[nagdu] Biological Family Support for Service Animals

Juanita Herrera juanitaherrera1991 at gmail.com
Tue Jun 19 02:13:35 UTC 2012


Jenny,
I'm glad things are going good for you. I look forward to hearing
about your new adventures with your new guide. I'll be praying
everything goes well for you.
Best,
Juanita and Anise

On 6/18/12, Jenny Keller <jlperdue3 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I went to a rehab center in 1999 to take medical transcription courses for
> one year that was a two year course, yikes.
>
> That was the first time I was really allowed to be a full and unapologetic
> blind person, as they had every talking device known to man, and I taught
> myself braille.
>
> After that, Well, during that time, I noticed my vision start to get weird,
> and I accepted the fact that, even though the doctors don't know what's
> happening, I was losing my vision, slowly but surely, and that I had better
> get it together before it went altogether.
>
> It still took my step Mom to kick me in the behind to get a guide, but even
> though I've been through hell with the three guides I've worked with, I
> wouldn't go back to a cane on the permanent basis.
>
> I'm using one now in between dogs, while I'm waiting for acceptance at the
> school of my choice, but I promise you I will get another successful dog
> this time, and won't go back to a cane without absolute necessity.
>
> I have also made it a point to have my home a blindness sanctuary.  If it
> can talk, the appliances talk, if it can't, they are marked.  I no longer
> struggle to see things that I always have had a hard time seeing anyway.  My
> husband is also totally blind, so we have both made it a blindness
> sanctuary.
>
> We can't always get things that talk, due to financial reasons, or just the
> fact that most things aren't made that way, but we make our home, and for
> me, transportation choices, as blind friendly as possible.
>
> Up until the time I was 26, I lived a life of trying to see things I
> couldn't, or strained my eyes to do so, and since then, no more.
>
> I can't wait to have a dog that I can finally trust.  I have never had a dog
> I could fully trust, so I'm a little afraid to go back to school, though
> it's a different school, and trust a dog.  I don't know how to trust a dog
> when I've had three that couldn't be trusted.
>
> Please pray and cross your fingers, which ever you're most comfortable with,
> that I can do this.
>
> Oh yeah, the last peace of my medical stuff went to the school, so it's up
> to the nurses to look things over, and then, of course, the home interview,
> and juno walk.
>
> Jenny
> On Jun 16, 2012, at 1:52 PM, rhonda cruz wrote:
>
>> Jenny,
>> I  feel like having great support in getting a guide dog was the best
>> choice i've ever made.
>> i'm a totally blind person.
>> and i feel like i've got my freedom back.
>> i will never go back to a cane.
>> i still keep it as a back up.
>> but it is worth it in the end.
>> i've got great support  now.
>> from friends, and family.
>> etc.
>> but no matter what it is your choice.
>> i'm prouf=d of you!] it is ok to be blind.
>>
>> hugs.
>>
>>
>> On Jun 16, 2012, at 11:40 AM, Jenny Keller wrote:
>>
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> When I started losing my sight, I kicked around the idea of getting a dog
>>> for a long time.
>>>
>>> My Step Mom, who is a dog freak to begin with was supportive when no one
>>> else was.
>>>
>>> finally, after backing out of the dog idea a few times, and she had taken
>>> me to a doctor's appointment one day, she said to me "I know you've
>>> talked about getting a guide and backed out, why?"  I couldn't really
>>> answer her questions well, I just told her that it was because of all the
>>> things I would have to handle with getting a guide.
>>>
>>> she asked me what those things were and I told her, things like the hair
>>> in the house, grooming, cost, etc.
>>>
>>> She then said, "OK, I've heard your excuses, now give me legitimate
>>> reasons."
>>>
>>> I couldn't give her any other than the ones I gave her, so she told me
>>> that I knew I would get help with all that and that those were excuses at
>>> best.
>>>
>>> I said I agreed with her, and that she was right.  She then asked me, or
>>> rather said to me, so when are you going to fill out an online
>>> application, when you get in the house right?"
>>>
>>> that was just the kick in the pants I needed.
>>>
>>> though I have gone through hell with guide dogs, and never could fully
>>> trust Brooks, I don't regret it and I can still hear those words over
>>> four years later, as she can barely speak now due to the ravages of
>>> alseimer's.
>>>
>>> those are one of the many conversations I can clearly remember, and will
>>> always remember, as she slips away from us because of that horrible
>>> disease.
>>>
>>> Most of us don't have that support, and my father was not supportive at
>>> all, but I thank GOD for Diana, one of the few people in my life that
>>> supported me through just about anything.  without her, I would still
>>> never have had the opportunity of working a dog, no matter how bad the
>>> trust issue was.
>>>
>>> At least I know now, that some day, I hope, I will be able to fully trust
>>> a dog.
>>>
>>> Jenny
>>> p
>>> On Jun 14, 2012, at 5:17 PM, Julie J. wrote:
>>>
>>>> Greg,
>>>>
>>>> I'm still catching up since being out of town.  Sorry if you've already
>>>> gotten more info than you know what to do with! *smile*  Here's my
>>>> contribution.
>>>>
>>>> It honestly didn't occur to me to discuss my using a guide dog or doing
>>>> the training myself with anyone in my family, excepting the people I
>>>> live with.  When I started using a cane many years ago this is the same
>>>> approach I took then.  I simply incorporated the cane and then the dog
>>>> into life as it seemed relevant, logical or natural.  I never made a big
>>>> deal out of it.  To this day I honestly have no idea what some of my
>>>> family members think of my blindness or my dogs.  It doesn't keep me up
>>>> at night wondering.  I feel like it's my decision and really doesn't
>>>> concern them.  That's just me though and how I usually do things.  I
>>>> don't ask their advice on purchasing a home, getting married, or where
>>>> to go on vacation.   It's not that I don't care what they think, it's
>>>> more that I'm just comfortable making those decisions on my own and
>>>> don't feel that their input would be helpful.  I'm not explaining well,
>>>> but I hope it's a bit understandable.
>>>>
>>>> All the best in getting it all sorted out,
>>>> Julie
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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