Michael was running his own replacement windows business until he had a heart attack in 2004-05. Due to the resulting health implications he became a taxi driver but since his strokes, his first of which was in April last year, he can no longer do that either.
Michael has had Ella, a Pyrennean Mountain Dog and trained RECOVERY PAWS dog, since she was a puppy. She’s no six-years-old and has helped him in a lot of different ways. She’s been a friend when he really needed one. When he had his second stroke she got him to hospital by warning him in advance something was wrong instigating him to phone the ambulance. This prevented it being so severe by catching it early. Michael has had three strokes now and Ella has helped him on each occasion. The first time she kept barking until help came and on the next two times she alerted Michael to there being something wrong due to her ability to intuitively pick up if something’s wrong.
She doesn’t like being away from him and checks up on him depending on what room in the house he is. Even though she’s ‘just a dog’ as he says, ‘I know she’s there looking out for me.’
Michael also has problems with his balance since the strokes. He has trained Ella to lean against him in the right way if he is swaying a bit and feels like he is losing his balance. She is also always there alongside him when walking to help him balance and she knows when to stop and stand still to help steady him if he feels like he’s losing it or he stumbles.
She has also helped him to get out the house more and he actually met his current girlfriend thanks to Ella. While he was out at the shop Linda took a fondness to Ella and eventually came round to go for a jog with her. She works as a great conversation starter. Michael was mugged last year and found it difficult to leave the house after that but Ella has helped with that. Since he has been able to use the RECOVERY orange coat he has been able to get out the house a lot more and feels a lot freer and more comfortable in public places. Generally everyone just looks at the coat as if Ella is just any old assistance dogs. He goes to supermarkets, McDonalds, shops and restaurants and even Vue Cinema where she happily sat beside him and watched Expendables 2 and the new Batman, Dark Knight Rises only occasionally raising her head for intense moments of action.
Michael & Ella's Story
Bernie, his carer with RECOVERY has been helping him for around three months now, and she’s been great. She’s helped him learn how to order his shopping online. She’ll go shopping with him help him carry stuff back from town sometimes when they organise to meet in town. Sometimes it might be just someone to have a chat to and sometimes she might help him understand his mail if he’s read something he doesn’t understand. He’s been working on his house to do it up a bit and she helps with the harder stuff on that sometimes too.
He has nurses that come in to help him remember to take his medication. The left hand side if his body is numb due to the strokes. So mobility has got more difficult as well as dexterity.
RECOVERY
Finding ways to wellbeing
