What if I could see once more?

In January 2004 I lost my vision due to a huge retinal detachment. My poor old retina gave up the fight as it had somehow managed to detach itself in three places and according to the surgeons it was one of the worst detachments that they had ever seen.

Since then, my vision has been reduced to light perception but this has not stopped me from dreaming and, as I often say to myself: what if I could see again?

I know that the world would be different today from the day when I lost my vision. There would be oh so much for me to see and discover. Colors would be amazing! There would be many more devices and gadgets for me to discover and explore! There would be a new way for me to take pictures, via my I device as opposed to those now-defunct cameras.

I would need to get used to looking at photos on my I device. I would need to learn how to read using an I device and also learn how to use my fingers to tap my way through messages when composing them.

I would have so much fun in the malls, clothes shopping, browsing in the toy stores, and treating myself to materials for crafts. I would literally find myself going crazy over everything around me.

Oh, but these are only dreams and nothing more! It does not hurt to dream, does it? For who knows! I may just have this dream become a reality some day in the not too distant future.

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.htmland 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!"

What I perceive now

I'll tell you, it's precious very little. I can barely see fingers or hand movements in front of me and these have to be almost right up against my cheek. I can see very little light and maybe someone walking very close in front of me. I may be able to see some shadows, but you know what? It is really difficult for me, to be sure.

Why is this? Because I am not sure if at times I am perceiving or really seeing. It's very difficult and at times I am a bit confused. Suffice it to say that my vision is almost at a big round zero.

That's okay! I mean it! I have adjusted to it all and it has been 10 years since it happened. In January 2004 fate delivered a blow when she failed to help doctors repair a badly torn retina. Since then, it has been a matter of readjusting and moving on.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my reflections with others. Visit me any time at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

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!"

When I realized

I am often asked this question: When did I realize that my vision was gone? When did I realize that my sight was almost all gone and that I could no longer see?

These are still very painful questions for me to respond to but here goes. I realized the terrible truth the day I stood near my bedroom window and looked out to see if I could see the sun. I could feel the warmth of it on my cheeks but alas! I could not see the golden rays. This is when I realized that my precious vision was now going to be a memory forever and this was the day in late January 2004, days after the doctors attempted to save my right eye after a huge retinal detachment.

I did not say anything to anyone, choosing instead to take stock of my life. I was slow to come to grips with this drastic change but I knew that I had to come to terms with it and deal with it in my own way. It was not easy but it had to be done.

Slowly but surely I realized that my world would be a very different one. With no functional vision to help me get around and no more vision to help me enjoy colors and shapes, I had to revert to using and depending on my ears and hands to help me communicate.

My vision was now even much less than what I was born with. Yes, that was the day that I realized, no warning, no preparation. All up to me now.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and spread the word about how blind persons cope. Come by any time and visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.
Follow me on Twitter @accessibleworld and @author_jodhan.

The Doctors Did Not Tell Me

This is nothing new when it comes to communication between doctor and patient, but for those of us who are afflicted with a vision loss it is even more difficult to deal with. For the mainstream patient they are at least able to access their information through their files, but when you are unable to read your own files because they are in printed format, that is an entirely different issue.

Here's what happened to me. In January 2004, the doctors performed surgery on me to reattach my torn retina and at the same time they gave me a new cornea. I lost almost all of my vision but no one really told me why. A second surgery was performed in September of that year, and I clearly remember the cornea surgeon telling me that he was very positive that I would receive some restored vision. But you know what? It did not happen and again no one really wanted to tell me why, in spite of my repeated questions. Lo and behold, I finally discovered the truth, but not until January of 2007. And the truth revealed itself purely by accident.

I had requested a copy of my files from my family doctor. When my friend was casually flipping through the pages, she stumbled upon a letter that my eye surgeon had written to my family doctor. The letter was explosive and explicit and emphatically stated that during my surgery of January 2004 my eye had been damaged due to blood trickling into it. What a horrible discovery! It was devastating and earth shattering to me. I could not believe that after three years I had to discover this all on my own and it only came through pure coincidence. My friend wept while I sobbed uncontrollably. Why no one ever thought to tell me will forever be a dark and mysterious secret.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your accessibility and special-needs business consultant wishing you a terrific day and begging you to go out there and urge your doctors to start being more honest with you whenever there is something difficult for them to share with their patients.