Shelby's blog

Shelby has been visiting the hospital since November 1st, 2009. We have met hundreds of amazing people during this visits. Sometimes you are there when a patient and their families get to go home and sometimes you’re there when the final arrangements are being made for a family member.

Sometimes when we visit the hospital we spend a lot of time with the staff, nurses and doctors. Often we hear, “O boy, here comes Shelby!” and sometimes we hear, ” Shelby, I really needed to see you today.”

This last weekend we visited on both Saturday and Sunday and there were some families that really needed to see Shelby. The aunt, grandmother and sister waiting in the Intensive Care waiting area for word on their loved one. The sister and grandmother already there more than 24 hours. The aunt who came in had Shelby sitting beside her on the couch and you could see the concern and worry on her face. Shelby hops in and does what she does so well, creates a bit of a break from both the concern and the worry. She did really, really well with these 3 ladies.

We moved to the critical waiting area where we met a mother and her sister who were waiting for word of her son who was in a motorcycle accident. The doctors had already removed one of his legs. Shelby hopped on the couch next to the mother and again, for a few minutes, help to calm and distract her. After quite awhile we left there and went to the 3rd floor, Oncology.

We had some amazing visits with folks! Learned a few jokes and one gentleman shared a cell phone photo of his Jack Russell, 17 years old, that had just crossed the bridge. We met some new nurses and saw a doctor that we had met several years earlier. She had always been a big fan of Shelby’s and so we’ve talked several times. After we visit someone, I always pick Shelby up, thank the folks for letting us come and visit and Cindi resets their chairs and helps to wipe down their hands with a disenfectent wipe and says her goodbyes. I was waiting in the hallway with Shelby when Shelby’s doctor friend came out of one of the other patients rooms, knelt down next to Shelbys wagon and the two of them had a great visit! The doctors have the final say as to whether the therapy dog programs are allowed in the hospital, so we are always on our best behavior, which is no easy task for some of us!

While she was visiting Shelby, I congratulated her on becoming “Chief of Staff” and told her we hadn’t seen her lately. She said, “not to worry, I’ve been right here”. After we said our goodbye’s, I started thinking about what just happened. The Chief of Staff was kneeling down hugging on our little Petite Princes in the middle of hall on the Oncology floor. I was humbled, amazed and blown away.

Shelby says, It’s good to have friends in high places!