Region 13

Rich Carpenter emailed Charlie to see how his puppy, Cooper [a pup out of Roux] was doing.  Charlie's reply not only included Cooper's progress but a story about Lyme disease and many facts that the majority of us are unaware of.  Rich forwarded the email to me for ideas to help get Charlie's word out to help educate and to bring awareness.  I've sat on this for several months not knowing exactly what to do with this information.  I finally decided to quit sitting and that a good start would be a page within our Regional Website.  I will also forward Charlie's email to the magazine and ask how we go about getting something on there.  Your feedback and comments would be appreciated.

Not sure what to write, I finally decided decided that I couldn't write it any better than Charlie himself did in his email to Rich.  So I have copied [with Charlie's permission] the email [written May 2010] in it's entirety below.

Barbara Newsome

hrcPR@msn.com________________________________________________________________________________

Hello !!

         Sorry for the long delay in getting back to you

         Congratulations on the Upland title !! I know how valuable that title is because I tried many times (seven I think) with my old dog Gwennie and never ever passed a single one -- my current dogs, Cooper and Thumper, Have potential, but I will not be able to try right now

        My health has been going downhill and I am struggling to keep above the ground -- Lyme's is a terrible disease and I urge you and everyone else to recognize that ticks are very dangerous critters -- I sold some land I had since 1962 so that I could afford to go back east to see the country's best expert doctor, Dr Jemsek -- if you have time, check out his website, Jemsek Specialty Clinic, or the Lyme Disease Association's website -- Lyme and other associated diseases are a huge problem and the insurance companies do not want to face the problem -- my group health plan has denied all of my claims by saying that chronic Lyme disease does not exist -- that would explain why I still test positive, have extreme pain, and suffer neurological problems -- I am on a serious antibiotic program now, which also makes me feel awful

        I have decided that my mission here is to inform as many people as possible about this huge problem -- I was wondering you could write something in one of your articles in the Hunting Retriever Magazine, or talk them into writing a separate article -- hunters (and their dogs) are very likely to come into contact with ticks every time they go outside -- I am not sure that I could write such an article from scratch myself because I am still trying to work full time, but I would certainly like to be part of it -- I am also beginning to lobby to raise the awareness of setting up tests that are handicap accessible (in-so-far-as-possible) and to recognize that there are judges out there that would like to judge despite their issues

        Needless to say, my training days have been seriously curtailed -- I was unable to get out to do any bird hunting -- PLEASE count your blessings that you and your dog can still get out !!!  

        I managed to get myself down to Phoenix to judge a NAHRA Senior/Intermediate and and AKC Master test for the Copper State Club -- they knew I needed a little more help and they were out in force to make my job easier -- I have turned down several judging invitations for this spring and summer because I knew I would not be able to handle them and that those clubs are not organized to give any additional assistance

       I also managed to get myself down to the Roadrunner HRC one day event -- since Cooper already has her SHR and is totally not ready for seasoned yet, I entered her to run a started test with one of my granddaughters at the helm -- the attached picture is priceless to me because I trained them both and they earned a ribbon despite my disability -- I ran my other dog Thumper in finished and she did well until the last element of the test (the honor, of course) -- she broke, and I don't mean a weenie kind of break -- I mean she BROKE !! she did it with such conviction and glee that it almost made me proud because she was truly showing her hunting instinct and desire -- I have always said that there is a fine line between control and desire -- as a judge and an owner/handler, I would rather see a dog fired up than cowering at the line

         I did get to go on a special Turkey hunt the first week in May assisted by a friend, my son, and my wife -- although I did not see a legal turkey, I called in jakes and hens which kept us excited -- however due to that hunt, I thought that Cooper would miss the NM AKC clubs spring hunt test -- she needed two more "legs" to get her junior title --  another friend volunteered to take Cooper up to Farmington and run her -- I am very picky about who I would trust my dog with, but I knew he would treat her right -- she passed both days and came home with a JUNIOR HUNTER title !! Yea !! -- I think she is the first dog I have had that will run for anyone else besides me

        So, Cooper is now SHR Little Deuce Coupe JH

        Please keep in touch and tell everyone hello -- I hope to kick this problem some day and get back into the "game"

        I really miss you-all -- maybe you could say something at the handle's meetings to raise the awareness of how dangerous ticks can be

thx Charlie