[nabs-l] When a loved one goes sighted

Jedi loneblindjedi at samobile.net
Fri Apr 22 19:16:52 UTC 2011


For me, blindness is a part of who I am. it has shaped my life in a 
number of ways ranging from the friendships and relationships I've had 
to the career I've chosen. Though this may not be true for everyone, 
it's certainly true for me and I'd feel like I've lost an important 
part of who I am, and that loss would far outweigh any gain I receive 
through sight.

What scares me the most about medicine and sightedness is the 
possibility that governments will require all of us to undergo such 
procedures rather than allowing us the ability to be blind in a sighted 
world. In other words, the government or the world at large would think 
it's much easier and more reasonable to cure us rather than make a 
world that's usable for everyone regardless of characteristics.

Respectfully,
Jedi


Original message:
> Jorge and Homberto,
>   I feel the same way.  I'm very curious to see what sight is like, I
> wonder about it sometimes.  I'd even go as far as saying I sometimes
> would like to see...but if the option were available, the tedium of
> relearning everything, not to mention the risk of the surgery for
> something I don't really need, more than balance out any wish I have
> to see.  But, should a blind friend choose differently and receive
> sight, I would totally understand, respect and support that decision.
> And it wouldn't change the friendship on my end, although it would
> spark some interesting conversations.
>   Just my thoughts,
> Kirt

> On 4/20/11, Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hombertu,
>> I agree.
>> I personally wouldn't choose to be sighted for one simple reason.
>> I've learned everything without sight.
>> If I regained sight I'd have to relearn everything.
>> Sure I had sight but lost it when I was so young I can't remember,
>> so really I can say I've been blind all my life,
>> and sight would just make it too difficult.

>> Jorge


>> On Apr 20, 2011, at 8:55 PM, humberto wrote:

>>> First of all, If I was to become sighted, I would not do it. I myself
>>> wouldn't want to become sighted because of 2 reasons:
>>> 1.  since I am blind since birth, I will feel so weird being sighted; just
>>> like a sighted person  had been born with sight and feeling weird when
>>> they become blind. The world would be so different and I cannot even
>>> explain how different since I've never ever been sighted, and don't want
>>> to be.
>>> 2.  I am blind, I am the way I am and I still want to be blind since I am
>>> born blind. Blindness is just an ordinary thing for me. Even my mom has
>>> gotten me to pray and get me to ask doctors if one day I will "see" but
>>> that was when I was little, and looking back, I am so * GUILTY * that my
>>> mom did this and told me that I will see soon in a quite convincing way
>>> and now I think, and since coming to the United States and attending NFB
>>> related camps and meetings such as the NFB youth Slam, I see my own
>>> philosophy of blindness, which is that blindness is something ordinary and
>>> normal and nothing to be neglected or regretted about.
>>> Just my 20 dollars for what it's worth, and, great question.


>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> Date sent: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:56:20 -0400
>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] When a loved one goes sighted

>>>> Hi, all.

>>>> I was thinking recently about all of those "what to do what a
>>> loved one goes
>>>> blind" articles and pamphlets I've seen, and how often I hear
>>> people talk
>>>> about the reactions of friends and family and their community
>>> when they lost
>>>> their vision. I think there have even been comments on this list
>>> about
>>>> sighted friends for some reason thinking they have to treat us
>>> differently,
>>>> or can't relate to us as well because we're blind.

>>>> My question is this. How do you think the blind would respond in
>>> similar
>>>> situations, say, if a friend among a netork of fellow blind
>>> students
>>>> suddenly went sighted? As medical technology advances rapidly, it
>>> is
>>>> becoming more and more possible to correct a number of causes of
>>> both
>>>> congenital and later onset blindness. I know there are different
>>> opinions on
>>>> matters like this in other disability groups, and the question
>>> really got me
>>>> thinking.

>>>> I'd love to hear peoples' thoughts!

>>>> -Jamie
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