WDW employee saved from diabetic low by his trained service dog

[Selket]

This was an article in todays' Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/18/AR2006061800857_2.html?nav=hcmodule

I don't know if the link will continue to work but a WDW employee - while at home - suffered a severe diabetic low and his dog dialed 911 on a CELL PHONE. I kid you not! The dog had been trained to recognize diabetic lows and tried to warn the man but he passed out. The dog had been trained to know how to bite down on the #9 to dial 911 and help was sent. The dog is being honored by a cell phone organization which gives awards to people (or dogs I guess) who use a cell phone for positive things (to save someone's life, etc).

Here is a quote from the article:

"His seizures have forced Weaver to give up his job with the airline. These days he works at Walt Disney World, where, years ago, he was employed to work with Pluto, one of the most famous dog characters, though hardly as smart as Belle.

Recently Disney arranged for Weaver to have a front-desk job where he could work with Belle, clad in her medical assistance vest, at his feet."

I've read about the diabetic assistance dogs but this is the first time I've seen them mentioned in the media. I can't imagine William (my diabetic 4 yr old) letting a dog lick his nose though - LOL! I think it is great that his dog can stay with him at work and Disney supports this.

 

[ducklite]

What a great story! Thanks for sharing

Anne

 

[SueM in MN]

Good story. I hadn't seen this. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BCV23]

Great story and good for WDW too. Thanks.

 

[Lives4Disney]

I LOVE that story. I am so glad it all turned out well!

I have a Newfoundland that I think the world of - she is just the smartest, kindest, most gentle animal (and super cute ) I love hearing these type of wonderful dog stories.

Lives4Disney

 

[Selket]

I'll have to add that there is a new technology just out (probably wasn't approved to buy when he was having his dog trained, etc) that is a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS). Minimed is selling them and they are rather expensive and still somewhat bulky but something like that for an adult (not approved for children and the monitor is so big it would be hard for little kids to wear it) in his position of having so many serious lows would be just the thing. I don't know if his insurance would pay for it of course. It would alert him when his blood sugar dropped below a certain number (whatever he set - say 80) so that he would know in time to correct it.

The dog story is wonderful - I loved it! Amazing what they can be trained to do. But I think in a few years the technology will be there for most diabetics - hopefully smaller and more affordable - to prevent this kind of thing from happening. It would be a revolution for type 1's especially. Still isn't a bad idea to have the dog as backup though

 

[dclfun]

There are quite a few castmembers that have service dogs at work with them at WDW....many for mobility but also for sight and hearing, plus there is a wonderful castmember I know who gives the ultimate gift of being a foster parent to service dogs for the organization who gave me my dog...Paws with a Cause. I admire him greatly for his devotion to providing much needed dogs to those of us with disabilities. I can't remember if he's on his fourth or more...but each dog he has raised has gone on to help someone. Another castmember who works in Guest Services currently at Epcot is also raising a Paws dog.---Kathy ( and Skye)

 

[Talking Hands]

I'll have to add that there is a new technology just out (probably wasn't approved to buy when he was having his dog trained, etc) that is a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS). Minimed is selling them and they are rather expensive and still somewhat bulky but something like that for an adult (not approved for children and the monitor is so big it would be hard for little kids to wear it) in his position of having so many serious lows would be just the thing. I don't know if his insurance would pay for it of course. It would alert him when his blood sugar dropped below a certain number (whatever he set - say 80) so that he would know in time to correct it.

These monitors are not really useful in Florida in the heat due to sweat and humidity. It has been tested down here and did not work consistantly.

 

[MrsNick]

Great story!

 

[CJRN]

Awesome!

 

[tacomaranch]

What a wonderful story. thank you for sharing it. I am happy to see that WDW has such a good hiring policy and make adjustments when necessary for challenged workers.

This makes me feel better about today.

 

[jayandstacey]

These monitors are not really useful in Florida in the heat due to sweat and humidity. It has been tested down here and did not work consistantly.

huh? The monitors are implanted below the skin - out of reach of sweat or humidity.

I think you might be talking about the non-invasive ones that shine a light through the finger, or something like that. The new ones coming out designed to work with the pumps avoid the inconsistancies of that method.

 

[zurgswife]

These monitors are not really useful in Florida in the heat due to sweat and humidity. It has been tested down here and did not work consistantly.

I think you are wrong on this one. If they didn't work in sweat and humity they wouldn't be too useful to most people and probabaly wouldn't have pasted most of the testing they have had to pass. I think they sound wonderful. There is guy who did beta testing that kept the inset in for 9days even though it's only supposed to be 3 and he said he has't had one problem with it not measuring his BG correctly.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think this is probably the device from Minimed being talked about. The company that makes them is Medtronic, which is based in Minnesota. I saw the sensor a while ago, so I'm not sure I am remembering the specifics of it, but I believe it is a tiny, thin needle used to insert a small flexible sensor just under the skin. I think it is attached to an adhesive pad (the same kind of adhesive they use for keeping on heart monitor leads), so it should stay on pretty well.