[nabs-l] canes and increasing sensation of blindness

[Gerardo Corripio]

Hi guys: I'm curious as to is it fine to use a cane while going sighted 
guide with someone? for instance suppose the person whom I'm going with has 
never done sighted guide with a blind person, thus doesn't know to alert us 
of steps and the like. So I was thinking that if this technique is fine to 
use it can serve two purposes:
1.-Be able to go along sighted guide but at the same time being able to 
oneself find and sort obstacles the sighted person might not have the mind 
to let us know.
2.-Be able to start mapping in our minds the route following, thus make it 
easier to get to know the route by ourselves.
Also I've got another subject on my mind, thus sending in the same email: Is 
it normal that when using a cane I have conflict in using it? though I know 
the cane is how we get around by ourselves thanks to a bad experience while 
studying for a diploma in Humanistic Therapy some years ago in that when I 
wanted to use the cane again after some years of having it dusting, I held 
it in my hand but wasn't able to use it at ease because memories of the 
experience came flooding back. fortunately I've been able to work them out 
but am curious as to know if this has happened to you guys? It's a conflict 
because for one I'm aware that the cane makes us unique as blind people and 
lets us move around by ourselves but also because here in Mexico the blind 
aren't viewed as equals in some respects, thus when using the cane gives me 
the feeling that lets blindness show even more, making the sighted people 
feel ill at ease; speaking from experience in another country when I know in 
the US you guys don't have to cope with these things because of how advanced 
you guys are in the work you've done all these years. some day I hope to be 
able to be like you guys and really live by your standards, thus hoping 
these questions bring on a good discussion from which more than one might 
learn something new and enrich the topic of appreciating our roots brought 
on recently.
Gerardo