RED FERN MISSION: Kate's Story - Chasing Dreams: How the Power of a Dog Helped Overcome ADD

“It’s strange indeed how memories can lie dormant in a man’s (or woman’s) mind for so many years. Yet those memories can be awakened and brought forth fresh and new just by something you’ve seen, or something you’ve heard or the sight of an old familiar face.” ."- Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows.

As a young girl, I was blessed with the gift of the gab and getting along with everyone. Whether it was the nerdy kid in math class, the sports star in the gym or the popular kids at the cafeteria, I never struggled in finding common ground with those around me. My mother was a stay-at-home mom who would do some substitute teaching but mostly focused on being an amazingly present and hands-on mother to me and my older sister Beth, a straight-A student that enjoyed learning and made it look easy. We didn’t know it then but probably could have predicted she would later get her PhD from Yale. My father was a Veterinarian with a PhD in toxicology who worked a big corporate job. We grew up with setters and a couple of cats. First an English Setter and then an Irish who was the love of my life, but more on that later.

What I got right in my education with getting along with people and animals. I got wrong with my inability to learn and retain information. I constantly struggled with test-taking and losing focus. I know my parents could tell I was struggling but I don’t think they wanted to believe it wasn’t something ‘they’ couldn’t fix. They just tried to push me to study more, hire afterschool tutors, even Kumon math, It just didn’t seem to move the needle much. I remember one weekend my father studied with me for hours on end until he was confident I knew the material, only for me to come home with a 45% on the test. He seemed defeated and I felt like a disappointment not to mention dumb.

I knew something was off with me, it was always much harder for me than other kids in my class but at the time ADHD was something less talked about and reserved for the boys in class that were acting up. I got by in classes because I always did extra credit and would do well when there were art presentations like making posters or videos for a project. I’d always just barely get by because the teachers saw that I was trying hard. But my confidence was dwindling and I could never imagine myself being successful in life.

“Although they couldn’t talk in my terms, they had a language of their own that was easy to understand. Sometimes I would see the answer in their eyes, and again it would be in the friendly wagging of their tails. Other times I could hear the answer in a low whine or feel it in the soft caress of a warm flicking tongue. In some way, they would always answer.”

— Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows.

In middle school, my family got Chase, a purebred Irish setter, the first puppy to get out of the pen and had the personality of it. Stubborn, goofy but also really smart in the way she communicated. Now that I think about it, she was a lot like me. We instantly bonded. During crate training I would lay next to her while she cried and I dangled my fingers in the cage and imitated her, it went back and forth for hours but she realized I was trying to speak her language and we soon began to both imitate each other. And that is how I taught my Irish Setter to speak. Yes, I kid you not, that dog would be a superstar if TikTok was around. Her shiny red coat would glisten in the summer and the top of her head would turn blonde from the sun. I told her, “you look like you got burnt, you need aloe vera.” There at that moment, Chase sat down looked at me straight in the eyes, and said ALOEEE VERRRA. That was her first word/words of many but it was the one that bonded us and she loved to say it as a party trick. It was incredible! We taught each other a lot over the years and she is still constantly in my dreams. I can just picture her in heaven running full speed chasing birds and deer. Yes her name Chase was fitting.

“I knew He had surely helped, for He had given me the heart, courage, and determination.”

— Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows.ce

I was finally off to college I got into the school my parents met at. During my freshman year, I really struggled and failed two classes and then my grandfather passed away. I took it upon myself to get tested for ADHD and sure enough, after a ton of testing with the phycologists, they agreed it was bad enough to have the school allow me a separate room away from distractions to take my tests as well as a bit of extra time. Right away my grades improved as well as my confidence. I went from a 1.2 to a 3.4 GPA, but I still worried about how I would handle the real world. Surely, a company was not able to grant me extra time without distractions. I need to figure out how to manage my ADD on my own.

“As I skipped along, it was hard for me to realize all the wonderful things that had happened to me…”

— Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows.

I have successfully grown in my career over the years to levels I never thought possible and I think back to that little girl and wish I could tell her that she was smart, but in her own way and that she would be ok.

I began to realize that when I really struggled was when I was caught off guard. When I wasn’t ready, my body went into panic mode and my mind would go blank. What I found, and what is also a scientific fact is that myself and generally people with ADHD or ADD thrive when they stick close to daily routines and schedules. Taking care of a puppy is similar and we can relate in this way. This is the language we can speak to each other in. If something is out of routine, we will both struggle but we can get through it together, but the more routines and schedules we can have in our daily lives the stronger our bond will be.

I have wanted a dog of my own for the past 20 years. But it wasn’t until a recent conversation that made it so crystal clear that it was now that I am ready to dedicate love, schedule, money, and time to raise a puppy in my home and I cannot wait for my next adventure.

 My dream pup is goofy, smart, a good communicator as well as sweet and kind. A snuggle-up for a movie would be nice sometimes as well. He or She is beautiful and stops people's tracks on the street with their tri-colored coats. They will be great with kids, people, and other animals and could be trained as a service dogs if needed. I'd like to volunteer at hospitals to bring children who are sick some joy so I will be dedicated to training to ensure a well-behaved dog.