December 17 - Optometrist Visit

This week was my annual optometrist visit. Although my eye condition is irreversible, there are always other things that could go wrong. Past a certain age, and I won’t say what age that might be, it is a good idea to have a regular eye exam. Actual age aside, current thought is that children can and should have their eyes checked at the early age of six months.

 

Back to topic, in COVID times, I was hesitant to have any close contact at the optometrist office and so I put off my appointments. In the meantime, the office staff at my clinic had changed. When I arrived at the clinic last week, I didn’t recognize the women behind the counter and they didn’t recognize me. No problem. They could just look up my file. Turns out that there was a problem. Nobody could find my file. Even though I assured the staff that I had been coming for my eye exams at the same place for many, many years, they wanted to start me off as a first time patient.

 

Eventually everything was worked out but I did find the initial asking and answering of personal questions a bit frustrating. In the end it was the optometrist herself who found the clerical error.

 

Nevertheless, the whole experience had me thinking back to some of my previous optometrist appointments. I remembered the first time I heard the words “legally blind.” I think that my thought processes just shut down. I had no understanding of how the diagnosis was going to affect me. It certainly altered the trajectory of my life’s plan.

 

Adjusting to being legally blind was a steep learning curve for me. The good news was that as I grew into this new role, technology was growing with me. I am still learning but the initial emotional trauma is behind me.

 

If you haven’t made your next optometrist appointment yet, I encourage you to do so. While not all eye conditions can be treated or cured, there are huge advances in the field of vision research. Early diagnosis is often key to your future eye care and vision health.

 

 

December 9 - Travelling fun

People sometimes ask me why Lyle and I travel as much as we do. The simple answer is that we like it. Travelling broadens our horizons. We like to see new places, revisit favourite haunts, meet new and interesting people and connect with old friends and family. Of course, in winter there is the added bonus of leaving the cold of Alberta behind for a short break in a warmer climate. Yes, for us, travelling is fun.

Last week we arrived back in Canada after our Australian holiday. The time away met all of our expectations – well, perhaps the weather wasn’t quite as warm as we would have liked it to be, but otherwise it was all good. This spring, Australia has been experiencing much cooler temperatures than usual and above average rainfall. Flooding in the interior has been disastrous. While we did meet up with a lot of rain, our itinerary didn’t take us close to the affected flood areas.

Our best days away were spent with family. It was so relaxing sitting outside, sharing memories, eating familiar foods, and just being with people with a common familial bond. Thanks to Jill, John and Jane and Jan and Roger for making some of those days so very special.

Two other days that stand out were when we connected with old friends. We had brunch with Blair sitting outside at a coffee chop on the shore of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. On another day we had lunch with Beverly and Roy in their Blue Mountain home. I will finish this post with a nostalgic reminiscence of that day.

We took the train from Sydney’s Central Station for the nearly two-hour trip to the Blue Mountains. The most popular spot for tourists is Katoomba but avoiding the crowds, we alighted a few stations sooner at Wentworth Falls. Beverly was waiting for us on the platform and Roy drove us straight to the Falls Lookout. Beyond the guardrail the Jamison Valley spread out in front of us. Beverly pointed out Mount Solitary rising up around six miles to our right and the falls a couple of miles to our left. I couldn’t see the falls but even at that distance I could hear the tumultuous roar of the water. It was hard to imagine that anyone at any point in time could have made their way through the dense bushland, but back in 1813, with the help of the Indigenous people of the area, three inveterate explorers did so. Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth now have mountain towns named in their honour. Equally inconceivable was the fact that only two years later under the direction of Sydney’s Governor Macquarie, a road was carved out through the same dense bush.

There are two pictures with this post. Both show the expanse of green that is the Jamison Valley. There are various walks in this area of the National Parkland but when we were there, some of these were closed due to the unusual rainfall and subsequent rock falls. We stuck to the marked pathways. If you are traveling to Australia, this is definitely a spot to visit.

 

Jamison Valley, National Parkland, Australia

Jamison Valley, National Parkland, Australia

 

November 21 - The Otways

Lyle and I have spent the last five days in Apollo Bay, a town at the eastern end of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia.  The area around here is known as the Otways. We have had a lot of fun exploring here.

