Good memories: The family reunion

Coming from a small family on my mom's side, I find that it is very important for us to be able to keep in touch. Now that I can no longer see what each person looks like, it is even more vital for me.

I sure remember each voice and this helps me to interact smoothly and nicely.  The good thing is that my family does not appear to realize that I cannot see them.

They have always been a bunch who never seemed to be concerned that I am blind.  However, I remember when I had my first cornea transplant and they all came by for me to see what they looked like.  What a crazy bunch!

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advisor wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.
There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html.

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A revelation: The first day that I saw the screen

Despite it being so many years ago, I still remember and it happened shortly after I got my first cornea transplant.  And no, it was not a computer screen, it was a TV screen.

I can still remember simply standing there with my dad alongside me.  He pointed to the screen and started to describe what was going on.  I followed his steady finger with awe and soon enough I was so excited to be a part of his world.  The world of vision.

The screen was lit up with colour, movement, and images.  Dad was so very excited to be describing things to me and then Mom joined us, laughing and so excited to share our excitement.

Then I started to watch the hockey playoffs with my favourite Montreal Canadiens playing and winning.  I watched the news every day with Dad and he even joined me to watch the Flintstones at noon every day.  Mom and I watched other things as well.

Such happy times with my loving parents.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advisor, wishing you a terrific day.

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
www.donnajodhan.com.

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.donnajodhan.com/takeanother5.html

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Forever in my mind: Remembering the Rossi's store

Talk about a variety store that I used to frequent at least once a week and this was the Rossi's store in Montreal.  In fact, there were two of them close enough to where I lived and I frequented both.

Those were the days, as they would say!  When I would simply go in and start to browse.  I would enter empty-handed and by the time I would be ready to leave I would either be carrying an armful of purchases or just something small.

Visually, the Rossi's store held everything for me.  From toys and teddy bears to framed photos.  From clothes to sheets and towels and from stationary to cosmetics and cutlery to kitchen stuff.  Christmas time was always the time when this store went out of its way to sell all kinds of decorations.  From tabletop Christmas trees to ornaments and so much more.

I made my first visit to Rossi's with Char and Chris and many more after this. Then I went with Nella and with Francine.  Then, when I obtained my first cornea transplant, I would make it a habit to go there whenever I could on my own.

Ah, yes!  Memories of Rossi's forever!

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts! www.takeanother5.com

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Oh Montreal! My home forever! Remembering Montreal

Oh, my beautiful and beloved Montreal!  Marvelous!  Sweet!  My heart shall forever belong to you and you shall forever remain in my heart!

This is the city where I discovered myself, both with functional and with little sight.  I learned so much through you!  I found myself and my identity!

From ice skating and snow banks to busy streets, stores, and restaurants! From lush green grass and blooming flowers to peaceful lakes and from summer to winter and spring to fall!

How could I ever forget learning how to navigate those metros with very little sight and then just standing there taking in all of those beautiful sights when I acquired my functional vision!  Skiing with very little vision!  Learning to play basketball and broom ball!  Going shopping with my friends, especially Char, my best friend!

How could I ever forget the night when Marion promised me that when I received my new cornea she would take me to see the lights of Montreal and she never disappointed me!  Those lights of the City of Montreal!  How could I ever dare to forget!

The cold winter days walking to classes with my jacket zipped right up to my chin!  The fall days walking among the falling leaves and listening to my feet crunching against them!  The beautiful spring days enjoying the fresh air and fragrances of flowers as I walked and those long lingering days on a tandem bike or listening to baseball games on my radio!

This was my beautiful Montreal and shall forever be my beautiful Montreal!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Cherished memories forever: Remembering McGill University

I can still remember McGill University as if it were only just yesterday. This is where I can say that I truly enjoyed so many wonderful university days.  I met so many great students from around the world and there was something else!

This was the time when I got my first cornea transplant and accordingly it gave me a delightful opportunity to discover so many new things with my new vision.  I learned to walk the McGill campus.  I discovered the trees and snow banks.  I stared openly at tall buildings and ice sculptures.  I learned how to navigate restaurants on campus, find my way around the book store and most of all, I learned how to find my classrooms all by myself.

