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Opinion Letters Letters and Comments for October 23, 2009
Letters and Comments for October 23, 2009
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Letters and Comments for October 23, 2009 Watch for symptoms To the Editor: On Sept. 19, I experienced what some would call a “walking heart attack.” My left shoulder felt tingly as I was walking back to where our pickup was parked after the Saturday afternoon performance of the Pendleton Round-Up. During that night I woke up with night sweats and was wringing wet with perspiration. When I awoke the following morning I felt like I had the flu, so we headed home. Upon our arrival home on Sept. 20, I became sick to my stomach and wanted to go to bed to sleep off what I felt was the flu. A family friend was there who recognized my symptoms and called our doctor at his home. Because of that call I was taken to the ER in our hospital in Enterprise, stabilized and diagnosed as having had a heart attack. Arrangements were made with our Air Link provider for me to be flown to Cadlec Hospital in Tri-Cities, and within an hour’s time I was in the ER there. Further tests were run, and the decision was made for me to have a 5-way bypass early on Sept. 23. I did, and am now home recuperating. I fully appreciate what becoming more physically independent on a daily basis means. It takes an incredible amount of energy to just heal! Women, listen to your bodies! Don’t try to just rationalize the unusual … check it out! I was fortunate that God had a “No Vacancy” sign out the days that I was so ill, but still stubbornly walking around in denial! I am truly humbled by the outpouring of community support, and by the skill and expertise of emergency and support personnel that was expended on my behalf. Thank you from the bottom of my newly-plumbed heart!
Wallowa County Deserves admiration To the Editor: As a board member of the Friday Backpack Program, I would like to issue a very sincere and gracious thank-you to Maddy Lease. This 14-year-old young lady deserves much admiration for her generous gift to hungry children in La Grande. She was profiled in The Observer Sept. 30 with the heartwarming story of how she came up with the idea to donate to the Friday Backpack Program. Her initial idea to sell excess eggs from the family’s chicken coop at her church bazaar grew to selling them twice a month. Instead of donating the money directly to Friday Backpack, she searches for the best sales on items we use and then purchases food to donate. Stretching the $140 she has made by getting such good deals, this program has benefited from much more than one would think $140 would buy. She is to be commended for her unselfishness, ingenuity and her desire to help others. Her awareness of, and commitment to helping hungry children in this community is a true act of kindness that is to be recognized and commended. She doesn’t do this to receive accolades from others, to win awards or contests, or to bring attention to herself. She does it because she cares. All of us from the Friday Backpack Program are in awe of this young lady and her gifts. I wanted to give her the public thank-you she doesn’t ask for. So, thank you Maddy for caring and for giving. You are an inspiration to all of us, and your gifts are realized every Friday when food is sent home to children in need.
La Grande |
