EMT's need more responders, meet Sept. 13
HEPPNER
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lmes
VOL. 114
NO 38
6 Pages Wednesday. September 6, 1995,
Morrow County Heppner, Oregon
Rural lifestyle appeals to med student
¿4 * * *
"Morrow County Sheriff's
office to Heppner EMTs: please
respond to ..." This is the call
heard by Morrow County
Emergency Medical Techni
cians (EMTs) at dinner time,
bedtime or anytime assistance
is needed at a medical emer
gency. These committed in
dividuals come from diverse
backgrounds and experiences
but share a common desire to
serve the citizens of Morrow
County in the case of emergen
cies.
Delia Robinson and Mark
Johnson, who currently cover
call every other week with Rus
ty Estes, have many reasons for
devoting so much time to this
worthwhile cause.
Mark Johnson (I) and Delia Robinson, both E M T ’s discuss using
Robinson, a long-time Hepp-
the
monitor. An informal class will be held Sept. 13 for anyone
’ ner resident, has been serving
interested
in being an EM T.
as an EMT since 1988. She
states, "It's great to be able to Blue Mountain Community The meeting will cover infor
give back to a community that College. "It's a great oppor mation about the upcoming
gives so much in return."
tunity to learn an invaluable EMT-Basic class, which begins
Johnson, who has lived in skill and also be of service to October 3.
Heppner for two years, first those in need," says Johnson.
Robinson and Johnson
became interested in emergen
The EMTs in Heppner cur strongly encourage all who are
cy medical services as a rently cover call on alternating interested to attend this
volunteer firefighter. There he weeks. lone and Lexington also meeting. Many EMTs have
met veteran EMT and fire chief have many EMTs and First moved out of the area and this
Rusty Estes who encouraged Responders who serve those has left the Heppner call area
him to expand his interest in areas.
strained and in need of more
public safety by joining up as
Anyone 18 years of age and persons to cover call, fill-in and
an ambulance driver. With a older and is interested in serv occasionally transfer patients to
bird's eye view of what EMTs ing as an EMT is invited to at other area hospitals.
l do, Johnson quickly signed up tend an informal introductory
Any questions may be ad
to take the EMT-Basic class of meeting next Wednesday, dressed at the meeting or by
fered last fall by the Morrow Sept. 13 at 7 p.m. at Pioneer contacting Carl Lauritsen,
County Medical District and Memorial Hospital in Heppner.
676-9133.
Health district to air programs on Ch. 3
The Morrow County Health
District (MCHD) will begin air
ing health-related programs on
Heppner TV's public access
channel as part of its communi
ty health education efforts.
Two half hour programs,
"Looking for Dr. Right" and
"Undermined by Over-the-
Counter Drugs" will air back-
to-back on on channel 3, Sept.
12 beginning at 7 p.m.
Director of Pioneer Memorial
Home Health Agency Molly
Rhea said these programs will
help viewers make better in
formed decisions when choos-
ing a physician and when pur
chasing
over-the-counter
drugs.
"When the Shoe Doesn't
Fit" and "W hen the Ears
Won't Stop Aching" will air
Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. on channel
3. The first examines common
foot problems and what view
ers should look for when pur
chasing appropriate footwear.
Earaches plague many child
ren, said Rhea, adding that the
second video discusses inflam
mation of the middle ear, in
cluding symptoms, complica
tions and treatments.
According to MCHD ad-
ministrator Kevin Erich, the
district is committed to helping
Morrow County residents lead
healthier lives. "W e want to
make it as convenient as possi
ble for everyone to access im
portant health information," he
said, adding, "O ur programs
emphasize wellness and pre
vention. These are two impor
tant keys to a healthier life."
With the help of Heppner
TV, the district hopes to air
health education programs
regularly on the second and
fourth Tuesdays of each month
at 7 p.m. on channel 3.
Kids and seniors enjoy ice cream social
L-R: Dr. Ed Berretta, Dr. Ernie Atkins, Oregon Health Sciences University medicai student Megan
Thygesen and Dr. Jeanne Berretta.
By April H ilton-S ykes
Not too many physicians
want to come to Eastern
O regon. Oregon Health
Sciences University (OHSU)
first-year med student Megan
Thygesen is different. She
specifically asked to come to
the area for a summer program
Aug. 23-30.
Thygesen is one of 50 first
and second year medical
students participating in the
week-long Summer Observer-
ship, which provides an oppor
tunity to observe medical care
in a family physician's office.
