LuLu's fav frock

LuLu's fav frock

Friday, February 12, 2010

the sacrifice

last night Fred spent night 2 of his 3 chemo infusion nights on the floor. I slept all day and was up all night 2 days in a row, and little Miss luLu is patiently watching me from her ottoman. I miss her on the hospital bed, but I know that this means I am healing. She is sacrificing her needs, feeding times, getting regular brushing every day for my pt time and sleep. She also knows being near Fred's chemo is bad for her That is the sacrifice of a therapy companion...and a pet.

INCLUDING YOUR PET PARTNER IN YOUR HEALING


LATELY.... have been healing with the help of our wonderful certified DELTA SOCIETY cat therapist Lulu. She is patrolling between the colon cancer room Fred is occupying, and the living room, where the rented hospital bed is the central furniture she stays on while I rehab from spinal stenosis surgery which was closing 75% of my SCU spinal cord unit. Although she is not being put in her pram, or put in winter wardrobe to indure the winter cold, she knows she is on illness/caregiver duty.

PS here is LuLu's story
http://www.arlboston.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Claudia_Biddle_andLulu

To all my fellow team members, let us not forget, our health is also a hint to go into working mode too. Take good care of yourselves and let your pet partner know you appreciate there diligent monitoring from them. Also, share you're healing as soon as you can..include them in your healing. Let them "walk you with you walker". Get up and open a can of food where they can see you...if someone else has to put it on the floor, thats ok, but let them see YOU taking care of them again. Having a sick team leader can be very stressful for your companion.

Lulu is becoming much less "clingy" as I begin to do more for myself..no matter ho little.

Also include then in your rehab if possible. Let your animal feel your hear rate by hand to body contact before/during/after PT or OT. They will feel you growing stronger.