Christmas, my most favorite time of year

Here I am, next to my Grandma K, in church, Christmas Eve, ready with my bear and my candle, can't wait until the end when we can light the candle, turn off the lights, and sing Silent Night, its my favorite thing to do, except see Denny, Paige's Dad.

Here is my cousing Grace, at Grandma's house sorting presents

This is my big brother Jacob, Emma likes him.

He's my boy, Mr. Monty dog.

I can't wait to open presents with my Dad.

In the chaos of Christmas, Emma finds refuge lying on Monty.  He's Mr. Cool and does not get rattled.

Here are my cousins, me on the left, my brother Jacob, cousins, Mike, Grace, Chris, and Andrew.
 
We could not get a picture of the other cousins on my Dad's side, since they never sit still, or cooperate, or listen.  It was crazy madness on Christmas Day.
 
I have had 3 seizures in 3 days.  I am way overtired and now its all done.  The presents, the eating, the family and the candles.  I sang my loudest this year during Silent Night.  My mom videotaped it, and I have already watched it 4 times. 
 
Monty did not alert to any of my seizures, but when asked to bark, he did.  Maybe someday he will put it all together, but for now, he's still clueless.  He was very good in church, and at Grandma's house.  We had rain, then snow, its very pretty out, but cold.
 
Happy New Year Everyone.
 
Love,
Margs
 

Santa, on Thanksgiving

Well, I went to the Festival of the Trees on Thanksgiving Day with my cousins, my aunt, my Grandma and my Mom.  Santa was there, and he is usually not part of my Christmas, but we went to see him.  Santa and Mrs. Claus loved Monty.  My Auntie Laura took this pic.

Baby, Its cold outside

My friends, BJ and Caytie, and their dog Tillie







Mom showed me my first Christmas present today. She let me put it under the tree. I love presents. I can't wait to go to church on Christmas Eve with my Grandpa and Grandma and sing "Silent Night" and hold a candle. Its my favorite thing.

We went to see Dr. Laux in Chicago on Friday. She is very smart and we are going to increase my medicine, to see if I can stop having so many seizures. More medicine usually makes me tired. My dog Monty had not figured out my seizures yet, but he is getting a little better at giving me one kiss. After the Dr.'s appt, we went to our friends house in Park Ridge, where they live with 3 dogs, Sadie, Ohio (another adopted 4 Paws ex-service dog) and Tillie, BJ's Mobility assistance dog. They were in our class at 4 Paws when we got Emma. They treated us to really good pizza and Caytie did puzzles with me and BJ helped. Then I stole Caytie's bear. You have to watch out for me, if I ask you about your bear, don't let me hold it!

A new chapter, a new approach

My good friend Kristy stopped by on Monday night. It was a super fun surprise. She had been with her puppy, Lucy, to obedience class. She also had Paige's dog, Emmy, with her, and it was Emmy's birthday. Lucy is a King Charles..... and Emmy is a long haired Chihuahua. Emma loves them, she loves to play with them. Monty does too, but not like Ems. Emmy decided she would steal the bone that Monty and Emma had been fighting over, and the smallest dog won! It was very fun!

Today, Thursday, my Mom met with a man who has his own special dog, Reeses. She is a super soft, wonderful chocolate lab. She alerts to his seizures. He is very amazing and so kind. His dog only had obedience training, no seizure training, and within one month she was alerting him. Let go and let God. Amen. No more trying. Here is one of his stain glass windows:
http://www.vsarts.org/prebuilt/artists/registry/artistdetail.cfm?ArtistID=3678759

amen.

Well, we've been home with Mr. Monty over a month

Hello,
All in all Monty is one great dog. He loves Emma, he loves me, he sleeps with me, and he goes to school with me. He is very well behaved, so calm and so cool. He doesn't get the seizure work though. Mom tried all week to do what the trainer suggested, and then yesterday during my nap I had a mother of a seizure, over 20 minutes long, and he didn't alert. She did work him, get him to bark, and have him lap. Then I had 2 more during the night.

Today Mom stripped the bed, washed all the bedding, even my pillows.

We'll see what happens, but this seems like an awful lot of work.

I was on the news!

A nice reporter came and did a story on me.

Here's the link:

http://www.kdsm17.com/newsroom/top_stories/videos/vid_1987.shtml

A night in with Mom, Dad and the dogs

Well, we spent a night in the newly done basement. Its only taken about 3 months to get me down there, but now I'm hanging out. I can do puzzles, watch my videos, and as you can see, hang with my dogs. They are sweet and so nice to me.

No seizures since Friday am, Mom did some work last night with scent, and this morning with the physical. Let's hope it pays off.

Another early am seizure

Just an update, I had a seizure this morning at 5 am. Mom was with me, and Monty was on the bed. He did nothing. Mom had to prompt him. She is very sad.

I survived the H1N1, or the flu, whatever it was

Monty was only going to be the floor, but I wanted him next to me on the couch, so.... here he is, my buddy












Monty and Emma at play in the back yard















Look who had the bone, and is feeling somewhat left out.














