[Blindtlk] To Desiree
Chris Nusbaum
dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Sun Feb 26 05:30:38 UTC 2012
I echo all the encouragement David provided here. Just stay
positive and use lists like this as a support network! Good luck!
Chris
Chris Nusbaum
Email and Google Talk/Keychat (on the BrailleNote) ID:
dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
Skype: christpher.nusbaum3 or search for Chris Nusbaum
"The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight. The
real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that
exists. If a blind person has the proper training and
opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical
nuisance."
-- Kenneth Jernigan
----- Original Message -----
From: "Hyde, David W. (ESC)" <david.hyde at wcbvi.k12.wi.us
To: 'Blind Talk Mailing List' <blindtlk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:51:27 -0600
Subject: [Blindtlk] To Desiree
Hi Desiree. I do hope that you stay around to read the responses
to your post. I am sorry things are going this badly for you. I
wish there were something I could do other than just to
encourage. I do not have any instant solutions. I hear the
anger, the frustration and the loneliness. Those of us who can
will do what we can to encourage you, but ultimately you will
need to make any changes yourself.
We all know that without training and opportunity, blindness is
not a nuisance, but a life inhibiter. This is the side of the
coin many of us don't like to look at. I think the first thing
that you might want to try is finding something you like to do,
and finding others who enjoy it too. Start a community of
friends, even virtual ones, around that. Take a class like from
Hadley in something interesting. You can do that from home.
Reach out to people. Some of us will listen.
Please let some of us know how you are doing. I hope that I am
not writing just for the sound of the clacking of keys. I am
sure you are someone who, with some help, can begin to achieve
your goals. Just keep in mind how one eats an elephant. One
bite at a time.
-----Original Message-----
From: blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org
[mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Desiree Oudinot
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 9:29 PM
To: Blind Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] Encouraging Medical Students To Be Retina
Doctors
Hi,
I, too, have been blind all my life, and like you, I live in a
rural area as well. It's downright debilitating, not to mention
degrading, to have to rely on others for transportation, any form
of transportation, to accomplish the most basic of tasks that
sighted people take for granted. I'm 22 years old, and still
live with my parents because of this problem; I can't go
apartment hunting, because they don't approve of me moving out.
I have few friends, because the friends I do have, they don't
approve of due to racial differences and the fact one was a
former boyfriend, so in their eyes I should hate him. A young
person likes to drink and party at least a little bit, and yet
the only people I can ask to take me to a liquor store, are,
guess who, my parents. Yet what parent wants to deal with the
reality of their daughter being grown up? So, I don't drag them
into that aspect of my life.
I live by the Bible for the most part. One of the ten
commandments, as you all well should know, is honor thy father
and mother. So, as long as I live under their roof, I abide by
their rules. I'm not going to hell for making waves when they
obviously are paying for the gas, the car insurance, and the
general maintence of the car.
I honestly can't believe I just spoke out about that on an email
list, and I would sincerely appreciate it if this is being used
for a study, my name be left out of it. But I'm nearly at a
breaking point. This isn't just about a lack of socialization
either. Even tasks that sighted people complain about, like
grocery shopping, I would take pride in doing on my own. I would
be able to say I did that, and I didn't have to be a burden to
anyone. I didn't have to be an object, yes, an object, to be
pitied and belittled and spit upon. I would give anything to
have a job, even a low-paying one such as a cashier, if it meant
I didn't have to go to college. I abhor the idea of going to
college, in fact. I can't see suffering at the hands of ignorant
people who live to torment someone who's different to somehow
inflate their already bloated egos. That's another thing about
living in a rural area, people are ignorant. Besides, I have no
idea what I would want to do, and drifting aimlessly through
college for 4 years, being taught things the government deems
acceptable, is beyond stupid. So, I would love the idea of doing
a cashier's job, or something similar, but alas, a lack of sight
prevents this. I also realize that nothing in this response
falls in line at all with NFB philosophy, so after I send this
message, I'm going to unsubscribe from the list, and this can be
a big fuck you to all you radicals that say blindness is but a
mere nuisance. It's been more than that to me. Not being able
to drive a car has plummeted me into severe depression, has
alienated me from society, and stunted my growth and freedom.
On 2/20/12, Mark J. Cadigan <kramc11 at gmail.com> wrote:
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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