Those who are deafblind rely on their other senses in ways most of the public are unaware. For those who have lost a single sense, adapting to life without it, is a lot simpler than the life I live.
I am a deafblind incomplete quad in the world of MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities). This poses a lot of limitations on my senses. My sense of touch for instance, limits my ability to read braille or feel sign language accurately.
In the early stages of MCS, an individual may not wear a mask at all so the sense of smell can give feedback about the environment aiding in their ability to safely navigate and receive input about their surroundings. For instance, if you smell fries or other food associated with McDonald's and know that you need to turn at the street right beyond their location, it would alert you to the need to turn soon. If you smell exhaust practically on top of you, backing up out of harms way would be the only thing to do!
When my MCS hit hard, I wore a cotton mask with carbon filter. It helped a lot, but not near enough. I was still getting quite ill every time I went out in public, but I also had feedback about my surroundings through the smells I encountered.
Eventually I came to the decision that I wanted my health back. I did not care what others thought any more about me wearing a respiratory mask (AKA gas mask) I knew for my health, that this was what I needed.
What I did not anticipate though was the loss of an additional sense! What a shock to have so much more about my environment ripped out from underneath me. Granted, I could go back to the cotton mask, or not fasten the respiratory mask as securely to let some smell through, but what good was that going to be for my health? My world went from precarious to down right dangerous!
With my service dog at my side, my world is a lot safer again. My service dog is a crucial tool in my ability to safely navigate and be aware of my surroundings. When he was so ill and it looked likely that he may not work in public again, I was forced to take life in public solo. I lived in a small town and limited my outings to the essential errands, but it was still very tumultuous. I could not just use paratransit because the toxicity, lengthy rides, and diesel played havoc with my health and skin. Frankly there were times when I wondered if life would ever really be safe for me again. Thankfully his health has returned and he is back at my side helping me navigate through life.
My service dog, is an essential tool in my ability to live an independent life. I can't imagine life without my sidekick. He, not only makes my life rich, but safe.
14 May 2013
01 May 2013
Essential Creativity
This post is for the Assistance Dog Blog Carnival. This Resources and Tools ADBC is hosted by Frida Writes. At first, I was not going to enter this carnival. In my new home, I have much more severe issues with EMFS (electro-magnetic frequency sensitivity) The less time on the computer, the better in this situation. When the deadline was extended, I could not help myself. grin
I could write on so many things within the Resources and Tools topic, but I decided to leave some of the topics that will be well covered by other bloggers and write about the topic that truly is an essential part of what allows/ allowed me to have so much success partnered with my Border Collies.
From the start with Chimette, it was clear that if we were going to be successful, something was going to have to happen in the area of gear. At the time everything I could find on the market was difficult with my hand limitations, not comfortable for Met, or it rotated when he performed his guide duties. Lets face it, gear was created around the mindset and structures of the typical service dog breeds of Golden and Labrador Retrievers. The only differences in the gear are in the size. They didn't and many still don't take into consideration the structural differences- especially that of smaller chests, and differences in natural gaits of the various breeds which can in some circumstances set these dogs up for structural problems after working in the inappropriate gear.
Anytime I bought gear for Met, I found myself having to change it, sometimes significantly. It all began with changing clasps on leashes and collars so that I could do them independently. These simple adaptations led to those of more significant gear.
I've always been a creative person. As a child I sewed a lot. I made clothes for my dolls, made dolls, stuffed animals, and other things my mind conjured up. It was just natural for me to use my creativity to eliminate the obstacle of poor fitting gear that was essential in making this partnership work.
At first, I would buy gear sold on the market and adapt it so that it worked better for Met and I, but eventually I realized how ridiculous that was. I was paying sometimes twice as much as necessary by following this approach. What was realistic was to find resources for the materials I needed and build the gear myself.
This wasn't a time when there were a lot of gear providers as it was, especially for guide dog gear. The internet did not have the abundance of providers for gear let alone materials in those days. I was fortunate to have both manufacturers and friends who provided me with some valuable resources. Today, I still use some of those resources when trying to find the essential hardware I need to make reliable gear that fits and enables Thane and I to work effortlessly with it.
