This is a series of caches at or nearby sites that my geodog, Redtail, visited as a certified therapy dog. Redtail is my golden retriever who loves to geocache with me. He’s got a nose for a cache and knows when to sit and stay while I sign the log. He is exceptionally sweet and kind. When he was a puppy Mr. Redtail2000 and I promised that we would get him certified as a therapy dog. Admittedly, he had to take Canine Good Citizenship twice because during the final exam he jumped on the instructor… but only because he loved her so much. Those goldens sure do love to be a puppy! Finally at the mature age of eight, he’s made the ranks as a therapy dog certified by the Southwest Canine Corps of Volunteers. Now I get to share with you some of the more poignant events that occurred during our visits. Please always be mindful and respectful of your surroundings when caching at these sites.
Sometimes it’s just one of those days when we feel discouraged with the world around us and we just need to take a time out. This could mean for some folks that it’s time to go for a nice walk along the Bosque or ski down the gnarliest slope or perhaps…go geocaching! Whatever form of pampering we decide on, we definitely need to treat ourselves to a mental health day or at least an afternoon. Today I decided to treat myself by taking my geodog to Lovelace Westside hospital. Now granted I had only been to this site once before with the therapy dog facility contact but since she couldn’t make it today for our second scheduled visit we agreed that I would do just fine solo. This is a facility that once I know the ropes I can drop in on my own. It’s a small hospital with only two floors so it would be really tough for me to get lost or even turned around as opposed to some of the larger hospitals where they start to feel a bit like a maze or labyrinth.
About half an hour into our visit we greeted a patient in their room who had two visitors. One of the visitors recognized us from our Lovelace downtown visits. She explained to me that she had previously been a long term patient downtown while she bragged to the others about how amazing it was to have the dogs visit her there. She shared right from her heart how we had brightened her day while she had been a patient by making her smile on those days when she didn’t even feel like thinking about smiling. That always makes my day when someone shares that we’ve made their day. As she shared Redtail sidled up to the other visitor and leaned on him. In Redtail’s world a lean is analogous to a hug. As we left they all thanked us profusely.
About fifteen minutes later she caught me again in the hall. She explained further that she was recovering from chemo treatments, that it had been a long haul and was just delighted that she had graduated from a wheelchair to a cane. She looked familiar but I didn’t recognize her probably because she was standing upright. She glowed as she told me how we’re all so very lucky to be here and we should enjoy every single minute of it while we’re here cuz ya never know what tomorrow may bring. Oh man, I’ve often said the same thing as well but to hear it from her was the therapy I was looking for today.
Cache on…