Birth Defects Awareness Week

By Nurse Diane

I love to bake.  Most weekends you can find me in my kitchen baking up something sweet to share with friends and neighbors.  I like trying out new recipes, but I have found, that if you don't follow them correctly, the treat I am baking just doesn't turn out right.   The same can be said when you are "baking a bun in the oven".  If you put the wrong ingredients in, the end results may not turn out just right.

I was recently talking to a friend of mine - many years ago, his sister was taking some medication prescribed from her doctor.  At that time, it was not known about the possible birth defects caused by this drug.  When the baby was born, there were several defects; one of them was hair covering the baby's face.  Unfortunately, the baby only lived a few days.

This is National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related birth Defects Awareness Week.  According to www.ncadd.org there are some startling facts

• Fetal alcohol syndrome disorders (FASD) – is the leading known cause of developmental disabilities in newborns (historically known as mental retardation) stems from maternal alcoholism or heavy drinking during pregnancy.  Features of FASD include growth deficiency before and after birth, developmental delays, intellectual challenges, behavioral problems, changes in facial features such as a flattened mid-face, small jaw and/or a thin upper lip.
• Perinatal cocaine exposure - can result in obstetrical complications such as low birth weight, smaller head circumference, abnormal neonatal behavior and cerebral infarction at birth.  Children with this exposure are easily distracted, passive and face a variety of visual and perceptual problems and difficulties with fine motor skills.
• Alcohol and Drug use During Pregnancy - in the US, 20% (about 1 million) of pregnant women smoke cigarettes; another 18% (about 750,000) women drink alcohol during pregnancy; another 6% (225,000) women use an illicit drug at least once while carrying a child to term.

Each May, NCADD and our National Network of Affiliates play a major and vital role across the US in educate people, especially women, about the dangers of consuming alcohol and using drugs during pregnancy.  For More information on how you can help, visit their site by clicking here  http://www.ncadd.org/index.php/programs-a-services/alcoholdrugs-related-birth-defects-awareness/191-ncadd-alcohol-a-other-drug-related-birth-defects-awareness-week

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National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

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By Nurse Diane

Being a nurse is a very tempting job when it comes to drug addiction.  Every few months I get a newsletter from the Board of Nursing and in the back it lists all the nurses who have had their licenses suspended or removed, and lists their violation.  Most of those listed are because of drug abuse.

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I went to school with a woman whose daughter also became a nurse.  She was a victim of drug abuse.  When she had reached the end of her rope, I helped my friend over the weekend sober up her child.  It was not a pretty sight.  We stayed locked in a room while her daughter screamed, cried, threatened and became violently ill.  In the end, she was able to remove the toxins from her body and with the help of her family has been able to stay off drugs.

I believe addiction to certain things are encoded in our DNA.  Some people are just immune to it, while others are not.  The same can be said for other addictions such as gambling, overeating, as well as drugs and alcohol.

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September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Below is part of the Presidential Proclamation:

Presidential Proclamation--National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month

NATIONAL ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTION RECOVERY MONTH, 2011

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Recovering from addiction to alcohol and other drugs takes strength, faith, and commitment. Men and women in recovery showcase the power each of us holds to transform ourselves, our families, and our communities. As people share their stories and celebrate the transformative power of recovery, they also help dispel myths and stigmas surrounding substance abuse and offer hope for lifestyles free from alcohol and other drugs. This month and throughout the year, we must promote recovery and support the growth of healthy, resilient individuals and families in the United States. Today, alcohol and other drugs threaten the future of millions of Americans. Abuse of prescription medication has reached epidemic levels, drunk and drugged driving pose significant threats to public safety, and individuals in recovery continue to confront barriers to full participation in our society. My Administration is committed to reducing substance abuse, and this year we released our 2011 National Drug Control Strategy, which supports successful, long term recoveries through research, education, increased access to treatment, and community-based recovery support. As a Nation, we must strive to promote second chances and recognize each individual's ability to overcome adversity. We laud and support the millions of Americans in recovery from substance abuse, their loved ones, and the communities that help them sustain recovery, while encouraging those in need to seek help. As we celebrate National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we pay tribute to the transforming power of recovery, which will continue to heal individuals and communities across our country.

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Recovery from any substance is a long and difficult process and requires assistance from many.  For more information in ways you can help, click this site: http://www.recoverymonth.gov/ and encourage anyone you know who suffers from an addiction to seek help before it’s too late.

