Wow, how time flies!...
22 May 2018
Friday was the one-year anniversary of starting to look for, purchase and train an assistance dog. I have found what I think is a perfect 'partner in crime' and right now Loki is lazing beside me!
The year has been hard for everyone, the bonus is that I had my stimulator implanted in January and with the help of Rosemarie, Marie, Devon, Gab and of course Theodore, I been allowed to manage the 12 weeks of healing with no infections and no bad falls and heaps of help.
So, now I am now ready for the next part of the journey... not sure where it will take us all, but I am ready to train and of course "ready to keep on keeping on"
So far this year the journey I keep talking about has certainly had its bumpy sections, twists and turns,ups and downs, but I am super proud of where I am right now... I really didn’t realize the amazing positiveness Loki would have on my life, not just on my CRPS, but also on my depression and anxiety. The support I have had from Perfect Partners Assistance Dogs Trust and people like Sally Rolfe and her CRPS dog Robbie and Dion Taka and his dog
Some of my other major achievements have been around exercise. Being able to walk 8.8 km in one day was amazing so a huge shout out to The Big Dog Walk With Lots Of Dogs. Yesterday, even in the rain I was able to walk 4.4 km - may not sound much for a 47-year-old male... but usually I would be flat on my back with the drop-in pressure.
Going fishing with a great group of guys and owner/operators of Grand Cru Charters... so a special thanks to Sandy Schaare, for not only sharing your birthday and Justin and Matthew for the fishing entertainment - it all made for an excellent fishing trip!
Me&mydog have managed to raise just over $4400 for Loki through the help of friends, family and even complete strangers – it is hard to thank everyone, but there are a few out there that I would like to give special thanks to
Julia Tapp from the Northland Arts Centre and her amazing creativity
Sandy and Penelope Schaare at Emblems New Zealand
Mike Greggz Gregan and the Waikato Rugby
Fine Art Portraits by Vivian Grapentin and her amazing artwork
David from David Rowe Photography
Penny Baxter and Baxter Dom of DB Auto Groom
Caren Ashford at Dashford Glass
Louise Brewer from Pixilu Arts
Tania Verrent from Tania Verrent Wildlife Art and her amazing piece one off artwork
Michelle Romney for a very special bespoke piece of wearable art
A special thank you has to go out to the team of amazing people that helped out on the day of the Working Bee, we managed to dog proof a section in one day – what a great effort team!
Thank you to everyone that attended Loki's fundraising dinner, which of course would not of gone ahead without the hard work from the team at The Wish 4 Fish Charity. So a special thank you to Bryce Dinneen and Ashleigh Wright... thank you for your hard work! Morgan and her dog Moose, thank you for helping find Loki in the first place, and of course for opening your house and looking after him while we dog proofed and prepared for him.
Some of these people I have never even met, but everyone that has been involved have lent either their time or money to help Loki and I get to where we are today.
The sad news is that we have spent everything we have raised so far on Loki (and much, much more). We have a lot more fundraising as we head into the 1 on 1 training - if you have any ideas, please give me a yell!
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@lokiandmarcus
