Late post from Chicago

Well Iris and I are sitting in the Marriott downtown Chicago waiting for or ride over to speak at NCMS convention. This group of security professionals have decided to make America's VetDogs their charity cause for this year. Wells Jones and myself will be speaking to the entire group first thing this morning then doing handshakes the rest of the day till a dinner tonight. They put on a nice social last night and many of the individual groups from around the country also want to do something autonomously which we hope to help facilitate while we're here this week.

Many of the members and leaders of these groups are past military and work very closely with the military now so it was a great fit for their organization they told me in our discussions last evening. This is a wonderful way to get groups involved as a whole and makes it easier on individuals also so if anyone out there knows of organizations that might be interested in sponsoring a puppy or naming a puppy vetdogs does a real nice job of tracking that dog through the process and even facilitates a meeting if you want with the recipient veteran upon graduation. I know the grads in my class really enjoyed meeting all the people that helped make getting our dogs possible.

On another note, Iris and I will be heading north into the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire when we return to the east coast. So next weeks entry will hopefully have picture again. In the meantime here is one from the super moon enjoy all!

Great news on all fronts

After a weeks absence we are back and writing. Just because we've been remiss in putting pen to paper does not mean that we have not been busy little campers.

Before we start talking about travels lets get the best news out of the way. Our stay, and yes I mean our, Iris was able to stay in the hospital with me after the first night. The even better news is the new medicine that I was trying out has been working very well and appears to have had the desired effect. Thank God for modern medicine. Iris has actually been letting me sleep through the night which is actually something new to me. She still wakes me if I am having nightmares but the fact that she lets me sleep the rest of the time is something new, I have even had to set an alarm clock a couple times to make sure I am up in the morning.

 So as you can tell by the pictures of us in the hospital Iris made herself very comfortable. The staff loved her and constantly asked if they could take her for walks (I never let them). I had telemetry on that allowed me free reign of the hospital and up to 30 ft outside so I was able to break her on my own. During our walks we were able to answer many questions about service dogs and what they do along with hand out information about America's VetDogs. Hopefully some of the veterans I spoke with will be able to put their applications in and move on with their lives in the same way I have.

Once we left the hospital we hit the road running. Or maybe I should say stopping and getting hit??? Not but a couple miles down the road we were hit from behind by a truck that accidentally hit his break and gas peddle at the same time. The insurance person just finished the estimate prior to my starting today's writing and I will say I was surprised by his estimate. They say there is almost $6,000 in damage done to the rear end. Not to worry though it will all be fixed next week and no one was injured which is the most important part of that side story.

Last week Iris and I flew up to the New York State VFW Convention where we spoke to both the VFW and the Women's Auxiliary. It was a fun time got to meet another veteran and his service dog. It is alway great to share time with brothers esp others with similar experiences where words are not needed to understand. His service Dog was a beautiful Lab from America's VetDogs that was all dressed up for the occasion by Dennis's youngest daughter. Both his wife and daughter were able to drive down from the Ft Drum area where he still lives. I love hearing how the families are affected by these service dogs. I know how much Iris means to the Phyfe family at large but to see it in others seems to make it really stand out in my mind. Thank you Dennis and I look forward to hearing you get up and share soon, you did a great job telling your story at the tables the next step is to get you up front.

Our Flight home was quite the ordeal! We flew up on US Airways and got routed through Philly which is a bit out of the way but acceptable.  The way home we were on United and flew from Buffalo to Cleveland to get back to Providence. Talk about the long way around the horn. Thought we were back in the army or something with that routing but we made the best of it. One very big lesson learned is that the TSA and Airport people really do not yet have a handle on service animals and how to handle them. We have had a bone of contention with the fact that every airport we have been to so far has had their break area outside on the public side of the terminal. This is a huge inconvenience for anyone traveling with a service dog who has a short layover and long flights. Having to clear through security and carry all your bags out of the airport and usually to the same area the smoking area is is a major pain. I would love it if people started writing congress and TSA asking to create an area inside of security that service animals could be taken to go to the bathroom. Nuff said I know!!

