. The bad news is that if they do get better it's going to take a very lone time. The other good news is that you can take a very long time to get better. But the fact remains that the effects will not go away ¡ever."

The process is not shon. There are at least two mont11s in M6 where intensive - 8-hours a day - therapy takes place. The parents are involved and called in to assist with re-learning things like the similarities or differences between a cow, a pig, and a chicken; assisting their children tO walk up a step; and to assist in physical therapy involving muscle stretching, to assist in teaching their children how to feed themselves again, and write, and much, much more.

"One of the things that happens as the result of a brain injury is that there is a personality change," Glynn explained. "The patient is not the same person he or she was before. In the younger patients, say 15 or 16years old, the change may be difficult to detect because their personalities aren't completely developed yet, but in the 18 year olds and older, there is a distinctive change. The family, therefore, must realize me change and help cue any inappropriate behavior that takes place. Loud talking, vulgar language is common. Gregarious personalities can become quiet; independent people can become very dependent. The families must adapt to these 'new people."'

Gary Glynn and his wife have three girls who are 30, 28, and 24.

He is well aw-are of raising teenagers in New Orleans. His daughters have worked at M6 at Touro and had come to know some of his patients.

How does Touro make a difference in this area? "For acute care (immediate life and death situations) the Medical Center of Louisiana is tough to beat. It's one of the best in the country.

Touro is the only, or one of the only, CARF aca-edited hospitals in the area. Its 24 beds are always filled and there is ahvays a waiting list.

"At our fadlity a bond develops between the staff and the patients and the parents, Gary Glynn said. 'There is a moment of re-birth, so tO speak when a parent sees his child, who has been in a wheelchair for two months take a step when they, the parent, had been wid the child would not walk again. But then again, there those moments of realization when the parent finally understands that the child will not walk."

And it all could be avoided.

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SPEC IALREPORT: TEE N AGERS & ALCOHOL

8

These rcsponst'S are in agreement with repons that alcohol is the moM commonly used drug among our nation's young JX.'Ople, mort'!>O than tobacco and illicit drugs.

Alcohol consumption by a young per.;on is not w1thout il~ dangers. Alcohol is a powerful mood-altering drug, and it~ use h}' children result.'> in very serious health risks for lxxlies and minds that arc still maturing. It can cloud judgment and intetfere with developing social skills and academic achievement. For example, research demonstrates that adolescents who abuse alcohol may remember 10% less of what they have lc-Jmed than students who don't drink, translating directly 11110 poor perfom1ance at school. Not onI} doc~ alcohol alfen the mind and body in unpredictable ''~~y~. but also teens lack the judgment and coping skills to handle alcohol '' isely.

Therefore, the effects on the brain, mood, and bcha1ior lead to incre;t\LXI sexual activity which entails a series of added risks such as exposure to sexually transmitted disease, unplanned pregnancy, suicidal and violent bcha1ior, criminal activity, injury, and death.

Although thL.~ consequences of alcohol con~umption by adolescents may sccm too drastic to e1·en mention in this anicle, young people who drink arc more likely than others to be victims of 1iolent crime, including rape, aggravated assault, and robbery.

specific situation. No one knows for sure, but learning of the possibiUty is crucial.

Among some of the factors that lead a child to drink arc pressure from cla-.smates to drink beer and desire to experiment. Approximately one-fifth of American 12-year-olds have tried alcohol; by the time tl1ey get to eighth grade, this percentage rises to more than one half; and by tenth grade, more than two-thirds have tried alcohol. The national surveys also indicate that many of these kids are drinking regularly.

About 41% of ninth graders say they have drunk alcohol in the past month. Even more surprising to most parent~ is the fact that almost one-third of eighth graders and half of tenth graders ha1·e been drunk at least once. Funhermore. one-fifth of nimh graders fCJXllt binge drinking (consuming fi1·e or more drinb in a row) in the pa'>t month.

You may wonder if your child is at risk for developing alcohol-related problems.

Research studies have shown that children are more likely to develop alcohol-related problems if they • heg1n u'mg aln >h< >I <>r <>tiler dn1~' hcti >rr 1he .lgL· <,f I~.

• 11.11 L..1parent 11 h< >i' a pn ,hJrm dnnkr '1r .111 .tl<''h< 1i1< .

• h.11 L. <h"e IIWntb 11 ho the akohol and or <II her dn1~' • lw e heen a~_t:l\."11 r. :111tl'< >u:tl. ''r lurd I<> <IIIli n 1l In 1111 .111 Llril :t~e • lw r npL·twnL niL hildh< ~Ill ahtN· .IIH I '>r <11 her 111:qor 1r:1untts.

