[NAGDU] Questions for low-vision people

d m gina dmgina at mysero.net
Wed Mar 14 20:40:31 UTC 2018


When the term is used you feel as though you got your vision back, says 
you feel as though you are as close to sighted as you will get.
With my other dogs I felt as though I could keep up with them and have 
a swell conversation.
This dog is out to meet and greet, where she is so excited to see folks 
and go some where that I have to get stern with her on walking up to 
curbs and stopping.
She does it fine until the cab driver is around or anyone like that.
That was when I felt it best to take a walking cane with me so that I 
wouldn't fall off the curb.
Now if I know there is a sidewalk with no curbs there are times when I 
will leave the cane at home. One less thing to carry.
I feel pround when I am walking with a dog.
Original message:
> Hi,

> Here is my input with these questions.

> I was watching a publicity video yesterday for TSE, and 2 people said that
> getting a dog was like getting some of their vision back.  It gave them a
> set of eyes to use, and an extra brain to assess situations.  Do other
> people feel this way, or is it just hype?
> Given the training in lectures at TSE on the biological, emotional, and
> intellectual aspects of a typical dog, I would have to be neutral on the
> subject of hype. A dog can see better than most humans within a 20-30 foot
> distance. However, their eyesight drastically decreases the further away an
> object gets from them. Their sight covers a 260+ degree radius from the
> center of their face (their nose). Dogs have no need to see at a long
> distance away because their hearing and sense of smell picks up for the lack
> of long distance sight. Their reflexes are mostly better than humans.
> However, we can learn to keep up with them in the event something happens.
> The emotional and intellectual aspect of a dog usually end up with
> patterning and training based on reward or consequence. I agree that dogs
> can give independence back to a blind person. However, it is a team at work,
> not the dog or handler. A dog can help with travel, speed, and located
> misplaced objects. In fact, they even help with social environments. On the
> other hand, it is nothing like having sight. You still have to create
> alternative ways of cooking, cleaning house, traveling, you have the added
> responsibility of keeping your dog in check, there is the added
> responsibility of ensuring the public doesn't mess with your dog, filling
> out paperwork, reading the ever inaccessible street sign or laptop display,
> etc. In the travel department, Alec does push me back to a sighted person's
> ability to travel. However, there are limitations. He still can't tell me
> where the bus I want to transfer is located, he can't tell me 'gate A is
> over this way', he can't read street signs or construction site cautions or
> warnings, etc. So, even though a dog gives significantly larger amounts of
> independence during travel and social events, you are still limited and must
> depend on a sighted person for needs a dog can't fill. Don't get me wrong, I
> love my dog. He is amazing on the street and in buildings. However, I feel
> it is a tradeoff of responsibilities and rewards when deciding to get a dog.

> What got you to change your approach and get a dog, or sharpen your cane
> skills?  Listening to classmates at TSE, it seems to take a real hard shove
> from someone, or a bad accident.  But maybe that's not always so?

> Observing my mother with her dog got me interested in one for myself.
> However, I had many misunderstandings about a dog and what they did for
> people. The more I interacted with her dogs and talked to her about working
> one, the more I wanted one. I started to get one back in 2001. However,
> barrier after barrier prevented me from getting one. 17 years later, I now
> have a dog. For me, seeing the benefit through my mother, talking to dog
> guide schools, and research on the subject burnt it in my heart to get one.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via NAGDU
> Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2018 11:19 AM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
> Subject: [NAGDU] Questions for low-vision people

> I have questions for people who had vision, then lost most of it.  I've been
> blind most of my life, and I'd like your perspective to help my husband.  He
> had low but OK vision for many years, but has lost most of it over the past
> few years.  He uses a cane, but still wants to move fast, like he did when
> he could see better, and isn't always as cautious as he should be.  He had
> an accident recently.  Nothing too bad, yet, but it easily could have been.
> I'm arguing with him to get a dog, because I think it's the safest and
> fastest way to get around the big city safely, and what you get is well
> worth the pain of eventually having to say goodbye.

> My first question is:  I was watching a publicity video yesterday for TSE,
> and 2 people said that getting a dog was like getting some of their vision
> back.  It gave them a set of eyes to use, and an extra brain to assess
> situations.  Do other people feel this way, or is it just hype?
> My second question is:  What got you to change your approach and get a dog,
> or sharpen your cane skills?  Listening to classmates at TSE, it seems to
> take a real hard shove from someone, or a bad accident.  But maybe that's
> not always so?

> If people want, they can write privately to me at carcione at access.net.
> Thanks.
> Tracy




> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/sonfire11%40gmail.com


> _______________________________________________
> NAGDU mailing list
> NAGDU at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for NAGDU:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/dmgina%40mysero.net

-- 
--Dar
skype: dmgina23
  FB: dmgina
www.twitter.com/dmgina
every saint has a past
every sinner has a future




More information about the NAGDU mailing list