[blindkid] Fwd: A Unique Disability

adrijana prokopenko adrijana.prokopenko at gmail.com
Sat Sep 23 18:40:33 UTC 2017


So very true! I am only blind, but can see these problems in some of
my students and others who have some hearing problems.

On 9/23/17, DrV via blindkid <blindkid at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 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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