A Service Dog for Faith

Welcome family, friends and others who have stumbled across my page! Three years ago my life changed forever when a whole host of medical issues hit me at once. I have separated and explained both conditions to help explain how and why they effect me in my daily life. The goal of this page is to raise money so that I can train Stella. She is giving me my independence back by helping me with various tasks such as;
- dialling 911
-retrieving my phone
-retrieving medication
-barking for help or going to alert Dean that I need help
-picking up dropped items
-opening doors
-supporting me during transfers
-and about 80 other commands!

Ehlers Danlos Syndrome Type 3
The Hypermobility Type of EDS is characterized by loose joints and chronic joint pain. The most common sign of this condition is an unusually large range of joint movement, called hypermobility. Both large and small joints are unstable, and certain joints (such as the shoulder, knee, and jaw) tend to dislocate frequently. In my case I dislocate almost everyday including my hips,knees, shoulders, wrists, fingers etc. I also have cranial instability, requiring me to wear a neck brace to avoid pain, further slipping of the disks and facial numbness/paralyses which has happened three times this year alone.


Syringomyelia (sear-IN-go-my-EEL-ya) is a disorder in which a cyst forms within the spinal cord. This cyst, called a syrinx, expands and elongates over time, destroying a portion of the spinal cord from its center and expanding outward. As a syrinx widens it compresses and injures nerve fibers that carry information from the brain to the extremities. Damage to the spinal cord often leads to progressive weakness in the arms and legs, stiffness in the back, shoulders, arms, or legs, and chronic, severe pain. Other symptoms may include headaches, a loss of the ability to feel extremes of hot or cold (especially in the hands), and loss of bladder and other functions. Each individual experiences a different combination of symptoms depending on where in the spinal cord the syrinx forms and how far it extends. Signs of the disorder tend to develop slowly, although sudden onset may occur with coughing or straining.

I also hope that stella may one day be trained to detect gluten and other alergens in food, however research in the area has a long ways to come. This summer we plan on working on scent detection to give it our best shot and see if shes quick to catch on (takes her about 10-15 minutes to learn a new task so were hopeful!)

Initally I was just dealing with Celiacs disease however Ive learned I also have severe mineral/vitamin defincines, canditia, and worst of all Gastropareisis. The last makes it virtually impossible to drink, eat and medicate. My stomach is now partially or fully paralysed (testing April 26th to determine which). This means that instead of digesting food...TMI warning...It comes right back up. Im sure you can imagine how flipping frusterating that is. We all suffer when we have the stomach flu right?Its like that but 3-4 times a day, everyday. So at the end of the month a new solution will be brought fourth wether thats a feeding tube, iv, or gastric pacemaker Im not sure but something will need to be done. It took them about 9 months to find the problem and find medication that helps me 1. empty my stomach as my stomach can no longer do so independently and 2. make it physically impossible to vomit. Both of these solutions have really helped my symptoms however arent a cure. Just a quick fix.


Stella is going to help me take my life back and accompany me as I work hard to finish my undergraduate degree and complete daily tasks which were once a lot easier!
Thank you for your support! It means more than you know :)