A Service Dog for Tye

I am a survivor, I am a dancer, a spouse, a student, a friend, a daughter, a volunteer and an advocate. I am a nurse and an EMT. Just by looking at me you may not know I am autistic, nor that I struggle with disabilities. My name is Tye (they/them) and I change this world with everyone I meet.

I was born into violence leaving me with a brain injury, unable to have biological children, and trauma that still plagues me. After years in foster care I was adopted and saved at the age of 5, unfortunately life continued to be a struggle. Growing up in the 80s-90s autism was reserved for “lower functioning” individuals with the associated stigma. Autism wasn’t on the radar, leading me to believe for 2 ½ decades that I was broken. Self-harm, addiction and suicide attempts became how I coped with these feelings until they almost killed me.

Learning I am on the spectrum allowed me to become a person I am proud of. My spouse has been able to watch me grow into a strong sober person, I have now been sober for 18 years. I help others as much as possible. I volunteer my time and medical expertise, an example being a vaccinator at Flu and COVID19 mass vaccination clinics. I am developing my American Sign Language skills and it continues to improve my communication. Constant learning and self-improvement have helped me to learn my actual limitations.

Unfortunately, despite this growth I still have disabilities that dominate my life. When my best is not good enough and I know I gave it my all ,it feels like a rejection of me as a person when I don't succeed.

I can struggle with:

crippling anxiety

panic attacks

executive functioning deficits

lack of sleep causing mania and subsequent depression ( resulting in catastrophic consequences)?

emotional dysregulation

impaired sensory processing

Hearing challenges

Low HR with syncope

I am done with this, which is why a service dog is so important to my life.

Partnering with a service dog will improve my quality of life. A few examples are that they will

Combat anxiety and dysregulation

Reduce the amount of my energy expenditure allowing me to do more with my time

Allow me to be more reliable to myself and others

Make social pragmatics easier to tackle

Support my mental and physical safety

Mitigate sensory overload, so I can perform overwhelming tasks alone

Establish/maintain routines and sleep schedule

My experience being a patient with a disability taught me about the deficits and the “cracks” people fall through in the healthcare system. As a nurse I give 100% to every patient I care for, ensure equity, and raise my voice for those who can’t. Having a service dog on my team will make my challenges less debilitating and ensure I can maintain employment long term, so that I can help others do the same.

I have personally already paid almost two thirds of the cost of a service dog, and I just need help with the last part to make this happen. I greatly appreciate any financial donations, thanks for considering helping me with this need.