[nabs-l] Trying to read braille

Carly Mihalakis carlymih at comcast.net
Sun Aug 11 07:13:39 UTC 2013


Hi, Anna,

 From the perspective of someone who grew up reading braille, was 
infatuated with the sensual bumps, braille, my lover was snatched 
away from me.  Due to an accute tactile appraxia (inability of hand 
to communicate with brain) a result of traumatic brain damage, a 
ralationship with things I learn is significantly shallower.in 
college, braille s a handy thing to know for labeling and such. I 
have to be creative, in the abscence of my prescious dots. So yes, 
there is a use for braiille!
for today, Car, Anna Givens wrote:
>Ok... Thats what i was thinking..... Like it is doable but not a 
>good option for college level reading.  I was trying to get my 
>reading speed up so i could use it in college.  But it doesnt look 
>like this is going to work out.  So then I need suggestions...has 
>anyone lost their sight and found out listening to things just isn't 
>their thing?  Not that you just don't like it.  But it really doesn't work.
>I don't know what to do ....
>
>Anna E Givens
>
>On Aug 10, 2013, at 3:07 PM, Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Reading Braille with one hand is slower, but it still works. It may
> > not be a great way to read books, but to read short notes or to use
> > when speaking in front of a group, it should be fine. It's a better
> > option than giving up Braille altogether, in my opinion.
> > Arielle
> >
> > On 8/8/13, Antonio M. Guimaraes Jr. <freethaught at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Hello all,
> >>
> >> Anna, thank you for your original message. Yes, this is a 
> personal decision
> >> for you. My personal choice in this case would be to avoid reading so much
> >> braille. Yes, I am a descenting voice in an Organization and environment
> >> that advocates for braille literacy, but I would think that 
> reading braille
> >> for braille's  sake at the risk of discomfort, pain, and health problems
> >> would not be worth it.
> >>
> >> Antonio
> >>
> >> On Aug 5, 2013, at 12:47 PM, Anna Givens <annajee82 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> It is different then carpel tunnel, but similar.  There is a surgery that
> >>> can be done for hand tendonitis, where they take some of the inflamed
> >>> tendons out.  However, surgery, is a very last resort for me.
> >>> But true.... It is an option.
> >>>
> >>> I guess I could investigate reading with one hand.  I was taught to read
> >>> with both hands, because it is faster.  But... I don't know that much
> >>> about braille reading and I could try it out.
> >>> Thanks
> >>>
> >>> Anna E Givens
> >>>
> >>> On Aug 5, 2013, at 8:43 AM, "melissa Green" <lissa1531 at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> sounds like carpal tunnel to me.
> >>>> I had carpal tunnel and they did a surgery called carpal tunnel release
> >>>> on
> >>>> me.
> >>>> Haven't had any more problems.
> >>>> its something to be investegated.
> >>>> Blessings,
> >>>> Melissa Green and PJ
> >>>> Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot
> >>>> drive out hate; only love can do that.--Martin Luther King, Jr.
> >>>> facebook Melissa R Green
> >>>> twitter: melissa5674
> >>>> Linkedin www.linkedin.com/in/melissagreen5674
> >>>> skype: lissa5674
> >>>> Goodreads Melissa Green
> >>>>
> >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>> From: "Anna Givens" <annajee82 at gmail.com>
> >>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> >>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> >>>> Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2013 6:51 PM
> >>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Trying to read braille
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> Well I am very sorry you had to deal with that, but I am very glad to
> >>>> hear
> >>>> about it, because I have asked around and I couldn't find anyone who had
> >>>> had
> >>>> this experience.
> >>>> I told my doctor that I read braille and that it could be part of the
> >>>> problem.  He just gave me the normal advice.... Anti-inflammatory,ice,
> >>>> physical therapy, and wrist brace.  And then he said, The best treatment
> >>>> is
> >>>> to not use your hand. But that is very unrealistic, for anyone.  So just
> >>>> try
> >>>> to not use it as much as possible, and when reading relax it as much as
> >>>> possible.
> >>>> So that is what I do, I need to do the exercises more often, now that I
> >>>> am
> >>>> reading more.  But yeah.... I dont know what to do.  Did your pain go
> >>>> away?
> >>>> Or do you still have it?
> >>>> Thanks!
> >>>>
> >>>> Anna E Givens
> >>>>
> >>>> On Aug 4, 2013, at 7:41 PM, Lucy Sirianni <lucysirianni at earthlink.net>
> >>>> wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>>> Hi Anna,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through this! I've experienced
> >>>>> severe wrist and hand pain, likely due to the amount of time I spend
> >>>>> reading and using my BrailleNote. (I'm an English Ph.D.  student, so I
> >>>>> do
> >>>>> a lot of reading and writing, and like you, I prefer Braille to other
> >>>>> formats.) The thing that helped me most was soaking my hands in
> >>>>> ice-water;
> >>>>> I also purchased wraps that would allow me to use ice more 
> continuously,
> >>>>>
> >>>>> though this was not as helpful as just plain ice-water.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> My case never got so bad that I needed to see a doctor or to consider
> >>>>> taking a break from reading Braille, but I share your concern that
> >>>>> reading
> >>>>> in spite of the pain might cause your condition to worsen and 
> ultimately
> >>>>>
> >>>>> make reading impossible (or at least very hard).  Have you spoken to
> >>>>> your
> >>>>> doctor about the potential risks of reading Braille?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I'll be interested to see what other advice you get as this has been a
> >>>>> recurring problem for me as well, and it's terribly frustrating, not to
> >>>>>
> >>>>> mention painful.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Very best of luck in dealing with this!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Lucy
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
> >>>>>> From: Anna Givens <annajee82 at gmail.com
> >>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> >>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> >>>>>> Date sent: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 19:07:27 -0500
> >>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Trying to read braille
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Hey, so I have a problem, and I am not sure it can really be
> >>>>> solved, and I know what to do but I just thought....  Well 
> maybe someone
> >>>>>
> >>>>> else has been through this:
> >>>>>> I have tendonitis in my hand, so basically it hurts when I use
> >>>>> it.  I am desperately trying to get my braille speed up so that I can
> >>>>> use
> >>>>> it in college.  Braille works a lot better than listening to 
> speech, for
> >>>>>
> >>>>> me.  Since a few weeks ago I am reading 20 to 40 pages a day 
> of braille.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> This is hours of reading.  The treatment for tendonitis in your hand is
> >>>>> to
> >>>>> not use your hand.  Obviously, I cannot do both.  I take
> >>>>> anti-inflammatory
> >>>>> meds, and do hand exercises to strengthen hand, as doctor suggested,
> >>>>> also
> >>>>> use ice, and when I am reading I really try to relax my hand (although
> >>>>> that seems to be difficult for me to do.  The pain is getting worse and
> >>>>>
> >>>>> worse.  But I don't want to stop reading.  I am afraid that it is just
> >>>>> going to get so bad I won't be able to do it.  This is very 
> frustrating!
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I don't want to give up braille, but I don't want to be in pain.  It is
> >>>>> my
> >>>>> decision what to do, but has anyone ever been through anything like
> >>>>> that?
> >>>>> And what did you do?
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> Anna E Givens
> >>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>
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