[nagdu] work. school. energy and time

Mon Jan 10 13:54:01 UTC 2011

The tiredness I experience in class isn't from the walking.  Indeed, I
could have walked longer routes than we usually did.  It's the stress of
figuring out a new dog, and also constantly dealing with a large group of
people I don't know very well, probably.
Tracy

> I think it all depends on the stamina of the person and what the dog is
> like
> during training.
>
> I'm on my eighth dog and I didn't feel much more in tiredness than I
> usually
> do at home. I am active.
>
> I tend to discover how tired I really am after the plane flights and jet
> lag
> after I return home.  I "crash" for a few days and then I'm fine.  This
> happens after any trip I take where I have to fly, change time zones.
>
> Lyn and Landon
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Marsha Drenth" <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2011 12:25 PM
> Subject: [nagdu] work. school. energy and time
>
>
>> This brings up an interesting point. If some people have the option of
>> working, or if they are students while in class, all depends on if they
>> will
>> get the necessary work done. I wonder that if its for your second dog or
>> third or fourth, wonder if it matters how much time or energy you have.
>>
>> With my first guide, I was so tired by the end of the day. I had no time
>> for
>> anything. It was physically and emotionally exhausting. For my second,
>> Emma,
>> I guess it was not nearly as bad. I knew what was expected of me. I knew
>> how
>> much walking was involved. Of course at the time I didn't have huge huge
>> responsibilities at home. I found it much more enjoyable and less
>> stressful.
>>
>>
>> So those of you who have trained with your second, third, fourth and or
>> more
>> pups. Could you work or be a student at the same time as training? What
>> was
>> your energy level like after a long days worth of training?
>>
>> I don't really have a point to the questions, more curious than
>> anything.
>> Well I guess, my point is, to those new users, it does get better.
>>
>> I have been working on school work too long, I can't write a
>> understandable
>> sentence if my life depended on it, LOL
>>
>> marsha
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of GARY STEEVES
>> Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2011 2:14 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about taking off work to go get a guide
>> dog
>>
>> Hello Mike:
>>
>> I probably represent the worse case scenario. I'm a contract social
>> worker
>> which means I have no paid leave. the best I can do is work extra days
>> to
>> create a buffer for hours as long as I'm on budget targets at the end of
>> our
>> fiscal year. This means I probably lost about half a months wages.
>> Luckily
>> I
>> was able to work extra days in the couple of months leading up to my
>> class
>> date. I'm a part time worker which also makes this possible. I also set
>> things up so I could do some work remotely on the computer but, too be
>> honest, I only billed for about 8 hours. I found myself usually wiped
>> out
>> after the class day ended and by the time I talked with my girlfirend
>> and
>> did a bit of blogging I didn't have any energy for real work. I was
>> surprised how tired I was at the end of each day.
>>
>>
>> Too me, it seems wrong for people to have to use up their holidays to go
>> and
>> do something that is so important and not a holiday. Not too mention,
>> having
>> some holiday time during the first 3 months with the new puppy is
>> probably
>> good for both of you.
>>
>> Gary
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "PICKRELL, REBECCA M (TASC)" <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
>> Date: Thursday, January 6, 2011 10:48 am
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about taking off work to go get a guide
>> dog
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>
>>> Mike,
>>> Nosy question here but did your policy at GDB require employees
>>> to get a GDB dog?
>>> I also had my time count as training. If your company teaches
>>> anything that a person could use at home i.e. Excel, then you've
>>> got a good case.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>> On Behalf Of Michael Hingson
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 9:35 PM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Question about taking off work to go get a
>>> guide dog
>>>
>>> Hi Tonia,
>>>
>>> You raise an interesting question many of us have faced.  I
>>> worked at Guide
>>> Dogs for the Blind for more than six years and even there we
>>> were presented
>>> with this issue.  When an employee needed to get a new
>>> guide the first
>>> inclination of HR was to charge leave.  After some
>>> discussion HR decided to
>>> require the use of vacation time.  Most of the blind
>>> employees felt that
>>> since using a guide dog was necessary and invaluable for travel
>>> that we
>>> pushed back and said that getting a guide dog was like any other
>>> educationor training that an employee needed for their
>>> job.  Of course, the education
>>> was emphasized at GDB due to the fact that the particular
>>> employee and all
>>> of us worked there.
>>>
>>> After further research the HR department acquiesced and in fact
>>> agreed that
>>> obtaining a guide dog was relevant and a reasonable
>>> accommodation for its
>>> blind employees and thus not only did not charge leave but paid
>>> regularwages while the employee was getting a new guide
>>> dog.  The employee, for
>>> their part, did some work during off hours.
>>>
>>> I have heard of other employers taking this same position.
>>> There is not, to
>>> my knowledge, any specific law president which makes the GDB
>>> approach a
>>> certainty, but I suggest marshaling your thoughts and forces and
>>> take the
>>> position that this particular training and education is good for
>>> your job.
>>> Since you are in a rehabilitation arena I would think you could
>>> make a good
>>> case.
>>>
>>>
>>> Mike Hingson
>>>
>>> The Michael Hingson Group, INC.
>>>  "Speaking with Vision"
>>> Michael Hingson, President
>>> (415) 827-4084
>>> info at michaelhingson.com
>>> To learn more about my upcoming book, speaking topics and speaking
>>> availability please visit www.michaelhingson.com
>>> Thunder Dog is now available for early ordering on Amazon!!!
>>> http://www.amazon.com/Thunder-Dog-Blind-Triumph-
>>> Ground/dp/140020304X/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1289090352&sr=1-3
>>>
>>>
>>> for info on the new KNFB Reader Mobile, visit:
>>> http://knfbreader.michaelhingson.com
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>> On Behalf
>>> Of Tonia Gatton
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2011 6:03 PM
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> Subject: [nagdu] Question about taking off work to go get a
>>> guide dog
>>>
>>> Hi all!  My name is Tonia and I am a long time
>>> federationist.  After
>>> procrastinating for many years, I recently applied to get a
>>> guide dog from
>>> the Seeing Eye.  I actually had my home visit this
>>> afternoon and I'm hoping
>>> to go for training this spring or summer.  I'm so excited!
>>> Anyway, my question for you guys is how you handled taking
>>> nearly 4 weeks
>>> off work.  I work full time as a rehab teacher with a state
>>> agency; so my
>>> employer is familiar with the process.  What I don't have a
>>> clear
>>> understanding of though is whether or not I'll have to use my
>>> own leave for
>>> the time I'm away at training; or, if they are required to give
>>> me some sort
>>>
>>> of medical leave with pay.  Due to various personal health
>>> issues as well as
>>>
>>> having to care for family members with chronic illnesses and
>>> cancer in
>>> recent years,  I currently do not have much accumulated
>>> sick or annual
>>> leave.  Therefore, if I had to use my own leave to go for
>>> training, I'd have
>>>
>>> to put it off for several months in order to build up my leave
>>> balance;
>>> especially since like most, I can not afford to take 4 weeks off
>>> without
>>> pay.
>>>
>>> I've heard a lot of different prospectives on the leave
>>> situation.  I'd just
>>>
>>> like to find out from you all as to if there are any ADA
>>> guidelines
>>> regarding this matter; and how your employer's dealt with your
>>> needing to
>>> take time off for guide dog training.
>>>
>>> Thanks so much!
>>>
>>> Tonia
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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