Abby Bailey Medical Service Dog and Expenses

Abby Bailey is a fun loving 8 year old girl who lives in south-central Kentucky with her parents, Lara and Bryan, and her older sister Hayden.  On good days and with enough support Abby may look healthy but in reality, she has complex medical needs requiring daily medical interventions and regular visits to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital; such issues are commonly referred to as “invisible disabilities.”

Abby and her family are raising money for a medical alert service dog.  Such a dog would be trained to alert a parent if Abby is in jeopardy but unable to call for help whether due to loss of consciousness, a panic attack, or anaphylaxis; thus, would have the potential to literally be a lifesaver.  It would also be trained to provide: mobility assistance to help her get to a safe place during dizzy spells, tactile intervention in cases of sensory overload, and deep-pressure therapy during a panic attack.  It would be a source of steady comfort and companionship during frequent hospital trips as well as visits to busy public areas.  Having a service dog would improve Abby’s quality of life and increase her chances for greater independence. 

Find details on Abby’s special needs and more information on service dogs below. 

As a toddler it became apparent that Abby had many medical issues, including immune problems, multiple birth-defects, and swallowing issues.  After several years of speech therapy, cleft-palate reconstructive surgery, multiple procedures for ear tubes, and years of behavioral therapy, her speech articulation issues were eliminated and her diagnosis of Selective Mutism was improved.  She still has trouble communicating when in unfamiliar settings or when anxious but, she continues to work hard and make gradual improvement. 

As the years went by, further testing and surgical procedures were required as more and more medical issues were diagnosed.  Her geneticist explains that Abby was born with a rare genetic syndrome which caused her complex medical issues, including neurological disorders, a connective tissue disorder, and multiple immune problems, and which puts her at high-risk for the development of many others problems.  There is no cure, only highly specialized medical management. 

These issues have a profound impact on Abby’s day-to-day life.  Pain is a part of most days and instead of attending school, she was placed on a “hospital home-bound” program, in part due to neurological issues which can cause her to become dizzy and periodically loose consciousness.  Abby has a sensory processing disorder and severe anxiety.  Specialists explain that this anxiety is part of her genetic syndrome and is “hard-wired” within her.  Her communication problems complicate the medical issues as she is often unable to verbalize to her parents and care providers what she is feeling, either physically or emotionally. 

Four years ago, specialists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital prescribed excessive dietary restrictions because of Celiac disease and multiple gastrointestinal disorders.  The constraints are so numerous they necessitate the family remain in contact with hospital nutritionists to ensure Abby is in compliance while still getting nutritional needs met.  More recently, several of her food allergies have worsened and are now considered to be life-threatening.  

With the situation so intense, Abby's family must travel every few weeks to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and less frequently to the Cleveland Clinic for out-patient treatment, specialized therapy, check-ups, radiology procedures, blood-work, and periodic in-patient hospital stays for surgeries, invasive procedures, and/or emergency medical procedures.  

On November 25, 2019, Abby will undergo her 14th surgery.  This will be a colorectal procedure called a Malone, which will utilize her appendix to create a port in her abdomen which will make the once to twice daily hour-long medical procedures she undergoes more comfortable and allow her the potential for greater independence.

During her stays at the Ronald McDonald House and her visits to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Abby has had many interactions with expertly trained therapy dogs.  The Baileys saw first-hand the immediate comfort provided to Abby by these animals, and thus began the process of educating themselves on the various types of support dogs available.  They learned that therapy dogs accompany their handlers to schools, hospitals, and other facilities to provide affection and comfort.

Rather than a therapy dog, Abby’s situation requires a service dog.  This is defined as a dog that has been rigorously and specifically trained to perform major life tasks to assist with disabilities.  A medical service dog would alert a caregiver in an emergency; but in addition, these dogs often become so closely attuned to their handler that they begin to alert before a crisis situation arises.  Because of the acuteness of dogs’ sense of smell, they are able to detect biochemical changes in a person’s body even before the patient is exhibiting symptoms.  They then alert the patient to the issues, allowing the individual to take appropriate safety precautions and/or preventive medications.  After working with Abby for a time, her dog may very well be alerting her parents to migraine attacks, dizzy spells, and even episodes of anaphylaxis before they occur.   

Abby's family is in process of selecting the service dog training program that best meets her needs.  With these agencies, the dog's parents are carefully selected by their inherent traits and from birth the puppy is exposed to various scenarios of stress, noise, crowds, communities, and environments.  When it is older, it begins case-specific training in medical alerts, mobility assistance, and behavioral interventions.  In doing so, the dog becomes capable of handling any situation while providing physical assistance and calm, reassuring support towards its owner.  It is like a living, custom-made piece of medical equipment for Abby that takes two years to develop!

The Baileys wish to start raising funds now so when they make the final determination of which agency is the best match, they can move forward with the purchase of the dog and the two year wait as the dog is trained.  Next, Abby and her family will have a two week course on how to handle the dog to help meet her needs.  A few weeks after they return home with the dog, a staff person will come to their home to ensure all is going smoothly and such home visits will continue on an annual basis for the remainder of the dog’s life. 

In addition to a monetary donation, another way to provide tangible help to this family is through gift cards.  As previously stated, the family travels regularly to Cincinnati for Abby's specialized care.  They attempt to stay at the Ronald McDonald House but with so many families to accommodate, it frequently is not possible.  In this case they stay at Sonesta Suites in Sharonville East, since it is convenient to the hospital campuses, has room for Abby to be comfortable during her daily medical care, and has a small kitchenette to prepare meals.  While traveling, Abby is extremely limited on meal choices due to severe food allergies.  As a result, the family often prepares meals, so gift cards for Aldi's, Kroger, Meijer, and Trader Joe's are also appreciated.  Lastly, due to all of the traveling, gas cards are warmly welcome!

The proceeds generated from this Go Fund Me Page will be used towards the purchase of Abby's medical alert service dog along with help for travel expenses to obtain medical care.  We will provide regular updates via social media and will be excited to share with you the service dog agency chosen.  If you are blessed and willing to share monetary gifts towards a service dog or any of the gift cards listed above, the family would be ever so grateful for your generosity!

Thank you so much for taking time to read about the journey that Abby and her family are about to emBARK upon!  

Gift Card Mailing Address:
Abby Bailey Fundraiser
PO Box 337
Smiths Grove, KY  42171