"I've lost...but I've gained"
For many, having to give up the car keys due to vision loss is traumatic. Deb felt it too. Then, during a call to arrange transportation for herself, a new door opened.
Hadley
I’ve Lost…but I’ve Gained
Presented by Douglas Walker
Douglas: Hello, and welcome to the Insights and Sound Bites podcast, where people facing vision loss share insights about what has helped them cope and adjust.
Deb Reed: I consider myself an introvert. And I never ever expected myself to be in this position.
Douglas: My name is Douglas Walker. Today we’ll hear from Deb. Deb shares with us how losing her ability to drive was actually the beginning of a whole new journey.
Deb Reed: This is Deborah Reed. My friends call me Deb, and I'm from Bristol, Connecticut.
I cried on the way home from the doctor's office. I had driven myself there, so I had to get myself back. And I cried because I had a job that was almost like a ministry. I was a homemaker companion for disabled seniors. And so, my car was key to the work I did. I was taking them to appointments, taking them shopping, cleaning, cooking for them. And you become like family with people like that. And that was something I had to give up. I definitely wasn't in it for the money. But yeah, I was very sad to have to close that chapter.
My husband was still working at the time and I thought, how am I going to get anywhere? And so, I found out from the state that there's a paratransit service in our town because we have the public bus route. And when I called that number, the woman who answered, who helped with the certification, was actually, recently in a motorcycle accident with her husband, about a year before. And they were both injured pretty bad. They were broadsided by a truck. And he lost his sight was one of the results. And so, she had been through all the things that she knew I was going to have to go through, and it was just an amazing wealth of information that she was able to share with me. And then she told me about a National Federation of the Blind support group that met at the library. And so, I started to go to that.
But I will say that here we are over 10 years later, and I am now heading up this chapter meeting that I attended at the beginning of the journey. And I consider myself an introvert, and I never, ever expected to be in this position. And I've learned so much and grown so much just by belonging to this organization. So even though I have so many losses because of my vision deteriorating, I've gained a lot.
Douglas: You never know who might need to hear your story. If you’d like to share, you can leave me a voicemail by calling, 847-512-4867. Or, you can email me a recording to podcast@HadleyHelps.org. Again, my name is Douglas Walker. Take care and I’ll see you next time.
All Episodes
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Episode 41
Living with low vision meant Karen was constantly explaining to others what she can and can't see. Then she found a tool that has made a big difference.
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Episode 40
Having to give up the car keys was traumatic for Eugenia. She worried about becoming isolated until she found a new way.
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Episode 39
This week, hear how rediscovering a favorite activity helped Celia find balance as she adjusts to vision loss.
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Episode 38
Denise can struggle with the slow but continuous loss of vision she's facing. But she's found a way to pick herself up on a bad day.
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Episode 37
Listen in as Vanessa shares what has helped keep her from feeling hopeless and defeated due to vision loss.
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Episode 36
Stacy shares with us how being honest about her vision loss with her friends and coworkers has made all the difference in the world.
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Episode 34
Listen in as Anne describes how a question posed to her shifted her perspective for living with vision loss.
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Episode 33
This week, William shares how learning to continue with his favorite hobby, even with vision loss, has been therapeutic—and uplifting. Here's the link to his website https://www.blindtruths.org/
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Episode 32
This week Angela shares how she struggled to get around due to vision loss, how she tried to hide it from others, and what helped her.
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Episode 31
This week we hear from Appreciate. She found that a Facebook group, The International Blind Cafe, gave her a source of comfort and encouragement.
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Episode 30
Marian's inner voice had her living in fear. Listen in as she shares how she redirected that voice to be more helpful for her.
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Episode 29
This week Dorrie shares how technology has made all the difference for her in living with vision loss.
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Episode 28
Today we hear from Ed who shares how the source of hope for him has changed with time.
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Episode 27
Listen in as Cindy shares how advice from her son helped her adjust to her new normal.
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Episode 26
Listen in as Tim recalls a conversation with a store clerk and how it helped him adjust to life with vision loss.
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Episode 25
Listen in as Alice shares a boyfriend's advice from many years ago. Words that give her hope, even today.
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Episode 24
Listen in as Bill shares how a chance encounter changed his perspective on vision loss.
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Episode 23
Listen in as Ruth shares how her frustration and impatience turned around with just one phone call.
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Episode 22
Listen in as Sam shares how he struggled trying to hide his vision loss-and how he finally turned the corner.
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Episode 21
Listen in as Eugenia describes how her own determination and the support of friends helped her keep moving forward.
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Episode 20
Listen in as Zenobia shares how she found the support and strength she needed.
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Episode 19
Listen in and be inspired as Saras explains how changing her perspective to, "Why NOT me?" helped her tap into her strengths.
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Episode 18
Sheri shares with us how the love for her horses helped her find purpose and peace.
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Episode 17
Kendra shares with us how a visit to a low vision center gave her more than she ever expected.
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Episode 16
Listen to Carol's story as she shares how owning her changing vision gave her the drive to discover useful resources and realize that it's important—and okay—to ask for help when she needs it.
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Episode 15
Listen in as Chuck shares how he found hope in a chance encounter.
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Episode 14
Listen in as Kara shares how she found new ways to express herself in her love of visual art, and redefining a meaningful life.
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Episode 13
Listen in as Leah shares how it finally clicked for her—the realization that she's not alone.
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Episode 12
Hear how Axel set one goal at a time and slowly took the steps to rebuild his skills, reengage in his art, and reestablish his emotional well being.
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Episode 11
Gregory shares how finding a mentor made all the difference in the world to him, and his entire family.
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Episode 10
Listen in as we hear from Sarah. For her, hearing a blind architect's story changed her perspective on what was possible.
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Episode 9
Listen in as Tom shares how leaning on his faith helps him adjust to vision loss.
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Episode 8
Pat shares with us the choices she made when faced with a visual impairment.
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Episode 7
Darryl shares with us how a referral to a low vision specialist was where his life with vision loss began to turn around.
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Episode 6
Annie shares with us the steps she took to work through her depression by seeking help from a mental health professional.
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Episode 5
Sharon shares with us how she worked through the isolation and found people just like her to get the support she needed.
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Episode 4
Hannah shares with us how she had to give herself permission to grieve her vision loss in order to reach acceptance.
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Episode 3
Randy's search for help led him into a whole new way of thinking.
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Episode 1
Larry shares how he found strength in his core beliefs to get him through the shock of his initial diagnosis.
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Episode 2
Ruth shares how her mother's advice, "Knock the T Off Can't," helped her.