[nagdu] Critical blind people

[The Pawpower Pack]

Ahh, Jewel, I do see this quite frequently; people afraid that they  
are going to catch "The Deaf" from me!  Like I have the black plague,  
or something.  It is always so nice when someone knows ASL and we can  
chat.  It's also nice when they just come up and my interpreter can  
assist to facilitate conversation.  I do voice for myself having a  
post-lingual hearing loss, however in large groups, especially  
involving microphones where I'm expected to speak, frequently I will  
have the interpreter voice for me because I honestly have no concept  
of how loud I need to speak.

I also have sensory integration disfunction and hate being touched at  
random because it is very painful and startling.  At least once a  
month, a coworker will come up and just tap me on the shoulder.  I  
don't see or hear them coming so am totally caught off guard and  
usually end up screaming and then my heart races about a million miles  
an hour.

I agree that something at NFB or NAGDU talking about multiple  
disabilities would be informative.  I would  offer any assistance to  
such a venture.

There seems to be a kind of school of thought, especially amongst some  
guide dog programs and trainers and handlers that a guide dog should  
only guide.  I have noticed this slowly changing, and people becoming  
more accepting.  However when I got my first dog and talked about  
training additional tasks, there was a great deal of resistance by the  
guide dog program, and dire warnings of what will happen if I did  
succeed in training her.
It's great to see so many programs like GDF and SEGDI working with  
people who have multiple disabilities.  It gives me hope that one day,  
I can find a program who will accept me, even though I have "The Deaf"  
and who will also give me ownership upon completion of the program.
Until then, I'll just keep plugging along.
:)

Rox and the Herbal HenchHounds
Bristol (retired), Mill'E SD. and Laveau Guide Dog, CGC.
"It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point  
out that the emperor has no clothes. But the half-wit remains a half- 
wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."-- Neil Gaiman
http://www.pawpowercreations.com/retreat.html
pawpower4me at gmail.com
AIM: Brissysgirl