[nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane

Fri Feb 4 23:54:03 UTC 2011

Sandra,

Oh, yes it does!  Suddenly it's a whole new world out there.  /smile/

Actually, I have found that the difference in the environment is what makes
the transition from dog to cane or vice versa challenging.  It's not so much
the skills one seems to forget as it is how to use them in a suddenly weird
and confusing world.  It's almost like your brain has to adjust to the
difference in perception and navigation and orientation while you're out
walking around doing the stuff you just normally do anyway...  /lol/  Only
suddenly it's kinda difficult in a really odd way.  I do not want to know
what it is like to have to make the switch suddenly and involuntarily
because something bad just happened to your dog.  Which is not to say I
never will, but I would rather not.  Even doing so between dogs, which is
inevitable, will be emotionally very difficult, I think, because the cane
itself would tie in to the loss of the dog in my own mind.  I hope for
another 5 years at least before I find out, and I know that's an experience
we all here share or will share.

Just around in my day to day whatever, I tend not to be terribly rigid about
which tool I use -- the 4 legs or the 1 -- when doing spontaneous little
running around activities.  Especially when we're working several activities
into grooming day.  /lol/  So I run around hither and yon with my guide dog,
strip off the harness and grab the cane to take her into the groomer's, then
come out with only the cane to do other stuff...  Then do the same in
reverse three or four hours later, put the harness on her in the car to go
into the restaurant for dinner...  The minor adjustments with all the back
and forth are humorous, and we're all used to them and just snicker and go
on, and I barely notice that I'm feeling a certain amount of ongoing
confusion about the world in general.

Then we get home, and I walk through the door ...  And forget how to walk to
my room to put away my coat and purse.  /lol/  Happens every time.  I spend
the rest of the evening -- and sometimes it last into the next day --
spending most of my time standing frozen wonder where in the heck I am and
what I'm supposed do if I ever manage to figure it out.  Well, not most of
my time, but some of it.  We're all used to it around here, so more
snickering and jokes at my expense.  Some of the by me, of course.  It *is*
pretty absurd.  Frustrating as heck until I get myself sorted out again, but
pretty funny, too.

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Sandra e. Finley
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 3:40 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane

I am glad to hear that there are other dog users who see the benefits of a 
cane. I think that if I can do a route comfortably with either dog or cane I

am truly oriented. In October when Fredimae (pronounced Freddie May) had 
cancer surgery, I continued every aspect of my normal routine with my cane. 
The environment sure looks different with a cane, doesn't
it?

Sandy, with Freddie

 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nicole B. Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, February 04, 2011 1:59 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane

> Not using your cane when healing your dog is silly. If my memory serves, 
> GDB wants you to use your cane when healing your dog, as we were not 
> allowed to use our dogs inside for quite a while.
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "GARY STEEVES" <rainshadowmusic at shaw.ca>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 12:17 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] forgetting how to use white cane
>
>
>> Hi:
>>
>> I think there are a couple of factors that go into the comment 
>> "forgetting how to use a cane". The first is that many people getting 
>> their first dog are relatively newly blinded. From what I've seen this 
>> means that many of these people may have minimal cane skills and/or 
>> comfort getting around with a cane. (please no one come down on me I am 
>> making broad genearlizations). So this can lead to the secdon issue which

>> is lack of, or a loss in, confidence using your cane.
>>
>> I have noticed this since getting a dog. I too have used a cane for too 
>> many years to count and get around very well with said cane. However, 
>> after having a dog for only 8 months I find many things I do much easier 
>> with the dog. For example, I had to go pick up my girlfriend after a 
>> small surgery. We had decided to not bring the dog for this since the 
>> process was going to be complicated enough as it was. But when I was 
>> leaving Bogart at home and grabbing Aregon, my super long and strong 
>> cane, I realized that Bogart would have done many things better at the 
>> hospital setting. getting out of the cab he would have just found the 
>> main entrance without any problems, Probably could have found the 
>> elevator as well as I did but would have had me feeling more confident 
>> moving through the crowded hallways. On the other hand having to push my 
>> girfriends wheelchair while she gave me directions and helping her into 
>> the cab et al would have had Bogart being a bit in the way.
>>
>> Last week, while Bogart was at the  groomers getting all prettied up I 
>> had some errands to do after hockey practice. I was using Jasper, my 
>> shorter guiding cane since it folds up smaller, and going to the bank. I 
>> do this route every week with bogart with my giant hockey bag on my back.

>> I had no problmes walking confidently like I always have but I think it 
>> took a bit more mental work to remind myself how I worked with my cane.
>>
>> At my school I asked them about using the cane when I walked my dog. They

>> said that in no way could you use your cane and the dog together. This 
>> anoyed me since I think a dog needs to go for little walks just on a 
>> leash and having the chance to sniff and smell. So in my normal way of 
>> doing things, when I got home I started walking Bogart  with my cane if 
>> he was on leash and this was a "dog"walk time. When my trainer came for a

>> visit I asked her why did they say that there was no way people could use

>> a cane and their dog together since, obviusly I was. She said that some 
>> dogs are really freaked out by the cane. fair enough, but why don't you 
>> let the students try this at the school to see how their dog will react 
>> so we know what to expect when we come home. Seemed weird to me.Of 
>> course, I'm using my cane slightly different when walking Bogart. Mostly 
>> for edging with sweeps just to my right and in front of me. Bogart is 
>> walking on my left so it is usually easy to figure out what's going on 
>> there.
>>
>> So if a school told me to give up my cane when I walked in then I'd have 
>> a bit of an issue. Hmm, I guess my school sort of did that since once we 
>> got the dogs we were walking around the small campus just with our dogs 
>> and it was many  days before they were in harness guiding us around. Oh 
>> well, it all worked out and once I got home I just figured out what 
>> worked best for the two of us. I really enjoy the times, like when I go 
>> to my monday night jazz jam, when I leave bogart at home an me and my 
>> trusted cane head out to the bar. It's a nice break to just hop on a bus,

>> fold up my cane and put on my music without trying to organize my dog. :)

>> However, I'd miss him if that happened too much.
>>
>> Gary
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