Hey Woofa’s,

I’ve had a very trying 5 weeks with my family recently.

My 78 year old father tripped and took a bad fall, he pretty much crash tackled the wall making a hole in the gyprock!!!

And being as stubborn as what he is it took him 1.5 days before he would agree to go to hospital.

Thankfully he eventually did.

They found out he had fractured his neck and a few ribs!!!

He also spent 1 week in ICU, because they found pneumonia and blood clots in his lungs and he had restricted breathing!!

While in ICU we were told if he took a turn for the worst they wouldn’t be able to resuscitate him!!!

I must admit after they mentioned they couldn’t resuscitate him I didn’t really comprehend what was said after that!!

I figured out it was because they would have to move his neck and they could potentially break it!!!

Mum and I were spending pretty much all day at the hospital.  I was texting family and friends trying to keep them all updated about what was happening.

Dr’s and nurses were in and out of the room all the time!  It was like an out of body experience.

For the first time in my life I realised my parents are elderly!!

While we had support from family and friends, coming home to Billy helped me immensely.

WHAT BILLY DID?

The night dad took his fall, mum called me and said ‘Your dad has fallen over and I can’t get him up off the floor, can you and Dean come over and pick him up for me?’

He’s also had his knees replaced so he can’t roll over onto his knees and get up that way.

We took Billy with us, just for the ride.

As soon as we went inside, we walked through and dad was in the hallway on the floor.

Billy walked up to dad sniffed him all over, licked his face and sat right in front of him, as if he was guarding him.

Dog’s just know don’t they?

When mum and dad mind Billy for us, he sits at the bottom of dad’s chair and dad pats him and rubs his back and Billy loves it.

I think Billy was just checking on dad and making sure he was ok.

BILLY’S COMFORT!

Dean would drive mum and I back and forth from the hospital because parking is a nightmare.

It’s bad enough to have someone you love in hospital, that you also have to pay for parking while you’re there is wrong!!! (That’s a whole other issue)

The week dad was in ICU, mum and I were like zombies!

Get up, get ready, get dropped off at hospital, sit by his bedside all day waiting and hoping for good news, keeping everyone else updated!

Leave after 8-10 hours to come home, try to eat, shower and go to bed, only to get up and do it all over again.

Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining this just became our new normal.

And it is also very draining.

What I want to stress is coming home from hospital and laying down on the lounge or bed with Billy really helped me.

As I said we had support from family and friends but just laying there with Billy, it’s as if he recharged me.

It’s as if Billy knows that I really need him, just to sit with him and be near him.

No talking, he didn’t expect anything from me we were just being in the moment.

Hospital drains me and Billy’s comfort recharges me.

THERAPY DOGS!

This is why I am not surprised dogs are used every day as Therapy Dogs.

Dogs have a sixth sense and just seem to know when their human or any human needs them.

Dogs dog judge, they are just there in the moment to comfort you.

Their sense of smell is also amazing and they can sniff out when their owner is about to have a seizure, or an attack of some sort and they can sniff out cancers and all sorts of diseases.

They use dogs at the airports, post offices for sniffing parcels, in the Police Force, the Defence Forces………..etc.

Dogs can give great assistance in certain circumstances – Assistance Dogs Australia!

They are our eyes and ears for those who aren’t able to use their own…………..they are just amazing – Guide Dogs Australia!

Dogs are being used in our Schools as support and therapy for our kids.

Delta Therapy Dogs – Their purpose is to help animals and people bring joy to each other.

Therapy Dogs Australia – help you to train your own dog to become a Therapy Dog!

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

Dogs are an amazing source of comfort in trying times!

You don’t even have to have anyone in hospital, just coming home from a hard days work or school to the comfort of your dog is wonderful.

They are just there in the moment expecting nothing from you but just oozing love and comfort from themselves.

My dad is still in hospital (no longer in ICU) and is on a very slow mend, but coming home to Billy helps to recharge me.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW – HOW YOUR DOG GIVES YOU COMFORT?