My freedom cane

Over the course of my career I have had the chance to work with, and support, some very high tech solutions. However, it was a piece of very low tech that has had the greatest impact on my life after my vision loss. Sometimes low tech really is the best tech.

At first, I had some useful vision remaining, and while walking around was a bit more nerve wracking than it used to be, it was manageably safe. As my vision continued to degrade it became less and less safe to rely on what I could see when walking. It eventually got so bad that I had stopped leaving the house unless it was absolutely necessary.

Logically, I knew I needed something like a white cane to help me sense the things I could not longer see on the path ahead of me. AT one point I even ordered (and received) one from the National Federation of the Blind’s Free White Cane Program.

. . . but I’m not really blind (am I?) . . .

Before my vision loss — like many others — I thought being blind meant not being able to see anything. I can still remember thinking how much sense it made for the heroes of various cartoons, TV shows, and movies catching the villain lying about being blind because they knew about some inconsequential detail they could have only known by seeing it first hand.

This common perception (that was shared by me at the time) caused me a lot of problems after my vision loss. Early on, under ideal circumstances, I had some useful vision remaining. When allowed the necessary tools and adjustment I could see well enough to read, write, and use computers, smart phones, and tablets.My challenge was that things like cooking, eating, cleaning, and even safely walking were beyond what I could see to do. Most things I had no issue with learning to do non-visually. The major sticking point was learning to use the white cane to safely walk

From a purely logical standpoint I new I needed something like a white cane to help me otherwise sense the things I could not see while walking, specifically anything:

• below waist level,
• more than 3 feet away,
• smaller than an average human head, or
• in motion.

In other words, without something like a white cane, I was a walking hazard to myself and everyone around me — but white canes are for blind people and because I had some useful vision remaining (in my mind) I was not really blind. Even though I had a white cane I wouldn’t use it which meant never leaving the house unless absolutely necessary. I felt trapped but I didn’t see any other options.

Eventually 2 things happened:

1. I found an article that helped me understand blindness a bit better (“A Definition of Blindness” by Kenneth Jernigan)

2. I mentioned not using the white cane during a call with my 70 year old blind uncle

   • After reading me th riot act and telling me to get off my hind end (paraphrased for politeness) and start using the cane he called ny 80 year old parent on me to make sure I followed through
   • “Do you honestly thing most truly [heavy emphasis] blind people would prefer to risk being run over by someone that should be using the cane not using it?”

Between the 2 I started to get out and use the cane and it’s amazing what a difference it’s made. I’m free. The world is once again much larger that the walls of my home . . . and because of the daily walks with my cane I am probably (physically, mentally, and socially) healthier than I have since long before my vision loss.

Since then, I have had the opportunity to meet and talk to more blind people

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