It was a fabulous day in the weather department today to me which means it was quite warm by Thane's standards. Thane ate all his meat at the 7AM Doxy time so it opened up a bit of opportunity for us today. I was already working on his turf soak which had left a bit of a problem- Doxy means increased busy needs and it certainly would not wait until I was through! I had a small errand in town I wanted to run and figured we could handle two things with one stone- a busy at the street and the errand. I felt this would also be a great opportunity to test his endurance.
Right away I noticed Thane had a bit harder pull in harness, but figured it was just built up energy and blew it off. I barely uttered the words, do you need a busy and Thane was squatting except he missed the grass and it was a flood! Back home we went for some water to wash that down before heading on our errand.
We took the short walk to Bi-Mart to pick up the printer paper that I just realized I had to have and *like yesterday*. Usually I buy in advance for MCS detox needs, but I blew it here with just a few sheets left. Thane was pulling a bit firmer in harness than his recent work before the Lyme diagnosis and collapse, but he was working well so I let it slide. He worked awesome with Bi-Mart's dangerous parking lot and walked really well on their polished flooring today. He seemed pretty focused on what I was asking once more.
When we exited the store, he headed towards the pharmacy. It is safer to exit the parking lot that way usually as more of the cars park closer to the main exit and entry door. I had to use my *not now* command though as we approached the pharmacy window. As we worked on our exit from that side of the lot, this single truck kept blocking our path. That guy nearly creamed us once and after that he blocked the cross walk while he waited to get across the entire street so he could go the opposite direction- all the while making us wait because he was just *so not going to back up*. By that time, I don't think Thane trusted him any way; I know I didn't!
The walk home was firm pull for a while but we hit a snag where I could not get him out of a real hard pull. I'm unsure what the trigger was but it appeared from my perspective to be a sound reactivity thing. Sound reactivity is one of his neuro symptoms with his Lyme. I put his head halter (leader) on him to just make it easier for me as I am in a pain spell from over doing on the scanner this week.
I thought no more about the trigger as we continued on home. After one attempt by Thane to remove the leader, the rest of the walk was uneventful and actually had some really great work. His ice packs don't keep him very cool with his new harness design, so he was quite warm for a while after we got home even after his customary wipe down for his allergies. At one point, I was a bit concerned, but he finally seemed OK again so I thought nothing more of it.
I put my frozen smoothie ingredients into the blender to defrost and did more work with his turf. It was not until I was getting ready to make my smoothie that my big blunder became clear. When Thane ate all his breakfast this morning, I neglected to go back and give him his supplements that he gets after the Doxy is into his system. One of those is his Taurine. It can be taken with the Doxy, but since the Nupro can not, I do them together. Taurine really is beneficial for Thane in many ways, one of which is his pull in harness. It is also very helpful for the type of seizure his Lyme caused. As you can see, it was not a teeny blunder seeing as though by this time it was already after 2PM. Before Doxy, he would get that by 9AM at the latest unless we overslept.
The good news for the day though was that he had a real clear head when it counted and had the energy to walk the long way home. He wanted to walk the long way there, but I had him take the short route instead. I was all set to take him to New Seasons tomorrow but use a different stop so that the walk is shorter. I was also planning to use a second bus line to come home should it be warranted, however; the weather forecast was GREATLY changed on us from a day of maybe a small shower in the early morning to it being a rainy day GRRRRR
I would so love to bust this town tomorrow, but I am not chancing my power chair for even the shortest walk. The line we could use should thane not have the endurance for the max stop distance does not have a covered stop over by New Seasons so it looks like its Sunday with no backup approach to the route other than using the alternate max stop if its necessary.
Its hard to believe that a week and a day ago Thane collapsed and here, today he is re-bounding into my energizer bunny. He still takes more naps than normal, but I think some is out of boredom more than necessity. Any time I know each day may be different for him and to watch how he is really doing before we commit to something big, but all in all, he is headed in the right direction.
Showing posts with label MCS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MCS. Show all posts
15 July 2011
09 July 2011
Good Signs Perhaps in Our Lyme Journey
Today is a brand new day. A good nights sleep. A new perspective. A visit from Grandpa for Thane and housekeeping on my computer that needed a sighted techie.
Thane has exhibited some good energy today. He has slept much less and has spent a lot of time playing. There were times when I saw his normal ball obsessive self emerging just a bit. I was afraid at first to read anything into this as he has seemed to have more energy for a couple hours after his meds. When the energy remained much the same through out the day, I felt a little twinge inside myself- you know that one where you realize the down days are numbered and the work days will possibly be resuming soon within moderation of course.
There also have not been any lameness incidents today- though those seemed to be fewer as the neuro symptoms began to set in so this in itself was not something that I was using as a guide to ascertain how he was really doing.
There's still some very obvious factors that are not my Thane. Thane has had a number of occasions over the past couple weeks where he went off his food. He would eat some- mostly the Nupro and organ parts, but it was like a child playing with their food when it came to the main course. Two of these incidents have happened yesterday and today. I'm trying not to make a big deal out of them. I just grab the food, wrap it back up, and set it in the freezer for another day. Today, I decided to just set it in the fridge and offer it when I had my dinner. Yeah! He ate and was really eager when he saw what I had.
I am suspecting that the meds may be affecting his appetite. He has not puked or had diarrhea so its hard to ascertain if there are tummy issues happening without that. I've been trying to med him and then feed two hours later because he won't consume his Nupro later than meal time and he can not have his probiotics with Doxy either. By doing it this way, I've been less likely to forget something crucial like his probiotics which he must have for gut and skin health due to previous history. I suspect I may need to go to giving him food at the time of the dose and if I thought my life was made complicated by these meds now, it certainly will be later.
As a person with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), I need to do my outings early in the morning so that I am out when crowds are not as intense. On days when I don't have to head out, I could care less what hour Thane gets done eating. On days when I need to go out however, even with dosing him at 7AM, it still pretty much means that I can't get a bus until at the earliest 9:45. By the time I get anywhere this way it is downright crowded and the toxicity effects for me are substantially raised. It'd be one thing if this was just a one week antibiotics run, but as my good friend Sharon at After Gadget blog said to me recently, this is a marathon not a sprint. I will figure this system out- we will make it work. If it means Thane prefers to eat mid day or when I eat dinner because he just feels better then, then I will figure a way to make that happen.
This is the time of year for adventures. My idea of adventures is trapsing to parts unknown to explore. I guess in a rather twisted, distorted way of looking at things, Lyme Disease could be considered an adventure. After all, it does have us trapsing into the unknown!
My Dad was telling me a recent story about my mom. She does a lot of work in her yard and a critter she did not know got onto her while she was working in the yard. She quickly put it in a container and rushed off to the vet with it to find out if it was a tick. I am sure that she shared about Thane in the process- but hey, if Thane getting Lyme makes her more aware of the *unknown species* of critters in her yard, then to me it is worth the journey. I did not know what a real tick looked like. Oh Thane has some cute stuffed ticks that he absolutely loves, but I had no idea what a tick was like. If I can make even one person more aware then this journey of ours is beneficial.
Dad went on to tell me about when he was a kid. They had a bunch of ticks I guess where he grew up in Missouri. They just would find an adult with a heat source that they would hold close to the tick and they would back right out. I just thought they were crazy personally. He followed that up with a *don't do this at home on your dog and especially not when you are blind* LOL
If you are reading this blog and want more information on ticks, please see the postings on Ticks, Lyme and Related Information at After Gadget blog as well as her awesome blog on How to Tick Check Your Dog. If you are looking for a basic site that has some information but some of which is pretty superficial IMO see Ticks, Dogs, and Disease. Now if you are looking for good information that can help you understand what you are up against, as well as a support forum, take a look at the Tick-L links and forum. Though I am not a part of the forum, I found a lot of clarification on things that were so confusing to me through the articles here as well as Sharon's awesome support and further mentoring of me as I learn first hand about a disease we both wish we never had experience with (I am sure)
Thane has exhibited some good energy today. He has slept much less and has spent a lot of time playing. There were times when I saw his normal ball obsessive self emerging just a bit. I was afraid at first to read anything into this as he has seemed to have more energy for a couple hours after his meds. When the energy remained much the same through out the day, I felt a little twinge inside myself- you know that one where you realize the down days are numbered and the work days will possibly be resuming soon within moderation of course.
There also have not been any lameness incidents today- though those seemed to be fewer as the neuro symptoms began to set in so this in itself was not something that I was using as a guide to ascertain how he was really doing.
There's still some very obvious factors that are not my Thane. Thane has had a number of occasions over the past couple weeks where he went off his food. He would eat some- mostly the Nupro and organ parts, but it was like a child playing with their food when it came to the main course. Two of these incidents have happened yesterday and today. I'm trying not to make a big deal out of them. I just grab the food, wrap it back up, and set it in the freezer for another day. Today, I decided to just set it in the fridge and offer it when I had my dinner. Yeah! He ate and was really eager when he saw what I had.
I am suspecting that the meds may be affecting his appetite. He has not puked or had diarrhea so its hard to ascertain if there are tummy issues happening without that. I've been trying to med him and then feed two hours later because he won't consume his Nupro later than meal time and he can not have his probiotics with Doxy either. By doing it this way, I've been less likely to forget something crucial like his probiotics which he must have for gut and skin health due to previous history. I suspect I may need to go to giving him food at the time of the dose and if I thought my life was made complicated by these meds now, it certainly will be later.
As a person with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), I need to do my outings early in the morning so that I am out when crowds are not as intense. On days when I don't have to head out, I could care less what hour Thane gets done eating. On days when I need to go out however, even with dosing him at 7AM, it still pretty much means that I can't get a bus until at the earliest 9:45. By the time I get anywhere this way it is downright crowded and the toxicity effects for me are substantially raised. It'd be one thing if this was just a one week antibiotics run, but as my good friend Sharon at After Gadget blog said to me recently, this is a marathon not a sprint. I will figure this system out- we will make it work. If it means Thane prefers to eat mid day or when I eat dinner because he just feels better then, then I will figure a way to make that happen.
