No, not the crystal variety of Jasper… Jasper is my Great Dane.
At nearly 3-years of age, Jasper is diagnosed with Wobbler Syndrome, specifically the type called cervical stenotic myelopathy. It is a genetic condition and often occurs in young, giant-breed dogs such as Great Danes, Mastiffs, and Bernese Mountain Dogs. The vertebrae in the neck have a square, hourglass, or triangular shape in the centre, putting pressure on the spinal cord as it passes through. This causes a variety of symptoms and in Jasper’s case, he had the shakes whenever he lowered his head. Eating his food was particularly strenuous even with his bowl raised and using binding techniques to support posture and the alignment of his spine.
Anti-inflammatory and other medication provided little relief and after numerous visits to veterinary specialists and an MRI, we decided that the best course of action was surgery to drill away that part of the C2 neck vertebrae that was deformed and putting pressure on his spinal cord.
This was not an easy decision and we had to consider the various aspects: this type of surgery comes with high risks, it is major surgery with high levels of trauma, recovery and rehabilitation takes weeks, if not months, and it is quite costly. But we decided that it was the right course of action.
The surgery went well but I was not able to visit Jasper for the first few days as he was in high care and visitation was prohibited. But I did regular distant Reiki healing sessions for him, knowing how much he would benefit from the Reiki healing after surgery and in his recovery. Then came the first visit and it was a bit of a shock… and heartbreaking. Jasper was in good spirits but he was thin having lost quite a bit of weight in a very short timespan. He desperately wanted to run to me but he was unable to walk, let alone run – he had no control over his back legs, only the front. With the assistance of the caregivers at the veterinary hospital we managed to get him comfortable on the lawn outside in the visitors’ area and I joined him to spend some time loving him and giving him some in-person/dog Reiki. It was bliss and he fell asleep with his head in my lap. Before I left, I did a gentle crystal wand massage of his feet and was encouraged when the feet gave the odd twitch.
This became our routine for the next two weeks and he showed good progress with movement starting to come back in his back legs. And then a setback. He developed pneumonia – due to his size and his inability to move, this was not unexpected. With the quick and rapid response of the veterinary doctors and personnel, and the love and Reiki care from me, the pneumonia was under control in days and Jasper’s recovery back on track to such an extent that the specialist veterinarian suggested that Jasper be relocated to a rehabilitation centre. This was arranged and the next phase of his recovery began.
Jasper did not very much like being at the rehab centre, but he needed to be there for the extent of care in physiotherapy, acupuncture and hydrotherapy he was receiving. I continued with giving him Reiki – in -person/dog if I was with him and distant Reiki healing in-between. It was on Day 2 of being at the rehab centre when I arrived for my daily visit being greeted with the most heartwarming site: the caregiver had Jasper sitting next to him and when I arrived, he supported Jasper ever so gently, allowing Jasper to walk up to me. Needless to say, a lot of tears followed. And from that day Jasper’s walk to recovery really took off.
Jasper was back home 2 weeks later and there were tonnes of exercises to do with only a weekly visit to the rehab centre to monitor his progress. This tapered into a more relaxed process where we had a weekly home visit from an animal physiotherapist over the six months. Jasper showed good and consistent progress and clearly enjoyed his physio sessions. But he always came back to me for love and Reiki healing.
Now, 2 years down the line, I still do regular Reiki sessions with Jasper – sometimes full sessions, but mostly just a Reiki touch for a few minutes if he asks for it (actually, it is more like he demands it). He is and never will be 100%. He has Wobblers! So, he shakes a little and he has these strange postures to get his big body to do what he needs to do, but he is doing well. Running and playing and enjoying life. People often remark on his condition with pity. And I am always reminded of the fact that it bothers them more that it bothers him. Jasper is living life to the fullest, benefitting from my ability to support him with, amongst others, the gift of Reiki healing.
With this journey with Jasper, I have witnessed first-hand the benefits of Reiki – for Jasper as well as for myself. If it were not for my own regular Reiki self-healing, I am not sure how I would have coped and dealt with the demands of taking care of Jasper in his recovery. This journey was taxing in body, mind and spirit, but just as much as Reiki supported Jasper, it also supported me. And I am eternally grateful for the gift of Reiki… and for this amazing Great Dane called Jasper!
Article by Thea van der Merwe, Ph.D.
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Thea van der Merwe, Ph.D.
Thea van der Merwe, Ph. D. is a nationally and internationally trained holistic energy, certified and experienced Master Reiki Practitioner, qualified in Usui Reiki, Reijukido, Karuna® Reiki, Karuna Ki Reiki, Crystal Reiki, and Gendai Reiki. She obtained the title of Shihan (full master/teacher), the highest level in Gendai Reiki Ho. Besides her greatest passion which is Reiki, Thea is also a spiritual shaman, healer, and teacher, offering readings as a way of accessing spiritual guidance. Her journey of personal discovery, growth, and healing started back in 2005 when she was personally in need of healing and searching for something more than what conventional medicine and therapy could provide. Thea is currently nationally and internationally registered with the South African Reiki Masters Association and The Reiki Healing Association respectively – both professional associations for the local and global Reiki communities, working to promote the wide-reaching practice and healing effects of Reiki throughout the world and where the primary philosophy is that together, we can do so much more. You can get into contact with Thea van der Merwe at viterra.co.za, which is her website, and at facebook.com/viterrahealing on Facebook.
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