[nagdu] another road to independence

[Margo and Arrow]

I would sincerely hope that the NFB centers would be flexible enough to 
understand their guide dog policy won't work for everyone and that there are 
extenuating curcumstances that could negate the policy for some folks.

Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Pawpower Pack" <pawpower4me at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 11:06 AM
Subject: [nagdu] another road to independence


> Cheryl and all,
>
> I just wanted to write and kind of show the other side of things.
>
> I'm not negating the use of the long white cane as a perfectly 
> respectable and 100% functional travel tool.  I think that everyone  who 
> can should learn to use it safely and effectively.  I think those  who 
> can, should go out from time to time without the dog to keep up on  their 
> cane skills and so the dog can spend some time by herself  because 
> eventually, when the dog is retired, she or he will need to be 
> comfortable staying alone and those skills need to be worked on.
>
> For most people the choices are, and should be equal.  Dog or cane,  the 
> person should be able to travel independently with either.
>
> However there are some people who need their dog in a different way  than 
> your usual dog handler.
>
> If I went out without my dog it would be pretty much a disaster  waiting 
> to happen.  I don't think this makes me less independent.
>
> I am Deafblind with limited use of one side of my body and with  constant 
> dizziness and vertigo.  I literally cannot walk a straight  line without a 
> dog.  My ear disease not only effects my hearing-- I am  profoundly deaf, 
> but it makes it very hard for me to know which  direction I'm going.  I 
> may want to turn right, I may think that I'm  going right, I will feel 
> like I've turned to the right when in reality  I've turned left or am 
> headed straight.  I tend to lean and fall to  one side or the other and my 
> dog needs to stop and pull me upright  because I don't even know I'm 
> falling.  Crossing roads without a dog  isn't safe because I can't hear 
> traffic at all and I do rely quite a  bit on my usable vision (which isn't 
> much) to assist me.  I also use a  tactile mini-guide to help me make the 
> determination.  However  sometimes I'm wrong and sometimes my mini-guide 
> gives an incorrect  reading and I would say that I rely much more on my 
> dog to assist me  in road crossings.  There is also the issue of sound 
> alerting.  I  can't hear things like smoke alarms, the beeping sound of 
> large trucks  backing up, or the streetcar racing toward me on the tracks.
>
> If I went out without my dog I'd have to go out with a person.  There  are 
> other Deafblind folks who do use a cane but many seem to not have  the 
> physical/balance issues I have.
>
> I don't think my degree of need for my dog makes me less independent.   I 
> think my dog gives me more independence than I'd have without one.   I 
> have to do things a bit differently than most folks because I do  rely so 
> much on my dog.
>
> I don't want just one dog to have to work for me all the time, because 
> unlike most blind people my dog doesn't just get to be off duty while  in 
> the home.  There are alarms to alert to, dropped objects to  retrieve, the 
> dryer to unload, baskets of clothes to pull from one  room to the other, 
> and the phone to bring.
>
> Because I rely so much on a dog I usually have two working dogs at  once. 
> Right now I have Mill'E who is a 7.5 year old golden.  She does  most of 
> the in-house work.  Once or twice a week she goes out with me  but because 
> she has arthritis in her knee she can't walk for miles and  miles.  So she 
> goes when I take paratransit or when I need to walk  eight blocks or less 
> to get some where.  This gives Laveau, my 2.5  year old Doberman a chance 
> to practice staying at home.  It also gives  her a break.
>
> Laveau is young and healthy and can walk for miles and miles so when I 
> need that kind of thing she goes with me.
>
> I already have a pet dog-- Bristol my 12 year old retired golden and  my 
> husband has a guide as well so finding a pet-friendly landlord is a  must 
> because of Bristol.
>
> Many people with multiple disabilities find that a situation similar  to 
> mine works best.
>
> I'm not trying to be offensive or to argue that good cane skills are a 
> must.  I'm just trying to give others a glimpse into how others may  need 
> to do things!
>
> Hope you have a great Friday!
>
> Rox and the Kitchen Bitches
> Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
> "It's wildly irritating to have invented something as revolutionary as 
> sarcasm, only to have it abused by amateurs." -- Christopher Moore
> pawpower4me at gmail.com
>
> Windows Live Only: Brisomania at hotmail.com
> AIM: Brissysgirl Yahoo: lillebriss
>
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