[nfbmi-talk] Newbie...

Tue Oct 27 20:30:04 UTC 2009

Hello Marcus,

I have not read your bio...where do I find it?

Ray J.

On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 8:04 AM, Marcus Simmons
<marcus.simmons at comcast.net>wrote:

> Hi, Ray,
>
> As you know by now, by reading my BIO, almost anything can be accomplished
> without sight. We just have to rely on alternate methods to do the
> procedure. I also use JAWS as my screen-reading software. And I use Open
> Book to read printed material.
> As for building cars, I store vital information on my computer. Vehicle
> wiring is displayed in a Excel spreadsheet, with each circuit on a single
> row.
>
> We are all here to lend a helping hand for those who need it.
>
>
> Marcus
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Raymond Juliano" <rayj1941 at gmail.com>
> To: "NFB of Michigan List" <nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, October 26, 2009 7:36 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [nfbmi-talk] Newbie...
>
>
>   Hi Reggie,
>>
>> Thank you so very much for replying to me.  I appreciate it.  In a way I
>> feel sort of funny for joining this now when I still have one good eye
>> that
>> has been doing the job of seeing for me.  But if that goes, I will be
>> legally blind.  I did not want to wait until the last minute so to speak
>> just in case my good eye stops functioning.
>>
>> I have a lot of interests and things that I like to do and want to do
>> whether I am blind or sighted.  Thanks for the info on the screen
>> reader...goes to show how little I know about such things.  I like to
>> write
>> poetry and have started converting some of my poems to song lyrics, and
>> then
>> I put guitar chords to them and the melody comes into my head.  A few of
>> them have turned out pretty good, but so far I have not recorded any of
>> them
>> yet.  Since I've been in the medical field for so long, I've started
>> writing
>> what I call, "Medical Music", which are sort of funny songs about medical
>> things like colostomy and colonoscopies but still get the message across
>> of
>> not putting off such things even tho they are not the most pleasant.  I've
>> written about circumcision and vasectomy, and I wrote one for diabetics
>> who
>> don't take care of themselves, develop gangrene, and need an amputation
>> called, "The One Leg Polka".  Things that most non-medical people don't
>> like
>> to think about or talk about, yet they can relate and see the humor in
>> them.  When I get enough of them I plan on recording a CD, which some of
>> my
>> instructors told me that I should do.  I am not the greatest guitar player
>> or singer, but I am willing to give it a try.  Most people with a sense of
>> humor seem to like them.
>>
>> I am also concerned about playing chess without sight, as I now play about
>> 20 games a day on a website called, gameknot.com.  I enjoy the game, but
>> I'll never become really good at it because I don't really study the game,
>> I
>> just like to play it.  I know some of the great grandmaster have played
>> blindfolded chess games, but I am nowhere in that category of chess
>> player.
>>
>>
>> I know there are a lot of things that I could continue to do with or
>> without
>> sight, but the thought of becoming blind makes me angry and frightened at
>> the same time.  There were signs of the impending CRVO in my left eye at
>> least fifteen years ago, and even tho I mentioned it to doctors at the
>> time,
>> no one seemed very concerned about it, and now that makes me angry that I
>> didn't become more of an advocate for my own health at that time.  Perhaps
>> if I had been put on blood thinners back then, the CRVO might have been
>> averted, but then again, maybe not.  It just makes me mad and I know I've
>> got to get over it and I'm finding it hard to do.
>>
>> And it makes me afraid of my future.  I am still working full time as a
>> nurse anesthetist and am hoping to retire in 19 more months and I am
>> hoping
>> I will be able to see and be able to enjoy my retirement after working at
>> it
>> for 44 years.  I'll be 70 when I retire and we plan on having my wife
>> start
>> nursing school, but if she has to take care of me, I have a lot of
>> questions
>> about how that will work.  I've always been the caregiver, and I hate the
>> thought of being dependent on anyone.  I also think that maybe God has
>> done
>> this to punish me for not being a better person.  I don't know...at times
>> it
>> is very confusing.  I never thought I would lose my sight, and now what I
>> feared most is happening.
>>
>> What do you think is the best method for an adult to learn Braille?  Fred
>> Wurtzel, the president of the MI NFB told me about the Illinois Braille
>> Series and Braille in Brief.  He gave me a phone number to call to see if
>> the NFB had it.  I have not done so yet, but am planning to.  He also gave
>> me his cell phone number and invited me to the MI Convention Nov. 6,6, & 8
>> but we will be in TN at a hypnosis seminar that week.  Perhaps I could
>> attend next year or maybe another state meeting some time.  He also
>> suggested I call the MI Commission for the Blind and he gave me their
>> phone
>> number too.  Work has been so busy that I haven't yet had a chance to
>> call,
>> and this Fri. we are flying out to PA for a family wedding and then on to
>> TN
>> for that week long hypnosis seminar.  But I am going to call those numbers
>> when we return.
>>
>> Thank you for your phone number too...if things quiet down yet this week,
>> I
>> will give you a call or if you like you could call me as we are usually
>> home
>> here in the evening.  My home phone number is:  906-586-6222 and I would
>> welcome a call from you.  Thanks again.
>>
>> Well...time for a late supper as it has been a long day for both my wife
>> and
>> I.  Take care of each other and stay in touch when you can.  Thanks again
>> for writing.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Ray Juliano
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Oct 26, 2009 at 9:25 AM, Reggie & Brooks <
>> regandlon at wideopenwest.com
>>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>
>> Hello Ray:
>>> My name is Regina, and although I am a fairly proficient cane user I have
>>> chosen to use a guide dog.  I am blind from birth as is my husband.  We
>>> are
>>> in our 50s, and I also work in the medical field as a transcriptionist.
>>>
>>> First of all, I admire you for getting a "start" on learning to live as a
>>> blind person.  You are definitely doing the correct thing.  No use in
>>> stopping living, right? (smiles)
>>>
>>> To answer you concerning how email is done, we use a screen reader that
>>> actually reads exactly what you would see.  There are commands to get
>>> from
>>> place to place on the screen.  There are 2 major programs.  One is Jaws
>>> from
>>> Freedom Scientific and the other is Window Eyes from G. W. Micro.  Both
>>> have
>>> opened up a lot of opportunity for us, both to keep in touch and also as
>>> far
>>> as working.  Computers are everywhere! (smiles)  These programs have a
>>> computer voice that can be changed to a voice to your liking, even a
>>> British
>>> voice if you are so inclined.  They work in other languages also.  I use
>>> just the voice when doing email, but when I work, I supplement my
>>> listening
>>> with a braille display to intermittently put a check on what I am typing.
>>> Typing is mostly muscle memory, and I know where my fingers are at any
>>> given
>>> time.  A good keyboard helps too. (smiles)
>>>
>>> As for learning braille? I would urge you to do this.  Eighty percent of
>>> those who have worked or are working (only 20% of the blind) read
>>> braille.
>>> I worked 31 years for Henry Ford Hospital until transcription was
>>> outsourced
>>> to India, GRRRR, oops pardon the personal comment,  but braille was a
>>> huge
>>> part of my career.
>>>
>>> I will stop for now so my email is not a book, but if you wish to contact
>>> me, I would be happy to chat.  Phone is below my signature.
>>> Reggie
>>> (313) 7597279 which is free for me to call so I can call you back so you
>>> do
>>> not have to pay.
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>
>
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