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There is Now a Service Dog for Uncontrolled Narcolepsy


Posted by Betty Anne on March 20, 2000 at 18:43:26:

A dear friend of mine in Toronto managed to control her narcolepsy for about 20 years with medication. Unfortunately, the medication became progressively less effective until, finally, nothing controlled it. When I first met her it was at a conference in Toronto. Had I not been diagnosed myself, I am afraid I would probably have thought she was drunk. Joan staggered, supported herself on the back of chairs and along walls to get to where she was going. Her speech would slur and her eyes would be half closed, when they were not completely closed. She would slump across any bench or chair in sight and barring that, she would lay on the floor to sleep, regardless of where that floor was!

In a relatively short time, Joan went from teaching math to being totally disabled. Shunned and misunderstood by friends, her world narrowed to the point of just trying to exist.
Joan has been my source of inspiration since that day I first met her. Facing the daily battle to survive, she also ran a monthly support group for Sleep/Wake Disorders Canada. She would get things going and then lay down under a table and sleep until the meeting was over. She is committed to promoting awareness and support for sleep and its disorders regardless of the toll it takes on her limited energies.

Last spring, Morgan entered her life and with him came more freedom, more dignity, more will to live and, for the public, more awareness of narcolepsy.
Morgan is a large standard poodle, a certified service dog trained specifically for uncontrolled narcolepsy. Morgan is a positive visual symbol that a person with uncontrolled narcolepsy has special needs. As a reporter stated, Morgan is Joan's new 'leash on life'.

Joan came up with the idea several years ago while watching her neighbor, who is deaf, with her service dog. She mentioned it to her sleep specialist who agreed it was a possibility to look at. It took a long time, a lot of patience, many frustrations and disappointments, and a strong committment to get from the idea to reality.

For what Morgan has done for Joan, I am truly grateful. For what Joan has done for those with uncontrolled narcolepsy, is hard to put into words. The main thing is, there is hope for those who thought there was none. Joan still staggers, falls asleep uncontrollably, slurs her speech and looks through half closed eyes. That is the nature of the beast. But Joan can now go out by herself and not get lost, not walk into traffic, not fall asleep in an unsafe area, not miss her name being called at an appointment, not fall down when there are no walls for support, not be brought to the hospital by ambulance for 'passing out', etc. Joan and Morgan are a dream come true.

Thank you Joan, from the bottom of my ever tired heart.


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