Living an independent life.

Severe joint pain caused Freya to give up riding her beloved Irish Sports Horse, Teddy but it was the effects of PoTs *which made her search out help from Medical Detection Dogs. 

Diagnosed at 16 with NEAD, non-epileptic attack disorder, Freya found her condition quickly spiralled out of control.” I had several severe episodes, including one which resulted in a neck injury and an air ambulance trip to a specialist hospital. I also dropped a kettle of boiling water down my leg causing a bad burn’, says Freya. Together with the unpredictability of the episodes caused by Pots, and the high risk of self-injury  Freya had to leave university and return to her parent’s home.  

‘I became reliant on constant supervision from my parents. I had to give up pretty much all of my hobbies and became very isolated which had a negative impact on my mental wellbeing’, she adds.

Freya was initially matched with a dog called Jordan, but this was an unsuccessful partnership. Dixie, however, a working cocker spaniel ,has proved to be the perfect dog for the job. Freya says, ’She has been incredible and has not missed an alert since the day she arrived’.

Having Dixie by her side has enabled Freya to return to university and she is currently completing a Masters at Cambridge in Chemical Engineering. ‘I am able to use public transport, go to the shops, study at university and meet friends alone, without fear of having an episode. These small things have made such a difference to my life. I can be left at home for days at a time with Dixie to look after me. This would have been out of the question before.

The best part of having Dixie is the independence and reduction in stress that my parents, friends and I have. I trust that she will keep me safe. This has allowed me to get back to living like a more normal 24 year old.’ 

Freya pays tribute to all the team at MDD, “they have been so supportive and worked with me as my situation changed over the years. I couldn’t ask for more from the charity’.

*PoTs – postural tachycardia syndrome  is when your heart rate increases very quickly after getting up from sitting or lying down. The symptoms include dizziness, fainting , heart palpitations, shaking, chest pain and shortness of breath