Sixth Month Home
To start our sixth month home I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! To start this month off @loveuleslie and I went to lunch with @s.e.l.z at @navy.proof. While there the staff remembered us and gave us the same spacious spot in the corner that we had sat at the last time we were here. It was a great time to catch up, as we had not seen each other since mid September. Not only did we get lunch together, but @s.e.l.z gave me the canvas of Eve that she had been working on. Since this was also New Years Eve, I knew that the safest thing that Eve and I could do was stay home and watch the livestream of the ball drop, as I was not sure how she would react to a large amount of fireworks going off. In typical Eve fashion, she seemed to sleep through them and even slept through a small earthquake on New Year's Day.
Oil, painting of Eve in harness with dog bones in the background by @s.e.l.z.
Lindsay and @s.e.l.z standing while @s.e.l.z is holding the art piece of Eve. Eve is also laying between Lindsay and @s.e.l.z.
The day after New Years Eve and I returned to the office as normal. This week was short and pretty uneventful minus Friday when as I was working we experienced another small 4.6 earthquake. This earthquake was considered small as it was a short 10 second jolt. At the moment I was not sure if I would have to get under my desk with Eve, as that is the safest place to go usually, as the earth is moving. I also knew if I had to get under my desk to keep myself safe during the earthquake that it might wake Eve up from the good nap that she was in the middle of taking. Thankfully this earthquake was short enough where this was not necessary.
The second week of the new year Eve and I worked in the office as normal, the only difference was that my office was making plans to move to a different location on campus to be closer to our main office. In addition to making plans for my office to move, I had a few virtual meetings to prepare for the spring semester at SFSU and Washington Seminar. Washington Seminar is the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) main legislative event of the year, where members go to Capitol Hill to discuss issues that impact those with blindness or low vision. This year the three issues surround website accessibility, employment, and accessible medical devices. At the end of the week Eve and I attended my local NFB chapter meeting where we discussed Washington seminar and the other conferences that the NFB would be hosting throughout the year. Eve’s favorite part of my local chapter meeting was getting to finally run around with my chapter president’s guide dog, as the last time we were together they both wanted to play, but it was not the time and place for that.
The third week of the new year started off with Eve and I going to Costco to get home essentials. To get these home essentials it took two Costco trips because my dad and I went on Sunday to grab what we could but it was quite hectic as a result of being Sunday and everyone else being out too. I was so glad for this Costco trip I decided to leave Eve with my mom at home because there were at least 200 people there making it hard to maneuver with just my cane On our second trip to Costco it was less busy, so I was able to take Eve with me and we were able to get the rest of the items we needed without incident. The rest of this week was pretty uneventful with Eve and I going to work, continuing to prepare for Washington Seminar, and meeting with my advisers to start the process for student teaching in the fall.
I wish I could say that @Shelbi_nichole and my Friday night to @disneyland was uneventful but unfortunately not. It was going great until Eve discovered all the popcorn on the ground and wanted to go after it. I of course got after her for this every time it happened but it was not easy. It also did not help that as it got later and later @disneyland got more crowded causing Eve to stop until the people got out of our way. This was most challenging during our last ride of the evening, which was Pirates of the Caribbean. I think what also made this most challenging was that the lines split in two for both the lightning and stand by lanes. After getting off Pirates of the Caribbean we took the Disneyland Railroad to main street. This was not an easy train ride as there was a train at the station when we got there but we would have been separated, which we did not want, so we waited until the next train. Once we got on the train it took us 20 minutes to get to Main Street as the trains were delayed due to an earlier event. As a result of this delay we did not make it to Main Street until 7:55 pm. This made both @shelbi_nichole and I very nervous, as both of our paratransits were scheduled for 8:05 pm. It did not help that at that point @shelbi_nichole was getting a call that her ride was going to depart soon and give her a no show meaning that she would not have a ride home. When this was happening, I did everything in my power to get Eve to go where I needed her to so that @shelbi_nichole and I would not miss our rides. When we got to the pickup point both of our paratransists had arrived, but @shelbi_nichole’s had already called for a no-show. Thankfully the driver hadn't left yet, so @shelbi_nichole had to call to have the no-show reversed. Although she had to call to have the no-show reversed, it was still scary at the moment because we did not know if the driver was going to leave in the process of the no-show reversal. Thankfully that did not happen and we both made it home
Lindsay and @shelbinichole sitting on a bench in front of Cinderella’s castle, while @kristentheguidingeye lays at @shelbinicholes feet and Eve sits at Lindsay’s right.
Lindsay and @shelbi_nichole hugging while Eve is standing looking at @shelbi_nichole and @kristenthe guidingeye is sitting at @shelbi_nicole’s left.
The third week in January started with a good rain storm, which caused some minor flooding on campus, but nothing that Eve and I could not get through. I learned through this rain storm if I am stern in using my teacher voice I can get Eve to go where I need her to at a steady pace. It also did not help that my campus and the other California State University faculty were on strike during the first day of classes during spring semester. This was not helpful because many of the buses were either not running or had a hard time accessing campus. Thankfully I left plenty of time for my paratransit to get Eve and I despite the traffic.
Eve sitting in her raincoat in the university student union.
The rest of this week I chose to start varying Eve and my route home a little more to help expose her to our other transit systems and unique street crossings, For the most part adding these other routes did not faze her. This was with the exception of one annoying X intersection near my house. This X intersection is annoying because as someone who relies on the auditory feedback of traffic to cross the street safely it is almost impossable to cross without a steady flow of traffic since the only way to know it’s safe to cross this intersection is once all cars stop. At the time of day I attempted this I did not have the steady flow of traffic I needed resulting in my dad having to come and rescue Eve and I. Through this incounter I learned don’t cross this intersection unless a lot of people are around.
To start the last week in January Eve and I traveled to Washington DC to lobby on Capitol Hill. For being our first solo trip together across the country since coming home I think it went well with the exception of some minor hiccups. Some of the challenges we faced were Eve and @kristentheguidingeye wanting to play but in time that could happen and Eve always looking back while we were walking in a double to ensure that @kristentheguidingeye was still behind her. When getting on both flights they slept peacefully together as seen in the below picture. The biggest challenge Eve and I faced was navigating through a hotel with somewhere around 150 other guide dogs, but somehow we made it through.
