[nagdu] guide dogs

[Tamara Smith-Kinney]

Jennifer,

When I first started using a cane full time, I would get very nervous going
anywhere new!  It took just getting out and doing it to get over the fear.
If I couldn't get myself going the whole way, I would sometimes do partial
"practice runs."  When I had done the real thing and gotten back hme and
everything, it was such a victory, though!  So that made the next time
easier.  And the time after that, and the time after that...  /smile/

I also reminded myself a lot that everything I did during cane travel was
good practice for when I would be  able to get a guide dog.  Which turned
out to be a good thing, because I ended up owner-training and needed to have
my wits about me in the O&M department while I concentrated on her...  /lol/

Anyway, with the cane, I would set myself little mini-goals while I
traveled, to improve my overall skills on the way from Point A to Point B,
and I would think of myself as "proacticing" for a guide dog, since that was
way more motivating than just getting across the street.  /grin/

So my goal for the trip might be to be super aware of the curbs and stop
spot on at every one.  Sounds silly, but it kept me going from curb to curb,
and it really improved my awareness of my cane and my feet both as well as
giving me a better feel for time/distance.  I would also give myself little
listening exercises and ask myself, "How can I tell when I get near the
corner?"  At first, I was so dull to my surroundings, but then I would
notice that I "felt" the difference in my surroundings even if I wasn't
aware yet of what it actually was.

I don't know if that makes sense or if it's helpful to you.  But those were
just the little mental games I played with myself to keep myself going
through life when the thought of going down to the corner was just
terrifying.  /smile/

In some ways, a guide dog can make journeys seems less daunting, but using a
guide dog is also a difficult skill to learn, with a whole new set of
challenges.  /smile/  Especially at first!  I would rather go dog than cane
any day, and I especially love not having to worry about what I'm going to
bang my head on, but there have been times I have felt daunted about a
simple trip just because I wasn't feeling friendly enough or together enough
for all the people who would want to talk about (or to) my dog or pet my dog
while I was trying to find a seat on the bus or...  Different worry than
with my cane, but still!  Now I'm just used to it, and I have my set
responses I don't even have to think about, so I don't have to work up nerve
ahead of time like I used.

Good luck on your walk!  The important thing is that you're getting out and
doing it.  Oh! Don't forget to congratulate yourself with every obstacle you
conquer successfully.  If there's a tricky block or some other part of the
route, stopping at the curb and taking time out to take a deep breath and
feel really, really smug just because you got there never hurts.  Or is that
just me.  /grin/

Tami Smith-Kinney

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Jennifer L Finley
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 10:14 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: [nagdu] guide dogs

Do any of you ever get nervous when going on a new rout with your cane for
the first time?  Well, I have to walk to the nersing home, and it is my
first time doing it with out anyone.  I don't think that I am going to do it
today, but I am going to do it on thursday.  I am just so nervous.  I feal
like that when I get my dog that it will go better.  I just can't seem to
bring my self to do it with my cane.
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