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Central Blind
Rehabilitation Center
Hines VA Hospital
PO Box 5000 (124)
Hines, IL 60141
Phone: 708-202-2272
Fax: 708-202-7949
hinesbrc@med.va.gov
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Screen Text Size Central Blind Rehabilitation
Center (CBRC) at Hines, Illinois
Testimonials from Graduates
It is almost impossible to write what has happened to the quality of
my life since my training period at Hines Blind Rehab Center, but I
will try. As a result of having had the training at Hines, I am much
more independent, more confident, and enjoy the freedom of
locomotion that I have not had for many years.
I no longer sit in a chair waiting for others to do for me. Because of
Hines, I now walk alone (with my cane), correspond with friends and family,
read on my CCTV, listen to books and magazines on my cassette machine, and
even clean and oil my electric razor with all of its intricate parts.
As for the staff, I have never before, nor will I ever in the future,
meet a group of people with so much compassion and yet the dedication to
give to each trainee as much as possible.
If in future, the vision deteriorates to the point where I feel that I
need more training, I will be more than happy to return to Hines for further
training. I will be so happy to see all of my friends, and I hope they will
be pleased to see me.
P.S. About six months ago, my wife broke her hip and was in the hospital
or rehab for seven weeks. I was home alone during that time, and without
having been at Hines, I don't know how I would have made it. I don't think a
day goes by that I don't think of the instructors or something in connection
with Hines.
Irvin Fine
FEAR, WITH NO FUTURE IN SIGHT
My future, I believed was lost in October of 1997.
I came home from work on Thursday afternoon September 18th, 1997, and went out
to cut the grass. When beginning to do so, I experienced severe pain in my lower
left back. To make a long story short, what I had felt was a Thoracic Aortic
Aneurysm that had leaked instead of ruptured. This led to a lack of blood to my
optic nerve creating what is called oxygen depravation to the optic nerve,
resulting in total blindness.
I was only 48 years old at the time of the incident, and I simply could not
prevent from continuing my life, as I had a wife and two children who depended
on me. I looked for resources for help and was referred to The Hines Blind
Center Rehab facility. I applied to the program and was accepted in a matter of
a couple of months, as there was a waiting list.
Needless to say, I was scared out of my mind at the thought of having to leave
my family after all that had happened. I would have to live at the Blind Center
while going through the training. But, from the minute I arrived there, I was
greeted by some of the most wonderful staff you could find to make you feel
comfortable.
My stay consisted of about thirteen weeks. It was like I had gone away to boot
camp all over again, however this time I was surrounded with a group of people
that had already been through the war. While at the center I was taught such
skills as Orientation and Mobility, Braille, Independent living skills and
manual skills, among many other facets of skills that would help me to begin a
new journey, now in a world without sight.
We were kept busy throughout the day, and then on many of the evenings there
were activities such as bowling, bingo, pretty much always some form of fun. Oh,
and let me not forget the trips to local V.F.W. halls for some wonderful
entertainment by the lodge members.
I simply can go on and on, but I will tell you that the skills and confidence I
acquired from the program cannot be matched by others. The entire staff, with
their compassion and devotion, are frankly, in my opinion, " THE BEST OF THE
BEST ".
"FEAR NO LONGER"
By Doug Allo, U.S.M.C. Blind veteran alumi
What My Stay at Hines Meant to Me
When I fist attended Hines I was newly blind. I was afraid of being blind,
confused, angry, and even depressed. Then after a few days there, I realized
that I was not the only one that shared those same feelings. The staff treated
all of us the same, gave us methods of how to cope with our new situation. After
a very short time we were learning daily living skills that made us feel more
secure and useful again. They gave us back the confidence we had lost and made
us realize that we were being treated with the same dignity and respect we
enjoyed while we were sighted. We went home feeling that we could again rejoin
society as equals to all those we associated with. The most recent stay at Hines
has given me a chance to become proficient in the use of the computer. I am at
present developing Application Programs for those who do not understand computer
programming but wish to use the computer. This would never have been possible
without the encouragement and training that I received at Hines. I am forever
grateful for that opportunity, as well as the wonderful friendships I was able
to make while I was there. Roy Buehrle
Graduate of Regular Program and Computer Training
Everything that you will be doing there is taught to you for more than one
reason. Not only will you be learning different things than you've probably ever
done before, but also you will be learning how to do things in a different
manner. Alternative methods for doing little tasks that you thought you were no
longer able to do since your sight was going away. I never ended a day without
learning something new and better yet, sharpen my skills and better my
abilities. I found out too, that I had picked up a few bad habits that I needed
to break that were actually causing me more troubles than I should have had to
deal with. In most of the classes that you go to, you will receive some kind of
device to aid you in whatever you do.
There will be veterans there of all ages, both men and women. Tall, short, round
and skinny. Black, white, green and purple and maybe pink with purple polka dots
too, depending on how you can handle the hospital food.
All of the Instructors, staff and nurses work truly very, very hard for all the
Veterans there. THE HINES HOSPITAL AND BLIND CENTER CATER TO ONLY YOU, THE
VETERAN. And they all really bend over backwards to help in every way possible.
Aside from the classes, there are all kinds of events that go on, and so much to
do. There is so much I can say about the Blind Center, I could go on endlessly.
I did not want to leave. I was so overwhelmed with the loving care they all
showed me, it was truly hard to leave the place. But I am looking forward to
returning for the Computer Classes. I think of all the personnel there and miss
them all.
Yours truly,
Timothy I. Miller
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