[blindkid] made my day

Fri Dec 21 07:46:30 UTC 2012

I take a lot of medication and have since middle school (I'm now 30).
I have become so good at telling my pills apart that I only need to
hear the bottle rattle to know which one it is. I know them by sound,
and touch. I have to take many as needed so I can't really use a pill
box. You have to make it clear to these people that being blind had
nothing to do with it. This was just a pissed off kid acting out and
that's what needs to be addressed. He needs to learn that you don't
mess around with meds, you just don't. It's very serous and he should
have some consiquinous for this. You also need to make sure the
therapist is on the same page or change therapists. Any therapist that
lacks an ability to understand blindness in the most basic ways is
going to do more harm than good. Anytime a issue regarding vision
comes up or anything else the therapist will blame it on vision or
agree with your son's negative perspective. This is not what your son
needs. I've seen similar things happen with other clients I've had.

Bottom line: even if your son was both blind, deaf, it's irrelevant.
(Oddly enough I had to make this argument to a doctor one time...)
Blindness is not a consideration and your son it right that it's
against the law. Therapists can not discriminate on the basis of
disability, especially if they receive any state or federal funding.
If this is an on going issue you should also contact a lawyer that
specializes in the ADA and 504 law. You may also let your son file a
complaint with the Department of Justice. Do talk to the NFB, when you
get in touch with the right person it can work miracles.

Thanks,

Beth Koenig
bethko at gmail.com
(714) 699-DEAF (3323)
Director of Deaf Blind Services
Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center
1525 Durant Street 303
Santa Ana, CA 92706
http://www.deafadvocacy.org
Health, safety, and productivity are the cornerstones of independence.
At the Orange County Deaf Advocacy Center we provide the training and
services necessary for the deaf and disabled to achieve equality and
independence in all areas of life.

On Thu, Dec 13, 2012 at 12:58 PM, melissa R green <graduate56 at juno.com> wrote:
> Cynthia.
> I am a blind adult and I take lots of meds.  I could understand how it
> happened.  If I don't pay attention I could take the wrong med as well.
> I agree with ariel and second her advice for you to call the colorado
> center.
>
> Many blessings,
> melissa and Pj
> At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and
> you know what you want.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cynthia Davis" <cdfiets at gmail.com>
> To: <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2012 10:01 PM
> Subject: [blindkid] made my day
>
>
> Hi there, NFB friends,
>
> Today I learned that my son's therapist had reported me to Social Services
> because I "allowed by legally blind son (a 9th-grader) to take his
> medication by himself. "   Yes, you heard me.  The incident occurred
> yesterday morning.
>
> My son took his medications out of the pillbox by himself.  The pillbox is
> well-labeled; each of the 14 compartments indicates in both large print and
> Braille which day the pills are for and whether they are for the a.m. or
> p.m.  Usually I give them to him and he checks them, but he was really
> grumpy this particular morning, so he did it himself.  We have never had a
> problem with this.
>
> However, at school he became very sleepy and announced to the assistant
> principal, on whose floor he fell asleep, that he thought he had given
> himself his nighttime meds instead of the morning ones.  This meant he had
> some medications that made him very groggy.  I was called and immediately
> called his doctor and left a message while I drove to the school to pick him
> up.  When I arrived, the vice-principal kindly suggested that "I know you
> want him to be independent, but maybe he shouldn't be taking his own
> medications."  I added that we usually check them together, but....we didn't
> this time.  Anyway, the school seemed okay with our error, as he was able to
> walk downstairs and out of the school unassisted.  We then went to his
> scheduled therapy appointment.  The therapist called Social Services later
> that day, at the suggestion of her supervisor.  She made it clear that the
> report was necessary because "he is legally blind."
>
> My son is furious.  Ready to sue.  Mad as hell.  "Mom, you are the best mom
> a kid could have in this world ( Did my kid really say that?!).  It is MY
> FAULT (Did my kid really say that?!) I took the wrong pills 'cause I was
> angry at you and didn't pay attention!  They are discriminating against me
> because I am blind!  They are against the law!  I can read a pillbox as well
> as any other kid!"
>
> Clearly I don't deserve Mother of the Year for somehow allowing this to
> happen, but I do agree with him that the issue here is whether he
> should-or-should-not be getting his own medications out of the pillbox
> compartment by himself regardless of the fact that he is legally blind.  His
> doctor has volunteered to talk with the authorities if necessary, although
> she did make sure I understood "how to safely administer medication."  She
> didn't mention the blind part.
>
> Thanks for listening,
> Cynthia Davis
> Littleton, CO
>
>
>
>
>
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