Taking the Lead | Life Changing

On this episode we talk with client Luis Sanchez about his journey with blindness and receiving services at Leader Dog.

What is Taking the Lead ?

Leader Dogs for the Blind empowers people who are blind or visually impaired with the tools for safe and independent daily travel. Our goal is to educate, advocate, and share real life experiences of those with blindness. Come learn, laugh, and grow with us.

Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Taking the Lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hopner with my co-host Leslie Hoskins and Timothy Kyo. Timothy, it's been a while since we've talked about Glacier and what happened with her. Could you kind of give us a little recap and an update? 'cause I know we have a positive update on her.
Timothy: Yeah. We finally got a positive update, uh, last year. Glacier and I, uh, we went somewhere apparently and. Uh, she got bit by a, a nasty tick and uh, we didn't know about till about four or five months later when we did her, her annuals and uh, her blood platelets had dropped to kind of a dangerous level. And so we were struggling with that, uh, for about three or four months.
And, uh, 'cause she didn't like the antibiotics, so we ended up, uh, having to cook her meals and stuff like that every morning, every night. And. It, it was pretty bad and she gained some weight during that is during that time. So, um, but I'm glad to say we [00:01:00] went and got her blood test done the other day and she's back in a normal range, which we're happy about and her weight's back down where it should be, where she's normally at.
So, uh, I am very thankful for that right now today.
Leslie: Yeah, that is fantastic news. That's a wonderful update. Thank you, Timothy. So is there any chance of it going back up again? Like the numbers getting out of the normal range or like She's good. Unless she were to be bit by another tick or something like that.
She
Timothy: has to get bit by another tick. Okay. The doctor's cleared her, so we are good to go. And. She, she went through this whole thing and we kept working. We kept on going and, and, uh, she's a tank. She's always been a tank, and she's been my inspiration. And she never showed any signs of an illness or anything, which blew me away when they told me, Hey, you got a sick dog here.
Christina: Yeah.
Timothy: And she never, uh, never, never whimpered, she always did her job like she's supposed to.
Christina: Yeah. Timothy, I remember you saying that when you found out that she never acted sick, and that's why it's so important to go to your, go to the vet every [00:02:00] year and do those regular checkups for your dog.
Timothy: Yeah. They found this out when they were doing the, uh, heartworm test.
Mm.
Christina: They
Timothy: saw something funny in her, uh, blood work. So, uh, it was not a cheap, uh, uh, illness to fix, but she's fixed today and I'm thankful that we had the ability to. To, uh, get her through this and, um, I love my dog. She's everything to me. And, um. I'm just kind my, my wife, when we heard we had the vet on, my wife started crying.
That just shows you how stressful we were. I'm about to cry right now, but it was a very stressful time. But, uh, I'm just glad she's back to normal and being her bubbly self, like usual.
Leslie: Yeah. That's great news. Well, I'm sorry you guys had to go through that, but I'm so happy to hear that Glacier is doing well, um, and continuing to work, which is fantastic news.
So. Thank you just for sharing that experience. I, you know, it's not something I had ever really heard of happening. Yeah. So it's a really great reminder, like Christina said, to go to those annual checkups and, and make sure the dogs are doing good
Timothy: if you're gonna get a dog. It's [00:03:00] just something you gotta, you gotta put in the back of your head that there might be a day if your dog's not healthy.
And you've always gotta, you always gotta check on their, your dog do. Its annuals just like you do with a child or yourself. You gotta, that dog is everything to a blind person if you have a guy dog. And so you gotta take care of your dog. You take care of your dog. The dog will take care of you.
Leslie: There you go.
Yeah. It's a good team effort. Well, thank you, uh, and please, uh, give Glacier some love for us. We're very happy to hear that news. All right. Well, let's go ahead and get started. Today's guest is here to share his experience with both on campus and in home o and m.
Christina: Yes. In 2020, Louis Sanchez lost his vision and feared he never traveled again.
