,FROM ,DAYLIGHT TO ,DARK ,FINDING ,WORK IN AN ,INACCESSIBLE ,WORLD ,VALERIE ,D4 ,MAIDMENT ,PUBLISHED BY ,FRIESEN,PRESS ,ALTONA1 ,,MB ,COPYRIGHT ^C #BJBD BY ,VALERIE ,D4 ,MAIDMENT ,TRANSCRIPTION OF ,,ISBN3 #IGHAJCHCJDBHE ,PRODUCED BY ,,CNIB ,TORONTO1 ,ONTARIO ,TRANSCRIBED #BJBD1 BY ,SHARON ,CHAN ,UNCONTRACTED ,BRAILLE PAGES T#A-T#AJ1 P#A-P#F AND #A-#AHF ,PRINT PAGES #A-A#AJD T#A T#B ,THIS WORK IS PRODUCED FOR PERSONS WITH A PERCEPTUAL DISABILITY AS PER THE ,CANADIAN ,COPYRIGHT ,ACT4 ,FURTHER DISTRIBUTION OR REPRODUCTION MUST COMPLY WITH THIS ACT4 ,ALL RIGHTS RESERVED4 ,NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED IN ANY FORM1 OR BY ANY MEANS1 ELECTRONIC OR MECHANICAL1 INCLUDING PHOTOCOPYING1 RECORDING1 OR ANY INFORMATION BROWSING1 STORAGE1 OR RETRIEVAL SYSTEM1 WITHOUT PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM ,FRIESEN,PRESS4 WWW4FRIESENPRESS4COM T#C ,,UEB ,,SYMBOLS ,COMMON SYMBOLS ARE LISTED IN BRAILLE ORDER1 PRECEDED BY THE DOT LOCATOR FOR MENTION3 .= ,DOT LOCATOR FOR MENTION .=< ,OPENING BRAILLE GROUPING INDICATOR .=5 ,SUBSCRIPT INDICATOR .=7 ,PRIME " .=77 ,DOUBLE PRIME " .=9 ,SUPERSCRIPT INDICATOR .=/ ,SIMPLE NUMERIC FRACTION LINE .=> ,CLOSING BRAILLE GROUPING INDICATOR .=@A ,COMMERCIAL AT SIGN .=@C ,CENT SIGN .=@E ,EURO SIGN .=@L ,POUND SIGN " .=@S ,DOLLAR SIGN .=@* ,SOLIDUS " OVERLAY ON FOLLOWING LETTER .=@< ,OPENING ANGLE BRACKET2 LESS-THAN SIGN .=@% ,CHECK MARK1 TICK .=@1 ,SCRIPT WORD INDICATOR T#D .=@2 ,SCRIPT SYMBOL INDICATOR .=@3 ,HORIZONTAL STROKE OVERLAY ON FOLLOWING LETTER .=@5 ,CARET " .=@7 ,SCRIPT PASSAGE INDICATOR .=@9 ,TILDE " .=@+ ,BREVE ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=@> ,CLOSING ANGLE BRACKET2 GREATER- THAN SIGN .=@' ,SCRIPT TERMINATOR .=@- ,MACRON ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=@.< ,OPENING TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE INDICATOR .=@.> ,CLOSING TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE INDICATOR .=@,? ,DAGGER .=@,] ,DOUBLE DAGGER .=^C ,COPYRIGHT SIGN .=^J ,DEGREE SIGN .=^T ,TRADEMARK SIGN .=^& ,CEDILLA BELOW FOLLOWING LETTER .=^* ,GRAVE ACCENT ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^% ,CIRCUMFLEX ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^$ ,RING " ABOVE T#E FOLLOWING LETTER .=^] ,TILDE ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^1 ,BOLDFACE WORD INDICATOR .=^2 ,BOLDFACE SYMBOL INDICATOR .=^3 ,DIAERESIS " ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^6 ,LIGATURE INDICATOR .=^7 ,BOLDFACE PASSAGE INDICATOR .=^8 ,OPENING DOUBLE QUOTATION MARK .=^0 ,CLOSING DOUBLE QUOTATION MARK .=^/ ,ACUTE ACCENT ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^+ ,CARON " ABOVE FOLLOWING LETTER .=^' ,BOLDFACE TERMINATOR .=^;6 ,INVERTED EXCLAMATION MARK .=^;8 ,INVERTED QUESTION MARK .=_* ,REVERSE SOLIDUS " .=_< ,OPENING CURLY BRACKET " .=_? ,NUMBER SIGN " .=_1 ,UNDERLINED WORD INDICATOR .=_2 ,UNDERLINED SYMBOL INDICATOR .=_4 ,BULLET .=_7 ,UNDERLINED PASSAGE INDICATOR T#F .=_/ ,SOLIDUS " .=_> ,CLOSING CURLY BRACKET " .=_' ,UNDERLINE TERMINATOR .=" ,LINE CONTINUATION INDICATOR2 NUMERIC SPACE .="< ,OPENING PARENTHESIS " .="% ,RADICAL WITHOUT VINCULUM " .="4 ,MULTIPLICATION DOT .="6 ,PLUS SIGN .="7 ,EQUALS SIGN .="8 ,TIMES " .="9 ,ASTERISK .="/ ,DIVIDED BY " .="> ,CLOSING PARENTHESIS " .="- ,MINUS SIGN .=",- ,LONG DASH .=.! ,GERMAN LETTER SHARP ,S " .=.< ,OPENING SQUARE BRACKET .=.1 ,ITALIC WORD INDICATOR .=.2 ,ITALIC SYMBOL INDICATOR .=.7 ,ITALIC PASSAGE INDICATOR T#G .=.0 ,PERCENT SIGN .=.> ,CLOSING SQUARE BRACKET .=.' ,ITALIC TERMINATOR .=.- ,LOW LINE " .=; ,GRADE #A SYMBOL INDICATOR .=;' ,GRADE #A TERMINATOR .=;; ,GRADE #A WORD INDICATOR .=;;; ,GRADE #A PASSAGE INDICATOR .=,8 ,OPENING SINGLE QUOTATION MARK .=,0 ,CLOSING SINGLE QUOTATION MARK .=,' ,CAPITALS TERMINATOR .=,- ,DASH .=,,, ,CAPITALISED PASSAGE INDICATOR T#H ,,TRANSCRIBER',S ,,NOTES ,THIS EDITION HAS BEEN BRAILLED IN ,UNIFIED ,ENGLISH ,BRAILLE1 ACCORDING TO THE RULES OF .7,BRAILLE ,FORMATS3 ,PRINCIPLES OF ,PRINT-TO-,BRAILLE ,TRANSCRIPTION1 #BJAF1.' WITH MODIFICATIONS BY ,,CNIB4 T#I T#AJ @.<,THE FOLLOWING MATERIAL IS FROM THE BACK COVER OF THE BOOK4@.> ,VALERIE ,D4 ,MAIDMENT IS AN ADVOCATE FOR THE BLIND_/VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,AFTER LOSING HER VISION IN #BJJH1 SHE WAS DETERMINED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ACTIVELY IN HER COMMUNITY4 ,A MEMBER OF THE ,CANADIAN ,NATIONAL ,INSTITUTE FOR THE ,BLIND1 ,VALERIE AIMS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE BARRIERS FACED BY PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS4 ,IN HER FREE TIME1 ,VALERIE ENJOYS READING1 KNITTING1 RIDING THE ,,ATV WITH HER HUSBAND AND LEARNING NEW THINGS4 ,SHE LIVES IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 ,NEWFOUNDLAND WITH HER HUSBAND AND SISTER-IN-LAW4 P#A ,DEDICATIONS ,I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,SINCE LOSING MY VISION SUDDENLY IN #BJJH ,I HAVE LEARNED THROUGH EXPERIENCE WHAT A BLIND PERSON HAS TO GO THROUGH1 THE BARRIERS AND DISCRIMINATION FACED ON A DAILY BASIS4 ,I WANT TO CHANGE WHAT IT IS TO BE BLIND TODAY4 ,I HOPE THIS BOOK WILL HELP PEOPLE SEE WHAT WE FACE AND MAYBE TAKE THE STEP TO BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS AND MAKING THINGS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL4 ,MANY THANKS TO MY FRIEND_/COACH1 ,SHARON ,LE,SHANE WITHOUT WHOM ,I WOULD NOT HAVE WRITTEN THIS BOOK4 ,I NEVER THOUGHT ,I COULD WRITE A BOOK BUT ,SHARON TOLD ME ,I COULD AND ENCOURAGED ME TO DO SO AND NOW HERE IT IS4 ,I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING IT4 ,A BIG THANK YOU TO MY GIRLS1 ,KELSEY AND ,ALYSSA WHO HELPED WITH CHOOSING THE COVER FOR MY BOOK4 ,YOU WERE A GREAT HELP1 WITHOUT YOU BOTH ,I WOULD P#B NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO IT MYSELF4 ,LAST BUT NOT LEAST1 MY HUSBAND ,WALLY WHO STUCK WITH ME THROUGH IT ALL4 ,WE BOTH HAD A BIG ORDEAL TO GO THROUGH4 AND IT WASN'T EASY4 ,I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE STUCK BY MY SIDE AS HE DID4 ,HE WAS ALWAYS THERE WHEN ,I NEEDED HIM4 P#C ,TABLE OF ,CONTENTS ,INTRODUCTION """"""""""""""""""""""" #A ,CHAPTER #A3 .7,WAKING ,UP TO ,VISION ,LOSS.' """"""""""""""""""" #E ,CHAPTER #B3 .7,DEPRESSION1 ,ANXIETY1 AND ,VISION ,LOSS.' """" #AI ,CHAPTER #C3 .1,RETURNING .1,HOME "" #BC ,CHAPTER #D3 .7,WRONG OR ,RIGHT8.' #CA ,CHAPTER #E3 .1,NEXT .1,STEPS """""" #CG ,CHAPTER #F3 .7,RETURNING TO ,SCHOOL.' """""""""""""""""""""""" #EA ,CHAPTER #G3 .7,FROM ,UNEMPLOYMENT TO ,ENTREPRENEURSHIP.' """"""""""" #FA ,CHAPTER #H3 .7,SETBACKS AND ,BREAKTHROUGHS.' """"""""""""""""" #GA ,CHAPTER #I3 .7,GETTING THE ,JOB ,I ,WANT.' """"""""""""""""""""""" #GI ,CHAPTER #AJ3 .1,UNEMPLOYED .1,AGAIN """"""""""""""""""""""""" #HG ,CHAPTER #AA3 .1,MORE .1,SETBACKS "" #IA ,CHAPTER #AB3 .1,MOVING .1,ON """""" #IE P#D ,CONCLUSION """""""""""""""""""""""" #II ,BIBLIOGRAPHY """"""""""""""""""""" #AJC P#E P#F ,FROM ,DAYLIGHT TO ,DARK #A ,FINDING ,WORK IN AN ,INACCESSIBLE ,WORLD ,INTRODUCTION ,VISION LOSS OR BLINDNESS CAN AFFECT ANYONE AT ANY TIME4 ,IT CAN HAPPEN SUDDENLY OR GRADUALLY OVER TIME1 DEPENDING ON THE CAUSE4 ,NO MATTER HOW IT ORIGINATED OR THE TIMELINE1 VISION LOSS CHANGES A PERSON'S LIFE DRASTICALLY1 AND IT CAN AFFECT ONE'S QUALITY OF LIFE1 INDEPENDENCE1 AND MOBILITY4 ,EVERYTHING CHANGES2 A PERSON HAS TO START ALL OVER AGAIN WHEN VISION IS LOST LATER IN LIFE4 ,THEY HAVE TO LEARN NEW WAYS TO DO EVERYTHING4 ,THEY ARE NO LONGER SELF-SUFFICIENT4 ,NO MATTER HOW INDEPENDENT A PERSON THINKS THEY HAVE BECOME AFTER LOSING THEIR SIGHT1 THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING THEY WILL NEED HELP WITH4 ,SO WHEN SOMEONE LOSES THEIR VISION1 IT ALSO HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT P#G DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#A ON THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS4 ,FOR EXAMPLE1 HAVING TO DEPEND ON SOMEONE TO TAKE THEM TO AN APPOINTMENT1 OR EVEN JUST TO THE MALL4 ,THE FAMILY MEMBER OR FRIEND HAS TO TAKE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO HELP4 ,THEY MAY NOT MIND1 BUT IT STILL AFFECTS THEM4 ,WHEREVER VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE GO1 PEOPLE AROUND THEM FEEL LIKE THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEM1 MAKING SURE THEY KNOW WHERE THEY ARE GOING AND THAT THEY DON'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT AND HURT THEMSELVES4 ,THE COMPLETE LOSS OR DETERIORATION OF EXISTING EYESIGHT CAN FEEL FRIGHTENING AND OVERWHELMING4 ,IT'S NOT EASY FOR SOMEONE TO KNOW THEIR VISION IS GETTING WORSE EVERY DAY1 AND THAT THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN THEY CANNOT SEE4 ,THIS LEAVES THEM WONDERING ABOUT THEIR ABILITY --------------------------------------#B TO MAINTAIN THEIR INDEPENDENCE1 PAY FOR NEEDED MEDICAL CARE1 RETAIN EMPLOYMENT1 AND PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES AND P#H DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#B THEIR FAMILY4 ,FINDING EMPLOYMENT WITH VISION LOSS IS NOT AN EASY TASK1 AS YOU WILL SEE FROM MY EXPERIENCES THROUGHOUT THIS BOOK4 ,EMPLOYERS DON'T WANT TO HIRE PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS2 THEY ARE AFRAID WE MAY GET INJURED OR NEED SOME HELP2 THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO ASSOCIATE WITH A BLIND PERSON2 OR THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO BE BOTHERED4 ,FROM MY WORK EXPERIENCE1 IT SEEMS THAT LARGER COMPANIES OR ORGANIZATIONS HIRE PEOPLE JUST SO THEY CAN SAY THEY ARE INCLUSIVE1 WHEN ALL YOU ARE TO THEM IS A NUMBER4 ,THEY WANT TO MAKE IT LOOK GOOD FOR THEMSELVES BUT WILL NOT COMPLETELY ACCOMMODATE A PERSON4 ,THESE ARE SITUATIONS PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS HAVE TO FACE ON A DAILY BASIS4 ,WHY BUSINESSES THAT CAN AFFORD IT CAN'T MAKE THEIR WORKPLACE ACCESSIBLE1 ,I CAN'T UNDERSTAND4 ,WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE4 ,EVERYONE HAS TO P#I DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#B MAKE MONEY TO LIVE4 ,PERSONALLY1 IF ,I CANNOT GO TO WORK AND FULLY COMPLETE WHAT IT IS THAT ,I AM HIRED TO DO1 ,I DON'T WANT TO BE THERE4 ,I WANT TO WORK1 NOT JUST BE A NUMBER4 ,ACTIVITIES MOST PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED PRESENT BARRIERS TO ,CANADIANS WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,THESE OBSTACLES CAN BE FOUND IN OUR PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE1 EDUCATION AND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM1 THE JOB MARKET1 SOCIAL FUNCTION1 AND INDIVIDUAL ATTITUDES AND EXPECTATIONS4 ,IT FIRST STARTS WITH THE ABILITY TO GET AROUND4 ,NOT ALL BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES ARE ACCESSIBLE1 THUS LIMITING WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND WHERE THEY CAN'T4 ,IF BUILDINGS ARE NOT MADE ACCESSIBLE1 IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR A PERSON TO FIND A JOB OR GO TO SCHOOL4 ,NEXT COMES SOCIAL ISOLATION4 ,IF BUILDINGS ARE INACCESSIBLE TO THE BLIND COMMUNITY1 IT AFFECTS HOW WE ARE ABLE TO SOCIALIZE WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD1 P#AJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#B AND THIS IN TURN WILL LEAD TO ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION4 ,THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF VISION LOSS IS ALSO SUBSTANTIAL4 ,IF A PERSON CAN'T GET --------------------------------------#C AN EDUCATION TO ALLOW THEM TO FIND WORK1 AND THEY ARE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY EMPLOYERS1 HOW CAN THEY AFFORD TO LIVE8 ,THIS IN TURN REDUCES A PERSON'S QUALITY OF LIFE4 ,THE BARRIERS A BLIND PERSON CAN COME UP AGAINST ARE ENDLESS4 ,IT TAKES SOMEONE STRONG TO BE ABLE TO COPE WITH EVERYTHING4 ,THE BIGGEST HURDLE TO OVERCOME WITH VISION LOSS IS FINDING A JOB4 ,IN ,CANADA1 THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FOR PEOPLE WITH SIGHT LOSS IS #AD4E PERCENT1 WHICH IS THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE49#A ,FOR SOME REASON1 EMPLOYERS ARE NOT INTERESTED IN HIRING A PERSON WHO IS BLIND4 ,DESPITE HAVING COMPARABLE OR HIGHER QUALIFICATIONS THAN THEIR SIGHTED PEERS1 PEOPLE WITH SIGHT LOSS FACE P#AA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#C SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WHEN IT COMES TO JOINING AND STAYING IN THE WORKFORCE4 ,IN MY OPINION1 PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND ARE LOOKED UPON AS NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING4 ,AS A FORMER EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION1 ,I FELT LEFT OUT4 ,I TOLD MY FELLOW EXECUTIVES IF THEY WANTED ME TO DO ANYTHING TO LET ME KNOW1 AND IF ,I COULD DO IT1 ,I WOULD4 ,IF ,I WASN'T ABLE TO DO IT1 ,I WOULD TELL THEM4 ,I WANTED TO BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE COMMITTEE4 ,HOWEVER1 THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN4 ,I WAS STILL LEFT OUT4 ,I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW WE ARE LOOKED UPON LIKE THIS4 ,PEOPLE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE LEARN TO DO THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY4 ,WE WANT TO BE INCLUDED1 NOT JUST PUSHED TO THE SIDE4 ,FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE WE ARE NOT CAPABLE OF LIVING AS INDEPENDENTLY AS EVERYONE ELSE1 SPEND SOME TIME WITH A BLIND PERSON1 AND YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT WE CAN DO4 ,I HAVE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME1 P#AB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#C 8,HOW DO YOU DO THIS80 OR 8,HOW CAN YOU REMEMBER THE WAY TO GET THIS DONE80 ,IT'S NOT SOMETHING ,I THINK ABOUT2 IT'S JUST A PART OF COMPLETING A TASK AND OF TRYING TO LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS EVERYONE ELSE4 ,WE LEARN TO DO THINGS IN WAYS SIGHTED PEOPLE WOULD NEVER COME UP WITH4 ,VISION LOSS ENABLES US TO LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY "333333 #A ,MAC,NEIL1 8,LET'S ,BOOST THE ,EMPLOYMENT ,RATE FOR ,CANADIANS WITH ,SIGHT ,LOSS40 --------------------------------------#D AND FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THINGS DONE4 ,TECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCING EVERY DAY1 ALLOWING THE BLIND TO LIVE MORE INDEPENDENTLY4 ,LEARNING TO COPE WITH VISION LOSS ISN'T EASY1 AND WE GO THROUGH MANY UPS AND DOWNS4 ,IT IS AN EMOTIONAL BATTLE TRYING TO LIVE OUR LIFE4 ,SOME PEOPLE COPE WITH IT WELL2 HOWEVER1 THERE ARE THOSE WHO JUST WANT TO GIVE UP4 P#AC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#D ,I AM NOT ONE OF THESE PEOPLE4 ,I HOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME ON MY JOURNEY2 THIS BOOK WILL ALLOW YOU TO SEE HOW VISION LOSS CAN CHANGE A PERSON'S LIFE1 BUT IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT1 NOT LETTING ANYONE OR ANYTHING HOLD YOU BACK1 YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS OTHERS4 P#AD DAYLIGHT TO DARK #E ,FROM ,DAYLIGHT TO ,DARK ,CHAPTER #A3 .7,WAKING ,UP TO ,VISION ,LOSS.' ,I WAS BORN ON ,NOVEMBER #F1 #AIFI1 AT THE ,DR4 ,A4,A4 ,WILKINSON ,MEMORIAL ,HOSPITAL1 IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN1 ,NEWFOUNDLAND4 ,OLD ,PERLICAN IS NINE KILOMETRES FROM ,BAY DE ,VERDE1 WHERE MY PARENTS1 ,SHAWN AND ,LOUISE ,BROADERS1 LIVED4 ,I HAD TWO YOUNGER BROTHERS1 ,SHAWN ,JR4 AND ,DARRYL1 WHO WAS THE YOUNGEST4 ,MOM HAD A MISCARRIAGE BEFORE ,I WAS BORN1 AND ,I HAD ANOTHER BROTHER WHO PASSED AWAY SHORTLY AFTER HE WAS BORN4 ,BAY DE ,VERDE IS A SMALL FISHING COMMUNITY THAT DEPENDS ON THE FISHERY FOR THEIR LIVELIHOOD4 ,MOST EVERYONE WHO LIVED IN ,BAY DE ,VERDE EITHER FISHED OUT OF THE HARBOUR OR WORKED AT THE ,QUINLAN'S PLANT4 ,BAY DE ,VERDE IS #A DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#E LOCATED AT THE TIP OF THE ,BAY DE ,VERDE ,PENINSULA4 ,WE LIVED IN A SMALL TWO- BEDROOM HOUSE JUST UP FROM THE ,ANGLICAN CHURCH4 ,MY FATHER FISHED WITH MY GRANDFATHER1 ,JAMES ,BROADERS4 ,WHEN ,I WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS OLD1 MY PARENTS TOOK ME FOR MY CHECKUP AND FOUND OUT ,I HAD A CONDITION CALLED HYDROCEPHALUS4 ,THIS