Author: Linda Moore

Have you made resolutions for 2019? Sue and I both gave them up years ago since they just set us feel guilty when we break them! Sue writes about how we can work to identify our values and choose what we want to manifest in the new year.

A Minor Epiphany

We’re having an influx of new members to the Facebook group.  I urge you to spend time here on our website.  Why? Who is Sue and why should you read what she’s written in the past 3 years?

Spoiler Alert – why should you read Sue’s Journal Pages?

After less than a year of learning how to deal with her visual impairment both physically and emotionally, Sue has a ‘normal for her’ life: At age 65 and with advanced dry AMD/geographic atrophy, she works, attends regular exercise classes, rides her bike safely, travels, walks her dogs, kayaks, attends social events with her friends.   We are not suggesting that reading her journal will ensure you the same results, but we hope that Sue’s Journal of Her Journey will be educational and inspirational.

We’ve compiled the first part of a series of Sue’s Best Pages.  If you don’t think you are ready to tackle all 600+ of them, here’s our suggestion of where to start.

Sue’s Best Pages: Part 1

You can start at the beginning of Sue’s journal of her journey…

In The Beginning

Tomorrow we start our fourth year doing what we’re doing with 177 website followers and almost 2,200 Facebook group members. As we have done in 2017 and 2018, we both wish you a Happy 2019!  Sue writes about why she is optimistic about 2019:

Happy New Year 2019!

Read Sue’s past page about…

Resolutions

 

A few days ago, I shared with you 2 pages that Sue wrote about research into mitochondria and how it may be connected to AMD. We BOTH missed that the Stealth research was moving in Phase 2b in the coming year. Sue’s written a page to clarify what we missed.

Sue on Assignment: Mitochondria – Part 3

If you haven’t read her first  2 pages, here they are (there’s a link to page 2 at the bottom of page 1):

Sue on Assignment: Mitochondria – Part 1

With members all over the world, we know that not all of you celebrate Christmas.  For those of you who do, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!

One of our Facebook group members mentioned that her Retinal Specialist said that there was promising research about AMD and mitochondria. Sue took on the assignment to see what she could find.  Here are 2 pages:

Sue on Assignment: Mitochondria – Part 1

Guest Authors

Read the pages written by our Guest Authors and then write your own! It’s easy, just write your words and send them to me. I’ll edit them and format them into a page and pages.  Hearing the voices of others reminds us that we are not alone!

If you don’t want to write something long, how about sharing a short statement of advice for those who are new to the diagnosis.  I’ll make a webpage of them.

Send your story or advice to me at light2sight5153@gmail.com.

 

Have you had one of those days when something unexpected happens and it throws you into a tizzy? It happened to Sue on Sunday when one of her “puppygirls” got ahold of her eyeglasses and scratched the center of one of the lenses! Sue’s a psychologist who uses and teachers a type of therapy in her professional life. She also uses it for herself and shares it with you. She writes how she handled this unexpected stress by turning…

Lemons Into Lemonade

Spoiler Alert – why should you read Sue’s Journal Pages?

After less than a year of learning how to deal with her visual impairment both physically and emotionally, Sue has a ‘normal for her’ life: At age 65 and with advanced dry AMD/geographic atrophy, she works, attends regular exercise classes, rides her bike safely, travels, walks her dogs, kayaks, attends social events with her friends.   We are not suggesting that reading her journal will ensure you the same results, but we hope that Sue’s Journal of Her Journey will be educational and inspirational.

We’ve compiled the first part of a series of Sue’s Best Pages.  If you don’t think you are ready to tackle all 600+ of them, here’s our suggestion of where to start.

Sue’s Best Pages: Part 1

Sue is a professional therapist who uses a type of therapy with her clients called DBT which is a cognitive behavioral treatment. She has also used this therapy in her personal journal with AMD.  In the first page of this new series, Sue writes, “In my job as a DBT therapist, I am a huge proponent of tolerating and coping. Accept that which you cannot change.  Acceptance and tolerance of that which we cannot change reduce suffering. ”

Sue on Assignment: Coping Fatigue? (3 pages; Coping Fatigue, It’s Not Your Fault, and Exhausted by Life?)

