MY SUPPORTS

BY LISA MARTIN

I had to really think about my daily supports. The most obvious one was my husband, who often handles tasks and runs errands for me if I do not have time. He cooks dinner sometimes, picks up the dry cleaning, and remembers things that I somehow forget. Then I considered my staff, my co-workers who contribute to the success of the branch, by collaborating with me to get things done. I have other supports that I rely on daily; among them are my car and money. Both the car and the money allow me to get where I need to be and do what I need to do.  I also rely a great deal on my sister. She serves as a sounding board, confidante, and event and shopping companion.

I remember once my car had to stay at the dealer for repair, and I opted not to take the loaner. I felt confined and at the mercy of others for the weekend without my car. I was restricted in what I could do because of where I could go. Once I gave the entire staff the day off to attend some event, and had to man the office alone. It was challenging and lonely. I got through the day, but I could not imagine running the branch on my own. I also remember going through a sort of withdrawal when my sister was on an extended business trip. I could still call and speak to her, but we could not do anything together. I had to run my Saturday errands alone, go to the mall alone, in the end I spent more time at home for those three months. My husband has never been sick or away on business, so I can only imagine how lost I would be if he were not around.  I would definitely eat a lot more unhealthy crap and sleep poorly.

If I were to choose a challenge or disability to imagine myself having and how this would affect my current supports and force me to rely on new supports, I would select blindness. If I could not see, I would be unable to drive and the lack of freedom I felt that one weekend my car was being repaired would become a constant. My reliance on my husband and sister would greatly increase. The branch would cease to exist for me, as my staff would have a new leader; and the job that plays such a big role in my life and how I view myself and perhaps am viewed would be no more. I am sure I would identify new supports, like audio books or a seeing-eye dog.

I would have to move to a one level, ranch style house, trust someone else to coordinate my outfits, and eat even more of my husband’s cooking. I wonder if I would be able to enjoy my favorite programs and movies when only able to hear them. In the end I believe my husband and my sister would do everything possible to help me enjoy the quality of life I knew before losing my sight. They would do things like find cooking classes for the blind, so I could still cook and bake. My sister would probably organize my closet so I could dress myself, and she would definitely make sure I made it to service every Sunday. On the bright side I would finally have a dog – to which my husband could no longer object.