On Saturday our adventure began with a drive through the Otway National Forest.  The road was obscenely winding and impossibly narrow. Can you imagine our surprise when halfway along the track we came across a road sign which read, “Road Narrows.”  We weren’t sure how this would even be possible!  In spite of all this, the scenery was spectacular with tall, tall trees and very huge ferns.  We were in the depths of a rain forest.

We emerged from the forested area to see rolling hills and wide expanses of green pasture land.  I’m sure the grass was as green as it was because of all the more than usual rainfall.  Lyle was impressed by the good condition of the cattle he saw grazing in the field.

Eventually we pulled into our destination - the Otway Fly Treetop Adventure.  What a great place!  I would highly recommend a visit here - provided that you are in fairly good physical condition and are not afraid of heights.  Also, take a rain coat.  After all, the tree walk is through a rain forest and you can certainly expect rain.

The strenuous part of the adventure wasn’t the 600 metre walk along the elevated metal catwalk, but rather the lengthy downhill slope and subsequent uphill climb leading to and from the walkway itself.  Still, it was absolutely worthwhile.

The the trees were immense.  We were 40 metres above ground level and I couldn’t even see the base of the trees.  The trees still stretched high above us, some nearly 100 metres tall.  Lyle said that the ferns on the ground were positively huge.

There are four pictures with this post.  The first shows me about halfway down the trail to the tree walk. In the second I am standing beneath some of the tropical ferns.  The third photo shows on the elevated metal tree top walk.  The last is of the suspension of the tree walk. 

This was definitely our best day in the Otways.

 

Sue on a path at Otway National Forest

Sue on a path under ferns at Otway National Forest

Sue on a metal walkway at Otway National Forest

Suspension tree walk at Otway National Forest

 

November 17 - Leaving Tasmania

Today we are leaving Tasmania, flying from Launceston to Melbourne.  It’s been a good week, although much colder than we anticipated.  At least the rain stopped for our last full day of sightseeing.

One of the more enjoyable days was the drive out of Hobart to the top of Mt. Wellington.  It was cold and windy at the summit, and the landscape felt as if we had reached the end of the earth.

The first two pictures at the end of this post show me standing at the summit in front of the boulders beside the boardwalk.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any pictures from our boat ride out of Port Arthur.  The camera was in my pocket but it was way too rough and windy to even think about pictures.

The third picture with this post was taken beside the Tamar River in Launceston. There were some great walking trails by the river where the water was high enough and wide enough to look as if we were standing beside the ocean.

We are sorry to be leaving Tassie but we are looking forward to warmer weather when we reach the mainland.

 

Sue on the boardwalk at Mt Wellington

 

 

Sue in front of boulders at Mt Wellington

 

November 14 - Southeastern Tasmania

We have had an interesting couple of days. On Saturday, we visited the weekly Salamanca Markets in Hobart, and then visited the historic town of Richmond in the afternoon. Today we took the Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise.

I’ll start with the Markets. Shopping is not really my thing, I was amazed at how many vendors there were (over 300) and how many visitors were all crowded into the same area. It was a difficult place to negotiate, especially for a white cane user.

We spent a pleasant afternoon at Richmond. The pastries at the local bakery were excellent and we had lunch sitting in the warm sunshine. We toured the heritage goal, the oldest in Australia, but I feel the $12 admission per person was a bit much for what was there. I wondered how anyone could have survived the cruel and inhumane conditions of the penal system in the early days of the colony.

We wondered around the exterior of St. Luke’s, the earliest Anglican Church in Australia. The stone marker was dated 1834 but some work must have been done and there are improvements to the original structure. From here it was only another hour or so south to Port Arthur.

On Sunday afternoon the rain began. Fortunately, we were able to complete most of the Tasman Island cruise before the rain began. The cruise was three hours in an open sided boat in choppy seas. We were issued with red rain gear and anti-nausea pills, and were told to fasten our seat belts before we headed out to open water.

Lyle enjoyed the cruise, especially the rough water bits, although we did get a bit wet. He saw lots of seals, a variety of birds including two albatross and several eagles, and of course, the whales. I could feel the spray and taste the salt on my lips. Even though I couldn’t see the wildlife, I’m glad I did the cruise.

We are back in our warm, cozy motel. It is still raining as I write this, but tomorrow is another day - a driving day for us as we had north to Launceston.

