Do I Look Okay?

That is a really detailed question when I ask it.  If I get a ìSureî response, I am not satisfied.  I need to hear ìYes, except for (fill in the blank).î  I know there is always something unbuttoned or unzipped, lettuce in my teeth, shoes that arenít a pair, make-up smeared, or ink on my face or hands.  So I appreciate all of you who take the time to actually help me by saying more than ìSure, you look fine.î  Yes, I am embarrassed by whatever, but it makes me feel much better to be fixed properly before I go out.  So, if I pass you wherever and say ìDo I look okay?î, please really look at me and let me know what is out of place.  Thank you.

 

 

For Alltel customers

Alltel will provide free information (411 service) if you have your physician fill out a form stating that you have a visual and/or physical condition that you are unable to read the phone book to look up numbers.  Ask your physician or call Alltel at 1-800-843-9214.

 

 

Welcome to Katie Wyckoff

Katie will be in the office for a month, serving as an intern, before heading off to classes at UK.  Call BGCB or stop in the office and say ìHiî to Katie.

News & Notes

At the Challenges of Aging Conference, a lady came up to our table and picked up the brochure ìDoís and Doníts of Meeting a Blind Person.î  She expected a service setting up blind dates.  So, we are changing the title of that brochure.  Suggestions?!?!

 

I received a brochure the other day that included a discount for Seasoned Citizens.  I liked that better than Senior Citizen discount.  Did they get my business?  Yes.  Anyone else not feel ìseniorî at age fifty?

 

I apologize to our 21 cassette Newsletter subscribers who did not receive a cassette for the April, May, and June newsletter.  I received the master tape on June 6^th and decided not to duplicate and send out at that late date. Bear with us as we try to keep you better informed at the earliest possible date.

 

 

Thank youís

A special THANK YOU to Judy Potter and Patsy Rose.  They worked endlessly on the garage sale.  Now they are recuperating and beginning work on removing the leftovers from Judyís garage.  Thank you girls, for a whole lot of hours.  BGCB appreciates you both.

 

Thank you to all the individuals who donated items to the garage sale.  If you need a statement for tax purposes, please contact the office at 859-259-1834.

 

Thank you to The Willing Workers Class at Tates Creek Christian Church for their thoughtful cash donation to the BGCB.

 

My extra special thanks go to Billy, Clyde, Megan and Melissa.  Your love and support are what keep me going.  Thanks for all your volunteer time here at the office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule of Events

Our Summer Membership meeting was an indoor picnic on Saturday, June 11^th.  There were 34 members and guests attending.  We appreciate all of you taking the time to come out to the Beaumont library to be together for this luncheon.

 

The Executive Committee met on June 14^th.  The Board Meeting will on Tuesday, July 12^th at 1:00pm.  Please remember to attend if you are a Board member or a Committee Chairperson.

 

The Fall quarterly Membership Meeting will be held on Saturday, September 10^th from 9:00am ñ 11:00am.  It will also be at the Beaumont library meeting room.

 

July 12     Tuesday           1:00                 Board Meeting

July 26     Tuesday           11:00               ADA Rally in Frankfort

July 27     Wednesday     Noon - 2:00      VIP lunch at Frischís

July 29     Friday              9:00                 Board 101 at ES Good Barn

Aug 8-10  Mon, Tues, Wed                      Independent Living Conference      

                                                                at Embassy Suites

Aug 9       Tuesday           10:00               Executive Committee

Aug 20     Saturday          10:00 - 3:00     Shiloh Family Resource Day

Aug 24     Wednesday     Noon - 2:00      VIP speaker Ed Brady, Wheels

                                                                Etiquette 

Aug 25-26  Thursday & Friday                  Carol gone to Candle in the

                                                                Window

Sept 10    Saturday          1:00 - 3:00       Fall Membership Meeting

Sept 13    Tuesday           1:00                 Board Meeting

Sept 28    Wednesday     Noon - 2:00      VIP speaker Norb Ryan, ADA

Oct 11      Tuesday           10:00               Executive Committee

Oct 26      Wednesday     Noon - 2:00      VIP descriptive video & popcorn

Nov 8       Tuesday           1:00                 Board Meeting

Nov 23     Wednesday     Noon - 2:00      VIP Thanksgiving Dinner place TBA

Dec 3       Saturday          11:00 - 1:00     KY Inn luncheon      

Dec 13     Tuesday           10:00               Executive Committee      

 

