Good afternoon Bloggets. It’s really cold to the bones today.
My hair dresser has just left the house. Well I got my fringe cut. I used to go
to our town and have my hair cut by a fantastic guy but last time we tried to
find his new place took so very long and the stress was just too much my poor
Waggatail who hates town wasn’t impressed, though I must say she did so well. For
someone who can see, it would be really easy but as we had never been to this
area before we were a little anxious, though at first, I was rather excited and
up for a new challenge. It can be fun you know, being blind and trying to find
somewhere…. The excitement and achievement when you do, is so brilliant and
leaves you buzzing and feel so proud, but then there was that day… Well it
started off fine, but then I thought I had crossed the road as there was an up
step… I hadn’t, my dog suddenly stopped walking she must have seen Hub and the
Little Fella going far away on another path… Yes, I had not crossed fully and
was walking down an middle Ireland not good, I guess safe, but if I had kept
going or if Waggs had kept going Hub and I would have lost each other… and then
what would have happened? Oh, it’s not worth thinking about, only thing is, I did,
keep thinking about it and it sent me on that dizzy track. You know when I have
talked about it before, sometimes when I go out I feel as if I am walking on a
thin rope? I get so dizzy and I feel as if I am going to just crash on the
ground. I had one of those moments that lasted a full day.
Eventually I caught up with my Husband and we continued on
our way, he does stop and wait for me as he and LF are what is called fast
walkers whereas me I’m moderate. Medium. but then came the part when he needed
my help. And that was when things went very wrong… but after crossing so many
roads and big roads, with roadworks at the other side of the road making it
impossible to find the path as there were also metal fencing to stop people
walking onto the dangerous road, so what way to go to find a gap? Left or
right, but I could hear cars to my left in front of me so there was a side road
nearby, then I turned to the right… the fence went on for ages. Where I needed
to step up onto the path was blocked by road works and now what do I do? There
were cars and trucks coming inches away from me. Then thank God, a man came to
my rescue., Once I was on the kerb, now, where was Hub. I hate our town, I can’t
hear a thing the cars trucks and busses are so loud that on top of roadworks?
Drills etcetera! I just stood to try to hear him calling me. We were safe, off
that road. I was exhausted. I just wanted to go home curl up and cry. I was
scared stiff. Shaking. If I turned left, what if Hub wasn’t there? I could have
gone straight ahead, again, same thing, then eventually it seemed like five
more minutes had passed, but in fact it probably was a minute, a man again came
to me and asked if I was looking for a person with a guide dog? I answered with
such relief, yes please… hahhaaha. What would that sound like? He pointed in
the direction of my Husband, well that was helpful? I had to point myself each
direction trying to hear where his voice was coming from as he told me
instructions. Eventually I discovered I needed to turn right… I walked
frantically scared to fall if there was a step and Waggatail didn’t stop? If
there were more roadworks? Rubbish bins in the middle of the path or bollards? Signs
outside shops advertising? I had to keep walking though to catch up with Hub. And,
imagine if it wasn’t Hub? Haha, oh, no, I mean, there is more than one blind
man in my city!!! And, oddly enough, more than one blind man does go out on a
Saturday…
Few, double few, it was my Husband. He had waited for me but
it seemed so far away. By this point he was stressed himself. As we didn’t have
a clue how we were going to find where we needed to be. He was using Google
maps and a app called Blind Square, but it only gets you roughly in the
location it’s not like what you use in the car as in Sat Nav. Walking isn’t as
easy as it is for drivers finding locations.
We asked so many people, most of them were not from the
area. And the locals had never even heard of the road we were meant to be on.
Eventually we found someone who knew the road but had never heard of the
hairdressers.
Then I said to Hub, I will call them up and try to tell them
what I am standing next to to see if they can give directions… haha, OK, my
Bloggets who are blind will know what’s coming… How on earth do I know what I am
standing next to? Well one of Hubs apps told him the name of a near by bar. But
where was this bar, across the road? Behind us? Down the street a little? So,
we asked someone and they told us the name of the shop behind us… and, it wasn’t
the bar.
The lady from the hairdressers came out of her shop to find
us bless her. We were about five shops away, across the road. So about two minutes’
walk. Though we did it, we are both totally blind had never been to that area
before, something I never ever imagined we or, I would be able to do some years
ago, this kind of day was for the brave, or ridiculous… or in my case someone
who just wanted the choice of where I got my hair cut… but, we were exhausted. Or
at least I was and that got me thinking life has to be easier?
Hence, we found a local lady who is a hairdresser and she is
a bit of a character… She’s been twice now, and I’m not saying I will never go
back to my wonderful first choice of a hairdresser, but for now this new lady
is fine… oh, but quite funny. I’m talking forgetting to bring her
scissors… In fairness though, I’m really bothered by hairdressers who can’t cut
hair properly, and have been to many just the once, but this one, she’s good,
really good, as long as she remembers her scissors!
It kind of helps.
I guess the moral of this story from a person who is losing
their sight or, someone who has lost their vision and are facing what I faced
some years ago, total fear at the thought of going out, how on earth will you
find places? All the questions you know you are asking inside your head right
now, I can tell you, I’m brave enough to do local things, but not our town.
Unless I have my Husband with me. But if someone had said to me some years ago
we would have had a day like that, I would have laughed. Thinking, no, never
me. If someone told me this story would be mine when I lost my sight 19 years
ago, I would have thought they were mad or making fun of my situation as back
then I couldn’t even imagine leaving my house. Let alone find places. Well, I did,
and there have been many more days when we have ventured out and about and have
found places, not half as stressful in fact days when it’s been so lovely we
have even come across a coffee shop and had a lovely relaxing drink, as relaxing
as one can get with the knowledge that we have to make our way back home at
some point. But days when things just go right when we can have that overwhelming
feeling of pure achievement and pride. As long as we have either our white canes
that we have been properly trained to use or, our guide dogs again intense
training required, we have the tools to conquer all. For those with sight,
thank your lucky stars. Next time you are wanting a hair cut know you have a
choice. Same as a restaurant, you can go anywhere. We have to go in most cases,
where we know the route. Once we did head out there and went to an Indian
restaurant we had been to by taxi with friends who can see. We loved it so it
was our anniversary and we wanted to try to find it bus first then the very
long walk again in our town… Well that was another time when we really really
went through hell to get there, again, we did and we felt so good
Only to be refused because we had a dog… only one at the
time but sadly, still some cultures are really disrespectful around dogs. That was
a sad night we felt so bad one of those times when we just felt in the way of
life. but in the end, we did find another place. And we had a fantastic
evening. Mind you, I still don’t know the name of that restaurant we ended up in.
haha. But the staff were wonderful and though I’m sure we wouldn’t find it
again, it was a night not to forget!
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