[NFB-Seniors] {Spam?} Newsletter - The Blind Missourian - August 2020
Robert Leslie Newman
robertleslienewman at gmail.com
Sat Aug 15 13:03:26 UTC 2020
Hi You All
RE: Keeping up with the Missouri branch of our Federation family
Here is another great affiliate newsletter:
The Blind Missourian
August 2020
Table of Contents
2020 NFB of Missouri Presidential Report
by President Shelia Wright
1
2020 Resolutions
5
Enabling Future Generations While Honoring Our Past
by Eugene Coulter
9
Health in a Time of Pandemic and Protest by Jessica Beecham 11
Life Changing Tick Bite by Carol Coulter
13
A Good Laugh by Annette Nowakowski 15
One Minute Message
16
NFB Pledge
16
2020 NFB of Missouri Presidential Report
By President Shelia Wright
You and I know that the traditional way to start this report is to say that
we have had our most successful year ever. Of course, it all depends on how
you measure success, but the way I see it, success is taking the challenges
that you find and doing your best to meet them. If you believe my definition
of success is correct, then you will have no problem in believing that this
is indeed one of the most successful years we have ever had. We have learned
just how flexible we can be. We have learned how to continue our work while
obeying shelter in place and social distancing. Some of us have gone well
beyond our comfort zone in learning to use electronic devices in ways we
would never have thought possible six months ago, and the convention we are
having is a testament to our ability to adapt to the times in order to do
this work of love that binds us together.
When we last assembled in convention at the end of March, the NFB of
Missouri was six months into the United States Association of Blind Athletes
and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield' National Fitness Challenge. There were
still two months left in the Fitness Challenge, so some of our earliest
activities of the year centered on the challenge as we completed our weekly
walking groups, participated in the Kansas City Trolley Run, and conducted a
Blind Sports Day at the Missouri School for the Blind.
Our Sports and Recreation Committee, chaired by Robin House, continues to be
active. The third annual rafting trip was a big success with twenty-one of
us floating seven to fourteen miles down the Niangua River. Such activities
serve many purposes. For some it is a new experience, a confidence builder,
and travel in an unfamiliar setting. Such trips also build relationships and
cohesiveness among us. We are looking forward to our fourth rafting trip
which is scheduled to occur August 22 at NRO near Lebanon, Missouri.
The Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy has become
an annual summer project for children between the ages of four and twelve.
In 2019, the BELL Academy was held in St. Louis. Jenny Carmack was the
coordinator for our St. Louis program. Although the program was smaller last
summer, the children who participated seemed to get a lot out of it. Thank
you to the staff that helped with BELL last summer and to Jenny Carmack and
Debbie Wunder who are both working in the BELL in Home Edition that is under
way. We have four students in this first session of the summer.
Fall is always busy with chapter walks, trivia nights, beach volleyball
tournaments, nut sales, picnics, and meet the blind activities. All of this
we do while still being active advocates for the blind men and women who
need us.
In October, Governor Mike Parson issued a proclamation proclaiming October
15th as White Cane Awareness Day. I ask that you join me in appreciating the
work of and congratulating Daniel Garcia and Roger Crome in seeing that this
happened. Sometimes we take the little things for granted, but a
proclamation from the Governor is a very effective form of outreach and one
step in building relationships with elected officials and those who work
with them.
On November 16, the anniversary date of the National Federation of the
Blind's founding, our affiliate launched a new program for middle school and
high school teens. This group has become known as the Missouri Cane Drivers.
You had an opportunity to meet them yesterday as they led our fit breaks.
Sveta Ehlers is the chair, and Amberlynn Burnham is the co-chair. Adult
mentors are Amy Wilson, Linda Coccovizzo, Jenny Carmack, and Debbie Wunder.
