New Research Aiding The Blind To See

Malaysia O Malaysia.. The rapid technological advances today have changed and impacted the lives of so many people, particularly the disabled. For the blind and the visually impaired, medical scientists and researchers, particularly from the west, are excited about the vast opportunities that can be explored and tapped in helping the blind to restore some level of sight. While it is important to create awareness in preventing sight loss among the rakyat(citizens), it is equally important too that more research work to be done in helping those already inflicted, blind due to various medical illness and causes. It is good to have modern assistive, both physical and ICT tools,  which undoubtedly will enhance the independence of those concerned in their daily lives. I believe there are several out there who could have some level of sight restored with assistance from the newly developed technology in the near future such as artificial retina implant, tooth implant, etc.. Perhaps, the related organisations(NCBM, MAB,etc) will consider engaging in more such exciting research dialogues with the local reputable universities and research institutions in carrying out such noble and important research projects. Interesting article extracted below for reading information..

 

       

 

From The New York Times:

Blindness first began creeping up on Barbara Campbell when she was a teenager, and by her late 30s, her eye disease had stolen what was left of her sight. Reliant on a talking computer for reading and a cane for navigating New York City, where she lives and works, Ms. Campbell, now 56, would have been thrilled to see something, anything.

Now, as part of a striking experiment, she can. So far, she can detect burners on her stove when making a grilled cheese, her mirror frame, and whether her computer monitor is on. She is beginning an intensive three-year research project involving electrodes surgically implanted in her eye, a camera on the bridge of her nose and a video processor strapped to her waist. The project, involving patients in the United States, Mexico and Europe, is part of a burst of recent research aimed at one of science's most-sought-after holy grails: making the blind see.

Some of the 37 other participants further along in the project can differentiate plates from cups, tell grass from sidewalk, sort white socks from dark, distinguish doors and windows, identify large letters of the alphabet, and see where people are, albeit not details about them.

Linda Morfoot, 65, of Long Beach, Calif., blind for 12 years, says she can now toss a ball into a basketball hoop, follow her nine grandchildren as they run around her living room and "see where the preacher is" in church.

"For someone who's been totally blind, this is really remarkable," said Andrew P. Mariani, a program director at the National Eye Institute. "They're able to get some sort of vision."

Scientists involved in the project, the artificial retina, say they have plans to develop the technology to allow people to read, write and recognize faces. Advances in technology, genetics, brain science and biology are making a goal that long seemed out of reach — restoring sight — more feasible.

"For a long time, scientists and clinicians were very conservative, but you have to at some point get out of the laboratory and focus on getting clinical trials in actual humans," said Timothy J. Schoen, director of science and preclinical development for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. Now "there's a real push," he said, because "we've got a lot of blind people walking around, and we've got to try to help them."

More than 3.3 million Americans 40 and over, or about one in 28, are blind or have vision so poor that even with glasses, medicine or surgery, everyday tasks are difficult, according to the National Eye Institute, a federal agency. That number is expected to double in the next 30 years. Worldwide, about 160 million people are similarly affected.

"With an aging population, it's obviously going to be an increasing problem," said Michael D. Oberdorfer, who runs the visual neuroscience program for the National Eye Institute, which finances several sight-restoration projects, including the artificial retina. Wide-ranging research is important, he said, because different methods could help different causes of blindness.

The approaches include gene therapy, which has produced improved vision in people who are blind from one rare congenital disease. Stem cell research is considered promising, although far from producing results, and other studies involve a light-responding protein and retinal transplants.

Others are implanting electrodes in monkeys' brains to see if directly stimulating visual areas might allow even people with no eye function to see.

And recently, Sharron Kay Thornton, 60, from Smithdale, Miss., blinded by a skin condition, regained sight in one eye after doctors at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine extracted a tooth (her eyetooth, actually), shaved it down and used it as a base for a plastic lens replacing her cornea.

It was the first time the procedure, modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, was performed in this country. The surgeon, Dr. Victor L. Perez, said it could help people with severely scarred corneas from chemical or combat injuries.

Other techniques focus on delaying blindness, including one involving a capsule implanted in the eye to release proteins that slow the decay of light-responding cells. And with BrainPort, a camera worn by a blind person captures images and transmits signals to electrodes slipped onto the tongue, causing tingling sensations that a person can learn to decipher as the location and movement of objects.

Ms. Campbell's artificial retina works similarly, except it produces the sensation of sight, not tingling on the tongue. Developed by Dr. Mark S. Humayun, a retinal surgeon at the University of Southern California, it drew on cochlear implants for the deaf and is partly financed by a cochlear implant maker.

It is so far being used in people with retinitis pigmentosa, in which photoreceptor cells, which take in light, deteriorate.

Gerald J. Chader, chief scientific officer at the University of Southern California's Doheny Retinal Institute, where Dr. Humayun works, said it should also work for severe cases of age-related macular degeneration, the major cause of vision loss in older people.

With the artificial retina, a sheet of electrodes is implanted in the eye. The person wears glasses with a tiny camera, which captures images that the belt-pack video processor translates into patterns of light and dark, like the "pixelized image we see on a stadium scoreboard," said Jessy D. Dorn, a research scientist at Second Sight Medical Products, which produces the device, collaborating with the Department of Energy. (Other research teams are developing similar devices.)

The video processor directs each electrode to transmit signals representing an object's contours, brightness and contrast, which pulse along optic neurons into the brain.

Currently, "it's a very crude image," Dr. Dorn said, because the implant has only 60 electrodes; many people see flashes or patches of light.

Brian Mech, Second Sight's vice president for business development, said the company was seeking federal approval to market the 60-electrode version, which would cost up to $100,000 and might be covered by insurance. Also planned are 200- and 1,000-electrode versions; the higher number might provide enough resolution for reading. (Dr. Mech said a maximum electrode number would eventually be reached because if they are packed too densely, retinal tissue could be burned.)

"Every subject has received some sort of visual input," he said. "There are people who aren't extremely impressed with the results, and other people who are." Second Sight is studying what affects results, including whether practice or disease characteristics influence the brain's ability to relearn how to process visual signals.

People choose when to use the device by turning their camera on. Dean Lloyd, 68, a Palo Alto, Calif., lawyer, was "pretty disappointed" when he started in 2007, but since his implant was adjusted so more electrodes responded, is "a lot more excited about it," he said. He uses it constantly, seeing "borders and boundaries" and flashes from highly reflective objects, like glass, water or eyes.

With Ms. Morfoot's earlier 16-electrode version, which registers objects as horizontal lines, she climbed the Eiffel Tower and "could see all the lights of the city," she said. "I can see my hand when I'm writing. At Little League games, I can see where the catcher, batter and umpire are."

Kathy Blake, 58, of Fountain Valley, Calif., said she mainly wanted to help advance research. But she uses it to sort laundry, notice cars and people, and on the Fourth of July, to "see all the fireworks," she said.

Ms. Campbell, a vocational rehabilitation counselor for New York's Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped, has long been cheerfully self-sufficient, traveling widely from her fourth-floor walk-up, going to the theater, babysitting for her niece in North Carolina.

But little things rankle, like not knowing if clothes are stained and needing help shopping for greeting cards. Everything is a "gray haze — like being in a cloud," she said. The device will not make her "see like I used to see," she said. "But it's going to be more than what I have. It's not just for me — it's for so many other people that will follow me."

Ms. Campbell's "realistic view of her vision" and willingness to practice are a plus, said Aries Arditi, senior fellow in vision science at Lighthouse International, a nonprofit agency overseeing her weekly training, which includes practice moving her head so the camera captures images and interpreting light as objects.

