Friday, July 8, 2011

The Importance of Unconditional Love

One of the best memories I have of Peter’s early years is the sight of our dog’s eager face greeting us at the door every time we came home from a surgery or extended stay at the hospital. It is always a relief to get home and finally be able to relax, but to have such an excited friend waiting for your return makes it that much more endearing. I think our oldest dog, Divot, is in every homecoming picture we’ve taken over the years. Divot is one-year older than Peter, so he has been there with us from the beginning. Having a dog in the house when Peter was a baby helped me as well. We were nearly homebound for Peter’s first couple of years due to the fragility of his health. With Darin travelling for work, Divot was my constant and sometimes only companion.

Peter always says that Divot was his very first friend, and I would have to agree. When at home, those two were inseparable! Our dogs, we have two now, have always been part of our family traditions, celebrations, and milestones. They have witnessed our boys’ first steps, first days of school, birthday parties, and family holidays. They have also shared in our grief during family tragedies and our stress and worry over surgeries and hospital stays. Our dogs have given us endless entertainment and comfort over the years. They are always faithful and eager to please.

Peter is especially fond of dogs. One of the first signs he learned as a toddler was for “doggie”, and he used to do the sign for it when he was in the hospital. We have at least two white stuffed dogs that were gifts because people heard he was missing Divot. Peter studies books upon books about dogs, and he has a collection of nearly every breed of Webkinz! There is even one named “Children’s” that he received when the tooth fairy visited the hospital after a surgery.

I want my boys to always enjoy the friendship of a pet as they grow up and face the many challenges of adolescence. Having a pet is giving your child a friend who loves them unconditionally, a friend who silently listens to all of their troubles, a friend who cuddles next to them when they are sick, and a friend that does not care in the least what they look like.


2 comments:

  1. I've been begging my husband for a dog for our family. Our daughter has Goldenhar Syndrome and is about to start Kindergarten. After 20 surgeries and still trached - I think having a dog to come home to after school could make all the difference in the world for her. I just read him this post. Thanks for the help!!! Adorable pictures, by the way!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Christy,

    Glad to hear from you!!! I know a dog/pet is not a fit for everyone, but they sure add a lot of love and entertainment to our family. I would stick with a non-shedding breed since your daughter still has the trach. I don't know if it matters, but it always made me feel a little better for Peter that our dogs didn't shed. Good luck and keep us posted!

    ReplyDelete

We welcome and encourage all readers to post feedback, however, we reserve the right to remove any comments that are deemed offensive or unrelated to the topic of discussion. Thank you for understanding and for helping us to foster a healthy environment for the families that we serve.