[NAGDU] {Spam?} Our Introduction

Fri Mar 18 21:08:34 UTC 2016

Lizzie,

Welcome to our list and for the kind words! We look forward to hearing more from you!

Fraternal you yours
Marion

Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 15, 2016, at 6:59 PM, Marianne Denning via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> I love your story and welcome to the group.  I am also from OH and live in
> Cincinnati.
> 
> On Tue, Mar 15, 2016 at 5:25 PM, Lisie Foster via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> 
>> Hi!
>> 
>> OK, I was a bit nervous to join the list though I've lurked for a
>> while! I wasn't sure we belonged here; but, I sent a note to to the
>> amazingly kind Marion Gwizdala who assured me that we would be welcome, and
>> so here is our intro!
>> 
>> My name is Lisie Foster (I'm using my middle name, for privacy
>> reasons, since the list archives are public) and I'm partnered with my
>> third hearing service dog and cross-trained guide dog named Finn. Finn was
>> trained by a small ADI-affiliated school in Ohio, and because I live so
>> close to the school, I was able to choose and "adopt" Finn as an
>> 11-week-old puppy, become his puppy raiser, "co-trainer", and
>> eventual partner! He's an almost 15-month-old, light blond Golden
>> Retriever, 23" tall and just over 70 lbs. He is such a goofy, sweet,
>> funny, intelligent dog and is the most gentlemanly dog I've ever met!
>> 
>> The program that trained Finn taught us how to do hearing alerts and
>> service tasks. Right now I have a severe hearing loss, but my hearing loss
>> is variable and progressive, and it's impossible to know how far it
>> will progress. It's caused by Meniere's Disease in combination with
>> a pre-existing mild, genetic hearing loss.
>> 
>> My hearing loss is strange. At high pitches and low pitches, my loss is
>> severe/profound. So, I won't hear a fire alarm or tornado siren; I
>> can't typically hear growling dogs or thunderstorms. But, the sounds in
>> the middle ranges -- like people's voices, especially women's --
>> are still in the moderate loss range. So, as long as I can see the person
>> talking, and the environment is fairly quiet, I'm able to follow along
>> fairly well.
>> 
>> He also helps with medical assistance because the chemo treatments I
>> underwent in 2010-2011 caused permanent heart failure, so I have problems
>> with exercise intolerance and fatigue, despite being on two medications.
>> But, because of Finn, I was able to go from walking about 100 feet alone to
>> now, easily walking 1/2 mile with him walking in guide position, either
>> while guiding or while exerting the same pull that he does while guiding
>> (he never pulls me, like a mobility dog might; instead, just a straight
>> pull into harness somehow counteracts the fatigue I experience).
>> 
>> Next, to show how Finn is even more eerily mature when working, he is also
>> cross-trained as a guide dog. I did this part of his training; he's
>> actually the third dog I've trained as a guide. Knowing my vision had
>> the potential to deteriorate due to progressive myopia, I studied, learned,
>> and worked to teach both of my first hearing service dogs to guide, as
>> well. But, Finn is my first true guide dog. Even though he doesn't
>> guide full-time, he loves every chance he gets to guide (usually every
>> night) and performs this role beautifully. The rods in my eyes are damaged
>> either from progressive/degenerative myopia and/or radiation, chemo, and
>> the adjuvant medical treatments which didn't fully end until early
>> 2015. This means I have a severe deficit in night vision; I can't see
>> well enough to navigate in dim and dark conditions on my own. I am nearly
>> totally blind, but with light perception, under those conditions. But, my
>> daytime,
>> best-corrected central visual acuity is still 20/30 (decreasing but at a
>> much slower rate). The night-blindness I experience is a strange condition:
>> I can't walk around my own neighborhood at night without my dog
>> guiding, a person walking with me, or without using a cane to navigate,
>> unless I'd like to fall (which I have *grins*). But, once I come into a
>> brightly-lit area, my vision goes back to 20/30. So, say I'm on a long
>> walk at night and, after crossing a dark parking lot, I would reach a
>> brightly-lit building. I'd have walked there and crossed the parking
>> lot with Finn working as a guide dog, but then, after entering the store
>> and allowing my eyes extra time to adapt to the change in lighting, my
>> vision would go right back to 20/30, and Finn's role would change from
>> guide dog to hearing service dog! Ha!
>> 
>> I believe Finn thinks that humanity was created to adore him, to pet him,
>> and for him to kiss, especially kids. The hardest part of for us has always
>> been turning down people who ask to pet him, because it makes him so happy!
>> But, I can only allow this to occur at the right time and right place, or
>> else I end up with a Golden Retriever lying upside down, wagging
>> exuberantly, with people petting his sparkly tummy feathers while his mind