This is the time of year for adventures. My idea of adventures is trapsing to parts unknown to explore. I guess in a rather twisted, distorted way of looking at things, Lyme Disease could be considered an adventure. After all, it does have us trapsing into the unknown!
My Dad was telling me a recent story about my mom. She does a lot of work in her yard and a critter she did not know got onto her while she was working in the yard. She quickly put it in a container and rushed off to the vet with it to find out if it was a tick. I am sure that she shared about Thane in the process- but hey, if Thane getting Lyme makes her more aware of the *unknown species* of critters in her yard, then to me it is worth the journey. I did not know what a real tick looked like. Oh Thane has some cute stuffed ticks that he absolutely loves, but I had no idea what a tick was like. If I can make even one person more aware then this journey of ours is beneficial.
Dad went on to tell me about when he was a kid. They had a bunch of ticks I guess where he grew up in Missouri. They just would find an adult with a heat source that they would hold close to the tick and they would back right out. I just thought they were crazy personally. He followed that up with a *don't do this at home on your dog and especially not when you are blind* LOL
If you are reading this blog and want more information on ticks, please see the postings on Ticks, Lyme and Related Information at After Gadget blog as well as her awesome blog on How to Tick Check Your Dog. If you are looking for a basic site that has some information but some of which is pretty superficial IMO see Ticks, Dogs, and Disease. Now if you are looking for good information that can help you understand what you are up against, as well as a support forum, take a look at the Tick-L links and forum. Though I am not a part of the forum, I found a lot of clarification on things that were so confusing to me through the articles here as well as Sharon's awesome support and further mentoring of me as I learn first hand about a disease we both wish we never had experience with (I am sure)
29 June 2011
My Life as a Deafblind Individual
This week, as it turns out, is Deafblind Awareness Week. This was news to me. I decided I would write my thoughts about what it means to me to be deafblind.
There are many variations of deafblindness. Some people are totally deaf and totally blind. That said, that form of deafblindness is rare. Many like myself who are deafblind have some sight and hearing remaining, but can't decipher what they are seeing or hearing or can't do so without much concentration.
I live a secluded deafblind life. I don't have friends IRL who are deafblind because of my MCS and where I live. There is not a large deaf or deafblind community here- so culturally I am like anyone of you. I just have to work hard to fit into a world that functions to high degrees on sight and hearing senses.
I miss the deaf community experiences I had in California. It never donned on me just how much I was leaving behind when I packed up Met and my belongings and headed off to Oregon where I've left that culture behind and have had to live like a hearing sighted person to fit in- especially into family. It hasn't been easy but I have adjusted.
So what's my life like anyway?
I am profoundly deaf. I can make out what some people say as long as they face me, have no accent or speech impediment, and there is no background noise. I can wear hearing aids for the essentials, but due to EMF sensitivity, the consequences of doing this can be high for me; thus I opt against wearing them for anything that I can get by with my guide dogs sense of sound for. Sometimes its great being deaf because I can tune out things that others find really annoying. Other times, sounds that I can hear, send me over my rocker if you know what I mean- like fireworks (but those I hear minimally at best now thankfully!) Progressive deafness has its moments of being a blessing and then moments when it feels like a curse. Most times, I like my quiet- perhaps because I have lived at this level for so many years of my life.
My eye disease is not common, but has the impact of a distorted jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing. The pieces I do make out, I have no idea what they really are, how close to me they are, or how far to the right or left they may be. By all measures of functionality, what I do see, does me no good.Its been harder to adjust to my blindness then to my deafness- perhaps because my blindness came later and ended many enjoyable past times, took away my ability to see pictures, and almost took away every hobby I had since my MCS (but not quite)
I don't sit at home and twiddle my thumbs though. grin Instead I live my life independently. I ride the fixed route bus and max trains, go to the store, to the bank, to the Drs, to the Veterinarians, to take leisure walks, to experience new routes in new locals. I am like anyone else except I just need to use a tactile mobility aid to judge traffic, braille compass to judge directions, and my guide dog to navigate the path we need to take- and yes, every once in a while save me from people who drive carelessly, or who interfere as we are walking down the sidewalk or trying to cross a street because they want to know all about my dog or tell me how they have one just like him at home.
This life I live certainly isn't the one I envisioned when I graduated from highschool, but its a good life. When I am not out in the community, I am home resting, training my dog, doing laundry, cleaning my home, making my meals, sewing new gear for my guide dog or clothes for myself, or best of all- playing with Thane. Playing ball is Thane's most favorite past time thing to do.
In my dreams I would be able to find an ASL teacher to help me learn tactile ASL so I could understand more easily what is being said at appointments, but with MCS that is not in the cards. Before MCS, before service dogs were in my life, before I was legally blind, I had taken two semesters of ASL. I was able to benefit from it in classes but with my visual impairment my comprehension level from a distance was minimal. As a result of this difficulty, I preferred the captioning method.
I don't know what the future holds for me with my progressive dual sensory losses- whatever it entails though, I am sure I will figure a way to continue to live my life in independent fashion- cuz afterall I hate waiting for people to do things for me. I am an independent deafblind gal who just loves to live my life without having to lean on others. I guess its just who I am. grin
There are many variations of deafblindness. Some people are totally deaf and totally blind. That said, that form of deafblindness is rare. Many like myself who are deafblind have some sight and hearing remaining, but can't decipher what they are seeing or hearing or can't do so without much concentration.
I live a secluded deafblind life. I don't have friends IRL who are deafblind because of my MCS and where I live. There is not a large deaf or deafblind community here- so culturally I am like anyone of you. I just have to work hard to fit into a world that functions to high degrees on sight and hearing senses.
I miss the deaf community experiences I had in California. It never donned on me just how much I was leaving behind when I packed up Met and my belongings and headed off to Oregon where I've left that culture behind and have had to live like a hearing sighted person to fit in- especially into family. It hasn't been easy but I have adjusted.
So what's my life like anyway?
I am profoundly deaf. I can make out what some people say as long as they face me, have no accent or speech impediment, and there is no background noise. I can wear hearing aids for the essentials, but due to EMF sensitivity, the consequences of doing this can be high for me; thus I opt against wearing them for anything that I can get by with my guide dogs sense of sound for. Sometimes its great being deaf because I can tune out things that others find really annoying. Other times, sounds that I can hear, send me over my rocker if you know what I mean- like fireworks (but those I hear minimally at best now thankfully!) Progressive deafness has its moments of being a blessing and then moments when it feels like a curse. Most times, I like my quiet- perhaps because I have lived at this level for so many years of my life.
My eye disease is not common, but has the impact of a distorted jigsaw puzzle with most of the pieces missing. The pieces I do make out, I have no idea what they really are, how close to me they are, or how far to the right or left they may be. By all measures of functionality, what I do see, does me no good.Its been harder to adjust to my blindness then to my deafness- perhaps because my blindness came later and ended many enjoyable past times, took away my ability to see pictures, and almost took away every hobby I had since my MCS (but not quite)
I don't sit at home and twiddle my thumbs though. grin Instead I live my life independently. I ride the fixed route bus and max trains, go to the store, to the bank, to the Drs, to the Veterinarians, to take leisure walks, to experience new routes in new locals. I am like anyone else except I just need to use a tactile mobility aid to judge traffic, braille compass to judge directions, and my guide dog to navigate the path we need to take- and yes, every once in a while save me from people who drive carelessly, or who interfere as we are walking down the sidewalk or trying to cross a street because they want to know all about my dog or tell me how they have one just like him at home.
This life I live certainly isn't the one I envisioned when I graduated from highschool, but its a good life. When I am not out in the community, I am home resting, training my dog, doing laundry, cleaning my home, making my meals, sewing new gear for my guide dog or clothes for myself, or best of all- playing with Thane. Playing ball is Thane's most favorite past time thing to do.
In my dreams I would be able to find an ASL teacher to help me learn tactile ASL so I could understand more easily what is being said at appointments, but with MCS that is not in the cards. Before MCS, before service dogs were in my life, before I was legally blind, I had taken two semesters of ASL. I was able to benefit from it in classes but with my visual impairment my comprehension level from a distance was minimal. As a result of this difficulty, I preferred the captioning method.
I don't know what the future holds for me with my progressive dual sensory losses- whatever it entails though, I am sure I will figure a way to continue to live my life in independent fashion- cuz afterall I hate waiting for people to do things for me. I am an independent deafblind gal who just loves to live my life without having to lean on others. I guess its just who I am. grin
18 June 2011
Our Chaotic Life--- So What Else is New?!
Life's been very chaotic in our neck of the woods. From shopping for both of us, preparing and freezing extra berries for winter time, and dealing with Lowe's over my freezer arrival (lets just say I won't be shopping with them again), life has been anything but ordinary.
I continue to stick with my newfound way of life that's making me feel so much healthier than I ever felt on a meat based, junk food diet. It won't take my MCS away. What it does do however is make it easier for my body to eliminate toxicity from exposure because I am not also loading it down with toxicity form the food I eat. As nice side effects of this change, I have lost weight and no longer have any cravings in afternoon or evening.
These changes, have also led to my ability to do more with Thane. Be it working, playing, or training. Its just that when I feel better, I can do more because I have the patience and/ or stamina to pull it off. Don't get me wrong, I still have to structure my life so I don't overdo or over-expose myself, but I guess what I am trying to say is that when we are working, playing, or training I feel more enjoyment in it.
Thane and I are regulars now at New Seasons where I go for my organic diet needs as well as for some of his diet. The route we take there each week, takes us back to the spot where Thane's traffic checking skill was more than appreciated- back to the spot where an idiot nearly ran us down and then sped off as though he had not a care in the world. I was sure I would be apprehensive going back there. I even contemplated other routes we could take, but the sidewalk on the other side of the street is in such disrepair until we get much closer to the store.
