[nagdu] beginning to use a cane

Larry D. Keeler lkeeler at comcast.net
Wed Dec 21 18:46:38 UTC 2011 

You just didn't want to use the MTA for fear of never returning!  I 
understand your feelings though.  I myself have never really cared about 
what everyone else thaught.  Yah, I was always kind of cocky that way.  I 
remember while attending Northern Michigan University in 1981, when I gave 
my cane to a roommate.  He was really unnerved by everyones stares.  I 
followed him through the isles and folks thaught I was his keepper!  When he 
gave me back my cane, he asked how I could stand all the stares.  I told him 
I usually don't notice them but when I do, I hope they like what they're 
seeing!  Especialy the girls!!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lyn Gwizdak" <linda.gwizdak at cox.net>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2011 1:14 PM
Subject: [nagdu] beginning to use a cane


> Buddy,
> I think this is very true in that some folks would rather have people 
> think they are drunk rtather than someone seeing that they are actually 
> visually impaired or blind.  That is the stigma of blindness talking!
>
> I remember back in the early 1970s when I moved to Boston and had to 
> travel in an urban envirnment on my own.  Previously to that, I was always 
> with someone because there was no public transportation at all and I rode 
> everywhere in a car.  If I did walk, it was on quiet residential streets 
> going to or coming home from school.  There was a shopping center nearby 
> but on my side of a very busy street so I never had to cross that.
>
> In Boston, my friends introduced me to a white cane - I had never seen one 
> before!  The blind people I grew up with never used canes.  They went 
> sighted guide with family members.  At that time I could see quite well 
> although I was still legally blind.  I could get around pretty well 
> without any travel aids.  But at night, I had NO vision and needed a cane. 
> Previously, I NEVER went out at night except for Halloween where I knew 
> the neighborhood very well and next to no car traffic.
>
> When I started to use a cane, I did feel very self concious and that I 
> stuck out rather than blending in as I did in the past.  I did lose enough 
> vision to force the issue when a car almost ran me and my roommate over - 
> her dog did a great traffic check!  I felt that I was now in more danger 
> without the cane than with it.  With the cane, drivers can see that I had 
> a vision problem.  So, I realized that it was time to use the cane and it 
> was good.
>
> AS far as being a bigger target for crime, yeah, this can happen because 
> the perp woould know the blind person could never identify them in court 
> or to a police officer.  I think we just have to be more cautious and 
> aware of our surroundings than most sighted people do.
>
> Prior to cane use, people would think I was an idiot if I made a crossing 
> error because I couldn't see the signal - days before audible signals, 
> folks!  With the cane, people didn't think this way anymore outright. 
> They most likely thought I was now an idiot BECAUSE I was blind! LOL!
>
> I think that the time someone needs to start using a cane and their 
> resistance to it isn't too unlike when a person has to give up their 
> drivers license.  The driver gives up freedom and mobility.  the new cane 
> user gives up being able to melt into the rest of the crowd without 
> something to make him stick out like a sore thumb.
>
> Using a cane is a decision that needs to be made by the person and 
> sometimes a person needs a wake up call when they almost get killed.  But 
> I hope that most people don't wait to get killed before using a cane!
>
> I did finally do cane travel lessons under blindfold and found it very 
> beneficial to allowing my other senses to give me feedback that my eyes 
> couldn't give me.  Although I prefer using a dog, I still do use my cane 
> regularly - especialy when grocery shopping when I have to wrestle a cart 
> on and off the bus and the dog gets in the way.
>
> Merry Christmas and Happy Honakka every one!
>
> Lyn and Landon
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Buddy Brannan" <buddy at brannan.name>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 20, 2011 6:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>
>
>>I can. There are some people out there, believe it or not, who think it's 
>>much preferable to be thought drunk, stoned, rude, slow-witted, or any 
>>number of other things, so long as no one thinks that they are blind. 
>>After all, if you're blind, you are necessarily less capable, less 
>>self-reliant, less independent, less able, and (mostly) less of a human 
>>being than if you are not. Better to be thought sighted and [insert any 
>>impairing condition] than to be thought of as blind. Much better.
>> --
>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>> Phone: (814) 860-3194 or 888-75-BUDDY
>>
>>
>>
>> On Dec 20, 2011, at 8:30 AM, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) wrote:
>>
>>> Can you guys explain?
>>> I wa talking to a guy who has RP. He said people think he's drunk. I 
>>> told him a cane would solve that problem. He told me he doesn't "need a 
>>> cane", which I took to mean he's okay with people thinking he's wasted.
>>> Can somebody explain. I don't get it.
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>> Behalf Of Tami Kinney
>>> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 9:02 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>>>
>>> Yeah, I did things kinda that way, too. So long as no one realized I was
>>> using it to compensate for tunnel vision and night blindness. Which of
>>> course, I did not have because I did *not* have Retinitis Pigmentosa.
>>> Denial, much, folks? /lol/
>>>
>>> Tami
>>>
>>> On 12/19/2011 04:22 PM, Brenda wrote:
>>>> Interesting about using a tree branch. Growing up, we went camping with
>>>> my Dad. The first thing I would do would be find a hiking stick. I did
>>>> not use it like you would a white cane, but it was still very helpful.
>>>> We would hike a lot and my stick would tell me the terrain. Thing is, I
