Help Tessa Get Back to Work & Play!

Tessa, my beloved service dog trained by the NEADS Prison PUP Program, recently earned her first trip to the emergency vet with an infection and then her second two weeks later when she tore her left ACL. Thankfully, the infection cleared up, but she now requires surgery & 4.5-6 months of rehab to repair her knee--while I'm recovering from a stroke that has affected my own mobility.

I am deaf and have a connective tissue disorder that causes chronic pain & vascular issues, so I rely heavily on Tessa to alert me to sounds and to fetch items for me. She is my only set of "ears" when my cochlear implants are off. When the alarm clock goes off, she jumps on my bed with great gusto to wake me up (see photo of her standing on me in bed)! She also alerts me to the smoke, carbon monoxide, and burglar alarms; the doorbell; someone calling my name; and a slew of environmental sounds when we're out and about (dropping my keys; a cyclist behind us on the sidewalk; sirens; etc.). Tessa is crucial to my safety and well-being. She's also a phenomenal snuggler and my bestest bud in all the world, and it's killing me to see her in pain!

Tessa is a stoic, courageous girl. My biggest concern is protecting her good knee, as most labs tear their other ACL due to the strain placed on that leg during recovery from the first.

Restricting her movement has been very difficult for me due to my poor balance and coordination resulting from a stroke several months ago. She's been my biggest cheerleader but can no longer accompany me to my PT and rehab appointments. It's time now to focus on her surgery and rehab!

This is where you come in...her vet bills for the emergency visits, orthopedic consult, pending surgery (scheduled for 12/7), follow-up visits, etc. are more than I can swallow right now.

Here's the breakdown of expenses I've incurred and been quoted so far:

Tessa will spend at least one night at the vet for pain control. She may stay an extra night since I'm currently unable to carry her up the steps at home. I'm hopeful that the Help 'Em Up Harness with the handle and shoulder strap will enable me to help her walk a little bit. I also have some amazing friends who will be helping as much as possible.

Hydrotherapy (which is at a different animal hospital) will aid in her recovery and help prevent arthritis in her surgical knee.

It is SO hard for me to ask for help, but this total of $10,787-$12,212 is simply out of my reach on top of my own medical bills. I've set my goal at $10,000, but any amount will help.

Lastly, I will leave you with this amazing poem written by my then 10-year-old nephew last year.

Title: Tessy & Me

About this poem: Tessa is my Auntie's Hearing Dog. I wrote this poem from my Auntie's point of view.

Love, lick

Helping me

Loving, licking

Helping me

Always by my side

You are my ears

I am my eyes

Together we are whole

The perfect team

You and me

Tessy Lu

You are mine

And forever you shall be

For this is the end of this poem

I hope you hear, not like me.

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With deep gratitude,

Kate