"People are accepting there"
Debbie has found a place near her that helps unleash her creative streak and her desire to give back to the community, a place where how much she can see doesn't matter.
Hadley
“People are accepting there”
Debbie: It is wonderful going to the senior center. One thing that they do up there is art. With a little bit of sighted assistance, we do different kinds of art.
Marc: This is Hadley’s Insights and Sound Bites, where people facing vision loss share what has helped them cope and adjust.
Debbie: Hi, my name is Debbie Morgan. I'm from Lafayette, Indiana. The story I want to share is kind of an ongoing experience. I have artificial eyes. I started going to the senior center of Tippecanoe, which is here in Lafayette, probably about a year and a half ago.
One thing that they do up there is art. We do different kinds of art, and much of this stuff I had never done before, but with a little bit of sighted assistance. I've painted rocks. I've painted kind of abstracts because I don't see the pictures. I've worked with clay. I've also made the fleece blankets where people will cut the squares around the edges and then you tie them together. And a friend of mine and I are going to do that and make them for the animal shelter here in Lafayette.
It is wonderful going to the senior center. The people are very accepting. The art instructor is a young lady who is very encouraging, very helpful. And loves to try new things and she is very glad to have me in her class, and I appreciate that. And the other people in the class interact with me and we have a great time.
So any of you out there, if you do get the chance, go to a senior center. There are other activities up there to get involved in to. I love it and I’m very thankful for it. Thank you.
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 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"
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Episode 48
When Carmel heard a Hadley podcast, it helped her understand what had been happening to her along with her vision loss—something she had nicknamed her "phantom vision."
Carmel mentions an episode of our sister podcast, Hadley Presents. Here's a link to that episode on Vision Loss and Charles Bonnet Syndrome.
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Episode 47
It was tough for Linda to give up driving and she was heartbroken when reading became difficult. She felt her world was shrinking. But then she asked for help.
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Episode 46
Ashia felt all alone in her vision loss. No one around her knew what she was going through. Then she found something that gave her hope.
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Episode 45
Dennis found that many aspects of life with vision loss can be a struggle. Then he found something that turned that around.
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Episode 44
Judy has lived with progressive vision loss for many years. She's found a way that helps her cope and adjust.