"In 20 years, people will think it's primitive, like the difference between a Model T and a Ferrari," said Dr. Lucian Del Priore, an ophthalmology surgeon at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, who implanted Ms. Campbell's electrodes. "But the fact is, the Model T came first."

Ms. Campbell would especially like to see colors, but, for now, any color would be random flashes, Dr. Arditi said.

But she saw circular lights at a restaurant, part of a light installation at an art exhibition. "There's a lot to learn," she said. Still, "I'm, like, really seeing this."

 

 

More challenging days ahead.

Emotional support for people losing their sight

Browsing the internet today, I chanced upon an article relating to a research study in the UK. This research study focussed in the need for emotional support and counselling for adults who have lost their sight. The issues highlighted pertaining to the concerns, fears, loss of confidence and difficulty coping with the new life, etc. The research study article extract copy can be read below. 

 

While reading the article, it dawned upon me that the research described what I went through 21 months ago when I lost my sight. Much to my regret there was no professional counselling services available from the various related support organisations in our country then. It was through my family's sheer strong love and undivided support that contributed and played the vital role in helping me to come to terms with my new life.  My determination and proactive attitude pushed me to make things happen and not waiting for things to happen. Certainly, there is still much to be done to help the new adult blind in our country to cope and adapt to the new life as it lacks professional counselling and support groups. There is a need for more local research studies to understand and to provide the much needed emotional support to those who have recently lost their sight or to those who are about to lose their sight due to various eye ailments, etc. There is also a need for support groups to counsel the caregivers as well as they too need to understand how to care for the loved ones who are blind or becoming blind.

   

Extracted Article

 

The need for emotional support for people losing their sight is great but the question of how best to provide it is under researched, underfunded, and remains seriously neglected, says a new study published today.

The study (1), commissioned by sight loss charity Thomas Pocklington Trust and carried out by researchers at the University of Reading, describes the emotional trauma of being diagnosed with sight loss as potentially devastating. Yet, while there is clear evidence of a need for emotional support, there is very little information on how best to provide it. Today, the charity calls for research to evaluate the effectiveness of current services, including counselling and rehabilitation, as well as other available kinds of support.

"Not enough attention has been given to the emotional impact of sight loss," says Dr. Angela McCullagh, Research and Development Director, Thomas Pocklington Trust, "but research shows that panic and distress can lead to depression. There's a clear need for emotional support and an urgent need for work to establish the best ways to provide it."

Using a systematic review of literature the research team accumulated and updated evidence from previous studies. This was combined with a survey of counselling services for people with sight loss in the UK, as well as interviews with people with sight loss. The team found that adjusting to sight loss was like the stages of bereavement. Participants reported initial feelings of panic and distress, followed by devastation and depression, before finally coming to terms with sight loss. This is because sight loss dramatically changes a person's way of life, cutting short activities that bolster feelings of self-worth and quality of life. Not being able to drive was a major blow, adding to a general loss of independence that was a big factor in the onset of depression.

The survey found that sight loss particularly increased the risk of depression among older people. In particular, adults of working age and above were more likely to suffer mental health problems and a reduction in their quality of life and social functioning.

However, the study found little published evaluation of how best to deal with this emotional trauma. What did exist were mostly published pilot studies by academic researchers and client satisfaction studies by voluntary organisations. From these and further interviews it was clear that:

- Although the practical and mobility support provided by current services was important, rehabilitation played only a minor role in improving emotional well-being and reducing the risk of depression.

- The very real issue of loneliness among people with sight loss was under researched. Participants reported that having to give up their job, or having acquaintances who couldn't cope with their sight loss often led to the loss of their friends. Emotional help came from family and friends, along with voluntary groups who organised welcome social contact. Counselling and group-based courses were helpful since they provided both information and peer support.

"There is currently no real understanding of the most effective way to deal with the emotional impact of sight loss," says McCullagh. "Properly funded research and a real commitment is essential if local services across the UK are ever to provide the emotional support that could ward off depression in those with sight loss."

 

Notes

1. The study "Emotional Support to People with Sight Loss" was commissioned and funded by Thomas Pocklington Trust. It was conducted by the University of Reading. Based at the Institute of Health Sciences, the principal investigators were Professors Margot A Gosney and Christina R Victor, and the postdoctoral research fellow was Dr Samuel R Nyman. From 11th September the study Findings can be seen at http://www.pocklington-trust.org.uk

 

More challenging times ahead!

Public Speaking in the Dark....

“Good morning!” I said to the attendees at the Elderly Club gathering at the Malaysian Association for the Blind. As I was walking to the front of hall I was told by one of the committee members that there were about 50 people in the audience. “We are all here today because we chose to come, thus, starting off my talk about choices and decisions in life, leading to the other interesting topic on ‘How cars work’. Yes, I was a guest speaker at the event. I accepted the invitation to give a talk and I knew that, to me personally, this was going to be a test and a challenge, as part of my personal rehabilitation program in regaining my confidence in public speaking following the sudden loss of my sight in January 2008.

“How am I going to prepare and remember the contents of my talk; how am I going to gauge the reaction and response from the crowd?” I simply could not find an answer to it and it got me quite concerned over the few days prior to the event day. Nevertheless, I told myself that the show must go on and I would just have to be my normal self and speak from my heart and perhaps, engage the crowd in the talk, making it an informal and a 2 way channel ‘dialogue’.

Now, when I was handed the microphone, I was told that I could sit down comfortably on the chair while giving the talk. I chose to stand as I knew from past experiences standing would make me more at ease and relaxed. Moreover, this would provide me freedom to ‘walkabout’ and checked the reaction and response from the audience during my talk. I shall always remember the first few moments, standing and looking out in the dark, despite knowing fully well that the hall was bright and well lit up. Standing tall while sharing my experiences with this special group of friends, I was looking and glancing all over the hall, not seeing faces but hearing voices. When I started to introduce myself, I could hear the silence and this gave me the signal that the crowd was giving me their attention. With confidence, I shared my first topic on how I had coped with my loss of sight, and going forward with life during the past 12 months, making choices and decisions, relearning new skills and making new friends.

During the talk it dawned on me than I did miss seeing the body language and facial expressions/reactions of the audience as this would normally helped me to amend or add more ’juices’ to my talk. Standing while giving a talk, also allowed one an authority over the audience and taking charge, so to speak. I was glad that I made the decision to speak from my heart and my talk proceeded well.

Being a graduate of Automotive Engineering, I was able to share some information on cars with this group of blind audience who will not have the opportunity of steering a car in their life. It was a challenge for me to explain in the simplest layman’s terms about the car’s technical descriptions, how the car engine work, etc. It was certainly an eye opener for the audience, even for the sighted volunteers, as I was told later. I had to be on the same wavelength as the audience in order to explain and more importantly, get them to understand, appreciate and learn some basic facts about cars in general. I could hear all the oohs! and aahs! I was moved by these sounds of positive engagements, indicating the audience attention to my talk. The intelligent questions asked caught me by surprise as they were from people who had never driven before. I was very glad to have answered all the questions to their satisfaction.

At the end of my presentation, gauging from the excitement and response from the audience, I knew that I had done a satisfactory job, my first public speaking in the dark, an art that still has to be fine tuned and lots more to learn. Personally, this invaluable experience is another milestone in my quest of moving forward in life. Another barrier crossed, another skill relearned.

More challenging times ahead!

Meetings in the dark!..

