November 29 - Now you see me....Now you don’t!

Sometimes when I am using my white cane I feel as if I stand out from the crowd like a sore thumb. At other times I feel as if I am disappearing into the woodwork.  An instance of this latter feeling resurfaced on our flight between Vancouver and Sydney.

In most ways, the fifteen and a half hour flight was as good as could be expected. The one instance of invisibility occurred right before take-off. Lyle and I had been seated separately on the flight. The arrangement wasn’t ideal but not too terrible either.  However, just as I was settling in I noticed one of the flight crew having a whispered conversation with Lyle. I was idly curious and afterwards asked him what was going on.

Apparently, the flight attendant had been asking Lyle if I needed a pre-flight safety briefing.  Here I was, sitting just a few seats away, and she was asking him this question!

I find this kind of response to my white cane both puzzling and irritating. Obviously the flight attendant had seen my cane and recognized its significance. What she failed to do was to recognize that as the cane user, I was a person who was perfectly capable of speaking for myself. It was as if I had suddenly donned the Harry Potter cloak of invisibility.

I am always mildly annoyed when others address my guide as if I was not present. Along the same line, sometimes other people will answer a question on my behalf when it has been directed to me. 

I know that I am super sensitive about this issue and I try to remind myself that these responses are basically well intentioned, and fortunately occur fairly infrequently. I try to take a deep breath and relax knowing that people are just trying to act in what they believe to be my best interests. I try to educate by example.  My interactions must always be with the person directly, and not with the accompanying guide.

Lyle and I have now settled in to our rental unit about an hour north of Sydney and in my next post I hope to write more about our experiences here.

November 23 - Travelling With Assistance

When I travel alone, I don’t hesitate to ask for assistance. This doesn’t mean that I abandon all personal responsibility for my safety - in fact, quite the opposite.  Because I cannot see the print on signs of any kind, I find that I must be even more aware of where I am and what is happening around me.

While I have never had any problems when I have travelled with assistance, I have heard the usual horror stories from other blind or visually impaired travellers. Once in the Calgary Airport, my friend who travels with a guide dog was led to a seat on the wrong plane. It so happened that on the same day there was another woman also travelling with a guide dog and somehow the ground staff confused the two. Fortunately the error was discovered before take-off.  

So, what can you do to reduce the possibility of mix-ups? First, I familiarize myself with my flight numbers, departure times and seat numbers. Because I don’t read Braille, I take a small audible player where I have recorded the information I need. When I walk with my guide, I repeat this information. Sometimes I tell my guide a little bit about myself and either compliment him or her on the manner in which I am being guided, or if that isn’t appropriate, I might give the guide a quick lesson.

If I am to be left in a gate area for any length of time, I usually ask where the nearest washroom facility is. I might ask to be taken there so that I have some idea of the location in case there aren’t any staff around to ask later on. If there is to be a long wait between connecting flights, I will ask where I can walk around. It is too easy for someone who has little vision to simply sit and wait. It’s important for leg circulation to move about where possible.

I think that this is also the time to mention hand luggage. I nearly always take along a little lunch or snack. Well, that’s probably a good idea for anyone these days. The airlines don’t feed their passengers like they used to. Lunch from home is healthier than fast food and way more convenient too. If you are travelling with assistance, there is rarely time to stop at any of the food outlets, so having your own food along makes sense.

Travelling with assistance means that you get pre-boarding privileges. You will be shown to your seat before the other passengers start on board. If the flight attendant offers to give you a personal safety briefing, don’t refuse the offer. It is likely just as important to the flight attendant as it is to you to be reminded of the procedures. Be sure to ask where the call button is in case you need it during the flight.

Travelling with assistance doesn’t end when the plane has landed. If you wait until other passengers have disembarked a new guide will take you to the luggage carousel and wait with you until you are on your way. I am always grateful for this.  

So, although things can go wrong, more often flying with assistance is a smooth and easy ride.

November 21 - Come Fly with Me

This year, Lyle and I are going to Australia for Christmas. I have family there, and so we have made the trip many times in the past although travelling over Christmas is unusual for us. I have also made the trip several times on my own. In this vein then, I thought that I would make the next few posts about travel tips and travel experiences. I hope that you will join me on my journey. Come fly with me!

Let’s start with packing! I like to pack carefully, early on, and take only the essentials. Most times I am able to fit everything into one suitcase even if it is one that Lyle and I share. With practice, I have become a fairly economical packer. This works well especially when I reach my destination. The less “stuff” I have, the easier it is to sort through.

When my suitcase is ready, I put on a distinctive luggage strap, some stickers on the cover, a name-tag, and whatever else I think will make my suitcase stand out from others on the carousel. This doesn’t mean that I will be able to recognize the suitcase myself when it comes tumbling down with the dozens of others, but it certainly makes life easier for whomever is assisting me.  Even if I can’t see the colour of my luggage, it is important to remember the descriptive details to help out my travel guide.

