Plodding on seven years later, I often wonder if our little Minster Munch knows that his harness wearing days will not be forever. Our working life together will cease anytime within the next 21 months when he will have to retire. I, on the other hand, have a mere 21 years until I retire. It is a possibility that I could be matched with 3 more Guide Dogs in my working life, each one bringing their own quirks and perks.
Revisiting my naivety of what I thought life with a Guide Dog would be like always makes me cackle and cringe in equal measure. Firstly, I thought life changes would be subtle, my Guide Dog would listen at all times, and I would never have to apologise for our behaviours. Hmmmm, that didn’t go quite to plan. From day one together, everyone noticed the unusual Shetland pony sized Guide Dog that appeared in our relatively small town. Minster Munch made it clear that he only completed his 20 months of training to be able to become my master and train me into conformity via his cuteness. His behaviour throughout our time together can be categorised anywhere between attention seeking and driven, but always professional when in work mode.
I was asked this week by a 6 year old client if Munch knew if he was a Guide Dog and not a pet dog? I flummoxed an incoherent answer back, stating that “I think he just thinks he is just Munch, and when he puts his harness on, he just does Guide Dog stuff”. On reflection, I think this is truer than I originally thought. Munch, in all honesty believes everyone is his friend (or sometimes staff member), has unconditional love for every species, and is free spirited enough to be in love with living life his own innocent way. A human concept of a dog can never truly honour their ability to innately help and enhance the lives of those around them.
We are due for a review in the next couple of weeks to see how our partnership is getting on and how our little Munch is doing in his Guide Dog role. He will be checked over more regularly by the vets from now on to see how his health is doing, and I will be closely monitoring his energy levels and eagerness as he slips into his work harness daily. At the age of nine, his younger doggy friends are beginning to run a little faster than him as his paws pound the ground during free runs, but each day, he still shows up wanting to play. Focusing on the beauty of the now. Munch is being as Munchish as ever, which I am eternally grateful for. Nothing lasts forever, but now is good enough for us
Mention the word disability to ten different people, and they will all have different opinions on what that means to them and those around them. Some will identify with the word, some will not, some will have ideas about what disability means to them that you had never considered.
Going on one definition of disability , it suggests that disability is “having a physical or mental impairment. The impairement has a substantial and long -term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day -to -day activites”. During my time working with children and families over the last 28 years , I have heard people describe minor health inconveniences as disabilities and often wondered where their own definition came from. Others who have had significant adverse health issues that impact every waking moment of their lives, reject the disabled label with passion. The complexity of such a topic is guaranteed to bring up strong opinions either side of the disability line.
The reason for writing this, is as a reflection from a conversation I had with someone who asked if I considered being blind an “actual disability.”.What was interesting was that this comment came from a retired optician, which to me seemed quite comical. Clearly an optician who had used her “good enough” sight during her years of practice to assess patients with sight loss did not not really understand what it would be like to have limited or no sight as a constant companion. We had a really interesting chat about perception of impact on life of disability and how that differed greatly among individuals. She told me a story about a lady in her 70’s who had failing sight who could no longer shop alone due to not being able to see prices, labels etc and needing to rely on others to do her shopping. The retired optician told me that it was stories like that, that got her emotional in her old job yet she saw me in a different light.
When we chatted about me having sight loss from birth, yet still going through the educational system with no help and still achieving Masters degree level qualifications after finding alternative ways of doing things, she couldn’t work out how that was possible. When she heard that I was working a full time and part time job, volunteering, had written a book, look after my grandchildren and still live an independent life whilst being registered Severly Sight Impaired (the old blind register) she asked if I thought of myself as actually disabled? The answer is far from straight forward.
I hate to admit it, but there is quite a lot of things I cannot do in life. I cannot see some cars, let alone drive. I probably wouldn’t be called upon to help recognize a person in a line-up as I can’t see a person. Becoming a tour guide may not be my strongest career potential either , as I cannot see my surroundings. What I can do however, is do things my way. When I think of words to describe myself, disabled is not really a word which jumps out at me to be chosen, but in other people eyes , I suppose I am. Being born with Marfan Syndrome has brought about far more disabling complications than being blind has. I have had numerous injuries and reconstructive and other surgeries from life with a connective tissue disorder, yet Marfan Syndrome itself is not a stand alone disability, yet being blind (which is omnipresent but not always an issue) is classed as a disability.
