"Don't let this steal your joy"
Listen in as Cindy shares how advice from her son helped her adjust to her new normal.
Hadley
Don’t let this steal your joy
Cindy Scott Huisman: I have really called upon those words from our son many times throughout the five years since sight loss.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Cindy Scott Huisman: My name is Cindy Scott Huisman, and I live in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Our son became legally blind at age seven in 1999 due to a hereditary condition called Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy.
And 18 years later, my eyesight became affected with the same condition.
Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy or LHON causes central eyesight loss due to issue with the optic nerves. And so, it has caused me to have issues with seeing people's faces and reading print. And of course, I can't drive a car.
Along the way, shortly after sight loss, I remember discussing what was going on with me with our son, and he said, mom, this isn't the end of the world. That was encouraging. “This isn’t the end of the world.”
And there was another day when he and I were at the house together and I was trying to totally reformulate how I go about making a grocery list, and I was getting really frustrated and he said, don't let this thing steal your joy.
I have really called upon those words from our son many times throughout the five years since sight loss.
There were just so many steps along the way with him growing up and just figuring out the system as far as his education and everything else that needed to happen along the way. And then for him to have that opportunity to turn it around and help advocate for me, encouraging me and making me feel better. It was just such a lovely full circle kind of situation.
Marc: You never know who might need to hear your story. If you’d like to share with us, just leave us a message on our Insights & Sound Bites voicemail. By calling, 847-512-4867. Or, you can use your smartphone or computer and email us a recording to [email protected].
All Episodes
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Episode 68
Losing a fair amount of her vision brought with it a series of other losses for Dia. She began to feel depressed and very fearful. However, she gradually started giving herself pep talks and reconnecting with the things that bring her joy.
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Episode 67
Julia had always lived life on her own terms. So, when vision loss meant giving up her car keys, she used a white cane or her husband's arm to guide her steps, and kept going. Still, she noticed a change in how others treated her… until she made a decision she now calls, "the best thing I ever did."
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Episode 66
When the scenario Leighann had feared for years finally happened and glaucoma took much of her vision, it hit her hard. But her desire to keep living meant challenging herself—even when it scared her.
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Episode 65
Michael's vision loss led him down a long, uncomfortable road, discovering what he had to let go of and what he could still hold on to for his future. He continues to challenge himself to try new things.
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Episode 64
Tamisue's eyesight has diminished to the point where she feels stuck between two worlds—not enough vision to function as she once did, but not fully blind. She fears her world going completely dark. However, an addition to her life has made a tremendous difference for both her and her family.
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Episode 63
The loss Tom feels regarding his vision is complicated because it is ongoing. Acceptance has not come easy. Through the years, though, he has come to approach life a bit differently.
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Episode 62
Anne's declining vision had her feeling down and sorry for herself. But two gifts—one she gave and one she received—helped turn things around for her.
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Episode 61
Glaucoma advanced to the point where Ron found it too difficult to do the volunteer work he loved in retirement. Still, he found a way to pull himself out of the hole he felt he was in and continue to give back.
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Episode 60
Diabetic retinopathy has taken more and more of Charles's vision. To cope, he is learning new approaches to life AND leaning into areas of passion that don't rely on sight.
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Episode 59
Bruce's vision had been decreasing for years. When it reached the point where he was tripping over objects and bumping into people, he felt embarrassed and kept his vision loss a secret. His wife convinced him to try something new.
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Episode 58
Marie grieved the loss of her vision, and still does. Yet, on a sunny August morning, she came to a realization that made all the difference in the world.
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Episode 57
Terry's doctor told him, "There's nothing more we can do. You'll never drive again," and he was distraught. Then he recalled his military days as a Marine and sailor, and that got him through.