<a href="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/?attachment_id=10632" rel="attachment wp-att-10632"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-10632" title="P1010112" src="http://www.diaryofalatebloomer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/P1010112-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="461" /></a>Hi!  I’m Jennie aka Late Bloomer’s sister.

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When my sissy started a blog last year, she asked me if I would ever want to guest blog.  I said yes because, honestly, it’s easier sometimes to just say yes to her.  I figured she would forget and I would be off the hook…and I was…until now.

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My sister and I are complete opposites.  If she’s Late Bloomer, I’m Early Bloomer.  I got married at 20, have 2 kids, live in the suburbs, drove a mini-van for a few years…get where I’m going with this?  Opposites!  I actually dodged the bullet during her Year of Living Curiously and pawned off that <strong>guest blog request on my daughter.</strong>

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Now it’s the Year of Play and I’m pretty sure I’m the most unplayful (Is that a word? Sure, let’s say it is!) person my sister knows.  ‘She has kids!’ you may be thinking.  I have a teenage son and a tween daughter.  I’m totally uncool right now.

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So, when Sissy asked again I thought “why is she asking the one year I’m NOT doing the <strong>48 Hour Film Project</strong>!” So, here I sit writing a blog for Sissy that she has coined “a sentimental piece”.  Let’s just hope she doesn’t fire me like she did when I was Frenchy in her <strong>“Grease” production</strong>.

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When my beloved grandfather was moved to hospice care for the final days of his life, my mother texted me a photo of a little poodle visiting his room.  My mother told me that a group of volunteers come to visit the patients with their dogs.  Even though Papa was in a coma, he responded to the touch of the dog.

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I was so touched by this story and hearing how a visit from the animals lifted her spirits, I decided to explore this option with my dog in my grandfather’s memory.  Penny is my rescue pup.  She’s a 45 pound Boxer/Jack Russell mix with velvety ears, eyes that will melt your heart and the silliest lop-sided tail.  When I heard of this program, I knew Penny would be the perfect dog for this type of work.

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After some google searches, dead ends, etc. I finally discovered a local group called <strong>Caring Critters</strong>.  They hold workshops twice a year to certify new handlers and their pets.  A few weeks ago I attended the workshop where I learned all sorts of information on Animal Assisted Therapy.  By the end of the workshop, I committed to bringing Penny the following weekend for a temperament test.

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This weekend was my first visit with Penny.  To prepare for the visit, she had her nails trimmed and a bath and was ready to go.  I posted on my Facebook status that I was ready for my first Pet Therapy visit and soon realized that some people may think I’m taking my dog to a shrink and leave a nasty comment including the f word.  (Note to self:  always use the term Animal Assisted Therapy!)

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Penny and I arrived at the hospital and she met her teammates, Tucker (lab), Shasta and Reveille, a pair of direwolves.  OK, they are really Great Pyrenees, but if you watch Game of Thrones, they totally look like direwolves…which I called them for the rest of the visit.  Their parents did not seem as amused by this as I was.  Their loss!

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A hospital visit is a social visit where the team goes room to room to visit the patients.  The patient has the opportunity to decline the visit, but only one or two did.  I did notice a common trend of the visitors accepting the visit when the patient said no. Heh heh heh.

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At first Penny was very curious and sniffy and I had to pull her over to the bed to be pet.  After about the 5<sup>th</sup> room, Penny finally realized that she wasn’t there to lick the floor, investigate the trash can, or stick her head in the bathroom.  All she had to do was walk up to the bed and let someone pet her and ooh and ahh…and she LOVED it.  Penny is all about love and attention and now she was in her element.

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By the last room, she jumped in the bed with the patient.  You see, Snoopy the Schnauzer arrived late due to bad weather and Snoopy gets to go on the bed, so Penny thought “why not?”

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Penny and I will be make 2-3 visits a month at a hospital and a nursing home.  I left the hospital knowing that just for a few minutes, that person forgot about feeling sick, hurt or pain.  They stroked Penny’s velvety ears and for a few minutes, their troubles were just a little bit less.  I realized when I got to the car that was probably the best part of their day.  I look forward to returning and giving someone a chance to benefit from what Penny gives me every day.

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So, there you have it, my sentimental, non-playful guest piece for my Sissy’s blog.  How did I do?  Let me know in the comments!  Better yet, skip the comments.  I’m a Cancer and we’re known for being sensitive.  :-)

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<em>(Note from Late Bloomer Sis:  Kindly ignore my sister and please DO cheer Jennie and Penny on in the comments section!)</em>

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Oh, and the last patient that Penny joined in bed?  She laughed and asked if Penny could stay to keep her company and then I heard her talking on the phone about it.  :-)

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