From shannonldillon at hotmail.com Sun Jun 12 08:10:55 2011 From: shannonldillon at hotmail.com (Shannon L. Dillon) Date: Sun, 12 Jun 2011 08:10:55 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] CAGDU Chapter Meeting June 12 6:30 p.m. Message-ID: Hi CAGDU: Our chapter meeting is tonight at 6:30 p.m. call-in number is 712-432-0175 pass code 184220#. Agenda is: 1. candy sales: if we want to sell at national convention it has to be ordered by tomorrow 2. Seminar: speakers; time for announcements to go out. I will be at the Catch Our Dreams event today so hard to reach. Text message is probably best way to get me today. See you tonight. SHANNON L. DILLON -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20110612/ade60280/attachment.html From info at michaelhingson.com Mon Jun 27 21:52:27 2011 From: info at michaelhingson.com (Michael Hingson) Date: Mon, 27 Jun 2011 21:52:27 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day Message-ID: GOODBYE TO A HERO It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must be done. I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed away last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her. Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy and pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the theater. I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was obvious from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. Almost from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at stealing socks. She didn't chew them up; she just carried them around and then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them. We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the rope. They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they were inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower Two is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written by me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle. I cannot say enough about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but also to her trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were together is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the value of teamwork and trust. After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including GDB's Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the organization. Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took every trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I did not fare so well. In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once exhibited pain nor discomfort. When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the next four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn't a great tugging partner because she didn't have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle's kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress of guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the ringing of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was in their way. In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of 2010, while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American Animal Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog pain management. Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I gave three consecutive workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, right there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain. Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody in sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew worse throughout the first half of this year. Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night care. She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist her stomach. Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much consultation and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge and, I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to bark at. How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done and who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, work, and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I have ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our nation?s history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and I'm sure everyone?s path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She gave unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us all and will continue to do so. We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation. This has been in the works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which will assist them in learning and working in the world. Shortly the website www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running. I hope people will honor Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's Dream Foundation to help us in our work. Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will continue to touch us all. I know you're watching and you?re nearby us. Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself wherever you are. I hope you're feeling better now. You have set a high bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. The?Michael Hingson Group, INC. ?Speaking?with Vision? Michael Hingson,?President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!! http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 for info on the new KNFB Reader?Mobile, visit: http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com From nanagp at dslextreme.com Tue Jun 28 06:12:35 2011 From: nanagp at dslextreme.com (nanagp @dslextreme.com) Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 06:12:35 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Mike, Sincere condolences on the passing of Roselle. As partners, you inspired and motivated us all. I know you will wrap yourself in the memories of her love and devotion and smile big and often. Best regards, Gail, Firestone and Alton On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 9:52 PM, Michael Hingson wrote: > GOODBYE TO A HERO > > It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of > both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must > be done. > > I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, > who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed > away > last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, > because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide > dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer > feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her. > > Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San > Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a > mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be > raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy > and > pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and > Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the > theater. > I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. > > After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind > for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was > obvious > from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth > guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very > first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle > was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. > Almost > from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at > stealing socks. She didn't chew them up; she just carried them around and > then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She > was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a > little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, > her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During > my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. > The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them. > > We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met > my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable > with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided > that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug > bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the > rope. > They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 > seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I > release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they > were > inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. > > On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of > Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American > Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by > terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower > Two > is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written > by > me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available > on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible > job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses > and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I > would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle. I cannot say enough > about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony > not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but also to her > trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who > make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of > all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were > together > is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the > value of teamwork and trust. > > After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent > countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including > GDB's > Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New > Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the > Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the > organization. > Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of > miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about > trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help > people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of > eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took > every > trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was > an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New > Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I > did not fare so well. > > In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a > condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through > medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to > continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once > exhibited pain nor discomfort. > > When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the > next > four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for > some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old > career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn't a great tugging partner > because she didn't have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, > however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder > keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old > and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle > found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the > occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle > taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for > treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs > especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. > > In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle's > kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the > medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress > of > guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from > guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle > took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her > well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she > loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and > later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the > ringing > of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond > memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all > battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was > in > their way. > > In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of > 2010, > while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American > Animal > Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog > pain > management. Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I gave three > consecutive > workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other > pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, > right > there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back > adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat > better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and > started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and > herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain. > > Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder > time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to > continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and > Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody > in > sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew > worse throughout the first half of this year. > > Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On > Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun > vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach > ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped > significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and > Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night > care. > She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working > through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she > developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist > her stomach. > > Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her > condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and > discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of > the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had > returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much > consultation > and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to > help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her > friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge > and, > I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to > bark at. > > How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done > and > who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, > work, > and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I > have > ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she > came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also > I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is > unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our > nation?s history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her > spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after > 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. > > I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful > creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and > I'm sure everyone?s path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed > firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She > gave > unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us > all > and will continue to do so. > > We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation. This has been in the > works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating > people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind > children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which > will assist them in learning and working in the world. Shortly the website > www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running. I