>>>> would never have been allowed to use it at home since I had 20/200
>>>> vision. Too bad. Brenda
>>>>
>>>> On 12/19/2011 7:02 PM, Lea williams wrote:
>>>>> the thing about using a branch is that the branch is heavier. I did
>>>>> this once for a couple of weeks when I left my cane over at a family
>>>>> house and they took that long to get it back to me. My arm hurt a lot
>>>>> cause a branch is heavier.
>>>>> It will work, but I would rather use a broom stick or something. LOL,
>>>>> the sight for that one. If you could, you could request a free one
>>>>> from the NFB, it is strait, so if this is possible, get one of those
>>>>> to use as a back up. I rather have a folding one though. I have a
>>>>> small ID one that I use. I love it better than the heavy ones.
>>>>>
>>>>> On 12/19/11, Dan Weiner<dcwein at dcwein.cnc.net> wrote:
>>>>>> Just cut a limb from a tree, it will be just as useful as the average
>>>>>> cane,
>>>>>> a cane being a stick after all.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dan
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>>>> Behalf
>>>>>> Of Doug Parisian
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 5:18 PM
>>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Perhaps a little better choice of friends and/or acquaintances would
>>>>>> alleviate the problem?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've had canes run over by cars, tripped over by some mental midget 
>>>>>> or
>>>>>> other, and even attempted leadings by some unfortunate grabbing my
>>>>>> stick by
>>>>>> it's end but never stolen. Must be the company I keep.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Doug: Raising Cain when Able.
>>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>> From: "Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)"<REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>>>>>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>>>>>> Users'"
>>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 1:53 PM
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Maybe the person needed it? I met a family that was new to this
>>>>>>> country, had a member that was blind and wanted to know where to get 
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> cane. I'm not sure they knew what a cane was until they saw me using
>>>>>>> mine,
>>>>>>> thought "What a cool idea" and came over to talk to me. If I'd had
>>>>>>> another one on me, I'd have probably given them the one I was using.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> They were hoping/expecting you could just buy one at any store.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> And, why not buy a few backup canes that meet your needs? I treat 
>>>>>>> canes
>>>>>>> like shoes, I have one I use but I also have a few backups that meet 
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> needs, a broken cane serves me no purpose so I don't hang onto them,
>>>>>>> just
>>>>>>> as I wouldn't hang onto shoes I couldn't wear. Ditto for a cane that 
>>>>>>> is
>>>>>>> too long, it'd be like hanging onto shoes that were too small.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Since this seems to happen a fair bit to you, can you keep the cane
>>>>>>> say in
>>>>>>> something you hang onto like apurse? Or just keep the strap around 
>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>> wrist so you are in contact with it when it isn't in use?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What happened was wrong, I'm just not feeling the outrage the list
>>>>>>> seems
>>>>>>> to be feeling here.
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>>>>> Behalf
>>>>>>> Of Brittney N. Mejico
>>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 6:27 AM
>>>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> That is really awful who would do such a thing. Hope you get a new 
>>>>>>> cain
>>>>>>> soon
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: Mardi Hadfield
>>>>>>> Sent: Friday, December 16, 2011 12:59 AM
>>>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] Some one stole my cane !
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi every one, Mardi here. I went Christmas shopping the other day
>>>>>>> and some
>>>>>>> one stole my white cane.I keep it in a leather holster type of pouch
>>>>>>> attached to my wheelchair when I am not using it. It is quite snug
>>>>>>> fitting
>>>>>>> so it is impossible for it to have fallen out.When I left the store 
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> headed to the bus station,I reached for it so I could get into the
>>>>>>> wheelchair bay when I got on the bus. It was not their! I had it 
>>>>>>> when I
>>>>>>> got
>>>>>>> off the bus so it disappeared somewhere between the bus station and 
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> store.The only time I use it when I have my dog with me is getting
>>>>>>> on or
>>>>>>> off the bus.This is the second time someone has stolen a cane from 
>>>>>>> me.
>>>>>>> This
>>>>>>> is extremely annoying as I can not afford to buy another one until 
>>>>>>> next
>>>>>>> month.I have an old broken one and a very long NFB cane as a back 
>>>>>>> up.
>>>>>>> Today
>>>>>>> when I went out to pay a bill,I had to use the very Long NFB cane as
>>>>>>> I did
>>>>>>> not take the dog with me in Carla's car.This cane would be fine if I
>>>>>>> were
>>>>>>> walking but is way to long for use with a wheelchair.It also has a
>>>>>>> mettle
>>>>>>> tip which gets caught in every crevice and pokes me in the face.I 
>>>>>>> don't
>>>>>>> know why someone would want to steal a blind person's cane??????? 
>>>>>>> Fake
>>>>>>> service dogs, now fake blind people? What is happening to this 
>>>>>>> world.
>>>>>>> Mardi and Shaman
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> http://wolfsinger-lakota.blogspot.com/
>>>>>>> http://wolfsinger2-thegoldendragon.blogspot.com
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>> net
>>>>>>>
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>>>>>> om
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>>>>>
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>>
>>
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