Getting my Diabetic Alert Dog with my dad

The adventure of acquiring a Diabetic Alert Dog has started.  Today my dad and I have travelled over 4 hours to the Lions Foundation in Oakville for the three weeks of training.  I am so grateful to my dad for coming with me and acting as my "care-taker" while I am here.  I do not require a "care-taker" on an on-going basis, but for me to participate in this program I do need it.  It is a prerequisite. My mom suggested that I ask dad to come along and he was more than willing.  I can't wait to start this whole thing tomorrow. 

 

Although I've been absent and or tried other blogs, I always come back to the hub - to the core of what I am: a mom with type 1 Diabetes.  I am many things.  I wear many hats.  But at my core I am a mom to three (that's right 3 now!) wonderful little people God has entrusted to me.  I am also the wife of a wonderful and courageous man whom I love with all my heart.  I am SURROUNDED by an amazing family that love and support me daily!  My parents, my in-laws and my sisters (two in-law and one immediate) and brothers-in-law, love me and I AM BEYOND BLESSED.  I do not deserve this life. It is abundant and wonderful.  

All decked out for a family wedding a couple days ago

At this moment in my life, when I am about to embark on this new chapter, I am overwhelmed with joy.  Joy at the fact that God has made this possible for me; joy that my family is on-board with this whole change; joy that as a little family of 5 we are growing to 6 - that's right I am about to become a mom to a fourth little bouncing and wonderful baby.  There is so much to be thankful for.  

As a person with diabetes getting a Type 1 Diabetic Alert Dog, means diabetes will finally, rightfully take more of a center stage in my life.  For 10 years it has sat on the sidelines and I have allowed it to take a prominent spot only during my past 3 pregnancies.  I groan and complain when my pump beeps and I don't test quite as often as I should... but suddenly I will have to be responsive to this dog that will be attentive to me and my sugar levels.  I will have to take it seriously or else the dog's sole purpose will be diminished and all the training it has received will go to waste.

What an exciting time! I love new challenges and this is certainly one of those life changing moments.

We arrived today around 4 and were greeted by the head trainer, Gloria.  She was spunky and had the cutest pug with her.  My dad and I were escorted to our rooms and we had a little bit of time to settle in and soon 5 pm came, and it was time to head up for dinner.  Dinner was prepared by a wonderful Lions Foundations staff member and it was delicious.  All 6 clients (all type 1 diabetics) and our caretakers joked around that we could get used to this.  

We made small talk and I met some truly wonderful people - half of whom are in the same boat as me - fighting a monster daily; struggling to stay alive despite dropping blood sugars that we are starting to not sense.  Introducing: Hypoglycemic Unawareness.  

We don't get to meet the Diabetic Alert Dogs (DADs) until Wednesday and we don't get to take them to our rooms overnight until Thursday.  I can't wait!  This little animal (who am I kidding it's most likely a Labrador - golden, black or chocolate - and it will be medium to large size) will be my new best friend.  This DAD will literally be around me 24/7 making it it's primary objective to watch over me. I am beyond excited.  Will it be a female or male DAD?  And out of the three types of dogs that they train - Labs, Golden Retrievers and Poodles - which one will be mine?  What will it be its name?  I will use this name over and over again for the next 10 years.  

An example of Labradors - Black, Chocolate and golden 

Golden Retriever 

Black Poodle

What I've learned so far from the short intro we got is that for the first week we will be trained on obedience.  That is first.  That is the foundation and we need to establish that I am "boss" to this DAD and that the trainer will no longer be the "boss".  The trainers typically have 8 dogs that they are training at any given time.  Once we are introduced to our DADs we will be one on one with them - that is a bonus for us, the new dog handlers.  We need to establish ourselves to be the Alpha dog.  

As a family we have never owned a pet.  This DAD will not be a pet.  This will be a service dog. And so it may be to our advantage that the first experience and exposure we have with an animal in our house will be a service dog that is trained and that I am also taught how to handle.  In the past few months (since I've known I'm coming up for the training) I often wondered what can they possibly teach us for 3 weeks?  But after being here for even a few hours and learning a very broad overview of what is coming up and listening to Gloria for a few hours on what to expect and what's coming, I am certain I will need more than 3 weeks.  There is so much to understand and learn.  

I will have a hard time being away from my family.  I will miss my husband and 3 kids.  In some ways it's so nice to have this time to myself to focus on me.  I don't ever focus on me; on my well-being.  It will be a time to regain some focus so I can go back with my DAD and both him/her and I will be focused on my diabetes.  When I am taking care of my diabetes I am taking better care of everyone.  Sometimes though, no matter what I do, diabetes rocks my world.  It is not a perfect science and any number of things will set it off in whatever direction it wishes to go.  

More to come.  This adventure is certainly exciting and it's only just begun!  I can't wait to meet my DAD and for us to bond.  I'll have to get over dog hair and doggy breath and understand how wonderful this animal truly is.  I'm pretty certain any concerns I have are in my head and once I meet this dog that's been chosen for me, I'll be in love!