[NAGDU] update on me

Cindy Ray cindyray at gmail.com
Mon Feb 20 21:07:03 UTC 2017


So when they said that your mobility skills weren't good enough, what did they cite as examples. It really makes me wonder.
Cindy
cindyray at gmail.com


-----Original Message-----
From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Amanda Markham via NAGDU
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 3:04 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Amanda Markham <markham73 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NAGDU] update on me

I'm definetly not afraid. I've been walking up to my local Wallgreens which is two blocks from my house and includes one lighted intersection. I've done this 3 times in one week. I went with my fiancé Jeff who's also a cane user. I did the walk once with him because my hearing was a bit off from the cold I had. Since then, I've done this rout twice by myself with no issue. Next, I plan to expand walking to a plaza a mile away. Will start this next week. Would like to cover the Wallgreens rout a few more times with Jeff walking a little distance behind so he can see how I'm doing.

On 2/20/17, Aleeha Dudley via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Andrew, Amanda, and all,
> I want to chime in here and would like to make a few general comments, 
> meant as encouragement for anyone struggling with their travel skills or others.
> You do not necessarily need a sighted person to teach you everything. 
> If you know the basics of cane travel, you can start by just walking 
> around the block, or even up and down your driveway. Take note of what 
> you consistently come across, and slowly expand the area you know. As 
> Cindy said, it’s generally safe to cross a street when the traffic is 
> moving that is going in a parallel line to your direction.
>      Sighted people don’t need a manual to know how to teach you. All 
> they need to tell you is what’s around you: coffee shops, stores, 
> other businesses, you get the idea. Slowly, you can ask them to stay 
> behind you and only intervene if you are in danger or have gotten really lost.
> I know that training isn’t an option for everyone, it can be expensive 
> and funding can be hard to come by, but that is also an option if you 
> can get it. Training was the best thing that has ever happened to me, 
> and I am so grateful that I took the time to do it.
> Andrew, regarding the iPhone and other devices, there are a ton of 
> resources online, including videos on YouTube, podcasts, etc, that can 
> teach you how to use a smartphone. And, best of all, many are free!
> I hope that some of what I have said helps you in some way. Keep 
> trying, and don’t forget that blind friends can also be a fantastic 
> resource. One does not need to see to help.
>
>> On Feb 20, 2017, at 2:43 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> So until you can get into the program, when the woman can work with 
>> you, work on a route and then try it by yourself in the interim. It 
>> is scary at first, but the pride that comes from having done it is 
>> just immense. I remember when Jet, my black lab, could no longer 
>> work. I needed to walk to the bank, or go there somehow. I began 
>> coming up with all kinds of excuses why I couldn't do it, and pretty 
>> soon I didn't. I began to realize that they were borne of fear. So I 
>> decided one day I was just going to do it. I did, and I was a little 
>> afraid, but I got there and back, and I really felt like dancing.
>> Cindy Lou Ray
>> cindyray at gmail.com <mailto:cindyray at gmail.com>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>> <mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org>] On Behalf Of Amanda Markham via 
>> NAGDU
>> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 2:37 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org <mailto:nagdu at nfbnet.org>>
>> Cc: Amanda Markham <markham73 at gmail.com <mailto:markham73 at gmail.com>>
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] update on me
>>
>> I use a cane. Worked at a training center for the blind for 9 months 
>> in 2009. Up until then, I lived in a strictly residential area and 
>> wasn't tought lighted intersections. I cross them now, but it needs 
>> work. After I left the center, I had an instructor that only could 
>> work with me once a week and I started only working  small routs.
>> Recently we've been working on city bus travel. But she says that 
>> it'll be a couple weeks before she can work with me again. So this is 
>> why I'd like to do the O and M training at leader dogs. Jump starts 
>> early work and I can work everyday instead of once a week. I do live 
>> with my mother who is sighted but she  cannot stand for long periods 
>> or walk long distances because of her knees. Last May she had knee 
>> replacement surgery.
>>
>> On 2/20/17, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of andrew 
>>> edgcumbe via NAGDU
>>> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 1:48 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: andrew edgcumbe <rollercoasterman86 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] update on me
>>>
>>> i am not amanda but i will answer same questions for myself I don't 
>>> have much in way of sited friends myself how can some body who is 
>>> sited tell you what todo iActually, I think Gary had good suggestions.
>>> They are probably way better than the ones I gave.
>>> Cindy Lou Ray
>>> cinddyray at gmail.com
>>> f they have not delt with blind  people in orientation. Is there any 
>>> kind of book or tips we can give those e helping us learn roots to 
>>> things? also like what is the trick to learning things to crossing 
