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, Squirrel, Chad, and Carla are all volunteers. They do not officially represent any institution that may be mentioned.
Gopher has a very pronounced huff, he uses it when he is
frustrated, tired, and even when he gets comfortable for a nap, and sometimes
he uses it to let me know when it is time to leave a patient. Gopher also will
whine softly when he is excited about a new location, or if he thinks he needs
something and we are too slow in our response. We started visiting Ian a long
time ago, he was agitated on our first visit, frustrated with his condition and
where life had led him.
We would visit with him every couple of weeks. The months
would pass and with each visit his agitation and frustration seemed to lessen.
Ian would tell Gopher about his fears and his joys, his regrets and proudest
moments. Ian divulged many aspects of his life to us, all while stroking Gopher
who would happily hop into his bed, on a protective sheet.
Hours passed over those months of visiting, Gopher stretched
out along his side, his hand gently stroking the golden fur. We learned so much
about him, his biggest fear like many was not being done with what he needed to
complete and leaving too soon. His
biggest regret was his son, he had one, and three daughters, and he spoke with
pride of all of his kids, but was saddened by his lack of relationship with his
son.
Many years had passed since they last spoke and Ian blamed
himself for the time that had passed and the words not spoken. When Ian was
young and so were his kids he had another illness, addiction. One night his
wife had sat him down and said he needed to get help or she had to take the
kids and go anywhere that he would not follow. It was the wakeup call he
needed, and after treatment had spent the last 50 years clean, only thinking
about relapsing one time a decade before when he said his final goodbye to his
wife.
His son grew into a man, became successful and then slowly
piece by piece lost it all. Ian knew what was happening and recognized himself
in his only son. He approached him and they battled, Ian used the same method
his wife had and told him if he did not get help he was no longer welcome in
his home. Ian’s son left that night, and did eventually get help, but the
wounds Ian felt were too deep. When his son came back and was clean, Ian turned
away from him and the years would pass without bridging the gap. He told Gopher
and I that he was never mad at his son, never mad at his temper the night Ian
approached him, nor the time it took for him to get help. Ian was mad at himself
that he passed along the same struggle he fought with his own life, that he
gave him something that took so much away from him. He was angry that all he
had given his baby boy was a lifetime of pain and misery.
One morning we received the call. Ian had declined and he
was in the final stages of life, would Gopher and I be available to come and
visit. We arrived in the room and unlike our previous visits found Ian sleeping
and breathing very quickly. As we turned into the room we were greeted by
several members of his family, it would be the first time I would meet the
people who I had heard so much. I introduced Gopher and myself and said we
could come back later if they wished. His oldest daughter said, “No, please
stay we have heard so much about Gopher we feel like we know him and Dad would
want him here.”
Gopher took this as a cue, went to the cabinet, raised his
paw and whimpered for me to grab the sheet. I did as the King asked and placed
the sheet on the bed with the permission of the family. Gopher got up and
assumed his regular position, laid his head down and closed his eyes.
It seemed like an eternity passed in silence then the
silence was broken, a woman in the back of the room sitting in shadow said, “He
is just as calm as Dad told us that is amazing.” We spoke a bit about therapy
dogs, the training combined with an innate ability to perform the work. Silence
fell across the room again and another eternity seemed to pass when he stood
up, a man sitting in the shadows next to the last woman who spoke stood up and
walked towards the bed.
When he arrived he knelt down took Ian’s hand held it over
on Gopher’s side and with his other began petting Gopher. He looked up at me
tears welling in his eyes, “I am Ian’s son.”
He went back to petting Gopher, and holding his Dad’s hand on Gophers
side. Someone in the back of the room said, “Look, Dad seems to be breathing a
little easier.” It was true his respirations had calmed, and his breathing was
lighter and more consistent.
Ian’s son looked up at me again and he began to tell me the
other side of the story of a few weeks ago. “Dad called me a couple of months
ago, it was weird as I had not heard his voice in years but knew it was him. He
told me about Gopher and his visits, he told me that Gopher was a good
listener, and that he wanted to say he was sorry.” His son paused as tears fell
down his cheeks. “Thank you Gopher, I have gotten to spend a part of every day
with my Dad these last few weeks.”
Ian’s son then got up, steadied his father’s hand on Gopher’s
side. Time would pass again in silence. Gopher would be the first to break the
silence when he lifted his head and let out a huff. I knew it was time to go,
and feared what would be happening soon based on prior experience. Gopher
hopped off the bed and I removed the sheet and bid our farewells, the whole of
the room getting up to pet Gopher, and Ian’s son giving Gopher a long hug. It
was during the hug that the familiar rattle came from Ian’s bed, his oldest
daughter drew attention to it and asked if I knew what was happening. I lied,
and said I would send the nurse on my way out.
Gopher and I left, knowing that Ian had passed, and stopped
at the nurse’s station where a familiar face greeted us. I told her what had
just happened, she gave a nod of mutual understanding, lowered her head, and
went to Ian’s family. I heard an audible cry as we turned to leave.
With tears in my own eyes, I looked down at Gopher, a gentle
wag of the tail, a strut and a smile on his face, he knew his work was done.