“Alright! Let’s begin with a roll call” I said to the recently elected Cyber club committee members of the Malaysian Association for the Blind, MABCC, as we sat down comfortably in the meeting room for the first official meeting. Yes, I was chairing the first official MABCC meeting and was conducting the business of the day, so to speak! The new Cyber club committee was elected at the recent Annual General Meeting held in late March 2009. I was elected as the Chairman for the 2009/2010 term. Now, back to the roll call, it was important for me to know the respective exco member by names and their sitting positions. This would definitely allow and enable me to picture the overall scenario in the meeting room. It too, has always, been my good cultured habit to always look at the persons I am talking to, and vice versa. So despite having lost my sight, I would continue to do the same..a totally new experience.. chairing a meeting in the dark!..

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous and unsure if I was able to chair/conduct my first ever meeting in the dark, without the luxury of having any written notes, visual aids and to top it off, a meeting with a committee of seven visually impaired members. It was truly a challenge and a case of full focus and concentration game that had to come into play!

The meeting proceeded with interesting sugggestions and creative ideas thrown in for the brainstorming cum meeting session. The key objectives, to assist and promote IT literacy among the blind community through various programs/projects targeted for the year were highlighted and discussed. Another important task agreed then was to set up an internet chat forum to keep all members posted and updated about the happenings of the MABCC. Undoubtedly, the chat forum would help create a virtual platform and a cyberspace ‘meeting room’ enabling the MABCC blind community to come together to highlight and discuss IT related issues, learn new technology, exchange information, etc. Since the launch of the MABCC Googlegroups chat forum in June 2009, there have been positive responses and active participation from several members.

“Hello, are you still here?” I coolly asked, noting that there was a total dead silence in the room when I was halfway briefing and delegating the tasks and roles of each committee member, the rules of engagement that needed to be adhered to by all MABCC members. My quiet concern was..”Hope the elected secretary would be able to remember and jot down all the issues highlighted and discussed in the meeting as she would be preparing the meeting minutes for follow up action in the next scheduled meeting” I said to myself.

Now, fast forward, a month later.. Again, we sat down for the another monthly meeting, the secretary passed around the copies of the past meeting minutes for all to refer. Well, the minutes were in Braille! My Braille literacy had yet to come of age, still learning the ABCs of Braille, so I had to rely on the secretary to read out the agenda for the meeting, the various matters arising that needed follow up, etc. This inconvenience got me to quickly put on my thinking cap to think of alternatives, etc and perhaps, initiate another new format suitable to all. “Yes! Let’s go ‘paperless’ I said, explaining that we need to move with the technological advances and utilize all the assistive tools available to help us along. So, the minutes for the next forthcoming meetings were circulated to all via electronic mails and I had it downloaded into my mobile phone and was able to read it during the meetings if required, apart from the notebook screen reader being used at the meetings.

Fast forward again, Another initiative plan mooted was the online meetings via Skype conferencing which has progressed well since. There were some minor hiccups initially but now, it’s a breeze. The committee could come together and have a online meeting from the comfort of one’s home..

More Challenging times ahead!

The Accessible iPhone 3GS

The touch screen technology has come a long way since and has certainly created excitement and impact in the area of accessibility, a common talking point among the blind community in this modern technological era. My initial highlighting of this iPhone discussion in a local blind community chat forum has certainly ruffled the feathers of some members of the community who have had mixed reactions. At the pace the access technology innovation is progressing, the skeptics may soon find themselves left behind. However, there are still others, like myself, who have vocally voiced the opinion that, sooner rather than later, this technology would be available to the blind community, and that, like it or not, we will have to adapt to it.

The recent release of the new iPhone 3GS, Apple has released not only the most powerful in its line of iPhone handsets to date, but also the worlds first gesture-based screen reader mobile device, as well as the first screen reader that relies solely on touch screen user input. VoiceOver, first available for the version of OS X that runs on modern Macs, has been integrated with the iPhone with elegance and style

Recently too, I had the opportunity to be among the first few visually impaired persons, to have a first look at this remarkable iPhone 3GS, just a few days after it was launched locally. My first look and personal brief review of the device is as follows:

"I had the opportunity to 'test drive' this latest iPhone today at NCBM, National Council of the Blind, Malaysia. The iPhone was brought in from Singapore by the New Straits Times, NST and together with Moses, Ms. Wong and the NST journalists, the iPhone was the topic of discussion, particularly in the area of accessibility to the blind community.

My personal brief reviews about the iPhone 3GS:

General featureand Physical outlook:

The iPhone has a large screen which covers almost the entire length and width of this palm size phone. The large screen offers the distinct advantage for the 'touch and tap' modes and functions providing greater flexibility/mobility around and about the screen. There is only one key button at the bottom of the screen device, the Home key. However, the advantage of the large screen size has its negative side too. For a person with a small hand or palm, for example, some ladies, to hold such wide bodied phone may not appear to be comfortable.

Performance:

The moment one touches the screen with the tip of a finger, the response from the screen reader is instantaneous. reading the word, menu list, folder name, etc. Similarly, in learning to use and operate any other newly acquired gadget, one needs to spend time exploring and familiarising the various modes and functions available on the phone. The female synthesized speech did not sound audible or clear at times, particularly certain pronounciation which will not be an issue after some time However, the phone's audio sound quality test drive today was somewhat disappointing, a bit of distortion from its built in speaker. It is simply amazing that one can just use one's finger to touch and activate the various modes and functions, making and answering calls, creating and sending out text messages, surfing the internet, etc.

This phone is a marvellous technological creation. In spite of only having a short and brief 'test drive' of this latest iPhone, I will definitely like to have one once the price becomes more affordable."

Since then, the New Straits Times press has published the full article and I was pleased to learn that there was a video clip on it too. Please follow the link below to read the NST article.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/20090812113241/Article/index_html

More challenging times ahead!

Walking tall alone

Yes, walking tall alone, proud with my achievement. Following my last posting `a morning train ride’ I felt such a great sense of achievement. This inspired me to move forward, that is, to grow out from the ‘baby steps’ learned so far. It was time for me to crushed the ‘fear barrier’ of walking alone, time to learn to walk tall, independently with confidence. ‘Just do it’ and ‘Walk the Talk.’ Hence, for the past couple of weeks, I stayed focus, shifted into the aggressive gear mode in improving and upgrading my O&M (Orientation and Mobility) skills to the next level in achieving my goal of becoming independent as much as I possibly could.

“Ready for today’s morning walk?” Peter M coolly asked me as he turned up for our appointment at MAB, Malaysian Association for the Blind. Peter M, in spite of his hectic schedule, had agreed to allocate more time in my O&M training lessons. He patiently walked with me, stopping several times to explain, describe the surroundings so that I could register a clear mental image or picture in my mind. This mind mapping skill was important for me to know as it would help me to visualize and allowing me to focus and be aware of the potential danger spots during my ‘walk alone walks.’ Peter M reminded me that there was no need to rush and he started to show me how to walk safely to a nearby destination and he would increase the walking distance as the days go by.

