WEBVTT FILE

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Hi my name’s Mohammed

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I’m 26 years old

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and this is my guide dog Vargo.

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I’ve been blind since age fifteen

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I’ve been blind since age fifteen
due to numerous retinal detachments

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due to numerous retinal detachments

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and other related eye issues

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that came from all the operations

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that I had.

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I also have asthma,

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IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

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and have suffered from depression.

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That has also led me to having insomnia

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which was a factor to do with

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me losing my sight as well.

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The medicines I have include

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salbutamol inhalers,

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eye drops which help with inflammation,

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cetirizine hydrochloride and melatonin

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and in the past I’ve also been prescribed

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citalopram to help with depression

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and diazepam, which helped with cramps

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after suffering IBS.

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I’ve had a lot of problems with

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my medicines in the past

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for example with my inhalers,

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I never used to take the brown one

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because I found in so ineffective,

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I always found the blue inhaler

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so much more relieving

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and used to take it

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four or five or six times a day

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until I felt better.

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Similarly with the citalopram

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I was already suffering and quite low

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and I used to take the citalopram

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and it’d make me feel worse.

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I used to have bigger lows

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and bigger highs.

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I used to sleep more and

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I just thought...

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gosh I was depressed

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and now I’m like suicidal,

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what’s going on?

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I just wished that someone had told me

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then  that

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you’re using the inhaler incorrectly

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the brown one is preventative

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the blue one is relief

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and with the citalopram that actually

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these SSRI’s will make you feel worse

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before you get any better.

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I have a really good relationship

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with my pharmacy

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They know me on a first name basis

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and...

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also my family.

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Most of the time my dad picks up

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my prescriptions for me,

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so I don’t often get to see the pharmacy,

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but the rare times I do they simply

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give me the medicine

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and I walk out

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or sometimes they deliver.

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They knock on the door,

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I’ll open the door and they’ll say...

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“oh chemist, medicine for...”

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hand me a bag and walk away.

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It’s something I wish the pharmacy

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did tell me,

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especially as they have something like

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the Medicines Use Review service,

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but I don’t think they’d offer it

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to me because I think they’re scared.

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and...

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I would welcome it,

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any help is welcome

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especially when...

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you do struggle a bit more in life

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with a disability.

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My best advice for directly interacting

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with people who are blind

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or visually impaired is;

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don’t be afraid to touch us,

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to hold us,

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to be quite physical because

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we learn through our hands not our eyes

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and none of us would be offended

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if you said give me your hand

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feel my hand.

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Give me...

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Do you mind if I put this [inhaler] into your mouth

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of course we wouldn’t

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because how else are we going learn?

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It’s really easy for pharmacy staff

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to engage with people who have disabilities

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whether they’re visually impaired

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or deaf or physically disabled.

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For example with me...

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all you have to do is just talk to me

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just ask me.

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I’m not gonna bite you.

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I’d rather you asked questions and learned,

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I’d rather you asked questions...

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which ultimately...

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will help me and actually make me feel

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like a real human being.

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If you’re worried about

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things like how to address me;

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its fine to say that I’m blind,

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what’s wrong with that?

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If you’re worried about how to guide me;

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don’t pull me by the wrist like I’m a dog,

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just come over and be like,

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“Would you like an elbow?”

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I’ll either say yes or no,

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or I’ll say the dog will follow you.

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Even simple things

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like when you’re giving me medicines;

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don’t just give them to me,

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ask me simple questions like

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“there’s an information sheet,"

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"would you like me to read it to you?”

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That makes such a big difference.

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Again I’m just gonna say yes or no,

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but I’ll definitely appreciate it.