As you may recall, I have started volunteering as a literacy tutor through my local library. Its been going quite well. My student is a middle-aged fellow who gave up on learning to read as a child because the adults would hit him when he made mistakes.
He is a wonderful guy - I really like him, and he's a very hard worker. He works by day as a manual laborer/driver, and wants to pass his GED so that he can get a better job.
Now, to my conundrum.....
My student was recently diagnosed with diabetes (a disease that is starting to be a recurring theme with me on this blog). He lives with family, so they can help him with some of his meds, but I have ended up reading a lot of labels to him. He's been having a lot of ups and downs with his blood sugar lately,though - the diabetes doesn't appear to be very well-managed. His HMO...well...let's just say that I almost sued them a few years ago when they radically mis-medicated my mother. I don't particularly trust them, but they're what we've got to work with.
I've been doing online research for him into diabetic diets, but the problem is....he doesn't read! Certainly not well enough to absorb the material on the Mayo Clinic web page! So, I have started reading the content of the web pages into a pocket dictation machine. I didn' trealize until I had this situation how much we all rely on reading! I had no idea! I keep thinking, "well, I'll just run this off for him..." and then I remember that the online printout is just a bunch of squiggles on paper to him. How vexing! I've told him about the practice, but I don't think he's doing it regularly, and I don't want to come off like a religious nut rather than a teacher and a friend.
I'm chanting about this as well, so I thought I'd throw it out there for anyone else who may have encountered a problem like this one. Any advice? Please? I'm actually getting quite worried about him...
Thanks a lot in advance,
Byrd in LA
Posted by wahzoh at January 16, 2008 03:50 PMDear Byrd --
You're a true Bodhisattva!
Mexicans and some Native Americans (e.g. Pimas) are terribly prone to diabetes from modern foods, with often-fatal outcomes. It's tragic.
Also, Many Mexicans suffer from bad dyslexia. My friend and cleaning woman is a second-grade dropout, but very, very bright -- and unable to be sure whether or not 17 is 71. It may run in her family.
You might informally test your pupil.
Barbara
Hi Byrd,
Is there a way to rig up a scale on paper which would correspond to blood sugar levels using colors rather than numbers? Also, I noticed at the grocery store that the check-out people have photos of veggies/fruits instead of the names. Perhaps this would be helpful with the diet. Maybe some sort of "pie" chart to suggest healthy portions of each food group?
If I were in your position I'd talk with the folks who treat homeless patients for diabetes.
They may have some solutions already thought out.
And bless you for taking the time for another human being! This is what Buddhism is all about,
IMHO. You're my hero today! Take care, Patty
Would there be such a thing as tapes or .wav files discussing what he needs to know somewhere, maybe through a center for the visually impaired? Sometimes they will create tapes of stuff gratis; don't know if that would be of any help.... I'll poke around and see if something is out there.... it's got to be.
You are definite a bodhisattva walking the earth, and an inspiration.
Blessings on you and your student,
Kris
Byrd,
My wife and I also teach reading to the adult illeterate.
It is never easy and takes much patience and additional efforts.
The couple we are working with have health issues including diabetes. We speak to them just as we would our own children, taking extra efforts to teach lifestyle activities as well as reading and comprehension skills.
I use The World Tribune as a vehicle for developing understanding, as President Ikeda uses a broad vocabulary requiring extra efforts to get the points of understanding accross.
Good luck!
Patrick