client stories

Every client has a story to tell.  We want to share them with you.

Claire Ganz and Blitz talk about the Owner/Self-Training process.

Grade A Plus

Beverly and Tilley

Beverly Francisco- James, retired US Veteran, is a quiet hero.  Born in the Four Corners area, Francisco-James joined the Navy, served for nearly fifteen years and did see the world…Japan, Korea, Pensacola, Kuwait.  After retirement from the Navy, Beverly returned to NM to be close to her Navajo roots; a retirement that unfortunately didn’t look like what she planned. As a result of the arthritis medication Remicade prescribed while in the service, she suffered a severe brain injury.  Remicade deteriorated a blood vessel in her brain, ultimately destroying her thymus gland; it processes a type of white blood cell that governs cellular immunity which means it help cells recognize and destroy invading bacteria, virus, and abnormal cell growth such as cancer, and foreign tissue. As a result of the damage, Beverly lost sight in her left eye and is partially paralyzed on the left side (she startles easily from this deficit), lost short term memory, and suffers from some hearing loss and frequent exhaustion.

So, why is she a hero?  Francisco-James says, “My brain damage is a blessing…God’s way of opening a door so I can help people.” She spends much of her time now working with veterans from current conflicts and their families, talking about brain injury.  She helps people understand the symptoms, teaches them what to expect and ways to react. Beverly is on the board of the Brain Injury Association of New Mexico where she is also Volunteer Coordinator. An committed advocate, she has spoken and testified about Brain Injuries to government health agencies in Washington, DC and at national conferences.

Beverly attended Client Placement Training in April to learn how to work with Tilley, a lab/golden cross who has already helped enormously with balance, awareness of surroundings, comfort and full time companionship.  The two gals are incredibly sweet, funny and hard working characters.

Before the blinding headache that changed her life, Beverly was a self-described super “type A” personality. Everything was organized, labeled; she juggled many projects, and was an active runner. Today she’s learned to slow down some, walk carefully, put her health first and let the small stuff go.  But to everyone at ADW and the veteran lives that she touches, Beverly Francisco-James still rates a huge A plus.

MPDFAD

Michelle McMaster and Howie

I am sad to report that my assistance dog, who goes by the name of Howie, has been diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder known as MPDFAD (multiple personality disorder for assistance dogs).

Howie regularly acts like a dog, assistance dog, pig, human, and a comatose speed bump Golden Retriever. Yeah, that’s right; I said Comatose Speed Bump Golden Retriever. You may ask yourself, “How can a Golden Retriever be comatose if he’s so playful?”  I know this sounds contradictory, but I totally swear it’s the truth; I spend 24 hours a day with Howie.

When he accompanies me through the University of New Mexico, Howie is a respectable, distinguished assistance dog but once I have him go under a desk in a classroom, that MPFAD kicks in. He immediately goes into his comatose speed bump phase.  The best example of this is when construction was going on outside my classroom and workers were jack hammering through concrete. The floor of the classroom began to vibrate and the noise was deafening, but Howie remained a comatose speed bump throughout. As the floor vibrated, Howie’s whole body began to vibrate as well, but he didn’t move; his eyes were closed tight and he just laid there, snoring softly. This is a classic symptom of MPDFAD.

Howie also likes to roll on the floor snorting like a pig, more evidence of his disorder. He often uses the living room floor as his napkin after eating each night; rubbing his face with both paws in a scrubbing motion and then wiping all remaining food particles on the carpet emulating the human behavior of cleanliness.  Wait, what’s that Howie…?   Oh, Howie says that he is not “emulating” human behavior because he is a human, not a service dog.

The final symptom that makes me positive Howie suffers from MPDFAD is his love of amusement park rides. A couple months ago, my family and I (Howie, too) went on vacation to SeaWorld.  Howie insisted that he go on the rides and when I told him dogs couldn’t go on rides, he reminded me he wasn’t a dog. So what could I do – I took him on the Pin Wheel (a type of Ferris Wheel) and Rio Loco (a water ride).

What “normal” Golden Retriever goes on amusement park rides? I don’t know any others, that’s for sure.  The only logical explanation for such behavior is MPDFAD.  Howie is a great success as my assistance dog, despite this disorder.  If you would like more information about this condition though, please contact Assistance Dogs of the West.

Michelle McMaster, Howie’s person