Brian,
With all due respect, I noted that you are a "hearie." Hence, those of us here on alldeaf.com who have hearing/service dogs do know what we are talking about. As I've said numerous times, Snickers is my second set of ears. I would never trust a hearie to do the job my hearing dog does. I'm also very visual, but there are still things that get past me that my dog picks up on. As one of my audiologists told me one time, "Every little bit helps." Indeed it does!
On another note, I don't know if LMM is capable of carrying and/or handling a sidearm, but I would recommend it. I don't (yet), but I do know of a psychiatrist on od-dogs that does, as he's been severely assaulted many times and, basically, has no other choice than to pack a handgun. I have carried pepper spray with teargas in the past and will probably carry it again for my own safety.
