Pets are good therapy
This really doesn't have a lot to do with our condition or treatment, although maybe it does because I DO believe pets are good therapy. You ladies have all been a wealth of information and support for me even though I only joined the message boards this year, but sometimes it is nice to talk about something other than BC. I note that many of you have pets from the pics you have posted so why not start a post about them, funny and odd things they do, how they are always there for us. I have three, my husband brought his dog into the marriage with him, a rat terrier named Brattie. Brattie is a very sweet dog, but too timid for his own good.....however he is brave with the other dog and drags the poor little thing all over the place by his collar. I had George, a cat who is now about 5 or 6 yrs old and adopted him only because I was trying to find home for the lab pups up the street and this woman could only take one if she got rid of one of her cats. I used to be highly allergic to cats and although I did not hate them, really did not like cats, but now I LOVE George and he is just the greatest cat, talks to me all the time and minds better than the dogs. Then there is Harley, a 9 1/2 lb Silky terrier whom we bought off of Craigslist. He is not the best looking Silky, but he is the sweetest and if he would just leave the cat alone he would be a wonderful dog in spite of the fact he likes to run away....he is 2 1/2 and weighs l lb less than the cat!! I love animals and don't know what I would do without them. I had a Silky terrier for 17 1/2 years named Sydney(got him right after my reconstruction was finished cuz I wanted to be over and done with that before dealing with a pet) and although Harley does not replace him , his breed is what attracted me to him when I saw him listed. I have at least one new funny story to tell every week involving the boys and am sure you with pets do also. . Must go and feed them now.
Comments
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Dear Marybe,
I agree completely with you - pets are great therapy. My daughter (who lives in apartment nearby) bought a maltese a couple of years ago. George (named after O'Malley on Grey's Anatomy) would be dropped off every morning last summer to spend the day with me (I was diagnosed in June 08).
Well, he is sort of my dog now (even though officially he isn't) - Here is why I say this - If I go to the bedroom to put on my capri stretch pants, George runs back and forth between the bedroom and the family room, he is so excited; when I sit down on the couch to pull on my socks, he starts twirling in circles. . Why you ask? Because he wants to go for a walk, and he knows these are the things I do before I take him for a walk in the evening! I had mastectomy six weeks ago, and have been trying to get back in the habit of walking; my hubby was going with me and he would hang on to George's leash; worried that if I hung onto the leash, George would pull too hard and it wouldn't be good for my arms. Well, do you know that George NEVER pulls and tugs on the leash when I take him out? He just sort of trots ahead, and if I stop to lean over and catch my breath, or rest for a minute, he will stop and look back to check on me.
My daughter is moving back home August 1, so George will be here full time. Don't know what I will do when she graduates from college next spring and maybe takes a job in another city! Might have to ask for visitation rights!
Becky
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Maybe when your daughter graduates she won't go to another city....or if she does, maybe she will decide George should stay with you. My George is here in his bed at the end of the computer desk. He likes to hang out here because he is up high enough that the dogs can't bug him. I had some shelves built fo he can be up high and see out the window, plus he is right here by me and he loves to be near me. I never knew cats were so affectionate, always thought they were aloof. No one else has posted on here so I guess there aren't as many animal lovers out there as I thought. Animals can sense things which is why your George is gentle when walking with you. Although one time when I was walking my old dog, Sydney he gave a real tug on the leash and I felt something move in my chest and that is when my layered implant shifted I eventually got that smaller one that was on top removed because it sort of moved to the middle and was no longer where it should be.
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Ah Marybe, terriers are the very BANE of all felines!
I certainly agree that pets are wonderful therapy. We have 2 feline furballs -- Toffee, a male champagne burmese, and Abby, a female ruddy abysssinian. Two totally different animals but when they cuddle together, it's a joy to see!
Abby is incredibly affectionate and clever. When I was going through chemo last year,it was an effort to keep her from licking my face, as she does every morning. Both furballs were very solicitous of me, and stayed very close by especially when they knew I was feeling down and dreary. Toffee is a lapsitter, but Abby isn't. Toffee has a loud, Simaese-type voice, while Abby's is a whisper. But they're both very good at telling us what they need/want. Clever pussins indeed!
Linda
When I figure out how to post pics, I'll post their photos. Thank goodness for our pets!
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Yes, our pets are wonderful, aren't they? My dear little Pippin is my avatar--he is a Maine Coon cat who just turned a year old. We got him last year a week before my mastectomy surgery, and he slept on my bed when I rested during the day and followed me around, chirping sweetly and watching me carefully. He travels with us to my parents' in upstate NY and they also are able to pat him, talk to him, and get all those positive things from him that pets are able to give. Our grandchildren also love him--our grandaughter with Downs is learning to read and when I write "C-A-T," she says "Pippin!" He is our little love and a wonderful presence in our family.