Ok for all those wondering yes we did go camping again even with all that flying. We did a trip up into southern New Hampshire and then another down to the coast of RI. The weather has been less then desirable but that will not stop me nor Iris from getting out and enjoying the outdoors. The picture show is a shot taken from the front seat of the truck while Jen is still asleep with the fog and peaceful water where we camped. The ability to put the camper in the back and run out to a spot is just such a freeing feeling I wish everyone could do it. But since so many can't I will do it for you. This week I will be going to the Massachusetts state prison in Framingham to speak to the puppy raisers. I also hope to go to either Vermont or New Hampshire to camp for a couple days.

Until next week God Bless!


   

Late but forgotten (many excuses)

Yes many excuses I am sure but the reality is I forgot. Lot's of things happening that have had Iris and I very busy. As mentioned in the last entry we did our planned trip to Smithtown, NY and had a great visit at the Foundation (America's VetDogs).

Some of the things we did while there were a good amount of video that hopefully will be linked to the upcoming website that will be put in place to track the travel adventures of Iris and I. We also spent a lot of time talking about how to tastefully decorate the camper so as to represent America's VetDogs Corporate Image while still giving me the leeway to show that this is a personal gift of giving to insure other veterans are able to get more dogs for the future. I can not wait to see what the designers come up with.

That is a shot of the Truck Camper combinations floating for the first time on the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry. One of the best parts of this setup is that Iris and I will be able to ride on most ferry's or other toll systems for the price of a regular vehicle because nothing hangs over the bumper. This makes it much easier for us to get to any and all locations even those remote locations so if you want to have an event for VetDogs please let me know and lets make it happen. 

For those that do not follow me personally on my other social media sites I will not be updating this blog next week due to medical issues. I will be in the hospital for a minimum of 4 days but hope to be out ASAP with a clean bill of health to resume traveling. The worst part of the trip to the hospital is that I will not be able to have Iris there with me. She will be allowed to come and visit but because it is a Cardiac Care Unit and I will not be allowed off the unit itself I will not be able to take care of her needs. So for her health and safety she will stay with family at home.

I had better get out of the hospital in the 4 days because the week after that little stay Iris and I will be up in Downtown Buffalo speaking at the New York State VFW convention. My personal plan is that I will get out of the Hospital and take a couple days and head to a quiet little campground in Southern New Hampshire called Pillsbury State Park and hope to get some pictures of some loons and moose to relax before heading off to Buffalo. 

As part of my getting ready for the upcoming adventures I have a new toy to play with, a 17-40 Canon L Series Ultra wide angle lens. I took a few shots with it yesterday of Iris and I think it will be a fun one to give a different perspective. Here are a few shots I took just playing around with the camera and lens outside.

As always be safe everyone and thank you all for following our travels.

Wrapping things up

Ok so that is a bad title but I have never been one to leave a bad pun alone. Iris and I will be leaving CT on Wed for a trip to Smithtown, NY the home of The Guide Dog Foundation & America's VetDogs. We will be sitting down with the folks down there to discuss the plans and design for the camper/RV wrap. Because this organization has helped change my life and so many other veterans lives the last thing I would want to do is start this campaign on a sour note with them by doing something without their input.

The Great news though is that this means we are moving forward and the dream of having a moving billboard that constantly makes everyone aware of the needs of our returning veterans is one step closer. After a long phone call with the marketing folks they came up with some great ideas. Some of those ideas should really help things along as far as getting the message out and allowing people to track the travels we do.

Already the Livin-Lite Company "http://http://www.livinlite.com" has already posted information about the camper and America's VetDogs in the testimonial section of their website along with highlighting our travels on their facebook pages. I have personally had many emails coming to me asking questions about the camper the travels and Americas VetDogs. This is such a great feeling to have that pull of being a part of something that is going to do great things for so many people.

Some of the ideas that are coming out of the brainstorming are a follow page that will be better at informing everyone what is happening then this personal blog currently does. On that page there will be a way to make donations and see goals that we will set up. Personally tracking the financial side is more than I am interested in but the being able to have peoples comments and stories could really be something in my opinion. The financial stuff is great because I do not have to do any of it so I can focus   on spreading the message.

I have had two professional photographers offer to get shots of Iris and I doing stuff so hopefully we will get more then just the camera phone shots up sooner than later. Thank you to Maggie and Bonnie for the offers and watch out I know that Iris is a great subject but getting a shot of me that doesn't break your lens is going to be a challenge.

