The Power of the Wheaten
My one son is still home a couple more days before returning to college, so I left Wheatie home this morning instead of having him accompany me at the hospital so that I could come right home after my patients were done. (Oh yeah — as I was leaving I DEFINITELY got THE LOOK from Wheatie when he saw me in my work clothes and I insisted he be kenneled instead of heading with me to the car!)
As you might imagine, as I entered the hospital, I heard the folks at the information desk say, “I don’t see Wheatie!” When I then went to see my first patient, before I could get out a cheerful, “Happy New Year,” he asked, “Hey, where’s Wheatie!” Rather than feel slighted, I felt warmed knowing the wonderful impact my little terrier has made on so many lives, bringing smiles to the faces of hospital workers and patients alike. As I always say, dog therapy is easy for the handler — it’s ALL about the dog! My favorite quip when someone asks me if I’m a volunteer is to day, “Wheatie’s the volunteer. I’m just his driver!”
If you have a social, well-behaved dog. Think about starting the New Year with training to become a therapy dog team. As Muhammad Ali is quoted as saying, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.”
My late, great Wheaten Terrier, Naomi Jean was a TDI dog who made over 200 visits to private homes, nursing homes and hospitals as she accompanied me on my rounds as a hospice chaplain. I cannot tell you how many times, as we arrived at one nursing home or another, I would hear, “Naomi’s here, Naomi’s here” from both staff and residents. I never heard “Rev. Danielle is here” and one day was told by a staff person, that I didn’t need to come anymore…I could just send Naomi in a cab, and they would pay the fare. After her death I reflected upon her impact during all those visits and I realized that, for many of my patients, Naomi was the last thing they saw as they departed this world, and she attended a number of wakes and funerals where she brought so much comfort to the bereaved. My current Wheaten Terrier just passed his TDI/CGC test…although he’s been visiting with me for almost a year. And, again, my patients, my co-workers and the facility/hospital staffs are all benefiting from having him in their lives.
Thanks for such a perfect story! My favorite quote is this: My wheaten and I have visited weekly in my hospital for 3 years. When the lady who schedules the visits told the nurses we’d be coming in, they said, “Oh — we LOVE Wheatie! But I don’t think we’ve ever met Dawn!”