IS A DISORDER IN WHICH THERE IS A BUILDUP OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID AROUND THE BRAIN THAT TYPICALLY CAUSES INCREASED PRESSURE INSIDE THE SKULL4 ,THE PRESSURE FROM TOO MUCH CEREBROSPINAL FLUID CAN DAMAGE BRAIN TISSUE AND CAUSE A RANGE OF IMPAIRMENTS IN BRAIN FUNCTION4 ,IT CAN OCCUR AT ANY AGE BUT IS COMMONLY FOUND IN INFANTS AND ADULTS SIXTY AND OVER4 ,MY PARENTS WERE SHOCKED4 ,THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,THEY HAD NOT SEEN --------------------------------------#F ANY SYMPTOMS1 BUT THE DOCTOR NOTICED IT IMMEDIATELY4 ,APPARENTLY1 MY HEAD WAS BIGGER THAN NORMAL FOR A CHILD MY #B DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#F AGE4 ,I HAD TO HAVE SURGERY TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE AROUND MY BRAIN THAT WAS CAUSING MY HEAD TO SWELL4 ,I WAS TO HAVE A SHUNT INSERTED INTO MY SKULL TO DRAIN THE EXCESS FLUID FROM MY BRAIN4 ,THIS WOULD BE DONE THROUGH A TUBE GOING INTO MY STOMACH4 ,THE SURGERY WAS DONE BY ,DR4 ,MAROON1 AND IT WENT WELL4 ,LUCKILY1 ,I DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAIN DAMAGE4 ,I SPENT A WEEK IN THE ,JANEWAY ,CHILD ,HEALTH ,CENTRE IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S1 ,NEWFOUNDLAND4 ,THIS HOSPITAL WAS FOR CHILDREN SIXTEEN AND UNDER4 ,AFTER ,I WAS RELEASED1 ,I HAD TO HAVE REGULAR CHECKUPS TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS WORKING PROPERLY AND THERE WAS NO BUILDUP OF FLUID4 ,MY SURGERY DIDN'T STOP ME4 ,I GREW UP DOING MOST EVERYTHING A CHILD MY AGE WOULD4 ,WHEN ,I WAS TWO1 WE MOVED FROM ,BAY DE ,VERDE TO ,MOUNT ,PEARL1 A CITY NEAR ,ST4 ,JOHN'S1 SO MY DAD COULD BE CLOSER TO HIS NEW JOB AT ,,CIP #C DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#F ,CONTAINERS1 A COMPANY THAT MADE BOXES FOR ALMOST EVERYTHING4 ,I LOVED MY DAD'S JOB2 HE WOULD BRING HOME CARDBOARD FOR ME TO DRAW ON4 ,THERE WAS CARDBOARD ALL OVER THE HOUSE4 ,I REMEMBER LIVING IN A BASEMENT APARTMENT2 ,I COULD NOT SEE OUT THE WINDOWS1 SO ,I WOULD STAND UP ON THE BACK OF THE CHESTERFIELD TO LOOK OUT4 ,MOM DIDN'T LIKE THIS BECAUSE SHE WAS AFRAID THAT ,I WOULD FALL AND HURT MY HEAD4 ,AT THE END OF THE STREET WHERE ,I LIVED WAS A CONVENIENCE STORE1 AND WHEN ,MOM AND ,I WOULD GO THERE1 ,I WOULD ALWAYS GET A ,PIXY ,STYX4 ,IT WAS MY FAVOURITE TREAT1 AND ,I LOOKED FORWARD TO GOING TO THE STORE TO GET ONE4 ,I STARTED SCHOOL AT AGE FOUR BECAUSE MY BIRTHDAY WAS IN ,NOVEMBER4 ,I DIDN'T LIKE SCHOOL MUCH1 AND FOR THE FIRST YEAR ,I MISSED MANY DAYS1 PROBABLY BECAUSE ON ,DECEMBER SECOND OF THAT YEAR1 MY BABY BROTHER ,SHAWN WAS BORN1 AND ,I WANTED TO STAY HOME TO BE WITH HIM4 #D DAYLIGHT TO DARK #G ,I ATTENDED ,MARY ,QUEEN OF THE ,WORLD ,SCHOOL IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,I CAN'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT IT1 BUT ONE THING DOES STAND OUT4 ,I RECALL STANDING OUTSIDE MY CLASSROOM BY THE COAT RACKS AND JUST DOWN THE HALL WAS A CAFETERIA FULL OF PEOPLE4 ,I KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A WINDOW IN THE DOOR1 AND ,I COULD SEE THEM4 ,WHAT ,I WAS DOING OR WHY ,I WAS THERE ,I DON'T KNOW1 BUT IT STICKS OUT IN MY MIND4 ,I GUESS ,I WAS AFRAID TO GO IN WITH EVERYONE4 ,AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR1 MY TEACHER DID NOT WANT TO PASS ME BECAUSE ,I HAD MISSED SO MANY DAYS4 ,SHE TOLD MY PARENTS ,I HAD NOT ATTENDED ENOUGH CLASSES TO KNOW THE WORK4 ,THEY WANTED ME TO DO KINDERGARTEN OVER AGAIN4 ,MY PARENTS WERE NOT SATISFIED WITH THIS1 SO THE PRINCIPAL AGREED TO PUT ME IN ,GRADE ,ONE HALFWAY THROUGH THE NEXT YEAR4 ,HOWEVER1 THIS DID NOT HAPPEN1 AND ,I DID TWO YEARS OF KINDERGARTEN4 ,AFTER THIS1 MY PARENTS DECIDED TO MOVE #E DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#G BACK TO ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 WHERE MY GRANDPARENTS ON MY MOTHER'S SIDE1 ,CHARLES AND ,FLORENCE ,FAGNER1 LIVED4 ,IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MY DOING TWO YEARS OF KINDERGARTEN2 MY PARENTS JUST DECIDED THEY WANTED TO MOVE BACK HOME4 ,WHEN SCHOOL BEGAN AGAIN1 MY PARENTS REGISTERED ME FOR ,JACKSON ,WALSH ,ELEMENTARY IN ,WESTERN ,BAY1 ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES FROM ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE4 ,I TRAVELLED BY BUS TO AND FROM SCHOOL EACH DAY4 ,I REMEMBER MY FIRST DAY OF ,GRADE ,ONE CLEARLY4 ,ALL OF MY CLASSMATES WERE SITTING ON THE FLOOR IN FRONT OF OUR TEACHER1 ,MRS4 ,BAGGS4 ,I RECALL HER ASKING ME TO STAND UP AND TELL EVERYONE MY NAME AND WHERE ,I LIVED4 ,I STOOD UP AND DID AS SHE ASKED4 ,THIS TIME1 ,I DID ENJOY GOING TO SCHOOL EACH DAY AND INTERACTING WITH MY FRIENDS1 AND ,I HAD NO TROUBLE4 ,THE ONLY THING ,I DIDN'T LIKE WAS NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE PART IN GYM CLASS1 FOR FEAR OF HITTING MY HEAD4 ,STILL1 ,GRADES #F DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#G ,ONE AND ,TWO WENT WELL1 AND MY MEDICAL CHECKUPS WERE GOOD4 --------------------------------------#H ,I WAS NOW IN ,GRADE ,THREE AND STILL LIKED GOING TO SCHOOL4 ,I WAS FOND OF MY TEACHER1 ,MRS4 ,GLADYS ,LE,SHANE4 ,SHE ALSO LIVED ,IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE WITH HER HUSBAND1 ,KEN1 WHO WAS THE POSTMASTER4 ,THEN ONE DAY THAT YEAR1 IT HAPPENED AGAIN3 MY SHUNT WAS BLOCKED4 ,I HAD TO HAVE SURGERY TO REPLACE IT4 ,I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH