Mobility Dog for Multiple Sclerosis

 Updated bio....

I know some of you might see this and think, "Wait havent I already done this once before"? Maybe you have.  If so please know this is an update.  My page activity has decreased with time but my diseaes has progressed and my need for this dog has increased.  I guess the reason I reposted this this because everything I never knew that MS was a game changer in the way its just become for me.  I dont think I was ever as scared as I should have been with this whole MS deal all along.  Let me tell you, its a raw deal.  I think now I realize the fear I should have acknowledged all along.  I thought maybe you could help in some way to increase my chance to get my mobility dog.  Now dont think that always means i ask you please open your pockets.  Maybe you wouldnt mind passing my URL to some folks you know.  zthat would mean more and help more than you know.  Realistcally, even if youre reading this post I thank you.

Recently my left leg started to go numb.  Let me tell you that makes mobility 20x harder. Now I thought thought after 13 years of this numb or that I thought I knew what "numb" really felt like.  I did not.  I guess you dont know what numb really is until parts of your body, say the leg youre standing just vanishes and ceases to exist of course making, lets say it is my leg because it is.  Well then all of a sudden I realize Ive never really felt the real numb.  its practictically impossible to stand or walk on something that just isnt there.  So that is why I have poted again concerning trying to reach my goal to be able to have a mobility dog.  

I want to so sincerly thank anyone who has already donated to my cause and let you know that to me you are my hero.  By donated I dont just mean money.  I define donated as you did anything to help.  Whether you have donated money, told friends, posted my URL somewhere, anything....thank you because you are my angel.

So let me break down what Im up against- The cost of the dog, although it is the minimum I can supply in order to secure a dog is $10,000.  Its really steep, I know, but its enough to get me there.  This agency though is really rather reasonable in the service dog arena as most service dogs are said to cost 20-30 thousand to raise and train from puppyhood.  Watch the video to see more.
Then there is the travel and cost of my training.  I'm in Connecticut and team training is in California so I need to raise funds for team training as well which includes getting out there and cost for food and hotel which I believe wont be as expensive as usual because the organization has facilities where people can stay.  Thank gooodness for that.
After that I guess the only thing I need to complete the picture is the $400 for the harness. Of course I will be saving monies toward my goal as well and I think I can get a lot of the travelling funds in the time that the dog is being trained so thats good.  I feel bad asking for so much.  

This dog will help me to keep from falling everytime my leg goes numb which it does most days, help control my balance, steady my gait, and help me build muscles in my legs because I will walk supported meaning I can practice walking more. He/she will be trained to help me when I drop things because of the numbness i my hands, be an emotional support that is greatly needed and make me feel more confident in myself.  For the past few years my disease has been progressing despite medication and I have gotten weaker and weaker. I now walk with a walker and am trying to keep myself out of a wheelchair. Thats kind of a tall order though when your legs begin to go numb.  I want to do everything I can to build myself up and do my best to slow the damage.  

 I had a wonderful retriever service dog named Winter from Paws with a Cause who was trained to help me with my seizures but I also have MS and when that began to progress too much for her training to handle and she refused to wear a harness we were deemed unfit by the foundation that did the training before me and she was taken back.  That broke my heart and thats when I realized I had to find a place that trained mobility dogs. 

  Over night I was without assistance and without my friend.  Now i know that the foundation I got her from doesnt do bracing or mobility training so as my needs grew she really could not meet them.  I miss her so greatly but I know that right now if I'm going to have a dog it has to be a mobility service animal.  To learn more about the assistance animal I'm fundraising for you can visit the littleangels.com homepage and click the link for assistance dogs. 

I was previously trying to raise money for a dog by a different trainer of Colllie mobility dogs which cost $15000. but because of the high cost with that trainer I was not going to be able to afford it anytime in the next year, years, or perhaps at all.  Luckily I had the foresight not to put a deposit down with that trainer.  There were many people, friends and family alike, who were generous enough to help me out in the first few week of my fundraising on a different sight so that I had enough to recently put a payment down to reserve a dog at littleangels to reserve my service dog.  For that I am so appreciative and really feel so blessed.  Thanks to this I am much more hopeful of being able to start working with a balance/mobility dog sooner.  

Being able to walk down the street, or even in my own building, with confidence is so important to live the life I'm trying to regain. I have all but been a prisoner in my apartment for so long and this mobility dog can be a major step toward freedom, strength and health.  I havent been able to visit a friend for longer than I can remember.  

Anyone that could lend a hand in any way whether it be a donation or passing the word along to a network of people who I dont yet know it would be such a help to me toward this goal and I would be so appreciative.  Thank you for reading this and for any help you might be able to give.

All the best and be well.
So much love.

-Alexis Suozzi