Therapy dog at work!

Waiting for the elevator

Today mom got an email from our volunteer coordinator at Allina Hospice. She wanted to know if we could go visit our friend in hospice. We of course said yes. Once I got to the facility, I was greeted by lots of people. The staff there is just so wonderful. They are always commenting on how pretty I am and how they love my tail. Mom is always telling people how my tail is always wagging. My friend in hospice calls my tail, the 'happy indicator.' Guess that means nung-nung is a very happy girl.

We had a nice visit. My friend wasn't feeling so well and was sleeping when we got there. That's okay. We hung out for a little while and I decided to sleep right by his bed. I told mom we need to go back on Sunday to visit my friend. She said okay :)

And last Sunday, nung-nung got to attend the Leech Lake Legacy Celebration party! It was a big success. Lots of people came even though the weather was bad and nung-nung got lots and lots of belly rubs. Don't tell mom, but I also got lots of treats ... who needs a vacuum cleaner when nung-nung can provide that service for free and it's top notch service. The best part of the afternoon was that my friend Jaycee also came to see me and she was wearing a really cool t-shirt! :)

We had a healing prayer circle again led by my friend Merry. She led my prayer circle in April, 2012 after my second cancer surgery. It's been 2 months since mom was told my cancer has spread to my lungs. Well .... I am still feeling great and LOVING my raw whole food diet. This morning I gave my little brother Legacy a run for his money! He couldn't even keep up with me ...

Resting by my friend's bedside in hospice

Okay, it didn't take me long to crash!! :)

Off to run some errands with mom!

With my friend Jaycee at the Leech Lake Legacy Celebration party!

Back to work ... hospice volunteer work

After a short leave from my volunteer work with mom I'm back at it again!! Mom had some health issues herself that she had to deal (along with a bunch of other stuff!!) so my job was to take care of her for a few months. She tells me I get an A+++!! :) But now it's time for me to get back to work!

We are back volunteering as a Pet Partner team in hospice and we got our latest 'assignment'. My new friend 'M' has breast cancer and mom says she's getting weaker and weaker so we need to go visit her as soon as possible. She hears that 'M' loves chocolate and pies so guess what ... we're going to bring her some yummy chocolate when we go visit with her. Mom tells me we can go on Saturday so i'm resting up right now for my big day back to work.

Big hugs to all of you from nung-nung.

Hospice volunteer work: Saying Goodbye

On Thursday mom and I had the chance to meet with our friend "S" in hospice. Mom wrote about our visit on Thursday:

"My therapy dog, Ahnung, and I volunteer at hospice. The picture on the left was taken earlier this morning as we arrived for a care conference scheduled for our hospice 'friend' (as Ahnung likes to call our assigned patient). We walked in after the hospice nurse who was also there for the care conference. I sign us in at the front desk and the receptionist calls a staff member who comes out to talk to us. Unfortunately our friend has a 'significant change' and the care conference has been cancelled. Our friend "S" has begun the active dying process. We've been volunteering now for several months with Allina hospice ... we've had 3 friends so far. The first was actually released from hospice because she was doing so well! The second passed on but it was actually before Ahnung and I actually had a chance to visit with her and we were notified by email by the Allina volunteer coordinator. This is the first time we are actually there when one of our friends has begun the active dying process.

Ahnung and I decide we want to see our friend and we head downstairs to the first floor. She knows this facility well now and walks around like she owns the place! She has friends there now who are on staff and they always give her lots of hugs. She walks into the elevator with confidence and stands perfectly still, calm, as the elevator shaft drops down just one level. As we exit we walk to the right and it takes us 5 minutes to get to the S's room as everyone wants to say "hi". We walk into S's room and the Allina hospice nurse is already there. "It won't be long" she tells me. She leaves the room to talk to the facility nurse and Ahnung and I are able to spend some alone time with our friend. She will stop breathing (apnea) for about 45 seconds or so, then when she starts breathing again, it's labored. As I reach to touch "S" Ahnung walks over to the bed and places her head on S's leg. I pull a chair over to the side of her bed and sit next to her. Silently, I pray and I talk to her while Ahnung lays quietly next to both of us. She is having a hard time breathing, almost gasping for air. I place my hand on her arm and stroke her arm. Quietly I tell her "it's okay. You're not alone." As my hand touches her body her breathing calms down. I continue to lay my hand on her so she knows that we are there. Ahnung comes up to the side of the bed so that she can see her friend. She then plops down on the floor again and takes a deep breath.

