Dear Readers,
After our wonderful stint in Wisconsin with the hyperbaric treatment, I found out about an organizaation called Act-Today and they give out grants to families who have kids with Autism. I applied back in July for a sizable grant of $14,900 to help purchase a home hyperbaric chamber for the boys and my two nephews. After waiting for almost 5 months we got our answer. The organization would not be able to Grant us the money for Hyperbarics due to the fact that until they find more evidance of it's affectivness on children with autism they want to spend their money on other proven therepies. The boys benifited so much from the Hyperbarics and I was so hopful that this Grant would go through. How can i raise the money for this? I don't have time to do fund raisers and frankly I don't have the energy. I wish I could find someone or some company that would be willing to donate a chamber or the money.
Autism affects everyone that has it Differently. I feel like I am fighting an up hill battle and I found a wonderful tool to help the boys and I don't know how to get it. It is so frustraiting, it's like going to war and having all these weapons, which all work in there own way, but what you really need to get ahead is a freakin missle launcher. I saw the the effects Hyperbarics had on my kids, specially Kadin, I feel like I got to use a missle launcher for one day and then it was taken away. I am blogging because I hope some random stranger will read this post and have an idea. So many Great things are happening with Kadin I feel like each day he if coming more and more awake and presant. The great things i saw in Wisconsin are continuing and with the new addition of Truman (Kadin's service dog) I feel greater things are to come. I know if we could get a home chamber the boys would continue to benifit from it.
Dear Lord, you know these things weigh heavely on my heart and mind continue living in me and speaking to my heart. Keep my family in your hands.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, September 19, 2011
Brief History of How Truman came to be in our family
Dear Readers,
Four years ago if you were to ask me, “Do you think you family will ever get a dog?” I would have said something along the lines of, “ When Hell freezes over maybe!” I was a mom with a 4 year old a 3 year old and a 2 year old. At time’s I thought that I was going to go crazy, my youngest son was just assessed by the Public school system and found to fall on the spectrum of Autism and my 3 year old had, one year prior, been assessed and found to be on the spectrum. So here I am putting my two little boys on a public school bus to go to school every day for early intervention in hopes that we could in some way pull them out of their Autistic world. Soon after Kadin started going to school I had looked into the possibility of putting him in private O.T. and speech at Children’s Development and Rehabilitation in Saint Paul, I had been taking Tanner there for sometime and he seemed to be responding to the extra therapies. We started taking Kadin to Children’s and it is there that our journey to Can Do Canines and Truman really began. Kadin’s O.T. had asked me if I would be interested in trying a therapy dog at Kadin’s appointments. I told her that I thought that would be fine since he seemed to be extremely drawn to animals. I believe the whole therapy dog program was fairly new there and we were paired with a beautiful dog by the of Sasha. It took about 3 sessions with Sasha before Kadin started to interact with her. This was the first time that I had seen Kadin show interest in dogs. Sasha was a pure white Samoyed and Kadin loved to lay on her coat and run his fingers through her long hair. I noticed this to be very calming for him and eventually Sasha became more and more apart of the each session. Our family life was a whirlwind of therapies and school and meeting etc. But at some point during the craziness of it all the seed was planted and the thought of a dog crept into my mind. At this same time Kadin’s PCA had handed me a book she had just picked up by the name “A friend Like Henry” I read the book while we were on vacation that summer. I couldn’t help but see the similarities between Kadin and the little boy in the book. I believe it was shortly after reading the book that, while at Kadin’s O.T. apt., I asked his therapist if she knew if there was such a thing as a Autism Service dog. I believe she said she would look into it and in what seemed a short while down the road she handed me an article about a little boy who had received an Autism Service dog from an organization by the name of Hearing and Service Dogs of MN. I read the article and spoke with my husband and I filled out an application and sent it in. It did not seem long before we met with a trainer from the organization by the name of Julianne. A few weeks after our meeting we received a letter stating that Kadin was accepted into their program. Now that we were accepted it was time to hurry up and wait. The first year of waiting was very hard and Kadin’s behaviors started to escalate. I Remember on the anniversary of his acceptance I wrote an email to the organization and again stated that we were really excited about getting a dog etc. I was told it would be at least another year and so we got ready to wait again. The second year and a half went by fast we were involved in so much and now all three of my children were in school and our lives for the most part had gone on as before. In February of this year I received the phone call we had been waiting for, for so long. “Marjorie, I think we have a dog for Kadin, I have to tweak a few things but I think he will be ready in a couple months.” I hung up the phone and called my mom, my husband, brothers and sisters and close friends. I couldn’t believe that this was finally going to happen, I cried a lot mostly I think from the stress of waiting and the feeling of the thought that our family and Kadin would have a chance to do things that we couldn’t do before. This dog would change our lives not just Kadin’s. As it turned out the dog that they had in mind turned up to have a medical issue and it needed to be re assigned. I met Truman on July 7th, 2011 and from the moment I saw him I was amazed by his eye contact and his calm stature. I agreed to work with him and I think we bonded very quickly. Truman was placed in our home August 11th, 2011 and the following week we began Kadin’s training.
