update on Mani, therapy dog

Mani the Chihuahua and I have been volunteering at our local hospital for the last couple months now, and what a gift it's been! As it turns out, CHOC was not the place for us. The minimum hour requirement was more than my schedule would allow, especially since they didn't get back to me until after I made a commitment to Anaheim Regional Medical Center. This is the closest hospital to Disneyland, so if someone gets hurt at the Happiest Place on Earth, they'd end up here. It's also the closest hospital to my house, and although it was the last one I contacted, it was the first one to take us onto their team.

We have seen patients with varying ailments and traumas, mostly adults. There are many who don't speak English, but the universal language of dog love cuts right through it. We check in at the nurse's station and then begin our door to door visits, asking each patient if they'd like a "dog visit" today. Sometimes they just don't seem to have the energy, some don't have the affection for critters, but when I see that familiar twinkle in the eye of the patient and a nod of the head, I enter.

Mani prefers to visit up close and personal, lying on the bed and snuggling into the patients. The 2 hours we spend usually allows us to see over a dozen people, and individual visits last anywhere from 1 to 20 minutes, depending on the sufferer's needs. I try to let the patient set the tone whether it's small talk or just quiet time. Mani figured out his job pretty quickly and relaxed into it after just a few patients. Some of their stories are heartbreaking and I have yet to leave without shedding tears, but it's strangely fulfilling and rewarding despite the sadness and suffering. Just seeing their faces light up when they see this little love bug is enough to melt away the isolation and hardship. It's quite miraculous, and reminds me how much richer my life is because of my four-legged companions.

People often ask me if the IGs are jealous because he gets more attention. Bernie and Rocco give Mani a major sniff-down when we get back, but the treats they all get make everything just fine. I think they assume he's going to the vet, and they're okay with letting him go alone, as long as they have each other.