you will have a different experience with using a cane than i have had. so, i figured i could share my perspective, based on this original post
personal observations made by another cane user:
canes can distribute pain across your body. if you are in pain or want to prevent pain, a cane could help.
just get a cane and see if you like it.
my cane has a strap by the handle so i can do stuff with that hand and not drop it. breaking the strap is a pain in the ass.
convention lanyards and wiimote straps are great strap replacements.
foam handles get mushy in the rain.
soft rubber tips are better than hard tips.
folding canes make transportation and sitting at your desination easier.
if switching hands helps, do that. but always keep it in rhythm with one of your legs.
being visibly disabled has been significantly better for me than being invisibly disabled.
i like it when people ask me about my cane.
i do not mind if your child stares.
i have lots of stickers on my cane. you do not get to add stickers to my cane. it's like a tattoo.
i like it when people ask me about my stickers.
people accidentally trip on my cane. crowded areas are dangerous.
new friends need time to learn to walk slower with me.
i hold my cane in my right hand and use the left handrail on stairs. i will be on the left side of the stairs. this breaks people's minds.
using a cane has empowered people around me to start using mobility aids.
i feel much more comfortable around people with mobility aids.
if you get a cane for the aesthetic alone, i will love you.
buffet style food is best with a buddy to hold my stuff.
if a security checkpoint needs to look in my bag, it's easier to lean over to them than to switch cane hands and fully remove the bag.
washing my hands in a public bathroom is annoying.
doctors suck, but i need them.
being the only person sitting while everyone else stands feels bad. sit anyway.
you are not your disability. but it will affect you.
ask your friends for help.