[nagdu] My dream is gone

Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com
Wed Jun 30 15:02:49 UTC 2010


Just to clarify a bit, you don't need to be the Lone Ranger once you get
a dog. If you prefer to do things with other people most of the time,
then a dogmay not be right for you. 
The dogs do tend to work best if they get some one-on-one time with you.

Linda, I'd be curious to know why you think a school shouldn't have
accepted the friend you mention in this post? Is it that she's never out
by herself? How do you know that this is culture and her simply
realizing a dog isn't right for her but thinking "If I give the dog
back, I will have proven people right that a dog isn't the proper option
or me and that means I've failed"? 
I'll tell you that giving a dog back based on lifestyle changes or
personal realizations external to the dog is difficult because there
does seem to be the attitude "What, you couldn't hack it" Or worse, "I
never thought you were a good handler, this is no surprise". Also the
judgement of dog is better then cane is not useful either. 
All I'm saying is that this friend of yours may have a lot of mental
processes going on that none of us are aware of. I'd be curious to know
why your judgement of her is so harsh.

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Linda Gwizdak
Sent: Friday, June 25, 2010 4:59 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] My dream is gone

Hey Gail,
Don't give up!  GDB seems to reject lots of people for lots of strange 
reasons. I have a friend who got rejected from them for being "too
active" - 
say what??? Another friend for not having a good sense of direction -
she 
gets herself from point A to point B with her cane - duh!!  I was
rejected 
because they chose to listen to lies from people with little credibility

rather than see me for who I am or how I work my dogs - I'm on Dog
Number 8!

As others have been saying, try other programs like Guide Dog
Foundation, 
Guide Dogs of America, Guide Dogs of the Desert, try that Leader
program. 
Guide Dogs for the Blind isn't the only act in town.

I can see the programs having reservbations aboout your inability to
travel 
outdoors for much of the year.  Fact is, all the dogs need to work to
stay 
in a safe, working order. However,a low key, mellow dog will be happy to

have alot of down time but it still needs to work to keep it's skills.
Case 
in point:  I know a woman here who has a dog from GDA.  The lady is
Asian 
with an American Caucasian husband.  Her culture is to stay behind the 
husband, don't make a fuss, and not to be too independent.  How GDA ever

accepted her is beyond my thinking.  I've been places with this woman
and 
her dog and she isn't safe at all.  Her dog's skills are almost gone -
the 
dog didn't leave GDA like that.  She has the dog with her but never
works 
the dog by herself - and it shows.

You'll have to demonstrate to a program that you will use the dog for
what 
it has been trained for.  All are clear on that score - hey, they put
alot 
of time and money into a dog and they want it to go to someone who needs
and 
wants to work it for maximum independence.

I think you can do this.  See if you can find a program that can home
train 
you. How about travel during the early mornings and eveniongs when the
sun 
goes down?  The humidity wouyld still be there but not as bad without
the 
hot sun blasting down on you.  Can you walk well after the summer during
the 
spring, fall, and winter? I think it can work if you can do this.  You
can 
walk in malls during the summer months.   You might have to take a cab
or 
paratransit to do that.

You live in the midwest - forgot where you said?  I will tell you that
it is 
cheaper to live there than here in California.  Southern California has
the 
best weather - hot but dry with little rain during the winter months.
No 
rain at all in the summer and fall except for the mountains and desert.
But 
it is VERY expensive here!

I come from New England where it gets hot and humid as well - maybe less

than midwest or the South.

Don't leave the list or do anything while you're upset - you usually
make 
the wrong decision then! (grin!)  Folks on the list want to help you
where 
we can.  Lots of people have other disabilities other than blindness and
yet 
they have dogs so, don't give up yet! LOL!

Regards,

Lyn and Landon
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gail" <deerskin at oct.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 24, 2010 8:31 PM
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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