October 15, 2012

• White Cane Safety Day

  

  I chose today to return to Xanga because today is kind of special to me. Today is White Cane Safety Day / Blind Americans Equality Day. White Cane Day is an international day that is celebrated in more than just our country. It's a day for recognizing blind and visually impaired people, it's a day for recognizing the white cane and it's importance, and it's a day for equality.

  Some of you know I was born blind, but after a year I started to get my sight back. I never got it completely back, but I do have enough to get around. I am legally blind in both eyes even with correction. My best eye can only be corrected to 20/200 and the other 20/300. I have almost no depth perception, I have ocular albinism, and Nystagmus (involuntary movement of the eyes). I started going to the school for the blind in the 2nd grade, I was there for almost 4 years (until half way through 5th grade). They taught us about canes and how to use them, braille, mainstream stuff like math, English, reading, and a few other things I don't remember right now.  I met some of my best friends there. When I first got there there was only 5 or 6 other people in the class, then they had a class for younger students next door. We also did stuff like music, and art, and we played on the playground.  There was 3 or 4 different teachers that helped us in class, everything was very organized and I loved it at that school very much. We had this system set up where we would earn fake money if we were good, and at the end of the week we would hold a little store where we could buy stuff. I think I have talked about this in the past, but I don't remember. It was always a blast at that school, I loved it so much it was amazing. I did have rough times sometimes, but it usually worked out.

  I actually have a memory from one year there of us celebrating white cane day. We invited the sighted kids to come and do stuff with us in the gym there at the school. It was so long ago, all I remember is that we had made or gotten a bunch of simulation goggles that simulated different vision problems. We let people put those on and use the white canes we had. We also taught people how to use the white canes as well. I didn't know it was white Cane Safety Day that day, but I still had fun! Actually I didn't even know about White Cane Safety Day until 3 years ago, it's surprising I never caught onto it. I am extra glad I remembered that day we had in school now.  I had a crush on a boy named Jessie back then, I remember he was there too.
  

  My best friend there was Eric, you probably know about him a little bit. He was my best friend until my first year of college back in 2007 -2008. I had to quit talking to him after he got married. I had a couple rough years after I had to let him go because we had been so close. When we met at the school for the blind we didn't always get along, we actually fought a lot, but we always made up. He could be scary sometimes (he is very big), and had a kind of bad temper from losing his dad and stuff but we always had fun with each other.

  I have had a cane for most of my life, but have been too stubborn to use it up until a few years ago. I don't use it all the time, just sometimes because glasses really don't do enough for me.  There are 2 types of canes for visually impaired people. There is the ID cane, which is more for letting people know you have bad vision rather than for getting around (it does help but that is not what it's primary purpose is). Then there are mobility canes which are for not only letting people know you have bad or no vision, but for getting around. People that can get around, but still have a little bit of trouble but don't need the cane all the time might use an ID cane. I currently only have a mobility cane and I feel a bit weird using it because I don't need it all the time. I am going to get an ID cane because I know I won't feel as weird using it. 

  Not everyone that uses a cane is completely blind, there are actually quite a few people that use a cane that aren't completely blind, so don't be surprised when you see a person with a cane sometimes do something a sighted person can do. Anyone that is legally blind or worse can use a White cane.
  

  There are three different materials you can get a cane in. Graphite, aluminum, and fiber glass. There are solid canes, folding canes and telescope canes so far as types go. The most sturdy ones are the graphite ones, that is what mine is currently. Mobility canes have a golf grip at the top, ID canes do not. If you want to know more about the design of canes you can go to the AmbuTech website.  ID canes are also lighter than mobility canes, cheaper and not as sturdy.  I guess this is the case because they are built more for identification rather than for mobility. My vision is unpredictable so I want to have both types.

  I have created a Twitter for facts about blind people it's @theblindfacts  if you are on twitter follow my 2nd account.

  Anyway, I got glasses 5 years ago but I got the prescription for those at a kind of bad eye doctor so I haven't had an accurate prescription in over 6 years now, possibly more. Today I went and found the glasses I am going to be buying next month probably. I don't use glasses that much because they make me feel like I lose my awareness because they mess up my peripheral vision and stuff. I do use them for movies, video games, tv, and other stuff like that however. Outside those kinds of things glasses really have no use for me. I have my own way of doing things. I have refused to wear them for my whole life, so now I'm just so used to going without them that it's just too weird to use them all the time.

  I didn't end up using my cane at all today, but I have been keeping track of those who do use their canes, like friends and stuff. It takes a lot more guts than people realize to use a cane in public. Almost everyone that uses a cane has had to overcome the obstacle of self consciousness.

  So, today after I picked out my glasses I went to school. Nothing that interesting happened in English, in Astronomy we talked about Saturn and Jupiter though, that was awesome. In Pilate's today I didn't wear my exercise clothes because I thought we were having a test review day, it turns out that is only for Yoga this week and not Pilates, so I had to do the class today in my jeans and green shirt, it was kind of weird. I definitely see why no one would ever want to do it in jeans.

  After school my mom got a lamp fixed and we bought some pumpkins from the store and then went home. That is what has happened so far.  If anything happens I'll edit when the day is done. 

  Anyway, so that was my day today. Some people hold White Cane walks to the state capitol in some states on White Cane Safety Day. I am not sure if my state does that, but I have seen people in other states that have done that.  In New Hampshire they actually took it a step further and made shirts as well which I think is very cool. The mayor then gives some kind of declaration, I'm not sure exactly what it is but it has to do with blind people and their rights and stuff like that. I am pretty sure it has a lot to do with the day itself as well. It takes place at the state capitol of the states that hold the white cane walk. I saw last year a group of visually impaired dancers even did a flash mob. Of course some people choose to celebrations before or after White cane safety Day as well because the actual day might not be convenient for some people and other situations.
  

  White Cane Safety Day Flash Mob (2011)
  

  The music used in this video is the actual music they used.  If you pay attention closely you can hear them playing at the same time.
  

  
  

  I guess this is all for now. I'll edit later if I decide I need to say anything more.

  Oh and did you guys know that this month is also Disability Awareness month?

  Please rec his post. I think more people should know about White Cane Safety Day / blind American's Equality Day.  <3

  • 8:46 PM
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