We've talked about developing a program for this age group for several
years. Amy Wilson made sure to turn the talk into action. Thank you to Amy
and to everyone who has worked with and participated in getting the Cane
Drivers up and running. As we move into the coming months, you will be
hearing more about the Cane Drivers. We need to draw in a few adult male
mentors so that we can include similar services to male teens as well. If
any of you are interested in helping with this project, please let me know.
We do need to do background checks on any one who works with minors.
This year we have had contact with several fathers who have custody issues,
assisted in IEP meetings for three students, made referrals to
Rehabilitation Services for the blind, looked into two employment
discrimination cases, advocated on behalf of at least fifteen cases about
Blind Pension, talked with hospital social workers, assisted blind people
with getting connected with other services, etc.
Our Good Works Committee was able to assist one blind member with a special
need to prevent their electricity from being disconnected. She had gotten
behind with her bills because of needing prescriptions for which she was
being overcharged.
Our Jefferson City Chapter decided they wanted to help our state affiliate
to launch a fund-raising project that would get the affiliate off to a big
start. They donated $3,000 to the affiliate to purchase a Carnival Cruise
Package valued at $3,000.00. Tickets for this drawing are now on sale. Thank
you to the Jefferson City Chapter for this generous gift. Tickets are now
available and what we need is your help to sell them. The drawing will be at
our NFB of Missouri state board meeting on October 3. The prize winner will
receive a seven-night cruise, up to $800 for airfare/travel, and $500 for
onboard expenses or excursions. Tickets are $10 each. Let's not let the
Jefferson City Chapter down. Our Ways & Means Chair will be providing more
information about this later today.
Our 2020 Scholarship fund is as high as I remember it ever being. This is
due to chapter donations. The Hentges Scholarship of $500 is an annual
donation from the Columbia Chapter and is presented to a female student.
Thank you to the Columbia Chapter for your longtime commitment. The
Jefferson City Chapter has established a practice of giving a scholarship in
memory of the members they have lost. This was a difficult year with the
loss of LaVern Toebben, Phyllis Wilson, and Joyce Bullock. We share in your
sadness in the loss of these members and celebrate their lives through your
chapter gift of $1,500 to our scholarship program. More recently, the
Jefferson City Chapter has lost another member. Glenda Elgin is the wife of
Rick Elgin; They plan to give a memorial gift in her name in the future. Our
thoughts and prayers should be with these families and our chapter members
in Jefferson City.
The Missouri Affiliate was well represented at the Washington Seminar. Our
team consisted of Christopher Tisdal, Debbie Wunder, Jeff Giffen, Linda
Coccovizzo, Carla Keirns, Roman Solano, Seyoon Choi, and the Missouri State
President. Our work on the Hill lays the groundwork for our legislative
priorities, but it is our follow through with our Congressional Members from
Missouri that will determine our legislative success.
Our Jefferson City Seminar was held February 17th and 18th. The most
outstanding thing about the 2020 Seminar was that we had ten enthusiastic
members attending their first Jefferson City Seminar. With a total of
thirty-two members participating, we had representation from every chapter
and were able to visit the office of every member of the General Assembly.
There were two bills that got a fast start, but with the interruption of the
legislative session, these bills did not make it through. Thank you to Roger
Crome, Chair and the entire Governmental Affairs Committee for your work in
putting the 2020 Jefferson City Seminar together.
Two weeks prior to our March 26-29 State convention, it became obvious that
we needed to postpone our NFB of Missouri State Convention. This was a
difficult decision, but within just a few days there were many events being
cancelled. Within a few hours of consultation, we were able to reschedule
the convention for June 5-7.
I'm sure all of you know the rest of the story, and we are pleased to be
holding our first ever virtual convention. Thank you all for working with us
to make this come to be a time when we could come together to learn, to
encourage one another, and to carry out the work of the National Federation
of the Blind of Missouri.