FROM THIS TIME1 BUT EVERYTHING WENT WELL4 ,I SPENT ABOUT A WEEK AT THE ,JANEWAY IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,AFTER ,I WAS RELEASED1 ,I FOUND OUT THAT MY TEACHER HAD SENT HOME MY HOMEWORK FOR EVERY DAY ,I WAS IN HOSPITAL2 ,I HAD LOTS TO DO1 AS ,I HAD TO CATCH UP ON EVERYTHING BEFORE ,I RETURNED TO SCHOOL4 ,WHEN ,I DID RETURN1 ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND MY TEACHER WERE HAPPY TO SEE ME4 ,I CONTINUED WITH MY REGULAR CHECKUPS1 AND ALL OF MY FOLLOW-UP #G DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#H APPOINTMENTS WENT WELL4 ,THERE WAS NO BUILDUP OF FLUID1 AND ,I WAS DOING FINE IN SCHOOL4 ,THEN ONE DAY DURING A CHECKUP1 MY PARENTS AND ,I GOT A SURPRISE4 ,MY DOCTOR TOLD US THAT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING AS IT SHOULD1 AND ,I DID NOT NEED THE SHUNT ANYMORE4 ,HOWEVER1 ,DR4 ,MAROON SAID HE WANTED TO LEAVE IT THERE IN CASE THERE CAME A TIME WHEN ,I DID NEED IT4 ,I CONTINUED ON THROUGH SCHOOL WITH NO ISSUES1 GRADUATING AND MOVING ON TO COLLEGE4 ,I COMPLETED A BOOKKEEPER-CLERK COURSE AT THE ,AVALON ,COMMUNITY ,COLLEGE1 AS IT WAS KNOWN THEN1 NOW ,COLLEGE OF THE ,NORTH ,ATLANTIC OR ,,CONA4 ,FOR ABOUT THE FIRST MONTH1 ,I BOARDED IN A HOME JUST UP FROM THE COLLEGE1 BUT ,I WAS HOMESICK4 ,LUCKILY1 ,I WAS ABLE TO FIND A COUPLE OF FELLOW STUDENTS1 ,JIM AND ,JOEY1 WHO DROVE ME BACK AND FORTH EACH DAY4 ,IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT THE WEATHER WAS LIKE2 WE MADE IT TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY4 #H DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#H ,THE NEXT YEAR1 ,I COMPLETED A COMPUTERIZED ACCOUNTING COURSE AT ,KEYIN ,TECHNICAL ,COLLEGE4 ,I HAD TROUBLE FINDING TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THIS PROGRAM1 THOUGH4 ,THERE WAS A BUS OPERATED BY THE ,SQUIRES IN ,SIBLEY'S ,COVE THAT WOULD TRAVEL TO ,ST4 ,JOHN'S ON ,MONDAY1 ,WEDNESDAY1 --------------------------------------#I AND ,FRIDAY4 ,I TOOK THE BUS TO ,CARBONEAR1 GOT OFF AT THE END OF THE ROAD1 AND WALKED DOWN TO THE SCHOOL4 ,I MANAGED TO FIND A WAY THERE ON THE DAYS WHEN THE BUS WASN'T RUNNING4 ,I DID MISS A FEW DAYS1 BUT ,I MADE IT THROUGH THE PROGRAM4 ,AFTER COLLEGE1 ,I SPENT MY TIME LOOKING FOR WORK4 ,I ALMOST GOT A JOB DOING BOOKKEEPING2 ,I HAD AN INTERVIEW IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S1 AND IT WENT WELL4 ,THE OWNER TOLD ME HE WOULD HAVE HIRED ME1 BUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT BOOKKEEPING HIMSELF1 HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HELP ME OUT IF ,I GOT IN #I DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#I TROUBLE4 ,DURING THIS TIME1 WHILE BABYSITTING FOR A FRIEND1 ,I MET MY BOYFRIEND1 ,WALLY4 ,HE WAS FROM ,BAY DE ,VERDE4 ,EACH DAY WHEN ,I WAS BABYSITTING1 ,WALLY WOULD SHOW UP4 ,I GOT TO KNOW HIM AND LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING HIM4 ,ONE NIGHT IN ,NOVEMBER #AIHI1 WE WENT OUT1 AND OUR RELATIONSHIP OFFICIALLY BEGAN4 ,WHEN WE HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR A WHILE1 ,I MOVED IN WITH HIM AND HIS SISTER1 ,NELLIE4 ,THEY HAD A SISTER1 ,DULCIE1 WHO LIVED IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S1 AND TWO BROTHERS1 ,ARCHIBALD1 WHO LIVED IN ,TORONTO1 AND ,ARTHUR1 WHO LIVED IN ,TORONTO BUT MOVED BACK TO ,BOTWOOD1 ,,NL WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND WHEN HE RETIRED4 ,THEY ALSO HAD A BROTHER1 ,ROBERT1 WHO PASSED AWAY AT AN EARLY AGE4 ,THEY LOST THEIR MOM WHEN THEY WERE VERY YOUNG1 AND THEIR FATHER PASSED AWAY ABOUT TEN MONTHS AFTER WE MET4 ,AFTER MOVING IN WITH ,WALLY1 ,I WENT TO WORK IN THE ,QUINLAN ,BROTHERS CRAB #AJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#I PLANT4 ,WALLY AND ,I WERE TOGETHER FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS WHEN ,I BECAME PREGNANT WITH MY DAUGHTER1 ,KELSEY4 ,SHE WAS BORN ON ,MAY #BD1 #AIIC1 AT THE ,CARBONEAR ,GENERAL ,HOSPITAL4 ,I TOOK THE NEXT SEASON OFF FROM THE CRAB PLANT2 ,I WANTED TO LOOK AFTER MY DAUGHTER4 ,WALLY AND ,I ENJOYED RAISING ,KELSEY2 IT WAS A NEW EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH OF US4 ,MY FRIEND ,SERENA'S MOM HAD A CONVENIENCE STORE IN ,BAY DE ,VERDE4 ,SHE HAD OFFERED ME A JOB1 BUT AFTER DISCUSSING IT WITH ,WALLY1 WE AGREED -------------------------------------#AJ THAT ,I WOULD MAKE MORE IN THE PLANT4 ,WHEN ,KELSEY WAS ALMOST FOUR1 ,I WAS OFFERED A POSITION WORKING IN A CONVENIENCE STORE IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 WHERE ,I GREW UP4 ,I KNEW THE OWNERS2 THEY WERE THE AUNT AND UNCLE OF MY FRIEND1 ,SANDI4 ,SANDI AND ,I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER THROUGHOUT HIGH SCHOOL1 GOING TO THE GAME ROOM IN #AA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AJ ,JOB'S ,COVE ON THE WEEKEND4 ,THIS WAS OUR REGULAR HANGOUT4 ,THIS TIME1 ,I ACCEPTED THE JOB AND GAVE UP WORKING IN THE PLANT4 ,I ENJOYED WORKING AT THE STORE AND GETTING TO KNOW EVERYONE4 ,AFTER BEING THERE FOR A YEAR1 MY SECOND DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA1 WAS BORN ON ,AUGUST #AJ1 #AIIH4 ,I TOOK THE NEXT YEAR OFF TO CARE FOR MY CHILDREN4 ,WHEN ,I RETURNED TO WORK1 IT WAS ONLY IN THE EVENING FROM FIVE TO TEN1 WHICH WORKED OUT FOR ME2 ,I WAS ABLE TO CARE FOR MY GIRLS DURING THE DAY AND THEIR FATHER LOOKED AFTER THEM UNTIL ,I GOT HOME AT NIGHT4 ,I TRAVELLED BACK AND