Hi All,
    First I want to Thank all of you who have privately e-mailed me
about the mom with breast cancer. I have gotten information to help her,
people who have been through this (and survived to talk about it) and I
hope this will all help her understand that I will be there for her
throughout the whole situation. LLL did not let me down 18 years ago
when I was forced to wean by a non-supportive husband, they didn't tell
me to leave the meetings or cause me any guilt about making the decision
the way I did. I want this mother to understand that even if she does
chose to wean, we in the group will understand, support her and be there
for her.
    On the Dateline, this is the mom that Liz Baldwin was on Leeza about
in June. As a military wife for 22 years, I know that men have had
accomadations made when injury or their career choices have made it
necessary to make changes to retain them in the service. I have mixed
feelings on this issue, I am not sure if women sees it from the point,
if I push the issue, I will be seen as requesting special treatment. Or
is it the superior seeing it as, if I grant this request I will be seen
as giving special treastment. Many men still do not feel women should be
in the military and are especially hard on the females subordinate to
them either to get them to get out of the service or to 'teach them a
lesson.' When you combine all of these, you can see how truly touchy the
issue can become. However, as I stated in the beginning, there are
acceptable alternatives that would allow this woman to continue her
military service, not lose her flight qualifcation and still continue to
be there for her infant. The fact that no one seems to be bending and
there are those screaming that she is not or refuses to acknowledge her
commitment to the service, makes me wonder what is really going on here.

    My HPS went well and I enjoyed listening to some wonderful
professionals provide information on topics that I need. As with
LactNet, it continues to remind me, that there is always something new
to learn.

Leslie Ward
Vine Grove, KY
"Strive to be a person who is never absent from an important act." Osage
proverb