I went with it and Thane did too. He showed no apprehension but was more intently focused as though that experience had changed him. I try and get something special there for his diet each time we go that he really enjoys- sorta my way of saying thank you for keeping me safe. Since he has allergies that extend to foods and is a giardia survivor, this is my way of treating him without disrupting his balance. Smile
Today's plans got thwarted thanks to my MCS, the neighbor across the way who started burning before we even got up, and the weather. After being home yesterday to deal with the freezer arrival, I really wanted to be on the go today. Sometimes in life, its a good thing to be able to adapt to the situation at hand. The trip I had planned was not urgent, but Thane sure could have used the work.
Instead we have played, trained some, took pictures of training, and I have spent time placing orders I forgot to make and only realized after printing a blank sheet of paper- a big whoops on the cartridge end of my order needs!
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better weather day for working Thane and getting the errands completed that have been put on the back burner for the last two days. I'm looking forward to being able to buy things without worrying if it will fit in my itsy refrigerators freezer. If the weather is nice enough, Thane will get to wear his blue harness that I just finished the American style loops for. He looks so cool in this powder blue color.
I sure wish summer would come and really stay! Two jipped summers in a row is not cool!
I continue to stick with my newfound way of life that's making me feel so much healthier than I ever felt on a meat based, junk food diet. It won't take my MCS away. What it does do however is make it easier for my body to eliminate toxicity from exposure because I am not also loading it down with toxicity form the food I eat. As nice side effects of this change, I have lost weight and no longer have any cravings in afternoon or evening.
These changes, have also led to my ability to do more with Thane. Be it working, playing, or training. Its just that when I feel better, I can do more because I have the patience and/ or stamina to pull it off. Don't get me wrong, I still have to structure my life so I don't overdo or over-expose myself, but I guess what I am trying to say is that when we are working, playing, or training I feel more enjoyment in it.
Thane and I are regulars now at New Seasons where I go for my organic diet needs as well as for some of his diet. The route we take there each week, takes us back to the spot where Thane's traffic checking skill was more than appreciated- back to the spot where an idiot nearly ran us down and then sped off as though he had not a care in the world. I was sure I would be apprehensive going back there. I even contemplated other routes we could take, but the sidewalk on the other side of the street is in such disrepair until we get much closer to the store.
I went with it and Thane did too. He showed no apprehension but was more intently focused as though that experience had changed him. I try and get something special there for his diet each time we go that he really enjoys- sorta my way of saying thank you for keeping me safe. Since he has allergies that extend to foods and is a giardia survivor, this is my way of treating him without disrupting his balance. Smile
Today's plans got thwarted thanks to my MCS, the neighbor across the way who started burning before we even got up, and the weather. After being home yesterday to deal with the freezer arrival, I really wanted to be on the go today. Sometimes in life, its a good thing to be able to adapt to the situation at hand. The trip I had planned was not urgent, but Thane sure could have used the work.
Instead we have played, trained some, took pictures of training, and I have spent time placing orders I forgot to make and only realized after printing a blank sheet of paper- a big whoops on the cartridge end of my order needs!
Hopefully tomorrow will be a better weather day for working Thane and getting the errands completed that have been put on the back burner for the last two days. I'm looking forward to being able to buy things without worrying if it will fit in my itsy refrigerators freezer. If the weather is nice enough, Thane will get to wear his blue harness that I just finished the American style loops for. He looks so cool in this powder blue color.
I sure wish summer would come and really stay! Two jipped summers in a row is not cool!
04 June 2011
Its the Little Things that Tip the Scale
As a person living with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), shopping online has set me free to shop independently from my very own living room (often times with much minimal toxicity) There are definitely the good companies that try hard to go the extra mile for me- places like Filters-Now and Purely Pets are the two that I can think of right off the top of my head. Knowing my needs Filters-Now goes above and beyond what most would do- double boxing my filters to protect them from the UPS drivers toxicity. It actually began when someone in the warehouse double boxed things once. From then on, I requested that. Many places will charge out of this world shipping charges if they do fulfil such a need for a client. Not only are they always happy to help in this manner, but what is even better is they do not send me smelly ads or catalogues via snail mail.
Some other awesome companies I deal with are Dr Natura, iherb, and Amazon. None of these companies use toxic packaging (to me) and they also do not send me smelly ads or catalogues.
I have my list of companies I will never shop with again though. These companies not only have been asked on numerous occasions by both snail mail and email to remove me from their mailing lists due to toxic mailings and the fact that being blind I can not read them anyway, but they have chosen not to comply. Two of the companies I used ONLY for Chimette, my previous service dog. I have not ordered anything from them since August 2007. They still send me their catalogue and sales monthly. Following Mets passing, this just poured salt in the wound- they still to this day will not remove me and I still must deal with their toxic mailings.
Ironically one of the most toxic mailings I get (at least to me) comes from a company built around organics (Lifekind). I have not ordered from them since 2001 and like the others no amount of letter writing by snail or email gets them to comply. All of these companies jeopardize my health EVERY time they send me a catalogue. Not only are the papers and inks they use toxic for me, but they gather further toxicity through the mail system. Something is very wrong when a company continues to send catalogues to a person for years after their last order and multiple requests for removal are ignored. I've tried the mail address to cease unwanted junk mail, but another interesting ironic twist is that after writing there, the junk mail increased! Who wants to get sick just because they got the mail!
There are also some companies that I used to absolutely love. Their packing material was simply paper and then with no notice they changed to styrofoam (a profound sensitivity of mine that can send me to ER) Multiple emails went unanswered as to why the change and whether or not this was to be the permanent change or just for certain items, but most especially if they would be willing to pack differently on my orders. As a result of this, some long loved companies have entered the *never order from* list as well. It saddens me that the customers needs and requests are not always met with the kind of attitude I get from Filters-Now and Purely Pets.
I continue to seek out companies who do not shower me with toxic ads and catalogues; companies who listen to my shipping needs and show that they care by providing me with safe packaging. They truly are the greatest!
Some other awesome companies I deal with are Dr Natura, iherb, and Amazon. None of these companies use toxic packaging (to me) and they also do not send me smelly ads or catalogues.
I have my list of companies I will never shop with again though. These companies not only have been asked on numerous occasions by both snail mail and email to remove me from their mailing lists due to toxic mailings and the fact that being blind I can not read them anyway, but they have chosen not to comply. Two of the companies I used ONLY for Chimette, my previous service dog. I have not ordered anything from them since August 2007. They still send me their catalogue and sales monthly. Following Mets passing, this just poured salt in the wound- they still to this day will not remove me and I still must deal with their toxic mailings.
Ironically one of the most toxic mailings I get (at least to me) comes from a company built around organics (Lifekind). I have not ordered from them since 2001 and like the others no amount of letter writing by snail or email gets them to comply. All of these companies jeopardize my health EVERY time they send me a catalogue. Not only are the papers and inks they use toxic for me, but they gather further toxicity through the mail system. Something is very wrong when a company continues to send catalogues to a person for years after their last order and multiple requests for removal are ignored. I've tried the mail address to cease unwanted junk mail, but another interesting ironic twist is that after writing there, the junk mail increased! Who wants to get sick just because they got the mail!
There are also some companies that I used to absolutely love. Their packing material was simply paper and then with no notice they changed to styrofoam (a profound sensitivity of mine that can send me to ER) Multiple emails went unanswered as to why the change and whether or not this was to be the permanent change or just for certain items, but most especially if they would be willing to pack differently on my orders. As a result of this, some long loved companies have entered the *never order from* list as well. It saddens me that the customers needs and requests are not always met with the kind of attitude I get from Filters-Now and Purely Pets.
I continue to seek out companies who do not shower me with toxic ads and catalogues; companies who listen to my shipping needs and show that they care by providing me with safe packaging. They truly are the greatest!
01 June 2011
A Little Miracle Called Taurine Changes Thane's Work
Thane has been quite a trooper the last couple weeks. My limitations from skin issues and subsequent MCS exposure and crash have meant that walks and work are the furthest thing from my mind.
Today began like another slowing into living type of day. I could see that the lack of work was beginning to drag on Thane though so rather than settling down to watch some shows on RTV, I harnessed Thane up for a walk and Bi-mart.
In the past, any length of being home for more than three or four days brought with it sound reactivity, a harder pull in harness, poor focus at best, and an overall feeling from me of working with a trainee rather than the skilled guide dog Thane has become.
After some soul searching and trial and error with various dietary and supplemental changes, keeping in mind the possibility of finding a supplement that would not heighten release of histamine in its retinal support, I put Thane on Taurine. Its a supplement that I have lots of experience with from Met. I credit this supplement for making it possible for Thane to be as relaxed and *go with the flow* as he has been the last couple weeks.
When we head out the door now, his pace and pull in harness is awesome. I no longer wonder so much about having a long partnership with Thane. See before with his hard pull, I felt that I would come to a time when for my own structural health, I would have to end this partnership. Things are so different now though. We have not been out since our trip to New Seasons on Sunday. There was no sign of energy bursting to be released like might have occurred in the past. All I received from Thane was a good even pace that pretty much matched my own needs for the day.
It was later than we usually head out which could have been problematic at the store. Instead there really was not a lot of shoppers to negotiate. Thane often has trouble with the polished floors keeping his footing. Though slowing down my speed and reminding him to stay on his feet (as opposed to claw walking) helps a lot, it never completely eliminated the problem. I've also noticed marked improvement in this area as we navigate some *slip and slide* floors.
Though we found nothing of interest at the store today, we apparently spent a short enough time in the store that exposure did not turn into much of a reaction today. That is a really good thing in my book because BI-mart tends to be one of the smelliest stores I need to access.
After leaving the store, I forgot to increase my speed again. Thane stuck to the speed I was moving at despite giving me a bit of an alert that *this slow* wasn't normal in the middle of a parking lot. We took the long walk home to be sure to detox ourselves as much as possible as well as grabbing a bit more exercise to sustain Thane until our next errand run.
Though it might not sound like a lot to others, this change in Thane's work and ability to accept the speed I am moving at are all huge blessings for me in dealing with the issues associated with my disabilities as I work a high energy guide dog.
Today began like another slowing into living type of day. I could see that the lack of work was beginning to drag on Thane though so rather than settling down to watch some shows on RTV, I harnessed Thane up for a walk and Bi-mart.
