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!
02 February 2013
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.
18 December 2012
A Home for Christmas!
It's the news you all have been waiting for. Unless something unforeseen occurs in the next day or so, Thane and I will spend Christmas in our new home.
It is in the same vicinity as the previous one we visited in the down pouring conditions, but it is a much better situation for me/ us.
I had to make some compromises; realizing that with the time limits, cap on what an apartment could cost, and limited accessibility in our area in standard built apartments, if I was ever going to find a place, it would need to be with compromises.
The hardest compromise made is that Thane has lost his yard. I have wrestled with this more the last couple of days than I initially thought I would. Though this puts a wrinkle in dealing with his busy needs, the part about it that is the hardest for me is losing the ability to play off lead in the snow from our back door.
This morning when we woke up, we were treated with a dusting of snow and snow still coming down. After busy, Thane immediately looked for his football (which had already been packed). I ran and found another suitable toy that was in an open box still and we just cut loose. I did not care if he wound up needing a bath. We needed this *send off*.
With that aside, let me tell you how great our new place will be once we get our life sorted out there. It has indoor locked mailboxes. There will be no more running for mail in my unsecured mailbox in pouring rain or being forced to go for the mail when I am sick or toxic things are going on. A little stroll down the hall and mail can be retrieved vbg
We lose a bedroom, but we gain our own washer and dryer and the opportunity to train a new task for Thane. I wonder how he will be at unloading a dryer. He's never even been around one since he came into my life. I'm excited about that new opportunity.
We will be playing games in the bath tub at the new place to acclimate Thane to a tub. Losing the roll in shower will be difficult, but in the end, I think it will work out alright and besides it is always fun to run after treats no matter where they land!
The best parts I have saved for the end. We will be just a couple stops from the nature trail we love to frequent and a few stops from New Seasons where most of my grocery shopping is done. I can't even wrap my head around that quick ride. The most awesome thing of all probably for an individual with MCS is that this complex is smoke free- not just the indoors, but the entire grounds.
There was a time when I felt this was never going to come to a close, but once the right place was there for us, things began moving really fast.
On the downside, I am in constant pain from the extreme level of overuse I have had to endure lately. I/ we just need this to be over! We need our life back so whoever stole ours, would you kindly return it!
Our next post will most likely be from our new haunts where we will be spending Christmas this year. I can see a trip to the trail in view as long as it is not raining, but then- this is the pacific northwest Totally unpredictable!
It is in the same vicinity as the previous one we visited in the down pouring conditions, but it is a much better situation for me/ us.
I had to make some compromises; realizing that with the time limits, cap on what an apartment could cost, and limited accessibility in our area in standard built apartments, if I was ever going to find a place, it would need to be with compromises.
The hardest compromise made is that Thane has lost his yard. I have wrestled with this more the last couple of days than I initially thought I would. Though this puts a wrinkle in dealing with his busy needs, the part about it that is the hardest for me is losing the ability to play off lead in the snow from our back door.
This morning when we woke up, we were treated with a dusting of snow and snow still coming down. After busy, Thane immediately looked for his football (which had already been packed). I ran and found another suitable toy that was in an open box still and we just cut loose. I did not care if he wound up needing a bath. We needed this *send off*.
With that aside, let me tell you how great our new place will be once we get our life sorted out there. It has indoor locked mailboxes. There will be no more running for mail in my unsecured mailbox in pouring rain or being forced to go for the mail when I am sick or toxic things are going on. A little stroll down the hall and mail can be retrieved vbg
We lose a bedroom, but we gain our own washer and dryer and the opportunity to train a new task for Thane. I wonder how he will be at unloading a dryer. He's never even been around one since he came into my life. I'm excited about that new opportunity.
We will be playing games in the bath tub at the new place to acclimate Thane to a tub. Losing the roll in shower will be difficult, but in the end, I think it will work out alright and besides it is always fun to run after treats no matter where they land!
The best parts I have saved for the end. We will be just a couple stops from the nature trail we love to frequent and a few stops from New Seasons where most of my grocery shopping is done. I can't even wrap my head around that quick ride. The most awesome thing of all probably for an individual with MCS is that this complex is smoke free- not just the indoors, but the entire grounds.
