Hi there, dear readers! Here is your Marilyn Beane’s World columnist back with another new week with more news of my sweetheart Elden’s and my lives at Crawford Commons Assisted Living, 132 Middle Road, Union, ME 04862.
On Monday, Feb. 20, sweet Katherine took us to Miles Hospital in Damariscotta and parked in a handicapped zone. Sweet Kelsey smiled and spoke and took my paper and sweet Joann who was my nurse took me to a room.
After getting settled on the table, she took my vitals. I had to wait a few minutes as my doctor, Russell Mack, was delayed giving anesthesia in surgery. Then he came to me. He had me sign the permission form, then he got ready.
Sweet Joann rubbed my arm while I had my spinal cortisone injection. They both said I done a very good job. I am pretty well used to them anyway and have been having them for several years. He said this was my second one. I told him I had an appointment with Dr. Dickens that afternoon. Sweet Joann sat me up and gave me a can of apple juice and a warmed-up blueberry muffin with butter for a snack.
Back outside at the van, sweet Katherine put me on the lift and up into the van. She told us when we arrived at Dr. Dickens it would still be early and we could eat our lunch in the van. On the way back, I showed her Old Route 1 in Waldoboro she could take so not to hit the traffic lights going through the business district on Atlantic Highway. She joked that she would have to take me more often with her to show her where all the strange roads are. I told her I knew about every one where I used to drive them, and riding with Elden.
The snow was piled nearly halfway up Dr. Dickens’ office windows from the recent storms. Sweet Katherine wheeled my sweetheart up the ramp with me walking ahead on my walker. When we arrived, Dr. Dickens went out and drove away in a pretty blue wagon. In a little while, sweet Tasia came out and wheeled Elden down with me ahead. Dr. Dickens had returned where I was getting weighed. I had gained again a lot of it as fluid weight mostly.
In room 7, God’s number, sweet Tasia smiled and asked how we have been since three weeks before. We told her where we have been ill with our stomachs and also I had a painful left foot. Seems like arthritis. Very sore to the touch, too. We told her how tired we both are. Elden was concerned about some of his sugar test numbers, some of them little high. Sweet Tasia put all information on both of us into the computer. She also put in that Elden needs a new mattress. He is lying in a hole, which the home aides are trying to fill in with blankets and whatever else they can find to make it more comfortable for him. We told concerns about Elden’s diet. We thanked her when she went out.
Kind and caring Dr. John Marley Dickens soon came in and greeted both of us. Elden first asked him the results of the stool tests we had done three weeks earlier. He told us Elden’s was negative but mine was positive. He told us that didn’t mean I had cancer; it was just a screening test. I told him again about the malignant tumor I had which formed on my appendix, a very rare episode surprising all in the surgery room at Camden Community Hospital in Camden when I was 24 years old. I had to undergo a second surgery in a month’s time to remove half of my colon, which already had started to spread. My late doctor and surgeon Dr. Donald B. Hawkins intended only to take a third but to be sure he said he went beyond and took half. That way he was sure my life would be saved. I had lost weight at the time, only weighing 93 pounds. I was married to my late first husband then and he wasn’t very compassionate about it. Made it very difficult for me.
Anyway, Dr. Dickens was going to decide how to have me checked out further. I don’t want to go through anymore. I’ve been through so much already. My body is tired and I’m not going anymore. He went on to check my left foot and undressed it. It has two or three bumps on it and it seems like that foot is going out of shape. He said I’ve got arthritis in it and it is worse on my left side than my right. He said I need my new shoes. I told him I had an appointment that morning but it had to be cancelled as my injection came up with Dr. Mack. But another one was going to be made soon if not already. He said he hoped so. He knew my injection as important.
He trimmed my toenails on that foot, too. He dressed it again. Then he listened to my chest, which he said didn’t sound too bad.
He wheeled Elden to check-out. Sweet Rebecca had the young check-in lady send sweet Katherine down to see if arrangements could be made to get us there Monday, March 6.
On Tuesday morning, Feb. 21, kind and caring med tech Mike was on. That morning our administrator sweet Savanna and our nice maintenance man Kevin came to our room. He was carrying a lamp. He saw we already had two but the one he was holding looking like my sweetheart’s. It sure was. The one I had wasn’t a match to his. I never liked that one and wanted a match to Elden’s. Sweet Savanna said you have it, and Kevin changed them. He later returned with brighter bulbs and it would be nice to read by during evenings.
I asked Kevin when they were coming back about the heat. He said they had to order another part or two. I told him it has been three or four months now. I have to open a window as the heat stays on so steady. The room can get so hot it is difficult to breathe. I’ve told everyone this here.
We received a pile of mail this week. I received a package from one of my dear readers, another one from Massachusetts. This one sent me all-occasion cards, mostly birthday, which I sure can use, postage stamps, and a $5 gift of money. Nice thoughtful words about Elden and I and how much they love my column. I so much appreciate all this.
I received a nice thoughtful card with a nice long letter from this wonderful lady reader from Friendship. She told me about herself, so very interesting, which I read to my sweetheart. He thought it was very nice, too. He also appreciates being mentioned by my readers. We certainly have nice friendly readers. You all are thought of in a special way. We are your friends, too.
It was interesting to see in both the Lincoln and Knox county newspapers the pictures of the two recent bad snowstorms. It has been a long time since we’ve seen so much snow as that. We do know two winters ago we had so much snow that we was looking at a mountain of it outside our window all winter.
Now how about a testimony
Both my sweetheart and I love leaning on Jesus. We may not be able to touch Jesus physically, but we can entrust the weightiest circumstances of our lives to Him. He said, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest,” found in the Holy Book, The Bible in the Book of Mathew, chapter 11, verse 29. How blessed are we to have an awesome Savior whom we can trust to be faithful through every circumstance of our lives. You can have the same trust when you believe in God and Jesus Christ. It is wonderful to know that Jesus loves us and is near us invisible. We can feel His presence and He gives us peace and rest no matter what we are going through. Jesus alone gives us the rest we need.
Prayer
Dear Lord, Jesus, help my readers to lean on You every day and to trust You as their source of strength and hope. Help them cast their cares on You and praise You because You are faithful. In Your wonderful blessed name. Amen.
Read about the Last Supper in the Book of John, chapter 13.
Now dear readers, take care, God bless you. Be looking for Marilyn Beane’s World next week.