“OK! I am ready” I said to Peter M who had told me to walk to YMCA’s main gate and he would be following from behind but not shouting instructions this time round. However, he would keep me under observation from a distance. As usual, with my ole’ faithful white walking cane guiding me, I started to walk out from MAB’s main administrative office, to the main gate and began my walk to the intended destination. Like all the earlier walks, extreme focus and concentration had to come into play. I reminded myself to stay calm, utilize my sharpened hearing sense and mind mapping skills and more importantly, enjoy the walk. I could hear the traffic noise, differentiate the source and direction of the noise. This actually helped me to orientate my bearings and walking direction. At the same time, probing the tiled walking tracks along the pavement with the white cane for guidance also kept me on the right track. Suddenly, I realized I could not hear Peter M’s voice since I walked out from MAB gate. `Has he deserted me, and literary left me to manage on my own?’ I asked myself. To console myself I was hoping he was somewhere around. I continued with my walk. The most scary and challenging part of the walk to me was the traffic lights junction. It was located at the cross road intersection and I had to cross over to the opposite side to continue onwards to my destination. My ole’ faithful slowly guided me to the end of the pavement and to check my position I had to `square up` i.e. stood against the pavement with my heels touching the kerb. This would mean I would be facing the opposite pavement. Squaring up also would enable me to walk straight across to the opposite side when I had decided it was the right time to cross. I had to really focus, listened to the traffic noise, making sure the vehicles are not moving. Unfortunately, the traffic lights warning buzzer was not working. So I had to be cautious. I could feel my heart beating fast and began to sweat while making the decision to cross or not to cross the road at the opportune time. As I coolly started to walk across the road, I could hear the vehicle noise on my right, indicating the vehicle was stationary and the traffic light was in the red mode. The short walk across the road seemed like ages, and I was so relieved when I reached the opposite side, albeit a bit out of alignment. I had veered off course almost to the road but luckily at the edge of the pavement. I heaved a sign of relief and stopped for some moments to catch my breath and re-checked my bearings in relation to the destination. “Not too bad,” Peter M’s voice was heard and in all honesty, I had forgotten all about him during the exciting moments when I thought I was all alone in the world crossing the intersection. What a relief to hear his voice. I then proceeded to walk along the pavement, and had to avoid some morning food stalls located near a backyard morning market. Well, at least some of the food stall operators were kind enough to warn me or help me to divert away from their ‘danger spots’ that is, the tables and chairs placed along the walking tracks and footways. Again, I had to cross the one-way street to get to the YMCA main gate. This crossing was not as scary as the former at the traffic lights. I had to remember to avoid walking into the street lamp post that stood out like a ‘sore thumb’ in the middle of the tiled walking tracks, just outside the YMCA gate. Peter M had warned me of this obstruction earlier. “What a walk,” I said to myself. After a few minutes of cooling down and a chat with Peter M, I turned around and walked back to MAB, without hearing Peter M’s voice again until we finally arrived at MAB’s office. The return walking trip was equally exciting with me getting jittery at the traffic lights crossing again. I had to stand, wait and made sure that I was safe and confident before crossing. Again, it felt like ages just to cross the road at the traffic lights. I was mentally exhausted and my shirt, too, was totally drenched with sweat. More importantly, I was a satisfied walker! Certainly, I shall be looking forward to more of such independent walks, which I strongly and truly believe, will prepare and equip me with invaluable skill to face the challenges ahead.

Phew! More challenging times ahead!

A morning train ride...

“Dad, mind your step” my daughter WY said. I could clearly sense her deep concern judging from the tone of her voice. This happened when I was just about to make my first step in boarding the KTM Commuter train at the Kuang station, located not far from my humble abode. This simple ‘historical and maiden step’ too was my first after my loss of sight slightly more than a year ago. The ‘gap distance’ between the edge of the platform and the train door opening was shocking as I did not realize that I could easily miss the wide gap, slip and fall down between the train and the platform, thus causing undue serious injuries! As I could not see, I had gotten into putting my faith in my ole’ faithful white walking cane in my daily orientation and mobility tasks. My heart almost stopped when my white cane suddenly registered a potential danger zone ahead and promptly ‘informed’ me that the gap was too wide for my normal walking step distance between strides. Suddenly too, I felt a reassuring touch and hold on my shoulders from a kind stranger standing behind me and he coolly said “OK, take a big step.” Well, as I could not see, I did not know what a big step was supposed to be, so I took the biggest step ever in my life stepping into the train! As I sat down in the comfortable air conditioned train, I heaved a sign of relief and quietly said to myself, “What a shocking start to my first ever train ride after my sight loss.”

Earlier on, the same morning, WY who had recently returned home from a two year working and holiday stint in the UK, suggested that we take a train ride down to KL Central Station to get myself familiarised with the route and work on my mind mapping skills. She too, had been a loyal follower of my blog and she remembered about one of my challenging tasks ahead is to be able to travel independently between the Kuang station and the KL Central Station, walk out from the station, cross the busy roads, walk to the MAB, Malaysian Association for the Blind and vice versa. I was a bit hesitant then but WY coolly reminded me what WJ said before, “Let’s do it and make it happen!” This phrase again jolted me in uplifting my spirits almost immediately. So, it’s Hello and Welcome MIH (make it happen) and Goodbye to Procrastination! After parking the car at the station’s parking lot, I told WY that I would attempt to walk unaided to the ticket counter, walk across the pedestrian overhead bridge to the train boarding platform and I would have to listen and follow her instructions in helping me to achieve the challenging tasks ahead.

As the train was about to arrive at the KL Central station, good recorded voice system announcing each approaching station, it occurred to me that I must remember to know which side of the train that I would need to disembark on arrival and it was important that I sit or stand at the correct location situated nearest to the exit door enable me to disembark with ease. When the train door opened upon arrival at the KL Central station, WY quickly said “OK, you can step on the platform without a big step” and explained that the gap between train and platform was minimal. “OK, you can start shouting instructions” I said to WY as we began another phase in my mobility lessons about getting out from the platform, up the escalator and proceed to the main exit barrier. My daughter, my mobility instructor for the day! As we stood outside the exit barrier, I reminded WY to brief and describe to me in detail about the vicinity, my position in relation to the bearings and look out for the grooved tiled walking guide tracks, not easily visible to the sighted and not easily detectable to the sightless. The noise made by the large crowds walking about doing their own business was quite an earful so I really had to gear into extreme focus and attention in registering the various landmarks and locked it into my mind. WY was, too, in full focus and provided me very clear instructions and directions now and then. As we approached the area where the buses/coaches were parked in transit, the noise generated from the vehicles was simply too loud. Surely, it must have exceeded the allowable 85 to 87 decibels! I had to listen and hear very carefully the traffic noise as I had to cross the road to continue to walk to the main roads to MAB which is located across the road, the opposite side of the main KL Central station. This phase of walk was more difficult due to the ongoing building construction work, and the diversion for walking pedestrians made haphazardly. Still, we made it to the traffic lights, another important landmark for me to note. We stopped at this traffic lights junction and again, WY briefed and described to me in detail about the surroundings, etc. It is very important for me to know where I am and be able to visualize or see what is around or nearby as this will help me in improving my mind mapping skills and, therefore, be able to walk with confidence, exercising caution in safety at all times whenever I am on my own in the future.

I did not attempt to cross over to the opposite side of the road which would also enable me to continue walking towards the MAB complex. I will continue this next phase of my mobility lessons in the very near future. So, after more briefings and debriefings from my new mobility instructor for the day, I turned around, backtracked and walked to the main station. My mind mapping skills again, was put to a tough test in remembering the various landmarks, etc in enabling me to locate the KTM Commuter train ticket counter to purchase a ticket for the return journey. I managed the task quite well but needed to stopped now and then to recheck my bearings in relation to the intended destination. A ‘natural built in GPS system” coming into play in providing mental maps, so to speak! It was again, a comfortable train ride on the return leg of the journey. It was indeed a train ride that was both enjoyable and educational to me as part of my rehabilitation in achieving independence after the loss of my sight.

More challenging times ahead!

Touch and Feel.....

