FaithfulElite

22 hours 40 minutes ago

WORTKIME OVER
Even little bombs of energy like Evi eventually tire out. And we’re on our way back home from a photoshoot (which I’ll share later). And she fully fizzled out when we ‘landed’ in the intercity from Amsterdam to Arnhem. We left this morning at 09:00 so that was kind of expected. And she turns into a little bundle of tired mush when she hits that point. A little bundle that needs a safe haven herself. So up go the leg rests, down go the planks (yay for dad who made them), scarf in between and that way she can lie down sort of on my lap and feel the safety she needs while I myself feel safe because she can’t be any closer. We’re close to Arnhem by now so I’m slowly waking her up. One more train (which she knows by heart by know), 5 more minutes of walkies and we’ll be home. Where I’ll be staring at a photo of me and her that was made today that is ultra f*cking awesome. And Evi will be receiving a lot of fresh water, cuddles & a big treat.

One more night of peace and quiet before the harbinger of mayhem returns and the trifecta of bitches (Poes, Evi & Faye) is completed once again 😇 - or maybe a quartet, I do fit the description myself 😂

FaithfulElite

1 day 5 hours ago

HOOMANS FAVOURITE HOBBY
Travelling by train…
I detest it, hate it and it’s a living nightmare to be honest. But luckily there’s Evi, who loves to stare out the window, eyes halfway closed in some sort of induced trance.

Assistance dogs can help in many, many ways. But going full zen to counter my full stress is best in this case. If she’d started stressing too I’d easily panic. And she doesn’t care about trains, moving, bridges, people, stress etc etc and therefore is a continuous trigger, reminder and anchor to try and relax as well.

And as long as she’s acting like she’s in a spa, I know I’m fine and there’s nothing to worry about. Because if there are triggers (stress, heart issues, breathing, pain, to many people brushing up against me) I know she will step in to help me. She’s my gauge, and way better at it than any machine or human trying to do the same.

FaithfulElite

1 week 3 hours ago

WHEN YOU’RE TIRED
But refuse to give up 😂

FaithfulElite

1 week 3 days ago

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU ❤️
She already has her new toy, I gave that on the cruise. And I can tell you she has had her fair share of literal pie and ice cream. A ‘week up to your birthday’-celebration so to say.
She’s 7 and I hope she’ll be with me long enough to go on another cruise with me.

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog

FaithfulElite

1 week 4 days ago

SOMETIMES A PICTURE
Is worth more than a thousand words…
THANK YOU Holland America Line and the crew on the Rotterdam. There’s so much to say about cruising, good, bad (very little) ugly but most of all for me: the amazing. This journey has given a shine to my life and gave Evi & me the chance and time to re-imagine the bond we have as an assistance dog team. We literally grew stronger together on this journey.

I felt seen, loved and not once felt unwelcome by any of the staff. They went above and beyond for Evi and with that for me as well.

I know there are so many questions… I almost asked for a meet and greet on the world stage to answer them. 2700 guests on board and about 2000 of them were curious with the main attraction: WHERE DOES SHE PEE?!?!
There was much to learn for me, but even more for those on the other side who met a service dog team for the first time. You’d almost imagine a documentary would be in order on ‘the life aboard a cruise ship for wheelchairs & service dogs’ (would be too long of a name right?)

And let’s not forget my mother who had a great time but was under the ‘Evi spell’ as well. First thing she heard when she went somewhere without us was not ‘hi how are you?!’ but ‘where is Evi? 😳’. And yes we took that in positively - the way the question was meant and laughed about it.

It soon became clear many of the crew missed their loved pets at home and seeing Evi made them emotional. And Her Royal Highness Queen Evi of the Seas does love giving some of her people an audience with her. Every single one was very polite and almost didn’t dare to ask, but most did and all requests were granted with love and hugs back when she snuggled up against them with her full body to say “yes I do like you too”.

I’ve never made so many people cry in my lifetime, can tell you that.

