"A hobby and so much more"
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/
Hadley
A Hobby and So Much More
Presented by Douglas Walker
Douglas: Hello, and welcome to the Insights and Sound Bites podcast, where people facing vision loss share insights about what has helped them cope and adjust.
William Chapman: I started making the clocks for myself just to keep my mind going and some people started requesting those clocks.
Douglas: My name is Douglas Walker. Today we’ll hear from William. William shares with us how his love of woodworking, which, started out as a hobby ended up giving him so much more.
William Chapman: Hi, my name is William Chapman. I reside in Kalamazoo, Michigan. I'm 73 years of age. I used to work for the court system for 32 years. Three years after I retired is when I lost my sight.
I'm totally blind as a result of optic nerve neuropathy, and it was a gradual type thing. And so, my wife encouraged me to pursue mobility and the blind center here in Michigan.
One of the little hobbies that I had prior to losing my sight was woodworking. They introduced me to woodworking while I was at the center.
And one of the things that I decided to pursue just to keep my mind going...I was going to follow up with woodworking once I left the center, which I did, as a hobby. So, I started making the clocks for myself, and some people start requesting those clocks that I made, and, "What can I pay you?" I go, "What?" So, I started making the clocks, and I created a webpage.
They said, "Well, how do you do that?" Well, I got all my fingers. I'm very careful. I have a sawmill around here that I get my lumber from at a discount. It's therapeutic because during COVID, I was making three to four clocks a week. That was my way of...People were saying how bored they were, but, man, it was nonstop for me. I may work out into my man cave to two, three o'clock in the morning, and it was therapeutic, just sanding and filling and all of that.
Not to be braggadocios or anything like that. I'm not unique because I know there are a number of people like us who are doing exceptional things even though they are without sight. And so that's my motivation is to lift people up, let them know that it's not the end of the world.
Douglas: Is there an insight you’d like to share? I‘d love to hear from you. You can leave me a voicemail by calling, 847-512-4867. Or, you can email me a recording to [email protected]. Again, my name is Douglas Walker. Take care and I’ll see you next time.
All Episodes
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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.
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Episode 56
When Emma lost her sight in just a few months, she struggled to cope. She felt alone, her insecurities grew, and self-esteem plummeted. With time, she came to a new understanding and that helped her tremendously.
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Episode 55
Dave calls his experience with vision loss a slow torture. In the face of this, however, he has found a sense of inspiration in explorers, history, and an activity you wouldn't typically connect with vision loss, sightseeing.
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Episode 54
When Albert's vision decreased to the point that he could no longer read print anymore, he found it stressful. But he's found a new source of comfort that helps him quite a bit.
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Episode 53
Jayne can feel isolated living with her eye disease, spending much of her days forcing herself to focus on things that have become blurry. The stress can be overwhelming, causing her to shut down. But there's one area of life that now brings her more joy than ever before.
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Episode 52
When Jeffry lost his sight, he felt a loss of control, a loss of dignity. Then, he began his long road to empowerment, one small goal at a time.
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Episode 51
Marilyn went through bouts of anxiety and depression with her vision loss and still grieves the loss several years into her journey. She also decided to do something for herself which has helped tremendously.
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Episode 50
Learning to live with vision loss wasn't always easy for Pam. But with time, her bad days are fewer.
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Episode 49
Jennifer didn't know what to do or who to go to for help as her vision was fading. Then, by chance, she found some help. She found some direction.
The book referenced in this episode is "Macular Degeneration: The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight"
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Episode 48
When Carmel heard a Hadley podcast, it helped her understand what had been happening to her along with her vision loss—something she had nicknamed her "phantom vision."
Carmel mentions an episode of our sister podcast, Hadley Presents. Here's a link to that episode on Vision Loss and Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
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Episode 47
It was tough for Linda to give up driving and she was heartbroken when reading became difficult. She felt her world was shrinking. But then she asked for help.