Service Dog for Newt
Donation protected
At age 27 Newt collapsed and was bedridden for a year, in wheel chair for over 3 years and then on crutches and cane for several years after. At age 30 she was able to get a service dog, Lola who helped her navigate through the world for over 10 years. After Lola’s passing she attempted to go about her life without a service dog for a few years but has found herself relapsing.
Newt Rockney is now 45 years old, a 3rd year environmental science PhD student at Oregon State University. She’s immunocompromised, currently working with medical specialists but due to quarantine limiting human interactions this left her without receiving proper daily assistance.
She currently has limited income to support herself but is in desperate need of a service dog. Please donate what you can or send over information on how she can get another service dog during these difficult times.
Thank you.
Newts Website click here
"Hello, my name is Newt Rockney. I was born with hyper sensitive nerves (my nerves are at least 10X more sensitive than the average person). My nerves also do not work quite right. one moment I will be OK and then I will suddenly topple and fall as all my nerves start firing pain signals at once – it is extremely excruciating and terrifying, especially when I am public and I suddenly can’t walk or even at home, when I am alone and can’t reach a phone or my medicine. My condition also make me more prone to injury and other conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, sleeping disorders, etc.)
My worst flare up left me unable to walk for 4 years. The first of those three years, I only left the house a handful of times. Clothes hurt, everything hurt. After the first few years, I got a service dog to help me through the roughest times. Within the first year of having her with me, I started to try to walk again, only 5 minutes a day, I also laughed and smiled for the first time in years. Instead of praying I would die in my sleep at night, I focused on snuggling with her and knew I had to get up and make sure she was taken care of (started smiling again). After a year, I could walk with crutches or a cane – and she was next to me every moment encouraging me to fight for mobility. After another three years, I decided to go back to school – I was still walking off and on with a cane. I also started painting and having social interactions for the first time in over four years. One day after feeling fairly confident, I decided that I wanted to go back to school. I figured that if my body wouldn’t work and I could never see myself doing what I had always dreamed (a herpetologist (study of amphibians & reptiles)) then I would at least try and teach science. After graduation with my bachelors – I had a friend convince me to apply for graduate school and I was accepted with a full fellowship. Just two weeks before moving however, Lola suddenly got sick and died from liver cancer. I went on alone and moved to San Francisco and three years later found myself with a masters degree in amphibian disease ecology.
At this point, I was so much better that I even went to Indonesia and lived in a tent to study frogs. After getting my Master’s I decided to get a PhD. Although, I had loved being a research scientist, I had discovered that I actually enjoyed filming nature and scientists in nature more than I enjoyed doing the science itself. So, I applied and got accepted to a program at Oregon State University to study free choice learning – where I get to make science videos and study how people learn from them. In early June, I finished my second year, although I ended up having to take an incomplete– because I had a major relapse two weeks before spring quarter finished. Suddenly I couldn’t walk, and I started having problems using my hands, etc. I am now back to needing help. My nerves are firing everyday – sending pain throughout my body for no reason. It has become quite debilitating and I don’t want to slip back to not leaving the house or interacting with people like I did before. After discussing my current issues with my doctors, they agree that I am at the point where I once again need a service dog so I can have my independence, confidence. I want to finish my PhD, I want to continue to make art! But I currently have no help to pay for the training and cost of a service dog."
Newt Rockney is now 45 years old, a 3rd year environmental science PhD student at Oregon State University. She’s immunocompromised, currently working with medical specialists but due to quarantine limiting human interactions this left her without receiving proper daily assistance.
She currently has limited income to support herself but is in desperate need of a service dog. Please donate what you can or send over information on how she can get another service dog during these difficult times.
Thank you.
Newts Website click here
"Hello, my name is Newt Rockney. I was born with hyper sensitive nerves (my nerves are at least 10X more sensitive than the average person). My nerves also do not work quite right. one moment I will be OK and then I will suddenly topple and fall as all my nerves start firing pain signals at once – it is extremely excruciating and terrifying, especially when I am public and I suddenly can’t walk or even at home, when I am alone and can’t reach a phone or my medicine. My condition also make me more prone to injury and other conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, sleeping disorders, etc.)
My worst flare up left me unable to walk for 4 years. The first of those three years, I only left the house a handful of times. Clothes hurt, everything hurt. After the first few years, I got a service dog to help me through the roughest times. Within the first year of having her with me, I started to try to walk again, only 5 minutes a day, I also laughed and smiled for the first time in years. Instead of praying I would die in my sleep at night, I focused on snuggling with her and knew I had to get up and make sure she was taken care of (started smiling again). After a year, I could walk with crutches or a cane – and she was next to me every moment encouraging me to fight for mobility. After another three years, I decided to go back to school – I was still walking off and on with a cane. I also started painting and having social interactions for the first time in over four years. One day after feeling fairly confident, I decided that I wanted to go back to school. I figured that if my body wouldn’t work and I could never see myself doing what I had always dreamed (a herpetologist (study of amphibians & reptiles)) then I would at least try and teach science. After graduation with my bachelors – I had a friend convince me to apply for graduate school and I was accepted with a full fellowship. Just two weeks before moving however, Lola suddenly got sick and died from liver cancer. I went on alone and moved to San Francisco and three years later found myself with a masters degree in amphibian disease ecology.
At this point, I was so much better that I even went to Indonesia and lived in a tent to study frogs. After getting my Master’s I decided to get a PhD. Although, I had loved being a research scientist, I had discovered that I actually enjoyed filming nature and scientists in nature more than I enjoyed doing the science itself. So, I applied and got accepted to a program at Oregon State University to study free choice learning – where I get to make science videos and study how people learn from them. In early June, I finished my second year, although I ended up having to take an incomplete– because I had a major relapse two weeks before spring quarter finished. Suddenly I couldn’t walk, and I started having problems using my hands, etc. I am now back to needing help. My nerves are firing everyday – sending pain throughout my body for no reason. It has become quite debilitating and I don’t want to slip back to not leaving the house or interacting with people like I did before. After discussing my current issues with my doctors, they agree that I am at the point where I once again need a service dog so I can have my independence, confidence. I want to finish my PhD, I want to continue to make art! But I currently have no help to pay for the training and cost of a service dog."
Organizer and beneficiary
Anahi .
Organizer
Ellensburg, WA
Heidi Rockney
Beneficiary