I always ask for assistance when I am travelling alone. I remember a time early on when my sight was somewhat better than it is today. I had decided that in the cause of independence I didn’t need help. It was a big mistake. I did make it through security but I couldn’t find my gate. Everyone seemed to be rushing by me so quickly that I couldn’t see them in time to stop them and ask for help. I learned from that experience. Asking for assistance, a service that the airlines seem happy to provide, is merely another tool that I can use to continue to travel independently – and in case you are wondering, I always use my white cane in an airport.

November 20 - Lessons Learned

When my sight first changed, one of the lessons I tried to learn was to put everything I used back in its proper place.  I’m not a particularly tidy person by nature so the lesson has been a difficult one. In fact, I know that I haven’t quite mastered it yet. I have just spent the better part of an afternoon looking for two small items – a glasses case and a pair of travel socks.

Putting things where they belong is a good practice for anyone, but for people who don’t see or who don’t see very well, the practice becomes one of necessity. IF you can see, it is a simple matter to check out the items on a counter top or visually confirm the contents of a cupboard or drawer. Relying on touch is a different story. Locating something by feel only works if you have some idea of its position to start with. If my keys, glasses, wallet, et cetera, are all in their usual place, I can find them in an instant. Today’s frustrating search for misplaced items was a good reminder that I cannot depend on sight so I must keep my belongings in order.

November 12 - Remembering

Yesterday was Remembrance Day and Lyle and I went to the service at our local Legion. In between the singing, the speeches, the laying of the wreaths, and the moments of silence, I was also reminded of the beginnings of the CNIB – The Canadian National Institute for the Blind. These days the agency prefers to be known as simply CNIB. This change in name reflects the more encompassing nature of the agency, as it offers services not only to those who are blind but also to those who experience low vision.

However, this wasn’t how the CNIB had its foundation.  In 1918, returning WWI veterans blinded in the battle were looking for   rehabilitation and employment retraining Services.  Edwin A. Baker, himself a veteran who had lost his sight during the course of the war, had experienced this training at the S.T. Dunstan’s Rehabilitation Centre in England. He brought back this philosophy of independence for blind adults to Canada. Together with six other Canadians he worked to establish a national organization that would portray this image of independence for blind Canadians.  

This past summer when Lyle and I walked in Kingston, Ontario, we met at the CNIB office. The office was located in a beautiful heritage building and our group gathered in the reception area. Hanging over the mantel was a large portrait of Colonel Baker. What a fitting tribute! I know that there are other references to Colonel Baker throughout CNIB, but I was especially moved to be able to start the Kingston walk under the gaze of the founder of the organization that has had such an impact on the lives of so many Canadians who are either blind or partially sighted.

IF you wish, you can check out the CNIB website at:

www.cnib.ca

November 10 - Seeing Things Differently

Although I can’t see print on a page, I still consider myself an avid reader. The books that I read come in audio format. At first it was tricky to get used to the idea of reading as a listening skill instead of a seeing skill, but it is certainly a process that has grown on me. I like the fact that I can “read” while I am doing other things. Judging by the number of audio books that are now available commercially, I know that people with sight are also using this form of reading. For instance, my sister, Jill, who is fully sighted, likes to listen to audio books in her car.

When I first used to listen to read, the CNIB Library used cassette tapes. Before this, there was a time when books were recorded onto 78 LP records. The technology has made considerable advances since then. Now I listen to books in DAISY format that are recorded on a single CD. If I wanted to, I could also download books from my computer. While I confess that I don’t understand the technical process, I am more than pleased with the results.

These days I use a Victor Reader Stream. This handy device is produced by Humanware. I like the logo of this company, See Things. Differently., and I both like and use some of their products.  

The Victor Stream is a recording and play back device and comes in two parts. There is a small black box, or the hardware, and a smaller yet device, which is the player. This latter fits easily in the palm of my hand or even in my pocket. I like that I can store several books at once. This is especially useful when I am travelling. The Stream is also a personal recorder. I can use it to record and play back names, numbers, addresses, lists and other information  in my own voice.  The surface of the Stream has raised tactile buttons with audio feedback so that the device can be used easily by those of us who are print disabled.

If you want to check out the Victor Reader Stream for price and other features, you can do so at:

www.humanware.com

 

This week I took my Victor Reader Stream to show it to my support group. The picture below shows me demonstrating it to one of the members. 

November 8 - Winter

Today in Alberta the snow began to fall. It’s a difficult time of year for people who use canes, walkers and wheelchairs. Wheels and canes can too easily become stuck in drifts of snow. Also, I find that when the sidewalk hasn’t been cleared, the sharp definition between sidewalk and grass or road becomes blurred.

When there is no snow I tend to walk along the edge of a path sweeping my cane back and forth so that it traces the edge or, as I have heard it described, the shoreline. I can usually feel the difference at the tip of the cane between moving it over grass or pavement.  Also, because I have some sight, I am often able to see the contrast between the path and say, the green border on either side. White snow in the winter blankets this contrast into the one glaring cover. So, winter is not my favourite season.

There is no particular solution to this challenge. It is merely a feature of the land and the climate. I suppose that on the plus side, if I do make a misstep outside in the winter, falling onto a snow drift is less likely to result in broken bones than falling onto hard asphalt.