Sue in front of St Luke's Anglican Church in Australia

 

 

 

November 12 - Walking in Hobart

Lyle and I are in Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania, the southern most state of Australia. Although the flight from Sydney to Hobart is relatively short, it felt like a very long day.  Fatigue might have been one factor that contributed to the difficulty I experienced on walking around on first day here.

By the time we picked up our rental vehicle, found our hotel, bought a few groceries - well, I was pretty tired.  Also, the sidewalks, or should I say footpaths around are hotel area were too narrow to walk side by side.  Our hotel, although quite lovely, was built on the side of a hill and there were slopes in every direction.  Additionally, it was a sweltering hot day.

On day two, we packed a picnic lunch and drove to the summit of Mt. Wellington. This mountain is 1270 metres above sea level and looks out over the city and harbour.  In contrast to the day before, the wind was bitterly cold but the walking was far more to my liking - wide pathways, secure wooden board walks, and the steps leading to the lookouts had hand rails on both sides.  The rocky landscape made both of imagine that this is what the surface of the moon looks like.

We stopped for lunch halfway down the mountain - out of the wind and at a lovely spot with picnic tables, a coffee kiosk, and a rather rustic toilet.  We ambled along a well defined pathway along a former Heritage Gardens area.  I say former because several decades ago it was totally destroyed in a major bush fire.  On our walk, we could smell the eucalyptus and hear the birds singing in the trees.

We had a lovely day.  It was relaxing with easy walking and good scenery.  As Lyle said, “There’s nothing quite like the Australian bush.”

November 5 - Blind Navigator

Lyle and I are in Australia. Yes - the suitcase I mentioned in my last post was eventually purchased and has been put to good use.  We arrived here last week and proceeded to our usual holiday spot about an hour north of Sydney.  We like it here.  The NSW Central Coast area is pleasant and it is easy for us to walk or drive around the streets that have become very familiar to us.

However, I digress.  A few days ago we were invited to a family luncheon in Sydney.  No problem!  On the appointed day we hopped into our rental car and Lyle attempted to put the Sydney address into our GPS. Problem!  Our GPS is old enough to be obsolete and the address wouldn’t take.  New maps are no longer supported by our old device.  In the end, I phoned my cousin who gave us verbal directions.

This was all well and good, but you need to know that Sydney is a city of over four million people with a crazy system of freeways and convoluted lanes, streets, crescents, etc., many of which have unfamiliar names.  For example, we are staying on Kurrawyba Avenue.

There were some tense moments on our drive.  I wondered how we ever managed to find our way in pre GPS days.  Lyle reminded me that then I could see, and also we had paper maps.

Now that I am visually impaired, I am supremely grateful for audio assistive devices.  Without the GPS, I relied on memory while Lyle scanned for unfamiliar streets signs.  I know that many people now use a GPS system of some sort when they are travelling, but for the two of us, this device has become invaluable.

On our way home from lunch in the city, our first stop was at an electronics store where we purchased a new GPS system loaded with the newest maps.

Blind navigation is not my forte, and Lyle needs a more reliable source for locating our destination.

October 22 - Shopping with Low Vision

I really don’t like shopping. I don’t think that I liked it much when I could see, but these days, shopping is more than just a challenge. Even when I am with a guide, the idea of choosing the items I want is an exercise in frustration. When I am by myself, it is almost an impossible task.

One of the very few positive things about COVID was that Lyle did all the grocery shopping. I told myself that this was because we were following the guidelines of only one person from the household going into the store, but now that I know that Lyle can do it all, it has become routine. We have developed quite a system where I keep a running list on my computer and Lyle does all the actual running around.

While we seem to have covered the idea of grocery shopping to our mutual satisfaction, there are still occasions when we need to buy other items. The other day we ventured in to one of the larger department stores where I needed to buy some lingerie and a suitcase. I wanted to actually see both items and not just to attempt to see pictures on a screen. I put on my low vision badge and off we went.

I will tell you up front that shopping in the women’s lingerie department isn’t Lyle’s idea of fun. However, we were fortunate. The sales assistant noticed by badge, commented on how it was helpful for her to know that I needed assistance, and then provided that assistance while Lyle sat on a chair in the corner. She made it so easy for me.

In the same store we proceeded to the luggage department. I was feeling pretty good about the ease of my first purchase. However, the experience was not repeated. As we struggled with sizes, colours and mostly zippers, another sales assistant approached. She gave my low vision badge a casual glance and asked if she could help. We explained our problem. Her response was not what we expected. “Yes,” she muttered as she walked away, “those things are tricky aren’t they!”

