Oh dear. Our wonderful, super-amazing client, Wounded Warrior Troy’s Service Dog, Katie, is a LADY GAGA fan!!! Whatever shall we do…
Category Archives: Experience
Letter from Emmett and Daphne
A beautiful note written by one of our amazing clients, Emmett. We are SO proud of you, Emmett and Daphne!!!
My name is Emmett Luka and I have struggled with PTSD for the past 5 years. Currently I am a double major at a very competitive liberal arts university and my goal is to teach Spanish at the high school level. The past semester in particular was incredibly emotionally and psychologically taxing. At one point, I did not leave my room for 5 days due to the overwhelming anxiety and paranoia. I knew something had to change.
In November 2014 I was given the information for an agency called Service Dog Express. After speaking with the CEO and founder, Laurie Gawelko, I was able to arrange a meet and greet with one of the assessed dogs that was being fostered by Cherry Jenkins, with In Dogs We Trust. Meeting Daphne was one of the best moments of my life. I knew instantly that she was the partner I wanted and needed.
Over the past few months, Daphne and I have done extensive training. Some of it with trainers through the agency but a good majority of it on our own.
At first, Daphne had a few triggers of her own such as motorized sounds, small spaces, and large rod like objects. Now, Daphne can walk past the patrol buggies that roll around my university. She will willingly go into the Men’s restroom and stall with me, and does not shy away as much if someone has a broom or assistance cane.
She really is the best medicine. On the days that I cannot find my way around or home, she guides me there and sits with me until the feeling of disorientation has subsided.
She is very attuned to me and the reactions I have to triggers. Just the other day I was working a night shift and suddenly became very distressed. Daphne immediately hopped up next to me, set her head gently in my hands and did not move a muscle until I was calmed. That type of behavior is not one she was trained to do, it is simply her knowing me on an incredibly deep level and willingly offering the best she has.
Words cannot express how proud I am of her for all that she has accomplished. Nor can they express how thankful I am for all that she does for me. I am proud to be her handler and I am extremely honored that I was paired with such an exceptional partner.
People always say, we are the ones who rescue dogs from shelters, but I think they are the ones to rescue us.
Assistance in the Rio Grande Valley and more
This is a message from our exceptionally brilliant and compassionate trainer, Jacqueline (Jackie). Her life’s passion is to help Veterans, and she asked us to post this for all Veterans, especially in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV), if they need help.
I have been a graduate psychologist at the VA down here in the RGV. After working in 3 different VA health care systems, I have seen the great need for Veteran care and have seen both good (actually excellent) and bad ways VAs are run and treatment is provided. It is with an EXTREMELY saddened heart that I can no longer allow myself to provide a lower level of care to Veterans than what they deserve, nor be forced into functioning in a treatment setting that is providing unethical care.
I LOVE my work with Veterans and see such a huge need for this to continue, but as I leave, I also see several other amazing psychologists leaving as well due to the same challenges. I continue to see a need for Behavioral Health Care in the Rio Grande Valley, with Veterans and Civilians alike. After 11 years of schooling and 7 years providing Behavioral Health (BH) Services, I was completing my licensure requirements as a psychologist to provide the highest and most comprehensive options out there, however, despite the need for services in the RGV, I ran into several dead ends for finishing this last piece. However, I am willing to put my own final step on hold to help two communities (Veterans and anyone in the RGV) in need of BH services.
I hold a Masters Level License in the State of Texas that allows me to practice independently (but with some restrictions from what I would have had with my psychologist license and obviously at about 1/3-1/4 of the pay). I am hoping to make some things come together over the next month or two (and will probably be open to picking up random general labor work as my student loans have gone into effect and I incurred debt moving from Idaho to here), but am hoping to offer TeleHealth (similar to Skyping but in a much more secure system) and/or in home therapy/animal assisted-therapy services here in the RGV at hopefully a fraction of the cost of some other places (most likely on an income based sliding scale fee basis) since I will not be accepting insurance and I am wanting to reach a larger population of those in need.
That being said, minus the in-home piece, I am able to offer this TeleHealth service within the scope of my practice anywhere in the state of Texas. I am most wanting to reach Veterans as I know for many, wait times between treatment sessions is 2-3 months in several facilities throughout the state. However, I am also really wanting to service Civilians in the RGV and throughout Texas. I am NOT bilingual unfortunately, but have a considerable amount of understanding of the RGV culture, the Hispanic Culture, and the Texas Hispanic Culture.
