The bright side of life

After a heart attack and two strokes, you could forgive Sally for not always looking on the bright side of life, but she is actually very positive about what the future now holds for her.

That includes a visit to the dog show Crufts for which she now firmly has set her sights on achieving.

Dogs have always played a big part of Sally’s life, and this is certainly the case today as a resident of The Gables, a supported living scheme in Redcar where we provide the care.

Our therapy dogs are regular visitors to the scheme and each resident has a favourite. In Sally’s case it is our gorgeous chocolate Labrador Emmie with whom she spends some 1-1 time each Tuesday, either at The Gables or out in the wider community.

“Emmie’s so beautiful, gentle and impossible not to love,” says Sally.

“She’s very protective of me and when her brother Axel tries to get close to me, she doesn’t like that and pushes him away.

“Us girls know how to stick together, that’s why!”

Sally credits the dogs and the Caremark team at The Gables for helping her to recover after her last stroke, which has affected her mobility and memory.

We took over the care at The Gables not long after Sally moved in.

Until then she had lived and worked elsewhere in Redcar, but says she likes being at The Gables where she is definitely regarded as the boss.

“I am the only woman here, but I get on well with the men and they know not get out of line when I am around,” she jokes.

“We are like a big family and while I give the staff like Donna and Linda the stick, they are great too, although don’t tell them I said that!”

Sally’s parents were both vicars so that means her and her two brothers moved around a lot when they were younger, although she is happy to call Redcar and The Gables in particular her home now.

Sally says: “I had my two strokes close together two years and I know what I want to say, it’s just sometimes it doesn’t come out correctly.

“But I am improving and living here with the friends I have made, which included the dogs, has definitely helped me.

“I have started to move around now thanks to Emmie; she helps me a great deal, but I want to do more. and my dream is to go to watch Crufts next year. That’s a dream I have always wanted.

“I would enter Emmie but that wouldn’t be fair on the other dogs as she would win easily.

“It’s not just the dogs though and again don’t tell them this, but I quite like the staff too!”