working dogs – Page 4

Falling on STEP 2

Published on June 23, 2009 by hearingelmo4 Comments

Not All Stairs Are Created Equal

Sunday, my kids were scheduled to help clean up after the service. In an effort to save time, Kyersten handed us her library books that she had planned to return through the book drop. C. Burr Artz Library is only about 1 block from where our church currently meets. Books are often returned on Sunday since we are in the right vicinity. As it was Father’s Day, I was anxious to “shave off minutes” where I could and so agreed to drop them off for her. We were in separate cars, and the plan was that Terry and I would drop off the books and then reserve a table at Outback. Outback normally opens at 4 PM, but on Father’s Day they were opening earlier – a fact Terry was very excited about since the choice was his given the special day. Terry and I left the kids cleaning up the foyer and coffee corner, and hurried to stop by the library before proceeding to Outback.

C. Burr Artz Library in downtown Frederick

It may be difficult to see from this aerial shot of the library, but the book drop is to the left as you face the main doors. There is a set of stairs you cannot see, and a handicap accessible ramp leading right up to the book drop. Terry pulled into the circular drive in front of the library and the plan was for me to hop out, drop the books in, and hop back into the van. Sounds deceptively simple, correct?

I hopped out after telling Chloe “quiet” and “stay”. She tends to have a cow when I leave the vehicle without her. It rarely happens and only when someone else is in the car. Even so, she behaves as if I’ve left her in a foreign country! In order to keep Terry from having to listen to her belly-ache, I had high hopes my “quiet” would keep her calm for the several minutes it would take to drop the books into the slot. After all, she would be able to see me the whole time, and I would be no more than ten feet away.

There were only 4 big books, and easy to carry under my left arm. I approached the stairs and considered my options. Funny how having a balance disorder forces you to look at something as simple as a short staircase in a new light. The day was sunny and I am less apt to be dizzy on clear days. I was momentarily distracted by the appearance of a young man I go to church with as it seems he walked to the book drop and beat us there! He made a comment about that fact, and I grinned and waved goodbye.

My world tends to rotate counterclockwise. This is actually a huge boon in my humble opinion, as most people walk to the right on sidewalks, stairwells, etc. This means my strongest side… my right side… is closest to the handrail and “checks” my skewed impression of things moving towards the left. I confidently stepped up to the staircase.

Decisions to Make on Step 2

Within one step I found myself sprawled out in the stairwell. I grimaced and pulled myself back up and took inventory of the various scrapes, abrasions and new bruises. I felt an immense relief that I fell on STEP 2! At least I fell “forward” instead of “backwards” and didn’t have very far to fall. If I had been on step 5, it may have been worse as the fall would have been farther. If you fall IN the staircase, your fall is cut short by the slant of the stairs. (Are you grinning? Hey these things matter, believe me!)

“OUCH”, I muttered.

Now as falling is as much a part of my day as breathing, I really do not tend to sit around contemplating the fact that I’ve just fallen… again. I could hear Chloe “losing it” in the idling van behind me. A dog’s bark comes in loud and clear with a cochlear implant. I gathered up the strewn books, made it up the final stairs and dropped them into the book drop. Every time I use the book drop, I’m reminded of the time my son told me that it “talked to you” when you fed it books. I believed this for a number of years until he overheard me talking about our book drop one day and figured he’d better set me straight that he had been pulling my leg. Ornery little booger… anyway, I digress:

I returned to the van, hopped in and buckled up. Before I could say anything, Terry said,

“Good night, Chloe was NOT quiet while you did that. She cried the whole time!”

I sat there contemplating that comment a moment, perhaps hoping he’d notice my bloody knuckles and disheveled appearance. I’m not a patient person and so blurted out,

“Well gee it could be because I dropped out of sight when I fell on the stairs!”

I can only imagine what poor Chloe saw from her perspective inside the van. Wisely, Terry cluck-clucked like a good little mother hen and was appropriately conciliatory about my new “fall down and go boom” scratches.

Stairs are not all the same. A new discovery for me has been the realization that the width of the stairwell, angle of the slope, width of the stair itself, and whether or not the stairwell is “open” or “closed” has an effect on perception when you have a balance disorder. You can learn the “feel” of a familiar stairwell; for example, I traverse the stairs at home at a pretty good pace and rarely fall even on a rainy day. (I might clarify that I rarely fall on the STAIRS at home… grin!). When I come to a “new” staircase, it is wise to take some time and check out the “lay of the land” so to speak!

We made it to Outback and reserved a table for four. Chloe went under the table and rested her head on my foot. She draped a heavy paw over my opposite foot… yeah I got the impression she wasn’t going to let me get very far without her again!

