My sleep apnea machine

Well, what can I say! I finally had to bite the bullet and admit to myself that it was time to listen to my doctor and get a sleep apnea machine. At first I was very hesitant because I was not sure if I could handle it. But like everything else and for the first time and when you have to depend on someone else to show you how to do things because you are unable to read the instructions yourself because you are blind! Thanks to my friend, Gabriella, and a great staff member at the sleep management clinic named Joy, it all worked out in the end.

I must say that everyone was very good to me from start to finish and they were particularly aware of me as a blind person and did their best to show me how to use my sleep apnea machine. From the very start when I went in to be tested for sleep apnea, the therapists were extremely attentive and mindful and they explained everything to me in great detail.

The doctors were great. The staff at the sleep management clinic were fantastic, and my friend Gabriella! What more can I really say about this fantastic friend and lady! She stayed with me all the way making sure that I knew how to operate my sleep apnea machine and I have even named the machine after her, Smile. I would readily say that being blind is no hindrance to being able to use a sleep apnea machine.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heros and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Being careful when I speak

At the best of times, this should apply to everyone. That is, to be careful when one speaks so that you do not offend anyone in case you are saying something about them.

For a blind person, this is very important, and why? Because whereas someone with vision could look around and make sure that no one that they do not want to hear what they are saying is listening, this is not possible for us. So, what do I do in these types of situations?

If I am in a room with a door then I close the door before I speak, and if not I make very sure to ensure that someone that I do not wish to hear what I am saying is not within hearing distance. From time to time I may tend to forget but on the whole this strategy works well for me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

My Easter bouquet from Mom

Well, since losing my vision in early 2004 it is a regular process for me to ask someone to describe my bouquets to me each time I receive one and at Easter time this year it was no different. The flowers smelled terrific and as my friend described the different types to me I simply stood there remembering as she told me the colors and shapes.

Then, after she had left that day I went to the precious bouquet and allowed my fingers to do the walking. I bent slowly over my precious bouquet and felt each flower, each petal, and each leaf. I remembered the colors as I examined, and at the end of it all! My fingers and my memory did the talking for me.

Sure! I definitely miss not being able to see these wonders of nature, but you know what? My fingers and my memory are wonderful stand ins for my vision. No, it is not quite the same, but that's okay! My memories shall never leave me and my fingers will always be here to help me and I thank my wonderful mom for having remembered to send along.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Reading with my i device

I never thought that it would be so much fun to be able to read with my i device. I know: I had truly resisted doing this for quite some time, but then! The bug simply overwhelmed me and I bit the dust and bought the famous iPad and then came the iPhone shortly after this. No regrets and lots of kudos for Steve Jobs and his team!

Apple has put so much effort into this technology and to ensuring that blind and partially-sighted folks can be a part of its evolution and I, for one, am not going to see his work go down in vain, as they would say.

Today, I read my national and international newspapers with my i device. I check out the BBC and CNN news on a daily basis. I interact with Facebook and Twitter and go on Skype, and yes! I read and keep up with my beloved Montreal Canadiens hockey team! As a matter of fact, I often beat my mom to the headlines and show her photos of her favorite celebrities on my iPhone and she always marvels at how fast I read.

I have even set up Dropbox on my i devices and this enables me to read books that are on my computer and even take notes.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heros and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

When I saw my first movie

This memory is still so very fresh in my mind despite the fact that it happened so many years ago, shortly after I received new vision from my first cornea transplant.

My friend, Debra, and my cousin, Brian, had gone with me to the cinema to see "The Way We Were" and they had been such willing participants, taking me to the front of the cinema to sit so that I would not miss any of the action and boy was I not disappointed! I was seeing a movie for the very first time and I could not believe my eyes, so to speak.

