Burning Questions

As you might already know, I’ve put together a page called “Julie’s Q&A” where I’ve answered some of the most common questions that people ask me. Well, in the past few months, I’ve received some more questions from various people, and I decided to devote a post to answering some of them. Here we go…

Have you seen the show “Little People, Big World”?
Yes, I have. It’s a very interesting show! I think it has really helped our society because it shows that little people are really no different than people of average height. The challenges we have to overcome are a bit different than most, but the point is that we all deal with some sort of challenge, and at the end of the day, we are all the same.

How do you keep from stepping on your cat?
(This question was asked by an elementary school student, and I thought it was a good one!)
Max is a dark colored cat and our carpet is light. So, there is enough of a contrast between him and the floor that I can usually see him with the small amount of vision I have. But most of the time, I know where he is because he has a name tag on his collar that jingles when he walks.

Is traveling hard for you?
Sometimes. I like my house because I know where all the furniture is, and I can reach everything that I need. I have step stools, light switches down low, etc. So, when I go out of town and stay somewhere new, I sometimes have a hard time. It takes me a little while to learn where everything is because I can’t see furniture too well. I also have trouble reaching the sink at hotels and other people’s houses, so sometimes I’ll stand on a chair to brush my teeth. If that doesn’t work, I’ll pretend the bathtub is a sink and lean over it to brush my teeth. Even though it’s hard sometimes, I still like to travel and visit new places.

How do you know where you are in your house? Do you count steps?
No, I don’t count steps, but I do sort of have a subconscious way of knowing right where I am. I am always walking around the house barefoot because that’s one way that I can tell. For example, there is tile on our kitchen floor, and a rug by the front door. I use those clues to help me stay on track. I do count sometimes when I’m going up or down the stairs. We have 16 steps in our staircase.

Do you dream in color?
I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure that when I dream, I see things the same way I do when I’m awake. My dreams are often fuzzy, with no colors or details. I experience my dreams primarily through sounds and voices.

How do you organize your money?
I have a system of folding bills so that I can tell what they are. Ones are not folded at all, fives are folded in half, tens are folded twice, and twenties are folded horizontally. I also have a wallet that has different compartments in it, and I use those to separate my bills. Change is easy to identify because all the coins are different sizes, and they have different edges.

Do you know what you or any of your friends look like?
I have a vague idea of what I look like. I kind of remember seeing myself when I was younger, but I’m sure I’ve changed a lot since then! As far as my friends and family go, most of the time I know the facts about their appearance, like whether their hair is light or dark. But, I’m never totally sure of what they look like. The good thing about me is that I will never judge you by your appearance.

Did they have to make special accommodations for you in high school?
Yes, my school district was really helpful when it came to making things accessible for me. I had a special desk on wheels that was rolled from class to class, a custom built chair (along with a step stool to climb up into the chair) in every classroom, a laptop computer with screen reading software so I could take notes and do my homework and tests on it, a printer, Braille books, books on tape, and an aide who sometimes sat in class with me if I needed extra help. It was all very helpful, but sometimes all that equipment isolated me from the other kids in my class.

Who do you look up to?
My mom is the most incredible person I know. She is full of so much wisdom, and I am constantly learning from her, even when she doesn’t realize she is teaching me anything.

How do you get ready in the morning? Do you need help?
Generally speaking, I’m pretty independent. I do need help making sure my clothes match, so my mom usually helps me with that. Besides my wardrobe, I can do everything else on my own. I can put on my make-up by feel. It’s nice because I never need to use a mirror.

How does being blind effect your social life?
My vision effects my social life in many different ways. Some of them are things that most people don’t even think about. For example, when I meet someone for the first time, I try to be the first one to put my hand out for them to shake. Otherwise, it can be really awkward because I can’t see if the other person has their hand out to me, or where it is. If it ever seems like I’m being rude or ignoring you, please know that I’m not trying to! I just can’t see you. Also, I am fairly good at recognizing people that I know by their voices, but it’s a lot harder than it is when you can see someone’s face. Faces are much more distinct than voices, so sometimes I have trouble figuring out who I’m talking to. This is especially true if I don’t see the person a lot, or if they’re in a different place than where I normally see them. (For example, if I see someone that I know from church when I’m at the mall, I might not recognize their voice right away.) A common question that people ask me is: “Do you remember me?” That is a really hard one for me, because I don’t always know who I’m talking to! If you’d like to help me out, it would be great if you would say, “Hey Julie, it’s ___ (Insert your name here).” Introduce yourself the same way you would if we were on the phone, and that way I’ll definitely know who you are. Thank you! There are other ways that my social life is impacted, but those are the biggest ones. Maybe I’ll talk about more of them in the future.

Is it hard to eat? How do you know where the food is on your plate?
Eating without seeing your food can be quite a challenge! (I dare you to get out a blind fold and try it sometime. Let me know how it goes.) Sometimes my friends or family will help me by saying “Okay, your chicken is at 3 o’clock, your rice is at 6 o’clock” etc. I think the hardest food to eat is salad, because lettuce comes in so many different shapes and sizes, and you never know exactly what’s on your fork. For me, the toughest part of eating is cutting my food. There are two main reasons why I have trouble: 1. My arms are shorter than average, and it’s hard to reach my plate and maneuver a knife and fork. and 2. I can’t see what I’m trying to cut. I am very grateful to my family and friends who are always willing and able to help me cut and manage my food. Thank you!

This concludes tonight’s interview. If you have any more questions, I’d be happy to answer them for you. Just leave a comment, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks, and have a fabulous day!