[Blindtlk] Who Bathes You?
David Evans
drevans at bellsouth.net
Fri Mar 4 18:07:38 UTC 2011
Dear All,
I have had my share of "How do you" questions in my life.
I have been asked how do I drive and get around as an example. I have
answered many times that I just roll the passenger side window down and drag
my cane tip along the curb. Curb feelers are legal you know."
I have kidded that I have a guide dog that is cross bread with a greyhound
and runs along side the car on the drivers side when I drive on the freeway.
I have had a guy ask me how I use that cane to find my way around and I
joked that it works like a "divining rod" to find my way to where I want to
go by smelling where other people have walked. An assistant to Doctor Carl
Sagan, from the Nova TV show, once ask me how I knew where I was going and
how I knew when I arrived. I teased him by saying that it was simple
physics. I just followed a path where nothing got in my way and I stopped
when something did. He said that he thought that was logical.
I tend to give smart lick answers to such questions, but at most times give
people a good straight answer with the logic behind it depending on the
person and my mood.
David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack
Former Nuclear/Aerospace Materials Engineer and builder of the Lunar Rovers
and the F-117 Stealth Fighter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michelle Medina" <michellem86 at gmail.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 10:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Who Bathes You?
> OMG!!!! Depending on how one looked at that, it'd be either hilarious
> or not so hilarious *say the person who was asked that question is
> super sensitive about the fact that they can't drive* for example.
> Again, I am stunned!
>
> On 3/4/11, Marsha Drenth <marsha.drenth at gmail.com> wrote:
>> I have actually had that question too. Yesterday I think topped that
>> though.
>> I was at my college, walking with my guide dog. I mean actually holding
>> on
>> to the harness handle and all. I got a bit lost, or turned around. And
>> stopped to ask directions. So a nice lady started to walk the way I did.
>> So
>> here I am walking with my guide, can't see a bit in the world, and she
>> asks
>> me if I can drive? Oh and my guide dog has a sign on it saying, I am a
>> working dog do not pet. My harness says Seeing eye. Hello? LOL
>>
>> I was very polite, but thought afterwards, wow. Hope she wasn't a
>> professor
>> LOL
>>
>> marsha
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Jeanette Fortin
>> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 9:38 AM
>> To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Who Bathes You?
>>
>> WELL I have had folks ask me who cooks for my kids and how much help do i
>> have come in to help, none, when we lived on the island we had a maid but
>> it
>>
>> was in support of the local islanders who needed work on the island to
>> support families, i also homeschooled my kids and folks couldn't imagine
>> how
>>
>> a blind person could teach anything, really?
>> just amazing, jeanette
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2011 5:11 AM
>> Subject: [Blindtlk] Who Bathes You?
>>
>>
>>>I went to see a dermatologist once who said, You're really clean! Who
>>>bathes you?" I expressed my dismay that a well educated person like a
>>>doctor would ask such an offensively stereotypical question, as I took
>>>out
>>>my business card and handed it to him.Then I asked him "Who bathes you?"
>>>He
>>
>>>apologized profusely, sharing that he understands how I feel because he
>>>has
>>
>>>a clubbed foot! There's no accounting for convoluted logic! In the words
>>>of
>>
>>>Archie Bunker, "That's the kind of straight thinking we need nowadays!"
>>>
>>> Fraternally yours,
>>> Marion
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Michelle Medina" <michellem86 at gmail.com>
>>> To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2011 12:05 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Responses of Medical Professionals.
>>>
>>>
>>>> I'd have been absolutely furious!!!! In fact, I must confess, I may
>>>> have accidentally *purposely* stabbed her hand or arm as my food was
>>>> spinning by.
>>>> Chelle
>>>>
>>>> On 3/3/11, Hyde, David W. (ESC) <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us> wrote:
>>>>> When I was a kid in Oregon, most blind children were treated at the
>>>>> University of Oregon Medical School. Being an RLF (now ROP, nothing's
>>>>> changed but the initials) child, all the interns took a look at me.
>>>>> Looking
>>>>> back, I don't remember any of them introducing themselves, but they
>>>>> sure
>>>>> loved working with the pressure gage and the slit lamp.
>>>>>
>>>>> My best medical story, though, comes from eye surgery in the
>>>>> seventies.
>>>>> I
>>>>> was in the hospital after surgery, and was getting my first real meal.
