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Brooklyn
Memoir (1)
The worst jet lag
I've traveled all over the world and experienced jet lag many times. However, I'm sure the worst was the one I suffered in July 1980. Yes, indeed, it was when I started the residency training in Brooklyn.
I was supposed to stay at the dormitory at Kings County Hospital before finding an apartment. Since there was some paperwork to fill in to stay at the dormitory, I reserved a hotel for a week. The hotel I reserved was in Brooklyn, not in Manhattan. In 1980 there were very few Japanese travelers in New York and so there was little information concerning safety in the area. Nonetheless it was so stupid for me to reserve the hotel in Brooklyn.
I was so naive then.
I arrived at JFK International Airport on a day in mid July 1980, and went to the hotel by taxi. The taxi driver, who looked scary enough himself, told me " This neighborhood is kind of dangerous, so be careful." Getting out of the taxi, I looked around and understood what he meant.
In the hotel I was busy preparing for the first day at the hospital. At night my consciousness became sharper and sharper. I remember looking at the stained ceiling thinking “how could I survive 3 years in Brooklyn?” I could not sleep even one minute that night.
I went to Downstate Medical Center just across the street of Kings County Hospital next morning. I met with the program director and several attending doctors there. I became extremely sleepy just before noon. One of the attending told me, " Dr. Kido, you seem to suffer from severe jet lag.
You'd better go home and have a rest." I went back to the hotel and lay down on the bed thinking to have a nap for an hour or so. When I woke up, it was 9 at night. It was dangerous to go out at this time in this neighborhood. Therefore, I stayed in the hotel room. As I slept in the afternoon, I could not sleep at all that night, too.
This vicious cycle continued for a week. As far as I can recall, it was my record for the jet lag. Looking back I diagnose this extraordinary long jet lag as “anxiety neurosis associated with depression.”
I've traveled all over the world and experienced jet lag many times. However, I'm sure the worst was the one I suffered in July 1980. Yes, indeed, it was when I started the residency training in Brooklyn.
I was supposed to stay at the dormitory at Kings County Hospital before finding an apartment. Since there was some paperwork to fill in to stay at the dormitory, I reserved a hotel for a week. The hotel I reserved was in Brooklyn, not in Manhattan. In 1980 there were very few Japanese travelers in New York and so there was little information concerning safety in the area. Nonetheless it was so stupid for me to reserve the hotel in Brooklyn.
I was so naive then.
I arrived at JFK International Airport on a day in mid July 1980, and went to the hotel by taxi. The taxi driver, who looked scary enough himself, told me " This neighborhood is kind of dangerous, so be careful." Getting out of the taxi, I looked around and understood what he meant.
In the hotel I was busy preparing for the first day at the hospital. At night my consciousness became sharper and sharper. I remember looking at the stained ceiling thinking “how could I survive 3 years in Brooklyn?” I could not sleep even one minute that night.
I went to Downstate Medical Center just across the street of Kings County Hospital next morning. I met with the program director and several attending doctors there. I became extremely sleepy just before noon. One of the attending told me, " Dr. Kido, you seem to suffer from severe jet lag.
You'd better go home and have a rest." I went back to the hotel and lay down on the bed thinking to have a nap for an hour or so. When I woke up, it was 9 at night. It was dangerous to go out at this time in this neighborhood. Therefore, I stayed in the hotel room. As I slept in the afternoon, I could not sleep at all that night, too.
This vicious cycle continued for a week. As far as I can recall, it was my record for the jet lag. Looking back I diagnose this extraordinary long jet lag as “anxiety neurosis associated with depression.”