Help Emmett get a service dog!

Our goal for Emmett is to increase his quality of life to the best of our ability which includes providing physical and mental support, and getting him back to just getting to be a kid. We are fundraising for a Crohn’s service dog to help us achieve that goal.

October 2022 we took Emmett just before his 4th birthday to the ER for what we initially thought was a bad case of hemorrhoids. That ER visit turned into a 21 day hospital stay and an initial diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. During this hospitalization, he had an emergency surgery resulting in the detachment of his colon and an ostomy bag on his stomach. Since then Emmett has had a two week hospitalization over Christmas, and a 1 week hospitalization that included another emergency surgery in January of 2023. Additionally, we have had multiple ER visits and numerous emergency doctors appointments that have been as frequent as twice a week, and every two weeks. Emmett has had multiple colonoscopies, 2 blood transfusions, 1 iron infusion, numerous X-rays, countless blood work, 2 PICC lines, and his appendix removed on top of the two emergency surgeries. He is on a long list of medication, some of which will be lifelong.

Emmett’s new diagnosis is severe Crohn’s disease which is a chronic disease that effects the lining in the digestive tract. There is no cure and he will be on medication and a very strict diet the rest of his life. There is possibility of remission with medication however there is no way of knowing how or when he will get to that point or how long it will last. During a flare, his symptoms have included significant weight loss, severe pain, significant blood loss, frequent need to use the bathroom, fatigue, and loss of appetite. In addition to physical symptoms Emmett has also suffered with anxiety.

Emmett has always found comfort in furry companions and we think he could greatly benefit from the ownership of a service dog. The service dog we are fundraising for will be trained specifically for Crohn’s and Emmett’s needs. A Crohn’s service dog can have the ability to alert us prior to him going into a flare which would give us time to prepare strict dietary needs, and coping techniques for the mental aspect. During a flare, the service dog will be able to use pressure points to help Emmett with his pain and also provide some relief for anxiety associated with the pain. A service dog would also help Emmett with mobility when he is struggling to get around, and ideally help him to feel more confident to walk on his own. The dog may also have the ability to fetch him things such as water which is much needed as he’s prone to dehydration, and fetch medications. Anxiety does play a role in flares, and we hope having the dog can help Emmett with his anxiety and the prevention of a flare in the future. We also think the use of a service dog could help with medication anxiety and doctors visits anxiety.

Unfortunately I am not equipped to provide the training this dog would need which is why we need help. We have found a program that provides and trains Crohn’s service dogs. Our goal is to fundraise the cost of the dog including it’s training, and start our service dog journey this year of 2023. We appreciate all of the love and support and hope to update upon meeting and receiving Emmett’s future furry companion.