[nagdu] Second trip out with cane, and more questions!

[Julie J]

Gail,

About using sleepshades...
I'd say that if you are comfortable with using them by yourself then go 
ahead.  I'd be very, very careful to take things slowly and build up your 
skills gradually.  Putting on sleepshades and going on a trip to a mall or a 
theme park with the family is probably not a good idea at this point. 
Solid baby steps are what you're going for.  Think tortoise!

Sleepshades have a few purposes, but none of them is to cause harm or create 
a nervous breakdown. *smile*
They are used to block out visual information so you can concentrate on the 
nonvisual stuff and they are used to build confidence in the nonvisual 
skills.

Best of luck!
Julie

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Gail" <deerskin at oct.net>
To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2010 4:16 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Second trip out with cane, and more questions!


> Hello all!
>
>
> Ok, second day, and thought I would see if I could line my Cocoon 
> sunglasses
> with dark polarfleece, to take the place of sleep shades (plus look more
> normal' to people in our nosy little town!). Walked a lot slower, but did 
> a
> lot more listening to what was going on around me, and checking out
> landmarks. Funny thing was, I wasnt catching the tip in things even a 
> third
> as much as I was yesterday. But I must have looked silly sometimes, when I
> would stop to listen for a telephone pole I knew was near the corner, so I
> would stop, feel with the cane on the grass for it, then, frustrated, 
> slowly
> waved it though the air like a demented orchestra conductor! <grin> 
> Finally
> gave up and cheated, lifted up my shades enough to look for it.....was 
> just
> about 3 feet away from the end of the cane's reach, grrr. Put shades back 
> on
> and stood and listened for it for a while, but no cars came by to make it
> make sounds.
>
> It was funny, when I came back in, my kids were like, 'MOM, what are you
> doing?!' I took off the shades and plopped them on my daughter, and she 
> goes
> 'you walked all the way to the corner like this?!" Then I gave shades and
> cane to my youngest son, and told him to Braille the room. Guess who has
> more respect for the trips I take now? <grin>
>
> Ok, here come the questions: being alone in my learning, should I use
> sleepshades when I am out training? Or is that too dangerous? And do I 
> wear
> them just when I am training at home, or also when out and about with my
> husband, when we go to town while I'm still learning? Thats the only time 
> I
> leave our town-Topeka is our nearest decent town.
>
> Well, tomorrow will tell the tale-thats when my appointment is with that
> State doctor. Please God, things work out...
>
>
> Gail
>
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