[nagdu] My dream is gone

[Cathryn Bonnette]

Gail,

I'm aching with you as I read this. At the same time, I believe there is
another answer. For example, when I went to Seeing Eye in Morristown NJ, a
woman in my class had asthma so severe that when we went for a manicure the
chemicals in the air put her in the ER. She had completed perhaps half of
the 1 month training. They sent her home, and sent a trainer out to her
later with a dog to work with her locally. I don't know all the details,
like whether it was the same guide she started with or a different one, etc.
The point is that when you connect with a school and a staff that is healthy
enough to commit to working with you instead of just sticking to their
policies, I believe there are options available that could allow you to
remain mobile. 

Perhaps it is too soon in the shock you have experienced to consider this,
but I hope you will when you are ready.

If I can help, please feel free to contact me off list- 202-744-4800.

God Bless you-

Cathryn (& Abby)

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Gail
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 11:31 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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