The Gift of a Diagnosis & The Path of Least Regrets
Expert advice post via Dr. Elizabeth Benson, Paws into Grace
What’s in a Gift?
Gifts are supposed to be shiny, sparkly packages that make us smile and get us excited. They produce feelings of euphoria and gratitude. And it doesn’t matter what age we are, a gift changes how we feel. It makes us happy. So how can we compare a health diagnosis with a gift? How can the two even be related?
The Diagnosis and Emotions
If you’ve ever received a diagnosis for your pet, you’ll know it hardly felt like a gift at the time, but just like a present it’s got a message. What we decide to do with it is up to us.
As we all experience life through our individual lens of perception, situations mostly get interpreted through our past, and if in the past we have said goodbye to a beloved animal, we generally start to feel the pang of loss, fear and the unknown right from the start. We backtrack rather than moving forward and choices made from that place rarely empower. What they can do is leave us with regrets, yet the path of least regrets can be traveled and traveled well when support is available for the caregiver and their family.
So back to the gift; here’s a diagnosis, here’s a compassionate vet, here’s hospice care, here’s pain management, here’s grief support, here’s advanced medical treatments, here’s supportive therapies like acupuncture, supplementation, reiki, and so much more. Times have changed. Outcomes are not pre-determined. There is a field of possibilities when choices pave the way for end of life care.
Next Steps
If you or somebody you know has received a terminal diagnosis for their beloved animal companion, know there are so many ways to support both pet and person in the end of life process and nothing beats quality care in the comfort of the home by qualified and caring people. Supported pet parents overall have a quality end of life experience for their pets. It’s what happens when you don’t feel alone. It’s what happens when you reach out.
Planning The Last Day – It’s a good thing
Planning keeps us busy, aids the healing process and helps diminishes fear, so to plan your pet’s final moments is a good thing. And on the last day, we will be by your side and you might not even know it, for we will move gently around your family, bringing you closer into the final moment, when the flame of life will flicker into a memory and the memory will be good.
For more information contact Dr. Elizabeth Benson:
Pet Hospice and In-Home Pet Euthanasia
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