The Decision is Ours

Sometimes I wish life’s decisions were just made FOR me so that I could get on with living life. However, we all know that making decisions is part of a growing process. I don’t for a moment believe that God forces decisions on us. His word makes it pretty clear that we have a free will. We make the decisions even though He has the power and wisdom to make them for us. God is not a dictator, and much like a loving parent He allows us to make choices that may ultimately cause us pain. Even when it is clear we have made a “poor choice”, we still are able to learn from our mistakes.

I believe we can ask God for wisdom when we make decisions, and that it is wise to seek the counsel of others. In the end, we are left with a choice. Some decisions my family and friends have been faced with in recent days include:

“Do I take this job opportunity, or wait for something better?”

“Do I apply to this college, or another even if it is farther away?”

“What will I major in?”

“Do I buy this used car and clean out my savings account?”

“Do we remove my brother from life support?”

“The company is closing… should I work until the doors close or immediately start to seek a new position?”

“Do I go for a consultation for a bilateral cochlear implant?”

Granted, many of our decisions are not life-altering. I inwardly shake my head in exasperation when I hear people piously declare that they need to “think and pray about” whether or not to make a simple decision. I believe God gave us discernment to make decisions on whether or not to buy Kraft or the ingredients for homemade mac & cheese. Do we take the long way to Walmart or the short-cut and risk heavy traffic? I have heard people who have the time, means and talent try to determine if God wants them to serve in some capacity or another. For goodness sake… just serve! We can’t all be ushers, greeters, or nursery workers, but every individual can be “used” in some fashion. Don’t dare to call something God gives you to do “small” or “unimportant”.

I have made decisions about important things before only to discover rather quickly I have made a mistake. When I make a decision, I try to keep my head up and eyes focused for further direction and confirmation. By staying in a state of awareness, I can more quickly discern if I’m on the right path. If I’m not, I should come to that conclusion fairly quickly. Instead of being bummed about having wasted time, I make necessary adjustments and continue with a new plan of action. I feel an immense relief that I fell on STEP 2!

What is far more difficult is when you discover a mistake after a greater period of time has gone by… perhaps even years! You may feel incredibly “bummed” that you wasted so much time on the wrong path. Perhaps the wrong decision has you bearing new consequences even after adjusting and finding the right path. It’s hard to fall on STEP 5. Taking a fall late in the game, is still a fall “forward”. We can learn from our mistakes. Experience can be a great teacher.

As a parent of an 18 and 19-year-old, I offer advice WHEN ASKED but then allow my children to make decisions on their own. I think we should ask God for advice, for discernment, and for clarity. After I make a decision, my Heavenly Father sits back and watches far more attentively than a hound dog in an idling van. He may “bark” a warning, or alert others that care for me that I am in trouble. He may see me make adjustments and then fine tune my own decision so that I can continue on life’s path. May we all learn to make decisions with more confidence!

Denise Portis

A Strong Bond

Published on June 17, 2009August 28, 2009 by hearingelmo1 Comment

Tethered together helps to create that bond...

You Want Me to WHAT?

When I first started working with Chloe over two years ago, one of the first things my trainer told me was, “Chloe is to remain tethered to you at all times. Where you go, she goes… for 30 days”. She was to be at the end of my leash and if I needed my hands free, she had to be tethered to me. No one could pet her, feed her or interact with her but me for 30 days. (It almost killed my family!)

If I did laundry, Chloe did laundry. If I fixed supper, Chloe (on a longer leash and out of harm’s way from the stove) fixed supper. If I went to the bathroom, Chloe came to the bathroom in a stand/stay. (You don’t want a service dog laying or sitting on public bathroom floors – EWWW!). Needless to say, it was probably harder on me than it was her. She was trained to be with someone 24/7. I had to learn to be responsible for this canine at the end of a four foot leash.

It’s amazing how someone could overlook a dog the size of Chloe, but it does happen. People look over her head and come close to tromping on her at times. A friend of mine is training her Great Dane pup as a service dog. I would like to think that Kenai could not be overlooked even in a down/stay!

Now Over Two Years Later

Chloe is rarely out of sight. At home she doesn’t wear her vest, but I still rely on her “working”… her hearing alerts throughout the day. On a day like today (pouring down rain), I need her to retrieve things when I drop them too. I am almost to the point of believing Chloe actually knows to stay a little closer on a rainy day. You wouldn’t think a dog would pick up on that but you never know!