I often forget that I cannot see as I have no alternative frame of reference. Seeing some blurs and blobs from birth is normal to me. Using sound, methods of elimination, touch and intuition gives me all I need to know about the world. To me, it seems weird that people use their eyes alone to short cut their way to interpreting the world we co-exist in. So when I am asked if I have a disability, the rebel in me sometimes wants to resist ticking the box to a label that I don’t always feel I fit in. Other times, I want to proudly wave the flag that disabled people are often the most fiercely amazing people that you will ever meet.
Measuring your disabilities or abilities against another person’s definition, is not always simple. Sometimes you fit, other times you don’t. What matters to me is what you do with the identification of being disabled. Personally, I love that it keeps me motivated to find creative ways to meet everyday challenges, and I never have the chance to get bored. Being born with sight loss into the sighted world, which is not the most welcoming or accommodating, may not be ideal, but it neither has to be impossible.
You may be mistaken in thinking that Munch is modelling a modern day poor quality ruff around his woeful pleading face, but to the trained fellow guardians of our furry friends,they will know it is the cone of shame. Since our partnership, this is his third bout of humiliation of wearing such an undignified device, but needs must. Tough love is sometimes the only true love.
Munch recently had an operation to remove one of his many fatty lumps that are dotted around his body. Luckily, it was a harmless (but huuuge) lipoma that needed no further action. The blubbery beast had appeared a couple of years ago, but had exploded in size over the last few months. As it was located on his chest not far from where his harness sat, it was decided to remove it and check out what it was. The cone of shame (to protect him from licking his wound) made him be in a constant state of reversing, colliding, and falling. Thankfully, his bumper car like behaviours only lasted a few days until his wound had healed.
Any animal undergoing surgery is a worry, with issues such as recovery times and care needs, considerations, important to the recovery process. With Guide Dogs, life is a little more complex. From operations having to be approved from the charity themselves to figuring out how to get around by yourself whilst they are on rest, life gets a little tricky. Knowing that I would still be expected to work even when Munch was off sick, brought about the dreaded dilemmas disabled people face when their ‘mobility aids’ are not available.
Just to reassure you all, Munch bounced back after his surgery quicker than anyone expected. When we picked him up after surgery, he dragged the poor veterinary nurse behind him as he ran up to give me a cwtch, and a noisy bark filled row for daring to leave him. Once the smoke coming from the nurses heels died down, and Munch had semi forgiven me, he was chauffeured home to a life of pampering where nothing but adoration waited for him. Get well soon cards, gifts, and a 24/7 personal pampering team greeted him. Since the operation, he has been far more energetic , resembling a pup more than his nearing retirement self.
As he sat at home being fanned down and fed possibly a little too many treats, I was in school repeating myself multiple times when questioned , where Munch was. Surprisingly, my white cane just doesn’t seem to have the same effect on people as Munch does. Getting around with a white cane is easier when I am with someone as navigating cluttered school corridors with pupils whooshing by is not an easy task at all. Being “the one with the dog” without the actual dog, is never an easy one to explain to others. Questions layered on top of questions fill the day. From “when will he be back in school” to “can you get white canes that you can control like robots????”, no question is forbidden from the sighted souls that filled my blurry world.
Having this snippet into what life will be like when Munch retires is not the easiest feeling to welcome, but will be a reality far sooner than I want it to be. Life pre Munch was tougher than I ever wanted to admit. A blessing I have, though, is knowing that even when he retires within the next 2 years, I have a personal pampering team within my family that will look after Lord Munch to the highest of standards.
Now that he is back in harness sashaying with sass, it may be possible that he is just a little bit more demanding and commanding than before. The operation has allowed him to bounce back better than before and allow his true colours to infect all those he comes in contact with.
The new academic year for us usually means a few changes in the way we work. From updates on our record keeping systems (which luckily my speech software helps me figure out) , to change in schools that we work in. With a total of 107 schools in our county that we cover, (primary, secondary and specialist schools), the need to change schools is inevitable. This term, we have been placed back in a primary school, and we are both loving it.
