Brownie the Therapy Dog

Brownie, Logan and I finished Week 3 Day 3 yesterday.  I had a mishap on Wednesday.  Just a tip, don't run with a testy chihuahua.  My mother was going to take the two little dogs with her, I had Brownie and Logan.  We all started off at the same time, which was our initial mistake.  Logan could see my mother.  He didn't want me.  He decided to remain seated and to gaze mournfully at my mother.  He didn't give up after being dragged half a block.  Paco was also protesting, by yapping and pulling like a sled dog for my mother.   Mother and I decided to swap out Logan for Paco, and I finally began my warm up walk. 

Paco is not a good running companion.  He didn't like other people running past us, he didn't like us running past other people.  Brownie decided that since Paco was barking and reacting to everyone in our general vicinity, she would do the same. 

Yesterday morning was a big improvement on Wednesay.   When I'm running, I'm pushing myself.  My breathing is faster, more in my face.  It's not so easy to let my thoughts wander, so I'm staying right in the present because my muscles ache just a little with every step.  I'm focusing on getting through my run instead of wondering what I'll end up doing at work during my next shift, whether I'll find another part time job soon, whether the State of Arizona is going to cut more healthcare funding, or any of the other things my brain might hold onto during the day.

I feel great when I'm done with my run.  I've stuck it out for one more week. 

Paco in the sun

That is my point in the C25K (Couch to 5K) program.  This morning was the best run I've had.  I fell into a rhythm this morning for the first time while running.  I felt pleasure while running.  I'm sure it wasn't quite a runner's high, but I've felt great all day long.

What I did was start with a brisk 5 minute walk, then I jogged 90 seconds, and walked 90 seconds, jogged 3 minutes, walked 3 minutes, then jogged and walked 90 seconds again, then jogged and walked 3 minutes again. 

The weather was cool, the dogs were happy, life was good this morning.  Plus, I think I feel my ass shrinking.

Brownie and I are running!  No really, you read that correctly.  We are finishing up our second week of the Couch to 5K program tomorrow.  We start with a brisk 5 minute walk, then we jog 90 seconds and walk two minutes, and jog 90 more seconds and walk another two minutes, until 20 minutes has gone by. 

I heard about this program from a woman at work.  I'm pretty excited and motivated right now.  I have fears that I'll get another couple of weeks under my belt and lose my motivation, but I hope not!

I actually took Logan with us on Wednesday.  Both dogs were so sweet and mellow the rest of the day.  I don't always agree with everything Cesar Millan says, but exercising one's dogs is a good thing. 

I'm going to try and get my mother to snap a pic of us running.  Hopefully she can zoom in on the pooches and out on me because that'd just be ugly.  Red-faced, sweaty, panting when I'm running, but I feel better too.  I have more energy, and I just feel better, more comfortable in my own skin.

I have been absent from Vox for the past three months, and I was fading out before that.  Just busy with school, and work, and life in general.  It's summer now, so I'll have more time.  I wanted to let everyone know about Louie.  I'm active on another forum called Chinese Crested Crush.  There are a great group of people over there, and that is where I heard Louie's story. 

Louie

Louie has an intestinal disease that makes it difficult for him to digest fats.  He had to go on a low fat diet, and his owner Laura spent a great deal of time trying to find a diet that helped Louie.  Here is her website devoted to his story.  She finally found a food that worked, and Louie started feeling better.  At his worst, Louie lay in his bed all day long, only moving when Laura would carry him to go out and potty, or to the kitchen to eat.  Now, after a period of time on Royal Canin's Digestive Lowfat food with fish as the main protein, he's almost back to his charming cute little self.  When Laura went to order her last batch of food, she noticed on their website that RC was changing the formulation of their food.  Here is a blog written by a veterinarian about how companies that manufacture dog food can just change their prescription formulas on a whim.

Help Save Louie.  Check out Laura's website. 

Brownie was very excited to be at the hospital on Friday.  I think I may go back to giving her a run at the park on our way there.  A nurse noticed as she petted Brownie that Brownie's chin was sopping wet.  From drool. 

She still made some people happy, drooling or no.  One patient laid on his side in bed and gazed into Brownie's eyes, talking to her, rubbing her ears.  Brownie, of course, ate it up. 

With another patient, Brownie smacked him when he stopped petting her.  She has only done that to one other patient during the history of our pet therapy visits.  She didn't hurt him, it wasn't an actual smack.  She just set her paw on his arm when he stopped petting her.  She's so gentle with the patients.  I get the full fledged smack when she wants to get my attention, sometimes more than once.  Ah well, I also get lots more of the pet therapy than they do.  Lucky me.

