I am starting a team up for our JDRF walk. I would like to invite any of my DAD and dog friends to join my team and help raise funds and awareness of diabetes and DADS. If you would like to join my team you can sign up on the link below. If you just want to come walk that is great to. Let me know ASAP if you are interested cause I want to have matching t shirts made up. The theme is "COWBOY UP...."


http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/TattleTail

If you want to donate to this wonderful cause that would be great as well!

 

Diabetes Hero

Who are your diabetic hero's?  I have many!

The first one is all of the parents who get up in the middle of the night to check their child's bg!  I do not know how they do it!  I am awed by the strength that they have, the commitment and dedication to help their children stay on top of this disease! Hats off to each of you!

The second one is my friend Kim McClure.  She is a Certified Diabetic Educator here in SLC. Kim  changed by opinion of the health profession!  She taught me how to live with this disease by example.  Kim has been diabetic for over 30 years and is the most amazing lady I have ever had the privilege to meet.  She is caring, compassionate, dedicated, loyal, a fighter, and she has the most amazing sense of humor!  Kim has laughed with me, cried with me, and walked me through each and every day of this journey!  Kim has been my counselor, my confident, my coach, my adviser, my friend, and my hero!  Kim has taught me how to laugh at this disease, she has given me courage and hope to face another day!

My third hero(s) are my dogs Bravo and Radar.  Bravo is the most incredible dog I have ever owned!  I still get teary eyes and goosebumps when I think of all this dog does!  This past weekend he alerted over 80 times in just over 2 days on 4 different diabetics. That is not an exaggeration and it was witnessed by many! He didn't miss and he was never wrong!  He blows my mind with his abilities!  I am so blessed to have him and Radar in my life!

Who are your heros and why???  We all need those people that make us get up and face another day!

What They Should Know

This post is suppose to be about what the world should know about diabetes!  There are many things that I would like to announce to the world.  Mostly I wish people would stop being so stupid about the things they say to a diabetic.  I wish they would stop showing how stupid they truly are about service dogs!   This "stupidity" knows no bounds when it comes to either of those subjects.  Let me give you 2 examples that have happened the last week alone!

A good friend of mine who has a wonderful service dog was in a very well known fast food chain when he was ask to leave because of his dog! His dog was wearing a vest that CLEARLY identified him as a service dog.  His owner is very aware of ADA laws and was trying to educate...but the police were called.  The policeman showed up and showed his ignorance by announcing "this is private property...you have to leave".  To make it all worse my friend was has a low bg during all of this!   From the ADA website it states CLEARLY  in commonly asked questions that  any "private" business (ie restaurant) that serves the public cannot discriminate on an individual or service animal and animal must be allowed in areas where public are commonly allowed.  They tried to talk to the police officer and show him the ADA card and he replies "I KNOW THE LAW".  Needless to say.....my friend now has grounds to sue based on discrimination.....all because he is a T1 diabetic that has a service dog!


Then I had my own run with stupidity when I flew to TN last week.  The T.S.A. in Salt Lake were a bear to deal with.  I have flown A LOT with Bravo and have never had any trouble but this experience has me wanting to drive rather than fly!  In fact here is the copy of the letter that I sent to T.S.A.


To Whom This May Concern:

I am a T1 diabetic with a service dog. I have flown out of SLC airport probably 60 times in the last few years. Normally it all goes smooth but last Thursday was a NIGHTMARE.