I will continue to wear my low vision badge. It’s perhaps not as obvious as my white cane but using a cane in a crowded store isn’t always convenient. I’m just glad that I don’t need to do any more shopping for a while.

October 1 - Sight and Memory Loss

My friend has become very forgetful.  I am sad as I watch him struggle with confusion at memory loss. However, his experiences have made me even more aware of the significance of memory and routine to someone with limited or no sight.  As a partially sighted person, I know I depend on both memory and routine.

I am fortunate in that I am quite good at remembering numbers and words.  I think I have more phone numbers in my head than I have on the contract list on my phone.  To a certain extent, it avoids frustration, but I suppose that my brain must also be filled with some unnecessary trivia!

While I am okay with remembering names, I can’t put the names with faces.  Of course, it doesn’t help that I can’t see the faces, so I try to attach the name to the sound of a voice.  I’m not very good at that.

Routine and organization are also key!  I rarely lose my keys, wallet, phone, or sunglasses as I nearly always put them in the same place.  Note the words “rarely” and “nearly always”.  No, I am not perfect but I also know that a place for everything and everything in its place can avoid a truckload of frustration.  I know that I can’t simply just “look around” to find something in the wrong or misplaced spot.

So, while I know that vision loss and memory loss can happen to any of us, it is difficult when they happen together.  We can’t change the course of our lives, but must live to the full each day as it is given to us.

September 22 - Walking Trails

Lyle and I like to walk. Every day we like to walk somewhere. When we walk together, Lyle keeps me on the pathway or lets me know if other people are coming our way. When I walk alone, these are the same two things that can possibly give me troubles.

While I rarely walk on unfamiliar trails by myself, even on familiar pathways, I need to keep my wits about me. The edges or shore lines of walking trails are not always clearly defined. Some trails do have a painted yellow line to show the shoulder. My cane or walking stick cannot detect paint on the ground, and in poor light I do not see it. On rougher trails, the gravel on the path might merge with the gravel over the edge. I need to concentrate if I am to stay on the trail itself.

My second problem is staying out of the way when other people are approaching. Bikers coming from behind are pretty good at ringing their bike bells, but a silent jogger approaching from the rear can nearly startle my socks off!

Strangely, the bigger issue for me is people coming towards me. I suppose that they think I can see them coming. This is nearly always a false assumption. I see them only when they are practically beside me, appearing as it were out of nowhere. That is when I nearly jump out of my skin with a sudden start.

I will continue to enjoy my daily walks, but I am grateful to the bikers who use their bike bells and to the other hikers who call out a cheery greeting as they come closer.

Now I haven’t mentioned snow covered trails, but that is another story. Hopefully we will have a little more time yet before winter is here.

September 9 - Long Haul Vision Loss

Because it has been so long since my initial vision loss, I sometimes forget that I don’t see the world in the same way that people with twenty-twenty vision see things. Can it really have been more than thirty years ago that my sight changed! In some ways, living with vision loss has almost become the norm for me. In fact, there are times when I even forget that I don’t see well.

Sometimes, when I rush about ready to do something or other I suddenly realize that I can’t. I have simply forgotten that I am unable to see.

Let me explain with this one example. Several years ago, as Lyle was reading the local paper, he came across an ad for a special deal on my brand of shampoo. It was a great deal, so after my meeting downtown the next day I walked to the drug store. I was excited to take advantage of the sale. I’m not sure if you can imagine my surprise and subsequent frustration when I came to the shelves of hair care products. It was only as I was looking at the myriad bottles that I realized that I couldn’t tell the difference between the shampoo, conditioner or hair colouring – much less which particular samples had been on sale. Naturally there weren’t any sales assistants around to help so I ended up going home and waiting until Lyle was available. I’m not sure why I was so surprised because in my head, I knew that I hadn’t been able to see details such as product labelling for a number of years prior. I had simply forgotten that I had a sight disability.

I was also thinking about this strange phenomenon when I woke up this morning. I had been dreaming, and in my dreams I saw perfectly clearly. The people I met and saw in my dream land had the faces of people I knew when I could actually see them. These days I don’t see features and faces at all. In a way, it was quite frustrating to wake up to a world of blurred vision again.

