"My emotions were everywhere"
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.
Hadley
My emotions were everywhere
Marilyn: My emotions were everywhere. I guess, my thing is you have to go to the grieving process. Sometimes even now after, four years? I still, grieve sometimes.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Marilyn: My name is Marilyn Bohm and I got diagnosed with, retinitis pigmentosa when I was 46. And I had vision up until, Covid hit and when it hit, it hit hard. I was very depressed. I had to go on medication, and I felt very lost. My emotions were everywhere.
And, I guess, my thing is you have to go to the grieving process. Sometimes even now after, what, four years? I still, grieve sometimes.
The other thing is the anxiety. You have to get help for that sometimes. And I have and, I have learned different techniques breathing. But it's a hard thing too. You not only get hit with depression, but some people get hit with anxiety.
I think it's the path. I believe it's a path we go on but it's in a different direction, depending on what you're looking for, for everyone with vision loss. And I, I have reached out and got help. I'm still on my journey. I turned 70 in March, and, I just keep one foot in front of the other and keep walking and facing challenges and living my life, because that is what you have to do. One of my retina specialists in Chicago tell me, I go, “what do I do now?” He goes “go and live your life.” And that's when I'm still doing.
And so, I decided to do something for myself. I put one foot in front of the other, and I always wanted to learn how to swim. And, I did. I went to the YMCA, and I can now swim four football fields, and I'm learning backstroke.
And the one thing that helped me was, I belong to a group at the center for Sight and Hearing in Rockford, Illinois, and we meet twice a month, one for a fellowship and one for Fun Friday.
And they're different eye problems. And we have people here in our group who have hearing problems. And when you're there, you feel normal. You know, you just feel really good.
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 69
Jack's vision has been declining for years. The hardest part for him is that it just keeps changing, so he needs to keep adapting. A routine Jack's wife put in place for the couple has helped him cope and adjust.
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Episode 68
Losing a fair amount of her vision brought with it a series of other losses for Dia. She began to feel depressed and very fearful. However, she gradually started giving herself pep talks and reconnecting with the things that bring her joy.
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Episode 67
Julia had always lived life on her own terms. So, when vision loss meant giving up her car keys, she used a white cane or her husband's arm to guide her steps, and kept going. Still, she noticed a change in how others treated her… until she made a decision she now calls, "the best thing I ever did."
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Episode 66
When the scenario Leighann had feared for years finally happened and glaucoma took much of her vision, it hit her hard. But her desire to keep living meant challenging herself—even when it scared her.
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Episode 65
Michael's vision loss led him down a long, uncomfortable road, discovering what he had to let go of and what he could still hold on to for his future. He continues to challenge himself to try new things.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.