There was a time when I felt this was never going to come to a close, but once the right place was there for us, things began moving really fast.
On the downside, I am in constant pain from the extreme level of overuse I have had to endure lately. I/ we just need this to be over! We need our life back so whoever stole ours, would you kindly return it!
Our next post will most likely be from our new haunts where we will be spending Christmas this year. I can see a trip to the trail in view as long as it is not raining, but then- this is the pacific northwest Totally unpredictable!
04 December 2012
Apartment Hunting in the Rain
GADS I hate rain but most of all I hate being drenched to the skin when trying to see apartments.
Thane and I took on our first attempt to view the apartment complex of my dreams- or so I thought it was. I gave us plenty of time cuz frankly I knew I'd get turned around. I always do that when it comes to directions and new locations, but somehow if I give myself time and ask for help, I usually succeed.
Today was no different- except that we were turned around in a deluge of elephants and rhinoceroses LOL
Thane's work was pretty amazing for the most part today which impressed me with all that has been going on. He needs a bit of work in slowing down his gait in the rain, but that is my fault from how I have worked him in the rain trying to lickety split to get where we can go inside. I need to work with him a bit on that.
Once we were turned back around, I found we were still early. That gave me some time to dry off the muddy paws, legs, underbelly- what didn't need cleaning up before trapsing into the office (huge place) and the apartments we were going to see.
I really liked the lady, but the business office was quite toxic something I'll be paying for (amidst the bus drivers perm and hairspray that left me flushing water, milk thistle, and washing my coat when outdoors couldn't cut it)
The apartments were located in such a perfect area- close to the max. I guess they were about as far from the max as I am from the closest bus stop right now (if that). Their location is also very central for quick ease of all sorts of shopping needs for me- the biggest being their proximity to New Seasons.
There were some things I didn't like from the start. The apartments require you to go inside a hallway of apartments. This is done via an outer closed door and there is no discernible pavement deviation like the cracks I use to determine where we are (or I am when I'm solo). These types of door situations are difficult for me. I swear I need to be an octopus! I may have been able to accept that and work with it, but it would have been quite difficult when coming home with groceries if there were not people around to ask for help.
Once inside, I realized how spacious my apartment really is. It was quite small and quite obviously built for the able bodied population and those who do not have many belongings. The washer and Dryers were great. They even had a built in complete apartment de-humidifier in all the ground floor units for the humidity aspects of having the washers. The area was quite confined though which would be a bit difficult. The layout in one had the two separated, but not by the kind of distance I thought so it would have been manageable (though I did not like it off the kitchen)
The show stoppers were the walk in closet where I could not get beyond the door (but came close) which meant I could not get to the rack where I'd hang my clothes. Theoretically removing the door probably would have solved that.
The bathroom though was the definitive show stopper. It was designed like the letter L shape for passageway putting the bathtub in the back corner. There was only room for a head on transfer- with both the toilet and bath tub- something I can not do. Being blind with tremor issues in my hands, I also do not back out of narrow places well. Though I managed to do it in both the bath rooms (two different size units), it was pretty obvious to me, that the situation was not a safe one. I think I'd be on a first name basis with the fire men at the local department if I took these apartments.
From there, I learned that there is no direct apartment access to busy a dog or even anywhere for them to play like I am able to do here. I realized there would be things I would have to give up to get a safe home again with the section 8 price caps, but this is not one of those things I can rationalize losing. Between weather, my health, safety after dark, and oh yeah that fun disorder of gluten intolerance that could have Thane in explosive diarrhea- nope I need to be able to potty him at our apartment.
There were so many pluses too about the place- full sized washer and dryers that are energy conserving, carpet was in good shape and not fragrant through my mask (business office was that way), no new painting, the dining area was slightly separated from living room so that my sewing and dresser I use for medical supplies could easily have been set up there.
The biggest asset of this place though was its location.
When I tally up everything and ask myself how I would manage to live the independent life I now do with that bathroom and the busy restrictions for Thane (and not being able to play in the snow when we get it), I had to realize that this complex, as ideally placed as it is, is not the future new home we are looking for.
This has really been a difficult decision, but honestly I knew the instant I entered the bathroom that it was over- that this was not to be our home.
