October 6th 2012
The day began normal. We were doing train platforms in the morning. I went
first. This was an isle platform, which means there is train tracks on both
side of the platform. We had to go up 3 flights of stairs, and then back down 3
flights of stairs. It was tiring, because they were uneven and steep. But this
gave Missy a good chance to work on our balance with stairs. By the end we had
it all worked out. Once on the platform, the dog is trained to go right. It was
drilled into our head that we always, always, always put the dog between us and
the edge of the platform. For me when I am riding the train especially at
Temple. I would walk along the left outbound track, walk however far down is
needed and then cross over to my right. The dogs when told forward on the edge
will not go forward. It’s called self-preservation LOL I tried out this, not
because I wanted to see if she would actually go, but to see that she would not
actually go. It was a pretty short lesson; afterwards I hung out in Duncan
Donuts. There was another student here that I talked to for a while. But then I
started to feel bad. So I headed back to the bus. In route to the bus, I knew
something was wrong. I was coughing and wheezing. I had to go to the bathroom
on the bus, but Missy would not go on to the tie down. So I did my thing, and
then came out. I sat down and had a full blown out asthma attack. It was very embarrassing.
Luckily I had my inhalers with me. But I think after all I over dosed on them.
I was after a while able to get it until control, but I really was scared. We
left shortly after I got back to the bus; I don’t remember much of what was
done, said, or who was there. By the time we got back to the campus I was extremely
incredibly exhausted. When we got back, one of the instructors broke my pup.
And he said that she did not want to go with him. I did not go to lunch, but
took a tow hour nap.
With all that was going on with me, one of the other students had a death
in her family. While out for our morning lesson, she got a call that her
daughter was in ICU in Houston Texas. The daughter had been down there for a
conference. And got sick. I originally had heard about this when on the bus in
the morning, but I was already not feeling well. So when we first heard about
her daughter, she was crucial but able to breathe on her own and her vital
signs were normal. After my nap, they were going to fly from here, Long Island,
out to Texas to be with her. Then around 3:30pm, my class mate found out that
her daughter had passed away. This student and I had grown very close and were
friends. When she found out, she was very upset and called for me. I stayed
with her for a good while until her family made it to the school. There were
several of us students that were by her side. She was extremely upset, which of
course was understandable. Her daughter was almost 24 years old. And the
daughter had been here the weekend before. It was sad. I am glad that she came
to me for this. She is a believer, the student. She was questioning why would
this happen, why would God take away her daughter, why now. I just kept telling
her that we don’t know, that she is in a better place, and God is taking care
of her daughter now. Her daughter is no longer in pain or suffering. In that
moment I let her cry, yell, hold my hand, hug her, and just sat with her. She
and her family left soon afterwards. I can’t even imagine what the family is
going through right now. So I ask if you are a believer, or if you’re not.
Please send this family your thoughts, your prayers, and positive thoughts. I
won’t say the students name here, as I was to keep her privacy, but know she is
a class mate of mine here during class. Also because I am a believer in God, I
am going to write out a prayer, so if you’re not a believer, and do not want to
read that part of my blog, please do skip over it. I would not normally write
something like this for all to read, but this is one of those situations, I
feel it’s needed. It was an extremely emotionally time for me too. So this is
my debriefing. I didn’t cry when I was with my friend, but I did afterwards.
Maybe that will make a bad social worker, but it made me think about my loved
ones. It’s something you should be saying to your loved ones every day, all of
the time, and not just in words, but in actions. I love you! Tell them, show
them, make them know; understand, because one day, they will be gone. So here
is my prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day. Thank you for keeping me well and bring me through
such an emotional day. Thank you for all of my loved ones, near and far. Please
watch over them, keep them safe, and let them know that they are loved by you
and me.
Please watch over my friend, over her family in this hard time. You took my
friends daughter home today. Love her in only the way you know how. Help the
family heal from the hurt and pain of her passing. Help them understand why the
daughter had to go home to you. Help the hurt and the anger of the events to be
lessoned each and every single day. Hold my friend and her family in your hand.
Again thank you for this day, all of the wonderful and bad things in it.
In your name, Amen!
For dinner we had hot dogs and chips. One of the students ordered pizzas.
So I had a few pieces. Missy is currently sleeping. After my nap, I went out to
the free run area, to let Missy let off some energy. We took a Kong out there.
Missy just ran, and ran, and ran, and ran, and ran, and ran. I threw the Kong
for her several times and she would go after it. Most of the time she would
bring it back. We also worked on some recall exercises. Missy was tired
afterwards, but it did her a world of good. Every time she would bring me back
the Kong, she would give me licks, so by the end of the play time I was covered
in dog yuck. LOL
Also while I was with my friend, one of the instructors broke Missy again.
And yet again she would not eat, drink or break for the instructors. It’s funny
because they told me I guess she is bonded with me. I love my Missy girl.
I had hoped that I would get some school work done today, but as you can
see that did not happen. I had this 60 some odd page chapter I should be
reading, and yes its boring as I’ll get out, I should read it.
That was my day, I hope tomorrow will be less eventful. I do feel sorry for
the instructors though, I thought it was hard on us; it was also hard on them
too. We are down to 7 students. It will definitely feel strange without my
friend here. She sat at my table in the dining room. That is also why I got to
know her so well, is because we talked every day three times a day. The class
as a whole is very somber.
Until tomorrow…..
No comments:
Post a Comment