2005-10-15 - My Guide Dog Adventures:
Hello everyone!
Many of you may know that I have recently applied, and was accepted by Guiding Eyes for the Blind (http://www.guidingeyes.org) (GEB), to get a guide dog. I have been waiting to find out if I would make it into the November class. However, I received a call yesterday (Friday) from GEB asking if I could make it to New York on this coming Tuesday, 10/18, that they had a cancellation. To make a long story short, I said YES!!
I have set up an e-mail YahooGroup that I will use to send updates on my progress (or lack thereof), a journal if you will. It will not be a group discussion. Subscribers will only receive an e-mail from me every day or two with updates on my adventures over the next (nearly) four weeks.
To receive these updates, send a blank e-mail to gravitt-dog subscribe@yahoogroups.com. YahooGroups will send you an automated reply. Confirm your request by then replying to this e-mail. From that point forward you will receive any updates I e-mail out. You can also subscribe and look at archived messages at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gravitt-dog/.
Thank you for your interest!
-Mike
2005-10-17 - The Eve of My Journey:
Hello everyone!
I once read in a Brian Tracey book that we each should live each day of our lives as if we just found out today that we have to leave on a four week trip tomorrow. The spirit of this idea is to make sure you are truly doing the most essential things in your life each day. After these past three days since I learned of my sudden trip to GEB, I have concluded that Brian Tracey is out of his mind, as I know I definitely am! But, thank God, I am ready to depart on my journey.
My flight leaves at 9:15 AM tomorrow morning for New York. I will leave my apartment at 7:00 AM. So, thankfully I will get a good night's rest tonight!
I want to thank the 50 of you that have subscribed to receive my messages. It means a lot to have folks out there to share my journey with me. I am excited, nervous, weary, but am eager to face the challenges ahead of me the next few weeks.
I know there is a lot that I will learn about myself over the next few weeks, too. Unfortunately, I am too tired to try to figure out what these things might be right now.
So, off to bed, and off to New York. Stay tuned......
Mike
2005-10-19 - In the beginning...:
8:45 AM.
Hello everyone,
I have arrived in Yorktown Heights, NY! It took a while to get here, but I have arrived! The original flight I was supposed to be on yesterday had mechanical problems in St. Louis, and it finally arrive in Pittsburgh around 12:30 PM. Then, it had more mechanical problems, and US Air finally switched us to a 1:40 PM flight, and I arrived in New York at 3:00 PM. I arrived here at GEB not long after 4:00PM just in time for a quick orientation, a meet and greet, and dinner. Then, I unpacked and got settled last night! I am glad to be here and am ready to go.
There are a total of eleven students and five trainers. Of the eleven students, two are deaf-blind. There are also two action students who are only here for two weeks of training, then do their third week at home. You have to already been a guide dog user in order to be an action student. The other three trainers, Susan,
Jolene, and their supervisor Greg, will primarily be working with the other seven of us. So, I expect to get quite a bit of individualized attention. My roommate, Dan from Milwaukee, is the only other first time dog user in the group. We are both nervous! But, I am excited to see what is to come.
This morning, I did my first set of Juno commands, where I give commands to Susan, my trainer, who serves in a quasi-dog role. I learned the basic obedience routine that I am supposed to give to my dog at least once per day. It includes sits, stays, downs, and come commands. Oh, and last night there was also a lecture on the different parts of the harness, their uses, how to use the leash and collar, etc. It was guide dog 101!
As I type this, I am sitting in a van on the way to White Plains, about a half hour drive from Yorktown Heights. We will be doing some actual Juno walks this morning, with the trainers (not the dogs). This is to teach us more on the commands and for the trainers to get a feel for how we move. I am not sure, but I think this routine today may even be used to make some last minute adjustments as to who gets which dogs. Of course, it is everyone's best interest to ensure that each student is matched up with the best dog.
Things are very first class here. The staff, from the trainers to the housekeeping and rcooking staff, are all very wonderful. I feel very at ease here. They want to make sure we are as comfortable as we can be in order to be able to concentrate on the task at hand: working as a team with our new four-legged friend.
Signing off for now.
Mike
2005-10-19 (part 2) - Doggie Eve:
8:15 PM:
This is my last night alone! Tomorrow is the big day!
This morning at the White Plains facility, Susan and Jolene each did a Juno walk with me where they observed my preferred speed and asked me a few questions about my lifestyle, home and work environments. Just as recently as a few minutes ago, they were discussing (in private of course) who is getting which dogs. There are approximately 15 dogs, and 9 of us (the two special needs students have specially trained dogs pre-assigned). I also found out that Richard from North Carolina is also a first time dog user, so there are actually three of us first-timers, then 6 "veterans".
This evening, we were given the overview of what is to happen tomorrow. We will have a practice run in the morning with dogs that are still in various stages of training. This is to see how we do, get us used to using a real dog before we get our actual dog, and to even make any last-minute decisions on the dog we will receive.
Then, after lunch, I will meet my new furry friend! We are supposed to spend quiet time together all afternoon. We'll even get to do the fun chore of taking them out to do their business! That is the part I hate the most!!! Somebody out there somewhere needs to invent doggie diapers! But until, I suppose I need to suck it up and tough it out!!
Up until tonight, I have been more nervous than excited. However, now that I have gotten settled in, orientated, know the instructors, and got a little "dog fix" from one of the GEB employees (Becky and her guide Flyer), I can honestly say that now I am more excited than nervous. This is a much better feeling indeed!
I am going to relax for the evening. I will write more as soon as I can tomorrow to introduce you to my new four-legged friend.
Thank you again for joining me in my journey!!
Mike
2005-10-20 - A "Quick" Note....:
1:15 PM:
The trainers just read off a list of names, genders, and colors of each of our dogs.
And the verdict is....
I am getting a black and tan labrador named Quick!
I will get to meet him around 2:30 PM! We will spend the afternoon bonding. At 3:45 I will feed, water, and park him. By the way, those of you who may not know what to park a dog is, spell park backwards and you'll figure it out from there.
I am excited! I will write more tonight after I have met my new partner and tell you all about him.
Thanks!! I'll write more soon.
Mike
2005-10-21 - My New Buddy:
10:00 AM:
I have been with my new buddy, Quick, for nearly a full day. I have to admit that he has already melted my heart and about everything else. He is so adorable. I hope that you were able to get a good feel based on the photos I sent last night. I have a couple of others that we took that I am going to try to get uploaded later tonight.
Quick is primarily a creamy black color. His eye-brows, muzzle, paws, under-ears, and a few other various spots underneath. He is absolutely beautiful. He is very laid back, even-tempered,, and very observant. He is a sweetheart. I hope I do not corrupt him!!
Since early yesterday afternoon, I have taken him out on five park breaks. I have only managed to get one Number 1, and zero Number 2's. This is good because I really wanted a dog that did not Number 2. So far, so good, but something tells me that I will be in for a big surprise sometime soon!
He is a big kisser if you invite him to do so. I like affectionate dogs! He responds very well to my commands and obedience routines so far, always looking up at me for praise and approval.
This morning, I was handed the harness and put it on. He was very excited when we did this. I still have not worked him, but am
supposed to be doing that one time later this morning, and for another walk this afternoon. I am sitting in White Plains now at the lounge.
The only other funny thing is two quick barks, one at dinner last night and another last night as we were getting settled. He is still getting used to his trainers not being the one to give him attention, and instead having me doing it. He is being very good considering the stress and change he must be feeling. I know we are going to get used to each other, though, and are going to make a good team. I cannot wait to see where Quick and I are a month from now.