The first gear I made for Met I did by hand, but with my hand limitations, I soon picked up a sewing machine to allow me to create more rugged gear.
One of my favorite parts of making my own gear is the experimentation phase: trying out my creations for fit and function on their part as well as how it works for them to provide me with the guide skills they have been trained to provide. Now-a-days most of my gear is functional, but in the earlier days I learned a lot by my failures about the structure and natural movement of not just my dogs, but the two of us as a team as well.
As my vision deteriorated to the level that I felt an American Style guide harness would be more appropriate for Thane and I, I felt unsure as to whether or not I could create such a harness while keeping the same loop back fastening girth strap as I was using at the time. There were some great friends and owner trainers who I spoke to during this strategizing phase, including Julie who used to own On the Go making guide dog gear. I got some good feedback on the loops themselves as well as ideas on how to test them before sewing them down more securely that really helped. It took a while for me to strategize a harness I thought would work. In the end it took about three or four designs before I finally had a design that really worked.
I used that harness design for a little over two years with great effectiveness before a number of hard traffic checks sent me back to the drawing board for a different front chest design. My move from a small country-like town to the fast paced city brought with it drivers who seem to have the skill level of someone getting a license out of a cracker jacks box. That was made even more difficult by the curb cuts in this city that make me feel like we have been thrown into the wayback machine back to the 80's! The result of all this can be more torque placed on the harness and thus chest of the dog when it is guiding a handler in a wheelchair down steep and/or awkward curb cuts or doing hard traffic checks because a driver did not stop when they should have. I am hopeful that his new harness which is an adaptation of the EZYDOG convert harness I bought online (before I was able to set up my sewing machine for effective work here) will work for just as long as the previous design.
Over the years I have made a myriad of leash designs for each dog (wide webbing multi-clasp adjustable, narrow webbing multi-clasp adjustable, wide velcro adjustable, narrow webbing with O ring design for use in normal working conditions as well as narrower paths of travel, etc; vests, small velcro backpacks to work with harnesses I made, harnesses of multiple designs as my vision deteriorated, rain coats that can be worn over the harness, guide handles of multiple designs from more flexible in the early years to rigid offset today; boots, a guide handle brace thanks to support from Mardi who I met on a training list for guide and service dogs- frankly I guess you can say I have made it all though I still occasionally buy an item here and there that requires no to minimal adaptation (mostly collars and leashes).
My favorite item that I finally figured a way to adapt so I can use when Thane is in harness is the Clicker Leash. I have a lot of limitations when it comes to activating clickers. Until I got this leash, I could only activate the tiny party clickers so this was quite a surprise for me to be able to activate it. I did not care for the leash fabric/ width so I replaced that part right away with a tape nylon webbing. Since then I have added an additional length to allow for a connection to my chair while I am able to hold the handle for its use. I generally use this lead when I need to work on something with Thane- mostly related to these *after thought* curb cuts we have to deal with in our city.
The bottom line here though is this- I love that I have the creativity and skill to adapt and create the gear that I need. It not only gives me a sense of accomplishment, but I am able to get gear designed the way I want, with the options we both need to make this work for us. I can't imagine how much money I have saved over the years if this simple EZY DOG convert harness I recently adapted further to use as a guide harness cost $50 bucks! I love that harness btw but to use as a guide harness there was some difficult aspects to overcome to adapt it.
Its never easy dealing with gear when you have MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) Even when I make my own gear, the detox process can be quite lengthy (sometimes years and sometimes never accomplished). I've worked hard to find resources where the detox is as minimal as possible. Below are some of my favorite resources for materials. Maybe others out there who have the creative *bug* can make use of these.
Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics
They recently changed their website for the negative, but their customer service is usually really good. Their prices are great and fabrics such as cordura and packcloth are often less toxic purchased from them. They sell hardware as well, but usually I opt for strapworks for all but velcro which I generally purchase by the roll. They do not do online ordering, but will accept orders by fax with follow up emails if you request them when you send the fax.
Seattle Fabrics
This company is on the pricey side for both the items they sell and the shipping, but on occasion I use them as they sell some hard to find hardware items that have been beneficial for me over the years.
