Success Stories
Karen's Story

"Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy" were the words the doctor calmly announced, as if I had the common cold. He then quickly left the room, leaving me alone to swallow a diagnosis I knew nothing about. As I listened to an explanation of this disease by another doctor, a rush of panic came over me. The disease was progressive and would first rob me of the use of my legs and arms, then eventually touch other muscles, affecting my heart and my ability to swallow. This is not a reality easy to face, but I now look it in the eye with the strength of a tiger.

Upon reflection, I see that my life's experiences have all led me to the founding of New Life Mobility Assistance Dogs.

As a young girl, I loved to dance. At the age of five I took tap, jazz, ballet, and gymnastics lessons. During my school years, I was drawn to books about animals and people with disabilities. Eventually, my love for dogs filled me with aspirations of becoming a guide dog trainer. I set up a training course in my back yard and practiced teaching my dogs and cats tricks. I was a typical child with unbounded energy.

At the age of twelve a high fever and strep throat left me visibly weakened. Unbeknownst to me, my immune system had begun to attack my body. I began having great difficulty getting up from the floor. Climbing stairs became a source of great anxiety for me. I feared my peers would laugh at my struggles. I hid a lot of my physical symptoms simply by avoiding doing the things that might reveal a problem.

As an adult I was an entrepreneur involved in business ventures with a friend. I continued to lead a pretty normal life but always tried to hide my mobility limitations. However, I became unable to hide "walking funny." When people began asking what was wrong, I had to finally face my fears and go to a doctor.

I was 28 when I was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. Dealing with this disability was not easy. Depression and loss of confidence and self-esteem played roles in isolating me from society. I quit driving and going out. I filled my time with reading, writing, crocheting afghans by the dozen, and watching television.

One day while watching TV, I saw a girl with muscular dystrophy talking about her assistance dog. The dog was helping her walk and pulling her wheelchair. Immediately I knew an assistance dog was the answer for me. I applied for a dog with one of the few programs in the country. Within a year I was accepted into the program. A beautiful collie named Ozzie, trained as a walker dog, was presented to me.

Ozzie and I became very independent engaging in activities like walking the one mile track at our local community college and going for a three month solo stay in Florida every year for the first four years. I also started to drive again. Ozzie became my "Wizard of Oz,"  granting me back my independence. Instead of staying in a cocoon, I blossomed into a social butterfly!

As my disease progressed, Ozzie needed to meet the challenges of my ever-changing needs. I taught him to pull a wheelchair because my balance was getting worse. He also learned to retrieve dropped items and the phone, carry in groceries, and retrieve sodas from the refrigerator.

In 1996 I became a Humane Society member. Visits to the local animal shelter were a real eye-opener for me because of the number of great dogs not being adopted and being euthanized. While visiting a Humane Society shelter, a lovely shepherd-husky mix named Jessie stole my heart. After five months of intense training, Jessie was ready to succeed Ozzie upon his retirement.

Jessie was very affectionate and her antics made me laugh. It was a devastating loss to me when Jessie was hit and killed by a car in the chaos of moving to a new home. It is as a tribute to Jessie that New Life Mobility Assistance Dogs was founded. Since I was able to rescue and train Jessie, I wondered what other untapped potential lay behind shelter doors.

This is how Summer entered into the equation. She was a yellow lab found running at our county landfill. The landfill operator asked animal control to take her before she was hit by a bulldozer. The tailgate of the truck was lowered and Summer eagerly jumped in, eyes twinkling and tail wagging. Her fate was essentially sealed in that leap of faith.

The shelter was particularly overrun with dogs that month. The adoptables side of the shelter was filled to capacity, so Summer was housed with the quarantines and unadoptables. She was slated for death on the day of one of my visits. With one look, I knew that she was the dog for me. Summer has been my assistance dog for three and a half years now. With her by my side I am fully confident. She is the joy of my life.

I am rarely out of my wheelchair these days. My leg muscles have really begun to wither. I can no longer transfer from a seated position. My arm strength also has diminished to the point that one pound is the maximum weight I can lift. Summer is always on call. She picks up anything I drop. If I get myself into a predicament, she is ready and willing to bring the phone to me so I can call for help. Undressing has the potential to be a great source of frustration for me, but Summer makes a game of it. Without her, a full-time aide would be necessary. Summer gives me emotional peace because she never minds helping me, never grumbles or complains, never rolls her eyes at me. She is always only too happy to assist!

She has been my assistance dog for almost eight years and is beginning to slow, her vision starting to fail. I have only recently and reluctantly retired Summer. Eight to ten years is the average working life of a healthy assistance dog. With Summer by my side, I have been fully confident. She has been the joy of my life. Since her retirement, Summer spends her days lounging about the house, sleeping in front of sunny windows.

I have been so fortunate with the success of New Life Mobility Assistance Dogs. I have made many good friends and met some truly amazing people. I have realized some of the potential within myself and have been able to see and help others achieve some of their goals. I also have access to supply of wonderful dogs to assist me temporarily until they go on to their permanent homes with others who need them.

Oftentimes, despite the fact that I am in a wheelchair, people have said to me, "But you don't seem disabled." I proudly answer, "It is because of my dog."

Life sure has its twists and turns. I came full circle from wanting to train service dogs to needing one myself and finally founding NLMAD, creating the opportunity for others to share the same successes that Ozzie, Jessie, Summer and I have shared. Muscular dystrophy has taken away by ability to physically dance, but my assistance dogs have enabled my soul to sing and my spirit to dance.

Note: Since this was written, Summer has been replaced by Cookie, a small dog who jumps into the dryer to retrieve clean clothes.