Most Valuable Partner- Service Dogs 2016 National Youth Event at Disney Orlando

MY STORY
In 2005 I was diagnosed with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2. Raising four children as a single Father was more than I could handle, in denial of the diagnosis and symptoms that come with this disease. Five years had passed, and my symptoms became critical. Symptoms like irritability , burning hands and feet, vision problems,and more.
At that point, I sought medical attention, this time hearing the same diagnosis I had ignored for the prior five years, except the Doctors were stating at this point if I did not treat, I would perish within 24 months. The next five years were hell fighting for my life everyday with injuries that could not be cured, but only stopped from progressing further, and others not!
Fast-forward to 2015, I had developed Hypoglycemia , Glaucoma , Peripheral Neuropathy, but have almost conquered the Diabetic diagnosis Type 2, losing over 120lbs.,going from a 59″ waistline to a 36″, and an A1C Hemoglobin of 14.9 down to 6.3 ,5.7 being normal (non-diabetic)! BUT! Much of the damage was already done which was irreversible.
In later part of 2015, I was visiting a restaurant I enjoy dining at as I’d changed my entire lifestyle with Diet, and Exercise, and dealing with stress which incidentally is a critical killer. However, that day I had not eaten as much as I should have earlier , and wound up in Hypoglycemic Shock, and collapsed inside the restaurant. In the restaurant was a visually impaired woman with a #servicedog who immediately came to my rescue with sugar related items which ultimately elevated my depleted sugar levels to an acceptable level to which I could then communicate my gratitude while composing myself from a most embarrassing event. Before we parted, she handed me a card to a person who trained #dogs to detect the very condition I had gone through. I was grateful.
That very evening I called the number on the card , and a very soft spoken woman allowed me to explain what had taken place, and asked me if I would interested in the benefits of #servicedogpartnership similar to that of the lady who helped me by coming to my home and doing a “Needs Assessment” . I said yes faster than the word could come out of my mouth.
I then started to ask myself, “what would be the costs involved”, ” how will I know how to work with a “Service Dog”, ? The trainer arrived on the day we agreed on, went through a myriad of questions, and took the time to answer all of my concerns. I was thrilled, and ready to go. She exclaimed, not so fast! This is a process that does not happen overnight! It’s a timely, and possibly expensive undertaking. My heart dropped, and so did (MY BLOODSUGAR LOL) nah… just kidding. But she was right, depending on how I chose to move forward. She created a plan, presented it to me, and I concurred. But, what was that plan you may be asking yourself?
The trainer began inviting me to group training sessions where people with disabilities were engaged in working with their dogs under her, and some assistant’s direction in simple basic techniques that required little to no effort, but I could see that the dogs were responding,and possibly retaining. Except I had no partner! As time went by, and after she taught me the standards and practices of Service Dog Handling, and Training with educational material to read, and log hours of practical hands on experience. She called me one evening, and asked me if I could babysit one of her client’s dog in training.I was hesitant, for I had set my sights on purchasing my own Yellow Labrador puppy and working with him only, along with her professional training experience history of 32 years with Police,Search and Rescue,and cadaver dogs. Now branching off on her own entrepreneurial career path.
I told her that I would try and help her with her her babysitting proposal thinking it could only help me become more proficient at what I wanted to learn and needed. She told me I would be earning credit towards my own costs that were naturally going to face me with my own journey.
That weekend my fraternal twin 13yr olds were also staying with me who unfortunately spend most of their time playing games on mobile devices provided not by myself for I believe in verbal communication, and had been concerned about this for quite sometime to no avail. The twins were excited that daddy was getting a dog, and that all they knew he would be a household pet we would be picking up.
The three of us arrived at the pickup location agreed upon, and low and behold out comes a 75lb. White Labrador Retriever named Marlon I had worked with a few times in the past, and was absolutely in love with. He ran to me and I ran to him like two people in slow motion in a movie running towards each other to hug!!! (LMAO) I was besides myself as I learned it would be a 3 month stay. My trainer also informed me that there was event at Walt Disney World Orlando for 3 days that next week and she asked me to be Marlon’s Handler in which the twins could also participate in.
The theme was with many vendors and was called, “The 2016 National Youth Event” hosting a good 4000 attendees. Throughout the event the twins and I interacted with more kids and adult group leaders than I ever could imagine. Marlon , myself and the twins lit them up like the largest Christmas Tree ever created we were told by the Administrators.
My time with Marlon was over after a text message from my trainer/now partner that his owner was returning from overseas, and that I needed to prepare for it. That was an understatement as the news hit me like a ton of bricks! I had fallen in love with a dog!!!! A dog that I talked to, comforted me when I was depressed at times, anxiety ridden at times, sick with acute pancreatic issues and hospitalized, and yes he was there by my side there too. To this day, I am still in touch with Marlon’s owners who promised me visiting privileges at their home anytime I had the chance.
But most of all, I watched Marlon’s endless love and presence rip my two 13 year old children away from those addictive CELL DEVICES and begun interacting with me and others as they participated with the group training engagements we hold weekly, and professed to their school’s administrator that they wanted to pursue Service Dog Training as a career path! Hey, who knows?

Thank you for your undivided attention,
Paul Orden
Most Valuable Partner
Regional Director
mostvaluablepartner.org