HEARTWARMING MOMENTS
To do pet therapy is to open yourself up to moments of compassion, fellowship and sorrow.
And sometimes, to sheer heartwarming-tears-falling-joy that makes a new pawprint on your heart forever.
Allow us to share our "Goose Bumps" moments with you.
NOVEMBER 2009
She's 19, loving, energetic, smart, and knows what she wants to be in life... a Veterinarian. A happy, meaningful life ahead of her. In a matter of seconds it's gone. One wrong move and a tragic accident takes most of her mind and leaves her trapped in a broken body. Unable to move on her own, no facial expressions, no voice, a respirator breathing for her. For nearly three months afterwards she's in intensive care. Her eyes look at you with deep meaning, but she can't move them.
By special request, we show up with our therapy dogs. I explain everything I'm about to do. I get Summer onto a chair next to her and take her frozen, clenched hand and start to pet the furry head. She gasps. Her mom cries, this is her FIRST reaction to anything. Her hand relaxes as well as the rest of her body. After awhile, June brings Kahlo dog over and places her on her lap. More breathing responses and then.... tears. Mom is overwhelmed, the staff member in the room is overwhelmed. We're all tearing up. We've broken through to the tender, injured brain. She's in there and this is the first proof.
A week later I get a call, she has continued to show emotions and reactions. Please come back.
We returned last night, with three dogs. Mom hugs us and says "wait until you see this"... her eyes are moving, she's tracking people in the room, responding to whomever is talking to her, following the cameras taking pictures. Her hand relaxes on its own when I get Summer up next to her, and I could move her arm easily to start petting. Again, tears and she tries to smile. Her eyes are smiling, even if her face couldn't quite get it right yet. Kahlo visits, and this time little Stanley too. Her hand shakes as she tries to move it herself towards each dog that is presented to her.
Everyone in the room is crying again. Her very emotional mom tells us "Ever since you visited two weeks ago, she has been interacting and aware, I can't thank you enough. You've brought her back to us. She's coming back."
Barb takes Stanley to work with her each day, only a couple miles away. They will visit several times a week. The best medicine in the world will be administered free of charge as long as she needs it.
Local Care Facility
I was doing observations of hopeful teams working to become registered therapy dogs.
As we paused in a hallway we drew a crowd. A family member entering the facility walked past and disgustedly wondered out loud "Why on earth are dogs here?"
Just seconds before, a gentleman in a wheelchair who had been slowly moving up the hall with a vacant gaze, had stopped. He'd reached for a dog, then broke into a grin and started eagerly petting & stroking a furry head.
In perfect timing, as if answering the disgruntled visitor's comment, our guy said loudly to the dog he was loving on "Oh you're a beauty, (laugh) yes you are! (laugh) You're a good golly good one!"
Did that answer your question grumpy lady?? :>) Someone could have used some puppy love...
Several Special Dogs
2009: It was pet therapy visiting night at a local hospital. However, one terminal child was out of their room for treatment when the dogs came through. A call went out to see if the furry ones could be located and return to visit this failing young soul. They were found and returned for a motivational visit.
The family was so thrilled at the spark of energy in their child when the dogs were visiting, they made it clear that the dogs were welcome back any time of day. Their young one was here for their last visit. The painful battle would soon be lost.
The news was spread to all the handler/dog teams trained to visit at this hospital. The response was immediate and overhwelming. For the next week or more, dogs came several times a day. Each visit was another amazing time of smiles and bursts of energy, where none had been before.
The call came for the dogs to stop coming.
NOT because the child had passed, but because the joy of the dogs had rallied more than spirit, but the body as well.
The family took their child home with them to enjoy more precious time than they had expected to have!
Rene & Summer
About a year ago, we were visiting in a local residential care facility. We had entered the traumatic brain injury section, and couldn't help but be aware of the beautiful lady sobbing while she tended to a gentlemen that was a new arrival that day.
I did a few other visits while watching the situation to assess if we should approach. The gentleman was non-responsive. He stared blankly and made no physical movements of his own. I already had tears threatening to spill as her anguish permeated the room.
I took a box of tissues over to her and asked her if he liked dogs.
"He loved dogs." she replied.
"I'll bet he still does." I said.
I started making a spot for Summer on the chair with the gentleman.
The woman said "I don't want you to have to go to all this trouble..he hasn't responded to any stimulus since this happened to him."
I put my hand on her shoulder and told her "It's ok, this is what we do!"
She nodded.
I got Summer safely snuggled in beside him. I took his hand and guided it to her and began softly stroking her head. His arm and hand were stiff and difficult to manuever. We touched her ears, her wet nose, her back... all the time talking to him gently and using a lot of descriptive language about what he was feeling. He stared into the unknown, but I felt his arm relax! He was in there, and he was aware of these sensations!
After a couple of minutes, the goose bumps came... he slowly turned his head and looked at Summer! The woman gasped, the staff got excited and I cried. He was having his first response to anything since his brain injury! He had started his long journey out of the fog.
Today he interacts with visitors and loves the dog visits. I still get goose bumps when we see him, when I share this moment with others and when he looks at me or Summer and says "I love you".
Lightning and Joanne
My name is Lightning, and I love my job which is visiting patients at nursing homes. I love all the smiles that I see; the hugs that I get; and it feels so good when the people pet me and play with my coat. They love the shoes that my owner has me wear so that I don't slip and slide on the slick floor.
Recently, I had a very special visit when the staff of the nursing home invited me into a special lady's room. My owner and I went into the room where the lady was sitting in her recliner. She showed no emotion and she didn't speak to anyone. My owner took her hand and had her play with my ears and stroke my coat. She touched me ever so gently. The staff kept telling my owner that she was very shy and probably wouldn't talk to us. When we were done, my owner cleaned her hands and put her blanket on her.
What a surprise! We were standing in the hall, and the woman said, "Pretty dog." We heard her very clearly, and then the staff told us that she'd had a stroke and they hadn't heard her speak for quite sometime. It was certainly a time of celebration for the staff and us too. The staff immediately called her daughter and shared the happy news.
It was certainly a joyful time for us too! My owner and I feel that each time we visit it is we who truly receive, as it is like a present to see the patients smile and be comforted when we visit. I look forward to many more visits.
Various Dogs
A young girl was a patient in a local hospital. She was very ill and emotionally traumatized by her recent surgery. She had completely withdrawn, not interested in any visitors or activities. It was necessary for her recovery for her to start moving and walking. No deal, she wouldn't interact or participate.
One night a group of therapy dogs showed up. For the first time since her surgery she showed interest in something. Her father told her she needed to come to the door to visit with the dogs. She agreed and took her first voluntary steps! The dad stepped back into the room and wiped away tears.
Two nights later, when more dogs showed up on the pediatrics floor for the scheduled
visitation time... she was standing outside her room waiting for them!
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