So I had a PTSD attack in the library today, that could have been a lot worse. Easily. If it wasn't for Sophie (assistance dog) and my kids, it would have been.
This is Sophie at play, with her now headless Giraffe. Today at the library however she wasn't playing, she was in harness, had her "Service Dog" tag on, and was working. She's 10 months old, and she's mastered several tasks and we're still working on a few, including quieter alerts.
We went to the library to see a lecture about archaeology in Florida, specifically about the Paleolithic Indians. Both of my children are very interested in this topic, in part thanks to Ojibwa's diaries on Native Americans, in part because of things we've taught them about their heritage (a tiny fraction but there). It was a good, educational way to spend a hot Florida afternoon. So we walked over to the library.
My son also finally got some mail in his name, and was working on getting his own library card. So we got there about 20 minutes early and were standing at the desk while he filled out the card. Sophie was laying calmly across my lap (I use a wheelchair outside the house), looking for all intents and purposes like she was about to take a nap (she wasn't, she was listening to my breathing and feeling for the minute twitching in my legs that precedes a seizure). This has been a really bad week for seizures for me and was the first time I've really ventured out with just the kids.
Well some woman decided to come up behind me, stop, reach past my shoulder and neck and try to pat Sophie's head. She brushed my neck on the way, I saw her hand out of the corner of my eye, and my PTSD triggered (ex husband who tried to kill me many times, including by strangulation). Sophie barked (once) and sat up, she didn't snap at anyone, she just told the woman to back off. The woman jumped and started bitching. I, after I took a moment to center and push the panic away, I asked her very nicely to please not try to pet my assistance dog, as she was working and not there for her amusement. She just glared at me more. No apology, no nothing.
The librarian apologized to me, and quickly moved to check the woman and her adult disabled son out and get them out of the library. Yes, she had a disabled son herself. And yet she thought she had every right to just walk up and pet my assistance dog, and reach OVER ME to do it. She's lucky I had Sophie to distract me. Last time someone snuck up on me like that I grabbed their arm and tried to throw them.
Once my son had his library card, we went and sat in a corner of the children's library so that Sophie and I could calm down. If it hadn't been for Sophie things would have been a lot worse. Yes, you may say if it hadn't been for Sophie she wouldn't have reached over me, and that's probably true. But Sophie is good for me in so many ways I wouldn't give her up just because of the idiots. I managed to keep it together, for my kids, with Sophie's help. My son and I sat in the back for the presentation (Bit sat in the front with her friends so she could see as she has vision issues) and by the time it was done Sophie had stopped shivering and I was calm enough to be among people again.
So please, keep in mind, if you see a dog in the library, or the store, or anywhere unusual...
assume it is a service dog. If you are working in such a place and someone comes in with a dog, you can ASK if it's a service dog. Some of us try to educate the public and will talk to you about our service dog and what they do, but we don't HAVE to. So if you wouldn't stop someone and ask why they use that red tipped cane, or you wouldn't grab someone's wheelchair and try to examine it, please don't try to pet our dogs. Not every disability is visible. Nor is anyone's disability your business. We may be nice and educate and explain. But please be polite and respect our privacy and rights as well. I know I'm mostly preaching to the choir here. But today could have been so much worse, and I still feel the effects of it lingering, making me more jumpy and paranoid than usual.