[NFBMT] When You Are A Blind Patient

[rixmix2009 at gmail.com]

This was a good thread of a discussion.
I mean, the subject of when you are a blind patient.
Thanks for sharing it from the President's list, Joy.
And thanks to others for posting their thoughts on the list.

Thanks to Ted Robbins, for remembering something that Lelia Proctor had
said.
As always, your long memory has always stood us very well.

And thanks, to Jim Marks, for your always eloquent statements.

I think that you always hope for the best if you wind up in a hospital bed.
Of that there is no doubt. And it is sure my hope that I don't need to give
some seminar on courtesy rules of blindness, should I be a patient.  A few
months back, I was up at our local hospital with Karen as the patient, and I
did observe a bit of how it goes in that environment these days. It is a
very busy place. Many bells and whistles going off, people coming and going
all the time. Each person seems to have their own assigned tasks.  I found
that the independent travel in the hospital did get a bit disorienting. You
sure are not going to be shorelining any walls there. And the using of
sounds for a sense of direction was pretty crazy.

It is likely that if I get in a place to be a patient, I will not be in any
condition nor mood to do much educating about blindness. So, perhaps for us
to have a discussion now may help in some ways.
Being prepared, or just winging it. Always easy to say, harder to do, in
both instances for me.

What if.
What if this. What if that.
What if I can pull some strings and get you a special deal.
What if I got no string and got no clue.
Well, pal. In that case, I guess we are all on our own.

But in the NFB, we do have a heck of a good team to have in our so called
dugout.
Lots of them have been in the big leagues, and some of them have kicked
around in the minors, long enough, that like the insurance advertisement
says, "We know a thing or two, because we've seen a thing or two."

So I do recommend reading those kernel books and Braille Monitor articles.
They may stick with you when you find yourself in a pinch and need a thought
or two on the matter.
But don't let them pinch you. I think that may be abuse.  (Just kidding!)

If that nurse or assistant knocks on your hospital room door, you can hope
for the best. And get well soon. 
I have already talked too long here. Probably best if I keep myself a bit
quiet in a hospital room, too.

Have a good day, folks.
Rik James
The President of the at-large chapter of the NFB of Montana.
We have a monthly chapter meeting soon.  
On Thursday, September 13, at 6:00 p.m.
Somebody can pinch me there! 
Just you go and try it!
And let everyone know how it went.