hope people will > honor > Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's Dream Foundation > to help us in our work. > > Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will > continue to touch us all. I know you're watching and you?re nearby us. > Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself > wherever you are. I hope you're feeling better now. You have set a high > bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love > each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. > > The Michael Hingson Group, INC. > ?Speaking with Vision? > Michael Hingson, President > (415) 827-4084 > info at michaelhingson.com > To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking > availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com > Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!! > > http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ > 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 > > > for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit: > http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Cagdu mailing list > Cagdu at nfbcal.org > https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20110628/5585e0ff/attachment.html From julietcody at cox.net Tue Jun 28 09:25:34 2011 From: julietcody at cox.net (Juliett Cody) Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 09:25:34 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day References: Message-ID: <4F6ACA57CE6045BF8F2153F304B09EC4@user1b3ecca35d> Yes, it is a sad day. Yet, I feel blessed to have heard her story and learned about her from you personally. Our prayers are with you and your family. Thank you for sharing. Our sincere condolences Juliet and Peter , ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Hingson" To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" ; ; "'eBay Class Private List'" ; "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 9:52 PM Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day GOODBYE TO A HERO It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must be done. I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed away last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her. Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy and pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the theater. I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was obvious from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. Almost from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at stealing socks. She didn't chew them up; she just carried them around and then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them. We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the rope. They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they were inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower Two is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written by me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle. I cannot say enough about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but also to her trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were together is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the value of teamwork and trust. After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including GDB's Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the organization. Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took every trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I did not fare so well. In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once exhibited pain nor discomfort. When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the next four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn't a great tugging partner because she didn't have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle's kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress of guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the ringing of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was in their way. In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of 2010, while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American Animal Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog pain management. Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I gave three consecutive workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, right there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain. Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody in sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew worse throughout the first half of this year. Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night care. She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist her stomach. Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much consultation and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge and, I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to bark at. How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done and who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, work, and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I have ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our nation's history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and I'm sure everyone's path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She gave unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us all and will continue to do so. We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation. This has been in the works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which will assist them in learning and working in the world. Shortly the website www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running. I hope people will honor Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's Dream Foundation to help us in our work. Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will continue to touch us all. I know you're watching and you're nearby us. Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself wherever you are. I hope you're feeling better now. You have set a high bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. The Michael Hingson Group, INC. "Speaking with Vision" Michael Hingson, President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!! http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit: http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com _______________________________________________ Cagdu mailing list Cagdu at nfbcal.org https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 6245 (20110627) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 6247 (20110628) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. http://www.eset.com From oberholzerr at msn.com Tue Jun 28 08:41:57 2011 From: oberholzerr at msn.com (Roger Oberholzer) Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 08:41:57 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Mike, I never had the pleasure to meet Roselle. However, I do know, how attached we can get to our guide dogs. I had Oran prior to having Tango now and I love them both. It must be incredibly hard for you and your family during this time, but Roselle truly blessed your lives and I would like to send you my deepest condolences. Remember those awesome woof-woofs, bark-barks and the foundation is an awesome idea, Roger Oberholzer -----Original Message----- From: cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org [mailto:cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org] On Behalf Of Michael Hingson Sent: Monday, June 27, 2011 9:52 PM To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'; cagdu at nfbcal.org; 'eBay Class Private List'; 'NFB Talk Mailing List' Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day GOODBYE TO A HERO It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must be done. I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed away last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her. Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy and pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the theater. I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was obvious from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. Almost from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at stealing socks. She didn't chew them up; she just carried them around and then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them. We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the rope. They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they were inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower Two is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written by me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle. I cannot say enough about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but also to her trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were together is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the value of teamwork and trust. After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including GDB's Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the organization. Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took every trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I did not fare so well. In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once exhibited pain nor discomfort. When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the next four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn't a great tugging partner because she didn't have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle's kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress of guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the ringing of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was in their way. In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of 2010, while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American Animal Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog pain management. Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I gave three consecutive workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, right there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain. Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody in sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew worse throughout the first half of this year. Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night care. She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist her stomach. Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much consultation and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge and, I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to bark at. How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done and who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, work, and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I have ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our nation?s history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and I'm sure everyone?s path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She gave unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us all and will continue to do so. We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation. This has been in the works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which will assist them in learning and working in the world. Shortly the website www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running. I hope people will honor Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's Dream Foundation to help us in our work. Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will continue to touch us all. I know you're watching and you?re nearby us. Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself wherever you are. I hope you're feeling better now. You have set a high bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. The?Michael Hingson Group, INC. ?Speaking?with Vision? Michael Hingson,?President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!! http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 for info on the new KNFB Reader?Mobile, visit: http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com _______________________________________________ Cagdu mailing list Cagdu at nfbcal.org https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu From jonathan at lyens.com Tue Jun 28 11:44:36 2011 From: jonathan at lyens.com (Jonathan Lyens) Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:44:36 -0400 Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Sorry to hear this Mike. She was a great lady! Best Jonathan Sent from my iPhone On Jun 27, 2011, at 10:14 PM, "Michael Hingson" wrote: > GOODBYE TO A HERO > > It is strange for me to be writing this article while I have feelings of > both sadness and joy in my heart. Nevertheless, it is something which must > be done. > > I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero guide dog, Roselle, > who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, passed away > last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM. I am sad, of course, > because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of my other guide > dogs. I write with joy because Roselle is in a better place, no longer > feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of her. > > Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the Blind in San > Rafael, California. I heard right from the start that she was quite a > mischievous little puppy. She went to Santa Barbara, California to be > raised by several puppy raising families. Kay and Ted Stern had the joy and > pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with her. Kay and > Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and even the theater. > I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. > > After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide Dogs for the Blind > for training. I think I first met her on November 22, 1999. It was obvious > from the very beginning that we were a perfect match. Roselle was my fifth > guide dog. I could tell that she would be an excellent guide from our very > first walk together. What took me a few days to discover was that Roselle > was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as a pixie. Almost > from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle was great at > stealing socks. She didn't chew them up; she just carried them around and > then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just to taunt me. She > was always willing to give them up undamaged and ready-to-wear although a > little bit damp. Her tail wagged through the whole experience. In fact, > her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I knew her. During > my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a loud snorer. > The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the best of them. > > We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999. Later that evening she met > my retired guide, Linnie. Linnie and Roselle seemed a bit uncomfortable > with each other that night and into the middle of the next day. I decided > that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought out a rope tug > bone. I made each of them take an end and I grabbed the middle of the rope. > They started off by teaming up and tugging against me. After about 20 > seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers from both sides I > release the bone and let them go at it alone. From that moment on they were > inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. > > On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on the 78th floor of > Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was struck by American > Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being controlled by > terrorists. Our escape from that tower as well as the collapse of Tower Two > is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, a