Category: Sue’s New Page

One of the fears people have when diagnosed with AMD is that they will have to stop driving.  Sue had to in 2016 when her vision declined from advanced dry AMD/geographic atrophy. She has a ‘system’ in place for transportation, but she writes…

I Don’t Miss Driving…

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 has written about gratitude before. In this page, she’s grateful to Cracker Barrel restaurants because they offer large print and Braille menus.  She also writes, “And now for the potentially controversial part of the program. Hear me out before you hang me. Ok? Of everything that could have gone wrong in my life, I am grateful it was age-related macular degeneration. What do you think about that?” Read the page and tell us what YOU think about this. Do you want to hang her? ::smile::

Feeling Grateful!

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 writes, “Today I went to Marshalls [a department store near her]. I bought five things. No, I do not by any stretch of the imagination need clothes but they were cute. They are also a little different from things I generally buy. Deciding to go into the store, I had decided I needed a little different in my life.” Read why she recommends…

“And Now For Something Entirely Different”

Sometimes I ask Sue to read what I’ve written. We’ve known each other long enough now that she can give me advice.  Often the advice is based on what she can easily read with advanced dry AMD/geographic atrophy. I suggested that she write a page about reading and writing for someone who is visually impaired.

Reading and Writing

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 writes, “There are a lot of ‘treatments’ for Age-Related Macular Degeneration out there. The fear that comes with the thought of going ‘blind’ ( which does not happen just from AMD, by the way) leads people to desperation and a tendency towards emotional mind thinking.”  Sue shares a way to make medical decisions from everything to finding doctors and whether products are safe for you.

Beware Snake Oil!

Wanted: Guest Authors

February is AMD and Low Vision Awareness. Telling YOUR story can YOUR way of making people aware of what it’s like to be in either of those categories or both!

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.

In January 2016, Sue’s vision at age 62 declined so much that she had to take a break from working to deal with the emotional and work-related challenges she then had. We’ve been friends since college 40 years ago. She’s the only person from that time that I stayed in close contact with. Sue helped me get through many of MY many challenges, and there was no question that I’d help her with hers. She asked me to set up a blog so she could share her experiences not just for her but to help others on their journey.  The blog expanded into a Facebook group that I set up in May 2016 and that I still moderate. In February 2016, we launched our website and the rest, as they say, is history.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

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

If you’ve been reading Sue’s pages, you know that just like Frank Sinatra, she’s “gotta be me!” Find out why she writes, “I was once asked what family and friends could best do to help a loved one with visual impairment. My spontaneous answer was people need to help us be who we are.”

Be True to Yourself

If you are in the fast-paced Facebook group, you know that we have over 2,400 members who share their stories, questions and information. I’ve also been able to create ‘units’ there which are like lessons or chapters in a book.  In them I have saved important posts and written about related topics.  I just finished a unit with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

If you’ve only signed up as an email follower,  you will still get emails with Sue’s now-occasional pages.  I also share them with the Facebook group so you can also get them there.

Here comes the ‘but’…but I can no longer keep both the website and the Facebook group up-to-date.  I have chosen to put my efforts into the Facebook group.  The website will stay as it is, it isn’t going away, but there may be out-of-date information and links that don’t work.

I’ll continue to provide you with Sue’s pages when she either gets assigned topics or gets bored! ::smile::  Thanks for your understanding.

 

If you read this sentence, “When it rains it pours,” I’ll bet you think the next thing you’ll see is a list of all the things that have gone wrong. Sue continues, “There really can be too much of a good thing.” Sue’s looking forward to a lot of positive activities, but that’s about the future.  What about now?  She urges us to regularly be…

In the Moment

Sue starts this page, “I am sure it escaped no one’s attention that all my future concerns, all the things I am planning for, are basically positive. A lot of work and potentially overwhelming but positive. I know more than one person silently – or not so silently – asked how I can be focused on positive concerns when – hey, folks! I am losing my central vision! I am legally blind! Why am I not putting my mental and physical efforts on the fact that I am losing my sight? What is wrong with me?!?!”  Read and find out!

Worry vs Planning

 

Sue’s previous page was I Am Bored – Again. She doesn’t deal with it very well, so I gave her an assignment. =I= tell people why they should read her pages. I asked her to write…

Why Read My Pages? My Answer

We had a comment on the website from someone who was starting their journey with AMD and hoped that our website would help her know what to expect. This page is a response to that.

The Time to Prepare is Now!

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

I’ve known Sue for over 40 years, so I’m not surprised when I get an unsolicited page from her now especially when she is bored! After years of writing regularly, her ‘new normal’ life has been so, well, normal that she wrote about Taking Some Time Off.  Find out what’s on her mind now.

I’m Bored – Again!

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 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