I am very pleased with their choice for me.
I hope to have more stories to share soon.
Thank you for reading.
Mike
2005-10-21 (part 2) - My First Journey:
1:15 PM:
Today I had my first two journeys with my new partner. We both did an excellent job! I thought I would have a difficult time surrendering control to my canine companion, but I actually felt very comfortable, at least 90% comfortable. It is important to gain the trust in the dog in order for this scenario to ever work. So, I am glad that I feel I could trust him. He cheated with a couple of quick sniffs along the way but, after all, he is a Labrador!
I feel we are truly beginning to bond. I got lots of tail wags after this most recent trip around the block. My strong point is lots of praise. He is getting more praise than he can handle! The trainers say this is very good to help build up the bond, and his overall feeling that I am a "good buy".
The facilities and staff here are so nice. Everyone seems to be so dedicated and the turnover rate of the staff seems very low. Many people I speak to here have been working here for years. That is a good sign.
I still feel a little anxiety due to the added sets of responsibilities. Thankfully, I have talked to enough successful owners to know that I will get used to it. I cannot wait until I do and I cannot wait until we have a bond and we are working like peanut butter and jelly.
I probably will not write any more today. I will try to send out a couple more photos tonight. We took four of them with my phone last night. We successfully got two of them e-mailed to me where I could forward them. Then, my phone decided to error out when trying to send the other two. Susan, the trainer, is going to try to get those others tonight, or as soon as possible.
More to come!!
Thanks,
Mike
2005-10-22 - Street crossings:
2:15 PM:
I have really enjoyed my second day of adventures with my new friend!
We start each morning with a standard routine at 6:00 AM. Park, feed, water, and park again. It was a cold and rainy morning in the area so it was not pleasant, but a definite great way to wake up! I finally got some "action" out of the parking routine this morning. Thankfully, the first week, the trainers do all the picking up!
After breakfast I did a quick obedience routine where we working on sit, down, stay, and come commands. He did perfectly.
Then, we came here to White Plains. I did a 3 block walk, both this morning and this afternoon, which included street crossings. Quick did rather well. The only time he goofed up is after crossing a street, he is supposed to stop at the curb before walking up on the sidewalk on the other side. We do a quick harness correction to remind him to do this. So, for now each time I cross the street, I will have to give a quick little yank of the collar right as we are getting to the other side of the street to give him a friendly reminder of the rule.
Just now, as I was typing this, I was given a second collar, a half-collar, which is mostly cloth and much more comfortable than the full-time working collar. Quick is so lazy, that when I gave him the command to come sit next to me to try his new collar, he fell right back down! He is very laid back and low maintenance. I love that, as much of the time I am sitting behind a computer and not moving much.
However, I will say that when he does work, he really does work. He is a very energetic walker and I have to keep reminding him to be steady. So, a hard-working dog when I need him to be, and a lzay one when I need him to be. And cute all the time, whether I need him to be or not! I love it!
Sorry I did not get other photos sent out yet but I will.
Tomorrow (Sunday) is a low-key day. I will write more soon!
Take care,
Mike
2005-10-23 - Lazy Sunday:
8:00 PM:
Sunday's are meant to be relaxing and it is no different here!
The only objectives today were the standard daily routine plus two play sessions alone with our dog. The daily standard routine is as follows:
6:00 AM: Park, feed, water, park.
11:00 AM: Water and park.
4:00 PM: Feed, water, park.
7:30 PM: Park.
10:00 PM: Park.
We each had two fifteen minute (-ish) sessions in our rooms to basically play with our dogs and to let our dogs be dogs. We put them on a long leash and through rubber balls and congs. Quick did very well! He loves to fetch. He is definitely a retriever! We learned the "here" command where we try to distract our dogs from their toy to get them to come to us. Quick had 100% success with this command. He ran to me each time with no hesitation.
One of my fellow students, Angela (from near Toronto part of the year and Mesa, AZ, the other part) says that of all the students she feels that I am progressing further than others with bonding with my dog. Later, after dinner, Susan (the trainer) made the same comment. I love to get down on my dog's level and hug him when he pleases me and he always returns kisses. Susan said that the dogs know when you love them and that I am doing very good and giving (and getting) love. He seems to be happier and happier around me each day.
Tomorrow, it is back to White Plains again. We will do two more similar walks to Saturday's, except we will add an additional block to the three-block walk (four total).
I still need to do those other two photos! I nearly forgot. I will get them out soon!
Take care,
Mike
2005-10-24 - Monday Memories:
6:30 PM:
Today, Quick and I did two more walks locally in White Plains near the lounge. It was the same route as Saturday, with a block added. We did fairly well. Quick did make a left turn at a corner when he was supposed to go to the curb. I was slow to react in correcting him. I know all the motions and the appropriate times to correct; I just haven't gotten efficient at it yet. I know that we will get there!
After crossing a street, Quick is supposed to stop at the curb and wait for me to tell him forward. This is supposed to happen rather harmoniously and quickly, but we are still a little slow. Quick also has a tendency to get up on the curb a little instead of waiting with all four paws off the curb. I am supposed to give him a minor pull of the harness (a harness correction) for this immediately. Again, I am getting better but still not reacting as quickly as I can.
He gets easily distracted by people and sometimes other dogs. I am getting better at getting his attention when he does let his attention slip. Also, the "heel" command, which takes places out of harness, is a command where he is supposed to just walk where I walk, no guiding or leading. He tends to pull me a little bit in these situations but it is definitely getting better. He is starting to react better to my pace.
We have a few rough edges to work out. But, I will say that we are definitely bonding and that he definitely is affectionate towards me. After just over four days of knowing each other, we are doing an A+ in the bonding department. This is important since him and I are both still a little rusty. It makes up for the corrections and inadequacies if we both love each other at the end of the day.
All owners I know say that the bond simply gets better and better as time goes on. As he matures and gets older, and our working relationship moves forward, we will be more in tuned to each other and work just that much better. So, I am not worried about these shortfalls now. I am anxious to see how well things will be in a few months.
Now, on another note, one of the subscribers of the list wrote me an interesting question today. A puppy raiser is interested in knowing what sort of life Quick can expect once he gets home. I know it must be hard for the puppy raisers to put so much time into the pups, and then often times not know what sort of life the puppy goes on to live.
I will say that GEB, and other schools, do take time to understand each student's situation, lifestyle, and so forth. Then, based on their understanding of each of the dogs, they make matches. They seem to do this fairly well.
For me, I tend to be routine-oriented. I stay in Pittsburgh most of the time. I do travel, but not often. I do vary my routine, but most weeks and days are very similar.
During the week, I sit in an office building in a non-residential area. Quick will sit at my feet most weekdays, chewing on a bone or other toy while I sit at my computer. We'll get up for our respective breaks, and that is about it.
I live in a neighborhood with a nice mixture of homes and businesses and lots of sidewalks, and a nearby park. Most of my errands are done within a walking distance, where Quick will be very helpful.
I take buses and the trolley (the "T" on occasion into downtown Pittsburgh to run errands, attend meetings and so forth. Downtown Pittsburgh is very walkable with plenty of sidewalks.
