Rosie's Visits
Please Note: The dog in the accompanying photograph is the subject of the story, but the child or teenager pictured is probably not the patient in the story.Rosie and I walked into the room on 6 east at Children’s Hospital to the sound of a child crying as his mother tried to change his clothes. I asked her if she wanted us to come back later. She asked me to stay. When her son saw Rosie, my golden retriever, his eyes grew wide, he stopped crying, and a large smile erupted on his face. He calmly and quietly let his mom finish changing him while I wiped his hands and put a sheet on the bed. Rosie then climbed up onto the bed, with a little help from me. He petted, hugged, and talked to her while she lay there. He was all smiles, no tears. Mom was smiling too.
The next week the room was occupied by a shy young girl named Becky. Becky was uncomfortable and wanted to go home. I asked her if she wanted Rosie to get on the bed with her. She smiled and nodded. I wiped her hands, put a sheet on the bed, and helped Rosie climb up. Rosie settled in next to Becky. She petted her, liking her soft fir and her calm, sweet personality. She was petting Rosie when the doctor told her she could go home.
We saw Becky again a few days later in dialysis. She looked tired, bored, and uncomfortable. She saw Rosie and smiled. Rosie climbed onto the chair, no help needed, and curled up next to Becky. Becky petted and hugged Rosie until they both fell asleep.
On our next visit, we walked into the room of a teenage girl named Sue who was flat on her back and had to stay in that position. She wasn’t able to see Rosie at first but her mother did and quickly lowered the bed. Sue saw Rosie and smiled. Rosie carefully climbed onto the bed and lay very still while Sue petted her and told me all about her golden retriever.
We then walked into a room where a young boy was sitting with his mother. They seemed very surprised to see a dog in the room. hey did not speak English so I motioned for the boy to pet Rosie. He did and he smiled. He then climbed off the chair, took Rosie’s leash, and walked her out of the room and down the hall with a huge smile on his face. His mom followed, also smiling.
The room on 4 east was packed with kids, sisters and cousins visiting Karen. I wiped Karen’s hands and then watched her walk over to Rosie pulling her IV stand with her. She smiled while she hugged and kissed Rosie. Rosie stood there smiling and wagging her tail. All the other kids started hugging and kissing Rosie too and she wagged her tail even faster. Everybody posed for pictures, laughing and talking excitedly about Rosie. Mom watched and smiled.
The last room Rosie and I walked into one Sunday was occupied by two young girls. The girl in the A bed told me she did not want to visit with Rosie because she had been bitten by a dog and was afraid. She watched as Rosie climbed up on the B bed and visited with her roommate. As we were leaving, the girl in the A bed stopped us and asked me if Rosie could get on her bed too. She said Rosie seemed very sweet and she wasn’t afraid. She petted Rosie and smiled.
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