It’s a beautiful day, really sunny very very hot and I
decided to strike the iron whilst it’s hot. Another saying but I won’t bore you
all with the origin. Anyway, I got out of bed and got ready to go with
Waggatail to our local park. The seat I learned how to get too yesterday with
my Guide mobility instructor. Friendly
people spoke to me most I knew. It was a challenge for me even to step out of
the house, but if I didn’t do it in the morning, I wouldn’t do it at all.
My right ear is totally blocked. I can’t hear a thing; it’s
been that way for a month now I’m fed up with it. The alternative is to go to
our Doctors, well, that’s a joke as we have to wait two weeks for an
appointment unless we want to go and sit for up to two hours with coughing and
ill people all around me. Wagga will go stir crazy after waiting for half an
hour, let alone two. My last little girl Black Beauty, would have just slept,
not Waggs. She is too inquisitive. Then the Doctor will look in your ear then
tell you you have up to three months to wait for a hospital appointment. I will
tell them I can’t as it affects my balance and it’s dangerous. They will tell
me they will do their best. Last time, I waited only three weeks. Still a long
time, and it was both of my ears so it was a blooming nightmare. When you use
your hearing for everything even around the house.
When I did get to the hospital, oh, it was awful, barbaric.
I have never ever had such dreadful treatment. It was as though he was drilling
my ear. The noise was awful, I felt sick. I was ready to pass out and I can
deal very well with pain, but this pain was the worst I can remember.
Even the nurse knew how bad it was as she was so sweet,
unlike the cold calculating Doctor who was as if he was pulling out my ear.
Anyhow. Before I digress totally and tell you the horrid
conditions of our local hospital again, I tell you I don’t want to go back to
the hospital unless I really have to. So left ear working on we went.
I was only going to go to the seat today but as we crossed
the road, Waggs had a better idea. She was off to the bus stop we learned
yesterday. I just let her go as it would do her good. And me. I hoped, I had to
let myself trust my little Waggatail. Oh she got there.
Nose proudly on post of timetable and then she looked up at
me and said
“Mummy, really, come on; a little faster please with the
treats? After all, I’m a very good girl.”
As she was too, I was so pleased with her. Now, then, would
she find the park entrance and turn left rather than right to her free run?
There is no way Hubs brilliant dog would as nothing is better than a free run
for our Long Chops.
Well, we battled with the silly bars which forbid cars
entering and bikes from flying in, and a zig zag later, we were through.
Because the bars are so much higher than our dog’s heads, they don’t get how we
also can’t just limbo in.
So if you are a guide dog puppy walker/parent, please if you
could find these chicanes, and I bet that’s not how you spell them, but you
know what I mean, right? It would be great if you could do some work with that.
Possibly tap the top of the bar and say no? But your connections with guide
dogs will be able to inform you.
All I know is, it’s not nice to be winded as I slam into a
metal bar. Haha, Well, because I know it’s there, I put my hand out, she did
try to get me to do a limbo dance under it, and I have done worse, but to be
honest, it’s good to go the right way.
Once she is through the first one, she is great getting
through the second one. Anyway, on our way, I was conscious to avoid that lamp
post in the middle of the path, keeping to the left. Oh my little girl was so
far doing well. Until a little child came running by and of course, children
are for playing with no matter what Mummy wants to do or go, right? And,
children think every dog is a teddy bear. So they want to cuddle.
But because of the fantastic Mum of the child who is aware
obviously of guide dogs and not to disturb, she started to tell her child all
about them, distracting the little one as I distracted Waggs. Got her to where
I thought the seat should be and told her to find the seat.
Well, she told me she would rather have a sniff. There were
so many better offers on the grass. Who had been there before her? What was
there to eat in this vast kitchen garden? I had to check her by saying no. Told
her again to find the seat. She looked up at me tiny whiskers tickling my hand
as though to say
“For Goodness sake Mummy, what do you want out of me; do you
want me to blooming sit on it for you?”
