4 Paws Family Support Network

Introduction

We have an amazing online support network for our 4 paws families. We allow all of our clients access to each other so that our graduates can communicate with each other and help our new families through the process!

We feel this speaks to our quality of service!

As of January 30, 2009, 4 Paws for Ability has trained and placed over 400 service dogs!

In Memory of Hannah Chapman

January 17, 2010.   I want to thank 4 Paws for all you do for our kids. My Hannah loved her Koolio and he was a loyal and devoted care taker of his girl. He did his job well even up to the end. He is so lost right now. He was with us until the end licking her feet as she passed away in all our arms. We know that he brought so much joy to our girl. The past year with him as part of her life was full of constant joy and love. Please continue to pray for him and all of us as the days continue.

Hannah was a little girl who had epilepsy, autism, mild cerebral palsy, SID, and Chronic Lung Disease. She attended school where she was in a special needs classroom. She received occupational, physical, and speech therapy. Hannah was confined to home a lot due to respiratory illnesses and in the summer due to lack of body temperature control, a side effect of her seizure medication.

Find more stories and pictures of Hannah's life on her blog.

Why an In-Home Companion Dog?

Many people, including parents of other children with disabilities, have wondered why we chose an In-Home Companion dog for our son, Zach. We were looking at an In-Home Companion dog to provide Zachary with social-emotional support and to help him find that level of confidence he needs to make those leaps towards social-emotional independence.

Why didn't we go with a public access dog? Our primary concern was that if a dog went to school with Zachary, he'd become hyper-dependent on the dog and not use ALL of the very appropriate skills he does indeed have when he's with us. It would've been a "quick fix" in certain regards, but it would not have taught him the life skills he needs or forced him to use the many life skills he already has.

Although it sounds counter-intuitive, we felt it could've been detrimental to his independence. The other reason why we went this route is that a public access dog needs to be out with the child as much as possible because that's the purpose of the dog being trained in this capacity. I'd have to start taking the dog with me and the kids when we're out and about just to maintain its training. A full public access dog didn't make sense to us based on Zachary's needs. It goes back to being functionally appropriate.

Don't get me wrong, there would've been the "cool factor" for Zachary to take his dog everywhere, but it wouldn't have been functional. We would've had to make more changes in our life to accommodate a public access dog instead of accommodating Zachary.

Aubrey is an absolute blessing to all of us. Every time we hear Zachary tell us that he loves her, she's his favorite dog or that she's his best friend we can't help but smile from ear to ear. Aubrey, without question, provides a tremendous level of emotional support and therapeutic services to Zachary every day.

January 3, 2010. Happy New Year to you and everybody else at 4 Paws! I wanted to share with all of you what an awesome job Aubrey did helping Zachary relax after he had the mother-of-all meltdowns last night. These type of meltdowns don't happen very often at home with Zachary, but this one was a real doosie! He has a cold, needed a nebulizer treatment and was on medication which I'm sure exacerbated the whole situation. It seems as if something that would otherwise not be a problem for him pushed him over the edge.

Anyway after 33 minutes of Joe literally standing in front of Zachary's bedroom door to keep him in his room while he was screaming on the top of his lungs and hysterically crying, he FINALLY calmed down. (His room is the calm-down/time-out area when it needs to be.) He asked for me, and when walked into his room, he sat on my lap and quietly cried but immediately asked for Aubrey! Joe and I were sooooooooooo very proud of Zachary!!!!! He absolutely understands and likes that Aubrey brings feelings of calmness and a level of comfort to him. Aubrey was such a good girl. :) She jumped right onto his bed when we told her to, and he was full of smiles. :) We kept Aubrey in the down position while she was on his bed, and Zachary patted her, kissed her, hugged her and cuddled her for a good 15 mins or so all the while smiling and telling us how much he loves Aubrey and that she's his friend.

At that point it wasn't the meltdown that brought me to tears but the genuine, unconditional love he felt for Aubrey and she showed him. This was so soothing and therapeutic for him. Once Zachary was 100% calm, he very nicely asked Aubrey to get off of is bed so he could go to sleep...which he did. While Aubrey was lying next to Zachary, she was given lots of Pup-eroni in return for a job well done. God knows she earned it!

Regardless of how infrequently this type of meltdown occurs at home, it is still extremely difficult for us to watch Zachary crumble like that none-the-less. Even though we know there isn't much we can do to help him while it's happening, we do try to find the silver lining in things which is indeed our girl Aubrey. :) She is the absolute sweetest dog in the whole world, not that i'm impartial or anything. ;) Zachary loves to play with her and hug, kiss, pat, cuddle her every opportunity he can....which is constantly. He gives her kisses and tells her that he'll see her after school each morning.

She's SUPER excited when he walks off the bus. She knows the drill.....she happily runs into the house after Zachary, he gives her "crunchy treats" (Milk Bone training treats) and they play or cuddle. Not to mention, waiting for Zachary outside of the bus also encourages him to put on his backpack, carry his lunch bag and walk off the bus like a big boy since I won't go on the bus with Aubrey.. This afternoon he thought it was an absolute riot that HE was able to get her to perform some tricks (with only a teeny bit of coaching from me.) The belly laughs were contagious. He also goes into the fridge, fills up his cup with water, pours it into her water bowl and calls her over to have a drink. It's very, very cute.

Aubrey is a blessing to our family, but most specifically to Zachary, and we look forward to spending a peaceful and joyful 2010 with her!--The DiVitos: Joe, Kristy, Zachary, Allison and Aubrey

January 2, 2010. Just wanted to filled you in on our Gracie.

She broke her leg almost 4 weeks ago. Following were a hospital stay, closed reduction and casting in the OR, ER visit and many doctor visits after Grace contracted pneumonia. But finally we are finally feeling a little back to normal.

Sprite didn't visit Grace during her hospital stays since their bonding just isn't there yet but I sent some pictures to show how she stayed with Grace as much as she could.

We had to keep Grace's leg elevated above her heart with absolutely no weight on it for the first 10 days so we built a "box" for Grace to stay in with a leg riser in it so she could stay here in the family room with us.

After that, she could put the leg down but still no weight on it for 6 weeks--she had a full leg cast to ensure that.

It just was rough since she didn't understand what was going on and we couldn't believe the extent of misery the trauma caused her. For the first week she stopped eating and somewhat drinking.

She's better now with the drinking but her appetite has not returned and she has lost a good deal of weight(at least it's a little easier to carry her--she's almost as big as I am!).

Please feel free to share our story and pictures. Thanks, Sandi Wesinger...mom of Grace and Sprite

December 28, 2009 Just wanted to give you all a little update on how Ben is doing with his new shadow, AKA, Starburst. A couple of days ago we finally bought a video baby monitor to help me with my nocturnal little boy. First off, I have to say this thing is AMAZING! Worth every penny! So this morning at 7 am I woke to sounds of Ben and Star coming through the receiver. I turned on the camera part and watched as they played around and cuddled. Then all of the sudden Ben leaned over and blew a rasberry on her back. I couldn't figure out what he was doing when he did it again.

