The Unconditional Love & Comfort of Pets
When we are dealing with a chronic condition, such as fibromyalgia, it does help us to have the unconditional love and comfort of a pet. Pets seem to sense when we are not feeling well, and they will cuddle up with us as we curl into a ball of pain or fatigue.
I have three cats and two dogs, and when I'm exhausted or in a great deal of pain, it is the youngest cat who cuddles up next to me. It is as though he really knows that I need his warmth and comfort.
My dogs will curl up on the bed with me, and just petting them can help me to feel more relaxed and thus reduce my pain and stress levels. Taking them for a walk is a bit more difficult now as they are both large dogs. But I will drive them to a field and just let them run as I walk in solitude. They will try to chase birds, and it brings a smile to my face to watch them. I will throw a soft ball for them to chase, and when I get too tired to throw it, one of them will just run with it in her mouth as the other one chases her.
They have tripped me with their running, and after one bad knee injury from having two large dogs plow into me, I'm very careful to keep an eye out for them. I also feel very safe when I'm with them. One of them is very protective of me, and I have no fear as I walk alone. Occasional a neighbor or one of my children will help me walk the dogs, and the time when I injured my knee, my youngest son was with me to help me get back home.
I used to walk each dog separately because I couldn't handle both of them on leashes, and this helped me to get even more exercise. However, it is too difficult to do that now, and I've found a back route to a field where I can let them run ahead of me without the fear of them being hit by a car. They have helped me to maintain an exercise routine, yet on the days when I'm too tired or in too much pain, someone else has to take them out.
There are many advantages to having a pet, and, although having two large dogs and three cats is a bit much some days, I do have help from my children. The important part of having any pet is the unconditional love that they bestow upon us. They don't try to change us, nor are they critical or judgmental. Just petting an animal can not only make them feel better, but it can also make us feel loved. They accept us just as we are, and watching them play can bring us much needed laughter.
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