 

Keeping up with Axel

A working dog

 

By: L. Paul ìGPî Wiese

A special day

 

A warm wet tongue touched my lips followed by a wet warm tongue in my right ear.  ìAxel! Get off the bedî I shouted.  Still half asleep, I pushed him aside and pulled up the sheet.  Very little light was coming through the window.   Good gosh, itís still dark outside or itís a very cloudy day.  I rolled out of bed and took him to park.  I poured a cup of food in his bowl and made my way back to bed.  Now, a Lab always thanks you for his meals.  The formula for one cup of food is (1 cup of dog food = two minutes of uncontrolled licking).  As James Gregory the comedian would say. ìIt might be a law, I just donít knowî.  Every morning we go through the same routine.   While he inhales his breakfast, I go hide so he can find me and give his thanks.  He always heads to the bedroom first, then the TV room followed by the living room and the dining room.  Today, I chose the obvious, the bedroom.  I jumped back in bed and covered myself with the sheet and pulled the pillow over my head.  I could hear the metal food bowl banging against the metal water bowl as he licked the very scent of the food from the bowl.  Then like a runaway freight train, I heard him coming down the hallway, hitting the bedroom door with a ìThudî and then felt him land on the bed.  He started rutting under the pillow until he licked my right ear clean then jumped across my back and rutted under the pillow and cleaned my left ear then back to the right, then again to the left and on and on for the entire two minutes. 

 

Axel and I had a full schedule today.  Visit my grandsonís kindergarten class this morning in the adjoining county then back home to the Childrenís Hospital this afternoon.  We visit the children at the hospital every first and third Tuesday of each month when we are in town.   I picked up our day bag and started placing some of Axelís grooming things and his toys in the bag.  He knew something was up.  Every time I left the bag he would poke his nose in and pull out his Play Stick.  He would throw back his head with the stick in his mouth and prance around the room.  I finally got the bag loaded with his rain suit, water bowl and a dozen other things.  My daughter Erin was driving us to the Huntertown Elementary School in Woodford County for Pet Days. 

 

After a twenty minute car ride, we arrived at the school.  Checked in at the office and was directed to my grandsonís kindergarten classroom.  Before we entered the classroom I took the harness off Axel and we were introduced to the class by my grandson Ethan.  It was not our first time at the school.  Just last month we spent the whole school day with the children talking about Guide Dogs.  We had a different class every thirty minutes but thatís a whole other story of its own.  Today, we just talked about Pets.  I told the class about Axel being a Canine Good Citizen and some of the things we do together.  I showed them how I cleaned his ears, brushed his teeth and brushed his coat to keep him clean.  The children asked many questions about Axel.  One student was told by his teacher that he could ask his question.  ìHow do, how do, how do, how do you know when he wants to go to the bathroomî?  He asked.  Well, thatís a whole other story of its own. We only had thirty minutes with the class and before you knew it, it was time to leave.  As we left the classroom the children all together said ìT -  h -  a  - n  -  k     y -  o -  u     A  - x -  e -  lî

 