After several rounds and much giggling, I realized he was blowing on her like we do with him to tickle his tummy. She thought he was nuts, but he thought he was tickling her. The only down side to the baby monitor, is that I can't record moments like that. It was so cute, they have become fast friends in these few short weeks and it was worth every bit of the work we put in for fundraising, training and even the waiting! Happy New Year!...Sherrie (Ben, 6 yrs, SMS, and Starburst)

December 1, 2009.  What a perfectly wonderful day!!!! We arrived at 4 Paws for Ability training centre at 9:45 am and met all of our classmates. As soon as you enter the building you can see kennels lined up neatly against the walls. We didn't peek!

After introductions by Jeremy, the training supervisor, it was finally the moment we had all been waiting for......time to meet the dogs!!! And guess who was the first Service Dog to enter the room? Sirius Ellefson!!!!! He pranced in as big as life, tail wagging, and came right to his girl Hannah!!! Tears all around! He is the most handsome boy we have ever seen, and so very mellow. Hannah fed him endless treats to start the bonding process and Sirius was loving all of the affection. Steve and I did our best to hold back and let Hannah have her moment, but wouldn't you know it....he is just too darn cute and we swooped in for a group hug.

The morning was spent getting to know the dogs and letting the kids get used to their new companions. The 4 Paws facility is so kid friendly and all of the staff are so very understanding and accommodating with all of the children. One side of the training room is loaded with children's toys and games, so Hannah was in heaven. She made lots of friends and I am pretty sure that she played with every toy in the room! This gave Steve and I time to focus on all of the important information that Jeremy had for us, and to learn some of the commands that we will use with Sirius.

We had a 1 hour lunch break, but because we haven't yet received the public access training, we had to leave Sirius behind in his kennel. His poor little face looked so sad as we walked away. We ate our lunch in a fashion reminiscent of a hoover vacuum so that we could get back to him as soon as possible.

In the afternoon we started to work on basic commands with the dogs. Guess What? Sirius is a pro! He knows exactly what to do! He cracks me up because as I am trying to figure out how to give the command and execute the behaviour, he appears to be saying, "oh for heaven sake.....hurry up....you people are boring me!". He is the expert and we are the beginners. Have faith Sirius.....we will try to keep up to your superior intellect!

As we finished training for the day, we proudly walked Sirius to our vehicle and opened the door. He sat and looked at us until we give him the "Up" command and then poof...he was on board. I can only imagine how stressful this day must be for these dogs. All of a sudden they are loaded into a car and off they go with a new family, away from all of the things that are familiar to them, and away from their trainers who were their family. I sure hope he loves us!

We arrived back at the hotel with a kennel that 4 Paws lends to each family in training and two bags of his favorite dog food. The kennel is a safe place for him to rest if the day is a little overwhelming. Sirius entered the hotel room and we let him off his leash to explore. Hannah just adores him and chased him all over the room. Sirius loves tennis balls and Hannah threw the ball to him over and over as he retrieved it and brought it back to her. They love each other!!!!

When it was time for our little Miss Hannah to settle in for bed, she happily climbed under the covers, put her head on the pillow and yelled...."Sirius!! Come to bed!". He looked at Steve as if to say...."Can I get up? Sure would like to sleep in that big comfortable bed, yep....sure would". With the command "Up", Sirius jumped into bed with his new best friend, did two quick circles and plunked himself down right next to Hannah......zzzzzzzzzzzzz.......Sirius was sound asleep and boy does he snore!!!

He is quite big and Hannah is also growing up, so my next thought was....where the heck is mom going to sleep in this tiny double bed? Hannah had a solution to that problem. She said, "Mommy, you can sleep on the floor!", and just like that, mommy was banished! Not to worry, I will find a corner of the bed that I can curl up in, as I certainly wouldn't want to disrupt Hannah's cuddling time or Sirius' slumber!!! Poor mom.

We can't wait for Day #2 of training! This is such an amazing experience!

One final thought before bed........Sirius is everything we had hoped for and more! He is absolutely perfect!!!!!

From Carolyn, Steve, Hannah, and Sirius the Wonder dog!!!!

October 24, 2009  Carson has had his Service dog just over two years and wanted to share a little milestone. Carson has autism and has little language. He loves his Service dog (Sneakers) but doesn't "talk" to him. Tonight was the first time I heard him actually give Sneakers commands. He said "Sneakers come" and "Sneakers down."

I know it seems like such a little thing to get excited about but in my world it is huge!!! Even though it has been two years since getting Sneakers it never gets old! To all of you fund raising....stay the course! Tammy Alger

September 29, 2009  Just had to share! Zachary had his speech therapy this evening. We took Duke with us. After therapy, Zachary was showing the therapist some tricks that Duke does. When we were leaving, Zachary told the therapist, "See you next week" and "Goodbye". She remarked that it was the first time he had used social language with her on his own, without a prompt. This is one of his goals and the reason why he's going to speech privately, in addition to school-based speech therapy - to learn those pragmatic skills.

Bubbles wins over Emma's classmate

Emma just finished her first week of the school year. She has attended a self contained Multiple Disability class at Willard Central Elementary for the past two years, and Bubbles has attended with her. I have been very pleased with her teacher and the classroom assistants. They genuinely love Emma, and have her long-term best interests at heart, and have helped her achieve many physical and academic goals.

The week before school began, Emma’s teacher, Mrs. Miller, called me. For the first time since Emma started in this class, they were getting new students, and one of them was scared of dogs. Mrs. Miller wanted to know if there was a 4 Paws protocol for introducing a child who was scared of dogs to a service dog.

I called Jeremy at 4 Paws, and he gave me good advice, which I passed on to Mrs. Miller. On Saturday, August 29th, she called me to report on how the week had gone (and having the teacher call me still makes me nervous that there are major problems!). She apologized for not calling during the week, but since I know how crazy the first week of school always is, I hadn’t been concerned about hearing from her—I figured if there were major problems, she would have contacted me sooner.

She said “I want to thank you for letting us have Bubbles. One of our new students has lots of emotional issues, and from the information in his file, we expected him to have between 3 and 6 major meltdowns every day, lasting up to half an hour each. This is the student who is scared of dogs, so I was really nervous for the first day of class.”

“Emma and Bubbles came into class and took their places (Emma at the table, Bubbles on his “place”) and the new student looked pretty alarmed, but then he went over and inspected every inch of Bubbles—including opening his mouth to look inside it! I was a bit concerned, but Bubbles was totally mellow. Whenever the student was getting ready to melt down, he told me ‘I pet dog’, and went over to Bubbles and petted him three times—one, two, three, then said ‘I better now’, and returned to his place. We have not had one meltdown, and I know it is because of having Bubbles in our classroom.”

“Also when we had a Police Officer come in to visit our classroom, he asked who had the Service Dog, BOTH of our new students claimed Bubbles was theirs! When we walk down the hall, Emma holds onto her handles and the boy who used to be afraid of dogs walks on Bubbles other side, holding onto his harness, while the other new student holds onto Bubbles’ tail like a rudder! Bubbles just loves all the attention!”

Emma has settled into her classroom routine perfectly, and the only time she has had any issues at all, was when Mrs. Miller corrected one of the new students, and Emma thought she had done something wrong!

Also, the new Superintendent stopped by their classroom, and Bubbles behaved so perfectly that he totally won him over! Yay for 4 Paws!

Do not get discouraged—It really is ALL worth it in the end!

Marie, Wife of the Amazing Spencer,and Mom to Katie, Alex, Emma and Bubbles the WonderDog!

