My journey with Nutmeg and chronic illness advocacy started in 2022 after a bad sporting accident left me with a third concussion and torn occipital attachments.
Concussions are no joke and don’t get taken lightly here. Between the headaches, sensory sensitivity, psychological symptoms, vestibular issues and more – I’m a firm believer that we need more research, honesty, and advocacy about the lifechanging and long-term effects concussions can have. I never fully recovered from my concussion in 2022, becoming diagnosed with chronic migraines and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
Thankfully, Wheelchair Basketball gave me an outlet for movement and exercise that I desperately needed. Parasports allowed me to move my body in a way that didn’t induce symptoms, giving me a sense of empowerment and self again. After four years on Team Alberta, I personally think I’m still quite terrible at it, but thankfully you don’t have to be the best at something to discuss the benefits and positive impacts on your life.
In 2024, I briefly worked at a local doggy daycare where I met baby Nutmeg. She was three months old, sick with Bordetella, and living upstairs in an industrial building by herself. People joke about love at first sight but seriously. Despite the years of work I’ve done with dogs, I have never felt the same connection with another dog like I did with Nutmeg. It wasn’t easy but after a couple weeks of negotiations with a landlord, family, and the rescue. I took my first dog home.
If you know me from childhood, you know I asked for a dog at least three times a year for as long as I can remember. I’m incredibly grateful to my parents for saying no each year because I cannot imagine my life without Nutmeg.
At just six months old, she started to take a keen interest in my face and neck and ears every time I had a migraine. She would crawl up by my face and sniff me all over and then stick to my side like glue until the migraine passed. Now, it’s important to me that you understand that Nutmeg as a puppy was nowhere near ready to start service work. She was nervous, missed crucial socialization windows as a puppy, and generally just wanted to snuggle all day. I was happy to have her as a pet, the impacts she had on my life from just begging to go outside and not leaving my side were monumental.
We spent 2024 and 2025 building both of our confidence. I was struggling severely with work and school, but Nutmeg was a highlight, always down for a road trip or adventure.
We traveled, started swimming and paddle boarding, learned some fun tricks and carried each other through some rough moments. Then suddenly, in fall of 2025, right before Nutmeg turned two, she started to beg to work. She was picking up tasks fast, demonstrating neutrality around dogs and people, more confident in new places, and anticipating what I needed before I could even ask.
So we began public access training.
Nutmeg has surpassed all of my expectations. She can now alert to migraines about twenty minutes before-hand, giving me time to take medication. She accompanies me to school and wheelchair basketball, doing tasks that make it so much easier for me to show up consistently. Beyond just migraine alert, Nutmeg performs tasks to help with POTs and panic disorder – both having become disabling after that 2022 concussion.
Nutmeg has made substantial difference in my confidence and ability to live a fulfilling life and I will spend the rest of my life attempting to return the favor for her.
Our journey with social media has been so meaningful to us. From making new friends, to learning new things, and showing people that life doesn’t end when you experience chronic illness and disability we have truly enjoyed every moment. We’re so grateful we live in an age where we get to share our story.
Thank you for taking the time to check out our website, and please don’t hesitate to reach out and introduce yourself!
– Anika & Nutmeg <3