About two months ago, our family bought a puppy. We immediately all fell in love with the dog. She is a very cute little labradoodle and is very curious. She also likes to bite and chew on things. We knew this going in – we’ve had puppies before. You have to watch them, or they could damage your things or injure themselves. But we were not prepared for the storm this puppy would unleash on us. She stole food, chewed our furniture, and destroyed anything that was left out in the open. Backpacks, hats, sunglasses, stuffed animals, sandals, socks, lunch boxes, entire loaves of bread, swim goggles, paper towels, new boxes of tissue paper, books, headphones, power cords, even the mouse I am using to write this blog with - the list goes on and on. She has her own toys to chew on and play with, but it seems our things are so much more fun to destroy. She is fast and typically silent, running into the backyard to escape the scene of the crime and decimate her stolen loot.
We took several obedience training classes, bought a shock collar, got a corrective collar and have made every effort to keep our eyes on her so she doesn’t destroy things, choke, or poison herself. It is a lot of work - keeping things from her, keeping track of what she takes or is in the process of destroying. And it has been expensive – replacing all these items and buying new treats for her. But she is part of our family and we won’t give up on her. We value her place in our group and the joy she contributes to each of us. Even if it is difficult.
This idea is important in rehabilitation medicine as well. As a physiatrist, we see patients when they are at just about their lowest points. They have had the spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, or some other awful disease or illness that has upended their lives and now they are in the rehabilitation hospital. So while the dust has settled from their acute injury or illness, they are now left to pick up the pieces. Where to go from here? Physiatrists, therapists, nurses, technicians, and the patients’ loved ones do not give up on them. We work with them. Give them time, space, encouragement, support, and whatever medical or adaptive treatments they need. There are plenty of challenges along the way and each setback can drain the patient of their energy or just completely demotivate them from their goals. But we see their value as individuals, as part of something bigger than themselves. Sometimes that is their family and possibly a very different role in that family. Other times it is a social club or political group or position in their company. All these roles will necessarily change, but the same person is pretty much still there and they still have value and the ability to contribute. It may be and most likely will be different, but it is there nonetheless. That is why physiatrists and our team at the rehabilitation hospital work as hard as they do. Progress can be slow, but the gains the individual makes adds to the person they are newly becoming, and further value they add to their family and community. That should be celebrated.
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