Comments on: White Canes and Able http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/ From The Ground Up Thought Sat, 19 May 2012 09:57:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Rachel http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-73 Rachel Sun, 24 Aug 2008 20:52:21 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-73 Elaine, boy I'm so glad you wrote. Gives me a chance to share what I think about your situation. Remember I'm no expert, just a legally blind woman who's got a lot to say on the subject. First I might wonder why your folks might not want you to use a cane. This might help you have some insight (so to speak) into their perspective. Maybe they want you to be resourceful and not be dependent on a cane. Maybe they struggle with you having a visual impairment, somehow feeling badly because you can't see well. Seeing you with a cane would be painful for them. Not that it's your job to make them feel okay, we're just trying to understand what's up with their reluctance. If they are the kind of people that are easy to talk to, I would say have an honest talk. Tell them what you just told me. Why do you want a cane? For more comfortable mobility is what it sounds like. More Independence. Sounds like a winner to me. I use my cane cause I can move faster, fall less. Walk alone easier, that kind of thing. What do you think about doing a bit of homework on your own. Talk to your low vision specialist or see if there's a Commission for the Blind, or some organization in your area. What you would want to find out is, if there is any Orientation and Mobility training you can do any place near where you live. O & M trainers may have some tricks that could help you with or maybe without a cane. It's worth looking into. Come to your folks informed. Put the conversation on the table. You want to be able to be more comfortable with some mobility issues and here is how you think you might be able to achieve that goal. Hear what your folks have to say too. There might be a good reason why they are reluctant for you to use a cane. Remember, there's likely to be a lot of love and maybe some fear behind their reasons. Have them read this blog! Let me know what happens. Best, Rachel Elaine,

boy I’m so glad you wrote. Gives me a chance to share what I think about your situation. Remember I’m no expert, just a legally blind woman who’s got a lot to say on the subject.

First I might wonder why your folks might not want you to use a cane. This might help you have some insight (so to speak) into their perspective. Maybe they want you to be resourceful and not be dependent on a cane.

Maybe they struggle with you having a visual impairment, somehow feeling badly because you can’t see well. Seeing you with a cane would be painful for them. Not that it’s your job to make them feel okay, we’re just trying to understand what’s up with their reluctance.

If they are the kind of people that are easy to talk to, I would say have an honest talk. Tell them what you just told me.

Why do you want a cane? For more comfortable mobility is what it sounds like. More Independence. Sounds like a winner to me. I use my cane cause I can move faster, fall less. Walk alone easier, that kind of thing.

What do you think about doing a bit of homework on your own. Talk to your low vision specialist or see if there’s a Commission for the Blind, or some organization in your area. What you would want to find out is, if there is any Orientation and Mobility training you can do any place near where you live. O & M trainers may have some tricks that could help you with or maybe without a cane. It’s worth looking into.

Come to your folks informed. Put the conversation on the table. You want to be able to be more comfortable with some mobility issues and here is how you think you might be able to achieve that goal.

Hear what your folks have to say too. There might be a good reason why they are reluctant for you to use a cane. Remember, there’s likely to be a lot of love and maybe some fear behind their reasons.

Have them read this blog! Let me know what happens.

Best,
Rachel

]]> By: Elaine http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-74 Elaine Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:09:28 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-74 I have low vision (20/50) and in most instances, it's useful enough and I get by. But, there are those times when I find myself depending on other people and not partaking in scenery and checking things out; I am more worried about what lies in front of my feet and I want a cane, however, my parents are the ones stopping me. They believe that my sight doesn't affect my movement as much as I think it does. I don't know how to tell them that this is a problem and sometimes I wish someone would just tell them for me. I don't so much at night and I feel like such a burden to my friends. My parents don't understand, either, that when I follow them, I am not doing it because I am not confident; I have a lot of self-confidence, but I need to follow them so I know what's coming. I don't trust the vision I have to be reliable. I have low vision (20/50) and in most instances, it’s useful enough and I get by. But, there are those times when I find myself depending on other people and not partaking in scenery and checking things out; I am more worried about what lies in front of my feet and I want a cane, however, my parents are the ones stopping me. They believe that my sight doesn’t affect my movement as much as I think it does. I don’t know how to tell them that this is a problem and sometimes I wish someone would just tell them for me. I don’t so much at night and I feel like such a burden to my friends. My parents don’t understand, either, that when I follow them, I am not doing it because I am not confident; I have a lot of self-confidence, but I need to follow them so I know what’s coming. I don’t trust the vision I have to be reliable.

]]> By: arthur http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-75 arthur Sun, 25 May 2008 02:08:29 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-75 I am legally blind (20/400) so I can move about wihtout a white cane but find it invaluable when I am in a strange enviornment and need to ask questions because I can't read the signage so when I carry my white cane and ask questions, I always get a courteous answer and assistance. Try it, it works. I am legally blind (20/400) so I can move about wihtout a white cane but find it invaluable when I am in a strange enviornment and need to ask questions because I can’t read the signage so when I carry my white cane and ask questions, I always get a courteous answer and assistance. Try it, it works.

]]> By: alex http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-71 alex Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:36:49 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-71 I live in the Netherlands and here it is promoted, even for people who would be considered to be on the fringe of being legally blind. People reckon it is best to use all the vision you have, and if, like me, you've got problems with peripheral vision it is already a gift to not have to worry about obstacles like kerbs and steps, as you are describing. A little vision can go a long way! Thanks for visiting my blog by the way. Much appreciated. I live in the Netherlands and here it is promoted, even for people who would be considered to be on the fringe of being legally blind. People reckon it is best to use all the vision you have, and if, like me, you’ve got problems with peripheral vision it is already a gift to not have to worry about obstacles like kerbs and steps, as you are describing. A little vision can go a long way! Thanks for visiting my blog by the way. Much appreciated.

]]> By: Rachel http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-70 Rachel Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:37:16 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-70 Alex, Glad to hear I'm not alone! what do you mean by "stimulate cane use" do you mean, getting people to use canes? Alex,
Glad to hear I’m not alone!
what do you mean by “stimulate cane use” do you mean, getting people to use canes?

]]> By: alex http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-69 alex Sun, 27 Apr 2008 12:41:57 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-69 Good one! I had to overcome lots of internalized prejudice before I could start using my cane. I'm glad I do. The trend, of late, is to stimulate cane use if you're partially blind, and i think it's an important step forward. Good one! I had to overcome lots of internalized prejudice before I could start using my cane. I’m glad I do. The trend, of late, is to stimulate cane use if you’re partially blind, and i think it’s an important step forward.

]]> By: Beth LaMie http://www.whynotrachel.com/2008/04/17/white-canes-and-able/#comment-72 Beth LaMie Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:27:19 +0000 http://whynotrachel.wordpress.com/?p=70#comment-72 Rachel, I am so impressed by the clarity of your writing to explain things we don't know about but are interested in. I really appreciated your simple explanation about the cane when we were in Saluda and I do think people in general would appreciate a card with "gimp" info plus your contact info. Personally, I think it would have been a hoot to ask the guy in Chicago what the guy in Florida looked like, especially if you could record their expression. Beth Rachel,
I am so impressed by the clarity of your writing to explain things we don’t know about but are interested in.

I really appreciated your simple explanation about the cane when we were in Saluda and I do think people in general would appreciate a card with “gimp” info plus your contact info.

Personally, I think it would have been a hoot to ask the guy in Chicago what the guy in Florida looked like, especially if you could record their expression.

Beth

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