Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
11
↓
[Mobility cane] Well, I've pretty much decided.... (self.Blind)
submitted by Type_ya_name_here
Well I've pretty much decided that I should at least get a mobility cane.
Over the last few days I flew to an area I'd never been before and found the experience of getting around (by myself) quite frustrating and scary.
For the record I have enough sight to get around quite OK - but I'm legally blind.
I found many aspects really challenging such as knowing how high /low to step onto the kerb, getting up and down stairs as well as walking into smaller things. It was difficult at day time, night time was even more frustrating.
I did meet some nice strangers who pointed out how to get to certain locations - but I feel that if I had the mobility cane. Going into shops and cafes for example was difficult.
So yeah, It's on my mind for sure.
I know this is a safe place & I wanted to let that out.
Over the last few days I flew to an area I'd never been before and found the experience of getting around (by myself) quite frustrating and scary.
For the record I have enough sight to get around quite OK - but I'm legally blind.
I found many aspects really challenging such as knowing how high /low to step onto the kerb, getting up and down stairs as well as walking into smaller things. It was difficult at day time, night time was even more frustrating.
I did meet some nice strangers who pointed out how to get to certain locations - but I feel that if I had the mobility cane. Going into shops and cafes for example was difficult.
So yeah, It's on my mind for sure.
I know this is a safe place & I wanted to let that out.
Amonwilde 6 points 5y ago
I say go for it! Come back and let us know how it goes.
awesomesaucesaywhat 6 points 5y ago
It's okay to use the cane. I twisted for a while because I felt like I wasn't blind enough, then I worried that it would make me a target. But the truth is that it helped me so much. Using it to find the depth of curbs/stairs, figuring out how far I was from things, even asking for help got easier for me. Best of luck!
maker_geek 3 points 5y ago
I went through a similar internal conflict a year or so ago. Things that went through my head:
* My vision's the same now as it's ever been, so why start using one at 38 yrs old? - Falling down and twisting an ankle is a lot worse to recover from at 38 than it was at 18!
* I'm not blind enough! - You only have one eye, poor visual acuity, and no peripheral vision in it.
* Most of the time I can see to get around alright. - Ok, so just use it for the times you can't. Just because you use a mobility cane it doesn't mean you have to use it 24/7.
* It feels like I'm admitting defeat and letting my blindness "win." - You wouldn't say that about someone using a wheelchair. You're not letting your blindness "win" anything. You're defeating it with a tool that lets you keep on doing the things you want to do.
In the end, not falling down is nice. Not getting stares and strange looks and feeling silently judged when I stumble, or when I have to ask someone for something that's obvious to a person with better vision, or when I'm standing 3in from a sign in order to read it is nice, too.
* My vision's the same now as it's ever been, so why start using one at 38 yrs old? - Falling down and twisting an ankle is a lot worse to recover from at 38 than it was at 18!
* I'm not blind enough! - You only have one eye, poor visual acuity, and no peripheral vision in it.
* Most of the time I can see to get around alright. - Ok, so just use it for the times you can't. Just because you use a mobility cane it doesn't mean you have to use it 24/7.
* It feels like I'm admitting defeat and letting my blindness "win." - You wouldn't say that about someone using a wheelchair. You're not letting your blindness "win" anything. You're defeating it with a tool that lets you keep on doing the things you want to do.
In the end, not falling down is nice. Not getting stares and strange looks and feeling silently judged when I stumble, or when I have to ask someone for something that's obvious to a person with better vision, or when I'm standing 3in from a sign in order to read it is nice, too.
KillerLag 3 points 5y ago
Good luck with the cane! Something I always remind my clients about the cane... it isn't something that is holding you back. It's a tool to let you regain your independence.
Type_ya_name_here [OP] 2 points 5y ago
i feel worried about looking a bit daft when getting around with my sunglasses on and my earbuds in listening to music while using a cane.
Is that somewhat normal ?
Is that somewhat normal ?
KillerLag 1 points 5y ago
Using sunglasses is fairly standard (a lot of people have some vision still, and could be light sensitive). As for earbuds indoors, there usually aren't too many issues. The main worries are for outdoors, as there are more hazards (bikes, runners, cars). If you want to listen to music but will be outside, one thing that may be useful would be bone conduction headphones.
https://aftershokz.com/
They aren't cheap, but they let you listen to stuff while still having your ears free to listen to the ambient enviroment. The sound quality isn't great, either, but it's a decent compromise. If you know someone that has a set, see if you can try them before buying them, because not everyone likes them.
https://aftershokz.com/
They aren't cheap, but they let you listen to stuff while still having your ears free to listen to the ambient enviroment. The sound quality isn't great, either, but it's a decent compromise. If you know someone that has a set, see if you can try them before buying them, because not everyone likes them.
[deleted] 3 points 5y ago
[deleted]
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.