In the spring of 2023, I began having daily fainting spells and struggled to do anything and everything on my own. I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me and I didn’t know what to do. My doctors thought I had diabetes type 1, then hypoglycemia, and then just stress. A year later, I was finally given the right diagnosis of dysautonomia. This causes my blood pressure to drop very low throughout the day, along with my blood sugar, which causes the blood to drain from my head and pool in my hands and legs.

After my diagnosis, I was told whenever I felt any syncope symptoms, to immediately lay down on the ground no matter where I was. As embarrassing as it felt, I did it. It happened often when I was alone grocery shopping, and many people stopped and asked to call 911 to help me. It was difficult at times, as I’m not always able to communicate when I’m having an episode.

In May of 2024, my mom surprised me with a cockapoo puppy, Jane, who she wanted to have trained to be a service dog for my condition. After searching and searching for a trainer, we had no luck. That was until my mom’s friend suggested this program after her cockapoo also completed it. I’m proud to say Jane is now a trained service dog and goes everywhere that I go! What once was a mischievous puppy is now a dependable partner that I can rely on to help me every day. I can now go about my daily routine with confidence in knowing that she will help me if I experience an episode, and give others assurance around me as well.