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How my Dog Has Effected My mental Health!

by Chelsey Zumpano

A close-up picture of a black and white husky with blue eyes. The picture is taken from the side and her nose is pointed to the right and her ears are up. (Picture of Hazel and picture credit goes to Chelsey Zumpano).

If you’d been following me on YouTube; you’d know that I got a puppy back in December and I’m training her to hopefully be my service dog. She does take up a lot or all my time somedays. She gives me something to do and that keeps my mind busy. She’s helped me to realize that I want to be a dog trainer.

She can be really hyper and have to find ways to keep her busy. I let her run around in the back yard, play fetch, tug of war, I take her on walks, give her bones, and puzzle toys. It took me awhile to figure those were the things that helped her. But before then she was kind of overwhelming and now she’s better. Giving Hazel a job has helped.

Some ways Hazel has helped me with my anxiety!

1 She will lay on my legs at night and that helps if I’m having a bad anxiety day.

2 She’s helped me to learn more about dogs.

3 She gives me more of a reason to go on a walk.

4 She’s helped me to not be so anxious about going to the vet.

If you want to see some more of my new coping skills; please go watch the video below.

If you have a dog tell me a funny story about him/her in the coments. If you would like to be interviewed by me or otherwise contribute to my Blog and YouTube; please send me an email to the following address. viblindresources@gmail.com

June 26, 2019June 26, 2019

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My Vision Impairment Does Not Make Me Lazy! #BrakingStereotypes #BrakingMissConceptions

by Chelsey Zumpano

This is a first in my series that will help stop stereotypes and misconceptions about having a vision impairment. This series will also be on my YouTube channel.

Today’s topic comes from my friend Amanda, (her blog and YouTube will be linked below”, and she requested to write about, “How having a vision impairment does not make us lazy!”

For me being lazy means procrastinating to do something and procrastinating so much you don’t do the thing, but that has nothing to do with my vision! It has more to do with my personality, then anything else. Farther more; there are many reasons why someone could be procrastinating about something!

1 Anxiety: for me this is the biggest facter on why I don’t do something.

2 Fear of what can be and what might not be.

3 Not having the financial means!

I also want to note that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT AND DEALS WITH THINGS DIFFERENTLY! Please try not to compare yourself to other people and I know I’ve been guilty of doing it before, but that’s why I say try! Comparing yourself with other people will just make you feel like shit! So try to focus on you and what you can do and not on what you can’t! Don’t worry about what others are doing or how they are handling a situation! Just focus on you!

Having a vision impairment means I have to adapt how I do things!

1 Being very tactile when I train my dogs.

2 Using tide pods to do laundry.

3 Getting rides from family and friends.

4 Using my BrailleNote to type out this post.

5 Learning different techniques to do my makeup with out having to look in a mirror.

6 Having bright lights, so I can draw!

7 Using my cane when I’m walking around.

8 Watching movies with audio description or having others explain them to me.

9 Using a screan reader on my Ipad, Iphone, and computer.

10 Wearing my reading glasses when I draw.

I could go on, but I think that’s a good stopping point.

Amanda’s info.

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt7ecLXRimvYFUZJ9WYYXXw

Blog:

https://amandagene.com

Please request things you would like to see in the series down in the comments!

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019

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Review Of Postmates!

by Chelsey Zumpano

Food delivery apps are all the rage right now. They are especially great for us who can’t drive! It gives me more independence and the ability to order food when I’m by myself!

The app I used is called “Postmates,” and I used it for the first time by myself today! I used VoiceOver on my Iphone to make the order and I was able to click and read all the opptions. I ordered me a sandwich from Subway and everything was correct. The only problem that I’ve found is the app won’t let you do anything if you didn’t leave a tip and the opption won’t go away unless you click on a tip.

It’s great feeling to be able to do something by yourself that you would otherwise need someone to do for you.

I’m sorry it’s been way to long sense I’ve updated the blog, Hazel has kept me busy. I also want to let you know about a new series here and on my YouTube channel. The series is about stopping stereotypes for us who are blind, so send me some in the comments and I’ll do a video or blog about it.

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

May 8, 2019May 8, 2019

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YouTube Can Be Overwhelming!

By Chelsey Zumpano

Image description: A black and white husky sleeping on her side and wearing a pink harness and gray leash. (picture creditgose to Chelsey Zumpano).

As you might know I started a new series on YouTube called “30 Days of Hazel,” about training my husky puppy. Well I don’t have the energy or time to edit a video each day! It’s hard to do that when you have a little puppy to take care of. Sometimes it’s over whelming to be on camera and sometimes Hazel doesn’t want to be on camera either.

I can write a blog post easier and edit it whereever. That’s why I was able to do Nanowrimo back in November. Part of why I’m feeling overwhelmed is because I’m recording and editing the videos all in one day, so I need to give myself a few days to catch up on recording. I originally was going to do 30 consecutive days, but I’m not sure if I can do that. I might just shoot for one day a week uploads and just record through out the week, (since I’m following a 30 day training book).

While you wait for me to upload: please go watch and vote by liking my video,Let’s shadow! #HolmanPrize2019,” so I can help increase employment opportunities for our community!

