[nfbmi-talk] In touch with Braille

[Mary Ann Robinson]

Below is an article as it appeared on another list.  I thought it was worth sharing.

Mary Ann  Robinson

In Touch With Braille
> There was no warning nor time to prepare. I knew nothing of the horrendous
> disease embedded in my DNA, or what it would do to my body. At the
> beginning of the month, I was free and happy, enjoying life with my
> six-month-old son. By the end of that month, the genetic time bomb had
> exploded. I was left as a mind trapped in a useless body. I struggled to
> keep my sanity, despite the great losses I suffered. At this lowest point,
> I was totally blind, completely deaf and paralyzed in my feet, legs and
> hands.
>
> I couldn't walk. I couldn't feel anything. I was unable to take care of
> myself, much less my baby. The worst part was the lack of access to
> information. I didn't know what was going on around me or out in the
> world.  Sports, culture, business, politics and wars continued. As they
> say, "Life goes on." I knew nothing about it. I existed in a state in
> which I only knew what people deemed to tell me. Since communication
> involved printing letters on my face with a fingertip, that was very
> little. It was too much work for my family to keep me informed.
>
> I spent endless hours, days and months trying to entertain myself with my
> own thoughts. I imagined I was watching my favorite movies, tried to
> remember the lyrics to old songs and recited books back to myself.  I was
> so isolated, lonely and miserable. I lost all contact with the outside
> world and so desperately wanted to get back in touch.
> After eight long months, I realized my hands were beginning to heal. It
> took another three months before I regained normal sensitivity in my
> fingers. I knew at once what I needed to do. I had to learn braille.
> I was another lost one who fell through the cracks in the vocational
> rehabilitation system. They claimed I was too disabled and therefore
> beyond their help. I received no services and had no trainer. If I wanted
> to learn braille, I would have to do it myself.
> My husband bought a braille learning book online. I didn't have much
> support at home, so I was literally teaching myself. I carefully followed
> the lessons in the book. After I studied each new letter, I worked on
> practice words and sentences. After one month, I could  read uncontracted
> braille. It was time to move onto the next level.      The training series
> for contracted braille was longer and harder. There were so many rules and
> so much to remember. I struggled with short-form words, abbreviations and
> beginning and ending contractions. I worked every day on reviewing
> information and learning new skills. After three months, I could read
> contracted braille, although my pace was quite slow.
> I've been told it's impossible to learn braille that fast.  Yet, that's
> exactly what I did. I was so determined to return to the real world.
> Braille was the only means to do so.
>
> Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was the first book I read in
> braille. As I diligently felt the dots, I became so excited. Letters
> turned into words. Words became sentences. I recognized the story. I was
> reading!
> My next step was to find sources to news. I signed up for "Hotline to
> Deaf-Blind," which sent weekly braille briefings about headline news
> stories. From the national library, I ordered "The New York Times Weekly"
> and "Parenting Magazine." Other sources gave me access to "The Reader's
> Digest" and "Syndicated Columnist Weekly." Hope returned to my life as I
> read these magazines. I was proud to talk politics with my husband or
> discuss a story he hadn't heard about. I was back in touch, thanks to
> those beautiful dots we call braille.
> Now, 10 years later, I've had some training to refine my braille skills. I
> read much faster now. That's essential, because there's so much I want to
> know about. I spend most of my day reading news and books. I could live
> forever and still never finish everything I want to read.
> The purchase of my first Braille Note device provided even more access to
> information and social networking. I could email my family, join
> deaf-blind mailing lists and meet new people who faced similar challenges.
> I began surfing the web for the first time in my life. I had never
> imagined so much information in one tiny place. There was so much
> knowledge to be had, and it was all at my fingertips.
> I now have a Deaf-Blind Communicatory. This machine allows me to talk with
> people who do not know sign language. They type on my cell phone, and I
> read the message on my Braille Note. The device also gave me access to a
> TTY. I'm finally able to make phone calls by myself. My son and I
> celebrated the night I first ordered a pizza for our dinner. Once again, I
> owe it to braille.
> I'm connected to people through text messages, Instant Messages and
> Facebook. It is amazing what technology can offer these days. I love
> reading on a refreshable braille display. The dots are like magic. At a
> push of a button, they change to say something new. The possibilities are
> endless.
> I'm still deaf-blind and physically impaired. However, I'm no longer a
> prisoner in my own body. It was braille that allowed me to escape. Now I'm
> a student, a writer, a leader and friend.
> My online nick-name is "Dot." I'm an actual part of society again. This
> never would have happened without braille.
> I've been asked, "What does braille do to enhance your life?" My answer is
> simple.  "Everything." Braille keeps me in touch.
http://www.jp.onkyo.com/braille_essay/2012/