For anyone who’s met Patty Baker, it’s no surprise to find that her career years were focused on teaching. After all, she has a deep love for learning, and her personal philosophy is, "Look at what you can do instead of what you can’t do."
Patty spent years teaching kids—including young children who’ve been through serious family trauma. And she enjoys inspiring others with her encouraging attitude. When eye problems caused Patty to lose most of her vision, her optimistic mindset put her on a positive path to keep learning, growing, and helping others.
Years ago, Patty was diagnosed with dry macular degeneration as well as narrow angle glaucoma and cataracts. But she hadn’t experienced serious problems with her eyesight until late 2019, when she recognized that she needed increasingly brighter light to see. A specialist discovered that Patty’s cataracts were brown in color, which meant they were blocking light from her eyes.
Surgery seemed to correct the issue. But within a few weeks, Patty had developed a painful infection, and her vision was getting worse. Further procedures relieved the pain, but her vision problems have remained, and her specialists haven’t been able to find a solution.
When Patty realized that low vision meant she could no longer drive and no longer work at her challenging job, she went online to find information on how to stay engaged and active. She and her husband were thrilled when they found Hadley. "It brought the smile and the bounce back into my life," she says.
Now Patty’s immersing herself in education, and she’s learning to read braille through Hadley’s Braille for Everyday Use series. "I like to read, and I don’t like to be read to," she laughs—so while digital talking books have been helpful, Patty’s real goal has been to read independently. She’s also using a slate and stylus from Hadley to practice writing and to review her lessons.
In addition to braille, Patty has taken Hadley workshops on shopping and cooking, which have helped her stay active in one of her favorite hobbies: baking. Her husband appreciates the cookies and cakes, of course—and he’s learned to provide support that works with Patty’s level of vision, too. For example, he bought separate sets of light and dark cups for Patty to use, and he rearranged the kitchen by moving a central island out of the way, so the walking path is clear.
Workshops on navigating have also been on Patty’s list of favorites. "I have to say, going up and down the stairs was the most helpful for me," she notes. "I have a lot of stairs, so I really had to learn." And Patty doesn’t just learn when she goes through Hadley workshops—she takes the time to leave ratings and comments, as well. Her notes help Hadley improve and create more workshops to meet learners’ needs.
One of Patty’s keys to success has been opening up to talk with others about her condition, and she’s received support and encouragement in return. Her pastor’s wife, who has a medical background, has been particularly helpful. She has helped Patty prepare questions for her doctors, and she offers constant reassurance about Patty’s skills. "She always said, ‘You can do this. I have all the faith in you,’ " Patty says.
Patty’s niece has also been encouraging and has helped her get outside more, inviting her on a ferry ride among the Thousand Islands of New York along with other fun—and challenging—adventures.
Patty uses a white cane, especially when she’s outdoors, and she’s ordering a disk that attaches to the tip so she can use her cane in the snow. In the future, she’s also looking forward to finding a way to get hiking back in her life—and her positive philosophy leads the way. "Losing your vision does not have to cripple you," she says. "You can still do the things you enjoy doing. You just have to do them a little differently."
As Patty has learned more about developing new skills to deal with vision loss, she has also taken the opportunity to reach out and help others who are going through similar journeys, making sure they know about Hadley and other resources. In fact, Patty feels that helping others is her real purpose.
"It’s been a long process, going through what I’m going through," Patty says. "It was hard for me at first. But I just keep looking at the bright side."
And that’s exactly what she recommends for others. "No matter what you’re going through," Patty says, "always look for the good and what you can do."
Patty’s positive attitude and her willingness to help others have made a difference in her own life and for countless others. We appreciate her willingness to share, and we’re proud to name her a Hadley Hero.