I do know that Quick will have a very loving environment. I love dogs and I already love him a lot. I will ensure that I am doing all I can to make sure he is well-kept, and that he works hard when I need him, but is a comfortable dog when I do not. And, if I ever get to the point where I am unable to work him, or unable to provide him a comfortable living situation, for whatever reason, I will return him to GEB to be given to another owner or a family who can provide him with the love he deserves.
He is a very handsome and very good-natured dog and deserves the best. As long as I have control over the situation, he will have a wonderful home and lots of love.
I hope that answers the question.
Thank you all! More to come soon!
Mike
2005-10-25 - One Week Down:
6:00 PM:
Today was a very dreary day! The trainers decided not to make the thirty-minute journey to White Plains due to heavy winds causing some downed power lines and, in turn, highway closures.
So, we stayed here at the Yorktown Heights facility, a more rural area. We learned how to trail the edge of a side street that does not have a sidewalk. It is a little tricky as you have to stop with your dog every so often to ensure you are still at the edge of the road. I do not anticipate having to use the technique very often, if ever, but it is still nice to understand. I may be surprised sometime and realize I need it more than I thought.
This afternoon, we did a group obedience session and learned some corrective behavior techniques. The use of treat incentives to correct a dog's behavior is very important, especially in the beginning stages. The dogs have to feel that doing what you want them to do is going to be positive. What better way to condition them than to give them little treats until they understand what you want them to do! Over time, as they learn whatever it is you want, you can wean them off the treats.
We also received a grip collar that is used in environments where your dog is likely to be easily distracted. It make it difficult, if not impossible, for your dog to turn or move around. It is especially good in environments where there may be lots of people not used to a dog, or other situations where you learn your dog does not have the necessary control. For example, my dog, for now, gets easily distracted by people passing by. If I am going to be in a situation where I will not have time to deal with this through typical corrections, I can use the grip collar to help keep my dog in check. It slides over his nose and fits tightly on the upper neck and hinders movement. It is made of cloth and does not hurt the dog at all.
I also received a set of booties and learned how to put them on. Quick can wear these in cold weather (or hot weather) to keep his paws comfortable on the pavement.
On another note, someone e-mailed me today wondering more about why I chose to get a guide dog instead of continuing to use a cane. This is a good question. I have several reasons I have decided to give it a try.
First, and foremost, I have started to have some hearing issues that have hindered my ability to tell where sounds are coming from. It has made me less comfortable in my travel as I now have to concentrate more on my surroundings. Having an extra set of good eyes to look out for me and allow me to not have to concentrate so much on walking is a welcome change. For a while, I will have to concentrate a lot on my dog and how he is communicating to me. But, based on what I know and have observed from others, once I get used to this way of getting around, I will have to concentrate a lot less and just enjoy a walk somewhere as most others do.
Another aspect is the gracefulness that comes with a dog. Walking around by myself with a cane and not seeing others in front of me can lead to some canes intruding people in places and ways they rather not be intruded upon. A dog will not poke someone or trip someone. A dog will much more gracefully take me around poles and trash cans and other obstacles that I always become intimate with when using a cane. It would be nice to just gracefully walk around obstacles instead of banging them with a white stick and hoping I react quickly enough.
Another aspect is the added companionship and emotional benefits of having a dog around. All dog lovers out there know what I am talking about. Dogs are wonderful animals and many of us enjoy the bond. I can assure you that this bond is even greater with a dog whose main purpose each day is to look out for you and your safety. These dogs not only love you, but each time you harness them up and go out and about, they are trained to look out for their owner. It is a very warming feeling to walk down the street and to have Quick look around and look up at me to make sure I am doing okay and am staying out of harm's way. It becomes a mutual dedication where I will look out for him, and he will look out for me. I have seen it so many times. These dogs are more than just a dog, and more than just a guide, but they become a life-long relationship that one can only understand who is living it. I look forward to experiencing this feeling for myself.
That is all for today!
Talk to you soon.
Mike
Correction: 2005-10-25 - One Week Down:
Some of you may wonder what in the world a grip collar is. So do I!
In my note below, I was referring to a gentle leader. I am not sure where grip collar came from. As far as I know there is no such thing.
I'll start drinking coffee before sending out my journal entries from now on.
Sorry!
Mike
2005-10-27 - One Week with My New Friend:
1:00 PM:
The past couple of days have been great! Yesterday in White Plains, I went on two more walks. I had another walk this morning. We are still walking the area here in White Plains. However, we extended it a few blocks. Quick and I are getting more comfortable. We are having some troubles and curb-cuts that we are working on. The main problem I have is my reaction time in correcting Quick. It has not fully become second nature yet, so it takes me a couple of seconds to realize Quick goofed, for me to remember the proper correction, and for me to execute the correction. Once I get a better grip on correction, I will be able to train Quick to respond more favorably to my commands and corrections.
A couple of additional updates. Soon, we will be interviewed and have a small bio placed on GEB's website (http://www.guidingeyes.org). Also, we will have a small video made that will be included on the graduation video. The graduation ceremony is filmed and is available for $15 on either VHS or DVD. If you would like a copy of my graduation, let me know and I will work out the logistics.
Tomorrow, we will take a group photo as well as formal photos with our dogs. The photo will be used on our GEB ID cards. I will also receive an 8x10 and a few wallet-size photos. I am not sure if I am going to purchase any additional ones. I will probably just have one scanned and send it out via e-mail as soon as I can instead of paying the money.
Finally, we found out that there is video documentary being done on puppy raisers. I am not sure the name of the gentleman doing the documentary, but apparently he is well-known and won national awards. The documentary will be aired on the Discovery Channel and/or Animal Planet. The graduation will be video taped. Plus, I was chosen to do a single one-on-one video interview for the documentary. Since I have an interesting perspective having been close to other guide dog users, but just now using a guide dog for myself for the first time, GEB feels I was a good candidate for the interview. I am excited to have this opportunity.
On another note, on Sunday, GEB is hosting several Orientation and Mobility (O&M) students and current instructors. They are discussing some differences in white cane travel versus guide dog travel. I have also been asked to speak to the group on my perspectives and reasons for wanting to make a shift from the white cane to the black and tan dog.
Tomorrow, we will venture to the mall for my first stab at indoor travel. I have another walk this afternoon with Susan. Until now, I have done all my walk with Jolene. This will be my first time working Quick with Susan. It will be interesting as I suspect that Susan was also his trainer prior to class (I will have this confirmed in a few days when they "reveal" information to us about his raisers, trainers, birth date, etc.).
Thank you all again for all of your wonderful e-mails. I have not had time to reply to each individual one but I appreciate and read all your messages to my home e-mail address (mgravitt2@comcast.net).
Best wishes to all. More to come soon.
Mike
2005-10-28 - The Turning Point:
10:00 PM:
Greetings to all!
I have a few wonderful updates on the past couple of days to share. Things are going fantastically!
First, to pick up where I left off yesterday, we each took another route around White Plains. Unfortunately, Greg (our normal training supervisor) had to take the day off so Gerald, another supervisor, took his place for the day. For my afternoon walk, I was teamed with both Susan (a training apprentice) and Gerald. During the walk, which was on streets I had not yet been to, Gerald asked me if Quick was my first dog. I said, "You tell me." He said it appeared to him that I had used a guide dog before. When I informed him that Quick is my first guide dog, he commented on how well I am doing to have only been doing this a week. This made me feel better about my progress.
