[nagdu] Dogs in HospitalsRe: my surgery

Mon Apr 22 18:04:47 UTC 2013

It's my understanding that according to the Centers for disease Control, if
we have to dress in gowns or masks to go into some hospital area, our dogs
can't go in there such as a bone marrow transplant room.

Margo and Arrow

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 9:52 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] Dogs in HospitalsRe: my surgery

Regarding dogs in hospitals: I am doing chaplaincy work at a hospital. They
don't let volunteer chaplains into isolation rooms. When this was explained
to me, they also said that the dog couldn't go in there anyway. I questioned
it anyway, and though I won't question it much at this time since I can't go
in anyway, I am curious about such as this. 

Cindy Lou

On Apr 22, 2013, at 8:06 AM, "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net> wrote:

> 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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