This is really hard for me to do as I've always been a lot better at helping people than asking for help.
Since I was a little girl I have always had such a huge passion for animals, especially dogs. I grew up on am acreage outside Seattle and always had so many amazing animals . A German Shepard actually saved my life when I was 4 years old. I decided to wander away from home and he came with me. My mom had the entire neighborhood, police you name it, out looking for me but he brought me home safely. I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't with me. I loved him so much, my first boy, Ruffian.
After I graduated from high school I decided I wanted to be a conservation officer to preserve the environment and help all animals in any way I could. I was registered for a four year program away from home and was so very excited. That's when my life changed forever. I woke up one morning partially blind and unable to walk. I had no idea what was happening but soon found out I had an incurable illness called Multiple Sclerosis. I was no longer able to become a conservation officer as there was no way I was physically capable of passing the physical examination. My heart was literally broken. I had no choice but to give up on this dream.
My mom worked as a paralegal her whole life and I started working along side her while I went for heavy steroidal treatments at the hospital. I started medications which consisted of giving myself daily injection and was soon able to see almost perfectly and walk again. I used a cane for quite some time but I never let it dull my spirit. I like to think of myself as a fighter. I am very strong in many ways, physically just was not one of them. I continued to work with my mom and eventually got my legal assistant/paralegal diploma. A career that is very stressful and I am completely passionless about but something had to pay the bills. My medication alone was $1500/month until I finally got a health care plan, now I only pay $300/month. Still steep for anyone but a lot less.
A few years ago a new controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis dubbed the "liberation treatment" came out from a doctor in Italy named Dr. Zamboni. I was very lucky to be one of the first people in Canada to be able to travel to the USA and have this treatment done. I was so young and my MS was progressing rather quickly that the surgeon took my case on right away. I had angioplasty done to my jugular veins and azaygos vein in my heart and it saved my life. I count my blessings every single day.
I now feel strong enough to truly follow my dreams. I know I will never be a conservation officer and I've made peace with that but I want to be a professional dog trainer and open up my own non-profit rescue group and boarding. I have four beautiful pups of me own, the most recent I saved from South Korea. He was bred for his meat and now he is happily home in Canada. Such a good dog, they all are.
Not many of you know about my health condition and I beg you to not look at me differently. I'm
still the girl you know. Like I said, this is very hard for me. If you can find it in your heart to help me with this I would be forever thankful. I hope that the kindness and compassion I have always put into the universe will come back to me.
Bless you all and thank you for taking the time to read this.
Since I was a little girl I have always had such a huge passion for animals, especially dogs. I grew up on am acreage outside Seattle and always had so many amazing animals . A German Shepard actually saved my life when I was 4 years old. I decided to wander away from home and he came with me. My mom had the entire neighborhood, police you name it, out looking for me but he brought me home safely. I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't with me. I loved him so much, my first boy, Ruffian.
After I graduated from high school I decided I wanted to be a conservation officer to preserve the environment and help all animals in any way I could. I was registered for a four year program away from home and was so very excited. That's when my life changed forever. I woke up one morning partially blind and unable to walk. I had no idea what was happening but soon found out I had an incurable illness called Multiple Sclerosis. I was no longer able to become a conservation officer as there was no way I was physically capable of passing the physical examination. My heart was literally broken. I had no choice but to give up on this dream.
My mom worked as a paralegal her whole life and I started working along side her while I went for heavy steroidal treatments at the hospital. I started medications which consisted of giving myself daily injection and was soon able to see almost perfectly and walk again. I used a cane for quite some time but I never let it dull my spirit. I like to think of myself as a fighter. I am very strong in many ways, physically just was not one of them. I continued to work with my mom and eventually got my legal assistant/paralegal diploma. A career that is very stressful and I am completely passionless about but something had to pay the bills. My medication alone was $1500/month until I finally got a health care plan, now I only pay $300/month. Still steep for anyone but a lot less.
A few years ago a new controversial treatment for multiple sclerosis dubbed the "liberation treatment" came out from a doctor in Italy named Dr. Zamboni. I was very lucky to be one of the first people in Canada to be able to travel to the USA and have this treatment done. I was so young and my MS was progressing rather quickly that the surgeon took my case on right away. I had angioplasty done to my jugular veins and azaygos vein in my heart and it saved my life. I count my blessings every single day.
I now feel strong enough to truly follow my dreams. I know I will never be a conservation officer and I've made peace with that but I want to be a professional dog trainer and open up my own non-profit rescue group and boarding. I have four beautiful pups of me own, the most recent I saved from South Korea. He was bred for his meat and now he is happily home in Canada. Such a good dog, they all are.
Not many of you know about my health condition and I beg you to not look at me differently. I'm
still the girl you know. Like I said, this is very hard for me. If you can find it in your heart to help me with this I would be forever thankful. I hope that the kindness and compassion I have always put into the universe will come back to me.
Bless you all and thank you for taking the time to read this.