ER staff thinks service dog rocks! And so does Cody’s family…

Our son, Cody, fell in the shower Saturday evening after he and our seizure alert service dog, Polly, returned from camp. (Everyone there wanted to know if they could borrow Polly for a few days to teach their kids a thing or two.)

We thought he’d just jammed his finger, so we iced it. Polly wasn’t sure about that: she wanted the ice bag to play with. But Sunday morning once Cody got up and around, we noticed it was very swollen. We decided to head to the ER after breakfast, and Polly alerted a seizure (small one), so he finished eating.

As we were trying to leave, Polly alerts yet another seizure. We worked through that one and then headed to the ER.

The security officer gave us a funny look and asked if the dog was a service dog. We told him "Yes," and proceeded to the check-in desk. The nurse asked us the same thing, and we got some strange looks, but apparently, that goes with the territory.

Once called back to the exam room, we waited. Polly lay down. When the x-ray technician came to take Cody to x-ray, he said, “Polly can’t go back there; it’s not allowed.” I explained that Polly is Cody’s service dog and she alerts for seizures. He stopped for a minute, then said, "Well, okay."

Polly was right there beside the wheelchair all the way. She wasn’t going to let Cody out of her sight.

As they proceeded with the x-ray, the technician finally asked what she does. I explained, and he was amazed. He couldn’t believe that a dog could do these things. "I’ve heard stories," he said, "but I didn’t believe it. That is cool!"

Later the doctor came in and told us that Cody had broken his finger. We were waiting for them to buddy the two and brace it, and Polly was content until they started to work on Cody.

Then she decided it was time to get involved, checking it out, making sure that he was okay, and that no one was hurting him.

I signed the papers for discharge and the next thing I knew Polly started barking and jumped up in the bed. The security officer came running in, along with the doctor and nurses and staff from the other exam rooms. I explained to the doctor and the officer that Cody was having a seizure and Polly was alerting. You would have thought someone had just shot somebody.

Things were pretty tense, and then the doctor asked Cody what his name was. I explained that he doesn’t usually speak for a while after he has a seizure. He looked at me, patted me on the shoulder, and said, "Well I guess you’ve got it under control," and walked out.

Everyone stood there in complete awe. They couldn’t believe what they’d just witnessed from a dog that they’d seen lying down and sleeping while waiting for Cody. They were amazed and we were so proud of her. She made believers out of them all.

Polly checked on Cody every little bit, and then curled up with him when we got home so that she would know he was fine. Now we’ll see how tomorrow goes with the orthopedic surgeon.

Thanks Jeremy, Karen and staff at 4 Paws for Ability for the amazing match of Polly for Cody.

Ronda McCowen…mom of Cody and the amazing Polly, who became Cody’s dog June 2009

June 4, 2009  This is Kira, who has Autism and a Seizure Disorder and her Multipurpose Assistance Dog, Shenandoah, a Goldendoodle bred at 4 Paws.

Her Dad, Bart, sits nearby. Kira is in the hospital following a cluster of Tonic Clonic Seizures.

May 27, 2009  From Parent Marcey: Hannah now sleeps in her own bed!

As far as is the dog worth it, I will tell you without a doubt it is VERY worth it. Does it add stress? Some days, but the stress relief I've experienced on all the other days cancels out a few "off" days.

I've watched in the few short months what Koolio has done for Hannah's confidence level. She sleeps in her own bed at night. She actually pushes me out of her room sometimes when her and Koolio are just hanging out.

We've gone places we've never been able to go before because we have Koolio. Hannah loves tethering. No more death grip hand holdings. She is just happier all around and so am I. You'll love behavior interuption! Ahhhhhhhhhhh......behavior interuption! Just the words bring a smile to my face.

Oh, and Koolio goes to school with Hannah everyday all day.

Marcey
Mom to Kyle - 17, Zach - 15, Hannah - 7 (4 Paws class March '09 - epilepsy, autism, CLD, SID, ADD, and mild cerebral palsy)
Service Dog - Koolio

May 27, 2009  From Parent Steph: Yoko changed our family life forever! I could write SO MUCH, but I honestly have NO time....I've got 4 kiddos (8, 4.5, 2, & 7 months), a hubby, & our beloved 4 Paws Dog, Yoko...life is never boring!

Yoko is amazing. She has changed the life of our entire life for FOREVER - in a VERY, VERY GOOD way. We went to the San Francisco Zoo today & it was an experience I will never forget. Dylan didn't behave perfectly, but we are light years closer to enjoying activities likes this in a more "typical" fashion.

Yoko goes to school w/Dylan full-time & rides the bus & she also attends Sunday School w/him - she's doing BEAUTIFULLY in all settings and has positively impacted all of the other students as well. She sleeps w/him every night. She's trained in tracking & put herself in a track when she couldn't find him....they had been playing in the backyard, she dozed off in the grass, woke up &couldn't find him...he had come in while she enjoyed a quick nap, came tearing through the kitchen and settled right down when she spotted him in the playroom. I witnessed the entire thing while in the kitchen....I cried happy tears.

Dylan has great speech, but he rarely uses it properly. One of the very first things we noticed after getting Yoko - & it was nearly immediately - was that he began talking in 7+ word sentences & it grows w/each passing day. He is also reasoning more & asking appropriate questions in regards to all sorts of topics.

While Dylan is Yoko's priority, she has adopted each of my kids as one of her pups. She cares for them all and is very aware when someone is crying, upset, etc. I have a 2nd mama in the house & I don't honestly know how I functioned w/out her around. She's the "cherry on top" of our family ice cream sundae! We've always had a dog, so we're used to caring for an animal. For me, it's just like having another kid - gotta feed her, bathe her, groom her, take her to the doc, etc. Yes, it's work, but it seems minimal when I think about the impact she's made on our ENTIRE family!

Check out our blog at www.4paws4dylan.blogspot.com. Best of luck & know the Lord will provide the provisions, assuming you choose to move forward!

Cheerfully,
Steph of CA
Dylan (8 w/Down syndrome) & Yoko
Tracking Class, March Miracles '09

May 1, 2009  From Parent Karin: Unleashed service dog saves the day!

My husband couldn’t be home to meet Kira’s school bus, so my Mom came over, got Shenandoah out of her crate, and met Kira at the bus and watch her until I got home from work.

My Mom seemed to think that Kira no longer needed a death grip, so did not hold her hand once she got off the bus. Kira took off.

My mom is over 70, and can’t run as fast as Kira. We hadn’t trained my Mom to track, nor did she know that the flexileash was in the backpack. So, she just opened the door, and told Shenandoah to go find Kira (no leash) and followed at a slower pace. Shenandoah obliged, and took off straight to Kira. She was able to distract Kira enough to slow her down so my mom could catch up to both of them.

All were safe, and Shenandoah got her hot dogs, but I wouldn’t want my mom to do it that way again - both Kira and Shenandaoh crossed the street, albeit a quiet side street, and Shenandoah didn’t have her collar with her tags on.

So, I guess we need to train my Mom to do tracking, and make sure she knows where to find the flexileash and harness and collar.

I am so thankful to the 4 Paws Staff and I’m glad we did our practice tracks so that Shenandoah was so well trained that she didn’t run off after a squirrel, but went straight to Kira and stayed with her.

