Therapy Dogs and the Navy Blue Angels visit MRMC
What an incredible morning at the Methodist Richardson Medical Center (MRMC)! Thirty minutes before the Navy Blue Angels were to fly over the MRMC, we received word that the HOTTD teams that serve at the hospital were invited to come cheer on the nurses, doctors, and volunteers that they know and love so much. The dogs were quickly cleaned, groomed, and loaded up for the first “therapy” visit in quite some time. The dogs “went nuts” when their therapy collars were brought out of the storage drawers! It’s times like this that make you realize just how very much your dog enjoys their therapy visits!
When we arrived, we put on our masks and positioned ourselves 6 feet apart and held out the hand sanitizer for anyone wanting to pet the dogs. The dogs were so excited to see everyone again and recognized “favorites” who came over to pet them. Oh how wonderful to see favorite healthcare workers, staff and volunteers again! The dogs even got the pleasure of meeting the mayor of Richardson, Paul Voelker. He asked a little bit about the training, certification, and “job” of what the dogs do at the hospital. PR folks!
Then, the really exciting moment came! The Navy Blue Angels soared overhead with smoke trailing! The crowd cheered for the incredible, spectacular display of the jets flying overhead! What a sense of pride, patriotism, and HOPE was felt in that moment! But then, the cheering turned and focused on the incredible healthcare workers who have selflessly given and fought to keep the community safe, through their care. The focus on the healthcare workers, now, has been wonderful, but we need to remember that these individuals have chosen a livelihood that puts the needs of others before their own. They are taking care of our community each and EVERY DAY of the year. So, for all the “Front Line” workers out there working to keep us safe, THANK YOU! Thank you today, yesterday, and tomorrow! And for those of you who serve at MRMC, the dogs are ready to return whenever you think it’s safe for them to return. Then, they will be there, again, for YOU!