10 Ways Having a Pet Helps Me Get Through The Hard Days With Chronic Illness

1. When I’m coming home from a hard appointment or a hospital stay, I know he’ll always be there to greet me.

2. Animals can sense when something is off. They are so in tune with their humans. I can recall so many times when I’ve had tears rolling down my face and my cat has come and plopped himself down on my chest and nuzzled my face.

3. They’re hilarious. Each has its own set of quirks and weird habits that can’t help but give you a few laughs.

4. They never judge. Whatever crappy decisions I’ve made that day, no matter what I look like, no matter if I have mascara all over my face and haven’t washed my hair in days, my pet’s love never wavers.

5. They teach you to find joy in the little things. Like a cardboard box.. Or a string… Or the simple throw of a ball.

 6. Chronic illness of any kind is isolating. There is no doubt it will have some sort of impact on your social life. With your pet, you’re never alone. You have built-in company.

7. Since maybe you don't get out as much as you'd like to, they give you something to take pictures of. You've become their personal photographer.

8. They keep you moving and provide endless entertainment. Even if you can’t move around much, your pet will surely find some way to keep you busy.

9. Your pet can potentially support any special needs of yours. Whether you need a service dog for mobility, a seeing eye dog, or a dog to help you with tasks that are hard for you. For example, a diabetic alert dog notices subtle changes in the chemicals in its owner’s body when their blood sugar begins to drop or rise and will notify them and prevent dangerous hypoglycaemic episodes. An emotional support animal (ESA) is a companion animal who provides support to its owner who has a physical, psychiatric, or intellectual disability, but does not do any specific tasks for them. These are different from service dogs. The point being, these pets are so incredibly special, they put your life before their own. Pets are the best medicine and can be a huge aid for some people.

10. When you feel like you just can’t face another day, you wake up in the morning and see their face so excited to see you, and you remember why you’re here.