Today I had the opportunity to speak at a forum about the Division of Blind Services and Lighthouse for the Blind. DBS is the state program and Lighthouse is a subcontracted program that receives its' funding through DBS. They are both wonderful agencies.
When Sam was in the NICU, I stayed with him every day. The morning after it was confirmed that he was blind, I asked the nurses for an office to work out of while he slept. They put me in an unused small office area that was part of an unused section of the NICU. Well I was ready to meet my challenges head on. I was going to "fix" Sam. I got the phone book out and started looking and found the number for Blind Services. I called and spoke to the nicest lady. She was so kind and she took down all our info and got the ball rolling for us. I don't remember alot of the conversation which is probably good. I was so upset. But she was so comforting and must have said just what I needed to hear for that day. I've always appreciated her. According to her boss, she hadn't forgotten us either! (that would probably be because I was the most emotional person she had ever dealt with!!) From that day forward, I had the help of the best State agency I've ever dealt with.
Soon after Sam came home from the hospital, a wonderful teacher, Nancy, started coming to our home on a weekly basis. She followed us from our nice home to our trailer at the prison as our lives continued to make huge changes. I cried on her shoulder many times as I was coming to terms with Sam's disabilities. I think she came as much for me as for him at that point!! Then she moved and we moved to Zephryhills and I thought I'd never find another teacher that was as good as her. But then came Becky. she's different but wonderful. Now that I'm not grieving the situation as much and he's growing, she challenges him and me just enough to get us going in the right directions.
Sam's had different therapists and teachers but ONLY the Blind Services providers really seem to understand the difficulties of a child with very limited sight. We've dealt with a few other programs and been disappointed in many ways but never have we been disappointed in Blind Services.
I actually called the governor's offie on a program called Early Steps. It was and is an awful program. And the staff can't fool me, I was a state worker for too long! I could see that were not using their funding correctly. After a phone call to old Jeb's office, my son never had another problem with getting what he needed but I'm sure it didn't change for others! What I like about DBS is I've never had to complain! They seem to put their hearts into what they do which is a far cry from most state worker! I can say that because I worked for the state for a long time!!
When Sam turns 6 next year, he won't have a teacher coming form their program anymore, it will all be only from the school board which is just not the same. At the forum,, I brought up the issue of the elementary aged child and the fact that there is not a program for them outside the school system. Also DBS does not currently have much in the way of programs for teens/young adults with cognitive delays. The staff and new director addressed my concerns and I could see that they already realized this and that was something they wanted to change! How great is that? A state program that REALLY wants to meet the needs of their clients!!!
I may get to go to Tallahassee and speak on the behalf of blind children in the near future! I can't wait. It's something I've wanted to do for awhile and was even scheduled once to meet our state senator Adam Putnam but Sam had some emergency and I couldn't go. I want to be an advocate for kids like Sam. I know of a situation in my own family where there is a child that is blind and he lives with a single mom who is not very educated and she doesn't seem to follow through on anything for that child. I went our searching for help for Sam, but that's my nature and I'm used to the system. I can't even imagine dealing with this situation as a single young woman with little education. I think I'd just give up. I've tried to reach out to this young woman and it just has never worked out. But it is an overwhelming situation to me at times and I have age, and education and a support group of friends and relatives. Can you imagine dealing with something like this without all of that? Anyhow I am passionate about wanting to be an advocate for children who have vision challenges.
I don't believe God allowed all of this to happen to us and Sam in order to make me to be involved but I do believe that He walks through life with us with all of it's challenges. And He enables us to "comfort others in the same way we have been comforted"
Go DBS and Lighthouse!!!
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