I shall forever remember graduation day when Jennifer walked with me across the stage to collect my MBA certificate.  There I was, trying my best not to look out at the audience but remembering in time to bow to them as I walked. Then I remembered seeing everyone standing, my parents and so many from the MAB were also there to watch me graduate.  What a fantastic memory!

Then the delicious dinner afterwards at a fabulous Chinese restaurant. Thanks to my parents, the day could not have ended on a better note!

Just to think that years later our Canadian Governor General was my principal when I graduated from McGill.

I thank all of my professors and student volunteers.  I thank the staff of the MAB!  So many to mention!  I thank the volunteers at the MAB!  But most of all?  I thank God for having enabled me to discover so much, especially so
with my new vision!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. 

If you would like to learn more about me as an author then I invite you now to visit
http://www.donnajodhan.com

There you will not only learn about me as an author but you will also gain insights into my campaign against bullying and why I strongly believe that you need to consider joining me in order to insure that the future of our kids with their wide-eyed smiles and infectious laughter is secured forever.

And now my weekly podcast!
From recipes to apps, and 5 minute mysteries to tips for entrepreneurs and scam alerts!
www.takeanother5.com
And available for download from iTunes and Google music play

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and at author_jodhan
And like me on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/donnajodhan and at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan

Playing hide and seek at school

Boy did I ever have so much fun doing this and the memories sure linger on for me! Those were the days when my vision was quite limited. That is, before I received my first cornea transplant.

I will tell you that my playmates were all blind with varying levels of vision or lack of. Anything from high partial vision to none at all. I probably fell into the category of being able to see shapes and colors, light and very large objects.

We made up our own rules. We played fast and wild but at the end of the day we always treated each other with respect and fairness. We never took advantage of anyone for their lack of vision and those with more vision than others were extremely considerate.

This is who we were as kids; just enjoying a game of hide and seek and making up the game as we went along.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan.
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html
and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud; those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

When I saw my first movie

This memory is still so very fresh in my mind despite the fact that it happened so many years ago, shortly after I received new vision from my first cornea transplant.

My friend, Debra, and my cousin, Brian, had gone with me to the cinema to see "The Way We Were" and they had been such willing participants, taking me to the front of the cinema to sit so that I would not miss any of the action and boy was I not disappointed! I was seeing a movie for the very first time and I could not believe my eyes, so to speak.

I could not just see shapes, I could see faces, actions, and scenery! Wow! What an experience for me! Everything was so bright and the colors were so vivid! I simply sat there in the dark marveling at it all and I doubt whether either Debra or Brian noticed the huge smile on my face. Later on, and not too long after this, my parents took me to see "Ice Castles" and friends took me to see "The Blue Lagoon." Memories to treasure forever.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/authordonnajodhan
Visit our online store to either purchase or subscribe for unlimited access to our library at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html and you can even take advantage of our free downloads!
Or subscribe to our free monthly newsletter at www.donnajodhan.com.

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"Each time we raise our voice at someone else we are engaging in bullying! Each time we raise our hands to slap or punch someone else we are also engaging in bullying and each time we engage in actions to either manipulate or force someone else to do what we want we are also engaging in bullying!

There is no room in this world for bullying and each day we fail to take action against bullying it is another day that we allow others to bully us and our kids. Our heroes and role models are the ones who have made us proud, those brave young men and women who gave their lives for us in past wars and those who continue to do so. They are not the ones who choose to be racists and those who believe that their bad behaviour in public is acceptable.

I write and record audio mysteries that are being used at such events as murder mystery evenings as well as at public awareness and team building events. I promote understanding, tolerance, and problem solving and my audio mysteries continue to be broadcasted around the world and you can listen to them anywhere! On the plane or train! In the car or right there in your home! On your i device or computer!

Please join my campaign against bullying (CAB) by supporting my efforts to keep on writing and recording!
If you truly care then you will certainly dare!"

Memories of a bathtub

Sure! There are many of us who often take our bathtub for granted and that's okay, but for me memories of a bathtub have so many wonderful recollections.

The first time that I was really able to see my bathtub was after I had my first cornea transplant. Like a kid in a candy store! I filled my bathtub with clear sparkling water then I carefully inserted frothy bath bubbles from a large bottle of the sweet smelling stuff. Then I sat and watched for a very long time as the bubbles formed and then floated gently and gracefully on the surface of the water. I was absolutely mesmerized and could not take my eyes away. The water grew cool and still I continued to sit and watch.

