Thursday, September 24, 2015
Sparklies were had
We did end up going to the gem and jewelry show earlier this month.
Went for two days, covered half the show floor each day so I could get a
better look at things they had. It's changed a lot since the last time
I went, a different company is managing this show group. Sooo many
pretty sparklies and shinies. Mom and aunt and Mike each gave me some
money so I could pick stuff up and replenish much needed supplies. I was
on my feet all day both days, with Journey helping. He'd keep trying to
keep me moving and the vendors all thought it was the funniest thing
when I'd excuse myself and say I'd be back after I walked off the
symptoms ( I trigger if I stand in one place for too long without moving
). Everyone loved him and was sad to hear about his hip dysplasia and
that he'd be career changing. I joked with some of them the first day
that we might be back the next and they joked about "torturing the poor
dog" and how they were sure he'd be thrilled. Then the next day more
joking when they saw us back and I joked "Should have seen the look on
his face when he realized we were back for more!" It was warm but
tolerable. Wish I had my neck fan, but it killed over. Met some awesome
people, got some beautiful sparklies I will share at some point. My
body was soooo angry after all the activity, it took the full week after
just to get un-sore enough to move around without back, legs, and feet
hurting badly. Then I ended up with a migraine from hell that wouldn't
go away and kept coming back for days. Today is the first day the pain
has dulled enough to really think clearly so I can try and be a little
productive.
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Migraines suck
Of course it figures that tonight when I decide to try and do things,
since I gave myself time off to recover from the jewelry show outing
last week, my body doesn't agree. Migraines suck. Felt it starting
earlier and tried to fight it off, but it's gotten to eye socket
stabbing proportions. I will take more Gaba, sniff tiger balm, and hope
it will ease up so I can do a few more productive things tonight. If
not, there's always tomorrow... or the next day.... or the next day.
I have amazing friends
Caine decided to send me a surprise
package with some unexpected trinkets. One thing was a beautiful wall
hanging I knew he'd managed to get for me. It's a beautiful color with
Celtic design and little Japanese magatama all over it. Which is really
symbolic and special.
What I wasn't expecting was a hand formed ceramic dish with a magatama design swirled in the surface, a hematite ring, and a little sculpture of me! He also included a beautiful card with a dragonfly on it, knowing how special they are to me. And a beautiful hand written letter with a little wax seal. It all smelled like patchouli or sandalwood.
It made me cry happy tears when I opened the package and saw everything, and read over the card and letter. How thoughtful and perfect it all was, and couldn't have had better timing with everything that is going on right now.
Thank you so much Caine, you sly Kitsune you. I wondered what you were up to!
As a side note, you are seriously making me want to get one of those markers to make my own wax seals on stuff I send! I have seen them in stores before, but never seen any I really like ( most of them seem to be initials or generic stuff ).
Eternal thanks again goes to Arikla, who helped cover Journey's recent medical bills so we could get a diagnosis.
We wouldn't have been able to afford to get these answers as soon as we did without your generosity. Thank you for caring and for helping so we could have that peace of mind to have a better idea of what is going on with him.
Thanks also for your participation in the "art experiments" as well. :D So many good laughs to be had with all of these things. Can't wait till we can show off the finished products!
I received even more of a surprise in the mail from Amie the other day, in the form of a very generous donation toward the fundraiser for me to acquire a new assistance dog. I cried happy tears of disbelief when I saw it. One raindrop raises the sea.
Even while her and her family are going through a very difficult time right now and she has had a lot more pressing things on her mind to worry about, she was still as compassionate as always and trying to help a friend. It means a lot to me and your selflessness is an inspiration.
I just wanted to take the time to really thank you guys more than I already have, and let you know how much your love and support means to me.
What I wasn't expecting was a hand formed ceramic dish with a magatama design swirled in the surface, a hematite ring, and a little sculpture of me! He also included a beautiful card with a dragonfly on it, knowing how special they are to me. And a beautiful hand written letter with a little wax seal. It all smelled like patchouli or sandalwood.
It made me cry happy tears when I opened the package and saw everything, and read over the card and letter. How thoughtful and perfect it all was, and couldn't have had better timing with everything that is going on right now.
Thank you so much Caine, you sly Kitsune you. I wondered what you were up to!
As a side note, you are seriously making me want to get one of those markers to make my own wax seals on stuff I send! I have seen them in stores before, but never seen any I really like ( most of them seem to be initials or generic stuff ).
Eternal thanks again goes to Arikla, who helped cover Journey's recent medical bills so we could get a diagnosis.
We wouldn't have been able to afford to get these answers as soon as we did without your generosity. Thank you for caring and for helping so we could have that peace of mind to have a better idea of what is going on with him.
