Caregiving and being a nurse for senior citizens is one of the most challenging jobs on earth – it can be both rewarding and defeating at times. A caregiver’s emotions can quickly cycle from the highest highs to the lowest lows and back again. This responsibility can be overwhelming, but many nurses credit their unyielding optimism and sense of humor with the ability to power through even the toughest trials. Here are a few heartwarming stories from nurses and caregivers around the country. Hopefully it will brighten your day.
 
“This weekend, Dad was frantically searching for ‘Krissy’ (the nickname he’s called me by since I was a girl). I didn’t correct him and tell him I was Krissy. Instead, I pulled out a childhood picture of me that he keeps in his room and said, ‘Here she is!’ He smiled and said, ‘This is my baby girl, Krissy. I love my baby girl.’ As the tears rolled down my cheeks, I said, ‘She loves you, too.’  – tinyblu

“During one of my parents’ visits to our home, my Dad was waiting to go out for breakfast and he went to see if my mother was all ready to leave. With a tear in his eye, he looked at her and told me, ‘Your mother is still beautiful.’ They are going on 63 years of marriage.” – cindy1174

“Today I sat my mother in a comfy chair near the Christmas tree and I put the ornament boxes on her lap. She felt so useful as she handed me each one. I put Christmas music on in the background, and we sung along with the tunes. We both felt so happy by the time the tree was decorated. I took her picture next to the tree and will be sending copies to the relatives. She felt really special!” – Marcella59

“I was sitting with my mom, who is in the final stages of vascular dementia, when suddenly she looked me straight in the eyes and said tenderly, ‘I love you.’ I was so touched and replied, ‘I love you, too.’ She smirked and then asked, ‘Now, who are you?’ We both laughed. When I told her I was her daughter, Mom got teary and exclaimed, ‘You are mine?!’ She was visibly grateful and thrilled—as was I!” – TheDollyMomma

“My dad (Parkinson’s disease) was living in a nursing home when he contracted pneumonia and began receiving comfort care. One day, we wheeled my 93-year-old Mom in to visit him. He woke up with a smile and looked at her. ‘You got your hair done,’ he remarked. He had macular degeneration and was blind, but somehow he saw that his wife of 75 years had been to the hairdresser. He died a few days later at 96.” – blueskies