It's the Little Things

I always love to look out for all the little things the 4Paws dogs do that show what they're meant to do in life. This past weekend was one of those moments where I could see how much Ena both cares about me and how great she would be as a service dog.

These past few months I have been having one medical mishap after another. In September, I had to get surgery done on my shoulder to remove a bone spur and fix an impingement. I have been going through physical therapy to get it working again. I have to get my other shoulder worked on in December. I just had another medical issue dealt with recently too. I have been on a lot of prescriptions to help improve my well-being and it hasn't been easy but, I have had my little sidekick with me through it all. I feel as though through everything going on, Ena has shown me her true colors.

This weekend was not easy for me. I had two appointments to go to and I had brought Ena home with me, so she could experience what a hospital environment was like. She seemed to be very clingy to me throughout the morning and all through my appointments and even into the night. My family and I never really thought much about it because I hadn't seen her as much during the week. During my first appointment on Friday, Ena sat by my feet the entire time and did not like it when I left the room to get an x-ray done. During my second appointment, she was again by my feet and paying close attention to what was going on around her. While at my second appointment, I noticed some red spots showing up on my arms. I didn't think much of it since I hadn't been feeling well for a couple of days and it didn't seem important. Turns out, it was an actual problem.

When I woke up on Saturday morning, I was bright red, running a very high fever, had flu symptoms and, had a very high heart rate. My family took me to the emergency room and Ena was coming with us. They had to run a lot of tests and I was not handling it well. It turns out that I had a severe allergic reaction to some of the medications I had been on. Ena was a lifesaver to me. She was trying to do her best to make sure that she was within reach and was checking on me occasionally. She had tried to jump on the bed multiple times since she knew that I was freaking out from having so many needles stuck in me. When I was finished and finally starting the process of getting discharged, we decided that it was all right for Ena to jump up and sit with me. She gladly leaped right up and laid down to comfort me.

This all just showed me what kind of program I am involved in. They are meant to make the lives of children with disabilities and their families' lives easier. They are there to improve the quality of life for a family in need and to be a best friend for their child. Ena has shown me that she can be just that. She seemed to be able to sense that something was happening and, we didn't fully understand what it was until after the fact. She has formed a bond with me and with my family. Ena has some amazing potential to be a service dog and I am so honored to be her raiser and to be a part of the 4Paws for Ability program.