“Building Partnerships to promote a safer community” is the mission of the Sheriffs Department where I live in Oconee County, South Carolina, AND on the evening of Sunday, July 28, 2019, I called them because I didn’t feel safe anymore. I got scared! #law enforcement#to protect#to serve#thankful!

A few days before, I discovered that I had new neighbor who had just moved in across the hall from me. I learned from the property manager that the new tenant was a single man who had two small kids that would be around on the weekends and that there was no woman living there. Later that day, I was leaving my apartment when I saw a woman holding a small toddler on her hip walking down the stairwell, screaming at the child and yelling that he was “DUMB’ and “STUPID”. Another young boy was standing on the landing yelling “YEAH, HE IS DUMB AND STUPID! I caught the eye of the woman who diverted her glance from me and tried to hide her face beneath a strand of hair. I walked by the small boy who still stood there on the landing, body taut with tension, eyes wide open in alarm. I was filled with concern for these children. My own ptsd got triggered and I went into “freeze” mode. Eventually, I went to the property manager and shared what had happened. #no turning the cheek#children are defenseless#.

Moving forward to the evening of July 28, I finally met the new neighbor. The three plus years of peace and quiet I had enjoyed in the apartment complex was rudely interrupted, when I heard loud angry voices and noise outside my front door. The peep hole revealed that it was a man leaning over the railing watching a dramatic violent video on his phone across the hallway. Assuming, it was the new neighbor and because the noise was after ten o’clock p.m., I opened the door and quietly asked him to reduce the volume. At first, he seemed polite and introduced himself but quickly went into an aggressive stance and mode “are you the woman who reported to the property manager that my dead wife’s sister was abusing my kids?”. I replied “YES, I am”. From that point on , he was blustery defensive, then became hostile and escalating to making threats. #a nastyface#to face#.

He first tries to tell me in several ways that I didn’t hear what I think I heard. (btw – classic tactics by abusers).

1. That the kids were making noise because that’s what kids do.
2. That the youngest one had unlocked the door and had run out and had to be caught by the woman.
3. That it was the property management fault for not having installed a chain on the door
4. That what I heard was in Russian.
5. He tried to intimidate me by telling me that he had a camera installed and was taping what was going on. I let him know that it was okay by me.

I asked him to please lower his voice and asked why he wasn’t thankful that a neighbor, instead of looking the other way, showed concern for the welfare of his children? He just yelled “Mind your own business. Don’t meddle. Stay our of our lives and I will stay out of yours. You don’t want to mess with me!”. #no more bullies#

I shut the door but felt shaken. I needed to feel safe and protected. I called for assistance and it came with a ten minute response time. I was fortunate because the situation didn’t require more, but the promptness indicated that the service will always try to be as fast as possible. The deputy who served my address that night was a professional. Absolutely! A strong commanding and confident presence. He was not wasteful with words or with time. He was respectful. He suggested and asked if was okay with me if he went to the neighbor and spoke with him. After doing so, he came back and told me what to do and to not hesitate to call again if needed. #grateful#for community policing#.

I was impressed with this service call. So much so, that I visited the Sheriff himself but will gush about that in another blog.#another time to gush#.

It’s been a week and the peace and quiet I have known before has returned. I haven’t heard much at all from that apartment. Except, I sometimes worry about how the children are being silenced because I wasn’t. #silence#is not#always#the answer#.

It was a risk I had to take.

But nothing like the every days risks that law enforcement take. #thankful#appreciation.

Lake Region Health care is located : 712 S Cascade St, Fergus Falls, MN

On July 15, 2019 @ 7:57 a.m. a hearty wail broke the sound barrier of room 206 as a baby girl made her grand entrance from womb to the competent hands of Dr. Norgard. Little Georgianna Rosalee Walls was born at Lake Region Healthcare in a small community town of Fergus Falls, MN. While tempted to gush about the exquisiteness of this child, my intent here is to gush instead about Lake Region Healthcare with the specific focus on the women and birthing center.

