KC Discrimination

[GarethB]

Sue,

I must admit on Saturday afetr a Christmas part I experienced my first bit of discrimination regarding my eyes.

Was not wearing lenses at the time, but still had the selection of dark glasses to make the disco more comfortable. At the end of the party, one guy started with all the X-ray vision jokes, lasers out the eyes and so on.....

I found what company he works for as the event was shared by several large companys including Peugeot and Nat West in Coventry. Written a strongly worded letter of complaint to the place this individual works for pointing uot that had a said something derigatory about the colour of this persons skin that I could face arrest under the racism laws. Pointed this out to the guy who made the insulting remarks.

Sue you might be able to guess who he worked for if you remember the type of organisation my wife used to work for!

Gareth

[Susan Mason]

Gareth

Thanks for the post, it has cheered me up a little and reminded me I am not alone.

Maybe the small mindedness is more easily found in certain areas of the jobs market.

Best wishes for Christmas to you all

Susan

[Kathy Hobkirk]

I went into work, for a quick staff meeting which i was invited to, today for the first time in 4 months and from the greetings I got it was like i've never been away. The fact I've been off sick since August with severe imflamation didn't seem to make any difference!

Not many people where I work know that I have KC or what its about so I've the questions to look forward to.

My works do is on Friday so watch this space!!

Kathy

[Susan Mason]

Kathy

Hopefully things will stay that way for you and why shouldn't they. We sometimes can't help being ill and if that means we have to be off work well so be it.

I seem to just have come across a small concentrated minority of people who just come across in words and actions as not giving a stuff about anyone else.

Hope you have a good Christmas party.

Susan

[GarethB]

My supervisor is very good, she made me aware that poeple were talking behind my back as I was and still do wear very dark glasses alot. We decided the easiest way to raise awarenss before anything was said direct to me or if I over heard anything offensive.

Luckily the confrence was coming up and I pursuaded my eployer to make a donation. I think it was £400 in the end which warented me having my picture in the company news letter complete with Dark glasses, explanation of KC and holding up a copy of the KC group emplyee leaflet.

Work is fine, but I must thank Susan for all the help and advice she gave me when I retuned 12 months ago. In that period only had about a week off due to KC and that was six months ago.

[Sweet]

Gareth, i'm really glad that you wrote a letter of complaint, we need to do this more often i think if we want less people making bad remarks. So good for you and i hope his boss has some serious words with him!

I had my works Christmas do last night and have to admit that i am seriously ill with a hangover from hell! LOL! I really cannot drink wine, but as it was free along with beer, it was the only thing to drink, but now i'm REALLY paying for it!

So, am going back to bed to recover hehehe. Talk later when i'm feeling better!

Sweet X x X

[james mckinlay]

FIRST OF ALL HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE I COULD GIVE YOU A LIST PAGES LONG OF EXPERIENCCES IVE HAD RANGING FROM WORK RELATED TO THE MOST ANNOYING WITH CHAIN STORES AND A CERTAIN RAIL COMPANY I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE ID HAVE TO WAIT FIVE WEEKS FOR A LARGE PRINT FORM WHAT A JOKE THAT FELT. ALSO I WEAR DARK GLASSES AND UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE GARETH I GET ALL THE COMMENTS I EVEN HAD ONE FROM A BAR MANAGER SAYING I WAS LOOKING SUSPICIOUS IN A ROOM WITH DARK GLASSES ON ANYWAYS PEOPLE ARE SO SHALLOW AND UNEDUCATED THAT IS IS SICKENING BUT LIKE YOU SAY IF YOU MAKE REMARKS THEN YOU COULD BE RACIST OR OTHER WHICH IS TERRIBLE BUT ONE DAY THESE MORONS WILL EXPERIENCE EYE PROBLEMS AND THEN REALISE WHAT ITS LIKE SOONER THAN LATER WE HOPE. ALSO CERTAIN EMPLOYERS NOW CAN BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR EMPLOYEE'S ACTIONS ON NIGHTS OUT IE CHRISTMAS PARTY'S SO YOU SHOULD MAKE SURE YOU GIVE THIS PERSON ONE HUGE FRIGHT AND THEY MAY CHANGE THE WAY THEY ACT IN FUTURE BUT SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST LIKE THAT AND WE HAVE TO GRIN AND BEAR IT UNTILL THE DAY COMES THAT LAWS CHANGE . ENOUGH OF MY LIFE STORY LOL AGAIN HAPPY CHRISTMAS ALL

ALSO A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE FORUM FOR ALL THE KIND SUPPORT GIVEN TO ME THIS YEAR

JAMES MCKINLAY A.K.A DODGY GUY WITH SPECS

[Lesley Foster]

Hi All,

Fortunately I haven't really had many problems with comments from others, one I do recall was from an optician I was taking my son to seesoon after we moved here. I arranged for his sight test and remarked that our previous chap had been keeping an eye (no pun intended) on his vision because I had poor sight to which the optician replied rather rudely "you seem perfectly ok you are wearing glasses" I very pointedly told him I had KC and the glasses were just to catch my lenses should they fall out, exit one embarrassed optician!

If people make comments as to why I'm wearing dark glasses on a dull wet day or why do I always wear a hat I usually tell them I have poor vision and can't tolerate the light, often they want to know why and how do I manage. Then I tell them I have a problem with the corneas which is corrected by contact lenses and if I didn't have lenses then it's a white stick job! I don't tend to have any problems after that.

My family and friends are all very supportive and know I can't always drive especially at night so if I do need to go anywhere someone will usually give me a lift or if I can't read something very clearly they will read it for me. I have also found that they will put someone in thier place if an adverse comment has been made about my sight, glasses or headgear. Thoughtful little things like that mean a lot and make up for the thoughtlessness and ignorance of others.

Cool Yule.
Lesley.

ps John I love the graphics and Sweet well done on the 300+ I love reading your messages they cheer me up on a lousy day. Thankyou.

[Kathy Hobkirk]

Hi Susan

I went to my works xmas do the other week and it was not a nice experience, apart from the senior staff collegues everyone else ignored me and I don't know whether I can go back to that kind of environment. I have been off work since August and I thought they thought more of me than that. It might be me reading more into it but I don't know.

Have you had any problems at work?

Kathy x

[Susan Mason]

Hi Kathy

Sorry to hear your works Christmas party was not too good.

Have I had problems at work? well yes is the answer however, maybe from a different angle than the one you experienced at your party.

If you fancy a chat or want to ask some questions send me a private message.

best wishes

Susan

PS try to remember they are the ones with the problem not you and your comment:-

"I thought they thought more of me than that. It might be me reading more into it but I don't know"

Well I know exactly where you are coming from on that one.