Partial vision has many paradoxes. Even after the long haul of thirty plus years, I think that I am still getting used to it all.

 

 

 

 

September 2 – Parents and Grandparents

During the last week in August, Lyle and I had the privilege of looking after our granddaughter. The week was both wonderful and exhausting. For starters, Lyle and I aren’t as young as we were when we were parents ourselves, and keeping up with an energetic and enthusiastic six and a half year old was quite different than our usual retired lifestyle. By the end of the week, I knew that I had renewed admiration for the coping skills of parents of the current generation. How do they manage!

Recently, I was reading an autobiography of a young man who was a single parent to two young boys. Added to this mix was the fact that his former wife was mentally unbalanced and he himself was visually impaired. The former led to all sorts of emotional, legal and financial difficulties. The fact that he was visually impaired led to additional coping challenges.

I remember some of the challenges Lyle and I faced when my sight changed. We were both working full time and our children were only seven and eight years old. We had many family meetings as we attempted to negotiate our way through the new pathway that our lives had taken. What changes were needed when mom could no longer drive or read print? How could we work together as a family to overcome some of these new obstacles? Our children learned early on that they needed to help more around the house and to plan ahead for activities that involved transportation to other locations. I like to think that they also learned a degree of empathy as they had an inside look at my struggles. As I look at them as adults themselves, I think that they have both been able to transpose this compassion and understanding in their interactions with others in their lives.

So, hats off to all parents! I hope that you are receiving the support you need in this very important role. In our role as grandparents, Lyle and I are just looking forward to spring break when we can have Lexi for another week long sleep over!

In the picture with this post, Lexi and I are on our way to the playground. I love the fact that she is still young enough to innocently hold my hand.

 

Sue and Lexi

 

August 17 - Mobile phones and Disneyland

We have just returned from a family vacation in Disneyland and all I can say is – thank goodness for our son and son-in-law and their mobile phones. Lyle and I would have had a very different holiday if we had been there by ourselves trying to negotiate our way without these handy dandy devices and of course, the ability to use them.

Lyle and I are of the old school where we are used to paying with cash or by credit card. It seems that this method of payment is almost obsolete. When it came to catching the bus from our hotel to the Disney Parks, the only way to pay was to download the app, pay online and then show the proof of this to the driver. Andrew did this for us and then was able to track bus times and routes on his phone so that we didn’t need to wait at the bus stops for long periods of time in the heat – and yes, it was very hot!

I found it quite difficult walking around the park area. Ninety percent of the young people were walking around looking at their phones checking out lineup times for the different attractions. This meant that instead of looking where they were going, they were looking at their mobile devices. I don’t see people coming towards me at the best of times and so had a very difficult time trying not to bump into people.

On the last day, and at the urging of our kids, I consented to using a wheelchair. I should have given in sooner. Instead of the stress of trying to see where I was going, I sat in the chair and allowed the other family members to take on the task of wheeling me around.

There was some variance between the differing areas of the parks. In 1955 when the original Magical Kingdom of Disney was opened, accessibility issues were not at the forefront. In 2001, when the neighbouring Disney California Adventure Park opened, it was clear that those accessibility issues were addressed as part of the planning. In California Adventure Park, wheelchairs and strollers were able to join the regular lines of standing guests.

I was especially pleased at the Grizzly River Run ride. It was getting dark and I was wondering how I would be able to see to get into the raft. As it turned out, there was a separate entry point where I could take my time to clamber in and out and so I was able to enjoy the ride with the rest of the family. I did smile when our six-year old grandson with great gravity, informed me that I wouldn’t be able to take the wheelchair on the ride but that there would be a special seat in the raft and so I would be okay. He also advised me not to be scared!

The best part of our family holiday was seeing our two grandchildren chatting and planning together. I am quite sure that they will become experts in the future generation of mobile phone users and other electronic devices.

There is only one picture with this post. I am standing beside Tigger. 

Sue with Tigger

 

 

 

 

August 5 - Sled Dogs

In past posts I have written about guide dogs. Sometimes I have written about one specific dog known to me and at other times I have written about guide dogs in general. The guide dogs that I have met over the years are in quite a different category than the sled dogs I encountered on a shore excursion in Skagway, Alaska.

