Two years ago I got rushed to the hospital from work thinking that I was having a heart attack.  After a year of follow up appointments with a cardiologist I was cleared.  However all the symptoms continued (heart palpitations, shortness of breath, profuse sweating, light headedness and dizziness) just to name a few.  On top of that I had been hiding a personal battle with being in public, and especially around large crowds.  

Last year I was told that what I was feeling was not a heart attack, it was a panic attack.  I had been living with 3 to 5 a day on most good days.  PTSD is real.  It takes complete control of your life before you even realize what has happened.  One day my wife and I had these grand plans for our empty nest years.  I had a great job at a top Estate Planning Firm in Downtown Orlando, and my wife manages an independant funeral home, also in downtown Orlando.  The next day my PTSD caused me to leave the firm and go on disability.  This is our life today.  Learning to adjust to the new income, and live with this disorder.  It starts with accepting it. Then you add on top of that, depression, anxiety, and agoraphobia.  Agoraphobia is an extreme, abnormal fear of being in crowds, public places, or open areas, sometimes accompanied by anxiety attacks.  The years of embarrassment from my attacks in public continue to this day.  

My VA Doctors, with whom I have been working for years now, have given medication, some of which has worked, and some has not.  I am still taking daily medication to help with my mood while also currently undergoing ECT Treatments at Florida Hospital to treat  my depression (which is helping).  This treatment is draining, not just for me, but for my best friend and sole mate, my wife Mariela.  Those that know her know the magic she brings to a room.  She gets up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 4am to take me to treatments and then go to work all day.  Unconditional love.  And last but not least, the immense support from our kids, Edwin, Monica and Jonathan.

My wife has been working with my Dr's and a non profit called New Horizons Service Dogs to get me a trained service dog.  It has been proven that these dogs change lives.  Our hope is that it will improve my overall quality of life.  It takes about $20,000 to train a service dog.  New Horizons provides these dogs to the disabled at no cost.   But there are many uncovered expenses in the process that are out of pocket.   Like the travel for 2 weeks of one-on-one training with my service dog.  I have offered to help house train one of these service dogs in training while I wait for my service dog to graduate training.  This is a small way that I can help pay them back for this priceless opportunity.  Any funds I'm able to raise with gofundme will 100% be used for the service dog.  Any funds not used will be donated straight to New Horizons Service Dogs.  Feel free to visit their site.  I will post pictures as I get them.

I can't even begin to explain how much this means to me and my family. It has also helped open my eyes about how important it is to trust in your family and friends. We have amazing friends, and we are so grateful to them.  

Please share with friends.
Jon Atkins
Orlando, FL
USMC