Although assistive devices come in many forms and shapes, there are some that have been associated with disability for a long time and so now have become symbols of specific disabilities. The wheel chair or the crutches serve this purpose for orthopedic impairments, hearing aids for hearing impairments and the white cane or the long cane for visual impairments. If you ask a common person to describe what a blind person looks like, they will most likely include the white cane and the sunglasses in their description. Unfortunately because of this, these devices have also become the icons of the stigma attached to disability. And thus, many people, who need these devices, hesitate in using them.
Why didn’t I use the cane from the start?
Little background about my disability is called for here. So I have a genetic eye condition which damaged a large chunk of the receptor cells that convert light energy into neural signals that the brain can process. As a result, I cannot process any visual stimuli from that part of my eye. What this means in simple terms is that I can’t see from nearly 70% of my eyes, while I still have some sight remaining. Now, although this percentage provides a quantitative measure of my impairment which is helpful to get a certificate of disability, the actual qualitative impact of this eye condition is not as simple to understand.
Bottom line is that I’m not totally blind.
In my opinion, that is a dangerous territory to be in. because this means I still can use some of my sight to function in my daily life. And one of these daily life tasks is that of mobility.
My dilemma about using the cane
So up to my mid twenty’s, I never felt the need to use a cane or anything that would help me navigate better. Yes, I did occasionally require support in navigating stairs or rocky terrains, but mostly, I could manage independently. However, as my eye condition progressed further towards deterioration, and as I ventured outside familiar spaces, I started pondering over the question, “do I need to use a cane?”
My initial answer to this question, like many others in a similar situation, was a firm NO. I mean, I had managed so well without it for so long and many a times I could meet and even work with people without them realizing that there was something wrong with my sight. So why carry this symbol of disability with me and announce to every passer by that I’m visually impaired. I mean, I’m even not ‘that blind’, and carrying a cane would mislead people to think I’m fully blind. With this would come the curious questions, the unwanted sympathy and the uninformed suggestions about possible remedies.
But as time progressed, I felt more and more that if I had a cane in so and so situation, walking would be slightly easier. I wouldn’t have to hold on to railings, use my foot to feel the ground ahead of me (which people found odd), step on puppies, etc. Thus I decided to go on Youtube and just look up what is a white cane, do I need training, can I train myself to use it. And there was one Youtuber, who convinced me to get a cane. She said, “if you are wondering whether you need a cane or not, it means you need one. Because if you didn’t need it, the idea of using a cane would never even occur to you”
So I immediately contacted the organization for the visually impaired that I’m associated with and ordered a Smart cane.
I must point out here, although I own a Smart cane, I currently only use it as a simple cane as I felt I needed way more training and practice to understand the vibration feed back of the Smart cane attachment.
My first trip with the cane
So as I was hesitant in using the cane in public, and didn’t want to rouse even more questions at my work place about why I suddenly need a cane, the first time I used my cane properly was on a family vacation I took with my parents. I had practiced with the cane at my house, with my eyes closed, and used it a couple of times in the market, but as these were familiar places and short distances, I felt like I was using my memory and sight more than the cane and in fact the cane was an unnecessary addition.
So when this trip came along, I decided, unfamiliar place, unfamiliar people, what better opportunity to test the need and utility of the cane?
On the airport with a cane
From the airport itself, I started seeing the benefits. Airports are quite a scary place for me as they usually have glass partitions which I obviously can’t see. With the cane ahead of me, I could be sure I won’t bump into anything. I know the security check point is a nervous experience for many people with disabilities. What makes me most nervous is that you need to stand at a distance from the frisking booth and the only signal the security personnel gives you when its your turn is the opening of the curtain. Of course I can’t see that. However, this time I had my own signal that I’m blind and so the security lady as well as the passenger standing behind me in line told me to go ahead when it was my turn. Of course, this was followed by a question answer session by the security lady about what my eye problem is etc. etc. etc. but that I’m so used to by now that I have a two line explanation of my complicated eye condition prepared that I roll out whenever someone shows curiosity.
In fact, we had to run from one terminal of the airport to another to catch our connecting flight and I would have probably hurt myself pretty bad had I not have my cane as I almost ran into one of the metal sign posts while I was running behind my parents who were busy talking to an airport personnel about our check in.
Navigating the rocks and the sands
Like most trips one would take anywhere in India, this trip constituted of visiting natural spots (like the beach, rocky caves, old forts which have dirt paths) more than manmade structures (like museums, well constructed monuments or amusement parks). And nature means unpredictable terrains.
My cane proved to be extraordinarily helpful in such situations. Of course, as it was my first time, my mother still provided support and warnings, however, I wasn’t absolutely immobile if she moved 10 feet away from me. I could navigate stairs on my own, walk near a swimming pool knowing I won’t have to feel the surface with my foot each time I took a step forward out of the fear that I would fall into the water, walk without holding my mother’s arm without the threat that I’ll sprain my ankle if the surface dips suddenly.
The biggest advantage was that people around me knew I couldn’t see. So people would make way for me instead of expecting me to make way for them. Strangers warned me of upcoming staircases or rocky paths if my mother was busy clicking pictures. In fact, at a temple which has over 1000 stairs, this girl helped me reach my father when she saw I was trying to get to him on my own and nervous about the stairs. The auto rickshaw driver, who took us to the beach, dropped us off at a special entry point which didn’t require you to go through stairs. And all this, without us telling them that I cannot see.
Of course the sympathy looks and remarks were there. But people were more amazed by the fact that I could easily walk without help, all dolled up, excited for a day of site seeing. It was probably the first time they were seeing a blind person be a normal tourist…
The final note
I realized the importance of the cane in my very first experience with it. Yes it is a burden at times, as it always occupies one hand, you need to carry a big bag just to store your cane, you can’t keep it just anywhere as the bottom end gets really dirty. But practically, the pros outweigh the cons.
So if you are like me, and wondering whether to get that assistive device which comes with a stigma, get it and try it. We must understand that only when people will see disabled people with canes, wheel chairs or hearing aids be as normal as everyone else, will the stereotypes go away. If you think the stigmatized device will hamper your image, you need to change the stigmatized image of that device.