FORTH OVER THE BARRENS,-THE AREA BETWEEN ,BAY DE ,VERDE AND ,OLD ,PERLICAN4 ,THIS CAN BE A ROUGH REGION AT TIMES1 ESPECIALLY DURING THE WINTER MONTHS4 ,I CONTINUED TO WORK AT THE CONVENIENCE STORE FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS1 GETTING TO KNOW THE OWNERS WELL4 ,THEN ONE DAY THEY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO RETIRE1 AND THEY #AB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AJ WERE PUTTING THE BUSINESS UP FOR SALE4 ,I ENJOYED WORKING THERE AND DID NOT WANT TO GIVE IT UP4 ,I WONDERED IF THIS WAS SOMETHING ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO4 ,AFTER SOME CONSIDERATION1 ,I DECIDED ,I WANTED TO BUY IT FOR MYSELF4 ,WHEN THE OWNERS DECIDED ON A PRICE1 ,I WENT AND GOT THE LOAN TO PURCHASE THE STORE2 MY JOURNEY INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP BEGAN4 ,AFTER ALL THE PAPERS WERE SIGNED AND EVERYTHING WAS READY1 ,I TOOK OVER THE BUSINESS IN ,AUGUST #BJJD4 ,FOR THE FIRST LITTLE WHILE1 ,I RAN THE STORE BY MYSELF1 SPENDING THE WHOLE DAY THERE4 ,I HAD ,WALLY1 AND EVEN SOMETIMES MY GIRLS1 HELP ME OUT WHENEVER THEY COULD4 -------------------------------------#AA ,I TRAVELLED FROM ,BAY DE ,VERDE TO ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE ON A DAILY BASIS TO RUN MY BUSINESS4 ,THERE WAS A SMALL APARTMENT ATTACHED TO THE STORE1 AND THERE WERE TIMES DURING THE WINTER WHEN WE WOULD STAY THERE4 ,THE STORE WAS ABOUT TWENTY KILOMETRES ONE WAY #AC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AA FROM MY HOME IN ,BAY DE ,VERDE4 ,I STILL TRAVELLED THE BARRENS IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER1 FROM BRIGHT SUNSHINY DAYS TO THE MIDDLE OF A WINTER BLIZZARD4 ,THIS WAS MY LEAST FAVOURITE TIME1 AS ,I COULD NOT SEE A HAND BEFORE ME1 LET ALONE ONE BEHIND ME4 ,MOST OF THE TIME1 ,I DROVE MYSELF TO WORK1 BUT WHEN IT WAS REALLY BAD1 ,I WOULD GET ,WALLY TO TAKE ME AND COME BACK TO PICK ME UP4 ,WE CONTINUED TO DO THIS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS4 ,THEN IN #BJJG1 ,WALLY AND ,I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO MOVE CLOSER TO THE BUSINESS1 FIGURING IT WOULD MAKE THINGS A LITTLE EASIER4 ,WE PURCHASED A HOUSE IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE AND MOVED UP THERE4 ,MY GIRLS AND ,WALLY'S SISTER WERE EXCITED2 THEY WERE GOING TO BE MOVING INTO A NEW HOME1 AND IT WAS CLOSE TO MY PARENTS4 ,ONCE WE SETTLED IN1 THERE WERE RENOVATIONS THAT ,I WANTED TO DO1 WHICH TOOK UP ALL OF MY TIME4 ,BETWEEN RUNNING THE STORE AND LOOKING AFTER MY #AD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AA GIRLS,-,KELSEY WAS FOURTEEN AND ,ALYSSA WAS NINE,-,I HAD A NUMBER OF THINGS ,I WANTED TO GET DONE4 ,THERE WERE WINDOWS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED1 PAINTING TO BE DONE1 AND WE HAD TO INSTALL A RAIL GOING UP THE STAIRS4 ,WALLY AND MY DAD1 ,SHAWN1 WERE KEPT VERY BUSY4 ,WITH MOVING IN AND THE RENOVATION WORK BEING DONE1 THE HOUSE WAS A MESS2 EVERYTHING WAS EVERYWHERE1 AND ,I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING4 ,THE GIRLS WERE PICKING OUT COLOURS FOR THEIR BEDROOMS4 ,I THOUGHT WE WOULD NEVER GET IT DONE1 BUT EVENTUALLY1 WE DID,-JUST IN TIME FOR ,CHRISTMAS4 ,THE GIRLS WERE GETTING EXCITED FOR ,SANTA AND WANTED TO START DECORATING THE HOUSE AND PUTTING UP THE TREE4 ,IT WAS EARLY IN ,DECEMBER1 AND ,I WAS NOT FEELING WELL4 ,I WAS HAVING HEADACHES BETWEEN MY EYES1 AND IT HURT TO TIP MY HEAD BACK4 ,I WAS -------------------------------------#AB THINKING IT WAS MY SINUSES2 IT WAS #AE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AB NORMAL FOR ME TO HAVE A SINUS INFECTION4 ,I HAD BEEN BACK AND FORTH TO THE DOCTOR1 BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE GETTING ANY BETTER4 ,I WAS TAKING MEDICATION AND USING NASAL SPRAY4 ,ON ,CHRISTMAS ,EVE1 ,I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN ,,ENT SPECIALIST IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,MY FATHER TOOK ME BECAUSE ,WALLY WAS HELPING OUT AT THE STORE2 IT WAS VERY BUSY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR4 ,THE SPECIALIST COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG4 ,HE GAVE ME ANOTHER PRESCRIPTION FOR MY SINUSES1 AND WE CAME BACK HOME4 ,BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE1 ,I HAD A HEADACHE4 ,THINKING IT MIGHT BE A MIGRAINE1 ,I WENT IN TO USE THE BATHROOM1 CLOSING THE DOOR AND TURNING OFF THE LIGHT TO SEE IF IT WOULD HELP4 ,THE NEXT THING ,I KNEW1 ,NELLIE WAS CALLING OUT MY NAME AND TRYING TO GET ME UP OFF THE BATHROOM FLOOR4 ,I HAD PASSED OUT4 ,NELLIE CALLED ,WALLY AT THE STORE4 ,WHEN HE GOT TO THE HOUSE1 HE #AF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AB SUGGESTED ,I GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN4 ,THE DOCTOR ON CALL CHECKED ME OUT AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG1 SO ,I WAS SENT HOME AGAIN4 ,THE NEXT DAY WAS ,CHRISTMAS1 AND ,I STARTED TO NOTICE MY VISION WASN'T THE SAME4 ,I CONTACTED MY DOCTOR1 WHO TOLD ME IT MAY BE A SIDE EFFECT FROM THE MEDICATION ,I WAS ON1 SO ,I STOPPED TAKING IT4 ,I MADE IT THROUGH ,CHRISTMAS WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL1 BUT ,I WASN'T FEELING ANY BETTER4 ,THEN ONE NIGHT1 EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR1 ,I WOKE UP AND THE LEFT SIDE OF MY MOUTH HAD GONE CROOKED4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON2 ,I WAS THINKING ,I WAS HAVING A STROKE4 ,I WAS SCARED2 ,I WOKE ,WALLY AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING4 ,WE HEADED BACK TO THE ,,ER IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,THIS HOSPITAL1 APPROXIMATELY FORTY MINUTES UP FROM ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 IS THE MAIN FACILITY OUTSIDE OF ,ST4 ,JOHN'S TO GO TO FOR TREATMENT4 ,MOST EVERYTHING #AG DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#AB THAT CAN BE DONE IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S CAN BE DONE IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,WHILE THERE1 ,I HAD A ,,CT SCAN DONE TO CHECK MY HEAD4 ,I WAS TOLD THAT MY SHUNT WAS BLOCKED1 AND ,I WOULD NEED SURGERY TO CORRECT IT4 ,HERE -------------------------------------#AC ,I WAS1 THIRTY-SEVEN1 AND ,I NEEDED TO HAVE SURGERY AGAIN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,THE LAST TIME IT WAS CHECKED1 EVERYTHING WAS WORKING ON ITS OWN4 ,WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,WALLY AND ,I WENT BACK HOME TO LET ,NELLIE AND THE GIRLS KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON1 AND THEN WE GOT READY TO GO TO THE CITY4 ,WHEN WE ARRIVED1 ,I WENT TO EMERGENCY AND WAS ADMITTED4 ,AFTER BEING IN THE HOSPITAL FOR A FEW DAYS1 HAVING MANY TESTS DONE AND EXPLAINING MY HISTORY WITH HYDROCEPHALUS1 NOTHING WAS DONE2 ,I DIDN'T HAVE SURGERY4 ,THE DOCTOR WHO HAD PUT IN THE SHUNT WHEN ,I WAS A #AH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AC BABY1 ,DR4 ,MAROON1 WAS THERE4 ,I RECALL HIM SAYING THAT HE REMEMBERED THE SHAPE OF MY FACE1 SO HE ALSO KNEW MY HISTORY4 ,ONE OF THE TESTS ,I HAD DONE AT THIS TIME INCLUDED LYING ON A TABLE WHILE FLUID WAS TAKEN FROM MY SHUNT AND THEN PUT BACK AGAIN4 ,THE PURPOSE OF THIS EXAMINATION WAS TO SEE IF THE SHUNT WAS WORKING4 ,THE FLUID WAS INSERTED1 AND ,I WAS TOLD TO LIE STILL4 ,I DID THIS FOR A WHILE1 AND THEN ,I WAS ASKED TO MOVE MY BODY TO SEE IF THE FLUID WOULD DRAIN DOWN INTO MY STOMACH4 ,I DID AS ,I WAS TOLD1 BUT NOTHING HAPPENED4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR A WHILE1 AND THEN ,I WAS SENT BACK TO MY ROOM4 ,THINKING BACK1 THIS WAS A SURE SIGN THAT THE SHUNT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY4 ,IF IT WAS1 ,I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO MOVE MY BODY2 FLUID WOULD HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH THE TUBE AND INTO MY STOMACH4 ,I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO JUMP UP AND DOWN TO GET THINGS TO WORK4 ,THERE WERE A FEW MORE TESTS #AI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AC DONE1 AND THEN ONE NIGHT THE DOCTOR CAME INTO MY ROOM4 ,HE LOOKED INTO MY EYES AND ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS1 AND THEN HE TOLD ,WALLY AND ,I THAT ,I HAD A 8SLIGHT CASE0 OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS "<,,MS">4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO THINK2 ,I DIDN'T EVEN REALLY KNOW WHAT IT WAS4 ,AS ,WALLY AND ,I DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ,,MS1 WE -------------------------------------#AD TOOK THE DOCTOR AT HIS WORD4 ,EXACTLY WHAT HE MEANT BY A 8SLIGHT0 CASE1 ,I DON'T KNOW4 ,MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS IS A DISEASE THAT IMPACTS THE BRAIN1 SPINAL CORD1 AND OPTIC NERVES1 WHICH MAKE UP THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND CONTROLS EVERYTHING WE DO4 ,THE EXACT CAUSE OF ,,MS IS UNKNOWN1 BUT WE DO KNOW THAT SOMETHING TRIGGERS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM TO ATTACK THE ,,CNS49#B ,THE RESULTING DAMAGE TO MYELIN1 THE PROTECTIVE LAYER INSULATING WIRE-LIKE NERVE FIBRES1 DISRUPTS SIGNALS TO AND FROM THE BRAIN4 ,THIS #BJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AD CAUSES UNPREDICTABLE SYMPTOMS SUCH AS NUMBNESS1 TINGLING1 MOOD CHANGES1 MEMORY PROBLEMS1 PAIN1 FATIGUE1 BLINDNESS AND_/OR PARALYSIS49#C ,EVERYONE'S EXPERIENCE WITH ,,MS IS DIFFERENT1 AND THESE LOSSES MAY BE TEMPORARY OR LONG- LASTING4 ,HERE ,I THOUGHT ,I WAS GOING TO HAVE SURGERY4 ,THE DOCTOR TOLD US HE WAS GOING TO GIVE ME A TREATMENT1 AND IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A WHILE BEFORE ,I NEEDED ANOTHER ONE4 ,WALLY AND ,I WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR THIS1 AS WE WERE TOLD THE SHUNT WAS BLOCKED AND THAT ,I NEEDED SURGERY4 ,WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE1 BUT WE FIGURED THE DOCTOR WAS RIGHT4 ,AFTER ALL1 HE WAS THE DOCTOR4 ,THE TREATMENT CONSISTED OF STEROIDS BY ,,IV1 TWO HOURS A NIGHT FOR FIVE NIGHTS4 ,EACH NIGHT AFTER MY TREATMENT1 ,WALLY AND ,I LOOKED FORWARD TO HAVING SOME TIME ALONE4 ,HE STAYED WITH ME THROUGH IT ALL1 SLEEPING IN A CHAIR BY MY BED4 ,WE WOULD LISTEN TO THE RADIO #BA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AD STATION ,,CHVO1 WHICH WAS LOCATED IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,AT THIS TIME1 THEY WERE CHANGING OVER TO A NEW NAME2 IT WAS GOING TO BE KNOWN AS ,KIXX ,COUNTRY4 ,I TOOK ALL THE TREATMENTS AND WAS THEN TOLD ,I COULD GO HOME4 ,HOWEVER1 JUST BEFORE ,I WAS TO BE RELEASED1 ,I HAD A SEIZURE,-OR SO WE THOUGHT4 ,AFTER HAVING A TEST DONE1 ,I WAS INFORMED IT WAS A REALLY BAD ANXIETY ATTACK4 ,WALLY HAD BEEN SENT OUT OF THE ROOM1 AND HE SAID THAT "333333 #B ,MAYO ,CLINIC1 8,MULTIPLE ,SCLEROSIS40 #C ,NATIONAL ,MULTIPLE ,SCLEROSIS ,SOCIETY1 8,MYELIN