1. My neighbor takes care of my dog when we travel on weekends for DD’s sport. She’s 22 now with a good job, but she still does it even though she probably doesn’t need the money anymore. I do try to pay well because I appreciate that she’s still willing to do it and my dog has always known her and is comfortable with her.
2. My mom was getting towards the end of her Alzheimer’s disease during COVID. We knew she probably needed a nursing home and were desperate to get her vaccinated. My sister got both parents appointments and when the day came my mom refused to get in the car. My dad went and another sister sat with our mom. We get another appointment for mom, this one close to home, and I was the one supposed to get her in the car. I finally succeed and we head to the rec center. We were worried about how she’d behave when we were waiting so I went in ahead with all of her paperwork, ID, dad had medical POA which I took in. I explained that I wanted to check her in and would physically wait inside and when they were ready for her my dad would bring her in. I explained she was unlikely to keep a mask on and could be really restless and sometimes a bit agitated so we wanted to minimize her time with others. The woman checking me asked me to wait and went to talk to a nurse. I thought they were going to turn us away, but the nurse came over and asked a few questions and then told me she would go to the car and vaccinate my mom there. I burst into tears when she said that and am tearing up now typing it. I told her on the way to the car that my mom was a nurse and this nurse led with that and was so good with her. Even got my mom to consent on her own. I asked for her name because I wanted to write to her employer and explain how grateful we were but she asked me not to. Said it was really against the rules to go to the car, but she decided to make an exception.
3. When we went back for dose 2, much the same. Mom refused to get in the car. Swearing and yelling at me. We gave her the “emergency medicine” we had for when she was combative, but it needed time to take effect. My sisters and I wanted my dad to give it to her earlier, but he was always reluctant to use it. We were a later appointment and worried they would close. We couldn’t find a phone number for the pop up clinic so I went ahead to find out the hours while my dad stayed with mom trying to get her in the car. I got there and they were almost done, but said if we got her there, even if they were packing up, they would do it. My dad somehow got her in the car quickly and the nurse went out in the pouring rain on a cold day and gave her the second dose. They were amazing and so kind. Angels on earth.