In the past, any length of being home for more than three or four days brought with it sound reactivity, a harder pull in harness, poor focus at best, and an overall feeling from me of working with a trainee rather than the skilled guide dog Thane has become.
After some soul searching and trial and error with various dietary and supplemental changes, keeping in mind the possibility of finding a supplement that would not heighten release of histamine in its retinal support, I put Thane on Taurine. Its a supplement that I have lots of experience with from Met. I credit this supplement for making it possible for Thane to be as relaxed and *go with the flow* as he has been the last couple weeks.
When we head out the door now, his pace and pull in harness is awesome. I no longer wonder so much about having a long partnership with Thane. See before with his hard pull, I felt that I would come to a time when for my own structural health, I would have to end this partnership. Things are so different now though. We have not been out since our trip to New Seasons on Sunday. There was no sign of energy bursting to be released like might have occurred in the past. All I received from Thane was a good even pace that pretty much matched my own needs for the day.
It was later than we usually head out which could have been problematic at the store. Instead there really was not a lot of shoppers to negotiate. Thane often has trouble with the polished floors keeping his footing. Though slowing down my speed and reminding him to stay on his feet (as opposed to claw walking) helps a lot, it never completely eliminated the problem. I've also noticed marked improvement in this area as we navigate some *slip and slide* floors.
Though we found nothing of interest at the store today, we apparently spent a short enough time in the store that exposure did not turn into much of a reaction today. That is a really good thing in my book because BI-mart tends to be one of the smelliest stores I need to access.
After leaving the store, I forgot to increase my speed again. Thane stuck to the speed I was moving at despite giving me a bit of an alert that *this slow* wasn't normal in the middle of a parking lot. We took the long walk home to be sure to detox ourselves as much as possible as well as grabbing a bit more exercise to sustain Thane until our next errand run.
Though it might not sound like a lot to others, this change in Thane's work and ability to accept the speed I am moving at are all huge blessings for me in dealing with the issues associated with my disabilities as I work a high energy guide dog.
The Collision of Veterinary Care with MCS for Service Dog Handlers
Those of us with MCS with service dogs, know all too well that when we go out in the community shopping, to the bank, to the Drs, or to the Vets that they may very well become as toxic as our bodies, our clothing and our wheelchairs do.
In many aspects I am very lucky with Thane that way, but with Met it was a real chore to keep him detoxed. Most people finally get my *hands off* rule so its rare anyone pets Thane, but when they do, its into the bath he goes.
Living in the pacific northwest can have its advantages. Three quarters of the year, Thane is swathed in a coat that covers his entire back and chest. This has become a remarkable tool in limiting toxicity on him and thus saving his skin from excessive bathing needs.
When it comes to vets though, this is an area where MCS and care collide. I don't know what it is about veterinary clinics and hospitals. I don't understand why everything they use from cleaning floors, to laundry, to their hands and clothing must smell like a chemical bath. I don't understand how they can *first do no harm* using so much toxicity when they deal with epileptics triggered by chemicals and those with allergies whose conditions have stability only through great attention by their owners to avoidance of chemicals, cleaners, and the like. This attends to the dog side of the equation but what about the human side?
Individuals with severe MCS can often benefit from service animals to help them avoid exposures or function with the limitations these exposures place upon them, but with this partnership also comes the responsibility to assure the dog is in good health or to get it care when injured or sick. The last thing we as the handler should have to consider is how this care will affect us, but when dealing with MCS it often is the first thing we have to consider.
My previous vet was fairly non-toxic as long as clients did not bathe in perfume or cologne. When it came to the exam rooms, I never had issues with him nor did Met have to be bathed the instant we got home. His surgical setup was definitely toxic though which I learned the hard way resulting in both Met and I paying the consequences from his scented detergent, fabric softener use, and overall chemical laden area. Though surgery is not often required, this vet was also one of those that over vaccinates inducing disease and then follows that up by over treating. After losing my first service dog, I wised up and knew we needed better. I wanted Thane to have a better chance for a stronger immune system and healthier working career than his predecessor Met had.
I do have a much better vet for Thane because I listened to my heart, to a recommendation, and was willing to take a chance with the unknown. At least in realms of Thane's care, she takes the *do as little as required* principle as opposed to drugging him for every little thing. She is open-minded to other gentler approaches when they can be just as effective. She also charges about half what the previous vet did with gains of knowledge and understanding of what is going on that far exceed what I would get from the previous vet. I love this practice where it comes to the actual care Thane receives.
On the other hand, in the three years I have used this clinic there has only been one time when we left that I did not have to bathe Thane and wash all of his gear. It was a fluke but it proved that there is definitely something in use there for hand washing that is at the route of it all. I deal with this because it easily washes out and generally I can plan our visits when I can easily come home and bathe Thane before he contaminates anything- especially our bed. I deal with it mostly because of her care and commitment to Thane and I as well as that she has the understanding that care she may need to implement could impact my life dramatically. She is the most awesome vet for an assistance dog partnership to use. I love her and frankly the biggest hold for me in not returning to California is that we have such an awesome vet looking out for Thane and our partnership.
Not all preventative care for Thane can be achieved through use of his regular vet here in town. Its unfortunate, but its reality. Last month I took Thane for a check with the ophthamologist. This is a crucial part of life with a guide dog. I need to know that his eyes are functioning properly and won't impact our safety. Its also so important when dealing with eye diseases to get treatment sooner rather than later. I knew from my previous visit to the clinic that their idea of accessibility for getting inside the adapted entry/ converted house was not ADA compliant. I did not think much about it when making the appointment. I had forgotten how hard it had been the first time and most especially did not take into consideration the fact that I had lost a substantial amount of vision since our previous visit. Even if I was happy with the care he received, that entrance is not going to happen again. I am not going to be the one who gets injured or killed because they were too thoughtless to gate off the stair entrance for safety of those in wheelchairs when they get to the top of the ramp onto the narrow porch.
This vet definitely did not have Thane's best interest at heart. She knew he was an allergy and giardia dog. She knew that he reacts to synthetic supplements negatively. She knew there were some things going on that may or may not be visually related. Not only did she not dilate his eyes in declaring that he has no signs of a retinal disease, instead opting to say his symptoms may be indicative of early retinal change, but she put him on a supplement that was SYNTHETIC assuring me that there was nothing that could be problematic with it. She nearly gave him double the dose she did. Lets just say its a GOOD thing I talked her out of that! The supplement turned out to have a known side effect of releasing histamine! If all this nonsense was not bad enough, she left him so toxic for me that a bath was not enough. It took a few days for him to fully detox. It was rough on me. It isn't like taking a pet to the vet (though I appreciate how difficult that is for those with MCS). I had need for help from Thane but had to balance between his help he would provide me with and reacting further from close contact with him. I also had to deal with his discomfort from the histamine release that left him in a profound allergy attack as well as GI upheaval that had not been a part of our life for over a year.
I have chosen to share this side of MCS because its something most people do not even realize when they hear about a person having MCS. MCS is multi-faceted. It is a disability that under the ADA requires businesses to make reasonable accomodations. With my present vet, I'd only request this if it were to become a bigger problem. With the Ophthamologist my choice is to find someone else. If I were happy with the care and she took me seriously, I could simply go to her primary office (unless it too is modified in such haste with no regard to safety). There is too much that is not OK though with the care provided. There is no way to provide the type of care required with an exam outdoors and the level of toxicity (mom says they also use air fresheners right where they directed me to sit) coupled with their non-compliance of ADA guidelines in the ramp design is just not OK for me. I am not going to take that chance again. I was in bed for days and low functioning for two weeks. In this situation the risks were not worth the benefits.
Its a game of the scales- balancing MCS exposure and reactions on one side and the care of your assistance dog on the other. In a perfect world the issues with MCS exposure and reaction would not happen, but we don't live in a perfect world. The best we can do is find the best most understanding practice in our vicinity to work with and to hopefully keep our dogs immune system strong through species appropriate diet and minimal chemicals so that visits to the vet become strictly for health checkups as opposed to the frequency they can be when vaccinosis or other diseases set in.
In many aspects I am very lucky with Thane that way, but with Met it was a real chore to keep him detoxed. Most people finally get my *hands off* rule so its rare anyone pets Thane, but when they do, its into the bath he goes.
Living in the pacific northwest can have its advantages. Three quarters of the year, Thane is swathed in a coat that covers his entire back and chest. This has become a remarkable tool in limiting toxicity on him and thus saving his skin from excessive bathing needs.
When it comes to vets though, this is an area where MCS and care collide. I don't know what it is about veterinary clinics and hospitals. I don't understand why everything they use from cleaning floors, to laundry, to their hands and clothing must smell like a chemical bath. I don't understand how they can *first do no harm* using so much toxicity when they deal with epileptics triggered by chemicals and those with allergies whose conditions have stability only through great attention by their owners to avoidance of chemicals, cleaners, and the like. This attends to the dog side of the equation but what about the human side?
Individuals with severe MCS can often benefit from service animals to help them avoid exposures or function with the limitations these exposures place upon them, but with this partnership also comes the responsibility to assure the dog is in good health or to get it care when injured or sick. The last thing we as the handler should have to consider is how this care will affect us, but when dealing with MCS it often is the first thing we have to consider.
My previous vet was fairly non-toxic as long as clients did not bathe in perfume or cologne. When it came to the exam rooms, I never had issues with him nor did Met have to be bathed the instant we got home. His surgical setup was definitely toxic though which I learned the hard way resulting in both Met and I paying the consequences from his scented detergent, fabric softener use, and overall chemical laden area. Though surgery is not often required, this vet was also one of those that over vaccinates inducing disease and then follows that up by over treating. After losing my first service dog, I wised up and knew we needed better. I wanted Thane to have a better chance for a stronger immune system and healthier working career than his predecessor Met had.
I do have a much better vet for Thane because I listened to my heart, to a recommendation, and was willing to take a chance with the unknown. At least in realms of Thane's care, she takes the *do as little as required* principle as opposed to drugging him for every little thing. She is open-minded to other gentler approaches when they can be just as effective. She also charges about half what the previous vet did with gains of knowledge and understanding of what is going on that far exceed what I would get from the previous vet. I love this practice where it comes to the actual care Thane receives.
