We know that during this time of crisis, we can rely on medical staff at hospitals to treat patients, be there for them to help them physically and support them psychologically, given that even close family cannot care for them due to the safety measures that have been taken. But who could support our doctors and nurses as they crumble facing suffering and loss every day?
A Colorado doctor thought that maybe her dog could be the answer to that question and she decided to try it.
Wynn, an almost-one-year-old Labrador retriever, has been raised by Dr. Susan Ryan and has been undergoing training to be a service animal for Canine Companions for Independence, a nonprofit that provides service dogs to people with disabilities.
Ryan, who is an emergency medicine physician at Rose Medical Center in Denver, used to bring Wynn to work even before the burst of this pandemic, and she was usually kept in her crate at the social workers’ office.
However, when the pandemic went off and, as Ryan and her colleagues had to deal with immense stress on a daily basis, she thought it might be a good idea to let Wynn help them.
The world found out about the special bond between the medical staff and the beautiful pup when a picture of Ryan and the dog was posted on Instagram.
“I just slid down along the wall and Wynn just laid there with me,” Ryan told TODAY. “We find such comfort in just getting to pet her and it grounds us and just reminds us we’re connected.”
Wynn is not allowed near patients; it is only her mom, the nurses, paramedics and police officers that come into the hospital that can pet her, but obviously this requires a lot of hand-washing and fur-cleaning on a regular basis and in-between petting sessions.
However, nobody is discouraged by that- everyone wants to get close to Wynn and share some of her positive energy and therapeutic calmness.
“(It’s) a heart-to-heart-connection. We’re being present in the moment by petting her, smelling her paws, which still smell like popcorn. This just helps us remember to be human and connected,” Ryan said. “It just melts away the armor that we have put up to carry out our jobs.”
The social worker who shares her office with Wynn wanted to make sure that cuddling with the dog is a relaxing and therapeutic experience, so she took the whole thing a step further, put an aroma-therapy diffuser in the office, and whenever someone visits, she plays a guided meditation and gives them a warm blanket so they can curl up and cuddle with Wynn until they feel more relaxed.
“It really helps. I’ve never been really skilled at meditation but just having someone remind you to take three breaths helps,” Ryan said.
And we’re sure this helps the rest of the staff, too.
You can watch the video with the story below.
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