Helen Keller

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Nancy

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I am always interested in Helen Keller who was famous, plus being blind and deaf. :) I knew she owned several dogs during her lifetime, including a Boston Terrier. :) Just thought you would be interested in this. :) -- Nancy
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From URL: http://www.afb.org/braillebug/askkeller.asp?issueid=20051

One day, several girls invited Helen to go with them to Brookline to see some friends. This was all that they would tell Helen, and when they reached their destination, the girls were very mysterious. As Helen began to sniff, she realized that she was entering a kennel, the home of many Boston Terriers. Imagine Helen's surprise when the girls gave her one of the terriers named Sir Thomas Belvedere to take home.

Here's a picture of Helen with her BT -- photo from this link: http://www.ioeba.net/ioebaobbhistory.htm
 

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I remember about her story. I heard about DVD and would love to buy and learn to know about her life.
 
Some of Helen Keller on DVD on sale at KMart at the moment!
I will buy one for myself soon :)

Also I was surprised to see a photo display at St Kilda school for the deaf in Melbourne that she paid a VIP trip to Australia! :lol:
 
Tamra, I didn't know they sell Helen Keller on DVD already. I'll check that out Thanks! :hug:


Thanks for sharing Nancy! :hug: I admire Helen Keller. ;)
 
Meh....Helen Keller was cool, but she wasn't very Deaf. I mean she did say that if she'd had a choice between hearing and seeing she would be hearing b/c deafness seperates you from people. ...Maybe she was brainwashed by the experts of the day who thought that Sign was primative or something....
 
deafdyke said:
Meh....Helen Keller was cool, but she wasn't very Deaf. I mean she did say that if she'd had a choice between hearing and seeing she would be hearing b/c deafness seperates you from people. ...Maybe she was brainwashed by the experts of the day who thought that Sign was primative or something....
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Yes, I remember her famous quote about deaf and blind,
"Deafness seperates you from people, blind seperates you from ...........?"

Independant or ??

I can't think right now??? Help please?

Cheri
Tamra, I didn't know they sell Helen Keller on DVD already. I'll check that out Thanks!
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Yes, it was the same original old film you see in TV before. Perhaps I will scanner the cover of the DVD to show here later on.
 
Blindness separates you from... places and things. I think that's the quote.
Okay, I don't want to get the firing squad after me... or anyone else... or be called a ravensteve person or something but...
When you are blind, it is true that it makes it a lot harder to go new places and learn about new things. Especially before braille, blind people were illiterate, and there is so much information we taken in with our eyes... as the deaf/hoh here especially know.
OKay...when you are deaf, especially if you don't speak or read lips, you are cut off from hearies who don't sign, which is the majority of people... so her quote is fair, if correctly understood.
And if you are already blind, and I do think Helen Keller would consider herself blind first, as her teacher Anne Sullivan essentially was, deafness would be what cut you off from all communication... So, so, so, much is learned about the world from overhearing things, this is not something deaf people can do. Helen REALLY wanted to learn.
I am not deaf nor blind, but I have friends who are deaf, and friends who are blind. Many deaf ppl's worst fear is to become blind, and many blind people's worst fear is to become deaf. One becomes so dependent on the senses they do have, that losing another one, especially one that gives as much information as sight or sound, could be totally traumatizing. I am sure Anne Sullivan conveyed the awfulness of loss of hearing, which would be truly awful for Anne, to Helen.
Also, again in Helen Keller's defense, not that I am worshipping her or even saying she was write, but Helen depended completely on touch and movement near her to communicate. While deaf people do have to be in the same room to have a conversation, hearing people don't, and I think she saw this as a huge freedom, what it meant to be able to "connect" to people easily. I personally find face-to-face conversation much more rewarding, but to someone who realizes on this absolute closeness ALL the time, I can see how being able to communicate with some space, especially the space of being in another room, could be appealing.
Okay, just my 2 cents, byeeee... Kelsey
 
I have had hearing people say that if they had to choose, they would choose to be blind than be deaf.

To the hearing ADers...do u feel that way?

I can understand that even being blind, u still can connect with the rest of the world while being deaf, it is harder. However, since I never knew what it is like to hear, I cant make that judgement.
 
We had the same conversation on another forum I participate on. ("Would you rather be deaf or blind?)

I think it's really difficult for people to put themselves in the position of someone who is deaf, blind or deafblind. Unless a person has experienced both disabilities, they cannot make a fair comparison of whether or not it would be more difficult to be deaf than blind (or vice-versa).

I've had people tell me how amazing I am because they can't imagine what life would be like being unable to see or hear (although I'm now able to hear with bilateral CIs). One person even went so far as to say that if they lost their vision and hearing, they would commit suicide. I replied by saying, "You never know. You might handle deafblindness better than you think. When you experience the loss of a sense, it's amazing how people learn to adjust. Besides, in today's day and age we have so many technological advancements that make communication and mobility easier."

As someone who is deafblind, I would gladly accept blindness *or* deafness. When you're deafblind, you can't compensate for the loss of one sense by using the other. Visual impairment/blindness impact hearing loss/deafness and vice-versa.
 
Hear Again said:
We had the same conversation on another forum I participate on. ("Would you rather be deaf or blind?)

I think it's really difficult for people to put themselves in the position of someone who is deaf, blind or deafblind. Unless a person has experienced both disabilities, they cannot make a fair comparison of whether or not it would be more difficult to be deaf than blind (or vice-versa).

I've had people tell me how amazing I am because they can't imagine what life would be like being unable to see or hear (although I'm now able to hear with bilateral CIs). One person even went so far as to say that if they lost their vision and hearing, they would commit suicide. I replied by saying, "You never know. You might handle deafblindness better than you think. When you experience the loss of a sense, it's amazing how people learn to adjust. Besides, in today's day and age we have so many technological advancements that make communication and mobility easier."