If Chloe loses track of me, for example a squirrel caught her attention outside so she stands to stare while I head downstairs to get a load of laundry in the dryer, she races to find me as soon as she realizes I’m gone. If a gate is up, or door closed she’ll howl her anxiety of the fact. It’s created a rather unique bond between she and I. Honestly, on the days she is in her crate and not at the end of a leash has me feeling like I’ve left my right foot at home by mistake. There are infrequent times that Chloe isn’t feeling well and if I find I have to leave home, she remains in her crate. There have been a few times that she had to stay at home when we were going someplace she could not go safely. (For example, a zoo!) When we are reunited, you would think it had been a month since she saw me last and not a couple of hours! The bond we share serves its purpose, for a service dog and partner should have a close bond in order to establish a healthy working relationship.

It wouldn’t work with people!

Perish the thought should a person have to be leashed to another person for a “30 day bonding period”! I’ve been married for 23 wonderful years to the same man. I wouldn’t dream of attaching myself to him and staying in his vicinity indefintely. We’d strangle each other! (grin) Dogs who have been trained to assist a partner in some fashion do not seem to mind the constant companionship. They thrive in this atmosphere. Perhaps this is why dogs make such terrific service animals… they love to be with their partners.

Two great organizations that you can find more information about assistance/service dogs are:

Assistance Dogs International: Click here

International Association of Assistance Dog Partners: Click here

What the ADA says about service dogs: Click here

Denise Portis

Rain, Little Debbies, Saving a Turtle and Home & School Connection

Published on June 4, 2009June 4, 2009 by hearingelmo2 Comments

Rain

The farm girl from rural Colorado would never complain about the rain. I don’t mind days like today as it saved me from having to water my flowers, and sweep the deck. I do get a bit whiney when it rains day after day, for I’m usually crawling around the house by Day 3. As it is suppose to be sunny this weekend, I find I’m in a good enough mood to write about the rain in a positive way! I “met” another person with Meniere‘s online through our blogs about 2 weeks ago who fears weather systems as much as I do. It seems very little is “the same” about symptoms of Meniere’s.

What to do with a dog when you can’t go outside and chuck balls for them to chase? Our poor Elkhound, Tyco, really looks forward to his daily scrambles after the ball. He and Chloe have been looking forlornly out at the deck.

Little Debbies

I had to make a quick run to the grocery store this morning to tide us over until my bigger grocery shopping trip on Monday. You know how you need one more trip to get the things you forgot? And I shop with a LIST! How does that happen?

A member of my family is going on a picnic Saturday, so I had written down Little Debbies. My dad worked at the factory in Chatanooga that made the creme that goes in the oatmeal cakes when he was in college! How is that for a random tidbit of Intel? Anywho… I bent down to grab the box, and had a major head rush. Everything went black for a second, so I did what any person with Meniere’s would do… I dropped everything and sat. Chloe sat next to me in the aisle and we both looked at that box. She was wagging her tail, I think in part because she knew I was going to need her help. She is always so eager to help out, it is almost comical! I used the cart to stand, and then pointed to the box and said,

“Chloe… fetch box”. She checked to make sure that I was pointing to the box, and went to retrieve it. Little Debbie boxes are kind of heavy (all that CREME ya know?) and the cardboard is cheap so it gives… it isn’t stiff. It took her a couple of tries, but she finally got it up off the ground and into my hand. Her tail wag indicated she knew she had really accomplished something. When I got home, I tried to take a picture of her retrieving the box, but Tyco got in the way. Oh well… you get the idea…

Saving a Turtle

I’ve always called Chris, “Eagle Eyes”, because he has always had a knack for spotting things the rest of us seem to overlook. Last night he went out to the front to bring the trashcan back around back. He saw some birds swooping down on something in the grass. He went to investigate and found this turtle. He was covered in thick mud and hightailed it across the cul-de-sac. Have you ever seen a turtle “high tailing it”? Me either! This one could MOVE. Anyway, we carried it two blocks south of us to the creek and set it free. Thank goodness for Chris’s “Eagle Eyes”, for this guy looked in bad shape as he was so far from water!

Home & School Connection

Kyersten has worked at the Home & School Connection for three years. She looks so cute in her little apron! She doesn’t really like to be called “cute” at 19-years-old though. At least… not by her mother. It’s a very cool store. There is one in Hagerstown as well. If you’ve never been, you’ll have to drop by… and at the very least bug Kyersten! They sell some pretty cool things. I almost bought a praying mantis set. They send you some praying mantis eggs and everything! I decided against it when I saw what they ate. How in the heck do you catch aphids for a praying mantis?