Well, I had to do what I hate doing and that was to use my
hands again. I’m so aware of looking like a blind person, and of course I am,
but I have the biggest disability and that is not to behave in a way I should.
I very rarely use my hands out in public, and my blind friends are the same,
but really, let’s all get a grip, do whatever helps us, stuff what we look
like, right? I did that, I put out my hand and Waggatail had me about a foot
from where I needed to be. So I got her to go right to the seat and put a treat
on there and told her she was a good girl.
We sat there I took in the sounds of the birds, so many
kinds of birds. All with different tunes.
The creatures on the lake splashed in a gentle manner and
the fragrance of flora flew around me in a spin of adulation.
I was so happy, I had to stop myself from sitting there with
a great big grin on my face, or I would be really looking as though there was a
tile off my roof, right? Haha.
So before me was the vast lake, I couldn’t see it or the
beautiful swans swimming slowly taking in the sun and the silver water with its
jumping fish nor could I see the children in the distance laughing playing and
trying to find treasures among the flowers, but in my mind I day dreamed about
it. Butterflies bobbed on top of buttercups and other blooms as ducks waddled
along the water’s edge. Then footsteps came towards me. I knew the person would
talk as here it’s such a very friendly place. He did, and he went. Waggs said
she had enough. So on our way back, we only sat there ten minutes, but next
time I go, I really hope I will, I will buy in a bone from the pet shop for her
to eat as we relax as long as that doesn’t bring in the neighbourhood dogs too?
Haha.
Now, to get back, would she? Well, she did or I wouldn’t be writing
this, I would be half way to wherever land by now.
She was fantastic.
I simply love her. I love what she can do for me and I love
the fact because of her, I have fire in my heart today keeping my soul warm and
I love her because she makes me happy, now I know I got her out somewhere
different a different view for her.
I love her too because I don’t feel a failure today. I’m so
pleased I fear I can’t put into words how proud I am. As I always say, it’s
pathetic, I know of people who don’t think twice of doing such walks, but me?
No, I’m not that person, I’m me and each year, I get stronger and one day when
I am that strong person, I hope to inspire others. My friend JB I have written
about her before, she is superwoman. But she is one of those people who don’t
mock me and she surprisingly understands where I’m coming from, and why? As she
is very independent, well, one day I hope to be like her and today, for today,
I hope I can give someone even if it’s one person, some hope, I was the person
in the house just like some of you, and I would not dare put a foot out of the
door. Even now I have days like that, but today? Today I forced myself to do it
I didn’t enjoy the thought of it, but I for sure enjoy telling you that you too
can do it too. I know some of you will be thinking, but that is you, you don’t
understand me, OK, let me tell you, I used to shake at my front door the
thought of even getting our rubbish bin in terrified me. Even now, I walk, I
feel as though I’m walking on a tight rope, about to be pushed off the cliff.
To walk blind is or can be the scariest thing in the world. Make your self do
it but only after you have been taught the route, no way I would without my
Guide dog. No way.
Thank you all who do what you do to provide us with these
stunning animals. There are so many hours months go into these dogs, working
hard to get them to standard. Then we get them and more work to be done, in the
end, we have a key to cut the chains to give us freedom to a degree and only
because of your support whether it be financial or the hard work that the guide
dog staff put into or our wonderful puppy walker, when I say staff, that
includes the people we don’t see, the office staff who drive the ship. For
those who do help, for those who are thinking of helping us, thank you so much.
You make this day happen for me. One person every hour in the UK loses their
sight. I hope not, but one day it could be you and one day you could be me. One
day you may need help from a guide dog. Not every person who is blind or partially
sighted was born with poor or no sight. Most people these days lost their sight
later on, and I’m not talking elderly either.
So until the brilliant day comes when blindness can be cured,
reach out your hand and show us the way, thank you all and for those in the UK,
please remember tonight on ITV at I believe 8.pm, a program on guide dogs. With
love and hope, you’re Fifi
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