Smoke Signals October 1 990 ' page 12
Cocaine(cont)
dangerous because it is cheap and plentiful.
"If a woman stops taking cocaine two months into her
pregnancy, the baby will not go through withdrawal
outside the uterus, but it will go through withdrawal
inside the uterus," Wasiewski says. "That is, the baby
will be exposed to the cocaine for a longer period than
the mom because the cocaine metabolites hang around
longer in a baby. And, the fetus may feel the effects of a
single hit of cocaine for two days."
"Those two days may be very crucial to a variety of
organ formations, including the kidneys, the brain, the
heart, and the lungs. And, we already know there are
abnormalities of the genito-urinary tract of babies whose
moms use cocaine."
The fetus is fairly well formed and looking like a small
human very early in pregnancy, and from then on, it's a
matter of growth and development. By having exposed
the fetus to cocaine early in the pregnancy, a mother
may have altered the normal sequence of development,
he explains.
"So, the kid may come out looking fine, but later on
have developmental problems," says Wasiewski. "He
doesn't walk when he should, he doesn't talk when he
should, he doesn't do as well as predicted based on his
parents intelligence. And, you can spot these problems
around 2 years of age."
The message this researcher wants to leave is: There is
no "safe time" to use cocaine when a woman is preg
nant. Wasiewski believes there a lot of potential
dangers for the fetus that have not yet been docu
mented. When I hear a pregnant woman say: "I only took a
little bit early in pregnancy," the red flag immediately
goes up that this fetus is at risk, he says. "I don't care
whether she stopped eight months ago, it's akin to
thalidomide (the tranquilizer used by pregnant women
in the '50s for nausea and sleeplessness that caused
hundred of babies to be born with malformed or missing
limbs.) "It's great that they stopped, but it might be too
late."
When a pregnant woman takes a "hit," there is an
almost immediate increase in her heart rate and blood
pressure, Wasiewski says. Adrenalin in the blood
stream rises rapidly. The fetus and the uterine artery,
which supplies blood to the placenta , a structure in the
uterus that circulates nourishment and oxygen to the
fetus, are "exquisitely sensitive" to adrenalin. When the
pregnant woman takes cocaine, the uterine artery
squeezes tight, restricting the oxygen supply to the fetus.
-Courtesy of the East Oregonian
Call For Student Art
The Heard Museum is very pleased to announce that
preparations are now under way for ARTS ALIVE!
The Heard Museum Guild Native American Student
Arts and Crafts Show and Sale that will take place April
21 through 29, 1991. This juried art competition is open
to all Native American Students in Grades 3 through 12.
All work submitted for the judging must be original art
work created within the past year. All work submitted
to the Show must be for sale. In addition to cash prizes
and ribbons, students awarded the Special Achievement
Award are invited to spend a week at The Heard
Museum working with an established Native American
artist.
Teachers or interested students should contact:
Native American Student Arts and Crafts Show
The Heard Museum
22 East Monte Vista Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1480
(602) 252-8840
A packet containing entry forms and rules will be sent
containing additional information on how to participate.
Common Feelings and
Behaviors of Adult Children
of Alcoholics
We have feelings of low self-esteem as a result of being
critic izsd. We perpetuate these parental messages by
judging ourselves and others harshly. We try to cover up
our poor opinions of ourselves by being perfectionistic,
controlling, contemptuous and gossipy.
We tend to isolate ourselves out of fear and to feel
uneasy around other people, especially authority figures.
We are desperate for love and approval and will do
anything to make people like us. Not wanting to hurt
others, we remain "loyal" in situations and relationships
even when evidence indicates our loyalty is undeserved.
We are intimidated by angry people and personal
criticism. This causes us to feel inadequate and inse
cure. We continue to attract emotionally unavailable people
with addictive personalities.
We live life as victims, blaming others for our circum
stances, and are attracted to other victims as friends and
lovers. We confuse love with pity and tend to "love"
people we can pity and rescue.
We are either super-responsible or super-irresponsible.
