Vol 38 • No. 2
You have to deal with grief
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Editor’s note: The is the last of three articles dealing with end of life and grief. By Elma Broadfoot Rhonda O’Neill’s husband, Steve, died unexpectedly in a work-related plane accident. Two years later, her son Jordan died from a lifelong kidney disease and complications from a motorcycle-car crash. Just weeks before the crash, Jordan, 20, said he didn’t want any more dialysis treatments and wanted to go into hospice. It might be said his death was expected. Jordan was diagnosed with kidney disease at five weeks. He had his first kidney transplant (one of Rhonda’s kidneys) at 23 months; he rejected a second kidney (donated by an aunt)
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January 2017
Towanda museum features 7,000 dolls
Rhonda O’Neill: ‘Grief is patient’ at age 14. He was not a candidate for another transplant. Jordan entered hospice one day after the crash. He died three days later. As a pediatric registered nurse, Rhonda had helped families through their children’s sickness and death. “I thought I understood what they were going through. I didn’t.” She tried to talk Jordan out of his decision. And she questioned all the decisions she made as a mother. “I became consumed with grief and guilt. “Grief is always very patient. It is sitting there waiting for you. You have to deal with it because you can’t outrun it.” She said her constant thoughts were, “I should have tried harder. I could have done more.” When Steve died she was sad and See Grief, page 8
By Nancy Carver Singleton Walking among the 7,000 dolls at Paradise Doll Museum and Hospital in Towanda is like visiting the dolls of your childhood — along with the dolls of your grandmother, mother and perhaps own children. You see baby dolls, china dolls, collectible dolls, television show dolls, famous people dolls, tiny dolls, big dolls, storybook dolls and of course, Barbie. There are 500 Barbies alone. Barbara Brush said her museum is unusual due to the collection’s size and because the dolls cover so many eras. Her oldest doll, from 1887, beats a drum and plays cymbals on top of a music box. The newest is from the movie Frozen. Dolls come from stores, garage sales, estate sales, private sales, gifts and donations. One man gave her 200 dolls from his mother’s collection. Because her museum is almost full, Brush now purchases mainly composition dolls made of sawdust, glue and other material. “I think they are my favorite to work with because you have to take everything clear down to the mold and fill up all the holes. That’s what’s fun
By Elma Broadfoot the active age board president 2016 was quite the roller coaster for the active age. And I do not like roller coasters! We were dangerously close to no longer being able to send you your free monthly newspaper. Our great advertisers cover the bulk of our expenses. Our grant from the Older Americans Act helps. And 4 percent of you, our readers donated. We still have a 10 percent deficit. One of our biggest expenses is the
monthly $10,000 postage cost. Did you know that in 1978 when we began the active age, it cost 18 cents to mail a 3-ounce letter? Today, it costs $2.54. We’ve cut our expenses to the bone, but we’ll keep looking. That search includes creative and less expensive ways to distribute the active age. Meanwhile, we will continue asking you for an additional donation. Yes, the Silver Campaign will continue a second year. So, if you donated last year we’re asking you to donate again this year. We’re asking you to
Photo by Rob Howes
Photo by Nancy Singleton
This 1887 music box doll is museum’s oldest.
about it, seeing if you can make it look like it is supposed to,” she said. Brush began buying garage sales dolls about 30 years ago to fix up for her seven granddaughters. When See Dolls, page 3
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