[Diabetes-talk] Braille reading ability after diagnosis

[Alan Wheeler]

Julie,
I think, more often than not, the big issue with braille reading is the 
neuropathy. While the finger sticking callouses may also be a factor, I 
think the bigger issue is the neuropathy.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie Kline" <julie.kline at rochester.rr.com>
To: <diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 04, 2011 7:22 PM
Subject: [Diabetes-talk] Braille reading ability after diagnosis


> Good evening,
>
> I mentioned in my intro that I had quite a few questions, so here's the
> first one out of the plethora of them.  It figures I'd pick the one that 
> has
> been weighing on me the most.  My doctor nor the person doing the diabetes
> education can't seem to answer this, so here goes.
>
> I've been totally blind all my life.  I was born that way and as a result 
> I
> grew up reading Braille, which I do very well.  Now that I have diabetes, 
> am
> I going to lose that ability?  I know of a few people who are blind and 
> have
> diabetes who say that they can't read Braille, and that prospect kind of
> scares me.  Is the reason they can't read it because of neuropathy in 
> their
> fingers and you just can't feel the dots?  Or is the issue more that when
> you stick your finger for testing, that the calluses from this build up so
> much that you can't feel the dots anymore.  So far I have avoided sticking
> my fingers where I use them to feel the dots, but I recognize this 
> approach
> limits where I can do my testing from, and I'm nervous about repeatedly
> sticking myself and not giving the area a chance to heal because I used it
> too frequently.
>
> I'd be interested in feedback from other people who are Braille readers or
> anyone who has insight on this.
> Thanks.
> Julie
>
>
>
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