Being the only six legged pair that works in our county in our role, some people have heard of us even before we have our first day somewhere. So when happy hairy Munch trotted into our new primary school with me traipsing behind him laden down with bags for the day, no Introduction were needed. The staff were happy to see us , although possibly they were more happy having a new four-legged staff member than the predicable two- legged one. Munch’s picture was emailed over to all the year groups to introduce him to all the pupils, which was such a lovely gesture. When walking around the school throughout the day , we passed groups of children who were only too happy to say hello to Munch from a distance.
Receiving a warm welcome makes it so much easier to fit in an alien place that takes a while to create mental maps for. Rehearsal is key in us knowing how to get around safely. , Munch will remember a route first time around, but it takes me a couple of attempts to remember where slops, steps, doors, and landmarks are. Using touch to find doors and furniture and locate and operate security pads is just normal to me but must look strange to others. I always wonder what that used to look like to the onlooker before I had Munch and used to get around with just memory maps and subtle touch. At least with Munch by my side, I feel like I can be more open to the sighted that I have my own unique way of getting around in our shared space.
We have had many questions from the children since we started, that are too priceless not to share. Here are just some intriguing questions that we have been asked by children in work over the last six years.
Does Munch wash his paws after he uses the toilet in school?
Has, Munch ever had detention?
What does Munch wear on non school uniform day?
Does he have homework?
Is Munch part of a rugby team?
Has he ever been bullied or fallen out with friends?
Has he ever said a naughty word?
Who is his favourite teacher?
Does he eat school dinners or bring a lunchbox with him?
From the list of questions, you can see that the younger children seem to see past his canine shell and see him as an equal. When my granddaughter was four, we dropped her off in school, her teacher asked her what the name of my dog was. She was puzzled at first and, after a while said “that’s not a dog, he’s Munch” . Being accepted into our place of work always feels like a win like this, and this lovely new school setting is no different
As I am deep in my mind mapping world in work to get around safely, I know that Munch is doing his part to keep these little wins alive. For me, independent living is only possible due to Munch’s omnipresent loyalty as he patiently waits for me to get used to newness that we are constantly gifted with. Long live the cheesy grins in our little wins 😁
Having blurred vision from birth has had its blessings.
As up to 80% of our impressions rely on sight, so having to rely on other senses, I have been able to view a different life to most. I have always thanked my alternative vision for not being able to join in with toxic judgment of others. When others around me would comment negatively on the appearance of others, I would remain silent and thank the universe that I was not blessed with functional vision to cruely judge.
I have never felt that I have missed out on anything significant in life due to being born with a sight impairement. Not being able to drive leads to stress free travel. Travelling to sightsee has never felt like an option when you can travel to more than landmarks in your imagination anytime. Not being able to see the facial expressions of people when I say or do the wrong thing is greatly appreciated always. Therefore, when my opthalmic surgeon advised recently that my grade 3 cataract is pretty inoperable, my world didn’t fall apart. In fact, I had not really noticed that it was living happily in my eye anyway due to being severely sight Impaired.
For the general population with healthy eyes, cataract surgery is a pretty straightforward operation with a very high success rate. For those of us with preexisting eye conditions, things get a little more tricky when being offered surgery. With Marfan Syndrome, due to the impact of the condition on the connective tissue in the body, complications are more likely. When I had my first eye surgery in 2000, the complications from the surgery caused far more damage than expected and left scarring and the need for a lensectomy. News of not being able to operate, therefore, was more of a relief than a curse.
My opthalmic surgeon spoke about the only small possibility to operate would be to have two teams on standby in surgery as he was uncertain what the eye was like until he went in. Even if the cataract surgery was a success, there could be no guarantee that my vision would improve due to my eye/brain connection insufficiently developing from birth. In short, I could have amazing surgery to restore vision, but my eye /brain connection still wouldn’t be able to play ball in helping me to see clearly.
