[Diabetes-talk] Pumps

[Veronica Elsea]

I think everyone has valid points here. I was raised by parents who
basically said, we sure wish you weren't blind. But you are and you are
here, so here's your kick in the behind. Now go make something of yourself.
With their help and support of course. But at the same time I did need to
learn that I had to confront how the world would see me, react to me, etc.
Believe me, when I'd show up at symphony auditions, conductors were not at
all pleased. But I also think to deny the extra effort, energy and the toll
taken by how hard I had to fight each day would be foolish as well. It was
very real. I look at the issue not so much as what I physically can or can
not do but as the total life experience. I still remember the day I was
standing at an intersection where a collision occurred. I knew exactly who
was at fault and what had happened. But I was not allowed to be of help to
the one driver because a blind person was considered a noncredible witness.
Right in that moment it didn't matter how confident I was about my skills or
knowledge. The pain I felt as my attempts to function as what I considered
to be just a good citizen was real. Oh of course we work to change things. 
And sometimes we do need to be able to make people understand what our needs
are. If we keep saying we don't need anything, we'll never get the talking
medical devices which could save our lives, or at least improve quality of
life. These days for us, it's all about access to information and there's
nothing wrong with asking for this. 
No, my blindness doesn't define me. But I won't say I'm unaffected by it
either. Each of us is different and circumstance is a complicated word,
leaving everyone with a different set of experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed
my decades playing in orchestras and my soul is truly in that viola of mine.
But honestly, not doing it these days, I sure don't miss the constant high
drama of the fact that if anyone spotted my bow going a different direction
from all of the other players, I'd be on probation. Yes, simply put, I had
to find a way to listen and do things to make sure I adjusted to changes
people would make in how they played. And yes I did it. I never asked for
extra kudos for it, nothing. But boy over the long haul, it got exhausting. 
Some days I feel totally on top of all of my diabetes management. Some days
I just get really frustrated with the process of continuously trying to get
some company to take my needs seriously in terms of access to information
from my pump or any other device I need. And I'm still me on my good days,
my crummy days or my burn out days. I think the best thing we can do is show
kindness and respect for each other, thereby helping society to see how
different we can all be from each other, just as sighted people are. 
I'm actually way more adventurous than my sighted hubby. Does that make him
wrong? No, that's just his make-up. We need to be able to be great at
mobility, or lousy at it, just like everyone else. Okay, we need survival
skills that we must learn in order to get around in traffic safely that go
beyond what many sighted people take the time to learn. On a really bad ear
day like today, I know I'm going to be minus some information when I'm out
later. I'll go out, but it is tougher. That doesn't stop me but I do have to
be aware of this, blab la bla. 
But many of us here grew up struggling so much to become something other
than a blind person in the eyes of those around us in public that on some
days, we need to acknowledge how that affects us. I accept myself on those
days when I go out there and show the world. I accept myself on those days
when I'm so done with all of this nonsense I just want to scream! And yes,
everyone has up and down days of life, with many different causes. But it's
not a black mark to name what that cause is either. <smile.>
And boy do I wish I could order the new T-slim pump! <big grin.>
Take care everyone!
Veronica

Watch the video as The Guide Dog Glee Club sings "Rehab!" Yes! Yes! Yes!
http://youtu.be/JvakJ5lk6Us
Then find more music from Veronica Elsea and The Guide Dog Glee Club at:
http://www.laurelcreekmusic.com
                Veronica Elsea, Owner
Laurel Creek Music Designs
Santa Cruz, California
Phone: 831-429-6407


-----Original Message-----
From: Diabetes-talk [mailto:diabetes-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
limestone lady
Sent: Friday, February 22, 2013 9:26 AM
To: k7uij at panix.com
Cc: diabetes-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [Diabetes-talk] Pumps

I never said it was a tragedy, but it certainly is more than an 
inconvenience, and by referring to it as an inconvenience, might just 
give legislators the idea that it really isn't that important, because 
it minimizes the affect it has on people's lives.
Linda.

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