Denise Portis

Learning NOT to be Afraid

Published on June 3, 2009June 4, 2009 by hearingelmo2 Comments

wr-lightening_jpg

React with Calm

Last night Frederick, Maryland, experienced a violent thunderstorm. As I remove my cochlear implant at night to sleep, you might wonder how I came to this knowledge? Well… I’m deaf, but I’m not blind. Our bedroom was lit up with light again and again with what seemed like only seconds between strikes. I reached over and tapped my husband and mumbled out, “Lightning”. I think he said something in response, but in the dark I could only guess that it was something along the lines of “no kidding?”

Chloe, my assistance dog, sleeps in her bed right next to me. She acts as my alarm clock in the morning (although there are days I wish she had a snooze button), so her proximity is key. During the storm, I could see from the light bursting into the room that she was asleep on her bed. Not only was she ASLEEP, but she was laying on her back belly up. This is her “I’m very, very relaxed” position. The storm was so violent, the hair on my arm was standing straight up, and eventually our power was knocked out. Chloe slept through it all.

Many dogs are afraid of thunderstorms. I did not know Chloe when she was a puppy but from what I know of Fidos For Freedom, they make certain their puppy raisers know how to use calming signals to help dogs feel more relaxed in stressful situations. Dogs are many times conditioned to be afraid of thunderstorms. Sure, they have terrific hearing and startle at the sound of thunder. However saying, “poor dear” and babying them when they appear afraid will only condition them to continue to feel fear.

Arachnophobia

I have been afraid of spiders as long as I can remember. I have some “stories” to tell, but it would take several boring posts to relay them all. I can’t leave out the one when I almost jumped out of a moving vehicle 7 months pregnant because a spider was crawling up the windshield! Or the time I walked through a spider web and went screaming into the woods only to careen into a tall oak? Yup… I have plenty of spider stories. A post where I discuss it further can be found here.

I have learned in my 43-years of “living”, that if I try to react in a calm way towards things that frighten me, I will be much better off. About a year ago, I caught sight of a spider flying through the air from the top of our old refrigerator to land in the laundry room sink. I screamed one short squeal, and then stood and pointed. My two teens and husband came running to see what had caused me to scream. All I could do was point to the sink. My husband peered into the sink while I attempted to keep my bladder from emptying. As I still was unable to do anything more than point, he turned on the faucet. A silver-dollar-sized, black hairy spider came crawling up out of the drain.

“Holy, 8-legged FREAK, Batman!” yelled my husband who watched a lot of old superhero t.v. shows.

Over time, I have learned to react with CALM so that I will not be so afraid (and eliminate the possibility of injury). I can’t go to Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and enter their “creepy crawlies” building to oooh and ahhh over spiders big enough to suck the brains out of your head. However, I can now look at a spider and scoop him up and toss him outside, or find an old shoe if the pathway to the door seems like a “galaxy far, far away”. I’m proud of the progress I’ve made, and I am far less arachnophobic now compared to where I was.

Why Learn?

Life is short. There are a number of very scary things in life. Where I have the will and the power to do so, I have chosen to be more calm and face my fears.

I don’t fear death. I am secure in where I’ll be one second after my last breath.

I don’t fear deafness and disability. I have found support, help and satisfaction in my life.

I don’t fear growing older. The longer I live, the better I like myself.

I don’t fear financial security. God has seen my family and I through tough times already.

I don’t fear spiders. Unless they are on my person.

I don’t fear thunderstorms. I’m “belly up” in blissful ignorance of a storm overhead.

Don’t let fear shorten your life. It will if you let it.

Denise Portis

What’s Mine is Yours – What’s Yours is Yours (Most of the Time!)

Published on May 28, 2009May 28, 2009 by hearingelmo1 Comment

Sharing some things is not difficult for Chloe

Sharing “Stuff”

Having an assistance dog, means that I should strive to understand the “pack” in which I’ve brought Chloe to live. An assistance dog is not ever suppose to be “pack leader”. That’s my job, and the hierarchy trickles down through various family members until the canine members of the pack are finally represented. I’m not sure an assistance dog should be “head honcho” of the canine crew, but frankly the dogs in our family could never be “leader”.

Tyco, our Elkhound adolescent and family dog, is a major pushover and adores the ground on which Chloe treads. He follows her around with major PUPPY LOVE written all over his face. It practically oozes from ever pore of his wiggle, curly-tailed body. He’d let her eat his food, and sleep in his bed and simply lick her with infatuation while stepping aside to let her do so. I have to keep an “eye on it”, as she would take advantage if I let her!

Gingery’s Baby Pegasus (or Peg for short) is a naked juvenile ex-show dog with a shock of flashy white hair in all the right places. Frankly… I don’t think Chloe is completely certain he even IS a dog. When he barks, all the dogs stop dead in their tracks to turn and observe. Chloe will share her bed with Pegasus; after all, who can say no to a shivering “ain’t got no hair”, pack member?

