[fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

Sun Mar 6 19:51:10 GMT 2011

Thats fine Mike, whatever works for you is what is most important.  On the other hand, some people think continuously making jokes or references to their blindness only draws more attention to it, thus making the blindness thing first in the minds of others.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mike Ulrich 
  To: fcb-l at acb.org 
  Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 2:24 PM
  Subject: Re: [fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

  Patricia,
  I always try to, I guess, make light of my blindness. I do make a lot of jokes about my being blind. I figure thatI'm blind, I can say, "blind jokes!"
  I guess I've earned that!
  This really seems to ease people and what they think of a "blind" person.

  Hell, if you can't laugh at yourself, you are doomed!

  This is a great way to open up conversations with people that I meet in my daily travels throughout my neighborhood.

  And always, after I give them my opening act, so to speak. I can then inform them about some of the problems that we, as blind people, face each day.
  White cane law violations, the lack of audible crossing signals and transportation issues, ETC.
  They really listen and start to understand.
  I am always on the lookout to talk to somebody, that I've never met before,  in this way to bring public awareness to our concerns.

  I ain't blowing my own horn, but I feel this particular style of promoting public awareness works best, for me.

  I reckon that's what its all about.

  Thank you, you've been a wonderful audience tonight!... Mike
  PS. Please remember to tip you're bartenders and waitresses!
  Michael Ulrich
  President
  SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
  COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
  Phone: 239-540-7431
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: Patricia A. Lipovsky 
    To: fcb-l at acb.org 
    Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 1:44 PM
    Subject: Re: [fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

      I was out the other day where a I met a receptionist who was blind, and when I was introduced to this person, the person doing the introducing said, "this is our blind receptionist", instead of just saying this is our receptionist.  

      Obviously, The public does not perceive us as people first, which is something I think we all need to work on.  Any suggestions?

      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: Mike Ulrich 
      To: fcb-l at acb.org 
      Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 1:03 PM
      Subject: Re: [fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

      Kirk,
      I agree.
      Sighted people often forget that we are just normal, whatever that means, people.

      I always try to talk to people that I meet, in a way that really portrays me as a regular ordinary shmuck!
      I believe this works very well to dispel the myth that blind people are "special" or "different".

      I don't think that sighted people are afraid, per say, of blind people. But maybe they are a bit scared, that it could happen to them.
      I say, " Hell, they don't know what they are missing!"

      We all need to get out in the public and talk to everyone so they know that we are just like the rest of the inhabitants of this planet!
      We just can't see, that's all.

      Thanks,... Mike
      Michael Ulrich
      President
      SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
      COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
      Phone: 239-540-7431

        ----- Original Message ----- 
        From: Kirk 
        To: fcb-l at acb.org 
        Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 12:42 PM
        Subject: Re: [fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

        Mike, it just shows how much work we still have to do to get to the sighted people to teach them that we are simply people, just as they are with a blind disability and nothing more! Drugs react to our systems just like theirs for heavens sake! our systems metabolisms
           isn't any different than theirs! We need to move around them more often on day to day activities and situations so they can finally see and realize we are normal, intelligent, capable, and most of all, functional individuals just like themselves!  We, as they have individuals that have personal issues as well, such as drug abuse, alcoholism, eating disorders, etc. They need to realize that our blind community is nothing more than a microcosm of themselves and nothing more! Your friend in the cause, Kirk

          ----- Original Message ----- 
          From: Mike Ulrich 
          To: fcb-l at acb.org 
          Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 8:10 AM
          Subject: [fcb-l] Drug rehab centers for the blind?

          Hi everyone.
          Yesterday, while I was in front of a Circle K selling the FCB raffle tickets.
          A gentleman told me that he knew of a friend in New Jersey who needed to check into some kind of drug rehab center after deciding that after years of drug abuse, he was finally ready to get the help to quit.

          His friend was visually impaired. Believe it or not, he said that there was not a facility in the whole state of New Jersey that would take a blind individual for drug rehab treatment. They wound up taking him to a place in Vermont!

          So my question to this group is, does this sound true?
          And most importantly, can this actually happen in the state of Florida?
          If a person finally decides to get the help to save their life and then they get denied treatment, because they are blind?
          This really shocked me. But perhaps the man telling me all this left something out. I don't know.
          So, has anyone heard anything like this?

          I truly hope this kind of thing, is NOT happening anywhere!

          Thanks,... Mike
          Michael Ulrich
          President
          SOUTHWEST FLORIDA
          COUNCIL OF THE BLIND
          Phone: 239-540-7431

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