Just so you know that Iris and I are traveling still we spent more time down on the beach while the pre-season is still keeping others away and also made it up to the lower mountains of New England for some nice walking and relaxing. With the trip out to the Island this week we will work on a few of the trip plans for the summer and holidays. I know that we have had request from SC, NC, DE, MI, MT, and TN so far for us to come visit. I also have been in contact with the person who raised Iris after she was rescued from the pound while she was at UGA which got me to thinking that I would love to visit the puppy raising program that UGA so graciously does for the Guide Dog Foundation. I have a relative that had a daughter just graduate from there and her comment was that she thought that the dogs were only for Blind people. It would be great to let them see that the graduation rate on dogs has been increased because dogs can now be placed as service dogs or guide dogs.

So many topics so little time. I guess I should wrap it up ASAP (I know another terrible pun)! I thank everyone for their support and please pass the word about what I am doing so that we grow this mission. Prays to all of you and I hope to see you on the road soon.

Kent

The week in Review:

This past week was a week of slowing things down some while doing the doctors visits of course. I truly believe that one of the reasons the VA schedules so many appointments for me is they want to see Iris walking the halls, she seems to put smiles on so many people staff and patients included.

On one of our visits last week we had an experience that was quite interesting. For those of you that have my Facebook Feed this is old news but for those that do not you may find it interesting. Many times since I have had the blessing of having Iris I have had the opportunity to educate business's and individuals about service dogs and where they are allowed and how they are used. It is something I love to do and Iris makes it so easy to do. She has such a wonderful personality that disarms people and allows them to feel at ease around her.

So on with the story, Iris and I had a doctors appointment with the Providence VA Cardiologist so we approached the VA as always through the main entrance to check in. As we rounded the corner to the sign-in desk there was another person with a "Service Dog", I have that quoted because this dog was not vested nor was he under control. I immediately placed Iris in a sit to make sure I had control of her and then back out the door. I was not going to turn our backs to this other team especially since the "Service Dog" was a Pit Bull. I am not one of those people that feel pit bulls are an evil breed set on this world to do nothing but fight and bite. However I do believe the way these dogs are trained and handled will determine how they act. This veteran's method of getting control of his dog was to hit his dog with his fist on the top of the head which if you ask me is no way to treat any animal be it dog or human.

What was the outcome of this encounter? Iris and I waited outside until the person finished checking in so we would not tempt his "Service Dog" and they went on to their appointment. Once the coast was clear we went in checked in and proceeded to our Appointment. Little did we know that the wheels had been set in motion by others by contacting the VA police units and soon after arriving at our appointment one of the shift leaders came to where we were. He unfortunately was rather ignorant to the rules and regulations for service dogs and the VA. Seeing an opportunity I whipped out my handy iPad and proceeded to allow him to read the ADA and VA reg's. He ask many questions and was very interested in learning more. Iris and I have done other education seminars at this facility so I suggested that if he felt it would help that we could come back and do one for his officers.

During the time we were talking the other team actually walked past were we were and his dog decided that Iris still looked like a nice lunch snack and they were both asked to leave and escorted out of the building. The VA is not required to adhere to the ADA because it is a federal facility just in case my readers did not know that. Although the ADA does state that the Service Animal must be under control at all times and not be deemed a nuisance or danger. If it is it can be asked to leave and denied access in the future also.

We did go back later that week and do a training session with the day shift for the VA Police and it went extremely well. This particular VA has a number of Service Dogs that go through it with no issues regularly and this is the first time they have had an issue that they have had where they have had to ask someone to leave. I am grateful that it was with me and not another veteran that may not have the wherewithal to handle the stress's of dog on dog issues and ADA, ADI access all at the same time. This was a win win solution for everyone except the person the person with the pit bull service dog that is now unable to have that dog in the VA.

That brings me to my last point. It is a personal point but I feel strongly about this and hope that when people that are looking for a service dog they will take this into thought. There are no rules on the type of dog that can or can't be trained to be a service dog. Many people love certain breeds and I understand that with all my heart, I personally love Lab's and Malamutes. I know that the Malamute scares some people and when taking that into account I do not think it would be a good breed for me to have as a service dog. My service dog is there to allow me to be healthy happy and a part of the community, if I have a dog that draws attention to itself through fear because of breed I in fact am putting pressure on myself in the community I want to regain access into. In my opening sentence's I mentioned how Iris has this ability to disarm peoples fears and I think that America's VetDogs knows this and picks dogs that have this quality. Getting a well trained well suited service dog is paramount in my recovery and placement back into society. As a disabled person wanting to be enabled I need to be prepared to look past my breeds of choice and accept a breed of acceptance to really make things work well.

