Glockd
09-01-2008, 12:56 AM
For those of you who dont know, last Wednesday, the 20th, I was admitted to the V.A. SWBRC in Tucson Arizona. I can tell you that I was very apprehensive about this, for several reasons, including the notion that I had too much sight left to attend something like this. Short version is that I was very wrong and I have learned alot in the short time I have been there, being evaluated by the staff and doctors and will continue to learn a ton when I have completed this portion in a month.
The program is incredible, and it covers so many areas with the goal of helping a blinded veteran lead as normal a life as possible. From the very simplistic, tactile dots on the washing machine so that we can do our laundry without assistance, to extra long oven mitts so we dont burn ourselves on the oven racks, to the complex, woodworking with power tools, talking calculators for our finances and digital voice recorders to take place of the pen and notepad we can no longer use well. I have found that there are so many things I did not think of, and so many things I was doing (incorrrectly for the most part) to compensate for my vision loss. But the greatest thing about this program is that it is all 100% free, and open to vets whether their vision prolems are service connected (me) or not.
One of the neatest things is the other patients. I eat my meals with two WWII vets, one who flew B-17's over Germany and became a POW on his 24th mission and one who manned an AA gun aboard an LST during the Battle Of Lae, putting McCarthurs troops ashore. The stories they tell, its like a history lesson each meal. Fantastic!
In addition to a months worth of lessons, the V.A. is also providing me several items to make my life easier. I'll get a folding cane, several lights, a portable lamp and a desk lamp, magnified mirrors, a talking watch, alarm clock, digital recorder and a small tape recorder that will also play talking books, a small device with an alarm on it that I will hang from the rim of a glass or bowl so I do not overfill things and make a mess. Also new glasses and a monocular. The digital recorder is $200 by itselt, provided free of charge. Just an incredible amount of things to try and make life for the blind and visually impaired as easy as possible.
For all the bad mouthing that the V.A. gets, I thought it important to tell you folks all of the good things they are doing. And the staff is full of wonderful people. I am really having a good time and know I will continue to do so.
After I am done, I get to go back for Computer school, complete with free computer and low vision software, and also GPS school so that I can navigate without getting lost. I am looking forward to those classes as well.
If you know of a vet with vision problems, regardless of how they got that way, please encourage them to look into this service. It is awesome, and they earned it.
The program is incredible, and it covers so many areas with the goal of helping a blinded veteran lead as normal a life as possible. From the very simplistic, tactile dots on the washing machine so that we can do our laundry without assistance, to extra long oven mitts so we dont burn ourselves on the oven racks, to the complex, woodworking with power tools, talking calculators for our finances and digital voice recorders to take place of the pen and notepad we can no longer use well. I have found that there are so many things I did not think of, and so many things I was doing (incorrrectly for the most part) to compensate for my vision loss. But the greatest thing about this program is that it is all 100% free, and open to vets whether their vision prolems are service connected (me) or not.
One of the neatest things is the other patients. I eat my meals with two WWII vets, one who flew B-17's over Germany and became a POW on his 24th mission and one who manned an AA gun aboard an LST during the Battle Of Lae, putting McCarthurs troops ashore. The stories they tell, its like a history lesson each meal. Fantastic!
In addition to a months worth of lessons, the V.A. is also providing me several items to make my life easier. I'll get a folding cane, several lights, a portable lamp and a desk lamp, magnified mirrors, a talking watch, alarm clock, digital recorder and a small tape recorder that will also play talking books, a small device with an alarm on it that I will hang from the rim of a glass or bowl so I do not overfill things and make a mess. Also new glasses and a monocular. The digital recorder is $200 by itselt, provided free of charge. Just an incredible amount of things to try and make life for the blind and visually impaired as easy as possible.
For all the bad mouthing that the V.A. gets, I thought it important to tell you folks all of the good things they are doing. And the staff is full of wonderful people. I am really having a good time and know I will continue to do so.
After I am done, I get to go back for Computer school, complete with free computer and low vision software, and also GPS school so that I can navigate without getting lost. I am looking forward to those classes as well.
If you know of a vet with vision problems, regardless of how they got that way, please encourage them to look into this service. It is awesome, and they earned it.