The excursion we took was absolutely brilliant. We took a short bus ride from the ship to the kennels where we were introduced to Casey. Casey showed the small group of 18 of us a facsimile of the sled she had used in her first Iditerod race. The Iditerod is the longest cross country sled race held in North America. It is run annually and competitors need to pass a series of elimination races before they are even allowed to compete.

I was quite amazed as Casey showed us the long list of items she was required to take with her on the run. She explained that priority was always given to the care of the dogs and that at the various pit stops along the route, veterinarians were there to assure that the dogs remained healthy. She said that even though there were required rest stops, her own biggest hurdle was sleep deprivation.

Following the chat, we moved to the kennels themselves and the dogs came out to meet us. We were behind a chest high fence but this was no barrier for the dogs. They were obviously excited to meet the new visitors and nuzzled up so that we could scratch their ears and pat their backs and noses.

Apart from some initial barking, the dogs were quiet as they inspected us. The barking began when Casey hitched them up to the sled. They were obviously wild with excitement at the idea of going for a run. As Casey straightened and untangled the lines, the dogs urged forward. It was clear that they knew what was in store! When Casey released the brake, the team took off at the speed of light!

After the quick run around a gravel path, Casey came back to show us some of the puppies. We were allowed to hold and cuddle these. The puppy I held was a soft but very wriggly bundle. He was also surprisingly heavy. We were warned that the puppies weren’t trained so I was glad that I could escape without my clothes being soiled!

The next part was the absolute best. When the five or six little puppies were back in their kennels, Casey brought out the cutest little two week old pup for us to see. I was delighted that I was close enough to actually see the tiny thing and I could definitely see how Casey could become so attached to her charges. 

Our encounter with the sled dogs was one of the best parts of our Alaska experience and I would highly recommend the excursion to anyone who happens to be in that part of the world. There is a picture with this post. It shows the tiny two week old pup in Casey’s hand. 

 

2 week old sled dog pup.

 

 

August 1 - Sightings in Alaska

We are home again and I wanted to tell you a little about our cruising experience. The time spent with family was amazing – possibly made even more enjoyable because of the famine of visits over the past two years. Family was top priority but the second to top the list of highlights was the abundance of wildlife sightings. This was in sharp contrast to the same cruise that Lyle and I took in May some five years ago. On that cruise we saw ...well, maybe it was a brown bear dozing on the ice or maybe it was just a rock.

 

This year, our daughter who was on a constant lookout spotted, whales (both humpback and orca), seals, sea otters, dolphins and porpoises. Jen and her family spotted the an orca whale as it surfaced right beside our balcony. The other excitement was a bald eagle that was perched on a piece of ice floating beside the ship. This was in Glacier Bay as the ship was idling and so the icy perch stayed beside the ship for some time. Although we had seen most of these animals in zoos and aquariums, Jen explained to us that it was quite different seeing them in the wild.

 

Now you might wonder how I could be excited by these “sightings”. To be perfectly honest, I saw none of the creatures I have just listed – although I think I might have seen the piece of ice where the bald eagle might have been. My excitement and wonder was in hearing the exclamations and joy in the voices of my family. Those were my true Alaskan sightings.

July 24 - Universal Access

Universal access means that everyone should be able to go anywhere regardless of their differing abilities and disabilities.  In general, the modern world tries to accommodate this.  While I sometimes have trouble with print access, I rarely have problems with actual physical mobility - at least until this past week.

Lyle and I are on a family holiday with Holland America Cruise Line.  Most areas of the ship are easily accessible with my white cane - but there is one exception.  Access to the swimming pool and hot tub area is horrific for someone with limited vision, and also I am sure for anyone with limited physical mobility.  Getting into the hot tub was the worst for me, and that is where I fell.

Now I always hold a handrail when going up or down steps.  I do this with the anticipation that the railing will follow beside the steps.  This was not the case on the older style ship, the Zuiderdam.  I held the rail, and while my first foot found the anticipated step into the hot tub, my other foot lurched into space.  I fell.  The pain was instant as my foot, knee, thigh and buttock stretched into a most unnatural position.

Older style structures such as ships, were often built around cosmetic specifications rather than safety requirements and accessibility accommodations. The Zuiderdam fell into this category.

It was the following day before I visited the medical clinic on board and filled out an accident report.  I must say that the ship staff were great with follow-up but it hasn’t minimized the pain.

