> > >And as for the LLL/LC conflict, my major problem has not been charging when I >should have been volunteering, but volunteering when I should have been >charging. I still find it difficult to charge for things I have done so long as >a volunteer. The way I have rationalized it is that as a LC, I don't have the >liberty of telling a mom that I can't talk to her right now, or I can't work >with her today because I need to go eat lunch with my kid. She is paying me to >be there during whatever hours I'm "on." Family first works with LLL, and it >contributes to LC, but cannot dominate it. Melissa, this is part of the problem as I see it, with being on call as an LC. Here in Vermont, we do not get paid enough to be on call 24 hours /day etc. We are NOT an emergency service, and we state such in our answering machine message. "If you have a bf emergency that cannot wait, please contact your physician." They ARE on call as emergency services, because they get paid to do so. I guess that this is one of my "hot" issues, because we get a LOT of Friday at 5 pm calls , and it seems that many people feel the need to exit on a particular case so that they don't feel like thy have to do something about it on the weekend. Personally speaking, I try to avoid doing stuff on the weekend...it really messes up my family time, ..I am still putting them first, and I do get into trouble sometimes. But rarely do I find an emergency that SOMEONE didn't know about a few days before. My friend has a cup that says "A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part." "nuff said. <G> My pediatrician on the other hand, charges more for evening and weekend calls...shouldn't LCS? Or are we women who are SUPPOSED to be helping people day and night...cause that is what women DO? <G> Devil's advocate here. > >One more pump story then I'm outta here. My worst experience with a customer >happened this summer. Melissa, we hand out a paper on rentals and returns....and it is clearly stated that you may NOT drop a pump off without prior notification...ie calling us. THe price of the pumps are clearly stated , and I always tell amom what it takes to replace it..ie $550. Our worst pump losses unfortunatley seem to come from the Medicaid population, although this is not unilateral by any means...it just means that low income women often are carless, and move around a fair bit, and sometimes we just can't get the pump back. Kathleen > ********************************************************** Kathleen B. Bruce RN, BSN, IBCLC Williston, Vermont USA [log in to unmask] Remember to stop and smell the "roses!" **********************************************************************