As someone who is deafblind, I would gladly accept blindness *or* deafness. When you're deafblind, you can't compensate for the loss of one sense by using the other. Visual impairment/blindness impact hearing loss/deafness and vice-versa.
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To be honest with you...I have told people that I would commit suicide if I ever lost my vision but after reading your and other people's who are deaf and blind posts, I am starting to see things differently.
 
Lucia and Shel,

I completely understand why both of you feel the way you do. I felt the same way after I lost my hearing. In fact, I thought about committing suicide, but fortunately I never acted upon my feelings. Instead I was able to get help and the deafblind-related training I needed to help me adjust. Shel, meeting other Deaf and deafblind people like myself really went a long way in helping me understand that deafblindness wasn't the end of the world. Instead, it was the beginning of a whole new life for me. :) Today I consider my deafblindness to be a blessing in disguise. If I had not lost my hearing, I never would have met the people (rehabilitation instructors and members of the Deaf and deafblind communities) who were responsible for helping me make a successful adjustment. :) Shel, I'm glad you've changed your feelings about deafblindness. Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, disabled people today are fortunate (for lack of a better word) to be living in a day and age where technology makes communication and mobility easier. Before I received my CIs, my life was made *so* much easier because of e-mail. I also use a GPS system (BrailleNote GPS) which allows me to know where I am in unfamiliar neighborhoods and cities. It's great! Sometimes I wonder what Helen Keller would think about all this technology if she were alive today! :)
 
Hear Again said:
Lucia and Shel,

I completely understand why both of you feel the way you do. I felt the same way after I lost my hearing. In fact, I thought about committing suicide, but fortunately I never acted upon my feelings. Instead I was able to get help and the deafblind-related training I needed to help me adjust. Shel, meeting other Deaf and deafblind people like myself really went a long way in helping me understand that deafblindness wasn't the end of the world. Instead, it was the beginning of a whole new life for me. :) Today I consider my deafblindness to be a blessing in disguise. If I had not lost my hearing, I never would have met the people (rehabilitation instructors and members of the Deaf and deafblind communities) who were responsible for helping me make a successful adjustment. :) Shel, I'm glad you've changed your feelings about deafblindness. Compared to 20 or 30 years ago, disabled people today are fortunate (for lack of a better word) to be living in a day and age where technology makes communication and mobility easier. Before I received my CIs, my life was made *so* much easier because of e-mail. I also use a GPS system (BrailleNote GPS) which allows me to know where I am in unfamiliar neighborhoods and cities. It's great! Sometimes I wonder what Helen Keller would think about all this technology if she were alive today! :)
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I was told by my former foster mother that if I went blind in addition to being deaf already, I'd lose my freedom. That's what really scares me!
 
Another Helen Keller fact. A coupleyears ago, Central Institute for the Deaf opened a time capsule that was placed in a cornerstone when the original building was built. When they opened it, they began reading oper documents. One of the documents had a list of the members of the original board of directors. Well, guess who was onr of them? Yep. Hellen Keller.

As for being blind or deaf, I would have to choose deaf. I have always been very self concious of who and what is around me. With policework, it has really amost become an OCD thing. I must be aware of my surroundings at all times. If not, I get very nervous and easily agressive. I guess it is a self defense thing? Anyway, with being deaf, I am fully aware that there are mechanisms in place to be able to adapt to a new (non hearing environment). With being blind, i could adadpt, but it would be alot harder.
 
Lucia,

I can understand that. When you're deafblind, you rely more on others to help you maintain your independence. For example, before I received my CIs, I relied on an SSP to help with errands. I also relied on pedestrians and local businesses to help me cross the street because I couldn't hear traffic. Now that I have CIs, I feel like I've gained *so* much more freedom and independence because of my ability to hear. I can go where I want to go (by being able to communicate easily with a bus or cab driver), I can cross streets independently and I can do my own shopping without relying on an SSP. Deafblindness isn't the end of the world, but I will say that being able to hear has made my life *so* much easier than it has been for the past 11 years. :)
 
Helen Keller was merely the person who guided her. The whole story has been blown out of proportion. People believe what they want to believe.

Having a pet is fine, BUT a pet is not supposed to take the place of human companionship. Everyone needs friends and role models and a pet cannot do that job.
 
Lantana,

How do you think Helen Keller's story was blown out of proportion? Considering how much she had to learn being unable to see or hear, I think she was a remarkable woman. Just look at her accomplisments and some of the awards she earned:

* Alumni Achievement Award of Radcliffe College
* Chevalier's Ribbon of the French Legion of Honor
* Decorations from various governments
* In 1964 Helen Keller was awarded the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" by President Lyndon Johnson (the highest award a civilian can receive).

Helen was an activist whose efforts were nfluential in taking disabled people out of asylums. Her activism also helped create commissions for the blind who were instrumental in helping blind people live productive, independent lives. Helen also helped end the practice of putting disabled children in institutions.

I think one quote of Helen Keller's describes her life experiences best: “Once, I knew only darkness and stillness...My life was without past or future...But a little word from the fingers of another fell into my hand that clutched at emptiness, and my heart leaped at the rapture of living.”
 
Going blind as well deaf is something that could happen to me. The chances that I'd go blind is small but there's a history of glaucoma in my family and I know with early and proper treatment, I'll not go blind. Given my family history, blood pressure, and diabetes there's a chance I could go blind.

Not many people are aware of this but blood pressure can cause blindness but I don't need to worry as long as it's under control.

I'm not sure how I'd cope if I were to go blind.
 
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