Might be getting a service dog...

[LewisLegion]

It feels so weird that it's come to this. Just a few months ago my constant and recurring pain and fatigue was still a mystery. Now I have a diagnoses and a suggestion for a service dog!

*thumps her face on her desk*

The idea is it will help me to be able to continue working, which I desperately want to do (not that I like my job but I sure as heck don't want to go on disability if I can at all avoid it).

This site was referred to me: http://www.pawsforcomfort.com/site/node/15

I've sent them an application so hopefully I get approved for a sponsership. If not it's going to take me a while to save up.

[r2cagle]

:crosses fingers:

Whether or not you have to go on disability is a different issue... but a service animal will help with your quality of living. That's more important IMO.

Wishing you all the luck you can get!

[AccountingDrone]

Good luck =)

[Der Cute]

Animals, whether pure pets or service animals, always come in handy.
Depression isn't always considered a disability, but I sure as heck can appreciate having a kitty around. Fuzzy helps me get through some hard times.

So, think of the overall picture - long term life. Can you spruce it up a bit with a doggy?

Cutenoob

[Exaspera]

Awww! I'm glad for you.

[AccountingDrone]

Animals, whether pure pets or service animals, always come in handy.
Depression isn't always considered a disability, but I sure as heck can appreciate having a kitty around. Fuzzy helps me get through some hard times.

So, think of the overall picture - long term life. Can you spruce it up a bit with a doggy?

Cutenoob

But a xolo is more than just a companion, they are mobile heating pads that can fetch small items for you =)

Not that the companionship isn't there, but there is actual therapeutic activity [heat for chronic pain] and the fetching bit [it hurts to move, so the xolo does the moving for you]

I want a rhodesian ridgeback as a service dog, myself =) they are large enough that they can help by pulling the chair up slopes that are a bit too steep to manage singlehandedly. They are tall enough to do the leg assist move, and have soft mouths so they can pick up delicate items.

[Magpie]

I have a friend with fibro (please, no debates on if fibro exists, suffice to say I have a friend with problems with bright lights/loud noises and chronic pain, whether or not it's in her head). She would like a service dog but isn't quite eligible. However, her dog has been helping as is. The dog will let my friend lean on her, and apparently is pretty good about guiding if the sun is too bright and my friend doesn't want to do more than squint, and that only if needed.

[LewisLegion]

Tell her to contact X-CPR if she wants. If your friend has a diagnoses of Fibro, and if the dog will perform ANY task that eases or aids her condition, she qualifies. She can train it herself or have a trainer train it (or a combination of both) and as long as she has a diagnoses or a doctor's note, there are a ton of places that will provide a certifcate and a ID card as well as vests, patches, and working harnesses. She can even certify the dog she has as a balance dog.

The woman at X-CPR contacted me this morning. She may have a dog that will suit what I need. She's going to send me some more info on the particular dog and what steps I need to take. Because she's non-profit and doesn't have much in the way of donations yet I will probably have to figure out a way to come up with the cost of the dog and the trip here on my own, which is going to be interesting.

[Magpie]

Does X-CPR place outside of the US? I think the programme she already looked into would have trained the dog she already has, but this might be something for her in XX years or so (no clue what her dog's expected lifespan is).

[LewisLegion]

I honestly have no idea, but at this point I'm going to guess no, as they are very small and fairly new (they've placed only 13 dogs thus far and have been around about five years or so). If they can't, however, they may know a similar organization closer to your friend.

What I mentioned before about qualifications was also US based...not sure what she'd have to do or pass in another country in order to qualify.

[AccountingDrone]

There is an absolutely fantastic lady on CruiseCritics [another board] that has a champion service dog [it competes in working dog shows] and her thread there has a LOT of resources ... just head over to CruiseCritics, and check out her thread in the Special Interest Cruising section under Disabled Cruising. There is actually good information on that section of the board that doesn't only pertain to cruising =)

[draggar]

Good luck. my wife has been using (and training) service dogs for years. If you have any questions - feel free to ask me or shoot me a PM.

Here's a news sstory about my wife and her primary service dog (Zorro):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n01aXZu6lo

[LewisLegion]

Thank you, Draggar, I'll do that. I watched the vid of your wife...very inspiring

[draggar]

My wife noticed that when she's using a cane or a walker (very rare for a walker) people tend to shy away from her like she has some disease but when she has a service dog people to realize she's disabled.

She also thinks the looks she gets when she gets out of her car (from the driver's seat - usually wearing sunglasses) and Zorro jumps out of the back. (Many people think he's a seeing-eye dog).

You'll get a lot more positive attention with a service dog as you would with a cane, crutch, wheelchair. But also, many people do not know the service dog laws (it's not like they're exposed to it all the time). Feel free to educate yourself on the good and the bad and learn to know simple uneducation (just never learned though no fault of their own) to pure igonrance (just don't want to learn).

PM me if you want my wife's email address if you'd like to talk to her about it she's been using service dogs for years (funny how the first one she got wasn't obtained for service work, it just happened he was great for it when she needed it). I'm assuming you'd use the dog for mobility assisstance? If it is make sure it is large enough to be able to support some of your weight - even though my wife is petite she still uses Zorro (malinois) and Kiri (German shepherd) and Luna (vlcak) will be trained for it, too. Be sure to treat the dog as your partner, not just a pet.

Even days you think you won't need the dog don't be afraid to bring him with you - those will be the best days to have him with you and to work him. You won't be distracted by pain and so you'll be able to concentrate on him and it will be a doubly good day for him.

A few more links of her and Zorro:
http://www.oprah.com/relationships/I...g-Show/2#slide

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/201...lgian-malinois
(This one was syndicated to at least a dozen other newspapers across the USA)

http://www.pawnation.com/2010/02/02/...gian-malinois/

[LewisLegion]

This particular dog won't be for mobility (though my mother, who has the same disability I do, is to the point of getting a balance/mobility dog, and I may have to someday in the future). This dog is for retrieval and 'hot water bottle' pain relief, as well as stress relief. It will actually only be about ten pounds or so.

Mom is getting a newfoundland for her mobility issues. I'll show her your wife's videos as well