Ok those are my thoughts for the week. Soapbox dismounted enjoy the day it is what we have.

“We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” 
― Chuck Palahniuk

Great time to be alive!

Here we are again only two days later then I originally planned to publish this weeks blog. I will admit that the reasons for not getting it out on time are completely acceptable on my scale of reasons for missing my self imposed deadlines. I was camping with my wife and Iris out on a deserted beach in RI. So as much as I want to share the adventures if I am in the middle of them I will not stop them most likely to write.

The past week has been a busy week for me.

Of course last weeks blog we discussed the Annapolis 5k race for America's VetDogs, since then I have received some more pictures from a great professional photographer who specializes in pet photography. She is married to an active duty Navy Flyer and wants to let any veterans and active duty people know that if they want professional pet work done, give her a call she will volunteer her services. Can't beat that if you ask me. Her name is Bonnie Grower and her web address is http://bonniegrower.com check it out. Here are a couple of shots she took while at the event.

Last Friday and Saturday I was asked to take part in an informational day with the Carroll Center for the Blind in Newton MA. I was up there with another Graduate from the Guide Dog Foundation which is the parent organization of America's VetDogs. The two of us were there to discuss training, use and many other aspects of guide and service dogs to the disabled communities. The event was a fund raiser for the school itself but the exposure for both The Guide Dog Foundation and America's VetDogs was excellent and well received. We gave out lots of handouts and hopefully raised awareness and created new potential donors for these organizations. We had so many people completely taken by Iris & Tom the other guide as we demonstrated the uses of these dogs in everyday life. Here is our morning setup before the crowds took over.

OK that should be enough for this week hope everyone enjoys our posting. If you want more or less please drop me an email at kent@kphyfe.com and I will try to my best to tailor this to give you all what you want. Remember this is the month that Memorial Day fall's in if your school or organization would like to have a veteran or active duty service member come speak please don't wait till the last minute before asking. I know that Iris and I love to go out and speak when asked but our schedule gets busy early.  

Hello all, I know I've said this in the past but I hope to make this work this time.  Been almost a year since the last entry.

So what's going on? Simple, lots and lots! Iris and I have traveled quite a bit in the past yr some for America's VetDogs and some for family fun. (Lots for those pesky doctors)

That plan to put together a roaming billboard is becoming a reality. 3 weeks ago I purchased a brand new camplite 5.7 truck camper for my 2006 Toyota Tacoma and since then we have traveled to RI, MA, MD and have plans on being in Boston later this week.

I will update more later today but for now take a moment and go to http://photo.kphyfe.com/avd_5k to check out the many pictures from the successful fundraiser done in Annapolis MD last weekend. I heard through unofficial channels that they raised over 50,000 dollars to go to America's VetDogs.

Busy Busy Busy!

Sorry for not staying on top of this blog. Iris and I have been gallivanting all over the place spreading the word about VetDogs and The Guide Dog Foundation.

UPDATE: as of last Friday Iris was 12 in the national polling for the HeroDog Awards. Please take a moment to go vote today if you have not already done so. The link is  http://www.herodogawards.org/vote/?nominee=38969345# We have about 4 weeks or so to jump to the top.

We just finished up with a radio interview that will be aired tomorrow I will attempt to link that to our FaceBook pages and will put it on the webserver in time also. Here is the link for the to media files. http://www.kphyfe.com/Kent_Phyfe_Photography/Movie.html

I got a new camera last week so we all know what that means. Yes more pictures of Iris and the family so here is one of the more recent of Iris that I love. Iris

SO next week Iris and I will be in NY at the Guide Dog Foundation for Council training so updates will be short and sweet. Be sure to follow our Facebook pages for the most updates. The week after we will be down in Manhattan doing an interview for PBS. As I know more I will update.

Achievement Rule #1 - Ignore the Naysayers

Achievement Rule #1 - Ignore the Naysayers

Busy Weeks or is it months?

