Diabetic Alert Dog for Aviva
Donation protected
On Nana, Sue Dubersteins, birthday in 2020, 6 year old Aviva was tired, wetting the bed, and seemed “off”. I smelled her wet bed sheets and thought to myself “this doesn’t smell like urine”. By the time we were in the pediatrician’s office, her blood sugar was in the 600s and she was in Diabetic Keto Acidosis, a life-threatening condition that means her blood was too acidic to sustain her life. We then received the devastating news that Viv was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
A week at CHOP and we had to relearn a whole new lifestyle and all the things we needed to do to keep our baby alive. Shots, insulin, finger pricks, blood sugar, Dexcom CGM (continuous glucose monitor), pumps, counting carbs, all became words we were saying and living daily.
“Mommy, when will my diabetes go away?” and “Mommy, why is Vivie crying?” never gets easier to hear - or answer. This disease is hard. There is no other way to put it. There have been countless nights with low or high blood sugars, emergencies, scares, faulty continuous glucose monitors and pumps, bruises and bleeding from shots or misplaced Dexcoms. Lots of crying and screaming as we just try to keep our 8 year old alive. Work and school have been missed for multiple emergencies and the endless cycle of fighting with our health insurance company to cover her life-sustaining medication.
On the rare occasion that the children sleep through the night, the anxiety keep us awake: was that the dexcom beeping? Did the battery die? Is my daughter still alive?
Simply put, a diabetic alert dog (DAD) would alleviate the stress of managing this disease. We would breathe a little easier knowing that if the Dexcom is off, not working, malfunctioning etc that we would have a reliable source of information to let us know if she is low or high. This could save her life, over and over. The Dexcom frequently malfunctions and every time it is frustrating and nerve wracking. In addition, the DAD may be able to alert us before the CGM, saving minutes of precious time (Dexcom has a 15 minute lag time).
Anyone who manages a chronic disease knows that they are expensive. We are raising funds towards the cost of the DAD ($5,000) through Tattle Tails http://www.tattletailscentdogs.com/. This will cover the initial cost of the dog, and help fund the required trip to Utah (where the specially-bred dog is located) to receive education on how to continue training the dog once it’s with us. We appreciate anything you can give, and we will continue to fight to provide our daughter the best life possible, despite all the obstacles. A DAD will make all the difference in the world to our family. We are so grateful for any contribution that you are able to make. Thank you!
“Trained dogs may provide psychosocial benefits that are difficult to measure. Previous studies of DAD users report decreased worry about hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, improved quality of life, and ability to participate in physical activities,1 as well as increased independence and overall trust in and satisfaction with the dog.5 Several of these sentiments were reflected in the current study as well. Recently, 2 studies have reported improved glycemic control associated with responsible pet ownership.29,30 In a chronic health condition such as diabetes in which the daily tasks of management are rarely rewarded, perhaps a dog provides a positive partner and encouragement or may ease some of the burden of living with diabetes.8”
J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2017 May; 11(3): 506–512.
Published online 2016 Aug 28. doi: 10.1177/1932296816666537
Organizer and beneficiary
Rebecca Moss Moss
Organizer
North Whitehall Township, PA
Eric Krengel
Beneficiary