Monday, June 17, 2013

On Being A Therapy Dog Team

We had another lovely visit at the rehab and living center as a therapy dog team today. We are actually in our fifth year of doing this. With no special talents, Astrid loves to get petted and fancies herself a trick dog at times, and I have a talent for talk with people I don't know. If you are reading this and are considering becoming a therapy team, I have a little advice you may not get anywhere else. We all sometimes think that will walk into these facilities bringing rays of sunshine and happiness. Sometimes we really do! Other times, the people we saw last time have gotten sicker and aren't in condition to visit. But there are times....times when you really really know you made a difference. One that comes to mind is the lady that was sent to rehab after a colostomy. She wanted to visit with Astrid so much but was embarrassed over the smell. She said we may not want to come in because of it. We told her that when someone loves dogs, and they want to see Astrid, nothing stands in our way. I haven't see this lady for the last two months. I choose to think she learned to cope with her new inconvenience in living and went home.

And then there is Miss Jean. What she wants most is to first, touch Astrid and second, she would like to make sure she is keeping her mind sharp by telling you how she worked at BellSouth Telephone Company for 35 years. Also how her mom was the teacher in a one room school house in South Carolina, During this, Astrid stretches out on the cool wood floor for a nap while I listen and ask questions about what life was like all those years ago when telephone operators all sat in and row and offered assistance. This is where one realizes the definition of the word team in 'Therapy Team'. It's obviously my turn occasionally.


Mostly, therapy work is fun and pretty routine....room to room to room making people smile. But there will be those that you will remember for other reasons.