Parkinsons and service dogs – Page 4

December 29, 2013

State Your Intention

More Travels with Tommy After I noted all the must-see’s in the travel guide, I made an inventory of might-be trip challenges ahead. I admit I was concerned about flying (always interesting, particularly with a giant dog) to the Caribbean (my first time!) to spend Christmas (BIG holiday with potentially big stresses) with family. My intention was to keep the challenges of travel – particularly with a service dog – to a minimum. With this in mind, I set out to be organized and prepared. I kept a folder of island highlights as well as do-not-forget scribbles (sunscreen! dog food for the plane!). I also adorned Tommy’s vest with another Do Not Pet badge and tucked and a copy of his rabies certificate in the side pocket. With a focus on minimizing distractions, I planned and predicted. I was ready with my Here’s-how-you-can-tell-when-he’s-working talk for the dog-loving relatives we were […]

March 31, 2014

Harness that Energy

In addition to his continuing role as Service Dog, Sir Thomas prances and practically rolls over in the role of Mentor. Sometimes a service dog in training comes for a sleepover. Often times, the visitor is still a youngster who chews through Sir T’s toys, nudges him off his favorite bed and occasionally does the unthinkable: piddles on the carpet. But Thomas maintains his dignity. Until then two head out into the yard. Then Tommy gets to step a paw back into puppyhood. . It’s a win-win. The real pup gets the opportunity to experience life in a house with a family, sometimes other four-footed creatures, and, yes, carpets. The grown-up dog gets to romp and act like a big kid. Until they harness up. Thomas greets his vest with a wag as he dips his head for me to slip it on. The pups still need convincing that a vest is A) Not a toy […]

June 1, 2014

540 Good Dogs and Counting

After a year to-and-a-half together (already!), it seems impossible that Sir Thomas and I could come face-to-face with anything we haven’t already seen or heard. Together, we’ve encountered a wide variety of situations, including unleashed dogs, scorns of disapproval (What’s that dog doing in here?), toddler tail-grabbing, airport security pat downs, surprised drivers (cabs and ferries) and many friendly souls (including a chef at a rather upscale restaurant who delivered a plate of chicken she’d cooked up for Thomas when she saw us arrive). We’ve attended yoga classes (Tommy loves relaxation poses) and art classes (cerulean blue paint is a challenge to wash from white fur). We’ve experienced people who hold the door for us (and one woman who held the door for only Tommy, letting it slam before I passed through), people who take pictures of him, people who insist he’s one breed or another (but certainly not […]

June 5, 2014

Mayan Crossroad

My friend, Cindy, got me thinking. In her blog about living with Parkinson’s (http://peoplewithparkinsons.com/), she concludes, “Until there is a cure, there is community.” I have to agree with her. While I’d welcome a cure to this disease, I’d not trade its gift of community. Paths that would not have otherwise intersected have brought me to delightful crossroads with people. Through this community, I’ve laughed with lawyers, danced with dentists and made dear friends with retired veterans, college professors and MBAs alike. When the world’s bad guys seem to be winning or the cure on the horizon is a mirage, this community brings me back. They get it. They care. They remind me that plenty of people wear white hats, not black. When my path intersected with the Service Dog Project and Sir Thomas, it wound up at a crossroads with dog lovers across the globe, a community full […]

July 14, 2014

Vested Interest

At times, Sir Thomas and I practice a task we haven’t done together in a while. Weeks can pass, for example, without the need for Tommy to back up. Reverse is not a natural gear for canines but service dogs learn to maneuver hindquarters first into tight spots – think sizeable dog and non-handicapped restroom stall or a busy cafe with one booth open and nowhere for him to go but under it.The only way in is backwards. If we forget to practice, I’d need to find a roomier bathroom and pass on that pastry. Practice, or what I call Reminder Training, is part of being a team. We work together. And sometimes it is hard work, but again, it’s all part of the partner package. When I’m out grocery shopping or in line at the post office and people remark on Tommy’s training, I’m still caught by surprise. A question I frequently hear is, How long did it take? I typically smile and respond that […]

