Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Page 2
Last Wednesday I made sure that the I.V. stuck in a vein
in the top of my left hand was stuck in far enough. This feat
of skill was achieved by my unconsciously and cleverly
pushing on it with a paper towel after washing my hands in
a rest room at the offices of “my cardiologist.” It hurt.
Physically. And mentally, when I realized how dumb a
move it was. However, there was no doubt that the thing
was in far enough.
However, the pain wore off (today), and I think that the
radioactive stress test I endured probably will have a good
prognosis. Hadn’t had such an enjoyable experience since
the one I underwent in April last year at Tri-City Medical
Center in Oceanside, Calif., when, lacking anything better to
do, I managed to have my second heart attack.
The one in Grants Pass last week (the test, not another
blood pump extravaganza), was at least as much fun as the
one in SoCal. Good people, too; especially Technician Bob
and Nurse Joany, the dynamic duo of stress-o-rama.
Here’s how the procedure works, for those of you who
will miss the thrill of modern medicine. First, wear loose
and comfortable clothing, and bring a nice sandwich. Sec-
ond, be prepared to lie still (seriously!) for 30 minutes with-
out talking, with your right hand under your right hip to
keep that arm still; and with your left arm bent so that your
hand and forearm rest on your forehead. Now try to boogie
from that position. Just kidding.
A mysterious and magical medical machine then moves
slowly across your heart area, taking pictures for the dining
and dancing pleasure of your favorite cardiologist. The first
film is taken not “too long” after you arrive.
Then you hang around awhile awaiting the real stress
part. Nearly constant blood pressures are taken, and EKG
leads are attached (man, they’re cold with that jell stuff on
them). And now, start running, sucker. I ran and ran. Was
getting nowhere. Ended up at 3.4 mph with about a 15 per-
cent grade on the happy treadmill. Huffing-puffing, just like
an old steam engine.
Finally, Bob and Joany said that I could quit, when I
claimed that I had reached level nine on a 10-point scale, as
far as exertion goes. How far does exertion go? Not far on a
treadmill. The ol’ heart was a’pounding though. Actually,
when that portion was concluded, I felt pretty good.
After that I ate the terrific low-fat tuna sandwich that Jan
had made for me. She was already eating hers when I found
her in the interior waiting room.
Following that, I was invited back to the slow-moving
heart camera. While I laid there you would not believe the
places that itched (on me), that I couldn’t scratch. I itched in
places where I didn’t even know I had places. And I wished
that I had taken Bob’s suggestion that I use the rest room
again. He knew. Especially after giving me two cups of wa-
ter in connection with the injections of something called
thallium.
But I survived. And for that matter -- keeping in mind
all medical and emergency-responder people -- from medics
to orderlies (not to mention lawmen and firefighters) -- I am
grateful. They have helped me survive. A lot. Overall, I’m
really glad to be alive and kickin’.
With that thought, all of us wish all of you a Happy &
Stress-Free Thanksgiving. I say, count your blessings. And
that’s Amen for this week.
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and published by
Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez
Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post Office as
Official Newspaper for Josephine County and Josephine County
Three Rivers School District, published at
321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
Volume 65, No. 36
STAFF: Virginia Gilliam, Cindy Newton,
Chris Robertson, Sharon Silva & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
DEADLINES: News, Classified Ads
NOON MONDAYS
POLICY ON LETTERS: ‘Illinois Valley News’ welcomes letters
to the editor provided they are of general interest, in good taste,
legible and not libelous. All letters must be signed, using complete
name, and contain the writer’s address and telephone number.
The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify
authenticity. The ‘News’ reserves the right to edit letters. One
letter per person per month. Letters are used at the discretion of
the publisher. Unpublished letters are neither acknowledged nor
returned. A prepaid charge may be levied if a letter is
inordinately long in the editor's opinion.
*In a photo caption last
week, it incorrectly was stated
that Debi Dobie and Em-
manuel Lungwa Demzee, who
are engaged to be married,
attend Brigham Young Uni-
versity (BYU) at Provo, Utah.
In fact, they attend the BYU
campus at Rexburg, Idaho.
