Brighten Your Day

Man's Dog Stays By His Side Throughout Entire Hospital Stay

December 22, 2023

Recently, Brian Benson went to Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) after experiencing chest pains and swollen legs.

"I was having chest pains and a hard time breathing last weekend, so I went to the ER to get checked out. They kept me for 3 days to run countless tests plus observe my condition and monitor my heart," he said.

He was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy - a disease of the heart muscle that makes it hard for the heart to deliver blood to the body.

"Even though I have been working out for over 35 years, eat healthy, ran the NYC marathon, completed multiple Spartan races, trained in Krav Maga and boxing, I'm one of the rare cases where a person 'just' develops cardiomyopathy," Benson said.

Benson also copes with a sleep condition that triggers severe seizures. In 2017, he welcomed Magnus into his life, a yellow Labrador retriever whom he trained as a therapy dog specifically for managing these seizures. When Benson anticipates a seizure, Magnus instinctively lies down on him, applying comforting pressure that aids in resolving the episode.

Now, back to Benson's recent three-day hospital stay, Magnus was by his side the entire time.

"Thankfully he was allowed to stay with me 24/7 because he is also my service dog," Benson shared. "He did exactly what he does best; kept me relaxed and took my mind off the current situation. He knows when to cuddle and when to get a little 'goofy.' He made the medical staff smile and also kept my girls calm. I love this dog more than he will ever know."

@magnusthetherapydog I was having chest pains and a hard time breathing last weekend, so I went to the ER to get checked out. They kept me for 3 days to run countless tests plus observe my condition and monitor my heart. Unfortunately it is very serious and they discovered that I have a condition called cardiomyopathy, which means my heart is weak and working way harder than it should. Normally this occurs due to a blockage of the heart. I don’t have any blocked arteries which is the good news. The bad news is that this is possibly linked to my family history of heart disease and heart attacks (especially at a young age). Even though I have been working out for over 35 years, eat healthy, ran the NYC marathon, completed multiple Spartan races, trained in Krav Maga and boxing, I’m one of the rare cases where a person “just” develops cardiomyopathy. The painful reality is that sometimes you just can’t beat your genetics no matter how hard you work. It’s almost like trying to swim upstream; maximum effort with minimal or limited results. However I am extremely lucky and grateful for so many things; friends, family and of course my boy, Magnus. Both of my daughters stayed with me all 3 days while I was in the hospital; making sure I was comfortable, had enough pillows and that I had yummy food to eat (because I am a huge foodie). They really stepped up and did EVERYTHING for me. Friends were also in my corner helping in any way possible. I’m lucky to still be extremely close to a large group of friends from when I was a kid; friends since the 3rd, 4th & 5th grade. These people aren’t really just friends anymore, but family. They all checked in with me constantly to see if I was ok or needed them to help in anyway. The outpouring of love and support has been overwhelming. Then there is Magnus. Thankfully he was allowed to stay with me 24/7 because he is also my service dog. He did exactly what he does best; kept me relaxed and took my mind off the current situation. He knows when to cuddle and when to get “goofy.” He made the medical staff smile and also kept my girls calm. I love this dog more than he will ever know. ❤️ #servicedog #labradorsoftiktok #cardiomyopathy #dogsarefamily ♬ Happiness Does Not Wait - Ólafur Arnalds