Story by RP Friend

 
As with any animal, the love and affection you feel and receive from your guide dog can be overwelming. My decision back in 2000 to get a guide has turned
out to be one of the most important decisions I have made in my life. Although a lot of work and love goes into these pups, the love and willingness of
these great pups to please you and make your life and mobility a more pleasurable experience can't be fully expressed in words. We must remember, however,
guide dogs aren't for everyone. You must be prepared for the responsibility and work it takes to keep these pups up in their training and health. The better
you take care of them, the better they will take care of you. 
The RP experience can be a long and drawn out roead full of self pity, depression, stress and worry due to its constant changing nature. I believe the inconsistancy
of this disease to remain stable is the main factor that makes this disease and its constant attack on the vision wittling it down step by step is what
makes RP stand out from other eye disorders. At age 56 I have fully traveled my RP road reaching the point where I am fully totally blind, for some of
you this may seem the most frightening thing that could possibly happen. However, I am fully comfortable with my life at this point. The constant change
in my vision from year to year in the past took more of a toll on me metally then dealing with being stable for once in my life. Because I have fully traveled
the RP road, I do feel pain for those who have the long road ahead of them. Fortunately I believe that with science and research moving at such a high
rate of speed and the many breakthroughs due to this research, I hold big hopes that others may not have to fully go down this long and sometimes painful
path. 
Daniel R. Huhn, Missouri