Mount Pleasant Magazine Nov/Dec 2021

75 www.MtPl easant . Pet | www.MPVet s . Pet | www. f acebook . com/MPpet s PETS F E A T U R E During transport in the ambulance, I was fixated on my husband’s facial expressions, waiting for a sign of either relief or additional concern as he chatted with the medical team. New to the department and the organization, I was a stranger to the care team members in the emergency depart- ment. The staff was kind, informative and reassuring. After a thorough exam, I waited for the x-ray results. The waiting — dealing with the unknown — was the most difficult part of this entire ordeal. My imagination ran rampant, which quickly awakened that monster we call fear. As the minutes passed, I was engaged in a private bat- tle, fighting the urge to cry while I listened to my husband make quiet small talk with my new coworkers, who raced to the ED after I called to say I would be a little late. Overwhelmed with anxiety, I was ready to surrender to the cascade of tears, when I heard a knock on the door. As it opened, I saw a familiar face in a volunteer uniform, along with a very happy apricot-colored goldendoodle named Ragamuffin. #gamechanger THE ROLE OF A THERAPY DOG Many people associate therapy dogs with bedside visita- tion in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facili- ties. This is true and will always be the foundation to the practices of our program. Visitation is key to patients and family members as well as medical personnel. Medical professionals now realize Animal Assisted Ther- apy/Intervention can be used as a complementary form of therapy that involves animals as a form of treatment. We are learning every day how to incorporate these animals into the patient’s healing process. It’s been three years since my bicycle encounter on Ashley Avenue. And for three years, I purposely continue to carry that October morning with me as the MUSC Therapy Animal Coordinator. I feel “chosen” to have experienced and survived this nightmare because it’s been the pedaling force — pun intended — behind why I work so hard every day fulfilling therapy animal requests. I am blessed beyond measure to have only memories of those bumps, bruises and road rash burns from the acci- dent. For me, this is a personal “connect-to-purpose” with our hospitalized patients. Oftentimes, I see my husband and coworkers in the faces of family members and friends of a patient when I am bringing one of my doodles to visit. There’s a piece of me I can honestly and sincerely say empa- thizes with those I serve. Accidents and illnesses can disrupt the fabrics of our lives. People are forced into unfamiliar and stressful situations. Certified therapy dogs not only reduce stress, depression and blood pressure, they improve self-esteem and increase physical mobility. Research shows us that goal-oriented and structured interventions intentionally incorporated with therapy dogs for the sole purpose of therapeutic gains are consistently proving enhanced clinical outcomes.