"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 34
Listen in as Anne describes how a question posed to her shifted her perspective for living with vision loss.
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Episode 33
This week, William shares how learning to continue with his favorite hobby, even with vision loss, has been therapeutic—and uplifting. Here's the link to his website https://www.blindtruths.org/
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Episode 32
This week Angela shares how she struggled to get around due to vision loss, how she tried to hide it from others, and what helped her.
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Episode 31
This week we hear from Appreciate. She found that a Facebook group, The International Blind Cafe, gave her a source of comfort and encouragement.
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Episode 30
Marian's inner voice had her living in fear. Listen in as she shares how she redirected that voice to be more helpful for her.
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Episode 29
This week Dorrie shares how technology has made all the difference for her in living with vision loss.
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Episode 28
Today we hear from Ed who shares how the source of hope for him has changed with time.
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Episode 26
Listen in as Tim recalls a conversation with a store clerk and how it helped him adjust to life with vision loss.
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Episode 25
Listen in as Alice shares a boyfriend's advice from many years ago. Words that give her hope, even today.
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Episode 24
Listen in as Bill shares how a chance encounter changed his perspective on vision loss.
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Episode 23
Listen in as Ruth shares how her frustration and impatience turned around with just one phone call.
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Episode 22
Listen in as Sam shares how he struggled trying to hide his vision loss-and how he finally turned the corner.