"I pick myself up"
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.
Hadley
I Pick Myself Up
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.
Denise: I’m constantly losing vision and it’s just painfully slow. You never know what you’re going to wake up to.
Douglas: My name is Douglas Walker. You know, with some eye conditions, we slowly lose vision over time. And it can be a real struggle not knowing what we’ll face with the dawn of each day. Today, Denise will share with us how the joy of a furry companion helps lift her up, when she’s feeling down.
Denise: My name is Denise Schweitzer, and I am a resident in the southern most tip of Indiana, in the Evansville area.
I still mourn the loss of my vision, because with this disease, Stargardts, there is no stable time in your vision. I'm constantly losing vision, and it's just painfully slow. You never know what you're going to wake up to. Every day, you don't know what you're going to wake up to.
I really started struggling going up and down stairs and feeling safe. Then I knew right away, I'm a dog person, always have been a dog person. I knew once I learned how to use that cane, I wanted to learn what the process was to get a guide dog.
Kia is my guide dog, and she's a wonderful girl. She's so much of a companion, and I live in the rural area, and so it's nice to have her because we don't have sidewalks and stuff. I can teach her a route and just tell her to take me to see my friend or whatever, and she just boom, boom, boom, takes me along. It's a nice peace of mind to have her companionship and also feel safe out here in the country where I'm at.
I think the bad days that I've had, I always pick myself up afterwards. Getting outside, spending time with my guide dog, just breaking up the monotony of the sadness works for me.
Douglas: You never know who might need 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 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.