Old Trail Fabric
I have got some really neat cordura colors from this company. That said, the detox time was longer than I had planned for. At the time, however, cordura was a brand new item for them so it was probably no different than if my regular source above got a new supply.
Beacon Fabric and Notions
I like this company for untreated cotton duck and cotton webbing. There are probably cheaper sources, but this company is quick and has reasonable shipping charges.
Strapworks
This company is a superb resource for hardware. Caution is warranted with their website for individuals prone to seizures. Keeping up with their website changes, to block flashing ads is a full time job sometimes, but it is worth it for the wonderful hardware and webbing options.
I have a number of other sources, some of which I have not tried yet, but the above are my favorite places for buying materials.
I have not received any payment for my reviews of the gear I wrote about in this entry.
I could write on so many things within the Resources and Tools topic, but I decided to leave some of the topics that will be well covered by other bloggers and write about the topic that truly is an essential part of what allows/ allowed me to have so much success partnered with my Border Collies.
From the start with Chimette, it was clear that if we were going to be successful, something was going to have to happen in the area of gear. At the time everything I could find on the market was difficult with my hand limitations, not comfortable for Met, or it rotated when he performed his guide duties. Lets face it, gear was created around the mindset and structures of the typical service dog breeds of Golden and Labrador Retrievers. The only differences in the gear are in the size. They didn't and many still don't take into consideration the structural differences- especially that of smaller chests, and differences in natural gaits of the various breeds which can in some circumstances set these dogs up for structural problems after working in the inappropriate gear.
Anytime I bought gear for Met, I found myself having to change it, sometimes significantly. It all began with changing clasps on leashes and collars so that I could do them independently. These simple adaptations led to those of more significant gear.
I've always been a creative person. As a child I sewed a lot. I made clothes for my dolls, made dolls, stuffed animals, and other things my mind conjured up. It was just natural for me to use my creativity to eliminate the obstacle of poor fitting gear that was essential in making this partnership work.
At first, I would buy gear sold on the market and adapt it so that it worked better for Met and I, but eventually I realized how ridiculous that was. I was paying sometimes twice as much as necessary by following this approach. What was realistic was to find resources for the materials I needed and build the gear myself.
This wasn't a time when there were a lot of gear providers as it was, especially for guide dog gear. The internet did not have the abundance of providers for gear let alone materials in those days. I was fortunate to have both manufacturers and friends who provided me with some valuable resources. Today, I still use some of those resources when trying to find the essential hardware I need to make reliable gear that fits and enables Thane and I to work effortlessly with it.
The first gear I made for Met I did by hand, but with my hand limitations, I soon picked up a sewing machine to allow me to create more rugged gear.
One of my favorite parts of making my own gear is the experimentation phase: trying out my creations for fit and function on their part as well as how it works for them to provide me with the guide skills they have been trained to provide. Now-a-days most of my gear is functional, but in the earlier days I learned a lot by my failures about the structure and natural movement of not just my dogs, but the two of us as a team as well.
As my vision deteriorated to the level that I felt an American Style guide harness would be more appropriate for Thane and I, I felt unsure as to whether or not I could create such a harness while keeping the same loop back fastening girth strap as I was using at the time. There were some great friends and owner trainers who I spoke to during this strategizing phase, including Julie who used to own On the Go making guide dog gear. I got some good feedback on the loops themselves as well as ideas on how to test them before sewing them down more securely that really helped. It took a while for me to strategize a harness I thought would work. In the end it took about three or four designs before I finally had a design that really worked.
I used that harness design for a little over two years with great effectiveness before a number of hard traffic checks sent me back to the drawing board for a different front chest design. My move from a small country-like town to the fast paced city brought with it drivers who seem to have the skill level of someone getting a license out of a cracker jacks box. That was made even more difficult by the curb cuts in this city that make me feel like we have been thrown into the wayback machine back to the 80's! The result of all this can be more torque placed on the harness and thus chest of the dog when it is guiding a handler in a wheelchair down steep and/or awkward curb cuts or doing hard traffic checks because a driver did not stop when they should have. I am hopeful that his new harness which is an adaptation of the EZYDOG convert harness I bought online (before I was able to set up my sewing machine for effective work here) will work for just as long as the previous design.
