Jenn’s life changed dramatically when she was diagnosed with Sheehan’s Syndrome (postpartum hypopituitarism) when her son was just 13 days old. Suddenly living with secondary adrenal insufficiency as a new mum, Jenn repeatedly went into a life-threatening adrenal crisis. Determined to find a positive way through, Jenn discovered Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) and now Joy is her cortisol alert dog. Jenn shares her journey, the impact Joy has had on her life and her work as the co-founder of Maternal Pituitary Support.
Jenn's diagnosis
I’m diagnosed with acute Sheehan’s Syndrome, which is when the pituitary gland is damaged in pregnancy or childbirth. My pituitary gland doesn’t release enough ACTH, which means I have secondary adrenal insufficiency.
When my son was 13 days old, I was rushed into hospital in adrenal crisis and into critical care. This is how my pituitary damage was detected.
How long has Joy been your Medical Detection Dog?
We are an own-dog partnership, which means Joy belongs to me, rather than being a dog that is owned by Medical Detection Dogs (MDD).
I’ve had Joy since she was 8 weeks old, and we started her scent training under the guidance of Medical Detection Dogs at 9 weeks old.
We believe Joy first alerted at 11 weeks old! In September 2017, she was accepted by Medical Detection Dogs into their training programme and was accredited in April 2018. I loved training Joy, and all the obedience work has been so much fun. It has been challenging at times, and having a puppy is certainly not an easy route, but it has been so very worth the effort. I never imagined having such an amazing bond with Joy. She is my best buddy and my constant companion. I trust her completely. She will wake me up at night to alert me if necessary.
She’s now 8 years old and has kept me out of A&E since 2018!
What does an average day for you and Joy look like?
Our days are usually busy, as I recently started home-educating my son. We live in a beautiful area, so we’re usually at the beach, local waterfall, visiting home education groups, museums or learning at home. Joy loves exploring and making new human and dog friends too!
Maternal Pituitary Support: Website | Instagram | Facebook | X (Twitter)
How has having Joy helped you?
Joy has given me my independence and confidence back. It is so frightening to experience an adrenal crisis and critical illness. Suddenly, I couldn’t trust my body any more. I experience a lack of awareness of my symptoms, so without Joy, I can suddenly become very unwell.
Having Joy with me means that I can trust her to alert me early on so that I can check in with myself and make small changes to my steroid replacement, rather than getting very unwell. I feel confident going out on my own and that Joy is there for me to keep me safe."
She is a comfort and reassuring presence if I’m reminded of my traumatic medical experiences. I can’t imagine life without her now; she is my best buddy and so in tune with me. I love spending time with her, having cuddles, walks, playing or training together.
What would be your advice for someone looking for a medical detection dog?
Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) is an amazing charity, and they were so supportive and kind when I first enquired and applied. I would suggest getting in touch with them to find out more. Having a medical alert assistance dog does come with many responsibilities in terms of daily exercise, training, data collection and finances, so it may not be right for everyone.
We ask Jenn our most asked "Addison's Admin" questions
How do you remember to take your steroid replacement medication?
I use a pump for my steroid replacement to deliver subcutaneous hydrocortisone infusion, and this is programmed over 24 hours. Joy alerts me early on when my pump is set too low or too high, meaning I can manage my condition so much better.
Some of my other hormone replacements are tablets, and I keep these in a daily tablet organiser, which I keep where I will definitely see it!
How do you carry your injection kit?
I have an injection box from the ADSHG shop in my handbag and another two in the car. Joy carries information in her working jacket too.
What type of medical alert identification do you have?
I have a medic alert bracelet, lock screen alert on my phone and a medical alert seatbelt slip with information inside. I also carry my NHS steroid card and a small folder from the ADSHG shop with my information in case of emergency.
I have a t-shirt in the car which I had printed during the pandemic. It says: “patient is steroid dependent for life”, and I wear it if admitted to hospital. Joy also serves as a clear medical alert when she’s in her working jacket and lead slip!
The Research - Cortisol Alert Dogs
At the 2019 Society for Endocrinology BES Conference, the ADSHG was delighted to present Endocrine Specialist Nurse Helen Loo with our Annette Louis Seal Award for her work on the ability of alert dogs to be successfully trained to detect low cortisol levels in patients with Addison's disease.