Help Zak get a Diabetic Alert Service Dog

Hi everyone! My name is Zak, and I'm a Type 1 Diabetic (T1D) and have been since I was 15. What is T1D, you may ask? It is an autoimmune disease where I no longer produce any insulin and, in doing so, can no longer regulate my blood sugar. Low and high blood sugar comes with many short and long-term issues. Having high blood sugar for an extended period of time can lead to severe complications such as organ failure, loss of vision, and many other detrimental issues. In terms of how it feels, it's the equivalent of being (sick) drunk for those who drink. Low Blood Sugar is dangerous, as low blood sugar can lead to seizures and even death in extreme cases.

 

This is not good!

Although I am wearing the latest constant glucose monitoring system and insulin pump, they are still not perfect, and I have had a couple of scary lows that shook my core. Currently, I live in a one-bedroom apartment with my loving girlfriend and partner Laura while I finish up a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of California, Irvine. Living out of home and independent has proven to be quite tricky as I no longer have my parents to watch my back constantly, and there are nights when Laura is gone, or I am by myself. When I have low blood sugar, I lose control of how I act, get irritable, and can't function and process things rationally, being in a condition that can cause permanent damage if I'm not treated. And here is where a Diabetic Alert Dog or D.A.D comes into play! They can detect the dropping of blood sugar up to 30 minutes before the low occurs by scent and are fully certified service dogs! Here's a photo of one of the breeds now.

Bam! Gorgeous, aren't they? But beyond being beautiful creatures, they are genuinely life-changing tools and companions. As a service dog protected under the ADA, they are given full public access, including going to school, even the airport and everything in between. As the name implies, they are medical alert dogs that alert me when my sugars drop too fast and act on them, hopefully protecting me from falling too low and getting to those dangerous and scary positions. A Diabetic Alert Dog is most useful and most needed at night when I'm asleep. The CGM and Insulin pump try and alarm me, but I sleep through it most of the time, or it is not loud enough to wake me. A D.A.D can notice when I'm low and physically wake me up by pawing at me or jumping on my chest, waking me up and giving me ample time to correct my sugars. I am lucky enough to be able to go to University with a full scholarship, but a lot of days and nights are spent focusing on keeping my sugars in check instead of being fully enveloped in my studies. In doing such, I feel like my condition controls my life. Many nights give rise to pretty restless nights as I worry and stay awake anxious, making sure I'm high enough not to drop low before I fall asleep and, if I am sleeping, sleeping light enough to wake up. The mental strain of living with a chronic condition is exhausting, and my mental state is suffering because of it. However, a service dog can't fix that, but they still provide an extra layer of protection, an extra cushion under me to help manage my condition and let me hopefully live my young life to the most that I can, instead of my head down in my lap, stressing over the state of my blood sugar.

 

$16500 is quite a large sum of money for a dog, so why are they so expensive?

 

They are trained by professionals who do nothing but train diabetic service dogs and one of the few companies that do so in the states. These dogs are chosen from breeders and are tested for temperaments to remain calm and composed to do such essential tasks and are then trained for upwards of a year in obedience and scent detection. The most remarkable and most important part in my eyes is that these dogs are trained to my specific scent. I send in jars with my saliva and breath on them while I have low blood sugar, and this puppy is trained for me. They teach a puppy from early in their life to my specific body chemistry and are my dog for the rest of their working life. This cost also includes the training that I have to undergo to take care of a service dog and one-on-one training with someone who lives my life with me for a couple of days to show me how to maneuver the world in this new way. ( https://www.diabeticalertdogsofamerica.com/ )

 

A couple of years ago, some very generous people started me on this journey by donating 2500 dollars which is enough to get started on the process. However, I decided to wait until I moved out for college. With COVID-19 setting everything back, I am now out of the house and finally ready to begin. Type 1 Diabetes can't really be controlled; it can only be managed. With your help, I'll manage my disease better and have a new best friend and life-changing companion that can give me, and my loved ones, better peace of mind at night and make my future brighter.