September 17th,2011 we are certified as a team and now are allowed to take Truman with us were ever we go. This has been such a long journey and now I hope to get on with our lives and see the great things that are sure to come.
Much love!
Four years ago if you were to ask me, “Do you think you family will ever get a dog?” I would have said something along the lines of, “ When Hell freezes over maybe!” I was a mom with a 4 year old a 3 year old and a 2 year old. At time’s I thought that I was going to go crazy, my youngest son was just assessed by the Public school system and found to fall on the spectrum of Autism and my 3 year old had, one year prior, been assessed and found to be on the spectrum. So here I am putting my two little boys on a public school bus to go to school every day for early intervention in hopes that we could in some way pull them out of their Autistic world. Soon after Kadin started going to school I had looked into the possibility of putting him in private O.T. and speech at Children’s Development and Rehabilitation in Saint Paul, I had been taking Tanner there for sometime and he seemed to be responding to the extra therapies. We started taking Kadin to Children’s and it is there that our journey to Can Do Canines and Truman really began. Kadin’s O.T. had asked me if I would be interested in trying a therapy dog at Kadin’s appointments. I told her that I thought that would be fine since he seemed to be extremely drawn to animals. I believe the whole therapy dog program was fairly new there and we were paired with a beautiful dog by the of Sasha. It took about 3 sessions with Sasha before Kadin started to interact with her. This was the first time that I had seen Kadin show interest in dogs. Sasha was a pure white Samoyed and Kadin loved to lay on her coat and run his fingers through her long hair. I noticed this to be very calming for him and eventually Sasha became more and more apart of the each session. Our family life was a whirlwind of therapies and school and meeting etc. But at some point during the craziness of it all the seed was planted and the thought of a dog crept into my mind. At this same time Kadin’s PCA had handed me a book she had just picked up by the name “A friend Like Henry” I read the book while we were on vacation that summer. I couldn’t help but see the similarities between Kadin and the little boy in the book. I believe it was shortly after reading the book that, while at Kadin’s O.T. apt., I asked his therapist if she knew if there was such a thing as a Autism Service dog. I believe she said she would look into it and in what seemed a short while down the road she handed me an article about a little boy who had received an Autism Service dog from an organization by the name of Hearing and Service Dogs of MN. I read the article and spoke with my husband and I filled out an application and sent it in. It did not seem long before we met with a trainer from the organization by the name of Julianne. A few weeks after our meeting we received a letter stating that Kadin was accepted into their program. Now that we were accepted it was time to hurry up and wait. The first year of waiting was very hard and Kadin’s behaviors started to escalate. I Remember on the anniversary of his acceptance I wrote an email to the organization and again stated that we were really excited about getting a dog etc. I was told it would be at least another year and so we got ready to wait again. The second year and a half went by fast we were involved in so much and now all three of my children were in school and our lives for the most part had gone on as before. In February of this year I received the phone call we had been waiting for, for so long. “Marjorie, I think we have a dog for Kadin, I have to tweak a few things but I think he will be ready in a couple months.” I hung up the phone and called my mom, my husband, brothers and sisters and close friends. I couldn’t believe that this was finally going to happen, I cried a lot mostly I think from the stress of waiting and the feeling of the thought that our family and Kadin would have a chance to do things that we couldn’t do before. This dog would change our lives not just Kadin’s. As it turned out the dog that they had in mind turned up to have a medical issue and it needed to be re assigned. I met Truman on July 7th, 2011 and from the moment I saw him I was amazed by his eye contact and his calm stature. I agreed to work with him and I think we bonded very quickly. Truman was placed in our home August 11th, 2011 and the following week we began Kadin’s training.