More of Sue on Assignment

Sue has written about a variety of topics: several supplements (bilberry, resvertrol, astaxanthin, CBD Oil), independence (what it means to Sue, how to get food to come to you), AREDS2 & geography atrophy, how to conduct an experiment on yourself, non-genetic causes of MD, research on calcified eye spots, money for assistive technology, eccentric viewing, high altitudes & the eye.  You can choose the topics from this menu page:

Sue on Assignment: Special Topics

Spoiler Alert – why should you read Sue’s Journal Pages?

After less than a year of learning how to deal with her visual impairment both physically and emotionally, Sue has a ‘normal for her’ life: At age 65 and with advanced dry AMD/geographic atrophy, she works, attends regular exercise classes, rides her bike safely, travels, walks her dogs, kayaks, attends social events with her friends.   We are not suggesting that reading her journal will ensure you the same results, but we hope that Sue’s Journal of Her Journey will be educational and inspirational.

We’ve compiled the first part of a series of Sue’s Best Pages.  If you don’t think you are ready to tackle all 600+ of them, here’s our suggestion of where to start.

Sue’s Best Pages: Part 1

 

The holiday season is often a time of more stress than at other times of the year. It can be especially difficult if you have recently been diagnosed with AMD or your AMD has progressed causing vision impairments.  Sue has written about ways to help deal with this stress.

Part 2 Dealing with the Emotional Reaction to Vision Loss

Gifts for those with low vision

Here are some ideas to reduce the stress of buying for those with low vision including for YOU!

• You can do a Google search for “gifts for those with low vision” and find LOTS of ideas!
• Search amazon.com (or the version for your country) for “low vision” and you’ll find a lot of ideas there, too.
• Go to pinterest.com and search for “gifts low vision”. Great ideas there.
• Put together a gift basket of related items such as kitchen items: big letter measuring cups & spoons, bump dots to put on controls of stove and microwave, a cookbook in large print and preferably about eye health eating, talking meat thermometer, liquid level indicator.
• Here’s an article The Hottest Low Vision Gifts with ideas that are handy & healthy, for entertainment and travel, tech and gadgets.
• About technology: even though Cyber Monday has passed, there are quite a few devices that are still on sale. For example, an Amazon Echo Dot which is normally $49.99 is on sale for $29.99! There are also devices and systems on sale to make your home a “smart home” to help you deal with some of the problems of low vision. Here’s an article Best Cyber Monday 2018 smart-home deals still available: Nest thermostat for $139, Echo Dot for $30, Ring, Philips Hue and more.
• Here’s a gift guide from 2017 with ideas that are still available.
• Give your time. Do you know someone who lives alone and has difficulty getting around or doing some things for themselves? How about making up a packet of ‘coupons’ for them for things like rides where they want and need to go, help with their housework or repair work, cooking a meal, running errands, mow the lawn, work in the garden, help with their electronics, or any other things where you will be giving them YOUR TIME. You can make the coupons by hand or find ones to download and print.

Do you have ideas for gifts for those with low vision? Share them in the ‘reply to’ box on this page or send them to me at light2sight5153@gmail.com.

At Sue’s recent appointment with her new retinologist, she says she was told, “I have…

A Freckle in My Eye

Are you a caregiver for someone with a visual impairment?  Do you have a visual impairment and want to remain independent? Do you have a diagnosis of macular degeneration and want to plan to remain independent if you become visually impaired?  Here are some tips that I shared in the Facebook group from a very helpful article.

Help Yourself and Others Remain Independent Part 1 (2 pages)

By now you should know that Sue does everything that she did before her vision declined.  A big part of her life is exercise especially if it involves dancing.  How does she “follow the leader”?  Read and find out…

Sue on Assignment: How She Sees What She Sees

In a few days, it will be Thanksgiving in the US and the beginning of the holiday season around the world.  This can be a difficult time if you have low vision or are helping someone with it.  Here are some tips that I hope will help.

The Holidays: General