[blindkid] Fwd: A Unique Disability

[DrV]

Hi All,
This came across the NFB of CA Listserv & I wanted to share it.
I found it to be powerful, thought-provoking, & inspiring.
Peace,
Eric V

Begin forwarded message:

> From: nancy Lynn via NFBC-Info <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
> Date: September 23, 2017 at 10:27:57 PDT
> Reply-To: NFB of California List <nfbc-info at nfbnet.org>
> 
> I got this from another list and thought I'd share. It gives us much to think about.
> Hello
> The author of this brilliant thesis just passed. I wanted to share this with everyone. I could not have said it any better myself.
> A UNIQUE DISABILITY
> Deaf-blindness is not simply deafness plus blindness.  It is not two disabilities put together.  It is one unique disability.  Let me try to explain.  I am totally blind having lost my vision gradually starting in childhood.  In young adulthood I started losing my hearing.  With hearing aids, I am able to understand some speech in a quiet environment.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could socialize with many people at a gathering. Now, at best, I can converse with the individual next to me.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could interact with people in a room where the radio was playing, dishes were clattering and laughter abounded.  Now, with background noise, I can understand nothing and be alone in a crowd.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could sense sadness, joy, anger and agitation by a person’s tone of voice.  That is no longer possible and the loss sometimes causes misunderstandings.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could hear the softest footsteps.  Today, I am repeatedly startled by the voice of a person who has entered the room with no forewarning.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could identify a person by his/her voice.  Now, I cannot tell who is talking to me unless I first hear a name.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could move quickly with my white cane and, in familiar surroundings, without it.  Now, I walk cautiously to avoid bumping people since I cannot hear if others are around or where they might be.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could retrieve a dropped item in seconds by hearing where it fell.  No longer able to localize sound, I must now search on my hands and knees and even then may not locate the item because it rolled behind a door or into another room.
> 
> When I was only blind, I could stand unsupported in the middle of a room, bend over, turn sharply and jump out of bed quickly.  This is no longer the case.  Like many others with hearing loss, I have balance problems, which prohibit abrupt movements.
> 
> When I was only blind, I had no difficulty hearing the ring of the telephone or doorbell.  Today, even with amplified ringers, my responses are inconsistent and I must consider using a vibrating alert system.
> 
> When I was only blind, talking on the telephone was fun.  Now, even with hearing aids combined with a volume control phone, some words are missed and misunderstandings occur.  Sometimes I use a Braille-type telephone, which is slower and does not convey the emotional nuances of the voice.
> 
> When I was only blind, I spent hours listening to “talking books”.  Most voices now sound muffled.
> 
> When I was only blind, my husband and I enjoyed movies; he provided an occasional description.  Movies are confusing and no longer pleasurable.
> 
> When I was only blind, life had minimal stress.  Now, piecing together bits of information, localizing difficulties, balance problems, misunderstandings, attitudes of others and unpredictable drops in hearing increase daily stress and fatigue.
> 
> The list of challenges is equally long for individuals who are deaf and have lost or are losing vision.  Deaf people rely on their vision to compensate for their hearing loss.  Blind people use their hearing to compensate for their sight loss.  Deaf-blind people are only able to compensate for the loss of both sight and hearing by learning deaf-blind specific adaptations that focus on developing and integrating touch, taste, smell, kinesthesia and any remaining vision or hearing.
> 
> “When I acknowledged the need and learned new ways of doing old things, my splintered pieces combined into a complete, though narrowed, whole.  I rejoice once again in being able -– differently able.”
> 
> Ruth Silver
> 1931-2017, leaves her brilliant thesis
> 
> 
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