Hola my long -lost lactation friends. Apparently I'd make a lousey 
witness protection program participant LOL. I have received some 
wonderfully loving and warm emails and welcome more. Many of you 
remember me as being a very vocal Lactet-er, LLLI, IBCLC, attachment 
parenting advocate, and public health voice and then dropping off the 
face of the earth several years back. I'm writing to tell you what 
happened...

Much to my dismay, after the birth of my third child (who was a twin 
but I lost his sister at 22 wks), I developed serious, life-threatening 
symptoms that were misdiagnosed for several years inspite of my being a 
persistent pain as a patient. Eventually I was correctly diagnosed as 
having two brain tumors requiring two brain surgeries (and Cushings 
Disease--that pituitary is OH SO important--don't forget 
hyperprolactinemia can be a sign of pituitary tumors!) The process 
nearly tore my family and all relationships apart, but thankfully I 
have a wonderful dh and three attachement parented (breastfed for years 
each) boys. In addition, I had the support of my UU churches and MOST 
of my professional organizations, including the APHA. We are now 
working and living in the Dominican Republic (after moving through 
three states and two countries in four years due to my dh's work 
situation). I have for the most part regained my normal self, lost over 
90lbs (Cushings does a number on the body and mind) and see 
opportunities everywhere.

Breastfeeding in the Dominican Republic is a STEEP uphill battle with 
an exceptionally low breastfeeding rate. Although right now, lactation 
it is not my primary focus in employment (I'm a UCLA-educated PhD in 
Public Health with an MPH in Behavioral Sciences and Health Ed), I do 
spend a significant amount of time helping with breastfeeding (6 years 
as a LLLL, 7+ as an IBCLC and 9 years of lactating have that effect). 
On a daily basis, I come home shaking my head at how many poor families 
are getting "hooked" into formual or sabotaged out of breastfeeding. 
The annual per capita income here is about $7000 USD and while many 
women say they want to start out breastfeeding, the poorest seem to 
view it as something only to be done if one can't afford formula (same 
thing my grandmother said in the US back in the 40s when she had my 
mother). I have LOTS of pix (all jpgs) if anyone wants to see them and 
you may just sneak peek them on my MySpace acct with my aol address 
name as the part following the /.  Life in the DR (from my perspective) 
is hard on women.  I have lots of details as to what I mean by that but 
any of you who have been here will know what I mean.

If any of you have questions as to how Cushings' impacts lactation and 
fertility, I'd be happy to answer those too. As always, I keep my 
Control of Communicable Diseases book on hand and love acting as a 
public health resource. Diptheria is running around on the SE part of 
the island right now along with coxsacki, strep and the tail end of a 
Dengue Fever epidemic (which I had the misfortune of personally 
experiencing).
¡Buena Salud y Paz (Good Health and Peace)!
Dr. Chris Hafner-Eaton
Juan Dolio, Republica Dominicana
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