[Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind

[Carly Mihalakis]

Hi, Mike,

About the girl who blinded herself by trying to commit suicide, that 
too is a harrowing story. At least as harrowing as any of the rest of 
our COB's. Arguably, on the flipant side, perhaps suicide is not too 
distanta a fate from blindness! Hell, it's a story I'd be inclined to 
tell folk.  :50 PM 5/16/2013, Mike Freeman wrote:
>It came to my mind that syphilis would also be one of those less-than-savory
>blindness causes -- but that's rare now.
>
>Incidentally, Desiree, I also knew a person who tried to commit suicide; she
>shot herself, woke up realizing she hadn't done the job, shot herself
>*again* and woke up in the hospital realizing all she'd done was blind
>herself. She had been a brilliant mathematician and that brilliance was gone
>when she recovered but she was still very bright -- and blind. She went on
>to lead a normal life.
>
>Mike
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindtlk [mailto:blindtlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Desiree
>Oudinot
>Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:47 PM
>To: Blind Talk Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [Blindtlk] People How Asking How one Became Blind
>
>Hi,
>I think there are two angles to consider here. If, for example, you became
>blind after trying unsuccessfully to kill yourself (I knew someone like
>that, he shot himself in the head, survived, but was blinded), I can see how
>one might not want to talk about something like that with strangers. Even
>veterans might have this problem if their war injuries caused them to lose
>their sight. In other words, I can see both sides of this. I think you
>should only tell people what you're comfortable telling them. If how you
>became blind is something highly personal or traumatic, you shouldn't have
>to reveal that to everyone you meet. After all, we don't normally go around
>displaying our emotional baggage for all to see, that's considered by most
>to be undignified. But for someone like me, who was born blind, or for
>people who have lost their sight to things like glaucoma or what have you,
>there's no shame in talking about it.
>
>On 5/16/13, wogg le4 <woggle4 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi, I often people ask what is a personal question when they don't
> > know one very well. Why do they feel justified in doing so?
> >
> > I have no difficulty in discussing the subject but don't always think
> > it appropriate in the particular context.
> >
> > this email was prompted by a girl who remarked that she had wondered
> > about this all the time she knew me.
> >
> > I think she's a bit wierd anyway - it just got me thinking, as I'm
> > currently stuck on a train sitting beside this girl, struggling to
> > make conversation, which I'm finding particularly difficult - she
> > really is an annoying individual.
> >
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>
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