[stylist] Transportation and help when needed

Sat Feb 1 20:30:00 UTC 2014

Lynda,
I forgot to mention that I road in the ambulances with Rich on the 3
occasions that we had to call 911. The first time, they wouldn't allow my
guide dog, which was OK with me, and I got a neighbor to drive Hunter to the
hospital. The other times they let Hunter and I both ride in the back. Not
sure what changed, but I can't imagine how terrified you must have been not
even being able to be with him.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 10:47 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Transportation and help when needed

Transportation   is a problem most of us face.  When my husband collapsed
and was unconscious last week, it really hit me when I realized I could not
even get a mile away to the hospital by myself.  Most of the time I don't
think a lot about my sight loss, but I just keep on going doing what I can
do but when faced with anything that requires transportation, I would be
helpless without hubby or my granddaughter who lives near me. Without them,
I cannot even imagine what my life would be like. There would be nowhere I
could walk to from  where I live. Everything requires a trip in the car.

I can understand what Bridgit has said about making friends in the
neighborhood - I think it would be very difficult to move into a new
neighborhood and get to know people when you are blind.  Most sighted people
would just not know what to do or how to be around blind people because most
of them have never encountered blind people in a personal setting and they
would not know how to deal with it.  I think they see us as nearly helpless,
foreign, and that they would have nothing in common with us and they are not
about to change their mind regardless of anything.

I can relate to the comments that Peter has sent.  I lost my sight 6 1/2
years ago. Along with the sight loss are the personal losses we all have (at
least most of us). We lose family members, people we thought of as great
friends, jobs, and ability to get from one place to another by ourselves.
My sight loss became an enormous chasm between me and so many people in my
world at that time. I would never have believed it had I not lived it.  I
lost my sight, but I did not lose "me." I am still the same person I was
then, with all the same delights and passions but instantly when we become
blind, we are not the same to everyone else around us. And, I think, we
become their worst nightmare - that of being blind. We cannot be healed; we
cannot be changed back to who we were before; and we cannot continue our
relationship with them in the same way. So, they avoid us as much as
possible. But, they watch us from a distance.

My husband is doing ok, he has to go to the drs. for follow up from the
testing that was done last week. He has always been the neighborhood
"energizer bunny." He is a total workaholic. He forgets to eat, and I think
that is what happened to him. He had not eaten since the afternoon before he
collapsed - and that was at 1:30 pm, when I made him stop in the restaurant
for a late lunch that day.  He is just the kind of person who has no
interest in food or eating, and has to be reminded a lot that he needs to
eat. He has always been like this - nothing new.  But at age 73 it's more
important than ever to be eating regular meals - which he does NOT do.
Thanks for asking.

Today, I am sending some quarts of my homemade soup to two neighbors. I like
to send little surprises to them now and then, and its very cold and been
snowing for  days - they will enjoy this delicious Tomato Vegetable Soup.
My husband had some last night, after it was made, and he told me he thinks
it's the most delicious soup he has ever eaten. Wow! That was nice to hear.
I hope the neighbors like it as well. One neighbor has an autistic son who
has to be watched constantly - Bob helps them out as much as he can with
their driveway, or parking, and today, some hot soup. This is a very old
village and many of the people who live here, like us, go back generations,
to the late 1700s in this village. So, that is why we all know each other.
The town is 2 miles from here, and even there everyone knows who everyone
else is even if they don't know them personally. When this happened to Bob
last week, I heard someone say, "That is the Lambert's", and I turned around
and said, "Yes, we are the Lamberts."  The city and all the surrounding
areas would have only about 5,000 population. When you meet someone new
here, they will say, "what year did you graduate?"  It is assumed you are
from here, and knowing when you graduated places you in perspective with
themselves. It is very funny!  My sister says, it is clanish! lol  It's very
typical, rural, Pennsylvania.  Any blind services I received came from 2
hours away.  And, I know Donna lives across the state which is in the
mountains, and it would be pretty much the same there unless you are in one
of the cities, and this is why I was not very happy to hear that university
profs. would expect her to just show up to do a little presentation -
there's a lot more involved with it than just doing that.
It is so unrealistic, given the topography and the transportation issues.
Lynda

----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue2 at satx.rr.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Cc: <braille at satx.rr.com>
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 8:45 AM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Transportation and help when needed

> Good morning everyone,
>
>    We've had the same issues here. In a city as large as San Antonio it's
> inexcusable that there aren't organizations that operate pools of
> individuals willing to assist blind and other disabled individuals with
> such tasks as providing transportation particularly in to areas not served

> by public transportation or serve as readers. We have snail mail here
> that's a year and a half old. Some of the items may be checks which would
> come in handy right now.
>
>    I have family members living near by but asking them for assistance is
> a kin to opening a nasty can of worms! My sister offered to take one of
> Mary's watches in to have some links taken out of the band but wouldn't
> commit to a time to return it to her. After an inflammatory conversation
> she angrily drove in to town to return Mary's watch. We appreciate their
> willingness to help when the spirit moves them but not the catfights that
> often go along with it.
>
>    Even in situations when we've offered to pay someone to take us
> somewhere we've received 0 response. There are services we could apply for

> but must do it in person. Getting transportation to these providers has
> become a thorn in our side and we're really getting tired of it! Perhaps
> the NFB through the Jernigan Institute and working with our local chapters

> could establish a national network comprised of individuals willing to
> provide services to area blind persons on a paid or a volunteer basis. We
> learned that two agencies in Cincinnati Ohio offer such services to blind
> persons in that community. There is an organization in San Antonio that
> reels in big bucks but does not offer such a program. One wonders what
> they're doing with all the money they rake in besides throwing parties for

