[nagdu] Introducing myself, another new NAGDU member

[Tracy Carcione]

Welcome to all the new members.
I'm Tracy, and I live in north Jersey and work as a programmer/project
leader at a big hospital in New York City.  My current guide dog is Ben, a
7-year-old black lab from The Seeing Eye.  I also have my retired GDB dog
Echo, who is sixteen and a half.
Bryan, I laughed when I read your intro.  I had the impression you believe
you had to have some follow-up because you're new to guide dogs.  I'm
working my 6th dog now, and I had to have about the same amount of
follow-up with him as you did with your first.  Maybe, by the time your
dog is ready to retire, you'll be thinking you really have a handle on
this guide dog thing.  Then your second or third dog will come along and
you'll feel like you don't know anything!  At least that's been my
experience.  My Ben is a city dog, the kind people not in big cities keep
telling me isn't being bred anymore, and that my friends in big cities
know very well.  Ben has Attitude.  He loves a challenge, but he gets a
bit bored when things are quiet.  Although, as he gets older, he's a bit
more laid-back.  But he can still get me through a crowd like the pro he
is.
Anyway, welcome!
Tracy

> Hi Folks,
>
> I've recently joined the NAGDU and the NFB and wanted to take a moment to
> quickly introduce myself.
>
> My name is Bryan Jones and I live just west of Philadelphia, PA in the US.
> My vision has been fading for about 10 years as the result of a connective
> tissue disorder called Marfan Syndrome. Two years ago, while living in
> Milwaukee, I got my first dog, a female black lab / golden cross from The
> Seeing Eye. Her name is Marqi, which is pronounced with an emphasis on the
> last syllable as in the famous diamond or the billboard above a
> theater,not as in Marky-Mark. <grin>.
>
> Prior to applying for a dog, I was a fairly mobile cane user thanks to
> some good O and M instruction I had received, but I had a few incidents
> that made me believe that a guide dog could help improve my independence
> and safety. I'm very happy that I did as I feel significantly more
> independent and mobile now. During Marqi & my first year together I had
> several follow-up phone conversations with Seeing Eye staff members and
> two visits from them to help me improve my skills as a handler. Even after
> two years together I still feel like a newbie at this and am looking
> forward to learning more as time passes.
>
> I'm 49 and spent the last twenty something years working in corporate IT,
> but put my career on hold last year to move back to the Philadelphia area
> to complete my undergraduate degree in psychology. I'm now into my first
> semester back at school and am very happy with the level of mobility,
> independence and confidence I have while navigating my suburban town and
> college campus with Marqi.
>
> Thanks for being here and I look forward to being an active member of
> NAGDU and this list!
> Cheers,
> Bryan
> opensesame at me.com
>
>
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