The continuous advancement in today’s modern world of ICT has, without any doubts or arguments, played an important role in improving the lives of the blind community. It allowed and empowered the blind community to achieve independence and live a normal life alongside the rest of the sighted world. I, for one, can truly vouched that the assisted technology and the various accessibility options available had provided me the much needed tools and inspiration to cope with my sudden loss of sight. I know that there are still a lot more ICT to learn and to acquire but I am glad I am on the right track.

Not forgetting the basic tool aid in communication, an almost 200 years old communication tool for the blind which still proved to be an invaluable asset and skill to acquire besides the various assisted ICT tools. Yes, I am talking about Braille! The ability to read Braille will certainly further enhance and improve my life. I am IT literate but Braille illiterate!! The feeling of helplessness, frustrations and anger in not being able to feel the words, for example, Braille written notices on doors and different floor levels of the lift buttons located next to the lifts, etc.

Well, I have recently started to learn Braille, beginning with the basics and perhaps, similarly to a young lad learning the ABCs. Unfortunately, I am an adult and understandably, the touch and feel sensation of my fingers may not be as sensitive as the younger guys. The theory part of recognizing and the memorizing the different sequence of the six dots combination proved to be easier than I thought it would be. However, the practical aspect in the touch and feel for alphabets, words proved to be more of a tougher task and challenge. According to my VIP friends, it would take some time in discovering the right finger that would be most sensitive to touch and thus, be able to feel the letters and words. After a few months of experimenting, I realised that my right hand index finger, particularly the right part of the index finger has much more sensations and feel than the other digits. There is still a lot of hard work, patience and practical experimentations in my quest to learning Braille, in the months to come. I do hope that with my strong determination, I would be able to acquire some of the Braille reading skills and perhaps too, be both IT and Braille literate one day.

More challenging times ahead!

Following is an extract from Wikipedia of a brief biography of Louis Braille, a truly remarkable man who had truly, undoubtedly, changed and transformed the world in bridging the world of communication between the sightless and the sighted.

“The Story of Louis Braille
There was a time, not long ago, when most people thought that blind people could never learn to read. People thought that the only way to read was to look at words with your eyes.

A young French boy named Louis Braille thought otherwise. Blind from the age of three, young Louis desperately wanted to read. He realized the vast world of thought and ideas that was locked out to him because of his disability. And he was determined to find the key to this door for himself, and for all other blind persons.

This story begins in the early part of the nineteenth century. Louis Braille was born in 1809, in a small village near Paris. His father made harnesses and other leather goods to sell to the other villagers. Louis' father often used sharp tools to cut and punch holes in the leather.
One of the tools he used to makes holes was a sharp awl. An awl is a tool that looks like a short pointed stick, with a round, wooden handle. While playing with one of his father's awls, Louis' hand slipped and he accidentally poked one of his eyes. At first the injury didn't seem serious, but then the wound became infected. A few days later young Louis lost sight in both his eyes. The first few days after becoming blind were very hard.

But as the days went by Louis learned to adapt and learned to lead an otherwise normal life. He went to school with all his friends and did well at his studies. He was both intelligent and creative. He wasn't going to let his disability slow him down one bit.

As he grew older, he realized that the small school he attended did not have the money and resources he needed. He heard of a school in Paris that was especially for blind students. Louis didn't have to think twice about going. He packed his bags and went off to find himself a solid education.

When he arrived at the special school for the blind, he asked his teacher if the school had books for blind persons to read. Louis found that the school did have books for the blind to read. These books had large letters that were raised up off the page. Since the letters were so big, the books themselves were large and bulky. More importantly, the books were expensive to buy. The school had exactly fourteen of them.

Louis set about reading all fourteen books in the school library. He could feel each letter, but it took him a long time to read a sentence. It took a few seconds to reach each word and by the time he reached the end of a sentence, he almost forgot what the beginning of the sentence was about. Louis knew there must be a better way.

There must be a way for a blind person to quickly feel the words on a page. There must be a way for a blind person to read as quickly and as easily as a sighted person. That day he set himself the goal of thinking up a system for blind people to read. He would try to think of some alphabet code to make his 'finger reading' as quick and easy as sighted reading.

Now Louis was a tremendously creative person. He learned to play the cello and organ at a young age. He was so talented an organist that he played at churches all over Paris. Music was really his first love. It also happened to be a steady source of income. Louis had great confidence in his own creative abilities.

He knew that he was as intelligent and creative as any other person his own age. And his musical talent showed how much he could accomplish when given a chance.

One day chance walked in the door. Somebody at the school heard about an alphabet code that was being used by the French army. This code was used to deliver messages at night from officers to soldiers. The messages could not be written on paper because the soldier would have to strike a match to read it.

The light from the match would give the enemy a target at which to shoot. The alphabet code was made up of small dots and dashes. These symbols were raised up off the paper so that soldiers could read them by running their fingers over them. Once the soldiers understood the code, everything worked fine.

Louis got hold of some of this code and tried it out. It was much better than reading the gigantic books with gigantic raised letters. But the army code was still slow and cumbersome. The dashes took up a lot of space on a page. Each page could only hold one or two sentences. Louis knew that he could improve this alphabet in some way.

On his next vacation home, he would spend all his time working on finding a way to make this improvement. When he arrived home for school vacation, he was greeted warmly by his parents. His mother and father always encouraged him on his music and other school projects. Louis sat down to think about how he could improve the system of dots and dashes. He liked the idea of the raised dots, but could do without the raised dashes.

As he sat there in his father's leather shop, he picked up one of his father's blunt awls. The idea came to him in a flash. The very tool which had caused him to go blind could be used to make a raised dot alphabet that would enable him to read.

The next few days he spent working on an alphabet made up entirely of six dots. The position of the different dots would represent the different letters of the alphabet. Louis used the blunt awl to punch out a sentence. He read it quickly from left to right. Everything made sense. It worked...

(Louis Braille's invention continues to inspire new and innovative products that help build a world that is more inclusive for people with disabilities, such as ADA ramps, also known as "braille for the feet.")

Phil Shapiro
Copyright 1995
All Rights Reserved"

A swing in the dark!

“Good shot” exclaimed WJ, my son, as he stood watching me when I finally got back some ‘feel’ and could hit the golf ball with the 7 iron. Yes, we, including my dear wife, were at a golf driving range located near to our house and it was my first visit there since my loss of sight slightly more than a year ago. WJ, back home for a weekend break from Singapore, had been for the past few months talking and harping on me to psych myself back into golf. “Dad, let’s do it and make it happen!” said WJ last Sunday afternoon to me. Furthermore, he, too, need to hit some balls to improve and make adjustments to his swing. He has started to pick up the game after a long lay off due to his law studies. “Well, why not” I said, acknowledging that I certainly need more exercise to keep fit and this would be a good way to do it and at the same time enjoying the game that I liked playing before I lost my sight.

So, as I stepped into the driving range box onto the turf mat, I was staring into the world of darkness. However, with this new experience of going to the driving range, I did not get too nervous nor jittery despite being disorientated somewhat. WJ handed to me a sand wedge iron and I told him that I would utilize my mind mapping skills with the aid of my hearing sense and the golf iron club to probe, etc, in positioning myself in the correct direction for hitting the balls out into the open area. I was glad I was able to accomplish this task without much hassle. A simple and straightforward task to the sighted but a challenge to me now! I started to practice some golf swings with the sand wedge and it was not as simple as I thought it would be. The feeling of ‘off balance’ was being felt each time I took a swing and my body got tense. I soon learned to be more relaxed after several practice swings and decided then I should start hitting golf balls placed into position on the turf mat. Well, I needed assistance in the ball placement and also, in checking the club face position too. My dear wife was patient enough to help place and position the ball each time and advised me about the club face angle, etc. Again, with the ball in place, the whole scenario changed. It was so different from the earlier practice swings executed. I had to look down onto the ball to hit it during my downswing. It was a complete disaster for the first few shots. Either I missed hitting the ball or topped it, sending the ball rolling down the grass area. So, I then reminded myself to relax and hit the ball like I used to when I was sighted. Visualizing the ball in position, I was able to hit the ball quite well and after several balls, I started to enjoy it and had fun too. With the confidence gained, I switched over to the 7 iron to practice the shots and it was not too bad for a blind guy like me, taking a swing in the dark!