Ebony is an ancient, black Pomeranian who sleeps 22 hours a day. When she walks I can hear her bones creak, and folks? I’m deaf. She has an enlarged heart, cancer “somewhere”, collapsing trachea, alopecia, kidney disease, and she’s deaf and blind. One drops like a rock if the “little bit” should happen to breathe on you. Chloe doesn’t have any problem sharing with her, for frankly she rarely sees her.

Chloe shares with the other dogs very well, and she shares with one of the three cats like Kiki is her best friend come over for “milk and cookies” and girly talk.

One thing Chloe will not share is the loveseat in the family room, and her walks with me. The latter I don’t mind, for honestly I haven’t a clue how I’d walk yet one more dog as I have enough problems walking with just Chloe on really bad balance days. The “MY LOVESEAT” in the family room gets a little old sometimes. I watch television (thanks to TIVO’d programing) about twice a week. When we go to the family room, Chloe knows I’m there for an hour or two and I give her a major “love on” scratch, massage, and belly rub the entire time we share that seat. It’s a wonder I don’t have carpal tunnel. If any dog even comes close to the loveseat she growls a threat and a row of hair stands up along her spine that has my daughter convinced she’s part Rhodesian Ridgeback. I let her know that growling is simply not allowed. I can’t very well fuss at her for giving a “look” if any dog creeps too close, but by golly they have sure learned to respect that knowing LOOK. As there are plenty of comfy and warm places to curl up all over our family room, I don’t worry to much that anyone is being neglected.

People normally have a fairly good idea what can be shared. It normally begins long before kindergarten, and we learn that sharing is “nice” and it makes mama happy. As we get older, sharing is still one of those ingrained rules but we do draw the line at items regarding hygiene, or perhaps requested Double-Stuffed Oreos when one is responsibile enough to write it on the list. (I added that last part for a 19-year-old daughter that rarely requests anything, and even more rarely writes it on the list to be purchased and then practically HIDES her stash!) People who share are defined as “giving, generous, considerate, charitable, unselfish and magnanimous”. (Actually, that last word has never actually crossed my lips, but it certainly looks appropriate!)

Sharing Feelings

Dogs just do not seem to have any trouble sharing feelings. If their entire body has gone “all a-wag”, you know they are happy. If they avoid eye contact and look away, they are feeling nervous and uneasy. If they stick their hind end in the air they want to play. If they bring you their leash and sit and stare at you until you “notice”, they may be trying to share their joy of exercise. Dogs rarely have trouble opening up, and if you are really good at it, canine body language can really help you get to know your dog. (Thanks to trainer Tracy at Fidos For Freedom, I’m a big fan of Canine Body Language – A Photographic Guide by Brenda Aloff).

People are more difficult to read, and often have trouble sharing feelings. People have to practice being vulnerable and readable. I’ve been reading the daily journal at Caring Bridge from a fellow mom who was recently diagnosed with cancer. She doesn’t have any trouble sharing her feelings, and frankly I’m often compelled to sit and reflect after reading what she views as most important on any given day.

I’ve a friend whom I’ve knitted my heart too for simply experiencing disability and life much as I do. (Small wonder THAT being that I cannot knit, but only crochet). She shares her feelings in two different blogs, and for a moment in time I’m sitting along side her seeing, hearing, tasting, and experiencing everything that she is. She’s THAT good at writing.

If you’ve lived enough of life, you know that it isn’t always safe to share your feelings. Tragic that we live in the kind of world that we do where there are situations that warrants keeping your feelings hidden. All of us know someone who is “toxic” to our lives. They’ve burned us so many times, we have scar tissue. When they are around we don a hazmat suit and deliberately hide who we are to them in hopes they’ll simply leave as quickly as possible. If we were a dog, we’d yawn and look away and pant nervously. Since we are people we smile and “play nice”, collapsing against the door in relief after we’ve seen them off.

Yes, we all have people like this in our lives, but something we should stop and think about is, “Are you this person to another?” May it never be said that someone waits anxiously for me to leave because I’m dangerous to their well being.

Sharing Faith

Why is it so difficult to share something that is so important? My faith is the single most important area of my life. Why? It SAVED my life. I don’t use religion as a crutch, for the truth of the matter is my faith freed me from a lot of negative things. I don’t think being a person of faith makes me a weak person, for people who have REAL faith are normally very strong. (Not that I don’t have my weak moments!)

My son loves “The Rebelution” and has read the book, joined the “cause” and challenges himself to make a difference in the lives of those who are IN HIS. A “funny”, yet true video clip posted there recently really made me think. You can view it here.

