I’m blind & pregnant.
Today during routine tests at the hospital I was spoken to like a disobedient child because I couldn’t read a tiny label.
The nurse huffed at me when I calmly explained that I’m blind & she had sent my partner out of the room who can read things for me 1/
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At the beginning of the appointment she also tried to make my partner take my guide dog with him. Again I calmly said no, she needed to stay with me.
Of course, as she’s a trained assistance dog
@GuideDogAva
lay at my feet & remained motionless during the whole procedure. 2/
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I also had to drink a medicated drink for the test.
I was struggling to get the last drops & the nurse gestured at me with a vague instruction “up”.
I didn’t understand as I couldn’t see the gestures so she grabbed the packet & shoved it in my mouth tipping in the liquid 3/
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The nurse gave me further information on the next steps of the test. I nodded, said “yes” & “I understand”.
As I exited the room & Other Half came forwards, the nurse repeated all the instructions to OH. Loudly telling him how to look after “his wife”.
We’re not married 4/
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What was so frustrating about the experience was that by making Other Half leave the nurse created access barriers.
He could have read for me & supported me with the drink.
OH is even down as my carer on the maternity forms 5/
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The sad thing is in all my maternity care so far this is the first time I’ve encouraged ableism.
The midwives are great, my blindness doesn’t phase them at all & we’re planning how to meet my sensory & access needs in labour.
Nurses clearly need disability awareness training 6/
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What I want non disabled people to understand is how utterly normal this experience felt.
As a blind person I’m usually manhandled, patronised & denied access support by medical professionals.
I probably will complain but honestly I expect the same experience next time. 7/
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So if you’re a healthcare professional reflect on your awareness around blindness & visual impairment.
If you lack knowledge or confidence to provide care & support then educate yourself.
There are so many excellent resources provided by organisations like
@RNIB
&
@guidedogs
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And if you don’t have the time to follow blind advocates, watch a video or read a blog.
Just reflect on how it might feel to have a medicated drink shoved into your mouth. Or to be talked to like a child.
I’m blind & I am still a person. Treat me with dignity, care & respect 9/
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I want people to understand why “make a complaint” isn’t necessarily an accessible, safe or easy experience for a disabled person.
First, it won’t be anonymous, how many blind pregnant people with guide dogs in their third trimester are interacting with the department? 10/
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So healthcare staff will know that I have complained. The same staff who in 12 weeks will get decisions over my care & support in labour.
And no it’s not an unrealistic leap from forcefully shoving a drink in someone’s mouth to denying them pain relief. 11/
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Also I don’t trust the complaint process to be accessible, even down to my assistive tech accessing the website or are there large print paper forms?
It will also require administrative & emotional labour I don’t know that I have the resilience or capacity for. /12
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Also as anyone who has interacted with the NHS recently regarding pregnancy care knows… this might not be the biggest battle.
What do I put my energy towards? What if this complaint process takes my time away from asserting my access needs in my birth plan? 13/
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So unless you’re prepared to support me, fill out inaccessible paperwork, come to meetings, gather the evidence to assert my rights, do the labour of educating healthcare professionals & protect me from further abuse or discrimination, don’t tell me “you should complain”. /14
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Also telling a disabled person who has experienced discrimination & traumatic assault that it’s their job to educate the person who victimised them is horrific.
You’ve read this thread, step up & do some educating about disability in your workplaces, families & communities. /15
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Thank you for all the kind replies 🥰
Normally I share my details as a disability advocate but I’ll be stopping work soon for Baby!
If anyone can send some support to me as a soon to be disabled parent I would be incredibly grateful. Thank you /16
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Alternatively you can donate to
@guidedogs
who have provided me with so much support including my beautiful Guide Dog Ava.
Ava has given me the independence & confidence to become a parent.
Sponsor a guide dog puppy here! 🦮⬇️
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If you want to learn how to assist a blind or visually impaired person then I highly recommend
@guidedogs
sighted guiding training course.
It’s free, online & open to anyone who wants to learn how to confidently & respectfully offer support.
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@BlondeHistorian
I'm ngl you had me til I got to this part. You isolate this argument and the rest of the picture starts to become clear. What exactly is wrong with this?
The nurse gave me further information on the next steps of the test. I nodded, said “yes” & “I understand”.
As I exited the room & Other Half came forwards, the nurse repeated all the instructions to OH. Loudly telling him how to look after “his wife”.
We’re not married 4/
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@Hoodie_Milly
I am the patient. It’s my treatment. I had established my understanding & consent.
This was completely ignored. They decided I hadn’t understood the instructions so repeated them to my non disabled partner.
This didn’t happen for anyone else having the blood test
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