Lindsay, Eve, @shelbi_nichole, and @kristentheguidingeye standing in front of the #FLYLGB sign.
Eve and @kristentheguidingeye lying together on a plane.
Stay tuned in our Seventh Month home to hear about what we get up to while being here in Washington DC.
Fifth Month Home
This month started off with me enrolling in my spring classes at SFSU. I am so grateful that in the spring I only have one Zoom class and that it ends at 7pm. This semester has been quite ruff as my Thursday night classes do not end sometimes until 9:30pm, so having classes that end earlier will be a nice break.
In addition to enrolling in classes Eve and I went to work and school as we have been since the start of the semester. The difference with this month though, my coworkers have asked me concerning questions about Eve and her job. Some of these questions surrounded her having challenges navigating stairs and if she could help and mitigating students anxiety around finals. To the first question I responded that she was having challenges with stairs because there are 40,000+ students coming up and down the stairs, often not paying attention to where they are going, as a result the students cause a blockage for Eve and I. When answering the second question, I comly responded that being a therapy dog is not in her job description and that I will not add it to her job description, as it may jeopardize the $75,000 to $150,000 of training she received.
In the middle of this month Eve attended my 10 year high school reunion with me. She did great navigating me through all the people even though the venue was dark. I also thought it was cute that one of my classmates asked me if she was the same dog that one of our classmates was raising for Guide Dogs of America as part of her senior project. I obviously said no, but told them that she raised this puppy for a different school than where I got Eve. Since I still keep in contact with this classmate on occasion I was able to tell them that the puppy they were thinking of got matched with an older lady in the Sylmar area.
During this same week I took and thankfully passed all of my finals for this semester, while also helping administer about 1,000 finals in my office for students that we serve.
At the beginning of the next week, I attended my local National Federation of the Blind (NFB) holiday party. I had fun catching up with members of my chapter that I hadn't seen in a while, while also playing holiday games. Not only did I have fun, but Eve had fun trying to get the other guide dogs in trouble. One of these days I know they all will get a chance to play together, but that time was just not during this event.
To start the third week of this month @shelbi_nichole and I went to Disneyland to celebrate the end of our semesters. Thankfully we did not get an @uber denial on the way, and Eve and @kristentheguidingeye did great navigating us around Disneyland. They were so great that we even were able to walk down Main Street shortly before the parade was to begin in order to leave the parks for the day. We also have learned through doing this so many times now that the best way to leave the parks is to take paratransit home, as both Los Angeles and Orange County services the Disney parks as a transfer point. As a result of taking this approach we both do not risk an @uber denial and know that each other will make it home safe.
This week continued with me working remotely from Tuesday through Thursday, as my students' semester was over, but the projects that needed to be done could successfully be done from home. Being that I was given the opportunity to work from home it gave Eve the ability to rest and recover from our Disney adventures while I worked.
To end this week Eve had a vet appointment to meet our local vet. I am happy to report that she got a clean bill of health and is back at her target weight. Later this afternoon Eve attended my dad’s side of the family's holiday party. Eve had a fun time meeting new people and running around my cousin’s backyard. I think her favorite person to meet was my cousin's husband Dave as seen in the below picture.
Eve sitting in a park with a snowman bandana on.
Eve giving one of my cousin’s husbands a kiss.
The next morning after this holiday party I went with my dad to get his basic truck maintenance. While we were waiting on his truck service we took advantage of the Santa Margarita trail that was behind the car dealership. This was a nice way to stretch our legs after the 45 minute drive down to Santa Margarita. Once my dad’s truck maintenance was done we headed home to prepare for the other holiday festivities that would take place in the next few days.
Santa Margarita River Trail
To start the last week of our fifth month home, it was Christmas day. Eve and I attended a small get together with my brother and his wife.
To end this month Eve and I attended a holiday party for my high school’s alumni Best Buddies chapter. Everyone enjoyed meeting her, especially because many who attended realized not only what it means to me to have her, but how hard I worked to get her. Many who attended this event watched the heartbreak I had when I got denied at 16, but now see the doors that have opened and the sense of independence I now have.
Lindsay and Eve standing with Mrs. Weinberg a retired teacher.
Fourth Month Home
Boy this month had a ruff start. This month started off with a series of medical appointments, which Eve did amazing navigating me to, but through this process I learned yet again what limited knowledge medical providers have as it relates to service animals. For example, when checking in to one of my appointments I pointed down to Eve to explain that I could not see the check in form, in which this receptionist asked for my paperwork for her. I then proceeded to explain that there are only two questions that can be asked of me as it relates to Eve. These two questions are:
Is this a service animal required for a disability?
What service does this animal provide?
From there this person was grateful that I helped educate her on service animal etiquette. On our way home from this appointment I learned the hard way why service animals should not sit on the bench seat closest to the door of the paratransit vehicles that my county uses, as dogs' nails can get caught in the ramp, as did Eve’s. Thankfully she is ok, but I never want to hear the sound that came out of her, therefore if I can help it we will not be sitting in that seat.
To end this week Eve had a playdate with @kristentheguidingeye, as I was going to a sporting event that I did not feel comfortable taking Eve to. Unfortunately, @shelbi_nichole forgot to get pictures for me to add in here.
The second week of this month Eve got to experience her first speaking engagement for The Diabetes Link at the Beach. Our main role in this panel discussion was to share how Eve’s job is different from medical alert dogs. During this conversation I learned that these dogs use Charlee Bears for positive behavior and correctly alerting to blood sugar readings. This was really interesting to me as I also use Charlee Bears for positive behavior and marking common places. I also learned that due to the pandemic programs that provide medical alert dogs have somewhere around a two year waitlist for applicants similar to guide dog schools.
Lindsay and Eve posing together after speaking to The Diabetes Link at the Beach club.
n addition to speaking to The Diabetes Link at the Beach, on Thursday of this week Eve and I participated in CSULB’s Tech Day. Our main role in this was to share what the students with disabilities office offers their students. One thing that I did to entice students to come over to our table was to offer to braille their names. I have worked this particular event in the past, but we did not have as many people come over to us as we did this year. On occasion people would see Eve poke her head out from under the table and they would ask to pet her, which I respectfully declined.
