Like all the great ‘rom-coms’, this love story features a good dose of laughs, feels and a sprinkling of perfectly timed comedic moments, all wrapped up in an incredibly strong bond between a gal and her pooch.
This is the story of when Meg met Milly, and how two lives changed forever. This meeting was incredibly significant as Meg, who was aged 16 at the time, was the youngest person in New Zealand to receive an epilepsy assist dog from the NZ Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust. And Milly was the first epilepsy assist dog to sashay into a high school by her new owner’s side.
Meg had been diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of eight. At just four years old, she had an absence seizure and was rushed to hospital with suspected meningitis, but a lumbar puncture found nothing. Fast-forward four years and it was only then that the condition manifested itself again that Meg was diagnosed with epilepsy. Meg’s seizures were erratic and unpredictable, leaving her mother Rachel and husband Michael in a constant (sleep-deprived) state of anxiety.
“Meg and I were snuggled up on the couch watching TV. It was Brain Awareness Week and there was an interview with Andrea Hawkless about epilepsy assist dogs. We didn’t know there was such a thing.”
Rachel Rodden, Meg's mother
Several years later is when Meg has her serendipitous ‘Sliding Doors’ moment. She had been home from school recuperating after a particularly intense seizure plus mourning the loss of the family’s golden retriever who had recently passed away. Rachel (Meg's mum) recalls, “Meg and I were snuggled up on the couch watching TV. It was Brain Awareness Week and there was an interview with Andrea Hawkless about epilepsy assist dogs. We didn’t know there was such a thing”. Andrea Hawkless had founded the NZ Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust after the death of her son, who had been diagnosed with severe epilepsy. After considerable research and with no such organisation previously existing in New Zealand, she had formed NZEADT to enhance the lives of New Zealanders living with severe epilepsy.
Once the interview finished, Meg and her mother flicked channels only to have a documentary about an epilepsy assist dog come up. It was clear now that something was being written in the stars – and it would only be in a matter of months that Meg and Milly would meet. Meg and her mother applied to the trust (along with a letter of recommendation from her neurologist) and were ecstatic when they were accepted, but were also told it could take up to several years for the right match to be found.
But you never know when true love might bound on over wagging its tail, and in this case, Meg was matched with Milly in just a few months. “It was the fact that puppy Milly (who had been training as a guide dog) had to be withdrawn from the programme because she was too easily distracted by food that made her the perfect match for me,” chuckles Meg.
Milly protects Meg by barking continuously until help arrives if she has a seizure. At home, Milly will immediately go to Rachel at any time of the day or night if Meg needs help. One of the biggest impacts is that Meg’s mum, Rachel, can sleep easier at night, having been unable to sleep well at all before Milly came into their lives. After Meg has a seizure, Milly will often be clingy, obviously feeling the distress of seeing her best friend go through this experience. Although not part of her job, Milly can sometimes detect a seizure may be coming on “She gets whiny and unsettled and wants to sit with Meg,” says Rachel.
The power of this partnership was proven when Meg stood up in front of her entire school to speak about her epilepsy and her dog. “I would have never dreamed of talking in front of the entire school, but I managed and was perfectly fine,” recalls Meg. Rachel recounts the tears of pride that filled her eyes as she watched on, unbeknown to Meg that she had snuck in at the back.
This really seems like a love that is difficult to put into words (even more so for Milly). Meg’s heart explodes with gratitude and love upon being asked what Milly means to her, declaring that she is her 'entire world'.
AA Pet Insurance and New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust
Dogs change lives, and so can you. By purchasing an AA Pet Insurance policy you’ll help support the dogs of the New Zealand Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust, which enable people living with severe epilepsy to achieve independence. With your help, we’re proud to play a small part in the life-changing effects of these awesome canine companions.
Sources
You can read more about assistance dogs and their owners by reading Friends inDEED by Sue Alison.