A Special Day for
Jill AND her friends! 

- by Nancy Dixon

As April 14th approached, I began to think about Jill's eleventh birthday.  With each year we cherish the time with her even more.  My thought process began  with "let's celebrate",  and progressed to "maybe a birthday party ."  The next question was "where would we have the party?"  At home would be nice, but where could  we share Jill's party?  Of course!!!! Jill's special friends that we  have visited every Monday for the last year and and half!  Colonial Manor Nursing Home!   The residents there wait faithfully every Monday for their Jill visit.  They have photos of her in their rooms, save morsels  off their lunch trays to share with her, and on occasion even have heated discussions over who  she likes best on any given day.   Perfect place!

After receiving permission from the Activities Director and assuring her that I would take care of everything, the planning began.   As with most things I do, it got a bit out of hand.  If one balloon was good, then  forty would be better.  The same with streamers, table decorations, and of course we needed cupcakes and ice cream with special birthday plates and napkins.   Everything grew from there, and the wonderful folks at Colonial Manor jumped right in to help.   Jill needed a birthday cake and a festive  collar.  We needed a piano because by now everyone knew about the party and was getting very excited.  They were making birthday cards for Jill and practicing the Happy Birthday Song.

Finally, April 14 arrived and the decorating began.   Excitement was high at Colonial Manor to say the least!!  The party began and was a huge hit.  Jill celebrated her birthday with 65 of her special friends, most in wheelchairs, but all with smiles on their faces.   The Happy Birthday Song was perfect, the cards were touching, and Jill even enjoyed licking the last  drops of ice cream off of  a few plates.   As the residents left the party,  I noticed several were clutching the special party napkins as keepsakes.     Yes, this was the perfect place. The residents are still talking about the party, and I will never forget the joy  that was in the party room that day.   I think Jill was even smiling.

 

Nancy Dixon and Jill

The Un-Scheduled Pet Therapy Moment - By Diane Rima

Sometimes Pet Therapy Days are scheduled appointments ~~ sometimes not.  And the “sometimes not” days are often some of the most memorable.  Whether planned or unplanned, one thing is always true,    Chester and I receive a kazillion times more than we give. This is the joy of  Pet Therapy and volunteering with KPETS.

On this particular day, Chester, my 4 yr old Golden Retriever and I, loaded up in the car and began a 40 minute drive to meet one of our scheduled appointments.  About 15 minutes into the drive I got a call, so I pulled over, took the call, and discovered sadly,  our appointment had been cancelled due to illness.  Bummer.

Rather than head home, Chester and I stopped in at nearby coffee house where doggies are always welcome.   It is kind of a funky place, (think 70’s and Hippies), very fun and as I said, pup friendly.  As fate would have it, just inside the front door, three women sat together having coffee  They were absolutely delighted to meet Chester and hear Pet Therapy tails. My sweet golden instantly warmed up to these sweet ladies and all of their attention.  As I talked story about the JOYS of Pet Therapy, Chester was in  heaven receiving countless head pats, ear rubs, and back massages.  They told me “Chester just made my day, we all need a bit of pet therapy, don’t we?….”

 Chester and I left the women to their coffee and conversation, and then ventured to the back garden and patio. It is here where the coffee-house-owners grow all of their own herbs and veggies and possibly other green plants that I won’t mention here.  Anyways,  seated in this patio garden was a group of traveling British Gentlemen who were so very excited to meet Chester.  More pats and backrubs for the boy. One of the men jumped into a lively conversation (you have to read this with a lively British accent and your pinky high in the air), “Oh my, is he a rescue dog?  I see he is in therapy!  I have a dog I’d like to get into therapy. ” And thus began our conversation that Chester is not IN therapy, but GIVES therapy.  I did not laugh out loud, and we had QUITE a lovely conversation.  Spot-on!

Chester, at this point, was thinking Hippie Coffee Houses were pretty dog-gone fun.  After waving g’bye to our British chaps, and heading out the door, one of the women (still having coffee) said, “Have you ever been to The Garden House?  It is a beautiful home for men and women with Alzheimer’s.  It’s just down the street.”    And so, off we trotted, around the corner and down the street.  I mean, why not?

Though unplanned and very spontaneous, we were welcomed at Garden House with open arms. We visited with the men and women in their common living area.  Many were responsive with smiles, puppy pats, and stories of their own dogs.  Things were pretty calm and mellow, until Chester spied four delicious green tennis balls attached to the bottom of a sweet little old lady’s walker.   He pawsed, he sniffed, he licked, he whined, he wagged, and then he BARKED.  Not a wimpy teensy bark, a WHOMPIN  WOOHOO let’s play BARK.  I jumped, and so did everyone else in the room --- I think we all leaked our panties (or depends), and then laughter erupted in the room.  So silly.  So good for the soul. 

From cancellations, to coffee, to quite lovely pet therapy talks, to peeing our pants with laughter, that was our day.  All unplanned (by us), but delightfully planned.   We are so blessed to do what we get to do.  Pet Therapy for all.