Having never been able to see things around me clearly is not a problem for me, really, as I know no different. A sighted individual may see this as something that needs to be ‘fixed’ due to their only frame of reference they have in life, is centred around sight. My only frame of reference is sight loss, and fixing that is something that would cause more problems that it would solve if it ever miraculously could be ‘fixed’
I have lived 46 years, ‘seeing’ the world differently. Blobs and blurs make sense to me. Having to learn a whole new way of interpreting these blobs and blurs into the visual world would be challenging, to say the least. Having an open discussion with my surgeon about this was refreshing . He explained that I have never had ‘good enough’ vision throughout life, and that is perfectly okay. My cataract will soon become hypermature as it reaches stage 4 (I wonder if it will be entitled to its own pension?) and obscure my lack of vision even more and it doesn’t bother me at all.
Surrendering to the inevitable is the most freeing thing you could possibly do. The immense feeling of peace in acceptance of even the most challenging of life changes can allow life to be lived harmoniously. Living your own unique life path alongside the masses helps strengthen essential resilience in life that will get you through tough times. My blurfectly full life is blurfect just as it is.
Explaining sight loss to a sighted person is never straightforward. Their experience of Great Aunt Brenda’s deteriorating sight loss in her 95th year of life may have given a hint of what other’s go through in the hour or two they spend with someone once a month, but it’s not quite enough. The impact on Great Aunt Brenda’s failing sight, after having good vision throughout her life, is massive.
Sitting in the Opthalmology Department this week, snippets of conversations between loved ones merged in the shared space. What I noticed in my hour and a half wait was the gap between the worlds of the sight loss patients and their sighted loved ones/carers with them was pretty big. As the sighted spoke in their sighted friendly language of their upcoming holidays, cinema trips, and renovations at home , the awaiting patients murmered enthusiastic acknowledgments yet didn’t seem to talk much of their own lives. This became even mote gut wrenching to eavesdrop in, when I heard a daughter explain in detail what she saw on her sightseeing trip to Rome with her partner. As she said the words “sorry Mam, I forgot you can’t see” with a chuckle in her voice before carrying on with the next topic of conversation, I wondered if she ever even cared that her mother couldn’t see as her mother sat in silence.
Empathetic understanding is a quality that remains dormant in many, not through malice, but through excess self focus. This was a prime example of one of those moments. I had a feeling that this was not a one-off insensitive moment in their mother and daughter relationship , as the daughter shared with all in ear shot how incredibly full her happy life was. When her mother asked if she could stop in the shop on the way home, the exhaling daughter told her that she would go into the shop for her, as the mother always took far too long due to the fact that she couldn’t see properly. How dare a person with visual problems take longer than a sighted person to do a task, eh? The utter cheek of it.
Over the years, I have heard many people with sight loss being spoken to like this. Having worked with some young people with sight loss through work and my research for Masters Degree years ago, through to amazing elderly people in my visual Impaired bowls club, such examples are more the norm than rare. Ableist comments often slide out of the mouths of loved ones without a second thought to how they are heard. The power of language should never be underestimated when you are in the role of a ‘helper’. Unequal power will already exist when you wear the helping role badge for all to see, which is especially true when you are wearing that badge for all of the wrong reasons.
As social beings, humans need each other. The give and take of life should be as natural as the flow of waves. Your importance is no more or less than another’s. Your needs, wants, and wishes are as important as the needs, wants, and wishes of others. Maybe if you are always doing all the talking and someone is always doing all of the listening, there is probably too much”you’ to have an equal relationship.
The best way to ‘help’ someone with sight loss is to firstly acknowledge that your version of help maybe is not what they really need. Empowering someone to use their abilities in their disabilities to teach you about their life first hand will be a far more useful lesson to you both. Using your eyes as a support to those who can not see, is an alternative language exchange in a shared experience between the two worlds. The loneliness that someone with sight loss could be feeling as their independence dwindles away week by week will need your egoless connection to let them know that they are not alone. Living a sight loss life in a predominantly sighted world can be hindered even more when you use too much visually descriptive language that means nothing at all to the person you are trying to help.
Never underestimate the power of supportive silence between both of our worlds. Create your own language in helping and never assume sight loss consists of nothing but lack that needs to be fixed. Insight gains within sight loss , can give the sighted a whole new perspective of what it truly means to have perfect vision.
