Nearly Wordless Wednesday: 100th Visit

A couple of weeks ago I had to acquire the hours I have worked in order to complete paperwork to become an evaluator for PetPartners. The number of hours in total was a surprise, but what was interesting we the discovery that Gopher was on the verge of his 100th hour at one of his favorite facilities to visit. This caused us to plan a celebration.

We announced his 100th visit on his facebook page (HRH King Gopher, THD) and shared a meme created from an image of his first visit. 

Unfortunately he didn't get his request here is the image taken on his 100th visit.

Don't despair though. Gopher had a great visit, and it was a busy night! He was able to hang out with Holly and Giaco who always brings the most delicious treats. There were a lot of kids and families and he once again helped at the craft table. 

When he got home we celebrated with blueberry pancakes and bacon!

After impatiently posing for his photo opportunity with drool running to the floor. He was able to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Congratulations Gopher on your 100th visit, looking forward to our next 100. Just maybe Ronald will pet you sometime......

Perfect Moments

Personal information obtained on therapy visits is confidential. When applicable the name/location/sex/condition of persons visited may be changed to protect privacy. However, the interactions, conversations are true and did occur as written. 

Gopher, Chad, and Carla are all volunteers. They do not officially represent any institution that may be mentioned.

The last couple of weeks have given me several moments to reflect due to some perfect moments in time. Carla and Squirrel have joined Gopher and I on a large number of visits lately, and although I love working with the many talented animals and handlers there is just something about getting to work as a family that makes me especially happy. Thanks to our friends Liz, Annie and Greg, and their pups, Pond, Josey and Mjolnir, Bert our third golden has had ample entertainment allowing us to work together without feeling as guilty leaving Bert.  

We have been visiting a local hospital as family and have had some amazing experiences. One night in particular it seemed as if all of the start were aligned. Carla and Squirrel take half of the floors approved for animal assisted interactions (AAI) and Gopher and I take the other half. It is very efficient and as two teams we are able to cover the entire AAI floors in about 90 minutes visiting with every patient that wishes to have a therapy visit.

Although therapy animals have been around for many years now and our becoming a commonly known part of our society, we are still met by surprise of the patients when we come. Every night is a little different sometimes patient population is low, sometimes the patients do not wish to take part in a visit, which is also fine. This one night in particular it seemed as if every door we were greeted with an,"Oh, yes" we would love to have a visit. Each of these rooms were also a 'quality visit' where every patient was deeply involved with seeing the dogs, telling stories, smiling and thanking us for our time. The appreciation for this simple gesture was overwhelming and one of the first time Carla and Squirrel had an opportunity to receive it. I always give the standard reply, "No thanks needed, I am just the chauffeur, Gopher does all the work and loves his job." I don't tell them the little secret but the visits are as much for me as they are for them, see 'Facing Myself' or 'Gopher's Biggest Fan' for more information as to why I truly feel that it is more for me than anyone else.

It was a great night and a lot of fun. I think it also served as drawing to a perfect moment that would happen the following evening.

Carla, Squirrel, Gopher and I arrived at the facility the next day and went in, within moments we were surrounded by a large number of kids. Both boys laid down and stretched next to one another and the kids made a circle. The room, much like a living room was homey and warm. It was at this moment that I looked out on the scene. Carla across from me, and couldn't help but notice the beauty of what was before me. The kids were all different ages, ethnicities. Some were perfectly healthy the siblings at the facility whose brother or sister was needing extra care. Others were bald or balding from treatments. There were tubes going to different devices strapped to some of their sides. Some bore scars and some were developmentally challenged. 

Their differences were clear, but in that moment petting both Gopher and Squirrel the tubes, scars, and other differences disappeared. In that moment they were just a group of kids, not different, just kids, laughing, petting dogs and telling stories. The boys, both of them, perfectly calm as a result of training. I looked over at Carla and she noted a small tear in my eye. This was it the Perfect Moment, the product of the training and time invested. It had dawned on me more in that moment how special our two boys were not just for the training, but their nature to handle the complexity around them, and even just for a moment allowing the kids to be kids.

Craft Time

Personal information obtained on therapy visits is confidential. When applicable the name/location/sex/condition of persons visited may be changed to protect privacy. However, the interactions, conversations are true and did occur as written. 

Gopher, Chad, and Carla are all volunteers. They do not officially represent any institution that may be mentioned.

(Special Thanks to Elizabeth Lamae for helping with the images)

Gopher, Squirrel, Carla and I began visiting with a new patient about eight weeks ago. The young lady was terribly shy and when she did speak it was barely audible, she mostly communicated with head nods. It was clear that she truly loved being with the boys and anxiously awaited their arrival. The staff and parents of the young lady were attempting to get her to take part in crafts and other activities of the facility. Her shyness interfered, she would just want to stay with the dogs and sit there quietly petting them. 

After a couple weeks of sitting there and hearing the attempts to get her to participate with the other children of the facility I spoke with the staff. I told them that Gopher will happily sit in chairs as he has to in the hospital all the time so that patients can reach them. I asked them if they would allow Gopher to do crafts with her. They like the idea and we asked her if she wanted to do crafts with Gopher. She smiled and shook her head yes. 

We went over to the tables and gopher got into place.

