This is an introduction and a thank-you.  I am a first year nontraditional
(read: over 30 and greying) medical student.  I am also the mother of two
breastfed babies (now ages 11 and 6). I am planning to do my Medical
Student Research project on some aspect of breastfeeding-- probably the
decision to breastfeed made by moms today and correlation with the "lost
generation" of nursing mothers who are now the grandmothers. Therefore, I
joined LACTNET to further my formal education re: breastfeeding.

I am a people person, not a bench scientist and I am really struggling
(after only five months!) to maintain my motivation to study yet another
biochemical pathway or physiological process while not yet able to spend
time with patients.  Yesterday in the fifth lecture hour (out of seven--
serious fanny fatigue) I had a lecture on the physiology of the pancreas.
I thought to myself: disected it in Anatomy, looked at the Islets of
Langerhans in Histology, had a case two weeks ago on diabetes that required
me to learn all about insulin levels-- what more do they want me to learn?!?

After the seventh lecture of the day I checked e-mail and found your
comments for the mother who had been diagnosed with pancreatitis.  And you
all made me realize that I still have a heck of a lot to learn and that all
this "stuff" I have to learn now will someday help me to help a real person
like that mom.  Thank you for giving me a glimpse of the real world, the
important work you are doing and for keeping me focused on the big picture.

Kathleen Sheridan Bellis
Penn State College of Medicine
Class of 2002