Thanks also for your participation in the "art experiments" as well. :D So many good laughs to be had with all of these things. Can't wait till we can show off the finished products!
I received even more of a surprise in the mail from Amie the other day, in the form of a very generous donation toward the fundraiser for me to acquire a new assistance dog. I cried happy tears of disbelief when I saw it. One raindrop raises the sea.
Even while her and her family are going through a very difficult time right now and she has had a lot more pressing things on her mind to worry about, she was still as compassionate as always and trying to help a friend. It means a lot to me and your selflessness is an inspiration.
I just wanted to take the time to really thank you guys more than I already have, and let you know how much your love and support means to me.
Thursday, September 10, 2015
Journey Update, Search For Sparklies
Past week has been crazy. Computer problems. Desktop formatted
( finally! ugh ) and Win7 Pro installed. Been fighting with plethora of
updates and reinstalling all of my programs and sorting through files.
Stuff with Journey's medical diagnostic still sinking in. Tried to do
some shopping runs
without him. So insanely exhausted afterwards I could hardly move and
hurt worse than normal. Him pulling the cart helps so much. Horribly
tempted to keep working with him at least until I get approved for a new
dog. Maybe doing so infrequently would be okay, on days I really need
it.
Like tomorrow. I had plans to go to the gem and jewelry show. I haven't been in over 10yrs (since we weren't living here), and so I made plans before learning about Journey, to go. My mom and aunt gave me a little spending money and Mike is giving me a little also, so I can pick up some much needed supplies at far cheaper prices than I would pay anywhere else. I was hoping someone would come along with me, but everyone has to work or is otherwise indisposed. I know my limits, and I know I couldn't walk around the crowded convention center alone for that long, without risk of triggering a neurocardio attack.
So
Journey is going with me tomorrow. He's been off duty for a week and
can't understand why I keep going places without him. It's normally
better to ease them into retirement anyway, like I did with Ember. As
long as I don't do any full heavy weight bearing things with him ( which
I never, ever have ) then it should be safe for us both on a limited
basis. Fingers crossed I hear back on these applications soon.Like tomorrow. I had plans to go to the gem and jewelry show. I haven't been in over 10yrs (since we weren't living here), and so I made plans before learning about Journey, to go. My mom and aunt gave me a little spending money and Mike is giving me a little also, so I can pick up some much needed supplies at far cheaper prices than I would pay anywhere else. I was hoping someone would come along with me, but everyone has to work or is otherwise indisposed. I know my limits, and I know I couldn't walk around the crowded convention center alone for that long, without risk of triggering a neurocardio attack.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Off to a great start
Wow! You guys are awesome! Since the first post, we
have already raised $80 and have more on the way for the fundraiser.
Please consider donating. Even a $1 goes a long way, because if 50
people donate a $1, that is another $50! If you can find it in you to
pass on that Starbucks for one day, toss that $5 our way!
Share
and encourage people to check it out and share as well. Remember, you
guys are helping me keep my independence and safety by doing this!
PayPal is leopardwolf@gmail.com
or
http://www.youcaring.com/brittney-steptoe-428674
http://www.gofundme.com/steptoe-sdfund
Saturday, September 5, 2015
Help Me Get A New Medical / Mobility Service Dog
This fundraiser is to help me acquire a new service dog for mobility assist and medical alert purposes.
I suffer from chronic medical conditions, including a genetic connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos, and conditions that affect my autonomic nervous system, my own causing neurocardiogenic issues with my heart and blood flow.
My service dogs are life savers. They have been trained to sense certain chemical changes and alert me to them, to keep me out of danger. They help me navigate daily life safely.
Journey, my current service dog, has hip dysplasia. Which basically ends his short career as a mobility assist and medical alert service dog. Losing him as my lifeline and partner is a huge loss of freedom for me in my daily life.
I now need to apply through an organization for a new assistance dog. I need to come up with money for the applications fees, which are $25 to $50 per organization. Then wait to be approved and matched with a dog. I need to start a huge fund raising effort to help me get the assistance dog I need, which in the end will likely cost over $5,000.
I don't have the financial ability to owner-trainer another dog myself like I did with Ember (my first dog) and Journey. It took me a year just to find Journey ( after reviewing countless candidates ). It's the risk of owner-training, you might think you find the perfect dog, but something unexpected could always happen.
I can't keep going through dog after dog after dog covering expenses for vet work, training, etc. just to have them not work out and have to start all over again. Which is why I am making the hard decision to turn toward an organization for an already trained dog. Getting one through an organization also means if I have problems in the future, or when the dog is ready to retire, I can get a successor dog through the program.
I will most likely end up approved going through Canine Partners For Life, which is located in Pennsylvania.
I need to travel to their facility for team training, which is a 3 week program. All expenses for travel to get there, hotel, plus transportation while there, cost for food and for admission to places for field trips during team training are my responsibility.
