Cathy McGuinn received a liver transplant in 1989 that saved her life but complicated it enormously. The anti-rejection drugs required on a daily basis caused her multiple bone problems, joint problems, numbness in her extremities. With a curving spine, Cathy’s lung capacity was diminished and she required daily oxygen and periods of rest. With a curving body and numb feet, Cathy fell with more and more frequency.

Originally, Cathy came to us because another odd side effect of her medications.  Cathy was a sleepwalker. Frequently she ironed when asleep but she also did things that were dangerous and was worried for her safety. Could we train a dog to wake her up? After lots of discussion we gave Cathy a dog that would help her with her balance and her falls.  Ironically, once Cathy received Cayman, she never again sleep walked.

During her training with Cayman she was regularly astonished and delighted with what he could do. Several times a day, we would hear Cathy exclaim: “I just loooove this dog!” Cathy had never had a dog before, let alone one that could pick up anything she dropped, open doors, and get the phone.

Cathy and her husband, Bud, perfected Cayman’s phone retrieval and she bragged to us that he could run across the whole house to get the phone for her.

Cathy became ill in December. During her recent 3-week hospitalization, Cayman and Bud remained by her side. When she was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, the nurses questioned whether Cayman could go with her. Bud fiercely told the nurses that Cayman went where Cathy went. And he did.

Before she was taken off life support, Cayman licked Cathy’s hand. After she passed away, Bud took Cayman over one last time and told him to “lick Mama” and he did.  Cathy was 57 years old.

Cathy will be missed by all of us for her surprising laughter, her ferocious spunk, and her unwavering devotion to Bud and Cayman.