I have a new insulin pump and was advised to NOT let it go through any xrays....so I ask if they would hand check my insulin pump. All of my other stuff went through the normal xray procedures. Flying with a service dog I get everything ready and then strip him at the last minute. I put him on a down and I walk through and then he is called through. All normal at this point. No alarms nothing out of normal. I go to pick up my dogs equipment mostly his collar and leash that went through xray and a gentlemen yells (YES YELLS) DONT TOUCH THAT. I said " sir it his leash and collar ...I dont think we want a SD loose in the airport". Just leave it and come with me. At this point a female officer comes over and says "BECAUSE of the INSULIN PUMP we need to do a pat down" Ok but can I have my leash and collar for my dog? We have to check it. OK......fine. SO I put my dog on a down where he should be out of the way. He is laying there while I am getting patted down. He is watching very closely as service dogs are used to seeing their owners handled that way, She states 'he is watching me funny" I tell her " they aren't used to it" about that time another agent comes over to get empty pans which are on a cart next to my dog. He promptly knocks them over on top of my dog who spooks a little. I am not talking loud noise close I am talking big things landing on my dog. Again I am chastised for moving and it "felt" like I was being discriminated all for being a diabetic who NEEDS an insulin pump! The best one is shortly after that one of the agents while going through my stuff drops my dogs REWARD BALL for alerts on floor. When Bravo gets up to get it he starts hollering "DON'T TOUCH THAT" . I finally get done and thanks to all the stress of that I have a very bad hypoglycemic reaction.

I tell you all of that to ask some questions:

1. HOW is the best way to handle our insulin pumps???? On my return trip I just let them x-ray it as I figure it is far better to do that than deal with that crap again. I wish I didn't have to fly often but I do...so can I please get some guidance on how to make this smoother?

2. Why can a dog not be given back their lead while being patted down? I have NEVER had trouble like this before and most often get lots of compliments on how well my dog behaves. The few times I have been patted down it was NOTHING like this.

Thank you for your time in responding to this....I understand you have a job to do....and thank you for that..but I need some help so this don't happen again!

Sincerely

KC Owens

I then get this reply from T.S.A.:

FROM TSA: "Thank you for your comments, regarding your experience while traveling. Specifically, you expressed dissatisfaction with the way you were treated by the Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) here in Salt Lake City.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) SLC regrets any unprofessional treatment you may have experienced at the security checkpoint. TSA seeks to provide a high level of security and customer service to all travelers who pass through our screening checkpoints. Every person and item must be screened before entering each secured area, and the way the screening is conducted is important. Our policies and procedures focus on ensuring that all passengers, regardless of their personal situations and needs, are treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy. I have forwarded your concerns to the security managers to pull the video tapes of your screening to review and see what happened. From your description I agree that you should have been allowed to place your dog’s collar and leash back onto the dog for security. I apologize and I hope the officer did as well for spilling items on the dog. I hope this did not upset your dog too much. Because insulin pumps are attached to the person, the only way TSA can clear them is to do a pat-down. I know this can be uncomfortable. You can always request a private screening, and also request a supervisor to assist you. "

I am not done with them yet so I write this reply :

"Can I ask a few more questions please?

I am trying hard to come up with ways to make this easier for everyone involved. What
if I disconnect from the pump for the few minutes that it takes to go through security?
Is there a way to just check the pump without it going through the xray stuff?
Everything but that? Then hand screen the insulin pump only while the rest of my stuff
and me and the dog go through regular screening??

Thank you for your time.....I really am trying to figure out how to make this smoother.
I really don't want to ruin a 10k piece of equipment but I really don't want a repeat
performance of the last time. I have 4 more trips coming up in the near future and this
is the FIRST TIME I have ever had this happen. EVER! When I fly out of a morning I
usually walk over to the International side...they are not nearly as busy and it has
always gone smooth!

Thanks again

KC"

ANd her last reply : "You can send the insulin pump through the X-ray, but if you ask for it to be hand screened then they will have to do the pat down process.  I would just ask for a supervisor, tell him/her that you had an unfortunate, bad experience the last time.  If you need to be patted down, can you have a private screening with your dog?"

I have a better idea..........how about the pump companies figure out how to make xray safe for our pumps!  For petes sake every other electronic thing goes through security just fine...why cant an insulin pump????? Come on T.S.A. there are roughly 3 MILLION  Type 1 diabetics in the US.  A big chunk of them have insulin pumps and most have probably flown at least some.   

Add all of these "outside" ignorant responses on top of all the things we live with diabetes and no wonder we sometimes get  a tad surly  when we are low! 