In all this, I am glad that I reported the incident. According to to the security officer who checked in with me later, Holland America is planning on looking into redesigning the pool and hot tub area so that it will be safer and more accessible to all passengers. I look forward to the new design with universal accessibility.

July 18 - The Blind Leading the Blind

“The blind leading the blind” is a fairly familiar phrase. Generally speaking, it refers to someone who doesn’t know where they are going and leading or guiding someone else who is similarly affected. It really doesn’t have anything to do with being without physical sight.

However, when I came across the phrase the other day, I was reminded of my friend, Amy. Amy was also visually impaired and we often spoke together of our sight challenges. We attended the same church, and often after a service or a meeting, Amy would take my arm and I would escort her the short distance to her home. In actual fact, we did this because Amy had limited mobility, but Amy also saw the funny side of the situation. She nearly always made some comment about the “blind leading the blind”.

Then there was the case of Bert. Bert was totally without sight but was very confident in his use of his white cane. Once I walked with Bert as he directed me around light posts, fire hydrants, and other permanent obstacles on our way to his favourite restaurant. We must have made quite a sight as we lurched along the sidewalk both tapping away with our white canes. It was a case of the “blind leading the partially sighted”.

“The blind leading the blind” has come into our vernacular to refer to things that really don’t have anything to do with physical sight or lack of sight. Ahh, yes! There are many little sayings that fall into this category. How many can you think of? Are there terms that you find offensive? I’m going to think about this issue myself and perhaps I will tackle it in a future post. I’m glad that generally speaking we are all becoming more sensitive to those of us who are “differently abled”.

 

 

July 4 - I Love a Parade

I love a parade.  While I am sure that if I could actually see the floats going by it would be more interesting, but just being there is fun as well.

We went to the local Canada Day parade on July 1.  It was fun scurrying around the house gathering up essentials like sun hats, sunscreen, and water bottles and racing out to the car.  Then there was the tension of finding a good parking spot for the vehicle and a good spot on the curb for our lawn hairs.

Waiting for the parade to start was fun in itself.  After two years of cancellations it was great to be around the crowds of happy, excited people.

Our parade started with the fire trucks.  The sirens blared and hooted and the water from the hoses gave the sidewalk crowds a good drenching.  The next noise was the approach of a marching band with an amazing bagpipe section.  I loved it! Next good came the clatter of horses’ hooves and the canned music from several of the floats. We were at a local parade where spectators knew many of those participating.  This was evidenced by the boisterous cheers and greetings from both sides.

Many of the local businesses support the parade.  Kids were treated to candy and all of us were given bottles of water.  We also scored a most welcome freezie and a bag of popcorn.  Thank you to Home Hardware in Osoyoos for your unrivalled community spirit.

Did I mention that I love a parade?  Of course, each to their own, but if you are into fun, noise, people, and excitement, a parade might be for you no matter how much or how little you can see.

 

June 24 - White Cane or Umbrella

The deluge of rain of this past week has reminded me of my wet weather dilemma. If I am holding my white cane down in one hand, will I be able to hold an umbrella up in the other hand? Basically, the answer to this question is no. 

It is both uncomfortable and awkward to move about when I can’t use my hands and arms for balance. I discovered this in my early days of white cane use. Pre-vision loss, I used to carry my essential items in a large purse or handbag. Some of the female readers of this blog might remember that party game often held at bridal or baby showers. Which guest can find particular items in their handbag – nail file, Kleenex, safety pin, match box, a bank card, etc.? If not the winner, I was usually close. I carried nearly everything in my very weighty purse. When I switched from driving to walking, I knew that I needed to lighten the load.

At first, I simply tried to clear out nonessential items. Some of the heavier items were keys, coins, and make-up. Even this wasn’t a great solution. Using my cane in one hand and the still heavy bag in the other was a strain. My next step was to transfer the items of the purse to a small backpack. It was easier to use my cane with the other hand free but the weight on my back was still too much. I reassessed!

When I scrutinized what I was carrying around with me each day, I found that there were really only three truly essential items  - my keys, a folded bank note, and a piece of ID. These could fit into a pocket and the backpack could go. Great! This was a fair weather solution, but didn’t solve the problem of wet weather days.