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Hi all hope you don't mind me putting my two cents in. I too believe pets are good therapy. I don't know what I would do without my Callie. She is a 3 yr old ShihTzu and spoiled rotten. I live alone so she is my constant companion. I had to leave her with my daughter for a week when I had my mastectomy. I don't know who it was hardest on me or her. Since my surgery she seems to be even closer to me. Follows me where ever I go. She takes up the empty space since my girls are grown and have their own families. Judy
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Judy, I have a ShihTzu, too! She is my heart and soul. She's 13 1/2 now and this week (had Mx/TEs Tuesday) has been hard on her. I think she is somewhat confused by everything, especially the part about Mommy sleeping in the new recliner. But she's up here with me, content to lay here the entire day with me if that's what I'm going to do. I can't imagine my life without her -- her name is Nugget.
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Here are my furballs, Toffee and Abby
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Thank God for our furry friends. They certainly are a blessing.
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I have a Callie too, short for Calpurnia and she's a calico cat. My Callie is a cat with an attitude but smart as can be. She plays fetch, shakes hands, comes when called, asks to go out. She isn't a lap cat and almost never purrs, but likes to be with me observing. She's a great traveller and is perfectly happy in the car for hours on end and is not at all worried about water, loves being out in the rain. Maybe some dog got reincarnated as a cat.
I got her as a kitten from the humane society. She was batting her littermates into submission, and I was captivated. She was sort of an affirmation that I thought I was going to live for a while yet.
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I have a "Buster" --- a very hyper chocolate lab who is now two years old. At first, I really thought I would never be able to control him. We flunked out of basic dog training, and he's just. . . . .wild!
I wondered when I got breast cancer if I culd really put up with him. But you know, he just seemed to know. And over the past year he has become my best friend. When I went through chemo, he would just lay there with me, and I would pet and pet and pet him. I thought I would need a roll of bubble wrap after surgery, but he never once touched me or jumped up on me, and to this day, is sooooo careful NOT to touch my chest. Now, I really think he has been the best therapy I could ever have and wonder how I could ever live without him around.
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Can someone tell me how to post a picture on here.....finally got a good one downloaded of "the boys". I joined some photo program since it was one of the formats they said I had to have on here, but am still unable to post any pics. THanks.
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I had a patient that was going to have high dosages of drugs for a Sarcoma, he had never been sick and worked all his life, he was very difficult and angry ,to top it his only son and wifethey found a dog in the street,and wanted to keep the dog, he never allowed pets at home.
We talk to the family that it was good to have the dog, because the days he was feeling OK he had to take care of the dog since the wife worked and the son was in school.
To make the story short, soon he was telling us"nobody cares about me as MY DOG" this stray help him with his treatment , he is doing great, the patient,dog and family.
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This is my Snickers. He is my baby and always makes me feel better. We are volunteer foster home for pugs. Along with Snickers we have our senior pug Peanut(My DH's baby) and our rescue Spike(My son's pal). I've had to ask my rescue friends to allow us some down time. I already miss helping sweet little pugs get whole again after some of the horrid conditions they have survived.
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Finally....we figured out how to get pics of the dogs on here.....they are my new avitar. Harley is the little Silky and Brattie is the overweight rat terrier. George the cat will have to wait for his turn. Snickers is darling. How are things going with MDA and treatment Liane?
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Hi everyone:
some great stories about your pets here
I too have a cat, she is quite fat
18 lbs.. but I do love her dearly
Most of my cats have come from the Humane Society
took me all day to choose her, so many adorable ones
she does not go out
and I waited one year after DX..
Life without a pet is not
Life!
Dogs are lovely as well.
Animals have so much to teach us.
I believe there is a book out by Ted Andrews: called Animalspeak
that is very good
Some people have pets other than cats and dogs
Best to all
Sierra
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This is Harley, almost 3 yrs old, a silky terrier.
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He is beautiful!
Sierra
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My husband wrote a little song about dogs, I Love Dogs and it is on his Youtube channel. The silky and the rat terrier are ours....which you could probably tell since most of the pics are of them. The next to the last photo is my lst Silky, Sydney, who was my best buddy for 17 years. I still maintain that our pets are good therapy....don't know what I would do without "the boys."
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Pets are tremendous therapy for everyone; young, old, sick, well, thin, fat, busy, bored and on and on. I think we all need the unconditional love and the fun (and distractions) they bring. At present, I have two naughty 8 year old cats who were cellmates at the Humane Society, and a 2 year old calico who showed up on the doorstep as a 1 pound kitten, two months after I had finished active treatment. I felt like she was a 'life goes on' reminder and gift. Fun thread. Thanks!
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my chihuahua is my heart. She comforts me when I am feeling sick or lonely. She make me laugh when she plays or "sings". She is my strength when I am at the end of my rope with being ill. My little resuce dog has been a huge blessing in my life. I feel so lucky that we found each other!!
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Before going into surgery, I wrote out a detailed list of how to care for our two labs if something should happen to me. Funny how I used to have that same reaction when my kids were small and I needed surgery, and now I've transferred that maternal instinct to our dogs!
