Baby Bernie
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.Hi! Come on along today; we’re going to get a lot of hugs and kisses. Hope you aren’t camera shy. I have to warn you though; I stop at all the nurses’ stations, and get to put my big head on all the staffs’ laps. The Doctors also give me lots of rubs. When we visit patients’ rooms, I get to lie on beds and sit on chairs. (My mom never lets me do that at home.) You may hear me called “The Baby”, “Miniature Pony”, or “The Biggest Dog I have ever seen”, but my real name is Bernie. My breeder’s daughter took me to kindergarten one day, and the kids gave me that name. They might have thought I was a St. Bernard, but I’m not. I am a Great Pyrenees with a lot of color. Badger, they call it. At 16 months, I only weigh 128 lbs. Great Pyrenees grow for two years. My dad weighs 165 lbs., so I guess I am going to get bigger.
Back to our visits. Now, when the door to a room opens, get ready. That is when our true work begins. There will be a lot of wide eyed, surprised kids sitting up. They don’t know what I am. Even if someone is afraid of dogs, he will still want to see me and have a picture taken with me. Then a sheet goes on the bed, and so do I. Sometimes, it would be nice just to take a nap, but we have many beds to visit. Plus, the kids seem to wake-up after hugging me. They all seem to start moving, and some even want to take a walk. One time, though, I helped a little girl stay still and quiet. The nurse had to put little pads connected to a monitor all over her head; and then wrap her head with cloth. We were so good; we didn’t move at all.
When we walk down the halls, we are often followed by parents and their babies. There are many pictures taken of me and little ones almost riding me. One time, when we got out of an elevator, I heard my name, “Bernie, Bernie”. Two parents ran out of a room. They told me that after our last visit, a relative had gotten them a Pyrenees puppy --- because of me! He arrived with fleas, and he misbehaved. But my mom assured them that with lots of love, training, and exercise, he will become a wonderful, gentle giant, just like me.
We are now on our way to the PICU unit. It’s one of my favorites. When the doors swing open, you will see why. Here we go…
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