Eve hanging out with Elbee at Tech Day.
The third week of this month was pretty uneventful with Eve and I going to work and coming home to go to class. Although we had a typical work week this week, this weekend Eve got to go to her first Volleyball game at California State Los Angeles (CSULA) against San Bernardino (CSUSB). Unfortunately, CSULA lost to CSUSB. Our main purpose for going was to hang out with some of my classmates from SFSU, as they live near campus and one of them has a daughter on the CSULA volleyball team.
Eve taking a nap at the CSULA vs CSUSB Volleyball game.
The fourth week of this month was a little different for Eve and I as I worked from home as part of Thanksgiving week. It was nice to relax and catch up on things that I had not had a chance to get to while working in the office and completing courses. It was also nice to have a great meal on Thanksgiving with my immediate family.
Third Month Home
To start the third month home, I completed my WAGATHON for Guiding Eyes by completing close to four marathons in the month of September with 104.4 miles.
In addition to completing my WAGATHON Eve and I also attended my brother’s wedding. Although it was uneventful getting to Utah the Wedding itself was eventful because we were also competing with a 25 mile per hour windstorm as the ceremony started. This windstorm made it so that the wedding itself was quickly moved inside after the ceremony itself ended. As a result of at least 25 people in the house I had to make the tough decision for Eve and everyone else to leave her in the basement as we were having dinner. Making this decision was for the best as the main level of the house was extremely crowded. Once we all finished dinner donuts were delivered in place of a wedding cake. As a result of the windstorm half of the donuts blew out of the delivery man's hands. If the windstorm did not make the wedding eventful enough, shortly after the toasts began my dad tapped me on the shoulder because he got a call from our local vet stating that our pet dog got out from where she was staying. Thankfully her picture was posted on a local community Facebook page and our dog sitter was able to get her back, but it was quite scary for about an hour or so.
@alexxisb.kerr and Lindsay standing together smiling.
Lindsay and Eve standing under twinkling lights.
The events of the wedding did not end with my pet dog getting out. You see, one of my sister-in-law's bridesmaids chose to go out after all the guests left to have drinks with the local cops, since she is a cop in a city in California. No one knew this until about 9:58 am the next morning as we were leaving the AirBnB and she had a police escort to the airport. This scared us all for a bit as we had a check-out for 10am and we were cutting it close. Once out of the AirBnB we drove around for a bit until we realized that because it was Sunday, and later realized that it was the LDS conference weekend everything was closed. Our only option would be to sit at the Salt Lake Airport until our flight at 7pm that evening. It was a long wait as we arrived at the airport at 12:30pm and we could not check in for our flight until 3pm. With all of this time to kill I chose to get readings done that I had not gotten to over the weekend, as a result of the wedding festivities. In addition to completing my readings, I also had to walk Eve up and down the airport to help get her energy out. Although it was not ideal it gave me the ability to work through dog distractions, targeting, and much more. We finally found ourselves on the plane to go home a little after 7:45pm.
The Monday after the wedding was rough with Eve and I both being extremely exhausted, but I still had to go to work, as my office was a week out from our 50th anniversary celebration. As a result of this celebration, it was all hands-on deck to make this event happen as soon as I returned from the wedding. My main role in the preparation for this event was to proofread over 80 pages of braille, while also ensuring any other printed materials were made accessible for the event. I thankfully finished all of my tasks a day before the event was to take place.
Some of the documents that Lindsay had to proofread for the 50th Anniversary Celebration.
The event itself went well with limited hiccups. Those who put the event together made sure Eve and I were sitting in an area where she was less likely to get stepped on and even had a relieving area for her.
Lindsay getting her hair done for the 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Lindsay and Eve standing in front of the BMAC step and repeat.
Lindsay and Eve posing awkwardly at the 50th Anniversary Celebration.
A day after the 50th anniversary event I received a nice surprise package from @esk8er718 and her daughter as a way to congratulate Eve and I for graduating as a team. One of my favorite items that she sent in this package was one of her Seeing Eye leashes that she used with students when she was an instructor. This is particularly a special gift as I realize the amount of lives this one leash changed and something as a handler I will cherish forever.
A package from @esk8er718
On the Monday after the 50th anniversary event Eve and I were visited by a Guiding Eyes representative to work through her sent distractions as well as her randomly stopping. As it relates to her sent distraction it was determined that she needed a Halti to keep her from getting into things she shouldn’t be. This representative and I also realized that Eve may be a little underweight, which could be contributing to her sent distraction. I was also assured during this discussion that what I am experiencing with her weight is completely normal with us just returning home and with time it will all even out.
At the end of this week Eve, @loveuleslie, and I flew up to San Francisco to see my grandma, aunt, uncle, and cousins. Overall, it was a good visit, but I wish my grandma was feeling better, as she had taken a fall about a month and a half prior where she fractured her pelvis in three places. She is on the mend, but it’s a slow process. Through this experience I learned the hard way that I need to check in on her more, as she is only getting older and as mishaps like this are harder to recover from.
In addition to seeing my family on this trip to San Francisco @loveuleslie, Eve, and I went into the city to get coffee at @bluebottle. Then we went to @ghirardelli to grab my grandmother chocolate. Once we were done at Ghirardelli we grabbed lunch at @sababa.restaurant. Once we finished lunch, we took pictures in front of the @transamericanpyramid. Before taking @BART back to my grandma’s house we had to find a spot for Eve to go to the bathroom. This was quite an adventure, as there were not many discreet or grassy areas to have her go to the bathroom, but as we were walking, we found an overgrown planter in front of a business building that she loved because she could roll in the grass. As we took BART it helped Eve practice intelligent disobedience on train platforms, traveling on trains, and tucking under chairs.
Lindsay and Eve standing in front of the Transamerican Pyramid.
Lindsay and Eve taking the escalator down to BART.
Lindsay and Eve walking down the streets of San Francisco.
Eve tucked under the seat of BART.
