Patches...a great loss!

by Viki
(Bryceville, Florida )

Five years ago, I received a blessing -- the gift of a service dog from Florida Service Dogs. That blessing left me on June 17th around 1:00 in the afternoon from a heart attack, leaving behind a much stronger person than I was before she came to me. Patches helped me keep my balance when walking (I have vertigo all the time), picked things up I dropped (bad back) and helped me around the house (chronic fatigue) as well as being a big, gentle heart that introduced me to people again. I had become quite reclusive! Every person that met her, of all ages, loved her quiet spirit that seemed to exude love. Even people that were scared of dogs were able to get over their fear and were able to be near her, even pet her, in spite of her weighing over 100 lbs!

She not only helped me, she helped every service animal team in Florida. In 2005, Florida Service Dog teams went to the capital at least once a week to push forward a new service dog law (Fl. Statute 413.08) that brought Florida laws up to and past the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Now service animal teams have a bit more power behind them than they ever did before. Patches and the other teams did demonstrations for the House and Senate committees and shook a lot of "paws" in order to get the bill passed. On Friday the 12th of June, Patches went with me to a mitigation between myself and a doctor that wouldn't allow Patches into the exam room. She was teaching people up to the end!

Just in case any of your readers are wondering what a service dog is, the simple definition is they are for any OTHER disability other than blindness (the blind use guide dogs). They help with daily life, mitigating disabilities in many ways. If there is a severe disability that a person has, there is a dog that can be trained to help that person. Some teams are housebound (the animal helps only at home) and some teams are out and about the general public. Some dogs even detect medical problems before they happen -- my sweet Patches did "medical alert" for me. She knew when my periphial neuropathy was about to cause my legs to go numb...she would stand like a rock in front of me and give me a look which I came to know as her command to have me sit (most people try to get their dogs to sit, but mine told ME to sit!). This was a blessing I didn't expect because medical alert cannot be taught -- the animal just knows it. I had between 5 - 10 minutes to find a place to sit before my legs would be numb and I would fall if that happened. However, in the 5 years and 32 days that Patches was with me, she NEVER ONCE let me fall!

Patches was a "member" of the Red Cross, CERT teams in Duval and Nassau County, SkyWarn, and several HAM radio clubs in North Florida. She even went with us to an Emergency Management "boot camp" in 2007 at Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Center in Tallahassee for 14 days, becoming somewhat of the class mascot.

I know that I will see her again, because the Bible is clear about God's love for animals and how they are His teachers here on earth for us to behave like or not to behave like. After all, the ark wasn't full of people, was it? But there is a huge hole in my heart where her pawprints will forever leave their marks!

She did help me with a "trainee"...a Great Pyrenees named Hannah. Hannah is a wonderful service dog who Patches taught the magic of medical alert, but Hannah is having hip surgery this year (she just had her first hip done and when it is healed she will have the other done...). Patches also helped me train a Jack Russell Terrier named Kallios that went to a friend in N.C. in 2007. I was hoping Patches would help me train another service dog "trainee"...a black lab puppy named Mildred Isabella, who is only 18 weeks old. She sure did love the new pup and played with her until tired then pinned her down for some grooming. I am glad to know that Patches met this new girl in our life, and approved of her. I always said that Patches would make a great Wal-Mart greeter, but God decided to let her be a heaven greeter!

Patches would have been 7 years old on July 20. Happy Birthday sweet girl...I miss you!!