>> goes ... wherever Goldens minds go when they're being social Goldens!
>> He has more than enough off-duty time -- most of his time is spent not
>> working -- to be a totally unprofessional-looking sweetheart of a dog!
>> 
>> His favorite toy is his plush soccer ball, which he once used to ease his
>> gums while teething, but now still loves the feel of while holding it in
>> his mouth. He prefers elk antlers over deer antlers, though if the deer
>> antlers are an interesting shape, then he likes them a bit more, though I
>> do have to stop him from throwing his antlers at me (he likes to throw his
>> toys and his aim is far too accurate for his targets to be accidental -- he
>> likes throwing his toys at me and into his water and even from across a
>> room, he can do it).  He is equally adept at play and working retrieves, is
>> an amazing swimmer who is a bit water-obsessed, is the only dog I've
>> ever had who never slips on icy surfaces, is best friends with a yellow Lab
>> who the demo dog at the program where we trained, and has had two dogs who
>> he appointed his "girlfriends". I thought it was interesting that
>> both of them, the only two dogs he's ever shown any romantic-type
>> interest in, were both black, female Golden/Lab crosses with fur more
>> like a Golden's than a Lab's, and that one was a Service Dog in
>> Training and the other was an adolescent being raised for CCI. He shows his
>> crushes he loves them by constantly following them around, looking at them
>> adoringly, and bathing their faces as much as they'll let him. It was
>> an interesting day in advanced obedience class when the instructor had to
>> call out both Finn and I, and his "girlfriend" and her raiser, to
>> try to get Finn to pay attention to me while she was there. *laughs* I
>> really didn't appreciate the day in that class, either, when Finn --
>> who had won the "beginning obedience" class's contest to see
>> which dog could hold a down-stay for the longest period of time -- broke a
>> down stay first, then ran across the ring to his girlfriend, diving and
>> sliding at her like a baseball player sliding headfirst into home plate,
>> stopping
>> right at her face so he could bathe and worship her. Really, Finn?
>> Really? I was mortified. It happened about six months ago, and I'll
>> never forget it!
>> 
>> I believe his favorite part of his "work" is guiding. Note: I
>> put work in quotes because I don't think he quite realizes he's
>> working; he enjoys learning, thinking, interacting, and what most would
>> call working so incredibly much that it's actually a very integral part
>> of his life and his existence. Without that, he would NOT be a very happy
>> dog! I have tested his guiding under sleepshade, with and without
>> simultaneously using my cane, and he is absolutely incredible. He stops at
>> the apron of down-curbs, which at first I confused for him stepping into
>> the street, but I soon realized was simply a part of his very precise way
>> of working. Just last night, I realized that one obstacle he has always
>> worked around, which I'd always assumed was a fallen tree branch on the
>> sidewalk, was actually a place where lightweight overhead tree branches
>> hangs down not to FINN'S level, but hang down to where thy would be an
>> overhead obstacle
>> at MY level. He's done this for at least a month; I only finally
>> figured out what it was last night because I happened to turn my head to
>> the left and lean down at just that moment to check something on his
>> harness, causing the branches to brush against the side of my head. I had
>> no idea he was looking for overhead obstacles. I don't think I give him
>> enough credit sometimes! Two weeks ago, now, we had our first natural
>> traffic check and Finn responded as he'd been trained, acting so
>> swiftly, decisively, and accurately that I hardly knew what was happening
>> until, safely back against the curb we'd just stepped from with Finn
>> beside me, I saw the lights of a car swing around the street corner and
>> drive swiftly over the part of the street where we had just been crossing!
>> 
>> That was a long introduction; I apologize for that! Sometimes, I think I
>> could write for hours about my dog *grins*. Thank you so much for having me
>> on your list, and if you've read my story before, but with a different
>> first name, more than likely, it was me using my first name. But, out of
>> concern for privacy and safety for my dog, I'm using my middle name
>> online now instead. But, if you want to be sure of who I am, feel free to
>> send me an off-list email and I'm glad to reply!
>> 
>> Sincerely and thank you,
>> Lisie and Finn
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Lisie and Finn, CGC, NTD
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> _______________________________________________
>> NAGDU mailing list
>> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> NAGDU:
>> 
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/marianne%40denningweb.com
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
> (513) 607-6053
> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blind411%40verizon.net