A DAD (Diabetic Alert Dog) for Dad
Donation protected
My name is Brenda Castaldi. My husband of 20 years, William, has had Type I Diabetes since he went into a coma at 18 months of age. Ever since, he has required insulin shots and now an insulin pump to survive.
We are raising money to train, purchase for him, care for, and add to our family a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) because William also suffers from a condition called Hypoglycemia Unaware. Our son, Tyrese, who made us a family 4 1/2 years ago, is excited about bringing home a DAD for his Dad. He says, "I want to get Dad a DAD, so when his blood sugar goes low, he'll know and hopefully have a longer life."
Hypoglycemia Unaware means that, unlike many with Diabetes, when his blood sugar drops, he does not realize it, and he cannot get himself something to eat or drink. Thus, he continues to spiral into a dangerously low blood sugar level, and he becomes mentally alterred, unable to comprehend what is going on around him or do anything to request help or help himself. He exercises, watches his food intake, and checks his blood sugar more than 10 times a day, but his Diabetes has always been brittle and difficult to keep steady. (Type I is very different from Type II.) Everything from weather change, to time change, to exercise, to simply walking around the grocery store affects his blood sugar and can create real problems.
William is truly a walking miracle, and the whole family has taken turns saving his life. Our sweet Tyrese has returned home from playing with the neighbors to find him passed out and non-responsive on the floor and found him help. I've given him innumerable glucagon shots which will bring his blood sugar back up. We've had the paramedics here twice in the middle of the night just over the past couple of weeks (so many times I have no count since we've been married), and he's already had two emergencies at his new job this year teaching at a Montessori school where most of his students are autistic or have learning difficulties.
William is an amazing man who is determined to work and make a difference in the world, but his condition causes him many problems. He cannot drive, but instead of staying home and settling for simply surviving, he bikes, walks, takes the bus, or gets a ride with others everywhere he goes. When we had two appointments scheduled close together over Christmas Break, he started walking home with the cats from their vet appointment until I could pick him up. He remains a strong and determined man despite his physical challenges, which also include congestive heart failure.
Because of this last health issue, he can only work part-time (although he wants to work more). He and I are both teachers, so our funds are limited, and what he makes goes to funding his medications, diabetic supplies, doctor appointments, and procedures.
A Diabetic Alert Dog will help us all breathe easier, knowing that the dog can recognize and alert him before his blood sugar gets so low that he's "out of it" and unable to help himself.
It takes $20,000 to effectively train a diabetic alert dog. We have hired a trainer, and she is currently looking for the right puppy to train. We also need to put up a fence and change some things inside our house to accomodate a service dog. We will have to get pet insurance and take special care in regards to food and supplements for this new family member.
Sometimes it seems like a crazy thing to ask for help with something like this, but after trying ineffective 24-hour monitoring systems that quit working after 6 months and doing everything else we can think of, this seems to be our last and hopefully, most effective, line of defense for William/Dad. We love him so much and want him around for a long time! Thanks for any help you can give through financial support, prayer, and/or spreading the word for us!
We are raising money to train, purchase for him, care for, and add to our family a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD) because William also suffers from a condition called Hypoglycemia Unaware. Our son, Tyrese, who made us a family 4 1/2 years ago, is excited about bringing home a DAD for his Dad. He says, "I want to get Dad a DAD, so when his blood sugar goes low, he'll know and hopefully have a longer life."
Hypoglycemia Unaware means that, unlike many with Diabetes, when his blood sugar drops, he does not realize it, and he cannot get himself something to eat or drink. Thus, he continues to spiral into a dangerously low blood sugar level, and he becomes mentally alterred, unable to comprehend what is going on around him or do anything to request help or help himself. He exercises, watches his food intake, and checks his blood sugar more than 10 times a day, but his Diabetes has always been brittle and difficult to keep steady. (Type I is very different from Type II.) Everything from weather change, to time change, to exercise, to simply walking around the grocery store affects his blood sugar and can create real problems.
William is truly a walking miracle, and the whole family has taken turns saving his life. Our sweet Tyrese has returned home from playing with the neighbors to find him passed out and non-responsive on the floor and found him help. I've given him innumerable glucagon shots which will bring his blood sugar back up. We've had the paramedics here twice in the middle of the night just over the past couple of weeks (so many times I have no count since we've been married), and he's already had two emergencies at his new job this year teaching at a Montessori school where most of his students are autistic or have learning difficulties.
William is an amazing man who is determined to work and make a difference in the world, but his condition causes him many problems. He cannot drive, but instead of staying home and settling for simply surviving, he bikes, walks, takes the bus, or gets a ride with others everywhere he goes. When we had two appointments scheduled close together over Christmas Break, he started walking home with the cats from their vet appointment until I could pick him up. He remains a strong and determined man despite his physical challenges, which also include congestive heart failure.
Because of this last health issue, he can only work part-time (although he wants to work more). He and I are both teachers, so our funds are limited, and what he makes goes to funding his medications, diabetic supplies, doctor appointments, and procedures.
A Diabetic Alert Dog will help us all breathe easier, knowing that the dog can recognize and alert him before his blood sugar gets so low that he's "out of it" and unable to help himself.
It takes $20,000 to effectively train a diabetic alert dog. We have hired a trainer, and she is currently looking for the right puppy to train. We also need to put up a fence and change some things inside our house to accomodate a service dog. We will have to get pet insurance and take special care in regards to food and supplements for this new family member.
Sometimes it seems like a crazy thing to ask for help with something like this, but after trying ineffective 24-hour monitoring systems that quit working after 6 months and doing everything else we can think of, this seems to be our last and hopefully, most effective, line of defense for William/Dad. We love him so much and want him around for a long time! Thanks for any help you can give through financial support, prayer, and/or spreading the word for us!
Organizer
Brenda Boston Castaldi
Organizer
Oviedo, FL