On the other hand, in the three years I have used this clinic there has only been one time when we left that I did not have to bathe Thane and wash all of his gear. It was a fluke but it proved that there is definitely something in use there for hand washing that is at the route of it all. I deal with this because it easily washes out and generally I can plan our visits when I can easily come home and bathe Thane before he contaminates anything- especially our bed. I deal with it mostly because of her care and commitment to Thane and I as well as that she has the understanding that care she may need to implement could impact my life dramatically. She is the most awesome vet for an assistance dog partnership to use. I love her and frankly the biggest hold for me in not returning to California is that we have such an awesome vet looking out for Thane and our partnership.
Not all preventative care for Thane can be achieved through use of his regular vet here in town. Its unfortunate, but its reality. Last month I took Thane for a check with the ophthamologist. This is a crucial part of life with a guide dog. I need to know that his eyes are functioning properly and won't impact our safety. Its also so important when dealing with eye diseases to get treatment sooner rather than later. I knew from my previous visit to the clinic that their idea of accessibility for getting inside the adapted entry/ converted house was not ADA compliant. I did not think much about it when making the appointment. I had forgotten how hard it had been the first time and most especially did not take into consideration the fact that I had lost a substantial amount of vision since our previous visit. Even if I was happy with the care he received, that entrance is not going to happen again. I am not going to be the one who gets injured or killed because they were too thoughtless to gate off the stair entrance for safety of those in wheelchairs when they get to the top of the ramp onto the narrow porch.
This vet definitely did not have Thane's best interest at heart. She knew he was an allergy and giardia dog. She knew that he reacts to synthetic supplements negatively. She knew there were some things going on that may or may not be visually related. Not only did she not dilate his eyes in declaring that he has no signs of a retinal disease, instead opting to say his symptoms may be indicative of early retinal change, but she put him on a supplement that was SYNTHETIC assuring me that there was nothing that could be problematic with it. She nearly gave him double the dose she did. Lets just say its a GOOD thing I talked her out of that! The supplement turned out to have a known side effect of releasing histamine! If all this nonsense was not bad enough, she left him so toxic for me that a bath was not enough. It took a few days for him to fully detox. It was rough on me. It isn't like taking a pet to the vet (though I appreciate how difficult that is for those with MCS). I had need for help from Thane but had to balance between his help he would provide me with and reacting further from close contact with him. I also had to deal with his discomfort from the histamine release that left him in a profound allergy attack as well as GI upheaval that had not been a part of our life for over a year.
I have chosen to share this side of MCS because its something most people do not even realize when they hear about a person having MCS. MCS is multi-faceted. It is a disability that under the ADA requires businesses to make reasonable accomodations. With my present vet, I'd only request this if it were to become a bigger problem. With the Ophthamologist my choice is to find someone else. If I were happy with the care and she took me seriously, I could simply go to her primary office (unless it too is modified in such haste with no regard to safety). There is too much that is not OK though with the care provided. There is no way to provide the type of care required with an exam outdoors and the level of toxicity (mom says they also use air fresheners right where they directed me to sit) coupled with their non-compliance of ADA guidelines in the ramp design is just not OK for me. I am not going to take that chance again. I was in bed for days and low functioning for two weeks. In this situation the risks were not worth the benefits.
Its a game of the scales- balancing MCS exposure and reactions on one side and the care of your assistance dog on the other. In a perfect world the issues with MCS exposure and reaction would not happen, but we don't live in a perfect world. The best we can do is find the best most understanding practice in our vicinity to work with and to hopefully keep our dogs immune system strong through species appropriate diet and minimal chemicals so that visits to the vet become strictly for health checkups as opposed to the frequency they can be when vaccinosis or other diseases set in.
31 May 2011
Independent Travel When Acceptance and Disabilities Collide
People who are blind rely on other senses to travel safely and independently. As a deafblind individual, I am already down one sense. About 1 1/2 years ago, I decided that my ability to reduce reactions meant more to me than what people might think about my change from a carbon filtered mask to a respirator mask (AKA gas mask). My reactions were greatly reduced though I had to be careful about duration of use because it can induce some oxygen deprivation problems if worn too long.
I love that I can go to town with Thane and come home able to still play with him after some rest time albeit a bit less energetic in my play. I am not left feeling death warmed over. I am not sent to bed for the next couple days. I am not left unable to give Thane the walks he needs or more training. Of course this is the general scope of things. There are still some exposures that do set me back but those are mostly ones that hit in my close home vicinity- ie things that expose my home as opposed to things I am exposed to when shopping or having an adventure.
What I did not realize or anticipate was that I had actually been relying on the smells that were merely subdued by my carbon mask to determine some of my safer navigation. Thane and I had some real roller coaster times during his first couple years of work. Sometimes I took errand runs without him due to health, stress level, or injuries. It was most noticeable in the absence of Thane, just how much the change to the respirator mask altered my awareness of my surroundings. For instance with the carbon mask, I still smelled exhaust and could tell how close it was to me based on intensity of the smell as I approached driveways. With the respirator mask I really have to mentally slow down and feel the changes in the sidewalk surface; paying close attention to the time its taken me to travel without altering my pace which would then alter how long it takes to get to each drive entrance along the sidewalk path.
Before I received a wheelchair with a headrest on it, my neck would never have been strong enough to withstand the weight of a respirator mask. Thanks to this change which I had qualified for even with my previous chair but rejected because in my mind I was not that disabled. Yes, I was that disabled but its all a matter of perception. I did not want to *look* that disabled. I was still dealing with a lot in my path towards acceptance of my disabilities. I was still living with continued deterioration. I would come to accept myself for who I had become and BAM! another deterioration mode would set in and the grief process would begin anew.
By the time I got my present chair though (and subsequent backup chair), I had come to terms with accepting me for who I was- at least in terms of my quad and para parameters. I would come to realize however that a lot of my acceptance issues were related to my families lack of acceptance. Oh they play a good act, but when it comes right down to the various aspects of the causes of my disabilities and/ or the sensory disabilities- lets just say they live in the land of denial with the largest font all caps one could ever achieve.
About two years ago when I was at my folks place in their yard one summer day, my dad tried to show me something clear across the other end of the yard. Their yard is the length of three yards on their back fence line. When I *reminded* him that I could not see that and was in fact, BLIND, his response to me was that if I could not see that I had no business leaving my home alone. I pointed to Thane laying at my side as I *reminded* him that I did not leave it alone but with a great guide dog! His response to me still stings but I have come to accept that he will just be this way. This is nothing along the lines of parents not wanting their children to suffer, but absolute denial. When my mom had cataracts and entered legal blindness albeit very temporary, you should have heard her carry on about her blindness! MY GOODNESS! In private, I thought it was just TOO FUNNY!
Until I could separate myself from looking for my parents acceptance of who I was, I was not going to be able to accept myself or my disabilities- especially the deterioration in the sensory side of things with my deafblindness. I really have to hand it to my friend Rox'E at The Doghouse, Let the Fur Fly blog. As our friendship grew stronger, I learned to find acceptance of the progression of my dual sensory loss but most especially about my blindness. I had called myself VI for so long- well beyond the point of legal blindness. I could not come to terms with reality- that of the fact that I was blind and the progression at that point was on a fast track.
Through Rox'Es acceptance of herself as a deafblind individual, I began to understand that I did not need my parents acceptance to find my own and thus change my outlook on who I am and could be as an individual with multiple disabilities- many of which were proof of my own tenacity and inability to let anything get between me and living my life.
I count myself fortunate to have the friends I do- they have shown me that I don't need others acceptance, only my own.
I love that I can go to town with Thane and come home able to still play with him after some rest time albeit a bit less energetic in my play. I am not left feeling death warmed over. I am not sent to bed for the next couple days. I am not left unable to give Thane the walks he needs or more training. Of course this is the general scope of things. There are still some exposures that do set me back but those are mostly ones that hit in my close home vicinity- ie things that expose my home as opposed to things I am exposed to when shopping or having an adventure.
What I did not realize or anticipate was that I had actually been relying on the smells that were merely subdued by my carbon mask to determine some of my safer navigation. Thane and I had some real roller coaster times during his first couple years of work. Sometimes I took errand runs without him due to health, stress level, or injuries. It was most noticeable in the absence of Thane, just how much the change to the respirator mask altered my awareness of my surroundings. For instance with the carbon mask, I still smelled exhaust and could tell how close it was to me based on intensity of the smell as I approached driveways. With the respirator mask I really have to mentally slow down and feel the changes in the sidewalk surface; paying close attention to the time its taken me to travel without altering my pace which would then alter how long it takes to get to each drive entrance along the sidewalk path.
Before I received a wheelchair with a headrest on it, my neck would never have been strong enough to withstand the weight of a respirator mask. Thanks to this change which I had qualified for even with my previous chair but rejected because in my mind I was not that disabled. Yes, I was that disabled but its all a matter of perception. I did not want to *look* that disabled. I was still dealing with a lot in my path towards acceptance of my disabilities. I was still living with continued deterioration. I would come to accept myself for who I had become and BAM! another deterioration mode would set in and the grief process would begin anew.
By the time I got my present chair though (and subsequent backup chair), I had come to terms with accepting me for who I was- at least in terms of my quad and para parameters. I would come to realize however that a lot of my acceptance issues were related to my families lack of acceptance. Oh they play a good act, but when it comes right down to the various aspects of the causes of my disabilities and/ or the sensory disabilities- lets just say they live in the land of denial with the largest font all caps one could ever achieve.
About two years ago when I was at my folks place in their yard one summer day, my dad tried to show me something clear across the other end of the yard. Their yard is the length of three yards on their back fence line. When I *reminded* him that I could not see that and was in fact, BLIND, his response to me was that if I could not see that I had no business leaving my home alone. I pointed to Thane laying at my side as I *reminded* him that I did not leave it alone but with a great guide dog! His response to me still stings but I have come to accept that he will just be this way. This is nothing along the lines of parents not wanting their children to suffer, but absolute denial. When my mom had cataracts and entered legal blindness albeit very temporary, you should have heard her carry on about her blindness! MY GOODNESS! In private, I thought it was just TOO FUNNY!
