So many things to do

Ethics essay

sociology essay

placement application

2 skills logs

communications skills roleplay assessment prep

sleeping for weeks and weeks

Blindfolded

My seminar yesterday on impairments which can affect communication was very interesting. We spent part of it trying to lipread, to help us have (only the tiniest of course) insight into what it might be like to do so, also to show us what helps someone to lipread and what makes it more difficult.

Then the tutor pulled out a bag of blindfolds and asked us to go in pairs and guide/be guided around a couple of the university buildings. (We were asked to take the lift instead of stairs and not to cross roads). Now, this is another interesting experience for students who’ve probably never thought about what it is like to have a visual impairment, but I thought that *my* reaction to it and the difference it made to my mobility was another point worth thinking about.

Due to EDS, I have almost no proprioception. I don’t know where my body is and what it’s doing. I love to take ballet classes (energy and body allowing) and I am always glued to the mirror. If I close my eyes and hold an arm out I can’t tell if it’s in front of or behind me. I couldn’t tell if I was putting my foot down flat, or if it was bending off my ankle. Because my ligaments are too loose, I don’t get feedback from my limbs to my brain. This made walking blindfolded very frightening. I occasionally use a walking stick for stability. I was massively more aware than usual that a change in floor surface could have tripped me up (and caused sprained ankle/tendon injury/fracture much much more easily than in most people). I could also feel the instability in my back and pelvis much more than usual, presumably because I was less distracted by sight and having to ‘focus internally’ more and think about feeling. This was more like my hydrotherapy sessions when I have to ‘tightrope walk’ along a line on pool tiles and i can feel how my back moves too much from my hips, wobbly spine being pushed by the water. The person who was guiding me didn’t know that I open doors by pushing with my forearm rather than my hand, so I was scared she would let go of a door thinking I had it, and my wrist would bend and possibly sublux (also fingers, same thing).

I did mention to the tutor that I would find it difficult and possibly shouldn’t be doing the exercise (at least without ankle braces) and she advised me not to, after seeing how much I was shaking because of how scary it was. I did it anyway, because I’m stubborn and I try not to avoid doing things ‘just’ because they scare me*.

 

*I don’t advise this to others. People should do what they are comfortable/can cope with.