Throughout the pandemic we have shared stories and photos of community residents celebrating birthdays; some with truck and car parades, others with visits through the looking glass. The American Cancer Society coined the term, Celebrating Birthdays, as a phrase that encourages survivorship.
During the COVID crisis, this saying also rings true, at least for 92-year-old Marian Nickels, who some may also know as Nancy.
Living in Tioga County her entire life, as did her parents before her, Nickels served in the Tioga County Clerk’s office for more than 20 years, and has resided at Elderwood Nursing Home since November 2016.
When nursing homes shut their doors at the onset of the pandemic, Nickels began to miss the visits with her friends and her family. The facility was completely closed off to visitors, and soon became a hotspot in Tioga County following a coronavirus outbreak that resulted in approximately two-dozen fatalities.
In the meantime, however, Nickels’ four children – Tom Nickels, Sue Baker, Becky Coldwell of Owego and Cindy Middendorf of Nichols, as well as many of her grandchildren and great grandchildren, were able to visit her through the window or via Skype.
But on May 7, those visits ended when she tested positive for COVID and was moved to the isolation unit.
In an email from her daughter, Cindy, she wrote, “Now, more than six weeks later, she is still there; still waiting for two consecutive negative results which will mean she’s no longer contagious.”
Pictured, 92-year-old Marian Nickels is all smiles following her 92nd birthday celebration, all from her isolation unit at Elderwood Nursing Facility. Provided photo.
Through it all the family kept phone contact daily, and they reported that she has remained upbeat, optimistic and cheery, even when the virus had her feeling miserable.
According to Cindy, Nickels has said more than once, “I just can’t complain. They are so good to me here.”
The family was praying that Nickels would return to the room she considers home, and to her much loved roommate and friend for her 92nd birthday, June 13; but sadly she was still testing positive, according to the family.
They were now wondering what they could do to honor her on her birthday for her faith and upbeat attitude through all of this?
“Nothing means more to mom than her family,” said Cindy, adding, “And mom’s family adores her; right down to the little’s, the great grandchildren that call her “Gramma Great.”
So on her birthday morning that Saturday, June 13, her children, the local grandchildren and the great grandchildren surprised her with what they dubbed a “Peaceful Birthday Protest.”
According to Cindy, when she was wheeled to the second floor window of her isolation room, she looked down and saw them.
Pictured, Marian Nickels’ family pays a visit and wishes a happy birthday to their hopeful “COVID Conqueror.” Provided photo.
“Our rendition of Happy Birthday may have been off-key, but we made up for it in volume,” said Cindy, adding, “Mom had tears at first, then nothing but smiles.”
She was handed a phone and called one of their phones, and each one of them were able to personally wish her Happy Birthday and watch her face shine when one of the little ones said, “I love you, Gramma Great.”
The Elderwood family is proud of their more than 40 “COVID Conquerors,” according to Cindy.
And the family of Marian Nickels knows that soon, she will be one of them.
Until then, her words are good advice, “You might as well make the best of it.”
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