The walk from my house to the Childrenís Hospital is only about thirty minutes.  That is unless we stop at DQ for an afternoon treat.  And we did.  A lady that works the counter always asked if she can give Axel a treat.  I always tell her ìNo, he is workingî and she always gives me a treat to take with me for later.  It was a warm afternoon and Axel seemed to enjoy the walk.  We arrived at the Hospital and waited outside for the other Therapy Dog team to arrive.  We like the dogs to have a few minutes together before we enter the hospital lobby.  When we step off the elevator I remove the harness and we were met by an escort to take us to the childrenís rooms.  It was a usual afternoon.  We visited eight to ten children and started to go back to the lobby.  Our escort stopped and said there was a child in the room we were passing and she would ask the family if they wanted us to come in.  After a few moments we were guided into the room.  The room was very dark and I could barely make out the bed at the far side of the room.  There seem to be several people gathered around the bed and I was unable to find room for myself and Axel to get close to the hospital bed.   Someone told me to go around to the other side.  I slid my right hand along the foot of the bed with Axelís leader in my left hand.  As we moved up the right side of the bed I could see a faint outline of a child under a sheet.  The head was propped up and the child looked to be four or five years old but I couldnít tell for sure.  The child looked so frail, as if a crystal statue lay in the bed.  As I tried to place a towel on the edge of the bed something was blocking my hand.  A maleís voice whispered ìLet me remove this for youî.  It was a large pad placed over the side rail of the bed.  As I placed the towel on the bed I ask the childís name.  A womanís voice whispered a girlís name.  She may have been the girlís mother.  She told me the child had barely moved in two days except for the times she suffered seizures.  I ask if it would be all right if Axel placed his front paws on the towel so that the child could pet him if she wished.  They thought it would be fine but I got the impression not to expect much.  Right on command Axel placed both front paws on the towel and slid his head down his legs until his nose touched the child.  I could hear the people in the room saying ìOh look, Oh look she is smilingî.  I saw her right arm rise from the sheet and it was taped to a board with her little fingers rolled over the end.  She opened her fingers and placed one on Axelís head.  She pulled her hand back as if she touched a red hot iron.  Then she touched him again and again each time pulling back as if his head was red hot.   I reached in my pocket and pulled out one of Axelís cards with his picture on it and offered it to the child as a memento of his visit.  Somehow, with all the tape on her left arm and hand she took the card with her hand then her arm fell back on the bed.  Her little body began to shake violently and the people in the room began to gather around her.  I heard someone say ìShe is having another seizureî.  Axel pulled back from the bed and I thought it best we leave the room.  As we got to the door a womanís voice said ìOh thank you, oh thank you for comingî.  As I stepped out of the room still not fully aware of what was happening I was greeted by a little fellow of about six or seven.  ìHi Axelî He said. ìI saw you at Cassidy School.î  ìYes, we were there earlier in the yearî I said.  But thatís a whole other story of its own.

 

Our escort took us to the elevator.  I placed the harness on Axel for our walk home.  As we left the hospital and crossed the four lane streets I could not help from feeling Axelís high stepping as if he knew he was special.   We walked the ten or so blocks to St. Joe Drive and made a left.  About thirty steps from the corner Axel stopped.  At first I didnít know why.  My eyes had been filled with tears from the emotions I was feeling every since we left the hospital.  I didnít know if I was sad or happy, I could not keep the tears from flowing.   It must be something like a bride goes through on her wedding day.   I finally got my right eye dry enough to see that a pile of tree limbs had blocked the sidewalk.  I could hear a saw cutting wood.  It wasnít a pile of limbs, it was the whole tree.   For a second I thought of going back to the corner, crossing the street twice and getting back on my route home.  Well, Axel had a different idea.  I felt the harness move to the right, then the left then back to the right.  He turned me around, went about four steps, turn left and stopped.  I felt the street curb at my feet.  ìForwardî I said.  We stepped on the street and he turned me left again.  About twenty steps later he turned me left again and stopped.  Again, I felt the street curb at my feet.  ìForwardî I said again.  We stepped off the street and on to the sidewalk. He turned me right and down the sidewalk we went on our way home.  As we walked the last few blocks to the house I was recalling our day together.  I started with a wet face from my fuzzy friend and ended the day with my face still wet from a very different type of warm fuzzy feeling.  And yes, this was a very special day for Axel.