Dear Lactnetters, Lactnuts, Lacto-humans or as some of us are called Dairy
Queens,

After five months of trying to get online my computer genius finally tried a
new external modem (some genius) and I made it. I've been lurking for
several days and really enjoy flipping on the computer and receiving LACTNET
- Kathy A. and B., I kiss your feet! You are really maiking a lot of people
happy.

I have been involved with the LC profession since the beginning (ILCA #8) as
one of the first international activists. I am the Israel
coordinator/rep/etc. for most of our alphabet soup- UNICEF -Israeli National
Committeee - BFHI, IBCLE, I=FDBFAN, ILCA, WABA,etc. After 20 years of living
in Eilat, our southernmost city, isolated and VERY HOT (think Palm Springs
with the Red Sea mixed with the isolation of Alaska) we moved up to Tel-Aviv
1 1/2 years ago - enough is enough. For 17 years I was the LLLL and later LC
(volunteer of course) at our local hospital, gained a lot of experience as
well as a lot of time in the NICU, dealt with a mixed population, tried to
change practices, taught staff,etc. Our problems are universal.=20

In  Tel-Aviv I am affliated with a parenting center,  trying a build a
practice, etc. You can't pay bills with this, but I am closer to the action
and now am on all sorts of committees and  can meet with the powers that be
very easily. I am also the one who goes after the elephant and sweeeps up
its poop. I always say that my lips are chapped from kissing so many
behinds. Awareness of breastfeeding has increased over the last few years,
projects are being carried out, usually by one person in a Ministry or
somewhere, and things take a long time. I spend a lot of time stroking.

We all know LCs are to a great extent idealists, to many of us our work is
almost like a religion. We are definity a subset in our current culture. As
you see I work a  lot on humor and philosophy. As time goes by I feel the
more I learn about breastfeeding the less I know. I must have integrated a
lot but there is so much out there. I think a point to remember when
pondering over these difficult cases is that 'you can't win them all' and be
grateful for your successes. I keep thinking the title of my autobiography
will be called "Small Victories".

I would also like to thank the many of you who got in touch with Toby and
myself in the past few weeks. All I can say about the situation here is that
each crisis is totally different from the last one. I have a daughter in the
army who uses public transportation or her motorbike and a busy (female) 17
yr.old. It seems the pain never ceases. We are still crying over the babies
in Scotland and now we have the kids in Manila.

I love you Dr. Tom.

Evi Adams   [log in to unmask] Tel-Aviv