The dogs hangin on my bed, and again, look who has the bone....

Well, we think I had the H1N1, but since you aren't supposed to go near a doctor's office, we slugged it out at home. Thankfully, I only had a few seizures. I missed 3 days of school, Friday, Monday and Tuesday. I now have a lingering cough, but its not too bad.

Monty had now begun to jump onto the couch with me. When I ask him. He usually is staying fairly close by. We had a reporter and a photojouralist from the local TV station here on Saturday. They filmed us and talked to my Mom and Dad. The report is to air on Monday night, the 16th. The reporter is doing a series on Rare Diseases. We walked Monty around the block for the first time, I think it might be fun to see what film makes it onto the TV.

Monty is doing great at school. I haven't had any seizures for him to alert to since the flu, so we are going to see if my next one sparks his memory. Keep praying he gets it, cause the wonder of it all is causing my Mom to eat large quantities of food, and oh, she fell in the kitchen yesterday trying to get the numbers for the lady in Canada who is sending my medication. Mom is thinking about getting a Life Alert necklace, just in case.

Home for 7 days

The dogs and their bones













How can you not love that face?

















Monty checking on his girl at the Dentist















Margs, Tricia and Monty





















Dr. Waage, Tricia and Monty

Whew, a long day, a week back from 4 paws. Today I woke the house with a seizure at 5 am. Mom and Dad got very excited and tried to get Monty excited and asked him to bark. He just sat there and looked silly, but Miss Emma flew in, heard all the ruckus, and once she heard bark she went wild. They gave her treats for barking, still trying to get Monty to bark. He eventually kinda did, but not like Ems. Perhaps she'll learn to alert, and he can be my pal at school.

Mom and Monty and I hit the SuperTarget at 8 am, cause I didn't have to be to school until 10:45 due to ITBS, I'm too old for that testing. After buying the Halloween candy at Target, we went to Quik Trip for gas and an iced tea for Mom, her favorite. Nice, good, brewed, fresh, non sweet Iced Tea. Then, off to the Dentist to fill my third cavity. Everyone just loved Monty, and he did a great job. He got up once to check on me, I think he's beginning to like me. He goes to my bed to sleep. What a good boy.

Then off to school. Shorter day. Then after school we took Emma and Monty to the vet, my favorite person in the whole world, Denny. I gave him one of my pictures from the Portrait Studio, he said he would put it on his fridge. He liked Monty, and so many people said how handsome he is. He is truly handsome.

I'm off to bed, so I hope you all have a good night and continue to pray that Monty learns to alert to my seizures. He's such a good dog.

Service Dog number 2

Just a few words tonight, because we are all so tired we can hardly breathe. I got my picture taken with my Monty at the mall. Go to www.portraitavenue.com Go to online ordering, click on Mall at Fairfield Commons, enter password 5410.

He passed with flying colors. Jeremy said he is working like a dog that's has been handled for at least one year. And to think he was almost euthanized. Bless those people in Kentucky who pointed him out to Karen and Jeremy. He may be the sweetest dog ever. We will be amazed if he is ever naughty, although he really wanted to play with that cat Zoe at 4 Paws, she and his trainer Kayla were his only distractions.

He did miss one of my bad seizures this morning, so Dad and I worked with him and Kayla after the testing. We'll keep you all posted.

Day 9

This cracks Mom up, its the giant dinosaur at the used car lot by 4 Paws

Monty, me and Dad

Monty hogging the bed, the ears are always there...

Ehlena, Ashley and me

Wow, only one more day of class. Today was lots of lecturing by Jeremy, and I was super tired, so I did crash after lunch. It was a perfect day in Xenia, blue skies, 70 something and the trees are so pretty. Monty does so well, and did well with all the seizure "fakes" today. Mom tested him in the hotel and he came running and barked. What a good boy. Tomorrow morning is the public access testing at the mall. This time Mom will remember the van. (Last year she just walked to the mall, oops) Monty will do well. He did really well at Superwalmart, and did fine in Max and Erma's, he just decided he preferred the aisle over being under the table, so we will work on that, maybe a booth is not the place for him.

He still seems very tired. I guess we all are.

This has been another amazing 4 Paws experience, meeting all sorts of people from all walks of life with kids with a huge range of disabilites. Everyone is unique and precious. Taylor reminds my Mom so much of Matt, who she babysat when she was young, in the way she talks and her special smile. She has such a wonderful family, really, all the kids do.

One more night in Beavercreek, hard to believe. Then the hard work begins. Mom is going to retrain Emma (ha, like that is possible) she never would even behave at 4 Paws, so Monty is the opposite dog, but we can't wait for them to meet and have so much fun.

Day 8

Monty, doing a "lap"

Margs and Monty working on obedience.