They were there the day I got diagnosed and I buried my face in their fur and wept.
There were there the day I had surgery. I hugged them goodbye, told them they were both good boys and prayed I would see them later that night.
They were there when I was recovering; physically and emotionally, and sat in the room with me but kept their distance.
And they were there the day I got the good news that all cancer was gone . . . and once again I buried my face in their fur and wept until their fur was soaked with tears.
They snowbird with us and live in Florida in the winter. In the summer they enjoy country life, swimming and running through the fields off leash. Not a bad life, huh!!??
They ask for so little. They provide so much. And they easily tolerate our three young grandchildren who dress them up, read them stories, pull them in wagons and roll around on the grass . . . they seem to instinctively know what the kids want them to do and they are all too happy to do whatever it takes to be part of the game.
I didn't grow up with dogs. I got my first dog when I was 47. My kids refer to them as my empty nest syndrome babies and I must admit, that's exactly what they are!
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Hi Marbye:
I just checked out your dog video and
it is great!
They are all lovely, each one with its own
unique personality and look
I do love the one of you
with Silky, is it?
Take care.
I do not have a dog, but love all animals
Hugs, Sierra
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Tomorrow we are taking the one dog, Harley the silky, to the big pet expo downtown in hopes that he will perform and maybe get a chance to be on Stupid Pet Tricks on David Letterman. He sings when my husband plays the guitar or ukulele. I used to always yell, Stop playing, you are hurting his ears, but then I noticed that the dog will stop what he is doing and run to where my husband is playing so I think he actually likes to sing along. Now whether he will do this tomorrow when we want him to is another story. I think our pets are like children in that respect....when you want them to do something cute, they won't. Mantra, love the pic of your labs....they are such sweet dogs. There used to be one of the street and she was the sweetest dog ever.
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Pets truly are good therapy. I'm a 3 year/6 month survivor and my furbabies have been my lifeline, especially during chemo.
My husband died almost 5 years ago of lung cancer and was bed ridden (at home) for the last 2 months. At the time we had a cat, my husband's irish setter and my little teacup toy poodle. All three would spend as much time as they possibly could in his hospital bed with him. They were such a comfort to him.
When I was diagnosed with BC I had no family close by and don't know what I'd have done with out my furbabies. Frosty (poodle) especially stuck to me like velcro, and still does. He loves naps and bedtime
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Thanks for resurrecting this thread, frostyiris! I hadn't seen it before.
I believe that pets keep a lot of crazy people sane, lonely people comforted, sick people well, hopeless people hopeful...the list goes on.
A series of tragic events, including bc, led me into a life alone in a tiny apartment for low income seniors inhabited by un-sociable people. It was hard to care about anything, including myself.
Fast forward a year and a half. There was a family member with a 6-month-old miniature Schnauzer trying to rehome him. I volunteered to try to care for him, but had no confidence that I could manage the potty walks reliably.
Fast forward another year. Jasper is my roommate, my comforter, my motivator. He is a clown and a saint...whatever is needed at the moment. I have become active and enjoy our walks.
My 11-year-old cat, Agnes, is even beginning to feel comfortable enough to give him a brush-by and the occasional head bonk. She who steadfastly refused to even acknowledge the existance of two dogs that were in our household for many years.
I think oncologists need to prescribe a pet along with chemo. I'll bet survival rates would increase!
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YipeeyeO!!! I have learned how to post pics thanks to some patient ladies' tutorials and many sessions of trial and error. So lately I have been a posting fool and being on steriods I am sure has helped. SInce I started this thread the zoo had grown....now we have three dogs and one cat. The last dog was a stray and she is part Corgi and is named Hope. She chews, Brattie still pees on the rug and furniture is he isn't watched closely and Harley loves to run away....the cat is the best one of the bunch, but I love them all. My hair has all grown back which is good because at times they make me want to pull it. I will post a pic of our Xmas card.
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Here's another pic of the gang..
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Hi, Ladies: Pets are indeed wonderful therapy. We have 7 cats to-date and would love to have dogs as well, but don't really have time to walk them. Some day. . .
Cute pictures! I've been trying to upload mine from our laptop, but can't seem to do so . . . something with permissions. I'll keep trying.
Julie
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Julie, the only way I have been able to do it, is by putting them in photo bucket...and when that little allow sign comes up click allow access. Don't mess with that little green tree at all just start your post, minimize it,(-) then go to photobucket, click on your pic and do copy, then go back to your post and click on paste.....listen to me the expert and I only learned myself last week....but it is thrilling when it works This is George in his box...he has a bed, but he loves boxes. .
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Marybe: Thanks. Just googled "photobucket", and will begin uploading pix shortly.
It worked!!!!!!!
Anyway, four of our 7 kids . . . . a pile of cats.
Robbie being silly.
Daisy.
Zing.
These are all of our cats.
Julie
Here are my furballs, Toffee and Abby
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