[nagdu] Introduction and Questions

[Natalie]

Hi Melissa,
Welcome to this awesome list, and it is good you're asking the questions you 
are.
My name is Natalie and I'm a student acquiring a bachelor of science degree 
in human services from Metropolitan State College at Denver, where I have 
been living for the last 26 years.  I've been a guide dog user for over 20 
years now, and I think the deciding factor for me was the companionship and 
liberation that a dog provides me.  They're fast and can make decisions in 
obstacle negotiation and avoidance that a cane doesn't offer.  I have a 
little vision.  I have light and dark perception, can discern colors, though 
sometimes I mistake some for others, and I can also see shapes, but no fine 
detail.  As an example, I can see people next to me or around me, but not 
enough to know who they are by looking at them, only enough to know by the 
sound of their voices.  I can see objects by how they are shaped, for 
example a cylindrical object on a street corner or along a sidewalk, but not 
enough to know if it's a bus pole or power line or whatever.  For me, the 
schools found it helpful for me to use what vision I have to help the dog to 
help me.  Each school has its own criteria, so it would be good for you to 
talk to each one you apply to, should you decide to get a dog.  Hope this 
helps, and once again, welcome.
Best,
Nat and Liam Joshua

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "melissa padron" <fuzzylucky2021 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 27, 2012 8:35 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Introduction and Questions


Hello,


I am new to this list so I though I would just start off with an 
introduction and then some questions.

Well, first of all, my name is Melissa and although I am not a guide dog 
user I am a cane user. I'm in college pursuing a degree in psychology and I 
will be moving back to my hometown once I graduate. I'm considered legally 
blind, so I do have vision.

Because of the condition I have, I was not taught to use a cane until my 
senior year of high school. I actually had to fight in order to get cane 
lessons, but since then, I just about take my cane everywhere with me. It 
helps a lot more than using my vision and stressing my eyes....

Now, some questions:

I am not considering getting a guide dog now but I do want to keep it as an 
option if I decide that it would help me in my travels. So my question is, 
what was ultimately you deciding factor in getting a guide dog?
What are some advantages and disadvantages in using a guide dog?
For those of you who have vision, did you encounter problems with the guide 
dog schools saying that a guide dog would not benefit you because you have 
"too much" vision?
Ultimately, this is my greatest fear. I'm scared of encountering criticism 
by guide dog schools and "blindness professionals" about whether a guide dog 
would benefit me or not. A lot of people with my condition function well 
without a cane or a dog so would this be used against me if I were to apply?

I am looking forward to hearing your responses and advice.

Melissa
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/nrorrell%40qwest.net