As a blind baby

Sometimes, when I am in the mood for reminiscing and remembering, I like to ask my mom what it was like for me as a blind baby. Now that my dad is no longer around, he passed on over 23 years ago, she is the only source of reference for me so here goes.

Mom tells me that she knew right away after I was born that something was wrong with my eyes. She was right and she and my dad did everything that they could to help me. First, they managed to get an eye surgeon to operate on me at six months to save my right eye. Then when I was just four, Dad sent me to England along with my mom, granny, and two brothers Jeff and Robert to seek further treatment for my eye. Unfortunately, nothing more could be done at that time.

Mom tells me and my aunts have confirmed this, that I used to amuse myself by taking my heel and banging it against the bars of my crib and then I would burst out laughing. Granny used to hang a balloon over my crib and I would follow it with my vision. At that time, my vision was very limited.

My older brother Robert told Mom that she should adopt a baby sister to keep me company when he found out that I was blind. My twin brother Jeffrey was always very protective and he and I were constant playmates. I had cousins as well who were constantly around me.

I was told that I loved music, loved to play on my own and was never afraid to play with others. I loved company but I also loved to be by myself at times.

So, in every aspect, I was just another baby growing up in a mainstream family except that I was blind.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my words with others.
Visit www.nfb.org to learn more about blind babies.