Navigating

I have been a white cane user for 7 years now, and ever since I started using it I have wanted to traid it in for a guide dog. Mobility is arguably one of the aspects of life most impacted by vision loss, and I have found that this causes you to loose a lot of trust in yourself. There has been so many times when I’ve been walking confidently, thinking my way is clear, only to find I’ve  missed something, and end up crashing into something or someone, or tripping over. Therefore, even though I don’t like using it, my cane is one of the best ways to keep myself safe while remaining independent. 

I want everyone to understand that using a cane is nothing to be ashamed of, and I highly encourage anyone who needs one to use it, I refused to use mine for a very long time, and it lead to a few accidents that could have easily avoided. It is already so hard to deal with the challenges posed by vision loss, without the addition of people’s rude comments or disrespectful way of asking questions. Although it can feel embarrassing to need a cane to get around sometimes because of people staring or because of what they might think, other people’s opinions aren’t worth worth worrying about.  It can be  far more frustrating and even unsafe to walk into people who don’t pay attention, or to constantly walk into chairs  tables because they are outside your field of vision, or to struggle find a safe way to get where you want to go. 

As my vision loss has progressed over time, using my cane to keep myself safe has become increasingly important. However, i’m now finally old enough to be able to take on the great responsibility of having my own furry companion. Dispite having its own challenges, I’m really looking forward to training and later transitioning to receiving help navigating the world from a guide dog as opposed to a cane. I hope this new member of my family sill  be someone that helps me to maintain my independence while keeping me safe and help connect me with others. 

I know a guide dog will not replace the freedom a functioning pair of eyes would give me. But until the time comes that my eyes are free of disease, I will be very excited to explore the world with a cute, fluffy companion. 

iif you want to read more by Ale, here is one of her previous posts What I am Grateful For