March 30 - Would You Like A Muffin?

During the course of a month, I might easily attend several meetings. Usually at the conclusion of the formal part of the meeting, refreshments are served. Often the plate of goodies is passed around the table so each person can choose what they would like from the platter. Sometimes plates are laid out on a separate table or counter so that people can help themselves that way.   

Now the question. Would I like a muffin or a biscuit or a cake or a sandwich? This is the most difficult part for me. Certainly I would like a little treat of whatever is being offered but the difficulty is that I can’t see what is on the plate. So, do I bluff and reach out and take the top part of the sandwich, or perhaps stick my finger in the icing of a cake or maybe take two or three of the little biscuits when I misjudge what is there. I think that because I have responded during the meeting like all of the other sighted participants, people forget that I can’t see. Even though I have reasonable peripheral vision, I am unable to see the plate or what is on it even when it is placed right in front of me.

As well as gatherings where members are sighted, I attend a monthly support group meeting for people who have vision loss. At this meeting we overcome the challenge of serving refreshments by handing out individual plates or napkins. Before the refreshment is served there is an explanation as to what is on each plate. I don’t mind putting my fingers in my own cake icing or mangling my own sandwich or muffin. It is much better than handling and touching food that other people might want to eat.

If I am with friends, I am usually saved any embarrassment when they offer assistance. At a meeting last week, my friend Judy saw my hesitation about reaching for one of the snacks. Quite unobtrusively she told me what was on offer, asked what I would like, and placed it on my plate. Buffets are often a surprise to the taste buds unless I am with someone to help me through the line. All in all, it’s a good thing I’m not terribly fussy about food and I’m glad that I don’t have any food allergies. Who would have thought that selecting a particular muffin to eat could be such a challenge.

March 20 - Busy People

I have heard people say that when they retire, their lives just get busier. Well, I think that when people experience vision loss, the same can be said to be true. It just takes so much longer to do anything.

I am often frustrated with paper. I can’t see to read regular or even large size print. I do use a CCTV Reader which magnifies single words or numbers. However, reading documents of any length is very time consuming. I am always glad that I live in a digital age and sometimes I can listen to communications on my computer with my audible screen reading program. What I am trying to say is what would take a sighted person to read in less than a minute takes me very much longer.

Then there are appointments. Mostly a sighted person makes an appointment – medical, dental or whatever – and simply drives himself or herself to the particular location. A person with limited sight needs to arrange transportation and coordinate the timing of this with the appointment time. Often making transportation arrangements can be complicated. Whether the end result is a ride with a friend, or public transport, or specialized disability vehicle, the result can be – yes, you guessed it – time consuming.

Coping with the challenges of communication and transportation are two of the major difficulties in the life of a person who is sight disabled. We need a full twenty-four hours in the day to accomplish all that we would like to do. Once a friend asked me what I did with my days. Wasn’t I bored sitting at home doing nothing? The question took me by surprise! My days are nearly always full. I have learned to plan. Admittedly there isn’t much spontaneity in my life but I do keep busy.

 

March 2 - Sight and Sound

Last night Lyle and I were at a concert. As we waited for the performance to begin, I heard the woman sitting behind me remark that although she couldn’t see anything, she would be able to hear. Her comment mirrored my own thoughts. I knew that I couldn’t see the members of the choir in front of me, but I also knew that I would be able to hear their voices.

Some people express surprise when I tell them that I have been to a concert or a movie or some other performance. They ask what I get out of these things when I can’t see. I try to explain that sight isn’t the only aspect of enjoyment.

I do think that over the years of my diminished sight, I have become more attuned to sound. I like the sounds of our house. I like the hum of the fan when I turn our fireplace on in the morning. Often I can hear the barking of the neighbour’s dog. From our house I can hear the train whistle as it passes the crossing downtown – two long blasts, one short and another long. I love the chimes of my clock. I enjoy listening to my audio books. I check my text messages with Siri on my phone. Did you know that I have programmed Siri on my phone so that he speaks with an Australian accent? I miss some of these familiar sounds when Lyle and I are away from home.

Now I don’t think that I can hear any better simply because I can’t see. It’s not that my hearing has suddenly improved to compensate for my vision loss. I don’t believe that is the case. Instead, I think that I have become more attentive to the sounds around me. Possibly it is just that I have learned to listen to what I hear.