Laura Burk Benson

Next Step Service Dogs trains dogs to be a psychiatric service dogs. Standard service dog tasks include getting help, turning on lights, balance support, and retrieval [to name a few]. Read More: https://www.nextstepservicedogs.org/about/ ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFO http://www.nextstepservicedogs.org nextstepservicedogs MORE INFO About Bringing peace to the lives of our heroes by providing service dogs for veterans and first responders with PTSD and TBI. Find us on Instagram and Pinterest General Information support@nextstepservicedogs.org Next Step West Coast Chapter Ph 760-438-9190 FAX 888-867-1690

June Is PTSD Awareness Month The VA's crisis helpline is  800-273-8255,  or via text at 838255. You don't have to be teetering on the edge to contact them.  Sometimes it just helps to talk to somebody who has been in a similar situation and gotten through it, you can get through it too, sometimes all it takes is talking about it.  And if you do think you have PTSD, don't believe all the horror stories about the bad treatment at the VA and let that keep you from contacting them for help. There are a lot more success stories than bad ones. You can check out our PTSD section for a bunch of articles that can help too. https://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/ptsd The VA's National Center for PTSD has m ore available, click here June is PTSD Awareness Month. Help raise awareness of PTSD and its effective treatments by sharing this post! To discover ways to connect and share, visit the National Center for PTSD website: www.ptsd.va.gov....

Adding the experimental medication as well as the antiviral Journal entry by  Laura Benson  —  Jun 9, 2018 Colin has had a rough week.  Last weekend NIH gave Colin water pills to remove fluid around his heart.  He lost a lot of water and became severely dehydrated.  This took his very high blood pressure and brought it far too low.  Since he already has kidney injury from last year at the onset of his condition, this only made matters worse.  So the team of doctors spent the entire week getting his kidneys functioning and his blood pressure balanced with IV Fluids and medications (although blood pressure is slightly stable, it is still high).  Only then were they willing to finally let him take his experimental medication:   Tofacitinib . He took his  first dose of Tofacitinib on Thursday .  He had to wait ten days!! Doctors continue to monitor his creatinine levels and also are attempting to taper his cyc...

June 1st Journal entry by  Colin and Laura Benson  —  Jun 1, 2017 Colin started the day with more energy and a very positive attitude! Last nights IVIG took over 7 1/2 hours! He had a busy day-all day long, non stop. Doctors, physical therapy, more ointment and wrapping him up like a mummy and a loud annoying roommate as well as his last round of IVIg tonight.  We got a call about coordinating housing for him after he is discharged, but that won't be for at least another week to ten days. I will share that when we have worked out the details. (Housing him in the Wounded Warrior Barracks at Walter Reed National Medical Military center). The doctors shared their conference feedback.  Many doctors reviewed Colin's case and the feedback is: The bad news is they still don't know what is wrong with him!!! According to his doctor today: The good news is that they know many things that are not wrong with him. (She said that to make light of all of the ma...