Rumination and Medication

On Monday the 15th, Rachel had a regularly scheduled psych appointment, so I had some time alone in the waiting area. After about 30 minutes Rachel brought Stewart out, and asked me to take him out for a break, and then I kept him with me for a few minutes, and we waited together.

While we were waiting, my mind was on many things, but having recently updated this blog, my thoughts veered toward what sorts of things we want to share about our journey.

The only major thing we've not shared here is that Rachel is a medical cannabis patient, and we started this treatment 3 years ago this month. We have tried pre-made tinctures and oils, and homemade products as well. All of them have helped to at least a small degree, but mainly with the rampant anxiety she lives with, and not so much with the seizures.

Our most recent change has been to begin using a sub-lingual with a 1:1 THC to CBD ratio, in an Indica strain, which is very helpful for the anxiety, and for helping with bedtime wakefulness. It was developed and the product created by the wonderful people at Oregon Microgrowers Guild. Rachel has been using it 3 times a day, steadily, for the last two weeks. In that time she's had one very small seizure, and though she's had some anxiety, she hasn't had a meltdown, or even a moderate attack.

We always have hope that whatever newest treatment we're using will be the one that makes the difference in her life; that it will make her life more manageable, and less stressful. The jury is still out on this tincture, but the nice thing about cannabis treatment is that there are so many options, and all of them are less scary than a new pharmaceutical treatment.

Rachel is still taking all of her prescribed medications, but cannabis has allowed her to wean off Klonopin, and we are hoping to make a reduction in her very high dose of Keppra.

This sub-lingual oil is in a healthy coconut oil base, and is kept refrigerated, so that's why it looks like it has white spots. The dosing is tiny, so there is a lot of room to increase. This 1 ml syringe contains 20 doses at our current level, and Rachel is dosing 3 times a day. Because of the low level of THC, Rachel is still able to concentrate at school, and doesn't feel "dopey" the way she does when she has to use drugs like Klonopin.

Please feel free to comment, ask questions, share knowledge, etc., but save your criticism. Rachel is an adult, and none of her treatments are pursued without her consent, which she is fully capable of giving. When you've almost exhausted all the prescription options, and you don't want to just sedate your child into oblivion, you get creative in your thinking, and your mind opens to trying something that humans have used safely for thousands of years. 

We believe that someday soon cannabis will be rescheduled at the federal level, and people all across America will have the option of treating their ailments with one of nature's most helpful plants.

Waiting For Rachel

Well, the post title pretty much sums up my life these days. The last couple of years have been so full, and I so wish that I had been better about updating here, and sharing all of the changes with you.

Sadly, Rachel and Jonah split up, but she enjoyed the time she had with him, painful as the end was. There was a lot of wisdom gained from the experience, and she grew in new ways as a result.

Rachel began taking early childhood education courses at the local community college, going half time, and taking Stewie with her, of course. She's currently taking a term off from that, and very much enjoying a Drawing class, while deciding whether to return to school next term, or devote her time to another opportunity.

Expect to see a slew of photos, and minor updates, while we continue our journey, and Rachel continues to expand her horizons. Here are a few recent images, taken at school:

Sometimes Stewart has to wait for Rachel, too. At the dentist, the hygienist's space is really too small for him to be in there, and every now and then he just needs a break from lying on a hard floor, or I'll take him for a walk and break for a few minutes, and we don't want to interrupt class to return him, so we have to wait a few minutes for Rachel to come get him.

Time Keeps Slipping Away

What a year it's been!

Shortly after my last post Rachel graduated from high school. She's our only child, and we've been through so much as a family in the last 18 years, but she is such a light in our lives that it seems like it all went by in a flash.

This whole last year was huge; senior year, Stewart came to live with us, Rachel's boyfriend came back into her life after moving back from Idaho, and then announced he'd be leaving for the Army in May. We crammed a lot into that 9 month school year.

