Ember In Manhattan, Canine Partners Client Interview Upcoming

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm in New Jersey visiting Mike. Was sort of a last minute trip. He had time to take for vacation and we decided to do it now, because his time was limited and flight prices skyrocket for the holidays. I'm thankful we have a chance to spend time together. Had a chance to go see Jen and Girlie cat and visit with them and have dinner.  Was so nice being able to see them again and love on Girlie.  Went to my first Rangers hockey game at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. It was an amazing game to see in person. Had a ton of fun.

Took Ember along with us into Manhattan.  She did flawlessly well for such a loud and overstimulating place as the big city and a sports arena can be.  MSG staff were awesome about Ember being along. She got an official MSG ID card and everything.  I have been taking her out with me since I got here, each time we went anywhere to get her re-accustomed to working in public and to see how she'd do with it, before deciding to take her into Manhattan and MSG.  Ember went back to her solid work ethic as if nothing ever changed, even after not working for almost a year. She alerted me during the game when I got distracted by the intense beginning and forgot to take my medicine.  She also woke me at one point when we overslept ( alarm didn't go off ) and I was late taking my meds. Woke up with my heart racing ( yay tachycardia ) from a dead sleep to her on the edge of the bed trying to get my attention. After she woke me and I showed her I took my meds, she went back to doing her own thing.

Ember will probably end up going home with me and be put on an anti-inflammatory to help keep her comfortable while working.  Mike has been pretty unhappy about it because she keeps him company and keeps him sane around here, which I can't blame him for feeling that way.  I wouldn't take her if it wasn't as much of a medical necessity as it is.  Hopefully it will only have to be for a few months.

I was originally supposed to fly home Nov 16th, but plans suddenly changed last minute when I heard back from Canine Partners hours before my flight. Originally I was supposed to contact them when I got home to set up details for me going to their facility for a tour and an interview with the training staff.  But that would have been more money spent to travel there to not even know until after April if I was being accepted as a client.

I told them I could stay if they could somehow work me in, that I'd change my flight home. With the holidays and other things going on, it didn't seem like it would be possible.  The woman who has been helping me got in contact with the training director and they approved it!  I have a client interview with them on December 3rd and will get to work with some of the dogs so they can see what might be a good fit.  I really, really hope that means being partnered with a successor dog is right around the corner.  Maybe I will get lucky enough to be in this coming Spring team training group.

Spanning Horizons

Very exciting changes will be happening over the next year or so, thanks to my aunt believing in me and wanting to help with an investment that she saw the value and potential in.  I can't talk about it too much just yet, but this is opening limitless opportunities for us and for our future.  So insanely happy and feeling so fortunate my aunt has the ability to help with this.  As everything falls into place and comes together, I'll be able to share more details.

Found Journey A Home

We found an amazing new forever home for Journey.  He'll be with a wonderful couple who have had Shepherds all their lives.  They lost their last Shepherd not long ago to old age, and the gentleman couldn't go long without getting another. They have promised to love him and spoil him. We are invited to come out and visit anytime.  They live down by Houma on the bayou, real Cajun country! Journey has his neuter surgery Tuesday ( managed to get a sooner appointment ), he'll recover a few days so I can make sure he's okay, and then he'll move in with his new family.  Already teary thinking about it. I'm going to miss this dog so much.  On the way home from meeting this couple, it was rainy, and then the sun shined through.  There was a beautiful rainbow.  I took it as a sign to mean things were as they should be, falling into place as needed.

Jaw Dislocations

So however long ago it was that my jaw got stuck open that one night where I couldn't close it, and had to pop it back in place, apparently my jaw has been dislocated all this time since!

Which must be why the grinding/popping stuff got so much worse, and was hurting more, I could hardly chew or open my mouth fully.  It started bothering me real bad the past week or so.  I tried flexing and massaging and pushing at the area for some relief.  I popped it the other night and had a sharp pain at the hinge area the past few days. Been taking Gaba, and the nerve pain in the jaw hinge finally let up and I noticed today I could chew mostly normal. I was just able to eat a hamburger for dinner mostly normally for the first time in goodness knows how long!!  There is still popping sensations like I had prior to the dislocation, but not nearly as frequent or as painful. Trying to be extra careful with it.  Fingers crossed it behaves itself.

Service Dog Applications Update

As of Friday I heard back from CPL about my application for a new assistance dog.

"Your application is with the trainers.  I want to let you know that Fall Team Training will start Saturday so we are in hyper drive here so the trainers might not get a chance to review the application until after team training.  - Carol"

Fingers crossed this puts me one step closer to being accepted!



http://www.youcaring.com/brittney-steptoe-428674

Disability App Preparations

Apologies for the lapse in presence on and off recently. I have been busy for a little while working on putting together all of this information for my disability application process. Digging through old paperwork to find things to use ( thank goodness I kept it ), collecting and sorting documents from providers.  Just waiting on responses from two doctors and that should do it.  I wrote a ton of things with medical jargon and ICD-10 codes to throw at them. 10+ pages to tell them how all this affects my daily life and ability to function. Hoping "doing the work for them" will strengthen my case some, but not holding my breathe.  I expect I will be denied the first go-round, as that seems like the popular thing for them to do. Will probably be submitting everything before the end of the month.  Anyone interested in reading any of it and giving their input?   Also on that note, would anyone like to write anything on my behalf for me to submit to them?  On why you feel I should be able to finally get this help I needed ( and probably should have asked for ) years ago and why it is more important I have it going forward?  I mean, lets face it. My body is self destructing itself one collagen molecule at a time.  That isn't going to change anytime soon!

Snarky body

My body has been throwing a fit ever since I stopped working Journey.  The more time passes without the help of a dog, the worse I feel.  I haven't really been out anywhere in nearly two weeks but I finally had to go pick up a few groceries. So sore and exhausted afterwards. My hips, knees, back, and ankles are seriously on the warpath and my normal exercises are not helping. Soaking in a warm bath or TENS is only temporary. Gaba helps for breakthrough, but I am having to take it more frequently to control things during the flairs which increases fatigue and cognitive difficulties.  Changes in weather probably aren't helping either.  Migraine keeps coming and going.  I hope one of these organizations will accept me to receive a new assistance dog. Otherwise I am not sure what I am going to do. One day at a time.