That was my first outing to the driving range and certainly, it will not be the last as there are still more different size clubs in the bag to work on. So I must continue to exercise determination and perseverance in achieving my goals! I may have lost my sight but I have not lost my vision

So much more challenging times ahead!

NEWS SPLASH!

“Good morning! You are featured in the Star papers” Harry, a dear friend, shouted excitedly over the phone. He unknowingly woke me up on that Monday morning, following the Charity walk which I participated the day earlier. Well, I thought I could pamper myself with a good rest and a lazy ‘lie in bed’ after the good outing, and more importantly, it was for a good cause. My body and especially, the leg muscles were aching all over. Must be the lack of exercise or age catching up? I prefer the former!

“Gosh! Everyone throughout the country would by now, know about my status concerning my loss of sight” I said to my dear wife. This too, could mean that friends, i.e. former colleagues and associates who were not aware then, would now learn about my status when they read the newspaper that morning. Yes, since losing my sight a year ago, I have not had the opportunity to inform many about my loss of sight or perhaps, I should rightly say, I did not know or not knowing what to say or how to ‘break’ the news to them. Thanks to the media report now the news was out.

True to my expectations, I received phone calls and emails from many friends who learnt about my status from the news media over the next couple of days. I was deeply touched and had mixed emotions. Though it was a total shock to my friends, their concerns and caring attitude clearly demonstrated the kindness and goodness in their hearts. They were glad to note my cheerfulness, positive spirit in moving forward and re learning all the living and independent skills enabling me to be self reliant. If they had spoken to me several months ago, I would have sounded depressed, and terribly miserable. Likewise, I could have made them feel miserable too. Reflecting back to those early days of losing my sight, I certainly had a traumatic and painful time. I sincerely hope that none of my friends or family members will have to endure such painful experiences ever.

A common curious question thrown at me was pertaining to my IT skills. “How do you communicate via emails and write blogs when you cannot see”. Well, they were pleasantly surprised to learn from me about the various assisted IT resources available to the blind community. Of course, lots of patience, determination and hard work required in the re learning process before I could become competent in using the computer again and to get myself back into circulation, so to speak. Here, allow me to recap briefly about some of the IT skills employed by me in IT communication with you guys and others too.

As mentioned and highlighted in my earlier postings, I had the opportunity to attend some IT programs specially designed for the blind community, conducted by the blind IT instructors at MAB, Malaysian Association for the Blind. We were taught in the use and application of the JAWS screen reader software program, most commonly used by the blind community worldwide. “No more Mouse!” was another posting about learning and operating the computer without the mouse but relying solely on various keystroke commands, etc. The screen reader has the ability to ‘talk’ when I access mails, compose mails and blogs, surf the net. Other than that, it is quite the normal standard operating procedure, like you, in accessing and working on the desktop computers or laptops. For the blog, it could be a bit tricky as it involved several ‘steps’ and I had to check and edit several times before posting with minimum errors. So, do excuse me if there were any mistakes made. Another alternative which I discovered in terms of composing and posting my blog articles was via email from the Microsoft Outlook directly to my blog posting. Unfortunately, I am not able to post pictures yet. There is still a lot more to learn. Slowly but surely, I know I will be able to improve my blog at a latter date.

More challenging times ahead!

Man of the Moment......

8 March 2009 was a day of celebration in honour of all women of the world dating back to the early twentieth century, way back to early 1908. It is the International Women's day. And it is on this day that the OGSM (Obstetrical&Gynecological Society of Malaysia) had organised the charity event, Walking Tall Charity fun Walk. This is the third year this event had happened. I could recall the first 'Walking Tall' fun walk held at the Titiwangsa Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur in year 2007 which both my wife and I were volunteer cum participant. Unfortunately, I had to give the 2008 'Walking Tall' event a miss due to my sudden loss of sight in early January 2008, and was going through a difficult period of adjustments to the new world of darkness when the event took place in March 2008.

I was coaxed to attend this year, together with a group of other members from MAB (Malaysian Association for the Blind). Before the walk began I was worried lest I would not have the stamina for the 3 km walk as I have not walked such a long distance since my sight went dark. Glad to say I completed the 3 km walk with spare energy left, though my leg muscles were beginning to get tired. It was a good day out, not only for me but for the rest of the blind members from MAB as well.

The next day I received an unexpected early morning call from my friend Harry who was very excited to tell me that I was featured in the Star newspapers on national news. Well, I thought I was going for a stroll in the park and it turned out I was the 'man of the moment'. I am pleased to share the article in the link below.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/9/nation/3438094&sec=nation

More challenging times ahead!

Don't underestimate the Mighty Tiny Mosquito!

“Hello, Nice to meet you” I said to a new fellow VIP (Visually Impaired Person) friend whilst simultaneously extending out my right hand to offer my warm and a friendly handshake. This chance meeting occurred during my recent ‘a walk in the dark,’ when Zainuddin, my mobility instructor for the day, stopped him and made the introduction as we were about to walk past each other near MAB, Malaysian Association for the Blind. After a brief `Hello’ and `how are you chat’, we exchanged our mobile cellular phone contact numbers. We then continued our own ways walking towards our respective destinations.

 

The same afternoon, the new VIP friend gave me a tinkle to enquire if I was still in the vicinity and perhaps, meet up to have a chat over coffee at a nearby coffee shop. It was timely that my dear wife was with me at that moment in time as she came over to pick me up from MAB. So after some minutes, we finally located the designated coffee shop and met up with my new found friend. I had to depend on my dear wife as the guide/navigator as I have not “passed my mobility skill test yet” which would have enabled me to locate the coffee shop on my own, so to speak. As we sat down enjoying the cuppa, we also got to know and learned more about each other. I related about how I lost my sight and he, too, related in detail about his experience in losing his sight some years back.

 

“Life is full of surprises” I clearly recalled writing in my first blog article expressing my thoughts and feelings during my early days of having lost my sight due to a severe bacterial infection. Well I was taken aback momentarily and  it was difficult to accept that my new fellow VIP friend lost his sight due to the common tiny creature and Yes! the Aedes mosquitoes. He contracted Hemorrhagic Dengue Fever and caused him to fall seriously ill.  The result of being bitten by the tiny aedes mosquitoes! This almost sent him ‘Knock, Knock, Knocking on Heaven’s door!’ This unfortunate incident happened when he was working in a building construction project site. The Tiny mosquito too, caused extensive damage to his liver, lungs, hearing and regrettably, the doctors could not managed to save his sight. Don’t underestimate the Might of the tiny mosquito!

 

I was truly inspired having learnt from him about his ‘bouncing back’ despite the numerous and extreme hardship he had to overcome in rebuilding his life and to live an independent life as much he possibly could. Kudos, my friend, you are the man! Your ‘never say die attitude’ gave me the added inspiration to continue marching on with great positive strides and confidence in achieving my goal of being self reliant and be independent too.

