Most of the time at Doctor's offices if you received bad news such as Cancer, or a life-threatening disease, you're given aftercare resources that include counselling and emotional support, etc. But what about after a major Hearing or Vision Loss Assessment? They just go "Here's your new glasses/hearing aid" and send you off.
Some may refer you to places that sell Assistive Devices. Sure, that's great but these doctors need to realize there's an emotional impact here too. There's no such thing as "being prepared" for a major hearing or vision loss. Losing your Hearing or Vision has such an emotional punch and you can feel things such as:
Now those of us who are already Deaf, Blind or both will look at this and go, as my Dad would say, "That's Bull-Pucky!" We can do everything independently and MORE! We'll do it a different way, and may take longer to do it but dammit we get it done! Sure, sure we'll need a little "help" once in a while, but we're not curled up on the floor drooling like some "newly diagnosed" people might think, Heh.
Anyway, my point is that Doctors and Professionals need to realize the emotional impact these diagnoses have on their patients. Make a list of local agencies that serve the Deaf, or Blind community. Refer them to websites such as VisionAware, or ALDA, or a multitude of other websites, as well as Counselling services.
If you're newly diagnosed yourself.....then trust me, it ain't that bad.
Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon
Some may refer you to places that sell Assistive Devices. Sure, that's great but these doctors need to realize there's an emotional impact here too. There's no such thing as "being prepared" for a major hearing or vision loss. Losing your Hearing or Vision has such an emotional punch and you can feel things such as:
- Losing me Independence - You'll start feeling like you won't be able to do the most basic things anymore and everyone will have to do everything for me.
- Losing my Privacy - I'll have to have someone else do all my banking and bills and they'll know everything about me.
- Losing my Self Confidence - I never needed to depend on anyone before, 'll be nothing but a burden on everyone around me now.
- Losing my Job - I'll have to quit now, how am I going to support myself, my family?
- Losing Love Ones - I'll lose family and friends because who wants to be around me now?
Now those of us who are already Deaf, Blind or both will look at this and go, as my Dad would say, "That's Bull-Pucky!" We can do everything independently and MORE! We'll do it a different way, and may take longer to do it but dammit we get it done! Sure, sure we'll need a little "help" once in a while, but we're not curled up on the floor drooling like some "newly diagnosed" people might think, Heh.
Anyway, my point is that Doctors and Professionals need to realize the emotional impact these diagnoses have on their patients. Make a list of local agencies that serve the Deaf, or Blind community. Refer them to websites such as VisionAware, or ALDA, or a multitude of other websites, as well as Counselling services.
If you're newly diagnosed yourself.....then trust me, it ain't that bad.
Tracy,
"One finds limits by pushing them" ~ Herbert Simon
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