book written by > me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well as be available > on my website. All I want to say here is that Roselle did an incredible > job. She remained poised and calm through the entire day. She gave kisses > and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed to do so. I > would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle. I cannot say enough > about the incredible job she did. What Roselle did on 9/11 is a testimony > not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but also to her > trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all the people who > make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Most of > all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she and I were together > is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can provide of the > value of teamwork and trust. > > After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and I had spent > countless hours speaking to the media, and at several events including GDB's > Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose Parade on New > Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide Dogs for the > Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for the organization. > Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds of thousands of > miles throughout the United States and the rest of the world speaking about > trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in order to help > people understand that the real handicap of blindness is not a lack of > eyesight but a lack of proper education about blindness. Roselle took every > trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or Korea. She was > an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San Francisco to New > Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the bathroom once. I > did not fare so well. > > In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated thrombocytopenia, a > condition which caused her body to attack her blood platelets. Through > medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle was able to > continue guiding. As usual, she worked like a trooper and never once > exhibited pain nor discomfort. > > When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug companion. For the next > four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it were. We did care for > some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a 12 1/2-year-old > career change dog from Guide Dogs. Panama wasn't a great tugging partner > because she didn't have the strength to keep up with Roselle. In 2006, > however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to become a breeder > keeper for GDB. Fantasia came to live with us. She was just two years old > and was quite able to give as well as she got from Roselle. Again, Roselle > found an inseparable friend and made the most of it. She still swiped the > occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main interest. Roselle > taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang and how to beg for > treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to both dogs > especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. > > In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that some of Roselle's > kidney values were changing for the worse. It was decided that the > medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well as the stress of > guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes. Roselle retired from > guide work in March of 2007. It was a sad day for all of us, but Roselle > took it in stride and soon made it very clear that retirement suited her > well. After retirement Roselle loved to take walks most of the time, she > loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone with Fantasia and > later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course barking at the ringing > of the doorbell. Roselle was the loudest barker of the bunch. I have fond > memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on the same rope, all > battling each other across our living room giving no care to whatever was in > their way. > > In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back pain. In March of 2010, > while attending and speaking at the annual convention of the American Animal > Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an expert in dog pain > management. Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I gave three consecutive > workshops she spent time with Roselle. I think they got to know each other > pretty well that day because right after the workshops Doctor Downing, right > there on the floor in the front of the conference room, gave Roselle a back > adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back feel somewhat > better. We immediately upon our return home took Roselle to her vet and > started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back adjustments, and > herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back pain. > > Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to have a harder > time standing up on her own, although once she was standing she loved to > continue her daily walks. She stopped playing tug bone with Fantasia and > Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, kissing everybody in > sight, and barking at the doorbell. Her ability to stand on her own grew > worse throughout the first half of this year. > > Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress and pain. On > Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she had begun > vomiting blood. It is suspected that somehow she had developed a stomach > ulcer. Also, it was discovered that her red blood cell count had dropped > significantly. Friday evening she was taken to the Pet Emergency and > Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive over night care. > She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other staff working > through her IMT issues. They had also helped her in January 2009 when she > developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency surgery to untwist > her stomach. > > Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening only to see her > condition continuing to deteriorate. She was in a lot of pain and > discomfort. There was no one cause for her discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of > the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related conditions had > returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer. After much consultation > and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing we could do to > help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow Bridge and go to her > friends Linnie and Panama. At 8:52 last evening she crossed the bridge and, > I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the doorbells she wants to > bark at. > > How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all Roselle has done and > who lived life to the fullest? How can I ever do justice to her life, work, > and memory? Roselle has been one of the greatest blessings and gifts I have > ever had the joy to let into my life. God surely broke the mold when she > came into the world. Including Africa I have had seven guide dogs and also > I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at work. Roselle is > unique without a doubt. She worked through the most trying time in our > nation?s history, and she was right there unflinching for all of it. Her > spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through the years after > 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. > > I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have the wonderful > creature which was Roselle with us. She touched everyone whom she met and > I'm sure everyone?s path she crossed is better for knowing her. She kissed > firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the stairs. She gave > unconditional