 

The ongoing anti Aedes mosquito campaign by the Ministry of Health nationwide is greatly laudable. Not only the tiny Aedes mosquito causing the various health problems resulting from contracting Dengue Fever but one could not have known nor realized that one can lose one’s sight due to this mighty tiny mosquito! Yes, we must give our fullest support and be on guard always too, in combating the spread of Aedes mosquitoes by ensuring the environment around us not becoming a haven for the breeding of the Aedes mosquitoes. So, do take heed of the “Rid the Aedes mosquito” campaign!

 

More challenging times ahead! 

 

              

 

 

A Walk in the Dark

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” an age old famous quote by Confucius. These motivating words catapulted into my mind as I sat at the Malaysian Association for the Blind’s office visitors’ area waiting for Zainuddin, a job placement officer. Zainuddin had kindly volunteered to teach me some mobility skills after learning that I have not had the opportunity to attend the orientation and mobility skills program at MAB. There were so many questions that I had in my mind but somehow I was not sure how to put it into words to ask Zainuddin. Yes, nerves were getting into my body system, could be due to the early Wednesday morning chill sitting in the air conditioned office.

“Good morning, Mr. Yam” Zainuddin said, his polite mannerism and way of announcing his presence. After a couple of minutes of exchanging warm greetings, we walked out from the office into the outdoor compound. Well, Zanuddin asked me if I would like to start the lessons for the day in familiarizing with MAB’s various departments and the other common areas. “Not necessary for the present time” I replied, explaining that I did get some assistance from a couple of V.I.P friends (Visually Impaired Person) who had unselfishly showed and guided me around the MAB premise. He then recalled and reminded me that I had, in our earlier meeting, highlighted to him that I had set myself a target to be able to walk independently from MAB to KL Central Commuter station, take a train ride to the nearest commuter station located near to my house and vice versa. Oh Gosh!... I realized then that Zainuddin was going to put me through this task. Adrenaline rushed and a flash shot into me like a thunderbolt. I was not prepared nor have I psyched myself for this mammoth task so soon! “OK! Lets do it” said Zainuddin who was unaware of my mental state of turmoil. I stumbled for words but instinctively, started to walk with the ole faithful walking white cane leading the way out of MAB premise towards the direction of KL Sentral station.

I silently kept reminding myself to stay calm and to stay focus and listen to instructions from Zainuddin who was following closely beside/behind me? I had to be mindful of the steps I took, and registering the various markers/landmarks highlighted to me from time to time. Really, full concentration and extreme focus came into play while I was taking a walk in the dark. As we approached the main road junction, beside Public Bank, Zainuddin explained that due to ongoing construction works nearby, I had to cross the main dual carriageway at the traffic light crossing located in front of Public Bank. He advised me that I should ask for assistance to cross the busy roads if/when I start to walk on my own especially in the initial stages when I was still not so confident in walking across the busy main roads. We continued to walk and entered the main station terminal building. Next, he guided and showed the way in walking up the escalators, identifying the various markers/landmarks and I finally made my way to the KTM Commuter ticket counter and the main staircase walking down to the respective platforms for boarding the trains. There were so much to register and remember and I really did try my very best to absorb all the information. We repeated the walking steps again starting from the top of the escalator until I was about confident in forming a clear mental image in my mind. Zainuddin even showed me the tiled walking tracks which were not so easily detectable using the white cane. Surely, the people walking past must be wondering why the two adult guys were squatting down on the floor, touching the tiles. Well, Zainuddin was showing and getting me to feel the slightly rough walking guide tracks on the tiled floor. Yes! There were differences in the tiles at this station.

As mentioned in my earlier blogs, I still cannot comprehend why people had the tendency to knock or bump into me despite the fact that I was holding the blind man’s white cane and tapping loudly to let them know of my presence. It was no joke having people bumping into me as this could easily cause me to be caught off balance suddenly or causing me to fall resulting in unwarranted injuries. Well, there and again, there are people who are sighted but yet cannot see!

Gosh! There were so many obstacles along the route. Zainuddin kept reminding me about the numerous pillars, sign posts, barriers, the indiscriminate parking of motorbikes on the walking pavements and the safety precautions to be adhered to when crossing lanes and roads.

When we finally arrived at MAB after the long morning walk, I was drenched with sweat. I was more mentally than physically exhausted. I know I will have to have a couple more such practices before I could eventually venture out on my own to the KTM Commuter station. Slowly but surely, I will get there.

“That’s one small step for man but a giant leap for mankind” the first word spoken by Astronaut Neil Armstrong when he first step foot on the moon in year 1969 following a successful Apollo 11 lunar mission. Indeed, I have taken a baby step walking in the dark but definitely it is a quantum leap into independence, striving in the pursuit of achieving my goal of becoming self reliant.

Phew! More challenging times ahead!

A Matter of Timing...!

Over the past several months, on every Wednesday morning, a visit to the Elderly Blind Centre located at MAB, Malaysian Association for the Blind has become a weekly scheduled routine in my personal calendar. Of late too, I started visiting the NCBM, National Council for the Blind, Malaysia. My key objective of the visits was to meet and get to know new VIPs friends (Visually Impaired Persons). As a ‘newbie’ to the blind world, I realized that there is so much to learn from other VIP friends. Knowing too well that I could not turned back the clock, I had to continue to push ahead and constantly motivate myself to move forward and make the best out of life, no matter what obstacles that could come in my way. I will continue and pursue to learn or re-learn, if necessary, all the living and independent skills available.

 

The weekly socializing or now better known as networking, having a round of morning coffee and tea chats with a couple of VIP friends at a nearby coffee shop located near the MAB and NCIM offices has, too, become a regular outing to enjoy each other’s company and having a good chat and gossip. When Moses from NCBM said to me, “You were fortunate that you lost your sight now at this age and time”, it got me to think and reflect on the ‘timing’ of the loss of my sight. Yes, at my age it was a difficult time indeed to lose the battle fighting the severe bacterial infection.  The traumatic experience and the turmoil it caused my family were beyond words of description. And Yes, I do agree, to lose one’s sight at this age and time is considered fortunate. I am ‘fortunate’ that the loss of my sight occurred in this age of technology where there are various assisted ICT facilities in helping the blind to live a normal life. It gives me cold shudders to think how in the past the VIPs had to go through life without technology to assist in their daily lives. I truly salute those VIPs who had to endure such hard and tough times in the past.

 

I am simply amazed with the amount of information available in the internet for the blind community. There are numerous websites to browse to gather information about the blind world all around the globe. Locally too, the cyber sphere has certainly enriched the ability of the blind community in achieving high independency in living as normal a life as they possibly can. This has created and given me lots of inspiration in moving ahead with great positive strides. I know for a fact, that there are several VIPs who are on par or perhaps, more intelligent and IT savvy than several sighted persons and I do feel proud to be associated with them. Both my VIP friends, Moses and Mano have been kind and helpful in providing me with the various website links to explore, learn and discover the beautiful world of the blind community and what the blind are capable of achieving in this modern world. I am happy to append below some of the useful sites and I am sure it will provide everyone a good insight and a better understanding of the blind community.

 

Some interesting websites are:

 

www.ncbm.org.my                   (National council for the Blind Malaysia)

www.mab.org.my                     (Malaysian Association for the Blind)

www.acbradio.org                   

www.narrativetv.com

www.whitestick.co.uk/

www.blind-planet.com

 

More challenging times ahead!        

 

Hello and Bye-Bye!

