Navigating Life With Laura And Garmin: Recent Episodes
Laura Zumbro
Discussing everything in life from growing up to retirement. Helping people understand visual impairments and everyday life.
Regardless if you are able-bodied or disabled, we all have a choice on how we behave. Take a listen and see why I urge you to choose wisely.
Most people think they become independent at a certain age, like 18; or, when they get married, or their first job. But, I propose that independence is not a one and done type of thing, but it happens on a grade. Check out today's episode and see if you agree.
Once you learn to be able to laugh at yourself instead of feeling foolish, awkward moments become much more entertaining. Check out today's episode to see what I mean!
We are all going to be wrong in life, and we can choose to do that with dignity and accept the fact that we were wrong; or, we can make things worse. Take a listen to hear what I mean!
In this episode, I am talking about using all of our senses to navigate our lives. Sighted people tend to rely solely on their sight, but that doesn't always work out. Curious? Hit PLAY!
I learned a few do's and don'ts I'd like to share with y'all about moving across the country blindly. If you don't see what I did there, listen to the episode and you will!
In this, final Arizona episode, I hope the stories will make you smile and the encouragement will be a blessing.
A small bit of insight into the daily living of a person that is visually impaired. You may see things differently after this episode.
Today I am talking about the heightened senses of visually impaired people. Included in that topic, there are lessons to be learned, hopefully I can clear up some misconceptions about the heightened senses.
Life is a roller coaster, so get on and ride! Let this episode encourage you to be happy where you are in life - circumstances can always change.
In honor of Blindness Awareness Month, I've put together some stories that show just how much more awareness needs to happen.
It is so irritating when people complain about driving. Put on your big-kid underpants and check out what public transportation has to offer.
After discussing service dogs in businesses for a couple weeks, I decided to follow that up with service dogs and transportation. The next two episodes will be informative and entertaining, so enjoy!
After talking about the many incidents I have had with non-service dogs in the grocery store I thought I'd do some looking into specific sores' policies. You might be surprised at what I learned, so check it out!
Guess what? Another incident at the grocery store with someone's pet. In today's and next weeks episodes, I'm taking a different approach. Get your friends and check it out!
Today I'm finishing up my discussion on how healthcare providers should treat blind/visually impaired patients. In this episode I will be focusing on Guide Dog users who have to stay in the hospital. I will include specific examples from John's Hopkins Hospitals.
I don't know why, but it seems the health care community has forgotten that blind/visually impaired patients have the same right to privacy and quality care as everyone else. In the next two episodes I'll be talking a lot about this so get everyone you know in the medical field to listen!
Being visually impaired, we may not be able to control what we see. But we can control how we see things with what we have. Check out what I mean.
In my opinion, a key component of self-confidence is having the ability to laugh at yourself. I hope these stories will help you gain some confidence in your disability. Well, it works for everyone really so share it with your friends!
Almost every day there's something new that makes for a great story! I hope you enjoy this episode, which lets you walk through a day of life with me.
In today's episode I am answering the last three questions from on and off social media. Be sure to listen to the whole thing for a little surprise somewhere!
Dealing with ignorant people and their ridiculousness has become a part of my everyday life. At this point though, I have learned to laugh at it all. Listen to today's episode for a glimpse of what I mean.
I have had countless encounters with people and their non-service animals, but this incident was the final straw.
In this weeks, and next weeks episodes, I will be answering your questions from social media.
I hope you all enjoy these funny and outrageous stories from my daily life as a blind woman.
This is the full episode where I am discussing things to take into consideration when thinking about getting a Guide Dog.
In this episode I am discussing some of the things to take into consideration if you are thinking of getting a Guide Dog. If it doesn't answer all of your questions, feel free to let me know.
As a follow up to the last two episodes, today I am talking about the new changes that I needed to make after coming to terms with my vision loss.
In this episode, I take you through the rest of my journey as I came to terms with losing my vision.
As hard as it was to accept, I fought it as long as I could. But at some point we all have to come to terms with what life has dealt us. If you think no one relates to your vision loss, I promise you, I do. In this episode I talk about the early years of living with my visual impairment. I hope the stories are a blessing as well as a lesson.
Blind people problems, things to never say or ask a blind person all put together in some of my life experiences, Enjoy!
A while back I did an episode called Blind People Problems, and since I am never short on stories, I figured I'd do a sequel. Enjoy!