All of us have been affected as we altered plans, work schedules, and
practiced social distancing. We rapidly found ways to come together and
encourage one another. Zoom has become a common word in our organization. We
have re-discovered the art of calling one another just to let our members
know we care and help them connect. We have hosted over thirty Zoom Calls in
the past eleven weeks. Each Saturday morning, we have held a Missouri
Members Connection to discuss new developments with COVID-19 and the impact
it is having on us. We talk about happenings throughout the NFB and use this
time as a way to connect with one another. Daniel Garcia continues to
explore different topics of interest and he continues to post weekly
announcements so that other Federationists interested in the topic can join
us. Amy Wilson has and continues to schedule Zoom calls and has worked
tirelessly with many of us to learn how to use Zoom. As convention has drawn
closer, we have held Zoom trainings for both those who were helping to run
this convention and those who wanted to be able to join the convention.
Jenny Carmack has compiled a list of resources related to COVID-19, and it
has been posted on nfbmo.org by our webmaster.
As your state president, I think there are two things that have become
obvious to me through taking the telephone calls we get each day. The first
of these is just how much help is needed in the world and how, try though we
might, we can't give everyone what they need. We have no magic cure to
restore vision for those desperately looking for that answer. We don't have
the money to afford medical procedures that stabilize or enhance vision, and
we can't even begin to meet the need that people have for glasses. There are
injustices that take place because of the perceptions of blindness that
exist in the education system, the workplace, and the courts of our land.
There are people for whom we can offer little help, for they have let much
of their life go by believing that they have never really had a choice to
live the lives they want.
But there is a positive side to the calls we take, and often it is
these I think about when trying to maintain perspective. For many who call,
we have the answers. For many who call, we provide much-needed hope. Through
our work together, we send a strong message that as blind people we care
about blind people, and collectively we can do much more than anyone of us
standing alone. Sometimes my most well-planned schedule can be derailed by a
ringing telephone, but one-on-one conversations are how relationships are
made, and relationships are how we change lives.
I thank you for the relationship that we share, as together we reach
out to others for what they need and what they can become.
I'd like to share one of my favorite parables with you:
One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with
thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide. As he
walked, he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back
into the ocean, one by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without
looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, "I'm saving these
starfish, Sir".
The old man chuckled aloud, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only
one of you. What difference can you make?"
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to
the man, said, "I made a difference to that one!"
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds us back.
You can live the life you want. Let's go build the National Federation of
the Blind of Missouri!
Below are the resolutions passed at the National Federation of the Blind of
Missouri virtual convention. There will be more convention articles in
upcoming issues.
Resolution 2020-01
A RESOLUTION ENCOURAGING SUPPORT FOR THE
ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY AFFORDABILITY ACT
WHEREAS, technology can play a big role in opening opportunities for blind
people, both technology used by the general public and technology
specifically designed for the blind; and
WHEREAS, using technology created for those who can see usually requires
some adaptive technology that adds to its cost, sometimes exceeding the cost
of the mainstream technology itself; and
WHEREAS, technology made specifically for the blind is quite often expensive
given its complexity and the smaller number of consumers of the product; and
WHEREAS, getting money for technology can be difficult if, as is often the
case, needed equipment cannot be covered by agencies for the blind, Medicare
or Medicaid; and
WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for specialized technology to cost from $2,000
to $6,000; and
WHEREAS, the Accessible Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 2086 and S 815 is
being considered by the United States House of Representatives and the
United States Senate respectively and will, when passed, help offset the
cost of specialized technology with a refundable tax credit; and
WHEREAS, four members of Congress from Missouri have added their names as
cosponsors, but six have not voiced their support through action: Now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in
Convention assembled virtually this seventh day of June, 2020, that we
strongly urge Senator Hawley, Congressman Hartzler, Congressman Clay,
Congressman Long, Congressman Smith, Congressman Graves, and Congresswoman
Wagner to add their names to this legislation that will create and expand
opportunities for blind Missourians and other blind people in our country.
Resolution 2020-02
A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THANKS
FOR THE SUPPORT OF THE
ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY AFFORDABILITY ACT
WHEREAS, technology can play a big role in opening opportunities for blind
people, both technology used by the general public and technology
specifically designed for the blind; and
WHEREAS, using technology created for those who can see usually requires
some adaptation that adds to its cost; and
WHEREAS, technology made specifically for the blind is quite often expensive
given its complexity and the smaller number of consumers of the product; and
WHEREAS, getting money for technology can be difficult if, as is often the
case, needed equipment cannot be covered by agencies for the blind; and
WHEREAS, it is not uncommon for specialized technology to cost from $2,000
to $6,000; and
WHEREAS, the Accessible Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 2086 and S 815 is
being considered by the United States House of Representatives and the
United States Senate respectively and will, when passed, help offset the
cost of specialized technology with a refundable tax credit; and
WHEREAS, four members of Congress from Missouri have added their names as
cosponsors, three from the House and one from the Senate: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in
Convention assembled virtually this seventh day of June, 2020, that we
commend Senator Blunt, Congressman Cleaver, and Congressman Luetkemeyer for
adding their names to this most beneficial legislation that will create and
expand opportunities for blind Missourians and other blind people in our
country.
.
Resolution 2020-03
A resolution regarding CERTIFIED MAIL for BLIND PENSION AND SUPPLEMENTAL AID
FOR THE BLIND
WHEREAS, House Bill 1270 and Senate Bill 974 would have ended the practice
of sending annual review forms and other material to recipients of the
Missouri Blind Pension and Supplemental Aid to the Blind using certified
mail; and
WHEREAS, there was no objection to these measures with HB 1270 awaiting
third reading on the consent calendar; and
WHEREAS, passing of this legislation would save the state of Missouri
thousands of dollars, lessen the workload on eligibility specialists of the
Family Support Division, and reduce barriers for recipients: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in
Convention assembled virtually this seventh day of June, 2020, that if a
special session of the legislature is called for budgetary purposes, we urge
the legislature to pass the elimination of the certified mail requirement,
thus saving the taxpayers this unneeded expense.
Resolution 2020-04
A RESOLUTION REGARDING THE URGENT NEED TO FUND
REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR BLIND MISSOURIANS
WHEREAS, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind provides a range of services
for blind children and their families because we know that early
intervention is key in the development of skillsets that will lead to
success in adulthood and that the information and referral services provided
are important when guiding parents through the web of resources that are
available; and
WHEREAS, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind works with blind men and
women continuing in high school and extending through their golden years;
and
WHEREAS, in every age group the responsibility of Rehabilitation Services
for the Blind is to help a person become or remain as independent as
possible; and
WHEREAS, services provided may include learning to travel independently with
a long white cane, to cook and clean, to read and write in Braille, to use
magnification when sight will allow, to provide powerful technology that
produces Braille and spoken output on computers and other high-tech devices,
to provide equipment to keep blind people employed, and to provide a wide
variety of services to senior citizens who wish to remain in their homes
rather than transitioning into assisted living or nursing facilities; and
WHEREAS, a necessary ingredient in a successful rehabilitation case is
getting blind people the services they need when they need them, rather than
letting them languish in helplessness and to live in isolation, eventually
coming to believe that their view of blindness as a tragedy rather than a
nuisance or an inconvenience is reality; and
WHEREAS, so well-known is this phenomenon in rehabilitation that it is
commonly observed that rehabilitation delayed is rehabilitation denied; and
WHEREAS, every state dollar cut from the agency's budget will result in a
four- dollar cut in federal funds; and
WHEREAS, the coronavirus pandemic has placed tremendous strains on our
state's budget, necessitating cuts in every program: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in
Convention assembled virtually this seventh day of June, 2020, that we urge
the governor and members of the Missouri General Assembly to keep uppermost
in their minds the urgency of seeing that blind people get the training,
technology, and confidence that will allow for maximum independence, knowing
that this leads not only to a higher quality of life but to lesser expense
by the state of Missouri when our blind citizens of working age are employed
and our senior citizens remain in their homes as long as their physical and
psychological states will allow.
Resolution 2020-05
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AMY WILSON
WHEREAS, the outbreak of Covid-19 has caused us to switch from in-person
meetings to virtual ones; and
WHEREAS, this movement to an electronic platform has necessarily required
lots of learning on the part of those who have taken it as their mission to
train the rest of us; and
WHEREAS, the person who has made the most significant effort to learn and
repeatedly train is our colleague, friend, and Federation family member, Amy
Wilson: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the convention of the National Federation of the Blind of
Missouri in Convention assembled virtually this seventh day of June that we
offer our highest commendation to Amy for her initiative, persistence,
patience, and total commitment to see that our virtual convention would be a
success.
Enabling Future Generations While Honoring Our Past
By Eugene Coulter
One of the highlights of our annual state convention is the presentation of
scholarships to students. Over the years the program has grown from a time
when we scraped together $500 for the scholarship program and that was at
times split between two winners, to today when we grant thousands of dollars
to worthy students. These scholarships are now given to honor beloved
Missouri Federationists from our past to help enable our future generations
to achieve their educational goals.
As time goes by fewer and fewer of us are around that remember the wonderful
people for whom these scholarships are named. Currently two scholarships are
given in memory of past Federationists, they are the John and Rhoda Dower
Scholarship and the Mary Lou Hentges Scholarship.
Mary Lou Hentges was a member of the Columbia Chapter for approximately ten
years after losing her sight later in life. She was a very active member of
the chapter along with her husband Cletus, known by his friends as Clete.
She was proud of her role as homemaker and was a wonderful role model to all
who knew her. She was a very humble and dignified woman.
When she died in December of 1989, Cletus donated the seed money for a
scholarship to be given annually from the Missouri affiliate and funded by
the Columbia Chapter. The scholarship was to be awarded to a blind female
pursuing a degree in Home Economics or a related field. To be sure that the
scholarship was awarded as often as possible, the Home Economics requirement
was later removed. Cletus, who was sighted, remained active in the chapter
for over a decade until his death, but he had insisted that the scholarship
remain only in his wife's name. It is with great pride that the Columbia
Chapter has awarded nearly $15,000 in scholarships in memory of Mary Lou.
John and Rhoda Dower, a blind couple from Saint Louis were instrumental in
the founding of the original Saint Louis Chapter as well as the growth of
the Missouri Affiliate. John had his own insurance business while Rhoda kept
the home fires burning. In the 1970's he served as President of the Missouri
Affiliate.
During his term the affiliate expanded from two chapters to at least a half
dozen and we worked on major legislation including the White Cane Law which
was the first civil rights law for blind persons in Missouri. He championed
insurance reform to allow blind persons to obtain insurance without any
additional cost or special riders. As for Rhoda she was with him every step
of the way and was a wonderful leader in her own right. She was known for
putting on the best hospitality suites and being a very gracious hostess.
She made everyone feel at home.
Both of them always took time to educate the next generation on the issues
facing blind persons and making all feel welcome and important. When John
passed away the state convention unanimously passed a resolution renaming
what had been called the Achievement Award to the John Dower Scholarship.
When Rhoda passed away a couple of years later the state affiliate
scholarships were renamed the John and Rhoda Dower Scholarships as they were
a truly dynamic team.
It is important to appreciate our past while looking to the future because
without the hard work of those who came before us, we would not have their
shoulders to stand upon. John, Rhoda, Cletus, and Mary Lou's contributions
should not be forgotten, and these scholarships are one way to remember
their dedication to the federation.
