"I found some direction"

Hadley

I found some direction

Jennifer: When things were getting a little rough, and I didn't really know what to do, I had some friends living around here who had that macular degeneration. But when I talked to them, they would just talk about the magnifying glasses they had. I didn't know what to do, and who to go to help out.

Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.

Jennifer: My name is Jennifer Love, and I live in Rockford Illinois. The doctors had been watching me prior to my even knowing it, they had been watching my eyes and seeing that I was developing macular degeneration. And I was, of course, watched to look at the grid. But actually, they discovered that I needed intervention before I even knew I had a problem.

Within two years ago, the doctor was going to start giving me a shot, at least in the right eye for to begin with. And I wasn't really having any vision problems except seeing my TV across the room was a little distant, and was thinking of how to manage that. Well, since then, I have brought it to me, it's only about four or five feet from me, which now is very comfortable for watching TV.

Anyway, a year ago I was having quite a lot of problems with the left eye that hadn't been getting the shot. And I didn't understand what was happening, and mentioned it to the nurse technician when I went to them. Said I felt like things were darker, and the vision problems. She said, "Well, then we'll scan it as well and see what happens."

Well, it came about that that particular eye also needed the shot.

It was distressing to me to think that my vision was deteriorating at a quicker rate. I had been told it would be either slow or quick. Well, it was slow to begin with, but this was now becoming a little more rapid. And that was a big concern to me.

When things were getting a little rough, and I didn't really know what to do, I had some friends living around here who had that macular degeneration. But when I talked to them, they would just talk about the magnifying glasses they had. I didn't know what to do, and who to go to help out.

I am a nurse by profession. I'm always looking for a way to do it another way.

I live in a Christian retirement center, and I do accompany some of the residents to their doctor appointments. And one day it was to help a lady in her visit to a mammogram. It was in this particular waiting room that I saw a book called Macular Degeneration, The Complete Guide to Saving and Maximizing Your Sight.

And I quickly picked it up, looked at it. And I said, "I've got to get this."

So, long story short, I did send for it. I have it in my possession, and I have found this to be extremely helpful. Giving me the idea of what to do, who to contact. And it was through them, this book, that I contacted the Hadley people yourselves, and also contacted a sight and hearing center here in Rockford. And that has been a tremendous help to me, so that I was given some direction.

And the directions being is, one thing is to let people know that you have a problem so that they can help you. And not just to keep it a secret, which is very helpful to me. And the folks, people are being very good. There is help. And I’m thankful for that.

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].