[NAGDU] questions on when to get a dog and how it affects international travel

[Ryan Boudwin]

Feel free to pass on my message to anyone you think would be relevant.

On Thu, Mar 15, 2018 at 10:50 AM, Nancy VanderBrink via NAGDU <
nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Ryan, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d love to connect you with my husband.  He’s
> in IT Management too and is also a dog user.
> With your permission I’d forward your email you sent so he can read it.
> Nancy
>
> Please forgive the typos as this message was most likely generated using
> voice dictation
> Nancy Irwin
>
>
> > On Mar 15, 2018, at 5:20 AM, Ryan Boudwin via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hey everyone,
> >
> > I was recently diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa. I'm pretty early in
> the
> > progression; my mid-periphery is gone but I still have reliable central
> > vision and some far periphery, but it will get worse over time.
> >
> > I am now using a cane and have stopped driving. At what point would it
> make
> > sense for me to consider getting a guide dog? I'm 33 and pretty active.
> I'm
> > employed in IT management and I like to go hiking a lot. I walk very
> fast.
> > I am assuming I have too much usable vision to get a dog right now but
> I'm
> > wondering at what vision loss threshold should I look into it?
> >
> > My other question is that I travel for work from the USA to Ireland 1-2
> > times a year for 1-2 weeks each time. I may end up needing to travel to
> > Singapore occasionally as well as we are opening an office there.
> > Maintaining my ability to travel for work is important to my job and I
> > enjoy travelling internationally. How do you take a service animal on a
> > long haul flight like that? Should I just revert to a cane for trips like
> > that? If I did that how would my dog handle my absence? I have a wife and
> > three kids, so the dog wouldn't be alone but I've heard guide dogs
> struggle
> > with absences sometimes.
> >
> > Ryan Boudwin
> > ryanboudwin at gmail.com
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