I remember the first lady that I took care of and eventually adopted like my grandma. I loved her so much. Her name was Lillian. She was 98 years old and her family was one of the first families to settle in the Menasha area many, many years ago.
She was so caring and appreciative of everything you did for her. She would always try to pay you in some way. And as caregivers, we all know you can't take gifts from residents no matter what. Well, I ended up buying her a fake cash register so that way she felt like she was giving me a tip. Her family was living in Illinois when she went downhill. I would end my shift at 11pm and stay with her until 5 am just so she wouldn't have to die alone. I would do this for a week straight even though I had a newborn baby at home.
Needless to say, she passed away one morning when I had stayed until 5am. She passed at 9am. Her family showed up 30 min after she past away. Her family thanked me for not letting her die alone. Before Lillian passed, she thanked me in her soft quiet voice and said that she loved me! That made me cherish my life, my job, and my family. This kind of work is my calling. This is what God sent me here to do--to help others!
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