Brownie has been therapy for only me the last couple of weeks.  Well, my mom likes her too.  We haven't been to the hospital, though.  I worked on Friday, my normal pet therapy day, and at least 3 people commented on my outfit.  I wear scrubs to work.  When they saw me wearing scrubs, they realized that Brownie would not be visiting.

I also mentioned to my co-workers that I want to be told if any of my co-workers are hospitalized. I had a friend and co-worker who had back surgery and I didn't know.  This friend loves Brownie and probably would have enjoyed a visit.  When I mentioned to the office manager that I'd like to know so that Brownie could visit in the future, she said she would tell me if she heard of anyone else.  Then she said she probably wouldn't want co-workers visiting her if she happened to be hospitalized.  I asked if she wouldn't like Brownie to visit and she said yes, she'd like that.  She just wasn't sure she would want to see me.  Once again, I know my part of the pet therapy team is chauffeur and leash holder.

I've been doing my psych rotation for nursing school at a different hospital.  This other hospital has cards for each of their therapy dogs.  Like baseball cards, with fun facts about the dog on the back and a big glossy photo on the front. I'm so jealous.  I'm even thinking of visiting this hospital with Brownie just to get these nifty cards.  I took one to show the volunteer office at my hospital, although with the lay-offs and hiring freeze spending money on photo cards for the therapy dogs isn't going to happen. 

I know I say it all the time, but Brownie was such a good girl at the hospital yesterday.  I love watching her interact with the patients.  We went to the PCCU and the CVICU (both cardiac care units who have patients with different levels of difficulty in treating).  First off, she throws herself shamelessly at her favorite employees.  She lies on the floor on her back, exposing her belly for rubbing, bracing her feet on whatever is nearby, ankles, chair legs, whatever.  With one nurse, she backs right into the nurse, smiling over her shoulder for a butt scratching. 

With the patients, she is different.  She sits and looks at them, allowing them time to stroke her head.  Almost everyone likes to rub her velvety soft ears.  I had a patient once who told me Brownie's ears felt just like rose petals. 

I love that moment when Brownie works her magic.  She looks at this sick person and the patient returns her gaze and smiles.  Smiles are in short supply at the hospital, especially for the patients.  It's nice to bring a few. 

School has been interfering in my life, again.  I have so little time to myself when school is in session.  Clinicals, work, lecture, study.  Oh well, the rest of this semester and one more then I'll be done.

I have taken some pictures of the pooches.  Brownie and I went to the hospital last week, but she wasn't feeling well so we didn't see any patients. 

Here's my photos.

My favorite little mop top

My beautiful girl

My favorite part of the hospital visit today was waiting for the elevator.  I sat in the seats on the 5th floor, and Brownie hopped right up next to me for a chat.  I rubbed her ear and told her what a wonderful job she'd done.  She drank in every word.  She's a fabulous conversationalist.

We saw a patient on the cardiac unit who misted up when we walked in.  She's been in the hospital for almost 2 weeks and misses her own pack of three.  She stroked Brownie's head and kept telling Brownie she was a good girl. The patient asked me if I had to spend much time training Brownie.

Brownie isn't the best behaved dog I know.  She has passable manners for a therapy dog.  She's tempted to jump up on people she sees week after week, like nurses or techs.  She pulls on her leash when she's excited and any food laying on the floor is very tempting for her.  I'm pretty sure people think she's so well trained because she is so personable.  She likes people, and isn't ashamed to show it.  I suppose that makes people see her as well behaved.  She just has a wonderful personality.

I took some nice photos on New Years Day of the kids.  The first is Brownie, Paco and Logan on the porch.

The black and tans

Here's my favorite nekkie dog.

Ming

I had a nurse tell me during clinicals that nurses and doctors make the worst patients.  Thank goodness my dogs don't agree.  I've needed some serious pet therapy during my finals preparation.  I worried more this semester.  I'm not doing as well as I did last term, or during my prerequisites.  It's all getting more difficult.  I'm not in danger of failing, but I have some test anxiety.

I was just sitting at the computer doing some NCLEX test questions when Paco came and whimpered.  He wanted me to pick him up.  He must have realized I'm stressing out, because that isn't typical behavior for him.  He may not like most people, and he may be a little nippy, but he's therapeutic for me.  He won't be going to the hospital to help patients any time soon, Brownie has that role wrapped up in my pack.  He's sure good therapy for me, though.  Thanks Paco.

Brownie is snoring softly on the bed behind me.  We didn't make it to the hospital today.  I studied with friends for a few hours.  We had a good week last week, I bought her a hat that says "Santa Patrol - Chimney Watch".  She tolerates it, and the patients loved it.  I'll get a pic of her in the hat and post it later.

I do have a picture of my tiny little angel.

Paco