“Hello and Good Morning Doctor” I said as Hong, my dear wife guided me into the eye doctor’s consultation room. I could feel my heartbeat suddenly shot up at an uncontrolled rapid rate and I felt too, a lump in my throat as the nurse helped me to sit comfortably in the examination chair. As I sat down, staring into the world of darkness, I felt too, momentarily signs of my body getting weak and limp all over,  anxiously waiting for the Doctor’s next move!… Yes, I was starting to get panicky and a feeling of uncertainty about the status of the condition of my eyes and which the doctor would be updating me after he had done the examination. The last checkup I had was more than six months ago.

 

Yesterday morning, on the way to the eye clinic for my appointment scheduled at 1100hrs, with Hong at the wheels, I kept myself or perhaps, should I say, kept my mind from wandering off and not allowing negative thoughts to creep into my mind by listening to the radio throughout the car journey, from our house to the clinic located in the city. Upon registration at the clinic, we were shown to a waiting area for the nurse to call me into the examination room. Whilst waiting, my mind suddenly shifted into automatic mode with thoughts and memories of the past year resurfacing, experiences that I went through during the early days of losing my sight, the painful eye operations, the continuous pain in the eyes and headaches post operation and during the recuperation period. The one memory that was etched deeply into my mind which could not be erase, started to catapult into the present! I could recall vividly, the scenario in the doctor’s consultation room when he coolly informed me about the last option if the infection in my eyes did not settle and was still causing me pains despite having the eyes operations and treatment. The dilemma was most frightening and it caused me to have goose pimples!  My name was called and I snapped back from my reverie of the past. A nurse came over to perform some preliminary checks on my eyes, a standard procedure prior to the doctor’s consultation and examination. I told her I could not see, therefore, not necessary to check my sight by shining a light into my eyes. We shared a bit of a laugh and this helped me to temporarily forget about the frightening memory which had engulfed my mind whilst sitting on the comfortable couch waiting for my turn to be called. The nurse did put some eye drops into my eyes to dilate the pupils.  Next, another nurse came over and said Hello to me. She remembered my name and it was nice of her to enquire about my health. I too, could remember her voice as she was the nurse who attended to me during my early visits to the clinic for checkups. Again, I told her other than my good health, I still could not see and we had a laugh too.

 

Now, sitting on the examination chair, the doctor enquired if I still have the painful spells which I experienced in the early days.  I was very glad to reply that other than the occasional discomforts, there was minimal pain since. After checking my eyes with the aid of the optical instruments, he was pleased about the status of my eyes and I was informed that the general condition of the eyes was softer and better. However, the retinas remained detached and status quo! I was prepared for this so I could accept the comment. Deep down in my heart, I was glad that he did not remind me nor talked about the last option which gave me many sleepless nights in the past. If the infection had not settled down and I was still having pains in the eyes and suffering from the headaches, the doctor had recommended that my right eye ball be surgically removed! This would have been another blow added to the traumatic experience of not being able to see again.

 

As I got out from the examination chair and walked out from the consultation room, I said “Thank you and Bye-Bye Doctor”. I could feel my throat choked up and I had mixed feelings somewhat, as I slowly walked towards the lift with Hong by my side. Again, in the lift, the lady security officer recognized me and too, asked me how I was. I repeated what I had told the nurse earlier that I was feeling fine and I still could not see. There was a sudden moment of deafening silence in the lift! As I walked out from the lift, I thanked the lady officer and said “Bye-Bye” to her.  There will be no more follow up visits unless………………………………………

 

More challenging times ahead!

Yee Sang without Chopsticks?

Yee Sang lunch or dinner? A popular suggestion among friends, colleagues, family members and relatives for a get together during the Chinese New Year. Yee Sang, is a delicious concoction of fine strips of raw fish, vegetables and fruits, crispy and crunchy crackers, plum juice, and spices. This is a definite ‘must have’ and is always the main dish served, be it at lunch or dinner, at restaurants and other food outlets. In fact, Yee Sang has become a Chinese New Year tradition for Chinese Malaysians.

My group of friends and I, being no different from others, will make it a point to meet up for the Yee Sang lunch every Chinese New Year within the 15 days and on an auspicious day in the lunar calendar, enabling one to hopefully kick start the new year on a good solid and sound footing! The get together lunch for this year with my group of friends took place on the 5th day of the Year of the Ox, a good auspicious day, according to Mr. SH Yong, a good buddy and pal who did not forget to organize the annual lunch, taking pains to contact the other friends. This year without fail ten people turned up for the lunch. It had all this while been a only male affair for many years. I could not remember how the annual lunch gathering evolved into such ‘discriminatory’ event. I shall remember to remind Mr. Yong to include the spouses for the next Chinese New Year do.

Well, the lunch outing was a rare occasion where I ventured out on my own without my dear wife Hong. Nervous? Yes, definitely. I was not sure how some of the friends would react, or not knowing what to say or how to talk to me as some have not seen me since I lost my sight a year ago. The lunch gathering would certainly be a first experience for some of the friends……. having lunch with a blind friend.

A kind friend, Mr Heng, came over to pick me up from my house in his car and we proceeded to the restaurant to meet the others. With his guidance, I managed to walk through the somewhat packed restaurant to our reserved table. I did not inform him about the techniques in ‘guiding and walking’ me and it served me right for feeling disorientated and uneasy for some moments whilst walking to the table. Yes, it was good to hear familiar voices of friends though I could not instantly recognize who they were for some seconds. Gosh! I quietly said to myself “How am I going to survive the lunch without Hong being there to assist me?” But then again, it was a good test of independence. Using my hearing sense and mind mapping skill, I started to ‘identify’ the sitting positions of all the 9 friends around the table by listening carefully to the source of their voices so that I could ‘look’ at them when I talk or response/reply to them. Perhaps, they did not read my blog, which I had given some tips to friends to either say my name or give a light touch of their hands to indicate that they are talking to me. I had to concentrate hard to listen to all the conversations, shooting all across and around the table. I had to ‘intercept’ when I suspected someone was talking to me. There were some moments that I stayed silent and perhaps again, appearing rude for not responding. So, my friends, do excuse me for the reasons stated and explained.

All got excited when the Yee Sang dish was served. I felt a pair of chopsticks and suddenly, I realized that since I lost my sight, I had gotten accustomed to the fork and spoon in eating my meals. None of my friends asked me if I needed the fork and spoon as they did not know that it could be tricky for me to handle the chopsticks. Nevertheless, I joined in the tossing of the Yee Sang and everyone tossed it with much vigor and enthusiasm, wishing each other a prosperous and a good year ahead. A friend sitting next to me, scooped some of the Yee Sang onto a small plate and it was a challenge for me to use the chopsticks to pick up the fine strips of food and ate it without spilling or dropping it all over the table and onto myself. Really, full concentration and focus came into play. I made sure that I cleaned off the food each time it was being placed onto my plate. I could feel I was handling the chopsticks well, feeling for the food, for example, the vegetable, chicken, slices of fish and the fine strips of Yee Sang salad. I guess I did not make a fool of myself nor created a mess, too.

Indeed it was an experience not only for me but also for my friends, as well, lunching with a blind friend. Whatever it was, we had a wonderful time, catching and updating ourselves with one another about our life journey. The lunch was sumptuous and we certainly, will get together again the next Chinese New Year, perhaps, with our spouses, too. As for me, it was a good outing and indeed, it was nice to have such wonderful and caring friends who took care of me during the lunch at the restaurant and sending me home after the outing.

Tips to my friends: When walking with me, it is better for me to hold onto your arm or shoulder as I feel more secure in following from slightly behind or by the side. For the food or drinks on the table, it is advisable to let me know the position by using the time announcement, for example, glass of water or cup of tea at 2 o’clock, bowl of soup at 12 o’clock, etc.

More challenging times ahead!