But everything changed in 2023 when he came to Leader Dog Campus for our orientation and mobility or our white cane program. Then in 2024, he continued his journey with o and m services right in his hometown. Since then, Louise has been unstoppable, reclaiming his independence and [00:04:00] inspiring others every step of the way.
Timothy: Good morning, Louise. Welcome to the podcast. I met Louise last year at, uh, Chicago. I was there and him and his friend and another gentleman came down and saw me. How you been doing? Louise. And can you tell the, uh, the, the audience a little bit more about yourself?
Good morning, Leslie, Christina, and. Um, um, thanks for inviting me to your podcast.
I listened to you, um, since I was there in the campus in 2023. That's how I found, uh, your podcast. So nice to talk to you today. In 2017 is when I started, um, having problems with my vision. I was working and I knew that something was not right when I was working at the Warehouse and I deal with numbers, so it was kind of blurry and I know something was wrong, but I didn't put to my attention.
And then a few months later I got worse. And then when I started going to the doctor, they couldn't find nothing until like the end of 2018 when, um, finally I've got like a emergency call and told me I needed to go to the hospital the next Monday, uh, and then find out that I got a, [00:05:00] uh, I have to go another infection.
So I had to be in the hospital for two weeks with antibiotic, and they told me it would not get worse. I still got worse in 2019, was I was still working until 2020 when it got worse. And, uh, that when they told me I can not work no more.
Leslie: Yeah, that's awful to hear, Luis. So you had an optical nerve infection, you said.
So ha. Since then, has your vision remained stable since 2020?
Oh, I still lost a little more vision than 2020, like in 2020. Um, I was still working, uh, until like April, but uh, that's when I. It got worse. And then like they told me, I, I cannot work no more. So that's when, when I started. Uh,
Timothy: what was your initial fears of when this all started happening to you?
I'm sure you were scared to death.
Yeah, because, um, was, I was, at that time I was still living in the city of Chicago on the north side and I used to travel a lot, go, [00:06:00] you know, to different events work, take trains and, you know, buses and all stuff. And for me it was gonna be hard to like. I gonna do this.
You know, I was frustrated. I was, uh, more emotional. I, I would not be able to do stuff no more that I used to love to do. So that was kinda my, my situation when I was, when I find out that, do all the stuff that I used to love.
Leslie: Absolutely. I'm sure that was incredibly challenging and really upsetting. Can you talk us through what happened?
So, I mean, you lost your vision and then how did you, how did you find services? Where did you go? What did you do? What were those steps to start taking in the blind rehab world?
Well, after 2020, I decided in the next smoker, we took three years. I, I was not doing nothing. I didn't do nothing. I just was at home, you know, with help of my.
My roommate and his son and I just, you know, they, they would help me with everything everywhere we go. He, [00:07:00] you know, they helped me navigate, you know, I never had no service, no until like the end of 2022 when I started going to, I went to the Chicago house for the first time and that's when they told me about, um, you know, get a cane, why cane?
And at that time I was not ready. That's what, when I started, uh, thinking about it, I need to get orientation mobility training.
Christina: And how did you first hear about Leader Dog and what made you decide to come to campus for orientation in mobility back in 2023?
Yeah, so in 2022 when I, first time I went to the Chicago house, I went, you know, my, my, um, eye doctor.
And, um, he, uh, she was bringing me to lot different options. Um, to have to get, uh, orientation, mobility. And they gave me like three options. And, um, the first one was, uh, um, you know, go to the state of Illinois [00:08:00] and apply and I need to wait and they can, uh, you know, if they can gimme the o and m training, but that's gonna told me they're gonna take a a few time.
Now they gotta wait. My second option that they told me it was go to go. Uh, to the city of Chicago. But by that time, uh, I already moved to the suburbs and, uh, they told me I needed to go to the City of Chicago one time a week. And, uh, I, now that I live like 45 minutes from Chicago, it was gonna be hard for me to go, you know, to the city of Chicago.
