Mothering
* (verb) present participle of mother
* bring up with care and affection
* A man's life and schedule revolved around giving his ill cat subcutaneous fluids daily and various medications throughout the day. His reward is a stable happy companion, confounding the specialists almost a year after they released her to us for euthanasia.
* A work-at-home mom feeds her cat 1 teaspoon of food every 20-30 minutes during the day among all her other duties. Saving money for the consultation with the internist, this was the one way she found to keep her otherwise healthy cat from vomiting.
* A college student juggled her 2 cats between rooms in a small apartment hoping they will learn to get along.
* A woman spends her time nursing sick kittens and dogs back to health for adoption. She takes in those that are deemed un-adoptable by the larger well-known adoption organizations. People like her are the unsung heroes to homeless pets; more so than the glossy fund-raising behemoths (IMHO).
* An elderly man with a dog that will not let him medicate at home. He brings his beloved cranky companion in every week for us to do the treatment. The round trip cab fares cost more than the treatments themselves.
* A couple re-arranged their work schedule and family life to make sure their new puppy get the full life they want for her --- from brushing her teeth and potty training, to training time and trips to competitions.
* A football player wrapped his huge hands around a kitten as he sweet talked her to take the bottle of formula. All the while wondering how he would fit the frequent feedings in with his football practice schedule.
I can think of so many more examples of dedication and self-sacrifice from our clients in their pursuit of health and well-being for those in their care.
As most families in the U.S. celebrate Mother's Day today, I find myself thinking of the verb mother more than the noun.
A woman can be a mother to a child, but the art of mothering extends beyond gender, age and reproductive ability.
Whether it is due to financial restraints or other circumstances, some clients choose hospice care or care plans that require intensive time and work on their part. No disrespect to those who can afford the high costs of week-long hospitalization and intensive care, but there is something heart-touching about someone giving his/her all in time and labor, providing hands-on care for his/her loved ones.
I am humbled by the commitment we are privileged to witness almost everyday at our clinic.
To all our clients and non-clients who may see shades of themselves in the above examples (as they are composites of our clients):
Happy Mothering Day!
