[stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

[Donna Hill]

Last summer, I had to go to the hospital for several days to receive IV
antibiotics for a skin infection. I wasn't sick, but the nurses thought I
should call for help to get to the bathroom. I didn't. My husband showed me
how to unplug the IV, drape the cord onto the pole, and where to hold it to
pull it. It should be said that I had a private room, and the bathroom was
about 8 feet from my bed, with no obstacles in the way.

Then, the nurses found out I'd actually been to the bathroom without calling
them. They wanted me to sign a waiver of liability. I asked them why, and
they said it was standard with patients who have conditions that effect
their balance and make them a "fall risk." I asked what kind of conditions.
They didn't want to say blindness, so they said MS, and Parkinson's and a
few other things. I pointed out that I didn't have any of those things and
acted perplexed that they thought I had a condition that made me a fall
risk. Still no mention of the blindness thing. 

They insisted I sign it anyway, and I asked them if they had it in an
alternative format such as Braille. They sputtered. They said they'd read it
to me. I explained that I didn't sign legal documents without consulting a
lawyer. I further explained -- just as nicely and matter-of-factly as I
could -- that if they would like me to sign it, and seeing as I need a
lawyer, that they could pay for me to get one.

This caused a great kafuffle in the hospital. The nurse supervisor came in
and said she talked to the nurse who'd been waving the form around, and that
nurse had the impression that she had offended me somehow. As calmly as I
could, I explained that I have had many experiences which I have found
offensive throughout my life, and that I recognized this as one of them, but
I wasn't planning to go into a snit about it. When my husband got there, he
pointed out to her that we are all "fall risks." They couldn't disagree with
this, but it didn't make them very happy.

The night nurse came in and asked me to explain my idea of how I would like
to be treated -- what I would consider to be good care from the staff. I
first explained that I wanted to be kept abreast of whatever info they had
about my health -- if they're taking my blood pressure, I want to know what
it is, for instance. Then, I told her that I wanted people to refrain from
assuming that there were things I couldn't do because of my blindness. I
assured her that if I needed help, I would ask, and that if they were
uncomfortable, they could ask me if I could do something without help and
even ask me to explain how I would do it. The important thing was to not
make assumptions based on their understanding of what blindness means. I
pointed out to them some of the things that blind people are doing, which I
think some of them thought I was making up.

The next morning, my doctor came in, and I asked him if the nurses had told
him what a problem I'd been giving them. He said they had. I patiently told
him my side of the story. I was very proud of myself that I never lost my
temper, raised my voice or used a sarcastic tone (I almost always use a
sarcastic tone, so this was a major accomplishment). Everything seemed to
calm down after that, though I certainly felt the tension especially with
the original nurses who had the problem. 

Meanwhile, there were people there who'd had surgery and were suffering from
debilitating conditions. They needed someone to help them, and they were
hassling me about going the the bathroom on my own likeI was a one-year-old.
After I got home, I considered writing a consciousness-raising letter to the
hospital administration, but decided that this was one of those times when
you have to pick your battles. I'd said my piece and had plenty of things
that needed catching up on.

Oh well, I think that qualifies as a rant.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Anita
Ogletree
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 9:43 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

Amen to that! That's how society, in general, categorizes people of
different races, religions (and most of all) blind people.
That is how the VR services attempts to manipulate us when we don't conform
to their pre-determined assessments of all blind people.  I shouldn't be
judged according to the statistics someone has gathered on other people.  I
am Anita Ogletree, not Jane Doe.  I can make my own adaptations to doing
things that work for me.  Ms.  Doe should be allowed to do the same without
feeling threatened that she won't get the help she needs.
You're right! we should not have to represent an entire group.  
That is what they do whenever they talk about black people.  Not all of us
are going to end up living in the projects.
Ok.  I am finished with my ranting.  LOL Anita

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: Bridgit Pollpeter <bpollpeter at hotmail.com
>To: <stylist at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 06:36:19 -0600
>Subject: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

>This makes me recall an interesting situation.

>A few years ago I spoke at the Nebraska Medical Center to a group
of
>medical staff working with diabetics including doctors.  I have
been a
>type 1 diabetic since I was four, and I have had to manage my
diabetes
>both as a sighted person and blind person, so I was addressing
the topic
>from both perspectives.

