A Mentor for Massi
Donation protected
By the age of 9, Massi has been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), anxiety, oppositional defiance disorder, expressive disorder, and a sleep disorder. What all that boils down to is this: Massi often times lacks the ability to regulate his emotions and is incapable of dealing with situations outside his immediate control.
His fallback position is anger. And his condition has been ongoing since early elementary.
Massi had some significant behavioral problems in school in kindergarten and first grade. He would become fixated on a task and was unable to control his impulses to act on his urges. He had difficulty socially as he would take everything very personally.
ADHD medication has helped Massi get through the school day, but the mornings and evenings can be very difficult for Massi and our family. He can become very angry and after these episodes he becomes extremely remorseful, so much so that he becomes depressed – even to the point of wanting harm himself. Massi is such a very loving, empathetic child, and he hates that he treats others badly, hurts them, or says mean things. He is also embarrassed. He doesn’t understand what is going on inside of him and he is hurting constantly. He hates himself for what he does, but he has no control over it.
Massi’s outbursts and odd behavior have sometimes made it hard for him to keep friends. Often, he pulls away from a friendship because he imagines other children think he’s strange. He also has a tendency to be overly affectionate and loving towards other children which makes the other children uncomfortable. That same fear also makes it difficult for him to speak with adults.
But there is hope for Massi, a chance for a more fulfilling, more “normal” life. That hope comes in the form of a service dog.
Unfortunately service dogs are difficult to come by, as well as expensive. We are in the process of applying to several companies that provide such dogs, but most are so backlogged it could be years before one might be available for Massi. The training is extensive and intensive.
A psychiatric service dog trained in anxiety disorders will be able to recognize the physical signs Massi exhibits when he’s starting to get anxious. The dog will then take action to help him through it. It will either comfort him by putting pressure on him, distract him, make him pet it, bark, or remove him from the situation by leading him away from what is going on that is causing the reaction. In situations where the dog isn’t able to help, it will go get help from a human caretaker. As is the case with all good dogs, when Massi is feeling depressed and anxious, his dog as his mentor, will be there. A constant companion willing to provide solace as only a good dog can.
Training can take anywhere from six months to a year, depending on the dog and the level of training required. So it’s not surprising they cost from $10,000 to $30,000. We hope the amount we are trying to fundraise will include travel expenses incurred when Massi and I go across the country to train with the dog prior to its graduation.
Massi, of course, is anxious to begin working with his new canine friend. His sister, Mia, also is excited by the new four-legged addition to the family.
“I think a service dog is a great idea for him,” Mia says. “I love him and I worry about him so much. I this will help him and our family a lot.”
What we want is what every parent wants — for their son to be happy, to live a full and happy life, to be able to enjoy all the things a “normal” boy enjoys. Sometimes, the strain of being a constant caretaker to our special needs son can be very overwhelming.
It’s so hard and it’s not something you wish to share with the world. I cry a lot and lean on Massi’s doctors and therapists who help assure me I am doing all the right things. We want to raise awareness for those that are suffering the same things that we are with Massi, but we also want Massi to be successful and not feel different or “bad.” A service dog will help Massi become more independent, help decrease the impulsive decisions and anger outbursts that make him feel so depressed and like he’s “a bad and stupid kid.”
A service dog will give him more confidence to live life as a normal 9-year-old should without being worried that he’s going to have an "episode." He will have his constant companion with him to help him through it in a way that a parent isn't able to.
There are so many ways a service dog could benefit Massi and we hope you will support our fundraising efforts in order to make Massi have a better chance at a more “normal” life and feeling successful and better about himself by lessening and even diminishing the anger outbursts and anxieties and sleep anxiety/disturbances that contribute to his low self esteem and overwhelming feelings of helplessness and depression.
His fallback position is anger. And his condition has been ongoing since early elementary.
Massi had some significant behavioral problems in school in kindergarten and first grade. He would become fixated on a task and was unable to control his impulses to act on his urges. He had difficulty socially as he would take everything very personally.
ADHD medication has helped Massi get through the school day, but the mornings and evenings can be very difficult for Massi and our family. He can become very angry and after these episodes he becomes extremely remorseful, so much so that he becomes depressed – even to the point of wanting harm himself. Massi is such a very loving, empathetic child, and he hates that he treats others badly, hurts them, or says mean things. He is also embarrassed. He doesn’t understand what is going on inside of him and he is hurting constantly. He hates himself for what he does, but he has no control over it.
Massi’s outbursts and odd behavior have sometimes made it hard for him to keep friends. Often, he pulls away from a friendship because he imagines other children think he’s strange. He also has a tendency to be overly affectionate and loving towards other children which makes the other children uncomfortable. That same fear also makes it difficult for him to speak with adults.
But there is hope for Massi, a chance for a more fulfilling, more “normal” life. That hope comes in the form of a service dog.
Unfortunately service dogs are difficult to come by, as well as expensive. We are in the process of applying to several companies that provide such dogs, but most are so backlogged it could be years before one might be available for Massi. The training is extensive and intensive.
A psychiatric service dog trained in anxiety disorders will be able to recognize the physical signs Massi exhibits when he’s starting to get anxious. The dog will then take action to help him through it. It will either comfort him by putting pressure on him, distract him, make him pet it, bark, or remove him from the situation by leading him away from what is going on that is causing the reaction. In situations where the dog isn’t able to help, it will go get help from a human caretaker. As is the case with all good dogs, when Massi is feeling depressed and anxious, his dog as his mentor, will be there. A constant companion willing to provide solace as only a good dog can.
Training can take anywhere from six months to a year, depending on the dog and the level of training required. So it’s not surprising they cost from $10,000 to $30,000. We hope the amount we are trying to fundraise will include travel expenses incurred when Massi and I go across the country to train with the dog prior to its graduation.
Massi, of course, is anxious to begin working with his new canine friend. His sister, Mia, also is excited by the new four-legged addition to the family.
“I think a service dog is a great idea for him,” Mia says. “I love him and I worry about him so much. I this will help him and our family a lot.”
What we want is what every parent wants — for their son to be happy, to live a full and happy life, to be able to enjoy all the things a “normal” boy enjoys. Sometimes, the strain of being a constant caretaker to our special needs son can be very overwhelming.
It’s so hard and it’s not something you wish to share with the world. I cry a lot and lean on Massi’s doctors and therapists who help assure me I am doing all the right things. We want to raise awareness for those that are suffering the same things that we are with Massi, but we also want Massi to be successful and not feel different or “bad.” A service dog will help Massi become more independent, help decrease the impulsive decisions and anger outbursts that make him feel so depressed and like he’s “a bad and stupid kid.”
A service dog will give him more confidence to live life as a normal 9-year-old should without being worried that he’s going to have an "episode." He will have his constant companion with him to help him through it in a way that a parent isn't able to.
There are so many ways a service dog could benefit Massi and we hope you will support our fundraising efforts in order to make Massi have a better chance at a more “normal” life and feeling successful and better about himself by lessening and even diminishing the anger outbursts and anxieties and sleep anxiety/disturbances that contribute to his low self esteem and overwhelming feelings of helplessness and depression.
Organizer
Briton Wertz
Organizer
Kuhns, NC