1980_04 The Daily Collegian April 1980

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April 14,1980-the Daily Collegian -Page "
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by Steve Schmidt
Earl Whitfield only tells his story in
tbe hoc* that it will help others.     ,
It began some five years ago and cli¬
maxed last November under the sterile
cold lights of a hospital surgical room. It
was there .that Whitfield's "traumatic"
struggle for life waa played out.
For three hours the CSUF College
Union director's life .depended'on a
machine, as doctors performed delicate
open heart surgery. It was the machine
that pumped the blood from the arter¬
ies snd nourished him with fresh, life-
giving blood.
He later said that without the oper¬
ation be would have died. It was the
machine that provided the heartbeat.
And when asked where the new blood,
22 units' worth, came from he couldn't
euite recall.
It was just a few hours before the
operation that the hospital received a
package from the CSUF Blood Bank,
It waa for a balding, 48-year-old named
Whitfield. .
Today Earl Whitfield to back at work
in his third floor CU office, with scars
and poor irtnminn as reminders of the
past.
He has also brought with him a deep
"appreciation" for the many faculty
members and students who have contri¬
buted over the years to the CSUF Blood
Bank. It waa with their help that Whit¬
field was carried through the ordeal.
Whitfield, a CSUF graduate and for¬
mer student body president, is a victim
of arteriosclerosis, commonly known as
"hardening of the arteries.* It's, not a
rare disease. Several others at CSUF
also suffer from it, according to Whit¬
field.     • -        '
It was in 1976 that signs of the cardiac
disease first struck. A heart attack im¬
mobilized Whitfield. And then in 1978
another one hit. Soon "indescribable"
cheat pains became common for him,
rendering him a 'vegetable* up to late
lastyear.
The heart problems resulted in a
maturing of the disease in which Whit-
field's four primary arteries became
clogged, allowing for poor blood circula¬
tion in and out of the heart.
And so late last year Whitfield entered
St. Agnes Hospital for an important
operation to "relieve the symptoms (of
the disease) snd not cure H."
'Once the disease catches hold, you
can slow it down, but not stop it," Whit¬
field said last week.
In Whitfield's case it was his life¬
style that helped give him arterioscler¬
osis snd almost did him in. He lived on
a day to day, full-speed ahead schedule
which kept Whitfield at a busy "120% "
pace. This in turn brought on stress and
tension which sre the msin causes of the
disease.
Whitfield said be was the classic
type *A* personality, characterized by a
go-getter, over-achiever disposition.
Heredity, diet, and lack of exercise
can also contribute to the development of
the condition.
After years of pain, Whitfield entered
the hospital for open heart surgery
'resigned to whatever happened;* Doc¬
tors rated him a high-risk for pulling
through the operation, but as the condi¬
tion worsened there remained few alter¬
natives.
It was in the operation that a heart/
lung bypass machine waa used to cir¬
culate Whitfield's blood while doctors
performed four coronary bypasses with
vessels grafted from his leg.
Whitfield suffered severe compli¬
cations after the operation. He soon
developed pneumonia and had to be
revitalized later with CPR after a car-
diacarrest.
Whitfield's 18-day hospital ordeal
also put a strain oh his wife and three
children. "It was harder on the family
than it was on me," hesaid.
The operation was a success. The
pain to gone now and Whitfield to slowly
returning to a normal life with an
added appreciation of it.
The experience has brought changes
to Whitfield's. life. Most
importantly, he avoids stress. He has
also quit smoking, watches bis diet,
snd to enrolled in a St. Agnes excerctoe
program. "1 feel better than I've felt
inyears.'heaaid.
Arteriosclerosis, once called the 'old
man's disease," to occurring at an in¬
creasing rate. The speed and urgency of
modern living has contributed largely to
the increase, according to Whitfield.
Some returning Vietnam veterans have
suffered from it and college students are
also susceptible to its' dangers, he said.
For many years Whitfield contributed
blood to the Central California Blood
Bank. He gave many pints on each
annual visit. But since the operation his
condition keeps him from contributing
anymore. That's alright with Whit¬
field becsuse the fovestrnent paid off.
CSUF Gay Awareness Week enlightens public
with films, speakers, display in library
Gay Awareness Days will be held
next week April 14 to the 19. The event
is being sponsored by the Gay People's
Union. A series of films will be shown
in CU. room 309 throughout the week.
•The txjrpsMVJI gay awareness days
to to tear down some of those barriers
due to lack of education by exposing
people to a different lifestyle,' said
Gay People's Union chairperson Cindy
Williana.
Don Amador, a professor of anth¬
ropology at Los Angeles College and
Mayor Tog Bradley's liaison with the
gay cofnmunity, will speak - at,' the
Unitarian Church Friday evening ■
April 18. He wiU give a three' hour
slide-show presentation entitled 'Don
Amador's Gay Study: A closer loot
at gay history from prehistoric to
modemday."
Other speakers during the week
wfll be Richard Stone who will
apeak on 'Growing up with a Division
of Identity,* and Bandy Odom who will
speak on gay responsiblity. Bill Rob¬
inson wfll .peak on 'Alcoholism and the
gay Community," and there wfll be
a panel discussion on Christinity and
the Homosexual: a Positive View.*
Exact times and locations of the events
will be announced next week.
• 'A display on gay awareness Is now
in the library.
f
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Earl Whitfield, college union director, underwent open heart surgery last November
and is thankful to the CSUF blood bank for tl» Me-glving fhud.
Photo by Greg Trott
Students urgently needed for
campus-sponsored blood drive
Students willing to 'give the gift of
life" can roll up their sleeves for the
spring CSUF Blood Drive beginning to-
morrow in the CU Lounge.
Sponsors hope to collect about 200
pints for deposit in the CSUF Blood
Itank.Thedriveiiicliidess'Battfeofthe
Crabs" competition with a plaque going
to the group with the highest percentage
of participation. All donors will receive
gifts arid refreshments.
The drive to sVTssrtolad fw tomorrow
frcmnamto2pmar*dWedneedayfrom
10 am to 2 pm. The event to being coor¬
dinated by the campus Health Science
Chib, ROTC, the Students Nurses,
istion.and the campus blood bank.
All healthy students sre welcome to
participate. Donations wiD not be accep-
tad from persons Tscamiij ■offering from
a cold or taking medication. Students
with diseases or who are severely under¬
weight sre also exempted,   i
The process wfll be arlmlnlstered by
the Central California Blook Bank
niirsing staff, aided by campus Health
Science students. The blood, which is
good for a year, wfll be stored with the
wntral state bank.
All doctors must fill out a medical
history registration  from and take a '
blood musiim ii tost before the blood
istaken.
Health Science stacker* June Cfee-
land lersaniaawta that aU donors eat
a large breakfast the mailing of the
drive to provide a good amount of
energy. llem-eehmenU and fruit anil be
provided for quick erienjy after blood ia
1
Gifts for the drive wiU be retributed
WrUba tvaibqmkM'..W*P^', ' V.
FM  station   McDonald's BssMirant
and the f>nfawl CaHnw^-pafaJ ' lMgy >'•'     '