Riki's Misadventures At Life

Guide Dog Saga Pt. 1

I think this one is going to be a fun one… *G*

Last November my mother and I met with Emily, the renal social worker for our dialysis unit. She went over a few things that could help Mom and I fiscally and emotionally. One of the things she asked about was the possibility of a seeing-eye dog for me and how it might give me a little bit more independence.

I loved the idea, since I can’t really go out without someone with me. I even stopped walking around my neighborhood last spring, when I almost got hit by a car because I didn’t see it until it was almost right on top of me. I doubt the driver knew that I didn’t see them, and expected me to just get out of the way. I did, but only at the last second.

Emily called the CNIB in Nova Scotia, as they are who distributes the dogs and they told her that I needed what they called, “aggressive cane training” before I could be paired with a dog. That was fine with me, since, even though I do have a cane, I was only given about five minutes of training with it when I was seventeen. I never use it, mostly because I don’t really know how.

So, I got a call back from the trainer that’s here on the Island, and he can start training me on Tuesday. I’m so excited, and a bit nervous. I’m hoping this guy isn’t too drill sargenty, cuz I don’t think I’ll get along well with him, plus I’m always nervous when meeting new people on my own. As nervous as I am, I really can’t wait to begin. The cane training alone will give me more independence than I’ve had in a long time.

I’ll let you know how this goes

CNIB Right to Read Campaign

I received this in my email today, and as someone who is legally blind (I have less than 10% of my peripheral vision, caused by retinal degeneration, which will eventually affect my central vision as well, along with cataracts, caused by steroid use, which was a part treatment for my kidney disease), I do feel strongly about this issue, the possible loss of the Library for the Blind.  I’ve copided the message from Duncan Williams, Executive Director, CNIB Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

Hello friends, family and colleagues around town and around the world!

I very rarely send mass emails or ask my friends, colleagues, family, etc. for help, but today I am and ask that you take the 60 seconds required to read this email and the additional 45 seconds required to help me with this request.

No I am not asking for money!

I am asking that you help protect the rights of people who are blind and partially sighted like me - their Right to Read!

As most of you know, I have been partially sighted since birth, but have never let this stop me in any of my pursuits. I am proud to work with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) as its Executive Director for the Maritime provinces. I take great pride in knowing that our efforts help hundreds of thousands of people just like me every day across Canada live full productive lives. However, one of our most important and oldest services is in jeopardy – our Library for the Blind.

Our Right to Read campaign is officially underway! Now it’s time to spread the word about this important campaign to as many people as possible. Below is a letter you can forward to your friends, family, colleagues – anyone you know! – to help ensure that Canadians who are blind and partially sighted continue to have access to books and information in formats they can read. Feel free to send as is or tailor it for your audience. You can also use this messaging to post information on your Facebook or Twitter pages! If you have time to do more, great. Some ways you can also help:

-        call your local MLA, MHA, MP

-        write them a letter or email

-        write a letter to your local paper

-        ask your local paper to write a story on CNIB

-        call your local talk radio program and ask them to do a story on the Campaign

-        send this along to your friends, family and colleagues

-        if you belong to a service club (i.e., Lions) ask your members to participate.

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Reading is a right, not a privilege. We read to learn, work and connect to the world. Everyone has the right to read.

But if you are blind or partially sighted, that right could go missing.

Library services for blind and partially sighted Canadians are in jeopardy. For more than 90 years, CNIB has struggled to fund these services with charitable dollars. But CNIB can’t afford to go it alone any longer.

Government funding is needed now, or the consequences will be dire: isolation and an unequal playing field for Canadians who deserve better.

Help us protect their right to read. Visit www.cnib.ca/righttoread and join our campaign.

Canada is the only G8 country that does not fund a library for the blind. Yet, I pay the same taxes that are used to fund your local public library. This is not right, it is not equitable and our elected officials need to know that it is unacceptable to you as their constituents and Canadians.