Type 1 Run-In

               I was at the store the other day with Duchess and I was checking out. She had her normal service dog vest that has her medical alert dog patch on it. I was approached by woman. She asked me if she was a diabetic alert dog? I said yes she is. She stood there in amazement for a minute. She had a shocked look on her face. She told me that she had read articles about the diabetic alert dogs but had no clue that there was some in Austin currently. I believe right now there is around 6 teams currently in Austin that I am aware of. She told me she was a type 1 diabetic and had just had a pancreas transplant. She had diabetes if my memory serves me well for 37 years. It was nice to meet another type 1 who has had it longer than I have. I was really surprised she actually guessed that she was a diabetic alert dog.

                   
               I have never meet anyone who actually who knew what type of service dog she was. Most people think she is a seizure alert dog because of the medical alert dog patch. I am hoping as time goes on more people will become aware of the fact that there is diabetic alert dog out there and how much they are really needed by the handler. I know I have been told several times by the general public that they thought there is no need for a diabetic service dog but I'm sure if they were there for one my bad lows or seizure they would change their minds. I am constant working on educating more of the public and so forth to make life easier. I know I need to educate local hospitals and EMS services about service animals. Hopefully in the future things will run more smoothly if I happen to have a low or seizure again.