"Long Time, No See" by Beth Finke

WOW what a great book that really dives into the problems, issues, events, and attitudes people with physical disabilities, and people raising a child with developmental disabilities face.

I apologize in advance for the lack of structure.This book was wonderful and I really suggest it as a must read! Idk how to break down/outline this book for you! First about the author.

1. It is about a woman with type 1 diabetes who becomes blind due to complications with her glucose levels.
1. Due to her blindness she attends classes or intensive programs on walking with a cane, reading braille, services for individuals with seeing impairments, and eventually seeing eye dogs.
2. She faces challenges with finding a job and how she handled each success and let down. Even when ADA passed in 1990, jobs and employers were highly reluctant to hire individuals with physical disabilities even if their disability had nothing to do with the job requirements.
3. Common discussion on the importance for independence and her desire to obtain and fulfill her roles as a wife, part-time employee, and also a mother of a child with developmental disabilities. 

This book was both inspirational and very informative! As an aspiring OT, I saw and took mental notes on all of the compensation techniques Beth used to fulfill her roles, as well as the emotions that come with being disabled or general experiences of success and failure. Beth showed the importance for open ears and patient offering of services. 

Never force ideas, interventions, or technologies on someone. She stated it was best to suggest and explain a service. If the individual is not interested or not open to the item, wait until they bring it up again. 

Another point commonly made (that correlates with the above statement) was how important her attitude was during experiences and various events. Beth often pointed out how she held a prideful attitude that prevent her from seeing others as humans with names, seeing how her actions affected others, and seeing how she needed to take correction and feedback as a way to learn, not to ignore and continue to try her method. Sometimes, human nature prevent us from really listening to others. We don't see WHY they are correcting us, only that they are correcting us. We don't see WHY this is important, WHY i "need" something. Granted it is because no one ever explains the WHY. To person correcting, the WHY to them seems so darn obvious. Another skill I feel, as an OT, I should practice and perfect. Especially when I want to start a career as an Occupation Counselor later on in my life (Future post on that!). 

The tips, the techniques, the methods to be independent shared throughout this book are amazing!

I honestly suggest people of all walks of life should read this book. Get an inside look to what it is like to have a disability, to see the hidden culture. This book can open your eyes to the fact they are simply human, not seeking pity, not wanting to be dependent, but not wanting to be ignored or disregarded either!