Hello my name is Jessica and I worked as an EMT in EMS for 20 years. It is my passion to help others. Now I’m the one in need of help.
Unfortunately I no longer can work doing what I’m passionate about or help my community. I have been diagnosed with POTS, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. If I get up or down to quickly I pass out. Also I can be standing and not realize that my heart rate is climbing and my blood pressure is dropping. When this happens I pass out.
I also had a total disc replacement in my lower spin. Which causes me mobility problems. And causes intense pain when I fall from a POTS episode. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I have passed out and injured myself. In order to keep from passing out and injuring myself, I need a service dog.
Unfortunately service dogs are extremely expensive!!! Unfortunately my husband and I can’t afford to pay the fee alone. My husband and I have 3 children, a 13yo girl, 12yo boy, and a 10yo girl.
My medical conditions have made it to where I can no longer work. Once you get on the service dog wait list depending on the tasks you need your service dog to perform it can take up to 3 years to get your service dog.
The service dog I need would alert me if I’m about to have a POTS episode. I then can sit down. The dog would also be able to get my medications and a bottle of water. The dog would also help me to retrieve objects from the ground. They also are trained to lay across your lap to help keep more blood flow to the brain. The service dog would help me with my mobility.
The service dog could also help with night terrors. After working doing the job I did you see some awful things. Things that can’t ever be forgotten. I unfortunately have frequent night terrors from everything I have seen and worked. If I can get a service dog they would perform multiple different tasks for me to have some quality of life back
There is NO cure for any of my conditions. All the Dr’s can do is treat the symptoms. I continue to suffer POTS episodes. If I’m able to get a service dog then I can actually get back my quality of life!! Without a dog there is ABSOLUTELY no way to get quality of life back. I would like to raise the money needed for the cost of the service dog because it’s not just affecting my life, but also my 3 children and my husband. Please help us.
