Until this past week I don’t think that I realized just how much I depend on my white cane to “see” my way around. Last week I injured my knee and ended up using crutches. While the crutches proved to be a good support for my knee, they were fairly useless when it came to seeing and feeling my way walking forward.
When I use my white cane, I put it out in front of me to detect obstacles in my path. The cane lets me know if I am coming to a raised edge or step, or if there is a step down or a depression in the path. I can feel a fire hydrant or post before I come into contact with it. This wasn’t the case with the crutches. The tips of the crutches moved only a very short distance in front of where I was walking and several times I was jarred by small changes in the level of the sidewalk.
Fortunately, I am now able to hobble along with the aid of a support cane. It is better than the crutches but still not as good as the white cane I use for mobility. In the future, I will try to be more appreciative of my cane and the way it benefits my mobility.
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