[NFBMT] Braille Monitor Article

Thu Mar 1 22:16:46 UTC 2018

Jim,
	I read it this morning and enjoyed it.  It is so true about their
attitude reflecting their actions.

Ted

EDWARD C "TED" ROBBINS, E-MAIL:  ecrobbins517 at gmail.com
CEO MBEI & Treasurer NFB of Montana 
PHONE & FAX:  406 453 6678, CELL:  406 799 6268
104 RIVERVIEW 5 E
GREAT FALLS  MT   59404

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jim Marks via NFBMT
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2018 2:06 PM
To: 'NFB of Montana Discussion List' <nfbmt at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jim Marks <blind.grizzly at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFBMT] Braille Monitor Article

Hi All,

Today's Braille Monitor includes an article I wrote.  Here it is:

https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm18/bm1803/bm180311.htm

The Dentist and the Eye Doctor

by Jim Marks

Jim MarksFrom the Editor: Jim Marks is known to many Federationists for his
work in the Montana affiliate, having served for several terms on its board
of directors and as the affiliate's vice president. For a number of years he
was a wise voice on the National Federation of the Blind Scholarship
Committee. For his paid work, Jim served as the director of disability
services for students at the University of Montana flagship campus in
Missoula and has long been an advocate for helping young people become
independent. He has been the treasurer of the Association on Higher
Education and Disability (AHEAD) and has been the chairman of the
organization's special interest group on blindness and visual impairments.

In this article Jim discusses two trips: one to his eye doctor and the other
to his dentist. It turns out that his blood pressure was higher when
visiting the former than the latter, and many who have gone blind under the
care of a doctor will have a clue as to why. Few blind people harbor
long-term anger at their doctor because the medical community could not
preserve their sight, but many are angry because that community had nothing
to offer but the door when blindness was assured. Here is what Jim has to
say:

They say the blood pressure cuff reveals a lot more than the numbers. Sure
proved true for me. In the last few weeks, I've visited both the eye doctor
and a dentist. Both took my blood pressure. At the eye doctor's, my numbers
were very high. At the dentist's, my numbers were very good. You wouldn't
expect this because there is little to fear at the eye doc's, while the
dentist often includes some uncomfortable procedures. 

So, here's the deal. The last time I visited the eye doctor was in 1985. I
am blind, and the eye doctor could provide no treatment that would improve
my vision. My experiences with vision treatment were pretty good except that
the medical world knows nothing about how to function with blindness and
does nothing to educate itself or its patients. Sometimes, eye doctors
provide low vision aids, but these still focus on vision, not blindness.
When the treatments to preserve or improve vision fall short, the eye doc
has no rabbits to pull from the medical hat. When I first became aware I was
losing my vision due to an eye disease, I remember placing a huge amount of
faith in the abilities of the medical world to keep me from going blind. At
the time I internalized all the negative prejudices and stereotypes about
blindness. For me it was all about the cure. at least hope for the cure.
When my eye doc booted me to the curb, that quest for the cure evaporated. 

I turned to the alternative techniques of the blind and positive attitudes
about blindness in order to live the life I want. That approach was cemented
deeply in my being, and the medical world insofar as vision goes faded into
my past. That is, it did until I recently needed to verify my blindness as
part of my application for Social Security Disability Insurance. My
blindness documentation dated back to 1982 when my eye doc declared me
legally blind and referred me to blindness vocational rehabilitation
services. My blood pressure numbers at the eye doc's revealed that I harbor
a great deal of emotion about the puny overlap between medical vision
treatments and blindness. 

For example, a technician at the eye doc's administered a field test. I
cannot see any of the flashing lights, so I sat through two cycles of the
test just waiting for the conclusion. Frankly, it pissed me off. My anger
came from those long dormant emotions and was not directed at the staff. All
were very kind and professional. But I am blind, and the way I define my
life really has very little to do with the medical world. So, my blood
pressure told the story, and I am still marveling at just how difficult a
simple visit to the eye doc was for me. I was my usual cheerful self on the
outside, but I was boiling on the inside. 

Now that the moment is behind me, I can reflect on it and understand better
who I am and where I am going. I won't be going back to the eye doc anytime
soon. Some blind people must do this to prevent abnormal eye pressures and
other health issues. I have cataracts on top of the retinitis pigmentosa
that causes my blindness, but I will not get them removed unless a health
issue crops up. Right now, I have light perception, but I am so good at
being blind that I own it, control it, and direct it. Being able to see has
very little to do with most of life's important endeavors. I choose to be so
positive that I forget I am blind. Anyhow, thanks for reading through this
wandering reflection.

Jim Marks

Blind.grizzly at gmail.com <mailto:Blind.grizzly at gmail.com> 

(406) 438-1421

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