This old man’s condition has significantly improved after they were able to reconnect him with his cherished dog.
James Wathen, age 73, of Corbin, Kentucky, is a patient at Baptist Health Corbin who is in the latter stages of his illness. It was difficult to improve Wathen’s health due to his frail body and weak intellect because of how delicate he was. When Wathen noted that he was homesick for his one-eyed Chihuahua called Bubba, the nurses went out of their way to make sure that he was reunited with his canine buddy as soon as possible.
Before James Wathen, age 73, was visited by his cherished dog Bubba, he was in a situation that was likely to result in his loss from his illness.
“When Bubba was given to James, he started to grieve, and then Bubba began to hug James, and it makes you realize that animals are not just pets, but loved ones,” Deanna Myers, the Director of the Knox Whitley Animal Shelter, posted on Facebook.
After Wathen was brought to the hospital, the nurses searched for Bubba and found him in the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter, where they learned that the dog had been adopted by a foster family. Since Bubba was left by his owner, he has shown similar signs of mental distress as those described before.
Because of the nurses, Wathen and Bubba were able to see each other again on October 11th, a Saturday.
Deanna Myers, the director of the Knox Whitley Animal Shelter, said in a Facebook post that “When Bubba was delivered to James, he started to mourn, and then Bubba began to embrace James, and it helps you realize that animals are not just pets, but loved ones.”
Wathen found that petting and playing with his dog helped him feel better, so he did both.
The nurses noted that the patient seemed to have made a dramatic change the next day, as he was now eating and sitting up, although he had not done either of those things before.
Because of the beneficial effects that Bubba has on Hathen, Baptist Health Corbin is making every effort to guarantee that Hathen is able to continue spending time with his cherished pet on a daily basis.