The story of Erin
I am Erin, an experienced Service Dog Handler. I currently have a Service Dog. We have been a team for 8 years. He will be 9 years old May 31st, 2025. I am planning on retiring him in the next year or so. It’s time for him to rest, relax and just enjoy his time at home. My Partner Joseph is Maverick’s Co-Handler.
I am 34 years old and was Diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure June 2017, by October 2017 I found out I needed open-heart surgery, that was my first surgery, December 4th, 2017, which was actually a lot more simple than I thought it was gonna be and I wasn’t in a ton of pain. My second open-heart surgery was August 26, 2024. The pain was so bad my partner had to advocate to the nurses for pain management and mental health to come in and they came in together and they tackled what was going on. In October 2019 after years of just having an upset stomach, having irregular bowel movements- either super hard or super loose, then vomiting on a daily basis. My doctor finally did a gastric and study, and I was found to have moderate Gastroparesis. This affects me on an everyday basis because I really only eat about one meal a day, but I can drink as much as I want to.
I was diagnosed with Syringomyelia & Hemiplegic Migraine in September 2013 by my Neurologist. My migraines have become so much more under control with the medication. I’m on in the injections I take.