The Last Christmas Gift

It was a hot summer day and I was making my rounds because I worked in the activity department of the nursing facility. I went to check in with those residents who didn’t get visitors frequently or who did not leave their rooms enough. Celine was a French woman in her 90’s and she was always so sweet. I went in to see her and as usual she was seated in her wheelchair in front of her wall with a box of chocolates and a photo album. Celine was always making her rounds around the facility but as of lately she had usually been in her room and somedays she would just stare at the wall or forget where she was; Celine had Alzheimer's. That day I had the chance to sit with her and join her as she looked through her photo album. As we looked through each photo, each one held a different memory or a different funny story for her. We made it to a photo of her and her husband, it was a photo taken in the 50s in Montreal. Cecile loved her husband, they married when they were young but when Rene was in his 30s, he died of a heart attack. Celine never remarried or had children. So, with Celine’s permission and that she frequently sat in her room in front of the wall, I suggested we get one of her photo's poster size. Celine agreed and we collectively decided on this one after looking through some more photos, with her permission I held on to the picture to get it blown up, however, life happens and important things get put off for a time. Fast forward to the week of Christmas and Celine was on hospice care. I remember when I first went to see how Celine was when I found out she was on hospice that she woke up crying and clutching her chest saying it felt like she was having small heart attacks and begging me to help her, I remember how tight she clutched my hands with tears in her eyes from the pain. I went to the nurse and asked her if she would be able to ask if they could administer morphine for comfort as they do most patients on care and comfort. The nurse declined and said she was not due for her morphine for 4 hours. I explained to the nurse that she was in extreme pain and that it was causing her duress. The nurse still declined to speak with the doctor or consult anyone else to see if it could be given sooner for comfort. I then went to the charge nurse and explained what was going on with Celine and she went into the room to see her and when she came back out, she told me she would take care of it. The nurse then came in and apologized to me and said to let her know of anything else she could do to make Celine comfortable. The week of Christmas I made it a point to sit with Celine whenever I had time just so she would not feel alone, as she did not have many visitors apart from her niece. Her sisters would come to visit as frequently as they could but they also lived a ways away, and were older as well. We sat, we talked, somedays I would do her nails, massage her hands, pray with her (I am not religious in the least), and sing to her or with her and laugh. Christmas eve came around and I finally had time to get the picture we had spoken about that summer blown up poster size. I wrapped it and texted a coworker that I was at the facility so they could let me in as visiting hours ended at 8 pm. I went into the room and Celine said her usual “hello dear”. I handed her the wrapped gift and her eyes got wide “what is in here dear, such a big gift”. I watched as she tore the paper off to find the photo of her and Rene. In that moment she remembered me, her eyes were filled with tears and she said she could not believe I remembered and that I actually got the photo blown up for her. She told me it was the most thoughtful gift she’d ever gotten and asked me if she was dying. I could not answer quick enough because there was a lump in my throat that made the words sound faint, Celine then told me that she could not wait to be with Rene again, she then gave me a long hug, told me she loved me, gave me a kiss on the cheek and thanked me for always being kind to her and taking care of her and that she would miss me. Celine told me not to be sad when she died because she would be with her husband again and that was all she wanted. I hugged her one more time and then told her I would see her the day after Christmas. She responded by asking me why I was crying and who had gotten her the beautiful picture, She then showed me the picture and told me how beautiful she thought it was. I then, again, gave her another hug and tried not to cry. She thanked me for the hug and I told her I would see her the day after Christmas. My coworkers let me know that Christmas day, Celine passed away. At her funeral her sisters and her niece who by the way, was named after her aunt Celine told me they were all fighting over the picture because they loved it. I worked with her and many other residents for 3 years, every single day, even snow days (which I slept over the facility with a coworker once), we became family, and I was very lucky to know her.

The names in this story were altered for privacy.