Sorry for the delay in getting back to blogging. We (Iris and I) have been very busy. Other than that continuous drone of doctors and more doctors we have had a number of really neat things happening.

First off, UPDATE on the Hero Dog Contest. Iris is sitting in 15th place nationwide in the service dog group. This is one of the largest group categories and it's great to be in the top 15 but there is not donation made for 15th place to America's VetDogs. So I am attempting to learn new ways to get the word out without having to sell my blood or cutting off an arm.

I do not want to annoy people with reminders all the time but the only way to ask for votes is to ask for votes so I understand if someone blocks me or un-friends me but I hope people are able to help.

This morning I spent an hour plus going through different tweeter # and @ tags hoping to focus my future followers in the news and radio groups to follow and get the word out about Iris and the Hero Dog Awards. Time will tell as to how well this avenue works. I can say that in the past couple weeks I have gone from a couple followers on Twitter to having 46 at this moment. From talking to people that is a pretty good jump in followers. If anyone knows of opportunities out there for Iris & I to get the word out a shout out would be greatly appreciated.

On that note I will be involved in a number of public events over the coming few weeks. I was contacted by EastConn which is an alternative educational school in Northeast CT, to come in and speak about life with a service dog. I am really looking forward to this because sharing with the youth of America is something that can truly change lives. I will let you all know how that goes once it happens.

Next Sunday Iris and I get to go back to Smithtown NY to take part in a Lions Club dinner. This is a America's VetDog appearance were we will be representing the Foundation and VetDog's so hopefully I will not embarrass them to much. Being asked to be a part of any event is always an honor but being asked to come and speak for the Guidedog Foundation and America's VetDogs is something I could never see myself turning down. They have done so much for so many veterans out there that now live product happy lives because of being paired with their own service dog.

Last week, Sat the 14th we were asked to come to Smithtown to partake in an interview with Bodega Studio's for a documentary that will show how these amazing dogs change lives. I was very humbled to be asked to do this and actually shocked that I was able to pull it off without tears flowing while speaking about the changes in my life. Bodega Studios has traveled all over to speak to other veterans that have received dogs through other trainers also but in my opinion probably has never seen a facility like the Guide Dog Foundation & America's VetDogs has hidden away in Smithtown, NY on Long Island. Hopefully this documentary will help other veterans who have been faced with the tough times that happen when service ends and living as a civilian begins.

Now that we have cut our teeth on speaking and filming we are hoping to get noticed by the local news stations as a story. Getting seen is the best way to get votes. So yes now that the updates are gone here is the link to go vote again today tomorrow and every day till voting closes in June 2012.

As seen on many links on FaceBook and Twitter:

Northeast CT has one of the finalist in the Hero Dog Contest. Iris is a Rescued Lab mix that is teamed with me to help me with seizures and hearing issues. Last week Iris and I were interviewed by Bodega Studios for a new Documentary about Dog's of Honor. Please help bring a win to CT and America's VetDog and help other disabled veterans be able to restart their lives. Check out her voting page http://bit.ly/HfRO8O  where you can vote every day.

Trip to the Casino

Saturday evening we decided to try something new for both of us. Iris, Melanie and myself all trotted off to the Mohegan Sun Casino. We did this knowing there was a chance that we would not be allowed in because they are a sovereign nation and do not have to follow ADA rules. To our relief not one person asked us to leave and we walked all over the inner halls. The bells and whistles were a bit unnerving for me but Iris being the trooper she is accepted it as a new experience.

We ran into friends Nancy and Brenna and ate at Johnie Rocket's, The humans ate and Iris watch people watching her. One thing we did figure out is that you can get a workout just walking around there. We wanted to hit as many of the 21 and under spaces as we could and we did have to backtrack a few times giving us an even longer walk. We have put it into the rainy day spaces for those days that the weather is not permitting for a good walk outdoors. One of the drawbacks is the smoking which I became aware of quickly but they do a pretty good job filtering the air and since we were not in the casino proper it was not something that made me want to get out quickly.