For those of you who may know of people who may be able to benefit from this, please feel free to contact me. I will gladly share my extensive training and treatment experience with anyone who requests this, and am hoping to start this as an option for the community within the next two months.
Please contact me at: Jacqueline Kappelman
Wayne Kyle, Bradley Cooper and Letty
Our beloved trainer, Letty, who is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity the other day while she was at San Antonio Military Medical Center!! Bradley Cooper, star of the new movie coming out, “American Sniper”, came to pay a visit to the Wounded Warriors at SAMMC. He was accompanied by the actual sniper, Chris Kyle’s, father, Wayne Kyle on January 14th. Letty, who was having a rough day at the hospital, heard that Bradley was there, and they found him! Letty got to talk to Bradley and Wayne intimately – the movie addresses Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in depth – and Letty talked to them about Service Dog Express and how we train Service Dogs for Wounded Warriors with PTSD – and they gave her big hugs and so many thanks!
Letty’s Message
From our wonderful friend and SDE trainer, who went through a double mastectomy and will soon be starting chemotherapy:
“I have a request for all of my friends. I am going to make germ masks/chemo masks/surgical masks for myself and those around me. They will be washable and I’ll also be giving them to my new chemo friends at SAMMC. SO….This is what I’m looking for: I need about 1/4 of a yard of cotton fabric from where ever you are. Any color, style, but try to keep it G rated. Text me for my address, if you don’t already have it. If you are overseas, try to get local themed fabric. Let’s see if I can do this. I’d love to give back and help those fighting cancer alongside of me. DON’T JUST LIKE MY STATUS, HELP ME TO HELP OTHERS!!!
Letty‘s text number is 210-872-1079. This is for orders ONLY. You can also contact her on her FB page, Letty Gradillas- Pugh.
Just proof of her strength, she posted this on her FB site:
“I lovingly forgive and release all of the past. I choose to fill my world with joy. I love and approve of myself.
~Louise Hay”
Prayers to Daniel
Well, friends, the unthinkable has happened again to our dear, wonderful, amazing, courageous, loving, and fragile Wounded Warrior, Daniel. I don’t know if you remember, but his beloved SD, Ivan, a beautiful pitbull who was trained to perfection and enabled Daniel to live a somewhat normal life again, had to be euthanized at less than 3 years old due to a lethal heart murmur and a 32% enlarged heart. Ivan was showing signs of labored breathing, white gums, coughing, and lethargy, and Daniel finally made the agonizing decision when our friends at St. Francis of Assisi told Daniel if they believed Ivan was suffering. It was a grueling experience.
Well, Daniel was understandably devastated by losing his Battle Buddy – especially at such a young age (in fact, I had just recently seen them and Ivan seemed so happy). Daniel became housebound with grief for awhile, but managed to pull himself up by his bootstraps and start the SD training again – this time, with Ivan’s brother, Stubby. Stubby was 3. Stubby always developed a cough during the winter, but Daniel attributed it to allergies, since Stubby never exhibited other symptoms. Little did Daniel know – Stubby had inherited the same genetic mutation for cardiomegaly as his littermate, Ivan.
They had only had one training session when Daniel started noticing the cough becoming worse. Then, two mornings ago, Stubby threw up blood and his gums were white. The wonderful Dr. Bauml at St. Francis agreed to see Stubby on his lunchbreak – and the news was bad – very bad. Ultrasounds and x-rays revealed that Stubby’s heart was 82% larger than it should have been. I completely encompassed his chest cavity, compressing his lungs and making it almost impossible to breath.
We all spoke, and Daniel, in shock, finally understood the severity of the condition and the amount of suffering Stubby was experiencing. Dr. Bauml even stayed after hours to consult with a veterinary cardiologist to see if there was anything that could be done.
Last night, at approximately 8:30 pm, Stubby’s throat became so swollen, he was almost lifeless. Daniel took him to the ER, and made the grueling but humane decision once again to put Stubby to rest.
I’m sure many of you cannot even fathom losing two Service Dogs within 6 months. But I knew Daniel, and those dogs had all the love they could ever have wanted during their time on earth.
Please, please say prayers for Daniel’s healing. He will surely need it. For more on causes and signs of cardiomegaly in your dog, please read the post above this one. And not that this is ANY fault of Daniel’s – but both Ivan and Stubby were purchased by a roadside seller. While this is not always a recipe for failure, please be wary of these people. Not only is it illegal (but the police don’t care), there is usually a great deal of inbreeding involved with these home-bred dogs. Inbreeding most usually causes genetic abnormalities in dogs.
