D. D, & Goodee offer this Blog in loving memory of our
friend
and Primary
Care Physician
Dr John C. Schmidt
Dr Schmidt’s office was one of the first places “Team
Goodee” got to take on the world and it became a favorite spot for us to just
hang out and be us.
Dr Schmidt touched so many lives with the right medical
diagnosis that seem to come from somewhere the rest of the medical community
had not, or would not look. He was always there with a kind word and lots of humor.
He will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
“You forgot some things mom!” Hello Goodee the Service Dog;
what did I forget?”
“Well I remember lots of important stuff Doc said.”
“You probably do Goodee, what would you like to add.?””
“Let’s see
It’s o.k. To make a mess. We can clean it up later.” and
“You would think people could read the sign and stay
the _____ __ away from the Service Dog.”
“Oh yes Goodee that’s very important. Let’s not fill in the
blanks for people; we will leave that to imagination.
I thought we would talk about what it’s like to go to the
hospital or a doctor’s office as a Service Dog Team”
My mom recently had heart AFIB. problems and the medical visits we have made with her have been eye-opening. It occurs to me
that the medical community is not always sure what their role should be beyond
letting the dog and handler through the door.
In the hospital we had several staff members assume we were
there as a therapy dog team and invite us into other patient rooms. We had to
entertain questions before going in to see my mom. —usually about twenty or so.
Why do you have the dog? How long have you had her? What
does the dog do for you?
We usually have rapid-fire responses ready but my focus had
to be my mom and her current medical situation. Team Goodee was not ready for “Show & Tell mode.”
Thankfully my mom was not in the hospital for long. That’s
over life is normal—or so we thought.
My mom had to go to her heart specialist. –She had not been
out of the house in several weeks. As we walked the hallway she moved slowly.
It seemed obvious to me she could use at least an offer of help.
I moved up beside her and offered an arm. Goodee the Service
Dog balanced me. I was able to balance my mom. I thought of a time a few short
years ago I would not have been able to balance even myself. Now I am able to
help my mom. This is great, I thought to myself
Suddenly as we opened a door the was a large noise “Swish”
as first one door open and another then another. “DOG” –We hear 20 people say
in unison. –
I glanced down the long hallway and realized these were not
just any ordinary people. My eyes beheld a “sea” of hot pink medical scrubs.
One person went back and told another that there was a DOG
in the office and then it seems the news spread to everyone.
Twenty people lined the hallway watching intently as Goodee
helped my mom and I down the hallway and into an exam room.
We don’t go anywhere wanting to be the center of attention.
“I wish someone would help my mom,” I thought.” “Today of all days can we just
focus on something besides the dog?” “What exactly were these medical types
doing before they dropped everything just to watch a dog go down a hallway?”
“Are they billing other patients for their time while they watch us?”
My mind was distracted while my body moved down the hallway.
We made our way inside the exam room. “Oh well that’s over,”
I thought.
My mom was having trouble with buttons. One set of pink medical scrubs came in
and smiled first at the dog then at me. She immediately began asking the top
twenty questions. ---How? Why? How Long? She NEVER even looked at my mom,
choosing instead to look at her chart.
I resisted the urge to say what was on my mind. Instead I
did short replies to each question. I thought she would eventually notice that
I was busy helping my mom with her clothing. “NO,” “JUST STAND THERE TALKING” “What is this person’s job?, I thought as we finally finished with my mom’s clothing, the pink medical
scrubs left without another word.
I know some Service Dog Teams print out FAQ’S; to date we
have not done so. Every team has to what is right for them. We offer our Blog
for people to ponder and share freely. We are encouraged by the number of
people who know about Service Dogs and what should be done around them.
The medical setting is a place where Service Dog Teams go to
get help for themselves (or someone else).
The focus should never be on “the dog.”--- The SERVICE DOG
is a tool not a toy!
Service Dogs are not for the amusement and entertainment of
others. The Service Dog is to serve as a medical device for someone in need.
As parting words for the medical community, Team Goodee would
like to say:
“If you can’t help, at least stay out of our way!”
Team Goodee would like to remind everyone that our friend
Teddy Green is raising funds for his own Service Dog to keep him safe from Tree
Nut Allergy. “Gizmo” is currently
in training and you can help with his tuition by making a donation directly to
Angel Service Dogs via the link below:
We welcome feedback by email.
When you see us out and about we often must
say,
“Not Now We Are Working!”
DD & GOODEE
GoodeeWorks Productions
DD & GOODEE the Service Do
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