As a disabled Army veteran, I got some life-changing news today! I was officially approved to get a service dog through Honoring America's Warriors in Oklahoma City.

A lot of my friends know that I've been dealing with PTSD, chronic pain, and several other disabilities for decades. Over time, those challenges have gotten worse and have changed what I'm able to do, how I show up in the world, and even simple things that a lot of people take for granted. I know that a service dog won't magically make my disabilities disappear, but it will help me regain some of the independence that I've lost. This dog is going to be trained to help me reduce my anxiety in public, interrupt nightmares, provide me with deep pressure therapy, pick up things I've dropped on the floor, brace and stabilize me when I need help getting up from a chair or off the floor, remind me to take my meds, alert me when my blood sugar is getting too high or low, and help me in so many other ways that will make my everyday life a lot safer and easier to manage.

I really can't express in words just how grateful I am to Honoring America's Warriors for making this possible. They are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to helping disabled Oklahoma veterans, and they provide more than just a service dog. Not only do they provide the service dog, but they also provide all the professional training, ongoing monthly training, the dog's food, and all veterinary care for the life of the dog. I just can't express what an incredible investment this organization makes in the lives of disabled veterans or how grateful I am for everything they do. Getting this opportunity definitely isn't something I take lightly, and I'm committed to putting in the work needed to be the best possible handler for my service dog.

Starting next week, I'll be driving approximately 140 miles each way to Oklahoma City twice every week for training. That's about 560 miles every week, and the training program will last at least a year. Every day I have to go for training will include a little over four hours of driving (just over two hours each way) in addition to a couple of hours of hands-on work with my service dog and the trainers. Because of my chronic back, hip, and knee pain, there's going to be days when spending two hours driving to training and two or more hours of training, I won't be able to make the drive home safely, so I'll need to stay in Oklahoma City in a hotel before I head home the next day.

Although Honoring America's Warriors is extremely generous by providing everything directly related to my service dog and its training, the travel expenses are completely up to me. Gas, wear and tear, meals on the road, and the occasional hotel stay will add up pretty quickly over the next year, especially with the way prices keep going up on everything.

So, after giving it a lot of thought, I decided to create this GoFundMe to help with my travel costs. I really don't like asking for help, but I also know that this service dog really can make a huge difference in my daily life. Every dollar raised will go directly to making these trips possible so I can go through this training. If there are any funds left over at the end of the training program, I'll donate every remaining dollar back to Honoring America's Warriors to help another veteran get the same opportunity I've been given.

If you're able to donate, no matter how much, I'd be incredibly grateful. If you aren't able to donate, sharing this fundraiser would mean just as much. And your support, encouragement, and willingness to help me through this next chapter of my life really mean more than I can put into words.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for supporting me as my new journey starts. I'll be sharing updates when I can, and I look forward to introducing everyone to my new service dog in the near future. I hope y'all enjoy following this adventure with me as much as I'm looking forward to living it.

_______________________________________________________

Here's a breakdown of the costs I'm asking for.

560 miles a week X 52 weeks = 29,120 miles / 30 miles per gallon = 970.67 gallons X $4/gallon (approx) = $3,882 for gas.

Hotel = $150/night (approx) X 13 stays (1/4 of the 52 weeks) = $1,950

Gas + Hotels = $5,832