Please folks..."think before you speak" and SOMEBODY PLEASE FIX T.S.A!

Fantasy Diabetes Device

I want a REAL PANCREAS........one that works right.  How much more fantasy do you want than that? 

If I cant have that can at least an insulin be developed that actually MATCHES the food we eat?  I don't know about you but I have yet to have a moment of perfect match where my insulin matches my food!  It drives me crazy!  I can eat the exact same amount of carbohydrates and get a different reading every time.  Heck I can even eat the same thing and get a different reading! 

There are just so many variables that play into this!

All I know is that I am so thankful that my dogs are so on top of it!  Until there are better treatment options or a cure (wont happen in my lifetime) I have the best device in the world! A diabetic alert dog!

One Thing to Work On

Okay the NUMBER ONE THING that as a diabetic that I need to work on.  Well there are many things but the number one thing is that I really need to learn that it is OKAY to not always push through every bad diabetic day!  I really have a hard time admitting that sometimes.  Honestly there are days that I want to go back to bed, snuggle with the dogs, and just hide under the covers and wish diabetes would go away!

The old sayings "no blood-no foul", "pull yourself up by the bootstraps", and "clean up after yourself..your momma dont work here" I truley believe apply to me.  There are times I just cant give myself permission to be diabetic even at the expense of my own body! 

Why is it so hard to give yorself permission in the middle of a really bad low to lay down for a minute and rest?  Why is it so hard to allow that bone tiredness from a high  to sink in and acknowledge it? I really dont get it! I know in my head if I would slow down and rest it would make things better but I just can't.

My New Years resolution for the last 10 years has been to slow down and take care of me................I do okay for the first week and it is down hill from there!  As I write this it is 12 am...I should be in bed taking care of myself.  Instead here I am writing about it!

Well maybe I will just go to bed now and try to take care of me..........even if it is for 5 hours!  Night all!

One Great Thing

Living with diabetes can really stink at times, but it does have good things about it too!  I look back and what I most see is all of the wonderful folks that I have met.  The ones that have touched my life the most are the ones that find the humor in the middle of difficult situation and move on!  They make lemonade out of lemons!

Todays topic is suppose to be about the one thing that I as a diabetic do right!  I thought long and hard about this.  I truley believe the one thing that I do right as a diabetic is that I "think outside the box".  Sometimes my d-team probably believes that I do that to much so but you know what? I AND I ALONE am the one that has to live with my diabetes day in a day out!  I am RESPONSIBLE for my own care and my own choices.  Sometimes I do it right and sometimes I don't but always I am thinking about the choices that I make and how they affect my diabetes.

A good friend taught me take it ONE LOW  at a time.  Deal with what is right now. Face it head on and direct.  Same with high BGS. One at a time.  Each set of numbers is just that a set of numbers. I fix that set of numbers and wait  for the next ones.  When I start looking at all of the numbers there are some days it gets depressing but by looking at one set of numbers at a time I can focus! 

How is that outside of the box?  Human nature is to want to see the whole picture!  If you break it down it is easier to work towords a better outcome! 

Coming in late but going to give it a try

http://www.bittersweetdiabetes.com/2012/05/third-annual-diabetes-blog-week.html

I had never heard of this before but I think it is a really neat idea!  There are so many amazing folks out there in the diabetic online community!  What a neat way to bring them together!

Cheveyo/Sami Pups

This is Ambush(named after a character in Real Steel).  Ambush is going to live with a T1 diabetic who also has Celiac disease.  Ambush is being cross trained to alert on wheat as well!  Ambush will be living in Duschene, UT.

 This is Bailey!   Bailey is living with a T1 in CO!  Bailey is one of the piranhas of this group!  Early on she alerted by nipping my chin!  When transferred to her new owner, the first 3 days she was the sweetest and politest puppy!  Then the piranha is her showed back when her new owner got into the 60's!

