Off Topic Potential Service Dog for Me

[Guest guest]

I have what will probably sound like a really strange prayer request.

Many of you know I have Lupus and have had several significant fractures over

the past 1-2 years. I’m also having progressively more problems dropping

things and picking things up that require my fingers to bend/grasp. Both of our

daughters, lies and , have service dogs that assist in many ways

(including balance stability for walking and picking up things they drop).

Brooklyn and Stitches make life for them and us so much better. I’ve been

considering the option of a service dog for myself for well over a year but

cost and the typical waits have been a deterrent. There is a relatively new

service dog training agency close to home. I spoke with the lead trainer months

ago and again this afternoon. Today he invited me to visit the program this

evening. I went, saw the program in action and spoke with him personally. He

wants me to return tomorrow evening to meet two dogs that will complete their

training in about 8 weeks. He has these dogs reserved for an

adult that really needs a dog to pick up dropped items and retrieve. Both are

also balance/gait stability trained. If either seems to act comfortable around

me (and Tom) tomorrow evening he is hoping one or the other will be ready to

attend boot camp with me in 2-4 months. One is a black lab, the other a golden.

The best part is this agency charges NO fees, provides most of the vet care and

has boot camp once a week for eight weeks, an hour each Monday evening (no

travel or lodging involved). The timing would be ideal too as 8 weeks from now

falls between clinic visits for my girls and work related travel. Tom is going

to come with tomorrow evening. Please pray that his heart and mind are still

receptive to the idea and he feels has a good feeling about one or both dogs.

Also, pray that if either dog is meant to be the ideal dog for me, the lead

trainer will recognize it and agree to proceed with placement. I personally

like the thought of the black lab as it’s appearance

would help me feel less vulnerable when walking alone while on campus at work

where there have been several attacks on women over the past three months.

I’ll let you know how things proceed tomorrow evening.

Joanne Kocourek (mom to , lies, and )

visit us at: http://www.caringbridge.org/il/annakris