Here is info they give about related expenses coming out of my own pocket:
= = =
To purchase basic supplies for the dog - cost approximately $300-$400.
To travel, at your expense, to CPL for a 3-week, mandatory team training session.
To arrange for your accommodations for the 3-week training session. Cost for hotel and meals are approximately $2000. Free housing with volunteers may be available but not guaranteed.
To arrange and pay for your daily transportation to and from CPL and on field trips for the 3-week training session.
To provide your own meals (breakfast, lunches & dinners) including some field trips out for meals (and for your aide if one accompanies you).
To provide your admission costs for field trips during 3-week training session – approximately $100 to $200 per person (and for aide if one accompanies you).
A requested donation (to be determined by a sliding scale – ranging from $1,000 - $3,000) should be sent to CPL before the start of team training.
Medical Alert students must be accompanied by another person during the entire 3-week team training session. ( *** This applies to me, which means I also need someone to go with me and cover their expenses too )
= = =
This same sort of thing holds true for the other programs I qualify for. I have to travel to their facilities and pay for everything in the process, plus the money for the dog itself. Some organizations are able to offer dogs at no charge to their clients, but none that do service my area, or they do not train dogs to assist with the things I need help with or have other specific requirements for clients that I don't fall under.
I basically have to come up with over $5,000 to get a new service dog, before I can even get the dog.
I am starting that fund raising campaign now, in hopes I will have enough saved by the time I am approved and matched with a dog through one of these programs.
If you want to donate directly to me, my PayPal is leopardwolf@gmail.com
Here are links to fundraisers set both on YouCaring and GoFundMe:I suffer from chronic medical conditions, including a genetic connective tissue disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos, and conditions that affect my autonomic nervous system, my own causing neurocardiogenic issues with my heart and blood flow.
My service dogs are life savers. They have been trained to sense certain chemical changes and alert me to them, to keep me out of danger. They help me navigate daily life safely.
Journey, my current service dog, has hip dysplasia. Which basically ends his short career as a mobility assist and medical alert service dog. Losing him as my lifeline and partner is a huge loss of freedom for me in my daily life.
I now need to apply through an organization for a new assistance dog. I need to come up with money for the applications fees, which are $25 to $50 per organization. Then wait to be approved and matched with a dog. I need to start a huge fund raising effort to help me get the assistance dog I need, which in the end will likely cost over $5,000.
I don't have the financial ability to owner-trainer another dog myself like I did with Ember (my first dog) and Journey. It took me a year just to find Journey ( after reviewing countless candidates ). It's the risk of owner-training, you might think you find the perfect dog, but something unexpected could always happen.
I can't keep going through dog after dog after dog covering expenses for vet work, training, etc. just to have them not work out and have to start all over again. Which is why I am making the hard decision to turn toward an organization for an already trained dog. Getting one through an organization also means if I have problems in the future, or when the dog is ready to retire, I can get a successor dog through the program.
I will most likely end up approved going through Canine Partners For Life, which is located in Pennsylvania.
I need to travel to their facility for team training, which is a 3 week program. All expenses for travel to get there, hotel, plus transportation while there, cost for food and for admission to places for field trips during team training are my responsibility.
Here is info they give about related expenses coming out of my own pocket:
= = =
To purchase basic supplies for the dog - cost approximately $300-$400.
To travel, at your expense, to CPL for a 3-week, mandatory team training session.
To arrange for your accommodations for the 3-week training session. Cost for hotel and meals are approximately $2000. Free housing with volunteers may be available but not guaranteed.
To arrange and pay for your daily transportation to and from CPL and on field trips for the 3-week training session.
To provide your own meals (breakfast, lunches & dinners) including some field trips out for meals (and for your aide if one accompanies you).
To provide your admission costs for field trips during 3-week training session – approximately $100 to $200 per person (and for aide if one accompanies you).
A requested donation (to be determined by a sliding scale – ranging from $1,000 - $3,000) should be sent to CPL before the start of team training.
Medical Alert students must be accompanied by another person during the entire 3-week team training session. ( *** This applies to me, which means I also need someone to go with me and cover their expenses too )
= = =
This same sort of thing holds true for the other programs I qualify for. I have to travel to their facilities and pay for everything in the process, plus the money for the dog itself. Some organizations are able to offer dogs at no charge to their clients, but none that do service my area, or they do not train dogs to assist with the things I need help with or have other specific requirements for clients that I don't fall under.
I basically have to come up with over $5,000 to get a new service dog, before I can even get the dog.
I am starting that fund raising campaign now, in hopes I will have enough saved by the time I am approved and matched with a dog through one of these programs.
