These comments have been percolating for quite awhile. Please excuse if some of them strike you as a bit snarky (acerbic and smart-alecky).
There's a lot more I could say, but I'll keep to my "rule of ten." I hope I've enlightened someone today!
By Lelia Jo Cordell from Springfield, OH
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Jo, it's been awhile since you've posted but it was well worth the wait. Once again I've been"enlightened" as you put it.
Thumbs up again.Thanks for sharing your humorous side.
Keeper
Great to hear from you again, Jo.
Marg from England.
Jo, this may just be "your best one yet". It's funny that so often, these things are just what a subject needs to "see" (pun intended) in order to understand blindness.
It's so true that our world is made up in such a way as to expect all of us to be perfect. Perfect eyesight, hearing, smelling, tasting, and certainly the ability to move around physically without any limitations at all. I have some mobility short-comings now which have made me a lot slower to move than I used to be. When someone tells me to "Hurry up! ", I'd just like to gleefully choke them with my bare hands. I'm not sure I could "hurry up" if the house were on fire.
Growing old has its own set of limitations which correctly implies that our "parts" are beginning to wear out, and they either need a good shot of WD-40 or the proverbial Duct Tape. A drop or two of Super-Glue would also come in handy sometimes.
Thank you Jo, for your wonderfully stated article for (in my case), "The Blind Leading the Blind". As usual, you've offered us great insight into a life spent in darkness and the compensations one needs to make in order to just "keep on keeping on". You always teach me something new for which I'm very grateful and humbled.
A definite Thumbs Up. Pookarina
Suddenly blind is a shock! I applaud your spirit and resolve! That you are doing so well, is a tribute to your strength. It's the "getting around" part and being put off by someone, that is a test of that resolve. Bravo!
I am facing slowly going blind. The ophthalmologist tells me that I have about 10 years until I will not be able to read anything. I have AMD, which I'm told is not reversible. I recently had cataract surgery, but that procedure does nothing to correct AMD. I'm told that certain supplements are valuable in maintaining the remaining sight, and even arresting AMD. Although, I have been taking these, the progression is noticeable.
Thankfully, I can still function and read on the computer and Kindle. And, I am still the editor of our local computer club's newsletter. But, the future is not as bright as I had hoped... driving a car is even more important to me than reading! However, I do plan to volunteer somewhere that does not require driving or reading and enjoy that - with or without sight.
Thanks for sharing! Your free spirit will hold and direct you.
Nice article as usual, JPJ, and it's always good to share personal experience with folk. Oh, and I don't know anyone who doesn't get or sound snarky now and then ;-)
Aww! It's nice to be missed. :D Simplify, dear, you're in my prayers! I know you'll enjoy driving every time you get behind the wheel, until the inevitable happens. If I'd had any warning, maybe I'd have appreciated my sight more. Our fate is in God's hands, though, not the doctors'. Just food for thought.
Pookarina, rather than strangling the impatient, I'd be more tempted to do a Tim Conway "little old man" impersonation. Laughter always seems to defuse tense situations. Deeli, the "snarky gene" must run in my family. My older daughter's 6th-grade home-room teacher even noticed it. She was the only one who understood his jokes!
BTW, it's been brought to my attention that my beginning quote was originated by Bette Davis, not Helen Hayes. I stand corrected! Many thanks to the beloved friend who pointed that out for me.
Thanks again. All your comments are a great morale booster!
Don't apologize for your acerbic comments, if people don't understand that's there problem. I am very outspoken with this strange sense of humour and fortunately have passed it on to my daughter. Tho' i am not blind i do have a mobility problem. Why do people think because we are in a wheelchair we are retarded? Stupid (or deaf which gets to me the worst). I loved the article, take care jo.
Caliph, you're right - all too often, I've had people talk to my escort as if I couldn't hear, either. My friend and NFB mentor, Debbie, told me how she was out with a friend in a wheelchair and another who was deaf. The store clerk took one look at the three people - one in that obvious wheelchair, another with that obvious white cane - and chose to speak to the deaf person, since that's an "invisible disability." Too funny!
Suzanne, thanks for the hug - I love hugs! :)
Sorry... cailifouhnofthemist. I tried to remember instead of copying the name.
Do you have a blog? If not, you should really consider creating one! You write wonderfully and have a great perspective to share.
we never knw why some things happen but you certainly have made God proud.... your attitude is an ispiration to anyone... Blessings
Thank you this is exactly how I feel....I am glad I am NOT alone...
Leila Jo Cordell would you happen to have a smartphone? If so there is an app called Be My Eyes for blind, and visually impaired people. I have signed up to be a helper. Essentially what it is for is blind people needing help with the tasks that your family doesnt seem to want to help with. The things that they ask does it need to be done right now? Say you want to bake something, but nobody is around to read the box to you, and help assure you have the oven on the right temperature. You would essentially use the app to request assistance, then be video connected to a volunteer willing to help. You would explain what youre needing help with, and theyll use your camera on your cell phone to read the box and oven dial. It may take some trial and error to get the camera pointed in the right directions, but I think it could prove beneficial to you.
My grandmother was essentially blind. She could only see shadows of people. She did recognize voices though. She lived to be a ripe age of 101 years, 8 months old. I miss her so much. She was born in 1901, and never had a drivers license. She helped deliver babies. I guess youd say she was a midwife. She was blinded in her later years. I think due to her diabetes.
So true. I enjoyed your story. Mistaken identity of objects, prices on items, the list goes on. People offer to drive me places, then when I ask, they have 900 excuses or their demeanor changes. So like you, I cancel. We have to hang in there to survive and count our blessings. GODSPEED :-)
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