Entering the outpatient center of my local hospital for my mammogram, I went to the iPad stationed by the registration desk for sign-in. Moving my face close to the screen, I could make out the fields “Last Name” and “First Name.” I filled them in and hit “Submit,” the next screen that popped up looked mostly blank. I attempted the first screen again, but received the same result. Finally I remembered I could enlarge the screen. I did so, entering the information for a third time, followed by “Submit.” I was then taken to the second screen again but with the larger font (by large I mean HUGE) I could see that it said I was signed in and could take a seat in the waiting area until I was called back to the desk. Before I took two steps, one of the two women working behind the desk said to the other, “A Sister Rain signed in three times.” She was obviously annoyed, as evidenced by the tone of her voice followed by a heavy sigh.
“Sorry about that,” I said. “I’m legally blind and I thought the first two attempts hadn’t worked.” As is often the case when someone is caught doing something they shouldn’t, “Oh, no problem!,” she replied, in a much higher, sing-song voice.
I found a chair but it wasn’t long before the other receptionist called my name. After going over my personal information and the testing I was there for, the moment I was dreading: the clipboard containing papers I needed to fill out. I am unable to see hard copy forms and that has historically caused a problem for desk personnel at various medical facilities.
After she attached the necessary documents, she said, “I guess you can’t fill these out,” with a tone as irritated as her colleague’s had been.
“You know, I would love to be able to fill out those forms. Or drive a car. Or see color. But unfortunately, I can’t do any of those things but I bet you can,” I answered in an even, firm voice.
I don’t know if it was the high road or the low road, but even without the driver’s license, I took the right road.
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