The Adventures of the Blind/Low Vision/Visually Impaired (BLOVI) Girl- Volume 26
Video Blog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ZhadIbMfE&feature=player_detailpage
This week I am focusing on my experience when I went on my first vacation with my daughter since my accident and how I managed to navigate Savannah and Tybee Island as a visually impaired person. But first……………
My WTF of the week is the fact that I have been on the most bizarre dates of my life via EHellmony. But really, what else could I have expected. What I have learned is that somehow my physical presence is overwhelming and must be making these men act crazy. Let’s just say I have had to be strong in my boundary setting and have a one date maximum. I am entirely through with internet dating and maybe dating in general. Here are some pieces of advice I have for men who are Internet dating. Do not tell your date your life story, why your past relationships went wrong or all your dysfunction on the first date. Although, I do appreciate this happened because I got to see all the red flags up front, so I could run like hell. When a person tells you that you are not getting any on the date, she really means it. Lastly, do not say completely rude and stupid comments like “this date was really weird”, “I have two more dates lined up after this one” or “I am getting out of here a lot sooner than I thought I would” at the end of the date. My advice to women who are internet dating is just don’t do it and if you do be very careful because there are some desperate and weird guys out there. Other WTF’s is that for 9 days I was feeding my cats’ dog food. Someone, who shall remain nameless, was supposed to get dry cat food for me. I did wonder why the chunks were so big and why the cats seemed so annoyed with me. A friend solved the mystery by looking at the bag, which contained a large picture of a dog. Also my cat has cataracts which are not only aptly named but also explains why she sometimes walks into walls. Bruni, I feel your pain.
This week I can’t get enough of rock climbing. Last week I climbed up two walls at the rock climbing gym and it was one of the coolest things I have ever tried. The harness did remind me of an adult diaper and the climbing shoes are really unattractive, but the experience is unparalleled. First, because I was belayed and I can’t see down past about 10 feet I found I was not at all afraid, and was completely focused on how I was going to get up the wall. I found that I could see some of the foot and hand holds, but not all of them, so I got some direction when I needed it. Climbing, while physically somewhat challenging, is really a feat of strategy where you are focused on where to place your legs and hands to make your next move. It is kind of like playing a game of chess. It has nothing to do with speed and everything to do with strategic thinking and the ability to take a few risks. I found climbing to be somewhat easy, because I am good at planning and I do take risks, but also because, as the belayer told me, I am an ectomorph with long limbs which is a good thing to be if you are a woman climbing up a wall. I spider womaned my way up two walls and even transferred walls without breaking a sweat and did some interesting hand holds. I was so exhilarated to get to the top and loved being dropped down. The belayer said I was a natural at climbing and climbed like someone who had been climbing for weeks (although he may say that to all the girls). I rocked it for a first time climber and the rush was so good that I know it is something I am going to try and do at least a few times a month. I am also going to begin climbing outdoors when I get stronger and more skilled and when I build more calluses on my fingers. If you have not climbed up a wall or some rock formation, I totally suggest doing it.
For spring break my mom, daughter and I headed down to Tybee Island and Savannah for a four day vacation. This was the first time I had been on vacation since the accident and I was not sure how well I would navigate, I chose Savannah because I have been there 3 times in the last 9 years and am somewhat familiar with the layout and landmarks. I had not been to the beach so I was interested in seeing how much of the ocean I could see. First what I found was that I was fine on the beach. The ocean, being really large is pretty easy to see and I could also step in and out of pools and read the markers on the sides with the depth. What I could not do was immediately locate the path to the beach at the resort we were at because you had to walk through a pool area. I also ran on the beach and found I had enough vision to not run into people, objects or step in holes. I could only do this when the sun was high in the sky because when the sun was rising or setting there was too much glare off the water and I could not see anything, except those few small children I almost ran over and a few sand castles I inadvertently destroyed.
What was harder to deal with was Savannah and more importantly the fact that my mom continually forgot that I was visually impaired. She decided to rely on me to navigate us around Savannah and did not bother to orient herself by using a map. The blind girl was supposed to have a visual map in her head and also push a stroller with a 5 year old, cross tons of streets, and find places to eat and get cupcakes. I had suggested to my mom that we take the trolley and get on and off at the landmarks and attractions, but she did not want to do this. Problem was she was having foot issues and when she learned it was about 7 blocks from City Market to Forsythe Park decided she would not be able to walk that far. This is when I explained that Savannah is a walking city and if she could not walk we were going back to Tybee. But she insisted she could make it so we pressed on, really slowly. Little did I know I was supposed to be the tour guide, identifying churches, squares and important historical landmarks, which was impossible since I could not really see them or read the signs. After about the third time I was asked what church is that or is this the Mercer House I not so calmly said to my mom, “what part of ne being blind do you not get”. I managed to get us parked and to City Market and AT Hun to check out the art and find some of my favorite artists in their studio spaces. My daughter is quite the art critic. She systematically pulled out prints and decided if she liked them or not. She had a particular fondness for a painter who painted belly and burlesque dancers- great. She also got to watch several painters painting and after she told then she wanted to be an artist she had them eating out of her hand and they explained to her what and how they were painting. I got to talk with a few about how I experience art now that I am visually impaired and that I respond more to multi-media, texture and color because of my inability to see detail. I haggled with my favorite Savannah artist, Brian Macgregor, on whether he would one day sell me the painting of a print I have, which happens to be the only original he will not part with. Just my luck.
I navigated us to stores I liked, found the cupcake shop, got us to the Six Pence Pub to eat and took us through squares and by churches and made it to Forsythe Park and the playground there. We also managed to make it back to where the car was parked, and not because of my mom, who actually went to the wrong lot, but because of me who found the car.
I think I did pretty well as a visually impaired traveler with and gimpy mom with no sense of direction and a five year old child who was in and out of the stroller all day. But at the end of the day I was completely exhausted and frustrated. It took every ounce of concentration and focus I had to make it all work. What I learned is that I can travel in a city I know, but I am going to need some help in places where I have never been. But that is not going to stop me because I want my daughter to be able to experience new places. There will be another vacation over the summer and in the coming years a DC and NYC trip. In the future I will have someone with us who can assist with navigation so I can enjoy myself.
Keep Moving Forward,
Beth (BLOVI) Medlock
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