I was at dinner last night with some friends, and their 13-month-old son had broken his leg in an accident (hairline fracture). His injury was less than 48 hours old, yet he was in a great mood, laughing crawling all over the place, and generally just being a happy kid. His parents were talking about how normally he’d be trotting all over the place, but how small children, unlike the rest of us, are smart enough NOT to push through the pain. They readily recognize their limits, and simply stop. Interesting, and true.
Earlier this week, my puppy (OK, she’s 12) had major surgery. Same thing. She knows what she can and cannot do right now, and simply refuses to do what she can’t. Unfortunately for me, mostly what she has decided she can’t do is get DOWN from places she has climbed up in to (and she’s 65 pounds). While she lacks the common sense not to put herself in to those positions to start with, at least she knows when to call for help.
Pain is a signal from the body that something is wrong. It is meant to get our attention and get us to slow down. It’s asking our brain to stop whatever it is doing and pay attention, figure it out, and make it go away.
Both the 13-month-old and my puppy are listening to their bodies and recovering beautifully. Gotta love the nervous system!
About Jen Waak