When Summit first asked me to speak about my experiences with Apollo, my initial response was no way. I have never wanted to speak in front of crowds, and I still don't. Honestly, I'm scared to death right now and probably turning twenty different shades of red.
But then I started thinking about what Apollo means to me. I started thinking about the people who made it possible for me to have Apollo...like his puppy raiser, his trainers, the people who volunteer their time, and all those who have donated money to Summit along the way. I started thinking about the people who will make it possible for others like me to have an assistance dog in the future. I spend a lot of time thinking, can you tell?
Anyway, so after all that thinking, I started thinking about what I might actually say if I got up the nerve to do so. It was suggested that I could talk about my experiences in team training. Wow...team training...it was truly not what I expected it was going to be. My husband who was my caregiver had some medical complications that put him into the hospital on the third day of training for three weeks. The Summit staff offered to let us go home and come back later to complete training, but Eric wouldn't let me do that because he knew how much getting Apollo meant to me. So with the help of my very supportive family and friends, we made it through team training. What do I remember most about team training? I remember that having Apollo with me every night at the hotel helped me remain calm during what was a very stressful three weeks.
What about after training? What could I tell you about after training? Well about a month after returning home, I finally decided that after 23 years with the federal government, it was time for me to take disability retirement. I no longer had the strength or energy to keep up with the working world. Those that know me, will tell you what a difficult decision this was for me. One which I had been struggling with for several years. But once again Apollo helped to keep me focused on something positive when I felt so negative about myself.
So...in closing...what I really want to tell you is that it isn't just the things that Apollo can do for me that make my life better. Sure he can pick up things that I drop and give them back to me, he can open or close doors, he can push buttons, he can get me the phone, and he can turn the lights on and off, but what he does most for me is need me as much as I need him. As a disabled person, I have often felt that others were always doing for me what I could not do for myself without me being able to give much in return. With Apollo he needs me to be sure he is taken care of. He needs me to be sure he gets exercise. He needs me to be sure he gets time to just be a dog and play with his friends. But mostly he just needs me to love him for all that he does for me...and that my friends...I can do all by myself. So thank you to all those that made getting Apollo a reality in my life...he is a dream come true and a great assistance dog.
Team Training
Keeping me calm in the hotel.
Me, Apollo, and his Puppy Raiser Lisa Freshour
Graduation
Random Pictures
Apollo is on the right with the red ribbon.
Apollo and fellow assistance dog Joey.
Apollo with his best friend and fellow assistance dog Hayden.
Apollo, Hayden, and our other pet dog Judy.
Apollo with my brother's cat Montega.
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