As we traveled home, we did not have the smoothest @TSA experience, while traveling through the Oakland airport. When I arrived at the @TSA checkpoint, I did what I was trained to do, which is to walk through the metal detector and call Eve through once I am through. As she goes through, she will alarm, and the TSA agents are to pat her down and swab my hands. On this particular occasion the TSA agents had me step to the side to allow another party to go through while they were waiting on back up. Once a more senior TSA agent arrived, he insisted on holding Eve as she would cause the detector to alarm again. As this was happening, I knew it was not right, but there was not much I could do as my sister had already made it through the TSA checkpoint. Once I made it through the check point, I was given back Eve, and my hands were swabbed. Once I grabbed my stuff we were on our way to our gate. Although we were on our way to our gate, I learned a valuable lesson through this, which was have one of my travel companions hold eve as I go through the metal detector, so that we are not completely separated and there is less likelihood of conflict.
On the Monday after returning from this trip to San Francisco I was able to get a weight check on Eve, which confirmed the suspicion that she was underweight at 58.6 LBs. Having weight challenges like this are normal shortly after bringing dogs home, as with everything else the number of treats and food given is a lot of trial and error. The only thing I need to do now is give her 2 ½ cups of food and plenty of treats for good behavior and do another weight check in two weeks to insure she is either gaining weight or back to her target weight.
Later in this week Eve and I had quite the mishap with our paratransit, where instead of going to my office at CSULB my paratransit ended up at Disneyland. In some cases when things like this happen the paratransit service that I use can send the driver to the rider’s location, but in this instance because the ride was booked online there was no telling who made the error, so my only option was to find a different way home. Thankfully, I know the bus route home from my office quite well, as prior to the pandemic I was taking it five days a week. As a result of doing so it gave Eve the ability to learn a new route, while practicing taking the bus, crossing streets, etc. She did amazing with this route and even got us home an hour before my 4:30pm class at SFSU was to begin.
Eve laying down while we were waiting on a bus.
To end our third month home, I was asked by CSULB’s Career Center to speak on a Disability Inclusion Panel as part of Disability Employment Month. During this panel discussion I was asked questions about how Eve helps me at work, what other accommodations I use, and any other advice I could give job seekers with disabilities.
Screen shot of the Disability Inclusion Panel that Lindsay participated in.
Second Month Home
Wow! Time has flown by. I cannot believe Eve and I have been home for two months. This month started off with Eve and I completing an observation in a classroom at an elementary school, so I could complete two assignments. The kids that I was working with loved Eve, and even asked “Is the dog coming back tomorrow?” The teacher of course responded that Eve would only come if I did. I thought this comment was really cute, as there is another guide dog that works on this campus. Once the kids went to recess, Eve got to make friends with this other guide dog before we had to head to the office for work that day.
Eve laying in a reading corner in a classroom.
As a result of the fee hikes, one of the days this month as I was leaving work, I was stopped by a local news station because I had a cute dog with me. The reporter proceeded to ask me if I had any opinions on the fee hikes. Although I am a student at SFSU, which is another one of the 23 CSU’s, I opted not to comment as I also work at CSULB and was not sure how that would impact work.
One project at home that I was eager to get my dad and brother to finish during this month was replacing the flooring in the rest of the house, as it was much needed and I knew we did not have much time to complete this project, as my brother would be getting married at the end of the month. To get this done quickly and without incident, I opted to complete class on campus for a few days, so that Eve and I would be out of the way. This seemed to work out great and the flooring was done in a matter of two days.
Eve laying down on the fifth floor of the library at CSULB.
It would not be another month home without another Disney trip with @shelbi_nichole and @kristentheguidingeye. I have to be honest though, this Disney trip was definitely rougher for Eve and me. The afternoon started with my paratransit almost not finding Eve and I on campus after work, so I was not sure if we were going to make it to Disney. Thankfully we were found about ten minutes after the driver arrived on campus and were on our way. Unlike our first Disney trip Eve was very interested in all of the smells and popcorn she could find. As a result of this behavior this Disney trip was a little more stressful for me, as I knew that I would have to constantly have to correct this behavior. As a result of the number of corrections and treats I gave for good behavior people were constantly asking if Eve was still in training. I was so glad to get this question rather than people pulling their phones out to film the challenges that we were facing. Although Eve and I had a tough Disney day I was extremely grateful for the Disney Railroad, as that helped us navigate through the different lands without having to try to get through too many crowds of people. It was also helpful that @shelbi_nichole’s dad offered to take us home prior to planning this trip. I do not know what I would have done if he did not offer this prior to the day Eve and I had. I do not think I could have mentally dealt with two or more @Uber denials similar to what @shelbi_nichole and I dealt with on our previous Disney trip.
The morning after this Disney trip I got a text from a GDMI that was going to be in my area in the coming weeks asking if I needed help with anything. After the challenges that I had the night before I quickly said yes, because I had seen small instances where Eve would sniff certain areas, but it was not all the time like it was for this Disney trip, and I wanted to nip this behavior in the butt before it got worse. I not only wanted this behavior looked at, but also the behavior in which Eve stops randomly, as I had recently seen it happen on stairs, which was quite scary since I do not have depth perception.
Toward the end of this month my family and I prepared to fly to Utah for my brother's wedding. Overall, the flight there was uneventful. The only challenge my parents had was keeping up with Eve and I, as we seemed to walk faster than them. This was especially apparent when I lost them in the Long Beach airport after going through security. I was surprised I managed to do this as the Long Beach Airport only has eleven gates and all boarding happens on the tarmac. Once landing at Salt Lake Airport I also had to give my parents the lesson that Eve and I could not go on the people movers as they are extremely dangerous for Eve.
In addition to all of the events this month Eve and I participated in Guiding Eye’s WAGATHON. This WAGATHON is one of Guiding Eye’s largest fundraisers of the year and the goal is to walk or run 26.2 miles in the month of September to raise funds for Guiding Eye’s important mission. Close to the end of the month I have so far completed 99.57 miles in total this month.
First Month Home
I cannot believe as of today Eve and I have been home for one month. In some respects, it feels like we just got home yesterday, but it also feels like we have been home for a year or more. This week started off with me being interviewed by a Guiding Eyes volunteer for my Guiding Eyes blog post. In this post I explained what life has been like since coming home with Eve in addition to some events that I am looking forward to experiencing with Eve in the coming weeks.
My main focus during this week was to finalize a presentation on Service Animal 101 for the larger division I work under. While at work on Wednesday of this week Eve and I encountered the first of many protests planned throughout the semester in relation to fee hikes. Eve did amazing navigating me through this crowd of people. This protest was only one crowd of people we had to navigate through between 12-1, during college hour on this day. It was also Welcome Week, so the quad was also quite crowded with people, tables and golf carts.
