[nabs-l] canes and increasing sensation of blindness

[clinton waterbury]

As far as the cane issue goes, when I was about three years of age, I started learning how to use the cane.

The only problem was that I would flat out refuse to use it until the time I was about five.

The travel instructor finally said "Ok, you don't want to use it?  I'll take it from you."

At that point, I tried and faled miserably to walk around without it!

At the day's end, I did get the cane back, and have been using it ever since.
On May 2, 2010, at 4:49 PM, Gerardo Corripio wrote:

> 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 
> 
> 
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