>>>>> I
>>>>> know that there was something on my chart that said I was blind,
>>>>> since,
>>>>> after all, the bandages over the eyes wouldn't give any clue. The
>>>>> service
>>>>> staff came in, and put the food tray on the table over the bed, and I
>>>>> thanked her, assuming our interaction was done. She looked at me,
>>>>> looked
>>
>>>>> at
>>>>> my wife who was in the room, and turned the tray 180 degrees. I
>>>>> thanked
>>>>> her
>>>>> again. She looked back at me, back at my wife and turned it again.
>>>>> After
>>
>>>>> the
>>>>> third iteration, I confess I lost my patience and asked if I was just
>>>>> supposed to use a fork to stab something as it went by.
>>>>>
>>>>> It's funny now, but frustrating then.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>>> On
>>>>> Behalf Of Mary Mc Gee
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2011 3:11 PM
>>>>> To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List'
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Responses of Medical Professionals.
>>>>>
>>>>> Dear Fellow Federationists;
>>>>>
>>>>> I've read with interest all the posts about experiences at
>>>>> health care providers' offices. I have some experiences I can throw
>>>>> into
>>>>> the mix.
>>>>>
>>>>> First, I'll say that, because the cause of my blindness is
>>>>> albinism, I had a unique appearance that was impossible to hide when I
>>>>> was
>>>>> younger. I was a student at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School
>>>>> for
>>>>> ten years and, during that time, I went to the University of Iowa for
>>>>> free
>>>>> eye care-at least "they" called it eye care. It was more on the order
>>>>> of
>>>>> eye study because every med student, intern, and ophthalmology
>>>>> resident
>>>>> had
>>>>> to come examines the "albinotic eye" before I received any low vision
>>>>> glasses, etc. that would actually improve what little vision I have.
>>>>> I
>>>>> felt
>>>>> like a zoo or circus animal on display because I was a condition
>>>>> rather
>>>>> than
>>>>> a person. It hurt a lot and I'm not simply talking about all the
>>>>> lights
>>>>> shining in my eyes, but also the emotional pain it caused.
>>>>>
>>>>> As an adult I've had some doctors who have been very nice
>>>>> and
>>>>> some who haven't. The number of nice ones directly correlates with my
>>>>> various degrees-all doctors and staffs are nice now that I put
>>>>> "Attorney" on
>>>>> their intake forms.
>>>>>
>>>>> But, when I first came to Des Moines in 1976, visited a
>>>>> neurologist because of migraine headaches. He spent more time looking
>>>>> at my
>>>>> eyes than he did taking a history of the headaches. I went to one
>>>>> doctor
>>>>> whose office staff handed the intake form to my driver too complete
>>>>> until I
>>>>> complained. One time, when I went to an orthopedic surgeon's office
>>>>> for
>>
>>>>> an
>>>>> expert consult to prepare for trial, I was greatly surprised that she
>>>>> spent
>>>>> fifteen minutes asking about my vision instead of my client's
>>>>> treatment.
>>
>>>>> I
>>>>> simply told her that, if she billed for those extra minutes, she
>>>>> wouldn't be
>>>>> paid, because I would deduct that amount of time from my bill back to
>>>>> the
>>>>> client. She didn't argue and even apologized.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm fortunate that I currently have a sensitive, caring
>>>>> group of
>>>>> physicians. I'll have to admit, though, that the trauma of the past
>>>>> plus my
>>>>> attorney's skepticism is quite hard to eliminate when I meet a new
>>>>> one.
>>>>>
>>>>> The Iowa Department for the Blind has been doing a PR
>>>>> project
>>>>> with health care providers to educate them with the hope that fewer
>>>>> people
>>>>> will have unpleasant experiences when they need help.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'd be interested in hearing if any of you, like me, were
>>>>> treated as a medical oddity at any time.
>>>>> Sincerely,
>>>>>
>>>>> Mary L. McGee
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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>>>>> Thank
>>>>> you.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> "FUCK YOU FOR KILLING ME!!!!" SHAUN MORGAN - "NEEDLES"
>>>> "THESE STAND FOR ME, NAME YOUR GOD AND BLEED THE FREAK!
>>>> I'D LIKE TO SEE, HOW YOU ALL WOULD BLEED FOR ME!" -LAYNE STALEY -
>>>> "BLEED THE FREAK"
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
> --
> "FUCK YOU FOR KILLING ME!!!!" SHAUN MORGAN - "NEEDLES"
> "THESE STAND FOR ME, NAME YOUR GOD AND BLEED THE FREAK!
> I'D LIKE TO SEE, HOW YOU ALL WOULD BLEED FOR ME!" -LAYNE STALEY -
> "BLEED THE FREAK"
>
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