And, um, the third option they gave me when they, uh, they offered me a, a little do full of blind, uh, and they told me they were supposed to go out of state. They were, they were in Michigan. So that's when, uh, I know, I, I know I know about you.
Leslie: That's actually crazy to hear that you did actually have some options, but I understand it felt like those, some of those options were really not available to you.
We really tried to partner with organizations like the Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind. I'm so [00:09:00] happy to hear that they were saying, Hey, you could go here, you can do this. And also, hey, there's Luter Dogs for the Blind. Where you can go to them. And that's wonderful to hear. And and honestly, state agencies, we always encourage reaching out to your state agency to receive services there too.
But there are some of those downsides of a long wait time or maybe you don't qualify. And, and that's really where we can be a great partner. So I'm happy to hear that you were given some options, but you decided on Leader Dogs for the Blend. Can you tell us about that decision and then how, uh, how it was when you got to campus?
So after they gave me the options, I. Talked to my, you know, my caregiver, my roommate, and the, the option they gave me. And my, my friend said, your option is number three. So that's when I, like, maybe in the next couple days I recall. And we start the process and then the, all the information and, you know, the video and, and know few months, uh, I got the call to give me different dates.
They, [00:10:00] uh, you know, that, that I can take. So I decided to take, uh. Class in August of 2023, and that's when I, I decided my to go to Leader Dogs for the line.
Leslie: That's wonderful. So you got to campus in 2023, August. What was the week of o and m like on campus?
Well, the first time, uh, you know, when I got there, you know, I, I didn't flew there.
Um, I was so nervous to fly. Sure. So I decided to my friend to drive me. So we, they drove me all the way there I was. Very nervous. I didn't know what to expect when I got there. And they showed me right away, you know, the place, they showed me my room and they gimme a little tour and it was, it was, I was amazed like I was, that was in a resort.
Mm-hmm. You know, understand like a nice room. And I was next to kind of in front of the, you know, the lunch room. Mm-hmm. So I had just opened my door and I just go in front of it. I was lucky about that. They can [00:11:00] go to the lunch room every morning right away.
Leslie: Yeah. You had a prime location then if you were right by the dining room.
That's fantastic. So working, uh, one-on-one on campus with your orientation and mobility specialist for the week, and then you went back home and worked on those skills. Can you tell us a little bit about what made you want then the in-home o and m experience?
So after I left, you know, I left, uh, that Saturday I went home and the first time I, when I got home, you know, I always wanted to, because like I said, I never had orientation in mobility.
So, uh, that was my first time at all. Uh, I was, I was scared to go outside my house because I said how I gonna go out? I, I was never to get lost. I didn't even go into the corner of my house because I thought I was gonna lost. So the first thing I, I did when I got home, I went around my neighborhood by myself, you know, when.
A couple blocks and across the streets and came back and, you know, said I was, um, you know, something I cannot do before. I did it the first day I got back. [00:12:00] And then when I was over there, that's when, um, my, uh, instructor before I left, uh, uh, Stacy yeah. Told me about the program, about home training. He asked, he told me that, um, if I want to do it, I, you know, I need to apply, think about it, and.
After I got, you know, I, I was, I went back to the Chicago Light House. They got me a trainer there for, on the final, from Chicago Lighthouse. Her name is Rebecca. So she, in the next few months, uh, she helped me and then that's when I applied for home training with Barry. And then I was doing the process of, you know, filling all the paperwork and those, um, you know, the video and then I send it and then I got a call that I was accepted.
Christina: So what was it like working with Barry at your home? So how was that different from being on campus?
Well, it was different because like I said, I don't, I, I live in, now that I live in a suburb for me is for, to go to the [00:13:00] city. I had to take a bus, you know, I had to take a train all the way to Chicago now.
So I just, it was, it was for me, it was kind of hard to do all that. I thought I never been able to do it because, you know, I had to walk like a block from my house and then. Then go that, uh, valve would take me to that terminal, the bus terminal. I had to ca street to take the metro. The metro is the train that goes to the city.