Then, when finally I returned to reality, I took my fingers and began to play with the frothy water. The bubbles quickly dispersed but then they came back together and continued their circular journey around the tub. Then I refreshed the water with some more warm water and made more bubbles then sat and watched in pure fascination.

I took my fingers and tried to form shapes out of the bubbles. I do not think that I did too badly for a first time. I loved the feel of the froth. I loved the sight of the fluffy froth and most of all! The sweet smell of everything!

That was then and this is now! I can no longer see the bubbles in my bathtub but I sure have dozens of memories.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day. Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Remembering my favorite page

This was not an easy choice for me but I'll have to choose the one that bore the headlines in the Montreal Star in 1979 that announced that once again the Montreal Canadiens hockey team had won the Stanley Cup!

This was one of the first set of headlines that I was able to see after my first cornea transplant and what a memorable moment for me! I shall never forget, and as I sit here writing this I can still feel the chills going up and down my back.

Below the bold headlines were pictures of the cup and players jumping for joy as they jostled each other to touch the prized trophy. There I was, sitting next to my dad on the couch as he gleefully held out the page to me and allowed me to read it aloud! As I read I could feel him starting to share my excitement but not for the reasons that I was excited! He was ecstatic because I was now able to read the headlines of a newspaper! My first cornea transplant was working!

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

How shapes helped me to learn

I can tell you most emphatically that having had exposure to feeling shapes as a child sure helped me to learn what things looked like. In addition, when I received my first cornea transplant the learning of shapes helped me greatly to quickly adjust to a new world of more vision.

My parents and granny were extremely instrumental in helping me. As early as I could remember, they were constantly teaching me the shape of things, from circles to squares and triangles to ovals. I remember using clay and plasticine to mold things and I also remember using blocks to construct such things as houses, vehicles, and so much more.

My parents and granny taught me how to construct various objects and they even continued their tutoring on the beach: using sand to help me learn what a castle felt like, tracing letters in the sand, and so much more.

I learned the shapes of cars, trucks, buses and boats by feeling the toys of my brothers. I formed shapes of various objects with clay and plasticine, and I used my imagination to help me create my very own shapes. I even learned what a Christmas tree looked like by feeling the shape of one that my cousin Brian had done for me.

So many wonderful memories for me and they will always be with me.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to come by and check out my heart warming audio mysteries at www.donnajodhan.com.
I write and record my very own mysteries and I can tell you that my audio mysteries are completely void of explicit descriptions of sex and violence. It's all about drama, suspense, and intrigue.
It's my way of helping to create listening for leisure and leaving imagining crime behind.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

Introduction to the Frisbee

This particular memory still lingers very much in my mind. I still remember the very first day when my parents took me to the park to play Frisbee. This after I had just gained sight after my first cornea transplant. It was a gorgeous spring day in Montreal as we ventured to the lush green park to try out my new Frisbee.

It was a bright orange and my parents were just as anxious as me. At first, they tossed it gently to me and watched intently as I caught it and then tossed it back to them. I truly enjoyed this experience. Watching the flight of the Frisbee as it left my hand and sailed noiselessly and quickly towards my parents. I was so excited to be able to see it all and both of my parents seemed just as excited.

The afternoon was a gorgeous one! The sun was just right, the grass nice and lush, and there were others around us also enjoying their activities.

I continued to play Frisbee after this first experience and thoroughly enjoyed it all. I still have this Frisbee after all of these years and shall forever hold on to it. Sometimes I take it out of its hiding place and toss it gently into the air and now that I no longer have the vision to play with others, I play by myself.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to learn more about the world of blind persons by visiting www.nfb.org.

Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.
Or you can chat with me on Skype at habsfan0526.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/author.jodhan

This is a personal message from author Donna Jodhan
"If you either are or have been a victim of crime, violence, abuse, or bullying, and if you are simply tired of being bombarded with audios and scenes of the above, then I am asking for your support. I have written and recorded audio mysteries that are completely void of vivid descriptions of sex, crime, and violence because I firmly believe that it is time for us to use the spoken word to help influence our kids to start listening to content that is clean and healthy. By doing this we can all do our part to tackle crime in a positive and meaningful way and it only costs pennies per day.Visit my online store at www.donnajodhan.com/store.html.
I thank you and your kids will also thank you!"