• h:11 1· <liiTL.Ill heha1io1:tl problems and <1r :1rr b1lt11~ al slh< 11 1!

• h:11r p:trents 11110 do not supponthcm. do nol n >lllnHIIliL ate <1pcnl1 11ith them. and d< >11< 11 keep 1r.11k of their hdt11·ior or 11hen:ahouts.

• rxpenrnL r ongoin~ hostilttl or rcjeclton from parents and or hal"h. inronsislent d1sdpltne.

Studies show that in the United States at least one adolescent (10..19 years old) die!> of an injury erery hour of every day. :'\ot surprisingly, alcoholts mvol1·t'tf in about 35% of adolescent (15-20 years) driver fatalities and 1n about 'l0% of all adolescent dro" nings. More adolescents die from injuries like automobile accidents and drowning than all other diseases combined! So that puts shots and visits to the pediatrician in a totally different context. The message is dtrar: Alcohol use is risky business for young people.

As with all situations relating to health and dtse;L-.c, having one or more of thL':>l' risk factors does not necessaril) mt>an that your child L'> doomed. Howe~-er, odds are against the child the more of the~ experiences he or she has had. Therefore, any measures to prevent that course need to be taken no11. You may wonder if all the studies and statiMiC'> reflect your child's

You may wonder who are these children that the sUlveys are talking about.

The reality is that a survey is a reflection of our national problem. Jt>:>uit High School takl~ pride in the fact that its student body i:. a reflection of the population of Nt'\\ Orleans and it'> immediate sunuunding.'>. In other words, the student population at je.~uit lligh School is not an exception.

The desire to take action and take control of the situation ''~ e1ident among the parent~ at the recent mccung. Many wondered if they should cease to consume alcohol at home or sign contracts with other parents committed to not serving alcohol to other adolescents or keep their sons under house arrest until they turn 21. Obviously, there is no ea~y answer, and the opinions of the experts are all we have as guidelines.

Some of the.e arc a logit'lll extension of what we a'> parents arc alreadr comm1tlL'd to doing and to many rna} seem n:dundant.

Howe~·er, the rl"JS.\Uring aspect of the expens' conclusion.\ is that the role of the parents i!i central to the attitudt-s that the child "ill dc1dop rL>garding alcohol use. Specifically, rurrent research suggest~ rhildren are less likely to drink when their parents are inmhtxl with them and when the}' and their

SPECIALREPORT: TElnauliR."l & ALCOHOL

10

parents repon feeling close to ead1 other. One national study found that students are less likely to use alcohol if they are c!Q,e to people at school, are a pan of their school, and feel that teacher)) treat students fairly.

• Do not allow u11-cbapero11ed parties or tee11 gatheri11gs ill )'OUr home but encourage )'OUr child to invite frietrds over whe11 J'OU are tlt home so )'OU ca11 meet his jrie11ds.

Remember a11d bellet'e itt )'Our ott'll power to help your child at'Oid a/cobol use.

Stiemific studies and statistiC!~ data all conclude that L'Stablishing a loving, tntsting rdationship with your child is a key step to preventing alcohol abuse. The recommendations are

• Fi11ally, and perhaps more importantly, do11't support tee11 dri11ki11g. Your attitudes and behavior toward tee11 dritrkit1g influence your child. Research shows that adolesce11ts whose paretrts or friellds' parents provide alcohol for teeu get· togetbers are more likely to engage ill heavier dri11kl11g, to dri11k more ojte11, a11d to get itrto tra.lftc accidetrts.

• Make it easy for your teen to talk honestly with you.

• Establish a line of communicatio11 with your cblld. Spe11d time with him, eat your meals together, and get to know your son.

• Do not be afraid oftalking to your child. Talk with him about a/cobol fads, bow you feel ahollt underage drinking, reasons not to drink, and wa;os to amid drinking in difficult situatio11s.

• Keep tabs 011 your you11g teen's activities. Be aware ofyour tee11's pla11s and whereabouts.

• Encourage your child to join in school, church, or other community activities. jesuit High Scboollms a number of extracurricular activities for an sorts ofinterests from sports to academics toftm bobbies. 1be data from the natiolllll survey show that teens who participated in two or more youth activities duritrg the past year were less like/;• than those who participated ltr one or fewer J'Outh activities to have used cigarettes, alcohol, or an illicit dmg during the past month.

