Island Dolphin Care

It was an amazing day today! If it’s possible, I think I truly forgot how magical this experience was three years ago. We are back in Key Largo, FL at Island Dolphin Care, doing Dolphin Assisted Therapy for Katie. I don’t think this could have come at a better time either. Katie has really hit a rough patch and is really struggling.

She is struggling in school both academically and socially. She is struggling with her increasing frustration level. She is having sleep disturbances again. It’s been a tough couple of weeks leading up to this trip. We’ve been working closely with her teachers and therapists but nothing has been working.



But, once she eased into the lagoon off the floating dock today and made her first contact with Squirt, the same dolphin she swam with three years ago… nothing else in life really seem to matter that much… at least for the hour this morning.



The dolphin trainer, Wendy, is convinced that after a few minutes with Katie, that Squirt actually had recognition for Katie. Three years ago, on Wednesday, Katie told Squirt “I love you, Squirt, you are my best friend” and Squirt looked at Wendy for permission and swam over to Katie and gave her a kiss. Squirt has only done that on one other occasion.



Katie actually got to do the dorsal swim unassisted today and because Wendy is convinced of the connection between Squirt and Katie and feels that Squirt loves Katie as well… she may get to do some things unassisted this week.



Squirt had a baby calf 7 weeks ago and she’s a tiny one. They haven’t even named her yet… they actually just found out this weekend that she’s a female. Deena, one of the owners, wants to name the baby Lotus, for the Lotus Petal in Egypt and there is a whole story to that but once she told Katie the story behind the name – Katie is going to help Deena convince the rest of the staff that the baby dolphin should be named Lotus.



Don and I got to spend more time today than we did the entire week in 2005 with Peter and Deena. They are the owners and they are amazing people with an incredible, inspiring story.



We met a couple of really nice families. One from upstate New York and one from Switzerland. When we were here in 2005, we didn't meet any of the families. They weren't very open to chatting and we had Gran with us. When we got to the facility this morning, the family from Switzerland was already there and the mom seemed so nice and friendly so I walked over to her and started chatting and she said "no englis". Oh! Shoot! But then the dad started talking to me in moderately good english and so I was chatting up a storm with him. Don later informed me that he thinks the guy was just smiling and nodding at a lot of what I said in my fast, southern chatty style. Well, he was very pleasant and nice even if that was the case.

They are having a big cookout on Wednesday for the families which is something that they didn't do when we were here before so maybe we will bridge that communication barrier then! They seemed so nice!

I almost can’t even put into words how special this place is. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the week holds.

I hope some of our family will get to experience this someday. I know Katie's three grandmother's and her other great grandmother would love seeing her with the dolphins. I know my dad would love it! Anyone who loves Katie would love being here!

LA :)

PS - Here is our view out our living room or master bedroom in our condo... our condo that we got at a VERY reduced price since we are an Island Dolphin Care family. :)