Cane Troubles

We have been doing a bit of camping (when the weather cooperates), and some golfing with the kids. There things are all complicated with a cane. My Cane is well useless in wide open spaces like a golf course or campground. I need something to be able to give me a hint to where I am like a curb, power poles, fences, and such but in a golf course there is well grass ! I like walking with the kids and my husband while they golf but sometimes they forget about me and I then have to try to figure out where they have walked to, this can be very frustrating and embarrassing. The other day we were walking through a parking lot going to a grocery store we don't normally go to and my husband and kids walked away from me and I got so frustrated, I could not figure out where they were and then got very nervous because in a parking lot you can hear many cars coming and going but again it is a wide open space and it is hard to get your bearings when you can't see where the cars are coming or going from. In those situations I kick myself for saying I want my independence because in those times I need some assistance. And I hate to admit that at any time.

Sidewalks are something that people take for granted, in the community I live in there is only sidewalks on the main street. This is great for those that drive and can see where they are going and horrible for someone who can't see where they are going. I have about had enough of walking into vehicles parked on the streets, trailers, campers and other things left on the side of the road as well. And not to mention recycling pick up day, every 10 feet you walk into a bin and you about want to scream ! And not to mention when I have to walk around these things I am walking out into the road and I may not hear a vehicle coming so I am possibly putting myself in danger and I hate it. It is one of my biggest pet peeves I just want to be able to walk up town and get the mail and not have any anxiety about having to run ion things like vehicles and garbage bins. Not to mention it is embarrassing.

With every one of these incidents I am reassured that the day I get my guide dog (39 days, but who's counting) will be a life changing day for me.