October Update

I felt light headed at one point. My heart raced constantly, I felt my hearing (which is my peripheral vision) partially overwhelmed with what I expected to hear rather than what I was actually hearing. And by the time of the announcement of the last delay out of Seattle…I remembered all I’d eaten in almost 2 days was just 2 salads! That might have ad something to do with it.

Compartmentalization: A Skill for Adults with Disabilities Practicing Individuation

Afterseveral failed lunges to escape the shaky watercraft in rough water, Greta finally succeeded in escaping on the safest part of the trip, and immediately regretted her decision.

Flashback Friday: Dog Distraction

To explain how Seeing Eye dogs are trained to ignore their instincts, I’m going to use an example. Juno is, of course, our working dog. Fluffy will be our civilian dog. Here’s how Juno learns to ignore Fluffy:

Guest Post: An Open Letter to New Guide Dog Handlers

This week, fellow blindfluencer Rhianna McGregor and I swapped blogs again. We’re both on our second dog guides, and decided to share some hard-won wisdom from our experiences with new and prospective dog guide users. We’ve attended different schools, worked with different breeds, and learned different lessons.

Flashback Friday: Cave Canem

What to do when your service dog is attacked by another dog.what to do when you see a dog attacking a service dog team. How to reduce dog-on-service-dog-violence.

The Importance of Boundaries for Introverts with Service Dogs

Your service dog is not their emotional support animal.

Flashback Friday: Prada and the Thunderstorm

And on the subject of storms, this wouldn’t be a true guide-dog blog if I didn’t share at least one story where my dog protected me from potential harm. So let’s talk about Prada and tornados.​

Flashback Friday: Prada goes Shopping

You may now pick up the harness handle and resume your trip.​

Aggression Appreciated: A Defense of the Fight Response

Cowardice is no longer the crime it once was. The face of fear is cherished and soothed. But when it puts on the mask of aggression, do we recognize it?

My Problem with Pain

In a world of finite resources some organization of suffering must occur. There are only so many hours in a day, so many surgeons at a hospital who can repair a heart or a limb. But the resources to mitigate pain throughout an entire life are not so easily calculated because people, unpredictable and resilient and physics-defying as they are, cannot be quantified. And it is through people which we receive comfort and donation and respite and empowerment.