Meet Lane and Thunder

It's Warrior Wednesday again and today I'm going to introduce you to Lane and Thunder. Thunder is Lanes diabetes alert dog. When Lanes blood sugar gets low, his breath becomes perfumed with ketones, and other smells that Thunder was trained to recognize. When Thunder detects these smells, she gently paws or nudges Lane to prompt him to take his insulin. 
Thunder is not a replacement for checking blood sugar levels, but she is an amazing early warning system for Lane.
On top of type 1 diabetes, Lane is also battling Cancer. Because of this, Lane spends a lot of time in the hospital, sometimes he is there for a month at a time! When Lane goes, so does Thunder. The two snuggle up in bed, color, and watch tv. Thunder helps Lane beat the boredom and feel calm before big surgeries. 
To prep for my book, I asked Lane and his mom what their favorite thing about Thunder was. Lane said that his favorite thing was she made him feel safe. Lanes mom's answer was, "My favorite thing is the confidence she has given Lane. Before she arrived he was to scared to sleep in his own room since his diagnosis of t1d & cancer, the first day we had her he slept in his room, something he hadn’t done in over a year."
Lane has a special bond with Thunder, but she is not the only amazing animal that gives Lane the support and love he needs. Lane has another dog, Summer, who is his shadow at home, and a horse. Lane is a strong kid, with some steep challenges. With the help of his family, and furry friends, he is able to face his challenges and enjoy life the way a kid should.

Learn more about diabetes alert dogs here

Learn more about "Our Service Dogs"