“Living with chronic pain can be so isolating,” says Diane, who was born with a hip defect and diagnosed with scoliosis in junior high. When she later had children, her pregnancies caused her symptoms to progress, prompting multiple hip surgeries. Now, with rods in her spine and the onset of psoriatic arthritis, she states, “I have a lot of nerve pain that doesn’t go away.”
In her mid-40s, she had to quit her job as a hospital lab technician to focus on managing her pain. She began using a cane and despite the medicines she was taking, Diane says that for keeping symptoms under control, “I was just kind of scraping by.” Her conditions have affected both her ability to grip items and her balance. “I drop things all the time, and it has gotten hard to bend over.”
So when Diane heard a Can Do Canines graduate speak on the radio about the life-changing effects of an assistance dog, she felt compelled to explore the idea.
Already at home with Diane and her husband was an eight-pound, dark-colored Havanese dog named Willow. In 2023, when Diane certified with a Mobility Assist Dog, joining them was a 70-pound, light-colored Labrador Retriever named Uzi.
Not long after moving in, Diane cued Uzi to “kennel.” Confused by Willow’s very small kennel nearest him, he stuck his head in but turned to look at Diane with a “Seriously?” expression. They quickly corrected their miscommunication, but that wasn’t the only time Diane has noticed Uzi’s brain wheels spinning.
She recalls another moment early in their journey when her cane fell over. She thought it odd but was happy when Uzi perfectly performed his skill of picking it up, rewarding him with a kibble. When it immediately happened again, she was on to him. “I noticed he was knocking the cane over and then picking it up so I could give him a treat. He is so smart.”
Equally gentle, attentive, and kind, Uzi loves to work. “He wants to please,” notes Diane. He opens doors, takes off Diane’s socks and shoes, assists with laundry, and more. “He does amazing things.” Diane also describes her occasional bouts of “being stranded,” when she holds onto counters to move around the kitchen but gets too far away from her cane when realizing she suddenly needs it. “He’ll go get it. He’s so helpful that way.”
Although Uzi was originally going to serve Diane as a Skilled Home Companion, not having public access rights, that quickly changed when Diane’s confidence and comfort level soared. “I found that he was just so comforting to me that he helps me get out, and I don't have as much fear of falling with him around.” Since Uzi already had so much experience with public work, Diane says, “We just went ahead.” Uzi’s thrilled with the arrangement! Diane comments, “If I say we're going to go somewhere, he just lights up.”
Diane, herself, lights up when thinking about those who trained and hosted Uzi. “The people are amazing. It’s just a great organization all around, and it has changed so many lives. I don't have words to express how grateful I am to everybody there that does this.”
With Uzi in her life, Diane lives with less isolation and anxiety and more happiness. “I feel like I have a companion who's got my back and I've got his.”
Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:
Whelping Home — Wendy Jagt
Raisers — Britta Maddox, Tom VonRuden
Special Thanks — Federal Prison Camp - Duluth, Jackson Correctional Institution, Stanley Correctional Institution
Facility Dog Program Becomes Official
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