We came home, got Thane a good rinse down from all the mud and wet he dealt with today, got my drenched multiple layered clothes off (drenched to the skin) and warmed us both up.
Tomorrow is another day to hunt for apartments again
but really, I need some gf chocolate chip cookies before we do any more serious romping like we did today!
Thane and I took on our first attempt to view the apartment complex of my dreams- or so I thought it was. I gave us plenty of time cuz frankly I knew I'd get turned around. I always do that when it comes to directions and new locations, but somehow if I give myself time and ask for help, I usually succeed.
Today was no different- except that we were turned around in a deluge of elephants and rhinoceroses LOL
Thane's work was pretty amazing for the most part today which impressed me with all that has been going on. He needs a bit of work in slowing down his gait in the rain, but that is my fault from how I have worked him in the rain trying to lickety split to get where we can go inside. I need to work with him a bit on that.
Once we were turned back around, I found we were still early. That gave me some time to dry off the muddy paws, legs, underbelly- what didn't need cleaning up before trapsing into the office (huge place) and the apartments we were going to see.
I really liked the lady, but the business office was quite toxic something I'll be paying for (amidst the bus drivers perm and hairspray that left me flushing water, milk thistle, and washing my coat when outdoors couldn't cut it)
The apartments were located in such a perfect area- close to the max. I guess they were about as far from the max as I am from the closest bus stop right now (if that). Their location is also very central for quick ease of all sorts of shopping needs for me- the biggest being their proximity to New Seasons.
There were some things I didn't like from the start. The apartments require you to go inside a hallway of apartments. This is done via an outer closed door and there is no discernible pavement deviation like the cracks I use to determine where we are (or I am when I'm solo). These types of door situations are difficult for me. I swear I need to be an octopus! I may have been able to accept that and work with it, but it would have been quite difficult when coming home with groceries if there were not people around to ask for help.
Once inside, I realized how spacious my apartment really is. It was quite small and quite obviously built for the able bodied population and those who do not have many belongings. The washer and Dryers were great. They even had a built in complete apartment de-humidifier in all the ground floor units for the humidity aspects of having the washers. The area was quite confined though which would be a bit difficult. The layout in one had the two separated, but not by the kind of distance I thought so it would have been manageable (though I did not like it off the kitchen)
The show stoppers were the walk in closet where I could not get beyond the door (but came close) which meant I could not get to the rack where I'd hang my clothes. Theoretically removing the door probably would have solved that.
The bathroom though was the definitive show stopper. It was designed like the letter L shape for passageway putting the bathtub in the back corner. There was only room for a head on transfer- with both the toilet and bath tub- something I can not do. Being blind with tremor issues in my hands, I also do not back out of narrow places well. Though I managed to do it in both the bath rooms (two different size units), it was pretty obvious to me, that the situation was not a safe one. I think I'd be on a first name basis with the fire men at the local department if I took these apartments.
From there, I learned that there is no direct apartment access to busy a dog or even anywhere for them to play like I am able to do here. I realized there would be things I would have to give up to get a safe home again with the section 8 price caps, but this is not one of those things I can rationalize losing. Between weather, my health, safety after dark, and oh yeah that fun disorder of gluten intolerance that could have Thane in explosive diarrhea- nope I need to be able to potty him at our apartment.
There were so many pluses too about the place- full sized washer and dryers that are energy conserving, carpet was in good shape and not fragrant through my mask (business office was that way), no new painting, the dining area was slightly separated from living room so that my sewing and dresser I use for medical supplies could easily have been set up there.
The biggest asset of this place though was its location.
When I tally up everything and ask myself how I would manage to live the independent life I now do with that bathroom and the busy restrictions for Thane (and not being able to play in the snow when we get it), I had to realize that this complex, as ideally placed as it is, is not the future new home we are looking for.
This has really been a difficult decision, but honestly I knew the instant I entered the bathroom that it was over- that this was not to be our home.
We came home, got Thane a good rinse down from all the mud and wet he dealt with today, got my drenched multiple layered clothes off (drenched to the skin) and warmed us both up.
Tomorrow is another day to hunt for apartments again
but really, I need some gf chocolate chip cookies before we do any more serious romping like we did today!
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