[NFB-DB] Vertigo and Mobility Issues

[Stuart Salvador]

Tony,

I have an almost identical problem which in my case includes vertigo, balance deficit, impaired proprioception and upper and lower extremity mobility limitations. I use a support cane that’s metallic and white with red tip in my left hand. Using anything with a larger base, including three or four feet, trips me up and I can’t even fathom how people with balance difficulties use a walker as I find that even worse than the support cane for injuring myself. Since I also have limited mobility in my right hand and arm, I cannot simultaneously use the mobility cane properly so it’s very frustrating.

My three solutions are: (1) if my balance is bad, I don’t usually leave bed, but when I must I use a wheelchair with a collapsible mobility cane handy, (2) I go with a Service Dog instead of a mobility cane whenever I can to keep my Service Dog in top form; or, (3) I go with a Support Service Provider or Human Guide instead of a mobility cane if it’s too dangerous for my Service Dog to go with me. Often I go with both a Service Dog and either a SSP or Human Guide.

I’ve tried for over a year to figure out how to use a mobility cane in my situation, but when it isn’t falling and causing additional hazard to get it back, or threatening to impale me, it’s ruining what limited ambient awareness I do still have with the sound it makes with a hard tip or tripping me over even more with a softer tip as it catches on a lot more stuff. I finally decided to give myself permission to stop being frustrated and injured trying to use both a support and mobility cane at the same time; and then, I accepted in order to be independent it needed to be flat or only minimally sloped areas for my wheelchair, with my Service Dog, or with another human. Sadly, if I use a wheelchair sometimes I can get physically assaulted or verbally abused in public if people realize I can technically walk, but that’s their problem and not mine. With my Service Dog I rarely encounter such vitriol though occasionally I run into someone who doesn’t understand my dog’s function because I don’t/can’t benefit from a dog harness and use a traditional Guide Dog, instead he’s an Assistance Dog who is trained in hearing, sight and mobility assistance tasks. Yet again, that’s other people’s problem and not mine. I usually don’t encounter a problem with a Human Guide or SSP as long as they know my limits and fully pay attention, but human attention spans are pretty sad sometimes so I can get hurt with a human more often than my Service Dog. So, they all have pros and cons. Using the wheelchair I can feel more independent as I’m not needing that second life form just to do what I want, but I feel the most secure and aware with my Service Dog. Humans can also help me with other tasks like completing paperwork or defending against crazed strangers as well, though, so sometimes that’s really important.

I hope this information on my solutions helps you decide how to approach your own challenge. (smile)

Best Wishes,
Stuart

> On Sep 20, 2021, at 8:34 AM, kg 6sxy (kg6sxy) via NFB-DB <nfb-db at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Does anyone else deal with severe vertigo while also using a white cane?
> 
> Usually I can get around a bit with a support cane in the left hand and a white cane in the right hand but that doesn't always work especially when my tinnitus decides to declare war for days at a time.
> 
> I tried using a four footed cane for more balance but that just causes me to trip myself up more than the vertigo already does.
> 
> Does anyone have any other ideas?
> 
> Take care,  
> Tony
> 
> 
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