Jonah gave Rachel a promise ring for Christmas, which was huge, and the kids spent as much time as they could together, in between school and dog training, before Jonah had to leave again. 

There was prom...

And a month later it was time to say goodbye, as Jonah left for boot camp...

He did great, and graduated, moving on to AIT in August...

We took a short family trip to the coast after Rachel's graduation, and we bought a one year membership to OMSI. Rachel planned to take a gap year before going to college, because we all needed a break, and because she and Jonah need to know where he's going to be based before deciding what the future holds.

Rachel and Stewart outside the Oregon Coast Aquarium...

October 19, 2013 will be the one year anniversary of Stewart coming to live with us. He has changed our lives in immeasurable ways. He is a wonderful companion to Rachel, loves to do his job, and is just a lot of fun. Rachel is learning every day how to be more responsible for herself, and taking on more duties around the house. 

We stay busy, we have fun, we laugh every day. It could be a lot worse, and we are grateful. 

-Kelly

They Did It!

On October 19, 2012 a wonderful dog named Stewart came to live with us, and to be a partner for Rachel, as she learns how to be an independent adult.

This is their first Hello

Over the next several months, Rachel and Stewie bonded over grooming, and cuddles...

We helped Stewart celebrate his second birthday with a peanut butter and kibble 'cake'...

Stewie even accompanied Rachel to a production of The Nutcracker...

As much as we loved having fun with Stewart, he was here to learn, and to work, so he and Rachel did lots and lots of training, every single day, everywhere they went... 

Still, there is always time for play, and Stewart is a guy that knows how to have fun...

So, Rachel and Stewart have bonded, worked, played, and practiced for the big day that they had their certification testing, where Stewie had to show off all his skills, and Rachel had to show that she knows how to get the most out of her partner...

They nailed it! Rachel and Stewart are now an official Certified Team. Soon Stewie will have his ID card to show off, but this doesn't mean the team is done working. They still train and practice every day, so that they both keep their skills sharp, and are confident when they go out each day.

We have all of you to thank for this amazing gift. Without your help and support, this whole process would have taken so much longer. With Stewart at her side, Rachel can go out into the world with confidence, knowing she has a loving partner, who will stay by her, and alert someone that she needs help in the event of a seizure.

Brett and I can never thank you enough for this gift to us, as well. We are forever grateful. <3

-Kelly

Okay, Mary, Here You Go!

I made a post on Facebook about a thing that happened today, and one of my friends said "Copy and past that into the dog blog!", to which I replied something to the effect of "but I'm sooo busy!" 

So, here's the post:

Today was a big day for Rachel and Dog. The trainer came to put them through their paces, in hopes of being able to give a 30 day notice for certification testing. They have just a couple of things to perfect, but overall are looking very good! The notice is going in, and the team will have 30 days to work, work, work on their weak points before the trainer comes and does a video that will be turned in to Paws for review. Our hope is that they will be certified before graduation, and we can have a big certification/graduation celebration.:)

Yes, this is a Big Deal, and we are both excited and nervous. Recently, another friend asked when we'd most recently updated, so I ran over here to look. Yikes, December 28th was over 3 months ago. That's a really long time in the blogiverse, but I know we have some folks who been following along from the beginning, and we owe to you to at least try and keep you up-to-date.

It would be so much easier to be excited about blogging if I could share more about Dog, and when the team passes their certification test, I'll be able to do just that, with tons of pictures, and fun stories.

Until then, here's a pic of Rachel and Dog enjoying a sunny afternoon, and some bonding time.

Training is never really finished. Even once they're certified, they will still have to practice commands, and do seizure simulations on a daily basis. Every day, until it comes time for Dog to retire. They will also be re-certified every two years, so must keep their skills sharp.

Rachel will graduate from high school in June, her boyfriend is going into the Army at the end of May, and she's working on her certification with Dog. This is a very busy and stressful time for all of us, but she's the one being graded. Rachel is holding up really well under the pressure, but has experienced a few more seizures than average lately. Fortunately, they seem to be much less impactful, and she's only had one anxiety attack in the last few months.