*In a page 1 story last
week the end of a story about
Siskiyou Community Health
Center inadvertently was de-
leted. Following is the com-
plete last paragraph: Despite
the changing face of medical
care, Scheufele said that,
“SCHC remains focused on
and committed to its mission.”
The cross of the
Legion of Honor has
been conferred upon
me. However, few
escape that distinction.
- Mark Twain -
Chain Link Specialist
592-6192
Questions and
Answers
by Christina Snell
Executive Director at
Lovejoy Hospice
In order to help
you become better
informed about
hospice services,
Lovejoy Hospice is
publishing this
question and
answer column every month. Look
for us on the fourth Wednesday of
every month in 'Illinois Valley News.'
If you have questions you would like
answered in this column, phone us
at the number below or E-mail us at
lovejoy@parragon.com
Q: “My friend says she is just having
the ‘holiday blues’ but I think she is
really depressed. How can I tell the
difference?”
A: Holidays are a time of the year
when some people may suffer from the
‘holiday blues’. If they have lost a
loved one around the holiday, that can
add to their feelings of sadness. How-
ever, when that continues for a long
period of time and begins impacting
their entire life situation it is time to
take action.
Symptoms of depression are:
1. Insomnia - difficulty getting to
sleep or increased need for
sleep.
2. Significant weight loss or weight
gain.
3. Inability to concentrate, make
decisions or remember
4. Depressed mood most of the
day, nearly every day, sometimes
for no apparent reason.
5. Fatigue or loss of energy.
6. Lack of interest, motivation or
pleasure in almost all activities
including job, hobbies, family and
sex.
7. Feelings of worthlessness, guilt,
low self-esteem or indifference.
8. Recurrent thoughts of suicide or
suicide attempts, desire not to be
alive.
9. Difficulty controlling thoughts
and/or inability to physically
move.
If your friend has shared that she’s
had five or more of these symptoms in
the same 2-week period, professional
counseling may be the answer to re-
claim her life.
POSTMASTER:
Please send address changes to P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
‘Ideal parent’
From Donna Pernicka
O’Brien
I am the mother of six
boys, and, yes, I gave birth six
times (ouch). My fifth son,
Drake, is 11, and today he
handed me a paper he wrote
for a class assignment, and I
wanted to share it with every-
one. It is titled, “Ideal Parent.”
While I was reading his
paper, my eyes filled with
tears, and my heart pumped
with joy. I gave my son a big
kiss and a bear hug.
We are not perfect par-
ents, nor do we even want to
try. All we wanted to do as
parents is give our kids all the
love, caring and the best guid-
ance we can.
All my boys are doing
well. God has blessed me
well, and I thank him and my
husband. If I go to bed and
never wake again, you can say
that I have had the best 39
years of my life and never
regret being me.
To me, my awesome fam-
ily is the ideal family.
* * *
By Drake Pernicka
Have you ever thought of
what an ideal parent would
be? Now I would like to tell
you what I think an ideal par-
ent would be. So sit back, re-
lax, and enjoy.
My parents are the ideal
parents. They are supportive
in whatever I do. I want to be
a forensic scientist and they’re
behind me 100%. I also
wanted to be a doctor, and
they were behind me in that
too. I ran for student council
and my mom made me the
best posters in the world. I got
a $300 scholarship for college,
and my dad and mom both
want me to go to college and
graduate.
My parents are active.
They take me quad riding and
camping. I love it when my
dad takes me somewhere spe-
cial, and it’s only the two of
us. We have such a good time
together. It makes me feel so
good to know that I have the
best parents I could ever
dream of.
I am so rich in a way,
because my parents are the
best, and to know that they
would do anything in the
world for me. My parents take
me to the coast and we walk
along the beach. Then we
build castles and watch the
ocean try to take them down.
They take me quad riding at
the track.
My parents do that with
me because it doesn’t take a
lot of money and the best
things in life are free, but it is
so great to be with them hav-
ing fun, it doesn’t take a lot of
money to let me have fun.
Now, I hope you have a
better understanding of what
an ideal parent would be. My
parents are the ideal parents,
and I hope you liked it.