So I thought we were never able to do that. But when Barry came, he helped me the first day or the first thing we do, we went to the terminal and he helped me figure out, you know, um, how to do all that stuff. We crossed the street and we came back and we went around, you know, that area and. And help a lot, you know, to do stuff that I thought I wasn't able to do.
Timothy: So, Louise, I know you got the training to do that from Barry. So have you been able to go to a Cubs game and stuff? I, because I thought, like I saw on your Facebook, you went to a Cubs game one day.
Yeah. So [00:14:00] when, when I was, you know, when I was returning with, uh, Barry, I, we went, we went to a, uh, Facebook game that time with him.
But, uh, last year, this year, I, I went to my first job game by myself. And, you know, it was, it was, was a, you know, a nice adventure to go to cops game. And I even go to Chicago fire games, uh, like soccer too. So to stuff that I thought I was not able to do because. It's, it's hard to go to to stuff like this.
Leslie: That's amazing. That is absolutely amazing. And you should be incredibly proud of yourself. What a turnaround, right? From feeling like I can absolutely never leave my house to, first of all, just coming to Leader Dog on campus, away from home for an entire week. That is a big ask that we ask of people. You don't know anybody at our organization.
It's away from home. I mean, that's a big leap of faith to do that. Then to take it that extra mile and first of all, right, like you'd never [00:15:00] had orientation mobility before, any white cane training. When you come to campus, it is pretty intense, right? It's five days of intense o and m practice. Really five days.
That's it. It doesn't mean that you know all the skills or that you're ready to go travel completely independently by yourself. So I think it's absolutely wonderful that you followed up and you got that in-home support with Barry so that you could work on then your specific routes in your home area. A lot of times when people come to campus, we focus on.
The general skills, right? Like the basics of o and m using a white cane. We try to get you in different environments. We try to look at what your home environment is and mimic it here, but we're really teaching fundamentals in hopes that you can take those skills and go home and generalize 'em. But Chicago and Chicago suburbs.
Those are some intense environments, right? Like that's pretty crazy. So to be able to offer that support of Barry then coming to your home, working with you, so you've already got those foundational skills and now you can apply 'em to your specific [00:16:00] routes and going to Cubs games. And first of all, Barry is a huge baseball fanatic, so I'm sure that was difficult to get him to work on a route to the Cubs game.
Um, but that's really incredible. So that's awesome. So going to Cubs games. What else is on your, your docket of things you wanna do or places you wanna go
for now it's time to go to other games, you know, football, um, travel. I, I, because when I used to see, I used to travel a lot, you know, um, I used to go to, uh, like my, my family in California.
And, um, that's my, my, my next goal to travel more, you know, go to see my family in out of state.
Timothy: Well, I'm proud of you, Louise. All the travel you've done and what you've done is inspiration to others and shown that they can take that skill and do anything. And so we're, we're really proud of you.
Leslie: Louise, I have to ask, so after working, uh, with Barry and then you're continuing hopefully to get services throughout, you know, the state or the Chicago [00:17:00] Lighthouse, I think that's again fantastic.
We love to partner with other organizations and agencies. Really, you know, a kind of a holistic approach to services and, and that we're all collaborating and working together towards the same mission. Um, but what advice would you give anybody? So anybody who's maybe sitting in your shoes, it's, it's 2017, when you're just starting to experience this vision loss and, and to thinking about where you are today, what advice would you give somebody?
So.
I got a friend, he, uh, last around my, my, my time too, and I just give him advice because he didn't want to do, you know, cane? No, he don't wanna have an orientation, mobility. And when he saw me, um, um, doing what I did, he, he decided to, you know, to get a cane. Finally, he got a cane and he went to the doctor for the blind the next, the next year.
And that's. You can do the first you. You can do it. Don. Don't say you cannot do [00:18:00] stuff like you. Sorry. Sorry.
Louis: Second
said. And don't people can do, you know, we can do a lot of stuff with training with little that full of blind.
Leslie: Absolutely. I think so many people have very similar stories to you in that.
Right. Like you didn't anticipate losing your vision. Nobody really does. And then when you're experiencing that, it's very devastating. It's very isolating. It feels like, you know, it's sometimes it's kind of the end and, and to hear your story and to know that you really took life by, by the hands and, and you, and you went for it.
You came to Leader Dog for a week. Again, that is a huge step coming to a. A place outside of your state, right? And staying for the whole week and really committing to it and it's hard work. Traveling with a cane is hard work. Nobody would ever say that's easy. And so I think that's wonderful that you came and you [00:19:00] experienced that, and then you also went back home.
Got more services and now you're traveling independently in all sorts of different environments. And I think it's important to remember too, that you never really graduate from orientation and mobility. There's, these are lifelong skills that constantly need a refresher. The environment continues to change.
You know, technology continues to change. You yourself, your vision may continue to change, your physical ability may change, and so. It's always a really great reason to come in for those refresher classes, um, and, and build up and learn what's new and what's happening. Timothy, you're a great example, right?
You're getting ready, hopefully to come in and, and kind of refresh those skills
Timothy: times, change your eyes, vision changes, and, and, uh, when that stuff happens, you need to go back and get that refresher. 'cause it, it's, uh, always you gotta catch up with sometimes like I have to right now and, and, uh, I'm looking forward to it.
And, uh, 'cause I need it and, uh, it's something I gotta accept even along with my, you know, I've accepted my, my vision [00:20:00] loss. But you gotta say, Hey, things are not gonna be great if Glacier retired today. So I need to get those, the brush up.
Christina: Yeah. It's like anything in life, if you're not consistent with it, if you don't keep up on the latest things that are changing or happening, you lose it or you forget it, or that sort of thing.
So those are great reminders for anybody, for anything. Absolutely.
Leslie: So Luis, we have to ask what is next for you? Do you have any big goals or adventures?
Like, I'm a big orphan and I want to travel, I want to go to like Arizona Diamondback Stadium because they got a system called One Cord, and it's like a braille for, for sports that you put, like you hand in a tablet and it, it just tell you about how the game goes.
You know, it vibrates and it, you know, tell you like it's a home run where the ball goes. So that's my, my, my goal to try and do that.
Leslie: That's awesome. I've never heard of that before. I listen, I love what sports are doing, what museums are doing. Everybody's trying to be [00:21:00] more inclusive and figure out ways to adapt.
Right? It's better for everybody. All of these different, um, adaptations or accessibility things, it helps everybody. So that's awesome. That's a fantastic goal. So, just to wrap things up here today, if you could sum up your leader dog experience in one word, what would it be?
Lump, shrinking. Life
Leslie: changing.
Yeah. It really changed my life because like I said, I really, when I, when I lost my vision, I thought when I able to do all this stuff, I was very, very depressed and emotional. Then I would not be able to do stuff that I love to, you know, travel and go to, you know, little games and all.
Leslie: That's wonderful.
Luis, thank you so much for sharing your story and your journey with us, and we are incredibly proud of you and all that you have accomplished and continue to be doing. It's not easy and you're really, you're really going for it, and that's fantastic. So thank you so much for being here today and sharing your story.
We appreciate [00:22:00] it.
Thank you, Jose. Everybody take care.
Leslie: Thank you. And thank you so much to our listeners for listening to the Taking the Lead podcast. I'm Leslie Hoskins with host Timothy Kyo and Christina Hubner. We hope you enjoyed hearing about Luis and his incredible journey. Please join us next time as we continue to dive into the worlds of Blindness.
Christina: And if you'd like to learn more about applying to our free services at Leader Dog, you can head to leader dog.org or call us at [phone]. Don't forget you can reach us at taking the [e-mail] with any questions or ideas. If you like today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever podcast Straighten.