Everybody needs a Kolo!

I know you all have probably been wondering how Kolo, my service dog is doing.  Here is a fun little update!

Words Kolo Knows:

1. Heel
2. No
3. Sit
4. stay
5. up
6. down
7. off
8. lay down
9. bathroom
10. no lick
11. no bark
12. kennel
13. ball
14. duck
15. treat
16. outside/play
17. eat/hungry
18. basket
19. phone
20. Mom
21. Dad
22. Laci
23. Sam

Commands:

1. Push – Push a door closed
2. Pull- pull a blasket or a door closed/open
3. Grab my phone- retrieves my phone. Will not stop until she finds it. When it rings, she does this without a command.
4. Grab it- Follow a point to pick something up off the floor, or something across the room. (ie. Remote, clothing, paper, coins, pens, cord to my charger) She grabs based on popularity if I point to a pile. She hands me the most commonly asked for item first. If I drop something, and she is aware, she picks it up without a command and gives it to me. (ie. Keys, folded socks, silverware from the dishwasher, phone, clicker) She is very smart, if she starts looking somewhere too high, sometimes I can say 'down' and she looks down.. She is very good at following where I point. I can say up, and she jumps and looks up.
   For example, if something is on the bed, I point to it and say grab it, she still doesn't see it. I can say, 'up on the bed...grab it' and she will jump up on the bed and look.
5. In the basket- Place object in the basket. Most common item, shoes and braces. She puts my shoes away for me, as she also retrieves them for me when I am getting ready each day.
6. Take- Carry and object (ie purse, keys, phone, leash, water bottle, grocery bag, empty box)
7. Follow- follow behind me in tight spaces (ie. doors)

I take words she knows and turn them into commands. For example:

“Grab the basket, bring it to me” (She can pull a basket of laundry behind me)

“Take it to ____(Dad, Sam, Laci, Mom)

“Grab your duck”

I love her Personality!

A lot of times if I stay in one place for a period of time (ie. The computer) she will bring her toys in, and play with one til she gets bored and get another. In consequence, I end up with all her toys right behind me when I go to back up. I can then say, “grab your duck” Hence the convenience for this command.

She is very eager to learn, and works well for treats. In fact, just yesterday, I was in the kitchen doing something. Kolo randomly jumped up on the washer across the room, and grabbed a bag of treats I had left there earlier, and brought them to me. Handed them to me, and sat eagerly. Even right now while I type this she did the same thing, and is laying next to me with her treat bag in tow, waiting for me to notice.

Kolo is very aware. She kinda reminds me of Samantha. Only in dog version. Sam was always very concerened for me, even at a very very young age. Kolo is the same way. She seems to understand more than she should. She knows she is helping me.

This past weekend, Bryan had a tooth pulled, so he spent a lot of time relaxing. We have two recliners at our house. One is a big lazyboy type, and it is mine. The other is leather and a bit smaller, and it is Bryan's. It is well known at our house that Kolo prefers my chair. Its big and comfy. There is room for both her and I on it. Well after a while, because Kolo refuses to lay with Bryan on his chair, he switched to mine, hoping she would stay with him. She did, for a while. I discovered, that be cause I was up and about doing things around the house, Kolo didn't stay put. She would get up and come check on me, follow me for a while, and go back to Bryan. And she continued to do that.

So, it seems, that my dog is just perfectly concerned about me. If I were sitting in my recliner, you better bet, she wouldn't move at all, expect to get a drink. She is always watching what I am doing, looking for opportunities to help, and get treats.

I feel so blessed, she is the companion I never knew I needed this much.  And I can't picture life without her!

'Til the End of the Road

You Are My Best Friend

When the world is against us

We are never alone,

We can lean on each other

And the stress will be gone.

When darkness fills the room

And you don't know what to do,

I will light a candle

And stay by you.

You are my best friend

I will always love you

For all that you do,

You are my best friend

My dream come true.

When decisions are tough

And I don't know what to choose,

I'll call out to you

I can never lose.

When I need a shoulder to cry on

Or someone to just be there,

There are tears in your eyes

When you tell me you care.

You are my best friend.

I will always love you

'Til the end of the road,

When your burden is heavy

I'll carry the load.

I will always love you 

For all that you are,

You will always have a best friend

When you look in your heart.

Dedicated to: Francisco 'Frankie' Villa (1975-2009)

Written in 1998, Melody Clayton

As you can see, this poem was written in my adolescence.  It was written during a very difficult time in my life. My parents were going through divorce, my sister whom I was very close to, and relied on in hard times, had just gone away to college, and I was struggling with my self-confidence.  During this time, I turned to the internet for friends.   This was back in the day, when having a picture online was rare. The phrase, "friends without faces" was commonly used. I found solace here.  It was a place that I could be myself, without being judged by appearance, or physical ability.  And often, we didn't know the appearance of each other.  In the process, I created a network of friends, with disabilities.  Seems I wasn't the only one out there with the same desire.  I was actually the youngest in this group of people, my being only fifteen at the time, and they were all in their twenties. In time, I became like the little sister of the group, and we all became very close friends. We each were dealing with our own real life problems. It was here, that I met Frankie. I still remember vividly the night I found out my mom told me that she was leaving my dad.  It was to these friends that I turned to and cried with.

Time passed, friends come and gone, and passed on.  Frankie and I lost touch in 2003. Another time in my life, that was very difficult.  I cut off ties with a lot of friends.  I wish I hadn't, but that is just the kind of thing that happens in life.  In July 2008, I found him again, online.  What a blessing it was, and we just picked up where we left off. Even though there was nothing we could do for the lost time.  I am grateful for that time, as Frankie passed away in 2009, just days before my first date with Bryan. One of the last conversations that we had, was of finding happiness in this life, and love, and family.  I can't help but think maybe, he was a guardian angel for me, and helped bring my husband and I together. Possibly not, but it makes me feel better. I still think of him, as anyone who loses someone knows, different things in daily life can trigger a memory.  Yesterday, I was listening to my Ipod, folding laundry, and his favorite song came on, "You Raise Me Up" by Josh Groban, and tears came to my eyes. I guess that is where all this reflection comes from.

Over the last few years, I have lost a handful of friends to health problems.  I guess that is part of growing up, and part of having a lot of friends with disabilities and health issues. I am grateful for the time that I had with them.  I have learned to be grateful for the friends I have.  In the last few months, I have reconnected with some of those close friends I cut off ties to several years ago.  Better late than never.  Frankie and I never met in person, and he has since gone on, running, and jumping in heaven. he can rest assured that I am well taken care of.  Not only by my husband, but now by friends, that will be there 'til the end of the road.

My Constant Star - 2007

My Constant Star

When I was born

And there was no hope

She was the one

Who wouldn’t let go

When I was in preschool

And I ran a race

She was right by my side

When I won first place

She was the one who taught me

The things I know

Of my noble birthright

And heavenly goal

When I was in junior high

And I was failing a class

She was right on it

Making sure I passed

When I was in high school

Dealing with the death of a friend

She was there to remind me

Her life didn’t end

She is a constant star

Everywhere I go

Reminding me of

The truths I know

When I was in college

And we moved to a new place

She was there to help me

Find my space

When I was in labor

And almost died

She was by my side

When the baby cried

When I got divorced

And my world came crashing down

She was right beside me

Keeping my feet on the ground

When I made my mistakes

And went the wrong way

She was still there to love me

Every single day

Now as I move on

To get married again

If only she knew

What her love meant

I love you mom

For all that you are

You’re my best friend

And constant star

Melody Jynnette Weight

April 10, 2007