

I had a childhood experience that helped me better understand what our pets go through when we restrain and handle them with force. When I was 10 years old I contracted the flu and became so ill that I had to be hospitalized. I was in the intensive care unit and on a ventilator for 3 weeks. During that time the nurses and doctors would come in, and while some were nice, others seemed rushed and quickly finished their tasks. My blood was taken daily, the IV was moved every few days, and other procedures were done regularly--all this frightened me as a child. Because I was on a ventilator, I couldn't speak. I didn't always understand what they were doing and why they were doing it and I couldn't ask them to stop when I couldn't handle it anymore. I couldn't tell them it hurt. I couldn't ask them to go slower so I could mentally deal with the procedures. I developed anxiety about everything, and with my voice taken away all that was left was aggression when I couldn't take anymore. Of course I was too ill to use aggression as a tool to make the nurses and doctors stop prodding, but it was certainly the only thing left I could have used to communicate my fear. Though the hospital staff did what they had to do to get me well again and I was ever so blessed to have survived, this ordeal has left a lasting impression on me. Through it, I have a greater understanding of what animals experience and has been helpful in understanding and relating to pets so that I could later help reduce stress in the lives of animals. I am grateful to have endured such an experience for this reason.