Over the years I have made a myriad of leash designs for each dog (wide webbing multi-clasp adjustable, narrow webbing multi-clasp adjustable, wide velcro adjustable, narrow webbing with O ring design for use in normal working conditions as well as narrower paths of travel, etc; vests, small velcro backpacks to work with harnesses I made, harnesses of multiple designs as my vision deteriorated, rain coats that can be worn over the harness, guide handles of multiple designs from more flexible in the early years to rigid offset today; boots, a guide handle brace thanks to support from Mardi who I met on a training list for guide and service dogs- frankly I guess you can say I have made it all though I still occasionally buy an item here and there that requires no to minimal adaptation (mostly collars and leashes).
My favorite item that I finally figured a way to adapt so I can use when Thane is in harness is the Clicker Leash. I have a lot of limitations when it comes to activating clickers. Until I got this leash, I could only activate the tiny party clickers so this was quite a surprise for me to be able to activate it. I did not care for the leash fabric/ width so I replaced that part right away with a tape nylon webbing. Since then I have added an additional length to allow for a connection to my chair while I am able to hold the handle for its use. I generally use this lead when I need to work on something with Thane- mostly related to these *after thought* curb cuts we have to deal with in our city.
The bottom line here though is this- I love that I have the creativity and skill to adapt and create the gear that I need. It not only gives me a sense of accomplishment, but I am able to get gear designed the way I want, with the options we both need to make this work for us. I can't imagine how much money I have saved over the years if this simple EZY DOG convert harness I recently adapted further to use as a guide harness cost $50 bucks! I love that harness btw but to use as a guide harness there was some difficult aspects to overcome to adapt it.
Its never easy dealing with gear when you have MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivities) Even when I make my own gear, the detox process can be quite lengthy (sometimes years and sometimes never accomplished). I've worked hard to find resources where the detox is as minimal as possible. Below are some of my favorite resources for materials. Maybe others out there who have the creative *bug* can make use of these.
Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics
They recently changed their website for the negative, but their customer service is usually really good. Their prices are great and fabrics such as cordura and packcloth are often less toxic purchased from them. They sell hardware as well, but usually I opt for strapworks for all but velcro which I generally purchase by the roll. They do not do online ordering, but will accept orders by fax with follow up emails if you request them when you send the fax.
Seattle Fabrics
This company is on the pricey side for both the items they sell and the shipping, but on occasion I use them as they sell some hard to find hardware items that have been beneficial for me over the years.
Old Trail Fabric
I have got some really neat cordura colors from this company. That said, the detox time was longer than I had planned for. At the time, however, cordura was a brand new item for them so it was probably no different than if my regular source above got a new supply.
Beacon Fabric and Notions
I like this company for untreated cotton duck and cotton webbing. There are probably cheaper sources, but this company is quick and has reasonable shipping charges.
Strapworks
This company is a superb resource for hardware. Caution is warranted with their website for individuals prone to seizures. Keeping up with their website changes, to block flashing ads is a full time job sometimes, but it is worth it for the wonderful hardware and webbing options.
I have a number of other sources, some of which I have not tried yet, but the above are my favorite places for buying materials.
I have not received any payment for my reviews of the gear I wrote about in this entry.
02 February 2013
Laundry Helper
Since before I got Thane to train as my successor, I have used a small wonder washer to do my laundry. I have not been able to use a washer and dryer in years due to MCS (multiple chemical sensitivities). With my recent move; however, I have a washer and dryer in my apartment. The detox process was easier than anticipated.
Today I did a small load of towels and decided this was a great time to begin training Thane to unload the dryer. There are times when I wish I had a more operant dog, but today was not one of those.
His first decision was to try and close the dryer door- afterall it does look much like a cupboard door so therefore I must want him to close it right grin
Next, he decided the dryer door should be nudged back open
Next, he reached forward to look at investigate the dryer opening
Finally he peered inside at which point the words Inside, Mommy Needs worked great! One by one, *Inside, Mommy Needs* and I had the entire load of towels in my lap vbg
When I first learned I would have a washer and dryer here, I thought teaching Thane to unload it would be a complicated thing. Our partnership has been hampered for at least three years from multiple medical problems and a moldy environment which impacted Thane's ability to be the operant dog he is proving to be today.
