Sydnee Geril has a special bond with her service dog, Tulsa.
They’re the best of friends and Sydnee relies on her loyal pup for medical assistance. In 2017, when Sydnee was just a young woman in her early twenties, she was diagnosed with Ewing saracoma – a rare form of bone cancer which requires chemo therapy. Tulsa is always at her momma’s side for those chemo sessions, too.
Sydnee always loved visiting the therapy dogs at the hospital, and eventually decided to adopt one of her own.
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The German Shepherd has been consistently supportive through Sydnee’s treatments. Tulsa helps her stay calm when doctors have to use needles, detect and warn her 10-30 minutes before she’s about to have an episode, and to generally keep her happy in tough times!
They’ve been close from the day they met, when Tulsa was still just a wee puppy.
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It’s unlikely, yet still entirely possible for dogs to spread the virus through their fur. So Sydnee had to make the tough decision to stop bringing her animal companion along with her to chemo appointments at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
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But even though that time apart was preventing Sydney from catching the virus, it was also taking a toll on her mental and physical health. She no longer had a way to get the crucial 10-30 minute warning before fainting, and missed having a loyal companion by her side.
She even started using a wheelchair for mobility because she worried about passing out without warning and injuring herself.
Hospitals have had to tightened their security and are not allowing visitors during the pandemic. So even walking around the hospital grounds alone, Sydnee worried about fainting without anyone around to help her.
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But then everything changed. She found a dog-sized onesie that would change her life. She calls it “the super suit”.
It’s called the Shed Defender, and just as the name suggests… it’s designed to control shedding.
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German Shepherds tend to shed quite a bit, but this coat allows Tulsa to visit the hospital with Sydnee and keep her fur clean at the same time.
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Instead of needing to give Tulsa a bath after every time they visit the hospital, Sydnee can now just wash the suit and quickly wipe down her pup’s face and tail. The CDC has recommended washing clothing in the warmest laundry water, and that goes for dog clothes too!
Having Tulsa with her also gives her back a lot of her freedom. She’s no longer confined to a wheelchair.
She can go out by herself again, feeling confident that her pup will give her enough warning time to get to safety before fainting.
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And Tulsa is so well behaved, she never complains about her tight-fitting onesie and little booties.
She’s just happy to be back at the hospital, supporting her best friend.
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Sydnee knew she missed her support dog during those months, but didn’t realize how much she relied on her furry friend until she got her back.
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Sydnee doesn’t let her cancer define her, or hold her back. And she has some very wise words for anyone who suffers from any illness:
“I am not defined by my diagnosis. I don’t look up the statistics, because I am not a number. I am me, and I know I will survive this! Remember, your illness doesn’t have to define you completely. You are who you chose to be. ” – Sydnee Geril
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We’re so happy she and Tulsa have been reunited! Their story is inspirational – you can always find a way.
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