In this episode, I am comparing the service animal policies of Lyft and Uber. I'm also outlining the 2020 DOT ruling about service animals on airplanes. I promise you will learn something - I know I did!
With so many variations of blindness and visual impairments, there are tons of questions to be asked and answered - both by sighted, and non-sighted people. In this episode, I am discussing some of the most common questions sighted folks ask blind people.
Even though the law about service animals is pretty specific, there are some exceptions. Like everything in life, educating yourself is key!
In my time using a Guide Dog, I have become very familiar with what a service animal is. Part of the problem, is that businesses either don't know the difference, or they are afraid of what consequences might come if they don't allow everyone with a "service animal" access. In this episode, I will tell you the legal definition of a service animal, as well as some other very useful information.
Despite popular opinion, ignorance isn't a bad word. Most people who don't understand visual impairments, or disabilities in general, are simply not educated on the subject. The good news is, we can change that if we work together!
Today I am going to help you gain a basic understanding of blindness. Including a brief definition of some foundational terms.
Here are some guidelines and things you should not do when you come in contact with a person and their Guide Dog.
Talking with David about his experience travelling with visually impaired people. Not sure if fiasco is the right word, but it was something!
Well Navigators it's been fun. In this final episode I will be giving a very brief summary of the last year and a half and telling you my plans for the future. Thank you for listening!
Some things should just be kept to yourself. Knowing who's around you when you're talking is really important. These are some things that I believe you should never say out loud around a blind person.
Regardless of whether or not you have a disability, or what that disability may be, if you work a job, the importance of having a good work ethic is immeasurable.
Although October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also disability awareness month. It may not be in the same realm, but to some people it's just as important.
There are many different forms of discrimination, in many different ways to handle a discriminatory situation. But when you're in the heat of the moment it's hard to think clearly.
I feel like today our society has become more rude and inconsiderate of others than ever before. Having a disability can make that especially challenging, but it doesn't have to be. Let's listen, learn, and just be nice!
Everyone knows life throws crazy things that us. Today I have some tips for you to help you be better prepared to go out in the world each day.
The realities of our lives are not always fun, but they do need to be dealt with. I believe they can be dealt with by using wisdom, and humor. Check it out!
We have all been in embarrassing situations, but I believe I have the key to dealing with those situations gracefully. Okay, maybe not gracefully, but you'll have to listen to see what I mean!
Today's topic is a matter of perspective, literally. Listen to this episode to hear how your vision can be a hindrance to a proper perspective.
Join me by listening into this conversation with my oldest son, and hear his perspective on growing up with visually impaired mom.
If you are of the mindset that your disability limits you, I challenge you to change that mindset and instead realize that you don't have to be limited.
When we think about being treated equally, I feel like we sometimes forget that being treated equally is a God-given human right. Whether you're disabled or not, this is a great episode to listen to.
Explaining your visual impairment to people isn't always easy. Sometimes even the people closest to us are the hardest to talk to. Let's discuss it!
Is incredibly frustrating, actually it makes me quite angry, when people assume that I am just bringing my dog out with me. The Discrimination I have faced has been quite discouraging, and it's important for me to share these stories with you.
This episode is a glimpse into my everyday life, struggles and trying to hold on to my independence. It's not one of my happiest episodes, but it's real and genuine and I hope someone gains something out of it.
I don't really have a whole lot of rules about interacting with blind people, but there are some things you should never say. Take a listen, have some laughs, and learn a couple things!
Watching what you say, and being respectful is not the same as changing Who You Are to make other people happy. You can be yourself, and embrace that, without needing to adjust for other people.
In this episode I'm talking about the natural desire of humans to fit in, and try to adapt to Life's situations. That's not always easy to do, hit play to find out what I mean!
In today's society we all want to fit in. Standing out in a crowd isn't always the best thing, bringing attention to yourself can be fun, but also exhausting. In this episode, I'm talking about my personal feelings about being like everybody else.
In today's episode, I'm discussing some Adventures that I've had during my hiatus. I hope you enjoy these stories, and are able to live vicariously as you listen!
This episode is a brief discussion about the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it pertains to blind people. I know once you listen, you will learn some things that you did not know before, and have a couple laughs along the way!
In this episode, you will learn a brief overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which, if you're disabled, I believe it's vital for you to understand. Listen to this episode, and hopefully you'll learn something new and be a bit entertained.
