Sunday, January 30, 2011

Beyond a Blessing



This will probably be an emotional post. Kevin & I are both in complete awh as we speak. Experiencing seizure alert as we have these past few months has been nothing short of a miracle. Over the years I've struggled with the belief in miracles. After all, when you have a child like Danny and experience the pain and suffering involved with intractable epilepsy, you struggle to just not loose hope. The constant fear of severe or even fatal injury, lurking in the wings, can be brutal and so scarry. You constantly pray and watch over just fearing the day will come when you can't keep him safe. But now we have Kermit. Our angel sent here from God no doubt. Yesterday Kermit was alerting. Following Danny around, sniffing, starring at us as if to seek out reassurance that all will be ok. We find ourselves comforting Kermit when he alerts us. Kermit has that same fear, he knows it's coming, and wants to keep Danny safe. Except with seizure alert there's one big difference. Kermit really knows it's coming! What a scarry thing for Kermit, since many times Danny doesn't know nor us. Kermit continued to alert throughout the day and Danny started showing signs. At the dinner table we swiped the magnet. This seemed to have worked because Danny appeared better. Sunday came, today, and Danny was up at 6 AM (not that strange for Danny). Kermit always wakes when Danny does, but today he was up and ready to start his day. Kermit began alerting the minute his paws hit the floor! He was alerting to both Kevin and I. Dad went to leave for Walgreens. Kermit was alerting with me the entire time and looked concerned that dad was leaving. Dad was hesitant to go but we needed Danny's medicine and he was due to take it in about 30 minutes. He asked if we should put his helmet on. I said, no, sometimes Kermit can alert hours before the seizure comes and I would just shadow him like we do quite often. I told him I would wait until he got back to give Danny a bath but he really needed one so I would give it to him early before the seizure came. We considered swiping the magnet again like at dinner the night before, but many times this only prolongs a seizure. We would rather have the seizure at home than at day program on Monday or during his sleep. Dad left for Walgreens but soon returned, he forgot his coffee! Kermit continued to alert us, Danny even threw Kermit a toy (well, a slipper but we won't go there) and Kermit wouldn't take it. Very odd for Kermit, but not odd since he was alerting and was very anxious and worried. Danny had a huge myclonic jerk. I yelled for Kevin to get the magnet! Swiped the magnet, Kermit was going crazy. Danny began seizing. Kermit barked and was on it big time (as he always is). We gave Kermit a hot dog for praise and then his Kong with peanut butter to keep him occupied so Danny could rest. Kermit is all over Danny after a seizure! I just can't describe how this feels. To know that Kermit is helping us provide safety and aide to Danny. I think what keeps us in aw is that this could save Danny's life. If anyone ever says they don't believe that a dog knows and can sense a seizure (like people have with us)please tell them they haven't met Kermit. We are going to try and get the next one on video. We would love to share this miraculous gift that God and 4 Paws has given us with everyone who wants to experience it. Thank-you all for this blessing. While there's no cure for Epilepsy, there's obviously hope. And that hope is in the form of these 4-legged creatures!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Technology & Kermit!

Kermit is like many dogs with technology and machinery.....it can be quite stressful and scary! Kermit flees the scene when it's time to vacuum. When dad runs the saw, Kermit's not a happy camper, just like Pancake. Well, then he met the shredder. The worst part for him was that Danny was working the shredder. That was really bothersome for Kermit. He kept looking at us as if to say...."Do you really think he should be running the loud machine that's chewing up stuff!?!?!" The other night Kermit would not get out of the truck for dad & Danny. Dad said that at first he thought he was alerting a seizure but usually if Kermit's alerting he would not want to get in the vehicle. If he senses a seizure approaching he hesitates for us to leave, but not to go in the house where it's safe. Then dad finally figured it out! Kermit kept hunkering in the backseat and was starring at the bluetooth on dad's ear! Dad just got it for Christmas and this was Kermit's first experience with this new tool. It was really quite comical. A 100+ lb. dog scared of all these electronics and gadgets. Dad now has to watch the use of his gadgets around the sensitive Kermie.