Help to finish training
Donation protected
Christine started having seizures in 2009. She was eventually diagnosed as having complex partial (focal) seizures, meaning the electrical activity remained in a limited area of the brain. Sometimes, though, it evolves to affect the entire brain.
Christine's form of epilepsy prevents her from remembering she had a seizure. Because of this, Christine denies having seizures,
It's all been a journey to find out what was causing her epilepsy. We went from pediatrician to neurologist to endocrinologist to geneticist. It turned out to be a genetic problem with one of her chromosomes.
Through the long period of testing, it was unclear if doctors would ever find a way to control Christine's seizures. Aware of service dogs that could detect and alert for seizures, I decided to purchase a dog for Christine.
Seizure dog training takes several years and the average cost of training runs close to $25,000 or more. I have received help from the local Lions Club and other individuals to start Xena's training, but now it is time to step it up and go for the final chapter, which is the largest cost.
Although it has been almost 3 years since we began this journey the end is near. We had to put training on hold because the medicines etc. finally began working. So we have had to regroup and modify the plan so we can get Xena working and put Christine at ease. In the next week Xena will finally be going back to finish this leg of her training as a Service Dog and if (hopefully this won't happen) seizures return we can then up her level to seizure alert. To explain the difference as a seizure alert she would be trained to notify a specified person to a pending seizure as opposed to now her job will be more to service Christine incase of a seizure.
Thank you for listening to our story and thank-you for any help to can give to help us get Xena certified as a service dog.
The Cole's
For more information on epilepsy here is a link you might find informational http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epilepsy.com%2Fepilepsy%2Ftypes_seizures&h=cAQGzGBVR
Christine's form of epilepsy prevents her from remembering she had a seizure. Because of this, Christine denies having seizures,
It's all been a journey to find out what was causing her epilepsy. We went from pediatrician to neurologist to endocrinologist to geneticist. It turned out to be a genetic problem with one of her chromosomes.
Through the long period of testing, it was unclear if doctors would ever find a way to control Christine's seizures. Aware of service dogs that could detect and alert for seizures, I decided to purchase a dog for Christine.
Seizure dog training takes several years and the average cost of training runs close to $25,000 or more. I have received help from the local Lions Club and other individuals to start Xena's training, but now it is time to step it up and go for the final chapter, which is the largest cost.
Although it has been almost 3 years since we began this journey the end is near. We had to put training on hold because the medicines etc. finally began working. So we have had to regroup and modify the plan so we can get Xena working and put Christine at ease. In the next week Xena will finally be going back to finish this leg of her training as a Service Dog and if (hopefully this won't happen) seizures return we can then up her level to seizure alert. To explain the difference as a seizure alert she would be trained to notify a specified person to a pending seizure as opposed to now her job will be more to service Christine incase of a seizure.
Thank you for listening to our story and thank-you for any help to can give to help us get Xena certified as a service dog.
The Cole's
For more information on epilepsy here is a link you might find informational http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epilepsy.com%2Fepilepsy%2Ftypes_seizures&h=cAQGzGBVR
Organizer
Cyndie Cole
Organizer
Gaylord, MI
