Tuesday is a very unique Golden Retriever. He started his training from only 4 days old at the Service Dogs training facility. He then moved to the Puppies Behind Bars Program being looked after by various prisoners which left him feeling unloved, unsettled and in need of retraining. He then moved to a home for troubled youth so they could learn responsibility and help socialize the dogs. He then went back to the Service Dog training facility for his final training. As bright as he was, he had trouble coping with being moved around and not having his one special person to bond with. One day that would all change when he was matched up with his forever person.
Captain Luis Montalvan had trouble adjusting back into civilian life after his first tour of duty in Iraq and his marriage failed. He decided to sign up for a second tour of duty. He eventually came back to the United States in 2003 a highly decorated soldier, but he also came back a very damaged man, both physically and mentally. He had been stabbed, suffered brain damage and broke three vertebrae in his spine. He received an “Honorable Discharge” from the Army after writing a critical review of the war in the New York Times. Getting back to “normal” life after witnessing the horrors of the Gulf War was almost too much for him to handle. He suffered PTSD, agoraphobia and was in acute physical pain. He even contemplated suicide on a few occasions. He was just managing to make it through the day, fuelled by alcohol and pain killers, somehow even managing to go back to University part time to get his Masters Degree. Through all this he had to fight with the Government to get proper medical treatment. He was trying to get back to being a human being as best as he could. One day, he received an email that would change his life forever. Through a group that helps returned soldiers he learned of an organisation that matches disabled veterans with Service Dogs to help the soldiers have companionship, be able to live more independently, and to help them ease the anxieties of everyday living
On a day that was meant to be Tuesday the dog meets Luis the Veteran. A dog found a forever person and a wounded soldier found the help that he needed to get back to living a better life.
Together they campaign for better treatment of veterans and a better understanding about the role of Service Dogs and their role in helping people. Together they try to educate the community about the legal rights people with Service dogs have and try to end discrimination that is aimed at them.
No matter what your politics are about wars and government you will still find this book truly inspiring. When it comes right down to it, it’s a story about a dog that helps a man, and a man who helps a dog.
Chris.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Monday, July 11, 2011
#whodoneit
It's crime and mystery month.
With fiction sub-geners like detective, legal, historical, psychological, forensic, cosy corner, comic capers, spy and suspense, there is a never-ending supply of reading material and far too many authors to list. However, here's a few of my favourites at this moment...Louise Penny, Fred Vargas, Adrian Magson, Gerard O'Donovan, Martin Walker and David Hewson. I'm always looking for more authors, let me know your favourites.
Who really "done it"? Does the ultimate punishment fit the crime? Are the perpetrators even caught?
Non-fiction more your style? There's no shortage of material to read here either. seedy, cruel, heartbreaking, lawbreaking, fascinating, and often all at once.
Now if you aren't usually a fan of crime, you may be surprised to find crime and mystery in the likes of The name of the rose by Umberto Eco; The daughter of time by Josephine Tey; Do no harm by Carol Topolski. Let's not forget Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the spy series or Enid Blyton's characters. Crime and mystery are everywhere. Even the picture books are into it...what did happen to Harry's sweater in No roses for Harry?
So join us this month in our suspenseful reading, send me a post to put on the blog, add tags to Trove, Library Thing, and tweet using the #whodoneit hashtag. Let others know what you are reading.
Helen
With fiction sub-geners like detective, legal, historical, psychological, forensic, cosy corner, comic capers, spy and suspense, there is a never-ending supply of reading material and far too many authors to list. However, here's a few of my favourites at this moment...Louise Penny, Fred Vargas, Adrian Magson, Gerard O'Donovan, Martin Walker and David Hewson. I'm always looking for more authors, let me know your favourites.
Who really "done it"? Does the ultimate punishment fit the crime? Are the perpetrators even caught?
Non-fiction more your style? There's no shortage of material to read here either. seedy, cruel, heartbreaking, lawbreaking, fascinating, and often all at once.
Now if you aren't usually a fan of crime, you may be surprised to find crime and mystery in the likes of The name of the rose by Umberto Eco; The daughter of time by Josephine Tey; Do no harm by Carol Topolski. Let's not forget Louise Fitzhugh's Harriet the spy series or Enid Blyton's characters. Crime and mystery are everywhere. Even the picture books are into it...what did happen to Harry's sweater in No roses for Harry?
So join us this month in our suspenseful reading, send me a post to put on the blog, add tags to Trove, Library Thing, and tweet using the #whodoneit hashtag. Let others know what you are reading.
Helen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)