Hi, my name is Cathy! After a 7 year long wait, a wonderful program has donated a seizure alert/service dog to me and his training has already begun! A seizure alert/service dog will notify me or my daughter, who is 12 years old, when a seizure is 15 – 45 minutes away. The dog will get me to a safe place, wake me up, and alert my daughter if needed. I am very excited to have this opportunity available to me since seizure alert dog costs $30,000 per dog!
In return, they ask for me to raise funds for travel expenses to attend camp to train with a seizure alert/service dog, which can be costly. This training camp will include an extended two week stay, where they will teach me how to communicate with the dog and visa versa. During this camp, we will take the time to bond, and I will learn tasks the dog knows (over 30 tasks) and also for the dog to learn new tasks that I will need personally for myself. The funds earned will also cover veterinary care, leashes, collars, beds, toys, and emergency vet visits. A small contribution in any way would be welcomed.
I suffered my first grand mal seizure on May10th, 1994, at the age of 9 years old and it lasted more than 10 minutes. This was the start of multiple doctor's visits, failed medications and VNS Therapy surgeries throughout the next few years; but nothing has worked. After the failed medications, I was diagnosed with refractory/intractable epilepsy. Meaning my seizures were resistant to anti-seizure medication. To this day, I am still trying to find something that works for me.
There are 40 types of seizures, but the main type of seizure that I have most often is the Nocturnal Generalized Tonic – Clonic (grand mal) seizure. This seizure results in rigid muscles, followed by violent muscle contractions, biting of the cheek and tongue, clenched teeth or jaw, and asphyxia. After the seizure, I have confusion, drowsiness, loss of memory and a severe headache which can turn into a migraine. Over the last 25 years, my seizures have worsened in frequency and intensity while I sleep. As a single mom, my independence is so important to me. My 12-year-old daughter checks up on me at all hours of the night to make sure I’m alive and she shouldn’t have to do that. Sudden Death Due to Epilepsy (SUDEP) statistics change drastically with nocturnal generalized tonic clonic seizures. SUDEP affects 1 in 1000 people with epilepsy and for those with untreatable seizures the risk is even higher it is 1 in 150. I do not want my family to worry about me now or in the future. I never know when a seizure will come, so I am always on alert and wondering if I fall asleep, will I wake up tomorrow.
Thank you so much for taking the time for reading my story and any contribution no matter how much will help in any way! God Bless.
In return, they ask for me to raise funds for travel expenses to attend camp to train with a seizure alert/service dog, which can be costly. This training camp will include an extended two week stay, where they will teach me how to communicate with the dog and visa versa. During this camp, we will take the time to bond, and I will learn tasks the dog knows (over 30 tasks) and also for the dog to learn new tasks that I will need personally for myself. The funds earned will also cover veterinary care, leashes, collars, beds, toys, and emergency vet visits. A small contribution in any way would be welcomed.
I suffered my first grand mal seizure on May10th, 1994, at the age of 9 years old and it lasted more than 10 minutes. This was the start of multiple doctor's visits, failed medications and VNS Therapy surgeries throughout the next few years; but nothing has worked. After the failed medications, I was diagnosed with refractory/intractable epilepsy. Meaning my seizures were resistant to anti-seizure medication. To this day, I am still trying to find something that works for me.
There are 40 types of seizures, but the main type of seizure that I have most often is the Nocturnal Generalized Tonic – Clonic (grand mal) seizure. This seizure results in rigid muscles, followed by violent muscle contractions, biting of the cheek and tongue, clenched teeth or jaw, and asphyxia. After the seizure, I have confusion, drowsiness, loss of memory and a severe headache which can turn into a migraine. Over the last 25 years, my seizures have worsened in frequency and intensity while I sleep. As a single mom, my independence is so important to me. My 12-year-old daughter checks up on me at all hours of the night to make sure I’m alive and she shouldn’t have to do that. Sudden Death Due to Epilepsy (SUDEP) statistics change drastically with nocturnal generalized tonic clonic seizures. SUDEP affects 1 in 1000 people with epilepsy and for those with untreatable seizures the risk is even higher it is 1 in 150. I do not want my family to worry about me now or in the future. I never know when a seizure will come, so I am always on alert and wondering if I fall asleep, will I wake up tomorrow.
Thank you so much for taking the time for reading my story and any contribution no matter how much will help in any way! God Bless.