Editor's note: The following is a feed from Voice of the Nation's Blind Blog
posted on Monday, June 8, 2020
Health in a Time of Pandemic and Protest
Jessica Beecham
Exercise is key in keeping our bodies functioning optimally,
preventing/reducing our risk for disease, reducing obesity, and improving
our mental/emotional wellbeing. As blind people we are twice as likely to be
obese as our sighted peers which increases our likelihood of developing
heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes, certain types of
site-specific cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, depression, and more.
Adults need thirty minutes per day, five or more days each week, of
moderate physical activity. This means that we need to get our heart rate up
and keep it up for at least ten minutes at a time. We can achieve this
through cardio activities like walking/jogging, swimming, biking, yard work,
rowing, elliptical, stair climbing, and more.
BlindAlive<https://www.blindalive.com/>, Aaptiv<https://aaptiv.com/>,
or Walk At Home<https://www.youtube.com/user/walkathomemedia> are a few
resources to use while staying safer at home. When we can once again venture
out into the community, check out United In
Stride<https://www.unitedinstride.com/>, Dare2Tri<http://www.dare2tri.org/>,
Achilles International<https://www.achillesinternational.org/>, Ski for
Light<https://www.sfl.org/>, and United States Association of Blind
Athletes<http://www.usaba.org> as just a few great resources for getting
your heart pumping.
Our cardiovascular health is important but we also have to stay
physically strong and flexible. We should incorporate at least two days per
week of strength training and one day per week of flexibility training into
our exercise regiments. The "7 Minute Workout" app and Alexa skill, ReVision
Training by Tyler Marron<https://www.facebook.com/groups/492112998046718/>,
the total fit pack (reach out to Maureen
Nietfeld<mailto:maureenbassmaster at gmail.com
<mailto:maureenbassmaster at gmail.com> > for more information), and 50
Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do with No
Equipment<https://greatist.com/fitness/50-bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-an
ywhere#full-body> are great at-home resources.
When you can venture out into the community, consider trying out a
free personal training session at your local gym to learn how to use some of
the strength building machines and equipment. You might also consider
checking out sports like Olympic Poser Lifting, CrossFit, or other strength
and conditioning community classes. These are great ways to build community
and grow stronger together. In terms of flexibility, BlindAlive offers a
few different yoga options, a full body stretch, and Pilates, and there are
several great yoga YouTube and iPhone applications.
In addition to exercise, meditation and mindfulness can also improve
our mental/emotional wellbeing. HeadSpace<https://www.headspace.com/> and
Calm<https://www.calm.com> are great applications for mindfulness and
meditation exercises. Mindful.org is also a great website to use as you
begin to delve into meditation and mindfulness.
The National Federation of the Blind of Colorado has held Workout
Wednesday and a variety of mindfulness and meditation sessions during the
pandemic, and each of our workshops are available on the NFBCO YouTube
channel<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDoy-oiOgRekiRQJUa7a6Tw>. You
should also like the NFB Sports and Recreation
Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/groups/176619816827189/> group. In
addition to our exciting division meeting at national convention, we will be
posting lots of workouts, resources, and challenges that you can access and
participate in at any time.
If you have more questions about resources or ways that you can begin
making health and wellness a part of your life, feel free to reach out to
Jessica Beecham, president of the National Sports and Recreation Division,
at jbbeecham at gmail.com <mailto:jbbeecham at gmail.com> .
Sports and Fitness<https://www.nfb.org/blog-categories/sports-and-fitness>
View article...<https://www.nfb.org/blog/health-time-pandemic-and-protest>
Life Changing Tick Bite
By Carol Coulter
On one of the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri's Saturday
morning Zoom calls, which we started since the COVID outbreak, the topic of
insect bites came up. It was suggested that I write an article telling my
story. So here it is.
On Thursday, May 28, 2020 I was sitting in my living room when all of a
sudden, my leg started itching like crazy. I pulled up my pants leg
expecting to see a huge mosquito bite, but instead found a tick. I have had
tick bites before, but never one like this. I took a picture of it with my
iPhone before we removed it so we could look up what kind it was. It was
dark brown in color and had a white spot on its back. It was a perfect match
to the Lone Star tick. We found that this tick was not indigenous to our
area, but it could cause some nasty diseases, one being an allergic reaction
to mammalian meat.
I went to the doctor the next day to have it checked out because
the area was getting red and feverish plus we were leaving Saturday to visit
the grandkids in Florida. I told them what kind of tick it was and even
showed the picture to the nurse. The doctor and the nurse both kept
referring to it as a deer tick which it was not. The doctor thought it had
caused a skin irritation and gave me an antibiotic (Clindamycin HCL) and by
the way, he said there has never been a case of Lyme disease in this area,
which I know not to be true as I know of two people in this state that have
had it. This did not bode well for my confidence in his diagnosis and
treatment plan. On Saturday, I went to urgent care because it appeared to be
getting worse and we were leaving for Florida later that day. I was told to
keep taking the antibiotic and was given a cream for the itch. I decided to
play it safe and ate only chicken or fish on our drive down. I figured
traveling down the highway was not where I wanted to discover I had any type
of allergy.
When we got to Florida on Monday afternoon I went straight to an urgent
care because by now my leg had a very large bright red area about the size
of the palm of my hand. It was still warm to the touch, very itchy, sort of
rough textured and had a couple spots in the center resembling blisters. The
doctor told me I was given the wrong antibiotic. He put me on a steroid
(Prednisone) and a different antibiotic (Doxycycline Mono) for ten days. I
also had the "pleasure" of getting an injection of both before leaving his
office. Within twenty-four hours I was seeing improvement. It helped that he
listened to me as far as identifying it as a Lone Star tick and that it is
more prevalent in the area. The doctor thought this should keep me from
getting the allergy, but I thought I had read that proper treatment had to
be gotten within a certain time frame and by my calculations I was isn't
sure if I made it or not. I had one or two meals containing beef and dairy,
but decided to play it safe until I got back home.
We got back home on Tuesday June 9, and I made an appointment for Friday the
twelfth to see Dr. Franzese an allergy specialist who was actually the
author of one of the articles I had read about the tick.
So, on Friday I went to the doctor's office and learned a few more things
about the tick. I found out that people with type B blood have a lesser
chance of getting the allergy while type A have an increased chance. Yeah me
I am type A. It also makes a difference if you are the tick's first host or
what the tick's previous host was; it's best to be its first meal. Also,
the Lone Star Tick is now considered more prevalent in Missouri. There is a
blood test you can get to check for antibodies to see if you have the
allergy. I had my blood drawn; however, it gets sent to the Mayo Clinic so I
had to wait five to seven days for the results. If the results came back
negative, I would retest in about four weeks to be sure. To ensure there is
not a false positive, the blood is tested for an allergy to beef, pork and
dairy as well as the antibodies for alpha-gal (alpha-galactose), which
causes the allergy. I continued my diet of poultry and fish until the
results came back. I got the blood test results back on June 17, and
unfortunately; I am positive for the allergy. I am unable to eat mammalian
meat (beef, pork etc.) or dairy for at least two years. My levels were low
so the doctor doesn't believe I would have a severe or life-threatening
reaction, but wants me to stick to fish and poultry and to be careful of
cross contamination. I can be retested in six months. So here is hoping for
a better test result next time. Looks like poultry and fish are in my
immediate future. Looking for new ideas on how to fix chicken ha ha.
I want everyone to know about this tick because as I mentioned before, it
can create a condition called Alpha- gal Syndrome, which is the allergy to
mammalian meat and dairy. The allergy can be severe enough to cause
anaphylactic shock. Unlike other food allergies, you may not have a reaction
for six to eight hours after eating the meat. It also may take a couple of
weeks for the allergy to develop. Because of this delay, people don't always
associate their unexplained allergy to meat back to the tick bite. Please
use tick repellent and do tick checks. I got this from our backyard where we
have never had tick problems before
A Good Laugh
By Annette Nowakowski
I have a friend Nick who had a yellow lab named Petra. My dog, Gazelle, is
also a yellow lab. Since our dogs were approximately the same age, size and
temperament, they enjoyed playing together. We often visited each other's
houses so that the dogs could play.
