[rehab] Heartbraking story

[Everett Gavel]

Hi Michael, Adrijana, and all,

I'm not going to discuss Joseph's life too much
here, other than to say that I've been on the
phone with him multiple times, with many more
emails in-between, since December. I've been
trying to help him with a computer. The one thing
I'll point out in regards to what Michael touched
on is that Joseph himself has said to me that he
also has some kind of learning disability.

His story is like many I'm aware of in the
disabled community. At least in some general
respects. We all have our stories and our quirks
and our issues. I lived alone for more than a
decade, between marriages, and I had small and
low-income sorts of apartments, choosing to try to
live within my means. I went to food pantries
occasionally to get through some months. And I
utilized discounted bus passes at times when I
felt I needed to, or at least wanted to.

All I think I know for sure is that blindness is
very much like politics. There are different
camps, and different foundational beliefs leading
the camps.

There are those that choose to simply do the best
they can to survive, and try to enjoy the life
they have, try to work, and volunteer and do what
they can to contribute back to society, as well.
These are generally the sorts that see a mountain
and look for the way up and over, or around it.
Rather than complain about it and look for someone
to remove the mountain from their path.

In another camp, and these are generalizations of
course, but in another camp there are those blind
souls who seem to think they *need* whatever help
they can get, merely because they are blind or
disabled. Too many often whine and even fight
against the idea of real independence. They give a
sob story at times, because they seem to be stuck
feeling sorry for themselves. These types often
seem to think society owes them something. They
may see a mountain and decide to stay where they
are, setting up camp there and not really going
any further.

Of course there are those that aren't as easily
peggable into either of these 2 main groups of
blindness thinking. Let's call them Libertarians
or the Green party or whatever. But these 2
generalizations above are the 2 main groups, in my
opinion. Much like Republicans and Democrats,
politically.

Some might describe them at times as the NFB and
the ACB, too often choosing sides rather than
focusing on making life better for all blind
people. Again, much like the damnable politics of
this country, IMO.

Anyway, I don't know all of Joseph's issues,
truly. But after reading what he wrote, except for
the possible cognitive issues at hand, and the
possiblle physical abuse he may have suffered
growing up, well, much of the rest seems quite
commonplace, unfortunately. Fixed income, low
income, at times no income.

And yet he continues on, as most do. And, also
like many, even while begging for help via radio
stations and any other platform he can access,
note that I mentioned our relationship was one
that started from him looking to purchase a
computer. So, like many on low incomes, most
people still tend to find the money or means for
what they deem important.

And some, while doing their best to find ways to
volunteer and/or work to get ahead, hey, some do
find it easier to beg for help by way of sympathy.
I've known too many 'homeless' people who choose
to make a living by begging, rather than actually
looking for a job and trying to be legit about
earning a living. But that's another story for
another time.

All this being rambled on about, I'll finish by
saying that while I wouldn't stop from helping
Joseph where I think I can, I'm not too worried
about him, either.


Strive On!
Everett


----- original message ----- 
Hi Angel
Personally I don't think this case is all about
blindness.The writer, Joseph
says: "
> I was locked up in a mental institution for
> defending myself against my
> mother's attacks." This sends alarms his side
> her side and the right side.
Joseph as a child seems to according to his story
have had parents who might
have had some mental issues which he may have
inherited which is why he
couldn't pull himself out of the man hole as
yourblack  coleague did.
This sounds like a multiple handicapped issue and
perhaps even Joseph
himself is in denial to some degree blaming
everything on the external
circumstances and nothing on the internal
condition.
How long was he kept in a mental institution? What
did the doctors find out?
Washe during this episodeas a   child put in to
therapy probably not
probably no follow-up back then. And how violently
did he attack his mother?
was her life endangered?Was she hospitalized as a
result?
Did the local district attorney choose to put
Joseph in an institution
because it was believed to be a safer place for
this blind criminal than
prison? Has Joseph had any other violent eppisodes
since that time?
He also writes: "
> I lived in constant terror of my parents. This
> had caused me severe
> psychological
> problems that persist to this day."
Could he be schizophrenic or suffer some other
mental illness?
He says his family abandoned him but if he
attacked his mother and nothing
was done to fix the problem he was known to have
did they abandon him or
were they afraid of him?

Note,  This isn't a "young man" he is 69 years old
born in 1947 he wrote:
Back then times were much different which is why
he hasn't gotten the needed
followup therapy. If he displayed problematic
mental characteristics it is
probable that counselors and social workers just
dealt with him at some
level believing he would not be employable except
at perhaps an agency like
goodwill or salvation army. When counselors
working with services for the
blind sent him to the other agencies who largely
believed blind people are
incapable and also saw his mental issues if he did
work at a sheltered
workshop I imagine he didn't make very much. Most
likely if mental issues
were pravelent he was viewed as a difficult case
and somewhat as a threat to
other clients so as soon as possible he was
removed from the protected
populations. He probably felt he was  not provided
adequate services and