Help Disabled Young Adult get Service Dog
Donation protected
I had my first stroke when I was 22. I spent 9 hours of waiting in the ER and being told over and over again that it was a migraine, but I knew it was something much worse. I had a kind nurse who urged me to stay ordered an MRI. Because of him the doctors were able to see that I had had a stroke in my left ocular lobe which had been irreparably damaged. In the last two years I have been declared disabled and was no longer able to keep my job. Life has been tough trying to navigate the ups and downs of being newly disabled, but it is time to re-write that rhetoric. I am seeking to regain a huge portion of my independence back with a Service Dog.
My name is Avalon and I am now 24; I suffer from a number of disorders; Sjögren’s syndrome, Lupus, Lupus Nephritis, Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome, and a condition called “Functional” Neurological Disorder (which is anything but). These conditions combined have caused me to suffer from three separate strokes. Because of Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome my immune system attacks my blood and can cause pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis among other things. These last few years it feels like I’ve spent more time with Doctors than I have with my own family and friends.
The first stroke left me legally blind and on blood thinners, the second caused me to gain the Functional Neurological Disorder which in my particular case causes me to faint. The third of caused me to lose some feeling in my right arm and leg with some difficulty in moving my right leg.
One of the largest challenges is the mix of the Functional Neurological Discorder and the blood thinners that I am on because of Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome. Because I am on blood thinners, a fainting disorder is extremely dangerous for me and has taken away my independence. This awful mix means that I cannot be home alone for extended periods of time. I cannot walk alone, and I cannot function as an independent adult. Because of the damage to my left ocular lobe I am unable to see depth correctly, so walking at night, in the snow, or on sunny days is difficult. Living in rural New England means that my means of travel are limited even more.
Raising money for a Service Dog would change my life as it would give me some of my independence back as an individual. A Service Dog would take some of the challenges that I face in a day away: picking up dropped items which would help prevent fainting episodes, navigating a walk on the sidewalk safely, shopping in town, bringing me a medicine that helps fainting episodes be less painful, catching me if I do fall or contacting people in public/ getting emergency contacts to me. My hope would be to have a Service Dog trained to detect when I am having an episode and allow me time to prepare/take my medicine/get to a safe place/make a phone call. Any of these things would allow me to be much safer, not just in public, but in my own home. Not to mention, the added unconditional love and support does wonders for anxiety. My family and friends have been wonderfully supportive, but it is time to take back my independence not because of my illnesses but in spite of it. I am strong, and I will persevere.
All money raised would go towards paying for the Service Dog's purchase, training, vet bills, gear and general purchases necessary to owning a Service Dog. I am currently on a waiting list for a Service Dog training program. A trained Service Dog can be upwards of $20-30k and take years to train - Being on disability that is simply not something I can afford, nor does Medicare cover the cost. The waiting periods can be long, so securing a place now is imperative.
I would be forever grateful for the grace that others would show me and I cannot express enough how much this would change my life for the better and allow me to feel like a (semi) normal young adult.
My name is Avalon and I am now 24; I suffer from a number of disorders; Sjögren’s syndrome, Lupus, Lupus Nephritis, Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome, and a condition called “Functional” Neurological Disorder (which is anything but). These conditions combined have caused me to suffer from three separate strokes. Because of Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome my immune system attacks my blood and can cause pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks and deep vein thrombosis among other things. These last few years it feels like I’ve spent more time with Doctors than I have with my own family and friends.
The first stroke left me legally blind and on blood thinners, the second caused me to gain the Functional Neurological Disorder which in my particular case causes me to faint. The third of caused me to lose some feeling in my right arm and leg with some difficulty in moving my right leg.
One of the largest challenges is the mix of the Functional Neurological Discorder and the blood thinners that I am on because of Lupus Anti-Phospholipid syndrome. Because I am on blood thinners, a fainting disorder is extremely dangerous for me and has taken away my independence. This awful mix means that I cannot be home alone for extended periods of time. I cannot walk alone, and I cannot function as an independent adult. Because of the damage to my left ocular lobe I am unable to see depth correctly, so walking at night, in the snow, or on sunny days is difficult. Living in rural New England means that my means of travel are limited even more.
Raising money for a Service Dog would change my life as it would give me some of my independence back as an individual. A Service Dog would take some of the challenges that I face in a day away: picking up dropped items which would help prevent fainting episodes, navigating a walk on the sidewalk safely, shopping in town, bringing me a medicine that helps fainting episodes be less painful, catching me if I do fall or contacting people in public/ getting emergency contacts to me. My hope would be to have a Service Dog trained to detect when I am having an episode and allow me time to prepare/take my medicine/get to a safe place/make a phone call. Any of these things would allow me to be much safer, not just in public, but in my own home. Not to mention, the added unconditional love and support does wonders for anxiety. My family and friends have been wonderfully supportive, but it is time to take back my independence not because of my illnesses but in spite of it. I am strong, and I will persevere.
All money raised would go towards paying for the Service Dog's purchase, training, vet bills, gear and general purchases necessary to owning a Service Dog. I am currently on a waiting list for a Service Dog training program. A trained Service Dog can be upwards of $20-30k and take years to train - Being on disability that is simply not something I can afford, nor does Medicare cover the cost. The waiting periods can be long, so securing a place now is imperative.
I would be forever grateful for the grace that others would show me and I cannot express enough how much this would change my life for the better and allow me to feel like a (semi) normal young adult.
Organizer
Avalon Denault-Reynolds
Organizer
Saint Albans, VT