Today, we had two new adventures. This morning, after breakfast, we headed to the Jefferson Valley Mall, close-by to our Yorktown Heights facility. This was our first indoor work. We each did one-on-one work and learned how to handle stairs, escalators, and elevators. Quick loves escalators! We both did very well at the mall. I felt good about the experience. We ate lunch at the mall and then headed back here to the dorms to get ready for our formal photos.
After the formal photos, a little downtime, and dinner, we journeyed to Mt. Kisko, approximately a twenty minute drive for Yorktown Heights. This was to get our first taste of night-time travel. Of course for those in the class totally blind, it did not make much difference except to see how the dogs behave differently at night versus the day (i.e.: harder to see, headlights from cars serving as distractions, etc.). However, for partially sighted folks like me who have much more difficulty seeing at night than during the day, it was something more. For me, night-time travel with a cane has always been one of my most uncomfortable and quite often avoided situations. Tonight, I was in a totally unfamiliar environment, hardly any useful visual information compared to the daytime, and had no choice but to surrender my trust to Quick (aside from the occasional queues from Jolene-the trainer-who was working with me).
We walked approximately ten or twelve blocks from a chosen starting point to Starbuck's. Aside from one goof-up on a strange turn where there was construction, we did perfectly! I have never once felt so comfortable traveling at night by myself. I did not have to concentrate on obstacles. I could just enjoy the walk and the surrounding sounds. It was very, very much a turning point in my attitude about what a guide dog can do for me. The word I have heard used to describe the feeling, and a term I agree with, is "liberating". I was so taken aback by my experience, once he arrived at Starbuck's (and I hate to admit this), I was actually crying a few happy tears! I asked for a hug from Jolene and she told me that it was moments like that one which makes her job worthwhile. Quick seemed proud of himself. I was certainly proud of myself. It was a good bonding experience for Quick and me, and a definite turning point in my feelings about being here.
We enjoyed a cup of coffee at Starbuck's and headed back here. Tonight, I had to say good-bye to Lucia and Joe. They are action students who head back home tomorrow and will have their third week of training done at their homes. This will be a wonderful option for me someday when I need a second dog as it is only an option for returning graduates.
Tomorrow, we will stay here in Yorktown Heights and practice our country routes more.
Before I wrap up for the day, I was sent a couple of questions. Some of this I have touched on in some way in previous posts. The first question I was asked is why GEB waits so long before telling us such information as who was the puppy raiser for our dogs, birthday, etc. It will be closer to graduation before we find out. The main reason I have gathered for doing it this way is that GEB wishes to ensure that the dog I have now is the dog I go home with before giving this information. It is more "ceremonial" than anything in that receiving this information makes it all "official". Until it is official, GEB does not feel it is appropriate for students to have this information. It does not bother me as I understand where they are coming from and it is not information I really need right away anyway. The only thing I wish to know is if my puppy raisers will be at graduation or not so I know whether to get a gift for them sooner rather than later. I mentioned it to Greg and Susan and they are going to try to help me at least find this out in time to prepare accordingly.
The other question is what I am doing with all the free time I have here. There are a few things. First, I am still working part-time while here. I log in from here and have been managing to stay on top of things while here. That helps occupy some time. Also, there are other activities that go on here. For example, we have had a yoga class, a doggie massage class, and a session to show us all the souvenirs GEB has available. Other than that, I spend time checking e-mail and just hanging out with classmates. I feel it is important to make connections with my classmates in order to have that added support structure one we are all back home. It is almost like a fraternity in a way. I have some very good folks in my class that I know I will keep in touch with for a long time.
That is all for now! I will write more later this weekend.
Until then, best wishes from New York.
Mike
2005-11-01 - A few more days to share:
6:00 PM:
Hello again everyone! I'm sorry I have not written in a while. I wanted to wait until I had some more fun details to share with you before writing. I left off Friday night, so will pick up on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, we stayed here in Yorktown Heights and practiced our country travel again. This is basically a technique that we use to walk along theshould of a road that does not have sidewalks. It is also helpful during snowy times where sidewalks may have snow plowed on them or are icy and walking along the shoulder of a road may be the only option to get around. There were some O&M (Orientation and Mobility) professionals and students on-site for a five-day conference at GEB, and they observed my walk.
The "going" portion of the trip, I was a little rusty. The only other country trip we had done was earlier in the week during a rainy, windy day, and I needed a slight refresher. On the "return" portion, though, after a few refreshers, Quick and I did excellently. We had to even use techniques to go around a couple of parked cars. It is rather interesting how it is done. The dog will stop you at the car, you identify it is a car, then tell your dog forward. He will then automatically take you around it, but you have to tell him left to get back to the should of the road after passing the vehicle.
Saturday afternoon was rather lazy. The only thing we did was have intros videotaped that will accompany the graduation video.
Sunday morning, two of us students spoke to the O&M group that was on-site about our experiences, mine from a first-timer's experience, and Gwen (from Vermont) from a retrain's perspective. I tried to highlight my many years of a cane user, how I have known many dog users in my life, and how I finally came to the decision to get a dog. I also highlighted how important it is for O&M instructors to present a guide dog as an option to their clients, and to allow their clients to decide their best choice. Many O&M professionals I have worked with or have known do not talk about this as an option very frequently.
Other than this, Sunday was a lazy day. I made sure that Quick and I had some play time together, and relaxed some.
Yesterday, we made a morning trip to White Plains. We did another walk. This time, I did my walk with Greg, the supervisor, who provided me a few good pointers, particularly on my left turns.
In the afternoon, we visited with the on-site vet, and found out more about our dogs. I found out that my dog was born March 8, 2004, and now weighs 69.8 pounds (slightly bigger than I thought). I also found out that Jolene was his trainer, and that his puppy raisers are in the Maryland area. His physical checked out nicely. We also learned how to give pills to our dogs, brush their teeth, and to do their weekly ear cleaning. We also got a lecture from the vet about how to care for our dogs, shots, meds, etc.
This morning, we had more fun in White Plains. In the morning, we did traffic checks. This is where Greg and Graham (another instructor) strategically pulled out in front of us in a van while we were passing by a driveway or crossing a street to ensure that our dogs will stop for such instances. It also gave us an idea how it feels for our dogs to stop suddenly and how important it is for us to react quickly and trust that there is something going on. We passed about five or six instances all successfully. It is nice to know that even if I mis-judge a traffic situation, my dog will prevent us from getting hit!
This afternoon, we did about a five block trip on our own with instructors placed strategically along the way. Quick and I did very well!
Today, we also gave our dogs their monthly heart worm pill. These are tasty treats for our dogs so it is not that hard to make it happen. We also had a reporter from a local newspaper who is part of a 16-page article being done out Yorktown, NY, and things that happen in the town. He took lots of photos! It will appear November 17. It will posted on-line and I will keep an eye out for it and will send out a link to it when it is available.
Tomorrow, we are headed to White Plains again. We will learn how to navigate a train platform. Then, on Thrusday, we will take the train into Manhattan (New York City) for some fun city work! We will ride buses in New York City and have lunch (on GEB) in the city as well.
Tomorrow night we have a sponsored catered dinner by a local Lion's Club. Lion's clubs are some of the biggest contributors to helping the blind community and to fundraising for GEB. As you can imagine, they love meeting the students.
Oh, this afternoon, Becky Barnes also did a small talk on handling airport security with our dogs, handling dog attacks from loose dogs, dealing with access denial to businesses, and in general how to handle others interacting with our dogs.