After a cornea surgery

I still have vivid memories of what went on after each of my cornea surgeries. Each transplant was a bit different from the next but the one thing that they all had in common were the feelings of hope and expectation.

The first cornea transplant will always be extra special in my mind and of course I will use the comparison of the old saying that tells us that the birth of a firstborn is always that bit more special. The first cornea transplant was the beginning of a new world for me. A brand new path to discovering and exploring. My whole world changed! My life changed and the big blue horizon became my limit. The sky was mine and I certainly reached for it.

I will say, however, that my expectations were based on a guarded hope for more vision and I was not disappointed. I was pleasantly surprised and accepted everything that was presented to me. I was on top of the world! I expected very little and gained plenty! After each cornea surgery I remembered to pray, hope, and accept whatever was to come my way. Ah, yes! Memories of after a cornea surgery.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others. Visit www.acb.org to learn more about the world of blind folks.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.

Braille or print

I thank God every day that I had the opportunity to learn how to and use such things as pencils, crayons, and paper and I am also truly grateful that I learned how to read and write Braille.

Braille was the first thing that I learned. At an early age I learned how to read and write it and this is because my sight was not good enough to enable me to learn how to read and write print. However, this all changed when I became a teenager and thanks to Dr. Rosen of Montreal, I had my first cornea transplant and then learned how to read and write print. I had many years of using both Braille and print but then, alas! My vision failed me in early 2004 and it was back to Braille.

Braille or print? For me, it was both for many years and I am a very lucky person.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to come by and listen to some of my audio mysteries at www.donnajodhan.com.

Vision was instantaneous

This is what happened when I received my very first cornea transplant so many years ago. Vision was instantaneous!

On a very cool spring day at the Montreal General Hospital, or should I say that it was a day at the tail end of winter but very much like a spring day, Dr. Joel Rosen performed a corneal transplant to my right eye. The memory is still so fresh in my mind. The Montreal Canadiens hockey team was well on their way to yet another Stanley Cup and I was just dying for Dr. Rosen to finish his magic.

The surgery lasted for about two hours and at the end of it all DR Joel pronounced that it was successful. I was then wheeled back to my room and after having drank a glass of milk to wash down 12 pills to ward against infection and rejection, I was left to lie quietly. There I was with a patch over my right eye but there were a few tiny holes in the patch and this is how I discovered that vision was instantaneous. Lo and behold! I could see the daylight, see the bars at the side of my bed, and even see the color of my pajamas! Yes, color, color! I could see and I was off to the races! The rest is history and stories for other days.

I drifted into sleep not too long after my discovery and dreamed dreams of happier times: times of discovery, exploration, and adventure.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my story with others. Come by anytime and visit me at www.donnajodhan.com.

Imagine the surprise

I always remember what it felt like when I saw what certain persons looked like after my first cornea transplant. Like many others, I had a picture in my mind as to what certain things and persons would look like before that great day. But then, what a surprise in so many ways!

Some persons were taller than I had imagined. Some were shorter, some were fatter or thinner, and some were even of a different skin color. I had to learn fast and put everything into perspective in a big hurry.

Birds looked differently than I had imagined. Objects were bigger, things were brighter, and the shapes and sizes were all things that I had to get used to. Nevertheless, they were all surprises in their own way but all in a day's learning for me.

The skies and clouds sure surprised me. The brightness of the sun, the beauty of the moon, and the grass, flowers, ocean, and beach were all different than I had imagined them to be.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to come visit me anytime at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

From Braille to print and back

That’s me in a nutshell and what am I talking about today? Well, here goes.

In my childhood I learned to read and write Braille because I did not have enough vision to read and write print. I loved learning Braille and those dots will forever be brailled in my mind. Then, in my teens, I got new vision through a cornea transplant and I learned how to read and write print.

These were very exciting times for me but through it all I never forgot my Braille and those faithful little dots. It was so mesmerizing for me to learn how to form those letters on paper. I used pens and pencils and crayons and markers. I learned how to read with the aid of a magnifying glass and a close circuit TV. I learned how to draw and I discovered shapes and colors. The world was fascinating and fast moving. I wore glasses to read and write and to see distance.

