[tabi] Re: What's your beef about being blind
- From: "Laurie Davis" <davisllb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 4 Oct 2014 16:57:19 -0400
I agree with you, Sila. I have some usale vision, but see less than you do.
Since I need a cane to get around in unfamiliar areas and don’t have much
central vision, people think I am totally blind, but that is not true. It does
depend on how much light and contrast there is.
I have light perception and can see colors, the more vibrant, the better
I can read print the size of newspaper headlines. I can use a CCTV unit, but
it would take me about an hour to read a full, regular-size page, which is just
not feasible.
When I go through buffet lines, I can see a bowl of red stuff, but I can’t tell
if it is tomato sauce or strawberries.
I prefer to have pets that are solid white or black, or broken-colored (white,
marked with black, brown or gray). If my little red Dachshund I used to have
went into the tall grass and leaves, I couldn’t find him, but if the black one
did the same thing, I could find her. I enjoy tropical fish, but they need to
be a couple inches long and either the warm colors, black, white or striped
contrasting colors.
I can see steps going up, as long as there is good light and contrast, but not
steps going down. I will bump into stuff that is not in my visual field.
I can’t see anything in great detail. I wish I could see just a little bit
more, because there are some activities I would like to be able to do, but it
is just out of reach.
From: tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tabi-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Sila Miller
Sent: Friday, October 03, 2014 8:18 PM
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [tabi] Re: What's your beef about being blind
Well, Mr. and Mrs. McCaul have nailed my #1 and #2 hardships. My close #3 has
to do with actually having just a bit of vision. Let me preface just a bit
before I explain. I and others have depended upon my tiny little bit of
precious vision and I consider myself beyond blessed to have the sight I have.
THANK YOU GOD!!! I will continue using it to help myself and others so long as
I have it.
Low vision, partially sighted folks aren't sure which camp they fall into. You
can't really "see" but you're not "blind". People understand total blindness
but it's difficult to explain to someone what I see much less for them to begin
to understand. It's dependent upon light, positioning of light, how tired you
are and so on. I used to actually feel like a fraud when I'd pull out my cane.
Regarding public transit, I still feel a bit guilty using Dial-A-Ride,
considering the tremendous overload. However, signs don't mean much to me and
if I've never been there, it may as well be in the next county as across a busy
parking lot or down the street. How many times has someone said, "over there"
or something like that and I've just gone along saying, yep, I totally
understand? My cell phone camera, the hand-held CCTV and just gaining self
assurance has helped me along but sometimes, I still find myself following the
path of least resistance. You know?
So yes, I’d love to drive, catch someone’s eye across a crowded room while
reading their lips or body language but, I’d also love for just 5 minutes to
have someone who totally doesn’t “get it” to live inside my head and “see” what
I do or don’t…
----- Original Message -----
From: Erica <mailto:ericamccaul@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2014 8:19 AM
Subject: [tabi] Re: What's your beef about being blind
While I certainly miss the driving and the just plain seeing what the heck is
around you...
when I was asked what I missed/what was the hardest part of being V.I. by a
parent who'd recently discovered her infant child had a vision problem, I found
myself saying that while visual aids, electronic and otherwise, are wonderfully
helpful, there is not one yet which helps with the interpersonal skill deficits
a vision problem carries with it: the inability to effectively/consistently
make eye contact, the easy ability to recognize someone, the inability to
"catch someone's eye" across the room, the difficulty in reading body language.
Not to say that, once you've connected with someone, those gaps aren't
bridged....
it's getting to that point that's often tricky.
Erica
-----Original Message-----
From: Tinetta Cooper <tanetjec@xxxxxxxxx>
To: tabi <tabi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, Sep 30, 2014 7:50 pm
Subject: [tabi] What's your beef about being blind
Hi all,
Another blind TABI user and I were talking today about how blindness is a
“bitch”. I’m putting it out there as “What’s your beef about being blind”.
I’ll start the thread with You can’t see what’s coming at you from any
location. For example,you might be walking to a bus stop and a vehicle is
speeding up and you might be in peril, or you might be attracting unwanted
attention.
Tell us what’s your beef!
Tinetta Cooper
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