It's tough being in the hospital, especially during the holidays. One facility dog is working to make patients feel a bit more at home.
ATLANTA — A special staff member at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is spreading joy to this holiday season.
It's clear to see the glee Aston brings as you follow him through the halls at the hospital; he's a facility dog working in the pediatric intensive care unit.
“He's working with patients, he's working with families, parents, siblings,” said Dr. Jana Stockwell with Children's. “He's also working with the staff.”
Stockwell said Aston helps staff deal with stress and provides some comfort. She said she thinks he helps reduce burnout rates.
“We're not all going to walk around the ICU and be hugging each other. But, boy, they will sit on the floor and kneel down and and hug this guy,” Stockwell said with a smile.
Along with snagging some hugs with staff, Aston makes his rounds to different patients and their families.
“It may bring a smile to the child, but it may also give the opportunity for them to hug and be able to share some emotion with the dog that they're not going to share with the nurse or maybe even with their parent,” said Stockwell of Aston's visits. “And for the parents to be able to hug and hold on to him because they don't may not have anybody else there that they can reach out to.”
Leslie is one of those patients Aston helps.
“It’s like I could have a best friend in my bed,” the 15-year-old said. “Like nobody can be in my bed, but I can have stuffed animals. With Aston, I get to have like a real stuffed animal in my bed.”
Leslie has Lemierre's syndrome and has been in the hospital since Nov. 11.
“I really miss my family,” Leslie said. “I wanted to do Thanksgiving with them, and I couldn’t. And we were supposed to go to Disney World for Christmas but we can’t do that anymore.”
Stockwell said Aston helps bring a bit of home to the hospital.
“They're missing out on the routines of home, the kids going to school or sports or activities. And then you add in the holidays where there are other special family traditions that may be happening,” she mentioned.
She said she knows firsthand what it's like to be in the hospital.
“I have a child who had cancer and is now well and had a bone marrow transplant,” Stockwell said. “So I know what it's like to sit on that side of the bed and just be worried every day and be lonely and empty inside. And to be able to maybe shed some of that emptiness with the dog may be one bright spot in a day that's otherwise pretty difficult to deal with.”
Leslie said when she first pet Aston, it brought calmness.
“When Aston laid with me, I was able to think about my beagle who passed away last year,” said Leslie. “It really helped me, and I got to close my eyes and finally sleep.”
“It’s just nice to have that companionship and love from an animal coming in,” Leslie's mom, Suzie, added. “And it’s nice to see her be able to just relax a little bit with him next to her.”
Leslie said her Christmas wish this year is to be home for the holidays.
“With my family, all of us, so they don’t have to worry about me leaving them ever again,” she said.
Leslie isn't sure when she'll be released from the hospital but added that with Aston's visit, it feels a bit more like home.
“That's great,” said Stockwell. “Then we've done our job. He's done his job.”