Nick was a member of the Lions Club. Several years ago, around Christmas, he
invited me to his Lion's Christmas party at a local restaurant. The club
president, George, drove to get Nick and Petra, and then came to get me and
Gazelle. He had a hatchback, and the dogs sat in back together.
Needless-to-say, the party was a "roaring" good time, with lots of eating
and drinking. George drove us both home, but dropped me off first. I got out
of the car, and George handed the dog's leash to me. We walked up my front
stairs and right into the house. As soon as we got in, I busied myself
getting ready for bed and getting things ready for work the next day.
Suddenly, I became aware of a lot of panting in the living room. I thought
it was strange, because Gazelle never panted that way before. I thought she
was just excited since she had a very stimulating evening with lots of noise
and people. I took her on the yard to do her business, and hoped she would
calm down. She didn't. As I bent down to try to soothe her, I noticed some
strange things. Her ears and tail were shorter than Gazelle's; her legs were
thinker than Gazelle's. It slowly dawned on me that I did not have Gazelle,
I had Petra! I thought of calling Nick, but I hesitated. I didn't want to
make a fool of myself if I was wrong. I checked the dog all over one more
time. Yes, it was Petra. When I called Nick, I said, "I don't know how to
tell you this, but I have the wrong dog"! He said he discovered the same
thing a moment ago. Since the dogs were on different diets, we decided to
make the exchange that night. Of course, George was long gone. Nick had to
take a cab to my house.
At the next Lion's meeting, you better believe George received a lot of
teasing about the mix up. Some members told him he needed a dog guide. Since
then, I decided to put some jingle bells on Gazelle to tell the dogs apart
more easily. I like the sound of the bells, and knowing where Gazelle is.
Nick now has a Sheppard so, there should not be a mix up anymore. I enjoy
telling this story to my friends. It gets a lot of laughs. I hope you
enjoyed it as well.
One Minute Message
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
Pledge of the
National Federation of the Blind
I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation
of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind;
to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its
Constitution.
Board of Directors
National Federation of the Blind of Missouri
Officers:
Shelia Wright, President Melissa Kane, First
Vice President
Jenny Carmack, Second Vice President Becky Boyer, Recording
Secretary
Daniel Garcia, Corresponding Secretary Carol Coulter, Treasurer
Board Members:
Eugene Coulter Roger Crome Robin
House
Amy Wilson Chris Tisdal
Dacia Cole
Jeff Giffen President Emeritus, Gary Wunder
Chapter Presidents
Columbia Chapter, Eugene Coulter, 573-474-3226
Old Drum Chapter, (Warrensburg) Amy Wilson, 660-441-1907
Jefferson City Chapter, Rita Lynch, 573-634-3865
Springfield Chapter, Becky Boyer, 417-771-9022
Kansas City Chapter, Daniel Garcia, 816-505-5520
Lewis and Clark Chapter, (St. Louis) Chris Tisdal, 314-440-1684
Mineral Area Chapter, (Farmington) Roger Crome, 573-701-8409
Show-Me State Chapter, (meets via conference call) Dennis Miller,
660-234-5351
Blind Missourian Editor Carol Coulter
Proof Readers Helen Stevens, Shelia Wright, and Gary Wunder
Read by Elisabeth Coulter
NFB of Missouri
1504 Furlong Dr.
Columbia, MO 65202
Respectfully yours,
Robert Leslie Newman
NFBN Senior Division, President
NFB Seniors Division, Second Vice President
NFBN Omaha Chapter, Secretary
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