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From: Forrest Brandt
Date: November 1, 2014
Subject: Dogs of War
My mom was dying of cancer, the tumor pressing against her brain left her to be unable to speak. The hospital demanded her transfer to home or a nursing home and I had to negotiate with an older, alcoholic sister and her husband, a high functioning alcoholic. Before she lost her voice, Mom had clearly stated to both of us that she wanted to go to hospice. She had also expressed the desire to not accept any life-prolonging procedures. After ruling out hospice - at our house - as "too barbaric," and retaining the doctor who insisted on putting Mom on a feeding tube, my sister dumped the responsibility to pick a home on me, "I can't stand the smell of the anti-septics they use in those places." Then, once Mom was settled into a wonderful facility, my sister announced that she couldn't visit because it was too depressing. This kept her free from seeing the feeding tube that Mom kept pulling out until the doctor ordered her restrained.
I came home from this last negotiation, worn out, frustrated and saddened by the reality that Mom would soon be gone. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, taking off my shoes, when the totality of these events overwhelmed me and I began to cry. Our labrador came over, sat in front of me and put his head in my lap. I KNOW he was saying, "Put it on me. I can bear this for you."
Yes, our pets are intuitive and responsive. They care about us just as we make them family and welcome them to our circle of love.
Forrest
From: Forrest Brandt
Date: November 1, 2014
Subject: Dogs of War
My mom was dying of cancer, the tumor pressing against her brain left her to be unable to speak. The hospital demanded her transfer to home or a nursing home and I had to negotiate with an older, alcoholic sister and her husband, a high functioning alcoholic. Before she lost her voice, Mom had clearly stated to both of us that she wanted to go to hospice. She had also expressed the desire to not accept any life-prolonging procedures. After ruling out hospice - at our house - as "too barbaric," and retaining the doctor who insisted on putting Mom on a feeding tube, my sister dumped the responsibility to pick a home on me, "I can't stand the smell of the anti-septics they use in those places." Then, once Mom was settled into a wonderful facility, my sister announced that she couldn't visit because it was too depressing. This kept her free from seeing the feeding tube that Mom kept pulling out until the doctor ordered her restrained.
I came home from this last negotiation, worn out, frustrated and saddened by the reality that Mom would soon be gone. I was sitting on the edge of the bed, taking off my shoes, when the totality of these events overwhelmed me and I began to cry. Our labrador came over, sat in front of me and put his head in my lap. I KNOW he was saying, "Put it on me. I can bear this for you."
Yes, our pets are intuitive and responsive. They care about us just as we make them family and welcome them to our circle of love.
Forrest
From: Michael Jackson
Date: November 1, 2014
Subject: Dogs of War
Ken, after similar talks with my dog, I’ve come to the rather depressing realization that he’s a Whig.
MikeJ
From: Ken Kalish
Date: November 1, 2014
Subject: Dogs of War
Jay and all:
I don’t know why it took the Gulf War to get the mental health community so many years to discover something so obvious. I’ve owned dogs continuously since a neighborhood mutt began to tell me I needed help back in ‘70. Just a stray, but a perceptive one. Tank, my pit-boxer mix, often sleeps with me when he knows I’m going to have a bad night. My Molly lived with us for 13 years, the sweetest animal I have ever known, and she was my guardian and my political debater. She and I would argue, with me casting out something like “You’re a Republican!” and she would fire back something in dog that translated to “That’s because I have a brain.” We could keep it up for an hour, and it always left me feeling great.
Now that I have llamas around the house I have what the Air Force calls a DEW Line. If I go out to the pasture and everyone comes running to Oscar’s call, he and they are telling me it’s time for an attitude adjustment and some self-help.
And people still call them “dumb animals.” Go figure.
Ken
I no longer have the original message but the following was posted on the
AFVN@YahooGroups.com, possibly by Jean LeRoy. [Webmaster]
The A&E network will soon debut "Dogs of War," a new docu-series about war veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the service dogs that help them adjust back into life after combat. The new show will premiere on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2014. The series is based on married couple Jim and Lindsey Stanek and their nonprofit organization Paws and Stripes. The organization provides service dogs to wounded military veterans, and each episode will chronicle the journey of one or two PTSD veterans as they are paired with man's best friend. Check your local television listings for exact air dates and times
Dogs of War (Animals and PTSD)
November 2014
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