Changing Lives...One dog at a Time

For those of you who don’t already know us, my name is Amanda and my husband’s name is Matt. We started dating in 2007 and were married on a very hot day in June of 2013. Shortly after we were married, we decided that it was time to start thinking about expanding our family. When we found out we were pregnant, we were overjoyed! My pregnancy was wonderful with hardly any symptoms and no complications. When the due date came and went, we decided on induction, we could not wait to meet our little boy.

Our delivery was a different story. We were admitted at 8pm to start the process for induction and the doctor broke my water the next morning. From there, everything was a whirlwind to say the least. An epidural that only worked on one side (and needed to be adjusted three times) followed by four hours of pushing, only to find out that he was stuck. Unfortunately, he was facing my stomach instead of my spine and could not clear the birth canal. This resulted in an emergency c-section. Then finally, almost 24 hours later, our sweet boy Connor James was here, 8lbs 6 ozs of pure love in our arms.

The beginning of his childhood appeared normal, however when he neared 16 months, his pediatrician noticed Connor was behind in his speech and recommended some early intervention therapy. We had an evaluation and began working with a therapist once a week. As Connor neared 18 months, we had another visit with his pediatrician, at which time she noticed that he was also not meeting other developmental milestones. She recommended further evaluation by a specialist. As parents, we thought she was crazy but obliged “just to prove her wrong.” When we informed our family, they were not surprised, having seen some of the signs the doctor had seen. We, as parents, often came up with excuses and reasons for why he was not doing these things. We would say “he is too busy to notice we are here” or “he is too distracted to wave” or “that toy is too fun for him to look up at us when we are talking to him”. The list of reasons could go on.

Then at 25 months old, the dreaded evaluation day was here. It was one of the most terrifying days, with an arena style evaluation that lasted almost 2 hours. At the end, the words no parents want to hear “we feel that Connor meets the inclusion criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder”. Our hearts sank, thinking this can not be true. What was said after that is somewhat of a blur, with both of us in shock. We began to experience what we can only describe as grief for what was supposed to be our life, our plans for our little love.

A couple weeks after his diagnosis, we switched gears from being sad to how we can help our boy get all the help and services he needs to be successful. Endless sleepless nights, phone calls, emails, therapy appointments and meetings followed in the next months to years. We learned fast how to be a fierce advocate. Fast forward to now, Connor is currently 6 years old. He is bright, happy, loving and talking more and more all the time. He has also just finished Kindergarten in public school. Connor and his younger, neurotypical, brother Caleb are the best of friends.

That being said, Connor still continues to struggle in some areas. For example, he continues to have difficulty with sensory regulation and processing. When he hears noises that are too loud or unpredictable, he is unable to focus. He sometimes has meltdowns and completely shuts down. He also has trouble with bolting and boundary control as well. If he becomes upset about something, he may quietly and quickly run away and has no safety awareness. He may be in a parking lot with no regard for cars or at home or school and he may run into the woods. He is unable to process that command to stop and come back because it is not safe. All he can think about is getting away. One of the other big struggles for Connor is his sleeping. He often struggles to fall or stay asleep and requires the presence of either Matt or myself in the room almost every night.

This leads to the reason for this fundraiser. Recently, we discovered a company in the New Hampshire area who trains service dogs to help children like Connor to adapt to everyday life, provide protection, and help develop confidence in social settings. Little Angels Service Dogs has approved Connor to receive one of these very special dogs. It is a charitable 501c3 non-profit organization that provides the capacity for all donations to be tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Their dogs are typically Labradors and Golden Retrievers who have been bred for this work. They are trained in foster homes from the moment they are weaned. The foster families do a fantastic job of getting these pups used to some very unusual circumstances at an early age. Once the dogs are mature enough, they are brought back to the dog training facility for specialized training to assist the individual with whom they will be placed.

In Connor’s case, the dog will be trained to perform a number of functions that will help him. When he is tethered to the dog, if Connor attempts to wander away or bolt into the street the dog will lie down making it impossible for him to get away. This action could very well save his life. By sitting on his lap and being at his side the dog will provide deep pressure (like a firm hug) which is a proven therapy to help him calm down and feel safe. The dog will also be trained to recognize those repetitive behaviors and try to distract Connor from continuing in hopes it will break the cycle. The dog will also provide Connor with unconditional love when he needs a friend.

It would be a wonderful gift for Connor and children like him to receive the benefits of a service dog. It costs Little Angels $38,000 to raise, train and place a service dog with deserving recipients. Every dog Little Angels places is paid for by donations from generous donors. While we wait for our dog to be trained, we are helping Little Angels raise money to meet their fundraising goals. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to Little Angels Service Dogs, so they can continue their mission of "Changing lives...one dog at a time!" To donate directly to the website please visit: https://littleangelsservicedogs.org/ and under “Additional Information” please be sure to include our solicitation code: PA-BA-CO on all donations!

We cannot thank you enough for your help!

Sincerely,

Matt, Amanda, Connor and Caleb