Unsung Heroes of UPHS-Portage, “Superhero of the Week”: Monica Aho, Physical Therapist

What is your title and role at UPHS-Portage? I am a pediatric physical therapist in the Rehab department. I see kids on an outpatient basis and also contract with the Copper Country Intermediate School District to provide physical therapy to kids from birth to age 26.

How long have you been employed here? Have you always been in the same position? I’ve worked at Portage for 16 years. I started here as an outpatient orthopedic therapist, but my heart has always been with kids, and Portage allowed me to start a pediatrics program soon after being hired.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most? I love getting to know families intimately, and getting to be a part of their lives. In pediatrics, working with children with delays and disabilities, I get to celebrate every little triumph with the child’s family. My favorite days are when kids take their first independent steps- whether they are one year or ten years old when that happens.

Tell us a little bit about your family: My husband Rob is an environmental engineer with the Natural Resources and Conservation service, a Michigan Tech grad and a private pilot. We have three kids – twin 14 year old sons and a 10 year old daughter.

What sorts of things do you like to do in your spare time? The kids keep me very busy when not at work!  I teach Sunday school and lead a “Little Flowers” group for my daughter. I’m chief taxi driver and cheerleader for all of their many activities. I enjoy blogging, photography, and planning ridiculously elaborate garden parties. 

Do you have any items on your bucket list you would like to share? Some day I hope to finish the novel I’ve started. I dream about traveling to far off places and experiencing different cultures and learning history first hand. 

What does true leadership mean to you? True leadership is servant leadership- leading by doing, and serving others. My boss at Portage exemplifies this concept daily, and inspires all of us to do the same.

What have you gained from working at UPHS-Portage? Portage has allowed me to do what I love for the past 16 years…. help the children of this community reach their potential. My job is incredibly rewarding and I love it. I could not imagine doing anything else. My coworkers are positive and talented, and challenge me to be a better therapist on a daily basis. I am incredibly blessed. 

The Canterville Ghost

Colby participated in Oscar Wilde's "The Canterville Ghost", as the gardener Weeds.  The kids did a fabulous job!  The play was a success!!  We were especially impressed with Colby's ability to pass out convincingly and scream.  Who knew those would be useful talents to have??

Post-performance cast party

The Sturgeon River at Flood Stage

The nearby Sturgeon River floods every year.  That part isn't new.  But this year it flooded TWICE, and to quite a significant degree, which meant... of course we had to go drive through it.  My nephew Ben even brought his drone so we could capture the phenomenon by air.  Glad I wasn't the one driving through all that water!

We were on the road... not in a lake.  Not that you could tell.  

 Sure!  Let's drive through THAT.

The Kindness of Friends

Taking the time to do little things like... I don't know, get my hair cut... always seems to be put on the back burner.  The winter gets long, so does the hair, the gray starts popping out, the pudge and paste of staying indoors for weeks on end; it all accumulates and makes a gal feel kinda dumpy.  My friends know this.  So this evening, Sarah and Renata and I met at a salon and they paid for my hair to be done!  By an actual beautician!  Who did an actual good job!!  Renata also got her hair done, and it looked fabulous.  We felt like Charlie's Angels walking out of there, and laughed and giggled and chit-chatted and just had a fab time.

I'm very blessed.

The Very Big, Uber Cool, Humongous Surprise

SO.... my sneaky coworkers, aided and abetted by my sneaky husband, nominated me for an award at work, and I WON.  Which in and of itself is mind-boggling and humbling.  But THEN, even more, Rob arranged for all my nearest and dearest to surprise me by showing up at the end of the ceremony, which completely side-swiped me.  There were tears.  LOTS of tears.  Which doesn't make for flattering pictures.  But I don't care, because it was just so sweet and kind and nice of them all to be there, and it meant the world to me.  SO COOL.  And now, my work is sending me to Tennessee in a few months, which is ALSO super cool, and I'm just beside myself.  I can't believe they ALL kept quiet about the whole thing, because it was seriously unexpected.  They're all sneaky, the lot of them.  But in a good way.

Happy Easter!

He is Risen!  He is Risen, Indeed!  My awesome-sauce sister in law hosted Easter this year, and did practically THE WHOLE THING.  I showed up with a green salad, which didn't even break a sweat.  It was a lovely day, from start to finish!

 Colby looks like he really needs that coffee in his Easter basket.  There was definitely a "puberty theme" to the baskets for young men this year.

It's not easy to get a family picture using the timer on the phone when mom is in a dress and wedge heels.

 They're ready.  Where's the mama?

 OH!  There she is!

 Finally.  After many trials.  SUCCESS!

The children are not too old for Easter egg hunts.  Because... candy.

Pre-dinner Aho trivia.  Emily won!

 Desserts ala Andrea.  YUM.

 Lemon meringue cheesecake.  SERIOUSLY.  Who knew you could combine those two things???

 Tillie used my phone for a self-portrait.  Cutie patootie.

 One great auntie!