"It's more comfortable talking to others that understand"
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.
Hadley
“It’s more comfortable talking to others that understand”
Terry: I was kind of like embarrassed to say anything. I feel more comfortable when I'm talking about it with people that understand what I'm going through.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Terry: Hi, my name is Terry Bruce. Everyone calls me Shorty. I'm from San Antonio, Texas, and I have optic atrophy. At the end of 19, I had a stroke, so that affected my vision even more. In 2023, I had another stroke, and it's called a CVA.
And it affected my eyes tremendously. And now I'm coping and trying to deal with losing my vision. I have vision in one eye, my right eye, but not as much. And vision in my left eye is totally gone. I can only see sometimes like flashes of light.
And after the first one, I was kind of like embarrassed to say anything. I'm a very independent person. I'm used to taking care of everybody else. I used to be a CNA, I used to be a QMA nurse and a provider. So I'm used to doing for others.
After I came out of the rehab, they say, well, you're gonna need this, you're gonna need that, you're gonna need this. And everything they started telling me, I heard it, but it wasn't happening to me. It was somebody else. It was like an out-of-body experience. And they was like, did you understand? Did you understand?
And I was like, yeah, sure, but you're not talking to me. You're talking to somebody else and I'm just listening to it. So, I wasn't grasping it.
I thank Hadley so much and I'm so glad I found out about it because y'all are helping me talk to other people that either have the same issue that I have or similarity of issues that I have. And I feel more comfortable when I'm talking about it with people that understand what I'm going through.
I know it's a hard road that we're going down and that we're traveling, but if you believe in God or any higher being or whatever, just talk to them. If you have family or friends, Hadley or whatever, just remember that little engine that said, I think I can, I think I can. And one day, sooner or later, you will be able to say, I can, I can because after you lost your vision you can't expect to just jump up and run a marathon you got to take it step by step and day by day a little by little.
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 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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Episode 89
The impact vision loss had on Todd's life was profound. Through cycles of anger and depression, he often took it out on those who cared most about him. Then he started channeling those emotions into a new activity, and that made all the difference for him and his family.
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