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Hi everyone! First and foremost, thank you for taking the time to read my story. My name’s Jordyn Smith, and I’m 20 years old. A year ago you would’ve been able to say that I was a determined, full of life, active, funny, and completely healthy college student, nursing assistant, travel enthusiast, nature lover- and so much more. But unfortunately that’s no longer the truth.
I’ve gone from being a healthy college student to someone who has lost not just their hair, but their energy, confidence, spirit, and sense of safety. Someone who isn’t able to work, to see their friends, to fully go to school, to drive, take a bath, or so much more. I'm basically unable to be alone- almost ever. I am someone who is scared to go to sleep and scared to wake up in the morning for fear of what their body will throw at them that next day.
As many of you may know by now, the past 6-9 months of my life have been extremely difficult. I’ve been battling numerous chronic illnesses, and some that are still in the process of being diagnosed. One of which is epilepsy, and after countless tests the cause is still unknown. I’m currently stable on medication, but anyone that knows epilepsy knows that it’s a very unstable and relatively dangerous condition to have, especially when it’s newly diagnosed or your seizures are newly onset. My neurologist recommended getting a service dog both for medical aid in the event I continue to have seizures, and the peace of mind that it would bring my family and I for all the moments in between.
Service dogs for epilepsy are able to provide a number of services, the most important being constant companionship, peace of mind, and safety. Not only are they a constant companion, they are working animals that perform tasks.They are able to alert patients sometimes up to 10-15 minutes before an oncoming seizure- giving me time to get to a safe place. An epilepsy service dog can be trained to roll their owner on their side during a seizure and lick excess saliva to prevent choking, alert people nearby for help, retrieve medical identification for their owner during a period of unconsciousness, and even position themselves next to their owner to stabilize their body/head during convulsions.
Other doctors have also encouraged a service dog due to the instability of my health both physically and mentally and the safety risks that my conditions still pose. Many of the symptoms that I have limit my ability to do everyday tasks by myself- as well as my mobility, balance, and even emotions.
Aside from the physical illnesses that I’ve been dealing with, I’ve suffered from a multitude of emotional struggles, with some of the worst being daily and debilitating panic attacks. Most are from the medical procedures and appointments that I have to go to as well as the constant anxiety of feeling unsafe while alone. After some scary episodes, I’m well aware now that at any given time I can be seizing or having gone unconscious, which is pretty scary. I used to want to take on the world with my endless goals, and now it’s difficult to go almost anywhere due to the anxiety that accompanies me.
Having this service dog will provide me with a companion that will be able to comfort me during some medical procedures (such as blood draws or spinal taps), as well as having special skills to stop and avoid anxiety and panic.
My parents and family have gone above and beyond in being there for me during this time. My mom has taken leave from work to be with my 24/7, take me to all of my appointments, and help me do things I’m no longer able to do myself. While this has helped immensely, it’s also limited our income, on top of the cost of doctors appointments and travel, 10+ medications I have to take, hospital stays, expensive procedures and tests, and everything in between.
While I’m usually never the one to ask for anything from anyone, I am only reaching out to you- friends and family, because my doctors, family, and I feel that this is something that would greatly improve my quality of life and is worth the investment. I wouldn’t wish what I experience on a daily basis on anyone, and my heart goes out to anyone that’s affected by something similar. I know that my situation could always be worse, but for me, this is the first glimpse of hope and a peace of mind that I’ve had in a long time.
Every dollar raised in this account will go to the costs of purchasing and training a service dog as soon as possible. We currently have a dog in mind, and after reaching out to various resources we’ve estimated that it’ll cost at least 3,000-5,000 dollars (if not more) in total. This includes the adoption fee for the dog, vet bills, and extensive training he will need to be a registered service dog and cater to all of my individual needs.
Big or small, any donations are greatly-greatly appreciated. And for those of you who are unable to donate, your prayers are always welcome, and just know how much I appreciate each and everyone one of you who have reached out to me to support me. Thank you so much and God bless!
ps. If you’d like some more personal information on my story, feel free to checkout my personal blog at
http://www.jordynoel.wordpress.com! xoxo.
