Thursday, October 1, 2009

The Second International Symposium on Veterinary Hospice continues to challenge me to change my life and myself; to accept death as joyously as birth, to die well to live well


I am at the Second International Veterinary Hospice Symposium at UC Davis's College of Veterinary Medicine.  Just like last year, this Symposium is again causing me to change my life.  I am completely taken over by the idea that our pets are sentient, feeling, soulful creatures that we are responsible for.  When an animal looks into my eyes, I DO know what they want, what they are asking of me.  I never really admitted that when I was a practicing Veterinarian.  Now that look, those eyes are the reason I must write and help Veterinarians and concerned pet "owners" to accept the death of their pets and participate in the process through Animal Hospice.  Finally, here at the Symposium, are some good journalists, this will be on the radar now.  I am no journalist, and am struggling to write and express myself.  I am driven, however, to try to get Vets and other caregivers, and pet owners to know about Veterinary Hospice.  Something about this subject, this idea is all encompassing and life changing.  Sharen Myers LCSW gave an amazing talk, and meeting her, I saw my new passion mirrored in her eyes.  She has worked in human hospice for many years and is starting Synergy a Pet Hospice in Oregon.  She quoted Cicely Saunders a Hospice pioneer who said "I did not find Hospice, Hospice found me".  She also said about Hospice that "It took me 19 years to build a house around a window."  Hospice has caused me to rethink first, my own life, my ideas about life itself, and then infused me with a burning desire to tell other people what the animals want.
   I thought, because of my health issues, I had to be at home.  Dr. Kathryn Maracchino told me last year to "work to your abilities, not your disabilities".  I came to the first Hospice Symposium.  Since then I have driven 5000 miles each summer with my daughter to help people in New Orleans, and to just have an adventure with her.  I think that has changed both our lives.  This lisence to GO that I got from Kathryn in one instant absolutely changed my life.  That First Symposium then changed my views of life itself.  This Second Symposium contimues to alter my basic values and views for the better.
 I have learned in our culture , especially in the USA, we AFRAID of death.  Sharen Myers quoted Margaret Mead who said "When someone is born, we rejoice.  When someone marries, we celebrate.  When someone dies, we pretend nothing happened."  Death IS the equal and opposite process of birth.  If we want to live well, we need to die well and vice versa.  We may try to ignore this for ourselves, but we are faced with death full force with our pets.  We love them so much and they love us so purely.  We are responsible for them, feed them and take care of them, but in reality  they take care of us.  I know there is an amazing spiritual, pure love connection with our animals.  I know I am being loved when I look into a kitty like Zoomi's eyes.  There is a message there, and now I am not afraid to admit that, and thrive in that knowledge.  The Hospice Symposium has validated the path and the truth that I feel in my gut.  I have found the courage to change my life from that knowledge.  Something about dealing with the moment of death teaches us how to well live our lives.  There is the very kernal of sacredness here, and the lesson is to experience it.  The speakers here have taught me that THE most important thing is to BE PRESENT and open to the experience.  This was presented about the dying process, but it has taught me about the living process.  This is what I learn when I look into those eyes: love is here, in the moment, and I must learn to live with this love first and foremost in my every moment.

6 comments:

  1. Beautiful post. It takes courage to fully experience death, whether it's that of a human or an animal, but when we allow ourselves to be present and open to the experience, miracles can happen. Love truly is in the moment, and animals are masters at teaching us just that.

    Ingrid King
    Author, Buckley's Story - Lessons from a Feline Master Teacher
    www.ingridking.com

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  2. This post is astounding, poignant and simply beautiful. The dying process IS about living, as you said. I have learned that first hand through my therapy dog work with my little disabled dachshund. I was afraid to do hospice work with her, afraid to be around the dying. A friend invited me to give it a try... hospice is my heart. I too learned that yes, people in hospice are transitioning, but they are STILL living. Being a part of their final journey with my little dog, bringing them some joy, is truly rewarding.... beyond words... it has to be experienced to truly understand the depth of it.
    I absolutely believe animals do not fear death... and they teach us so much about life. They teach us to enjoy every simple moment... relish in simple abundance.
    Don't you just feel like one of the luckiest people in the world that you understand all this through the symposium and that your heart is open to see and understand it? I know for me, my work with Frankie has profoundly changed my life... all for the better and in a way I never saw it before. We need more vets like you to open to all this beautiful concepts.
    I'm sooooo happy for you!!

    ~Barbara Techel
    Author of & Proud Mom of Frankie, the Walk 'N Roll Dog
    http://www.joyfulpaws.com
    http://www.frankiethewalknrolldog.blogspot.com

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  3. So beautifully said, Ingrid... it takes courage... and the allowing and seeing the gifts in it... wow, so true.

    Barbara Techel

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  4. A beautifully written post. You must know about an organization in California dedicated to the care of elderly, disabled and chronically ill animals -- the love and respect of animals. I know the woman there, she helped me through the death of my beloved cat and I will never forget that. They also publish an affordable book (about $6 I believe) that educates people on what to expect when an animal approaches death, for example, I did not know that some cats will find solace on cold surfaces (mine wanted to go out on my balcony in early March). Very helpful indeed, beautiful people.

    http://www.brighthaven.org/


    Thank you for doing what you do on this blog site.

    Jesse

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  5. Thank you Jesse! Yes, I know the amazing woman who is the force behind BrightHaven, my dear friend Gail Pope. We serve together on the Board of Directors of the International Association of Animal Hospice and Palliative Care. It is my privilege to work closely with her and learn something from her almost every day. I appreciate you taking the time to comment and will forward them to Gail so you can make both our days! Sincerely , Jaime

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  6. Jaime, how lovely to meet a friend of Gail's. Gail and her animal family are very close to my heart, I cry whenever I watch that video on her web site. She was so good to me. If I can ever get out of here (Canada) one place at the top of my list to live would be California, in part so that I can get to Bright Haven to help them out. Animals are sacred to me, spiritually evolved beings. You might also know Nancy Windheart in Arizona, an animal communicator, she also helped me through the death of my beloved.

    In any case, you *must* keep me posted on your work. Please let me know if you have any events I can "tweet" about and / or anything else that helps animals, it would be my pleasure and honor to circulate it on Twitter.

    Jesse

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