• Connect with other paretrts. 1bis can help you keep closer tabs on your child, maki11g it easier for you to call the pare/It ofa teetr who is havi11g a party to be sure that a responsible adult will be present a11d that alcohol will not be available.

DmrY be shy, because you're likely tofhrd out that j'Ou're 11ot the 011/y adult who wa11ts to prevent teen alcohol use-many other parents share )'OUr conamL • Det:elop family mles about teetr drinking. 1bese should reflect )'OUr own beliefs mrd values. A11d establish consequences for breaking those mles. It may surprise you to k11ow that adolescetrts drink less and have fewer alcohol· related problems whe11 their parents disciplbre them consistently and set clear ~pectations.

• Set a good example. Be aware ofyour own alcohol use and your resp01rse to teen drinking and monitor alcohol use in )'OUr home. Encourage your child to develop healthy /rietrdships a~rdfun alternatives to drinki11g.

• Get to know )'OUr child'sfrietuls. Ifyour child'sfrietrds use alClJbo~ )'OUr child Is more likely to drink, too. So it makes sense to try to etiCOurage your )'OUtlg teetr to develop

jrie11dsbips with teens who do not drink and who are otherwise healthy i11jluettces.

'llle Town Hall M<.-eting held for parents at jesuit High School was a fil))t step in a process aimed at prevemion of the problem and at raising awareness of the situation. Close monttoring of our children's beha\'ior and perfonnance is what we, as parents, need to do with the support of teachers and counselor)).

You may wonder what to look for in terms of the behavior of your child that may indicate an alcohol or other drug problem.

Experts believe that a drinking problem is more likely if you notice several of the:,e signs at the san1e time, if they occur sudden!)•, and if some of them are extreme in nature:.

• Mood changes such as flare-ups of temper, irritability, and defensiveness • School problems such as poor attendance, low grades, and/or recent disciplinary action • Rebelling against family rules • Switching friends, along with a reluctance to have you get to know the new friends • A"nothing matters" attitude: sloppy appearance, a lack of involvement in former interests, and general low energy • Finding alcohol in your child's room or backpack, or smelling alcohol on his or her breath • Physical or mental problems: memory lapses, poor concentration, bloodshot eyes, lack of coordination, or slurred speech In conclusion, the call for action is to know whether your child is at high risk for a drinking problem and, if so, to take ~tep~ to lessen that risk. Know the warning signs of a teen drinking problem and act promptly ro get help for your child.

e

Tbe infot711llt/on pt\'«'1//etl hi1.< heeurompiledfrom the Natkma/ 1/on....,ho/tl Sun'(!)' 011 Dnlfl Abu~;e (l\'1/.'i/JA) .WI. publicationsfrom tb.:l•lati<mllllnstlllltcs 011 Alcohol Abuse tmd Akobol/,111 (.\Z \M), Sub.<tat1<.'e .'JJIL'il! rmlf ,l(tllllcli l lmltiJ Sen ices AdminL<trcltkm (iii.\1//S.~). American .lledical Assr'ic:it1dot1 alllf the Cem,·r for D1se- Control Dr..lfolma i.• 1b..•Director of Fduclllion oftbe ISl:'.Akobol RR'II:arcb Celli<.,. 1/cr n!:setm:bjJ<.'>b<'S 0111he fm{kiCt ofacll/e akObol illloxicallon 011 the owcomefrom trmmui/IC llljlll)' mul bettiOnVclgiCshod. lfyoull'ould like to n•culmott' 011tbe subject. 1uo excellent soun:es tiff! ami/able t11 h11p.t. u1111 .lll<l<lllmh ..!;VtipldiicatioR< makediffhlm. arul blip, iii'IIU tllcohv/[n'ftbllc/r~/1 0'8•/I>!PIIhs him/ 'ilathlm

11 SPE CIALREPORT: TEE.VAGFRS & ALCOHOL

su

B S T A N

•

c

E

A B

us

••

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e esu1 he substance abuse program at jesuit High School is under the pUiview of the Director of Student Development. He coordinates all education and prevention efforts, manages the Safe and Drug Free Schools (fitle IV) grant, completes all assessments of students referred to the Assessment Program, and determines the course of intervention and follow-up when indicated in the assessment process. The role of the director is that of counselor, not disciplinarian. All efforts at addressing the issue of substance use/abuse are suppon.ive and are methods of enabling the student to keep the promises he makes to himself about his use.

