Looking for a Service Dog Doula

295 more days until Steve and Jayne meet (I’m aiming for 14 January, 2013).  That’s just a little over 10 months. Holy. Kats. Or in the case, Holy. Goggie. I’m kind of looking at this whole process as a pregnancy.  First we find out that he gets in the program.  Then we learn as much as we can about the process of Service Dogs and what this means to our family.  Then we go through the process.  We are guided and supported though the process with our doctors (although I’d rather be using a Naturopath for this!) gaining their medical requirements for the transition with Steve.  It’s at this point I’m thinking we are going to need a Service Dog Doula. I don’t have a clue as to what I’m doing, particularly raising the money for the dog.  I’m basing so much of this off other people’s human adoptions that I don’t even know if I’m doing this right! I know that at certain points later on down the road, I’ll be told “OK, it’s time to do [fill in the blank here].”  But for those who know me and what I’m like, it isn’t a matter of that.  It’s a matter of someone give me milestones so I’m not surprised.  I’ll be honest, I’m feeling a lot of pressure in getting the funds turned in well before January. I know I’ve put that pressure on myself, but I need to know what this rug won’t be yanked out, because I don’t think Steve could take that in his life.

This past month, heck, this past week has been hands down the worst one in our entire relationship.  It doesn’t help that he can’t see a VA doctor here (they will only treat Boots on the Ground Veterans here in Missoula), and if I could, I’d send him do his civilian doctor every week like they want.  In the meanwhile, I’ve other doctors and professionals pushing and pulling me in 4 different directions telling me “We need to see him for this!” and I can’t afford all of them at once, plus keep the lights on at home, plus save for the Service Dog, plus send him to school! So I had to be forced to make hard decisions. Once a month.  He can see all of them once a month. And now I’m the Bad Guy. It would be great if I could get the Service Dog company to at least give me some sort of support and milestones, or advice, or even support, but that isn’t their job . I have a payment schedule and those number scare the crap out of me. I’ve been talking to other adoptive parents (of humans); this process is totally different compared to theirs. Yes, a lot of them did do fundraisers, but there are programs to apply for grants and get the funding somewhere other than massive fundraisers. I won’t talk to my parents any more, even if Step Mother has had Service Dogs all her life (but she’s never had to pay for any of them that I know of) because I *really* don’t need that energy in my life anymore. I’m finding out, that most people don’t pay for their Service Animals, the money is donated either though the Service Animal company itself or through other donations and scholarships. I totally need to find out WHERE! I’m usually the last to know and then get looked down on for “Not Being Informed” So someone bloody well inform me! I have to add at this point, I’m running our first fundraiser April 4-7 here on the site. I’ve been going to stores we frequent or are relevant in the Missoula area in hopes of putting up an 8.5” x 11” ad either on their community boards or where local bands and such hang their posters.  A little FYI, out of the 25 stores, 2 have the flyer up.  Now, how am I supposed to not be panicking again?

In the end, it will all come out in the wash. I talked to Steve about this on Friday, and we’ve started a list of the stores that told us no and won’t go to them anymore. May not be a huge economic impact, but at least I know where we stand. I’m going to be pushing this fundraiser like CRAZY on Facebook and email this week, so sorry, but you all are going to get inundated with it. We need to raise at a minimum $3000 this time around. I’m thinking that is seriously possible.  I think. Hence my need for a Service Dog Doula.  I need a wise person to help me guide through this entire process!