Until I could separate myself from looking for my parents acceptance of who I was, I was not going to be able to accept myself or my disabilities- especially the deterioration in the sensory side of things with my deafblindness. I really have to hand it to my friend Rox'E at The Doghouse, Let the Fur Fly blog. As our friendship grew stronger, I learned to find acceptance of the progression of my dual sensory loss but most especially about my blindness. I had called myself VI for so long- well beyond the point of legal blindness. I could not come to terms with reality- that of the fact that I was blind and the progression at that point was on a fast track.
Through Rox'Es acceptance of herself as a deafblind individual, I began to understand that I did not need my parents acceptance to find my own and thus change my outlook on who I am and could be as an individual with multiple disabilities- many of which were proof of my own tenacity and inability to let anything get between me and living my life.
I count myself fortunate to have the friends I do- they have shown me that I don't need others acceptance, only my own.
MCS Awareness in Form of Medical Alert Training for Multiple Disability Service Dogs
MCS is not just for thirty-one days- it's a 365 day a year variable disease that one lives with and finds ways to cope with and reduce reactions. Its a disease of abstinence of the triggers and parts of life that can and often will bring on symptoms from mild to profound. This is a disease I have lived with for over a decade in the severe to profound form and at least another decade in milder form- not to mention the triggers I can remember from as far back as age 9 and 10. Thanks to my friend Sharon at After Gadget, I learned what this was and how to help myself be as healthy as I can be.
My previous service dog, Chimette (AKA Met) began to naturally alert me when I was getting into trouble. Once this began, fine tuning his alert and follow through saved me many times from severe reactions. When he died, I lost much more than a guide, hearing, and service dog. My MCS stability tanked out. I knew what I had with Met was something very special. Its rare to have a dog who works really effectively for two disabilities let alone to encompass four areas. That all said, I had to live my life believing it would happen again- for after all if I didn't have that hope, what kind of life was ahead for me in finding stability again.
Thane has turned out to be an awesome guide dog, a good service dog, but in the other areas as a hearing dog and medical alert dog for MCS, my hopes were waning. Some of it could be in strategy and training approach. Its a whole different thing to train a dog who is not naturally alerting first to actually alert and follow through than it is to just fine tune and train the follow through phase for MCS alerts.
Some people laugh when they hear me say that a Border Collie is a born guide dog but not so much as a hearing dog. Thane has overcome a lot in the time with me including some intense intervals of sound reactivity. Met was also sound reactive so I don't believe this plays a roll. I have come to terms with the aspect that Thane may very well never make an indoor hearing dog- drat that ball obsession! Its OK and I can get along with other alerting mechanisms in the home. Its certainly not quite as reliable as a hearing dog- but for now, I've taken the pressure off of both of us by tabling this type of training. I once felt the same way about retrieve however and he is now an awesome retriever. Training is not over until the last breath he takes.
Another reason for tabling hearing dog training is that recently I have realized that Thane has become more alert to problems in the environment for me. Where this has really shown up is with smokers that are walking ahead of us, waiting at bus stops, or nearby. Just as I had to do with guide dog training, I am having to learn to trust my dog when he slows down dramatically, speeds up, or chooses a different spot than our usual place to wait for the bus or max. I got myself a hefty reinforcement of this one day last week when I did not trust in Thane's judgment. I thought he was just fooling around and gave him commands which in fact ignored his attempt at alerting me. I paid for disregarding Thane's attempt because I had an older mask on that did not block as completely the toxins around me. That nasty whiff of cigarette smoke was the best thing that could have happened to show me that Thane had a good reason for what he was doing.
Alert training for MCS is much different than other Medical Alert task training. It is trained a lot along the lines of scent training, but with one HUGE difference. The goal in training this for MCS is not for the dog to take you towards the scent but away from. In my situation as a deafblind individual in a wheelchair, the situation does not always allow for my dogs to get me out of the area immediately. Often times the best approach is one where my dog halts and we wait for a bit while the offender/ offensive smell leaves our vicinity as opposed to us increasing our speed and thus me being exposed even more so to the trigger.
In time, I have no doubt that Thane will alert and follow through on my MCS triggers just as effectively as he traffic checks me when drivers try to run us down.
MCS is and always will be until a cure is found a big part of my life. Some days I feel pretty well considering where I have come from- nearly bed ridden when Sharon began her education and support with me, but all it takes is one bad exposure to lower my resistance and bring on the symptoms like what I have been dealing with since this weekends rude neighbor marathon burning episode.
I am just grateful that Thane is beginning the path towards becoming my Medical Alert dog. Its an amazing feeling to have my perception of his capability proven wrong.
My previous service dog, Chimette (AKA Met) began to naturally alert me when I was getting into trouble. Once this began, fine tuning his alert and follow through saved me many times from severe reactions. When he died, I lost much more than a guide, hearing, and service dog. My MCS stability tanked out. I knew what I had with Met was something very special. Its rare to have a dog who works really effectively for two disabilities let alone to encompass four areas. That all said, I had to live my life believing it would happen again- for after all if I didn't have that hope, what kind of life was ahead for me in finding stability again.
Thane has turned out to be an awesome guide dog, a good service dog, but in the other areas as a hearing dog and medical alert dog for MCS, my hopes were waning. Some of it could be in strategy and training approach. Its a whole different thing to train a dog who is not naturally alerting first to actually alert and follow through than it is to just fine tune and train the follow through phase for MCS alerts.
Some people laugh when they hear me say that a Border Collie is a born guide dog but not so much as a hearing dog. Thane has overcome a lot in the time with me including some intense intervals of sound reactivity. Met was also sound reactive so I don't believe this plays a roll. I have come to terms with the aspect that Thane may very well never make an indoor hearing dog- drat that ball obsession! Its OK and I can get along with other alerting mechanisms in the home. Its certainly not quite as reliable as a hearing dog- but for now, I've taken the pressure off of both of us by tabling this type of training. I once felt the same way about retrieve however and he is now an awesome retriever. Training is not over until the last breath he takes.
Another reason for tabling hearing dog training is that recently I have realized that Thane has become more alert to problems in the environment for me. Where this has really shown up is with smokers that are walking ahead of us, waiting at bus stops, or nearby. Just as I had to do with guide dog training, I am having to learn to trust my dog when he slows down dramatically, speeds up, or chooses a different spot than our usual place to wait for the bus or max. I got myself a hefty reinforcement of this one day last week when I did not trust in Thane's judgment. I thought he was just fooling around and gave him commands which in fact ignored his attempt at alerting me. I paid for disregarding Thane's attempt because I had an older mask on that did not block as completely the toxins around me. That nasty whiff of cigarette smoke was the best thing that could have happened to show me that Thane had a good reason for what he was doing.
Alert training for MCS is much different than other Medical Alert task training. It is trained a lot along the lines of scent training, but with one HUGE difference. The goal in training this for MCS is not for the dog to take you towards the scent but away from. In my situation as a deafblind individual in a wheelchair, the situation does not always allow for my dogs to get me out of the area immediately. Often times the best approach is one where my dog halts and we wait for a bit while the offender/ offensive smell leaves our vicinity as opposed to us increasing our speed and thus me being exposed even more so to the trigger.
In time, I have no doubt that Thane will alert and follow through on my MCS triggers just as effectively as he traffic checks me when drivers try to run us down.
MCS is and always will be until a cure is found a big part of my life. Some days I feel pretty well considering where I have come from- nearly bed ridden when Sharon began her education and support with me, but all it takes is one bad exposure to lower my resistance and bring on the symptoms like what I have been dealing with since this weekends rude neighbor marathon burning episode.
I am just grateful that Thane is beginning the path towards becoming my Medical Alert dog. Its an amazing feeling to have my perception of his capability proven wrong.
29 May 2011
Different Ways for Different Times
As an owner trainer of my service dogs, I get many concepts when it comes to training my dogs. I understand that even within a same breed, individual dogs can learn concepts differently, that they may need me to alter my approach to training, that they may fit within the realm of softness to hardness differently in one type of scenario than they are as a general overall principle for them as an individual, that one dog may have certain areas where they follow your lead and other areas or times where their stubbornness can go off the charts.
I won't say these aspects are always easy or that I work with and through them in a perfect fashion. That has been far from the case. It takes the training of many dogs of different breeds and temperaments for any trainer to be truly skilled at what they do. Much of what I have done, has come through much trial and error. In Thane's case it was also clouded by grief and the mentality of trying to mold Thane into Met.
But this post is not so much about these factors- as these factors concentrate around the dog side of the training and team- much of which at this stage with Thane I have figured out the direction and approach that works best or am flexible enough to follow the lead he is showing me to get to the place I seek to be. I have figured out that he is a soft dog who vibes off me which has made me a much better handler and individual in dealing with stressful situations. This post is about the handler side of things. It is about dealing with multiple disabilities that often bring with them much fluctuation in my functional day to day life.
I don't talk much about my disabilities in my blog because frankly I just want a place where I am seen for the inside pages as opposed to the book cover of the physical shell. That all said, I am beginning to feel the need to let down my guard as others have done. Perhaps its because by letting down my guard, I can share with you the kinds of training that can truly prepare one for the unknown- so here goes.
When you wake up each morning, you probably know what you are going to feel like, how much energy you will have, how your limbs will function, whether or not you can get to point B without smacking into a wall from vertigo or any other myriad of functions that as an able bodied healthy person you probably take for granted. This isn't the side of the coin that I deal with however.
I have multiple disabilities and have for more years than not. I am a deafblind individual living with incomplete quadriplegia, complete paraplegia, MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), low kidney function as a reminder of my chemo days, asthma that can rapidly spike to a level of it being hard to communicate secondary to a variety of triggers from my MCS, and a problem that to this day no one has the answers to. It comes on with minimal notice and can affect me in a myriad of ways- feeling like blood sugar is crashing or I'm going to pass out without typical treatments of such bearing any changes on the sensation, vertigo, loss of where I am in space, episodes of complete deafness and at the least greater level of blindness, confusion of how I got where I am- like being in a daydream but not having any daydream of thoughts to cause it. Its believed its linked to the cause of my blindness and to the cause of the further deterioration of my deafness but not the initial cause of that condition. I've accepted that possibility since it is viral in nature and the cause of my GI system roller coaster ride.