We continue to do daily obedience routines, and have lots of food and animal distractions to help along. The instructors have also informed us that they are going to start randomly placing food around the building to test us and our dogs. If we hear crunching, we start correcting. I am sure that my precious Quick will be very good and will not eat anything. After all, he only eats a couple of leaves each time I take him out to park! This test should be fun.
And speaking of parking, I have only thrown up once having to pick up after my dog. I have to admit I despise having to do this routine, but am getting more used to it. I can assure you, though, that a diet change is in order for the very near future.
I will probably write more on November 3, Thursday. Until then, best wishes to all!
Mike
2005-11-03 - Manhattan and More:
6:00 PM:
Greetings all!
I have a couple more wonderful days to share with you.
Yesterday: We drove to White Plains in the morning and walked around a train platform. We learned how to work our dog near a train track. We even did a test to see what our dog would do if we told it to go forward while standing at the edge of a platform. Quick did well on this test as he pulled me to the right (where he would be between me and the tracks) and safely the direction I needed to go.
In the afternoon, we did a five-block walk "on our own" with trainers stationed at various locations. Quick and I did very well.
Today: Our trip to Manhattan! This was a wonderful trip. We split up into two groups. The first group was dropped off at the train station 20 minutes away, took the train into New York, and worked during the morning, then rode back on the van after lunch. The other half of us stayed here this morning, rode the van into downtown New York before lunch, joined the group for lunch, then took the train back.
After lunch, I walked ten blocks, took a bus a few blocks, walked nine more blocks, then caught the subway, then walked nine additional blocks, where we met at Grand Central Station and took the train back.
Lots of people, lots of dogs, lots of obstacles. but we did excellently. It was definitely a high-stress environment in Manhattan for a dog. But, Quick has such a wonderful demeanor. He did just fine. Working on buses and trains/subways was great practice for what I will be doing in the real world. It was also fun learning how to manage a dog while standing at a urinal in the men's room at Grand Central Station, but I will spare you all those details!
I am not sure what is in store for tomorrow or for the rest of my time here. Graduation is Saturday. All of the retrains will be going home on Sunday. Richard, Robert, Dan and me stay here for another week for additional training. It will be a good time to get some individualized work done.
I will write more soon!!!
Best wishes,
Mike
2005-11-06 - Graduation and More:
9:30 AM:
Good morning everyone!
I last wrote to you on Thursday evening, so need to share with you Friday and Saturday.
On Friday, in the morning, we went to a local strip mall to work our dogs in a shopping environment. I went to an A&P (yes, they still exist up here!), and to PetSmart. I picked up a 12-pack of Yuengling "Black and Tan" beer at A&P and some bones and toys for Quick at PetSmart. And, we have both had a chance to indulge in our respective recreational purchases since Thursday, so life is good!
Friday afternoon, we did another country walk, a slightly longer one. Quick and me did fairly well on the country route. They also had a couple of Greg's pet dogs out and about to serve as a distraction. Quick did very well in this area!
Now, for Saturday, the big day! This was the day of graduation. We had breakfast then a graduation practice. Then, we were basically on our own until graduation at 1:30 PM. They have the graduation ceremony before the retrains leave. So, even though I graduated, I still have another week here as a new dog user to work on more individualized training and brushing up on techniques and weak areas.
I finished practicing my speech for graduation. I was chosen to represent and talk about the four of us who are new guide dog users.
Graduation went very well. There were quite a few folks there. Several students had family and friends at graduation. My roommate, Dan, from Milwaukee, had his wife, step-daughter and adopted daughter fly in for the celebration. My girlfriend, Milissa Garside (GEB graduate) came in from Boston. All but one puppy raiser came in (the one did not make it due to illness). There was one puppy raiser family that came in from Colorado, and another from Maine.
I met my puppy raiser, Tom O'Connor, from Gaithersburg, MD (about 40 minutes from D.C., and less than four hours from where I live in Pittsburgh). His friend, Terry, also a puppy raiser, drove up with him. Tom took over raising Quick after the original puppy raiser suddenly gave him up as they were not into doing it the correct way and their heart was not into it. Tom is a very nice man. After graduation, he came up to the front to introduce himself and, as you can imagine, Quick went nuts! He was so happy to see Tom. Tom and I hugged and he started crying, and so did I. I was not expecting it to be this emotional!
I can definitely tell that Quick came from a good raiser. Tom was so excited to see Quick, that he was on the GEB premises at 9:00 AM hoping to see us. But, I was inside, in the tech room, and so forth and never walked out any so unfortunately we did not connect until graduation. And, I did not even know Tom was already here.
Another interesting story, though: it turns out that Tom knows Milissa's dog, Jockey. Jockey's puppy-raiser is also from the Gaithersburg/Rockville area and is friends with Tom. Tom knew of Milissa and even informed us that Quick and Jockey knew each other in Maryland when Jockey was an older puppy and Quick a younger one. Jockey and Quick seem to get along very well. Another cute story here in a minute.
After graduation, the folks who were filming the documentary at GEB for the puppy-raiser film that will air on Animal Planet wanted to film Milissa, Tom, Terry, and me walking around outside. So, maybe I'll be on national TV soon! By the way, they are filming me individually in a one-on-one interview on Tuesday.
We also had formal photos taken with Tom, Quick and me, and another with Tom, Milissa, Jockey, Quick and me. Terry also took some photos for the Maryland area puppy raisers site at http://guidingeyes-md.org. Hopefully there will be some shots there soon!
After that, Tom, Terry, Milissa, Wendy (a local puppy raiser who Milissa was staying with while here) and me went out to dinner and talked more. Then, we came back here to the site, Tom came into the dorm room to say a final good-bye to Quick and he was crying. It was a tough moment. But, luckily, Tom lives less than four hours from me and plans to visit Quick and me in Pittsburgh rather frequently. A very nice man and a very good new friend I have.
It was a wonderful day.
Today is Sunday. Things are lazy. I will do some grooming of my dog and play with him some and also get some work done, too.
Less than a week to go before I am Pittsburgh-bound!
Ohe! One other interesting story. Quick loves Mexican places! Apparently, while Tom was raising Quick, they frequented a local
Mexican restaurant whose employees loved Quick and, in turn, Quick loved to go to. Ironically, my favorite place in Dormont (area of Pittsburgh) is a place called Mexi-Casa. I hope Quick loves it just as much!!
The next few days will be a lot more individualized work. I am not sure what is going on yet, but when I know more I will share it with you all.
Until then, best wishes from New York.
Mike
2005-11-08 - Three Weeks In:
4:30 PM:
Hello everyone,
After a relaxing Sunday, and after all the retrains left, we had some more individualized training this week with the four students left.
Yesterday, Monday, in the morning, we went to neighboring Peekskill, NY. There, we practiced some additional residential work in a lower traffic, higher residential area. The area is actually very comparable to my neighborhood, so it was a nice trip.
Then, we came back to the dorms for about an hour and a half, watered and parked our dogs, and then we left for Cold Spring, NY, which sits on the Hudson River. We ate lunch at the Depot, an old train station converted into a restaurant. It was a nice meal. Then, we walked down to the boardwalk overlooking the Hudson. Following that, we did about a twelve block roundtrip “on our own” with the three trainers and Lori, the Instructor Assistant, stationed at various points with walkie talkies keep an eye on us. Quick and I did very well!
Today was slightly more adventurous! First, Robert Rodriguez left to go back to the Bronx. He is going to get the remainder of his training at home since he lives close-by. So, there is only Richard (North Carolina), Dan (Milwaukee) and me left. We went to White Plains.
