Sounds like the NFB line. But when you have a bit of vision, setting it aside
during a period of the day for training purposes is, I think, artificial
because the natural response is to use vision when you have it and that's what
you'll do for the remainder of the day. So I would hel people use their tiny
bit of vision to its great advantage while, at the same time, providing all the
other skills as enhancements and backup. When the time comes that your vision
doesn't do the job, you turn to those other skills and sharpen them. I never
would have been motivated to learn braille until I really needed it to make
reading books and writing notes to myself, easier. I remember being in
Spearfish South Dakota at that University's VIP Program for two weeks one
summer in the early 90's. It was like a blind version of the Elder Hostel
Program. Anyway, there were people there with partial vision equivalent to
mine, and some whose vision was better than mine. And what was shocking to me
was that they had never been encouraged to use the vision they had. They
functioned as if they had much less, or none at all. I remember a social
worker, much younger than I. We were at an American Indian Center, and a sacred
mountain was being described to us where people went to worship. It was right
outside a huge picture window where we were standing. This social worker, a
member of our group, was turned somewhat away from the window. I knew she had
some vision, enough to see that mountain so I asked her if she wanted to see
the mountain that was being described. "Oh yes", she said. Could I see it? I
just told her to turn around and where to look and she was so delighted. But
had I not told her where to look, she wouldn't have tried. That sort of thing
kept happening throughout that two weeks. The staff, just lovely faculty from
the University, always acted as if none of us could see anything.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2017 3:48 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Blind Man in a Hotel Room
Vision loss is a very personal thing. Each of us come with different
personalities, different sorts of vision loss, different points in our lives
when it occurs, different expectations, different support...or lack of support,
different health concerns, different skills, and very different abilities to
adapt to blindness or severe vision loss.
For many folk, when they first lose vision, it is important to them to tell
everyone exactly what is going on in their eyes. When I taught an Attitude
Class in the orientation and training center, at some point early on, I would
suggest that we go around the room and tell the class whatever we wanted to
share regarding our eyes and how we felt it impacted our lives. When we were
finally finished, I would say something like, "Okay, you can see how we are
quite different in how much we see, and how we feel about it. But one thing we
do have in common. We have lost enough vision that the world will look upon us
as Blind. And since the world, the sighted world, is not informed enough to
understand just what we can do, and not do, it falls upon us to be their
teachers." I would continue...as is my long winded habit, and tell the
students, "You may have the flu, or a diabetic reaction, and I might excuse you
from class or some specific task, but never, never, never use your vision loss
as an excuse. Since most blind people have some usable sight, be thankful for
what you are able to see. But we are going to set aside your remaining sight
and learn to trust your other senses. Especially those senses that are still
fully up and running. Today you are all depending upon eyesight that is iffy
at best, and could get you into a real jam. But by sharpening your remaining
senses, learning to rely on them, you will find that at the end of this program
you will use whatever sight you have, as an enhancement."
Without training, without positive direction, suddenly going from decent vision
to drastically altered vision can be immobilizing.
Reminding them that anything worth having is worth working for, these new
students roll up their sleeves and begin upon a journey of hard work, lasting
from 6 to 9 months.
Carl Jarvis
On 7/13/17, Bonnie L. Sherrell <blslarner@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have been seeing better in my left eye than my right eye for years,
and often what I see with my right eye simply gets totally overwritten
by what's seen by the left one.
If Mr. Keillor has deteriorating vision in the eye that didn't get
operated upon, then I find myself wondering if they didn't operate on
the proper eye!
By the way--am going to collect my new glasses prescription today.
Was told the glasses would be ready next Monday, so the optician must
have worked his behind off to get these done to return to Costco
yesterday afternoon! I'll see how well I see out of my right eye now,
although the prescription is becoming so strong what I see through the
right lens tends to make things look VERY small anymore.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large
"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the
very wise cannot see all ends." LOTR
"Don't go where I can't follow."
We gave the Goblin King control of our nation!