My disabilities have several causes working together from birth or shortly thereafter to accident causation to disease. The mere fact that I am alive is a testament to my tenacity and stubbornness but at the same time that survival is a factor in the progressive nature of some of my disabilities and even the causation of others.
The month of May has been MCS awareness month. You'd think I would be shouting out about it every day. Instead I sat back and let others do the shouting such as my dear friend Sharon at After Gadget blog. Its stupid I know, but I feel like it takes all the spoons I can muster to live my life with MCS- I'm not going to focus on it in the one place I really have to escape from the trappings of my disabilities and diseases. So there you have it- call it what you will- denial, anger, escape- I just don't want myself to be thought of as the woman with all these diseases and disabilities that it seems too unbelievable to be true that someone like her/ like me can function as independently as I do amidst all this crap that quite frankly, SUCKS!
This is just a fraction- a bit more about what I deal with- but you really can't even begin to fathom what all of this does to one- the amount of energy it takes to do the things I must to live my life. For instance I am severely impacted by smoke, lawn mowing (for up to a week after its been cut), amongst other things. Yesterday the new and very inconsiderate neighbor across the street spent nearly six hours open burning in the field across the way. My lungs are screaming, my voice volume is so low that at times Thane can not hear me and frankly I feel so weak and out of it unable to find my place in space easily if I change position. To say I feel like HELL is an understatement. This is just a really minute piece of what I deal with. If this was not bad enough, mowing has begun both across the street and at the complex I live in. I did other things today that used way more spoons than I had to give, but necessary things nonetheless.
I felt the need to share these aspects before I entered into the real theme of what I am wanting to convey in this post- that of working differently with ones service animal as life's twists and turns bombard you. See some people ask me when I train various skills if they are things I really need or if I am training them to keep Thane's mind stimulated and his stress level from life in an apartment in an area of the country where someone forgot to tell the sky that we should be in summer weather now.
Reality is that some of the skills are only needed on occasion and that some of them are not things that I presently need. I know from experience living in my body though that every day brings with it differences from the previous day or from the next day- surprises essentially. I never know just what I am going to be like before or even after I pull my paralyzed frame out of bed each day.
Today was one of those bad days where so much was wrong, yet with my redhead here, I achieved much. I have not been able to use my tilt for over a week now because the placement of my skin issue from the close call we had over a week ago is such that excessive pressure is placed on it if I tilt. This brings with it extra spasticity and pain as well as more difficulty breathing even without a trigger to my lung function because not only can't I tilt but I can't use positioning belts and harnesses because they too force too much pressure on my skin. Even my digestion has been affected negatively by not being able to use these things. As a result, I must work with my service dog in very different ways. Had I stopped his training, target practice, and not trained the fun for all type tasks into our routine- the errand we ran today never would have been possible.
With extra spasticity comes a need for my dog to ignore sudden thrusts of the harness handle. It also means that he has to be gentler in his approaches with me that require close contact as well as accepting my bouncing leg when he does the paws command or my hands that might accidentally hit him when I reach out to stroke his head. He has to adapt to my functional changes which includes working differently with me in order to get his harness and coat on and off of him- using paws command instead of standing, as well as frequent adjustments and *how high* with each front paw so that various straps can be positioned in just the perfect place. This is not near as easy as it may sound.
With decreased lung function and a gas mask, it also means that my service dog can not hear me make vocal commands. We have spent the last 6-8 months working some key commands in ASL and/ or home sign just for such occurrences. Though his focus and comprehension is still a work in progress with this approach, we can communicate if we take it slow for tasks related to harness work. Foundation and Obedience commands, we are quite a team with.
Today I was a bit disoriented- meaning I wasn't really sure about distances we'd travel and where we were at along that route. That could be dangerous for a deafblind individual. Thane seems to have a sense of how I am doing. On days when I am really lost like this, he seems to get that *goofing off* just isn't OK. Now when I say goofing off, its more little innuendos of harness pull and speed as well as stubbornness about which route we are going to take. In case you are reading this and do not understand the complexities of working a guide dog- harness pull is not the same thing as pulling on lead. Its an important aspect in the work a guide dog performs. A post on this topic is in the works.
Thane spent much of the day realizing I needed just a bit more today- a bit more involvement in household tasks, a bit more involvement in how I play with him, a bit more patience in how much I interacted, a bit more patience with me in realms of errors on my part in communication.
He's a tough and smart little cookie. Without Thane in my life and trained as much as he is (that training is so far from over) I really would not be living the independent life I am today. I would be forced to deal with evaluations for care workers by a worker who doesn't consider my MCS when it comes to her *bathing in everything scented* approach to her own personal care. Basically my disability would make her make changes that frankly she aint going to do. Yes that violates my rights but since I prefer my independent life and could never get workers in our area to comply with whats necessary for life with MCS, I choose not to spend my spoons educating and/ or fighting with a system that is more broke than anyone could fathom. My care worker is my wonderful little redhead smile I hate to think where I would be without this little guy curled up at my feet.
What kind of day will tomorrow bring with it? Will I wake up invigorated or will it be another day to lay at the foot of my bed watching JAG or maybe 4400 re-runs from tapes I made over the years, while telling Thane how sorry I am about not taking him for a walk or to town. Only tomorrow morning will tell that tale.
I won't say these aspects are always easy or that I work with and through them in a perfect fashion. That has been far from the case. It takes the training of many dogs of different breeds and temperaments for any trainer to be truly skilled at what they do. Much of what I have done, has come through much trial and error. In Thane's case it was also clouded by grief and the mentality of trying to mold Thane into Met.
But this post is not so much about these factors- as these factors concentrate around the dog side of the training and team- much of which at this stage with Thane I have figured out the direction and approach that works best or am flexible enough to follow the lead he is showing me to get to the place I seek to be. I have figured out that he is a soft dog who vibes off me which has made me a much better handler and individual in dealing with stressful situations. This post is about the handler side of things. It is about dealing with multiple disabilities that often bring with them much fluctuation in my functional day to day life.
I don't talk much about my disabilities in my blog because frankly I just want a place where I am seen for the inside pages as opposed to the book cover of the physical shell. That all said, I am beginning to feel the need to let down my guard as others have done. Perhaps its because by letting down my guard, I can share with you the kinds of training that can truly prepare one for the unknown- so here goes.
When you wake up each morning, you probably know what you are going to feel like, how much energy you will have, how your limbs will function, whether or not you can get to point B without smacking into a wall from vertigo or any other myriad of functions that as an able bodied healthy person you probably take for granted. This isn't the side of the coin that I deal with however.
I have multiple disabilities and have for more years than not. I am a deafblind individual living with incomplete quadriplegia, complete paraplegia, MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities), low kidney function as a reminder of my chemo days, asthma that can rapidly spike to a level of it being hard to communicate secondary to a variety of triggers from my MCS, and a problem that to this day no one has the answers to. It comes on with minimal notice and can affect me in a myriad of ways- feeling like blood sugar is crashing or I'm going to pass out without typical treatments of such bearing any changes on the sensation, vertigo, loss of where I am in space, episodes of complete deafness and at the least greater level of blindness, confusion of how I got where I am- like being in a daydream but not having any daydream of thoughts to cause it. Its believed its linked to the cause of my blindness and to the cause of the further deterioration of my deafness but not the initial cause of that condition. I've accepted that possibility since it is viral in nature and the cause of my GI system roller coaster ride.
My disabilities have several causes working together from birth or shortly thereafter to accident causation to disease. The mere fact that I am alive is a testament to my tenacity and stubbornness but at the same time that survival is a factor in the progressive nature of some of my disabilities and even the causation of others.
The month of May has been MCS awareness month. You'd think I would be shouting out about it every day. Instead I sat back and let others do the shouting such as my dear friend Sharon at After Gadget blog. Its stupid I know, but I feel like it takes all the spoons I can muster to live my life with MCS- I'm not going to focus on it in the one place I really have to escape from the trappings of my disabilities and diseases. So there you have it- call it what you will- denial, anger, escape- I just don't want myself to be thought of as the woman with all these diseases and disabilities that it seems too unbelievable to be true that someone like her/ like me can function as independently as I do amidst all this crap that quite frankly, SUCKS!
This is just a fraction- a bit more about what I deal with- but you really can't even begin to fathom what all of this does to one- the amount of energy it takes to do the things I must to live my life. For instance I am severely impacted by smoke, lawn mowing (for up to a week after its been cut), amongst other things. Yesterday the new and very inconsiderate neighbor across the street spent nearly six hours open burning in the field across the way. My lungs are screaming, my voice volume is so low that at times Thane can not hear me and frankly I feel so weak and out of it unable to find my place in space easily if I change position. To say I feel like HELL is an understatement. This is just a really minute piece of what I deal with. If this was not bad enough, mowing has begun both across the street and at the complex I live in. I did other things today that used way more spoons than I had to give, but necessary things nonetheless.
I felt the need to share these aspects before I entered into the real theme of what I am wanting to convey in this post- that of working differently with ones service animal as life's twists and turns bombard you. See some people ask me when I train various skills if they are things I really need or if I am training them to keep Thane's mind stimulated and his stress level from life in an apartment in an area of the country where someone forgot to tell the sky that we should be in summer weather now.
Reality is that some of the skills are only needed on occasion and that some of them are not things that I presently need. I know from experience living in my body though that every day brings with it differences from the previous day or from the next day- surprises essentially. I never know just what I am going to be like before or even after I pull my paralyzed frame out of bed each day.
