"I never thought of that"
Randy's search for help led him into a whole new way of thinking.
Insights and Soundbites
I never thought of that
Randy: Probably the hardest part was just not understanding and getting information and help on trying to navigate through the emotions of it.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Randy: There's always the, why me thing. And then of course, you go back to the, why not? I have a strong faith, and I understand the way life works, but there's still emotionally, as humans, we still deal with the sense of loss and, "Well, what do I do now?" A lot of it is, "Well, okay, I got this." And even if you are able to come to terms with it, it's like, "Okay, so now what?"
One of the things that... Looking backwards, probably the hardest part was just not understanding and getting information and help on trying to navigate through the emotions of it and navigating with the loss of vision. And there wasn't a lot of help.
But, when I came across that one by Douglas Walker, Adjusting to Vision Loss, and I read it, it just captured so much of what I felt over the years. To me, it was the most logical first workshop anybody should take when they encounter vision loss, when they're first dealing with it. It just helps you to think about the emotions, think about, "Okay, what are my steps going forward, and what am I going to do?"
What I liked about that was they made a comment about how vision loss is... When you have a loss, you go through the cycle of grieving, anger, all that stuff. Yeah, we all do that. But what was very interesting is they made the comment, "Well, because people don't realize your vision, you reach a plateau and then a little while later, your vision deteriorates more, you go through the whole process all over again." I never thought of that. That makes perfect sense.
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 42
For Cynthia, every story shared helps her on her own journey with vision loss.
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Episode 41
Living with low vision meant Karen was constantly explaining to others what she can and can't see. Then she found a tool that has made a big difference.
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Episode 40
Having to give up the car keys was traumatic for Eugenia. She worried about becoming isolated until she found a new way.
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Episode 39
This week, hear how rediscovering a favorite activity helped Celia find balance as she adjusts to vision loss.
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Episode 38
Denise can struggle with the slow but continuous loss of vision she's facing. But she's found a way to pick herself up on a bad day.
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Episode 37
Listen in as Vanessa shares what has helped keep her from feeling hopeless and defeated due to vision loss.
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Episode 36
Stacy shares with us how being honest about her vision loss with her friends and coworkers has made all the difference in the world.
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Episode 35
For many, having to give up the car keys due to vision loss is traumatic. Deb felt it too. Then, during a call to arrange transportation for herself, a new door opened.
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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.