There is lots of excitement going on now. For one, the folks filming the puppy-raiser documentary were on-site during our trip in White Plains today. Also, represents from the Hellen Keller Foundation were on-site hosting two women from Thailand who are interested in starting a program for deaf-blind citizens in their country. They wanted to observe how we do things.
In the morning, I did about a ten block trip around White Plains with several cameramen following me around and running all over the place trying to stay ahead of Qiuick and me. It was rather amusing! It went very well. Then, after lunch, I was interviewed one-on-one for about twenty to twenty-five minutes. I was asked about various aspects of my experiences with Quick, how I will utilize him, and so forth. The interview went very well! As I find out more information about when the documentary will be available for purchase and/or will be aired on The Animal Planent and/or the Discovery Channel, I will send that information along.
This afternoon, I did one more trip around White Plains, where I was able to stop into the pharmacy to pick up a couple items.
Just to let you know, tomorrow is my last day here. I am flying home Thursday, two days early. I need to get home for work-related purposes. The instructors feel I am doing well enough to do this. Personally, I think it would be advantageous to be here for those two additional days and I encourage any new dog user to stay the full time if possible. The exception was necessary for my situation, though.
I will probably write a “final” note sometime this weekend after I get home and settled. Thursday will be Quick’s first time on an airplane! I will share all the adventures with you this weekend.
Until then, thank you all!
Mike
2005-12-04 - Back In the 'Burgh!:
Hello everyone!
This e-mail is going out to everyone (who has an e-mail address) in my GEB class, including trainers, and also to my “Gravitt-Dog” e-mail group. It is also going out to Tommy O’Connor, “Quick’s” puppy raiser. I hope that everyone I trained with is doing well with your new adventures, and that everyone else is also doing well!
I have now been home for three and a half weeks with Quick, who by the way, is now known as “Rick”. I decided to rename him for a variety of reasons. First, I have had an incident or two where folks around me had a misconception that I was being rushed or impatient with my dog (i.e.: “Quick, let’s go”; “Quick, forward”, etc.) I do not like giving the public any bad vibes as I am being observed by onlookers (and you bet there are many). I also noticed that I hear the term “quick” used by people surrounding me more than I hear “Rick”, a potential distraction issue. Plus, all the “quickie” jokes were getting a little old, thus the decision. It was very easy to transition him to the new name; I just started using it and he “quickly” caught on! The fact that the words rhyme made this easy. It was not easy to decide to do this, but, long-term, I feel it will be a great adjustment!
Then, of course, I went to the local American Council of the Blind holiday party yesterday and realized that Jim Davis, a graduate from Leader Dogs in Michigan, has a nice female yellow lab named “Rickie”. As I am planning on calling Rick that same name sometimes (interchangeably), it will be another source of confusion when I go to local ACB functions. Oh, well!
I have made a couple of other adjustments as well. I weaned him off the Eimes (sp?) dog food and switched him to Science Diet. The former was causing some occasional “not so pleasant” effects that the Science Diet (which he was on as a puppy) seems to have resolved. And, beginning yesterday, after consulting with the GEB vet, I am only going to feed him once per day instead of twice (same amount of daily food of course). I will probably do this only through the winter months. When eating twice a day, I somehow had to carry presents three times a day to the back of my apartment building (not sure why what only goes in twice a day comes out three times a day). I am hoping to bring this three times a day routine down to two, or, if I’m lucky, only one. Once the weather cooperates again and I won’t mind the adventure to the back of my apartment building as much, I will likely get him back to twice a day.
Okay, now that I have ruined your next meal to more functional details!
First, for our flight home: After a flight delay then sitting on the runway for 45 minutes waiting to take off, we proceeded to take of for Rick’s first flight. As soon as we taxied and the wheels left the ground, Rick looked up for a few seconds, and this look and body language on him that said “What the hell!”. Then, as if to give up on trying to figure it out, he just laid down and slept the whole time. He did very well.
After getting home, the next day, a nearby friend whose husband is blind, was nice enough to take me to PetCo. I picked up a few supplies, including a raised dog bowl holder and a 50 pound air-tight container that very nicely holds those big 40-pound bags of dog food. I got a few other bones, a long leash, a dog bed for him to use at work, and life was good! By the way, the local PetCo did give me a 10% discount since I have a service animal. This is not a national standard, and varies from store to store, but I am glad I asked.
Rick has done very well in the work environment. It just so happens that during my absence from work that a major remodeling of my work building began! I found this out two hours before I left my last day of work before leaving for GEB. I had to quickly pack my stuff before leaving, and when I returned I was at a new, temporary desk on the second floor (from the first). Then, one week later, I had to move back down to the first floor, to a new and bigger cubicle (plenty of room for Rick). He sleeps most of the day! I keep him on tie-down, but do take his harness off. I have gotten to where I let co-workers say hi to him, but never without me also sharing in the attention giving. Starting tomorrow, assuming my manager at Bayer finds it acceptable, I want to start collecting donations for pets! Want to pet my dog? Drop some change in the jar! Then, every so often I would send the money into GEB. Being that it costs GEB $40,000 per dog to train, I figure this may be a good way to help. But, I will check at Bayer first. Anyway, Rick sleeps most of the day, chomping on his bone a few minutes here and there. He has done well through lots of construction noise and horrible smells of new paint, carpet and other supplies. Everyone comments on how they do not even know he is there (which is the way it should be).
And, as for Bayer, the client-site where I work through Bender Consulting Services, has been a superstar in helping. Going back to July when I had my interview, HR representatives from Bayer wanted to meet with my interviewer to ensure they were doing all they could to help. I was given a bigger desk (as I said earlier). Bookmarks that contain basic “do’s” and “do not’s” of guide dogs were passed out while I was gone. An e-mail was sent to employees in my building with some quick pointers. And, finally, next week on 12/8, Bayer is hosting Joyce Bender, the CEO of my employer, to come in and speak to managers or any employees interested in learning the correct etiquette about guide dogs. I have been told that this is unheard of by employers, that I am very lucky. And, I agree! I have not had any problems yet anyway. The only problem is that later this month or early next month, we are going to have a whole slew of employees moving into my building from other locations (including a whole new previously vacant floor). So, once all the newbies come around, not sure if we’ll be back at the drawing board for educating others, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it! The bottom line is that Rick is doing well at work, and my employer (Bender and Bayer) have been very cooperative. Oh, not to mention the fact that both gave me the approval to take off for nearly four weeks on four days notice. Bayer also allowed me to work part-time while in New York so I would not have to dig into my 2006 vacation time.
Now, outside of work, I have had some difficulties in adjusting, but it is getting better. It is unusual to have a dog with you everywhere you go! The simplest things seem to require an extra step, to make sure my dog is settled and/or out of harm’s way. I did not like having to deal with this at first, but as I have pushed myself to take on various scenarios in restaurants, stores, public transit, etc., it has gotten easier. My girlfriend, Milissa, has made it look so easy! But, she is more seasoned than me. I also have had to adjust to dealing with parking and feeding him, grooming, etc. It all takes time, but it is definitely becoming more routine!
I have found that I travel faster when I do walk and that I am a lot less afraid to travel at night. This is fantastic! As I am of the philosophy that my benefits need to outweigh the “costs” associated with this new lifestyle, I am looking for ways that Rick is going to enhance my productivity, so I have been working with him on the “follow” command, which GEB does not teach. I would say he has it about 80% figured out. Luckily, I have enough residual vision to assist me with this training. I also have enough residual vision to keep me out of trouble if he cheats and does not follow who I want him to or veers off track somehow.