In addition to my work, I also found out that I was not selected as the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing student representative for this academic year. I was a little disappointed, but I know other opportunities will come my way.
Fourth Week Home
This was quite an eventful week with this week starting off with southern California getting a hurricane, which we had not seen in at least 100 years. In addition to this hurricane the Inland Empire experienced a 5.0 earthquake. Thankfully where I am all we experienced was rolling and no damage.
As a result of the hurricane California State University Long Beach (CSULB) called for a remote workday for non-essential staff for the Monday of this week. I was grateful to be determined as non-essential, as I was not sure how Eve and I would navigate campus, as I know how our campus can flood in bad rainstorms.
Tuesday of this week was the first day of classes at CSULB and my first day of fall semester at San Francisco State University (SFSU). With it being the first day of classes CSULB had close to 30,000 students on campus. Not only did Eve and I have to navigate through all of the students, but I also had my first staff meeting of the semester with my director early that morning. She had the idea to hold our meeting at the campus Coffee Bean. I did not realize the challenges that I would face in getting to this meeting. For a while Eve and I were walking along at a steady pace alongside my co-workers until Eve stopped randomly similar to how she did the previous week. I did an obedience routine similar to the previous week and we were on our way, although a bit late. As we left, Coffee Bean Eve randomly stopped again, but it was worse as she did this in front of my director and the art director. As a result of not wanting to be late to my next meeting I pulled my cane out and put Eve in a heel to make it on time. Once this meeting ended, I knew I would have to send my instructor a text to schedule a call to go through some trouble shooting as I knew I could not continue having Eve stop randomly. This call happened that afternoon shortly before my first class of the semester. After this call I felt refreshed in knowing that I had some tools in the toolbox to get Eve going again if this happened again.
On Wednesday I had a pretty uneventful day at work, that was until I was walking to my paratransit and Eve stopped randomly in front of our campus pub. Before I could do what, I was told to do Eve managed to lay down. I then gave her the command to stand an additional leash correction and we were on our way.
Eve unexpectedly laying down mid route.
On Thursday work was uneventful and Eve was able to get me where I needed to go without incident. The only challenge I faced was figuring out our schedule for when I have class for six hours on Thursday nights. Once my two classes ended, I found out that both of my instructors planned not to use our whole time for lecture, so Eve and I would have much needed breaks in between.
Friday of this week was quite rough for me as I had class until 9:30pm the previous night, but Eve and I made it through.
Third Week Home
This week started off with me attending my local National Federation of the Blind (NFB) meeting to discuss issues in the local community related to blindness. A hot topic during this meeting had to do with a national hockey league referee that was riding his bike down Route 66 to raise money for Braille Literacy from Santa Monica to Chicago.
On Monday of this week, I attended the New Student Orientation that my office was hosting for our incoming students. Eve was able to get me from my office to the student union where this event was being held without any issues. During the event she settled herself under my chair and took a nap. Once this event ended, we headed back to my office to meet our ride to go home.
Presentation from the new student orientation.
On Tuesday of this week, I attended my advising meeting for the semester along with an interview with the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to potentially be a student representative on the commission. Both meetings were productive, and I got a lot of questions answered.
On Wednesday of this week, I attended a mandatory emergency preparedness training. As a result of this training happening in the afternoon when we had a week of 90-degree temperatures I had to use Eve’s booties for the first time. I was quite proud of myself for being able to put them on all on my own. After I put them on my coworkers told me that Eve had a death stair on me as she was not happy to have them on.
Later in this week I found out that the job I had interviewed for in Los Angeles, a few weeks prior, I did not get but I was not disappointed about it as other opportunities would come my way.
At the end of this week Eve started stopping randomly when there were no obstacles in our path. When this first happened the only thing, I could think to do was an obedience routine with a series of sit’s, downs, and placing her in a heel. This seemed to work, and we were on our way.
Second Week Home
The second week home started off with @loveuleslie and I having lunch with @s.e.l.z. Getting to lunch was quite an adventure because little did, we all know but many of the hotels in the downtown area were on strike, making it hard to find a good lunch spot. Although we encountered a strike, Eve did amazing navigating through the people. After doing some research we settled on @navyproof for lunch. @navyproof had amazing service and even knew proper guide dog etiquette. Once we finished lunch we headed back to @s.e.l.z’s house where she had some surprises for Eve, which Eve loved.
Lunch at NavyProof.
Eve laying under the table.
On Monday of the second week home, I went to work as normal, but after work I had an appointment to get a new hand brace made. Going into this appointment I assumed they could just measure me for the brace, and I would be on my way, but no. As I was going into the appointment, I had a bad feeling when they told me that Eve could not come into the exam room when this brace was made. I of course advocated for myself and said “why?” she can go right under my chair. Come to find out they were saying no because the authorization was for a leg brace. When this was mentioned, I said “I think there was a mixup. Do you even make hand braces?” All they could offer me was one with no thumb protection, at this point I knew they were not going to be able to help me and I just walked out.
The rest of the week went better with me having uneventful days at work and a successful route from my office to the student union. I wanted to work this particular route from my office to the student union, as I knew that I would have to work New Student Orientation that next week.
Although Tuesday through Thursday went extremely smoothly, I could not say the same about Friday, as I took Eve on her first Disney trip. She did amazing navigating through all of the people and was happy to walk behind @kristentheguidingeye and @shelbi_nichole in a double. Although our trip to Disneyland went off without a hitch, I could not say that about our experience getting an @uber to go home. We faced two @uber denials before having the third driver take us, but only because we had some kind people helping us locate our @uber’s. Not only did these kind people help us find our @uber’s they also warned us that there were black cars that were trying to pick people up but were not @uber’s. To ensure that we both made it home we chose to share our @uber’s. We made it home two hours after placing our first @uber request.
Lindsay and Eve in front of the Disneyland castle.
@shelbi_nichole, @kristentheguidingeye, Eve and Lindsay in front of the Disneyland castle.
