Greetings Dear Readers! Your Marilyn Beane’s World is here with more news about my sweetheart’s and my life at Windward Gardens in Camden.
Sunday, March 15, was the 200th birthday of our state of Maine, which was established in 1820!
The weather was sunny with cool temperatures. My sweetheart and I were still sick, although seem a little better.
My vitals were high because of the illness. My sweetheart wanted to get up, as he was feeling somewhat better. My brother Arthur Crockett called me from Dade City, Florida. He was anxious to know how Elden and I were doing because the novel coronavirus had made an appearance in every state. I told him we were both sick with something, but wasn’t the virus. He said I sounded awful and I told him, “I know it. They are keeping all of us residents in our rooms and it is closed to visitors.” He had heard the Quarry Hill living center here in Camden is closed to visitors. He has got a friend down there.
Arthur said he doesn’t know if they will be home for a while. He’s not sure how long it will be as planes won’t be flying as often and it wouldn’t be a good idea to travel by car. Arthur had to make phone calls to his children and would call us again in a few days. I was of course so happy to hear from him.
Monday, March 16, my sweetheart’s oxygen was so low first thing in this morning, so the overnight nurse checked his vitals and gave him three nebulizer treatments. They got him up for a little while, then they had to put him back to bed, and he slept the rest of the day.
On Tuesday, March 17, it was a cloudy and cool day in the 30s with snow flurries with large flakes. My sweetheart seemed to be getting worse. This was his second day of not eating well, sleeping a lot, and sounding very congested. His blood pressure and other vitals were high. I was so concerned, but I know God’s presence is always with us, even with this new coronavirus impacting our country in so many major ways. Businesses and schools were announcing closures, store shelves were becoming bare, and there’s talk of our country going into a recession because of the stock market dropping. TV news is currently all about the COVID-19 disease.
Wednesday, March 18, in the early morning hours, I awoke to a nurse working on my sweetheart with nebulizer treatments, then an oxygen tank was brought in. He was so congested that he was having difficulty breathing.
Over the morning hours, the nurse worked on him. The nurse practitioner also checked on him. He wasn’t responding. She decided to send him to Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport. His vitals weren’t good. A little later a lady doctor called me at the nurse’s desk and told me he wasn’t breathing well. Less than a half an hour later she called me back again, and said she hated to be the bearer of bad news, but my husband had passed away. Of course I broke down in tears saying, “I knew it was going to happen.” The nurses comforted me. Boy! It was tough. The staff helped me to make a few phone calls.
My brother Arthur had called me earlier and I told him Elden wasn’t doing well. I had to call him back and let him know that Elden had passed away, which was around 11 a.m. Staff members checked on me throughout the rest of the day. The social worker and the activities gal all gave their compassionate condolences. The social worker came back in the late afternoon and talked to me with helpful, compassionate words. Everyone knows that my faith is strong, so I wanted the phone number of our pastor, Robert Bellows, to speak with him. I was given the wrong number, but I talked with Pastor Wayne Woodman of the West Waldoboro Community Church anyway. He was so sorry about my loss. He is sure Elden is in heaven at peace and happy. He prayed with me and told me if there is anything I need that I can get in touch with him. He was overjoyed to hear that his late father Wesley Woodman married Elden and me, and I was pleased I had the chance to tell him. I appreciated his kindness and compassionate words.
Thursday, March 19, the cleaning and laundry ladies came in and gave me their sincere sympathy on my loss. Later on, the kind and caring funeral director Mike Hall of Hall’s Funeral Home in Waldoboro called me and gave me compassionate words that Elden is with them physically, but spiritually he is in heaven. Mike had to get in touch with our friends in Warren and would call me back, which he later did. He had talked with Colleen. Elden was going to be buried the coming Monday around noon. He needed clothing for Elden and wanted to talk with a med tech who helped me to pick out clothes, which she put in a bag to be picked up by his helper.
I received a surprise call from our former kind and caring doctor, Dr. John Dickens. He asked how I was doing and I told him I was hanging in there with my strong faith. I told him it is tough, but what makes me feel at ease is that I know Elden is at peace and I don’t have to see him suffer anymore.
It has been difficult this past month being so sick and having pain. Elden was more often in bed than he was not. I could see he was failing, and he had been talking about going to heaven. I tried to ignore it because I couldn’t accept losing him.
But what a change in those last two days.
I knew that as his features changed and his breathing became so difficult, he was exhausted. I told Dr. Dickens I’ve still got this stuff in my own lungs and can’t get rid of it. He said this isn’t the new coronavirus, that colds and the flu are also going around. He talked to me compassionately and said that Elden is with the Lord in heaven. I will miss him for a while, having been married for 52 years.
Dr. Dickens said he would get in touch again sometime in the future. He said the doctor at Pen Bay called him about Elden’s passing.
He said I made the right decision by going by Elden’s wishes. Elden didn’t want lifesaving devices and he was so far gone anyway. I would never go against his wishes.
It helped so much to have Dr. Dickens call.
The social worker came later and asked me questions. She helped me to find phone numbers I could call after she left. I called my friend Shirley Ross. She said she would get ahold of Pastor Bellows and the church folks.
Pastor Robert Bellows called me at the nurse’s desk. He talked and prayed with me about Elden going to heaven, and prayed to give me comfort and for my health. He was going to have my name put on the church prayer list at Orff’s Corner Community Church in Waldoboro.
I have been busy notifying Elden’s family.
Friday, March 20, the first day of spring. Rain showers with the temps in the 40s.
I continue to know that my savior and Lord Jesus Christ is watching over me. He is giving me the faith to endure and continue to grow. With the loss of my sweetheart Elden and my own afflictions, it helps to remember what Paul wrote to the Romans in the Book of Romans 5:3, “Suffering produces endurance.” Knowing that helps me to encourage you readers to keep trusting God in difficult times, and we all need much encouragement with the global pandemic going on.
Now God bless you all. Keep looking for my column. Marilyn Beane’s World, Spring Gardens Room 108, Windward Gardens, 105 Mechanic St., Camden ME 04843.