On another note Thursday last week Mel had her first regular season lax game which did not go all that well but Iris had a blast hanging out watching it none the less. After the game the three of us went to Paul's Pasta in Groton. One of the things about having a Service Dog is that you end up having to answer lots of questions and educating people as we travel. Paul's is a great restaurant that sits right up against the Thames's river. The views are great and the food is even better. When we got there the line was not that bad which is always a hit or miss but the young lady taking names was not aware of the ADA rules on Service Dogs. She immediately told us that we could not eat there. I have learned that getting a response like that is not a dead end so in a non-confrontational voice I mention that she is a service dog which by law allows her to go into any public place. I make a point of making sure I do not ad emotion into my voice because I do not wish to hurt future service animals chance of having a peaceful meal or entrance.

Luckily for me the owner realized that there was a conversation going on (she was very nearby) and she came over and explained to the young employee that they have no issues with service animals. They then even found us a great spot where Iris could comfortably rest without worries of being in someones way.  I am very grateful for having such understanding people here in the Northeast. Those times were people are not so understanding I make sure that I have access to information available to educate. Most people are very open to learning about how service dogs work and how well they are behaved. In case anyone else out there has a service animal I can recommend that using a phone or an iPod are great ways to keep forms of information. I have pdf's in all my devices and offer to let people read about what the ADA requires and also helpful hints that I have downloaded from sources on the Internet. I also offer to send an email right from wherever we are so they can further research about what their rights are.

Yes I like to make it clear that they have rights also and I am not forcing my rights on them. This alone tends to disarm whomever I am speaking with. I have never threatened to go to the police because I find that something that put's stress in to the mix and that is not good for them or me. I have however on one occasion asked that I be allowed to simply video the conversation of them asking me to leave their facility. I have only done this once but it immediately changed the way the conversation was going. They owners son changed his mind about reading the rules and allowed me to stay. After I finished my meal they came over and talked to me some more asking questions about Vetdogs and why I have the dog.

This is another area that I personally do not have a problem talking about but the ADA is very specific as to the kinds of questions we as a team are allowed to be asked. I answer questions freely because it helps in keeping peace and shows that Iris and I have a bond that could not be duplicated by other means. Learning more about what Iris does for me has never been a negative for me. Well I think that I have been on my soapbox enough today. If anyone has questions about Iris or the laws please ask anytime. I am forever grateful to The Guidedog Foundation & America's VetDogs for bringing Iris into my life. I will go to any length to help grow the awareness of the great things they do for the vision impaired and veterans.

American Hero Dog Awards

OK Iris my service dog that was freely given to me by America's VetDog's and the Guide Dog Foundation, is in the running for the Hero Dog Award in the service dog category. This may not sound like a big deal but the award is something that the American Humane Association is doing and will give more recognition to America's VetDog's and the Guide Dog Foundation. Now that I have had Iris there is no way I could ever repay them for what they have done for me so I am making it my own private cause to push awareness and help raise money so other veterans can experience the joy I have found.

So here are a few things I am planning on tacking over the next few months. I have already spoken to a few of the staff and teachers at QVCC a local community college in Danielson, CT about running a 3rd party fundraiser. I am hoping to expand that to include other CC in CT and RI. (I live on the boarder of CT/RI and spend a few days a week in RI at the VA Hospital.)  I also hope to contact the local TV and Radio stations in hopes of getting the word out not only the Hero Dog Contest but VetDogs and The Guidedog Foundation. So if anyone is reading this and has points of contacts the referral would be great.

My Sister works at Yale in New Haven and sits on a number of boards. We talked a few days ago about getting Yale involved in some form of sponsorship also. I will be looking into getting the Foundations public relations involved in guiding my sister and myself in how to best make this work.

Now for everyone out there please pass on to all your friends this link to get Iris votes http://bit.ly/HfRO8O I am not able to track every vote but I do know from some of the emails I have gotten from friends I have never met before now that the words has gotten out to at least 20 states. I would love to be able to say that we have voters from all 50 states voting everyday. If anyone has other ideas they would like to get into the mix I promise I'll do my part to get it moving along. Iris and I will travel anywhere to help the foundation (VetDogs/Guidedog) just let us know.

Thank you all for reading and please pass the link (http://bit.ly/HfRO8O) and my email address out and together we can help raise money and awareness to the life changing qualities of a service dog for a veteran.

Trials and tribulations

OK I know I was going to actually "try" to post on a regular bases but that just has not been possible so I will go for the when I can method of posting.