I heavily explained @shelbi_nichole and my experience getting an @uber, as it is a common occurrence for @uber drivers to deny service dog handlers because they are afraid that the service dogs will leave a mess or otherwise. What these drivers do not realize is that by becoming an @uber driver they agree to follow the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which states that service dogs can go into any public place including @ubers, since they are used to transport the public.
First Week Home
Wow! With all of the events this week I can’t believe we have been home for only a week. With this post being written on a Saturday it was a pretty relaxing day for Eve and I, with me taking care of her needs throughout the day, while getting everything in order for the week ahead.
Sixth Day Home
On this day I tried to leave for work at 7:30am but didn’t make it far as my dad’s truck stalled on our main road. As a result of this event Eve and I had to walk home and ask @loveuleslie for a ride to work. Although @loveuleslie took us to work, I was still 45 minutes late meaning that @loveuleslie would have to pick us up too since I would not make it to my paratransit. It was kind of a blessing that these events happened, as @loveuleslie and I had a meeting at home that I may not have made it to had she not picked us up.
Once this meeting ended, I fed Eve and took her out before making dinner.
Fifth Day Home
On this day the morning was much the same as the previous three mornings with me leaving for the office at 7:30am Once in the office I worked on many of the same projects that I had been working on earlier in the week. In addition to work, I got a text from one of the Co-hosts from the Society for the Blind podcasts asking if I would share my story of getting a guide dog that evening, which I agreed to do.
Before this interview could happen, my dad picked me up from work so that I could go home and get ready for a job interview in downtown Los Angeles. Overall, I thought this interview went well, but I knew that it was going to be a challenge to get to this location.
Once arriving home from this interview, I fed Eve dinner before interviewing with Society for the Blind. During this interview I was asked questions about my application process, training experience, and how my life has changed now that I have Eve from high school and college students. When this interview ended, I made dinner before taking Eve out and going to bed.
Fourth Day Home
This morning was the same as the last two mornings with me getting up at 5:30am and leaving for work by 7:30am. The workday was much the same with me checking email and completing necessary projects. The only difference with this morning at work was that I got to introduce Eve to our team during our Wednesday check-in meeting.
Once the workday ended, I ended up taking paratransit home instead of having my dad pick Eve and I up. Eve did amazing getting me to the paratransit pick up point for it being her second time. When we got home, I got lunch before taking care of things that I needed for the next day in addition to Eve’s needs.
Third Day Home
This morning was much the same with me getting up at 5:30am and heading out the door for the office by 7:30 am Once in the office Eve settled herself nicely in her bed while I worked on getting my notes together from the NFB 2023 conference to share with my team.
After most of these notes were taken care of Eve and I worked a successful route from my office to the paratransit pick up point. To work this route, I chose to use my clicker to mark landmarks instead of having one of my SA’s assist. While at the paratransit pick up point Eve and I took a picture in front of the GO BEACH sign and the Elbee cutout.
Eve and Lindsay standing next to Elbee.
Lindsay and Eve standing next to Elbee with the full GO BEACH sign behind them.
Once I returned to the office my officemate commented on how fast it was for us to get back to the office. Until my shift was up, I continued working on my NFB 2023 notes. Once I finished work for the day my dad picked Eve and I up, before we went home.
When I got home, I got lunch before starting to work on some notes for an upcoming interview. After these notes were done, I took care of what Eve needed before attending the monthly California Association of Guide Dog users call. Once this call ended, I headed to bed.
Second Day Home
Although it was only our second day home I had to head back to the office, as I had been off work for a month. This morning started with a similar routine from the previous day except I got up at 5:30am to ensure I had everything in order for Eve and I before leaving at 7:30am.
Once arriving in the office, I had my dad help me set Eve’s bed up in the office before starting my workday. As a result of being gone for an entire month my day consisted of catching up on emails and other messages that had been neglected while I was out. In addition to cleaning out my inbox, I also had one of my Student Assistants (SA) help me work a route from my office to our main office. With the help of this SA Eve did amazing learning this route with the landmarks that I gave her.
Eve sleeping in her Mickey mouse bed in the office.
Eve meeting her new friend @kristentheguidingeye.
After the workday ended my dad picked me up and we headed to @shelbi_nichole’s house to help her with a few things, while also allowing Eve and @kristentheguidingeye to meet. Right off the bat they became fast friends, which made @shelbi_nichole and I happy as they would be spending a lot of time together. After finishing at @shelbi_nichole’s my dad and I ran a few more errands before heading home.
First Day Home
Our first night home was uneventful with Eve only waking up once around 4:30 am thinking that it was time for breakfast, but after I told her that it was too early, she went back to bed. Around 7 am we started our day with a similar feeding and relieving routine from class.
Around 8:30 am I woke my sister, @loveuleslie up to see if she wanted to take a walk to our local Starbucks, so we could get breakfast while also working a route that I was familiar with. Overall, Eve did fine on the route and in Starbucks. On the way back I remember @loveuleslie making the comment:
@loveuleslie: “Wow she matches your pace really well.”
Me: “Yes, that’s what she is supposed to do.”
Eve laying on the floor of Starbucks while Lindsay sends out thank you messages.
Lindsay and Eve walking to Starbucks.
Prior to Eve @loveuleslie had been around a few of my friends' guide dogs but had not picked up on this important fact until I got Eve.
After returning from Starbucks, we took a few minutes to put a few things together to go to the Container Store. While in the Container Store I remember getting comments of how well-behaved Eve was and many were shocked that we had only been home for 24 hours at that point. To grab a few more things for my room we also ended up at Target. While on this Target run, we encountered another dog, but Eve did amazing and had no reaction. In addition to encountering this dog, I remember on a few occasions @loveuleslie asking me to slow down because she could not keep up with Eve and I. Prior to Eve I would often have to ask @loveuleslie to slow down because I could not keep up with her while using my cane.
We finished up these errands at Islands for lunch. Like a good girl Eve slept peacefully under the table while we ate. When we left the waiter that was assisting us got a little startled when Eve got up because he had no idea she was under there.
Once returning home I took care of Eve’s needs before putting my stuff together for the work week.
July 29th, 2023
This day was different from all the other days in that I got up at 5:45 am and got ready before finishing the last bit of packing. Once I was ready, I took Eve to the play yard to run off some energy and go to the bathroom before our flight. After Eve was taken care of, I went back to my room to give her a little food and water before heading to the airport.
