From Mary Heiny Sensei:
Dear Aikido Family,
As I was being moved into the operating room for my surgery I was struck by the truth of what I had been taught in both Aikido and Buddhism - that our lives are made possible due to the kindness of all around us, family, friends and strangers. Osensei stressed the importance of gratitude as a foundation for human life and this feeling overwhelmed me as I was taken away.
I would like to express my gratitude in this message to those who cared for me in DeKalb, Illinois.
First of course, is Dr. Russell Bodner who performed a perfect surgery. He was assisted by Dr. Rajiv Jain, Dr. Michael Coulson, PA Marie Gabel and PA Greg Zankle.
While I spent 4 days at the beautiful, new Kishwaukee Community Hospital I was cared for by a compassionate and professional staff. I can offer only their first names but here goes. Thank you to Diane, Mary, Tiffany, Claudia, Shari, Vanessa, Kayla, Janie, Laura, Kim, Jennifer, Andrea, John, Julie, Suzzane. This is not the end of the list of all who helped at the hospital but all the names I was able to collect.
Dr. Bodner's assistants at the Midwest Orthopaedic Institute were also very kind and helpful. Also I would especially like to mention Brad Coople, Administrator of Kishwaukee Community Hospital who worked with Dr. Bodner and the DePuy Company to make the surgery and hospital stay possible within the limits of the fundraising campaign.
After being discharged, I recovered at the home of Cynthia Nelson who is faculty advisor the Northern Illinois University Aikido club. Despite meeting me only once in April, she opened her home to me and made arrangements for her friends, Kathleen, Peggy, Janet, Sherry to help me out. In particular with Kathleen's daily companionship I spent many wonderful hours conversing. I enjoyed the warmly intelligent companionship of Cynthia and all her friends. Who knew having hip replacement could be so much fun?
Of course all this was made possible by the financial gifts of hundreds of you. At all times I felt surrounded by love, healing energy, prayers and good wishes of many good hearted people.
Thank you all,
Mary
From Dr. Russell Bodner:
Dear Friends of Mary,
I would like to add my personal thanks for the opportunity to be involved in helping Mary Sensei. I have waited until now to be sure that everything has gone well with her surgery and I couldn't be more pleased than when I spoke with a very happy Sensei last week as she shopped on her own. It was a gift to me personally to be able to give to her what I have been trained to do, an opportunity to give out of love, honor, and true goodness to another human being. I gave to Mary, I gave to the Aikido family I love, and I have received spiritually and emotionally everything and more right back to me. That is the beauty of life, of the good that we can create together.
I am very grateful to the many parties involved in Mary's care who gave of themselves for their own reasons, without whom this could never have happened. From Kurt Lifka, my friend from Ridgeway WI, to Robin Cooper who led me to Mary; from Brad Copple at Kishwaukee Community Hospital to Stu Brandon of the DePuy Corporation to Dr. Michael Coulson of the Department of Anesthesia to all the nurses, staff and technicians involved. And most of all I thank Cynthia Nelson who opened her house to a woman she had not met before, cared for her and made sure her stay and recovery went well. She is a hero to me and to her and all of her friends who gave of themselves my eternal thanks.
It is my fervent prayer and wish to see Mary resume her career as one of the treasured teachers Aikido has. I hope to see all those who have gave of themselves financially and otherwise on the mat where we can celebrate our lives through the joy of training (and maybe a little party afterward) together.
My life has been rewarded greatly by this and I thank yoy all.
Russ Bodner
Sandan-- Aikido