I have been remiss in my attention to this blog. Some time ago, my wife and I decided it was time to leave Sallisaw, Oklahoma, and downsize. We were getting older, our house was a large two-story log house that required a lot of upkeep, and the six-acre lot was a bit much to keep under control. But in order to do that, we had to sell the house. It required a bit of work to get it ready to sell, so we set about putting the finishing touches on it. In the mean time I had stopped writing and devoted my entire time to the house. Upon completion, we began looking for a new house in Broken Arrow. During our search, which entailed viewing what seemed like a hundred houses, we had found a buyer for our house in Sallisaw. That meant we needed to expedite our search. We did find a house and the deal was struck. In September of 2019 we were safely ensconced in our new home.

Before I continue, I need to fill you in on some history. Until some twenty years ago, I had good vision. Oh, I wore glasses for reading, but I was otherwise on par with most other folks. Then a curious incident occurred leaving my left eye with partial vision. After several trips to the optometrist, ophthalmologist, and a retina clinic in Oklahoma City, it was determined to be ischemic optic neuropathy, or ION. I was concerned because no one knew what had caused it, other than a loss of blood supply to the optic nerve, which is considered a type of stoke. I still had one good eye and the effects was not catastrophic. It was just that vision through my left eye was much like looking through a thin sheet of ice. Objects were somewhat blurry, but I still had partial vision.

I was able to adapt fairly well to my new condition, relying mainly on my right eye for critical visual tasks. I could still drive, write, and do all the things I was doing before. It was just different. I still had concerns about my eyes, wondering if it would happen to my other eye, and when.

I remember thinking back to my high school days when I was working at my father’s Western Auto store in Blackwell, Oklahoma. There was an elderly gentleman, Albert, who frequented the store. He was blind and walked with one of those red and white canes you see blind people with. I always wondered what it would be like to be blind. Albert loved to talk to people if he could persuade them to listen to him, usually with a hand on their wrist to keep them from leaving. I suppose that’s what comes to people like Amber who are lonely. One day he had latched onto my wrist and began his monologue. I have to admit it was somewhat interesting. He demonstrated how he told the time with his brail watch, which I didn’t know even existed. While his hands shook, his body struggled to remain erect, and his voice wavered, I was amazed at how well he had been able to adapt to his surroundings, and I have always applauded those with disabilities who had the courage to overcome them.

Shortly after my wife and I had settled into our new house in Broken Arrow, I awoke one morning with a blurriness in my right eye. I thought I had something in it, but no, after an hour or so I determined that I had a problem. After a trip tot he optometrist, who forwarded me to the Retinal Clinic of Tulsa, I was informed that ION had invaded my right eye. After further testing, I wound up with 20/50 vision, not great news. I could still see, just not very well. Reading something like a book was impossible, even with glasses. Doing fine work on small things was impossible. Driving was at best dangerous to me and everyone else on the road. It was then that I recalled my time with Albert, thinking about the possibility of losing my vision altogether

My life suddenly changed. I found many everyday tasks difficult and had to rely on my wife for assistance. Reading prescription bottles, reading mail, watching television, working in the garage (I enjoy woodworking) and using my computer and phone. I was referred to an organization called New Vue. These folks worked with me to assess my disability, recommend devices that could help me regain much of what I had lost in daily activities, and referred me to the VA for further assistance. It turned out that the VA has an excellent program for visually impaired veterans. Perhaps the best thing to come of it was the NuEyes goggles I was given, a device much like virtual reality goggles that magnify what you’re looking at. I was thrilled to find that I could actually read a book. I also bought a new computer. I found a Mac Pro laptop with marvelous accessibility options. I am able to continue writing and do other tasks on the computer. My iPhone, I discovered, also had similar options.

I still have some challenges, but I have learned new ways of doing thins and am pretty self-sufficient. Well, except for driving, which I don’t do anymore. With my visual impairment, I still have difficulties such as going into stores and trying to figure out what is on the shelves, especially grocery stores. Fortunately, I have an app for my phone that helps: Seeing AI. It reads labels to me.

There is a host of options available to the visually impaired. and several support groups. The VA has been extremely generous to me, and the folks at New Vue have been very helpful. In fact, New Vue sponsors a monthly get-together for visually impaired veterans cohosted by the VA where we are informed of assistance programs in the area and other useful information. Lunch is provided and we can meet other veterans and share experiences. I look forward to these meetings.l

My loss of vision has taught me a lot about life. I know that no matter how bad off I think I am, there is always someone who is worse. I know I’m not as bad off as a lot of other folks. I don’t complain. This thing just happened. No one is to blame. I just take my time because I can’t do many things as fast as I used to, especially reading. But that just gives me more time to enjoy a book. My wonderful wife has been very supportive of my efforts to cope with vision loss. Little by little she is beginning to understand just what I have to deal with. I think I have made good progress and will continue to do so. I am also beginning to understand what others with disabilities are going through. They too must do things slower than others and I try to not let my patience expire with them, because I don’t know their real stories, what they actually have to deal with. So, I wait and offer assistance if I’m able. I also wonder if the time will come when I will be like Albert. I keep in mind what I might need to do in that case.

Because of the vision loss, I have also lost some of my independence. ‘That is what affects me the most. No one likes to be dependent on someone else, but I have adapted to that as well. I’m back to writing and I have a greater appreciation for those who choose to write about their experiences. We all need to be more aware of what others are going through in their lives. So, any typos you find here, it’s just that I typed a little too fast and didn’t edit enough.