[nagdu] Fwd: A question Julie and Tom

The Pawpower Pack pawpower4me at gmail.com
Fri Aug 28 21:51:50 UTC 2015


Hi Tom, 
You may want to start using the cane full time. Get used to practicing nonvisual travel.  Have you thought of wearing a blindfold— sometimes called sleep shades—- during your training with the cane? Are you still having training with an O&M instructor?  
If you are used to using your sight when you travel, you will override the dog and not fully trust her or him.  This will undo the training.  
So I think the first thing is to become comfortable traveling as a blind person with a cane.  
There are some devices, that use ultrasound, and alert the person via vibration to objects in your path.  One of these is a tactile miniguide.  You might find one of these helpful to scan for things at head height. 
Good luck! 

 Rox and the kitchen Bitches: 
Mill'E, Laveau, Soleil
Pawpower4me at gmail.com
Sent from my iPhone

> On Aug 28, 2015, at 4:40 PM, Tom Hunter via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Yvonne and Julie, thanks. I just talked on phone to Cindy Ray, who urged
> me to use my cane all the time, too.
> 
> The 2nd school sent someone to watch me walk in my neighborhood, and
> asked if I always used my cane when walking  out of the house.
> 
> I  confessed, I don't use it more than half the time in my neighborhood,
> where my wife and I have lived for over 20 years. I try to walk twice a
> day, and so, the neighborhood's still familiar.  I have bumped into
> someone on the sidewalk, twice, so I should use the cane more.
> 
> I've also hit my head on a guy wire over sidewalk more than once, and on
> low branches overhead while on another sidewalk  with a cane, though I
> didn't sweep the white cane overhead.
> 
> Cindy Ray confirmed what I have heard this week.  There is no such
> animal, other than a guide dog (or pony?) whom I am allowed to use to
> help with my disability, which is, I'm 'legally blind'. Basically, a
> guide dog or no dog for me, if I want to go with, to places where
> 'regular' dogs are not allowed.
> 
> I seem to have fallen through the cracks here.  Too blind to have a
> driver's license, or to work at a job I've done for 30 years. Blind
> enough to be on long-term disability. But a guide dog seems out of
> reach.
> 
> 
> Unless... Thoughts, anyone?
> -- 
>  Tom Hunter
>  tomhunter at operamail.com
> 
> 
>> On Fri, Aug 28, 2015, at 04:04 PM, Yvonne M. Thompson via nagdu wrote:
>> Julie & Tom, I am ranting inside along with you. I have never heard such
>> a 
>> thing as what some on the line is spouting........
>> 
>> Now with that said, My vision is very limited from RP and just like Tom
>> said 
>> it throws off everything else. My guide dog was a blessing and improved
>> my 
>> quality of life 1000%. I will Email shortly and give you Tom, the info
>> you 
>> need to get the process started to get your dog.
>> Julie you are right about making sure you are not over riding the dog
>> when 
>> you are working him or her....that makes perfect sense.
>> Thank God I have my dog and 3 degrees of vision left.
>> Tom I will contact you shortly.....
>> Yvonne
>> Now I have to go cool off.... the nerve of some people... GRRRRR
>> 
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Julie J. via nagdu" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
>> Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 2:25 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fwd: A question
>> 
>> 
>>> So it sounds like they are saying that guide dogs are only for the truly 
>>> pathetic and you'll never move as fast with a dog as you would with 
>>> vision. That irritates me to no end.
>>> 
>>> Tom, my above rant set aside, have you received any mobility training with 
>>> a cane?  What does your mobility instructor think about the way you 
>>> travel? Do you use your cane all the time when you go  outside of your own 
>>> home?  Do you find that you avoid certain places or times of the day 
>>> because your vision prevents you from feeling confident about navigating?
>>> 
>>> My husband also has a brain injury.  While it didn't affect his vision, it 
>>> is still absolutely terrifying when he even bumps his head a little.   His 
>>> doctor's said the same thing about using extreme caution to avoid further 
>>> injury.  they also suggested he wear a helmet when participating in 
>>> activities which could be potentially hazardous.
>>> 
>>> The thing about having some vision and using a guide dog is that it is 
>>> very easy to over ride what the dog is indicating.  After a while the dog 
>>> will get the idea that you've got it, so he doesn't need to be diligent in 
>>> his duties.  then you'll whack into something because you didn't see it 
>>> and the dog thought you could because you've indicated to him in the past 
>>> that you could.  Certainly a dog could be taught to only do specific guide 
>>> tasks for you, like the over head clearance.  the problem is two fold 
>>> though.  First, I don't know of anyplace that does this sort of customized 
>>> training.  You'd have to hire someone and pay out of pocket for it. 
>>> Second, how often would you encounter overhangs for the dog to get in 
>>> enough practice?  To keep the skills sharp, the dog has to have fairly 
>>> routine practice with them.
>>> 
>>> Julie
>>> Courage to Dare: A Blind Woman's Quest to Train her Own Guide Dog is now 
>>> available! Get the book here:
>>> http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QXZSMOC
>>> -----Original Message----- 
>>> From: Tom Hunter via nagdu
>>> Sent: Friday, August 28, 2015 1:06 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Cc: Tom Hunter ; Buddy Brannan
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fwd: A question
>>> 
>>> Buddy, 2 schools, first GDB on the west coast, then a school in NY which
>>> sent me an email:
>>> 
>>> August 14, 2015
>>> 
>>> Dear Tom,
>>> 
>>> Our Admissions Committee has carefully reviewed your file.  Your
>>> application for a guide dog has been denied on the basis of your being
>>> too visual a traveler to benefit from a guide dog and be successful with
>>> one.
>>> I am sorry we cannot be of service to you, Tom. It has been my pleasure
>>> corresponding with you throughout this process.
>>> 
>>> --> To be honest, if you are determined, you may find a guide dog school
>>> that will accept you. But when the judgment of both Guide Dogs for the
>>> Blind and our school is that it is not a good idea, you may not want to
>>> consider a school with softer criteria.  A guide dog is a real benefit
>>> when your vision loss is such that you cannot get around safely without
>>> a cane. But this is not the case for you. When a person has enough
>>> useable vision to get around visually, the particulars of handling and
>>> using a guide dog can actually be a burden and can slow you down rather
>>> than enhance your mobility.
>>> Our best wishes go with you.
>>> Sincerely [etc]
>>> -- 
>>> Tom Hunter
>>> tomhunter at operamail.com
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Fri, Aug 28, 2015, at 01:56 PM, Buddy Brannan via nagdu wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>> 
>>>> Twice rejected: from the same school or from several? Even if you were
>>>> rejected by two guide dog schools, that leaves about a dozen left at
>>>> which to apply. Did they give you any reason for why you weren't
>>>> accepted? If so, what was it, and what steps were recommended that you
>>>> take to improve your chances at getting accepted next time?
>>>> 
>>>> --
>>>> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
>>>> Phone: 814-860-3194
>>>> Mobile: 814-431-0962
>>>> Email: buddy at brannan.name
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>>> On Aug 28, 2015, at 1:30 PM, Tom Hunter via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> 
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>> 
>>>>> 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
> 
> 
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