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

March 17, 2019March 17, 2019

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How You Should Treat Someone Who Is Blind At The Hospital!

by Chelsey Zumpano

Last week on Thursday I passed out and had to spend the day at the hospital, (video is below). Now I want to explain how great the staff was to me.

https://youtu.be/zWMxI-t9nSs

The paramedics were good at talking to me asking me what happend and they asked me if I wanted to ride in the ambulance. They let me know they bringing the stretcher in and where it was to help me on it. One of the paramedics, (named Eric), talked to me the whole way to the hospital.

At the hospital the nurse was good at letting me know what she was doing, (like when she was taking my blood). Other nurses were good at letting me know where the bed was and things like that. The nurses were very good at helping me when I felt anxious.

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

March 2, 2019March 17, 2019

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Let’s Talk About Independence!

by Chelsey Zumpano

Hey there, I’m back! I was sick last week and so I had no energy, ( or voice and I sounded like a smocker) to post anything! Now on to today’s post!

People thingk to be independent you have to be living on your own by 18 and then some people in the blind community think you have to be traveling completely on your own and taking public transportation. Well you know what? Being independent is different for everyone.

For me I don’t feel comfortable enough to take the bus by myself because there are to many creeps in this world. Instead I can take Dial-A-Ride, (a bus service for people who have a disability), and they pick me up at the door. I can also get rides from family. Part of being an adult, (for me), and being independent is to know what I am or am not comfortable with.

Ways I’m Independent!

1 I take care of my puppy, (Hazel).

2 I do my own laundry.

3 I edit and upload my YouTube videos.

4 I write and edit my Blog posts.

5 I’ve learned coping skills for my anxiety.

6 I know how to make meatloaf and mash potatoes.

7 I can bake cookies and brownies.

Ways I Can Become More Independent!

1 Taking Hazel for a walk by myself.

2 Taking Dial-a-Ride to the pet store.

3 Making, (my cat), Audrey an appointment to get spade.

Let me know some ways you are independent in the comments below.

Also if you haven’t already, please go vote by liking my YouTube video to help increase employability for us who are blind.

https://youtu.be/33856OamJhU

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

February 16, 2019February 16, 2019

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Review of Computer Glasses!

by Chelsey Zumpano

I recently got some new glasses to protect my eye from the harsh light of my Ipad and over the past week I’ve been wearing them.

The glasses have a yellow tent that dols the harsh light from my eye. I’ve been getting less headaches with them on. They don’t change the color of pictures or anything like that, but it does make everything a little yellow and a little less bright when I first put the glasses on. My eye feels a little less straind.

I still do a day with out looking at my screen, but sometimes that turns into more because My new puppy keeps me busy. I even just use them when I’m only watching videos.

Over all they work great for me and I wear them all the time, (even when I’m not on my Ipad). I do think more people need to wear glasses like these because how much everyone spends looking at a screen. If you want to try them for yourself go to the following link. https://www.amazon.com/TIJN-Blocking-Glasses-Eyeglasses-Computer/dp/B07G2CLMJN

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

February 2, 2019

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Guide To Colors When Your Blind!

by Chelsey Zumpano

There are hundreds and hundreds of colors with various different shades, but how do you describe color to someone who is blind?

The answer is simple try to relate it to other things. I got this idea from a video by ‘six Blind Kids’ and wanted to share my take on it.

I have enough vision to see colors, but some are harder for me to tell apart. When colors are really light they some times look white and when they are really dark they can look black and I’m going to list some of my favorite colors and the things they remind me of.

1 blue:

There’s the obvious like the sky and the taste of blueberries, and swimming on a hot summer’s day. The main thing it reminds me of is the ‘Percy Jackson series’ by Rick Riordan because Percy eats blue food. Oddly enough that’s why my favorite cocolor is blue because of Percy.

2 Green:

My first thoughts are of the feeling of grass tickling my feet and the fact that it’s one of my Mom’s favorite colors. The secon is Alex Fierro, (I couldn’t go with out mentioning her). Also green M and M’s.

3 Gray:

The softness of my cat (Audrey’s), fur, and rainy and overcast days.

4 Orange:

The sun set and ‘The Hunger Games Trilogy’ by Suzanne Collins because it’s Peeta’s favorite color. (A lot of my favorite things come from books).

5 Pink:

Cotton candy and Alex Fierro.

Tell me your favorite colors and the things that remind you of them. If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

January 19, 2019

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My Very Own Bumbelbee!

by Chelsey Zumpano

Last night we whent to the movies; as a family to see Bumblebee, (which is the new transformer movie). It was a great movie.

The main reason I wanted to go see it was because Bumbelbee is a VW Bug, but not just any Bug, a yellow bug.

A yellow VW bug with white doorsparked on the road.

I have a yellow bug that my Dad got me the night before I started high school. It’s the same yellow as my tandem bike. I’ve had it for 8 years! That’s the longest my family has had a car because Dad and Clint like to trade and work on lots of cars. I can’t drive my car on the road, but I can drive it off road. Clint took me to drive it in a parking lot. It was Awesome! We use to drive it to high school all the time.

The only thing that would make my Bug even Awesomer is if it was a self driving car! I mean think about how cool that would be! I could drive my own car! Or what if I had my very own transformer? Now that would be epic!

If you’d like to be interviewed or otherwise contribute to this Blog or YouTube send an email to:

viblindresources@gmail.com

January 11, 2019January 19, 2019

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