On this day of THANKSGIVING, I thought I would take the opportunity to say
"thanks" to the MANY of those of you who have asked over the past months
(and I haven't kept record and always answered so I'm doing this
publicly)...I have been lurking as opposed to no mail over the past few
months since ILCA. I've had a series of unfortunate circumstances (most,
but not all, out of my control). Most recently the plane that crashed in NY
actually crashed on one of my family member's house (my great aunt--who is
still alive at 92, although her house is not in existance any more),
devastating the neighborhood that my family grew up in (I grew up in the one
next to this and visited that very block throughout my childhood); a good,
long time friend from the 3rd grade was one of the firefighters killed in
the terrorist act at the WTC (leaving his four very young children--one
still nursing--and wife alone); my very stressed out husband had to lay off
1/3 of his workforce; my 6 year old son having been hospitalized for several
days for serious uncontrolled asthmatic episodes; I had another nasty
surgery to try and repair a surgical situation that almost killed me two and
half years ago; this last surgery resulted in multiple medication switches
and some awful medication interactions and unfortunately I made some rather
poor decisions as a result). I could go on and on, but you probably have
hear more than enough.
If during this time I've offended any one of you, please forgive me. The
past 7-8 months or so beginning in April with the death of a VERY close
family member have been very hard. In the past couple of months I've
learned through spiritual counselling that I must do something to address
all of this proactively, yet also to let somethings go. I've pared down my
patient load and cut back my college teaching to one internet nutrition
class and one in-class "Lifetime Wellness" course (this means only 3 hours
in the classroom), but I still have my 3 boys to care for and long standing
patients that I am following. I've let several research projects just "take
care of themselves" for the time being and have not submitted several papers
that are virtually ready for publication (which is hard for me, but I have
to).
I'm taking the cases that really need and can benefit from my expertise
(like the case of the triplets born to the two moms, both wanting to
breastfeed all three and have successfully done so now for 4.5 months and
the more recent case of the mom adopting a baby from a raped 14 year old).
I hope you can all understand. If you need my help (and I am the type of
person who needs to be needed), I am able to continue answering email
questions when I'm not swamped or in the hospital with my own child or my
own health problems. If you don't receive an answer, please don't be
offended (try again or assume I'm unable to access a computer).
Thank you for all you warm thoughts and prayers over the years (and it has
been many years now!),
Chris-- mom, wife, active UU church member, educator, lactation consultant,
homeschool mom, researcher, scientist, author, organic
gardener/herbalist/homeopath/healer, photographer, wilderness adventurer,
lapidary & bead creator, knitter, wildly creative cook, and VERY lousy
cleaner;)
--
--Chris Hafner-Eaton, PhD, MPH, CHES, IBCLC [log in to unmask]
INFANT CUISINE AND MOTHER CARE: Lactation Consulting, Perinatal Health
Education and Attachment Parenting Classes for parents and practitioners
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