I hope that when people spend any time with me at all, it doesn’t take them long to learn the following:

1. I have a disability, and am ok with it. I wouldn’t change it if I could.

2. I love dogs, and welcome the addtion of an assistance dog in my life. She gives me independence.

3. I have a cochlear implant and don’t care who sees it. As a matter of fact seeing it will remind you that I don’t hear like you do.

4. I love my family, and joyfully color my hair to disguise all the gray hair living and loving them have brought.

5. I love others, and may unexpectedly throw my arms around your neck to prove it true.

6. I love my God, and do not mind sharing why my faith is so important to me.

7. It doens’t bother me if you believe differently than I do. I respect others, and have found most people respect my views as well.

8. I like green tea, white cheddar popcorn and blackberries.

(Actually I just threw #8 in to confuse you. If you knew this already, then we are pretty TIGHT).

The best kind of faith sharing is that which simply “happens” because you are living life as you always do. I want my faith to be such a natural “side-effect” of Denise, it just naturally creeps up and gooses you from time to time.

Denise Portis

To Boldly Go Where No Dog Has Gone Before…

Published on May 14, 2009May 14, 2009 by hearingelmo7 Comments

startrekcrewbanner

I finished my research paper an entire day early, so the family and I headed for the movie theatre on Mother’s Day. Hubby and I have always been Star Trek fans, although the past couple of movies almost had me hangin’ my “fan hat” up for good!

Bottom line? TWO THUMBS UP

What a great movie! There was a great deal of scifi action, and some pretty funny moments as well! Word of caution to those with hearing loss… wait for it to come out on open caption if you’ve any hope of understanding 17-year-old Chekov. Our own local theater has open captioned films, so I’m keeping my eyes peeled for when it might include Star Trek.

There’s a Dog in Here

Chloe is quite accustomed to going to the movies. I go about once a month, although sometimes it stretches to two months if there isn’t anything decent showing. Occasionally, I’ll hear someone say, “there’s a dog in here!” Many times a parent will take the opportunity to discuss “helper dogs” to a child, and occasionally people ask to pet Chloe. I always say “sorry, but no… catch me outside and I’ll take her vest off and you can pet her”. No one ever “catches me” outside. The hardest part about taking her to the movies is actually my own fear, not hers. When you have balance problems, it is very difficult to go –

Up stairs

in the dark

with “runway lights”

in a cavernous room.

Chloe is use to my shuffle step going up and down steps. She patiently plods along and adjusts her proximity to whether or not she feels me wobbling. I suppose I get a little aggravated when someone seated along the aisle tries to get her attention. Perhaps I shouldn’t blame folks because Chloe is beautiful and friendly and it’s hard to ignore her. But if the person on the other end of the leash has a death grip on the handrail, a worried husband with his hand on her back, and a 6′ 3″ son clearing the path in front, would YOU bother the assistance dog? Her vest says, “Do not Pet”, and in case people miss the meaning, she also wears a large tag on the side that says “Do not Distract”. Actually, I’ve learned a great tip.

When Chloe is being distracted by someone who just doesn’t know better, I carry on a dialogue with Chloe. I usually say something like, “Oh Chloe, please stay close! I’m really dizzy and if I fall, I’ll break my neck!” I say all of this in a really pleasant voice, and Chloe just wags her tail and continues up the stairs. Well “normally” whatever hand was trying to call her over to be petted, drops as fast as their jaw does. Most people get the fact they could be the cause of a “fall down and go BOOM“. Chloe doesn’t care at all that I’m fussin’, because I’m doing so in a pleasant voice. If she doesn’t hear a word she recognizes, she thinks I’m just babbling along to her like I usually do.(Yeah… I babble – sue me!)

I then put down her blanket and she is usually out for the duration of the movie. I try very hard not to drop popcorn on her head, as this will very likely cause her to stir. She rarely moves around during a movie, so I was surprised when she sat up to look at the screen at one point. The young Kirk was being chased by some kind of growling snow beast. She had to check out if it was a dog I guess. The theater was really crowded. Right as the movie was starting a lady came over and said, “is that seat taken?” It was dark and the movie was already loud. She couldn’t see Chloe at my feet.

I said loudly, “SERVICE DOG”.

She said, “Oh! It’s broken?” and went to find another vacant seat. I think even folks with normal hearing have trouble hearing in the dark with a lot of background noise.

Hey? Have you ever seen a dog on Star Trek? (Scratchin’ my head and ponderin’ on it…) I saw a cat once that belonged to Data. Went by the name of “Spot”. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog, however! Not even when the crew was hangin’ out on Earth. Are dogs extinct in the future? Perish the thought!

