(VICT) Re: Trust and Teamwork
- From: "kitty hevener" <khevener@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 15:19:58 -0800
Karen, know what you mean when it comes to family acceptance of disability.
Mine were very overprotective. Sounds like you and thane are really doing
awesome!!
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, May 24, 2008 2:20 PM
Subject: (VICT) Trust and Teamwork
OK a small vent has to be incorporated here in order to get the full scope
of things Smile
My family has never really accepted any of my disabilities. Helpfulness when
it comes to my blindness, well lets face it, I ask neighbors or store
personnel that I am friends with about things far quicker than I would ask
family because frankly if its directions they just like to say things like
*go this way* as they point their hand whatever way. Lets just say no matter
how many times I tell them to use their words, it don't get through... LOL
So the other day I finally got my mom to begin their promised help with
getting Thane used to riding in a vehicle. I wanted to know how to get to
another park here in town. One of my care workers a couple years ago was
awesome with giving directions. Mom drove there to the park- of course she
got totally lost doing it and once she discovered where it was, she would
not redrive the route or tell me the specifics how to get there or better
yet reverse my course. New places are still hard for me directionally as I
am continuously losing a lot of ground visually now and seeking out
landmarks- dream on.
So here we are Thane and I. I decided since they were mowing our park to try
and figure it out! giggle
We actually got there pretty good once I decided to ignore *ALL* of my moms
directions. Coming home though... snicker
Lets just say we took the scenic route headed towards the hills instead of
uptown where we live.
Oh the myriad of exposures the two of us got from newly done accessible
curbcuts that removed bumpy sidewalk configurations I was used to, to
curbcuts and sidewalks that were truly after thoughts to areas where there
were awesome curbcuts and sidewalks to places where tree roots made
traversing the sidewalk feel like we were on a roller coaster practically!
OK not quite but ya get the drift.
Thane needs this type of exposure though as what I noticed was he tried his
pull, pull, pull at first any time we passed people or lots of traffic
again. With that exposure though, he was doing awesome for me after such a
short bit of time.
We gained a lot through that excursion. Self confidence was soaring in us
both when we got ourselves *un-lost*. It showed me that if we hang tight
together, we can figure our way around places even when people give us such
crappy directions that you wonder who is the blind one afterall!
It was really cool when Thane realized where he was. He got this extra skip
in his step and it was like even he felt like we were soaring together.
Our teamwork really has become quite an amazing thing. And in all honesty, I
think he is one that gets bored with the same-ol, same-ol type of routes.
It was one of those outings where I had to give a little and trust Thane
directionally as well as know when to stand firm with the direction I felt
we should be going. This kind of experience truly required us to work
together.
I really began feeling like we really can do anything in time.
And to think he is just sixteen months old! I can't imagine how awesome this
will be when he is three or five years of age. It just seems impossible that
we have done all this in just a little over six months time.
Karyn and Thane
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