Hello again,

A thing which I would like to discuss is how safe do you feel as a blind or visually impaired person when going out in bad weather like we’re currently experiencing?

Or any disabled person fo that matter. I have read a few stories about wheelchair users not feeling safe.

I am not a fan of the wind and rain or snow. It makes it more difficult to see and my cane becomes unusable. I cannot leave the house alone. Is anyone else in the same situation?

I try hard to do as much stuff as everyone else, yet sometimes I have to be realistic. I have to ask myself the question, do I feel safe?

The other day the answer was no. I chose not to leave the house.
I made the right decision. My trains were cancelled later in the day and I would have been stuck.

When looking on Twitter I have found that other disabled people were thinking the same as myself. I was glad to not be alone in my decision. However, it also re enforces how stressful independence can be for us as disabled people. Especially when things do not go to plan.

Be kind to yourself, know your limits and know it is OK to say ‘I am putting my safety first’. I have rearranged my week so I can now do what I was going to do on the Sunday, but now do it on the Thursday. Everything has worked out fine and I am happy.

Think that’s it for this week.

Twitter: @PhilippaB                                                                                                                       Instagram: @VisuallyImpairedPip