It is so important to be able to stand up for yourself, and stand up for others when you see there being treated wrongly. It's not always easy, but doing the right thing is almost never easy, good thing it's worth it!
Sometimes it's hard to know the difference between helping someone and hindering them from being all they can be. They may not always be on purpose, but they can still be detrimental. Confused? That's okay, just hit play!
In this episode, I'm continuing the discussion about some of the nightmares I've dealt with using Uber and Paratransit. As bad as it was at the time, I can look back on it and laugh now, it's a good thing to have a sense of humor for these situations!
In this episode, I'm just telling a couple stories about being stuck in somebody else's car when you need a ride. Hopefully, you're always careful about who you get a ride from.
It has always been important to know your surroundings and make sure that you don't allow yourself to become a Target. But in today's society, it seems like more and more people need to be hyper-vigilant about keeping themselves safe. I believe people with disabilities have special circumstances to deal with oh, and this episode briefly touches on that oh, I hope it'll be informative and a blessing.
Taking your guide dog to an amusement parks can be challenging, but it can also be a lot of fun. Take a listen to this episode for some stories, and some good information about taking your guide dog to the amusement park.
Today's episode just has some good, funny stories about when I used to drive. Giving up my driver's license was the hardest thing I did, wow I didn't really give it up it was taken from me and after you hear some of these stories you'll understand why!
In today's episode, I'm talking with my co-worker Nik, who is blind and grew up living in Afghanistan. It was a great, and interesting discussion learning how blind people live in other countries. You are definitely going to want to listen to this episode!
In this final episode on the series about getting a guide dog, and summarizing all that goes into the decision making of getting a guide dog. This is such an important decision and there is so much that goes into it I'm sure I didn't get everything, but I truly hope that you find all this information helpful.
In today's episode, I'm talking mostly about the things involved with traveling with a guide dog. If you travel a lot, there is a lot to take into consideration when you're making the decision whether or not to get a guide dog, so listen to this very important episode and I promise you will get some good information!
In this episode on continuing the discussion on what all goes into the decision making process of getting a Guide Dog. I promise, there's lots of good stuff in here so take a listen!
I liken the decision to get a Guide Dog to the decision to have children. It's not one to be taken lightly, as it holds a great responsibility in many different ways. In today's episode of talk a little bit about those responsibilities, and tell the story of how I decided to get my first guide dog, Karbon.
Falling into the Trap of letting other people do everything for you and be easy, especially when you have a disability. But doing the best you can despite your disability, builds character and brings about better results than you can even imagine!
Learning that your visual impairment is just a piece of who you are isn't always easy to do. But, once you learn to look beyond your visual impairment it opens up a whole new world for how you look at yourself.
It is vital to your mental health to love who you are despite whatever disability or challenge you have. Listen to today's episode and get some encouragement to be able to appreciate all of the things about yourself.
This is an important topic that doesn't get nearly enough attention these days. Please listen closely as I discussed the struggles of having anxiety and depression with the added challenge of visual impairment.
Today I am talking about the construction of, and colorings of your eyeballs. Sound simple enough, but it's a very interesting topic so take a listen!
Glaucoma affects millions of people worldwide, and can cause permanent blindness. But there are treatments and preventative measures you can take to keep your eyes healthy. Hit play to see what I'm talkin about.
I love when I learned a lot studying for these episodes, so I know that you're going to learn something listening to this episode about this very common eye condition. Learn about the symptoms and treatments for the different types of cataracts.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of central vision loss in people over 50. But there's good news, listen to today's episode to hear about the sign condition and treatment options that are available. If you're thinking that you don't need to hear it because you're not over 50 yet, you will be someday!
Take a listen as I talked about this totally preventable eye condition, how you get it and how it can possibly be treated. I will also answer the question, can it be cured?
With advances in technology, treatments for eye conditions have come a long way. When I was a kid, there was nothing they could do for patients with RP, but now there may be some options available. Listen to this episode to see just how far we've come with treatment options for patients like me who have RP.
In this continued discussion about being a good influence, I will try to answer the question how to be a good influence when people just continue to get in the way, and make it difficult.
Whether we like it or not, people with disabilities have a certain stereotype. I am determined to break that stereotype, by being a good example. What do I mean? You're going to have to hit play to find out!
In this episode I am having a great discussion with my friend Kelly, talking about blindness and the criminal justice system. This really is a story of coming back from some truly hard times. I hope you find encouragement in this story!
