Anyone living with a physical or mental illness knows how easy it is to lose hope. I have an immune deficiency disease and colitis, which have made me dependent on a feeding tube, and I battle depression and anorexia, so I often feel hopeless. But over the years I have discovered things that lift me out of the abyss, the most important being my animal family. Currently I have 4 turtles, 4 quail and 3 dogs, one of whom is my service dog, Henry. My experience with Henry inspired me to write my second book, GIVING PAWS: Having a Service Dog for a Hidden Disability, due in October 2017. Martha Thompson