September 17th,2011 we are certified as a team and now are allowed to take Truman with us were ever we go. This has been such a long journey and now I hope to get on with our lives and see the great things that are sure to come.
Much love!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
A whirlwind of a ride!
Dear Readers,
It has been to long since I last wrote and I want to let you the great things that have and are happening with Kadin and Truman.
Truman arrived at our house on Thursday Aug. 11th at 10am. We met Dora (the trainer) out side aloong with the channel 9 news reporter and the camera man. Truman was very excited and Kadin was a little hesitant to go up to him. (It usually takes Kadin a while to warm up to a dog he has just met.) I crossed my fingers and prayed that this meeting would go well. We hung out outside for a bit then we proceeded inside to show Truman his new pad! Kadin and Truman seemed to get more and more excited as the meeting went on. We sat in the boys room and we gave Truman some of his new toys. I wish I would have taken a picture of Kadin's face, his smile was so big and his laugh was unforgetable. Trumans favorite toy,aside from the tennis ball, is the squeeky pheasant bird Kadin got from his aunt to give to his new dog when he arrived. While Truman was squeeking his new toy Kadin got down next to him and slowly layed over Trumans belly. This was the true test Truman didn't even flinch! So far the interview/ meeting with Truman was going beyond good and the reporter and the rest of us were thrilled! The next test was putting Kadin's belt on and clipping it to Truman red Service dog vest. To be honest I thought for sure Kadin would through a fit if I attemped to but the belt around his waste, I got the belt on and Kadin did not like it at all BUT to everyone's surprise he walked down the stairs to proceed outside to take his first walk with Truman. I clicked the tether onto Trumans vest and we proceeded to walk down the sidewalk. They both did GREAT!! Kadin did cry and fuss the whole time but he pushed through and followed my direction and held onto the handle on the vest! We finished up the interview and then everyone left but Truman!! Yah! he is finally here in our home!! The past several days we have been working on the bonding between the two. Kadin is the only one allowed to feed Truman and give him treats. Truman also slept in the boys bed the first night and every night since. Last Saturday night it was just Kadi and I at home and He and Truman has some real quality time, I even had to give Truman a break from Kadin because Kadin wouldn't stop trying to lay on him and grabbing his legs. The best part of Saturday night was, Kadin and Truman slept all night in there room and this has not happened for a very long time. Kadin most always wakes up during the night and comes in our room. Truman has even made his way into my husbands heart and I love seeing Bret play with him. Kadin has also been doing a great job with feeding Truman, he use to cry and fuss when we would make him come feed him, but now in the morning I say, "Kadin, Truman wants to eat breakfast. Please come feed him." and Kadin will put down his legos (which is unheard of) and walk quietly into the kitchen and give him his food. The daily practice walks are also getting better. Words cannot express the joy in my heart to see Kadin with his new helper and friend. Our family is so greatful for this huge blessing that God has brought into our lives!
It has been to long since I last wrote and I want to let you the great things that have and are happening with Kadin and Truman.
