Oh my goodness gracious.

Did you know that they train service dogs specifically for narcolepsy? I just found this out and I am floored.

Narcolepsy service dogs make sure their handler wakes up on time, can detect microsleeps and wake them up from them, can predict cataplexy episodes and even be trained to use their back as a place for the handler to slump over instead of taking a hard fall to the ground. They can be trained to remind their handler to take stimulant medications and even alert them of certain times of day just to keep them grounded, as well as nudge the handler every so often to make sure they’re attentive. They even are equipped to handle panic attacks since many people with narcolepsy have depression and anxiety from the EDS and cataplexy.

I am so upset that I don’t have money- service dogs are expensive. But could you imagine? The thought makes me want to cry in a good way. Being able to be out in public and not be constantly afraid of a cataplexy episode because the dog would give me a warning if it sensed I was slipping out of it, being able to go through my daily routine and not miss half of it due to microsleeps, being able to have that reassurance that I’ll be woken up or if I start to panic that I’ll be consoled. I seriously am blown away by how much easier and safer my life would be if I had a service dog? I don’t talk about it a lot but honestly? Narcolepsy has huge consequences and it really does make a massive impact on how I’m able to live. I’ll make a big old post about it at some point, probably, but I just… damn. I just wish I had the money because just thinking about this makes me want a service animal so badly. My life could be so much easier, so much safer.

At the very least, its incredible that narcolepsy service dogs exist in the first place.