I’ve gone from being a healthy college student to someone who has lost not just their hair, but their energy, confidence, spirit, and sense of safety. Someone who isn’t able to work, to see their friends, to fully go to school, to drive, take a bath, or so much more. I'm basically unable to be alone- almost ever. I am someone who is scared to go to sleep and scared to wake up in the morning for fear of what their body will throw at them that next day.
As many of you may know by now, the past 6-9 months of my life have been extremely difficult. I’ve been battling numerous chronic illnesses, and some that are still in the process of being diagnosed. One of which is epilepsy, and after countless tests the cause is still unknown. I’m currently stable on medication, but anyone that knows epilepsy knows that it’s a very unstable and relatively dangerous condition to have, especially when it’s newly diagnosed or your seizures are newly onset. My neurologist recommended getting a service dog both for medical aid in the event I continue to have seizures, and the peace of mind that it would bring my family and I for all the moments in between.
Service dogs for epilepsy are able to provide a number of services, the most important being constant companionship, peace of mind, and safety. Not only are they a constant companion, they are working animals that perform tasks.They are able to alert patients sometimes up to 10-15 minutes before an oncoming seizure- giving me time to get to a safe place. An epilepsy service dog can be trained to roll their owner on their side during a seizure and lick excess saliva to prevent choking, alert people nearby for help, retrieve medical identification for their owner during a period of unconsciousness, and even position themselves next to their owner to stabilize their body/head during convulsions.
Other doctors have also encouraged a service dog due to the instability of my health both physically and mentally and the safety risks that my conditions still pose. Many of the symptoms that I have limit my ability to do everyday tasks by myself- as well as my mobility, balance, and even emotions.
Aside from the physical illnesses that I’ve been dealing with, I’ve suffered from a multitude of emotional struggles, with some of the worst being daily and debilitating panic attacks. Most are from the medical procedures and appointments that I have to go to as well as the constant anxiety of feeling unsafe while alone. After some scary episodes, I’m well aware now that at any given time I can be seizing or having gone unconscious, which is pretty scary. I used to want to take on the world with my endless goals, and now it’s difficult to go almost anywhere due to the anxiety that accompanies me.
Having this service dog will provide me with a companion that will be able to comfort me during some medical procedures (such as blood draws or spinal taps), as well as having special skills to stop and avoid anxiety and panic.
My parents and family have gone above and beyond in being there for me during this time. My mom has taken leave from work to be with my 24/7, take me to all of my appointments, and help me do things I’m no longer able to do myself. While this has helped immensely, it’s also limited our income, on top of the cost of doctors appointments and travel, 10+ medications I have to take, hospital stays, expensive procedures and tests, and everything in between.
While I’m usually never the one to ask for anything from anyone, I am only reaching out to you- friends and family, because my doctors, family, and I feel that this is something that would greatly improve my quality of life and is worth the investment. I wouldn’t wish what I experience on a daily basis on anyone, and my heart goes out to anyone that’s affected by something similar. I know that my situation could always be worse, but for me, this is the first glimpse of hope and a peace of mind that I’ve had in a long time.
Every dollar raised in this account will go to the costs of purchasing and training a service dog as soon as possible. We currently have a dog in mind, and after reaching out to various resources we’ve estimated that it’ll cost at least 3,000-5,000 dollars (if not more) in total. This includes the adoption fee for the dog, vet bills, and extensive training he will need to be a registered service dog and cater to all of my individual needs.
Big or small, any donations are greatly-greatly appreciated. And for those of you who are unable to donate, your prayers are always welcome, and just know how much I appreciate each and everyone one of you who have reached out to me to support me. Thank you so much and God bless!
ps. If you’d like some more personal information on my story, feel free to checkout my personal blog at
http://www.jordynoel.wordpress.com! xoxo.