American Beer day

By Diane Forrest,

Benjamin Franklin once said that Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in the United States, where over 1,400 breweries produce more than 6 billion gallons annually.  Beer has been around for thousands of years.  The earliest known chemical evidence of beer dates to circa 3500–3100 BC.

It is the third most popular beverage, behind tea and water.  Beer in the United States is manufactured by more than 1,700 breweries.   Americans drink more than 50 billion pints of beer each year—that's enough to fill 1 out of every 25 residential in-ground pools in the U.S.!

I can remember being around beer from an early age.  My father would sip some suds on the weekends, I grew up singing 99 bottles of beer on the wall, and when I went to college there were always games to play that involved drinking beer. Even when I started working at the hospital I had a doctor to order beer for one of his patients.

One of the best beers I ever drank was on a hot summer day out at the lake and the only thing I had to drink was an ice cold beer.  While I am not a beer drinker, I have used it on occasion as a rinse for my hair and in batter for frying onion rings.

Today is American Beer day, and you have many different brands to choose from.  One of the best selling brands is Budweiser.  While I’m not an expert on the taste, I have to admit they have some great commercials.  Who can forget the singing frogs, and the beautiful Christmas ads with the Clydesdale horses, or the awesome memorial tribute to the victims of 9/11.

So today, on American Beer day, why not relax and blow the froth off a few, and if your aren't a beer drinker, have some beer battered onion rings...or even rinse out your hair, but enjoy celebrating this fun day.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)

By Diane Forrest

August is National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Month, is the name given to a continuum of physical and mental health problems that arise as a result of a fetus being exposed to alcohol in utero. A diagnosis of FASD can be hard to make unless a mother discusses her drinking with her doctor or the child's doctor. Some children may be misdiagnosed as having autism, ADHD, oppositional defiant or conduct disorder, pervasive developmental delay, learning disabilities, emotional/behavior problems, reactive attachment disorder and many other conditions.

Some of the most common characteristics of alcohol-related brain damage include:

• poor impulse control
• poor problem solving skills,
• difficulty linking actions to consequences,
• poor social communication,
• limited abstract reasoning
• lack of trial and error learning.

People with FASD have great difficulty internalizing values, feelings and laws, and may develop inappropriate social, sexual and sociopathic behaviors.

FASD is 100% preventable, simply abstaining from alcohol while pregnant.  There is no way to determine how much alcohol ingested will cause harm to the fetus, so the safe answer is to refrain from drinking any alcohol.

So today, as we recognize Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders I want to encourage you to spread the word to those you know who are pregnant, or anticipating becoming pregnant, the dangers of alcohol and the effects on their unborn child.

For more information visit this website: http://www.nofas.org/

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recover

By Diane Forrest 

In August, 2009, President Obama issued a proclamation making September National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recover Month.  The Proclamation is as follows:

Every year, Americans across the country overcome their struggles with addiction. With personal determination and the support of family and friends, community members, and health professionals, they have turned the page on an illness and sought the promise of recovery. On this occasion, we recognize these brave role models and express support for those in treatment, applaud those in recovery, and encourage those in need to seek help.

As a Nation, we must work together to provide access to effective services that reduce substance abuse and promote healthy living. Without effective treatment, abuse of alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications can devastate the mind and body. With treatment, substance use disorders can be managed, giving individuals the effective tools necessary to address their addiction. This year's theme, "Together We Learn, Together We Heal," calls us to unite and encourage drug-free living. Treatment programs, family members, and neighbors can all help assist those who experience addiction.

During National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, we also pay special tribute to the dedicated professionals and everyday citizens who, with skill and empathy, guide people through the treatment and recovery process. Across America, they are offering a message of hope and understanding. These compassionate individuals remind us that the strength of our character derives not from the mistakes we make, but from our ability to recognize and address them. When we extend a helping hand to those in need, we reaffirm the American spirit and move our Nation towards a brighter tomorrow.

Overcoming an addiction is a very difficult task.  The process has been depicted in numerous television shows and movies.  These dramatizations however can't compare to actual events.  During my years as a nursing student, we would visit rehabilitation centers.  Watching as these patients went through the recovery process is excruciating.  Ways you can help with this process is to offer your support.  If you know someone who is going through recovery, or has been recovering for years, let them know that you support them, their strength and courage as well as their dedication.  Addiction is a disease that can't be cured with a pill.  It is a lifetime battle that is fought one day at a time.

For more information visit this site: http://www.recoverymonth.gov/