In this episode, I'm continuing the discussion about how to talk to your friends and family about your disability without sounding like you're looking for pity. It's important to let people know that you're independent, but not afraid to ask for help.
Having a disability can be a big enough challenge, but having to talk about it, and describe how it affects your life to your friends and your family can be even more of a challenge. What do I mean, hit play find out!
I think we all know that it's not just kids that say stuff that everybody else is too afraid to say oh, but adults tend to stay say stuff that people probably shouldn't say. What do I mean? Hit play, you'll see!
Probably the most important lesson I have learned in my adult life is to watch what I say, and how I say it. It's definitely not an easy task!
I truly hope that none of my followers are like the people that I talk about in today's episode. What do you do when someone has an out-of-control dog in public and you're trying to work your dog? Listen to this episode and see if things come a little more clear.
Having a good work ethic means doing your job to the best of your ability even if you weren't treated right while you're there. Take a listen and I'll go into a little more detail on what it means to have a good work ethic
When I can't think of a good topic to discuss, I know I always have stories to tell! Take a listen, have a laugh, and make it a great day!
It is so important to take care of your body and perform what I called preventative maintenance. What exactly do I mean by that? Tap the play button and you'll find out!
In this episode, I'm discussing how the world looks through my eyes. Not figuratively speaking, but literally; so if you ever wondered what things look like through my eyes, this should be pretty interesting for you.
Taking care of yourself is incredibly important, especially these days when all the food is processed and has a bunch of crap in it. Believe it or not, taking care of yourself can prevent health issues that might cause you to have a disability later in life. Take a listen to what I have to say and see if you need to do a little better in that area.
We all have to earn a living and be able to pay our bills, regardless of disability. But sometimes, getting to work is harder work than the work itself. What do I mean by that? Play and you'll find out!
Finishing up my discussion on friendship and what part a disability might play in a person's ability or inability to make friends, or be a good friend. If you're confused, hit play and it all become clear.
This episode is discussing The Importance of Being genuine and true to yourself, while at the same time accepting your disability as part of who you are– not a definition of who you are.
The value of a good friendship is incredibly difficult to measure. The better of a friend you are, the better quality of friends you will have. Listen as I discuss both having friends and being a friend, and I hope you learned something!
Just because there's a negative connotation with the word disability, doesn't mean that it has to be a negative word. In this discussion I'm talking about how you can use a disability to your advantage and show that it's not a bad word.
In this episode I'm talking more about raising kids and how having a disability can play into how you raise your kids. I hope you enjoy it, and you get some useful information!
We all have inconveniences in life that we have to deal with oh, but when you're visually impaired you have some extra inconveniences that are extra frustrating. I don't know about you, but I can act like a big baby when it comes to these inconveniences. Listen to this episode to see what I'm talking about.
Raising kids is always a challenge, no matter how well behaved and respectful your kids are there always going to be challenges. Listen to this episode have I talked about raising kids while having a disability. It's an interesting discussion and I'll continue it next Friday, but for now I hope you enjoy this episode!
In today's discussion, I'm looking at leather technology and social media has enhanced our lives or has made our lives more difficult. Take a listen and let me know your thoughts!
After being married twice and having a couple of long-term relationships that have failed, I have definitely learned what not to do in a relationship. Take a listen to some of the things I've learned about marriage and hopefully it'll help you.
Sometimes people with disabilities feel like everyone should cater to them. I am of the belief that we should all keep the next guy in mind, keep our word, and just do what we say we're going to do. Equality has to work all the way around in order for it to work, listen to my discussion here and this will make more sense.
Finishing up my discussion on finances and my ability to retire so young. Hope you learn something and enjoy it!
In today's episode, I want to focus on the challenges of using a guide dog. I feel it's very important to have as much information as possible when making such a big decision, so if you're thinking about getting this service dog I hope this helps!
If you wonder how I was able to retire at the age of 46, listen to this first discussion about finances oh, you might learn something!
The importance of a strong family unit is very underestimated in the world today. Whether you have a disability, an accident, or just need people around you for your support family is the most important thing right now. Take a listen and I hope that you enjoy it.
I don't know why but this is one of my favorite discussion topics; making good decisions and learning to cope with consequences of the decisions we make
Listen to my discussion with David who has a completely different disability, as well as some good experiences in customer service that I think will be helpful for us to listen to. It's all pretty funny and entertaining as usual, so enjoy!
