“Imagine a really bad charley horse that won’t go away.” That’s how Heidi describes the symptoms she experiences with Dystonia—a movement disorder she was diagnosed with in 2020, but likely had for many years prior. Dystonia is much more severe than a charley horse, though. Heidi explains, “If it’s a real bad episode, it involves kind of everything.” In addition to her leg and foot being affected, her neck muscles are a common target, and her hands might involuntarily ball into fists. She adds, “My tongue will spasm so I can’t make discernible words. Even though I understand what’s happening, …
Service Dog
A Mind Set on Independence
By Beth Billstrom – Addie Swensen laughs as Kip, her Mobility Assist Dog, joyfully jumps into her lap and snuggles. Their bond is apparent. Missy, Addie’s mom, laughs and says, “He’s such a lover!” “Yes, yes, he is!” Addie agrees. Addie was born 16 years ago with spina bifida. Spina bifida is a condition that affects the backbone when the neural tube does not close. Addie uses a wheelchair or crutches to get around, but that doesn’t stop her. She attends school, works at Caribou, and is the manager of her school’s wrestling team. Like many teenagers, she thinks about …
Jiff Brings Independence, Responsibility, and Companionship to Tyler
By Mike Branch – Twenty-seven-year-old Tyler lives with his parents and sister. He has cerebral palsy, which affects his muscles and motor skills. Because of that, he uses a wheelchair. Occasionally, Tyler drops things, and it can be difficult to pick them up. In 2013, Tyler certified with Can Do Canine Geena, a Mobility Assist Dog. Prior to having an assistance dog, when Tyler would drop something, he would have to wait for someone to come home and help him. He couldn’t be left alone for more than a couple hours. Geena was a wonderful partner to Tyler until retiring …
Open House: November 11, 2023
We will be hosting an open house on Saturday, November 11, from noon-2 p.m., at our campus. Potential clients, volunteers, or anyone who might be interested in supporting the organization is invited to attend to learn how an assistance dog changes the life of a person with a disability. There is no pre-registration for this event, so please join us on November 11. You will be asked to share some contact information at our registration table upon arrival. Take a virtual tour of our campus. Through a self-guided tour, attendees can: Watch a trainer demonstrate some general skills an assistance …
Deano’s Benefits are Beyond the Burden of Proof
Facility Dog Deano doesn’t have to raise his right hand—or, in his case, paw—and solemnly swear to tell the whole truth, but he is committed to helping humans who do have to do this. This spring, Deano was placed with two Victim Witness Specialists for the Anoka County Attorney’s Office. In this role, the women meet with those who may have to take the witness stand in a courtroom for any type of felony case, ranging from theft to homicides. One explains that they “help victims and witnesses through the court process. It’s a scary time for a lot of …
One Assistance Dog, Murphy’s Law, Keeps Everything From Going Wrong
By Jessica Kellogg – Imagine for a moment that the seemingly simple act of bending down to pick up a dropped item could stop your breathing. This is the reality for Tabitha Althoff, whose Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can cause her ribs to interlock and block her lungs from inflating any time she bends down. “You don’t realize how much you drop until someone is there nudging you with it.” EDS is a condition that affects the body’s connective tissue and can cause joints to dislocate for no reason. However, Tabitha also has Ankylosing Spondylitis, which causes the bones in the …
Hearing Assist Dog Jacqui Brings Natalie From Isolation to Independence
By Susan Byers – Out of the shadows and into the light. That’s how Natalie describes the impact of a Hearing Assist Dog on her life. Natalie was born with severe to profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, but it wasn’t diagnosed until she was 2 years old. She began wearing hearing aids at age 3. Her mother helped her catch up with language development and American Sign Language (ASL) classes, and at school, she had an ASL interpreter. But Natalie resisted using ASL and struggled to fit into the hearing world. By young adulthood, her hearing had declined, and she …
It takes a team – and tools – to manage diabetes
By Susan Byers – At work, Gretchen manages a program that helps nurses access the right tools to serve elderly patients. In her personal life, she also relies on important tools to help manage her Type 1 diabetes. Gretchen developed Type 1 diabetes 13 years ago. Even though there was a history of diabetes in her family, the disease came on unexpectedly for her. She dismissed early symptoms as merely stress or a hormone imbalance. But once she was officially diagnosed, Gretchen was a fast learner. With minimal diabetes management education, she quickly learned to use short-term and long-term insulins, …
Jersey Balances Work and Play to Benefit Others
At M Health Fairview’s Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIBD), some patients can now touch a dog while on site. This dog, though, is doing more than simply touching them back; she is touching countless lives. Ann, Jersey, and Cala Facility Dog Jersey joined Child Life Specialists Cala and Ann at MIBD early in 2023. “She’s just a blessing,” says Cala. Not only can Jersey perform retrieving, snuggling, and “visiting” (lying her head on a lap) skills on command, she also engages in “medical play.” One example is how she shows young patients—using a mock MRI scanner—what a real …
A Homebody of a Dog Joins his Forever Home
By Jorae DuPont – Jimi is a Lab cross with a side of couch potato. He loves to lie around the house, snoozing or occasionally chasing a ball. But to Ben, who’s recovering from a stroke, Jimi is a furry hero complete with superpowers and a cape. When Ben needs him, Jimi drops the laid-back persona like a hot potato to jump into action. Ben’s life looks a lot different now “post-stroke.” His mobility has changed. He has no function in his right arm and hand. He tires easily. But none of that bothers Jimi in the least. In February, …
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