"It gave me a sense of meaning"
Glaucoma advanced to the point where Ron found it too difficult to do the volunteer work he loved in retirement. Still, he found a way to pull himself out of the hole he felt he was in and continue to give back.
Hadley
It gave me a sense of meaning
Ron: Losing your vision can throw you into a bad place for lots of reasons, but not being able to work in the estuary was certainly one of them.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Ron: My name is Ron Peterson. I'm 73 years old and I live in Imperial Beach, CA.
I went to school, studied engineering. I worked for the Navy as an engineer in weapon systems, and there were so many times in my career when I, when I thought, gosh, I should have been a Forest Ranger because I just love the outdoors and nature.
I retired about 10 years ago and I began working as a volunteer at the Tijuana Estuary. I loved working out there because I always loved being around nature, so I was planting native plants and removing invasive plants and helping maintain and clear the trails and such. Very satisfying work.
But then, about five years ago, I lost my vision to glaucoma. I'd actually experienced glaucoma symptoms about maybe 15 years ago, but I was able to control it with drops and such, and a couple of surgeries, but finally it caught up with me. 5 1/2 years ago, the bottom dropped out pretty fast. And it kind of surprised me. I wasn't really prepared for it.
And I was really in a funk there, are kind of in a deep hole for a few months.
That was very disheartening to me and losing your vision can throw you into a bad place. For lots of reasons. But not being able to work in the estuary was certainly one of them.
One of the things that I learned after losing my vision is that you need to ask for help. And I talked to the staff there at the estuary. I said, I want to continue to volunteer here and I love, I love these plants. What can we do and how can I help?
And together we came up with this perfect solution. That I would become a docent, and I would guide visitors in sharing the beauty of these native plants using the other four senses besides vision especially touch and smell.
And that's what really helped me along with the love of nature that I learned to basically climb out of that hole that I was in for a number of months.
I'd already learned how to identify 30 or 40 plants by sight, but I took a year or so and learned how to identify all these plants just by touch. And at this point I can go out there and wander around in this beautiful estuary with my guide dog and I can identify nearly 40 plants just by touch and smell.
On my nature walk which I give once a month, and I also give this walk on special visits from both sighted and blind groups. But we take about an hour, hour and a half and I introduce my guests to about 15 or 16 of these plants. The most beautiful plants and the most interesting plants.
But what it did for me was amazing. It gave me a sense of meaning. Connecting my love of nature with this business of volunteering and giving to others and it brought a lot of meaning to my life. And I'm frankly as happy now as I've ever been in my entire life, even without vision.
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 60
Diabetic retinopathy has taken more and more of Charles's vision. To cope, he is learning new approaches to life AND leaning into areas of passion that don't rely on sight.
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Episode 59
Bruce's vision had been decreasing for years. When it reached the point where he was tripping over objects and bumping into people, he felt embarrassed and kept his vision loss a secret. His wife convinced him to try something new.
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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"