[nagdu] Second trip out with cane, and more questions!

[Tracy Carcione]

Hi Gail.
Listening for poles when there aren't any cars passing to make them echo
is where the metal cane tip comes in.  Tap it on the sidewalk, and it
should make a noise to create the echoes you want.  Or, if that's not
satisfactory, you could do like I do.  I tend to click my tongue when I
want to hear a pole, even sometimes when I'm using a cane.  Someone asked
me once if I worked with horses, because of the way I clicked my tongue, I
guess.  Kinda funny.
I've heard that other people snap their fingers.  "I got rhythm..."


I thought Julie J's advice was very good.  Do what is comfortable for you,
pushing your comfort zone just a little bit each time.  That way, you
don't get overwhelmed trying to do it all at once.

Good luck with the doctor visit.
Tracy

> Hello all!
>
>
> Ok, second day, and thought I would see if I could line my Cocoon
> sunglasses
> with dark polarfleece, to take the place of sleep shades (plus look more
> normal' to people in our nosy little town!). Walked a lot slower, but did
> a
> lot more listening to what was going on around me, and checking out
> landmarks. Funny thing was, I wasnt catching the tip in things even a
> third
> as much as I was yesterday. But I must have looked silly sometimes, when I
> would stop to listen for a telephone pole I knew was near the corner, so I
> would stop, feel with the cane on the grass for it, then, frustrated,
> slowly
> waved it though the air like a demented orchestra conductor! <grin>
> Finally
> gave up and cheated, lifted up my shades enough to look for it.....was
> just
> about 3 feet away from the end of the cane's reach, grrr. Put shades back
> on
>  and stood and listened for it for a while, but no cars came by to make it
> make sounds.
>
> It was funny, when I came back in, my kids were like, 'MOM, what are you
> doing?!' I took off the shades and plopped them on my daughter, and she
> goes
> 'you walked all the way to the corner like this?!" Then I gave shades and
> cane to my youngest son, and told him to Braille the room. Guess who has
> more respect for the trips I take now? <grin>
>
> Ok, here come the questions: being alone in my learning, should I use
> sleepshades when I am out training? Or is that too dangerous? And do I
> wear
> them just when I am training at home, or also when out and about with my
> husband, when we go to town while I'm still learning? Thats the only time
> I
> leave our town-Topeka is our nearest decent town.
>
> Well, tomorrow will tell the tale-thats when my appointment is with that
> State doctor. Please God, things work out...
>
>
> Gail
>
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