The Rest of the Story

 Well, I just have to start today's blog entry with a HUGE Thank you to Reilly and Denny for my FIRST EVER personal Christmas Card.  I can't believe it, I finally, after three years, have received my own, addressed to me, Bert, Christmas Card.  Now How Cool is that!

 So after yesterdays dramatic blog about My Vickie and I retiring from Search and Rescue work, I better come clean on what my plans are for now.   We had a couple of options that we have toyed with in the last year.   Like, believe it or not, I am actually trained to find "Bed Bugs" 


Yucky Pooh, I hear you all saying, but it is really getting to be a huge problem across the country and since I already knew how to find human remains, me and my buddy Murhpy started adding Bed Bugs to our training tools.  But, it kind of creeped My Vickie out, you know, having to be responsible to keep the little buggers alive for training. 


Or, I figured I could become a spiritual guide for evil cats like Allred.  I could study and learn the psychology behind their mis-directed anger (generally towards me) then I could help gently and lovingly lead them towards a more kind and fulfilling life of peace and love.


(I didn't get too far with that one)  (I did, however, get a bloody nose when I tried to teach Allred the errors of his way)

 I could just relax, become a couch potato, and dream about my girl Charlotte so far away.

Or, Me and My Vickie could focus more intently on our dream of being the best Therapy Dog I can possibly be.


And that is what I want to do, and I realized two weeks ago that I have a real knack for it.  I have been doing it for a few years, but now we just want to spend more of our free time doing that.


We have been asked to work with two other of my friends in a new program at a local hospital.  They have never used therapy dogs before and we are the trial ones.


I am used to working in retirement centers and with children but I was a bit nervous cause now we would be working directly with the patients.


I know I say work but it isn't work as many of you who already do this know.


I think they really love me there, cause when they know I am coming, there is a big long list of rooms to visit.  And the nurses and the doctors, well they just want to hold me and hug me and rub my fur.  It is great.....


But the best part is that now we are even invited into the Intensive Care Unit 

My job, with the help of My Vickie and my best friend Whitney (my Vickies niece) is to carefully get up into the bed with the patient and lay down next to them and go to sleep.  That's it, that is all I do.  Then they cuddle up with me and most the time they fall asleep too.  My Vickie says it is most comforting for them.  I dont' mind it either.

Like last week I got to lay next to a guy who had just had open heart surgery, a lady with a trachea tube and a happy fella who had blown his arterial vein in his neck.

They all felt so much better after our visit.

My Vickie says that she thinks the best part of it is that "touch" is involved.  She says that humans need to feel and touch and be touched.

She thinks that because of the way the world is now, that people can't just touch or hug one another but they can touch and hug a dog.  Dogs are pure, gentle and unassuming.  Dogs don't judge.  Dogs just love, love with all their hearts.  They forgive, forget, and love.

I will miss the search and rescue work, but lets face it, My Vickie is no spring chicken anymore and it is time for her to take an easier road.  So down the road we will go together.  Its a good road.....

Love

Bert