Now if I could just get him to walk on the tile entrance floors correctly instead of walking on his nails r sliding all over the place. Why can't he be operant about that!
Today I did a small load of towels and decided this was a great time to begin training Thane to unload the dryer. There are times when I wish I had a more operant dog, but today was not one of those.
His first decision was to try and close the dryer door- afterall it does look much like a cupboard door so therefore I must want him to close it right grin
Next, he decided the dryer door should be nudged back open
Next, he reached forward to look at investigate the dryer opening
Finally he peered inside at which point the words Inside, Mommy Needs worked great! One by one, *Inside, Mommy Needs* and I had the entire load of towels in my lap vbg
When I first learned I would have a washer and dryer here, I thought teaching Thane to unload it would be a complicated thing. Our partnership has been hampered for at least three years from multiple medical problems and a moldy environment which impacted Thane's ability to be the operant dog he is proving to be today.
Now if I could just get him to walk on the tile entrance floors correctly instead of walking on his nails r sliding all over the place. Why can't he be operant about that!
28 January 2013
Six is Beautiful!
Happy Woofday baby boy! Today you are six beautiful years old and HEALTHY! I can't remember the last time Thane was healthy like this, albeit still a bit scruffy looking with coat growth. It is indeed a day of Celebration! I don't know what the future holds for us or how long this will last, but today I am very happy- happy indeed!
The rain outside which often dampens spirits this time of year, can't dampen my spirits today.
When you came into my life, it was for a healthy start- a healthy partnership, but instead I got one to continue teaching me lessons. Thank you baby boy for the lessons. As hard as they have been to learn; as hard as the journeys have been to travel; I have grown through the experiences.
Just in the last year, you have taught me that sticking to my gut feelings is the right call. Of course, the smarter call would be to move on to someone who will listen! Next time, I'll do just that!
You helped my own health, not just yours when the gluten intolerance surfaced (thanks to miss incompetence) I never realized I was fighting for me, when I was fighting for you. Because of you, I sit here with a clear brain- able to think and process my thoughts without fighting the cloud of dulled transmission. Thank you for that
Your silliness is what gets me through each day- all those unexpected antics that you do, but when it really counts, I know you will light my way
I won't ever forget getting disoriented coming home from the Dollar Tree shortly after our move; letting you take over was hilarious. You would take me the back route we had never travelled before, now wouldn't you? I guess you needed a bit more adventure huh? LOL
I guess the bottomline is, I don't know how I would have made it through this move without you here at my side. I am so grateful that your public access retirement was so short lived. I truly missed you at my side, but knew I had to put your needs first (until the treatment you needed was provided)
Today, though, it is all about fun and games! Lets get the Celebration started!
The rain outside which often dampens spirits this time of year, can't dampen my spirits today.
When you came into my life, it was for a healthy start- a healthy partnership, but instead I got one to continue teaching me lessons. Thank you baby boy for the lessons. As hard as they have been to learn; as hard as the journeys have been to travel; I have grown through the experiences.
Just in the last year, you have taught me that sticking to my gut feelings is the right call. Of course, the smarter call would be to move on to someone who will listen! Next time, I'll do just that!
You helped my own health, not just yours when the gluten intolerance surfaced (thanks to miss incompetence) I never realized I was fighting for me, when I was fighting for you. Because of you, I sit here with a clear brain- able to think and process my thoughts without fighting the cloud of dulled transmission. Thank you for that
Your silliness is what gets me through each day- all those unexpected antics that you do, but when it really counts, I know you will light my way
I won't ever forget getting disoriented coming home from the Dollar Tree shortly after our move; letting you take over was hilarious. You would take me the back route we had never travelled before, now wouldn't you? I guess you needed a bit more adventure huh? LOL
I guess the bottomline is, I don't know how I would have made it through this move without you here at my side. I am so grateful that your public access retirement was so short lived. I truly missed you at my side, but knew I had to put your needs first (until the treatment you needed was provided)
Today, though, it is all about fun and games! Lets get the Celebration started!
