Being a full-time resident in a community known for its vacation-friendly atmosphere can bring a unique set of challenges, particularly when trying to plan a trip yourself. Pet care can be especially trying unless, of course, you happen to know Jessica Blaszczak. Jessica, husband Dave, their 14-year-old son Griffin and dogs Lenny and Winnie moved to the island from Washington, D.C., after Dave traveled to Charleston on a business trip and told Jessica about the “artsy community” he had encountered. Jessica came down for a visit and fell in love with the Isle of Palms. Having always wanted to live near the beach, the island became the perfect fit for the Blaszczak family.
Jessica described her beginnings in the art industry as well as her eventual pet sitting services. “It’s funny where life leads you. After my husband and I moved from Baltimore, Maryland, to Washington, D.C., I started out by making decoupage piggy banks,” she recounted. “I eventually joined a bunch of art markets selling handmade crafts. After a couple of months, an opportunity to organize art markets popped up. I was hired and from there, I found my niche. I became fully entranced with the art scene. I started to develop, organize and manage hundreds of art markets in the D.C. area. It felt like this was what I was meant to be – a community organizer, specializing in the thriving alternative art community. I loved it.”
Ten years ago, Jessica noticed sizable differences in her vision. After multiple visits to retinal specialists, she was diagnosed with a hereditary condition called Stargardt disease. A rare disease that affects the central vision, it’s similar to macular degeneration, except there is no cure – yet.
Jessica explained, “I’ll be honest. The diagnosis hit me hard. Here I was working in the art field but was losing my central vision. It became progressively worse to where creating certain art projects were not possible or fun anymore. Reading was a struggle. What I loved to do and how I earned a living was becoming too difficult. I just couldn’t see the way I used to. I had to reevaluate a lot of things in my life. As an artist, becoming visually impaired is heartbreaking.”
She continued, “The way I look at it is, we have to accept, move on and refocus. It wasn’t easy or quick, but when I felt ready, that’s exactly what I had to do. I have always had a natural kinship with animals of all kinds. With the help and encouragement of my husband and a dear friend, I decided to turn my love of animals into an opportunity – something I could happily do with a vision impairment. That’s when I started FurPlay Pet Sitting.”
Jessica expressed, “Now I can proudly say I own a small pet care business in IOP! I am a dog walker, cat snuggler, reptile salad maker and overall pet whisperer. Basically, I love on your pets professionally. What a cool job perk. Actually, the perk is my job.”
You can find Jessica at FurPlay on instagram @furplaypetsitting.
By Laura Fogarty
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