Peg Walsh Bernert and son, Leo, recently traveled to 4 Paws for Ability. Along with their beloved 4 Paws for Ability autism service dog, Halo, they were getting off the plane when the captain decided to take a picture of Halo sitting in the pilot's seat wearing the pilot's hat.

Here it is: Captain Halo April 25, 2009. Delta Air Lines flight 1052 from Seattle, WA to Atlanta, GA.

April 21, 2009  Dear Karen: Today I went to a luncheon for an organization that offers service dogs. We have started a Service Moms group here in MN we have 6 Moms and 3 of us are 4 Paws Moms. One of our Moms is from the Minnesota group.

This is purely my opinion and not representative of our group.

I think you remember my experience and with this organization and while I had really hoped I would feel differently if I got to know more, I do not.

That brings my gratitude and almost brings me to tears about the fact that I nearly missed the opportunity with 4 Paws when I thought they could do the same thing sooner and I wouldn't have had the time or expense to leave for 2 weeks etc.

I thank God that it worked out and I hadn't given the spot you graciously offered me in December when I made the call to you. Thank you for that again!

I really wanted them to be something that I could believe in, be helpful to and maybe even be a part of. I don't like how they do what they do and they do not state the age range that a child must be in to qualify for the Autism Service dogs. At 7 years old Alexander couldn't even get on their list as he would have aged out at 10 years for the 2 year waiting list. How horrible is that?

Karen the dogs were beautiful but not one of the 12 dogs there had Barley's obedience. I could tell from the families that received dogs how grateful they were, but there is not a lot of training. While they say 1000's of hours of training I did not see it.

I was reminded of day 1 of training and the chaos and then day 2 when all dogs were in a down and Jeremy walked among them. It speaks volumes about the training these dogs have. The local organization trains as they go, the dogs aren't always in the same place, and it just felt so fluffy. I am just so invested in the process of 4 Paws that anything short of that isn't good enough. You can see the difference in dogs. Not one of their dogs sat still in the three hours I was there.

There was something very fake about this fundraiser program we went to today. I just am so glad for your integrity for the process, for the extra touches. The specific training by the information we send you. That you make us show up to be trained and that time is so important. It is so necessary. Many who know us are fond of saying, "Barley is exceptional." You are truly a hero for your vision and for the staff you employ and the team you work with. I have such a love for 4 Paws. I just wish you were here in Minnesota.

May 2nd I present for 4Paws and our experience there, Barley will be with me and I am proud to be representing 4 Paws. I can say things about Barley that the other organization's folks cannot. It doesn't matter what I say, Barley says it all.

Barley's boy is now at 1.5 hours in special ed and he was 3.5 hours daily. Alexander just was tested and went up two reading levels. What a dog he is! Not to say we don't have challenges, we do. Life is just so much better.

Anyway I hope I didn't bore you, I just wanted to convey how grateful, how blessed we are and thank you so much.

Please give the credit for our success to all in your team there and yes, 4Paws ROCKS!

I am coming to visit at the June class!

Sally in MN with Alexander (8) Barley Golden Doodle

April 8, 2009 - From Jay's mother, Lynne   Last week (we hadn't been home from training for more than a few days!) I needed to track with Boots because we couldn't find Jay after dinner although we assumed he was outside because the door was open.

1. I was anxious and Boots knew it
2. I didn't take the two minutes to put appropriate tracking gear on my feet (instead I headed off in my crocs--my first mistake).

We started out with Boots quickly picking up Jay's scent and then he took off so fast and hard that I found myself in my neighbors' yard, then I was pulled onto my back, and finally, I let go of the leash (luckily my husband was in the yard next door and called Boots over).

So, I got up (subconsciously making sure nothing was hurt other than my pride) and started following the dog. It was windy and I thought for sure Boots was taking me on a wild goose chase (doubting Boots because I couldn't see Jay--my second mistake). He led me to the other end of the lot, down into the creek, and up the neighbors back hill to find Jay sitting under a pine tree. When I asked what he was doing, he said, "Lookin' for bugs!"

Both of my crocs were buried in the mud in the creek and I got my hand torn up in a nasty prickly bush. I was overwhelmed with emotion...finding Jay, pride in Boots, confirmation that the whole experience was the right for our family, amazement, graditude to 4 Paws, etc.

Needless to say, I was very sore for a few days due to the spill I took and I learned a couple of things...don't doubt Boots and DO NOT TRACK IN CROCS!!!!

March 3, 2009 - From Laura Lambert

I just wanted to drop you a note about Justice and Zoro. We recently took our first family vacation to visit some family in Florida (our first since Zoro came into our lives) and it was a rousing success! By far the best time we've had anywhere since Justice was born.

Zoro walked the beaches of Bradenton and braved a very crowded Florida State Fair where with Justice safely tethered we didn't have any fears of "losing" him or him darting off.

Justice enjoyed himself with very little anxiety and we were able to visit relatives homes with a calm Justice who leaned heavily on Zoro for support and Zoro readily and unreservedly gave it.

What a joy! It was our most relaxing and unstressful trip away from home that we've had in years...I've attached a few pics of them. Again, a big thank you to you and Jeremy and 4 Paws for this wonderful addition to our family. Zoro has brought Justice (and us) much love and joy. Please feel free to pass this on to Jeremy and Jennifer as well.

Laura Lambert - (Justice and Zoro Sept '07)

      

March 2, 2009 - Photos of Craven and Smokie at the beach.

Craven's mom says, "Just wanted to share a few pics with you! These were taken in Myrtle Beach, just before Christmas. Craven and Smokie are getting along beautifully. We are so glad Smokie is part of our family. We are looking to get Coe a dog this March (when the one year is up). Sadly, Chiquita the Cranky Chihuahua passed away in August. We all miss her (even Smokie Joe). If you all happen to come across a corgi of any type, let us know .... Coe wants a "black puppy" and I want a corgi ...... a black corgi would be great."

      

      

February 5, 2009 - From Leo's mother, Peg

Just thought I'd attach a few shots of Leo's first dentist appointment, which was made entirely possible by Halo. This is a kid who wouldn't even walk through the door of the dentist's office. You would have laughed if you could have seen Halo in the chair with Leo pushing the buttons and making her go up and down. I know you hear this every day, but every day we have new reasons to thank you.

February 3, 2009 - From the Meusch Family

I just wanted to write you and update you on Hailey and Anise... Things are going very well with the bonding. We were not sure how Hailey was going to do when we left Ohio. Things were very difficult while we were there. We had to have Hailey on double medication just to get through the day.

We usually had to be first during tracking because Hailey would have a fit after just a couple minutes of sitting in the car. When we went to the mall to do tracking and tethering, each time, Hailey had a meltdown and we ended up carrying her out to the car while people stared. We had never taken Hailey to a mall because of the tantrums.

Anise did great while we were there. I don't know if you remember but we ended up missing graduation because Hailey was unable to handle coming in the building, she was having meltdowns in the truck. So, we left early...

Since we have been home, things have been getting better. Hailey is bonding with Anise on her own terms. Anise is doing great at the behavior disruption without a command. Anise is wonderful at the doctor and everyone just loves her.

Tracking is going great, we do practice tracks all the time and Anise finds Hailey all the time. Even when it is -30 and -40 degree wind chills. Hailey loves to play fetch with her and therapy is incorporating Anise into Hailey's therapy here at home.

