"It finally clicked"
Listen in as Leah shares how it finally clicked for her—the realization that she's not alone.
Hadley
It finally clicked
Leah: I felt like the doctor kind of just threw me to the wolves. You're going to go blind. Oh, by the way, make an appointment to see me in a year.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Leah: My name is Leah Moore and I live in Omaha, Nebraska.
Just a little over a year ago, I was diagnosed with Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy, late onset. At the time I just figured, you know, doctors have been wrong before. They've been wrong again, I'm not worried about it. And I just kind of blew it off. After about four months, everything started looking like it was crumpled up paper. If you had paper that somebody crumpled it up and then tried to flatten it out, it would've had all the crinkles in it. And at that time, I just thought, "Well, maybe I should probably have this in my medical record." So I called and got the information, and when the doctor diagnosed me, she said, "Within two years, you will not be able to drive. You will not be able to read, and you'll not be able to recognize anyone's faces."
I felt like the doctor kind of just threw me to the wolves. You're going to go blind. Oh, by the way, make an appointment to see me in a year.
My biggest issue was just accepting it, knowing this is really going to happen because I was in denial for so long and trying to make excuses for everything. And once it hit me, we were on our way to the Grand Canyon to see before I couldn't see, and that's when reality hit me.
I have heard, it seems like all my life, I've heard people say, you're not alone, you're not alone. For everything they say, you're not alone. And it just meant nothing to me until I was able to actually hear other people who really were going through the same things, or they've been through what I'm going through now. And they'll say, "I remember that time, and you're going to get through it just like I did." And it finally clicked. I am really am not alone.
I get up when I get upset. I start singing, "I can do anything better than you can."
It reminds me, I can keep going. It is not the end of the world, and you can't even see the end of the world from here. It just keeps on going. And I can keep going too.
I am absolutely lost if I didn't have the assistance of others and the guidance and the people who share their stories.
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 82
When Elizabeth lost her vision in an auto accident, she went into survival mode. As she began to rebuild her life, she found certain connections and activities helped her focus less on her limitations and more on a renewed sense of purpose.
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Episode 81
When Eddie lost a fair amount of vision, she was scared and didn’t know how she was going to cope. But she found a source of strength and inspiration.
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Episode 80
As Kenneth lost most of his sight to glaucoma, he was feeling increasingly isolated and alone. Then he made a commitment, forcing himself to find ways to stay connected to the rest of the world.
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Episode 79
When Carol Lee was diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration, she was angry and frustrated. Over time, resentment began to fade a bit and the shock wore off. Gradually, her perspective started to shift.
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Episode 78
When Cliff unexpectedly lost a fair amount of his sight, he felt overwhelmed. But with time, he found a way forward.
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Episode 77
Thomas is experiencing many challenges of late, including vision loss. He finds inspiration and hope knowing he's not alone.
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Episode 76
Nikki has lost her vision due to a rare autoimmune disease. While she appreciates positive bits of advice and encouragement, she also stays grounded in the struggles she's facing and knows others do, too. She's feeling the loss.
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Episode 75
When a favorite hobby became more difficult for Dianne due to glaucoma, she learned to tap into something else. It turned out to be the ideal thing.
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Episode 74
Peter's sight slowly but steadily worsened over the course of several years. When he had to give up driving, his self-image took a hit. Working through his emotions has helped him cope and adjust.
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Episode 73
Sherry's vision loss has been gradual yet relentless. Asking for help to do things she used to be able to do on her own is a challenge for her, as it is for many. But she's finding some new tools and new ways to do things.
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Episode 72
Carolyn lost much of her vision after several glaucoma surgeries, leaving her feeling angry and discouraged. But a familiar childhood story inspired her to keep trying, even when tasks seemed impossible.
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Episode 71
Learning he would never see again was heartbreaking for Shannon. Embracing what challenged him, Shannon discovered strength in the unfamiliar.