27 January 2013
Differences
I thought I would share some of the unexpected occurrences that followed our move. I will share more about the move another time.
I've always known Thane was a creature of routine. If something was done a certain way more than once, it was as if it was written in stone that was the only way it could ever be done.
The day we moved was so hectic, but the Thane funnies began once we got off max at our new home. It was dark when we arrived, with my wheelchair in low power. We were heading towards the complex when I said to Thane (out of habit) *take us home*. Instantaneously, Thane did a turn about heading back to max WHOOPS!
When we headed to bed that night, we had set up the bed in the opposite direction it had been in before. I climbed into bed, slipped to the other side to make room for Thane on the outer side of bed, as we had always done before. What happened next made me laugh hard. I was laying there expecting Thane to curl up beside me; instead I received a lap of very confused Border Collie. I was on his side, in his mind. It did not matter where the outside edge was, to him, I was in his spot. I compromised on this and scootched myself over to what was now the outside edge of the bed. He curled up and was out like a light in no time at all.
It took a number of days for me to venture out with Thane as it was all I could do just to move following the severe overuse of the packing, move, and unpacking. Once more, Thane was very hung up on the *norms* directionally. He had a hard time for instance with our return home from New Seasons since we still were able to use the same stop as before (just way closer to home now). To him, I was all confused and had to be told how wrong I was on which side of the tracks (thus which direction of travel) we should go to wait for the max train arrival. It was sorta funny, but not unexpected. I took to returning to some of the early partnership directional commands to help him adjust to the changes.
*Not now* has had to come into play a lot as he heads to a bus stop that heads to our old home. Of course during our lengthy down time with communication, we had to take some trips to our old home town. It was both good and confusing for him. He kept trying to take us to our old home. It was good for us both, but especially good for Thane to see that we can still go there.
It's been a little over a month now. The really firm (AKA stubborn) stance about what stops we should be taking are slowly easing up. This new home is becoming home to him with a little incentive/ direction from me. grin
I've always known Thane was a creature of routine. If something was done a certain way more than once, it was as if it was written in stone that was the only way it could ever be done.
The day we moved was so hectic, but the Thane funnies began once we got off max at our new home. It was dark when we arrived, with my wheelchair in low power. We were heading towards the complex when I said to Thane (out of habit) *take us home*. Instantaneously, Thane did a turn about heading back to max WHOOPS!
When we headed to bed that night, we had set up the bed in the opposite direction it had been in before. I climbed into bed, slipped to the other side to make room for Thane on the outer side of bed, as we had always done before. What happened next made me laugh hard. I was laying there expecting Thane to curl up beside me; instead I received a lap of very confused Border Collie. I was on his side, in his mind. It did not matter where the outside edge was, to him, I was in his spot. I compromised on this and scootched myself over to what was now the outside edge of the bed. He curled up and was out like a light in no time at all.
It took a number of days for me to venture out with Thane as it was all I could do just to move following the severe overuse of the packing, move, and unpacking. Once more, Thane was very hung up on the *norms* directionally. He had a hard time for instance with our return home from New Seasons since we still were able to use the same stop as before (just way closer to home now). To him, I was all confused and had to be told how wrong I was on which side of the tracks (thus which direction of travel) we should go to wait for the max train arrival. It was sorta funny, but not unexpected. I took to returning to some of the early partnership directional commands to help him adjust to the changes.
*Not now* has had to come into play a lot as he heads to a bus stop that heads to our old home. Of course during our lengthy down time with communication, we had to take some trips to our old home town. It was both good and confusing for him. He kept trying to take us to our old home. It was good for us both, but especially good for Thane to see that we can still go there.
It's been a little over a month now. The really firm (AKA stubborn) stance about what stops we should be taking are slowly easing up. This new home is becoming home to him with a little incentive/ direction from me. grin
The Ugly Face of Mold
From the time I moved, I have felt like I went from a bad situation and jumped into the frying pan due to a complex that misled and even outright lied about what the situation would be like for me here. There is one change amidst this chaos though that I had not anticipated; a change for the better.
