[NAGDU] Questions for low-vision people

[David]

Interstitial comments Below.

*David in Clearwater, FL*
*david at bakerinet.com*
On 3/14/2018 11:18 AM, Tracy Carcione via NAGDU wrote:
> 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 used a cane for 17 years and had good mobility skills.  I think that 
near misses are what encouraged me to apply for a dog.

I traveled all over Europe and the  U.S. and was quite comfortable with 
cane travel.  Knowing that schools require documented mobility training, 
I took advantage of the free Accelerated Mobility Program (AMP) at 
Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, Michigan.  I learned an awful 
lot despite my years of extensive cane travel.  I went out with dog in 
training one afternoon while wearing eye occluders.  He stopped abruptly 
at one point and the trainer asked me to remove the occluders.  One foot 
in front of me was a bar at eye level that I clearly could have walked 
into.  I applied to GDF a year later.
> 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.
I think it best to let him work it out on his own.  You might encourage 
him to improve his mobility skills with the AMP at LDB. It's free.  The 
food is good and they also pay for transportation to get there and get 
back home.
> 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?
Maybe a little.  I don't need my pup to walk down the sidewalk, but put 
me in a crowd and she is a genious who weaves me effortlessly among 
people, finds checkout counters, exits, entrances, elevators, elevator 
buttons, traffic light buttons, men's rooms in strange places, and on 
and on.  The feeling of freedom that she gives me in crowded 
environments like malls, airports, concerts, sports, and subways is 
incredible.  It is like reopening a world I was learning to fear and avoid.
> My second question is:  What got you to change your approach and get a
> dog, or sharpen your cane skills?
I guess the near misses, frustration finding my way around all the 
obstacles in store, and my increasing withdrawal from places where I 
knew there would be crowds were the most important elements.