Pet Therapy Pleasures

As many of you know, I am involved with the Pet Therapy program at West Valley Medical Center in Caldwell. Three years ago, I went through the training with our black lab, Smokey. Last year, however, I retired her because she got liver disease from toxic trash dumped on the canal bank. We thought she was going to die. She didn't, but she is unable to visit at the hospital anymore since her stamina is diminished. This year, I decided that I really missed volunteering with Pet Therapy, and so I took my pug dog, Sally, through the program. She got her first introduction to it when we visited my Mom at the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City, Utah. That was in January. Since then, we have traveled a rewarding journey. Thursday March 25, we graduate from our training and, as soon as I get our Therapy Dogs, Inc. registration cards, we will be visiting patients and creating smiles. Last week during observed visits, we went into the ICU waiting room. It was full of people. When we walked in, I felt like the stress was so thick it could be cut with a knife. People were in tears and pain was etched on their faces and evident in their wringing hands. As the group of Therapy Dogs made their rounds, faces softened, hands petted dogs, and stress was relieved. In particular, one little girl of about 6 or 7 years was petting Sally. Then she stood up and started talking to Sally about visiting the hospital. Sally tipped her head back and forth as the little girl chatted. When the little girl saw Sally's tilted head, she clapped her hands to her cheeks and exclaimed, "She's listening to me!" It made her day to see that a little pug dog was listening to her.

As I mentioned earlier, my Mom is at Huntsman Cancer Center. She had surgery to remove the tumor in her throat that had not responded to chemo/rad. A few times, she nearly died. And I mean...she really was at the edge. At one point, I thought, as I left the hospital, that she would be gone when I went back in the morning. She has defied all odds, however, and is healing even after such a radical surgery. She cannot speak or eat, but she is spunky, sparkly, and still kicking around. The doctors are hopeful to release her to go home in a couple more weeks.

The gripe is that cancer and illness exist. The gift is that there is Pet Therapy to ease the pain and worry, and modern medical miracles which can oft times give us a little more time with our loved ones.