Mia: Part 2
By Chris Bridge
Mia and I are a Registered Therapy Dog Team with American Humane Association. This is "part 2" of our story of how we DISCOVERED that this was the direction that she and I were to take as a team. Please return to last weeks blog and read "part 1" if you missed it. This is a continuation of that story.
In writing this week's blog I have spent the last week in the elementary school where Mia and I first started our career as a Therapy Team 4 years ago. Again we had something happen that we can add to our MOST AMAZING experience list. We have truly come full circle.
My husband's work involved much travel at that time our our lives, so Mia and I would often tag along. Because of the travel, Mia and I were invited to visit my sister's Special Education classroom in Oklahoma. Prior to our visit, my sister and I began to talk of one of her new students, whom we will call "John". John had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. John had a monkey he had named "Monk" who would sit beside him daily to help him get through his classwork. I then shared with my sister and John that Mia also had a monkey who she sleeps with and even travels with, I then named Mia's monkey "Monk" also. I took a picture of Mia and her "Monk" and mailed it to my sister, who then gave it to John. He was so taken with Mia that he wanted to meet her, so...at John's request...Mia and I went to Oklahoma for our first classroom visit with children. John kept Mia's picture in his desk until our visit. Every time he would begin to miss her, he would take out her picture and sit the picture beside him at his desk and leave his "Monk" on the shelf. He was not needing his "monk" as often to help him with his classwork because he had Mia's picture instead. John has since made tremendous progress and no longer needs his "Monk", but Mia, after a long days work with kiddos still needs hers, she is still VERY ATTACHED to her "Monk". Every year we return to this Oklahoma classroom, you should see John and Mia together, what a reunion. He sees her and and his little eyes light up as big as saucers as he says "Mia, you came back to see me". At the same time this big Bernese Mountain Dog is loving all over this little boy.
Our very first day in the classroom was a huge success. Mia took to the kids just as much, if not more, than the kids took to her, she loved them. While at the school we were also asked to visit the Multi-handicapped classroom. We walked in and introduced ourselves. Mia led me over to one little boy, we will call "Jack'. Jack was sitting quietly in his chair and began to pet Mia. This was a child who did nothing but scream, kick and pound his fists on his desk the whole class period, every day of school. He was now sitting calmly and petting Mia. We went on to visit each of the other children, and Jack got up to get his coat in preparation for lining up to go to lunch. As the other children lined up, Jack came to give Mia one last pet. The teacher asked the kids to tell Mia "thank-you" and of course this huge chorus of "thank-you" rang out. Jack leaned over to Mia and said "thank-you Mia". The teachers all went silent and looked at each other in amazement. They later told me that Jack had never talked, "Thank-you Mia" were Jack's very first words. I went back to my sister's classroom and told her of the experience. She and I both, with tears streaming down our faces, knew at that moment Mia was to work with children.
This last week Mia and I have been volunteering at the school where we started our career in, 4 years ago. Again we visited the Special Education classroom and the Multi-handicap classroom. We added a visit to the 4 year old preschool class. When we arrived to the classroom, pat this teacher on the back, all the kids were sitting calm and quietly in a circle. Mia and I enter, introduce ourselves, explain what we do, and ask the kids if they have any questions. This little boy we will call "Rusty" raises his hand, VERY shy, and teacher calls on him. He wants to ask his question SO BAD, but just can't say it. We move on the the others, then let the kids lay on their tummies in a circle around Mia so everyone can have a chance to pet her. Before we leave the classroom all the kids return to their seats and I ask again if anyone has any questions before we leave. Little Rusty again raises his hand and the teacher calls on him. He still can't say his question. The teacher then asks Rusty if he knows the dogs name. He responds VERY QUIETLY "Mia". The teacher just grins from ear to ear...as she walks Mia and I out of the room she explains to me that Rusty is mute, he has never talked. "Mia" was his first word. I then realized we had gone full circle. We started out our career in this school helping a little guy say his first words and we DID IT AGAIN. Way to go Mia, I am so proud of her.
This is our story of how we began to volunteer at Fletcher Miller Special School in Jefferson County, a unique Special Education School for preschool-12. This school serves a variety of special needs children who are medically fragile and severely developmentally delayed. We also volunteer at Mental Health Center of Denver, doing group therapy with elementary, (age 6-9) and Middle School (age 9-14) children.
I now understand what it means to be an Animal Assisted Pet Therapy Team and what an honor it is to have Mia as my partner. Pet Therapy has allowed us to work together with special children, to touch their lives and hearts, if only for a moment, and hope that moment will be remembered by them forever.
Mia had her last visit at VRCC to see her cardiologist in June 2009. As expected, her heart condition is very stable and does not appear to be progressing. I am so VERY BLESSED to have her in my life. Because of her, so many wonderful things have come into my life....wonderful children, great friends and meaningful service to others through our volunteer work. Mia has a tremendous capacity to love children, unconditionally, as I do. Her skills are too precious not to share with others. Mia turned 5 in April 2009 and is helping me fulfill my life's passion - to help make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Mia my girl, this is to you..."I Love You". She is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are her life, her love, her leader. She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart. You owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion. Anonymous
Tags: Robert Forto | Dog Training Careers | Colorado Dog Trainer | Iditarod | Team Ineka | Dog Training Denver | Dog Doctor Radio | Denver Dog Works
_________________
Chris Bridge and Mia are a Registered Therapy Dog Team with the American Humane Association. Mia is a 5 year old Bernese Mountain Dog. They volunteer weekly in the Denver area. Chris writes a weekly article for our blog at Denver Dog Works. Chris can be reached through our website at http://www.denverdogworks.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment