Disability Narratives
Personal impact
Video clip: Maria’s guide dog has changed her life and helped her face many fears.
Oh, yes. He changed my life. He really did. Because I was - I remember that the lady said, "You're telling me that you don't want to go out. They need to go out at least for one hour a day. How are you going to cope with that?" And I said "I don't know. Because I don't know until I get the dog. I cannot give you an answer until I'm in that situation. But believe me, I will try my best." But my heart was going bing-bing-bing-bing [laughing]. And then yeah, from the first day. Yesterday we went out three times. And I had to go to a meeting in the evening, where I live. My husband wasn't there. And I left the meeting at half past eight, it was dark. I knew that it was going to be dark. And although I was sort of a little bit shaky, I just thought 'you're going to do it, [Maria], you're going to do it'. We walk for half an hour back home, and it was perfect. No problem at all. He took me from A to B. So confident. Go right, go left. He knows the way. He was amazing. So I think that from last night, if there is something in the evening I will try and go. Because I want to get rid of this fear of not having light.