Healing and Hope Through Canine Compassion

On the very day we as a country celebrate a man who fought for ethnic equality, I will be one step closer to reclaiming my own freedom. On Martin Luther King Jr. day, I will be bringing home a Shiloh Shepherd puppy. That puppy is to be trained as my service dog. Photo courtesy of AZ Shilohs, with permission Three years ago, I lost nearly everything... again. It wasn't the first time I'd nearly lost my life, but it was the only time where the danger was imminent. As I lay, alone and cold, 30 feet below the road above and unable to move, I knew the chances of my being found in time to save me were remote. I was found, though, and I was saved... but at a cost. The day my bicycle was tripped up by high winds and sent me flying off a mountain was the day I lost nearly everything. That one event resulted in my losing my home, my job, my independence, and very nearly my life. My spine was fractured in 9 places in my neck and upper back. My rib cage was shattered, both in the front and the back. My right scapula was shattered. Both lungs were punctured, and my kidney and spleen were mangled almost beyond the ability to heal. I wish I could awaken and it would all fade away like a bad dream... but I remember everything, and that's not going away. I have since had four spine surgeries. While I exhibited some symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder before the most recent surgery, off and on, multiple traumas seem to have a cumulative effect. Over time, the PTSD has gotten worse....
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news