Help Sophie and Me Finish Training!

Hi.

My name is Fallon. I am a 35-year-old disabled freelance writer and future therapist. I have the following disabilities: Cerebral Palsy, migraines, Complex PTSD, Lymphedema in both lower legs and chronic pain caused by multiple diagnoses. My migraines are pretty severe. They often cause nausea, light/sound sensitivity, excruciating pain, and even occasional dizziness and vision changes. They can and do send me to the ER. I use a power wheelchair as my primary mobility aid. CP causes excess tension and spasticity in my muscles, muscle spasms, pain, and a host of other symptoms. Complex PTSD causes nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, difficulty sleeping, and several other problems. In 2022, I was diagnosed with seizures that came out of nowhere. These occur at night while I’m asleep. Thankfully, I’ve only had 5 total seizures in my lifetime. I have needed a service dog since 2016. In 2019, I began applying to service dog programs. I was rejected by all but one, likely due to the complex nature of my needs. During the interview process for the third program, I was told a fully trained Husky would cost $10,000. Despite being legally classified as medical equipment, there is no insurance plan within the US that covers the costs associated with a service dog’s vital training, medical needs, or care. This often means that those of us who need service dogs either go without or…