Five-Star Disability

Hey everyone!

I hope you are doing well! These stay at home times are positive and negative… COVID-19 that is. While I am writing about this topic, I don’t want to convey the wrong information, or the right information in a wrong way. So I am just going to mention it and move on. Keep track of the Stay Home isolation.

I want to let you know that I will walk my dog, and will go to mail something, but not go. Into stores or malls. Why? Because my CAPOS makes me more susceptible to catch the illness. So, I am staying put!

Other Deaf-Blind individuals can and should go do their business; my friend goes to work, while another friend goes out.

Now, before the world was forced to embrace the Stay-At-Home movement to stop the spread of COVID-19, there was an attitude that I wanted to discuss with you: Personal Attitude.

It really boils down to, sorry cooking idiom; which means getting to the point, the person’s willingness to GET OUT. It matters not if they are Deaf-Blind with zero vision or hearing, or those who have moderate vision and hearing losses.

Let us take John (fake name of a fake person) who is moderate blind, and fully deaf, who is in his late 20s. He attended Deaf School in some province. His ASL is very good, but his vision and deteriorated considerably since high school. His friends stopped inviting him out, and he started to stay home, mainly because his vision would not let him see the cars that would zoom by without warning.

He would stay home, because he felt comfortable and, maybe, his parents or partner would bring him food or such.

It would seem that John’s personal attitude toward the community is either fear or over-caution.

Can you figure out what would be the first step to overcoming this attitude?

If you said; He needs Deaf-Blind friends. Or maybe you said: He needs a white cane. Or maybe you said: He needs a kick in the ass and someone to lock his door…

Well; all those are right! And I am sure there are many other possibilities!

It is true; if you are Deaf-Blind, you should meet and socialize with other Deaf-Blind individuals. How else can John learn how to navigate a simple thing like learning about an app that works best for Deaf-Blind? Socializing helps Deaf-Blind to meet and learn!

I think I started this example with the notion that John needed a white cane. Perhaps John never had one before or if he did have one, he was not trained well. The white cane is the blind person’s mobility tool, if he had one, and he could use it, then he would have no excuse to go out! He would not be afraid of cars zooming by, or running over him. Drivers are automatically at fault if a blind person, using a white cane, cause an accident. If the blind person does not have a white cane, or it is folded up and in a bag, and an accident happens, it is the person’s fault. Just because the person was not aware the light had changed, with cars zooming by to beat the light, which might cause struck person in the middle of the intersection. Whose at fault?

If that person struck down was John and he was using a white cane, then the fault lies with the driver. But if John did not have his white cane, then it would have been his fault. That is why I encourage, and I know there are many, mild to moderate vision impaired people to use their white cane, always! And it allows you, John, me, to be independent without barriers!

I hope you like this rambling blog!

Tomorrow, or wherever I get back to blogging, I’ll discuss about Society Attitudes towards Deaf-Blind individuals… and that is a big topic!

Bell we!

Well be!

Be Well!!