(yeah… the southern comes out once in awhile)

live long

Denise Portis

Graduation Fidos For Freedom 2009

Published on April 28, 2009May 28, 2009 by hearingelmo4 Comments

My “speech” is below the pictures…

Chloe has had a "crush" on our photographer for a long time. This "shoot" was hard for her!

It's hard to wait under a table for 2 hours with other dogs when there is a long tablecloth!

Denise gives a speech w/ Chloe in a down/stay. Puppy Raiser L, Trainer at R of Denise

Listening to the therapy dogs being "caped"

our graduate board... someone did a great job

I’m so excited to be here this evening, graduating with Chloe from Fidos For Freedom’s training program. Chloe and I have been working together for almost two years now and it’s pretty exciting to finally be attending the Tux & Tails Banquet as a graduate!

Tonight is a night of thanks, and I wanted to take the time to include my own. First of all, I wanted to thank Chloe’s sponsor, Judy. The training of these special pups all begins with their sponsorship. I’ve had the privilege of seeing Chloe’s sponsor at a number of events, and I’m thankful there are people out there who agree to pay for the supplies, vet bills and other expenses while these special puppies are being trained. All this is made possible by the generous heart of a sponsor. Thank you Judy!

I wanted to thank Chloe’s Puppy Raiser, Linda Odom. Linda has raised numerous puppies for Fidos, and she raised my Chloe as well. Chloe still recognizes and adores Linda. In the beginning, everyone guessed that Chloe must be a beagle mix, but she continued to grow larger and larger. I have a picture of Linda holding Chloe when she was still a puppy, but not a lot smaller than she is now! Believe, me she had her hands FULL! Not just literally either, but figuratively as well! I have been told by training staff that Chloe was a very incorrigible puppy. Annette told me once that she put Chloe in a sit/stay and walked deliberately away for a long recall. When she turned to call Chloe, it seemed Chloe had disappeared! One quick look down was all it took to see the happy tail wag greeting from this puppy that had followed her quietly the whole way.

Pat Jarvis, my trainer and Chloe’s trainer, told me that they continued to see “glimpses of what might be” in Chloe. As she matured, and began to finally grow up, they were finally seeing the working dog in her that they’d hoped for. When I first began working with Chloe, she seemed to respond very well to me. Things weren’t perfect, but then I had worked with Nordic a great deal, so she was hard pressed to compare. The longer we worked together, the more attached we became. She was just as excited to see me at training sessions as I was to see her.

One Wednesday night in January of 2007, Pat put me with Chloe to work and then later called me back to the conference room. She told me that they were going to match Chloe tonight. I managed to squeak out, “With me?” I almost tackled Pat I was so excited!

Chloe has traveled with me to conferences and speaking engagements, and represents Fidos so well. In our short time together, she has alerted me to a fire in our basement, and has alerted me to literally thousands of phone calls, timer alerts, and other sounds around me that I do not hear. With help from Pat, Ann and Tracy, I was able to teach Chloe some additional skills to help me with my balance. I teach part time, and Chloe loves to be in the classroom. I’m fairly certain some of my students drop papers and pencils on purpose so that Chloe will come and pick them up for them.

Before I had Chloe, I never went anywhere without someone in my family with me. Even going to stores was extremely intimidating, because I would often not hear if people needed to get by me. If I dropped something on the floor on a rainy day and my balance was bad, it was really difficult to pick it up without passing out. Now that Chloe is my partner, we go everywhere together. If I drop something… NO PROBLEM. Chloe picks it up with a happy tail wag and is always eager to assist. She alerts me to sounds like someone needing by, intercoms, buzzers and more.

To those who sponsored this little red-head puppy – I thank you.

To every person who had a part in helping Chloe the puppy, investigate new sights, sounds and smells – I thank you.

To every person who acted as a vacation home for this lovable, mischievous puppy – I thank you.

To my family who allowed me to take time for myself in order to train for Chloe – I thank you. I have spent many miles on the road from Frederick.

To every trainer who had a part in teaching Chloe the skills she now uses so naturally – I thank you. Thank you for seeing past the frustrating little puppy to the lovely and intelligent working dog that Chloe is. Because of each of YOU, Chloe and I have this wonderful, unique relationship only found in the partnership of person and dog. THANK YOU.

Denise Portis

Off Vest

Published on April 25, 2009 by hearingelmo1 Comment

Coffee break for Chloe... or rather tummy rub

One of my students snapped this picture of Chloe off vest while I was on the floor with her one afternoon.

Off Vest

Our work day on Thursday is a long one. Thankfully, I have a whole hour break between classes at 3 PM. When possible, I take Chloe’s vest off and take her for a quick walk. I chase her around the classroom with a squeaky toy, or “mess with her” a bit. It usually ends up with some Chloe lovin’, and we just chill for a bit before the next class starts.

