And that is: My service dog Hermione is retiring on Monday for medical reasons. She's going to live with one of her co-puppyraisers and should live a long happy life as a pet. Her puppyraisers did a wonderful job raising her so I know she'll be well taken care of.
Also on Monday I'm getting a successor service dog. I'm going for what they call a side placement which is a placement outside of the regular Team Training. I'm going for three days. My first Team Training was two weeks and was almost exactly a year ago.
It is all rather unbelievable typing it though I've been living it for months.
I will miss Hermione tremendously, but she's ready to retire. I try to keep in mind what another graduate said to me about her dog's retirement that it's a gift to her dog. I do believe that. I just wish we'd had the 8-year working plan instead the 1-year plan. However if there's anything I can learn is that sometimes I just don't get to choose, but just make the best of what I've been given. And Hermione has been a tremendous gift who changed my life. That will be another post.
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