"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
-
Episode 64
Tamisue's eyesight has diminished to the point where she feels stuck between two worlds—not enough vision to function as she once did, but not fully blind. She fears her world going completely dark. However, an addition to her life has made a tremendous difference for both her and her family.
-
Episode 63
The loss Tom feels regarding his vision is complicated because it is ongoing. Acceptance has not come easy. Through the years, though, he has come to approach life a bit differently.
-
Episode 62
Anne's declining vision had her feeling down and sorry for herself. But two gifts—one she gave and one she received—helped turn things around for her.
-
Episode 61
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Join the Hadley Community
Hadley's resources are always available to you. Create a no-cost Hadley account to go further:
-
Pick up where you left off Everything you start is automatically saved across Hadley.
-
Personalized recommendations We'll suggest resources based on your interests.
-
Join live discussions Live and lively discussions on technology, cooking, and more, all geared toward the community of people living with vision loss.
-
Find peer support Connect with people who understand what you're going through.