In the end, I made the only logical choice. Rather than using an umbrella, I have switched to wearing a raincoat. It’s not the best solution but it does leave me my hands free. It seems to work well enough.  My raincoat has a hood and it is long enough to cover the pocket where I keep my three essential items. The raincoat doesn’t work in every rainy day situation but it does solve the problems related to using an umbrella along with my cane.  It’s strange what adjustments a person needs to make in order to get on with the little challenges of daily life.

 Now Alberta, forget this rain and let’s see some summer sunshine!

 

June 18 - A Balancing Act

In my last post, I wrote about the balance between adventure and safety. Basically, it is a matter of personal judgment as to whether or not one should take a risk in doing something that is a bit out of one’s comfort zone. Perhaps the result will be success – or it might just be failure and impinge on one’s safety.

There are many degrees of risk taking. The other day I was at a CNIB function. Because of the number of visually challenged people in attendance there were several guides appointed to assist us. When I went to the drink counter to get some coffee, one of these obliging people poured my coffee for me. I was grateful. She also offered to carry the cup back to my seat for me. When I declined the offer, the woman commented on my independent spirit. I felt quite pleased that she had noticed this about me...that is until she added the instruction that I should be very careful not to spill and burn myself.

Carrying the hot coffee was a risk that I felt was worth taking. The coffee wasn’t all that hot and my clothes were washable. The worst that could happen was that I might bump into someone else. I knew that I was going to walk slowly back to my seat and I felt that I could take the chance.

For me, many of life’s little adventures out of my comfort zone seem to involve finding and using public washrooms. Distinguishing between men’s and women’s can be a problem. Upon entering one such washroom in a Walmart, I remember thinking to myself, that the hand wash basins were placed unusually low down. It should have been a give away that I was in the wrong spot!

Then there was the time when I was lost in the campground in Penticton, British Columbia. Half asleep, I had exited the washroom block from the second exit door and didn’t realize my error until I was completely turned around. I have made this same mistake in quite a few instances where the washroom block has entrances and exits at both ends.  

Lyle and I have both learned a few lessons from these experiences. Lyle has learned to give very explicit directions when I wander off on my own and I have learned to follow these directions to the letter. If I am to avoid embarrassment or frustration, I need to stay alert when I engage in these solo excursions.

But what about safety? Where is the cross over point between risk taking and putting one’s safety on the line? Where is the balance?

One instance comes to mind. Lyle and I were moving some furniture and I insisted that I could help with the carrying. The idea of carrying something in front of me restricted my sight to a greater degree than normal. I was carrying the back end of a table when I missed the curve and fell into a culvert. I ended up in a wheelchair for several weeks and then progressed to crutches. It was a painful reminder that my eyes don’t let me do all the things that my head tells me I would like to do.

So, a balance between risk taking and an awareness of personal safety is a fine line. Only experience will help us to judge just where the balance lies. I am still learning. 

 

June 11 - Adventures and Misadventures

A number of years ago I read a book by a man who was newly blind. Although I don’t remember the author’s name, I do recall that he wrote of his experiences in the early days of his vision loss. In particular I remember his description of negotiating the streets of London using his white cane for the first time. He wrote that he had no need to climb Everest for a sense of adventure. Indeed, crossing a busy London street was thrill enough.

Now I am not denying that climbing Everest must be the adventure of a lifetime for any mountain climber ... and yes, the ascent has been made by a few climbers with vision loss. The first was Erik Weihenmayer who reached the peak in 2001. He is now an activist and motivational speaker for a world of “no barriers.”

My world will never extend to Everest but like the author of my first paragraph, I seem to have enough adventures to keep my adrenalin flowing. Most of my adventures revolve around simple daily tasks and activities. Sometimes, crossing the street is an adventure, and then there is finding an empty seat in a crowded room, in a buffet line finding foods that suit my taste buds, avoiding bumping into dogs, children and other pedestrians on a walking trail, pretending that I am making a fashion statement when I happen to wear mismatched socks or shoes, and the list goes on.

For Lyle, the heart stopping moments often happen when I am working in the kitchen. I feel reasonably confident myself when I am slicing vegetables and I haven’t cut my fingers yet, but when Lyle is watching he tells me that he is just holding his breath waiting for impending disaster.

Yes, for someone who struggles with vision loss, adventures abound. My own challenge is to keep that sense of adventure and independence alive and with all the misadventures, maintain a regard for safety. Sometimes it’s a fine balance.