[nagdu] Re new member

Tue Jun 15 14:54:19 UTC 2010

my husband, Nelson, works for Aerospace finishing plant here on Long Island, 
does contracts for spirit, grumman, sikorsky, etc.

Cheryl Echevarria
Independent Travel Consultant
C10-10646

http://Echevarriatravel.com
1-866-580-5574

http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel CST-1018299-10

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gail" <deerskin at oct.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 14, 2010 9:40 PM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Re new member

>
> This does sound interesting- especially since it was founded by aerospace
> folk. My dad worked for Northrop for over 30 years, and when you grow up 
> in
> a company atmosphere like that, this kind of sounds like 'going home'. 
> Going
> to LA would be both wonderful and a wrench....I grew up in Orange County,
> and though I've lived here in Kansas since 1987, it has never been home.
> Never knew you could be homesick that many years, but I sieze on anything
> that lets me know what is going on at home. My folks moved to Idaho 20 
> years
> ago, so I have no home to go to now there, though the whole of OC is home,
> in a way.
>
> And what you say about them kind of giving credit to people who have a lot
> of experience with dogs would be helpful in many ways. For me to leave my
> family here to go train is going to be very hard on them, though I havent
> been able to actually do much by way of chores as I once was. Just the 
> 'mom
> gone' kind of thing. I wish it were possible to go during their 
> vacation-my
> husband teaches, and it would be easier for them all- but thats not
> realistic, with no O&M training.
>
> Breed isnt that important to me now- its the temperment of the dog that is
> now. Anja, my last dog, was bought for me by a member of my own Yahoo SD
> group, but she didnt know how to choose or test for the right temperment,
> and the years with Anja have been miserable in many ways. She is WIthout a
> doubt the smartest dog I have ever had, but she was ruined while being
> trained for Schutzhund. Something happened that made her really spooky of
> strangers. If I kept in 'trainer mode' while we were out, she was relaxed
> enough to work reasonably well, and sometimes spectactularly. But she 
> never
> wanted strangers even thinking about petting her, even here at home-I 
> would
> convince her they were potential playmates if I gave someone her laser
> pointer to play with her-but that was rarely practical. I had gone from a
> comfy, calm, people loving rough collie to a cross between a Ferrari and
> something with a hair trigger on it when people wanted to talk to me or 
> her.
> Now I just want a nice, quiet dog, strong enough to help me with 
> occasional
> vertigo moments, who likes strangers and friends equally, one to keep me
> safe from things on the ground that I cant see right, and let me know that
> things I cant see on the sides are not scary.
>
> I have that appointment this week for the last Humphries test, and I'm
> really afraid of it. Afraid it might say I'm 'just low vision', and I lose
> my chance for a dog, afraid even of going out of the house again without 
> the
> help of a dog. I wouldt even dare take my long cane, this guy would say 
> 'why
> do you want to be blind?' but the more times I leave the house without the
> help of my dog is making me more afraid. This has not been a fun few 
> months.
> ..
> Gail
>
>
>
> -------Original Message------- 
>
> From: Elizabeth Rene
> Date: 6/14/2010 8:08:55 PM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] Re new member
>
> Gail,
>
> Guide dogs of America was founded by the International Association of
> Machinists and Aerospace Workers in the late forties when one of its 
> members
>
> Was denied admission to other guide dog schools because of his age. He was
> Around 50. GDA has maintained nondiscrimination as a founding principle.
>
> The harness is almost identical to GDB's, except that the shaft of the
> Handle is painted white. It's nice on both Black and Yellow Labs. I think
> They're trying to beef up their population of Shepherds, but Labs are the
> Primary GDA dog.
>
> What I mean when I say that the school staff is collegial towards those 
> who
> Know dogs, is that they recognize the knowledge, skill, and life 
> experience
> Of seasoned guide dog handlers, and take these into account in the 
> training
> Relationship. You have to follow the program, but may be put into an
> Accelerated class, or allowed to leave a week before the first-timers.
> Bottom line, though, is that you will be treated as a responsible adult, 
> not
>
> A ward under guardianship.
>
> I trained there with my seventh dog last July, having gotten my sixth from
> GDA also and my first five from GDB.
>
> I've found there's always something new to learn, or some old habit to
> Break.
>
> My GDA experience was fun, I love my dog, and I left with warm feelings
> Toward classmates and instructors.
>
> All that said, you might want to explore GDB's O&M program. I think 
> they've
> Built some of that into their training program, or may offer it to those
> Preparing to get a GDB guide dog. You might want to let them know of your
> Frustrated efforts to get O&M in Kansas, and they might help you as part 
> of
> their admissions process.
>
> Come to think of it, especially if Kansas seems no longer to have a
> department of services for the blind, maybe you can arrange a
> fee-for-services contract with your state's department of vocational
> rehabilitation to attend one of the NFB's own training centers. I'll bet
> that cane travel is taught there! With lessening eyesight, you might find
> that NFB's program is freeing in other ways, too.
>
> Good luck, and happy tails!
>
> Elizabeth
>
>
>
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