Steve served in the military during the Vietnam War and then worked in construction for 35 years. The noises from both of those experiences contributed to gradual hearing loss. His audiologist even speculated that Steve’s cold-water swims in Lake Superior–an annual ritual–may have contributed to the condition as well. So when he would need to remove his cochlear implants at night and hearing aids were no longer doing the job, he left himself vulnerable to sounds left unheard. His wife, Margaret, says, “I used my outdoor voice a lot. It was exhausting.” Yet, beyond basic communication effectiveness, safety became a …
Feature Stories
Camilla Bends George’s Life Toward a More Independent Direction
“I can do weird things with my joints.” This statement by George is not a source of pride, but rather, a source of pain…real, physical pain. George, who is 18, has a type of hypermobility spectrum disorder, possibly Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. The challenges are related to his body’s connective tissue. He explains, “The ligaments around my joints just are super stretchy. There’s nothing holding them in place.” George’s struggles got worse as he got older, with hip and knee dislocations happening several times a day. Three years ago, he began using a wheelchair but says he didn’t expect the transition to …
JodiAnn’s Second Chance at Independence with Alvin
By Erin Reyes Seventeen years ago, at the age of 45, JodiAnn’s independent life as she knew it changed overnight. She experience a brain stem stroke, leaving her with balance issues that caused frequent falls—one that even resulted in a broken hip. For her own safety, her doctors and her children recommended that she no longer live alone. Her daughter moved in, and just like that, her sense of independence was gone. “I was never allowed to be alone,” explains JodiAnn. “My kids worried about me a lot, so I had to live with my daughter. She went with me …
Persistence Pays Off with Diabetes Assist Dog Gracie
“Persistent” is one way Deanna describes her canine partner, Gracie. Since that trait is especially desirable for a Diabetes Assist Dog, Gracie was cast in the perfect role. Certified in 2014, this team has become completely in tune with each other. One way they’ve done this is through dog agility training—something they began within the first year together. Deanna says she started agility work with Gracie so the two of them could become more cohesive. “The stronger the bond, the better the alerting,” she asserts. “I had to learn her language and she had to learn my language.” The two …
Hearing Assist Dog Raven is Music to Megan’s Ears
By: Erin Reyes A ringing doorbell. A dinging oven timer. A chirping smoke alarm. Someone calling our name. These are sounds many of us take for granted every day – sometimes, we even treat them as a nuisance. But for Megan, a 27-year-old student at UW-Oshkosh, they are mostly a non-issue…because she can’t hear them. Megan was born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, a craniofacial birth defect in which some facial features – in Megan’s case, her ear canals – never fully develop. As a result, Megan has grown up with profound hearing loss. She first learned about Can Do Canines …
Fern Pours Whole Heart Into Facility Dog Role at Children’s Hospital
It’s commonly believed that dogs have a calming effect on people. At M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, there is proof. Fern, who began as one of two facility dogs there this spring can lower a child’s stress level just with her presence. Fern’s primary handler, Phylicia Petit, explains, “The nurses noticed every time Fern would walk by [one particular patient’s room, that patient’s] heart rate would change.” Little changes like that can be a big deal when a child is in the hospital, especially on the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) where Fern spends most of her working time. …
Yasmin’s Voice Helps Nyleve be a Voice for the Voiceless
Born profoundly deaf in both ears, Nyleve grew up relying on hearing aids to hear sounds. However, considering the variety of noises hearing aids take in, the devices can easily cause a person to feel overwhelmed. Nyleve often took them out at times throughout the day, and then during the night. But even with her hearing aids in, she sometimes had to strain to try to make sense of sounds. Relief for these feelings of insecurity recently came wagging her way through a yellow Lab named Yasmin. Now it’s Yasmin who sounds the alarm when Nyleve needs to be aware …
Mobility Assist Dog Zeke is Recipe for Paul’s Success
Paul, a retired chef, is used to managing busy kitchens. But in 2010, when he contracted Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, managing his health became overwhelming. After a foot amputation, a broken back, the development of neuropathy in his hands, and more physical traumas, Paul realized he needed a new recipe for comfort and safety. Admittedly stubborn, Paul says he originally “fought tooth and nail” against the idea of getting a service dog. Once persistent friends and doctors were able to change his mind, Mobility Assist Dog Zeke began to blend into Paul’s life. “Now, you couldn’t take him away from me …
Just a Boy and His Dog…but More
By Mary Gunderson The minute Nathan met a Can Do Canine assistance team during a family outing to a Green Lake, WI, park, he wanted that team relationship for Brendan, his son. Brendan stopped walking at age 8 due to Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting disease. Nathan and Kat, his wife, applied in mid-2021, just after Brendan’s 10th birthday, the minimum age for a Can Do Canines Mobility Assist Dog match. Even as Nathan’s enthusiasm rose, Brendan reserved judgment. Reserved, that is, until he met Harley, the beautiful, 2 ½-year-old, female yellow Lab. “When Harley jumped up and hit …
Sage’s Future Spins Into a New, Hopeful Direction
In 2018, while in high school, Sage’s life began to spin out of control. That’s when a neurological disorder surfaced, causing issues with balance and body-movement control. Her mom, Lisa, explains, “She went from having a job and going to school, and then she fell, and within two weeks, she was using a wheelchair.” Although Sage jokes that when she isn’t using her wheelchair, “I walk like a drunk person,” her new normal is no laughing matter. Her fears are all too real, as she recalls falling in the tub once and sustaining a head injury. Those same fears have …
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