The birthing floor is located on the second floor and is made secure by way of a call button intercom system. There is little to no wait to gain entrance or exit because the system is well attended by humans. The hospital room was cozy and spacious and served as a multi-purpose room. The labor, delivery and recovery all now happen in this same space. I recall that back in my day, I was wheeled out on a gurney during the pushing phase, down a corridor lined with strange faces looking down at me, wheeled around a corner to another room to do the actual deed of birthing my babies, Then, after giving birth, I shared a room with another mom which made it even more difficult for us to rest. The experience at Lake Region felt more intimate and private.

This room at Lake Region was not fancy but felt quite deluxe in accommodations. It included a small love seat type of couch that could convert into a cot for partner or family member to sleep on to share the room with mommy and baby. Sitting in one corner was a soft vinyl chair that had rocking and reclining features, For a few days, this really felt like home away from home.

With prayers of blessing and fingers crossed, the birth of a baby (and in my case, a grandchild) is one of the most incredible and wondrous anticipated events that happens in life with health of the baby and mother being the major focus. But the care received at Lake Region went beyond the health focus and was exceptional as every staff member performed their tasks with cheer and consistent attentiveness, #every#single#time!

All staff demonstrated knowledge, skill and competence. A shout out to Nurse Amy who provided a stable and steady presence while attending to the needs of my daughter immediately after giving birth. In addition to regularly checking the health of both baby and mom, Amy took deliberate time to educate my daughter how to breastfeed even though a lactation nurse was on schedule later. There was no “passing the buck” here as she explained how and why, step by step. This is just one of the examples where the buck stopped here over and over again. #money stops#value#doesn’t.

Competence and cleanliness could be heard with the constant soft hustling, bustling, pitter patter of feet belonging to staff along with the sound of the rhythmic use of the hand sanitizing gel dispenser and the constant change of gloves for hands. #clean#fresh#clean.

The care felt luxurious as the nurses and staff were generous with a plethora of supplies on hand which were not just limited to medical supplies. Pillows, pillows, pillows. My daughter was surrounded with and pampered with pillows throughout the early stages of labor. There were nighties, swaddling instruction and blankets for baby! There was a thoughtful selection of hospital gowns that my daughter could choose to wear for receiving visitors. And, the night nurse would literally make the bed turned cot for family member or guest use each evening. And the food selection was abundant which included seven items and the advice from the nurse to choose seven items so she could have snacks for those times between meal times. They made sure she would get the all the energy needed to accomplish the greatest feat ever.#make#baby#woohoo#.

My grand baby girl was only twenty four hours old when the night Nurse Lauren, came in to give her first bath. Lauren would explain,” use one corner of a wet non soaped wash cloth to wipe an eye. Use another corner and repeat. Keep a new wet washcloth handy, add soap then sponge bath baby making sure to clean all the crevices.” Then, when she washed our baby’s head, she actually, gave her a scalp massage while lathering her head with soap. Did you catch that? My grand baby was only twenty four hours old out of the womb when she received a head massage! What a way to start life!#over#the#top#care#woohoo#.

It’s easy to imagine this kind of care and service to be located in a fancy upper class neighborhood associated with wealthy celebrities or big pocket politicians but this hospital is located in the upper northwest corner of Minnesota. Situated in a small sleepy rural town called Fergus Falls, where the electricity is generated by a company with a quaint name called, Otter Tail Power company.

Lake Region Healthcare is a remnant of the good old fashioned service of days seemingly gone by, even perhaps a dying breed, but lucky for residents of Fergus Falls and surrounding areas, Lake Region wonderfully caters to the living!

A grateful shout out to Patty, Laura, Amy, Lauren, Dr. Norgard, Dr. Boroski, Leslie, Tina and Dr. Schnurer.

You want to read this because you are a consumer in a world that more often than not fails to provide the equal value return on your hard earned dollars.

You want to read this because you might believe in the integrity of a “handshake”.

You want to read this because you are wise.

You want to read this because you want to read something uplifting and encouraging.

You want to read this so as to enhance the quality of your life, so that you are not the one that is consumed.

You want to read this because “word of mouth”, from mine to yours, is one of the best consumer connections you will experience.