Munch’s favourite time of the year has arrived. Holiday time! Six weeks of minimal harness work and maximum nonstop attention. What else can a pampered pooch ask for?
As you can tell from the picture above, his preferred state of being is usually horizontal during this time of year…or any time of year in fact. This omnipresent energy saving mode allows him to turn on his alter ego self where you will witness this 100mph couch potato turn into the playful pup he once was. Triggers for this playful alter ego self , usually occurs through a sniff of food, noticing balls of any sort, being around another dog or a promise of a swim.
His summer ahead holds a sparse timetable of family days out, weekly toast munching sessions whilst I play Visually Impaired bowls, beach visits, walks to explore new places and a couple of volunteering events where he is certain to bring in the crowds for a little adoration. If I am honest, I would love to do loads more things this Summer during my time off, but Munch seems to be slowing down a lot so this would not be fair on him.
As he approaches his ninth year on earth, I know that adaptations need to be made in our partnership. Within the next 2 years he will be retiring from his Guide Dog role and entering into a quieter stage in his life. As each season passes, we create a new way of working together to meet each others needs. This season is based upon rest and restoration to allow Munch to decide if his balance in his work/play life is right for him.
The equality in our relationship has always been central to our working partnership, and I could never see it any other way. Living alongside such a wise old loving soul has meant that I am always in tune with where he is in life which helps shape our Guide Dog partnership. Knowing that this may be one of his last summers in harness makes it feel that extra bit special and Munch driven. I have a feeling he may get away with a little more mischief this season than normal just because.
I feel that I have so much to give back to Munch for keeping me safe for over the last six and a half years, fulfilling a doggy friendly bucket list seems essential. Now where could we begin… ?
I knew I had to act proffessional when they started calling me Minster! Calling me by my birth name means only one thing, I need to go into full Guide Dog mode and hoodwink my fans into believing that I am a hard working dog and not a hardly working dog. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind donning my Guide Dog harness for a little while for the maid to take me to work so I can get fuss and hoover up dropped food in the school corridors or pop into the local shops for me to get my weekly treats and new toy, but when I am asked to put on my work harness and be birth named, it can mean only one thing. I am being asked to represent Guide Dogs and be on my best behaviour. Hmmmmmm, what is a dog to do?
Since moving to Wales six years ago, I have got used to their funny sounding language. The “ll”‘s “ch”‘s, “ff’s” and “ph’s” that are unique to the Welsh language makes me glad I don’t speak human speak as I don’t think my tongue can roll the r’s or create the sounds needed to speak like a local. With the maid being a Welsh speaker and us working in Welsh schools, I have learnt lots of basic commands in Welsh too so my bilingual talents are unstoppable. When the Welsh TV programme Heno asked to come and film me and the maid at home to talk about the current lengthy waiting lists for Guide Dogs that are a by product of the Pandemic and the difference us Guide Dogs make in peoples lives, I thought I would agree to help out.
The maid (who some humans naively think they are “owners”) sat me down for a chat and asked me if I could abide by some rules to make it go smoothly and not like other interviews in the past had gone. Before I had a chance to argue how purely perfect I was at all times, she decided to bring up the little hiccups that have happened in the past. May I add that NONE of these were my fault, and I hope you will be able to see it from my point of view and tell the maid off for doubting my innocence. She cruely brought up the times that
1. The Nostril Burner. According to the maid, it is not polite to leave a bottom burp go when being interviewed. A dog let’s a little breezy bouquet go from his derriere one time when being interviewed by David Hamilton for their book a few years ago and he has to be reminded about it forever. Okay maybe even the cameraman had singed nasal hair from the aromatic attack but it clearly wasn’t my fault. If the streets of London didn’t have dropped spicy meat slices of pizza adorning their cobbles then I wouldn’t have had to inhale it in a couple of bites which may have set off a little upset in the dungeons of my digestive system which later came out in the interview.
2. Pointing It Out. I will keep this brief, I was partaking in a photoshoot with a national newspaper for my book. I was excited with all the attention and the knowledge that I could go swimming in the river afterwards and maybe chase a few squirrels around the Park and my excitement showed not just in my face but….. elsewhere on my body for the whole of the nation to see. As my maid could not see when the photo was printed, a couple of people told her that they saw a whole new side of me which apparently was funny. We never mention it now to save my blushes but my maid always suggests that photos and filming usually takes place when I am laying down or we have a nice boulder or something covering my southerly region….just in case I end up on a dodgy dog register.