Dog has become a good friend, and a source of comfort and support for Rachel. He goes where she goes, though he won't be attending Prom next week. He's getting the night off as he hasn't learned how to dance yet, and Rachel happens to have a very handsome human date. I'm not really looking forward to trying to explain to Dog why he can't go, and keeping him from pacing a rut in the floor until Rachel gets home.

So, there's my big, long over-due update. I do apologize for the huge gap, and I would promise to do better in the future, but I think we all know that I can't be trusted, so I'll just say that I will try and remember to update at least once a month. Feel free to leave a message if you want to know something. I will get a notice, and get back in here. :)

-Kelly

We're Still Here and All Is Well

Hello again, everyone! We're still kicking, and Dog is still with us, and training is going well.

Rachel has been working hard at both school and training, so was very ready for her two week Winter Break, which we are now halfway through. She was hugely surprised when her boyfriend presented her with a promise ring for Christmas, as he will be going into the Army in the Spring, and they are committed to weathering the separation.

Dog's training is going well in most respects, and he's learning more all the time. We have begun alarm training, and though he's motivated and wanting to work, he's having a hard time with the lanyard he's supposed to pull. We've surmised that because the cord is black, and flat, he can't see it well, and has a hard time getting his mouth around it.

We have a plan to replace the black cord, with a bright yellow nylon cord, and put a big blue bead on the end for him to grab. I did a ton of internet research, hoping to get clues to which colors dogs see best, and it looks like yellows and blues are the best. We're hoping to get that sorted this weekend, so that training can really move forward, and he won't get so frustrated and confused.

So, for those of you who are still checking in from time to time, I apologize again for the amount of time between entries, but I can't promise I'll get any better anytime soon. Rachel still has another semester of high school, and then right at the end of the year she'll be working on certification with Dog, her boyfriend will be leaving for the Army, and she'll be preparing for graduation. Things are about to get real around here.

Rachel experienced an increase in seizure and panic activity for the first couple of weeks that Dog was here, but then had a lovely 4 week break, which was such a gift. Dog is sweet, and bouncy, and playful, and we love him, so we very much hope the team continues to do well, and will be certified soon.

I'll leave you with a photo of Rachel and Dog taking a walk in the park, on a gorgeous Winter day...

-Kelly

I Know, I Know...

I am a truly horrible blogger. Dog has been with us since Oct. 19th, and you're just now hearing about it. If you are on Facebook, you've seen some of what's going on around here, but we can't openly share his identity for some time yet, so I'm afraid you'll have to patient awhile longer.

I do have a few photos that don't give away too much, but I'm even nervous about sharing those. I simply don't want to do anything that will mar Rachel's chances of keeping this fantastic resource.

Training has been going well. The first week was sort of rough, while we all got used to Dog, and he got used to us and our schedules. We had to make a change to his sleeping routine, but it's working out well now.

Rachel has been working hard, and learning how to bond with Dog, which is something that is work for her. She's not terribly demonstrative, though we love on her all the time, but she's working on changing that. She's learning to use an authoritative tone, which we call "mom voice", and that does make a difference.

Just today, we took Dog out in public, on a short trip to the county dog licensing office, where he was licensed for 3 years, and they waived the fees because he's a service dog. I wasn't expecting that, so we used part of the money saved to buy Dog a new toy. He was a star when we took him out. He loves his working vest, and is better behaved when wearing it. His heel work is fantastic, he stayed in a down/stay beautifully while we waited, and he made us proud.

Rachel and Dog are napping now, after their big adventure into the world this morning, but I'll leave you with a couple of pics...sorry we can't share his face yet, but we hope it won't be long before the team is certified, and we can show you how gorgeous he is.

Dog loves the view out the front window

Dog looks spiffy in his work vest, and loves to wear it.

-Kelly