"I take it one day at a time"
Listen in as Vanessa shares what has helped keep her from feeling hopeless and defeated due to vision loss.
Hadley
I take it one day at a time
Vanessa: In my early stages of vision loss, I would just feel so defeated at times where I felt hopeless.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Vanessa: My name is Vanessa Pruit and I live in Kennewick, Washington, Eastern Washington.
I have peripheral vision, but I have scarring in my center vision, so macular degeneration atrophy, is actually what it's called. And I just found that out in August of 2019.
Well, for me, because when I felt like I couldn't accomplish something, I would let, especially in my early stages of losing vision or vision loss, I would just feel so defeated at times where I felt hopeless, and I went through that for years, and that makes you feel low and depressed. And so, after a while I was like, you have to self-talk yourself out of things because even though the world doesn't really understand, I do.
So, I had to self-talk myself into saying, "I'm better than being defeated, I'm better than just sitting here and feeling sorry for myself because of the change from when I had vision until now." And it's not an easy thing for me to do, but I just take it one day at a time. And I do believe that because of that I'm able to face another day.
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 101
When Terry lost more of her vision, it took time to come to terms with what was happening. Talking with others who understand what she's going through has made it easier to open up and find her way forward.
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Episode 100
As Patricia's vision changed, doing things on her own became harder, and at times she felt like no one really understood. Connecting with others going through many of the same things helped her feel less alone and more like herself again.
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Episode 99
Rebecca was used to handling things on her own, but vision loss brought anger, frustration, and challenges she hadn't expected. Over time, she found a different way forward, making room for the hard days, accepting help, and finding people who understood.
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Episode 98
As her vision changed, Martha worried her world might start getting smaller. But a trip reminded her that she didn't have to give up the things she loved. Turns out, asking for a little help can take you a long way.
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Episode 97
Vision loss doesn't always happen all at once. For Kara, it keeps changing, which means she's constantly figuring out what she can and can't do. Hear how she's learning to adjust, deal with the frustrations, and take each day as it comes.
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Episode 96
For Carolyn, connecting with people has always come naturally. When vision loss made it harder to recognize faces, she worried about missing those everyday connections. Hear how speaking up about her vision helped others understand what she needed.
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Episode 95
A close call on a walk changed the way Lance thinks about living with vision loss. It reminded him to stay open, keep learning, and keep moving forward.
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Episode 94
For Dottie, losing her vision meant giving up many things, and there was one farewell that hit especially hard. But after making a difficult choice to let go of something she loved, Dottie found a new perspective on what she had lost—and gained.
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Episode 93
Linda always imagined retirement would mean doing the volunteer work she loved, but after losing her eyesight, she thought that chapter of her life was over. Then one memorable hospital visit reminded her she still had exactly what people needed.
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Episode 92
As Mary's vision worsened, the life she'd always known began slipping out of reach. She wasn't sure where to turn or what might help. But a chance meeting changed things for her in ways she now hopes to pass on.
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Episode 91
When Susan began losing vision, she grew fearful about the future. But she found a source of hope and courage.
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Episode 90
Early in her journey with vision loss, Char was bitter and angry at the world. But one day, a heartfelt conversation helped her turn a corner and, as she put it, "look at vision loss through different eyes."
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