Thread: PSA 📢 Not all disabilities are visible! At @CaesarsPalace Mom was looking at using the elevator lift because of the stairs. A security guard - unprompted- proceeded to tell Mom that was for “handicapped” only and the “manual” specified “only people in wheelchairs.”

Mom may not “look” disabled, but her brain and body injuries make navigating some environments difficult. That is why I help her. Mom educates people around the globe about, not only science accessibility but also disability inclusion.

Response from @PHXSkyHarbor: 1) We received your complaint through the City of Phoenix. We regret the unprofessional treatment you experienced at our checkpoint. While transportation security is our top priority, we seek to provide a high level of customer service ……. 2) to all who pass through our screening checkpoints. Our policies and procedures focus on ensuring our TSA Officers treat everyone with dignity, respect, and courtesy.

Thread: Mom is disabled and an advocate for the disabled. We're invited to give talks to educate others on accommodating the disabled. She has specific needs and does unique things during talks because she is disabled. She rolls with it. Her information is why she's hired. When asked what tech Mom needed for a talk - she said she needed a lapel mic because if I alert her, she'll sit down but continue her talk. The response was, "Well, we have a mic at the podium." That is like telling a person in a wheelchair, "We only have 2 stairs to the stage."

Thread - Importance of travel boundaries. Mom has Celiac disease, a severe autoimmune disease. If she eats gluten, her immune system starts to malfunction, overattack, and eat away the villi that line the small intestine. It stops her body from taking in nutrients from food. 2) Celiac disease is a systemic inflammatory response. Multiple other organ involvement marks it as a multisystem disease, with the possibility of every organ in the body being affected. In attack mode, the immune system doesn’t always stop but may also damage other organs.

Thread: We ❤️ the conversations our video/articles have started! Yes, Service #Dogs (SD) CAN #science too. Some comments aren't so nice. We want to clear up a few things:

1) I am a WORKING SD. My googles, boots, lab coat (PPE) protect me and keep me safe at work just like Mom 2) Mom is not “crazy, a liar, or a person seeking attention.” She is a person with a disability rocking life because she has me.

3) I am not in the Lab to be cute or entertaining to the other lab members. They ignore me completely when I am in the lab. They respect my job.

Thread: Besides medical alert, I also help Mom w/ mobility, balance, brace, and maneuver uneven landscape. The brain injury weakened her left leg, so I help w/ steps, curbs, etc. I match my steps & speed to hers keeping her independent. #Dog #ServiceDog Although this looks very smooth and easy, training like this takes a lot of time for a Service Dog to learn. There are a lot of training techniques all in one that are put together to make this seamless. I have to be very steady, patient, and attentive to Mom's body and movement

Thread: Ppl ask Mom all the time how I help her. I am a big, fluffy dog. But my job is very important. Mom has a traumatic brain injury (TBI), mobility limitations & PTSD. My job as a Service Dog is to keep her independent and healthy. I am ALWAYS watching her! #Dog #WorkingDog I watch for changes in her body language, voice tone, or I also am trained to watch for "tells" when symptoms are starting; she taps her finger or wrings her hands. Her voice also changes. No one would notice but me. When this happens I can alert her so she can minimize symptoms.