Once at the airport my instructor helped me and his other student check in our bags before getting us into the airport. After parking the car, he helped us through security and to our gates. In addition to helping us he also helped one of my other classmates, as she missed her first flight. When he got me to my gate, I thanked him profusely for everything that he had done for me throughout these three weeks.
When walking down the jet bridge I got a little emotional, as it hit me that I was now doing all of this on my own. Once on the plane the flight attendance helped me to my seat. Getting Eve down the narrow aisles was definitely not graceful, as at one point she was walking backwards, but we got it done. Getting her to settle under the plane seat in front of me was not easy either, but after a few tries we got it done. Despite these few challenges our flight went well.
Once arriving back at LAX the real challenge began because I had to independently get Eve to the relieving area and go to baggage claim. Going to the relieving area was easy as my dad had shown me which gate it was at before I left for Guiding Eyes. The really challenging part as I would soon find out was getting my baggage from baggage claim as I was trying to navigate it without help. Somehow, I was able to get outside with all of my stuff and Eve, but by that point I knew I would have to flag someone down to get across the street to the pickup area. Thankfully I found someone to help and I was then able to call my dad to tell him where I was.
Once my dad picked Eve and I up we headed home. When I got home I had quite the project on my hands, as I not only had to unpack from this three-week adventure, but I also had to put my room back together after my dad and brother redid my floor while I was in class. Putting my room back together was quite the project as I had several gifts from wonderful friends and family to unbox and put away. One of the many packages I had to open was Eve’s first @BarkBox, which was movie themed. One of the toys she received was a squeaky toy that was shaped like a Root Beer bottle, which was much deserved after flying across the country.
Eve laying on the floor smiling at the camera with a Root Beer bottle toy between her front two paws.
In between doing all of this I fed Eve and took her to her new relieving area. At about 9 PM after taking care of Eve’s needs and unboxing as much as I could, Eve and I headed to bed as we had a long day.
July 28th, 2023
On this day I got up at 6 AM like I did on most days and took care of Eve’s needs at 7 AM. Although I got up at the normal time, it was also bittersweet because it was also graduation day, which meant I would be flying home with Eve the next day.
At 7:15 Am after finishing everything we both needed I headed up to breakfast. Once breakfast concluded our individual instructors asked us what skills we wanted to work on. One skill that I knew that I wanted to work on was working in doubles, as I would use this skill frequently when traveling with other guide dog users. Working in doubles is a lot like following the leader, where the person who walks faster starts in the lead and the one who walks slower follows behind. On occasion each person will switch lead spots.
To complete the skill of working in doubles my group and another student went to a local national park. By going to this national park, it not only allowed me to practice working in doubles, but also allowed me to get more practice with shore lining. During this route Eve did amazing only getting distracted a handful of times as a result of different scents in the air. When we were about five minutes from the van the other instructor and student, we were working with approached us with our class van to ask if we wanted to finish our route. My classmate and I chose not to, as we both knew that we needed to get to alumni hall for graduation practice soon.
Once arriving back on campus, we went right to graduation practice. This graduation practice consisted of us learning the order that we would be sitting in, getting us to practice tucking our dogs under our chairs, and getting the dogs used to hearing a crowd of people clapping. Once graduation practice ended, we had more down time. During this downtime I worked on a Service Animal 101 PowerPoint that I was going to give in a few weeks at work. After finishing this PowerPoint, I gave Eve water and a bathroom break at 11 am. Before heading to lunch I also got my stuff out to start getting ready for Graduation later that afternoon.
For lunch we had pizza from a local Italian restaurant. This was different from many of the other days in class because usually we had a chef and a whole menu to choose from. During this lunch it was also bittersweet because all of the staff that we had come to know not only through these three weeks, but also on our application process came to congratulate and wish us well, as after graduation would be quite chaotic.
Once lunch concluded we were given the option to have our dogs take part in a community play session with the other dogs from class. This community play session was beneficial, as it helped the dogs release any pent-up energy.
Once this play session ended, I went back to my room to start getting ready for graduation. At about 2:15 pm I had to stop getting ready to go back to alumni hall to meet another guest that would be attending graduation with his guide dog to ensure that none of the dogs would get startled at graduation. Once this concluded at about 2:30 PM I went back to finish getting ready. At about 3 PM once I was done getting ready, I met Eve’s puppy raiser. It was really cool to meet her, as she is a retired teacher and has two daughters around my age that I also got to meet virtually.
Lindsay and Eve smiling at the camera.
Once this meeting concluded around 3:30pm I fed Eve dinner before taking her out. At about 3:50 pm I headed down to graduation. As a result of the amount of people and dogs at graduation I opted to take my instructor's arm, as I knew I would get to my seat quicker.
During graduation Thomas shared a little about the Guiding Eyes mission and how this mission has impacted many people’s lives for almost 70 years. Once he was done speaking the puppy raiser recruiter spoke about the impact that the puppy raisers have on the overall mission and recognized the puppy raisers that had dogs graduating in my class. Then the director of Donor Relations got to recognize one of my classmates as her dog was special named. After that, one of the class instructors shared a little of our individual stories and which dogs we were matched with before presenting us with our graduate certificates. Towards the end of graduation each of my classmates and I spoke about our experience in class and what it has meant to us. Here is what I said in my individual speech:
“On July 9, 2010, I was being wheeled back for brain surgery number five. Little did I know that 13 years later on this exact day, I would be embarking on a journey of a lifetime. Had it not been for a Guiding Eyes graduate and her guide dog. I do not think I would be sitting here right now, but thanks to both of them I am. I also have to thank the admissions staff, trainers, puppy raisers, kitchen staff, and so many more for getting me an Eve where we are today. Enclosing, I want to encourage those out there who are currently being encouraged by others to take the leap and go on this journey. You won’t regret it. Don’t make the mistake I did and wait 10 years to get on this ride.”
To close graduation out someone from the client experience team spoke about what it has meant to her to have a guide dog.
When graduation concluded I was met by Eve’s puppy raiser, @leslie.vp, and @esk8er718. It was really special to have @leslie.vp and @esk8er718 with their kids, since they only live in New Jersey. What I found out later was that they happened to sit next to my puppy raiser during graduation, as a result it was really easy to have them find me and take subsequent pictures.