We no longer have to worry about Hailey bolting in the store. That is such a weight lifted, I'm sure you can imagine... Anise is adapting well to the farm life but she sure loves it when we go to town.

I don't know if you remember the first day of training in December, I was in tears because Hailey wanted nothing to do with Anise. She just screamed... Now we have gotten to a point where we could not do anything without Anise. She has been such a blessing in our lives!

Overall, it has been a great experience. We wanted to thank you and the entire 4 Paws staff for everything you do. You create miracles for us families that most people just can't understand. Keep up the good work!

December 26, 2008 - From Theresa Byrne

November 26, 2008 from Kim Galka. Thank you so much and may I say how amazing of a experience this has been. When I first read about 4 paws and what an autism assistance dog could do for Trevor, it just seemed like such a HUGE amount of money and I imagined it taking years to raise that much!

When we decided that this was what we were supposed to do for Trevor and were accepted into the program, I remember wishing that we knew a really rich guy who would just “cut us a check” for the $11,000. It has been such an amazing experience having so many people help us with raising this money that if I were to do it all over again, and I did find that rich guy, I honestly would tell him to just keep it.

The experience of having a list of donors a mile long is priceless. We feel as though each and every person who gave even a penny has become a part of this gift that they have all given to Trevor. Somehow, it just seems like such a more spiritual, shared experience that will continue on as we keep those people updated with all of the things to come. Thank you again soooo much for doing what you do!!!! We have one little guy here who just can’t wait to meet his dog in June. And we look forward to meeting you and your staff as well. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

I actually have our video clips that I have been taking for the last 6 months but they fill up about 12 different mini disks so this week I will be planning to sit down and burn them onto one big disk so that it would be easier for you to view. I am really excited to watch that footage again. Talk to you soon.

November 12, 2008. Mary sends pictures of JJ & Thyme at Halloween and as Christmas approaches. One picture includes JJ's sister as well.

Kyle and Teton November 12, 2008. We're working with the school district, and for right now, Teton remains in school full mornings. On another note, I had to take Kyle for a blood draw yesterday, which is usually a screaming meltdown that requires three people to hold him down while they try to find a vein in his flailing arm.

Thanks to Teton the Wonder Dog, we tethered up, walked in nicely, sat nicely in the waiting area and I could sign the papers without having Kyle in a death grip between my knees. During the actual blood draw, Kyle sat very calmly and only whimpered a little, at which Teton got up and butted the nurse's leg like a goat as if to say, "Hey! What are you doing to my boy?!" When it was over, we walked out nicely and got right back in the car with no fuss. Total 180 from the last blood draw!

Wa-hoo Teton!

Thanks again to all for your help and prayers!
Jen Hanselman: Mom to Kyle (4, autism) and Teton (class of Oct. 08), Lucy, Logan, Isabella, Sophia and Alex (all 4) and Connor (6)

November 5, 2008. Miracle acts as Tonsil Recovery Caregiver. It's been a while and I wanted to send you a couple pictures, one is Jon after having surgery with Miracle.

She is really his "rock" of comfort and security. She is the last one he sees before going under and is always the first one he wants when he wakes up!

November 1, 2008: Burglars, beaches and brushes with the ER and dentists  A couple of weeks ago I happened across a suspicious surly character in my back yard. It was the middle of the day and I had just picked up the boys.

I got Dexter Darlin out of the car and standing right next to my very big white dog I saw this guy off my property. It wasn’t a very civil exchange on his part. A few minutes later, children safely inside I wandered out onto the street, angry and flustered, flagged down a passing police car and pointed out the rude intruder about 50 yards up our street. The next thing I know he is arrested for multiple burglaries in our street. Moral of the story. “Always be polite and friendly to the lady with the very big white dog.”

Dexter Darling also made it possible for Joshua to join his class on the school trip to the beach. But I have got to say I’m not sure Dexter has been in sand before. Josh was tethered to Dexter and when they hit the sand they both pranced, danced and galloped like a couple of performing circus ponies. I have never seen a tethering display like it! The delight from both was contagious. Being the fool holding the lead I reckon I galloped a bit myself.

We also had an unexpected visit to the A & E (Emergency) department. Josh had fallen and hurt his ankle and couldn’t walk. When I rang ahead to check the wait time and mentioned we were bringing the service dog, we got the royal treatment and were told an exception would be made and they gave us as an appointment time and whisked us straight through!

Josh was being carried and I had Dexter on the lead. The look of panic on Dexter’s face when the doctor closed the consulting room door was priceless. Josh was happy, after all Dexter was there. Dexter on the other hand had sheer panic written on his face. He sat perfectly still, but his eyes flashed constantly from me to the doorknob and back. I shifted my chair slightly so the door knob wasn’t inches from his nose. As I did Dave’s face burst into a huge smile. He told me later he was sure Dexter was about to grab that door handle and make a break for freedom. The doctor on the other hand had no idea Dexter didn’t enjoy his bedside manner.

We also had a brush with the Dentist. For the first time ever we got Joshua to a Dentist and he actually opened his mouth. Only because Dexter opened his mouth and let me examine all his teeth. When Josh saw this, his mouth opened wide like a lunchbox snapping open. He let the dentist check each of his teeth then the nurse rewarded Dexter and Josh with a sticker. Then she called them both over to a huge open drawer full of cellophane packets of brightly coloured toothbrushes. This was when I laughed as Josh stood helping Dexter select his toothbrush and Dexter had his head buried in this drawer as if he was searching for a doggy treat.

Dexter Darlin is the best dog in the world …… I don’t know how we ever lived without him. God Bless you all, Andy, Josh, Jono and Darlin Dexter from New Zealand.

Note: to see more pictures of Dexter and Josh, click here.

October 25, 2008 from New Zealand: SARA' S SURGERY WITH MAGIC MADDIE

By SOME MIRACLE we got through surgery this week!!! Mum's ready to be sent away to a retreat to de-stress, but young Sara has coped beautifully. Maddie made a huge difference.

The last appointment before Maddie arrived Sara refused to even let the plastic surgeon look at her. In the last week with Maddie at her side Sara coped beautifully with pre-admissions, in fact with all the attention and questions about Maddie she interacted positively to many people she had never met before and it was a great distraction. One of the nurses that was there was at that last appointment that didn't go well and she couldn't believe the difference in Sara with Maddie!!!!

The hospital were wonderful - totally embracing Sara special needs and her special dog. They were extremely understanding and accommodating to her needs. On the day of surgery Sara managed with Maddie at her side without meltdowns! It was a battle to get her to change and take the pre-med. She ended up having three lots of pre-med with her anxiety (enough for three adults) and the only tears was when Maddie couldn't be with Sara on the bed before and going into theatre.

Afterwards she was happy in a fragile way, once she had her Maddie with her. Attached is a photo of Sara and Maddie recovering after surgery...Vikki

October 24, 2008: 14-year-old and Autism Service Dog go on Church Youth Retreat  Many of you don't know me, but I read regularly. We have been part of the 4 Paws family for 4 years now! I have a 14-year-old son with Autism and this weekend he and Lady (his Autism Assistance Dog since March 05) are attending a 2 night Youth Retreat!!!! One of Jonathan's youth leaders has taken on the responsibility of both Jonathan and Lady to give him this opportunity!! He has never been away from home without his parents or grandparents!! He was very excited but insistent that Lady go along! How wonderful this will be to see him successfully have a blast with his youth group!!!!

