Tonight's picture was taken in October of 2008. Our last Halloween with Mattie. That year, Mattie went trick or treating at the hospital by day and then with his friend, Zachary, by evening. Mattie was very concerned about going trick or treating because he was recovering from limb salvaging surgery on his right arm. You can see that Mattie's right arm can't be seen in this photo. It was because it was in a sling and cast under his costume. That evening, Mattie and Zachary went from house to house in Zachary's neighborhood. Two friends of Zachary joined them, but they couldn't appreciate why Mattie was walking so slowly. As they wanted to run from door to door and they also wanted Zachary to dump Mattie and leave him behind as he was slowing down the process. Keep in mind that Zachary was only 6, like Mattie. Yet, Zachary made the decision to tell his friends to go on without him because he was staying with Mattie. Rather remarkable no? After they went trick or treating, Mattie had a great time sorting candy with Zachary. Mattie wasn't into candy at all, so ironically the thrill for him was the sorting. He was the perfect person to go trick or treating with, because Mattie was happy to trade any and all candy.
Quote of the day: When you see a child who could barely wiggle his fingers the day before lift his hand up to feel a dog’s fur, your heart just grows two sizes. ~ Sherry Fisher
A friend sent me a link to an article called, Paging Badger (I included it below). It is a great article which highlights the value of animal assisted therapy at Johns Hopkins Hospital. However, this isn't just happening at Hopkins. Instead, hospitals all around the Country are figuring out ways to integrate animals into their institutions. Of course in the past hospitals were very concerned about infection and the control of animals in units, but now hospitals are learning that when hygiene and training requirements are met, these animals offer benefits that human connections can't!
It may sound cozy or cuddly to have a dog with you in a hospital. But it is much more than that, as recent studies have shown that animals used in a clinical setting can improve pain levels, mood, and other measures of distress, and serve as a prime motivator in physical rehabilitation. So what is Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)? It uses dogs and other animals to help people recover from, or better cope with, health issues such as heart disease, brain trauma, cancer, and mental health disorders.
The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine began a three-year study to measure the effect of pet therapy sessions on pediatric patients 20 minutes prior to surgery. The preliminary results found that the patients who interacted with a therapy dog needed less anesthesia and pain medication than a control group given an iPad. They didn't explain why, but now that I have the insights of living with Sunny, there is a special connection and bond that can form with an animal that NO device is ever going to provide. Yet dogs offer support in NON-verbal ways. You have no doubts about the motive of a dog or wonder what they are thinking, like a human. Which is why developing a quick relationship with a dog is much easier. Trained dogs are very compliant, and when you pet a dog, look in its eyes, and the dog remains by your side, some how an instant bond is created.
As many of you know, I would like Sunny to be a therapy dog. It requires that he and I undergo more training. But frankly there are so many different training institutions that I have to make sure that whatever hospital I plan on taking Sunny, that they will accept his certification. It's a matter of finding the right match for us, so hopefully one day it will be..... Paging Sunny Brown!
Paging Badger:
http://www.johnshopkinshealthreview.com/issues/fall-winter-2017/articles/paging-badger
No comments:
Post a Comment