The program, in its ninth year,
is sponsored by the Depart
ment of Family Medicine at
OHSU.
Thygesen says that of the 50
med students participating in
the program, only five ended
up in the northeast portion of
the state.
In Heppner, Thygesen work
ed with Dr. Jeanne Berretta,
who volunteered her time as
supervising physician, Dr. Ed
Berretta and Dr. Ernie Atkins at
Pioneer Memorial Clinic.
It is no surprise that Thy
gesen, Portland, wanted to try
something a little off the beaten
path. She has a voracious ap
petite for knowledge and has
packed a lot of life experience
into her 32 years.
Thygesen grew up in Pull
man, WA, where her father is
a professor of computer science
at Washington State Universi
ty. She received a bachelor of
science degree in health educa
tion at Lewis and Clark College
in Portland. She spent six
m onths in Kenya on an
overseas sutdy program, unfor
tunately just after a coup at
tempt. She studied the health
care system in Kenya, the
language and economy.
Thygesen has also toured
northern Europe, but not by
car, train or tour bus. She and
her family bicycled through
Scotland, Norway, Denmark
and Sweden.
After graduation she travel
ed to the Far East. She visited
her mother, who was teaching
English in China, and also
traveled to Hong Kong and
Japan. At one point she was the
only Caucasian person in the
area.
Thygesen also worked as a
VISTA volunteer, helping at a
health clinic for people who
were uninsured, and as a teen
parent counselor. Thygesen
also holds teaching certificates
in science and health. The last
two years she has worked as a
medical assistant, getting a lot
of hands-on experience in the
field.
'" I always had the goal in
mind to go into medicine,"
says Thygesen. "I feel like it's
the bringing together of
everything I've wanted to do
and have done. It feels right."
Thygesen says that she is in
terested in going into family
practice, pediatrics or perhaps
internal medicine. "I really like
the variety of health care you
see in family practice," says
Thygesen, who adds that she
was surprised at the amount
and range of emergency room
duty doctors have in Heppner.
" T h a t's
been
really
fascinating," she adds.
Thygesen says she likes what
she sees about a rural practice.
" I like the close knit feeling of
a rural practice. You get to see
a patient for their lifespan,
rather than just for a brief mo
ment. I would prefer to have
patients I have an ongoing
established relationship with."
Thygesen also has nothing
but praise for the Heppner
physicians and clinic and
hospital staff. "Everyone has
been generous, friendly and
helpful. The clinic staff was
very helpful and informative
and the nurses included me in
everything."
During her experience here,
she was also able to travel to
Condon with Dr. Jeanne Ber
retta. Thygesen said that she
knew a little about the area
because she had traveled to
Fossil on a field trip years ago.
While in Heppner, Thygesen
stayed with Dr. Atkins and his
wife, Susan and their daughter,
Jenny.
Back in Portland, Thygesen
lives with her husband of nine
years, who works in the real
estate division of the Bank of
America, and her "big fat"
calico cat, Bonnie. Although
Thygesen has lived in Portland
"o ff and o n " since 1981, she
adds, "m y soul belongs to a
small tow n."
Local children and their mothers joined in
an ice cream social with the residents at Pioneer
Memorial Nursing Home recently.
The children of Jacque Hedman, Amy
Osmin, Rita Lovgren, Lori Straley, Betty Hcker-
son, Cindy Brosnan, Bobbette Lovgren and
Dawn Garrett visited with the residents and
enjoyed ice cream.
Friday school registration Sept. 8
Registration for Friday
School, a Christian ministry co
sponsored by All Saints
Episcopal, Heppner United
Methodist and Hope Lutheran
churches, will be held Friday,
September 8, at the Hope
Lutheran church basement
from 3-5 p.m. A suggested
donation for the program is $10
per child or $20 per family.
All registrants and their
parents are urged to attend an
orientation meeting on Mon
day, September 11 at 7 p.m. at
Hope Lutheran Church.
"Enrollment will be limited
because of space and number
of committed volunteers," said
the Reverend Stan Hoobing,
"so do come early and register
on September 8 ."
Community
calendars being
distributed
The community birthday
calendars that were sold this
past spring by the Wildhorse
Club have arrived and are now
being distributed. Those who
haven't received theirs yet
should call the high school
676-9138.
GRAIN SEED TREATMENT COATINGS
New Dividend Seed Treat & Pro-sized seed Colarant
Now available 1 gallon container
Vitavax - RTU - Thiram
Smut Control 3 oz.’s to bushel, 2 1/i gal. units
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221
% •
1-800-452-7396
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