3. Following The Leader. A friend of ours asked us to speak at one of his workshops about manifesting what you want in life. Now, I really adore our friend but the issue is, he is a natural born leader and well, so am I. It only felt right that I had an ongoing dialogue with the workshop leader as he spoke. I don’t mean before or after but actually alongside him at the same time. I was going for the Ant and Dec approach but may have ended more as an interjected monologue . Many a person has said that I look a little like Chewbacca so I felt that in that moment I would get into character and speak like him and the likeness was uncanny. The audience obviously loved my interpretation so I continued to project my vocal chords, speak like chewy and capture the hearts of the audience. Admittedly, I did silence the host but maybe he wanted to manifest that on a subconscious level as maybe he needed to rest his voice for a bit. Since then however, the maid has said that although I can steal most of the limelight as I am worth it, I must work on my sharing more and let others have a little bit of screen time to make it fair.
4. Getting My Best Side. When being filmed a couple of years ago for the show Lorraine, the cameraman made me wait for too long as we rehearsed a quick run through. The crew loved my features so much, they thought it would be a good idea to zoom in on my floppy eared, shaggy face. I obeyed and allowed them to capture my canine charisma the first time. Even the second time I was patient but when the third time swung around, my patience wore thin. We were only speaking for a brief moment so I decided that if the camera made me wait plus I was only giving me a little air time then I would turn my back on them. Even a treat wouldn’t change my mind so the nation saw my back and I just let their imaginations run wild to what I actually looked like. My maid has tried telling me that maybe being more obedient would be good but where would the fun in that be?
My maid was ever so pleased when the filming was completed this time around as I managed to control my noxious gas, kept my dignity by laying down most of the time, allowed the maid to speak the funny language she speaks and allowed the camera to worship my presence. My maid on the other hand though was pretty embarrassing. She had rushed back from work so her hair looked like she has been dragged through a hedge backwards, she had not bothered changing into anything more camera friendly and to top it off could not remember what language she was speaking so decided to do a bit of Wenglish to edge her bets for both Welsh and English speaking people to understand her. She constantly went off topic and was waffling about random stuff and gave away my secret that sometimes when I see the harness I go upstairs to make her work for my work which is a pretty funny game I play with her. You just can’t get the staff these days and I think I will have to sit her down and have a chat about her embarrassing ways soon.
To the non Welsh speakers among you, sorry but you won’t understand much of the attached video but you are more than welcome to gaze at me on screen where I am portrayed as Minster the hard working Guide Dog. Those of you that follow this blog may know my more laid back way of being but no need to tell everyone, it can be our little secret.
I am going to get the maid to dictate more frequent blog posts this year I promise We wish you all a fantastic 2023.
As your ear snuggles down to listen to my heart beat in my chest, I hope you hear how much you are loved.
When I stroke your fine hair growing on your perfectly shaped head, I hope you know that these hands will always be there to help.
As you cwtch into me to help soothe your cry, I hope you know that problems are always solved best when you are ready for my help.
As you start to stir from dreamtine and let out happy groans and sighs, I hope you know that my ears are waiting to hear how I can help.
I do not need to see you clearly to know that you exist. Your perfect presence shows me all I need to know.
From the moment I held you, I knew that I could see who you really were through all my senses. I do not need to see to know your beauty is breath taking.
As your flawless newborn eyes adjust to the blurry world around you, I know daily what that is like. You will soon see more clearly as you take in the wonders of the world as you grow and see what life has in store for you.
Welcome to the world my beautiful Grandson. I may not be able to see your perfect tiny face clearly but it doesn’t matter in my blurry bliss. My blindness is forgotten as my senses watch you turn into the perfect boy you are born to be. I will love you always ❤
Munch has been in my life for six years but it feels much longer (which I am sure he would agree with). Life pre Munch was very different for both of us on lots of different levels. One of the blessings we are gifted with when we are partnered up with our canine heros, is the diary that is kept from their birth to let us know what they have been up to. Minster (his official Guide Dog name) Munch had a lot of nurturing fun during his first 22 month of life with his amazing puppy walkers and team that were part of his life before he came to us and learning what he had been up too helped us to get to know him.