>>> streets can this be done without an o and m instructor.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 2:42 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU 
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> You do not have any sighted friends? Have you not taken any 
>>>> mobility and do you use a white cane? You don't need a professional 
>>>> to help you with it really. I hope you will really benefit from 
>>>> that Leader course, but it is too bad you can't do that because you 
>>>> need constant
>>> practice to get better.
>>>> The less you do it, the more fearful you become. I know this from a 
>>>> little bit of experience.
>>>> Cindy Lou Ray
>>>> cindyray at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Amanda 
>>>> Markham via NAGDU
>>>> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 1:24 PM
>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users 
>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Cc: Amanda Markham <markham73 at gmail.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] update on me
>>>>
>>>> I don't have anybody in my area who can do this for me. Which is 
>>>> why I have to get help this way.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 20, 2017, at 1:29 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU 
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> I am wondering if those of you who have no means of woking with a 
>>>>> professional could go out with people you know sometimes and work 
>>>>> on this on your own. Than as you grow more confident, you can go 
>>>>> out alone and ask for directions, ask what is where, or call 
>>>>> places to see where they are. You might want someone to go with 
>>>>> you at first, but if you get some ideas, you might need minimal 
>>>>> help. For instance, mostly when you are crossing streets, if the 
>>>>> traffic is paralle to you, you can cross. You have to be careful 
>>>>> about turning vehicles, and many streets have buttons so that you 
>>>>> self-actuate the light. You have to learn where the ones that get 
>>>>> you across your
>>> preferred street are.
>>>>> Maybe you can walk along and find shorelines--cracks between the 
>>>>> sidewalk and other cement, grass, rocks, whatever. You can have 
>>>>> someone go with you to describe what and where things are so you 
>>>>> can get some idea what you are going to encounter. Choose a place 
>>>>> you would want to go often, then have someone go with you a couple 
>>>>> or three times. After that, go by yourself but have them trail you 
>>>>> so that if you get lost they can help you out of a bind.
>>>>> Eventually, you
>>>> would o how to get there.
>>>>>
>>>>> Cindy Lou Ray
>>>>> cindyray at gmail.com
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: NAGDU [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of andrew 
>>>>> edgcumbe via NAGDU
>>>>> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 11:43 AM
>>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog 
>>>>> Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Cc: andrew edgcumbe <rollercoasterman86 at gmail.com>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] update on me
>>>>>
>>>>> the thing is this I moved into town and stuff but i don't know the 
>>>>> streets and things i can't go to the coffee shop or the pool or 
>>>>> anything can't go for a walk inless i have somebody with me. The 
>>>>> cnib is the main orginization here in canada but as i said it 
>>>>> seems hard to get weekly o andm even once a week.
>>>>>
>>>>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 12:38 PM, Marianne Denning via NAGDU < 
>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Andrew, I am so sorry you can't get the training that would be 
>>>>>> helpful to you.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 12:22 PM, andrew edgcumbe via NAGDU < 
>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi amanda I did the o and m training program at leader dogs 
>>>>>>> actually it
>>>>>> is
>>>>>>> a great program. I never have gotten a guide dog yet because i 
>>>>>>> don't feel good about my o and m skills I can't seem to get 
>>>>>>> enough o andm here it seems it seems difficault to get them to 
>>>>>>> come.  I am from
>>>>> ontario canada.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, Feb 20, 2017 at 12:18 PM, Amanda Markham via NAGDU < 
>>>>>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Just heard back from the O and M instructor I worked with from 
>>>>>>>> the Association For The Blind here in my area and she says 
>>>>>>>> there schedules are so booked, it'll be a couple weeks before 
>>>>>>>> her or one of the 3 other instructors can work with me. She 
>>>>>>>> very strongly suggested I fill out the application for the 
>>>>>>>> accelerated O and M training program at Leader Dogs For The 
>>>>>>>> Blind. I have just submitted my application. So glad this is an 
>>>>>>>> option available to me because this will be a week long 
>>>>>>>> training with work
>>> every day.
>>>>>>>> This will be good in the long run cause if I wait and work with 
>>>>>>>> the instructors here, they can only work with a client once a week.
>>>>>>>> Thanks for reading this.
>>>>>>>> Amanda Markham
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>>
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>>>>>>> marianne%40denningweb.com
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>>>>>> Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>>>>>> (513) 607-6053
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Thank you and warmest regards,
>> Amanda markham
>>
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--
Thank you and warmest regards,
Amanda markham

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