April 23 - Low Vision Badge

At home, when I go about my everyday life, I try to avoid drawing attention to my sight challenges. When we are travelling, the opposite is true.  I use my white cane and I wear a low vision badge.  If we are travelling by plane, ship or tour bus, I register as a legally blind passenger.  I do this all for my own safety and to protect others.  I don’t want to bump into people or things that I can’t see.  I don’t want to trip or fall. Last Thursday, Lyle and I flew from Calgary to Montreal, connecting on to a flight to Rome.  In spite of preboarding with my white cane, wearing my low vision badge and being listed as blind on the passenger manifest and boarding card, I wasn’t given a safety briefing nor did I receive any other attention to my special needs.  The second leg of the trip started in the same manner.  Then about twenty minutes in, and observant flight attendant noticed by low vision badge.  Kimberley crouched beside me to ask if there was any way she could offer assistance, adding that she would alert other crew members to my situation.  This was helpful when the lights were dimmed or when the meal was served. I sometimes wonder if wearing my low vision badge is a bit of overkill - but obviously not.  It was interesting to me that it was the very smallest thing that was a signal to my sight disability. The picture below shows me sitting at a table in hour hotel and wearing my low vision badge.  We are in Civitavecchia prior to boarding our cruise ship tomorrow.   Sue with her low vision badge