North Shore Living
January 2026 Newsletter
Jean Marie Modl
The holiday season began on Thanksgiving Day. Dietary staff put together special feasts for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. It was a busy festive time at the care center. We enjoyed visits from a GES children’s choir and Christmas Carolers. We had a penny auction and played dreidel games. There were several special Happy Hours with Tom Novotny.
The Secret Santa program was a great success, thanks to the generous people at North Shore Health. More than sixty special gifts found their way to the Christmas tree and Santa Dan distributed the presents on Christmas Eve. All of the care center residents and hospital patients received lovely gift bags on Christmas Day. We had a wonderful holiday season.
I am retiring in February and the new interim Activities Director is Dan Ryan, an Occupational Therapist with hospital and home healthcare experience.
For my last column, I am going to share my favorite animal rescue story because it has some good life lessons. It is a true story. In our life journey we don’t often think about how we are always changing, always influenced by environment, genetics, destiny, and just plain luck.
Four Russian gentlemen were flying in a helicopter over Siberian wilderness when a man named Ivan noticed open water in an ice pond below. He could see a large moose head bobbing in the freezing water. Ivan convinced his team to land and take a closer look.
Once they were at the scene, it was obvious that the moose was half frozen in the pond, more dead than alive. Ivan’s colleagues told him it was hopeless and they should put the animal out of its misery. But Ivan wasn’t ready to give up on the moose. He convinced the other men to help him rope the huge moose and with every bit of their combined strength, the men were able to drag the helpless moose out of the ice pond.
Exhausted, the men stood back, and again told Ivan that the poor animal was more dead than alive. But Ivan wouldn’t give up, he started violently massaging the animal’s massive muscles, trying to get life fluids moving again. He beat the beast with his own cold hands and feet. The moose was able to respond with small contractions and tremors. Soon the other men joined in by rocking the moose back and forth and moving its four legs with ropes. Movement was bringing life back to the moose.
The four Russian gentlemen understood that the creature was suffering from hypothermia, so they covered it with blankets from the helicopter and their own jackets. They cradled the huge moose head in their arms and warmed it against their chests. The men gently brushed away the ice that coated the animal’s face, ears, and body.
Time passed and the moose recovered enough to sit up and be comfortable. As the helicopter lifted into the sky, the moose stood up and confidently followed its own snow trail back into the forest. This magnificent animal lived to see another day.
As we age, we constantly change into different versions of ourselves. We are lucky if we have someone like Ivan around who can see our potential, past and present. Movement is life, right to the end.
I have been inspired by the grace and courage that is demonstrated every single day at the care center and hospital. Remember to celebrate who you are and what you can do. Move as much as you can, make your muscles happy and have some fun.