Five-Star Disability

I’d like to tell you about how important it is to have Intervenors for Deaf-Blind individuals!

An intervenor would act as the eyes and ears for a Deaf-Blind person.  In a hearing sighted world, it is frustrating to be excluded from what everyone else takes for granted!  I could list many examples, but here is a fresher one:

Recently there was an event at my housing complex, a party if you like, and I was there, with my kids, and my wife (who was busy running the party!) and Mum & Mom in Law.  I had a friend come in to do interpreting, but I guess I didn’t explain that I also needed sighted help; getting the fantastic food came with the party!

But, to be honest, I did my best, ladled my plate just like everyone else, with this and that.  Not sure what “this” or “that” was, no labels, guesswork.  My friend zipped to the bathroom, as she probably thought I was good to get my own food.

But, there was a problem:

What was the white stuff?  Not sure!  My sweet (yet stubborn) younger son scooped a big dollop of it onto his plate.  Before he scooped the dollop, I asked if he needed help, “I’m fine.” was his response.  So I let him splat the white stuff on his plate, I then saw him “oooh” and recoil a bit as it splashed off his plate… I still wasn’t sure what is was, rice? or cauliflower?  The person behind me offered him some help, cleaned up a bit, he then zoomed back to the table with his plate and began to eat it.  Not the plate, but he started to eat his dinner!

I was behind him, and I, too, returned to the table.  I did not get any white dollop.  I was quite content to eat the steak and other identifiable foods.

Now, my older son, who also has CAPOS, asked me to get him food, so I went and got him a plate of food; Mommy and both Grandma’s were busy… Now, because there was no line up this time, I took a closer look at this White Dollop, and saw the pasta naked pasta sitting there, and realized the White Dollop was actually Alfredo sauce, there was classic tomato sauce there too!  Ah, the light dawns!  Not sure if the younger boy saw the spiral pasta -what’s that called?- in the middle bowl?  The pasta really didn’t look appealing, naked and sticking together, so I didn’t bother getting any for the older boy.

He did eat the food, well most of it, they both did!

A word about my younger son: stubborn, or independent.  If I offer to help him, he says “I’m Fine.” and does what he needs to do.  So I tend to back off because I know that he will not accept my help…

Things would have turned out a bit differently if I had asked the friend to help with getting food.  For both myself and my boys… I wouldn’t need to use guesswork…

Live and learn!

Now, I have a few blogs to catch up on!  Stay Tuned!