As we closed out 2011, we awarded nearly $70,000 in grants to 10 organizations that utilize dogs in some capacity to help people in need. One of those grantees is the Therapy Dog Program at Maine Medical Center, based right here with us in Portland, ME.
Over our holiday break, a good friend of Planet Dog found herself on the receiving end of one of our grants, and she wrote us this note to share her story.
We are grateful to the amazing volunteers involved in the program and thank them for the furry love given to our friend Rachel, and to all of the patients and staff at the hospital.
"Let me set the scene. It's Christmas Eve, around 10 pm, and my stomach is starting to hurt. Four hours later, the pain is worse, and I go to the Emergency Room. Well, turns out my gall bladder has taken all the gall it can handle from me and has to come out. I have to wait in the hospital until after the holiday for the surgery. They send me home, but I have to return just days later- you guessed it - on New Year's Eve. Again, I have to wait until after the holiday for the next surgery. It's the holidays, I am in pain, rest doesn't come easily, and as I'm sure you can imagine, my self pity meter is off the charts.
Imagine now, it's my 8th day in the hospital, and suddenly a big, lumbering black lab comes into my room. An older dog, he has grey around his mouth and he's sporting an adorable bandana. As a lifelong dog-lover, it's always a fun surprise to see a dog when you're not expecting to. To see a dog that day, after being in so much pain for so long, was emotionally overwhelming.
Amos the black lab leans into me and I scratch his rear while soaking in all the love and energy he had to give. I am crying with gratitude- a gentle face, a soft coat, a loving friend. In the hall I see a French Bulldog, and as a Boston Terrier lover, I have a soft spot for those pushed in faces. I don't want to be selfish, because Amos was being fantastic, but I was so happy when ANOTHER volunteer came into my room. Eloise Violet jumped right onto the bed, and all of the trauma of the previous week melted away while she snorted away in my lap.
I have spent many years working with dogs, and never thought I would be on the receiving end of a therapy dog. The love of those dogs and the kindness of their handlers literally gave me the strength I needed to get through the next few days in the hospital, and on the road to healing."
A huge thank you to Rachel for sharing her story, and to Amos and Eloise Violet for brightening her day during an extremely unpleasant time. We are incredibly honored to support their work. Have you had a therapy dog visit that changed your outlook? Brightened your day? Got you on the mend?
