Kai helps Lorna lead the life she wants and deserves

Kai made it! He is officially a hearing dog! Hurray!

Thanks to your kindness, he’s now helping Lorna. Her life completely changed after a car accident that revealed an underlying hearing condition. Lorna’s deafness made her feel very isolated, but thanks to her first hearing dog Sorrel, and now Kai, she’s leading the full life she wants and deserves.

A sudden change

When Lorna was 39, she had a car accident. The next morning, her head was spinning and she couldn’t hear. Further tests revealed that she had Ménière’s disease – a previously undiagnosed condition of the inner ear that causes sudden attacks of vertigo and long-term deafness.

“I had no symptoms before the accident, but after it, my life changed very quickly,” Lorna tells us. “I couldn’t hear high-pitched sounds, such as the smoke alarm, which really worried me, or the doorbell, so I would miss visitors and deliveries.

“I started to struggle holding conversations, so my audiologist gave me hearing aids. However, these picked up too much noise around me, especially in busy public places like restaurants. So, I stopped going out and socialising altogether. When my children eventually left home I became very lonely.”

A lot of deaf people tell a similar story. Sometimes just the effort of going out proves too much, and so they start to retreat into themselves. However, for Lorna it was even harder: she ended up losing her job on capability as she worked in customer service.

Clearly, Lorna needed help as her hearing loss progressed over the years. That help came in the form of her first hearing dog, a Labrador called Sorrel.

Life with a hearing dog

Lorna tells us: “Sorrel made a huge difference. She gave me back my independence and self-confidence. At last, I didn’t feel scared about missing the fire alarm, or constantly anxious about the doorbell.

“There were so many ways she helped, every day. For example, when I had audiologist appointments coming up, I would walk around with my phone in my hand all the time so I could see what time it was. With Sorrel, I could set alarms on my phone and she would tell me about them, with that gentle but insistent nose-nudge of hers. These practical measures all helped.”

Sorrel also helped Lorna emotionally. “She became my best friend. She is so loving. The bond between us is incredibly strong.” With a friend like Sorrel around, Lorna never wanted for companionship.

Eventually Sorrel had to retire as a hearing dog for medical reasons. “When it became clear that Sorrel had to retire, I got very anxious again. I worried so much about what I would do without her alerting me. She had become a huge part of my life. I was starting to experience panic attacks out and about.”

A future with Kai

Today, Sorrel has retired, but she’s still Lorna’s own pet. Kai has taken over Sorrel’s role – and continues her fantastic work.

Lorna smiles. “When I first met Kai I was so happy. We got on together instantly. I couldn’t get over how big and handsome he is! He makes Sorrel look like a puppy!

“Kai’s reassuring presence means the panic attacks have gone, and I can start living a full life again. He does everything Sorrel did – he’s especially great at the doorbell – but in his own unique way.”

And what is Kai’s own unique way?

“He loves attention. He makes his presence known by nudging my hand or by sticking his head under my arm. If that doesn’t work, he’ll just sit on me!

“He also has funny little quirks that really amuse me. He loves to rip pieces of cardboard or paper, and enjoys chewing plastic bottles.”

When we asked Lorna what she would like to say to you, this is what she told us: “If it was not for your kindness, more deaf people like me would feel isolated and dependent on others. You are so generous, and I very much appreciate it. Thank you.”

Kai has made a huge difference to Lorna’s life. It would be wonderful if you would consider sponsoring another puppy and helping another deaf person like Lorna. However you decide, now that Kai’s sponsor journey has ended, from all of us at Hearing Dogs, and from Lorna… thank you.