Karyn was a very loyal client to I Love Nelson, please lets help get the word out.
not sure how to even begin this post… I guess, I first want to give a shout out to the two lovely women that gave me a hand yesterday as I got a little turned around walking with my service dog. given the winter conditions I do not get out independently as a blind person for several months through the winter and sometimes my sweet girl and I get a little sloppy when we’re back to our independent travel! so that’s said, I’m sure some of you have seen me around navigating my way with my guide dog for the blind. I am currently the only guy dog user in Nelson and I have zero vision due to a degenerative eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa. when spring arrives I’d love to be able to find my independent travel again but travelling with no vision with a guide dog can come with many challenges! some of these are crossing streets and understanding the flow of traffic and making my way across sidewalks that the city has made more aesthetically pleasing! Not to mention the sidewalks with bumps and stairs and no sidewalks at all! I tend to keep to the routes that are the safest for me but, sometimes we can get a little distracted and disoriented as we did yesterday! so if on the off chance you see me out in the world looking a little stressed or trying to listen for traffic and cross the street, please don’t hesitate to communicate with me! Community support can really help my sense of confidence! This does not mean grab my arm and drag me across the street or tell me that it’s safe to cross when there’s only two seconds left on the green light! this means compassionately advising me as to what might be happening in my surroundings and perhaps asking if I need any assistance! Gratitude in advance! also, for those that are dog owners, there is nothing more difficult than the distraction of a dog in my path that my dog wants to visit. So many times people say “oh they’re just saying hello!“. I may not see you have a dog and my dog, being a dog, may get distracted by your dog if you are not handling your dog in a controlled manner! Whenever my dog may be distracted by people or food or other dogs, this places my safety in jeopardy! if you have a dog and you see me coming, please keep your dog out of my path and under control so I can have safe passage without distraction! lastly, but probably not least… If you are a home owner or can encourage your landlords to maintain tree branches and hedges on the sidewalks that are overgrown, this saves my face from possible injury or, like yesterday, a very wet face full of water from a heavy hanging branch or three! if you have elderly neighbours or know that your neighbours have a difficult time trimming the trees and hedges, maybe lend a hand? my head thanks you! these little things can make the world of difference for a blind person in your community just trying to live a happy and joyful and independent life just like you!
