Richmond, VA -
Local Red Cross volunteer brings smiles to injured vets with comfort dogs.
An anonymous writer once penned, "One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why."
Grundy, Virginia native Mitchell Gilbert is blue these days. He's here on his third visit to Hunter Holmes McGuire Richmond VA Medical Center (McGuire RVAMC) in the last six months. "I built the bombs and let 'em explode", Mitchell says with a half-smile. "I dropped 'em off. Built 'em, stacked 'em. BB stackers is what they called us."
Mitchell is in a wheelchair. He's made a little progress in being able to stand for a short time, but he mostly gets around by shuffling his feet and pulling himself along as best he can in the chair. The former Navy explosives ordinance disposal expert doesn't remember much about the anoxic brain injury he received after he left the service. The injury also led to complications leading to the amputation of his left arm.
But today is a day he says he won't forget. The day he met Angel and Thorri, therapy certified Icelandic Sheepdogs that belong to Jaqueline Muio. The Greater Richmond Red Cross volunteer brings the comfort dogs to nursing homes and McGuire to help patients like Mitchell.
"I was ecstatic when this program opened up", says Jacqueline. "I was right on it." Jacqueline retired after working 35 years for the state of Virginia. In retirement, she's following in her mother's footsteps by volunteering. While taking Angel and Thorri (which is Icelandic for Middle Month of Winter) to obedience school, she met a woman who told her the good temperament of Icelandic Sheepdogs would make them great candidates for being comfort dogs.
The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars researching therapy solutions for injured soldiers, including animal assistance therapy. A Rand Corporation study says hundreds of thousands of war veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Many may have experienced at least a mild concussion or brain injury in combat. Others return with loss of limbs , traumatic brain injuries and other severe injuries. The Department of Veterans Affairs recognized the specialized care needs for military service members and veterans who sustained multiple and severe injuries. That's why they developed the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center at VA hospitals like McGuire.
For hundreds of wounded veterans, the long walk to recovery can be a lonely, painful one. A long walk is something most dogs love.
"As soon as we walk into a room, the patient or resident, their eyes light up", says Jacqueline", "because they have had animals, but they've been taken away from them." "Sometimes you feel down, missing home", says Mitchell, "and the dogs cheer you up. Like that one that licked my hand awhile ago. That's so fun. Makes you feel better."
We could see a change in Mitchell the longer he spent with Angel and Thorri. The fuzzy brown-and-white dogs loved the attention, and were asking Mitchell through barks and a good hand-licking, to throw them a small, rubber ball over and over again. Mitchell felt so much better he decided to shuffle outside and get a little sun on the patio. Angel and Thorri went with him.
Recreational Therapist April Yount says the ball throwing is more than just fun-time. It helps the patients both mentally and physically. "Animal assistance therapy is very special, because there's a special bond between the human and the animal that you don't get with other therapies. We use the therapy dogs as a treatment tool to focus on goals such as working on a person's physical, emotional, cognitive or social deficits that they may have. And we're happy to have the Red Cross involved in our program."
Darlene Edwards is a spokesperson for McGuire Veterans Hospital. "I have seen nurses and doctors actually become emotional because they see how much that means to that patient", says Darlene. "So when our Red Cross volunteers and others come in with animals, it just brings a sense of joy that a pill doesn't do."
Mitchell...is now laughing. Thorri has started licking his hand like it's a gravy-covered doggie treat. "That's what he does. He does that best", Mitchell giggles. "He loves to lick."
Jacqueline is lauging too. You can tell she enjoys her time volunteering to help patients. "I really like coming here, helping them out, giving them a smile. Gives me a smile too. My heart smiles."
Canadian-American chemist and author O.A. Battista was a dog lover. He once wrote, "A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk". With hard work and a little persuasion from a happy, bright-eyed sheepdog, hopefully Mitchell can get out of that wheelchair and be pursuaded to go for a walk as well.
