Over 300 kids gathered in Nelson Elementary School’s gymnasium Thursday morning to hear me give a talk about my blindness, my children’s book and my bond with my Seeing Eye dog.
Okay. That’s a lie. The reason they came had nothing to do with me. They were there to see Hanni! A second group of 300 would come to the gym in the afternoon. Both groups were full of good, curious listeners. And like always, they had great questions. In-between presentations Hanni and I spent time in Helen Lee’s fourth-grade class — Helen is the teacher who coordinated our visit to nelson. I took Hanni’s harness off while we were in that classroom – that way she could run around a bit and enjoy belllyrubs from the kids. One kid who’d been rolling around on the floor with Hanni jumped up afterwards and asked, “What’s the best thing about having a Seeing Eye dog?”
There were so many ways to answer that question. Hanni helps me feel safe, Hanni keeps me company, Hanni gives me courage, Hanni does so much for me. But the best thing? “She makes it so people don’t feel sorry for me,” I said.
“Instead of staring at me because I’m blind, they look at her — they think she’s cool!”
The fourth-grader understood.
A story published in the New York Times last Tuesday (Veterans Day) tells me that injured veterans paired with dogs feel the same way I do. The article quotes Harvey Naranjo, who works with severely disabled veterans at Walter Reed Hospital.
“Veterans can feel vulnerable walking around with these disabilities,” Mr. Naranjo said. “When they go out with a service dog, it draws attention away from the injury.”
The story goes on to highlight three soldiers – two men and one woman. I think Sue Downes, a 28-year-old mother of two said it best. Downs was a military police officer in 2006, when her military vehicle exploded after hitting an improvised explosive device. In August 2007 she was paired with Lila, a yellow Labrador who helps her walk with her prosthetic legs.
Ms. Downes is retired from the Army and said she feels that she has adjusted “pretty well,” with good days and bad. She tires easily and does not go out as much as she used to. However, on a good day she and Lila might visit the local veterans association or shop for groceries; Lila also likes to go to PetSmart. Ms. Downes said she was thankful that while out in public, people tended to pay more attention to Lila than to her disability.
When I went to train with my first Seeing Eye dog, a Black Lab named Pandora, I thought the best thing she’d do for me was lead me places without bumping me into things. After a few months home with her, I honest-to-God noticed I felt taller – I was holding my head up higher – when I traveled anywhere with Pandora. Same goes now, with Hanni. Who would’ve guessed? Dogs can provide the one thing everybody needs: dignity.
Great post Beth!
I was having Zoomtext read the rest of it because my eyes got tired. It pronounced Hanni’s name with a short A sound. I almost thought it read it as “hammmy”. *laugh*
I definitely agree with you on this one. Jim and I are doing well. However,today there was an incident at Walmart. Jim lead me to the wrong doors and stepped in front of a lady. She gruffly said, “Watch where you’re going!” I was so taken aback that I was laughing when I entered the store. Luckily, the lady didn’t continue to harass me.
Jim and I are “tight”. *smile* He is my everything buddy and doesn’t seem to mind accompanying me where ever I go. He just got a new set of booties for the wintertime. People who reside in Illinois know what that’s like. Does Hanni have booties? Jim’s are Ruffwear booties that are gray. I bought black and red socks for his front paws so that his due claws don’t get caught.
Take care,
-Sarah & Papa Thug (Jim)
Ha! Did you tell that lady the reason you trained with a guide dog in the first place? You know, because you can’t “watch” where you are going?!
Thanks for the question about Hanni’s booties — it gives me an idea for a future blog post!
Great story. I completely agree with you. My guide Mattie and I have only been together since June 2008 (he is my first guide) but already I notice a difference
in my approach to life. If I have to leave him at home I deffinately feel at loose ends. The transition from cane to dog was very easy for me and I never
plan to go back (smile). Now I feel even slightly uncomfortable using sighted guide since beginning my new independent life with Mattie.
Beth, I love that story. I have a black lab/golden cross and I couldn’t imagine ever going back to a cane or sighted guide. She is my first guide and The first time that we clicked at school we were going for a walk and I felt like I was flying down the street.
Oh, that brings me back to the first walk I took with Dora, my first Seeing Eye dog. You’re right — it felt like we were flying! Once home I also came to appreciate how, when walking with a guide dog, I didn’t have to pay attention to every step the way I always had with a cane. I even daydream sometimes when walking with my dog!
