Day 140

10/1/22

Comfort comes in many forms. For our sweet boy, Sam, it is his Snuggle Puppy! Every night, when it's time for his kennel, we tap the button on his Snuggle Puppy and the battery-operated heart starts to beat. Sam is in Heaven! He loves his kennel and that toy is his beloved companion!

When I think of comfort, I immediately direct my thoughts and heart to my Therapy Dogs. The comfort they bring to others is hard to calculate, but I do the "math" by watching people's interactions with those gentle beasts.

A few days ago, Ranger and I were wandering the halls of Mercy Hospital. We do have a number of "stops" to make, but otherwise walk the hallways and waiting areas. Ranger loves going to Mercy because there are treats...you just have to know where to look! Ranger knows...

In one of the hallways, we noticed two women watching us interact with other staff and visitors. When there was a break in the action, they approached and asked if we could go to the Emergency Room to calm their family member. It turned out that we were talking to the patient's wife and daughter.

I told them that I had never been back into the actual rooms, but I was certainly willing to try. After all, as I shared, it can't hurt to ask!

Going to the admitting window in the ER, I asked if my Therapy Dog could go back to visit a patient. The wife was right there and nodded that it was OK with her, but the administrator behind the desk said, "We don't usually allow animals to go into the actual ER, but...OH, It's Ranger! Come on back!"

We went to Room 17 and were cleared to enter. On the bed sat a man who looked like he could use a big dog! Before allowing Ranger to go to him, I asked the patient if he would like to pet Ranger. He seemed to chipper up a bit as he told me how great that would be!

The wife of our "new friend" had previously told me that her husband had suffered seven heart attacks, but refused to do more than heart stints. This time, it looked like the choice was being made for him.

Ranger went up to him and exuded calm and caring. The patient loved him up from his perch on the gurney. This is what he shared with me...

"I know that I might be able to beat the odds and go home soon, but they tell me I need to stay here and actually do something about this situation. I am scared. I don't like to admit it, but I am afraid I will die on that table if they do open heart surgery."

I have learned to process the situation, patient and level of concern within the person when visiting individuals. This poor guy was scared and willing to go home and take his chances. His wife left the room for a moment, and we had a chance to talk privately.

I asked what was at the core of this fright and he answered that he said he knew of others who had died on the table during open heart surgery. I asked a few more questions, shared Mac's wonderful success story and let Ranger lower the poor man's blood pressure. When we left Dave, our new-found friend, he was in much better spirits and actually talked about the options available to him. The fear was no longer palpable when we left. I told him I would see him next week on 4 Heart or, even better, he would be heading home later in the day.

Comfort comes in many forms. From Snuggle Puppy to Therapy Dog, I am humbled to say that Ranger and Lilly can make everyone's day a little brighter and more hopeful.

Now, as I begin training Sam and continue with Gus and his training, I know I am on the right path. These dogs make such a difference!