We take responsibility for solving others' problems or
expect others to be responsible for solving ours. This
enables us to avoid being responsible for our own lives
and choices.
We feel guilty when we stand up for ourselves or act in
our own best interest. We give in to others' needs and
opinions instead of taking care of ourselves.
We deny, minimize or repress our feelings as a result
of our traumatic childhoods. We are unaware of the
impact that our inability to identify and express our
feelings has had on our adult lives.
' We are dependent personalities who are so terrified of
rejection or abandonment that we tend to stay in
situations or relationships that are harmful to us. Our
fears and dependency stop us from ending unfulfilling
relationships and prevent us from entering into fulfilling
ones.
Denial, repression, isolation, control, shame and
inappropriate guilt are legacies from our family of
origin. As a result of these symptoms, we feel hopeless
and helpless.
We have difficulty with intimacy, security, trust and
commitment in our relationships. Lacking clearly
defined personal limits and boundaries, we become
enmeshed in our partners' needs and emotions.
We tend to procrastinate and have difficulty following
projects through from beginning to end.
We have a strong need to be in control. We over-react
to change over which we have no control.
There is Hope!
You Can Break the Pattern!
Do you feel uncomfortable around other people? Is
there an emptiness in your life you can't quite put your
finger on? WE CAN HELP! We are ACOA (Adult
Children of Addicts and Alcoholics), we meet every
Tuesday at 7:00 pm at the Depot in Grand Ronde and
we're dedicated to breaking the old patterns of living
given to us as children by a parent or other adult role
model who drank, took drugs, or practiced other '
unhealthy lifestyles. It's free so CHECK IT OUT !!!
Alochol & Drug Program
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Announces:
1991 PREDOCTORAL
FELLOWSHIPS IN
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Congress Honors
American Indians
The American Indian Heritage Foundation announced
today that Congress has passed a landmark bill honoring
America's Tribal people. The bill reads in part: "Re
solved by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
that the month of November, 1990, is designated as
National American Indian Heritage Month, and the
President is authorized and requested to call upon
Federal, State, and Local Governments, interested
groups and organizations, and the people of the United
States to observe such month with appropriate
programs, ceremonies and activities.
Princess Pale Moon, President of the American Indian
Heritage Foundation, credits the bill's passage to the
combined efforts of Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii,
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega of Samoa, letters of
support from many Tribes, and The American Indian
Heritage Foundation which spent several years securing
national support and the more than 270 necessary votes.
The foundation encourages Indian people throughout
America to celebrate this national recognition thru a
unified effort and to share with the non-Indian socicty
the value and contribution Indians have given to Ameri
cans. For further information on local and national pro
grams, ceremonies and activities scheduled, contact the
American Indian Heritage Foundation, Washington,
D.C., 202INDIANS. Fax (703) 532-1921.
66 FELLOWSHIPS will be awarded for full-time study
toward a Ph.D. or Sc.D. degree in biological sciences.
Awards are for three years, with extension possible for
two additional years of full support. Stipends will be
$13,500 annually, effective June 1991, and an $11,700
annual cost-of-education allowance will be provided to
the fellowship institution on behalf of each fellow.
Eligible Fields of Study Include:
biochemistry mathematical biology biophysics
microbiology biostatistics molecular biology
cell biology neuroscience developmental biology
pharmacology epidemiology physiology
genetics structural biology immunology
virology
The fellowships are intended for students who have
completed less than one year of graduate study toward
M.S., Ph.D., or Sc.D. degrees in biological sciences.
Students who hold or are pursuing medical or dental
degrees (M.D., D.O., D.V.M., D.D.S.) may also be
eligible to apply for fellowship support for study toward
the Ph.D. or Sc.D.
The Application Deadline is November 9, 1990.
This international fellowship competition is admini-
stered by the National Research Council. For copies of
the Program Announcement or Applications:
Telephone (202) 334-2872 -Write:
Hughes Predoctoral Fellowships
The Fellowship Office
National Research Council
2101 Constitution Avenue
The Institute welcomes applications from all qualified
persons and encourages women and members of
minority groups to apply.