One of the most comforting aspects to life with Gracie for me is the growing realization that communication of a profound nature is possible without speech. Through eyes, hands, paws, wagging tails, and the sense that we know what's coming next we have already built trust that I now cannot imagine living without. Because of my brand of hearing loss, following spoken conversation is a tremendous amount of very tiring work. Having companionship that doesn't require that work is truly a gift. Being constantly with the dog is a required to achieve that level of understanding--to create that bond. Thank you to whomever made it possible for service animals to go everywhere: stores, restaurants, buses, airplanes, trains, baseball games, movies...everywhere. And, of course, thank you to IHDI for pairing me with amazing Gracie.
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