Truman arrived at our house on Thursday Aug. 11th at 10am. We met Dora (the trainer) out side aloong with the channel 9 news reporter and the camera man. Truman was very excited and Kadin was a little hesitant to go up to him. (It usually takes Kadin a while to warm up to a dog he has just met.) I crossed my fingers and prayed that this meeting would go well. We hung out outside for a bit then we proceeded inside to show Truman his new pad! Kadin and Truman seemed to get more and more excited as the meeting went on. We sat in the boys room and we gave Truman some of his new toys. I wish I would have taken a picture of Kadin's face, his smile was so big and his laugh was unforgetable. Trumans favorite toy,aside from the tennis ball, is the squeeky pheasant bird Kadin got from his aunt to give to his new dog when he arrived. While Truman was squeeking his new toy Kadin got down next to him and slowly layed over Trumans belly. This was the true test Truman didn't even flinch! So far the interview/ meeting with Truman was going beyond good and the reporter and the rest of us were thrilled! The next test was putting Kadin's belt on and clipping it to Truman red Service dog vest. To be honest I thought for sure Kadin would through a fit if I attemped to but the belt around his waste, I got the belt on and Kadin did not like it at all BUT to everyone's surprise he walked down the stairs to proceed outside to take his first walk with Truman. I clicked the tether onto Trumans vest and we proceeded to walk down the sidewalk. They both did GREAT!! Kadin did cry and fuss the whole time but he pushed through and followed my direction and held onto the handle on the vest! We finished up the interview and then everyone left but Truman!! Yah! he is finally here in our home!! The past several days we have been working on the bonding between the two. Kadin is the only one allowed to feed Truman and give him treats. Truman also slept in the boys bed the first night and every night since. Last Saturday night it was just Kadi and I at home and He and Truman has some real quality time, I even had to give Truman a break from Kadin because Kadin wouldn't stop trying to lay on him and grabbing his legs. The best part of Saturday night was, Kadin and Truman slept all night in there room and this has not happened for a very long time. Kadin most always wakes up during the night and comes in our room. Truman has even made his way into my husbands heart and I love seeing Bret play with him. Kadin has also been doing a great job with feeding Truman, he use to cry and fuss when we would make him come feed him, but now in the morning I say, "Kadin, Truman wants to eat breakfast. Please come feed him." and Kadin will put down his legos (which is unheard of) and walk quietly into the kitchen and give him his food. The daily practice walks are also getting better. Words cannot express the joy in my heart to see Kadin with his new helper and friend. Our family is so greatful for this huge blessing that God has brought into our lives!
Friday, August 05, 2011
A Few days until Kadin meets Truman!!
Dear Readers,
So much has been going on since I last wrote. We are just finishing up our Vacation up north at the cabin and we will be homeward bound tomorrow afternoon. We have had a beautiful week at the lake and I can say that I am ready to come home. Truman (Kadin's Service dog) is moving in sometime next week and our family, after almost 3 years of waiting, is very very excited to meet our new family member! For the past several weeks I have felt like I was "nesting". I re-painted the hall, the kids room, and had carpet clearners come to the house last friday. I don't think our house has been cleaner than it is right now. Last Thursday, Ashtyn, Tanner and I went to PetCo and bought the last few things we needed for Truman. God started this journey for us over 3 years ago, he put the book "A friend Like Henry" in my hands and that lead us down the road to Truman. I said many years ago, "My 33year will be the best year of my life." I think I said this mostly because 3 has been my lucky number ever since I can remember. I do now believe this year has, so far, been just that. We got to try Hyperbarics for the boys, which Kadin responded so well to and we are now about to recieve his Service Dog. Eight months left of this 33rd year and I hope there are more great things in store for our family. I want to leave you with two verses from Psalm 37:4-5
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
:)
So much has been going on since I last wrote. We are just finishing up our Vacation up north at the cabin and we will be homeward bound tomorrow afternoon. We have had a beautiful week at the lake and I can say that I am ready to come home. Truman (Kadin's Service dog) is moving in sometime next week and our family, after almost 3 years of waiting, is very very excited to meet our new family member! For the past several weeks I have felt like I was "nesting". I re-painted the hall, the kids room, and had carpet clearners come to the house last friday. I don't think our house has been cleaner than it is right now. Last Thursday, Ashtyn, Tanner and I went to PetCo and bought the last few things we needed for Truman. God started this journey for us over 3 years ago, he put the book "A friend Like Henry" in my hands and that lead us down the road to Truman. I said many years ago, "My 33year will be the best year of my life." I think I said this mostly because 3 has been my lucky number ever since I can remember. I do now believe this year has, so far, been just that. We got to try Hyperbarics for the boys, which Kadin responded so well to and we are now about to recieve his Service Dog. Eight months left of this 33rd year and I hope there are more great things in store for our family. I want to leave you with two verses from Psalm 37:4-5
Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
:)
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Training Went Great Today!
