[nagdu] Fwd: A question

[Tom Hunter]

Hi, all. I'm new to this list, and have been 'legally blind' since 2012,
when I fell from my bicycle, starting my commute home from work.  Severe
head injury left my optic nerves dead from one eye, and damaged from the
other. Optic nerves are gone and do not recover.

I was told I could be teamed with a guide dog, but have been rejected
twice. Hence my question.

Is there a service dog I could be paired with, despite being judged a
bad match for a seeing eye dog? 

Original ms was;

I am a disabled 60-year-old, who can't drive or do my old job. I have a
MetroAccess card, and can take local trains and bus service, or get a
ride if I give 24 hours notice.

In 2012 I fell, while commuting home from work on a bicycle. I wasn't
wearing a helmet, and hit my head on the sidewalk. After weeks of coma,
I recovered, but for the optic nerves, which are permantly gone to the
left eye, and severely damaged to the right eye, less than 20 degrees
field of vision in the eye that sees.

I am in a study at the NIH, and a therapist there thought I'd qualify
for a guide dog.  This is not the case, it seems. 2 schools have
evaluated me, and now both judge my case to be not needing a guide dog.

My question is, Is there any chance of getting a service animal, to help
me with partial blindness, which could help me with things I don't see?

I don't see things overhead while walking, at times, and have hit my
head as a result. My doctors warned me not to hit my head at all!

And, a cane helps but a dog might warn me better of uneven terrain while
walking in a local park, since my depth perception is mainly gone. 

Thanks,
--Tom