Summer Camp Badge
Just like a "real" summer camp I am trying to earn a few badges this summer. Watching Knitty Natty who appears to be able to knit and hike at the same time inspired me to try to earn my Knitting while Hiking badge.
This is my Summer camp and I can make up whatever badges I want to earn. I can also eat as many smores as desired and go to bed when I want!
I tried it the other day when I was on a hike with my DH.
It worked and I was able to successfully (i.e. not fall flat on my face) knit while walking. This is a double victory due to 1) my general lack of coordination and 2) my glaucoma. I have not lost a significant amount of vision due to glaucoma. I am still drive, read and carry on my daily functions without vision assistance. One modification in daily life is I do require lots of light, I do not do well in semi-dark rooms or places. The only work modification I require is that the arrow icon on any computers I use must be enlarged and in a highly visible color. I strictly adhere to my medication routine and see my eye specialist every 6 months. I have the normal tension version of glaucoma. Usually when people are diagnosed with glaucoma they have high eye pressures (and tend to be elderly). Not me (of course!) based on my eye pressures there is no legitimate reason why I have glaucoma, my eye pressures fall well within the normal range for people. Despite this I have optic nerve damage. This is why it is important to get regular eye check ups. Glaucoma is a silent disease, meaning there are no symptoms until vision loss begins to occur. The vision loss is not reversible, once damage has occurred to the optic nerve in your eye the damage is permanent.
My vision loss has remained steady since my diagnosis. This means I have not lost any more vision since my initial diagnosis. My largest vision loss is in the lower portion of my vision field. Basically where my feet land when walking. This means that in new places on new surfaces I am likely to fall or walk on top of items because I legitimately do not see them, they are in my blind spot. For instance, if someone places a pair of shoes in an area of the house where I do not expect to encounter shoes I will walk right on top of the shoes because I do not see them as an obstacle. When walking in the street in a new area if the sidewalk, curbs and steps are not clearly marked I will continue walking like those items are not there. This can lead to me tripping and falling.
All this means I do need to be alert when walking. I watched a recent video from Knitty Natty in which she explained what she uses to hold her knitting while hiking. It is an ingenious idea, a chalk bag (this is the version I ordered from Amazon: Cotopaxi Halcon Del Dia Chalk Bag) you strap around your waist like rock or wall climbers use. I ordered one right away!
It will work perfectly to allow me to keep my hands free to knit, not hold a bag and watch where I am going all at the same time. When I was using my bag on my first hike it did start to pull on my wrist the longer it was in use.
You could also wear it as a cross body if desired. By the way the shirt is a trial run of a new pattern I am working on a practice run. I am still working on perfecting my front drape on the pattern.