Travis & Sadie
Travis Sampson's mother tells what a Gateway service dog for her son means to her and her family...
"When Sadie Rose joined our family last August, we didn't realize what a blessing and a challenge she would be. We have always had a dog in the house, but a small dog, not a 95 pound puppy! There were some adjustments to be made, and we're still making them. Puppies want to play, play, play. And when she looks up at you with those big brown eyes, floppy ears, wagging tail, and drops her ball at your feet—who can say, "no, not now"? She gets you moving! That is what our son, Travis, needs.
"Travis is 26 years old and has had a severe seizure disorder since he was 4 months old. When he was 2 years old, and then again when he was 2 ½ years old, he had major brain surgery to try to remove an astrocytoma located in the right frontal, parietal, and anterior lobes. Following the second surgery, while in recovery, Travis had a stroke. The stroke has left him with partial paralysis of the left side of his body. In addition, Travis has difficulty communicating with people; has a severe learning disability—reading on a K-1 grade level; and a reasoning age level of a 12-15 year old. Despite high doses of three different medications, and a Vagus Nerve Stimulator implant, he is still experiencing continual seizure spikes every 2-3 seconds and, at least, once a week a partial complex seizure followed immediately by a grand mal seizure.
"As I mentioned, Travis is now 26 years old. He wants to live on his own, he doesn't want to live with "Mom." Therefore, "Mom" is trying to make it possible. However, for my peace of mind, I need to put in place as many safety guards as I can for Travis. There are many services which Travis qualifies for, such as assistance with cooking, cleaning, shopping, and whatever else we feel Travis needs help with on a daily basis. One of my greatest concerns is when he is out in the community walking to a restaurant, miscellaneous shopping, snacks, etc., what safety precautions can we make there? I had heard about dogs that assisted their owners, but in asking Travis' many doctors, even our family veterinarian, no one had any information for me. I went to the yellow pages, started calling veterinarians and dog trainers.
"Then I noticed the word "Partnership." I called, explained my situation, they understood what I needed. I had finally called the right place!
"It has been wonderful. Sadie was already trained. We now needed to be trained. Wendy asked many questions to assess our needs, then training began. First, Wendy outfitted Travis with a leash that is hooked to a belt around his waist—leaving his one good hand free. In addition to the basic training, we have been working with a specific command for Sadie when it comes to crossing the street. If not given, she does not cross—keeping Travis from walking into the street. Also, when Travis has a seizure, Sadie will push a device on his wrist that alerts a company. They will contact someone from a list we have provided of persons who can check on Travis. If they are unable to contact someone, they will then call 911. Sadie is also very well behaved. Travis takes her with him wherever he goes, to the grocery store, restaurants, the mall, to movies, and even to church. Even though we are with Travis now, we are now preparing both Travis and Sadie for the time when we will not be with them.
"There is also an added benefit to Sadie being in Travis' life. Although there are many people involved with Travis, a close friend he does not have. Sadie is his best friend. She watches him, and when he has a grand mal seizure, she is at his side. Another benefit is that he has a responsibility—Sadie. As we all know, the majority of teenagers at the age that Travis is at mentally are in a very self-centered stage of their development. Travis is no different. With Sadie, he is learning to care and give—something we all need to learn.
"As a mom, letting go of our children is always difficult, but more so when there are disabilities involved. In jest, I have told Travis that if anything happens to him he cannot come back and haunt me because this is what he wanted to do! He has agreed. In truth, I love my son very much and want him to progress in this life—I believe this life is a time to learn. Even with Travis' limited abilities, there is still much for him to learn about caring, giving, and gratitude. With that, I want to express my gratitude for all those who have made this program available for those who need a "special friend."
"Thank you,
Mom"
Update:
Travis & Sadie Rose were trained and certified at Gateway To Canine Partnerships. Last year, Claudia, Travis' mom called me and asked if we could find another client to train with Sadie Rose. I asked why and she told me, "Since Sadie Rose has been with Travis, Travis has not had any seizures and I thought she's trained to alert to seizures and maybe someone else could benefit from her skill." We placed Sadie Rose with Cameron Grieve and his family. Cameron has the same type of seizures Travis had. Who knows, maybe Sadie Rose has a special skill that none of us know.
