"I found something to do"
This week, hear how rediscovering a favorite activity helped Celia find balance as she adjusts to vision loss.
Hadley
I found something to do
Celia: And it just got me out of my funk because I had something to focus on besides just sitting here going “Okay, well my whole life has changed. Now what?”
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Celia: My name is Celia Petersen, I'm from Spring Branch, Texas, and I was a farmer before I lost my vision.
I have severe glaucoma, and I didn't have medical insurance for many years and so it was slowly developing, but then in the last year, year and a half, it sped up. They don't know why. And so now it's severe glaucoma. One eye doesn't have any vision at all, and the other eye is not doing great. So, I had an accident and I fell, and because of the light changes, which is real common. I understand now with glaucoma and I tore my meniscus in my left knee and broke my right wrist. And that's when I went back to the eye doctor and said, "What the heck?"
I'm 66 now. And I guess because I always lived in the same place and did the same things, I didn't realize how bad it was until I moved to Texas two years ago. I had drove here two years ago, but I couldn't drive at night, I already knew that that was an issue. But within a year of living here, it just really got bad. I don't drive at all anymore. And so, one of the explanations I was given is that your brain fills things in for you, and then when I was in an unfamiliar place where I didn't know where anything was, I just started really noticing because I was running into things and getting injured all the time.
After I got the diagnosis that my glaucoma was in the severe end stage and I didn't know what to do, I didn't know where to go.
What changed my mind was I was talking to my grandkids and they were teasing me, because they were trying to lift my spirit, and say, "How are you going to continue making the fleece into clothes and stuff when you can't see?" And I joked with them and they said, "Well, you should make hats for blind people because they won't notice your mistakes."
And I've done all this wool work for over 30 years with my sheep, so maybe I'll just do it by memory or learn how to do it a different way. And that just got me out of my funk because I had something to do, something to focus on beside just sitting here going, "Okay, well, my whole life has changed, now what?" So that's how I started.
And the first few things I made looked pretty funky because I had a great grandbaby and I sent her a toy and they were like, "What is it?" I had to rethink how to do things and get bigger needles and ask people for help. That's the biggest thing, was learning to ask for help, because I was a very independent person, and I had been my whole life. I ran the farm after my husband died, by myself. And now all of a sudden, you can't drive, you have to ask for rides everywhere, and you can't do your way of life anymore. It was a big change.
So, I found a farmer's market that was close enough and a friend that I had met here in Texas that could drive, and she does lace work, and I said, "Let's do something together." And so, she drove us to the market and we set up together and I handed out Hadley pamphlets with each thing that they bought, anybody bought, and I put a tag on there about Hadley.
I was so surprised by how many people wanted to support that. They're seeing me there with my cane, spinning wool, and that brings them over, the spinning wheel, and then I could talk to them, and so many of them had a story in their own family. Maybe they had glaucoma or something like me, and then I will talk to them and reassure them, "Your life's not over now. You just got to learn new ways to do things. And you'll be a little slower, so what?"
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 81
When Eddie lost a fair amount of vision, she was scared and didn’t know how she was going to cope. But she found a source of strength and inspiration.
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Episode 80
As Kenneth lost most of his sight to glaucoma, he was feeling increasingly isolated and alone. Then he made a commitment, forcing himself to find ways to stay connected to the rest of the world.
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Episode 79
When Carol Lee was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, she was angry and frustrated. Over time, resentment began to fade a bit and the shock wore off. Gradually, her perspective started to shift.
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Episode 78
When Cliff unexpectedly lost a fair amount of his sight, he felt overwhelmed. But with time, he found a way forward.
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Episode 77
Thomas is experiencing many challenges of late, including vision loss. He finds inspiration and hope knowing he's not alone.
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Episode 76
Nikki has lost her vision due to a rare autoimmune disease. While she appreciates positive bits of advice and encouragement, she also stays grounded in the struggles she's facing and knows others do, too. She's feeling the loss.
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Episode 75
When a favorite hobby became more difficult for Dianne due to glaucoma, she learned to tap into something else. It turned out to be the ideal thing.
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Episode 74
Peter's sight slowly but steadily worsened over the course of several years. When he had to give up driving, his self-image took a hit. Working through his emotions has helped him cope and adjust.
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Episode 73
Sherry's vision loss has been gradual yet relentless. Asking for help to do things she used to be able to do on her own is a challenge for her, as it is for many. But she's finding some new tools and new ways to do things.
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Episode 72
Carolyn lost much of her vision after several glaucoma surgeries, leaving her feeling angry and discouraged. But a familiar childhood story inspired her to keep trying, even when tasks seemed impossible.
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Episode 71
Learning he would never see again was heartbreaking for Shannon. Embracing what challenged him, Shannon discovered strength in the unfamiliar.
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Episode 70
The week Jessica was diagnosed with an eye disease that would progressively impair her vision, she also found out she had cancer. A few things have helped her continue to feel strong and less isolated.