Lissi, Cindy's right, you are a very patient person! <Smile> I am the only
one in my family who has a significant vision problem. When I got my first
guide dog, Thunder, they were pretty insensitive at times. Several times
they requested that I leave Thunder at home if we were going out of town
together. Once I even had to stay in a hotel alone, because they had
decided to spend the night with a couple who was allergic to dogs. I'm
afraid I wasn't nearly as kind about it as you were. <Smile>
Now, don't get me wrong, my parents are actually great. Like Julie's
experience, they didn't know what they were doing when I was growing up, but
they really did try to instill a sense of independence into me. I think
that sometimes they may think they created a monster, but whatever. <Smile>
I'm not sure why it took them so long to warm up to Thunder. I don't think
my mom ever did, although now that Thunder's gone, you'd think she was the
most supportive mother in the world regarding that dog, to hear her tell it.
<LOL> They do know that I'm applying for another dog, and somehow, I think
things will be different this time around. Thunder died of cancer in 1997,
and aside from the special bond we shared because of her illness, I think
all the hassles with my family was one of the factors in my decision to wait
a while.
Jana
Dear Lissi,
You are a wonderful, forgiving, patient person. I would not be as understanding of parents who were ashamed of me if I had to use a cane or didn't want me to take my dog with me. I would get angry, I'm afraid. And if I were your teacher and learned of that, I would take it upon myself to talk to them and make them udnerstand how lucky they were to have some sight and to understand what life was like for you.
I know what you mean about its being more difficult to learn things at an older age. When I studied Spanish a few years ago, it wasn't that I had so much difficulty learning it, and I could read okay, but I had trouble speaking it easily and understand it when spoken at a rapid rate. A couple of years afterword, I would forget the Spanish words for things and the French that I'd learned in high school would come into my mind instead.
re my learning braille--I meant if I get macular degeneration and become blind in my old age--but hopefully that won't happen. There are new methods of treatment now if it's caught early enough, and I don't have it in my family. But bearing in mind what you say, I guess I'd go for audio books. Hopefully, it won't come to that.
Cindy
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