"I was given a ticket to travel without embarrassment"

Hadley

I was given a ticket to travel without embarrassment

Bruce: As I walked around my hometown, I found myself more and more embarrassed, apologetic to people. People just didn't understand about my problem because I was keeping it a secret.

Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.

Bruce Wyland: Hello, my name is Bruce Wyland and I live on Bainbridge Island, which is an island off of downtown Seattle. I have retinitis pigmentosa and I've watched my vision get narrower and narrower from the outside coming in.

And I've adjusted to it along the way, giving up various things sports, driving, etc. but it wasn't until I hit my 60s that my vision deterioration finally reached the center of my vision, and my tunnel vision became so narrow that I was, literally tripping over things, bumping into dogs and children, open doorways. And as I walked around my home town, I found myself more and more embarrassed, apologetic to people. People just didn't understand about my problem because I was keeping it a secret.

So the one thing I want to recommend to people is when you're ready, get cane training and embrace the use of a cane. I have to say, I hesitated and resisted for a long, long time until my wife finally convinced me that I had to use the cane when I walked about, both for safety and for maximizing social interactions.

And when I started using the cane, first of all, I stopped tripping over things and running into things. And second of all, it was a way to gently announce to people that I had a visual problem and suddenly people who were confused or angry were helpful. Rather than feeling embarrassed, as I was afraid I might, I felt like I had suddenly been given a ticket to travel around without embarrassment, without mishaps both safer and happier.

And the final thing I will say is I was a little afraid of the cane as a negative symbol. And I was worried that people might ridicule me or be less than supportive. And I will tell you, in the two years I've been using the cane, I have not had a single negative interaction with another person.

People are kind. They're understanding. They are welcoming, and it's been a real plus for me. So, that's my suggestion when the time is right. Embrace the cane. Thanks for listening. Bye bye.

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].