[nagdu] My concerns about getting a guide dog.....

Pauline Berger sispberger at gmail.com
Fri Sep 7 00:05:10 UTC 2012


I realize that I should not want a dog to show other people that I am
blind, however that will be part of what happens if I get one.  I want more
than I can express to trust the dog to enable me to get around but my major
concern is will I be able to because I have some usable vision.
 My peripheral vision (my side mirrors as I refer to it) is not good.
 Someone can blindside me very easily.

I guess my biggest fear is getting accepted into a program and then not
being able to complete it because of being able to see to well or not
trusting enough to pass the training.

I do use a cane when I am out by myself.  I probably should start using it
all the time.

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 4:52 PM, Doug Parisian <eggmann at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Seems to me that Pauline express her concerns fairly well and perhaps,
> though hopefully unintentional, the tone of this message implies some form
> of wilful miss-trust of folks with out of the normal vision issues.  The
> vision issues are rarely black and white but more like shades of grey, and
> unpredictable too; that really sucks!.
>
> Firstly, that mobility destructor should be promptly fired, dismissed,
> canned, buried, or something!
>
> My friend Terry had what he referred to as pinhole vision; he could see me
> almost half a block away, if I just happened to be in his field of vision;
> the closer I got, the less likely he was to see me.  That has to be tough
> but not as difficult as fluctuating vision.
>
> Doug: I'm looking through you, where did you go?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
> To: "NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2012 6:14 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] My concerns about getting a guide dog.....
>
>
> : You won't want a dog, Paline, to show that you are visually impaired. You
> have to be able to use the dog in ways that show you trust it. The more you
> second guess, or make decisions based on what you see or by second guessing
> the dog, the more it will come to realize that it doesn't have to work. You
> have to be committed to being blind enough to really use a dog. Are you
> using the cane, or do youjust carry it.
> :
> : Cindy Lou
> :
> : On Sep 6, 2012, at 4:59 PM, Pauline Berger wrote:
> :
> : > Hello everyone,
> : >
> : > I just found this list last night and I am hoping to chat with someone
> who
> : > might be in the same situation that I am in.  I am legally blind but
> just
> : > barely.  I have a lot of functional vision left and for the most part
> : > people around me do not even realize that I have vision problems.
> : > Especially if I am in a familiar area, my visual handicaps could not
> even
> : > be noticed.  Lighting is what makes the difference in me.  Either too
> much
> : > or not enough can really blind me.  I have trouble with any printed
> text
> : > unless it is blown up to about 6 or 7x.
> : >
> : > So my concern is this:  I do have enough functional vision that may get
> in
> : > the way of training a dog to see for me.  Sometimes I do see the cracks
> in
> : > a sidewalk or sometimes I don't.  I have walked off a set of stairs
> twice
> : > in my life that I did not see.  So, my hubby and daughter would like me
> to
> : > get a dog for my own protection.  It is not just them, I would love one
> : > too.  What I am afraid of is that the people at the guide dog training
> : > place will wonder if I am faking...I know.... you may think this is
> silly,
> : > but I do wonder if they will be able to work with me since I do have
> the
> : > ability to see more than others that need a dog.  I would be able to go
> : > around town on the bus and such with him and to go to my volunteer job
> at
> : > the hospital with him and not feel vulnerable like I do with my cane
> which
> : > advertises to everyone that I am visually impaired.
> : >
> : > Any thoughts for me???
> : >
> : > Thanks
> : >
> : > --
> : > When you are at the edge of a cliff........*a step back* is progress!
> : > .....heard at Pacific Coast Camp
> : >
> : > *Knowledge* is knowing that a tomato is classified as a fruit....
> : > *Wisdom* is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad!
> : > .....author unknown
> : >
> : > Two things in life you should never scrimp on.......
> : > *Mattresses* and *shoes*.......you will spend your lifetime in one or
> the
> : > other!
> : > author unknown
> : >
> : > Talk to yourself.......you will be guaranteed at least *ONE* listener!
> : > by Pauline Berger
> : > _______________________________________________
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> : > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> : > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> : >
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> :
> :
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>
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-- 
When you are at the edge of a cliff........*a step back* is progress!
.....heard at Pacific Coast Camp

*Knowledge* is knowing that a tomato is classified as a fruit....
*Wisdom* is knowing not to put it into a fruit salad!
.....author unknown

Two things in life you should never scrimp on.......
*Mattresses* and *shoes*.......you will spend your lifetime in one or the
other!
author unknown

Talk to yourself.......you will be guaranteed at least *ONE* listener!
by Pauline Berger



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