They all know not every service dog is pettable, they all know to ask and they were all al so respectful - which made it possible for me to yes to them. And yes; the guests were told no. But they had pets at home they’d see again soon. Seeing someone who has 8 dogs at home break made my heart cry, please for the love of all that is holy come sneak in a pet

FaithfulElite

1 week 5 days ago

ORANGE PARTY
Orange dog, orange bow tie, orange cocktail, orange dresses = @hollandamericaline orange party 🎉
Full attire completed 🍊

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #cruise #hollandamericaline #dogscruising #handicaptravel

FaithfulElite

1 week 6 days ago

LOVE IN THE GLACIERS
Stories will come later today, for now I’m in total awe of our surroundings

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 30 minutes ago

AUCTION TIME
Did you know (service) dogs can attend @parkwestgallery auctions as well? Here’s hoping she won’t lift her paw…

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 1 hour ago

I SAW THE SUN
And it opened up our eyes (because it was morning).

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 1 day ago

DID YOU HAVE A DAY
Yes I did 😎 and just like the other days the whole story is on our Polarsteps link (Loezelleke). But we’re now hanging out on the balcony while the ship is leaving port.
Faye is having a grand old time as a senior citizen; she’s 6 but because everything going on with her body she’s aging fast. And I love it, I get updates daily, pictures, stories ánd both Faye and my brother are having fun. Meanwhile I can do whatever I feel like with Evi: Best of both worlds.

We’re having a short rest after visiting Oslo today, time for our dinner reservation at the pinnacle grill tonight at 17:30

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 2 days ago

I’VE BEEN CURED
Temporarily……
Just to take this photo
Whilst my wheelchair is just literally an inch outside the screen waiting for me….

But I love the photo on the backend of the @hollandamericaline MSRotterdam. It’s me & my buddy, ánd yes I miss Faye, she’s my small problem child and not having her near me is tough. But I’d be lying trough my teeth if I said this isn’t taking the bond I have with Evi to a whole new level.

Details? check the @polarsteps link (user Loezelleke) I’m not affiliated in any way but keeping track of the journey is a fun one.

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #cruise #hollandamericaline #dogscruising #handicaptravel #msrotterdam #msrotterdamcruiseship

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 3 days ago

SWITCHEROO - FOLLUW US ON POLARSTEPS
Okay so… I have to admit I thought I’d be able to share enough on instagram and Facebook ánd I’d have enough place to type.
Turns out: I DON’T

Find us here: www.polarsteps.com/Loezelleke/21232719-cruise-noorwegen or look me up as Loezelleke

Waaaaay too much to share 😂 so I’ve decided to keep a more detailed diary of this awesome trip of our Holland America Line cruise to Norway on polarsteps, it’s public so everyone can see what we’re doing (including very weird photos of me). Sharing in Dutch though, unsure of what the translating abilities of polarsteps is.

Let’s see if we can even meet the captain this week; little sidetour: it’s my birthday today. So arriving in the cabin there was a muffin and a hand signed card for my birthday 🥳😍

Evi is doing a stellar job and we can’t wait to see where this cruise brings us!

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #cruise #hollandamericaline #dogscruising #handicaptravel

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 4 days ago

TIME TO WAIT FOR THE TAXI
Which is absurdly late as per Valys standard - this year I finally found out why a 700km per year is enough: they’re always too late which gives you right for reimbursement 🤓😂

They’re allowed to arrive between 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after set time. If they don’t make that and are late another 30 minutes after those 15 (so 45 minutes after set time) you don’t have to pay and are given back your spent km on that trip.

I was supposed to meet the taxi at 08:32 and it’s 09:13 while I’m typing this, and as you can guess: that’s 142km’s back on my budget 😂

And yes, waiting sucks but I was prepared for this and calculated a 2 hour delay in my trip. I can handle it, Evi is bored to the max and telling me with much bravado 🤨

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #cruise #hollandamericaline #dogscruising #handicaptravel

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 5 days ago

WHEELCHAIR? NO EXCUSES
Only options to pack for a holiday to your hearts desire 😂 Or to your handicap & dogs desire in my case… a place for Evi to sleep, charger for my wheelchair, lots of braces, medication & aids like my crutches and bright pink gripper.

And yes you can pretty much guess my main colour palette by now: pink & purple all the way.
Besides all of this I have a hand luggage suitcase for Evi and a weekend bag on wheels for my own clothes (you know; the normal stuff).