Monty, Margs, the cat Zoe, who Monty would like to play with, and Mom

First off, lets clarify something. Jeremy is not a felon, he went to back to prison to check on all the dogs that the prisoners train. I'm not sure how many prisons are used, but if you search on YouTube you will find a news story about 4 Paws dogs being trained by prisoners. They teach them obedience, and they are allowed to sleep in their cell with them. Now, they are not allowed to take them to stores and out in the public, so every 4-6 weeks they trade out, go back to 4 Paws, and are socialized by the staff there, and taught more specific skills by one of the 4 Paws trainers. Jeremy told us that Monty started out in the mens system, but when he decided he might be the dog for Margs, he switched Monty to the womens prison. He has been exposed to everything, but maybe not a school bus.

Today we worked on obedience with Margs telling Monty what to do. Margs will do whatever Jeremy asks her. She did get another hug today, in fact, she went running to him when she spotted him at the mall. He encouraged her to shake her arms like a seizure, and you know what the big guy did? Yup, he barked. He's doing better with the fake seizures. When Mom did a fake seizure for Clarabelle, and Tootsie was close by, Clarabelle touched, and Tootsie barked. Monty was chillin by Margs, so he didn't notice. He's still pretty tired.

Margs got new jammies at the mall, we hit the jackpot on store 3, Sears, where America shops, and found a flannel night shirt with all different colors of teddy bears on it. Perfect.

Dad arrived while we were in the pool with Ehlena. Margs only had a 1 hour nap today, so tonight could be a big test for Monty.

The internet is being ridulous in the hotel, so maybe some more pictures tomorrow. Mom is very frustrated......

Day 7

Monty hangin with me

Ehlena and Wonder

Here is Danielle, Tootsie, me, Kaylynn (she has Dravet too,) and Monty

Lots of dogs in down, Monty is wayyyy over there

I had a rough day. We went to training and Jeremy was gone, gone to prison. Jennifer did the teaching. She had all those dogs plus Connor in a down and it was like a dog crowd. Monty did great, he never got up. I was so tired, I didn't eat my lunch and so Ashley took me back to the hotel for a nap. The afternoon Mom watched a Red Cross dog video about dog first aid. Did you know you can give your dog CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver? But don't forget to muzzle if he or she is hurt, cause the dog might bite.

After my nap, Ashley took me back to 4 paws to get Mom, Stacy, Ehlena, Wonder, Monty and Emily. I got to say hi to Jeremy, he was back from prison. He said he'd see me in the morning. Can you tell I really like Jeremy?

Tonight Ehlena came over to play, she and Wonder are in the room right across the hall. She got the biggest dog, and she's the smallest kid. They look great together.

I'm super tired, so its off to bed. Monty is now barking for Mom when she needs him to, so he just has to tie it all to me when I'm having a seizure and we'll have an alert. He loves to cuddle, he's like a giant teddy bear.

Oh, and Mom has no idea how to delete the picture posted twice, but I really like Tootsie too.

Day 6

Paige doing my hair

Monty supervising the hairdo

Monty the man

a hug

Ashley, me, Paige and Monty, with his eye on the cat Zoe

A beautiful fall day with frost on the grass and the trees ablaze in color. This area is truly beautiful and the back roads to 4 Paws are worth the extra time. Today in class they worked on tethering, and since I'm not much of a flight risk, we won't teather to Monty, but, since a girl wants what everyone has, I asked if I could have one of the red teathering straps like everyone else. Jeremy let me have one, and then he gave me a green training tab to put on the end to hold on to. He is so nice to me. Monty does well when I hold the back leash, and Mom holds the front leash. She took him to the mall for practice, and he's so good. We went to Meijer tonight and he did well too. He is such a good dog. Now for the seizure work. One more round tonight and off to bed. I'm so sad Paige had to leave today, it feels like she was hardly here. I can't wait to take Monty home to introduce him to everyone. They are all gonna love him, and I hope Emma does too.

We are sad our friend Mary left today too, she had to go home to see Max and Doug, who we met last August. She loves to sing to me, and she and Mom sang with the piano guy at Von Maur last night. They said it was great.

Days 4 and 5

Monty in a down at Don Pablos, what a good boy.

Paige, me, Monty and Ashley

Jackie, the birthday cake, and Clarabelle

Jackie, Mary from Michigan (Max's mom from Amazing Augustos), Monty giving kisses, me and Paige

Here I am hugging my Monty.

We are starting to lose track of time. Seriously. What day is it? Paige flew in on Thursday, I was so excited I could hardly take a nap. It has been so great to have her here, and she is flying out tomorrow. We wish she could stay the rest of the time. She thinks Monty is great.

We went to the mall yesterday, and he was so well behaved and did everything so well. Mr. Mellow Monty.

I had another seizure in the wee hours this am, and he didn't get it. We worked alot of seizure work today with Jeremy. He talked about grooming, nails, ears, and all that jazz. We took Monty to a resturant and he did so well, he really is so well behaved. He is still somewhat tired, and we are hoping that he is coming out of his depression from the transition. Mom can get him to bark now, which is great. Clarabelle, one of the other seizure dogs, who is touching and doing her job with Luke, had a birthday. Her mom, Jackie, brought a doggie birthday cake, that she didn't like at all, but Monty LOVES it. Mom is using the rest of it for seizure work tonight. She might order a whole bunch to use at home.