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Certified Auditory-Verbal Therapists®
James G. Watson, MSc, CED
Lea Donovan Watson, MS, CCC
544 Washington St.
Gloucester, MA 01930
978-282-0025
avcc@avcclisten.com
www.avcclisten.com
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Auditory - Verbal
Communication Chronicle
A publication of The Auditory-Verbal Communication Center Gloucester, MA
Volume #2, Issue No. 2 for May-June, 2004
This issue is devoted to our dog,
Mocha.
Mocha was a favorite for children coming to the AVCC office
here on Washington Street. Mocha somehow made her way into every Experience Book
at AVCC. Many babies’ first words were not “mama” or “dada”, but “Mocha”! They
wanted to see her and had to ask for her! Later, the two word utterances
emerged; “Where’s Mocha?” “Mocha outside”, and on to “I want Mocha” and “I
wonder what Mocha is doing”, etc. Mocha was a vital part of language development
here. I have fond memories of helping little kids use a loud enough voice to
call “Mocha” up the stairwell or out the backyard window. Many children eased
their “fear of dogs” getting used to Mocha here in the AVCC office.
Mocha had been getting more frail over the past year. She
would be reaching fourteen years this July. We knew one of these days she was
going to have to die. We were happy she was here for our son, Xan's, recovery
from wrist surgery last month. Mocha had someone to just lie around with all
day! We were happy that our daughter, Keara, was home all last year to realize
Mocha was a geriatric dog and just could not run the reservoir with her, climb
the White Mountains with us, or even swim the Mill River as she had always done.
Jim, Fraser, and I had been watching her every day and
wondering how long this magnificent dog could last. She'd been mainly eating,
sleeping, and lying down holding her chin up on the futon in the River Room.
In early June, something neurological happened. She
couldn't get up. When we helped her up, she could not walk in a straight line.
She kept veering to the left. She stopped eating and drinking. She was blind and
deaf. She let us know it was time to go.
Jim and I discussed taking her to the vet on Friday, June
11th. He called and arranged the appointment for 2:30. About noon that day, I
helped Mocha have a little walk in the backyard. I sat with her in the shade
near the purple lupines. After a while I decided to go into the AVCC office. I
needed to get some work done on my computer, I kept watching her out the window.
She sat there peacefully. Remember this is the dog that can't get up, walk, see
or hear.
At 2:25 I looked out and she was gone! I thought I was
seeing things! Oh, Jim must have come and taken her to the car, I thought. No, I
could not find her and Jim was not here. I looked and looked and I could not
find Mocha anywhere! I was upstairs in the kitchen just ready to call Jim and
see if he came and just took her to the vet without me when I heard her scritch-scratching
across the deck! I was elated! I ran over to her and gave her a big hug and
screamed with delight,
"Mocha! You're alive! You can walk! Mocha, you don't have
to die!"
Then I realized, she could not get in the house. She
hardly acknowledged my presence. I helped her over the threshold and watched
her drag her curly-coated self into the kitchen. She looked at her feeding
spot, then she made her way through the dining room by one of her favorite spots
to sleep. She stood by the front door.
"You want to go out on the porch?" I asked as I opened the
door and helped her again over the threshold. She stood at the screen door. I
opened it and she tried to go down the granite steps (which she has had a hard
time with all year) I put her cushion on them as she flopped on one and then
onto the brick walk. I help her stand up again and she made her way over to the
Subaru dragging her right side. She just stood there waiting for me to open the
hatchback.
"You want to go in the car? You know we have to get to the
vet by 3 o'clock? Mocha, you seem to understand what is happening better than I
do." I thought as I wiped the tears streaming down my face. She got comfortable
on her cushion in the back of the Subaru. I sat with her there until Jim arrived
a few minutes later.
We drove the short mile to the vet. The vet came out to
the car and helped her go to sleep. He told us he'd seen her a few weeks ago and
thought she was not doing well then. He told us we were doing the right thing.
We took her home. Fraser helped Jim find a nice spot for Mocha in our beautiful
backyard. We buried her, June 11th, the same day former President
Reagan was buried. When I see the flags flying at half- mast, I think of Mocha!
I learned that Mocha’s brother, Willie, died last month, May 11th.
Interesting.
 I want
to tell you about Sophie, a second grader, who I see at school now. She started
coming here when she was 7 months old after she was diagnosed as having a
profound sensorineural hearing loss. She listens with a cochlear implant and a
hearing aid. Now she only comes to my office in the summer, so she had not seen
Mocha since last August. All year she's been asking about Mocha. I told her
Mocha was getting old and one day she was going to die.
She asked me; "When?"
I answered, "I don't know when, but when she dies I
promise, I will tell you."
Yesterday I saw her at school and told her about Mocha. She
burst out crying! I knew she loved Mocha, but I did not think she'd have such a
strong reaction. I explained all I could about this sensitive situation to
hopefully make her understand in a way she could be more comfortable with the
news.
She further explained to me; " Well, you know what? When it
was my birthday in May, I made a wish when I blew out the candles, I wished to
see Mocha. Now my wish can't come true."
Again, I was shocked by her depth of love for Mocha. I gave
her a big hug and said, "Sophie, I wasn't going to show anyone where we buried
Mocha, but because you made that wish, if you want, I will show you her grave.
It's in my backyard."
Sophie smiled with a questioning look, " You buried her in
your backyard? Did you put her in a box?"
I was puzzled by this detail, "No" I said.
Sophie shook her head, "Oh, then she got all dirty. I think
you should have put her in a box and then buried her."
I smiled, "Yes, you are right Sophie, I wish you were with
us then. You have the right idea. We did not even think of that. Poor Mocha is
sleeping in the dirt, but she has a nice spot with a view of the river. I will
show you when you come to my house this summer."
Sophie smiled and said, "OK, that will be great, cause I
loved Mocha. She was a happy dog. She always made me feel happy."
Games and Books to Enhance Listening and Talking
A listening and describing game. In the car
one day, the Wolperts were playing 'I’m an animal'. Jamie, age 23
months said; “I’m an animal. “ I live in the water.” Mom said; “Are you
big?” and she said “Yes.” More often than not she’s Baby Beluga, so Mom asked;
“Are you Baby Beluga?” “No” Jamie said; “I dolphin.”
Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood by Jim Fay and
Charles Fay, Ph.D.2000, Love and Logic Press, Inc.
www.loveandlogic.com or
call them at 1-800-338-4065. They offer many books, audiotapes, and
videotapes. This book offers a clear, concise, warm and effective
approach for parenting young children. Jim and I recommend this book
highly. We suggest parents get comfortable using the Love and Logic
philosophy while your kids are little. We love using the Love and Logic
principles now that are kids are teenagers and young adults. L & L
clarifies "needs" and "wants" and helps one choose their battles with
their toddler. Parenting actually can be fun! Love and Logic
really helps maintain parental sanity while offering our kids a great
model for living life with respect and accountability for one's choices.
Motivation:
"Many persons have a wrong idea of what
constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self gratification, but
through fidelity to a worthy purpose."
Helen Keller |
