Psychiatric K9 Heidi, A Letter for Laurie Alfson

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Psychiatric K9 Heidi, A Letter for Laurie Alfson March 24, 2008 To whom it may Concern: In September of 2007 the DOGWISH Foundation was pleased to be able to place a Psychiatric Canine Assistance Dog with Mrs. Laurie Alfson of Grand Rapids, MI. Mrs. Alfson suffers from a variety of medical ailment's, and has been officially diagnosed as having Bi-Polar Disorder, Fibromyalgia, Agoraphobia and a variety of other medically debilitating symptoms. She suffers from severe, chronic debilitating anxiety attacks, severe muscle and joint pain, and extreme problems with basic mental functions. Her blood pressure and pulse remain sporadic and inconsistent with indeterminable, severely debilitating spikes that leave her shaking, weak, and mentally non-functional for periods exceeding several hours. The DOGWISH Foundation train's Psychiatric K9's for the purpose of helping people suffering from conditions such as Laurie's, in order for them to attempt to regain some resemblance of a normal life. Laurie is one of several such recipients we have placed K9s with in 2007, each with very similar results. Our Psychiatric K9's are trained to be sensitive to the biological working's of the handler's brain and nervous systems to the point where they can smell, see, feel, and understand the correct and incorrect electro/neural responses of the handler, recognizing, alerting, and responding by helping them deal with their disabilities. The DOGWISH Foundation placed Heidi with Laurie in an attempt to help her restore some sense of control and freedom to her life. At the time of Heidi's placement, Laurie had not left the house by herself in over a year, does not drive, has to crawl to get up the stairs on some days, shows an inability to mentally function or concentrate for any significant period of time, or more bluntly, simply function on any level close to what we would define as "normal." Heidi is trained to focus on Laurie, alerting her when she begins to appear to be functioning "abnormally" physically, giving Laurie the confidence to leave the house by herself short periods of time. The day after receiving Heidi Laurie walked down the street to visit a neighbor, able to leave her house by herself for the first time in over a year. Heidi works to serve as a buffer between Laurie and the public when she is out of the house, acting as a passive shield to keep people from getting too close. Heidi also works to act as a focus when in public, guiding Laurie to pay attention to her immediate surroundings, working to provide a soothing buffer and allowing Laurie some freedom. Heidi also, as a Seizure Alert K9, not only recognizes and responds Laurie's mental "sate of being", but helps to regulate and control it with her own. The interchange of brain-wave activity is incredible. The results of Heidi's being "brain-wave sensitive" have proven themselves highly effective in the interruption of Laurie's Hypothalamus misdirected brainwave activity. Consequently, Laurie is now able to live more of a "normal life, and resume many activities that before Heidi were not possible at all. While Heidi is certainly an excellent holistic and therapeutic tool in Laurie's care and treatment, she is by no means a medical cure for her condition. The Alfson's are fortunate enough to live within several hundred yards of many common stores and services. Heidi is able to allow Laurie to walk to the local post office (about a hundred yards away), but do nothing to cure the extreme fatigue that such a visit incur. Heidi is able to allow Laurie to make a trip to the grocery store with her husband and go to shop independently, but cannot remember for her that they are going to meet in the bread isle or where the bread isle is. Additional information can be gained about the DOGWISH Foundation in regards to Laurie, or our dog's and specific programs as needed. Bob Taylor, President The DOGWISH, Inc. (A non-profit California Corporation and Charitable Foundation) 8615 Shasta Rd. Phelan, CA 92371 (760) 662-3767 Related articles     Laurie Alfson's Flier Page [click]

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