Today was one of those bad days where so much was wrong, yet with my redhead here, I achieved much. I have not been able to use my tilt for over a week now because the placement of my skin issue from the close call we had over a week ago is such that excessive pressure is placed on it if I tilt. This brings with it extra spasticity and pain as well as more difficulty breathing even without a trigger to my lung function because not only can't I tilt but I can't use positioning belts and harnesses because they too force too much pressure on my skin. Even my digestion has been affected negatively by not being able to use these things. As a result, I must work with my service dog in very different ways. Had I stopped his training, target practice, and not trained the fun for all type tasks into our routine- the errand we ran today never would have been possible.
With extra spasticity comes a need for my dog to ignore sudden thrusts of the harness handle. It also means that he has to be gentler in his approaches with me that require close contact as well as accepting my bouncing leg when he does the paws command or my hands that might accidentally hit him when I reach out to stroke his head. He has to adapt to my functional changes which includes working differently with me in order to get his harness and coat on and off of him- using paws command instead of standing, as well as frequent adjustments and *how high* with each front paw so that various straps can be positioned in just the perfect place. This is not near as easy as it may sound.
With decreased lung function and a gas mask, it also means that my service dog can not hear me make vocal commands. We have spent the last 6-8 months working some key commands in ASL and/ or home sign just for such occurrences. Though his focus and comprehension is still a work in progress with this approach, we can communicate if we take it slow for tasks related to harness work. Foundation and Obedience commands, we are quite a team with.
Today I was a bit disoriented- meaning I wasn't really sure about distances we'd travel and where we were at along that route. That could be dangerous for a deafblind individual. Thane seems to have a sense of how I am doing. On days when I am really lost like this, he seems to get that *goofing off* just isn't OK. Now when I say goofing off, its more little innuendos of harness pull and speed as well as stubbornness about which route we are going to take. In case you are reading this and do not understand the complexities of working a guide dog- harness pull is not the same thing as pulling on lead. Its an important aspect in the work a guide dog performs. A post on this topic is in the works.
Thane spent much of the day realizing I needed just a bit more today- a bit more involvement in household tasks, a bit more involvement in how I play with him, a bit more patience in how much I interacted, a bit more patience with me in realms of errors on my part in communication.
He's a tough and smart little cookie. Without Thane in my life and trained as much as he is (that training is so far from over) I really would not be living the independent life I am today. I would be forced to deal with evaluations for care workers by a worker who doesn't consider my MCS when it comes to her *bathing in everything scented* approach to her own personal care. Basically my disability would make her make changes that frankly she aint going to do. Yes that violates my rights but since I prefer my independent life and could never get workers in our area to comply with whats necessary for life with MCS, I choose not to spend my spoons educating and/ or fighting with a system that is more broke than anyone could fathom. My care worker is my wonderful little redhead smile I hate to think where I would be without this little guy curled up at my feet.
What kind of day will tomorrow bring with it? Will I wake up invigorated or will it be another day to lay at the foot of my bed watching JAG or maybe 4400 re-runs from tapes I made over the years, while telling Thane how sorry I am about not taking him for a walk or to town. Only tomorrow morning will tell that tale.
28 May 2011
We Didn't Get Off So Easy
I should be used to this by now. I have spent more of my life in a wheelchair than I did on my feet. I have sporadic sensation at best. I knew Thane took a really hard brunt of that very hard traffic check a week ago. I was very sore and can't stop re-playing that film in my mind- you know the kind that hits when you have had such a very close call. Thankfully it has not robbed me of sleep which my body really needs.
I have been so sore in places I did not even realize I could still feel, but that was to be expected- at least in my mind. What never dawned on me until two days after the incident is that just like Thane, my skin had bore the brunt of that experience- being thrust back like I was by Thane's movement followed by my rapid reverse on the joystick sheared my skin. I have spent the past week in my apartment only leaving it to dump the trash and get the mail- at which point I felt the pain of the required upright positioning the entire time. It figures that where my skin got sheered just happens to be one of those rare places I do have skin sensation in! ARG
So this past week, Thane and I spent our time indoors- I did a lot of laying on the bed watching old TV shows on RTV- you know ones I remember from days when I was sighted, not blind and was just HOH instead of Deaf.
I have gained a new appreciation for this *bust out of the starting block* redhead that I am partnered with- the kind of appreciation that comes when you realize their fast response time (which is much faster than most guides) is the reason why they were not instantly retired from injury or worse.
You really got to hand it to the street crews who put the safety of pedestrians first (NOT) when selecting how they run the signal lights. I tell you, this experience has made me re-think some of the crossings we have used as we try and create variety in our life. Frankly I can think of at least six that will NEVER be used again.
Some people think I am just being paranoid, but when you endure such a close call as we did and have your teamwork put on hold in such a manner because the two of you are injured in the process of your guide doing his job- well it just changes your perspective about what is and is not safe to be doing.
We have no choice about using that same signal light that this close call happened on. There just is no other way to get to point B without using this crossing. I will admit, the first time we use it and probably for sometime, I will have to work really hard at not tensing up as we do the last half of that crossing.
My skin won't be well for some time. Its not as simple as what others who are confined to chairs deal with when their skin breaks down. Being an individual with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), each element of care is so much bigger of an issue. For years, my recourse in wound healing has been Neosporin. It was the one and only ointment I could still use- that is until now. I never would have thought I would become this allergic to the ONLY thing I could use in infection prevention. When I realized I had broken out in hives all around the skin breakdown, I knew what had seemed like an easy *heal in a week* skin problem, had other plans for me. Lets just say that this IS NOT how I planned on spending my Memorial Day weekend.
It could be worse, I know that. Thane could have been hit and I could be dealing with that. Instead I have had the time to enjoy Thane for who he is- tell him every day just how grateful I am for him being at my side and on such high alert as we encountered that danger.
Instead of worse, I spent this past week adding two supplements to Thane's regimen which are making a lot of positive changes for him. His coat is getting soft again thanks to the flax oil which he does tolerate (unlike all the other oils including fish, olive, and coconut) and his high drive, bouncing off the wall, unable to focus self that returned when Pet GO failed due to constipating effects, has been tucked back away through the use of supplemental Taurine. He is calm, rarely considers chewing on himself any more and when he does its more like that quick itch. He chooses to snooze or play alone when I am unable to play rather than nagging me all day long with his toys. Don't get me wrong, he is still my silly redhead who remains ball obsessed- he just is able to contain himself when I am not able to play or interact as well.
I don't know when both Thane and I will be completely back to normal. Presently his original harness that is designed a bit differently is meeting our needs by using the add on loops. We are only working on the complex grounds but that has to change soon as I am going stir crazy! His skin has gotten a good break from any tension across where it was sheered though which is a good thing. He sure was glad when I started letting him help me on the grounds again- and frankly, I was barely making it with the cane those couple days he could not help.
I wonder what that IDIOT would think, if he knew what pain and suffering his impatience and speed had caused us.
I have been so sore in places I did not even realize I could still feel, but that was to be expected- at least in my mind. What never dawned on me until two days after the incident is that just like Thane, my skin had bore the brunt of that experience- being thrust back like I was by Thane's movement followed by my rapid reverse on the joystick sheared my skin. I have spent the past week in my apartment only leaving it to dump the trash and get the mail- at which point I felt the pain of the required upright positioning the entire time. It figures that where my skin got sheered just happens to be one of those rare places I do have skin sensation in! ARG
So this past week, Thane and I spent our time indoors- I did a lot of laying on the bed watching old TV shows on RTV- you know ones I remember from days when I was sighted, not blind and was just HOH instead of Deaf.
I have gained a new appreciation for this *bust out of the starting block* redhead that I am partnered with- the kind of appreciation that comes when you realize their fast response time (which is much faster than most guides) is the reason why they were not instantly retired from injury or worse.
You really got to hand it to the street crews who put the safety of pedestrians first (NOT) when selecting how they run the signal lights. I tell you, this experience has made me re-think some of the crossings we have used as we try and create variety in our life. Frankly I can think of at least six that will NEVER be used again.
Some people think I am just being paranoid, but when you endure such a close call as we did and have your teamwork put on hold in such a manner because the two of you are injured in the process of your guide doing his job- well it just changes your perspective about what is and is not safe to be doing.
We have no choice about using that same signal light that this close call happened on. There just is no other way to get to point B without using this crossing. I will admit, the first time we use it and probably for sometime, I will have to work really hard at not tensing up as we do the last half of that crossing.
My skin won't be well for some time. Its not as simple as what others who are confined to chairs deal with when their skin breaks down. Being an individual with MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities), each element of care is so much bigger of an issue. For years, my recourse in wound healing has been Neosporin. It was the one and only ointment I could still use- that is until now. I never would have thought I would become this allergic to the ONLY thing I could use in infection prevention. When I realized I had broken out in hives all around the skin breakdown, I knew what had seemed like an easy *heal in a week* skin problem, had other plans for me. Lets just say that this IS NOT how I planned on spending my Memorial Day weekend.
It could be worse, I know that. Thane could have been hit and I could be dealing with that. Instead I have had the time to enjoy Thane for who he is- tell him every day just how grateful I am for him being at my side and on such high alert as we encountered that danger.
Instead of worse, I spent this past week adding two supplements to Thane's regimen which are making a lot of positive changes for him. His coat is getting soft again thanks to the flax oil which he does tolerate (unlike all the other oils including fish, olive, and coconut) and his high drive, bouncing off the wall, unable to focus self that returned when Pet GO failed due to constipating effects, has been tucked back away through the use of supplemental Taurine. He is calm, rarely considers chewing on himself any more and when he does its more like that quick itch. He chooses to snooze or play alone when I am unable to play rather than nagging me all day long with his toys. Don't get me wrong, he is still my silly redhead who remains ball obsessed- he just is able to contain himself when I am not able to play or interact as well.
I don't know when both Thane and I will be completely back to normal. Presently his original harness that is designed a bit differently is meeting our needs by using the add on loops. We are only working on the complex grounds but that has to change soon as I am going stir crazy! His skin has gotten a good break from any tension across where it was sheered though which is a good thing. He sure was glad when I started letting him help me on the grounds again- and frankly, I was barely making it with the cane those couple days he could not help.
I wonder what that IDIOT would think, if he knew what pain and suffering his impatience and speed had caused us.
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