November 17, 2013
Air travel poses innumerable challenges even to the least physically challenged among us. When Sir Thomas and I fly, we add four giant legs to the already crammed space called Leg Room (which is tight with my two legs). Delays, angst, discomfort all add to the stress of flying. So it’s safe to say that stress was on board the USAir flight that is in the news regarding the blind passenger and his service dog. Blind-man-with-service-dog causes one to, well, look. Whether it’s blindness, chronic disease, birth defect, mental illness, baggage or botched surgery, we’re all dealing with something that places us just this side of normal. My ‘something’ happens to show in the way I walk. Add a handsome, four-legged cane to the scene and we, well, we make for quite a scene. People look. They watch, comment: “Beautiful dog” or “What’s he do?” or “Are you training him?” […]
November 14, 2013
Before glancing at the clock, I feel a frown forming across my face. Once again, I’m awake at that nebulous hour of 4:00 am, when it’s no longer the middle of the night. Nor is it morning. It’s close, but even on the longest of June days, robins would still be only dreaming of worms. Whether the culprit is hormones or Parkinson’s – or a wicked conspiracy between the two – I am gazing at the bed, not lying in it. My trusty service dog snores from on his bed. To his credit, he opened one eye when I rose. I fluffed his fleece blanket and gave him a pat. No point in both of us being up. My thoughts seek solace. ‘At least I slept some,’ they begin. ‘I can nap later today.’ The most comforting of these is when I consider that someone else living with PD is […]
November 4, 2013
Sir Thomas’ four long, stable legs add a healthy counter to my quirky two. Out and about in public, we dance a step as we navigate errands or a stop at the local bakery (why bake when there’s a nearby bakery?). The care Tommy provides at home is also a big (pun intended) help. For anyone who hasn’t witnessed a kitchen waltz or living room rumba with a Dane, here is Sir Thomas In action: IMG_0038.mov IMG_0022.mov
October 13, 2013
Of the 3,300+ delegates attending the 2013 World Parkinson Congress, 2,300+ were dog lovers. Sir Thomas turned heads along the cobbled streets downtown as well as on the carpeted stretches between presentations at the conference center. Cameras flashed, comments flew in more than one language: Mon Dieux! C’est un cheval! Does he have a saddle? The paparazzi aside, people also stopped us not just to ask what breed and whether I rode him to the conference, but what service he provided. I was among others whose balance is challenged and their curiosity sprang from experience. Many came to the Round Table I co-hosted on Service Dogs – for anyone who missed it, the presentation slides can be downloaded here.(Special thanks to Carolyn Weaver — and Selma — for sharing their expertise.) The yoga sessions were well attended and the creativity panel was fun. The poster sessions drew a crowd – those, too, can be […]