The past couple weeks have been full of great times and of course the perpetual medical visits. A week ago I was honored with a phone call from the Guide Dog Foundation Alumni Council asking if I would be willing to apply for the open spot. What an honor for me and Iris to be asked. For me it was and still is something that I would really enjoy being a part of. The Guide Dog Foundation & America's VetDogs has done so much for me that I would do anything to help spread the word and help others to find out about that great life one can have because of a service/guide dog.

The process included having to apply in writing with a resume and cover letter. Been so long since I have had to do anything like that I will admit I was a bit overwhelmed at first. Lucky for me I found a resume from my old life and did a new one that I hope showed life since Iris. The cover letter was the hardest and easiest part for me. Iris has done so much for my attitude about life that discussing that is easy, I did however want to discuss life before Iris and why she had changed my life completely. That was not an easy subject to broach because to put those dark times on paper is definitely an ego deflation.

Tomorrow I get to do a conference call with board members and whoever else they decide on to interview me. This should not be all that hard for me since I am a social person and enjoy talking about Iris. If I do well who knows maybe I will be selected to be on the council.

Today is April 1st which also means that Voting has started today for the Hero Dog Awards. I hope that everyone out there can vote for Iris. Here voting page is http://bit.ly/H1G9px and you can vote once a day until Jun. Iris is definitely a hero to me. She even had another opportunity to show off her abilities yesterday keeping me company in the ER yet again. I really wish that I would not have issues but to have her there for me during the uncomfortable times means so much. (I am home now but will admit that I am still rather toasted.)

OK So please if you FB Tweet or any other social media please spread the word about Iris http://bit.ly/H1G9px

Thank you

Help support other Veterans like me who have a medical need for a Service Dog Like Iris!

To make a donation that can change a life... Contact the
Guide Dog Foundation® www.guidedog.org or
America's VetDogs®, The Veteran's K-9 Corps® at www.vetdogs.org

Visit them on Facebook at:
www.facebook.com/GuideDogFoundation or
www.facebook.com/AmericasVetDogs
 

Furminator

What a device it is. Iris is very happy with her spring coat being thinner now that I broke out the furminator. Of course I am not writing about the furminator tonight but I love the sound of it. As a child I remember cool names and well this qualifies in my book.

Today was an interesting day. The day started off at coffee with the guys and ended in a long conversation with a close friend. Nice to be blessed with so many people in my life that have taken the opportunity to allow me to see them in different light.

The need to take life one moment at a time has many great results. Today I got into a discussion about meditation which is a subject I have always seemed to skirt around the edges of. Never really getting into the deep meanings of things just sort of going with the flow. Over time the need to take time everyday and allowing for nothing to distract would be my main method of "Meditation". You know that time where (taking from my time with Iris and her shedding due to the furminator) everything outside goes to the side and we allow quiet breathing to cleanse.

My life has been a fast paced tornado affecting many other lives over the years, now due to my medical issues have been reduced to a gentler wind. The much quieter winds of today still have affects on others in some ways even more than that tornado. Learning how to accept things as they are is one of those lessons that I still struggle with and I am ever grateful when I get a glimpse of the positive gifts that come when I least expect.


 

1st Post

OK I am going to try my luck at putting thoughts on this blog. What should I discuss guess that will come out. I will admit that I hope people will look and let me know what if any topics they would like to hear about.

For the most part I guess I will discuss life in my fast lane which is pretty darn slow at the moment. A few people have asked me why I do not write a book I guess this will give them their answer. ;-) I am sure that the topic of Iris wondering why she has to hang with me all the time will be an area that could actually be a great topic. She is the center of most conversations I have with people and truly is what puts a sparkle in my Eye. Guess whoever sponsored her for the name knew that she had eyes for me. Ok I know enough Iris puns righto.

So for today I will put out a number of areas that I might touch on of course I doubt I will limit the topics to just a small area but this will give me something to look at in the coming weeks to start me moving I hope.

I am sure the topic of the VA and my experiences with them will be a primary starting point. With that in mind a look at addiction of all types will probably come into play. Much of my life has been spent in some for of recovery or as I like to call it living life on life's terms. Might touch on some of the experiences I have been through in the military but I am not so sure that this would be a good place to publicly air that type of stuff.

If anyone has a better idea other than telling me to stop and never do this again I am open to hear them. As Walter Cronkite was fond of saying "And that's the way it is" Good night all and stay well.