Custodian takes leave of absence due to health issues
Rhonda Jensen underwent surgery to combat staph infection in shoulder
By Steven Curto
Custodian Rhonda Jensen smiles as she reads a get well soon card from journalism students. Jensen believes that she will be out of work until May so the community, faculty and students banned together to raise money to support her while she is on leave for staph infection treatment.
March 6, 2020
Custodian Rhonda Jensen has taken a leave of absence due to medical issues. Jensen is currently suffering from a staph infection in her shoulder.
Journalism teacher Kathy Habiger presented custodian Rhonda Jensen with a check made of of donations compiled from the community, faculty and students. Jensen was in a sate of shock at the sum of money raised Jensen and thanked both Habiger and the community for all they have done.
Jensen noticed the infection around four weeks ago.
“I couldn’t move my arm, I was getting a big lump on my shoulder, and I was in severe pain,” Jensen said.
In order to combat the infection, Jensen underwent surgery.
“They had to go in and clean all my shoulder out, rotor cup, and then they had to take a piece of bone out that was full of arthritis,” Jensen said.
Throughout Jensen’s leave of absence, journalism teacher Kathy Habiger suggested that the school work to raise money for Jensen through donations.
“I like to think that Mill Valley is a family and if any of us were in that same situation, some of us would want to help,” Habiger said. “I think I just voiced what a lot of people wanted to have happen. I just thought I knew her maybe the best out of all of us and took it and ran with it. Everyone was super generous.”
An estimated total of $2,000 was donated by the school to Jensen’s cause. Senior Annie Bogart assisted in collecting the donations through Venmo to make the process more efficient.
“Our StuCo director told our team that some teachers were collecting money and if we wanted to donate we could, but I wanted to get more people involved in raising money for her because she has done so much for our school and students,” Bogart said. “I set up the Venmo because it tends to be easier to donate electronically now, and we only had a small window to raise money.”
When talking to journalism teacher Kathy Habiger about what treatment she is receiving for her staph infection, custodian Rhonda Jensen holds up a container filled with medicine which is being pumped into her heart to treat the infection.
Habiger hopes that the donations will assist Jensen in covering her medical expenses.
“No matter how great your health insurance is, if you’re in the hospital and having as many health problems as she did, everybody has out of pocket expenses, even if you are insured,” Habiger said. “So, we just wanted her to use it for her expenses because I know it’s not easy to not be working for that long. However she sees fit to use it is up to her, but I know she has expenses she’ll need it for. ”
Although in recovery now, Jensen is still unsure as to what caused her staph infection.
“Everybody has staph infection on them, but there’s gotta be something to trigger it,” Jensen said. “We don’t know for sure what triggered mine.”
Jensen is pleasantly overwhelmed by the support she’s received from the school.
“I just want to thank everybody at Mill Valley for the support, the prayers, and just being a loving family,” Jensen said. “I love everybody, and I miss them.
