GUSTO MY SERVICE DOG

                            

I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO HAVE A SERVICE DOG FOR MY AUTISM.  MY PARENTS FILLED OUT AN APPLICATION FOR ME TO GET AN AUTISM SERVICE DOG.  WE HAD TO GET MY DOCTOR TO SIGN A FORM THAT HE THOUGHT I WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A SERVICE DOG.  NEXT WE HAD TO WAIT FOR AN ACCEPTANCE FOR MY APPLICATION.  ONCE I WAS ACCEPTED I WAS PUT ON THE WAIT LIST.  THEN THE TRAINERS FROM NATIONAL SERVICE DOGS (NSD) CAME OVER TO MY HOUSE TO INTERVIEW MY FAMILY AND I.  THEY BROUGHT OVER A SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING NAMED ROSEBUD.  SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL AND WELL BEHAVED THAT I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE OF MY OWN.  FINALLY I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL MY NAME CAME UP ON THE WAIT LIST. 

IN FEBRUARY 2013, I WAS GOING TO GET MY OWN SERVICE DOG IN THE SPRING.  I WAS SO EXCITED BUT I COULDN’T EXPRESS MYSELF OR COMMUNICATE.  I AM A NON VERBAL AUTISTIC BOY.  MY PARENTS WANTED A SERVICE DOG FOR ME BECAUSE I WOULD RUN AWAY FROM THEM IN A STORE OR ANYWHERE IN THAT MATTER.  YOU SEE I HAVE A BODY THAT DOESN’T COOPERATE WITH ME ALL THE TIME AND IT LEAVES ME SO FRUSTRATED AT TIMES.  A BRAIN AND BODY DISCONNECT THAT MANY AUTISTICS KNOW ALL TOO WELL.  NSD CAME BACK TO MY HOUSE FOR A FOLLOW UP INTERVIEW.  THIS TIME THEY BROUGHT NSD GILLIGAN.  I WAS SO HAPPY THAT MY TIME WAS COMING UP.  MY PARENTS WENT AWAY FOR TEAM TRAINING SO I COULD RECEIVE MY SERVICE DOG.  MY PARENTS FACE TIMED MY SISTERS AND I TO SHOW US MY SERVICE DOG.  HIS NAME IS NSD GUSTO.  I LOVED HIM FROM THE VERY SECOND I SAW HIM.  WHEN MY PARENTS BROUGHT GUSTO HOME I THOUGHT TO MYSELF THAT THIS DOG IS GOING TO BE LIFE CHANGING FOR MY FAMILY AND MYSELF.  WHEN I GOT TETHERED TO GUSTO FOR THE FIRST TIME I THOUGHT WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?  THE FEELING OF BEING GROUNDED AND KNOWING WHERE MY BODY IS ALL THE TIME IS SUCH AN AMAZING FEELING.  I HAVE PRESSURE FROM MY BELT THAT I AM TETHERED TO GUSTO.  WHEN I FEEL MY BODY DRIFTING GUSTO WILL BRING ME BACK.  THAT IS ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT GUSTO DOES FOR ME.  GUSTO ELIMINATES ANY ANXIETY THAT I HAVE JUST BY BEING WITH ME.  HE MAKES ME FEEL SAFE.  HE IS A LIFE SAVER.  GUSTO IS MY ONLY CONSTANT IN MY LIFE.  HE IS SUPPOSE TO GO EVERYWHERE I GO BUT THIS PAST SUMMER HE INJURED HIS LEG.  HE REQUIRED TPLO SURGERY.  HE GOT A PLATE AND SOME SCREWS IMPLANTED IN HIS LEG TO REPAIR HIS INJURY.  HE WAS THEN PUT ON CRATE REST.  WHEN GUSTO GOT INJURED I FELT I HAD LOST MY LIFE.  HE WAS MY FREEDOM, MY CONSTANT, MY BFF, MY LIFELINE TO BEING APART OF THIS WORLD AND I HAD LOST HIM FOR A MOMENT.  WE SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER.  THAT WAS SUCH A DIFFICULT TIME IN MY LIFE.  I WAS SO WORRIED THAT GUSTO WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO RETURN BACK TO WORKING WITH ME.  I HAD SUCH A TERRIBLE TIME COPING WITHOUT MY GUSTO.  THE SIMPLEST OUTING WOULD BE SO DIFFICULT FOR ME.  I WOULD BE JUMPING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE, MY VERBAL STIMS WERE OUT OF CONTROL, I FELT UNSAFE AND OUT OF CONTROL WITH MY WHOLE BODY.  IT WAS SO STRESSFUL GOING OUT IN PUBLIC THAT I WAS HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.  I WAS DREADING EVERY OUTING.  ALMOST EVERYTIME I WAS PANICKING.  IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LIVE LIKE THAT BUT MY SAVING GRACE WAS THAT I WAS ABLE TO EXPRESS AND COMMUNICATE BY RAPID PROMPTING METHOD (RPM).  I TRAVELED TO AUSTIN TEXAS TO SEE A LADY NAMED SOMA.  SHE TAUGHT ME AND MY PARENTS RPM.  I SPELL OUT MY THOUGHTS AND I TALK WITH LETTERS USING A LETTER BOARD.  I COULD TALK TO MY PARENTS ABOUT MY ANXIETIES USING A LETTER BOARD. 

AT LAST GUSTO HAD HIS POST OP APPOINTMENT AND HIS X RAY.  HE IS COMPLETELY HEALED AND HE CAN GO BACK TO WORK.  I WAS SO RELIEVED THAT HE WAS HEALED.  I FELT LIKE I GOT MY LIFE BACK.  I MISSED HIM SO MUCH ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM TETHERED TO HIM.  I FEEL LIKE I AM BACK TO MYSELF.  I LOVE HIM WITH MY WHOLE HEART.  I HOPE WE NEVER HAVE TO NOT WORK TOGETHER AGAIN UNTIL HE IS RETIRED.  I WILL GET ANOTHER SERVICE DOG.  THEY DEFINITELY MAKE LIFE WITH AUTISM MORE EASIER.