[nagdu] cane techniques

Criminal Justice Major orleans24 at comcast.net
Mon Jul 9 07:18:47 UTC 2012


Hi, Brenda,
Despite that I've used a cane since age six, I still do have moments of where it can be dificult, more because of my carple tunnel.
Yes, I was taught to move my cane from side to side and tap while stepping in sequence.
I eventually learned that it was better for me to slide my cane from side to side as my ballance wasn't thrown off as bad.
I also use a cane longer than myself as I have better contact and quicker warning.
I confess some days I do run smack into things and it only happens if I'm not using my cane right or am just in too big of a hurry.
Those are the days when my brain has simply fallen down into the gutter under ground or just left it lying in the middle of the light rail tracks.
*Grins*
When I've been with my friend Natalie at times and her guide dog Liam is guiding both of us at once, I then will put my hand further down toward the end of the hand grip on my cane upon using the pencil grip to have better control.
I've also used the same tactics when going sighted guide with my husband.
Thankfully, he doesn't move that fast to where I'd continuously lose my ballance.
I've had people ask me why I use a longer cane than my height.
Reason being is because if it is shorter or about my height level, then I end up slipping off of curbs more than the cane touching the actual object, steps or curbs directly.
During times when I've come on to a bus with Odie, my back pack has accidentally come close to clipping a bus driver, especially on the buses where there's not enough room for Odie to make a proper turn, meaning he'd have to cut them.
If I do recognize that my back pack as hit something or I feel that it may have possibly nailed the driver, I still wil stop, appologize to the driver, asking him/her if they are all right.
Majority of the times when this has happened, they've let me know that everything was fine and the back pack didn't get them, but end up coming in contact with the fare box or the casing surrounding their chair.
At times, I've been on buses that were wide enough for Odie to do a full term, but there would be people on both sides up at the front of the bus.
Yes, I've accidentally gotten toes, but again if I am aware, I will try to stop and appologize and same thing if Odie brushes up against someone, especially given if there's not enough room.
Once we do get on the bus, I will immediately go to the very back of the bus with Odie, but only if the front is too full.
When using my cane, I try to rethink the same things like I do with my partner.
If I suspect that I've tapped someone too hard, I will try to make sure acknowledging that it did happen.
As for the part of flailing the cane about, another good example I can share.
There's a blind individual in my apartment complex who does just that.
He has caused people to fall down and almost end up being seriously injured.
Another time, he almost broke some expensive items that a UPS driver was delivering because he caused the driver to trip.
In july, 2007 while I was in the process of leaving the cafeteria downstairs on the first floor in the apartment complex, I had to stop and push a chair back under the table wich someone carelessly left sticking out.
This same blind man came up behind me, got me with his cane with saying excuse me.
By then, he was on top of me, pushing me while I was still trying to get the chair out of the middle of the walk way.
Next thing I knew was his cane was in between my legs.
As I trip to step over it to get my legs untangled from it, that's when he knocked me down to the floor on all fours.
The director of the cafeteria immediately came running to help get me up off the floor because the guy just wouldn't stop moving and he was fixing to step on me.
He weighs much heavier than I and he easily would have killed me by crushing every single rib and lungs inside of me.
The director ended up having to file an incident report with turning it into her supervisor.
This same individual slammed into Odie and I earlier that year which caused my partner to back up.
When Odie and I attempt to come into the building, the guy's cane swung out so far, Odie jumped backwards and I rammed my lower back into the railing on the ramp and so did the rest of me.
I was bruised up really bad for a week.
Sad part about it all is this same blind person did go through the Colorado center for the Blind, receiving training and I don't think he took it that serious.
I will sense when someone is taking their training seriously by listening carefully to their instructor along with asking questions or wanting suggestions if something may not seem right.
I know some people may not agree with me and may feel that I'm being too judgmental in regards of the blind man I described above, but if they were to meet him in person, then they'd have a better idea of how he really is.
He's also good at throwing serious temper tantrums and becomes violent if he doesn't get his own way.
He's already been banned from many places within the general public here in downtown denver and other businesses alike.
Only way he can be granted entrance is if he has someone with him directly.
Otherwise, they all deny him access.
That's enough to really embarrass me as a blind lady and many times, I've had to put up with feeling stares from others, given the fact they had to endure seeing another one of my kind behave in a disgusting manner.
As for being an ambassador, I, after a while, find myself getting annoyed and tired of it too and feel the same way when it comes to geing partnered with a four-legged furry worker.
I guess it can be them days when I'm just really exhausted and just want to get home.
Well, sorry for such a long, boring message.
Just had to share my thoughts and examples which for some reason, I can berbally do it better than with writing.
Oh well...
I'm sure everyone has a quark that lies within him/her.
*Smiles*
Bibi


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