Hi! I’m Carrie Jaramillo. My daughter Tracie and I, have created this page to document our experiences as we train two service dogs. My husband, Dez, will be helping in the process as well. His most important contribution right now is to help Lucy, our 9 year old German Shepherd, acclimate to all of the changes.
Why We Need Service Dogs
Tracie’s Story
I used to lead a fairly independent life. I had a job I loved and friends. I would go dancing, go on long drives, and had started a Masters program. I had a solid life plan.
Then in early 2021, I started having seizures again. I had them as a child, but they stopped in my early teens. These new seizures were different though. Now they cluster. Sometimes I have a dozen or more in a row.
In October of that year, I had a bad series of seizures. After, I couldn’t read for a long time. My memory was affected, and I had to relearn so many skills! I had to stop working and going to school.
Sadly, even with 3 medications, I still have seizures (though not as often). Mom and dad check on me at night, and I need someone close by at all times because the seizures often make my arms and legs useless. I am able to work at Disney with Dad because they have a great accommodations team that placed me in a job that is safe.
Having a well trained service dog will give me back some independence. She will be able to get my meds, get help, and protect me if I fall. She will also be trained to help me “come to” after an episode, and protect me if it takes a while. With her, I can be more independent and get my life back!
Carrie’s Story
Tracie told me once that I have the lives of 10 cats. Honestly, I don’t think that’s an exaggeration! After 42 surgeries and a coma, I am still here, making the best of things. As a matter of fact, in some ways I am healthier than I have been in quite a while!
That said, I am experiencing some challenges that need serious attention. Back in 2013, a medical error resulted in muli-system organ failure. As a result, my organs were damaged. My pancreas took a major hit. Now I have something called Reactive Hypoglycemia. Essentially, insulin releases too late, which causes my glucose levels to plummet rapidly. I am also Hypo-Unaware. I have no symptoms typically associated with Hypoglycemia.
I can go from normal to critically low in minutes. I do wear a monitor, but it doesn’t always catch the changes quickly enough to keep me from falling or passing out. It is made more complicated because of those 42 surgeries, many resulted in the removal of pieces of my digestive tract. On bad days, I don’t absorb nutrients well, causing those numbers to decline even faster. Meds help, but I still have had some scary incidents where I am alone when I lose consciousness (sometimes hitting my head on the way down).
Ironically, getting healthier and moving more has made the problem harder to manage. Activity and weight loss drop blood sugar levels. For most people, that’s a great thing! For me, it means the numbers are dropping faster and more often.
Like Tracie’s, my service dog will be trained to get meds, call for help, and soften the blow when I fall. She will also be able to retrieve items to help raise my blood sugar, reducing the risk of falls. She will do some balance work for me, which is needed due to other medical conditions I manage.
Our Future Service Dogs
While there are service dog agencies that provide dogs free of charge, none that meet our needs will place 2 in the same house. They required them to be the only animal.
As luck would have it, we found a highly skilled, experienced trainer who is able to work with both animals, which will save thousands of dollars. This professional has trained military dogs, service dogs, etc. For decades. He has experience in customizing task training to meet specific needs. We have no doubt that he will get the job done.
The trainer was able to find us two wonderful dogs – Hannah and Ivy – who appear to be up to the task. They are Great Ayrenees / Austrailian Shepherd pups who are whip smart and sweet as could be!
We look forward to sharing our experiences with you!
Hannah and Ivy 