ON TOP OF THE WORLD FOR ONCE

Good day. The sun is shining and I really am very proud of myself. A feeling I never have. Today was the day when I was to do white cane training. I was all up for it last week, and it didn’t happen, but this week, I felt a little anxious. It’s been thirteen years since I used my white cane as I should use it. Normally I just hold it in front of me if I’m with Hub.

So the doorbell rang, I was ready with stick coat and plastic to buy guess what?

Go on, guess?

“Milk!”

So my instructor came, she is a really lovely person and so professional also she is like one of us. You know, on our level. An equal. Now, don’t get me wrong, I think they are no better or worse than us, but, sometimes people who work with or for the disabled think they are so superior to us. She, my instructor doesn’t she’s like your friend but, gets the job done and is brilliant at it.

I have the utmost respect for her.

So she came in and we went through some moves. Not those, moves.

 When you have a white cane there is a technique to it and words like shoreline and other words like I think it is bumper? But may be wrong on that, when she said them to me, I knew what she was on about. There is a way to hold the cane and a way you have to sweep it.

 Even a way of walking, when she told me, I thought, oh God, this is going to do my street cred the world of good? Haha! I wondered if I would look as though I have wet myself.

But no, I opened the front door, without fear and it all came back to me. Oh it was amazing, I can’t tell you how free I felt? Wow. It was the best feeling.

I loved it. But I will say, going to our bigger shops around here, I won’t even attempt with the cane. That will be a job for Waggatail. But the local shop for milk, a fantastic experience. I found things I never even knew were there. How easy it was. My stick, would not walk me onto a road, or mess in the pathway. Yes, I was a lot slower than with my dog, but it was safe, comfortable, and well, apart from the fact that now my fingers feel like I have been playing the piano for ten hours. Because of the way you hold the cane and the vibration on the paths for the ground is rather undulating and tarmac is a little rough. But it was so easy. Really exciting. Dare I do it on my own? We shall see. Now when I crossed the small roads, I was surprised that I was able to keep in a straight line. For with the dog, I can’t.

I managed well. I feel on top of the world. X