POOR LITTLE JESSICA

Victor Bloom MD

We were all struck by the tragic and premature death of little Jessica, the would-be flying ace and record-holder. We were equally appalled by the lack of judgment of her parents and flying instructor. What is it that tempts mere mortals to challenge the gods? Couldn't they have learned from the lesson of Icarus, who, disobeying the instruction of his father, Daedalus, fell to earth when his feathers melted as he was trying to reach the sun? Haven't we learned that a little hubris is a dangerous thing? Do we all really need our allotment of fifteen minutes of fame? Or do we need to risk our lives to gain a little excitement?

It is interesting that for many years we have been fighting a war against drugs. Years ago there was even an attempt to prohibit alcohol, a failed effort to eliminate the evils of alcohol abuse from society. Now alcohol is back, along with nicotine, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, speed, LSD, PCP and rufinal. What is the lure of the 'rush', the quick 'fix'? Why do we need action or drugs for mind-alteration or consciousness-expansion?

It is as if ordinary life is unbearable. Alcohol, nicotine and other drugs affect the brain chemistry to give an artificial surge of good feeling, whether it be excitement or relaxation. It seems that when God gave us brains, He shortchanged us. We cannot seem to cope with life as it is; we have to somehow transform it into something else. Is just plain life too boring, too mediocre to tolerate? Is it too stressful to bear without some chemical insulation, the psychological equivalent of styrofoam?

Or do we have the latent, but unrealized capacity to find adequate stimulation in the life of the mind, in study, learning, and the enjoyment of literature and the arts? Is there not enough stimulation in a good book or music? Why does anyone send a seven year old up in a small plane in a large storm?

But look at the context! We are now a society that encompasses sky-diving, bungie-jumping, mountain-climbing, hang-gliding, scuba-diving, deep-sea fishing, big-game hunting, mountain-biking and auto-racing. Not only do we participate in and watch these dangerous activities, but we are attracted in droves to action films with endless car-chases, explosions and shootings. Since our adrenalin is activated by danger, we foolishly seek it. Sometimes the dangerous activity is akin to "Russian-roulette", and flirting with danger becomes suicidal.

Real danger and drugs serve to stimulate the brain neurohormones and enzymes to produce a feeling of excitement. The chemical process produces an adrenalin 'rush' and/or an endorphin 'high'. The brain actually produces its own opiates, similar in chemical composition to morphine and heroin; one merely has to self-induce enough physical pain to produce our own endorphin-anesthesia; it is all very 'natural'. What is the basis of the 'runner's high'? Enough pain is produced by the pounding of the joints and the stress on the muscles to stimulate the production of endorphins to dull the pain. At the same time there is an artificial side-effect of euphoria.

The ancients used alcohol and hallucinogens, often associated with religious ritual. Primitive tribes celebrated their pagan gods with orgies of sex, drugs, music and dance. They also wrote classical plays, full of violence and gore. They wrote comedies to get us giddy with laughter. They started the sports competitions and we continue them today in local contests and the world Olympics. Thousands run in marathons, even though we know the first marathoner died at the end of his run. What is the point to stretching ourselves to the limit? What is the point of messing with our brain chemistry?

I ask these questions in spite of not having a simple answer. I only wish to question the extremes to which parents are pushing their children beyond their physical and mental limits, and themselves, as well. Jessica's mother said that she was glad that her child died in joy, but not so young. She taught the child not to use the word, "excitement" for whatever reason. But excitement is not the same thing as joy. Excitement comes from stimulation and over-stimulation. Joy comes from a sense of deep fulfillment of some natural and healthy outlet for our feelings. Wouldn't it have been better for Jennifer to have had the joy of an affectionate hug? Did she have to risk her life to get a hug?

Even now, as we speak, a ten year old boy in Dearborn loves to fly and says he knows it is dangerous, but he is willing to take the risk. Even though he has seen what happened to poor, little Jennifer, he is eager to push the envelope, to fly. Where is judgment? Where is moderation? What is the rush to risk? What is so precious as a child's life? Why would any parent want to risk it?

As we speak there are many teenagers driving while intoxicated, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs, engaging in unsafe sex. It is time that parents exerted some power and authority to safeguard their health and lives. Let little Jessica's death serve as a legacy that will safeguard our children's lives. Let her memory serve as a warning to all of us against further excesses of clearly unnecessary risk-taking.