Having a doctor you like and trust is mighty important. If you can get a referral from a family member or friend, it is beneficial. I’ve been fortunate to have three doctors that have been real professionals and good guys as well. They are, Clifton Beasley of Fort Worth Retina Specialists, Lon Poliner of San Diego Retina Specialists, and Nikolas London of San Diego Retina Specialists. They have all been top guys and have done a lot for me.

The biggest thing in the life of a person with low vision is their support group. I am so lucky to have my wife, Pat, and my daughter, Terri, looking out for me. They see to it that I am well cared for and safe. The countless things they do for me do more than make life tolerable; they make life good.

I’ll give some examples. One of the simplest things that keeps me from falling and busting my head is to tell me when I have a shoelace untied.

Eating a meal seems simple, but since I can’t see colors or details, I have no idea what is on my plate. They solve this when placing a plate before me by saying something like “Green beans at 12 o’clock, mashed potatoes at 3 o’clock, meat at 6 o’clock, and cottage cheese at 9 o’clock.

I haven’t learned to cut meat. Often, the meat ends up lying uncut on the table. Pat or Terri cut the meat for me before placing the plate on the table.

Another great aid is that they put things in the same place. This really helps when getting clothes or getting stuff from the refrigerator.

Just being in the same room with Pat or Terri can keep me out of trouble for they can spot stuff before it happens. They notice when I am about to bump into a glass of water, or I have a shoelace untied. They continually keep me from making a mess. Of course, they do a lot of good stuff like reading me the mail and keeping me current on what’s happening.

Along with all the things they do to keep me functioning, I can always hear Pat and Terri talking and laughing and that keeps the house feeling warm and happy.

David Thomas

8/3/2023