I had planned for a care conference this morning and emotionally wasn't really prepared to hear that our friend was actively dying. Somehow Ahnung seems to be much more okay with all of it. There's so much to learn from my sweet therapy dog ... she loves and lives with all she has, and when it's time to go, I think she will go with no regrets, no attachments, and with a big smile on her face ... I don't know exactly when "S" will cross over to the other side. It could be later today ... it could be tomorrow or the day after. If by chance, she's still around on Saturday, Ahnung and I will be there to visit with her again, to hold her hand and to let her know that we are there with her. I feel blessed and honored that we have been able to be there for "S" .... sweet friend, know that you are loved and know that you have touched the hearts of one human being and one canine.

Namaste."

Mom was busy teaching a class all day today so we couldn't go visit "S" today. This morning she got a message on her cell phone about spending more time with her if we could. Mom called back to let the volunteer coordinator that we were planning on going tomorrow morning. Late this afternoon mom got another message on her cell phone ... our friend "S" has passed away.

I'm so glad mom and I had a chance to see her yesterday and to say goodbye. I just know my friend is up in heaven now just dancing away and probably eating all the best ice cream there is!! When I saw her yesterday I told her to be sure to keep a spot warm for me .... and that we would all be together again ...

I am so grateful to be an Allina hospice volunteer with mom ... it has been a gift for us. In training they shared the following:

"hospice is about living up to the time of death ... hospice embraces the good of dying"

A day in the life of therapy dog nung-nung

My day began with being pampered at Pampered Pooch Playground grooming. I always have to make sure I'm looking and smelling good when I work as a therapy dog ...yes, I get pampered and spoiled and treated like a queen by my Uncle Keith, the owner of Pampered Pooch! He gave me a bath and a good brushing ... he told mom that I was shedding like crazy ... heck, what's new?? :) After I got done being bathed I got to hang around and wait for mom wherever I wanted to!! Uncle Keith told mom that I like to open up doors ... ha! my new trick!! I'm a houdini dog and I can go wherever I want! My brother Mister got to spend the day at Pampered Pooch and get some of young crazy energy out ...

Then later in the day mom took me to meet my one new friend in hospice. Unfortunately she's taken a turn for the worse so she was sleeping when I went to see her so I just hung out by her bed while she slept ... she was breathing pretty heavily and on occasion she would stop breathing (my mom was warned about that ... she said it's something called apnea) but she would always start back up again. I got to say hi to lots of others who were there and the staff ... of course, the staff just loves me there! One young woman gave me this huge bear hug!! We hung out with our new friend for a little while to see if she would by chance wake up, but she didn't .... but that's okay. I believe she still knows that we were there visiting her and that she is cared for ....

Then mom and I headed out ...  what a day!! When I got home to our backyard there was this squirrel running up the tree ... so now I'm busy fixating on the squirrel :) I love my job as a therapy dog but I do get tired ... so tonight, I'm doing nothing and I don't care what Mister, Missy or Henry say!! or even Mom!! I am not playing or doing anything other than sleeping, and waking up for dinner! That's it!!

Hey, and if you're free tomorrow, stop by the Pet Haven dog adoption event from 10 - Noon. Medium and large dogs will be at the Richfield Petco (66th and Lyndale) and the small dogs will be at the Lake Calhoun Chuck & Don's. Check out the Pet Haven dog blog for more info!

By your side

My first friend I visited for my volunteer job as therapy dog in hospice got released from hospice!! My mom was told that that was kind of unusual ... I'm so happy for her .... it's been a couple weeks but we got our next assignment, and actually this time, we've been asked if we could become friends with two new patients! I convinced mom to say YES!! This weekend is going to be a busy one for me. On Saturday I'm going to meet one of my new friends, then on Sunday we're going to visit my other new friend. And as you know, as a Delta therapy dog we have to make sure we smell good and are all freshened up for working ... so guess what?? on Friday I get to see my Uncle Keith at Pampered Pooch Playground for my spa day, pampering and lots of hugs ... I always love going there because they treat me like a queen there ... I get to roam around and check out all the rooms, greet the guests and sleep wherever I want ...