It was all good then but as they say, nothing good lasts forever. Then, in 2004, everything returned to its original state. I had a retinal detachment and print disappeared to be replaced by Braille once more. The little dots returned and saved me from total disaster.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others about my blogs. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

My shadow

It is one thing to have one’s shadow described to them, and when you can’t see it, it is even more difficult to imagine what a shadow really does look like. So just imagine the day when I first saw my shadow! That was the day so many years ago, shortly after I obtained my first cornea transplant.

This was at a time when I was discovering so many new things. My world was growing so fast and there were so many things to discover and explore. So how did I discover that it was indeed my very own shadow that I was seeing for the first time?

It was a beautiful, sunny spring day so many years ago as I set out for a walk on my own and as I cast my eyes downward, guess what I saw? Yes! A shape in front of me, a shape on the ground that moved with each step that I made. At first I was not sure what it was and as I reached down with my hand to try and touch it, I saw my own hand reaching down in unison with my hand movement. Then it dawned on me! It was my own shadow!

I stood still for a few moments and looked downward at my shadow. Then I started to kick out one foot at a time and I saw the movements being reflected back up to me with the sun shining on my movements on the ground. It was just so wonderful for me to discover and explore.

Later on at home, I played with my shadow on the wall of my bedroom and in the mirror of my bathroom. It was something new for me to discover. There was much more to come.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others about my discoveries. Come by and visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca to learn more.

When I first saw birds

I shall never forget the day when I was first able to see birds. It happened on a beautiful spring day as I was standing in a quiet park in Montreal. I had just had a cornea transplant and it was about 3 weeks later and I was just getting used to a whole new world made up of a plethora of objects, colors, scenes, faces, shapes, and so much more.

At first, I did not know that it was a bird that I had seen and it took me a few minutes to figure it out. The bird flew a few feet in front of me and was of a bright yellow color. It flew quickly by but what clued me in was when I heard it singing close by. I did not get a chance to see birds again until I traveled to the Caribbean a few months later and then it was just a magnificent picture for me!

Ah yes! Birds of all colors! Birds of all sizes and birds all around me. Now I could see and hear them all at the same time and I soon learned how to draw them close to me: by offering them food, of course! A brilliant memory forever.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell others about my experience. Come visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

How do I know what I look like?

A very good question for me to answer. I really never knew what I looked like until the day I was able to see myself in the mirror after my first cornea transplant so many years ago.

When I first saw myself I almost fainted from feelings of surprise, shock, and great excitement. Shock and surprise because I realized that I could actually see myself in the mirror. I was able then to see my facial features and from there as the days went by I could make out the rest of me.

It was quite a shock to discover what I looked like and I quite liked me if I could say so. Over the years I came to accept my looks and I was able to capture and store this image in my memory bank. Now that my vision is at a minimum, I have to depend on this memory to keep me going. I am very sure however that my memory of myself may not match what I look like today; I am older now and probably have more grey hairs hanging around than when I could see myself.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others. Come visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Avoiding a Heartbreaker

I have learned the hard way that avoiding a heart breaker may not always be as easy as you may think.  Sometimes, and especially so in my case, I allow myself to be caught up in the moment as they say and in doing so I often fail to use my logic and experience to save me from heartaches.

 

This is what happened over six years ago when I decided to go for broke and gave my approval to the doctors to perform a third cornea transplant on me.  This despite my gut feeling that I should have left well alone and that my doctor's warning that the success rate would probably have been 50-50%; but the quest for additional vision clouded my judgment and six months after the surgery my heart was aching and breaking and I was fighting to keep my life together.  

 

Anything and Everything that could have gone wrong, did.  My retina detached in three places and the cornea failed.  As the doctor later said to me, it was one of the worst detachments that he had ever seen but there was more.  In a subsequent surgery to repair the damage, the eye itself was damaged and a piece of my heart died that day.  A terrible accident had taken place during the surgery and I was left to pick up the pieces all on my own. 

 

My family and friends were extremely supportive but nothing could have helped me deal with this tragic loss.  It's so easy to say that I should have done this or done that but it's too late now and all that I can do is to use this experience to save myself further pain for the future.  The lesson here for me is this:  Look before you leap.  Think carefully before you act.  Temper my hopes and dreams against reality.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and learn more about causes of blindness. 

Visit www.nfb.org or www.rnib.org.