Today's discussion is lightly based on the premise of Six Degrees of Separation. Check out the six degrees of blindness and see if he can learn something you didn't know before!
Today, I am disgusting some of the things that I run into when using a service dog in the public. There's some great stories as well as some rules and laws so take a listen and learn something new!
Enjoy this hilarious comparison between dealing with the same issue whether you're blind or fully sighted.
It's definitely hard to get back into a routine once you've been out of it for so long. But getting back into my own routine and getting Garmin back into his has proven to be a bit challenging. Take a listen see what I mean!
There is still so much to talk about regarding visual impairments and legal blindness. This season I hope to dig more deeply into some of the issues that people with disabilities are faced, there will be interviews and interactions, and maybe a video or two on Facebook. Take a listen see what's in store for this third season of Navigating Life with Laura and Garmin!
Mike was one of my first serious boyfriends 30 years ago. How did two kids deal with visual impairment back in the 90s? We had such a great and fun discussion, I hope you guys enjoy it!
Here I'm discussing some of the questions I've been asked over my lifetime. Is there such a thing as a stupid question? I don't know, you tell me... Enjoy!
This episode takes all the discussions about guide dogs in previous episodes and rolled them up into one nice and simple episode for you. Enjoy!
Today's episode is a summary of all the best information in my Transportation episodes throughout the series.
In this episode I'm talking about the importance of showing appreciation, especially when you know that you're asking a favor that's going to be inconvenient for someone else
What's inconvenient for one person is life for another person. What do I mean by that? Take a listen...
Why is it so important to be able to defend yourself physically and emotionally? Let's talk about it in this episode!
Having a disability can make every day challenge is even more challenging. That's why it's incredibly important to have a good support system around so you have people that can help you when you need it.
With so much garbage going on in the world today, it's really important to be able to stay encouraged. Take a listen and hopefully this will help you to remain encouraged even when life sucks.
In order to have a healthy and active social life, we have to learn to be comfortable and confident with who we are. Listen to today's episode while I discuss that
Yesterday would have been my first guide dogs 16th birthday! I miss him every day, and decided to take this opportunity to tell you guys some of the best stories I could think of enjoy!
Distracting and harassin a guide dog can have devastating consequences. It can also get you some Hefty fines and jail time. Want to learn how to avoid all that? Listen!
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 has some very specific language regarding what constitutes a service animal. Check out this episode, and learn some good stuff!
With so much going on today, life is stressful. Having a disability on top of that, definitely adds a different level of stress. Take a listen to my tips on how you can handle that stress so it doesn't drive you completely nuts.
Traveling can be very stressful, traveling with a disability can be more stressful, traveling with a guide dog can be incredibly stressful! Listen to this episode for some tips that will help relieve some of the stress if you're traveling with a guide dog
With so much to fear these days, having a disability can add to those fears. I hope this helps.
Have you noticed that customer service has gone downhill in recent years? Let's talk about that!
Parenting is a challenge, and being blind doesn't make it easier. Here is some helpful tips.
As if being a parent isn't hard enough, add in a disability and you have a new level of challenge!
In this episode I'm discussing the three most popular computer programs that help blind people stay connected online.
With so many kinds of assistive technology out there, finding the right one can be difficult. Let's get the discussion started!
Today I am sharing some of the people and places that have. Helped me throughout the years.
Here are just a couple examples of things sigHted people don't have trouble with. Trust me, it's not what you think!
The final episode in my series on eye conditions. I am discussing the Optic nerve's function and importance.
In this first episode of the series about eye conditions, I discuss my eye condition - Retinitis Pigmentosa.
This is one of my most popular topics. Let's talk more about facing challenges with a good attitude.
Talking about the rudeness of people and businesses when dealing with visually impaired people.
In thus podcast I briefly thouch on the subject of dating and challenges the being visually impaired that go with it.
I talk briefly about some of the social issues we face as visually impaired people, and society in general.
Episode 4 cut out early so I'm continuing the transportation discussion with some epic stories!
Get fired up with me while I give a brief glimpse of inside trying to get around while blind.
Today I continue the discussion on obedience and corrections. And I have a special guest!
Learn about some common eye conditions along with some misconceptions about blindness. Not stuff you'd think you'll laugh at, but you will!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Quick intro to what the podcast will discuss and a request for your questions and topic suggestions
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app