If they come to mind this weekend extra prayer support is welcomed! I just knew you all would appreciate what this step means! I never would have seen this working when he was 4 yrs old, non-verbal, aggressive, w/out eye contact, sensory issues, etc!!!!

God knew we needed Lady! Thanks to all at 4 Paws for what they have done and continue to do! I'll try to send a post retreat report to let you know how they do!

Stefanie...Mom to Jonathan & Lady, Jessica and Justin
Wife to wonderful husband currently deployed in Afghanistan!
9 months down only 3 more till he comes HOME!!
Beavercreek, OH

October 16, 2008. From Suzanne, Paul, Jake, and Sienna Griffin

We can't believe a year has gone by since Sienna joined our family! It seems as though we have always had her. We are so grateful for Jake's faithful friend. Attached are some recent pictures of Sienna comforting Jake as he awaits surgery. I apologize about the quality, they were taken on a cell phone camera.

October 8, 2008. From Samantha Putnam. I just had to write and tell you about what we did yesterday.

There were some things I needed to pick up from the store. We were already out, on our way home from Tristen's speech therapy. For the first time in over a year I decided to take both kids shopping with me. We had to go to 2 different stores, and that made me even more nervous, but I just tethered Tristen to Ajax, said a prayer, and we went.

Tristen had a meltdown at both stores (darn those impulse items at the checkout lanes!). Even though I didn't have Ajax do anything specific to help Tristen, just having him there kept me calmer thereby keeping Tristen from feeding off any negative emotions from me. I had him calmed down in no time and we went on our way.

Best of all there was not a single dirty look or rude comment directed at us the entire time. I arrived home feeling relaxed and in a good mood, something that hasn't happened after a shopping trip for YEARS. Before getting Ajax I would come home crying and feeling worn out, tense, angry and hurt from the way people reacted to Tristen's meltdowns.

I want to thank you all so much for making this possible for us. Ajax is truly a Godsend. He is my Super-Pooch, here to save the day.

October 1, 2008. Okay so it was really a banner day for Tillie who was a huge help to BJ who was having a tough morning.

After a better afternoon at school we headed off to therapy at the hospital. They have therapy dogs there and Tillie did a great job ignoring them until we told her she could say hello. For OT, BJ was in charge of Tillie for a long walk. We went down a sloped hallway that has caused huge anxiety problems for BJ in the past. He was nervous so we stopped in the middle and had Tillie give him a hug which she did great and it definately eased his anxiety some. We then went into a unfamiliar part of the hospital which also caused a lot of anxiety and down another long hallway to the main entrance where he sat down and dig hug with her again.

Now we're going to celebrate Tillie's 2nd birthday. Apple pie for us and a new toy for her. I'm exhausted, but it's been a great day here!!!

Terese

October 1, 2008...from JJ's mother: They are both doing great together.

Thyme (a Multipurpose Assistance Dog with Seizure Alert Training) loves giving him kisses and JJ loves grabbing her tail.

She was not happy Neil had to bring her home one night while in the hospital because JJ had to go into the OR in the morning and she couldn't be there, so she decided to give Neil a hard time that night and didn't sleep at all. The next morning once she saw JJ she was all fine and happy.

She even kissed Neil like she was asking for him to forgive her for keeping up all night.

September 29, 2008. A True Friend.

Brief message from Sue Byczko:

"Here is a picture of Adam and Kita after a pretty big seizure at the ER. She is worth a million!!"

September 26, 2008. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to send an update. Ruby and Kate are doing very well. Besides being a service dog for Kate, Ruby is indeed a "therapy dog" for the rest of the family. We adore her and so does the whole neighborhood!

Ruby sleeps with Kate every night. Kate and Ruby are now doing fantastic with tethering out in public. It really helps us when we go to the mall or to soccer games and such. I have attached a picture of Kate and Ruby.

Thank you again for all that you do. We haven't kept in touch too well, but we wanted you to know that Ruby is doing wonderful and she is very well loved by us all. Blessings, Kristin and David Billings, mom of Kate March Madness class.

September 18, 2008. Greetings from the Lamberts! Just a quick update on Justice and Zoro. I've attached two pictures of them together and one of Zoro with the baby. He has become like Nana from Peter Pan with her. I think he likes having someone to "work" with while Justice is in school.

It has been one year and although it has been a lot of work, Zoro is worth every bit of it!

He has become Justice's buddy, without a doubt. He waits for him to come home from school and every night he waits for us to open Justice's door so he can go to bed with his boy.

It is not uncommon to find Justice in a conversation with his dog after he's had a troubling day. This is Justice's first year mainstreaming into a neurotypical classroom and it has been stressful for him to make the transition.

Zoro makes it all better. He has even been known to come to the rescue when one of the other children cry, but there's no doubt who his main charge is. He is never very far from Justice.

He has been such a wonderful addition to our family. We couldn't be more pleased with him and 4 paws! Watching the difference in our son since Zoro came into his life has been amazing.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to you and Jeremy and the rest of the 4 Paws crew.

September 11, 2008. Anne Clark & Elijah. We have had many fire drills in the daytime in the 3-1/2 years we have lived in the retirement community. Elijah has always alerted me, but I have always wondered what he would do in the middle of the night when I am asleep.

Last night we had two alarm drops, one at 2:30 a.m. and he woke me and took me to the door. We left the 5th floor and went down the steps to get out. Lots of firemen and equipment were here and it was a faulty smoke alarm in one of the elevators. Settled down but could not go back to sleep. At 5:30 a.m. another alarm drop and he went through the same procedure.

I am so proud of Elijah and feel really good about his training. He performed like the trouper he is. Even the firemen were impressed when they saw him and I explained how he functions. And thank goodness his ears still work since mine do not.

Many thanks to 4 Paws and Jennifer Varick for the wonderful job you all did over 6 years ago. He is my best friend and I can tell him anything and he doesn't repeat it (unlike the Bush Bean dog).

September 9, 2008. WOW, it has been almost 9 months since bringing Brock home from 4 Paws for Ability. What an awesome time we have had and I'm sooo excited to share an update with you!!!

Before Brock came into Lauren's life she was diagnosed with several different disorders: Autism, Profound ADHD, Severe Anxiety Disorder, Severe Sensory Integration Disorder, Communication Disorder, Speech Apraxia, Ocular Motor Apraxia, and a few others.

Before and while at 4 Paws Lauren was terrified of everything and couldn't function very well while at 4 paws. She kept covering her ears, having panic attacks, and running away and not being able to go outdoors.

TODAY Lauren seems like a relatively normal child. She no longer has panic attacks, runs away, she loves playing outside with Brock, communicates a lot better than she did, and is functioning well in a normal classroom setting even without Brock.

She's still diagnosed with Autism, Profound ADHD, SID, Speech Apraxia, BUT she is no longer severe enough to have a diagnoses of Anxiety Disorder! She went to her first friend's birthday party the other day and the parents kept commenting on how different a child Lauren is today. She has the confidence to be able to interact with everyone and get involved in things that she did not before. Brock has done so much for her.

I have to say by now that Brock has probably saved Matthew's life. I don't know if he would still be here without him. We live by two busy streets and Matthew has now learned how to open windows and leave the house. He can open the locks up on top of the door, and we have had at least six search and rescues which have all been very successful within two minutes of finding out Matthew is gone.

