Visual News - Issue 5, Winter 2010 - Southern Health and Social ...
Visual News - Issue 5, Winter 2010 - Southern Health and Social ... Visual News - Issue 5, Winter 2010 - Southern Health and Social ...
A White Stick, no thanks. It’s not for me!! By Gerald McEvoy.My name is Gerald and I have a condition called Stargardt's(Juvenile Macular Degeneration) since I was seven years of age.I was registered as „Blind‟ over twenty years ago at the age of 27.Recently my eye sight has got a lot worse, and I have tripped onkerbs, tripped on potholes as well as on holes in the road.I have injured my foot badly, damaging my tendons, and I haveinjured my back and my knees all due to tripping. I have alsowalked into black boxes, wheelie bins, and even into parked cars.I often found myself walking into people or dancing around withpeople in the street (you know that jig, you step to the right assomeone coming towards you steps to their left, and so the dancebegins).Two things changed for me, I was made unemployed last April andI was the one responsible for taking my four year old daughter toNursery School. We are very lucky as we have a very goodneighbour who helps out a lot and gives us lifts when they can.When they are not able to take us and with my wife working, itmeant taking the bus. This involved crossing a very busy road.This has been a battle for me for years and I used to cross roadstotally by hearing. I knew that sometimes I was lucky to get acrossin time, but I did not want to take that risk when crossing the roadwith my four year old daughter.I do not have enough vision to see cars coming, and it got to thestage were I thought this really is too dangerous, and at least if Ihad a white stick then the cars would know that I have a problem.Around the same time, my wife suggested that things might beeasier for me if I had a white stick or something-like that. Then itwould make it more obvious to car drivers that I have a sightproblem.In the past I would have said to you a „White Stick would havealways been taboo for me‟. It draws people‟s attention to you, itPage 12 of 38
makes you noticed, the stigma of having a disability, it had alwaysput me off and I was very embarrassed about it.After a lot of inner turmoil it got to the stage where I knew I neededit, I knew in my heart that I needed some sort of help. I needed tobe more independent, to go to Banbridge or Portadown on my ownwithout having to rely on other people to accompany me.I contacted Cherrytrees Resource Centre and I was put me incontact with a Mobility Officer called Ray Maxwell. Ray came out tothe house, and he talked me through the whole situation. Iexplained how I was embarrassed at the thought of using a whitestick, and that this was really a major issue for me. I was surprisedwhen Ray explained that this was very common and that it was notunusual. He said not to worry about it as most people struggle withthe idea of using a long cane, at first.The mobility training started with twice weekly sessions. Thesessions lasted for about forty-five minutes. I learnt to use a longcane with a swivel tip on it; I use what is called constant touchtechnique. The tip of the long cane stays in constant contact withthe ground. It is amazing how much information I was able to pickup. I was able to detect holes in the ground, steps and kerbs, andeven rough surfaces that I would have tripped over before. Thingslike bins and lamp posts, which I had often walked into, could beavoided by use of the cane. Another major problem for me is steps,as I cannot judge how deep they are. Unless the steps had afluorescent strip, or a white line, I was tripping over or falling downthem. Ray taught me to use the cane and now I can manage stepsand stairs with confidence. This has been very, very helpful. I nowgo out on my own, and cross roads with confidence.Ray taught me how to use a „cone‟ at controlled crossings that Inever knew about. At pedestrian traffic lights were there is noaudible or bleeping signal, there should be a cone or roller ballunderneath the „wait‟ button. This cone starts to rotate when it issafe to cross the road. We spent a lot of time crossing the roadnear my home on the main Banbridge to Gilford Road. This wasPage 13 of 38
- Page 1 and 2: Visual Disability News: Winter 2010
- Page 3 and 4: UP, UP AND AWAY, by Bernie SloanAno
- Page 5 and 6: times during this exercise that I w
- Page 7 and 8: These experiences seem to happen wh
- Page 9 and 10: A Volunteer’s tale, by Noeleen.A
- Page 11: New RNIB StaffOver the last number
- Page 15 and 16: The Cane and Able Club, by June Jac
- Page 17 and 18: Finding your way- the session provi
- Page 19 and 20: The Trust Access Working Group, by
- Page 21 and 22: We realise that in the past there h
- Page 23 and 24: “I have learned something I never
- Page 25 and 26: Floating Support Service.Floating S
- Page 27 and 28: towards engaging with the community
- Page 29 and 30: The project will be delivered by RN
- Page 31 and 32: Are you a Donkey lover?Dr Elizabeth
- Page 33 and 34: In 1965 I auditioned for a talent c
- Page 35 and 36: In 2004 Brendan‟s good friend Jim
- Page 37 and 38: Lucky Dip OmeletteIngredients:2-3 e
makes you noticed, the stigma of having a disability, it had alwaysput me off <strong>and</strong> I was very embarrassed about it.After a lot of inner turmoil it got to the stage where I knew I neededit, I knew in my heart that I needed some sort of help. I needed tobe more independent, to go to Banbridge or Portadown on my ownwithout having to rely on other people to accompany me.I contacted Cherrytrees Resource Centre <strong>and</strong> I was put me incontact with a Mobility Officer called Ray Maxwell. Ray came out tothe house, <strong>and</strong> he talked me through the whole situation. Iexplained how I was embarrassed at the thought of using a whitestick, <strong>and</strong> that this was really a major issue for me. I was surprisedwhen Ray explained that this was very common <strong>and</strong> that it was notunusual. He said not to worry about it as most people struggle withthe idea of using a long cane, at first.The mobility training started with twice weekly sessions. Thesessions lasted for about forty-five minutes. I learnt to use a longcane with a swivel tip on it; I use what is called constant touchtechnique. The tip of the long cane stays in constant contact withthe ground. It is amazing how much information I was able to pickup. I was able to detect holes in the ground, steps <strong>and</strong> kerbs, <strong>and</strong>even rough surfaces that I would have tripped over before. Thingslike bins <strong>and</strong> lamp posts, which I had often walked into, could beavoided by use of the cane. Another major problem for me is steps,as I cannot judge how deep they are. Unless the steps had afluorescent strip, or a white line, I was tripping over or falling downthem. Ray taught me to use the cane <strong>and</strong> now I can manage steps<strong>and</strong> stairs with confidence. This has been very, very helpful. I nowgo out on my own, <strong>and</strong> cross roads with confidence.Ray taught me how to use a „cone‟ at controlled crossings that Inever knew about. At pedestrian traffic lights were there is noaudible or bleeping signal, there should be a cone or roller ballunderneath the „wait‟ button. This cone starts to rotate when it issafe to cross the road. We spent a lot of time crossing the roadnear my home on the main Banbridge to Gilford Road. This wasPage 13 of 38
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