"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
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.
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?”
Douglas: My name is Douglas Walker. Even a small change in your vision can make a big difference in how you have to approach some of the most familiar tasks. Today, we’ll hear from Celia. Celia shares with us how what started out as a joke with her grandkids, got her back into the community doing something she loves to do.
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?"
Douglas: I’d love to hear your story. If you’d like to share, 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 60
Diabetic retinopathy has taken more and more of Charles' 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.
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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"