Today when Matthew tried to leave the house, Brock started barking and getting in front of him and pushing him back towards the house. He still shies away from Matthew when Matt is running around playing because Matthew is a rough kid.

But every night when I tuck in Matthew Brock comes with me and kisses his face. When I check on Matthew before I go to bed Brock is right there and every morning Brock is right there.

Tonight Brock was hovering outside of Matthew's door so I went to open it and Matthew was sleeping on the floor by the door. Brock got very very upset and started nuzzling him awake. Stayed right next to him while I was changing his diaper nuzzling him the whole time. It was just sooo awesome to see that the bonding at last has happened!!!

Matthew comes home from school every day and says hi to Brock first before he goes off and plays. When Matthew has meltdowns Brock is right there nuzzling him and Matthew rarely hurts himself anymore. Brock just seems to sense when something is off with either of the kids and is right there.

Walmart trips are awesome and we rarely have any meltdowns anymore! And Matthew has started talking A LOT. Most of the time its to say something about Brock or ask about him.

BOTH of my kids have improved sooo much since Brock has come home...so we call Brock the miracle dog!! He's the best thing to have happened and I'm grateful to everyone at 4 Paws for everything they have done for our family!!! We love you and think of you often!! Sharon L.

August 9, 2008. From Sue Byczko. Today I was so proud of my dynamic duo! We needed to take a trip to the grocery store and pick up a few things. The grocery store trip is always dreaded. In the past it's always been a place of tears, strange looks from people, and ultimatly meltdowns. Today, however, was amazing!

Adam willingly got into the cart and Kita took her place on the side of the cart where she could keep an eye on Adam. Everywhere I looked people were smiling at seeing the three of us. One man stopped to pet Kita and then thanked us. As always, I thanked him. Its important for people to accept our service animals and I always appreciate people who do!

We were able to get the 15 or so items that we needed and Adam waited in line in the cart nicely. He loves placing the items on the belt. He did so, and watched them go down. BIG treat for Adam!

The entire time Kita stayed by our side. When it was time to get out of the cart, Adam became very upset. Once I was able to get him out and have him hold the leash, he settled right down! Once we started walking, the change was like night and day! We walked out the car, Adam got into his car seat, Kita got in the back, and we went home.

Was it a perfect trip? It was as perfect as I ever imagined that it would be prior to getting Kita! I used to dream of being able to go to the grocery store with Adam and have it be a pleasant event for him. It is a dream come true in my eyes! Something so simple but so huge to us. Thank you 4 Paws!

July 7, 2008. I hope things are going well over at 4 Paws. Just wanted to share these pictures for the site. We had a great 4th of July with Bo! Hunter has really started to bond with him. The two participated in a parade in our home town. Bo has really grown, and we are convinced that he has great dane in him for sure...The Silvester Family

June 24, 2008, from Anchorage, Alaska. "Halo update: she did a real track the other day. Leo disappeared at vacation bible school last week; he went around a corner and into a parking lot.

When I first started looking around I said, "Halo, where's your boy?" (kind of to myself) and she went into an immediate track and she was on him. Then she looked at me and said, "All right, the treats better be good for this one!" She is a guardian angel dog.

June 5, 2008. Kita, banned from Chicopee Public Schools, continues to come to Adam Byczko's rescue, says Adam's dad.

Adam is diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome. With limited speech, autistic tendencies, difficult mobility and seizures, Kita is more than just a helping paw, says his mother. "She is a multi-service dog, trained in behavior disruption. She can actually get him to stop biting himself, and alert me or anybody to his seizures."

"This afternoon Kita showed just important she is in the safety and well being of Adam. On the way to Speech Therapy at Holyoke hospital, Adam was walking on Kita's left side holding the short leash with his right hand and pulling his backpack with his left hand. I was on Kita's right side with the long leash.

"Adam suddenly lost his balance and began to fall as his left foot slipped off the curb of the sidewalk. Kita (without any commands) quickly moved across his path so that Adam's upper body fell across her shoulders. She stood there without moving until Adam and I up righted his backpack and he had his feet solidly under him. Kita continues to bond and watch out for Adam as the days progress. She such a blessing to Adam, Sue, and me."

To learn more about Adam Byczko's service dog, and Adam, click here.

From Alex Harpole's dad: Karen here are a few pictures from our trip to Washington D.C. We had a Wonderful time and the senators were very impressed with Lady! There is a picture of us in the Capitol with our state representative Ed Whitfield. He was just thrilled over Alex receiving Lady and just couldn't believe what all she does for him. While we were in D.C. at my brother's house Alex fell down his steps and hit his head on the top step and it knocked him out. Lady leaped up five steps and stopped him from falling down anymore. Once we got to him and picked him up she began to cry very loudly and licked him all over his head.

I was completely a basket case to see how motherly and loving Lady was to him. She has truly been a blessing in our lives and we Thank You guys so much everyday for her. She is still alerting to us very well and the school is really enjoying her being there in the mornings. I have a few more photos and newspaper articles I will be sending to you in the mail this week. She was on the front page of our Kentucky Epilepsy newsletter and has been named the school mascot (she was featured in his classroom photo) and the mascot for his special needs baseball team:0)

From Jake Griffin's mother:We are pleased to say on Thursday May 22nd Governor Martin O'Malley signed House Bill 767 aka "Jake's Law" into Maryland state law. To view the details of the law, click here.

The law extends the rights and privileges currently afforded to blind and deaf individuals to ALL individuals with disabilities as well as to the parents of a minor child with a disability. Attached please find a few pictures from the hearings and the bill signing ceremony. Thanks for everyone's support...Sincerely, Jake, Genevieve, Paul, Suzanne, and Sienna Griffin. May 26, 2008.

Jake and Sienna in Maryland Senate Chamber at signing of House Bill 767	Jake and Sienna in front of Maryland State House
Maryland Governor visiting with Jake at signing of House Bill 767	Everyone celebrating Jake's Law
District 19 House delegates

About sleeping (or not sleeping!)

I had to share what is happening to us. To bring the rest of you up to speed, we have an eight-year-old high functioning son. We got our dog last March. Our son had NEVER NEVER slept a night in his bed. His "security item" or "transitional object" has always been Dad or me. So success number one: for the last two months he has been sleeping in his own bed with Popeye/Shadow. YEAH!!! no crying, no muss, no fuss. May 23, 2008.

Seizure service dog lives up to his name: Promise

Message from the Trey Taylor family regarding seizure service dog, Promise: "Had to tell you what happened this morning. Trey had a Grand Mal seizure at 7:30 am today...Promise went nuts, barking and barking till Dell woke up! This is what we dreamed would happen when we started this whole experience a year ago. My heart belongs to PROMISE for this wonderful day. Karen and Jeremy: The Taylors can't thank you enough for giving us PROMISE! WE LOVE YOU!" ...Tammy Taylor ~ Deputy, Indiana. Mom to 11-year-old twin boys Jake and Trey, both born with multiple birth defects syndrome, epilepsy, bone disorder, asthma, Respiratory Distress Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, developmental delays, fine motor delays. Trey has Intractable Epilepsy and had the VNS Implant. Married to Dell 14 years! ONE awesome guy! May 13, 2008.

