February 28 - Shipwrecks

Lyle and I are back in Australia. We have been here for a few days now and I must admit that the weather is close to perfect. As I am writing this, we have just returned from our daily walk along the beach.  I love these beach walks, not only for the obvious reason of salty fresh air and warm sunshine, but also for the fact that I can usually walk without using my cane.  With bare feet, I can feel the firm sand left by the outgoing tide. Still, I don’t think that I would try the “no cane” thing unless I had someone with me. The constant tides leave changes on the shoreline that vary from one day to the next.

The past few days have been typical of this. On our early morning walk, we discovered multiple lumps of what appeared to be coral or broken reef. Some of the greyish white lumps were the size of my fist and in other places they were scattered like pebbles. I walked very gingerly indeed.

Lyle and I haven’t positively identified this new debris on the sand but we suspect that it might have broken off from one of the shipwrecks that lie off this part of the coastline between Newcastle and Sydney. Over the years there have been over one hundred wrecks, with the earliest one recorded in 1852 and the most recent in 1951. Some of these underwater ghosts are a tourist attraction for divers but for the average tourist like me, the wrecks remain unobtrusive and anonymous.

The Great Barrier Reef doesn’t extend to this part of New South Wales, but there are still parts of the coastline where it is possible to imagine ships running aground.  Following are two pictures taken near Wamberal Beach which on the Central Coast a hundred kilometres north of Sydney.  This is the closest beach to where we are staying.

The first picture is of a rocky outcrop near the end of our beach walk.  The second picture shows me standing on the rocks.

Beach close to Wamberal Beach

Sue on rocks

February 18 - Purse to Pocket

This past week I have been thinking about mobility. I have been reflecting on the small accommodations I have made over the years since the day of my initial vision loss. Generally speaking, when I could drive myself around, I would carry a large purse which acted as a catch all for all kinds of little odds and ends.

The transition from purse to pocket came gradually. I am a little shamefaced to admit that when I was first introduced to a white cane, I used a fold up kind, which I tucked inside my purse. Yes, I know. It didn’t do me any good to have it there, but it was out of sight and initially that was the way I wanted it. However, when it became clear to me that I needed to use a cane as much for my own safety as anything, the purse became a hindrance.

These days, I like to have my hands free of nonessential encumbrances.  This way I can hold my white cane in my right hand and if I need to do so, I can take a guide’s arm with my left. Gone are the days when I carried a purse over my arm.

Additionally, in those early days of vision loss when I was no longer able to drive, I found that I was walking more. The purse and its contents were heavy. I tried solving the problem by switching to a backpack but this was also added weight and soon I began sorting through the contents to see what it was that I really needed to carry around with me. Eventually, I found that I could put most of this – door keys, a small amount of cash and an ID card, in a pocket.

It’s been an interesting transition from purse to pocket and one which didn’t happen overnight. I think that my biggest transition was one of self-image.  I have needed to develop new ways of thinking. I needed to balance the fact of my vision impairment against a wish to retain my independence. It’s been an interesting journey and it’s not over yet!

February 2 - Suggested Reading

This past week, I listened to Thunder Dog, a book by Michael Hingson. The book is an autobiographical account of a man who is blind and his various companion guide dogs.  Thanks to my friend Bill for suggesting this book to me. Bill is also blind and experiences much of the sighted world through the eyes of his canine guide.

Thunder Dog is non-fiction. The book tells the story of Michael’s escape from the World Trade Centre following the terrorist attack on September 11. It is an account of courage, trust and teamwork as Michael and his faithful guide, Roselle, descended the 1,463 stairs from the 78 floor of Tower 1 and then made their way through the dust choked streets when Tower 2 collapsed into rubble, choking dust, and flying debris. In the course of Michael’s account, the reader also meets some of the people who were there on that harrowing day. We meet some of the survivors and encounter others who undoubtedly perished in the tragedy. 

However, the book is more than an account of 9/11. In the course of the telling, Michael gives us a glimpse into his life. He tells the reader about growing up in a small town through to his life as a working adult in a high level job in New York City. He tells us about his excitement in acquiring his very first guide dog through to his relationship with Roselle, the dog who guided him out of the Trade Centre disaster. He mentions training of guide dogs, his experiences with Braille and assistive devices, and much more.

Although for myself, I didn’t experience any vision loss until I was an adult, and then only to the extent of vision impairment or legal blindness, I found that I could identify with many of Michael’s thoughts and insights. There were also points in the book where I didn’t quite agree with the views presented.  Whichever way you look at it, this book is thought provoking and one can’t help but be inspired by Michael’s courage, determination, confidence and independent spirit.

Thunder Dog is available from the audio collection of the CNIB Library.