Dear Readers,
I had my second training session with Truman today. Dora, the trainer, met me at Target on University and she proceeded to show me how and what to do while in a store setting. Truman did wonderful! I love when I am talking to him and he looks into my eyes for direction. We took him down the Dog food isle and the toy isle. I have to say I was impressed, I could tell he wanted to sniff the food and crab a toy out of one of the bins but he faithfully obeyed my que's. I also feel a lot more confident in giving the commands. I guess you could say Dora and Truman are training me. *LOL*
Dora also told me that intead of placing Truman next week she is going to place him as soon as we get back from vacation which is going to be around Aug.8th. The kids room has been re-painted and I also repainted the hallway outside their room. I have been junking out cleaning up and getting everything just right for our new family member. We feel so blessed!
I had my second training session with Truman today. Dora, the trainer, met me at Target on University and she proceeded to show me how and what to do while in a store setting. Truman did wonderful! I love when I am talking to him and he looks into my eyes for direction. We took him down the Dog food isle and the toy isle. I have to say I was impressed, I could tell he wanted to sniff the food and crab a toy out of one of the bins but he faithfully obeyed my que's. I also feel a lot more confident in giving the commands. I guess you could say Dora and Truman are training me. *LOL*
Dora also told me that intead of placing Truman next week she is going to place him as soon as we get back from vacation which is going to be around Aug.8th. The kids room has been re-painted and I also repainted the hallway outside their room. I have been junking out cleaning up and getting everything just right for our new family member. We feel so blessed!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Truman seems to like me!
Dear Readers,
Yesterday was my first day of Training with Kadin's dog. I learned how to clean ears, clip toe nails (which I may leave up to the vet) and I learned many commands and I practiced walking with him. He did so good and I gave him lots of praise and dog treats. Next week on Tues. I am going to meet the Trainer and Truman at the Target on University for our "store" training. I am so excited! I love working with this dog and I really feel like I am bonding with him already. I got to take pictures of him and I couldn't wait to show the kids and Bret. I also showed anyone else that I saw. We have waited so long for this dog and now we are in the throws of training. I also feel like I am "Nesting" you know like when a woman is about to have a baby she cleans the house non stop. I have been cleaning and junking out and today I put a second coat of spackle on the hallway wall and then sanded it and repainted. Next project is the kids room I already have the paint and am excited to start that project in the next few days. I just know this dog is going to be so great for our family and Kadin is going to just love him!
Yesterday was my first day of Training with Kadin's dog. I learned how to clean ears, clip toe nails (which I may leave up to the vet) and I learned many commands and I practiced walking with him. He did so good and I gave him lots of praise and dog treats. Next week on Tues. I am going to meet the Trainer and Truman at the Target on University for our "store" training. I am so excited! I love working with this dog and I really feel like I am bonding with him already. I got to take pictures of him and I couldn't wait to show the kids and Bret. I also showed anyone else that I saw. We have waited so long for this dog and now we are in the throws of training. I also feel like I am "Nesting" you know like when a woman is about to have a baby she cleans the house non stop. I have been cleaning and junking out and today I put a second coat of spackle on the hallway wall and then sanded it and repainted. Next project is the kids room I already have the paint and am excited to start that project in the next few days. I just know this dog is going to be so great for our family and Kadin is going to just love him!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Hyperbarics Story on Channel 9 News
Dear Readers,
For those of you who are interested, the story that was done on Kadin and the boys by Fox news is going to air this Wednesday at 9pm.
Also, I am going to have my first training session with Truman tomorrow afternoon. I will let you all know how it goes.
Thanks to all of you that have followed us this far and many thanks for all the support and prayers!!
For those of you who are interested, the story that was done on Kadin and the boys by Fox news is going to air this Wednesday at 9pm.
Also, I am going to have my first training session with Truman tomorrow afternoon. I will let you all know how it goes.
Thanks to all of you that have followed us this far and many thanks for all the support and prayers!!
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