Donations for the Oldham Family
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We were all saddened to hear of Angie Oldham's passing a few days ago. Angie touched so many lives and was loved by all. Angie always had a servant's heart and went above and beyond to help others. I wanted to provide this to allow others to help her husband, Ben, during this very difficult time.
Below is a Facebook post that Ben wrote on Thursday.
We had plans for today. I was off work for Veterans Day. Angie was getting back to her quilting business and starting a new quilt today. We were going to have lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant Los Amigos. I am sure we would have watched some television. We had just started Queen's Gambit, and we have made it to season 10 of Big Bang Theory. Nothing exciting, but we were spending time together.
Angie and I started our marriage with a big family. I had 2 sons and she had 2 daughters. We were both broken people. She had lost her husband in a car accident, and I was newly divorced. We spent hours talking on the phone and chatting on the internet. We were really just 2 adults helping each other through tough times. That friendship blossomed into romance. I loved her before I actually met her. Within a year, we were married and building a new life together in Tennessee. It wasn't always easy blending two families and co-parenting, but we had a house filled with love.
A few years later, we both ended up with careers as teachers. Teaching made Angie so happy. Then, she got sick. She was diagnosed with a strange, cruel disease called Sarcoidosis. It eventually spread through most of her body and affected most of her organs. She lived in constant pain. She took medicine that destroyed her immune system. She had to stop teaching. She tried to go back, but she just couldn't do it.
Life kept getting harder with an unending series of illnesses. She faced death at least twice last year and won. She had an abdominal fistula that caused her great pain and unable to eat solid food for 9 months. This past summer, she was finally able to have surgery. Everything seemed to be turning around. She was spending time with our beloved grandson Houston and planning to babysit him on a regular basis. We were planning a trip to see all of our Virginia family. We were planning a trip to the beach for next year.
Last night, we had Chick Fil-A, watched This is Us, and had an ordinary night around home. We talked about Thanksgiving. She was going to bake banana bread. We talked about going to Gaylord Opryland to see the Christmas events. She fell asleep in her chair (which was not unusual for Angie). I convinced her to go on to bed and get some sleep. She had not slept well for the past few nights. That was the last time that we ever talked. I tucked her into bed and went to sleep.
This morning, I woke up to realize that something was very wrong. She was cold and lifeless. I begged and pleaded with her to wake up, but I already knew. She wasn't breathing. I called 911 and they walked me through CPR, but it was too late. The paramedics worked with Angie for a few minutes, but there was nothing they could do. Then, there was the crowd of strangers - police officers, EMTs, medical examiners. Thank God that Eli was here with me. I didn't have to be alone. I still had to call my kids and tell them that mom was gone. I had to call her parents and tell them that their daughter was gone. I had to call my brother to go sit with my mom and tell her the news.
Today has been surreal like a bad dream that won't end. She is still with the medical examiner. She will be released to the Hermitage Gardens Funeral Home tomorrow. We will meet with them on Friday to make arrangements. We will probably have visitation on Sunday and a Celebration of Life on Monday. We are planning to have a Celebration of Life at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church. I will
post on Facebook when we make final arrangements.
As much as we hurt tonight, one person is not hurting. Angie is free from pain. She is rejoicing in Heaven. No more hospital stays and doctor's visits. She can breathe normally. Her legs, arms, and feet are no longer burning with neuropathy pain. She touched many lives and loved others more than she loved herself. She was proud of our kids and our beautiful grandson. I wish I could have one more night to talk and say everything that I wish I could have said to her. I wish that I would have been holding her hand as she passed. She died with a smile on her face and that brings me comfort. I believe she was seeing wonderful things and knew her pain was over.
If you have read this far, you probably love Angie or someone in our family. Thank you. I have been overwhelmed with prayers and kind words from you all. Today was the worst day of my life, but we will be okay. Hold your family close. Tell your significant other that you love them. Love one another and be kind.
Below is a Facebook post that Ben wrote on Thursday.
We had plans for today. I was off work for Veterans Day. Angie was getting back to her quilting business and starting a new quilt today. We were going to have lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant Los Amigos. I am sure we would have watched some television. We had just started Queen's Gambit, and we have made it to season 10 of Big Bang Theory. Nothing exciting, but we were spending time together.
Angie and I started our marriage with a big family. I had 2 sons and she had 2 daughters. We were both broken people. She had lost her husband in a car accident, and I was newly divorced. We spent hours talking on the phone and chatting on the internet. We were really just 2 adults helping each other through tough times. That friendship blossomed into romance. I loved her before I actually met her. Within a year, we were married and building a new life together in Tennessee. It wasn't always easy blending two families and co-parenting, but we had a house filled with love.
A few years later, we both ended up with careers as teachers. Teaching made Angie so happy. Then, she got sick. She was diagnosed with a strange, cruel disease called Sarcoidosis. It eventually spread through most of her body and affected most of her organs. She lived in constant pain. She took medicine that destroyed her immune system. She had to stop teaching. She tried to go back, but she just couldn't do it.
Life kept getting harder with an unending series of illnesses. She faced death at least twice last year and won. She had an abdominal fistula that caused her great pain and unable to eat solid food for 9 months. This past summer, she was finally able to have surgery. Everything seemed to be turning around. She was spending time with our beloved grandson Houston and planning to babysit him on a regular basis. We were planning a trip to see all of our Virginia family. We were planning a trip to the beach for next year.
Last night, we had Chick Fil-A, watched This is Us, and had an ordinary night around home. We talked about Thanksgiving. She was going to bake banana bread. We talked about going to Gaylord Opryland to see the Christmas events. She fell asleep in her chair (which was not unusual for Angie). I convinced her to go on to bed and get some sleep. She had not slept well for the past few nights. That was the last time that we ever talked. I tucked her into bed and went to sleep.
This morning, I woke up to realize that something was very wrong. She was cold and lifeless. I begged and pleaded with her to wake up, but I already knew. She wasn't breathing. I called 911 and they walked me through CPR, but it was too late. The paramedics worked with Angie for a few minutes, but there was nothing they could do. Then, there was the crowd of strangers - police officers, EMTs, medical examiners. Thank God that Eli was here with me. I didn't have to be alone. I still had to call my kids and tell them that mom was gone. I had to call her parents and tell them that their daughter was gone. I had to call my brother to go sit with my mom and tell her the news.
Today has been surreal like a bad dream that won't end. She is still with the medical examiner. She will be released to the Hermitage Gardens Funeral Home tomorrow. We will meet with them on Friday to make arrangements. We will probably have visitation on Sunday and a Celebration of Life on Monday. We are planning to have a Celebration of Life at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church. I will
post on Facebook when we make final arrangements.
As much as we hurt tonight, one person is not hurting. Angie is free from pain. She is rejoicing in Heaven. No more hospital stays and doctor's visits. She can breathe normally. Her legs, arms, and feet are no longer burning with neuropathy pain. She touched many lives and loved others more than she loved herself. She was proud of our kids and our beautiful grandson. I wish I could have one more night to talk and say everything that I wish I could have said to her. I wish that I would have been holding her hand as she passed. She died with a smile on her face and that brings me comfort. I believe she was seeing wonderful things and knew her pain was over.
If you have read this far, you probably love Angie or someone in our family. Thank you. I have been overwhelmed with prayers and kind words from you all. Today was the worst day of my life, but we will be okay. Hold your family close. Tell your significant other that you love them. Love one another and be kind.
Organizer and beneficiary
Margaret Martin
Organizer
Nashville-Davidson, TN
Ben Oldham
Beneficiary
