What a Pet Means to Someone With Chronic Illness

- May 13, 2019

There’s a few things that most people with chronic illness learn after some time being ill – you will lose friends, maybe all of them; you will spend a lot of time stuck in the house; and you will get extremely lonely there. Staring at the same four walls of your bedroom or living room, no matter how many TV shows you have to binge-watch, will quickly become incredibly boring.

A lot of my old hobbies have become unmanageable due to my health, and so I have tried everything – painting, bead-art, movies, TV, books (when I have the energy), blogging, games, embroidery, crafts, and so many other things. But even an introvert like me needs human company.

I don’t have much family that I see – my mum, cousin, and boyfriend that I live with and the my dad and sisters who I see as much as possible. And I’ve lost most of my friends as a lot of teenagers – and people in general – don’t understand and, therefore, don’t have the patience for chronic illness. They would invite me out and after so many times declining they would just stop. The few friends that I do still have are busy living their lives and don’t have much time to accommodate my illnesses. I do understand that, I guess. But it doesn’t make it any easier. However, there is something that I have found that makes every day more bearable – a dog.

I currently have two dogs, but one of them we got when my health started getting a lot worse (the other is still a puppy) and so a lot of this will be based on her. Her name is Harper and, ironically enough, she also has disabilities. She has genetic brain damage which causes seizures and prevents her back legs from working properly. We have made sure that she has all the best doctors and that she has a happy life despite this.

Harper has been there since I first became house bound a few years ago. She has been here every day. Some days she has been the only reason I have gotten out of bed – she gave me purpose when I had lost all else. She has comforted me when I have been upset and got excited with me when I have a good day. She knows me probably better than anyone else; she always knows how sick I am feeling without me telling her and has learned what I need in each situation whether it is comfort or space. When I cry she comes over and hugs me and, I know it sounds stupid, but I swear she knows what I am thinking and feeling in every moment.

Harper has became a comfort, a companion, a confidant, a best friend, and so much more. She is like a part of me and the thought of living without her now is unbearable. When we first got her we were told she probably wouldn’t make it to a year old because of her health, and now she is almost four. Every moment with her is so special and it has honestly kept me going at times when I have felt like I had nothing else. And I know that the new addition to the family, our puppy Scout, will grow to be the same. Sometimes, when you are housebound with chronic illness, your pets are all you’ve got. And that’s enough for me.