But now on to the dilemma of the day: I have a stapler, I need the stapler, I found the staples
But for the life of me cannot find my stapler…

Taxi arrives at 08.32 tomorrow morning (or 10am if the last trip is anything to go by 🤨). Should arrive at port around 11:15. And since Valys is about as trustworthy as a teenager with a tantrum I’d rather sit at port drinking coffee for a few hours then arrive late for boarding… 🛳️

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #cruise #hollandamericaline #dogscruising #handicaptravel

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 5 days ago

CRUISE KICKOFF TIME!
Here we really go: time to go on a cruise! Evi, I and my mother are going on a Norway cruise this Saturday. Well be leaving from Rotterdam and will be visiting Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger and Skjolden. In the latter we will be going on a bus trip to see Jotunheimen national park.

We’re all set to have a beautiful accessible cabin and will be experiencing everything the MsRotterdam with @hollandamericaline has to offer. And many of you are curious so what better place to let everyone know what we’re doing and when?

Evi has her life saving vest on, but when we sink in one of the Fjords - as my brother stated - we’ll probably be safe just standing on the topdeck, as the ship is high enough to not even fully sink 😂

Ps: yes, Poes also tried, but she can use it as a tent

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #cruise #hollandamericaline

FaithfulElite

2 weeks 6 days ago

IS FAYE HAVING A GOOD TIME?
Possibly…

FaithfulElite

3 weeks 19 hours ago

JUST THE TWO OF US
And we both think it stinks 🫣 Evi keeps trying to find her around every corner, I keep thinking she’s there around every corner, we compliment each other 🤣
But now it’s time to turn that around and prepare for our amazing journey! A 8 day cruise to Norway ❤️

FaithfulElite

3 weeks 1 day ago

HOLIDAY AWAY!
Faye’s holiday will be starting today. About 2,5 weeks at my brothers, and going of on the way she’s whining she can’t wait 😂

FaithfulElite

3 weeks 6 days ago

I SEE THE TREES & CLOUDS ROLLING BY
And not much else because frankly I’m about an inch too short to actually see out the window. But it still makes for a good view.

FaithfulElite

1 month 2 days ago

HMMMMM FOOD 👅

FaithfulElite

1 month 3 days ago

IT’S A POODLE IN GERMAN SHEPHERD SKIN!
Ok… so it took me 6 years of trying to save her coat to get to this point of well fuck it completely… started with clipping her butt, then pieces of her tail, then shortening her back and on and on and on… all the while thinking about what I’ve been taught: NEVER SHAVE A DOUBLE COATED DOG - and all that comes with that, it won’t grow back, you can never stop shaving, oh gawd she can now not regulate her temperature, it’s torture and on and on and on

But what if that dog is miserable? And the owner as well, itching, broken skin, not being able to cool down because the double coat lost all its meaning with medication, castration, allergies etc? And grooming became torture - she’d scream to hell and back when being brushed, even after washing, conditioner, anti tangling etcetera.
I’m new to this bad of a coat in dogs but I’ve seen it in horses and her skin I can only best compare to a horse with cpl, it’s uneven, there are welts, itchy spots, spots with lots of loose skin and during shaving even spots I almost couldn’t get trough. And a horse with CPL? You wouldn’t think twice about shaving that down, even if the horse had feathers like a maybelline model.

So if I can improve quality of life meaning she has to look like a poodle? Then I’ll do it. And every time I go shorter all I can think of is “why didn’t I let go sooner”. And so I did this time, 2mm… but I found cysts, grass awns already embedding, crusty parts, welts and a tick… and I still feel mad at myself. I check them both over Every. Single. Day. Yet her coat was so compacted I did not feel them.

So yes, I agree: this does look fucking horrible compared to the wonderful long haired coat she once had. But that coat brought nothing but pain, itching and issues so fuck that coat.
And now you know why you’ll see a butt naked Faye on photos: she’s happier running around like this.
And so am I, the coming week I’ll be laughing my ass off on this new look 😂

FaithfulElite

1 month 1 week ago

I AM NOW BIKE 🚲 TRINGTRING
If Faye can be a horse I can be a bike goddamit!
I think she had it after a full days of work and decided to opt out by pretending do be a bike. Who can blame her 😬

#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog #plantlovers #dogsandplants #thedogswiththeplants #indoorplants

FaithfulElite

1 month 1 week ago

TODAY I’M HORS! 🐴
Iz ma bit for ma big teethz, neigh neigh neigh

FaithfulElite

1 month 2 weeks ago

DIZ MA HAT NOW
I founds it al square and fair; ma hat like me it stuck itself 🎩