[nagdu] my surgery

Mon Apr 22 13:06:27 UTC 2013

Ken,
    FYI, there are few specific areas in which a service dog can be 
restricted and the E.R is not one of them. a public entity or private entity 
that provides public accommodation must demonstrate the dog poses a direct 
threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a 
reasonable modification to policies, practices, or procedures. As it 
pertains to hospitals and other health care facilities, I have attached 
guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to this 
message. If our local VA has a policy that is noncompliant with the ADA, 
please let us know and our affiliate division president will look into it!

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Ace" <ken at acenovels.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 1:36 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] my surgery


> Mary, its great to hear your story and thanks for sharing. I go to a VA
> Hospital for my needs and about three months ago I was bringing Ace in 
> after
> relieving himself in the rain, stepped into the lobby and my feet went out
> from under me and I landed on my head. I came to with Ace licking my face. 
> I
> decided I should go to the VA and when I arrived at the ER they were so
> backed up that after three hours I decided to go home and come back the 
> next
> morning. Since I had no idea how long I would be I sent my wife on to 
> work.
> I was lying on a gurney and Ace was acting strange and I thought he needed
> to go out so I said I was going to take him out but they said NO they 
> would
> take him for me. When he returned I was told that he couldn't be in the 
> ER.
> I said I thought he could be anywhere but OR. I was informed that he 
> wasn't
> allowed in the OR, ER or ICU. I said I will call my wife and she will be
> here in about 30 minutes. Ace was just becide him self and I stuck out my
> hand and called to him. He jumped up on the gurney with me, put his head 
> on
> my shoulder. A Dr. came by and said "You can't have that" and I stopped 
> him
> and said please leave the dog alone, he is just concerned about me. The 
> Dr.
> turned to the ER group and said "Everyone, just ignore the dog, he isn't
> really here".
> They, Guide Dogs, know more about how you feel. God did a good job when he
> created DOGS.
> Ken & Ace
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Mary Wurtzel
> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 1:18 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: [nagdu] my surgery
>
> Hello all,
>
> I wanted to share about my recent surgery and how it went fore Felix and 
> me.
> First, for some reason, the hospital said I could bring my dog but had to
> find my own way to take him out.  I didn't have family who could be there
> whenever Felix needed to go out.  I decided to board him at the vet for 
> the
> three days I was in the hospital.  That went fine.
> The rehabilitation facility allowed me to bring my dog.  They were willing
> to have staff to take him out.  I could not walk for two weeks after
> surgery.
> I am very grateful to all of the nursing care aids who took Felix out for
> me.
> Felix was on a tie-down on one side of my bed.  I was fortunate to have a
> private room.
> Friends of mine who also have guide dogs came and groomed and exercised
> Felix for me.
> I took him on leash with me to the dining room in a wheelchair.  Because I
> did not use the harness, I let people pet him.  The other clients and the
> staff really enjoyed having a dog to pet.  Some of the people were seniors
> who had ffallen or had replacement type surgeries.  They love to remember
> dogs that they had during their lives.
> It was kind of neat because Felix seemed to know I was in pain.  He would
> come right up to the side of the bed and stand close so I could pet him.
> After two and a half weeks I could come home.  I have a boot on my foot 
> and
> still cannot work Felix.  I worry about this.  I now have about a week and 
> a
> half before I can walk again.
> I have let Felix out in the fenced in yard to play with our pet dog.
> My husband took Felix for a walk, but he dragged back and wouldn't go. 
> All
> I can think is that maybe he didn't want to leave me.
> This surgery is hopefully going to make it possible for me to have better
> balance when I walk.  I am excited to see how successful it will be.  I am
> just praying that my pup will still remember how to be a guide dog.
> I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends and a great family.
> This will be my first national convention to have a guide dog.  I think 
> the
> thing I dread the most is going to the exhibit hall with a dog guide.
> I AM SO ENJOYING THIS LIST AND HOPE TO MEET SOME OF OUR FOLKS IN Orlando.
> Mary
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
> Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2013 10:29 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] coming on command - was no follow up
>
> My first dog Glade thought running away and not coming were a great game. 
> A
>
> couple times, she accidently got loose, and I had a heck of a time 
> catching
> her again.  She would always come when she saw her harness, though, so I'd
> try to get close enough to her to show it to her, and the game would be
> over.
>
> I quote the Irish Rovers, sort of:
> Those labradors were hiding, playing silly games.
>
> From the Unicorn song, explaining why there aren't any more around.
> Tracy
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Daniel" <daniel.sweeney1 at comcast.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, April 19, 2013 3:07 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] coming on command - was no follow up
>
>
>> Hi Eve and everyone,
>>
>>
>>
>> I was having the same problems with having Cass coming to me when I
>> called,
>> and to some extent still do. Although I never allow her to be off leash 
>> in
>> the common area behind my townhome, I will go out on a 25 foot leash and
>> practice recall with food treats. This is what my field rep advised me
>> when
>> she visited me on my second month home after complaining about this
>> problem.
>> I explained to her that I was having problems with recall both in and out
>> of
>> the house. After returning home and keeping Cass on leash for about 5
>> weeks,
>> I let her off and when I called her she would not come to me. We would do
>> obedience training, sit, down, stay, and come at short distances and she
>> would do just fine, but when we were at ease she would not come to me 
>> when
>
>> I
>> called. Talk about frustrating - to be upstairs and call and have no dog
>> come, or to be ten feet away and call her to come to me and she would 
>> just
>> ignore me. Things really came to a head when I went to a friend's house
>> and
>> she was playing in the yard with his dogs. He called his dogs to come in
>> and
>> Cass refused to come inside. He went to the back door and she would run
>> from
>> my friend. I went to the door and she would ignore my command to come
>> inside. I finally was able to get her to come inside by filling her food
>> bowl, and then snagging her with the leash. That was the last time she 
>> was
>> off leash until the field rep came. We started working with high value
>> food
>> rewards. This has seemed to work for the most part, but there are still
>> some
>> occasional instances where she will stay just out of my reach when I call
>> her, and not come to me as if I am playing a game. Needless to say this
>> really ticks me off since I have never had a dog that has done this. I
>> have
>> had quite a few dogs. She has a HUGE stubborn streak. I would never let
>> her
>> be off leash outside unless the area was securely enclosed, and then only
>> with hesitation. I am just glad she is food motivated. The fact that we
>> have
>> only been together for a bit over 4 months lets me think that in time she
>> will become a little more attached and this problem will solve itself.
>>
>> I apologize for the long winded emails, but when I get going, I really 
>> get
>> going.
>>
>> Daniel and Cass
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>
>
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