Cha-may weeya
Medicine Talk
Siletz
Communit
TPEP Presents Profiles on Quitting
Lisa’s Story
by Lisa Brown
This is my story about my struggle
to overcome the addiction of nicotine.
I was bom in 1960. My mother is
Aurellia Darlene Picard, daughter of
Marge Martin-Lane and Henry Picard.
I ended up being raised by my
grandfather’s sister, Mary Jane Picard,
whom I referred to as grama. My
grandfather’s side of the family were
Modoc-Shasta-Pitt River-Modoc, from
down in Klamath country, coming from
Picard Calif., just east of Doris, Calif.
It was unfortunate for me that my
Grama Mary Jane and her husband drank
alcohol and smoked too. This means
that I had many opportunities when they
were not paying attention to steal cig
arettes. I don’t know how many cig
arettes I took when they weren’t looking.
In addition to this, they were mod
eling that smoking wasn’t a bad thing
to do. Plus, I had a lot of free time on my
hands when they were drinking alcohol
or “resolving conflicts.’’ Added to this
were trips to Chiloquin to visit relatives
- more drinking and smoking, which
makes it all seem just too normal.
Sad but true, I began sneaking
around with older cousins, taking a dare
to “smoke” as early as 7 or 8. By the
time I was 8 or 9,1 was taking cigarettes
when the adults weren’t looking and by
the time I was 12, my grandma said it
was better for me to smoke around her
rather than behind her back.
The reality was that she would
prefer the company. Addiction makes a
person blind and makes no big deal of
how young or innocent its hostages are.
I really never quit. Not until the tribe got
the tobacco prevention program posi
tion in 1999 did I even think about quitting.
Then in 1999, I got hired as the
prevention coordinator to work with
youth age 10 to 17. I remember how I
would smoke on my breaks, during my
lunchtime, and when I was not at work.
It probably took me three weeks
before I realized how bad it looked for
me to ask youth to not smoke when I
smoked. I thought about how it was
when I was young and decided that
maybe I could make a difference for the
youth I was supposed to be helping.
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Siletz News
So I quit smoking - no patches, no
pills, just a commitment and a promise
to the youth whom I care about. I’m
still committed, making a promise to
try to be a good role model, to walk
the talk.
I don’t smoke, I don’t do drugs, and
I don’t drink alcohol. I’m a spiritual
person. I love to play games and have
fun, and the things that make me feel
good are knowing where I come from
and what my cultural heritage’is about.
Most importantly, sharing these
things, thinking that maybe they might
help someone else who wants to replace
alcohol, tobacco, and drugs - that’s
what helps me walk a good path. If
you’re reading this, you’re already on
the right path. Keep reading, stop by
and pick up a quit pack, read the
literature - it will help.
I got my friend a quit pack and she
quit on Jan. 28. She said she wanted
my help to get well. I told her if I was
going to help her get well, the first thing
she needed to do was to quit smoking
so I could help her. She did!
If you would like a friend to support
you when you quit smoking, I'm here
for you. Help is there - just ask for it.
Health
Clinic
Clinic Events in April
Diabetes Luncheon
Breastfeeding Circle
April 16 at noon
Siletz Administration
Housing Department
Conference Room
April 8 at 6 p.m.
All mothers and expecting
mothers, please join us for a
meal and some healthy
education on breastfeeding.
Building Lunchroom
Moms and Babies Breastfeeding Circle
Coiifedeiaied Tribes of Siletz Indian*. ot Oregon Breastfeeding Program
2nd Tuesday
of each
month
6 - 7:30 p.m.
Housing
Department
Conference
Room
Nurture your baby
Nurture yourself
__ --■,
Costaci Laari Duarte or Barbara Danna, RN. at 541-444-1030 or 1-800-64R-0449
You’re invited to come eat, visit, and learn
about the many benefits of breastfeeding.
Sponsored by Siletz Tribal Diabetes Grant
Diabetes Exercise Program Accepting Applications
Enrolled Adult Siletz
Tribal Members
April 1-15, 2003
Program
note:
Participants
admitted to the program and meeting
their attendance and documentation
requirements do not need to submit
a new application to continue on
this program.
Applications will be accepted for
the slots that remain open or become
open. Slots are limited and submitting
an application does not guarantee
acceptance into the program. It’s to
your advantage to complete your
application fully. Please see application
materials for program details and our
priority populations.
□ April 2003
What To Do
Whom To Contact
Area offices: Application packets
are available during the first half of
April in Portland, Salem, and Eugene
through Community Health staff.
Please hand-deliver or mail completed
applications to Cathy Rasmussen, RN,
CTSI Eugene A/O,1140 Willagillespie
Road, Suite 18, Eugene, OR 97401; or
directly to Laura Bremner-Duarte,
Siletz Community Health Clinic,
P.O. Box 320, Siletz, OR 97380.
For any questions or concerns,
Siletz area call Laura Bremner-Duarte
at 1-800-648-0449, ext. 671, or
541-444-9671; and Portland, Salem,
and Eugene areas call Cathy Rasmussen
at 541-484-4234.
Applications must be received by
April 15 to be considered for May.
Applicants are responsible for con
firming that one of the above program
staff has received their application.
Timeline
Begin accepting applications
Last day to receive hand-delivered or mailed applications
Acceptance/denial letters mailed
For those accepted, “my starting point” document due
First day of exercise
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