Great story Beth! I am a cane user and have always been. My former roommate got his first guide dog a couple years ago. She is a black lab and they’re doing very well together. He and I were talking about issues of mobility not too long ago though, and he told me that it would be rather hard for him to accompany me on walks due to the fact that he has to give the dog commands and I’d more or less be on my own. I’m not disputing this but what I do want to know from you and/or another guide dog user on here is this. Have any of you ever been in a similar situation, i.e., you want to help a cane user familiarize himself or herself with a relatively new area but cannot because you’re with the dog and have to concentrate? I don’t want to bore you with the details of this, but I have found myself not getting out of my building as much as I probably should. Whenever I do go out it is usually with one or more fully-sighted neighbors and friends. I’m not trying to say they’re doing a bad job. But they’re just not that familiar with the things that someone who is visually-impaired has to pick up on. Such things include issues related to orientation&mobility, i.e., which direction the streets around here run, the traffic patterns, etc. I recently asked my current tutor which way my back door faces, and he told me. I have not had any formal O&M instruction for several years, and I feel like I’ve lost a lot. My cane skills are still just as good as they ever were, if not better. I can walk to and from work at Center for Independent Futures by myself, because the only street I have to cross is a one-way street, and I’ve been told it is more or less the size of an alley. When I talked to the VR agency about this, I was told very blatantly that unless I have a full-time job which pays good money they refuse to send somebody out here even to assess me. Several years back an O&M instructor or two told me to just call them directly whenever I needed more instruction. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case anymore. I guess my question is: What do you all think of this? Does this really have to do with state funding or is this just discrimination and nothing more? I have brought this up with my parents numerous times, and I honestly think they’re just lost. They love and care about me, and they’ve both supported me since day 1, but I think they’re perhaps unable to get on the same page as me and my neighbors and friends at CIF. My parents really want me to pursue VR services because they think it’ll lead to something productive, but I’m just very skeptical. How do I bring all this up in a way that doesn’t imply whining and complaining? I’m almost 35 years of age and I need my independence. One more thing before I close. I have started a letter about the lack of accessible traffic signals around where I live, and a neighbor has pledged her full support and has helped me to word it just right. Our goal is that every single person in CIF will sign on, and then I’m not sure exactly who all in the local legislature will receive it but I’m pressing on. Sorry for the long-winded post and for straying somewhat off-topic, but I would like a concrete answer to the O&M dilemma. Thanks and happy travels to all!
Hmmm. I have never tried to help a cane user familiarize himself
or herself with a relatively new area but can imagine it would be difficult to do with the dog, having to pay close attention to the dog and all that. I find it easy to walk with others when I’m with Hanni, I just can’t talk to them much!
Beth and Jake,
I guess it depends on where I am and if I am familiar with the area that the walk is taking place in. Usually Jim will know where we’re off to. Surprised? He’s just that good. *smile* For example, if I am walking to a lecture hall and my friend also has a class there. I would have her/him take a hold of my arm. I would indicate the direction we are traveling in ie. north or west and then I would say which buildings we are passing and which buildings the destination are next to. However, finding a specific room is a difficult procedure for me. I have to pay close attention to Jim, but because he knows where he’s going, I can still pause from giving commands to state where we are in comparison to where we were.
Hope this helps.
Jessica, I am also a new guide dog handler. I was matched with Jim in July of 08. He’s quite a character and my good luck charm.
Have a good rest of the week.
Take care,
Sarah & Papa Thug (Jim)
I believe I misread Jake’s post. My apologies…
You said relatively new area. Having a dog learn a new place takes some time. I know I had to teach Jim all of the routes that I took for classes more than once. Before one helps someone else, they need to know where they are going or would like to go. It’s a process that is necessary for a visually impaired people using dogs. I know for one thing, once Jim gets a route, it’s hard for him to forget. I’m kind of dreading the beginning of next semester because I’ll have to teach him new routes.
At the Seeing Eye they urged us to take different routes from time to time to the places we go to frequently, the idea was that the dog wouldn’t get “wed” to one route and refuse to take a different turn on the occasion you might be going somewhere different. I try to do this with Hanni but sometimes get lazy, it’s so easy to take the same route all the time! I get into trouble, though, on the occasion I want to make a different turn. Example: the place I get my teeth cleaned is very close to where I go to work twice a week at Easter Seals. Hanni always wants to go to Easter Seals and almost refuses to take a right turn down the street I need to go to in order to get to the dentist. It’s almost as if she’s saying, “Beth, are you mixed up? We need to go this way!” But hmmm. Maybe she is trying to save me from the dentist…and pain.
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