 This is Diesel!  If I had wanted to keep a puppy this lil guy would have been it.  I dont know why but for some reason I was seriously attracted to him!  I love all puppies but sometimes one will get to my heart.  Diesel is staying in SLC with a T2 diabetic.  Diesel is going to be a multi-use puppy!  He will run hunt tests, rally, and a variety of other things.  I am glad my lil buddy is staying close!

This is Lottie!   Lottie is another lil firecracker in this group!   Lottie is living with a T1 diabetic in CO and will work as a back up DAD!  Lottie is being trained by an amazing teenager!  Miss Hot Choco-Lottie!

  This is Moxie.  Moxie will be living with a T1diabetic in MS!  She is already living up to her name!  Moxie will meet her new owner Thursday!

Last but NOT LEAST...this is Sugar.  Sugar was my very sweet puppy!  She had the sweetest disposition as a baby!  Sugar is living with a T1 in Santaquin, Utah!  She has wormed her way right into his heart!

All of these puppies were bred by Elite Labradors!  The sire is my dog Cheveyo and the dam is a dog named Coco.  When I first met Coco I was so impressed by her overall nature!  I imprinted these 6 pups since they were weaned from their mom!  I would prefer to imprint from birth but the results were equally impressive doing it this way!  I will give you all periodic updates on the journey's with their self trainers...but so far they are all off to a good start!

MY NAME IS CHARLIE!

 

My name is Charlie. I'm a DAD. -a Diabetic Alert Dog. I started training on scent when I was only a few hours old. I flew all the way from Utah to live with my mom Melisa who is a Type 1 Diabetic; I watch over her and make sure her blood sugar stays within acceptable limits. When she is too high or too low, I let her know by alerting her. I am a self trained D.A.D., which means that my mom is doing most of the training her self. But she has some help from some great friends and trainers. If you see me out and about PLEASE ask first before petting me. I have a very important job to do and sometimes should not be distracted while I am working.  

Charlie is a very lucky boy!  He has an awesome mom!

The last few posts were about DADS that were born 3/4/2011 at my home.  I am so honored that these dogs and people came into my life!  I am honored that the all found each other!  It is so amazing to me how well all of them are doing!  It has taken LOTS of hard work on their part but they all are amazing TEAMS!

Barrett

Barrett's owner have also worked EXTREMELY hard with this dog and have been rewarded for their efforts!  Because they live in close proximity to me I have really got to watch them grow to together as a team!  It still amazes me when we put effort into our relationship with these dogs we get in back so much more!  Barrett's T1 charge summed it up best: "Barrett is the best part about having diabetes!"  I understand and agree completely!  However I also think the Barrett thinks that he and the family are the best part of the world!  I think she is right to!!! 

FUDGE

"In my house the "medicine" that could save you, could kill you. In my house juice box saves lives. In my house parents never really sleep. In my house our days are measured in numbers and "low parties" with treats and glucose tabs. In my house the child must be an adult. In my house they dread bedtime; it's when I work more diligently. In my house blood is shed every day drop by drop. In my house this is the norm. And in this house it's ok to eat candy and juice in the middle of the night some times several times a night.. -just to stay alive.
Type 1 lives in my house; but so do I. I am the Diabetic Alert Dog, Fudge" ♥  by Trista/ Kailey Hermann

Fudge choose Kailey! It was one of the most amazing things I have seen!  Another WONDERFUL TEAM/FAMILY that has done an amazing job with this dog!  I am so PROUD of them all!

This came from Trista:  The original poem of this was beautifully written by Alexis Newell she has an amazing art with words, I just changed a few to fit our circumstances.. ♥  

So thank you Alexis Newell! 

Check out her blog here : http://justicesmisbehavingpancreas.blogspot.com/p/my-poetry.html?m=1
 

Tasha

Tasha as seen in the 2012 Dogs of Independent Living Vernon Calender

Tasha is a Chevey/Whitey Pup from last years March litter!  Bev and her husband drove from their home in Canada to my house in Salt Lake to pick her up!  In the first week alone Bev told me that she had "between 50 and 60 lows and that Tasha caught all of them but 3!"  Those 3 happened between 3 am and 6 am when a baby puppy normally sleeps very soundly!   Bev has done a tremendous job of self training her!

