Therapy Animals

Ahh, at home resting comfortably. That is a blessed thing today, being able to eat regular food, albeit bland food, and sleeping in my own bed. Being able to take a hot shower at will and wear actual pants. The ability to watch what I want on television in my own recliner. These are precious things that I have been missing.

I was recently hospitalized for an emergency case of Pancreatitis caused by gall stones. I subseqently lost said organ to the surgeons knife and I am now recovering. I have very little experience with hospitals or modern health care as I have enjoyed a healthy life up till now.

While lying in my fairly uncomfortable hospital bed one afternoon during the ordeal, I hear a commotion from the other side of the curtain. Arriving to make my day are an older couple in some sort of uniform, carrying a dog. I didn't want to see the mutt, I don't like dogs much and I was also very grumpy. However, Daisy wanted to see what the deal was, so into the room come the couple with their "Therapy" dog.

Turns out these people volunteer to walk the wards of hospitals and spread cheer with thier terrier-like mutt "Gabby the Therapy Dog". The animal was wearing one of those knitted sweaters that people put on dogs. I mentioned that I was a cat person and on que "Gabby" was prompted to growl a fake growl at the notion of cats.

I wasn't cheered up at all by the "Therapy Dog" that was until I thought about the opposite, what about a "Therapy" cat? No that wouldnt work. The cat would not like being carried around and they do not growl on command, or anything else for that matter. At best the cat would look at a sick person with total ambivalence, at worst the animal would wish you were dead so it could eat your liver.

So we must reject the notion of a therapy cat. If they really wanted to cheer me up during my stay in the hospital the could have sent around "Bambi the Therapy Stripper" now that would have been theraputic!