>Now, exercise and physical activity have always been important to
me.
>Since childhood, I've been a very active person.  I don't exactly
look
>out of shape, and to go along with this, my diabetes is well
managed.
>After I lost my sight, I didn't lose a beat when it came to
exercising.

>One doctor asked how I adjusted to not being able to work-out 
since
>being blind.  He had participated in a study that, one, 
demonstrated the
>advantages exercise had on diabetics who worked-out and those who 
did
>not, and two, displayed that diabetics with visual impairments 
were in
>the group of non-active people because blindness rendered them 
unable,
>or at least made it difficult, to be active.

>It was one of those moments where I was like, "You're a doctor, 
right?"
>in my head.  I told him that I never stopped working-out or being 
active,
>and I know several other blind people, diabetic and otherwise, 
who are
>very active.

>He then amended his response by stating that he meant visually 
impaired
>people won't be able to navigate a gym or do much out-doors.  To 
which I
>replied that first of all, a gym is not necessary to have access 
too for
>exercising purposes, nor do you need to work-out out-of-doors, 
but
>having said all that, that plenty of blind people, myself 
included, go
>to the gym and find activities to enjoy out in nature.  My 
husband and I
>use a walking trail near our house almost every day during nice 
weather,
>and we aint taken leisurely strolls down it, grin.

>It's just funny how silly people can get about these things.  And 
I like
>what you say about not representing a whole group of people.  I 
am just
>me, and I just want to live my life not always feeling like I 
have to
>represent an entire group of people.  Some will say that as an
>independent, capable blind person, it's our job, whether we want 
it or
>not, to be an example, to represent the entire blind population, 
but
>this is a heavy mantle to wear.  It's like asking any other 
person of a
>minority to be more than an individual; to become the embodiment 
of a
>whole group.  The thing is, no single person is alike.  I mean, I 
get this
>will happen regardless, people will assign roles to us no matter 
what,
>and yes, someone needs to voice progressive, positive examples 
for
>various groups, but damn, we have to live our lives and just be 
human.  I
>want to be a mommy because I love, love, love my kids, not 
because I
>need to demonstrate that blind people can be parents.  I want to 
pursue
>higher education because I love to learn, and I want to further 
my
>knowledge, not because I have to display that blind people are 
just as
>capable.  I want to be out in my community enjoying events and 
activities
>like the theatre, concerts, sports, shopping, playgrounds, 
because I
>have a sincere enjoyment of such activities and not because as a 
blind
>person I must force myself to attend community events so society 
can see
>that blind people are normal.  It's just exhausting, and I have a 
life to
>live beyond this single element of my being.

>Sincerely,
>Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter, editor, Slate & Style
>Read my blog at:
>http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

>"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can
>satisfy, we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for
>another world."
>C.  S.  Lewis

>Message: 13
>Date: Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:58:47 -0500
>From: "Lynda Lambert" <llambert at zoominternet.net
>To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org
>Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- to take to another level
>Message-ID: <9778408A73F7477DABF1B81E8CB84C96 at Lambert
>Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
>	reply-type=original

>this whole thing is very interesting.
>I know for most of the people I am around, I am the only blind 
person
>they
>have ever encountered.  I really don't feel like I need to 
"represent"
>anyone, nor do I want to.  I am still the same "self" that I have 
always
>been, and I think that is hard to grasp because I am sure they 
all look
>at
>this change as being devestating.  They seem surprised when I do 
normal
>things.

>When my husband and I did the one mile "walk to break the 
silence" for
>ovarian cancer last fall, we walked behind my sister and my
>daughter-in-law
>who were engaged in cheery conversation together.  When we 
reached the
>end
>of the course, they turned around and saw us behind them - and 
expressed

>amazement that we were "there"   as if I was not capable of 
walking
>along on
>the course.  I am very "fit" and workout at the gym nearly every 
day, as
>I
>have done most of my life - so why should that be any different 
now, to
>the
>point where anyone would think it surprising I would be walking 
as any
>other
>normal person walks.  Frankly, things like this really scald me, 
and
>particularly when it is my family members, as they know very well 
that I

>walk several miles a day on my cardio days, and work out at the 
gym for
>over
>an hour on other days.  But, there in public with tons of people 
around
>us,
>they show surprise that I can walk at all.  I am laughing as I 
write
>this -
>it is so silly.


>Lynda


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