Friends,

I cannot tell you  how grateful I already am for the support I have been shown as I live with my lung disease, IPAH, or Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension disease; PH on the short, ok? This disease affects the lungs and heart and since diagnosis I have functioned fairly well with medication. Recently I have experienced a slight decline. Walking as prescribed is more challenging and therefore, it has become time, and earlier than I had hoped,  to plan on a service dog. 

I am now asking for your help in this endeavor. A service dog and the training that comes with it is extremely expensive and would take up to 3 years to obtain. That is why I would like to raise funds to get the right dog that my dear friend has volunteered to train for me. She has trained 6 service dogs for a non profit organization and I am so Blessed to have this offer! While a service dog from this organization would be free to qualified recipients, time is of the essence here and I would like to find a rescue that fits the criteria for training as soon as possible. If that can’t be done in a timely fashion, then a reputable breeder would be the next choice. This pup will need to be good around other dogs and children, since you all know I spend time with my  granddaughter and grandpups. 

A service dog for me would provide:  1) stability during walking exercise, helping to pace me so that I do not pace myself too fast, risking syncope (passing out) (pronounced sink oh pee). The pacing of myself has been very tricky because the symptom of possible syncope is not felt until the walking has already been in progress for a period of time.  2) aid stability while climbing stairs. Sometimes I need to stop midway and wait to continue. A service dog would be a great stabling handrail, if you will. 3) picking up things; bending over to pick things up for more than a few seconds also puts me at risk for syncope. Also carrying a grocery bag or 2, especially up stairs, as this makes the possibility of syncope even greater. Of course, this is only if there is no one to help at home. 

Funds raised will be for a dog, of course, and also for the correct harness needed, which ranges from $475-575. Ouch! This is not the item to cut corners on, though. Any funds that go above the estimate posted would go into a fund solely for the care of Fido, as I am sure that will not be cheap, and he/she will surely deserve the best affordable care as a working canine. 

I am not one to ask for help, as all who truly know me are already aware. What I DO know, however, is that no one can know your needs if you don’t ask, and so, there it is. I am asking because this is my need at hand.

Thank you for reading this through and please ask me anything that you want to know. Thank you also in advance for even considering any donation at all. I am already grateful. 

♥️