If you wish to personally express your condolences to Daniel, his FB page is Daniel Robert Stroud. Also, I am personally asking if anyone might consider sending the family any amount of money to help with the incredible expenses they have spent trying to save their dogs.
Rest in eternal peace, Stubby. Go and run with your brother, Ivan
Dedicated to my dear, dear friend, Inuko
This is dedicated to my dear, dear friend, Inuko. Yes, she is a SDE client, and yes, she has two amazing SDs named Gadget and Orianna – but she is more than that. Knowing her – and she is only 19 years old – has impacted the way I think about life and cancer and sickness and death. The spirit of the man who is in the speech below, who died the other day, reminds me of Inuko’s spirit. Cancer, no matter how bad it has become, does not define her life. She defines her life – and that is living each day to the fullest, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future – but LIVING – and being grateful for every wonderful thing she has in her life. We love you, Inuko.
Ken makes the world a better place.
Service Dog Express and our associate rescue, In Dog We Trust, would like to thank past client, Wounded Warrior Ken, for his INCREDIBLY kind donation of a truck full of dog food!! He just did this out of the kindness of his heart!! Needless to say, it was SO needed and we are forever grateful for this act of compassion. Ken is a very talented artist, and his best buddy is Service Dog, the magnificent Mozart!!!! Thank you again, Ken. You make the world a better place.
John, a Navy Veteran, and his Sancho
We received these adorable pictures from our longtime client and friend, John, a Navy Veteran, who suffers from the after-effects of strokes and a heart attack, and his “partner in crime”, SD Sancho. John’s caregiver, Mary wrote:
“Hello Laurie,
We had to send you these. We gave Sancho treats and he earned them! If Sancho talked he would have asked for the treats. I laughed then I saw how Sancho waited with incredible patience until he got a treat. I could not get a picture before these and he had his nose to the treats, but he restrained himself! John could not be more proud of Sancho being Sancho. John laughed too, and then showed how much he loved Sancho by rewarding him for asking for the treats. This made John’s day!
Love ya – John, Mary, Michele, SD Sancho, SD Snowball, and Kathy”
It’s wonderful to hear that John was happy – he has been through so much – but he never lets his disability keep him from keeping up with training his SD, Chesapeake Bay Retriever 8 year-old Sancho. They have a bond that is truly inexplicable.
Service Dog is Harassed by Police
Service Dog is Harassed by Police: Please watch the video.
It happened at the home of our client, Gilbert, one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. He has a Service Dog that is fully trained name “Solea”. I helped train her. Gilbert had severe agoraphobia, and Solea has helped him start to live a normal life. The police showed up at the door as Gilbert’s mother was coming home. They were searching for Gilbert’s sister, who had a warrant for her arrest. She does not even live with Gilbert and his mother. Gilbert said there were 6 officers there, all with guns pointed. He posted it on youtube, and sent it to us. It made me cry. You can bet the Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office will be hearing from me. We responded to Gilbert and asked him the following questions, and here are Gilbert’s replies:
1. What emotions were you going through during the encounter and after the encounter? Gilbert – “I was extremely upset/scared/nervous for us – me and Solea – before we could even step out.”
2. How did Solea help you cope? Gilbert – “She helped me stay as calm as I could under the circumstances of me almost losing her to the ignorance of these officers.”
3. What happened to you and Solea once you exited the home; ie – how did the officers treat you and Solea after the incident? Gilbert – “After we exited the house, a Captain continued to harass and verbally attack me, once again, Solea begins to bark because she can sense my anxiety and she’s protecting me; we have to remember these deputies had guns out and were wearing black vests outside their clothes.” Ironically – the Lieutenant that was the last to leave “apologized” for the Captain’s behavior.
4. How many people were outside your home and in what capacity? Gilbert: “There were 6 officers – all had their weapons drawn and pointed at us.”
5. Who was at home with you and Solea? Gilbert: “My mom and brother.”
There will be more footage of this tomorrow. Apparently, a detective had been out the day before and scoured the home, and was completely aware of the fact that Solea was a Service Dog. Gilbert is filing a complaint against the Captain that continued to harass him and Solea afterward, and is going to press criminal charges for harassment of a Service Dog and Service Dog handler, as well as a code that Gilbert looked up that states that in the state of Texas, if a Service Dog is Harassed or hurt in any way, the person responsible for that action is responsible for any rehabilitation that the Service Dog needs after this traumatization. Gilbert said that Solea is definitely showing signs of trauma.
I think this is definitely worth pressing charges for and alerting the media. Gilbert is handling it, despite his severe anxiety, like a true professional. I am so proud of him. – Laurie