Help Navy Veteran Tina Get a Service Dog

My name is Tina Leet, I joined the Navy in 2005 right after I graduated high school. I was a helicopter mechanic, who loved my job, and was doing well. I injured my right knee in February of 2008 while snowboarding on transfer leave in-between commands. Shortly after, I just left HSC-2 in Norfolk, VA and was heading to HSL-51 in Atsugi, Japan. When I got to my command in Japan I was doing better and was climbing up the side of the helicopter to pass a wrench to the guys up top, when coming down I ended up falling and landing on my right knee. This time the pain was much worse and it felt almost like a fire was burning in my knee. When seeing my neurologist at the Naval Hospital Yokosuka he did some tests and I received an MRI. Little did I know that the news I was about to receive would change my life. The neurologist told me that I tore my sciatic nerve and that resulted in a rare disease that there is no cure for. I thought he was joking and making it up because I never heard of it. The disease is called RSD/CRPS type 2, which stands for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and type 2 means there are signs of nerve damage. The skin changes color sometimes it will look normal other times I will look and it's blue, or purple, or red. Sometimes it swells up and then the pain is really intense. My leg is 5-6 degrees colder than my left leg and it feels like very intense burning/fire 24/7. I got sent to NMCSD (Naval Medical Center San Diego) in April of 2009. It took a while to get seen by the doctor that I was ordered to see. Once I was seen, pain management tried many     things. I lost count of how many nerve blocks and I was on around 22 medications to try and keep my pain under control. I was constantly passing out and having seizures because the pain was so bad my body couldn’t handle it. They eventually put in a SCS (Spinal Cord Stimulator) after the trial since I was getting pain relief   they implanted the device. I was able to do physical therapy and was able to learn how to walk! Around January of 2010 after PT while on the way back to the barracks I ended up falling and feeling a sharp stabbing pain in my spine and not being able to walk and ended up in a wheelchair. While at the Naval Hospital the recreational therapist worked it out with a local service dog non-profit company who was able to help me train my retired service dog Bryn. Bryn is now 10 years old and a happy boy who is still helping me with small things but now mainly is my pet! I am in desperate need of a new service dog, one that can help me be able to go out  in crowds and be as independent as I can be.

Here are the tasks that I need a service dog to help me with to make my life              easier: 

* Pick things up
* Carrying things 
* Push buttons
* Find Help
* Help me with getting my pants, sock, and shoe on/off
* Brace (so if I fall he/she can help me get back into my chair)
* Pull my wheelchair up ramps/hills
* Assist pulling my wheelchair especially if it is a long day
* Watches my back/let's me know when someone is behind me (ex: when at the     hospital and there is no way I can have my back up against the wall my retired         service dog would lean up against my chair and put pressure on my rim to let me  know someone is coming that I can't see)
* Helps with panic attacks, PTSD, and anxiety
* When I am in really bad pain lays his head on my lap or stomach/chest 
* Blocks people from getting to close to my right leg
* Detects seizures
* Let's me know when I'm over doing it 

Here is a picture of my doctor's prescription 

Me relaxing with Bryn after getting home from a hospital stay


Here is a Picture of Bryn and I kayaking yes he is able to help me because if I get  my leg wet I will have a seizure and he will go get help! 


Below is a picture of Bryn (retired service dog now) wearing my HSC-2 cover

Thank you so much for your gift I really appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. I am not one to ask for help so this is really hard for me. I am working with Ottis   who is a trainer who has helped countless people. He works at You and Your Dog here in Oconomowoc, WI.