T

In addition to the daily education and prevention efforts of

faculty and, espedally, of guidance counselors, jesuit has some formal opportunities for students to be educated about the reality of substance use and abuse. These include two educational programs which reach entire grade levels: the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse's (CADA) educational modules presemed to eighth graders in PE and the one-day Charity Hospital Trauma Prevention Program for sophomores.

The director also provides consultation for the Guidance department in their efforts at substance abuse education and in peer support sessions for pre-freshmen and freshmen. In addition, he is a visible and active presence on campus and at school functions. jesuit has an active SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) chapter, including students who have served the organization at the national level. This organization supports students in remaining alcohol and drug free during high school and participates in many volunteer and educational programs and projects. In the last couple of years, the jesuit SADD chapter has hosted the annual GADA-sponsored Speak Up Conference (2000 and 2001) and the annual MADD multi-media presentation on adolescent substance abuse (2002), appeared on guest panels for Red Ribbon Week, volunteered for TraumaRama (Charity Hospital Trauma Unit's annual fundraiser), held conference to encourage elected officials to support

responsible legislation (Spring 2001), attended local and regional workshops on substance abuse, and attended the annual state SADD convention in U!fayette. The SADD members have brought their experiences back with them to educate their classmates in formal and informal settings. In addition, SADD has a website page on the school and national SADD websites.

Astudent can be referred to the director in a number of ways.

Suspicion is adequate cause for referral, and referrals can be made by teachers, counselors, or administrative staff (with written, behavioral indicators), or by a parent or the student himself (with verl>al reasons only). Other students' comments are corroborated with faculty/guidance before the student is called in. Confidentiality is respected post-referral, in that only participation in the program, or lack thereof, is communicated to the referring party. Once a referral is made, the as.sessment process begins, and the student is called in to the director's office for a thorough psycho:«ial interview. The student then takes a computerized version of the SASSI (Substance Abuse Subtle Screening Inventory), which provides a screening for substance dependence, and for risk factors associated with dependence -inducting an emotional pain indicator, for possible co-morbidity of affective disorder/symptoms. An initial hair test is also taken at this meeting if chemicals Other than alcohol are implicated. After this initial meeting, the Director soticits feedback from the students' teachers and grade-l<:vel counselor, and examines the student's academic, extracurricular, and social life.

Drug testing is used only if the student is referred into the program, or if use is suspected at a school function. jesuit currently uses hair tests developed by Psychemedics -the same company used by the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office, and the Director has been trained in spedmen collection by Psychemedics. Moreover, jesuit has decided to expand its drug testing efforts to include on-site alcohol tests at school functions -to be given to students whose behavior suggests intoxication. jesuit does not randomly test the entire student

SPEC IAL REPORT: TEENAGERS & ALCOHOL

12

SUBSTANCE ABUSE: TheJesuit Response body for the following reasons:

- Testing of the entire school creates an adversarlal relatumsblp with students.

1bere Is difficulty monitoring such a large population.

False negatives occur.

- 1be hair tests are limited in their scope. (1bey do not test for many commonly used drugs.)

once the students stan consuming alcohol with their peers. By lOth grade, it seems that the students who ARE drinking are already associating alcohol with having fun. For all these reasons, jesuit's prevention effons focus ptimatily on alcohol use. We encourage parents to use the above information in making choices for their sons.

e

If a problem with substance use is detected, the student enters a program of supportive interventions (random hair testing, regular meetings with the director of Student Development referral tO addiction education or treatment, referral to therapy, mandatory participation in SADD, etc.). Participation in the program is voluntary, AND is necessary for continued enrollment at JHS. The student is encouraged to follow the treatment plan as determined by the director in order to responsibly address his substance use and remain at jesuit. Non-compliance with this treatment plan results in referral to the Prefect of Discipline and the Administrative Team for disciplinaty action. In these cases, confidentiality of the content of the assessment and sessions with the director is maintained, and only non-compliance with recommendations is communicated to Prefect of Discipline and grade-level counselor. Parents, however, have a legal right to view their son's records.

Finally, jesuit High School takes a strOng stance on possession and distribution of illegal chemicals. Such behavior is not tolerated and will result in expulsion from jesuit. All prescribed medications on campus must be registered with the Office of Discipline and must be prescribed to the student in J)OÂĽes5ion of them. Distribution of such medications will result in expulsion from jesuit.

