How My Service Dog Has Changed My Life

The other day, I asked  Mike if he thought I was "doing better" since getting Isaac.  I know that's a pretty vague question, and I got a pretty vague answer. 

Me: Do you think I've been doing better since getting Isaac?

Mike: Yeah, sure.

Me: In what ways?

Mike: Oh, just generally.

Me: But like what?

Mike: You seem more upbeat.

Me: I seem more upbeat?

Mike: Yes.

Me: Can you say some more about that?

Mike: Just more upbeat in general.

Me: OK.  What else?

Mike: That's about it.

Me: Sigh.

I actually think many things in my life have improved thanks to Isaac.  I just wanted some confirmation, I guess.  Here are the good things I've noticed:

• My back hurts much less than it used to.  In the last three weeks or so, I have take exactly three pain pills.  I used to take two a day, most days.
• I am seldom afraid of walking into a dark room.  Sometimes that's because Isaac goes ahead and turns the light on for me, but I find myself frightened less often even if he doesn't turn on the light for me.  I just feel safer.
• I'm not afraid to take a shower at night or when I am home alone.  Well, at least, not most of the time.  Isaac sits in the bathroom with me while I shower.
• I am able to do more things independently, like I don't have to ask Mike to carry laundry to the bedroom for me, because Isaac does that for me.  But because my back feels so much better, I am able to do other things for myself that I sometimes had to ask Mike to do in the past.  For instance, last night I made a pizza for dinner and was able to bend over to take it out of the oven, something I used to have to ask Mike to do because it hurt too much to bend over.
• Anxiety attacks usually don't last as long as they used to, I assume mainly because I get my medication right away since Isaac brings it to me.
• I am much more active.  I walk a lot with Isaac, weather permitting.  I also go more places, because I like taking Isaac places because he likes to go places.
• I get less anxious when I'm out somewhere because Isaac is with me.  I want to write about this in another post, but when things happen that in the past left me panicking and in tears, now I might feel pretty anxious, but I'm able to deal with them.  Isaac doesn't really do anything to make me less anxious most of the time; just having him there makes me feel better.  Now, that is not a trained task and isn't something that makes a dog a service dog, but it's an added benefit of having a service dog.