[nagdu] My dream is gone

[Steve Johnson]

Hi Gail,

I think that you would be an awesome person to owner-train a pup.  You have
the determination as you have proven to all of us through your very
heartfelt correspondences, so maybe it's not the end, but just the
beginning.  My gosh, with the excellent peers on this list, I have no doubt
that they would guide you down the right path.  The problem is not you, but
the schools have not gotten to know who you are and what your challenges are
with your sight impairment.  

You know, I faced a similar situation almost 20 years ago, but it was not
with a dog, but with my life.  I almost gave up on a kidney and pancreas
transplant, and just about when I was ready to quit, something miraculous
happened...I got that call.  In January, I will celebrate my 20th year of a
new life, and if I had not believed, I would have never enjoyed the 3 guides
I have had, met literally thousands and thousands of wonderful people,
landed a great job, and met a wonderful blind woman with a guide who I enjoy
spending precious time with.  Nope, things are just starting Gail, please
believe me when I say that.  

Kind regards,
Steve, Misha and Ripley
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Gail
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 10:31 PM
To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nagdu] My dream is gone

 
 
This, I'm sure, is no news to anyone here, but its the end of my dream for
me. I got a call from GDB today, and I was turned down on two counts. One,
because I dont have, and not likely to have, professional O&M training. And
two, because my health-my breathing-wont allow me to do weeks of walking
blocks around and around our little town after getting a dog from them. In
our state, the weather is miserabley humid, and for someone with asthma,
there is only a short time in the spring when I am able to be outside
without feeling I am suffocating from humidity. 
 
I had chosen GDB as the school I hoped to go to, because California weather
is dry, and I was sure I could build my stamina up to cope with the training
which would be approxamatly the level I was at when my last dog retired
herself. But I will never be able to reach a level of stamina where I would
be able to walk the 7 to 8 blocks here that GDB expects graduates to when
they get home. I can understand why they want this, that the bonding is
important...it just never crossed my mind that it would have to be done in
this way. I never had to with the dogs I trained myself-bonding and work
went on at home and away from home. 
 
To hear this was the death knell to my dream. There is no hope of my ever
getting a guide dog now...I'm sure that all the other schools have similar
reqirements, and since I would have to go to one in a dry climate, so I
could breathe well enough to go through training, even if there were a
school elsewhere, I would not be able to go. 
I am utterly shattered, in tears all day, knowing now that the rest of my
life will be spent sitting here in the corner of our living room. Learning
that my life is only to be what I see on a computer screen. 
 
I wish to thank you all, for all your kindness, caring and good wishes. But
it will be too painful to remain here, with no hope for release from this
prision of our house. So I think it best I leave. 
 
 
God bless and keep you all close to His Heart, all of you wonderful people 
 
Gail

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