[nagdu] guide dogs

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Rebecca,

Thank your for assuming that I do thinking.  /grin/  I'm not sure I'm proud
of having needed to do it.  In fact, I feel pretty stupid that I gave my
cane an opportunity to walk off on my own, probably with oune of the little
leaguers who thought he/she could use it as a pretent light saber.  I would
practice walking around the field without it to practice my balance and
orientation while I was still really struggling to get my body back to some
sort of health.  Also, back then, I had gotten the OCB to pay for physical
therapy...  Only they instructed the therapist not to treat the actual
injuries to my arms and hands that I got from their staff.  Weird, but true.
When I would talk to her about the injuries and how they affected me and ask
her to please deal directly with them, she would want to work on my anger
issues and encourage me to get past it and move on.  Sigh.  I guess she
hadn't noticed she's a massage therapist, not a psychologist?

So an;yway, I would use the nice, soft level ground of the field to walk
without my cane, since that great weight would add too much strain to my
muscles and tendons.  Sigh.  The good old days.  Then I would use it to walk
home, of course.  This was before Mitzi was trained to guide.

So, anyway, the evening it went home with someone else, there was no one
around, and I didn't have a cell phone at the time, and...  I thought about
waiting for another dog/buddy team to come by to ask them to walk me home,
but...  

I am just to dang stubbornly independent, and whatever bit of good sense I
possess could not win against that.  /grin/

I am proud that I had brought myself to the point where I could stay
balanced and focused enough to get home.  It was an easy route, just a few
blocks straight down the street, with one major street crossing -- which
made plenty of noise so I couldn't miss it.  I was proud of Mitzi, too, but
my normally wild, wild pup minded her leash manners and stopped dutifully at
the curbs.

Now I carry a cane on my person, and I will sometimes clean out my purse and
find I have two or three folding or telescoping canes in there, just in
case.  /lol/  I also have a cell phone again!

I do think that having the balance and independent orientation I've build up
is a good thing and makes me a better cane traveler, as well as a better
guide dog handler, if that makes sense.  I can use my mobility tool of
choice to find and avoid obstacles, but I'm past the point where I need help
knowing where the ground is.  /smile/

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.  /grin/  I guess there is
thinking involved; that doesn't always means it sensible thinking. /lol/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
Sent: Thursday, March 11, 2010 5:51 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dogs

Tami, 
Why the being proud of being able to get home without a mobility device?
Kind of like being proud you drove 90 miles an hour home when it would
have been more prudent to go whatever the speed limit is. 
Can you explain your thinking?

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Tamara Smith-Kinney
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 7:42 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] guide dogs

Jennifer,

I always have a telescooping or folding cane about my person when I'm
using
the dog.  That way if something happens to her or anything else comes up
that I might need a cane for, I can still do what I need to do
independently!

Even when I'm doing something (it's been awhile) with my straight cane,
I
generally carry a more compact backup just in case.  I've walked home a
time
or two before in the dark sans mobility tool, and was proud of myself
for
being able to do it...  But it was exhausting just walking a few blocks
without it, having to be super careful to stay oriented and pay super
attention to my feet so I didn't trip or fall off a curb...  So now I
always
have a redundance mobility device if I'm out on my own -- often even if
I'm
out with others.

That's me, anyhow.

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf
Of Jennifer L Finley
Sent: Monday, March 08, 2010 7:48 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] guide dogs

Do any of you ever take your cane with you when you are using the dog?
I
had someone tell me that I should take my cane with me even when I am
using
the dog.  I thought that that was strange because I am supposed to be
using
the dog.
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