If you want to donate directly to me, my PayPal is leopardwolf@gmail.com
http://www.youcaring.com/brittney-steptoe-428674
http://www.gofundme.com/steptoe-sdfund
You can share those links, this post directly, or both.
I also plan to try to reach out to local charities and businesses for assistance. Either in hopes of sponsorship or that they'd be willing to let me put up donation flyers and collection jars or something similar to help spread awareness and raise the needed funds.
If you are interested in reaching out to businesses or charities in your own area who may be willing to help, if you own a business and would like to help raise funds, or if you would like to help with fund raising through some other means, please contact me at leopardwolf@gmail.com so I can provide you with information on how to do so.
There is no donation too small. We are grateful for any and all financial help in reaching our goal.
Even if you cannot help financially, you can help by spreading word about this and posting it for more people to see. Share it with your family, your friends, and anyone else you think might be interested in helping. Encourage them to pass it along as well.
Feel free to post it to your LJ, FA, Facebook, Twitter, DevArt, Tumblr, blogs, and anywhere else such a post would be allowed.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Thank you in advance for you consideration, your thoughts, your time and your donations.
Love and light,
Brittney
Friday, September 4, 2015
Journey Diagnosis: Hip Dysplasia
Heard back from the vet. The doctor is out of town, but left info for
his tech to give me. Journey does have hip dysplasia. :( The doc
wants to refer us to an orthopedic specialist for something else he
thinks may be happening, will get more info on that later. I have no
choice but to wash Journey from training and stop working him. It's
going to be a big adjustment for us both, and I have nothing to fall
back on for help in the meantime.
I feel very alone because when I conveyed these things and mentioned now needing to apply to the service dog organizations anyway, my family's response was less than supportive and more feeling like them questioning why I even need one and maybe believing that I don't need one. Which hurt. A lot.
So, I am on my own. I need to somehow come up with money for the applications fees, which are $25 to $50 per organization. Then wait and hope.
I feel very alone because when I conveyed these things and mentioned now needing to apply to the service dog organizations anyway, my family's response was less than supportive and more feeling like them questioning why I even need one and maybe believing that I don't need one. Which hurt. A lot.
So, I am on my own. I need to somehow come up with money for the applications fees, which are $25 to $50 per organization. Then wait and hope.
Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Journey Update - Not Good News
******UPDATE: Thank you again SOOOOOO much to Emily/Arikla!!! She has generously offered to help cover the expenses for Journey's xrays and testing. Professional curiosity she claims. ;) Geeks will be geeks.******
Took Journey to the vet today. Seems like it might be the worst case scenario. Most likely hip dysplasia or something similar or something else effecting back end. They need to sedate for xrays. Bloodwork also needed to rule out any endocrine/pancreatic issue or any other problems or possible infections.
Got estimate papers from vet and discussed things. Going to be upwards of $720 for everything.
We just don't have that kind of money. I was supposed to bring him back tomorrow, provided we could pull some of the money out of thin air for at least the xrays. But now just thinking of not bothering.
Just assume he's screwed ( if not physically then from behavior quirks he's developed ) and wash him from training and service dog work.
Fundraising to get a service dog through an organization in PA isn't even likely an option either, because of expenses related to actually getting there and hotel to stay if volunteers can't let me stay with them. That would cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to make a reality. It's really shitty we were forced to move away from Can Do Canines service area and they can't help me.
Save everyone the money and trouble. I'll just carry a cane, blood pressure monitor, and hand grabber around with me from now on and hope for the best.
Took Journey to the vet today. Seems like it might be the worst case scenario. Most likely hip dysplasia or something similar or something else effecting back end. They need to sedate for xrays. Bloodwork also needed to rule out any endocrine/pancreatic issue or any other problems or possible infections.
Got estimate papers from vet and discussed things. Going to be upwards of $720 for everything.
We just don't have that kind of money. I was supposed to bring him back tomorrow, provided we could pull some of the money out of thin air for at least the xrays. But now just thinking of not bothering.
Just assume he's screwed ( if not physically then from behavior quirks he's developed ) and wash him from training and service dog work.
Fundraising to get a service dog through an organization in PA isn't even likely an option either, because of expenses related to actually getting there and hotel to stay if volunteers can't let me stay with them. That would cost anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 to make a reality. It's really shitty we were forced to move away from Can Do Canines service area and they can't help me.
Save everyone the money and trouble. I'll just carry a cane, blood pressure monitor, and hand grabber around with me from now on and hope for the best.
Froggy
Awwrrmmaaahhgaaawds. I
just saw the most adorable little spring peeper out on the porch when I
went to take Journ out. It's raining, and it crawled up from under the
deck between the boards in a wet spot and was hopping along, got a
drink and looked like it was playing with raindrops, then hopped to the
edge and went back under. Loooove frogs.
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