[nagdu] Critical blind people

[Cathryn Bonnette]

Hi Rox,

As soon as I brought Abby home from SE, I started teaching her the "find"
command. I was also told it was unreasonable to expect her to find things
like elevators and exits for me. Well, I don't have a hearing problem, but I
had problems with special orientation and getting lost easily even when I
could see. When I lost my sight a few years ago, my ability to get lost
improved dramatically! /smile/ If my guide dog can't find the escalator, or
elevator, or office door etc., we might never find it, but she actually
learned the new command and now does exactly what I need.  I struggle to
comprehend why the rudeness you experienced is so common among blind people.
Well, anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I am doing at least some of
the same things that you are to get oriented, and I wish you hadn't had
those experiences. As for a long term answer- I'm still working it out. It
seems that if I hang around with other blind folks, I am very likely to be
criticized fairly frequently just for living! On the other hand, as I
experience increasing distance from other social groups I don't much care
for the Hermit lifestyle either. Ah so. Maybe I'll figure that out
tomorrow-/smile/
Your thoughts?

Be well-

Cathryn (& Abby)     

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of The Pawpower Pack
Sent: Saturday, July 31, 2010 7:14 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Critical blind people

Hi Dan,
Oh yes, I get judged quite a bit because I can't use my ears to orient  
to my environment.  I went to an NFB convention in 2006 which was held  
at the hotel in Dallas.  I got lost quite a bit and every time I'd ask  
someone for assistance, they'd invariably say, "Listen to the  
fountain, where you want to go, that's left of the fountain."
I couldn't hear the fountain at all and when I said that I was deaf, I  
got quite a few nasty comments, the most polite of which was, "well I  
can't help you, then."
Also when I ask a person for directions, and they snap their fingers  
or tap on a chair/table and say "Over here!" and then they get  
frustrated because I can't figure out where over here is, exactly.  I  
can hear people speaking if we're in a quiet place, but I can't tell  
where the person is because like you, I can't localize sound.
I've also been chastised by other blind people and guide dog program  
employees for expecting my dog to help me in convention settings by  
finding things such as the elevator, or the door outside.  I spend a  
great deal of time training this skill and I would say that my dogs  
are far more fluent in the "find" cue than most guide dogs because  
it's a necessity for them to be.  For many blind people, the find cue  
is just an added bonus.  I've been told that it is too much to expect  
my dog to find elevators or whatever and that I am going to stress my  
dog out, that I'm not taking responsibility for my part in the team  
and that my dog can't be expected to just take me where I want to go.
I do have very good O&M skills, but I'm also deaf so my needs are  
different than for most guide dog handlers who are blind only.
I get frustrated sometimes because I don't know why we can't just  
appreciate the one another's differences instead of getting upset when  
someone can't or chooses not to, do things like the majority.

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

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