July 25, 2014

Playing Around

If all the world’s a stage, I’d like to be the playwright. I would begin by rewriting some classic scripts to bring the world of Parkinson’s to the stage. Romeo & Juliet: O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy diagnosis and refuse thy meds; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I’ll no longer be without a tremor. and Hark, what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is getting up to pee again. Hamlet: To DBS or not to DBS? That is the question. Whether it is nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of on and off times or to take arms against a sea of dyskinesia? Death of a Salesman: Willie Lowman’s name would change to Willie Slowman. Grease: Lyric shift in the Frankie Avalon Beauty School scene: Dopamine dropout, no normal movement for you. The Wizard […]

October 14, 2014

Why a Service Dog?

Sir Thomas and I recently celebrated our two-year anniversary (Yay, us!). In my time with him, I’ve learned so much about the world of service dogs. The good (How much time do you have?), the bad (Can’t ignore that their life span often runs shorter than ours), and the ugly (My body tenses simply typing the words: Fake service dog teams). My intention for this blog sparked from sharing the good. It has blossomed into a means to connect with a community of fellow service dog partners in good times and bad. It has grown to include educating and advocating in the face of the ugly. In all that Thomas and I have encountered these past twenty-four months, I am – daily – still surprised. People surprise me with their comments – good, bad and ugly. One would think I’d be getting used to the range of remarks. Most remarkably, though, […]

October 20, 2014

An Open Letter to the Chambers of Commerce

An Open Letter to the Chambers of Commerce of Villages, Towns and Cities throughout the U.S. Please Help Empower Your Member Businesses Regarding Service Dog Access When You Can Say No to Fido In “Pets Allowed” (New Yorker, October 20 issue), retail management, staff and security personnel throughout Manhattan and Boston permitted “emotional support” animals ranging from a turtle to a snake to a turkey into their establishments. “There’s nothing we can do about it,” says a restaurant worker in NYC. “We have to let them in.” No, you don’t. Whether you run an inn, B&B, cafe, boutique, museum, theater, work for the airlines or manage a bait store, you do not need to open your doors to every Flufffy or pet iguana sporting a vest. Know the Law What you and your staff do need to do is know the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the law is […]

October 21, 2014

To Sir

Doug Logan posted this poem on the Young Onset Parkinson’s FB page. When I read it, I considered how blessed I am to have supportive, dearly adored caregivers in both the two-legged and four-legged varieties With the four-legged variety in mind, I asked Doug if I could share his poem.He answered., “Yes,” followed by “it is to our caregivers in whatever form that may be.” To Our Care Givers By Doug Logan Sometimes I feel as though I’m trapped in a cage, It fills me with anger, resentment and rage; This cage it is made of my own flesh and bone, It’s worse than any made of wood, steel or stone. My limbs will all tremble as if I’m nervous or cold, I no longer write, hands won’t do as they’re told; My feet, they are heavy and make me walk slow, My face a blank canvas, no expressions will show. I want to […]

January 6, 2015

Up in the Air with a Service Dog

Travel Tidbits from Thomas The moment Sir Thomas steps into an airport, I wonder how he functions at all with the sensory overload. Suitcase wheels clatter and whir from behind. Neon blinks in every direction. Strangers’ hands reach toward him as they push past, pull ahead and pause to unlace shoes. He cuts a wake through air thick with the drone of announcements and the deep-fried, burnt-coffee odors of the food court. Airports exude stress. I’ve learned from him that if I keep to my senses, we can keep our stress levels down. Here are some travel tips that help us from getting swept up with the hurried masses: Sit The first impulse when entering the airport is to rush through the steps of baggage check, security clearance and gate wait. I now give myself oodles of time so we can sit and regroup when needed. When entering the airport, […]