Rick is also a wonderful friend and buddy, very gentle, loving, and appreciative. Every time after feeding him or giving him water, he’ll run up to me wanting to kiss me on the face as if to say, “Thank you, daddy!”. He is very low-maintenance in many ways as he is laid back. Also, having short fur, I do not have any issues with dog hair and grooming him is a breeze! I have also gotten much better at brushing his teeth and cleaning his ears, thanks to some pointers from Milissa.
And, speaking of Milissa, her and Jockey were here in Pittsburgh for five-plus days over Thanksgiving. Rick and Jockey really get along well (you may recall they knew each other when Rick was a little puppy and Jockey was an older puppy). It was nice to get some pointers from Milissa in my own stomping grounds. Milissa will be back here on Christmas night for a four week visit during her winter break from college. I am certain that the slight anxiety I still feel in certain situations will be gone by then as I plan to really try to get out there into different situations a lot during that time. I just hope the weather stays somewhat tolerable, as I do not like snow, ice, and cold, and will not go out unless I have to, dog or no dog, unless Milissa nags me enough. She’s from Boston and I am from southern Virginia originally, so what is just another day to her is a reason to hibernate for me!
Oh, one more thing: Jolene Hollister, Rick’s trainer and mine, has checked in with me recently and given me some pointers. Rick likes to take his time sometimes on street crossings (although the very recent past he has improved). He also likes to walk slow sometimes. This is not that abnormal at first and no reason for alarm at all. Jolene and I worked on some techniques here.
And, geez, yet one more thing, I should soon be receiving a sign I ordered for Rick that says, “Do not feed or flirt with me”. I can’t wait! You can order these from Handiworks (www.handiworks.com).
Anyway, I will write more down the road. I am adding a digital camera to my soon-to-purchase list as I want to start to get some photos of our adventures. Wow, this is almost like having a child, huh! Well, Rick is my baby now, so I guess it is. Wow!
Thank you all for reading and I will be in touch soon.
Mike
2005-12-22 - Happy Holidays, Cute Dogs, and Broken Bones!:
Greetings to everyone and Happy Holidays!
Well, I made it through thirty years of my life without breaking any bones! Unfortunately, as of this past Sunday, the 18th, this winning streak has changed. I slipped on ice and dislocated my ankle, fractured it in three places, and have a torn ligament. What was originally going to be a peacful Sunday turned into something quite different!
I had a beautiful plan for Sunday. I was going to stop by the Dormont Police Station for a few minutes on my way to walking to church. I was going to Dormont Police Station for two reasons. First, I was going to renew a visitor's parking pass that had expired. And, secondly, I was going to inquire what the policy was in our area on snow and ice removal as there is more of it around than I feel in necessary, especially after a couple of nicer weather days since any frozen precipitation. Then, after church, I was going to hang out with my friends Matt and Kristen to watch the Steeler game, Matt being a fellow guide dog user (not a GEB graduate, though). However, there was a slightly altered gameplan as time passed!
As I was walking up Hillsdale Avenue, I realized that I believed I had walked past the street for the police station (which I later realized I indeed had). As I was crossing over an alley (or getting ready to cross) suddenly, I lost total control of my legs as I slipped to the ground. As I tried to get up I realized that my left foot was twisted totally out of place. Not a very pleasant feeling! My boy, Rick, at first thought I was down there to play with him in the middle of the alley, but then must have realized that something was not exactly right as he then laid over me, as if to protect me.
I called 911 from my cell phone and officers and medics were soon on the scene. Sadly, I heard a few other cars pass by me but no one stopped. Not sure if it was just because they saw me talking on the phone and knew that I was okay or exactly what they may have been thinking, if at all. Anyway, Rick and I headed to the hospital. I called my pastor and my friends Matt and Kristen and I had plenty of company with me all day during the procedure to "relocate" my ankle and the surgery to fix the fractures. Matt and Kristen also took care of Rick until I got home yesterday.
Milissa flew in early yesterday and is spening a few weeks with me and helping me care for Rick. I spoke with Jolene at GEB and I will keep him around. If I have trouble working him after I can walk again they will of course send a trainer to work with us. Also, if anything does come up that I cannot care for Rick in the meantime they will make arrangements for me. It is all working out well!
I have lots of support from family, friends, church family, collegues, and especially Milissa. It is great to be home! I will be on my PC quite a bit and hopefully will be arranging to work from home as much as I can, too, so plan to live as normally as one can in this situation. Unfortuantely, I have to go up/down 35 steps to the front door of my apartment building (and no elevator). That is a huge hinderance! But, I have always been fairly good at working out logistics, so just another in the series of challenges that us folks with disabilities are used to facing daily anyway.
Rick was very happy to see me again. He came by to visit Tuesday and is now home with me as of yeterday and is under Milissa's good care (along with me!).
Anyway, I will be fine, will heal fully and look forward to six weeks from now being basically back to normal!
I hope that each of you have a great holiday and I will be in touch soon!
Best wishes from Pittsburgh,
Mike
2006-01-21 - Walking Again and Temporary Good-bye’s:
12:00 noon:
Hello everyone!
A day shy of five weeks has passed since I fractured my ankle. And, as of this morning, I am learning to walk again! I have to use a support cane, and sometimes a walker. I also have to wear a special protective boot. I am not able to walk at a normal pace yet, but at least I am definitely functioning more!
Unfortunately, I know that I cannot take care of Rick, and Milissa leaves in three days. I have had plenty of wonderful people, including Rick's puppy-raiser, offer to help care for Rick. However, after speaking to the good folks at GEB, they are going to pick him up on Monday, and ensure that he continues to get worked each day with a trainer. When I am able to walk normally again, in perhaps four to six more weeks, they will send Rick back to me, along with a trainer, and get us back on track.
So, I will part ways with my new buddy for a short time, but he will be in good hands and I can focus on getting back on track and not over-extending myself any more than absolutely necessary.
Yesterday was three months since I first met Rick. We have already had a very strong bond. I think he knows something is going on as I notice he seems very clingy the past day or two, more than normal. Thankfully, by the time the spring-time arrives, we should be back on track.
I hope everyone is doing well. I will write more soon!
Take care,
Mike
2006-02-18 - Reunion Soon to Come!
Two months ago today was when I had my accident and injury due to slipping on ice. It is hard to believe it has been that much time!
Yesterday, I had a great report from my orthopedic surgeon, and I am walking again without the use of the support boot. In other words, I am basically back to normal! It is little uncomfortable, and something I am to minimize the first cople of weeks. One of the screws in my ankle prevents me from bending it fully. This will come out with minor surgery I have scheduled for March 16, but until then I will be walking with a minor limp. But, I am walking at a somewhat normal pace again. It is very nice!
I had to run a few errands this morning and, of course, it did have to snow just enough to cover the sidewalks, and to make me a nervous wreck during my first journey out. The fact that it was only 20 degrees did not make it any better. But, foolish or not, I did it anyway as I had stuff that needed to get done.
The better news: My buddy, Rick, will be returning one week from today on February 25. Kathy Rooney, a field rep with GEB, will be accompanying him. She is coming in early morning Saturday and will work with us on through Sunday evening. So, in addition to the reunion, I will get a couple of days of training in my own stomping ground (well, stomping with my right leg anyway!).