Lindsay and Eve standing in front of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind statue.
Lindsay and her entire class at graduation.
Lindsay and Patricia, Eve's puppy raiser.
Lindsay and Patricia, Eve's puppy raiser standing in front of the Guiding Eyes statue.
Lindsay and Eve standing in front of the Guiding Eyes for the Blind statue with @leslie.vp, @esk8er718, and their kids.
After pictures were taken, we all headed up to Rosies for graduation dinner. It was a wonderful time to catch up with @leslie.vp and @esk8718, while getting to know my puppy raiser better. At about 6:45 pm dinner concluded, and I said my final goodbyes to my puppy raiser, @leslie.vp and @esk8718.
After dinner concluded I went back to my room to finish packing. While I was packing, I called my brother @cylinderdillinger and his bride to be @alexxisb_kerr to see how they liked graduation, but if I am being honest, I called them because I needed someone to talk to as I had a lot of thoughts running through my mind. These thoughts were much the same as I had coming into class, which had to do with the unknown and the thoughts of “Can I really do this without an instructor in my right ear?”
After getting off the phone with them I took Eve out two more times before going to bed.
July 27th, 2023
On this day I started my morning at 6am like I had been doing and fed Eve at 7am after taking her outside. When I went outside, both my instructor and the instructor that my instructor wanted to get with silly string were outside. As Eve was finding a spot to go to the bathroom, I asked the other instructor her thoughts on theme parks and guide dogs. When she was about to give her answer my instructor got her with the silly string. Because I knew what he was up to I had a really hard time not laughing as I asked the theme park question. After this happened, she asked if I was in on this, and I said maybe? Once these shenanigans ended, we all headed up to breakfast.
Once breakfast concluded we were instructed to listen to the going home lecture to understand our expectations once we returned home. After we did this, we met as a larger group to have any questions answered. At this time, we were also given a starting supply of food and training treats.
Once this lecture concluded we were instructed to relieve our dogs before heading to Ridgefield, Connecticut to watch the Barbie Movie at the Prospector Theater.
As I was in the process of relieving Eve, Thomas Panik the CEO of Guiding Eyes and his guide dog Blaze came to meet the class, so that we would not have any issues the next day during graduation. As a result of Thomas and Blaze coming to visit us at this very moment Eve was more interested in making friends with Blaze than focusing on the task at hand, so I knew I would have to try again later.
After this encounter concluded as a class, we got in the van to head to the movies. Once at the movie theater the instructors chose who they were going to take on a simple route, while the other students sat in the Ridgefield Library until it was their turn. I went first for my instructor, but before I went, I also tried relieving Eve again without any luck. This route went well with limited dog and sent distractions. Once returning to the library I sat and waited for my classmates to finish. Once everyone finished, we headed outside to give our dogs water before heading into the movie theater. As I was walking with our class supervisor, I could not help but notice that Eve was more sent distracted and pulling me over to grass. As a result, I said to my class supervisor, “Is there a spot to relieve her nearby? I can tell she might need to poop.” I then proceeded to tell the class supervisor that I had been trying to relieve her since we had left campus, but Blaze was a bit of a distraction. Once we found a good spot Eve did what she had to do, and we were on our way to get her water.
Once all the dogs had their water, we headed into the movie theater. Before going into our individual movie theater each student took pictures with the Barbie movie props.
Lindsay and Eve standing in the Barbie movie prop.
When we entered the theater, we were treated like royalty, as Guiding Eyes has taken many of their classes to The Prospector Theater. This theater is not like any other theater in that they have captions, audio description, sensory theaters, and much more to make their guests with disabilities feel welcome and included. What makes The Prospector Theater more inclusive is that 75% of their employees are persons with disabilities.
The Barbie Movie overall was good and portrayed many of the issues faced in adult culture today. I would not recommend it for young girls, as there are portions that they may not understand.
Once the movie concluded we all got ready to leave. Before we could leave a few of us had to make a bathroom break, since we had an hour drive back to campus. As a result of the chaos of everyone trying to leave the movie theater the class supervisor offered to take Eve to the van and have me go sighted guide with another instructor. As a result of doing this I had many young girls saying how cute Eve was once I returned to the van.
Once everyone took care of what they needed we headed back to campus. When arriving on campus we gave our dogs dinner and a bathroom break. When our dogs were taken care of, we were instructed to go to different rooms throughout campus to meet the individual trainers that worked with our dogs before we got them. Funny enough, one of the people that worked with Eve was the staff member at the National Federation of the Blind convention that said to me “Your dog has four legs and fur.” As a result of this previous encounter, we talked about the convention in addition to Eve.
After meeting with the trainers, we headed up to dinner at about 6 Pm. Once dinner concluded we took the dogs out at 7:30 pm and at 9 Pm. In between these two bathroom breaks I started the sad process of packing to go home. After the 9 PM bathroom break I went to bed.
July 26th, 2023
On this day, I got up at 6 AM like usual and took care of what I needed for Eve and I until about seven. Around 7:15 am I headed up to breakfast.
Once breakfast concluded my instructor and I loaded up into a van and headed to a local city in order to board the train to go into New York City. During this trip, I got to visit One World Trade Center, Grand Central Station, Jefferson Park, and Time Square. These adventures really gave me the opportunity to see Eve’s ability to navigate through busy cities like Los Angeles or San Francisco. She did amazing navigating through crowds of people, cars, and even train platforms.
Lindsay sitting on a Center while hugging Eve.
Lindsay and Eve standing in Grand Central Station/
Eve making friends with a stuffed German Shepherd.
Lindsay and Eve Standing in Time Square.
Lindsay and Eve crossing a street in New York City.
Lindsay and Eve standing in the Oculus.
Lindsay and Eve Standing in front of one of the pools of One World Trade Center.
In addition to going to the touristy spots we also got to get New York pizza before heading back to Grand Central Station to head back toward campus.
Once we got back to the local train station, we loaded back up into the van in order to head back to campus. I had much needed free time until about 4 PM when I had to feed Eve. Once Eve was fed and had an opportunity to go outside I had more free time until about 6 PM for dinner. After dinner I took Eve out two more times before going to bed. This night I slept really well because I walked about 5 miles.