> their members and benefactors.
>
>    Sorry I know this is a little off topic but it's a situation all too
> common and one this organization should address. All the best.
>
> Peter Donahue
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, January 26, 2014 9:40 PM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Transportation and help when needed
>
>
>> Lynda,
>>
>> Firstly, my condolences to you and your husband; I hope he feels better,
>> and you are able to get some answers.
>>
>> Unfortunately, in the city, you probably don't want to get in a car with
>> a stranger. Omaha is a pretty big city, with about a million people
>> living here, and saddly, we have a rather high crime rate, so I'm not
>> comfortable getting into cars with strangers. Ross and I have had people
>> randomly stop and offer rides, but we don't take them up on this offer.
>> And I'm always surprised when women ask Ross because he's a big, tall,
>> muscular guy; not someone I would offer a ride to if I were alone, grin.
>> I've had people tell me they wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley,
>> ha-ha! He's a big teddy bear, but he doesn't look it.
>>
>> They didn't let you ride in the ambulance? Usually one person can ride
>> along. Nonetheless, that's nice you live in a community like that.
>>
>> My husband and I are both blind, and if we didn't have public
>> transportation, I'm not sure what we would do. We do have family and
>> friends around, but they are not frequently available to provide
>> transportation. My parents and siblings all live here, but my son goes
>> days and even weeks without seeing any of them. We've lived in our house
>> for almost two years, and we've only met two neighbors, and they only
>> speak to us when we initiate conversation. We've spoke with neighbors
>> and try to be welcoming and cordial, but I don't know if it's the
>> blindness or what, but no one in our neighborhood seems interested in
>> getting to know us any better. And we are involved in the NFB here, but
>> again, outside of Federation activities, most of our fellow
>> Federationist are not people we see socially. And most our personal
>> friends are not married and certainly don't have children. It's
>> difficult to find a babysitter, even in advance, so we don't often get
>> out unless we can bring our son.
>>
>> So my point being, we would be stuck in our house without public
>> transit, grin.
>>
>> Bridgit
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda
>> Lambert
>> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 1:07 PM
>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Transportation and help when needed
>>
>>
>> Pennsylvania is a very rural state overall. There are no cabs anywhere
>> here
>> other than in the bigger cities, which are few and far between.  Most
>> towns
>> in PA are quite small and old - with no public transportation at all.
>> Even
>> getting the access fan can only take me to a very few places. Without a
>> person to drive, most blind folks in PA would be sitting at home all
>> day,
>> every day.  This state is not only predominately rural, it is mountanous
>>
>> with long distances between the major cities.  Thank God for my
>> wonderful
>> husband who patiently takes me to where I need to be. I am so blessed.
>>
>> On that note, I have to say on Monday when we were having lunch Bob
>> collapsed in the restaurant and was unconscious. He was taken by the
>> anbulance to the hospital - and I am so very thankful I live in a very
>> small
>> community where we are known, and where people jump up and begin helping
>> in
>> an emergency.  When they put him into the ambulance, I was so frightened
>> as
>> I knew I had no way of even getting to the hospital.  I said to them "I
>> am
>> visually impaired, and I have no way of getting to the hospital."
>> Immediately, a man stepped out from behind me and told me who he is - as
>> it
>> turns out he is a local pastor, who sees us every morning at the gym. He
>>
>> said, "Don't worry, Lynda," I am taking you to the hospital and I will
>> stay
>> with you until family can come."  He did just that - but, when things
>> like
>> this happen in our life, we become so acutely aware of how different our
>>
>> life would be without someone to help us.  Bob is recovering, and we do
>> not
>> yet know what happened to him. He has been at the hospital and drs.
>> office
>> three times this past week for tests. Things like this make me so
>> thankful
>> for living in a very small town that is so close to the residents and
>> that
>> step in quickly to assist each other in a crises.
>>
>> Lynda
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
>> To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 1:42 PM
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Here's my attempt at being tactile to
>> thefolkswhowant
>> everything for nothing
>>
>>
>>> If the university is willing to pay, a cab is an option, and this way
>>> no person has to take a day or afternoon to drive. Just throwing out
>>> options. A bus may be another option, though a bus certainly isn't the
>>
>>> most convenient option.
>>>
>>> Bridgit
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda
>>> Lambert
>>> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 7:38 AM
>>> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Here's my attempt at being tactile to the
>>> folkswhowant everything for nothing
>>>
>>>
>>> Yes, this is very important. People just do not realize at all that it
>>
>>> takes something more than just getting in our car and leaving home so
>>> that we can
>>> be somewhere. Not only is it our time, it is someone else's time.
>> When
>>> I go
>>> to the pottery studio to work, it is an hour long dive each way. Then,
>> I
>>> am
>>> there 3-4 hours working. That is a six hour day for TWO people, plus
>> all
>>> the
>>> expenses involved that April listed.  Not only is it very inconvenient
>>> for
>>> the person who is taking us places, it is expensive, too.  This is our
>>> reality and one that a sighted person would never even think about for
>> a
>>>
>>> second.
>>> Lynda
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "April Brown" <aprilbrownshade at gmail.com>
>>> To: <stylist at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 6:53 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Here's my attempt at being tactile to the folks
>>> whowant everything for nothing
>>>
>>>
>>>> Hi Donna,
>>>>
>>>>     I think it's great.  I'd emphasize one line though.
>>>>
>>>> "I have to get someone else to drive."  Emphasize that you have to
>>>> pay them out of pocket for time, gas, and wear and tear on the car.
>>>>
>>>> Congrats!
>>>>
>>>> April Brown
>>>>
>>>> Writing dramatic adventure novels uncovering the myths we hide
>>>> behind.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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