Since 2009, Thane has been a self mutilator. There were untreated health problems in the midst of this, but once diagnosed and treated at my insistence, you'd think things would go back to the way they were pre-mutilation. This never happened though other than during an interval when he was on long term antibiotics for Lyme.
Out in public, Thane was one dog; at home, he was another. It was very stressful for me to have to be on guard all the time. Eventually I had to resort to e-collars for Thane to reduce the level of stress for me. I hated doing so, but it was essential for skin healing, coat growth, and my sanity.
I learned of the renovation which forced my recent move in with just ten days notice right before Thanksgiving. While everyone else was enjoying their holiday feasts, I was packing like a mad woman before the renovation work left me too ill to do so.
Once we settled in somewhat in the new location and I began to pull the e-collar off in the morning, I realized that Thane was no longer chewing himself! At first I thought it was mostly me spending more time with him after Frontiers incompetence hooking up my phone and internet (eventually FIRED and me going to Comcast to get service), but when it continued in the improved state once my internet was connected again, I came upon a realization.
When your home is falling apart along the seams (and then some), with siding so soft when it rains that it will crumble off in your hands, moldy walls, loss of belongings to mold, it's pretty guaranteed that the carpets are moldy too.
The part of all this that is hard for me, is just how much suffering we endured because the management company did not budget their funding appropriately or pursue a grant until the complex was at the state where it would have to be either condemned or fixed . Those with a history of/ currently having a compromised immune system are much more susceptible to the effects of mold (this includes both Thane and I)
Once I realized the key here was environmental mold (especially since we both have had improved health after the move), I began to do some reading on the impacts of sustained mold exposure. The picture was not pretty
Wikipedia has a good general article on Mold Health Issues Beyond the more common impacts to the respiratory system. Another resource, Department of Health and Human Services, Mold and Human Health: Health Effects of Indoor Mold, confirms the impacts of mold. One form of mold, releases mycotoxins which can have devastating effects, especially when one is literally laying in mold.
Everyone knows when mold presents, it should be cleaned up right away. We all clean our showers, use de-humidifiers in moist areas especially in wetter climates like the pacific northwest, but what happens when the mold is obscured- present in the dark carpet flooring we walk, wheel, or lay upon?
The results can be nasty health complications and suffering. Though all of this can apply to the humans in your household, this post is about the hard lesson I have had to learn (at Met's and Thane's expenses). My hope is that it will prevent your four legged family members from the same perils.
Since 2009, Thane has been a self mutilator. There were untreated health problems in the midst of this, but once diagnosed and treated at my insistence, you'd think things would go back to the way they were pre-mutilation. This never happened though other than during an interval when he was on long term antibiotics for Lyme.
Out in public, Thane was one dog; at home, he was another. It was very stressful for me to have to be on guard all the time. Eventually I had to resort to e-collars for Thane to reduce the level of stress for me. I hated doing so, but it was essential for skin healing, coat growth, and my sanity.
I learned of the renovation which forced my recent move in with just ten days notice right before Thanksgiving. While everyone else was enjoying their holiday feasts, I was packing like a mad woman before the renovation work left me too ill to do so.
Once we settled in somewhat in the new location and I began to pull the e-collar off in the morning, I realized that Thane was no longer chewing himself! At first I thought it was mostly me spending more time with him after Frontiers incompetence hooking up my phone and internet (eventually FIRED and me going to Comcast to get service), but when it continued in the improved state once my internet was connected again, I came upon a realization.
When your home is falling apart along the seams (and then some), with siding so soft when it rains that it will crumble off in your hands, moldy walls, loss of belongings to mold, it's pretty guaranteed that the carpets are moldy too.
The part of all this that is hard for me, is just how much suffering we endured because the management company did not budget their funding appropriately or pursue a grant until the complex was at the state where it would have to be either condemned or fixed . Those with a history of/ currently having a compromised immune system are much more susceptible to the effects of mold (this includes both Thane and I)
Once I realized the key here was environmental mold (especially since we both have had improved health after the move), I began to do some reading on the impacts of sustained mold exposure. The picture was not pretty
Wikipedia has a good general article on Mold Health Issues Beyond the more common impacts to the respiratory system. Another resource, Department of Health and Human Services, Mold and Human Health: Health Effects of Indoor Mold, confirms the impacts of mold. One form of mold, releases mycotoxins which can have devastating effects, especially when one is literally laying in mold.
