[nagdu] service vs therapy dogs and welcome

[lindagwizdak at peoplepc.com]

Hi Mardi,
I liked the part about "You don't look blind...".  That one had me stumped 
for years and years.  I didn't know what people meant by the remark.  I 
thoought it was people denying that I was blind. Well, a sighted friend 
finally explained the basis of the remark to me.  He said that people look 
at a blind person and see the blindness.  People have this view that blind 
people are people who rock, jam their fingers or fist into their eye.  They 
walk with a stiff-leggeed gait and don't look at people who are talking to 
them.  In other words, the crappy stereotypes people think of when you say, 
"blind person".

Marti, you used to be a sighted person.  Think back on your sighted days 
long before you ever met a blind person. What did your mind conjure up? Now, 
me - I've always been visually impaired and I can't and never was able to 
see people's faces and the expressions on them.  I had no clue about "look 
blind" sinse I've spent a lifetime around blind people.

My friend told me that when someone tells me that I don't "look blind" I 
need to take it as a compliment.  The statement really says that you look 
normal - like a SIGHTED person!  You and I do not have the so-called "blind 
mannerisms" that so many sheltered congenitally blind people display.  You 
learned how to be as a sighted child - what was socially acceptable. As a 
child, I was taught by my parents how to be in public and that people can 
see what I do.  So, you and I behave in a normal socially acceptable manner. 
We look at people who speak to us.  We don't poke our eyes with our fingers 
or fists.  Our eyes may look pretty normal - well - mine wiggle with 
nystagmus.  We rock only to music or while seated in a rocking chair.

I don't remember if you are totally blind or are partially sighted.  Being 
in a wheelchair, I can see how people think your guide is a wheelchair 
service dog.  There aren't too many of you out there. I know several 
visually impaired wheelchair users but they see too much to use a guide dog 
and they don't have a service dog, either.

I know it's annoying when people don't know.  People think you are either 
fully sighted - "Oh, you must be faking it!" or you are totally blind. 
People still don't seem to grasp the idea of all kinds of partial vision in 
between. I tell them that I have enough vision to be dangerous.  We then 
have a laugh.

Hope that helps!  Thank God we are normal people who can give the public a 
good impression of who blind people are.

Take care and Happy Holidays!

Linda and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mardi Hadfield" <wolfsinger.lakota at gmail.com>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2008 6:52 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] service vs therapy dogs and welcome


> Hi every one,   I have had similar experiences with Therapy dog owners.
> They seem to think they know it all. They seem to think,because I am in a
> wheelchair that my dog is not a guide.They can't see beyond the chair. My
> dog must be a  "wheelchair dog",because I use a wheelchair. I am told that 
> I
> don't look blind. Can some one tell me what a blind person looks like?  Do
> they all look the same? I get so aggravated at these people, that I don't
> even try to explain. I just roll away and ignore them. There are too many
> other battles that are more important to take care of.           Welcome
> Ted.  All my guides have been Siberian Huskies except for my current
> trainee,Wanagi. She is a Husky/Shepherd cross, and I adopted her from the
> pound. I have trained my dogs with the aid of a private trainer.  I am 
> sure
> that whatever school you choose, you will get a wonderful, and faithful
> partner.     Have a great day, Mardi and Nala, retired, Wanagi, gdit, and
> Tokala,gdit.
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lindagwizdak%40peoplepc.com
>