To start off what is Orientation and Mobility, Vision Aware defines it simply as
Orientation and Mobility (O&M) is a profession specific to blindness and low vision that teaches safe, efficient, and effective travel skills to people of all ages:
"Orientation" refers to the ability to know where you are and where you want to go, whether you're moving from one room to another or walking downtown for a shopping trip.
"Mobility" refers to the ability to move safely, efficiently, and effectively from one place to another, such as being able to walk without tripping or falling, cross streets, and use public transportation.
So a little bit about me.
I am 29 years old and studying O&M for adults at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI through their distance education program. I was born and raised in Northeast Ohio, but moved to Alabama after I completed my undergrad. For my undergraduate degree I studied Justice Studies and Political Science. I have done nothing in that field since graduating in 2008. I currently work at the Southeastern Blind Rehabilitation Center located at the Birmingham Veterans Affairs Medical Center as the departments Administrative Support Assistant. What I do is mainly secretarial work with computer programming.So why O&M for my masters.
Growing up I was legally blind due to albinism. But my visual impairment from albinism was on the low end of the spectrum. I was taught and did everything that a normally sighted person would do. When I was 20 that all changed. While crossing the street one day I was hit by a car and landed on my head. It was my fault for jaywalking. I got up scraped up bruised and thought I was ok. The next day the physical effects started taking place. I was almost immobile. I had a bruised bone and my face was road rash. Those wounds healed. A little over a month later I was walking to class on a bright shiny day and it started getting really fuzzy. Thought it was odd. The next day it got worse, and the day after that whenever I was outside I was in immense pain, and all I could see was a big yellowish blur.So what do you think I do, I tried to hide it. It did not work I twisted my ankle fell on many occasions. At the time I was dating a wonderful young lady Ashley Morgan who was blind and she suggested that I get trained in Orientation and Mobility. She even taught me a little bit just so I would not hurt myself anymore walking to class.
First day of my Official O&M instruction, she went over the basic had me go up and down the halls a number of times. She skipped the standard of human guide because I already knew that technique. She was like a drill sergeant. I feel bad that right now as I am writing this I can not remember her name. She changed my life, within two months I was able to get around by myself. After completing my formal training with a great instructor she suggested since I was so mobile that I start applying for a guide dog.
It took a while 6 months worth of paper work and 3 months waiting and the school called me and said they had a dog for me. almost 2 years after going blind I was finally going to the school to get my guide dog. The school that I was told to apply to was the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind / American Vet Dogs in Smithtown, New York. After two days of learning to get around and the instructors finalizing my match it was time for puppy day which fell a day before my birthday. I received the best birthday gift ever; Cactus a 60 pound black lab female, who is all work when she is on the harness and a crazy nut when she is off.
After a month of training we came back to Kent. She has taken me everywhere since. I even did my final semester in DC, where she got me to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger, and she accompanied me on tours of the White House, CIA, and Pentagon.
We have been an inseparable team since we were paired together yes it has not always been good but I could not imagine life without her. It will be hard but when she retires I will definitely be getting another dog because the doors they open for a blind person words can not express.
So Again Why O&M
If it wasn't for the amazing training I received I would be nowhere. I could not have done anything in my life, would have not been able to achieve what I have achieved, I would just be siting at home drawing a government cheek that I did not earn.
And why with a guide dog?
The white cane is what you first have to learn and be proficient in to get a guide dog. And for most people it is the only Orientation and Mobility training they will need or use. But for me I am very mobile I can not sit still, I have to explore and the past 7 years with Cactus have been some of the most enriching years of my life. And I want to give that to someone else.
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| Cactus and I at work on our 7 year anniversary. |
