Cora's Magic

Cora's natural instincts come out every night when she watches for the bunnies that run across the area.  So it's kind of magic that she can switch from natural hunter instinct to Caring Canine providing comfort or companionship to anyone that glances her way.

Cora's presence today at Mayo Chemo and Radiation Department was a challenging one.  A young man who is finishing up with his treatments was open about the battle he is fighting with his disease.  Cora sensed his weariness and lay at his feet as he petted her on the head.  He talked of another Caring Canine who also was there earlier in the week, that recognized his need for comfort and how glad he was that the dogs were there for him.  It's long been documented now how animals help people deal with pain, grief, anxiety and the need to touch and be accepted unconditionally.  Watching and seeing the interaction of a patient and a therapy dog is sometimes overwhelming.  As much as I think I know Cora, she continues to amaze me with her sensitive nature around strangers who are in need of some form of positive interaction.  It got me thinking how better the world would be if we all accepted one another as easily as an animal accepts us.  We have a lot to learn from God's cr

 Today was one of the most beautiful days at Mayo, both weather wise and people wise.  Cora was energized by the cool morning breeze and the brief light rain that fell in the desert.  It left a smell of freshness, along with signs of new life as we walked through the gardens of Mayo Hospital.  We met two woman sitting on a bench, who asked to visit with Cora.  A family member was an inpatient and the stress clearly showed on the one's face.  "Would it be ok to pet her", "We really could do with some Therapy ourselves right now".  Cora welcomed the contact and then gave a quick version of the hookie pookie for them.  They laughed and smiled and I could see that stressful look begin to diminish.  Making our way to the Chemo and Radiation area,  Cora recognized her new group of friends and they likewise recognized her.  The quiet room quickly shifted to one of anticipation.  Cora made her way over to visit with the wife of a patient receiving radiation treatment.

Cora met this Vetern today and gave him a big salute!  It brought a smile to both their faces.  

Cora and I returned to Mayo today after a few weeks on sabbatical.  Entering the unit we found all new faces, many just beginning to walk the path to a hopeful cure.   Smiles broke out on their faces as this tail-wagging Caring Canine made her way to greet them one by one.  "What does she do here?" was voiced by one gentlemen.  We've had this question posed several times before, so I didn't hesitate to answer.  "Well, she shares her heart with anyone that needs to smile, laugh or be touched by a "heeling spirit". In the treatment area we met a little girl that was there waiting for her Grandmother, who was receiving radiation therapy.  She giggled and ran over to Cora throwing her arms around her.  Together they played with the piano book and bowling set, both crawling under the chairs to find the ball.  How much fun is that, to  come to a hospital and actually be able to play with a four-legged friend!  It was a good day, one that our new friends