Pet Therapy Dog
Bodhi of the Rockies
Bodhi has been a rock star at the hospital, but sadly I have to report that he is retiring from his therapy job work at the hospital.
Noise and chaos
Bodhi has been visiting the hospital for 2 years and we both loved it. But lately, maybe because of the noise and chaos from all the construction (they are building a new wing and construction will last a few years), Bodhi has been stressed.
It started a few months ago. When we got off the elevator on patient floors, he balked and didn’t want to move. I wasn’t sure what he was reacting to, maybe new smells. A few times I pulled him around to see someone anyway, but he was frightened and not his lovable self, so we didn’t stay long.
And then it got worse
Bodhi seemed fine visiting people in back offices and the lobby, which doubled as the waiting room since the waiting rooms were under construction, so I thought we could continue to do that if he didn’t want to go to patient floors. But even last week he didn’t really want to visit people in the lobby or in the ER waiting room. And the final sign telling me it was time to retire was when he was visibly stressed visiting favorite nurses in back offices, where it’s not very noisy.
The number of people Bodhi helped, bringing love and reducing stress, is high. I know he made a difference to patients, families, and staff. And everyone loved this handsome boy in his neck ties! I am proud to be a part of a hospital with such caring staff. Many patients told me how great the staff was. I am very proud of Bodhi and will miss seeing him work his magic at the hospital, but he continues to give love to everyone he meets when we’re out walking.
Good job Bodhi. I am grateful to be your mom.