[Blindtlk] Encouraging Medical Students To Be Retina Doctors

Tue Feb 21 03:04:44 UTC 2012

Michelle

I would agree that not being able to drive a car when you live in an area 
with no public transportation is a hindrance. Have you ever considered 
relocating to an area with public transportation? I know that that is a 
logistical nightmare and nearly impossible in some situations, but getting 
there, is well worth it.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michelle Medina" <michellem86 at gmail.com>
To: "Blind Talk Mailing List" <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Encouraging Medical Students To Be Retina Doctors

> Johanna,
> First off, allow me to say that I was born without eyes and therefore
> have never had eyesight. However, if you will accept my word for what
> it's worth, the story goes that you 'can't miss what you do not have'.
> I'd venture to say at least partially that this is a falsehood.
>
> I live in a rural area and am unable to drive a car. Most people
> think: "So what. You can't drive a car, big deal."
> What they think and sometimes say is NOT how I feel. I feel like it's
> a huge deal. There is no transportation *no buses and noone available
> to drive me somewhere to catch a bus* even that isn't the route of it
> though.
>
> My best friend is also legally blind though she does have some sight.
> We used to sit in what would have been her car on her sixteenth
> birthday if she would have been able to get her license and crank the
> stereo in the dead of summer with the windows down just to imagine the
> feeling of freedom, the roadtrips we would take, the growing up we
> would have done over the course of a spring break or a summer spent
> roadtripping around the country.
> Ovbiously, as blind individuals we can still do this, however, to me
> it is the 'absolute freedom' of getting up and leaving exactly when I
> Desire to versus waiting for someone else. It is the 'absolute
> freedom' of walking into my parents room and saying: "I'm going to
> visit Elias now, I'll be back in a couple of hours!" versus waiting
> for one of them to drop me off. It's getting out of the car and
> walking into Walmart and reading the labels on food products and
> picking out what I believe to be the healthiest choice versus going in
> with a companion whose in a hurry, or waiting at the customer service
> desk for an hour and 15 minutes. *Note: our Walmart doesn't have
> shoppers as I said I'm in a rural place, and I like alot of people
> live off of SSI so don't have the money to buy a label reader*
>
> Ultimately though, it isn't about money anyway, or even convenience,
> though I would find these things convenient, who wouldn't? Smile.
>
> It really boils down to the feeling I got the first time I tied my
> shoes or the first time I rode a horse by myself or the first time I
> Brailled up something without needing any help. It's that "I can do
> this!!!" feeling that I get. That feeling of as I said before,
> absolute freedom and excitement that I didn't rely on anyone, I did it
> myself!! And I'm sooooo proud of myself for doing whatever thing it
> might be, ON MY OWN! There's nothing like that feeling. You can't buy
> it or have it given to you or find it in a food or pill or even
> another person. You can only find it within yourself.
> And if I had my eyesight and could experience the glory of a
> sunset/rise, or of looking into someone's eyes and seeing through to
> the depths of their soul, or laying eyes on my baby daughter for the
> first time, or the person who would become my romantic partner I can
> only imagine the exhilaration and excitement and utter pleasure it
> would bring me.
> Michelle
>
> On 2/20/12, Johanna Baccan <24kjo at optonline.net> wrote:
>> To All:
>>
>> I was asked by Dr. Steven  Sang one of the top Retina Doctors at Columbia
>> Presbyterian  Hospital in New York City, new York  to speak to Columbia
>> University Medical Students.  He wants me to encourage them to become 
>> Retina
>> Doctors and Retina Researchers.     I am a 54 year old woman and have a
>> unusual form of Stargardt's Disease and have been visually impaired for 
>> 34
>> years.  I know that we all have mastered some if not all the Techniques 
>> of
>> Blindness.  But my talk is going to be on what it would mean to regain my
>> vision and what I have missed out on for 34 years.  I would like to hear
>> from all of you to let me know what it would mean to you to have or 
>> regain
>> your vision.  What struggles have you had.  There has been a declined in
>> Medical Students to become Retina Doctors and Researchers in this 
>> country.
>> As a whole the Blind Community seems to function in a way that people 
>> don't
>> realize how difficult it really is.  So instead of talking how I mastered
>> the Techniques of Blindness I have to talk about the reality of vision 
>> loss.
>> These students are exposed to other patients with diseases that are much
>> more visible and pronounced then our vision loss.  At times my particular
>> eye disease has been called a Hidden handicap.  Because to look at me 
>> even
>> though I use a cane I do not look visually impaired at all.  Any 
>> suggestions
>> or comments would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Johanna Baccan
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> Sometimes it takes darkness and the sweet
> confinement of your aloneness
> to learn anything or anyone
> that does not bring you alive
> is too small for you.
> ~ David Whyte ~ (House of Belonging)
>
> Sadie Marie Medina!
> Original birthdate unnone.
> First birthday with us: 2/15/2009
> Welcome home baby!
>
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