[nagdu] Navigating without a cane

Brenda bjnite at windstream.net
Sun Oct 9 16:09:40 UTC 2011


Hi Jenny, Sheila and list
I totally agree with you about using a cane.  There needs to be balance 
and acceptance of what people know they need.

I find it amazing that a totally or nearly totally blind person would be 
told not to use their cane.Any public school who does that should not 
let any of the students or staff wear glasses.As for people telling a 
person they don't need their cane, how do they know?Even with remaining 
vision I find benefit from my cane and use it all the time outside of 
the house.I took O&M to learn traffic as I could no longer cross streets 
safely.I felt guilty carrying a cane because I had remaining vision.My 
instructor didn't help when she told me I had more vision than I 
realized.Now how would she know that?How would she know what I realized 
as she was not me?Just because I could walk a straight line didn't mean 
I didn't need a cane.I used my cane all the time in the facility.With 
all the sounds and lighting and my vision askew, I was able to 
relax.Because I used my cane I had the confidence to make it look like I 
didn't need one.My biggest concern is that when the time comes I will be 
told I don't need a guide dog.Guess I'll deal with it then.
Brenda







On 10/9/2011 7:58 AM, Jennifer Piening wrote:
> Hi!  I have no problem with not using a cane when I have been given a 
> dog at a school.  That seems perfectly reasonable to me.  When you go 
> to an NFB training center, you know beforehand that you are expected 
> to use a cane.  You are not expected to go around without using either.
>      I have such a strong opinion about this issue, because for a lot 
> of my life, people have been telling me to put away my cane, or 
> talking about how I really don't need to use my cane here, or that it 
> seems like I know the area well enough not to use my cane and on and 
> on and on... It sounds to me as if I am somehow an inferior traveler 
> because I choose to use my cane when people make comments about not 
> needing to use it. what about wanting/choosing to use my cane?  
> Shouldn't it be a choice that I make for myself?  I find it 
> embarrassing to travel in unfamiliar places or places with a lot of 
> other people without using my cane.  I feel like a bumbling fool.  I 
> have no problem with others deciding to travel in whichever way they 
> prefer.  I think the guide dog schools should allow us to choose as 
> well, until we get our dog.
>      Jenny

>
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