Every year I transfer a few clipped comic strips to my new
calendar. The first is a Peanuts strip in which Charlie Brown
and Snoopy sit under a tree and Charlie Brown says, "When you
have a dog, you should stay home and make your dog
happy...That's what you should do...you should stay home."
The other strip shows a man and his frisky dog walking a trail.
The quotation, from Meister Eckhart, is: "If the only prayer
you say in your life is thank you, that would suffice.
These two ragged strips of newspaper contain a summary of my belief
system. Over the past 1 1/2 years, I have been able to stay
home with my dog, Freddie, a 16 year old beagle. My life
revolves around a canine schedule of walking, eating and
napping. It has been a healing, fruitful time for both of us.
What I see in Freddie's barking delight on walks, in her vocal
demands for treats and in her security in falling into the crook
of my arm for a nap, is a vibrant dog who enjoys every day of
her life.
Her medical facts wouldn't show you the same picture. She is deaf,
almost blind, has a history of seizures, has a significant heart
murmur and has had several types of cancer, one of which
necessitated a leg amputation. Through all of this, Dr. Jenny
and the rest of the Creature Comfort staff have been our
guardian angels.
Creature Comfort is a welcoming clinic with soothing rooms and
people who adore animals. All of which is nice but trivial
unless accompanied by the extraordinary skill sets that
the staff members have.
All modalities are considered and the staff has a deep and wide
competency in Western, Chinese and complementary medicine. I
appreciate that none of the vets come into the room with a
pre-designated treatment. Everything depends on how Freddie is,
what she is communicating, and what is acceptable to both of
us. At 16, she is not on any chronic Western medicine because
the side effects are deleterious for her. Instead, she is on a
well-thought out program of herbs, supplements and homeopathic
remedies that are gentle but effective. She receives
acupuncture once a week and chiropractic adjustments twice a
month. She has had so many years of treatment that I can say
that the superior care at Creature Comfort is a constant.
I would entrust her to every staff member I know.
Dr Jenny has provided most of Freddie's care at the clinic and my
thanks to her carry respect and awe at her skill. She knows
my dog. I never have to worry about her accommodating Freddie's
separation anxiety. If Freddie needs to be in my arms for a
treatment or is more comfortable laying on the floor, that is
where she is met, with love and acceptance.
Although it looks like all the care and attention go one way,
Freddie has, in the most trying times of my life, given me
comfort that was unsought yet absolute. Her joy, her intensity,
her enjoyment of today without anticipating tomorrow, are
amazing and touch me and everyone who knows her.
As she nears the end of her life, that each day continues to be
good for her is such a gift. What Creature Comfort and Dr.
Jenny have done for Freddie, they have done for me tenfold.
My "thank you" to them is a prayer of thanksgiving, gratitude
and love.