An anonymous writer once penned, "One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you're feeling blue is that he doesn't try to find out why."
Grundy, Virginia native Mitchell Gilbert is blue these days. He's here on his third visit to Hunter Holmes McGuire Richmond VA Medical Center (McGuire RVAMC) in the last six months. "I built the bombs and let 'em explode", Mitchell says with a half-smile. "I dropped 'em off. Built 'em, stacked 'em. BB stackers is what they called us."
Mitchell is in a wheelchair. He's made a little progress in being able to stand for a short time, but he mostly gets around by shuffling his feet and pulling himself along as best he can in the chair. The former Navy explosives ordinance disposal expert doesn't remember much about the anoxic brain injury he received after he left the service. The injury also led to complications leading to the amputation of his left arm.
But today is a day he says he won't forget. The day he met Angel and Thorri, therapy certified Icelandic Sheepdogs that belong to Jaqueline Muio. The Greater Richmond Red Cross volunteer brings the comfort dogs to nursing homes and McGuire to help patients like Mitchell.
"I was ecstatic when this program opened up", says Jacqueline. "I was right on it." Jacqueline retired after working 35 years for the state of Virginia. In retirement, she's following in her mother's footsteps by volunteering. While taking Angel and Thorri (which is Icelandic for Middle Month of Winter) to obedience school, she met a woman who told her the good temperament of Icelandic Sheepdogs would make them great candidates for being comfort dogs.
The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars researching therapy solutions for injured soldiers, including animal assistance therapy. A Rand Corporation study says hundreds of thousands of war veterans suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Many may have experienced at least a mild concussion or brain injury in combat. Others return with loss of limbs , traumatic brain injuries and other severe injuries. The Department of Veterans Affairs recognized the specialized care needs for military service members and veterans who sustained multiple and severe injuries. That's why they developed the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center at VA hospitals like McGuire.
For hundreds of wounded veterans, the long walk to recovery can be a lonely, painful one. A long walk is something most dogs love.
"As soon as we walk into a room, the patient or resident, their eyes light up", says Jacqueline", "because they have had animals, but they've been taken away from them." "Sometimes you feel down, missing home", says Mitchell, "and the dogs cheer you up. Like that one that licked my hand awhile ago. That's so fun. Makes you feel better."
We could see a change in Mitchell the longer he spent with Angel and Thorri. The fuzzy brown-and-white dogs loved the attention, and were asking Mitchell through barks and a good hand-licking, to throw them a small, rubber ball over and over again. Mitchell felt so much better he decided to shuffle outside and get a little sun on the patio. Angel and Thorri went with him.
Recreational Therapist April Yount says the ball throwing is more than just fun-time. It helps the patients both mentally and physically. "Animal assistance therapy is very special, because there's a special bond between the human and the animal that you don't get with other therapies. We use the therapy dogs as a treatment tool to focus on goals such as working on a person's physical, emotional, cognitive or social deficits that they may have. And we're happy to have the Red Cross involved in our program."
Darlene Edwards is a spokesperson for McGuire Veterans Hospital. "I have seen nurses and doctors actually become emotional because they see how much that means to that patient", says Darlene. "So when our Red Cross volunteers and others come in with animals, it just brings a sense of joy that a pill doesn't do."
Mitchell...is now laughing. Thorri has started licking his hand like it's a gravy-covered doggie treat. "That's what he does. He does that best", Mitchell giggles. "He loves to lick."
Jacqueline is lauging too. You can tell she enjoys her time volunteering to help patients. "I really like coming here, helping them out, giving them a smile. Gives me a smile too. My heart smiles."
Canadian-American chemist and author O.A. Battista was a dog lover. He once wrote, "A dog is one of the remaining reasons why some people can be persuaded to go for a walk". With hard work and a little persuasion from a happy, bright-eyed sheepdog, hopefully Mitchell can get out of that wheelchair and be pursuaded to go for a walk as well.
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