After five weeks without him, I will be glad to reunite. Milissa will be here from March 9 thru 22 (which is why I scheduled my surgery for March 16). Spring is around the corner, and life is looking good!
GEB has been wonderful in going out of their way for Rick and me. It definitely shows the care they have for their students, and makes me very proud to have chosen them. I am not sure if other schools would provide such stellar service and assistance to their students. I know a couple of my readers are in the process of making decisions on a guide dog school. Remember, there is more to a school than just the training and the dog. There is also that added support that one receives once they are home. GEB has given me that much-needed support, and should be commended for it!
I will check in next weekend. Stay tuned.
Best wishes from a VERY cold Pittsburgh,
Mike
2006-02-26 - Reunited
5:15PM
Greetings everyone!
Rick and I are reunited again!
Kathy Rooney, a field representative from GEB arrived early yesterday morning on a flight from Hartford, near where she works from and lives. She arrived at my place at around 9:30 AM (which means she was up at just past 3:00 AM!). Rick was SOOOO excited to see me, and pulled away from Kathy to come over to me and give me kisses. It was fantastic!
We did several exercises throughout the weekend to get me back up to speed. We first did a trip around the block (well, more like several blocks) where I live, stopping at CVS and to pick up my dry cleaning (I figured I might as well save a couple of errands for the training). In the afternoon, we took the trolley (the "T") into downtown Pittsburgh and did some work in the city. We finally met my friends Kristen and Vanessa for dinner and walked about eight blocks prior to that. So, I got a nice workout in! Rick did very well!
Today, it was snowy in the morning and very cold. I wanted to get Kathy's opinion of one of the routes I sometimes travel to the grocery store, as the sidewalks are a little close to the brim of the highway. We did this from the warmth and safety of her rental car. We then drove to Home Depot, an indoor place with wide aisles that Kathy thought would be perfect for some indoor work. We then went to church, doing some additional indoor work, then to lunch. Then, it was time for Kathy to depart on her journey back to Connecticut. It was a great weekend. Rick is very happy to be back and we have quickly settled in.
Kathy said that Rick and I are a very wonderful team, and a great match. She reinforced my good handling habits and pointed out a few adjustments to make. She said that if I keep doing what I am doing that he will definitely work very hard for me and I will get maximum benefit in my mobility. She has been taking care of Rick since Wednesday, and complimented on his hard work ethic combined with a very wonderful personality when he is just being a dog. She said that she could tell by his wonderful behavior that he had excellent puppy-raising as well, so THANK YOU TOMMY! She said that it makes all the difference in the world, and it truly has. I feel truly blessed.
Finally, I do want to say that Kathy Rooney was truly a joy to work with. I can tell she loves what she does, and seemed more than happy to be here with Rick and me, even on a weekend! GEB has very dedicated employees working for them, and Kathy is definitely one of them!
I will continue to check in on occasion. Until then, I hope everyone is doing well. Keep in touch!
Best wishes,
Mike
2006-05-10 - Six Months Home
8:00 PM
Greetings everyone!
I know it has been two and a half months since I last wrote to everyone. I hope that each of you are doing well!
Six months ago today was the day I flew home with "Quick Rick". It is hard to believe it has been that long, well in some ways. In others, it has seemed like a very long half year, especially with the ankle injury and the away time from Rick.
Things are going very well with this "dog thing". Rick and I seem to be doing very well. We have a tremendous bond. This dog never wants to be away from me! And, while he has his share of mistakes (as do I), he seems very determined to learn and to look out for me. There are still a few situations that I get a little uncomfortable in, but I would say that we are 90% there!
While I will not focus much on the quirks we are having, I will say a few good things. First, I find myself traveling with much more speed and confidence than before. Especially in darker and/or unfamiliar places, I find myself much more relaxed. I let Rick do the work. It is like going sighted guide with a person. I am sure it can be difficult to relate to what I am saying if you do not live it day-to-day, but one never can really relax when walking in unfamiliar territory with a cane. It requires a good bit of alertness and concentration. With Rick, it is not as mentally draining to travel, plus it is faster (at least for me it is). Plus, with his fantastic memory, he tends to associate key words with where I want to go. Lots of times, I do not really have to give him many queues; he knows what we are doing. The only problem is when he assumes the wrong thing, and not being so quick to react when I command him otherwise. We are working on that.
It is also very nice to have a companion around, as I have said before. I have gotten used to having the extra spirit around me. As much as I love dogs, and have always loved dogs, it still amazes me how much of a bond Rick and I have created. Being around each other all the time, and being that his sole purpose in life is my safety, the bond cannot help but be that much more intense.
Well, summer is almost here, and we are getting out more! I will be going to Boston over Memorial Day weekend for a few days to see Milissa. That will be a good test for the two of us. This will be our first time traveling out of town together. I am looking forward to it! I also plan to go to the GEB Walk-a-Thon in October. If you are planning on coming to the Walk-a-Thon, please drop me a note (mgravitt2@comcast.net) to let me know!
I have not heard anything further about the documentary that was being filmed while I was in New York for training. This is the documentary that was being put together about puppy-raisers. A few of us were interviewed and filmed for this documentary that was supposed to be released sometime in the spring of 2006, and perhaps to air on Animal Planet and/or The Discovery Channel. If any of you have any information on this, please let me know!
Since this message is going out to all my classmates (the ones that have e-mail anyway), please let me hear from you, and how you are doing.
I will write more after our Boston journey to let you know how it goes.
Best wishes to everyone!
Mike
2006-06-11 – Daniel Weber-Schulz and Spago Hit by Car
Folks,
I received an e-mail this morning that my Guiding Eyes roommate, Daniel Weber-Schulz, was involved in an accident Thursday.
Spago, Dan's dog, is okay, and Daniel soon will be after some recovery time.
Dan had just gotten off the bus and was legally crossing the street. He remembers looking up and seeing a car coming straight towards him, and the next thing he remembers was being in an ambulance.
The car hit Spago directly, and then Spago hit Dan so hard that Dan fell and banged his head. He has a five-inch hairline fracture in his skull, and did have some bleeding. He also seemingly reinjured his knee that he had two previous surgeries on. He will have to use a walker for a while to get around.
I spoke to Dan this morning and he will be released from the hospital later today. He will be in good hands with his wife, Ann, and daughters, Becca and Ella.
I have given Ann contact information for GEB. She will be contacting the office as Spago may need to go back for a brief period until Dan can walk again, and to retain his training. Spago may possibly need to have some re-encouragement on street crossings, too, after the incident.
Spago did do his job, though. He stayed between Dan and the car instead of pulling to get out of the way. It proves the loyalty that our four-legged friends have!!!
Ann encourages cards and phone calls. Remember, Dan will just be getting home later today, so you may wish to wait a day or two if you decide to call. Here is the contact information. Feel free to pass this along to any lists you may be on:
Daniel Weber-Schulz
209 S. 77th St.
Milwaukee, WI 53214
Phone: 414-453-0005
E-mail:
dweberschulz@sbcglobal.net
The driver claims she did not see Dan crossing the street due to being blinded by sunlight.
If anyone knows of any ways to get this story in the Milwaukee-area media, or knows of any good providers of legal counsel for such a situation, please pass it along to them.
If I hear anything further, I will keep you informed.
Thank you for your concern. Please keep Dan, Spago, and the family in your thoughts and prayers.
Mike