My vision is gradually improving. I don’t know if there is one cause for this or if it is due to the sum total of all things tried.

Several years ago, I read that blueberries were good for the eyes. Every morning, I have a ½ cup of blueberries with my Cheerios. Pat makes sure our diet consists of plenty of fresh vegetables. The Eylea injections keep the eyes from bleeding, thus giving the retinas a chance to do their job. The Sifovre injections may improve vision, but I haven’t been taking them long enough to reap the benefits.  I use the computer and video magnifiers for several hours each day. I figure that the eye muscles need to be exercised as much as the other muscles in the body.

I’m grateful for the amount of vision I have today. Fortunately, it seems to get just a little better each month. I can function reasonably well within the confines of my home. It’s always dark, like twilight. One measure of progress is television. For months and months, all I could see was a black screen. Now, if I get 4 or 5 feet from the TV, I can see figures moving around. If there is a close-up shot, I can see the eyes, mouth, and nose of the face, but can’t see them well enough to identify the person. Also, it has been a black and white world. I was surprised the other day to see that a lady was wearing a red dress. Thank God for small favors.

One big problem is that of keeping your head on straight and not letting the negative stuff get you down. I don’t mean the “why me” or “woe is me” crap, but the real issues. If I can’t drive, can’t do yard work, can’t do my handyman stuff, then I’m a freeloader, a leach, a bum, and not worth much. I decided that the best antidote for this kind of thinking was to get busy and learn to do some tasks that would save time or steps for Pat and Terri.

I made lots of mistakes, but soon had a list of accomplishments to add to my resume. I can load the dishwasher, start the dishwasher, unload the dishwasher, put away the dishes, make the beds, start the dryer, unload the dryer, fold and put away the clothes, feed, the cat, make coffee, make a sandwich warm a can of chili, and do several other jobs. Every little bit helps. I soon recognized a problem, though. As I became proficient at these little tasks, I also became possessive of them. If someone did one of my jobs, I perceived that it was detracting from my self-worth. This called for another little talk with myself. “Chill out, Dave! Help as much as you can and stop whining.” Now that we have got that straight, everything is going well. Be alert and don’t screw yourself up.

I know this has not been anything earthshaking. If you’ve got MD or know someone who has the problem, I wish you good luck and a good future. Stay positive. I can’t stand disabled persons who think they have a right to be a grouch and mistreat those around them.

Dave Thomas

8/10/2023