If you wish to find more information regarding my last article you can go to :
Paws for Comfort.com or Xolos for Chronic Pain Relief
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
THE CUDDLE CURE?
Recently, while I was in the Dentist's waiting room, I read an article that really moved me...It was about Nancy Gordon, a resident of San Diego, who in 1992 was in a car accident which left her with excruciating neck and back pain. Medications and physical therapy didn't help, and Nancy sank into a depression. Also, In 1995 she was diagnosed with fibromyalgia which caused her to finally, in 1998, close her psychotherapy office. She has been suffering from chronic pain ever since. The pain in her neck often flairs up. But instead of reaching for ibuprofen or a heating pad, she simply says, "Neck, please" to the little gray, brown and white dog snuggled at her side. Right away Toaster, the little dog, jumps on her shoulders and wraps her 14-pound body around Nancy's neck, offering instant relief.
Toaster is a Mexican hairless breed (introduced to her by a friend in 1999) known as Xolos. Considered sacred by the Aztecs, who believed that the dogs have healing powers, the breed has a 3,000-year history of soothing arthritic pain. Their body temperature is 102 F, the same as any other dog, but because they are hairless they can give off extraordinary body heat..When you combine it with their friendly nature, you've got a living, breathing heating pad...Wow!
Nancy says her Xolo saved her life. Xolos are rare and expensive and until recently the American Kennel Club considered them nearly extinct. Inspired by her dog, Nancy slowly got into the business of helping others like her, and in 2003, she set up Paws for Comfort, a company selling greeting cards with inspiring messages for pain sufferers. Later, in 2008 she founded Xolos for Chronic Pain Relief, a non-profit that matches these unique dogs with pain sufferers who cannot afford to buy one. To date she has placed several Xolos in loving homes and hopes to match a Xolo with everyone who needs one.
And just imagine that when Nancy was younger she was a confirmed "Cat person"..She says she never understood the bond people claimed to have with their dogs..Well, I know the feeling because I used to be a confirmed "Dog person" until Fluffy, the cat, came into my life. As we know from many studies, taking care of a dog or a cat has many therapeutic benefits; lowering blood pressure, lowering stress and helping ward off depression, to name a few.
I found the story very inspirational and I wish Nancy all the succes with her organization.
Toaster is a Mexican hairless breed (introduced to her by a friend in 1999) known as Xolos. Considered sacred by the Aztecs, who believed that the dogs have healing powers, the breed has a 3,000-year history of soothing arthritic pain. Their body temperature is 102 F, the same as any other dog, but because they are hairless they can give off extraordinary body heat..When you combine it with their friendly nature, you've got a living, breathing heating pad...Wow!
Nancy says her Xolo saved her life. Xolos are rare and expensive and until recently the American Kennel Club considered them nearly extinct. Inspired by her dog, Nancy slowly got into the business of helping others like her, and in 2003, she set up Paws for Comfort, a company selling greeting cards with inspiring messages for pain sufferers. Later, in 2008 she founded Xolos for Chronic Pain Relief, a non-profit that matches these unique dogs with pain sufferers who cannot afford to buy one. To date she has placed several Xolos in loving homes and hopes to match a Xolo with everyone who needs one.
And just imagine that when Nancy was younger she was a confirmed "Cat person"..She says she never understood the bond people claimed to have with their dogs..Well, I know the feeling because I used to be a confirmed "Dog person" until Fluffy, the cat, came into my life. As we know from many studies, taking care of a dog or a cat has many therapeutic benefits; lowering blood pressure, lowering stress and helping ward off depression, to name a few.
I found the story very inspirational and I wish Nancy all the succes with her organization.
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