I also wanted to congratulate the first six pet therapy teams at Rice Hospice ... I stole this from their website (you should check out the full story and their photos!):

"The newest Rice Hospice volunteers don't drink coffee or drive a car, but they can still decrease patient anxiety and stress, provide a diversion from physical discomfort, and make their patients laugh and smile. Visits from pet therapy dogs can also reduce incidences of depression, alleviate social and emotional isolation and boredom, and expand communication and comfort for the grieving. A visit from a calm, friendly dog might just be the best medicine for many patients....."


Mom always tell me that I'm her best medicine. I tell her that she's my best medicine. And we both believe that it is an honor that we are able to join in the circle of those approaching the final stages of their journey. There's something sacred about the moment of transition. I tell mom that if I go first that I want her by my side ... and she tells me that if she goes first that she wants me by her side ...

meanwhile, we hope that we can share the journey with many others as we volunteer as an animal therapy team in hospice ....

All in a day's work!

I'm sometimes asked .... "what's it like to be a therapy dog??" Well .... here's a typical work day for me ... only difference here is that this was my first time in hospice to visit my new friend "I" (now that mom and I are official Allina hospice volunteers!). All my other work days were to go to school and give presentations with mom and work with at-risk youth ... yesterday, was a special day ... mom was also having a rough day and when we go to "work" not only do I LOVE it because of all the cool people I get to meet, but because it also makes mom feel so much better :)

My day begins with lots of loving by Uncle Keith of Pampered Pooch Playground where I go to get my spa treatment. As a therapy dog I MUST look and smell my best! I love Uncle Keith (he owns this fancy joint in St. Louis Park!). He gives me lots of attention, treats, belly rubs and lets me be a greeter (his dog and my friend, Roxy, a bernese mountain dog is taking her therapy dog test on Friday! After she passes she's going to work with me at the schools ... YAY!!)

Here I am getting a bath!!

then I get to visit my new friend "I" in hospice, who has this friend "B" who hung out with us too! They were both so cool and gave me lots of pets. It took me a long time to make my way to I's room because everyone wanted us to stop. Sorry mom, they wanted to see me not you! :) All I heard was "Can your dog say hi to us? What's your dog's name? What kind of dog is she?" and on and on and on ... oh, we also got to ride in an elevator (so fun!). I also so saw more wheelchairs than i've ever seen before!

And then, this one staff person at hospice (handsome, cool dude!) ... fell to his knees when he first met me! He hugged on me and gave me lots of attention and asked my mom if he could take me home. Sorry  Uncle Andy ... "I'm spoken for" but "yes, I'll tell mom that we have to come visit 'I' and 'B' on the days that you are working!"

[Thanks Uncle Andy for letting me post our photo! ... hope to see you next week!]

And then it's time to crash at home with Missy and Mister!

Hospice is about living

Soon, mom and I will begin volunteering in hospices. I have previously posted this (or maybe mom did ... i can't remember anymore! :) but with passing the interview yesterday at Allina and knowing that it won't be long before we can begin our work, I wanted to share Catherine Curran's story and the work of a fellow therapy dog, Sasha. Catherine's purpose was to create a video at the end of her life.

From the FoxTwins website: "Dying to me is not frightening at all," Curran said, nine months ago. "I'm kind of looking forward to what's coming." She had just entered hospice. She had pancreatic cancer. It was the beginning of what she called "the adventure of a lifetime."

"I just want to see what's happening," Curran said. We live in a society that likes to avoid the subject of you know what. But Catherine Curran hopes to change that, by allowing us to follow her journey to the end.

"I want to touch other peoples lives, let them realize, hey, it's just another part of living," she said.

She could try to fight the cancer with all her might and with every available means of medical technology. Instead, she'd rather focus on living her remaining days as comfortable as possible, at peace with the inevitable.

"I enjoy living and when I die I'm going to enjoy that too," Curran said. "I think there is a hereafter."

Catherine's adventure will include regular visits from Dave Kettering and therapy dog Sasha, who Curran calls a "big, fluffy angel."