Member Stories

“It was a little shocking at first,” Sherma says about learning that she had some permanent vision loss. “You have to accept it. But you don’t do that right away. It takes time. I realized that it is important for me to take steps to make my life as good as I can make it,” Sherma says. “I’m going to focus on the things I can do and not worry about the rest.”

Adjusting to life with permanent vision loss took time, effort and the realization that life was still worth living. “I got up one morning and the sun was shining, and the sky was blue, and the grass green, and I could still see all this. I said to myself, ‘I don’t want to die.’ And once I made that decision, I knew what I had to do.

His vision continues to change with time, which has meant a continual stage of adjustment for JP. “Just when I’m getting used to it or getting over it, here we go again...more vision loss."

In the early pandemic years, Jayne started noticing changes in her vision. She was ultimately diagnosed with retinal dystrophy, a condition that had been impacting her vision in more subtle ways for years and had progressed.

Dennis Wright from Moberly, Missouri, made a living driving a truck. So, when he noticed a change to his vision, he sought help quickly.

A few years ago, Angela noticed her vision changing and was ultimately diagnosed with glaucoma. “I started losing my peripheral vision, so I knew something was wrong. But when the doctor told me there wasn’t a cure for glaucoma, I was shocked.”

When Dennis began to lose his vision, his wife jumped into research mode, learning as much as she could about macular degeneration. She found help in the form of the Spectrios low vision clinic in Wheaton, Illinois and encouraged Dennis to make an appointment.

After retiring from a very successful and distinguished career as a music educator, Mary Frances noticed that her vision was becoming blurry. A specialist diagnosed her with macular degeneration. Today, she is legally blind.

Michael’s love of gardening really blossomed after he lost his vision. The Hadley Growers discussion group—with useful tips and a welcoming community of people who share his interest—helped.

“Anyone can do anything they put their minds to,” Wisconsin resident Renee Kuester-Sebranek believes—and proves. “You just need the right outlook, resources and support—and Hadley is great for resources and support.”