A Statin-Induced Nightmare
Editor's Note: This is Part Two of a four-part series chronicling the medical history of Hazel's father and the complications of his prescribed choleserol treatment. To properly orient yourself within the story you may read Part One Here.
MALIBU—My beloved, once-healthy father was withering away. It broke my heart. I channeled my despair into determination. Fueled by a desire to...
Cultural Secret: Boys Are Better
BEL AIR—Freedom and opportunity led my parents to America. Once they arrived, they built an American Dream upon a foundation of their native cultural beliefs and ideals, loads of love, and a sense of liberal freedom. My mother valued the freedom she never experienced in Lebanon. And yet, she remained tied to her cultural secrets. She firmly believed the...
Chivalry Is Only Dead Down The Hill
BEL AIR—I was but a little girl when I spotted my brother sporting his Sigma Nu hoodie emblazoned with the words "Chivalry is not dead." Curious, I asked what chivalry meant, sparking a lengthy family conversation.
I relished the notions of respect, honor and valor, especially when demonstrated by these charming, older frat boys. I couldn't articulate the essence of...
Nexxus Blew My Curly Secret
BEVERLY HILLS—What do you tell your plump-lipped, chubby-cheeked daughter with curls down to her bum? Her peers are stick-thin and tight-lipped, boasting perfectly straight shoulder-length hair. They are the standard of beauty, she's not.
You do the only thing you can for your distraught princess. You appease her, finding the best hair product to relax her nagging curls. You buy...
My Suicidal Secret
LAUREL CANYON—Tara was my best friend. People always said our age difference didn't matter because I was wise beyond my years and she was chronologically beyond hers. We made a perfect pair!
We were twins. We thrived doing girly things. We loved hiking, dieting, and fawning over adorable animals. We both had curly, waist-long hair that we sometimes put in 100...
Snowboarding On The Slippery Slope
WRIGHTWOOD—Word on the street is if you want to really have fun on the slopes, avoid Mountain High. However, I had visited before and besides the icy and slippery slopes at times, I wondered why people said that. After all, it is close to Los Angeles and you can often get there without chains. So what is the big...
Cedars-Sinai Is Deadly For The Deaf
BEVERLY HILLS—I am one of the many millennials that refer to organic, holistic and more natural approaches to health care. However, there are times when you need real old fashioned medical help. Receiving health care isn't a problem for most because we have laws in place to protect patients from discrimination and being denied health care regardless of your...
Cultural Secret #1: What’s My Identity?
What trials face the young Lebanese woman and strapping Irish lad who find themselves in love in the heart of Los Angeles?
Born the youngest of four first-generation American children, my siblings and I shared parents with strong, independent cultural values. But in spite of our biracial heritage, my mother's Lebanese values reigned supreme in our upbringing.
Cultural clash was commonplace,...
Cultural Secret #3: Girls Should Stay Pure
BEVERLY HILLS—My mother once said, "When you keep your heart and thoughts pure, God will protect you from temptation." She was right. Some might criticize her parenting as harsh, strict, or even inhumane, but this was part of my cultural conditioning. Without these lessons, experiences, and boundaries, I wouldn't be as secure as I am with my sexuality.
It started...
My Secret Was Her Suicide
Editor's Note: This is Part Two of a Three-Part Series. Click here to read Part One.
LAUREL CANYON—As expected, Tara's mother contacted me that Saturday morning, but our conversation didn't go as expected.
She asked if I was with Tara and I told her that I wasn't but had been expecting her call.
We were both confused, as it was Tara had...