Everyone knows when mold presents, it should be cleaned up right away. We all clean our showers, use de-humidifiers in moist areas especially in wetter climates like the pacific northwest, but what happens when the mold is obscured- present in the dark carpet flooring we walk, wheel, or lay upon?
The results can be nasty health complications and suffering. Though all of this can apply to the humans in your household, this post is about the hard lesson I have had to learn (at Met's and Thane's expenses). My hope is that it will prevent your four legged family members from the same perils.
20 January 2013
A Decade of Love
It's Carnival Time Again!
When I heard the topic for this tenth edition of the Assistance Dog Blog Carnival being hosted by Sharon at After Gadget, Perfect Ten (or Perfect or Ten), I tried hard to come up with something fitting to my present partnership with Thane or even one that could address both my wonderful boys, but try as I might, all that entered my mind were topics fitting for my first partnership with Chimette (AKA Met). I figured this time, maybe it was just Met's turn to shine through.
When I adopted Chimette, I had no real expectations of either of us. I had hope, but I also had the echoing words from a service dog program, You can not do this yourself. With the encouragement of a friend, I said goodbye to that program and learned what it meant to be a service dog owner trainer.
Rolling out of the rescue center with my tri-color six month old Border Collie/ GSD pup I had chosen to train as a hearing dog, I had no idea the role he would play in my life over the next decade as he taught me to love life in spite of the severe progressive nature my disabilities would take on. Most envision service dogs from a limited skill perspective. Either they are hearing dogs or guide dogs or mobility service skilled dogs or psychiatric dogs. I had those same limited views when I adopted Met put into my mind by a program that was incapable of making the dream a reality for most of the multi-disabled. I never in my wildest dreams could have imagined a dog doing as much for me as Met and I learned to do together over our decade long partnership.
Training though was truly fun. With each little step, our bond developed and strengthened, enabling us both to trust in the other. At first trust was difficult for Met as a rescued, most likely abused, vaccinosis pup. I was patient and accepted the reality that he probably would not be fit for more than an in home hearing dog. Though he had already proven himself by eight months of age when he saved my life from a smoking alert system signaler that did not turn off, he had issues with some social skills that needed to be addressed before public access could be considered.
Time had a way of healing wounds (for both of us). Instead of a timid dog partnered with a person who had a negative outlook on life after nearly dying and severe disability set in, this team wound up as a bold guide, hearing, service, medical alert dog who turned me into someone who loved life regardless of the obstacles it presented me with.
The journey wasn't always smooth. Between my progressive disabilities, our health, and my novice level of training and dog handling, if any partnership was destined to fail before it even got out the door, this one was the one.
At times the support was minimal in the service dog community, not to mention the community in which I lived. It was still a time when it was a fairly new concept to train one's own service dog. I often got responses from trainers or individuals pointing me to one program or another where I could obtain a service dog. By that time, responses like that were so laughable. I had my service dog. Why would I want to go to a program that would tell me what I had done was unachievable without them!
The smoke detector blares and Met is at my side in full alert mode. I drop items where I can't reach and he snatches them up before I can finish saying *mommy needs*. I need to do one of the many transfers each day and he lays at my feet preventing them from sliding forward. I need to get across the street or to the store and he is in full guide dog mode. When I developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (AKA MCS), he would go into medical alert mode when we got into areas of bad toxicity all as a means to protect me from a life threatening emergency. As each disability compounded, the two of us trained together to develop skills that kept me independent and the two of us safe in the community.
In the last year, there was more medical than good memories (for both of us). That does not change how I think of the decade that he was at my side. When I think of us, I think of the day the picture below was taken; how carefree and happy I felt while learning to trust him. I think of the freedom he provided for me to be myself, independently functioning in the world despite being a deafblind incomplete quad with severe multiple chemical sensitivities. I think of how fortunate I was to have my first partnership be such a successful one. Above all the feelings I have about Met in my life, I think about how fortunate I was to be the one who adopted Met. I was so lucky to have him working at my side for a decade.
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