love to so many people wherever she went. She inspired us all > and will continue to do so. > > We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation. This has been in the > works for several months. The purposes of the foundation include educating > people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall assist blind > children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the technologies which > will assist them in learning and working in the world. Shortly the website > www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running. I hope people will honor > Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's Dream Foundation > to help us in our work. > > Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your spirit will > continue to touch us all. I know you're watching and you?re nearby us. > Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all be yourself > wherever you are. I hope you're feeling better now. You have set a high > bar of love for all of us. Be at peace and know that we shall try to love > each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. > > The Michael Hingson Group, INC. > ?Speaking with Vision? > Michael Hingson, President > (415) 827-4084 > info at michaelhingson.com > To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking > availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com > Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!! > http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ > 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 > > > for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit: > http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Cagdu mailing list > Cagdu at nfbcal.org > https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20110628/3f9573ef/attachment.html From snowbird170 at yahoo.com Tue Jun 28 12:36:31 2011 From: snowbird170 at yahoo.com (Karmalynne) Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 12:36:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <1309289791.4857.YahooMailClassic@web39602.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Dear Mike, I'm very sorry to hear about your loss. You've truly lost a good and dear friend. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. "A women will marry at the level of her self esteem. Only a weak woman tolerates and accepts abuse." Karmalynne TWITTER: KarmalynneR SKYPE: ladymusic1970 MSN Messenger: christmaskarma70 at hotmail.com(not and email addy) Facebook: Karmalynne Rios --- On Mon, 6/27/11, Michael Hingson wrote: > From: Michael Hingson > Subject: [Cagdu] Roselle -- a sad day > To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" , cagdu at nfbcal.org, "'eBay Class Private List'" , "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" > Date: Monday, June 27, 2011, 9:52 PM > GOODBYE TO A HERO > > It is strange for me to be writing this article while I > have feelings of > both sadness and joy in my heart.? Nevertheless, it is > something which must > be done. > > I have the solemn obligation to inform you that my hero > guide dog, Roselle, > who was with me in the World Trade Center on September 11, > 2001, passed away > last evening, Sunday, June 26, 2011 at 8:52 PM.? I am > sad, of course, > because I will miss Roselle so very much, more than any of > my other guide > dogs.? I write with joy because Roselle is in a better > place, no longer > feeling pain, while I get to have so many fond memories of > her. > > Roselle was born on March 12, 1998 at Guide Dogs for the > Blind in San > Rafael, California.? I heard right from the start that > she was quite a > mischievous little puppy.? She went to Santa Barbara, > California to be > raised by several puppy raising families.? Kay and Ted > Stern had the joy and > pleasure of spending the longest amount of raiser time with > her.? Kay and > Ted introduced her to airplane flying, New York, snow, and > even the theater. > I must say that I think the culture did rub off on her. > > After her time with puppy raisers she went back to Guide > Dogs for the Blind > for training.? I think I first met her on November 22, > 1999.? It was obvious > from the very beginning that we were a perfect match.? > Roselle was my fifth > guide dog.? I could tell that she would be an > excellent guide from our very > first walk together.? What took me a few days to > discover was that Roselle > was also quite a character; I constantly referred to her as > a pixie.? Almost > from the first night we spent together I found that Roselle > was great at > stealing socks.? She didn't chew them up; she just > carried them around and > then hid them somewhere only to bring them out later just > to taunt me.? She > was always willing to give them up undamaged and > ready-to-wear although a > little bit damp.? Her tail wagged through the whole > experience.? In fact, > her tail hardly stop wagging during the almost 12 years I > knew her.? During > my first week with Roselle I also discovered that she was a > loud snorer. > The Stearns told me later that she could snore with the > best of them. > > We came home to New Jersey on December 2, 1999.? Later > that evening she met > my retired guide, Linnie.? Linnie and Roselle seemed a > bit uncomfortable > with each other that night and into the middle of the next > day.? I decided > that this awkwardness had gone on long enough and brought > out a rope tug > bone.? I made each of them take an end and I grabbed > the middle of the rope. > They started off by teaming up and tugging against > me.? After about 20 > seconds of this with mouths inching up toward my fingers > from both sides I > release the bone and let them go at it alone.? From > that moment on they were > inseparable until Linnie died on July 4, 2002. > > On September 11, 2001 Roselle and I were in our office on > the 78th floor of > Tower One of the World Trade Center when the tower was > struck by American > Airlines flight 11 which had been hijacked and was being > controlled by > terrorists.? Our escape from that tower as well as the > collapse of Tower Two > is well known and, in fact, is the subject of Thunder Dog, > a book written by > me and Susy Flory, which will be in bookstores soon as well > as be available > on my website.? All I want to say here is that Roselle > did an incredible > job.? She remained poised and calm through the entire > day.? She gave kisses > and love wherever she could and she worked when she needed > to do so.? I > would not be alive today if it weren't for Roselle.? I > cannot say enough > about the incredible job she did.? What Roselle did on > 9/11 is a testimony > not only to the Stern's and the others who raised her, but > also to her > trainer, Todd Jurek, the entire GDB training staff, and all > the people who > make up the wonderful organization of Guide Dogs for the > Blind.? Most of > all, what Roselle did that day and in fact every day she > and I were together > is nothing less than the strongest possible evidence I can > provide of the > value of teamwork and trust. > > After 9/11, in fact in mid-January 2002, after Roselle and > I had spent > countless hours speaking to the media, and at several > events including GDB's > Holiday Luncheon, and even riding on a float in the Rose > Parade on New > Year's Day, Roselle and I were offered a position at Guide > Dogs for the > Blind to serve as the National Public Affairs Director for > the organization. > Over the next 6 1/2 years Roselle and I traveled hundreds > of thousands of > miles throughout the United States and the rest of the > world speaking about > trust and teamwork, guide dogs, and blindness in general in > order to help > people understand that the real handicap of blindness is > not a lack of > eyesight but a lack of proper education about > blindness.? Roselle took every > trip with poise and confidence whether it was to Kansas or > Korea.? She was > an incredible traveler and once even traveled from San > Francisco to