[NAGDU] Questions for low-vision people

[Tracy Carcione]

I have questions for people who had vision, then lost most of it.  I've
been blind most of my life, and I'd like your perspective to help my
husband.  He had low but OK vision for many years, but has lost most of it
over the past few years.  He uses a cane, but still wants to move fast,
like he did when he could see better, and isn't always as cautious as he
should be.  He had an accident recently.  Nothing too bad, yet, but it
easily could have been.
I'm arguing with him to get a dog, because I think it's the safest and
fastest way to get around the big city safely, and what you get is well
worth the pain of eventually having to say goodbye.

My first question is:  I was watching a publicity video yesterday for TSE,
and 2 people said that getting a dog was like getting some of their vision
back.  It gave them a set of eyes to use, and an extra brain to assess
situations.  Do other people feel this way, or is it just hype?
My second question is:  What got you to change your approach and get a
dog, or sharpen your cane skills?  Listening to classmates at TSE, it
seems to take a real hard shove from someone, or a bad accident.  But
maybe that's not always so?

If people want, they can write privately to me at carcione at access.net.
Thanks.
Tracy