Tax misinformation
From Lou Chauvin
Cave Junction
With the economy in tat-
ters, war looming, unemploy-
ment rising, and the national
deficit growing at an increas-
ing rate, it’s not surprising that
all money measures in the re-
cent ballot were beaten down
(with the exception of the Illi-
nois Valley Fire District,
whose voters came close to
being destroyed by the largest
fire in Oregon history).
However, I believe that
the funding defeats were due,
in part, to the influence of the
anti-government crowd that
spews the “government-
spending-is-bad and out-of-
hand” nonsense.
Only five other states
dedicated a smaller share of
their income to state and local
taxes than Oregon. And that
tax burden has remained
steady for the last 20 years:
10.5 percent in ‘78/’79 and
9.3 percent in ‘98/’99. Gov-
ernment employment has also
shrunk as a share of total em-
ployment. State and local gov-
ernment employed 16.2 per-
cent of all Oregon workers in
‘79, but only 14.6 percent in
2000.
We truly need state and
local services for the function-
ing of our society. It would
take a whole book just to list
the job descriptions, from the
guy that visits the gas stations
to make sure the meters are
correct, to the firefighters and
their supporting staff, to the
port managers, to the prison
staff, to the teachers and pro-
fessors, to the real estate
agency, to the fish and game
people, to the public health
doctors and nurses and vector
control people (mosquitoes,
rats, etc.) -- all these and thou-
sands more make our lives
possible.
They are inherently neces-
sary because they guarantee
the quality of our lives. Li-
braries, jails, and college
classes cannot be abandoned
when things get a little tight, a
little uncertain. That’s the
slippery slope that jeopardizes
our future.
If you feel overtaxed, con-
sider talking to your federal
representatives. By the time
George W.’s term is over, our
defense budget will be equal
to all other defense budgets in
the whole wide world. It cur-
rently exceeds that of the top
50 countries of the Earth.
We are now an empire
greater than any that has come
before, beholden to the rich
and powerful, who buy power,
through our votes, with cam-
paign contributions.
Getting along
From Billie L. Coakley
Cave Junction
I was able to attend the
Biscuit Fire meeting Oct. 29 at
the county building.
This meeting was highly
informative and progressed in
an orderly and polite manner.
This was surprising to me, as
the groups involved and the
people attending were and are
quite diverse.
Becoming educated about
the process involved to re-
cover from this devastating
fire is important because this
is our neighborhood. We
should be aware of decisions
affecting where we live, work
and play. We are fortunate to
live in such a beautiful place.
Putting our differences
aside to learn and work for
this recovery is worth the time
and effort.
Six from valley honored on ‘National Dean’s List’
Six students from Illinois
Valley are among the approxi-
mately 140,000 included in
the 25th annual edition of
“The National Dean’s List,
2001-2002.”
Those honored, who were
or are attending Rogue Com-
munity College:
O’Brien resident Dwayne
K. Neuberger; and Cave Junc-
tion residents Jedediah D.
Galloway, Joshua J. Gallo-
way, Glenda Graham, Nicho-
las Leach, and Christina R.
Leippe.
Students are chosen for
the honor by their college
deans or honor society advis-
ers. They must be in the upper
10 percent of their class or on
their school’s dean’s list, or
have earned a comparable
honor.
4 different manufacturers’ lines of
BLACK HILLS GOLD
Largest selection in Josephine County
for all your Black Hills Gold needs
Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. most Saturdays
Evening & weekend appointments available
Custom designs, appraisals & quality repairs
by graduate gemologists
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
One year in Josephine County - $20.80
One year in Jackson and Douglas Counties - $24.40
One year in all other Oregon counties and out-of-state -$28
Editor’s Note: Views and
commentary expressed in
letters to the editor are
strictly those of the letter-
writers.
* * *
Typed,
double-spaced
letters are acceptable for
consideration.
Hand-
written letters that are
double-spaced and highly
legible also can be con-
sidered for publication.
Cards of thanks are not
accepted as letters.)
939 SE 8 th St., Grants Pass
474-1193 or 1-888-758-8569
Email: lovejoy@terragon.com.
Remember the days when people treated you with honesty & fairness?
We do.