New > Zealand, a 23.5 hour trip, without needing to go to the > bathroom once.? I > did not fare so well. > > In 2004, Roselle was diagnosed with immune mediated > thrombocytopenia, a > condition which caused her body to attack her blood > platelets.? Through > medications we were able to control the disease and Roselle > was able to > continue guiding.? As usual, she worked like a trooper > and never once > exhibited pain nor discomfort. > > When Linnie died in 2002 Roselle lost her major tug > companion.? For the next > four years I mainly had to take up the slack as it > were.? We did care for > some foster dogs from GDB, and in 2003 we adopted Panama, a > 12 1/2-year-old > career change dog from Guide Dogs.? Panama wasn't a > great tugging partner > because she didn't have the strength to keep up with > Roselle.? In 2006, > however, when Panama died at the age of 15 we decided to > become a breeder > keeper for GDB.? Fantasia came to live with us.? > She was just two years old > and was quite able to give as well as she got from > Roselle.? Again, Roselle > found an inseparable friend and made the most of it.? > She still swiped the > occasional pair of socks, but Fantasia was her main > interest.? Roselle > taught Fantasia how to bark every time the doorbell rang > and how to beg for > treats, although I must admit treat begging came natural to > both dogs > especially when 8:00 PM rolled around. > > In February 2007 during a normal checkup we learned that > some of Roselle's > kidney values were changing for the worse.? It was > decided that the > medication regimen on which Roselle had been placed as well > as the stress of > guiding were the causes for her kidney value changes.? > Roselle retired from > guide work in March of 2007.? It was a sad day for all > of us, but Roselle > took it in stride and soon made it very clear that > retirement suited her > well.? After retirement Roselle loved to take walks > most of the time, she > loved her meals, her treats, playing Battle of the Bone > with Fantasia and > later with my current guide dog Africa, and of course > barking at the ringing > of the doorbell.? Roselle was the loudest barker of > the bunch.? I have fond > memories of Roselle, Fantasia, and Africa all tugging on > the same rope, all > battling each other across our living room giving no care > to whatever was in > their way. > > In 2010, Roselle began exhibiting some chronic back > pain.? In March of 2010, > while attending and speaking at the annual convention of > the American Animal > Hospital Association Roselle met Doctor Robin Downing, an > expert in dog pain > management.? Robin noticed Roselle's pain and while I > gave three consecutive > workshops she spent time with Roselle.? I think they > got to know each other > pretty well that day because right after the workshops > Doctor Downing, right > there on the floor in the front of the conference room, > gave Roselle a back > adjustment which clearly helped Roselle and made her back > feel somewhat > better.? We immediately upon our return home took > Roselle to her vet and > started her on a treatment of acupuncture, some other back > adjustments, and > herbs which altogether mostly eliminated her chronic back > pain. > > Earlier this year we noticed that Roselle was beginning to > have a harder > time standing up on her own, although once she was standing > she loved to > continue her daily walks.? She stopped playing tug > bone with Fantasia and > Africa, but she still enjoyed lying in the sun, eating, > kissing everybody in > sight, and barking at the doorbell.? Her ability to > stand on her own grew > worse throughout the first half of this year. > > Last week she began exhibiting some other signs of distress > and pain.? On > Friday, June 24, 2011 she had to be taken to her vet as she > had begun > vomiting blood.? It is suspected that somehow she had > developed a stomach > ulcer.? Also, it was discovered that her red blood > cell count had dropped > significantly.? Friday evening she was taken to the > Pet Emergency and > Specialty Center where she was well known and would receive > over night care. > She had spent many hours with Doctor Harb and the other > staff working > through her IMT issues.? They had also helped her in > January 2009 when she > developed gastric torsion and had to undergo emergency > surgery to untwist > her stomach. > > Yesterday, Sunday, June 26, we visited her in the evening > only to see her > condition continuing to deteriorate.? She was in a lot > of pain and > discomfort.? There was no one cause for her > discomfort, but Doctor Bowie of > the PESC felt that some of her immune mediated related > conditions had > returned in addition to the possible stomach ulcer.? > After much consultation > and discussion we all came to agreement that the best thing > we could do to > help Roselle was to assist her in crossing the Rainbow > Bridge and go to her > friends Linnie and Panama.? At 8:52 last evening she > crossed the bridge and, > I am sure, is now more comfortable and has all the > doorbells she wants to > bark at. > > How can I possibly say goodbye to a dog who is done all > Roselle has done and > who lived life to the fullest?? How can I ever do > justice to her life, work, > and memory?? Roselle has been one of the greatest > blessings and gifts I have > ever had the joy to let into my life.? God surely > broke the mold when she > came into the world.? Including Africa I have had > seven guide dogs and also > I have had the opportunity to see thousands of them at > work.? Roselle is > unique without a doubt.? She worked through the most > trying time in our > nation?s history, and she was right there unflinching for > all of it.? Her > spirit never diminished and, in fact, grew stronger through > the years after > 9-11 which helps me be a better person today. > > I thank God for the time Karen and I were allowed to have > the wonderful > creature which was Roselle with us.? She touched > everyone whom she met and > I'm sure everyone?s path she crossed is better for > knowing her.? She kissed > firefighters in the World Trade Center as we descended the > stairs.? She gave > unconditional love to so many people wherever she > went.? She inspired us all > and will continue to do so. > > We are about to form the Roselle's Dream Foundation.? > This has been in the > works for several months.? The purposes of the > foundation include educating > people about blindness, and as donations permit we shall > assist blind > children and later blind adults in obtaining some of the > technologies which > will assist them in learning and working in the > world.? Shortly the website > www.rosellefoundation.org will be up and running.? I > hope people will honor > Roselle by making donations in her memory to the Roselle's > Dream Foundation > to help us in our work. > > Roselle, your memory will always be with us and I know your > spirit will > continue to touch us all.? I know you're watching and > you?re nearby us. > Help us all to be better people and dogs, but most of all > be yourself > wherever you are.? I hope you're feeling better > now.? You have set a high > bar of love for all of us.? Be at peace and know that > we shall try to love > each other as much as you loved each of us on this earth. > > The?Michael Hingson Group, INC. > ?Speaking?with Vision? > Michael Hingson,?President > (415) 827-4084 > info at michaelhingson.com > To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and > speaking > availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com > Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on > Amazon!!! > http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_ > 1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3 > > > for info on the new KNFB Reader?Mobile, visit: > http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > Cagdu mailing list > Cagdu at nfbcal.org > https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu >