A Pain Pal of the Dog Variety

Prior to endometriosis, I was a very active individual. I participated in the drill team at school, trained horses in the evening, and barrel raced on the weekends.

I was always on the move and had the best connections with animals. As my endometriosis became worse, I slowly became unable to participate in the activities that made me unique.

This left a bitter taste in my mouth and caused me to be very lonely. To deal with the loneliness and the physical and mental distress brought on by the chronic pain, I decided to rescue a dog.

My pain pal dog story

One day I received a message from a man I used to work for at my previous job. He was getting a divorce and neither party wanted to keep their four-year-old Boxer.

I went to his house, while he was not home, through the code on the garage door. I saw this massive 130-pound boxer through the glass sliding door.

I opened the door and told him lets go. That dog went straight to my car and never looked back.

A deep connection from the beginning

Despite being massive, Cassius was a sweetheart. We instantly connected on a very deep level.

He seemed to know when I was in pain. If I was pushing myself too hard around the house, Cassius would gently herd me towards the living room to curl up on the couch together.

He was my first weighted blanket as well. Cassius had a habit of slowly crawling completely on top of me.

Adding another dog to the mix

When my boyfriend moved in, he brought his own dog with him. Sumo was a young pit bull terrier and shar-pei mix.  

While Sumo taught Cassius how to play and act like a puppy, Cassius taught Sumo what it meant to be a pain pal.

Before long, I had both dogs cuddling me when I was in pain.

Health benefits to having a dog

These dogs were also able to help increase my activity levels. They were able to motivate to play with them and their toys or to go for small walks.

This was great because it helped to get me out of the house some. Plus, how can your mood not be brightened up when you see your pets doing something silly.

Petting dogs can reduce stress and create a calming sensation.

A loss and a continuation

So many years later, I still hold onto Sumo with so much love and thankfulness that it is hard to explain. I had to put Cassius down in 2018 because of some major health problems.

If it was not for Sumo, I do not know how I would have gotten through the loss of my original pan pal.

Sumo automatically picked up the torch that Cassius had to pass on. We cuddle when I am in pain.

Other times we go on adventurous car rides and walks. This pain pal of mine is one of the best antidepressants that I will ever get my hands on.

Do you have a pain pal or two? If so, in what ways do they help you cope with everything you are going through with your endometriosis?