Ever once in awhile I have a student meeting, or parent/teacher conference. When that happens, Chloe waits patiently by my side but I can tell she knows it’s past 3 PM. Have you ever heard a dog sigh? If I’m close enough, I can hear her heave a big sigh that is just a big exaggerated. It cracks me up actually!

Chloe’s “off vest” time at home means our nightly walk. It only takes about 20-25 minutes and I walk REALLY fast. My husband teases me that it’s practically a sprint. We can only go when it’s not rainy out, b/c I don’t walk when the weather is bad… I weave! (grin) During our walks, Chloe knows she is “off vest”. She sniffs around, walks in “heel” if she feels like it, switches to “place” if she wants. I make her sit in heel and wait when we come to a crossroad. Once we cross the street, I let her know she’s free to sniff around again. This is her time to just be a “dog”.

Off Duty

It’s important that we learn to take some time to be “off duty” each day. Likely, you play many different roles each and every day. You may be an employee, or adviser. Perhaps you are a chaueffer for those who don’t make the car payment in the home (grin). Some of us make the appointments, are the personal shopper, take care of the yard, and scoop the poop. Maybe you are the cook and accountant. You may be the housekeeper and laundress. It is very possible you are someone’s cheerleader. Thank goodness pom-poms are optional…

Even if it’s only for 30 minutes or so, don’t do anything “necessary“. Stop and investigate, sniff around a bit if you like. Literally take the time to smell the roses. If you’ve allergies like me, “smelling the roses” may mean sneezing like crazy later. But I find my own way to “rest and reflect”. It may be with a cup of green tea and a good book on proverbs or “famous quotes”. These brief forays away from “your job that defines you” is very important.

Women are the world’s worst about removing their vest. They think they have to be “Super Mom”, or “Super Woman”. They wear so many hats, these defining headpieces lean precariously off the tilt of their weighted down head. We do so many things, we end up not doing any one thing well. Take the time to unwind.

Breathe deeply.

Meditate and/or pray.

Write in a journal.

Burp if you want too.

(Sorry… I had to throw that in b/c Chloe gets such a rub down and vigorous massage when she’s off vest, she burps in contentment)

Denise Portis

Demo at AACC

Published on April 22, 2009April 23, 2009 by hearingelmoLeave a comment

aacc-demo-010

Chloe and I had a great time at AACC today doing a DEMO. I’ll write more about it when I find some time this weekend. Chloe and I comprised the “hearing team” (which is funny actually because I’m deaf… but that’s what they call it), and Joe and Ace (a black lab), Geoff and Theo (a Doberman mix) made up the service teams. We had 3 therapy teams present, all of whom go to Bethesda Naval Hospital as well. Judy and Dazzle (a Sheltie), Susan and Mackie (a standard poodle) and Debbie and Nicholas (a collie), always are popular as the students ARE allowed to pet them.

Wouldn’t you know a young man came through the Student Union where we were and spotted Mackie and recognized him? When he was on base at Bethesda Naval, Mackie came to visit him over a period of time. He had big tears in his eyes, but had a smile a mile wide! Mackie acted like he knew him too!

Whew! I’m tired!

Denise Portis

Rainy Day Frustrations

Published on April 20, 2009April 20, 2009 by hearingelmoLeave a comment

Chloe doesn't like it when it rains either, for it means "no walk"!

Today it is pouring rain. The “farmer’s daughter” in me would never complain about the fact we are receiving rain, but I do have to admit to not being to excited to see it first thing in the morning. A quick look at the forecast reminds me to get my cane. It’s going to be this way for a few days!

Having Meniere’s is challenging at times. I was “vertical” for all of 27 minutes this morning before I fell the first time. Now, honestly you’d think by now I’d see rain… grab the cane… and “play safe” all day. But I can be stubborn when I’ve a lot to do, and tend to leave my cane “somewhere”. Chloe will retrieve it for me without any qualms, unless she has to go through a doorway. It can be hard for a medium-size assistance dog at 62 pounds, to drag a cane that is several feet long!

I think that the Meniere’s disease “gets on my last nerve” more than the hearing loss even. I’ve had a hearing loss for almost 18 years now. The Meniere’s is a “new” diagnosis of less than five years. I suppose one day, I will be as ease with it as I am with being deaf.

Wednesday DEMO at AACC

Wednesday, Chloe and I will be with Fidos For Freedom to give a DEMO at my daughter’s community college. Chloe loves doing DEMOS. I’m hoping we will have some “sun peeking through” by Wednesday. AACC is a beautiful campus and is very accessible for those with disabilities. I’m looking forward to it!

Denise Portis