On Valentines Day, before joining the other “canine cupids” distributing love and holiday cards at UCLA Medical Center, Gus did some individual visits accompanied by a generous donor and a couple of his family members. They were interested in seeing first hand how the program worked. I was honored to have them with us. I truly believe that you can read about therapy dogs, hear about them or see them on the news, but there is nothing like watching the magic up close.
For our first stop, I tapped on the door of a teenage boy in the PICU. Lying in bed, he looked so sad but as soon as he saw Gus, his face lit up. Despite his pain, the boy had such a kind and gentle demeanor. When I asked if he’d like Gus on his bed, I swear that behind his glasses, I saw a twinkle in his eyes. Although he had difficulty moving, he was able to speak softly and wanted Gus even closer. Before I knew it, Gus was cuddled next to him with his head on the boy’s shoulder.
When it was time for me to take Gus from his bed, I asked if he’d like to see him do a few trick before we left. I didn’t think it was possible but as Gus danced, waved and played peek-a-boo, the boy’s beautiful smile grew even bigger. The moment was so touching, it brought tears to the eyes of the people who were watching.
We went to see another teen who was very happy and calm while she was petting Gus. Still, I have to say that it was her grandmother who was even more comforted. She could barely contain her emotions as she hugged him and told me in Spanish how much it was helping her. As a fellow grandma I could truly understand.
We stopped to visit with a toddler who giggled and greeted Gus like he was one of her favorite stuffed animals. Then I realized that she had met him a few weeks before when he came to her room with Kenta Maeda of the Dodgers.
Finally, we were asked to see a little boy about a year old who was blind. He had never had any sort of interaction whatsoever with a dog. While he sat in his mother’s lap, she gently stroked his hand through Gus’s long, soft hair. Then, since he seemed relaxed and receptive, she rubbed his bare feet along Gus’s back. I couldn’t believe that we were part of something so seemingly simple yet so momentous.
After all of his hard work, I took Gus to meet up with some of the other dogs. That’s when he saw Lola, an adorable little Poodle. Their eyes met and it was love at first sight. How perfect. The two dogs had spent the morning spreading love, and now they’d each found their own special valentine.