I could not just see shapes, I could see faces, actions, and scenery! Wow! What an experience for me! Everything was so bright and the colors were so vivid! I simply sat there in the dark marveling at it all and I doubt whether either Debra or Brian noticed the huge smile on my face. Later on, and not too long after this, my parents took me to see "Ice Castles" and friends took me to see "The Blue Lagoon." Memories to treasure forever.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

When the milk leaked

I still remember the very day when the milked leaked on me and even now I can smile and chuckle to myself as I sit writing this.

I had gone grocery shopping and had bought my customary bag of milk, a bag containing 3 separate two litre bags of tasty 2% milk. Then, when I came home, I unpacked my bundle buggy and proceeded to put everything away in my fridge, freezer, and pantry. Things had gone according to plan, as always, as everything had been put away in its proper place.

A few hours later I went to my fridge to open one of the bags of milk and upon entering the outer bag I realized that something was not right. The bag was wet and there was liquid at the bottom of the outer bag. Right then, time to investigate so I dipped my finger into the bottom of the bag and withdrew my wet finger, placing it on my tongue.

Bingo! Milk was indeed leaking but now I had to figure out which bag. Problems? You got that right and I had to examine each bag in order to find which one was leaking. No such luck as I could not find any obvious holes and all of the bags were wet. So now what?

I re-examined each bag and chose the one that I thought was leaking and then with the utmost of care I took it to my kitchen sink and emptied it by puncturing it. Matter fixed? Not on your life! Upon returning to the original bag that now contained two bags I discovered that a puddle was fast forming in the bag and it had even begun to spread outside of the bag and on to my kitchen counter! Oops! I punctured the wrong bag!

The rest, as they say, is history and at the end of day I ended up with one out of three bags of milk! Just another day in the life of Donna J. Jodhan.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Taking pictures for the first time

My memories of taking pictures for the first time in my life so many years ago are still so very fresh in my mind. Ah yes! I had just received vision from my first cornea transplant and learning to take pictures was one of the first things that I wanted to do.

I still remember that very sunny summer day when my friend Gunther had come by with his cameras, very determined to show me what a camera was all about and how I could take pictures with no fear of doing any damage to his precious cameras. What an experience this was and I shall always remember this for as long as I live. Then Elaine and I had crossed the border into the United States and we had gone to New York. There she helped me pick out a very simple camera and she had then shown me how to take pictures.

My first pictures were naturally off center but that soon changed and then I was off and running, so to speak. In the years to follow I found myself taking so many pictures with that precious little camera and then I graduated to a much more sophisticated one and I kept it until I lost my vision. I was not too bad after all and one of my final pictures was that of my beloved almond tree in my mom's yard.

That was then and this is now and with practically no vision to speak of at this time, I can only keep on remembering.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heros and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Do I really see it?

This is the big question that I am constantly asking myself. With almost no vision now at my disposal, I have to be constantly trying to determine whether or not I really do see things.

Sometimes I think not but then at times I change my mind and say yes. Do I really see the daylight? Sometimes I may be perceiving it but at times I am really not sure. Do I really see flashes of the TV when I flick from channel to channel? Not very sure. The one thing that is very sure in my mind is that I no longer see colors, something that really makes me very sad. But, then again, I truly believe that in my next life I certainly will!

If I allow it to get the better of me it can really drive me crazy at times, so the trick here is to not let it do so.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

What color is my wine?

A few months ago I was invited to a dinner get together with some girlfriends of mine and I offered to bring a bottle of white wine. The girls expressed a preference for said color so I first checked my stock and discovered that I had a bottle that was just the perfect size for this occasion. The only problem was that I did not know what color it was.

So off I went to use my stand alone scanner to see if I could determine the color. No such luck! The scanner could not read it so then I tried using my scanning app on my iPhone. Not much success there, so then what?

I phoned one of my girlfriends and we came up with the brilliant idea of asking the cab driver and sure enough! He told us! The lesson to learn here is that when you are unable to determine something as a blind person, do not give up! There is always a solution if you search hard enough. Fun? Sometimes it sure can be, and then again, sometimes it is a challenge but something to solve at the end of it all!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"