Girl's Best Friend
 Sometimes, help shows up in the most unexpected places
The Gencos began a relentless pursuit of answers. Battling Meghan's
condition wasn't easy, often with more disappointments than victories.
Then one day, hope arrived in the form of a furry friend.
"When Meghan was very young, I'd take her for a walk in a
stroller," Mary recalls. "As we passed our neighbor's house,
their dog often would start to whine. Soon after, Meghan would have a
seizure."
The Gencos learned that some dogs "know" when an epileptic is
about to have a seizure. It is believed that a dog's highly developed
sense of smell alerts it to a change in brain chemistry. While there is no
scientific proof that dogs can be trained to sense an attack before it
happens, they can be trained to respond to a seizure.
When the neighbors' Labrador retriever delivered a litter, the couple
appeared at the Gencos' door. "Here's Meghan's dog," they
announced. Astounded, the Gencos accepted the gift with cautious hope.
Would the pup have the same sixth sense its mother had? When the puppy
they named Blue was 18 months old, she passed an entrance exam and went
for training at a school in Kansas. Returning in October 1998, Blue had
graduated from family pet to full-time service dog.
A RI first
Blue is the first seizure dog in Rhode Island and is Meghan's
constant companion. Blue attends class with her at Glen Hills Elementary
School, sleeps at her side and accompanies her on shopping trips. It's
no easy job: Meghan is an active child who plays baseball, rides a bicycle
and swims. Ever on alert, Blue appears happy to be of service.
Meghan has experienced all of the many types of epileptic seizures,
from those that involve part of the brain to the whole brain. "Some
are so forceful, they knock her across the room or flat on her face,"
says Mary. "She's broken many bones; I've lost count of the
number of trips to the emergency room."
When Meghan seizes, Blue nudges her into a safe position on her side,
gets help from an adult and goes back to protect her. On occasion, Blue
reacts before a seizure occurs, giving the Gencos up to a 15-second
warning.
Meghan's
breakthrough diet
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