Mom Saving Tears for Meeting New Seizure Assistance Dog

When I started off this journey about a year ago, Adam was having seizures only when going into sleep or coming out of sleep. I was alone with my son, scared, and tired. I remember one morning waking up and laying in bed. I have a monitor in my room and I was watching him on it and he looked okay...asleep.

I heard a noise I didn't recognize. Sounded like at the end of a coffee maker when the water is all pumped out and it kinda gurgles. I kept thinking "Crap...what is that noise?" I lay in bed for about five more minutes and finally my curiosity got the better of me. I got up and walked out of my bedroom and turned towards the kitchen and realized the sound was not from the kitchen but Adam's bedroom.

I flew in there and found him in a full seizure...gasping for air. We ended up in the ambulance and it took two doses of Diastat at home and more medication in the ambulance and at the hospital because he would not stop seizing. I remember them asking if he had ever been intubated in the ambulance. He hadn't, so they didn't, but they were ready to. I will never get over the guilt of not getting up sooner. I am not sure about everyone else, but if I catch Adam's seizures right away and give him the Diastat, I can stop them, but if it goes on too long we are off to the emergency room.

During his follow-up appointment with his neuro I asked what the risks of death are with seizures, and what he told me totally freaked me out. I try not to think about it to this day. I guess I never really thought in my mind that my son could die from this. It was shortly after that when I was on the epilepsy foundation website and I saw something about Seizure Assistance dogs. That started my journey...

It took about a month of calling every organization all over the U.S. before I found 4 Paws. I had found only one other person who was willing to train a dog for Adam, but it was a private trainer and most people do not want to donate to something like that. Everyone else told me he was too young. One told me I had to wait until he was 8 then I could start the process. I remember thinking to myself...I can't do this alone until he is 8! (He was only 6 then.)

My mother kept telling me that if it was God's will that it will happen. Every door has been opened for us when it comes to this dog. Everything from donations to a free flight out to Ohio and back.

Adam's seizures have slowed since he is on a new medication combination, but every time he does have a seizure he regresses in his balance and confidence. This dog is going to be the world to us. I read about all the other kids' lives and how they have already changed...like the last post about the boy who always had to be put out for labwork and how he sat there with his dog! I am saving all my tears for the magical moment when we all meet and greet our dog!

Only a Month to Go!

We have been talking about getting Trey a service dog for over 10 years now...and I just can't believe we are down to 33 days. I find myself crying a lot. This experience is soo emotional.

I bought a dog bed last night, and cried while standing in line at Walmart. I think about getting to the hotel, meeting you all, seeing the dog for the first time.....and I just cry cry cry.

We are heading to the Neurologist on Friday, and there is a chance that they will want to put Trey in the hospital and do a full medication change, but I am hoping that they will wait till after we get back from training. Trey is on 10 medications and to change them all around now I just don't think its a good idea. Trey hasn't ever gone more than a week without some sort of seizure activity. His isn't a chemical imbalance: he suffered brain damage at birth. His seizures come from the left side, right side, and at times both sides at once. He is pretty much having seizures 24/7.

I have come to realize that this may just be Trey's life...one big reason this dog is soo important to us. I had no clue where this email was going. I guess I just needed to vent. Thanks for listening to me.

Parents Rank the Network

Jami Leeth.   Karen, this seems like an amazing group of parents & kids though and often I am brought to tears by some of the shared stories. I love hearing about the children finding out which dog is meant for them. I am so blessed just by being able to hear of all these other children and a lot of families dealing with much of what we go through on a daily basis.

Even if I weren't in need of a service dog for our son, I would support & donate to 4 Paws. You are doing such a wonderful thing and are such a blessing to so many of us. I have to tell you that you are my hero. I have read your story & am so amazed at your strength and the strength & hope you are offering families like mine. God is using you to touch & bless so many lives. We love that we can help raise this money to help with the cost of a service dog for our son, and hopefully raise a whole lot more to help other families & the 4 Paws facility operation in the future. What a rewarding experience. God Bless. - Jami (Rob, Katie & Trapper, too.:)

Carol: It's the one place where nothing your child does or says will seem the least bit odd.

Nancy, Mom to Bekah and the amazing Grizwald the Wonder Dog: This group is a great place to come sunshine or rain but especially good when you having one of those "dog day" afternoons and you need some encouragement!!

Sally Lubrant: It has been just a blessing to hear that others parents, mothers, families do know what I live with every day, what Alex lives with every day. It is a stabilizing reality that just allows you to feel somewhat normal. Normal, what's that? I have also learned that I am just blessed to be a part of a program that makes me reach, that allows us to dream about this new family member we are working for.

Fundraising, I couldn't have done it without the posts here helping me to know that every dollar is a success and it may take a while longer even. That God hasn't finished with the dog for Alex, that dog isn't ready yet.

I have laughed and I have cried reading these posts and it has been just healing for me. I am so grateful to be a part of this blog. I am not a full time participant but I have so enjoyed hearing everyone's stories, experiences. The funny things we do while striving for these dreams that 4Paws is making possible. One thing that sticks in my mind was the parent (Mom) waiting for that e-mail, which Mom was it that said, " I was throwing the kids bodily out of the way, making my way to check my e-mail to see if I received "The E-mail" yet."

The presence of faith when you need to be encouraged and restoration of that, your not alone, you haven't failed, you can do this, have care and trust in God and trust in us, you will be seen through this struggle whether it be about fundraising, aging parents, IEP's, hair color, dog food, books or movies, recipes, fundraising tips. This blog covers it all.

Thank you 4Paws, thank you to the families that participate and have gone before us that share their wisdom and encouragement. I just love this journey. We are looking forward to our second raffle/bike ride/poker party this Saturday. Everyone please keep us in your prayers.

Colby Burrow: This group helps you know that other people have raised the money and you can too. It seems like an overwhelming task, but with everyone writing in and answering questions, it makes it manageable. The encouragement is vital.

Peggi: When we first started on this group, we were very afraid we would never be able to raise the money needed. The people in this group shared their success and their failures. The 'files' section was great to copy and paste to make Maggie's flyers and posters. When someone has a good Idea, they are not afraid to share it with others.

Each member lives a different life, but we all share a common bond, our children or our disabilities. We support each other in every aspect of our lives. We have laughed, cried, and shared relationships that we never knew we could. We support each other, encourage each other, call each other to task, and are friends.

No question is ever stupid. We all want each of us to succeed. Having this on-line group makes it so much easier to achieve our goals.

Linda Dallatore, mom to Nathan 13, Shawn 10, and Bradley 7 (March 08 class): This 4 Paws group is my family that understands what my day to day life is like living with a child with autism. My real family and friends don't always understand what I'm going through, they try but they just don't always get it. Like why am I laughing at my son when I should be punishing him. Or how in the world can you listen to him scream like that all day. And my favorite is why are you so happy that he came when you called his name.

I was always afraid to join a support group, I thought all I would ever hear was parents complain about their special needs child, or why did God let this happen to them. This group has blown me away with their love, friendship, faith, and zest for life.

I look forward to talking with this group every day. When I am having a bad day, there is always some one to let me know that they have been there done that. When I am having a great day and want to share a break through that my son has had, there is always some one here to stand up and cheer with me.

I have learned a great number of things from this 4 Paws for Ability group. And I will forever be grateful, I thank all of you for your love and your support for me and my family.

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