Not only did our patient complete the project, having Gopher with her she began talking. In our short time doing crafts I heard her speak more than I had in all the previous weeks. She was talking to the staff, to Gopher, myself and most importantly the fellow kids in the facility. It was great to see this turn around. The following week I was told how she started playing more with the kids who were also at the table that night from her mother. She hadn't done this since her arrival. Now that Gopher is known to do crafts he has been invited back to the table on three more occasions. 

He has even done his own crafts during craft time.

Gopher Disappointed

Gopher, as I have said many times, is a bit odd and very good at his job. Even when he is sans equipment he is often on the job as I have discussed in "Always Ready" series in January of 2012. He is also persistent about his schedule, in all things, when he is supposed to visit and hasn't left he will go to the door, cry, and grab his special leash. When it is time for dinner he will sit in the middle of the living room or simply as Carla's feet and look at her as if she is forgetting something. His hospice patients he recognizes names and will get extra excited for those he likes best. This is the same with friends and similar to his recognition of the name Emily in the video below.

Just this morning we were off to see his favorite patient, the mention of her name gets him to the door looking for me to put on his equipment so he can go to work. Even though he had to have his nails ground this morning he was still ready to go and anxious to see her.

We hopped in the car and he stretched out in the backseat for the commute. As soon as we exited he was sitting up and as we made the final turn onto her street he started whimpering and massaging the seat with his front paws.We pulled up and I hopped out, despite leaving the door open Gopher stayed in his place until I grabbed the leash but uttered his impatience with me audibly. I grab the leash and walk towards the door, Gopher impatiently at my side.

We arrived at the door, where our patients son was there to meet us. Gopher was prancing on all four paws ready to go in and see his patient. Unfortunately, when we were met at the door we were told she wasn't doing well today and was resting. As if on queue Gopher hung his head and stopped wagging. I thanked her son and went back to the car. Gopher hopped back into the seat and sat with a loud huff, and gave me a nasty look as if it way my fault. Gophers attitude and perception of situations never ceases to amaze me, and I know it is unlikely I will ever have another therapy partner like him. I am thankful to have him now as he changes my perception of life itself. I did make it up to him as we split a two cheeseburger meal from McDonalds (without onions, for his safety despite the fact I love them) and he seemed to get over his anger.

Family Time

Gopher and I had the best time last night. We completed our shadowing for a new facility with our favorite fellow team Carla and Squirrel. Yes, it appears as if this is becoming the 'family business' and we could not be happier. Since Squirrel registered we have had several opportunities to work in a group setting, but now we are moving on to the next adventure and will be dividing a hospital and visiting as many patients who want to see our respective partners as is possible.

It is so much fun to have the run to help as many people as possible in a metro hospital, and this particular facility is lacking in teams, we literally tripled the number of teams coming here. It was a fun night, new lessons, new uniforms and an abundance of smiles.







It was also probably the last time that I will have the pleasure of shadowing Dave and Sasha since I am not interested in expanding into any additional facilities. Dave is a great role model in the local pet therapy community, his work with Sasha made him a 'pioneer of sorts' for Animal Assisted Interactions in the Twin Cities metro. His time and persistence has opened many doors and helped to establish a solid reliable method of volunteering as a therapy animal team. It is always an honor to work alongside him, and spend some time talking to him. Thank you Dave and Sasha for all that you have done for so many. Pardon the lower video quality, but this is a great story about Sasha and Dave.

A Lesser Adventure....

"A Song for Dog People"

-Chad Burgess

Oh great winter, how I thank your blustery cold January.

You are both my enemy and friend.

For your chill has invited laziness, and the grace of your snow has hidden it from the world.

Now you have had your January thaw, a tease of the spring to come,

and with it the revelation of months of sloth on the part of the humans of this house.

For months your blanket has hidden the gluttony of three beasts within,

their devouring of food and the process of life has resurfaced turning our yard from white to shades of earth.

So now I confront you, with hoe and shovel in hand. 

My chest burns from the chill of the air;

but I am thankful for this same chill has reduced the olfactory power of the duty before me.

With hoe, an instrument use to turn the soil and produce food for centuries;

now a toll for the end of life of said food.

I chisel, I kick, and free the scars from the frozen turf.

Now with rake I pile, and shovel I load into the bag. 

The job is complete, your frozen surface once again white.

With a quick prayer to the gods of plastic.

"May your polymers hold true, 

for I know your load is great.

If you be too chilled, and weak 

a great calamity will ensue.

May our bulk buying;

and savings seek not betray me now."

I heave and lift, cautious to not tear bag on fence.

One final shove and you are away;

may the temperature hold their frosty state;

so the contents will not leak until the men of refuse cleanse us of our sins.

I return to the cold lawn, 

and look upon its landscape.

White and inviting for play it is once again;

but gaiety is not recommended.

For playing in this yard may bring on diphtheria.

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays and best wishes for a wonderful New Year!

On behalf of Gopher and his family we want to thank all of our fans and readers for their support.

We hope that 2013 allows you the comfort and support to be all that you can be no matter how ridiculous it may look!

Finally we want to share Chad's favorite holiday song, sung by Gopher's favorite vocalist, Luciano Pavarotti. We are not joking, Gopher pays close attention when Pavarotti is singing, and in our travels if/when we hit the evil rumble strips only playing of his music seems to soothe Gopher.