In the fall of 2001, in order to evaluate program effectiveness,

the director of Student Development conducted a school-wide substance abuse survey. These surveys were administered in English classes on September 19¡21; and, because the answers were similar across classrooms, the trends that emerged can be taken as valid. Alcohol consumption is clearly the primary problem at jesuit. Although there was some repon of use of other substances, this was minimal in comparison to the ove!JWhelming incidence of underage drinking. Many of our students repon being initially exposed to alcohol at family ocdsions or holidays, with an increase in drinking occurring

1

SPECIALREPORT: TEENAGERS

a

ALCOHOL

A

s part of ]eusit High School's overall program to detect and prevent substance abuse, sophomores participate in a "Day of Alcohol Awareness" at the Charity Hospital Trauma Center.

The purpose of the program is to prevent injuties and fatalities from driving impaired by raising awareness, changing attitudes and behavior regarding alcohol and drug abuse, and offering choices as alternatives to risk taking behaviors.

Trauma is the leading cause of death in people ages 1-44. In 2001 there were approximately 297 major trauma admissions to the Trauma Center of those 14 - 18 years old. Seventy-seven percent of the admissions were a result of blunt trauma, primarily motor vehicle crashes. Of the admissions and motor vehicle crashes, a large population tested positive for alcohol.

Thus, as a Levell Trauma Center, it is the goal of the program to educate the community regarding alcoholrelated emergendes.

Outing the Day of Alcohol Awareness, each partidpant receives a demonstration of alcohol related emergendes, the effects of alcohol, and its relative emergencies, and the resulting injuries.

The young men, approximately 30 in number, are transported on a jesuit bus to Charity Hospital. Once settled in a founh floor classroom, they are introduced to the Trauma Coordinator for Injury Prevention Program, a Louisiana State Trooper, and a guest speaker. They are given an ovetview on the development of the program and its objectives. They are told the schedule of the day's activities and then take a test to establish their baseline of knowledge about alcohol, drugs, and their use.

The first speaker is a victim of an alcohol related automobile crash.

The 32-year old man shares his experiences with the group. The teenagers now have a real face associated with a real event. They

have a real story to link to "it can happen to you." The young presenter discusses the rash, the resulting injuries, the rehabilitation, and the life experiences of living physically disabled and brain injured for the past 13 years. After the 30-minute talk, the students are encouraged to ask questions of the \~Ctim.

Next up is a uniformed Louisiana State Trooper. He reviews the laws concerning underage drinking and its consequences, as well as the laws regarding drinking and driving and their legal consequences.

This officer explains all OWl laws and their interpretation and the consequences of noncompliance. He shows a videotape demonstrating multiple graphic fatalities as a result of drinking and driving.

So that the Blue Jays will have hands-on participation and somewhat experience what they could expect if stopped for a OWl, they are given "Fatal VISion Goggles" and ask to perform a field sobriety test - much as they would be if stopped by a law enforcement officer. The inability to see dearly and thus not be able to walk or perform simple coordination tasks is startling to the students.

Aregistered nurse begins the demonstration of the medical ramifications of driving under the influence.

This registered nurse begins with a video showing resuscitation of a patient: chest compressions, throat tubes, oxygen - but with a different twist - it's from the patient's perspective. Then a graphic slide show of alcohol related injuries is shown. This part of the presentation concludes by presenting the choices available to the young men and the use of safety equipment.

SPECIAL REPORT: TEENAGERS & ALCOHOL

14

4133 Banks Street New Orleans, LA 70119

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Parents, if you are receiving your son's]aynoles, although he no longer lives with you, please let us know so we can change our records and send the magazine directly to him. If you enjoy reading your son's jaynotes, let us know that tOO. We would be glad to send a copy to his new address and a copy to you.]aynotes is produced by the Office of Development and Alumni Affairs.

(cont.)

During the program Jays experience some of the m~ical procedures that might be used on a trauma victim.

A Louisiana State Trooper explains to the students the state's DWI laws and their consequences.

'â&#x20AC;˘

Perhaps one of the most experiential parts of the day for the students is the tour of the surgical intensive care and emergency rooms at Charity. Here, students see patients waiting to be treated and being treated. Here the)' are told where they would be brought in case of an accident, where they would be treated; where they would be taken should their injuries be vety serious.

To date, jesuit students of the past three years have patticipated in

SPECIAL

REPORT

the program. In its initial year, the program was part of the Junior class curriculum. After surveys revealed the onset of alcohol use in earlier years, the program was moved to the sophomore class.

The Charity Hospital Trauma Program currently has verbal contracts with Jesuit, Holy Cross, and DeLaSalle for the program.

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