This concludes our test of the Emergency Claren System

I just finished getting Claren to speak. Treats were involved, so it was not a problem.

It was a problem 20 minutes earlier when I was on the floor of the bathroom. I don't carry treats with me into the bathroom, and she would not speak at all. It's been a long time since I have been that mad at Claren.

As I have recovered my breath, I have calmed down. She isn't used to obeying me when I am on the floor. I am almost always in a chair. Even with treats I had to give her some encouragement to speak when I was in the out-of-the-ordinary location of the chaise. She was probably a little scared, too.

But she is my service dog, and she utterly failed me for the first time in a long while.

Claren didn't speak readily when I got her almost nine years ago, but since she has shown a willingness to bark when I have her ball and she wants it, when she wants attention, when it's dinner time. In short, when she wants something.

Unfortunately, she did not see any need for me to get off the floor this morning. That was something I wanted.

I was just transferring back to my chair from the toilet, and my legs got tangled up under the shower chair. I called for help, but my sister and brother-in-law were outside, and the little goofs did not hear me. We have good sound-proofing in the house, and my door was shut.

I called Claren and asked her to speak numerous times. Silence. I finally yelled at her and shouted "BED" to get her to go to her bed and out of my sight. She did. I called her back and asked her to speak. Nothing.

I could hear the little goofs, so I called out a few more times.   But no one heard me.

Finally, I slid on my butt over to open the door and called for help. My sister and brother-in-law came and helped me. They are now out running "errands." I won't be surprised if that involves getting some device so I can signal them, maybe an air horn. They felt really guilty about not hearing. But it wasn't their fault. I eon't even blame my dumb dog.

Fucking Friedreich's ataxia.