I hope y'all don't mind, I posted this on the Pets forum and haven't got any response. I love everyone here and y'all always have such great advice that I wanted to post it here as well. Please tell me if I'm crossing any lines here with moving this post here.....

Thanks for putting up with me!




I'd like some opinions on getting a service dog

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I had what I like to refer to as an MS meltdown last year. Apparently up until June of last year I had been having mild symptoms which I just didn't pay any attention to. I used to be fairly active, walking/balance wasn't a problem, (I would walk for exercise, sometimes 2 miles or more a day)

Then it all hit me, and like so many others, my life changed. Thankfully I am still able to walk, but it isn't as easy as before. Whenever I leave the house I carry a cane and if a lot of walking or standing is involved I use a wheelchair. I do have some pain when walking but balance and stairs are a big issue.

I have checked several different places about service dogs. I guess what I'm looking for is others opinions on getting one at this stage of MS. I realize that the MS could possibly (hopefully) stay where it is now, but I also do understand that it may get worse. At my last neuro visit I showed increased loss of sensation, strength and reflex on my entire right side.

I used to never worry about going out anywhere alone, but now I very seldom go out alone. I'm so afraid of falling (which I've done several times, but dh was around to help me up) or walking like I'm drunk and walking into traffic or something like that or even dropping something and not being able to pick it up.

I think a service dog would not only give me the stability I need when walking, but the confidence to be able to go to the store, etc. by myself more often. I have always had animals around me, recently, 3 dogs, (they are with my mom now) so there wouldn't be a problem with getting used to having an animal around.

I'm sorry that this is such a long post and that it is probably confusing as to what I'm asking. Just please tell me if I'm crazy to even be thinking about a service dog now or if this is something that would be benificial to me now and in the future. I guess in some ways I feel I am not "sick enough" or deserving of a service dog.

Does any of this make sense? lol