MOO TOWN NEWS

The Treasure of West Marin
By a treasure, I don't mean one of gold, emeralds, or rubies. I'm referring to one of much more value. I'm talking about something so precious that you can't put a price on it -- the endearing qualities of the human spirit.

My story began in 1985 when my son Thor was in a horrific car accident. At first it was a life or death situation, then it turned into a struggle of whether he could ever swallow again and whether he would lose his voice box due to the severe burns around his ear, neck and throat. One of his doctors told me that when he was pinned under his car by the exhaust pipe wrapped around his neck, it was a matter of one of two seconds more and it would have burned through the main artery in his neck and taken out his esophagus. Throughout this grueling experience, there were many surgeries and I was lucky that even though Thor was 22, I had kept insurance on him while he attended college. Unfortunately, it didn't cover many things and I was beside myself with worry and concern. I went down to Health and Human Service and spoke to Angelo Sachelli -- it was the best thing I ever did at the time. Angelo helped sort out the financial needs, but most of all, his big Italian heart would lift my spirit and get me through it all, not just financially but even more so, emotionally.

I don't know if people like Angelo ever fully comprehend the enormous good they do above and beyond the call of duty. Some will say that it's their job, they get paid for that. I say, "Horsey doo -- you can't pay someone enough to love and care sincerely about other human beings -- it goes well beyond money!

The second encounter I had with Health and Human Services was after I suffered an aneurysm in September of 1998 and, after almost six months in Kentfield Rehab Hospital, I was returned home with some impairments. My daughter Michele called Health and Human Services to obtain help for me if I needed it. But due to my stubborn nature and the help of great friends like Marty Medin, Helen Skinner, Julio Cisneros and a few others, I made it!

In January of this year, I fell in my hallway, bounced against the wall and landed flat on my back with a giant thud. The day after my fall from grace, I could hardly move and the pain was excruciating. Teresa "Terri" Elaine Thornton is one of my oldest and "bestist" friends. She has been through it with me for over 30 years.

When Terri came over and saw my dilemma, she drove me down to Health and Human Services -- she had a plan. Knowing that I don't take to running to doctors or staying in hospitals, she devised a scheme that really worked. When I hobbled in the door and sat down, Terri had Kathleen Roach, Rhea McIssac and other staff all perched and ready to help me through this ordeal. Through their persistent and gentle urging, I went to Dr. Bourne who immediately ordered a cat scan and x-rays. Thank God she prescribed strong pain pills; I despise taking them but they're sometimes a necessary evil. The x-rays came back showing a fractured vertebrae right behind my diaphragm in my lower middle back.

It didn't help that I no longer had good balance due to my aneurysm, as well as being legally blind, but I was used to challenges. With my back now so impaired, it was even more difficult to get around. Now I'm not telling you this for sympathy or even empathy, I'm just stating the facts and nothing but the facts! It was like in the old days when you're out there alone driving your buckboard through bandit territory and you take a shot to the back -- you know deep down you'll never make it without help. Then all of a sudden the angels appear, pull their buckboard up and surround you, and give you treatment for your wounds, feed you, let you rest, and reassure you that everything will be all right. And it was!

Kathleen Roach took care of many issues for me that I'd never thought about. She hooked me up with a compassionate and good-humored lady named Joan Gravison who came to my home and has been very helpful in finding products that can help me with my impaired vision. Rhea McIssac, with her gang of sunny volunteers, has brought me food four times a week, and Russ Hunt, our retired sheriff's sergeant, cooks great food. Also, many thanks to the restaurants in Pt. Reyes Station who contribute to this cause. The food is not only very nutritious but divinely delicious.

Then Terri told me that the Senior Services at Walnut Place had an exercise class for seniors where they sit in a chair and do exercises. With Dr. Bourne's permission, I was allowed to attend this class.

With the gracious help of Rhea McIssac and Laurie Davis, I was driven to class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. When I first sat in my chair, I recognized Frank Cerda, an old, dear friend of mine with soulful eyes, and immediately felt very comfortable. I glanced to the right and there sat a lovely lady named Leora Enders. I was impressed with her warm demeanor and when I heard she was in her 90's, I almost fell off my chair as she didn't look a day over 65. I made a lot of new friends there such as Georgia Shore, Betty Olen, Dan Bradley (the perfect gentleman), Mary Perrin, Marcia Brown and the feel good herbalist Gail Green Lees.

The couple whose love of people and dedicated care of the seniors citizens at Walnut Place really deserve a lot of credit: Arnie and Kate Lepisto who have managed Walnut Place for three years. The caregivers have told me that it has never been better. I noticed many of the seniors who live there can have their dogs and plant gardens. It's really a homey place with a lot of good spirit.

Our exercise teacher is Rebecca Hunter and she teaches the class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Being an extremely pleasant lady that knows her stuff, I asked her what she thought about Point Reyes Station and Walnut Place for Seniors. She replied, "I teach at a lot of facilities in Marin and Sonoma County, but this is the best. The people here stop and talk to you and sincerely care about you as a person and they stop to smell the roses."

Attending class there for over a month, I have learned a lot and gotten stronger, but the most fulfilling inspiration for me was to watch these seniors lift their weights -- and not just hand weights, most wear leg weights also. Holy Toledo, how could I wimp out watching these seniors focus and do so well.

Why I'm writing this story of my own experiences is to impart knowledge of what a treasure we have right in our own community. How lucky we are to have this incredible wealth of caring, ingenious creativity and efficiency with which they work their magic. With so many budget cuts, the one thing that I feel very strongly about is that we cannot lose any of these programs and, most of all, the people that make it happen.

An extra thank you to my friend Terri who is a social wonder and to Kathleen Roach, the public nurse, Rhea McIssac and Laurie Davis, the good humor ladies who are the caregivers. You made my struggle a pleasure!

PS Also thanks to Kathy Davis and Dave Sexton for running these great programs and being nice bosses to these incredible people. The only complaint I have is why Frank Cerda isn't running for president? Seeing him the other day in his tank top and shorts, Frank could give "the Schwartz" a real run for the money!