[stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

Tue Feb 12 14:42:29 UTC 2013

No, Donna, not a rant, not yet.  You'll have to really ramp it up to get it 
to a rant. But, it was so funny. I was laughing out loud as I read it.
Lynda

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, February 11, 2013 10:28 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] To ponder- exercise and representing blindness

> 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
>
>
>>_______________________________________________
>>Writers Division web site
>>http://www.writers-division.net/
>>stylist mailing list
>>stylist at nfbnet.org
>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info
> for stylist:
>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/yrstrli%40gm
> ail.com
>
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://www.writers-division.net/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/penatwork%40epix.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Writers Division web site
> http://www.writers-division.net/
> stylist mailing list
> stylist at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/stylist_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> stylist:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/stylist_nfbnet.org/llambert%40zoominternet.net
> 