Service Dog

First and foremost I would like to thank all of you for you support and encouragement of Me and Molly. Without you there would be no hope of an independent life. God Bless all of you for your love, encouragement and support.
I could not accomplish this goal without you!

Why a Service Dog?

Molly is not only a mobility assistance dog specially trained to help me navigate the limitations of my upper body invisible disability, she is also a medical alert dog. Molly's customized training is complete. She carries a pack with school books, opens and closes doors, pulls and pushed carts, carries bags for me, helps me get dressed and undressed, can get grocery bags to from the cart into the car, and out of the car into the house.
Since CCDT Animal training requires their service dog recipient to work with a prep-service dog while the permanent service dog's training is being customized we learned that having a medical alert skill is an invaluable skill for me to have in a service dog. Molly is trained to alert me when to take the medication I need. She knows when I'm about to have a fibromyalgia attack that will render me nonfunctional. Click Here for more information about Zach The Prep Service Dog.

What Your Contribution Will Accomplish:

When you donate to this fundraiser:
You are helping me return to a functional life.

• By helping decrease my physical burden, you will be helping decrease my debilitating chronic pain.


• By helping decrease debilitating pain, you will be helping me complete my education.
  
By helping me complete my education, you will be helping me return to the work force in a profession that my body will be able to perform. I am completing my education to pursue a career in vocational ministry and chaplaincy.

• By helping me return to the workforce, you are helping me to help others.
  

The result of your support of our this fundraising endeavor is that you will change my life. It is my desire to leave a legacy that says, "I made a difference in the lives of those I served." When you contribute to this fundraiser you will be able to say, \"I made a difference in Eve\'s life she can make a difference in the lives of others.




My story...


The Short Version
I was born with a birth defect in my shoulders that went undiagnosed until I was 30 years old. Initially doctors only saw that my right collar bone was broken as baby. I lived the first months of my life in a shoulder immobilizer, only to have my collar bone re-break three consecutive times after being released from the immobilizer. Because over 30 years ago, technology was not advanced enough to correctly diagnose the condition in my shoulders, I lived my entire life with a defect in my shoulders that doctors were unable to correctly diagnose. In fact, my condition is so rare there isn't even a medical name for it. As a child I suffered from chronic pain. My mom took me to numerous doctors in an attempt to figure out what was wrong with my shoulders. But no one could figure out the problem. In 2008 the wear and tear of living life with defective shoulders finally took its toll and my right shoulder stopped working. So not only was I in pain all the time, I could not feel my hand and was struggling to get my hand to function. Numerous doctors later, I finally (after 30 years) found a doctor who actually claimed to know what was wrong and that it could be fixed. Can you imagine what it felt like when after a lifetime I heard someone say that this problem could be fixed and I would be able to live a normal pain free life, What I did not know was that my journey into what is called invisible disability was about to begin

You can read my full story at My Story

What Are Invisible Disabilities?
People with invisible disabilities can be your neighbors, family members, coworkers, or the stranger you pass on the street. They are people who live with an unseen disability. An invisible Disability can be someone with Fibromyalgia, seizure disorders, life threatening allergies, balance disorders, brain injuries, chronic pain disorders, chronic illness etc... The Invisible Disabilities Association reports the number of of conditions causing Invisible Disabilities in the 100s. People who live with invisible disabilities face numerous day-to-day challenges that able-bodies people take for granted. Activities of daily living are often an extreme challenge or impossible. However, because invisibly disabled people look "normal" they are often judged by friends, family, and peers as being lazy, "fakers", attention seekers, or wimps. In reality, while invisibly people look "normal" they live trapped within their own bodies.
If you or loved one suffers with an invisible disability you can learn more and find support at : http://www.invisibledisabilities.org