Puppy Love

Our own Lynn Mareno talks about surviving Covid and the joy of canine companionship in aiding her recovery.

March 2020 could not have gotten any worse. I was on a flight from Bristol to Holland, sitting beside someone who coughed most of the journey. I did not take much notice simply because, who knew then what we all know now.

3 days after, what I now know was the incubation period, I flew home to Bristol not knowing the cough I had started to develop was the beginning of a life changing episode of fear and uncertainty which is affecting many across the globe today. For sure, I didn’t feel great but the coughing, shivering, flu like symptoms, I put down to too much cheese, wine and decadent food while away for the 4 days I had been gone. On the 7th day, feeling so ill and breathless, I decided to call the doctor who prescribed antibiotics for a chest infection and steroids for my asthmatic symptoms that had increased, I had no idea that the next few weeks would be so traumatic for me.

During this time, I was alone. My partner, was working as normal. He was on nights so I spent a lot of time sleeping when he was asleep in the day , and then awake when he was at work. I will always remember the night when I felt so ill and, by this time walking from one room to the next was an effort, I really thought I was going to die. This was it. I could no longer hold long conversations on the phone to my friends and family, but, I was not an emergency which the wonderful clinician who diagnosed me over the phone told me. I could hold a sentence together. Whoopee ! When I look back, I was so glad I did not go into hospital . Our wonderful NHS were amazing. They kept me informed of the risks and at one point after I felt ‘better’, only to go down again, they re assured me that they were there for me but the numbers were rising and all I could do, was to self-isolate. During these times, a friend who had lost her mum to Covid-19 sent me a picture of an adorable puppy. She knew I had wanted one for a while but the tenancy agreement, would not allow pets so I tried to dismiss the thought of adopting him. Something kept drawing me to look at this pup though. He needed a home. I needed some form of comfort and every time I looked at his picture I felt a little hope that the world was still a beautiful place and we cannot give up. I eventually gave in after much deliberation simply because, I realised life is too short to live in regret. We picked Teddy up in May and have not looked back.

Through lockdown, as a therapist and counsellor, I see a lot of people online from home with are range of different issues: grief, isolation, Covid-19 problems, trauma on all levels . What I don’t see is the need for comfort when we hang up. When people are isolated with the uncertainty of life like never before, I’m grateful for Teddy. I have to take him for walks, feed him, look after him. He has helped my recovery so much by the unconditional love I receive from him as well as his playfulness, his naughtiness, which make’s me laugh, but above all, his companionship. The more I connected to the pup the better I began to feel. It is true when they say that animals and babies are a great healing gift. Teddy gives me a reason to get up in the morning, to deal with life, I have post Covid fatigue which most people say is the hardest thing to deal with. Walking him daily helps my physical, mental and emotional health . Something no doctor or medication could provide. He has certainly changed our world.