[nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #144- Blindness With OtherConditions

Tue Apr 7 09:22:08 UTC 2009

Absolutely the best punch line I've seen.
Mike Bullis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
To: "nfbtalk" <NFB-talk at NFBnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 05, 2009 9:51 AM
Subject: [nfb-talk] New THOUGHT PROVOKER #144- Blindness With 
OtherConditions

> NFBtalk members
> RE:  Blindness With Other conditions
>
> Ready for a shocking ending? I borrow from a contemporary genre to make my
> point. If you have not read the PROVOKER, it follows.  Recall that I 
> collect
> responses and post them upon my web site for all the WWW to read and learn
> from and that URL is- Http://thoughtprovoker.info
> <http://thoughtprovoker.info/>   If you wish to receive THOUGHT PROVOKERS
> sent directly to you, just write me and ask, at-  newmanrl at cox.net
>
> THOUGHT PROVOKER 144
> Blindness With Other Conditions
>
>
> "No, nothing else," answered Bill in response to my question- "Do you have
> any other major physical or emotional or life style considerations that 
> you
> are concerned that your oncoming blindness will negatively impact or in
> reverse, will make your adjustment to blindness difficult?"
>
> I am a VR Counselor, this was my first visit with Bill. He is thirty,
> rapidly going blind due to RP and had just lost his job as a truck driver.
> My question reflected a major principle in achieving a successful outcome 
> in
> adjusting to any major loss- you have to deal with the whole person.
>
> The strain in Bill's voice, the rubbing of sweating hands on his thighs 
> told
> me my question had this guy reacting to something that he was unwilling to
> share. In my mind, I couldn't help but speculate, was he an alcoholic or 
> an
> AIDS victim, or.? And so to plant the seed, an opportunity for later, I
> said, "Okay. And as we get to know one another, if in the future after you
> get a sense of how the rehabilitation process works, please don't hesitate
> to bring up any thing you'd like to talk about."
>
> Bill didn't wait very long and said, "Like I was saying, I've learned over
> the years that for me to.ah, manage my life, I've had to become a control
> freak. And I'm afraid blindness will.make me lose control."
>
> Finished, I walked Bill out to the reception area, where luck was with me.
> Randy, my next appointment was early. "Bill, meet Randy. He also has a 
> form
> of RP, along with being deaf. And hey, he runs his own vending business."
>
> Out in the hallway walking to the elevator, I still felt good that Bill 
> had
> met Randy, a guy that had another obviously serious condition in life to
> contend with and was doing well. At the open elevator doors, I shook 
> Bill's
> hand. "I'll see you next week, at your place and we can talk more." And I
> would have said more, but we were interrupted.
>
> "Bill, let's go," interjected a male voice with very "no-nonsense" tone.
>
> "Richard!" I could tell Bill wasn't happy  with this intrusion. Then to 
> me,
> "This is my brother. Excuse me a moment." And taking Richard off to one
> side, they talked.
>
> Back at the elevator, Richard said, "I didn't want Bill to come to you. We
> take care of our own. I'll be."
>
> "Richard, stop!" Bill cut off his brother. "I'll meet you at the car." 
> Then
> to me, he said,  "Robert, I apologize for my brother. We are a very close
> and protective family. But ah, I don't mean to scare you, but if Richard
> comes to your office or wherever, don't ask him in. He'll settle down." 
> And
> with that he was gone.
>
> I did not see Bill again for two months. We had four rescheduled
> appointments, bill calling in the day of each to cancel. Initially I 
> thought
> denial was the major factor, but each successive call felt more like
> escalating stress and near panic. It is interesting to note, at some point
> in each conversation, he would refer to the "control" issue. Until,
> unexpectedly Bill showed up.
>
> "I was going to stay away. But I remember you said blindness can be 
> managed
> even if you have other ah, issues, that you can still control your life. 
> And
> I can't allow myself to lose control." A deep breath. "I want to explain. 
> My
> brother and I both have.ah, are." Another deep breath, then in a rush, 
> "I've
> not hurt anyone --- I've kept control --- fear I'm losing it --- I don't
> want to be like my brother."
>
> I had listened closely, was again puzzled, but excited to have Bill 
> opening
> up. I thought, "Great, now we can get at those other key issues and work
> with them along side his blindness. Now we can have the best chance to get
> his life in balance; help him to get that control back that he speaks of 
> as
> being so critical." In a sense holding my breath, I asked, "This is great,
> Bill. So help me to help you. Tell me what you are dealing with?"
>
> He said, "I am a vampire."
>
>
> Robert Leslie Newman
> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
> THOUGHT PROVOKER Website-
> Http://www.thoughtprovoker.info
>
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>
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