Kudos to this fine team!

I AM NOONE SPECIAL

I am no one special!  I am NOT SOME GREAT GERU of dogs. I have worked my butt off to get to where I am in knowledge and experience! Yes, I do have a gift with animals that comes from God.  I do not believe that the gift and knowledge is limited to me! I also believe that everyone has his or her own journey to walk in life and with dog training.  Sometimes it is about time, sometimes it is about life, but the END IS NEVER TOTAL ACHIEVED or completed when it comes to dog training.  No matter how much I know I CAN ALWAYS LEARN MORE! ALWAYS!!! ALWAYS! NO ONE WAY WORKS FOR EVERY DOG OR EVERY PERSON!

It is also OK to pay a lot of money for a good DAD, but here is a little secret; you are still going to have to learn how to train it!  You are going to have to learn how THAT TRAINER communicated with that dog! It is very reasonable and feasible that the price tag would be in the neighborhood of 20 K for a well trained fully alerting dog!  However you have to remember that you still have to learn how that dog was trained.  Dogs are NOT ROBOTS!  They are living breathing, thinking, and feeling creatures!

Many people think that MORE MONEY means a better PRODUCT!  It is the way of our world!  I was taught at a very early age HARD WORK pays off!  KNOWLEDGE pays off...not always in money but in success!  I have paid for training. I have paid to learn from others. I have also learned a lot just from experience of watching dogs.  Very often if we don’t pay something we tend to not value it! For example I hate asking 1500 to 2000 grand for my baby puppies but I know what THEY ARE WORTH EVERY DIME and MORE! If you factor in the cost of the litter, my time, and training that price is VERY CHEAP!  The head start that you get with these pups is amazing.

As most know I am a huge proponent of SELF TRAINING! But it ONLY WORKS when you are willing to ask/pay for help when you need it and IF YOU ARE COMMITTED 100 percent to the cause! It takes TIME! It takes PATIENCE! It takes PERSTISTANCE!  You have to be WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET THE OUTCOME YOU DESERVE!  There is no TIME TABLE and life will happen but YOU HAVE TO GO THE DISTANCE…NO MATTER WHAT THAT MEANS!

No matter where that diabetic alert dog comes from you MUST BUILD A RELATIONSHIP with that dog! You have to spend time learning about dogs.  You read, watch, and listen every chance you get!  Sometimes it will not apply to your current dog! However down the road it just might so you need to file it away for future reference! My house and file cabinets are full of books, videos, cds, and assorted other dog training stuff! I learned very quickly that relationship is built through training but it is also built through just spending time with the dog!  Appreciating what the dog gives you in that moment! It is hard to not keep expecting the dog to do more and more, but a dog also needs time to just BE!

Bravo is turning SEVEN this year and I STILL have training things to do and HE STILL LEARNS NEW THINGS!  DOG TRAINING IS NEVER FINISHED! It is LIKE BEING A PARENT! You will always be a parent no matter how old the kid gets, however the roles do change and mature!  WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT WE KEEP OUR EYE OR THE PRIZE! WE LEARN!  WE GROW!  IT TAKES AS LONG AS IT TAKES!

 I try to never bash others for how they do things what I don’t understand is why I and others like me get bashed for recommending self-training.  I believe most people are smart enough to do this! They just need guidance!  I have more or as much dog experience as many of the ones doing the bashing.  I have successfully trained dogs to the upper levels in 8 venues.  WHY??? Because I believe in dogs! I believe in our relationship with dogs! And because I am still amazed by what we can teach dogs and WHAT DOGS TEACH US!  THE MORE I KNOW ABOUT SOME PEOPLE, THE MORE I PREFER TO BE WITH MY DOGS!

May 1, 2012

Okay all it has been fun. I am glad I have done this…but I think on top of the other things I have going on….I would like to go to a once a week format.  I have learned a lot of things…some of the assignments I enjoyed and some just wasn’t my style!

I hope that you all keep coming and reading!  Have a good May!