The changes that have been gifted to me in the last six years is amazing ,so here are six highlights of our time together.
1. Work life and beyond. 17 months prior to Munch’s arrival , I had to give up work due to the severity of the impact my sight loss had on my life. Due to the complexity of life with Marfan Syndrome which caused the sight loss, I was suffering multiple dislocations and injuries through falls which was not ideal. Rocking up to work on crutches with a full leg cast and travelling on buses, trains and taxis for up to 12 hours a day to do a 6 hour shift (the joys of living where public transport is sporadic), was getting a little much. As soon as Munch magically appeared in my life, I was able to plan returning to work and had no more injuries as he was able to keep me safe. Since returning to work I have been able to get a promotion and been able to do lots of training which I would never have been able to do without him.
2. Visiting places carefree. Life with sight loss without a Guide Dog or a cane, was always more work than pleasure. Bringing up four children when I had sight loss meant I was always going into the unknown when visiting new places with the children and required me to be on constant high alert. Listening out for the different sounding clothing materials the children were wearing and their unique footsteps running around helped me to locate them as I held constant conversations with them. When I used so much detective skills to work out my environment I rarely had the chance to relax in the moment and experience what the sighted around me were experiencing. With Munch by my side , I can now learn to surrender to be in the moment as he finds the way safely for us and always has his eyes on whoever we are with as he reunites us with our pack if we get separated.
3. Spreading his love. During these last six years , Munch has managed to melt the hearts of the masses 😁. Joining me daily in the counselling room, Munch acts as an undercover pet therapy dog as he sits by the side of my clients as we work together on helping anyway we can. He also takes this loving energy out into the world wherever we go and somehow seeks out the lonely in society and makes a beeline for them. Those that have recently lost pets or loved ones, live alone and have no company and anyone who is struggling tends to be on his love blast radar as he seeks them out to show them much needed love. Munch has that “once met, never forgotten” energy about him and brightens up the days of the locals who fall at his paws everytime they see him.
4. He turned us into authors. I have always liked the idea of dabbling with writing but never got around to doing anything about it. My grammar is appalling, English was my second language in school, I could never see well enough in education to know how language worked and the lack of the physical requirement to see what I was writing were all little hiccups in getting a book written. Hearing of authors who struggle for years to get recognised then published all seemed a bit daunting as I had never been through anything like that. So when I decided to write about Munch and sight loss and haphazardly put a book proposal together, I was stunned when I had a book deal on my first attempt. Four months later after doing a bit of writing here and there, What you see when you can’t see’ was completed. It seems that life with Munch was all that was needed to base a book upon . Admitting I had sight loss to everyone was far easier when I have my hairy soul mate by my side .
5. Normalising sight loss. Life pre Munch, hiding sight loss from others was what I needed to do, or so I thought. Living without any help for 39 years in the sighted world was a nightmare, but being the stubborn, independent person I am , admitting I could not see seemed admitting defeat which I wasn’t prepared to do. After realising I was my own worst enemy and swallowing the pride pill, wanting a Guide Dog seemed the sensible option. Since he has arrived I have embraced sight loss openly and feel that it is so important ro help the sighted to understand what life is really like with sight loss. I find myself answering questions daily on what it is like being blind and it never gets old. I know that people ask because they genuinely want to know and love it when young children ask the questions that need to be asked.
6. I live with my best friend. Living with a pet is amazing , but when you get to take your hairy soul mate with you wherever you go, it deepens your bond even more. We are never apart. From waking up to a snoring Munch on the pillow next to me, to accompanying me to a meal out where he kindly doubles as a hoover, he is always by my side. He acts not only as a safety net to prevent accidents and such but being blessed to have a constant source of love helping me through whatever may be going on in life is just so special.
Knowing that Munch has between one and three years of working life before he retires is not a comforting thought for me but it probably is for him. Munch has worked so hard in these last six years but I am hoping that he has had as much fun as me as we have been places we never would have gone without each other ❤