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I used to faint every day until I got one of the world's first cardiac alert service dogs - ask me anything!
Hi, I'm Marty from the movie Adele and Everything After and I have vasovagal syncope, a heart condition that used to make me faint, without warning, at least once a day.
In 2007 I was paired with Adele, one of the world's first cardiac alert dogs. She was able to sense when I was about to faint and alert me so I could give my heart chance to recover. Within weeks of getting Adele I stopped fainting entirely.
PROOF: https://twitter.com/longhaulfilms/status/953669201092227072
My story is the subject of a new film, Adele and Everything After (adelemovie.com) which is out today on video-on-demand on all major platforms. Also commenting here will be the film's director, Melissa Dowler (u/dowlerthedirector) and Producer/DP Tom Dowler (u/long_haul_films)
Please check out our movie at adelemovie.com
EDIT: Thank you everyone for joining me today on reddit. It seems my time is up and I loved answering your questions. After a long day I am looking forward to playing with Adele and Hector then curling up with a good movie such as Adele and Everything After which is now available On Demand. Please visit adelemovie.com for more information.
Love, Marty, Adele and Hector
stapfighting3016 karma
How does she alert you that you need to stand still, sit, or lay down? Does she stop moving? Lean against you? Start barking? Your story is incredible by the way, it is wonderful you two could find each other and she could have such a big impact on your life.
Edit. A word.
martyandadele4677 karma
Adele will stand in front of me to stop me from taking another step. She would rub her muzzle against my legs, front to stand still, side to sit down and back of leg to lay down. Thank you. I am honored to be able to share her incredible abilities.
LawnyJ2714 karma
What do you do in order to stop the fainting? Just sit down and take a minute?
martyandadele8279 karma
I am told by different signals from Adele to stand still, sit down or lay down depending on the severity of the alert. I am only allowed to move when she tells me I am safe to do so. Adele is my Boss.
martyandadele557 karma
Yes, Adele is my Boss. She is wise when it comes to saving my life and I always do as she instructs.
stopbuffering1326 karma
What do you wish more people knew about or did (or didn't do) around service dogs?
martyandadele3292 karma
I wish people would respect the please do not pet rule for service dogs. It is never to be mean to the human or the dog. It is simple because when people distract the service dog they are putting the humans life in danger.
ForeverAMinuteLate811 karma
These alert dogs amaze me and I'm so happy you found her! Have you ever doubted one of her alerts and not immediately changed your behavior? Will she escalate her alerts until you stop/sit/or lay down? Also, has she ever sensed a problem with another person and alerted? Thanks!!
martyandadele1480 karma
Adele is very good at letting me know when my heart is not working correctly. Luckily she is extremely stubborn and will become increasingly persistent if her alerts are not responded to immediately. Adele has alerted stranger to cardiac, diabetes and seizures.
PrincessPixeI540 karma
Wow, interesting condition and I'm so glad you're able to find such great results (and I assume a great friend in the deal!)
She was able to sense when I was about to faint and alert me so I could give my heart chance to recover.
Can you elaborate? What does "about to faint" look like to Adele and what does she do to alert you?
How does her alert allow your heart a chance to recover and prevent the fainting?
martyandadele917 karma
I believe Adele smells a chemical or electrical change that my heart is sending out. She has taught me that doing as she commands prevents me from pushing my body too hard.
kagedin395 karma
I have a condition where I faint occasionally and one of my doctor's mentioned it could be vasovagal syncope but never elaborated and I never followed up, so I'm curious about the condition. How did you get diagnosed with vasovagal syncope? How is the condition related to the heart? How does your doggo prevent you from fainting?
martyandadele279 karma
I was diagnosed with Acute Malignant Vaso-Vagal Neurocardiogenic Syncopy when I was in my 30's. I had been misdiagnosed since I was a baby. I have had over 30 concussions in my lifetime which is why I will not try and explain in technical medical terms how my condition works. I sometimes have a hard time understanding it myself. I wish I could answer this but feel I am not an expert. Any cardiologist on here?
irerialreves313 karma
Hi! I was wondering how does Adele knows when you’re going to faint? Does it help your condition besides avoiding the faints? What’s Adele’s favorite food and place in the world? Is Adele wearing any special kind of harness?
martyandadele530 karma
Adele ability to know when I am going to faint is a bit of a scientific mystery. My best guess is she smells some sort of electrical signal my body is sending out. I still have episodes up to 30 times a day that she alerts to, so if I listen to her alerts I don't push my body to the point of fainting. Adele's favorite food is peanut butter flavored treats. She loves water so lakes, rivers, ponds, ocean... Adele did wear a leather harness and/or a cloth vest when she was working.
BoofingPalcohol296 karma
Interesting! My uncle has the same condition.
Currently, I'm dealing with a different heart issue and no one seems to be listening because I'm an otherwise healthy 24 year old. Any advice on getting someone to believe that you feel like you're doing to die on regular basis?
martyandadele413 karma
Don't give up! In my experience the ones who don't listen are generally the ones who do not know enough about the health issue. I went to doctors in Texas, Florida and Virginia before being properly diagnosed in Massachusetts.
martyandadele326 karma
Always good except when she is getting into trouble. I am happy to give her your love.
itsmarvin213 karma
What do you do when you get a warning and you're in the middle of doing something or in an inconvenient location?
umm_yeah_no192 karma
How long have you had the condition before you met Adele? And to keep it light up in here, where's the most embarrassing situation you've fainted in?
martyandadele380 karma
I have fainted since I was a baby. HHHmmm...most embarrassing place I have fainted? Lucky for me after I would faint, I didn't always remember fainting, so, I was never really embarrassed.
worsteverything89 karma
That's amazing! It's always so refreshing to hear about all of the different things we're able to train dogs for. Truly humanity's best friend.
When you first got Adele, what were some of your biggest struggles? Did it take you some time to bond? Was public access a breeze for you personally or did you encounter "Papers please" situations?
martyandadele146 karma
Adele and I took a few months to bond and about a year to learn each others language. I have only ever had issues with access when it come to taxi's. I have learned to get the number of the taxi and the company before approaching.
AnxiousEvent53 karma
Such happy doggos!
When did you know that Adele was the dog for you? Do you have to try different dogs, or do you just get paired with one that knows how to sense your condition?
martyandadele79 karma
Canine Partners For Life matched us as a team and they did a wonderful job.
RichardToTheHole43 karma
As someone who truly needs a highly trained dog to help with their condition, how do u feel about all the "emotional support dogs" that have flooded in and has made our society desensitized to those that actually need a support dog?
martyandadele168 karma
I think emotional support dogs are wonderful as long as they have been properly trained to behave in public with the same high standards I have come to expect from all certified service dogs.
foolontheplain29 karma
How was Adele trained? Were you part of the training process, or was she fully trained when you got her?
martyandadele48 karma
Adele was trained by Canine Partners for Life for 2 years before we were partnered. I spent a month at team training learning everything she was taught and how to work together for a successful partnership.
scuba_davis3231 karma
If you could ask Adele only one question that she would answer in English, in detail, and truthfully (based on her own knowledge), what would you ask her?
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