AND ,MULTIPLE ,SCLEROSIS40 -------------------------------------#AE FROM WHERE HE WAS STANDING OUTSIDE THE DOOR1 HE COULD SEE THAT THERE WAS FROTH COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH1 AND MY EYES WERE ROLLED UP IN MY HEAD4 ,WALLY WAS SCARED4 ,HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS #BB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AE HAPPENING TO ME4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON EITHER4 ,I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING LIKE IT BEFORE1 BUT THEY STILL RELEASED ME4 ,MY BROTHER1 ,SHAWN1 CAME TO PICK US UP1 AND WE WENT HOME4 ,HERE ,I WAS AT HOME AND NOT FEELING MUCH BETTER4 ,MY VISION WAS ALMOST GONE4 ,AS WE WERE NOT GIVEN ANY INFO ON ,,MS1 WE ASSUMED THIS WAS HOW ,I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE4 ,I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A SIDE EFFECT4 ,BY THIS TIME1 ALL ,I COULD DO WAS GET FROM THE BED TO THE RECLINER AND BACK4 ,I STARTED TO HAVE SEIZURES4 ,AT FIRST1 THEY WERE RARE1 BUT THEY DID GET MORE FREQUENT4 ,WHEN ,I WOULD TAKE WITH A SEIZURE1 MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA1 WOULD SIT BY MY SIDE AND HOLD MY HAND UNTIL ,I CAME OUT OF IT4 ,BUT MY OLDEST1 ,KELSEY1 WOULD RUN OFF TO HER ROOM4 ,I GUESS THIS WAS HER WAY OF DEALING WITH IT4 ,IT HAD TO BE SCARY FOR BOTH OF THEM4 ,WE STILL THOUGHT THIS WAS HOW ,,MS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE4 ,THEN ABOUT #BC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AE THREE WEEKS LATER1 ,WALLY WAS HELPING ME OUT OF THE TUB AND THE SIDE OF MY FACE STARTED TO SWELL UP4 ,HE GOT ME OUT AND WENT DOWNSTAIRS2 BY THIS TIME THE SWELLING HAD GONE DOWN4 ,HOWEVER1 IT DIDN'T STAY THIS WAY FOR LONG4 ,IT OCCURRED AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL ,I BECAME AFRAID AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,I CALLED MY FAMILY DOCTOR1 AND HE SUGGESTED ,I GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,I CALLED IN1 BUT THE DOCTOR WHO DIAGNOSED ME WASN'T ON CALL THAT WEEKEND4 ,I DIDN'T LIKE HEARING THIS4 ,I WANTED TO SEE THE ONE WHO TREATED ME1 NOT SOMEONE ELSE4 ,THE SWELLING DID NOT STOP1 AND ,I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME1 SO ,I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,I SAW A DIFFERENT PHYSICIAN THIS TIME4 ,WE HAD TO WAIT A WHILE TO SEE HIM1 AS IT WAS A ,FRIDAY1 BUT EVENTUALLY ,I GOT IN4 ,WALLY WHEELED ME INTO HIS OFFICE2 ,I WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR BECAUSE ,I COULD NOT STAND UP4 #BD DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#AE ,THE DOCTOR ASKED -------------------------------------#AF ME A FEW QUESTIONS1 INCLUDING WHETHER OR NOT ,I HAD HAD A SPINAL TAP4 ,I TOLD HIM ,I HAD NOT2 ,I HAD DIFFERENT TESTS DONE1 BUT NO SPINAL TAP1 WHICH HE FOUND HARD TO BELIEVE4 ,HE THEN LOOKED INTO MY EYES AND TOLD ME ,I DIDN'T HAVE ,,MS1 ,I HAD PRESSURE1 AND IT WAS BECAUSE THE SHUNT WAS BLOCKED4 ,THEN HE INFORMED ME THAT ,I NEEDED TO HAVE SURGERY TO CORRECT IT4 ,HE THEN ORDERED A SPINAL TAP AND WENT HOME FOR THE DAY4 ,THE NURSE DID THE TAP2 ,WALLY WAS THERE4 ,THE NURSE COULD NOT BELIEVE IT2 SHE HAD NEVER SEEN PRESSURE LIKE IT BEFORE4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 THE DOCTOR CAME BACK TO SEE ME4 ,HE ALSO COULD NOT BELIEVE THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE2 HE PERFORMED AN ADDITIONAL TAP1 THEN TOLD ME ,I NEEDED SURGERY4 ,THE NURSES GOT ME READY1 AND THE NEXT THING ,I KNEW1 ,I WAS BEING ROLLED INTO THE OPERATING ROOM4 #BE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AF ,I REMEMBER OPENING MY EYES AND WONDERING WHERE ,I WAS FOR A FEW SECONDS4 ,THEN IT CAME BACK3 ,I HAD BEEN TAKEN TO SURGERY TO HAVE MY SHUNT REPLACED4 ,I FELT RELIEVED IT WAS OVER4 ,I WAS IN RECOVERY1 AND ,I FELT VERY WARM1 AS ,I WAS WRAPPED IN HEATED BLANKETS4 ,I COULD HEAR THE NURSES TALKING BUT ALL ,I COULD SEE WERE SHADOWS2 ,I COULD NOT PICK OUT WHAT ANYTHING WAS4 ,I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TELL WHERE ,I WAS BUT FOR THE NOISES4 ,THE NURSE CAME OVER AND WANTED TO KNOW HOW ,I WAS FEELING4 ,THE FIRST THING ,I ASKED HER WAS WHAT THE TIME WAS4 ,SHE TOLD ME1 AND SHE SAID THAT MY FATHER HAD CALLED A NUMBER OF TIMES TO SEE IF ,I WAS OUT OF SURGERY AND HOW ,I WAS DOING4 ,I TOLD THE NURSE THAT WAS LIKE MY DAD4 ,HE WAS IMPATIENT4 ,SHE TOLD ME ,I HAD TO STAY IN RECOVERY FOR ANOTHER WHILE1 AND THEN THEY WOULD TAKE ME BACK TO MY ROOM4 ,I RELAXED AND #BF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AF FELL BACK TO SLEEP4 ,THE NEXT THING ,I KNEW1 ,I WAS BEING ROLLED OFF THE ELEVATOR AND INTO MY ROOM4 ,THE FIRST THING ,I HEARD WAS ,WALLY'S VOICE4 ,I WAS SO HAPPY TO -------------------------------------#AG HEAR HIM1 AND HE WAS GLAD TO SEE ME4 ,HE HAD SPENT THE TIME IN MY ROOM WAITING FOR MY SURGERY TO BE OVER4 ,THE NURSES LIFTED ME OFF THE STRETCHER AND PUT ME ON MY BED4 ,THEY ASKED IF EVERYTHING WAS OKAY1 AND THEN THEY LEFT4 ,BY THIS TIME1 ,WALLY WAS OVER BY MY SIDE4 ,HE WAS HAPPY THE SURGERY WAS FINISHED4 ,WE SPOKE FOR A WHILE1 AND THEN HE LET ME REST4 ,THAT NIGHT ,I DID NOT SLEEP VERY WELL4 ,I SUDDENLY WOKE FROM MY SLEEP4 ,I WAS FEELING ANXIOUS AND MY HEART WAS BEATING VERY FAST4 ,I GUESS THIS IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO WAKE UP4 ,I THINK ,I MAY HAVE BEEN HAVING A PANIC OR ANXIETY ATTACK4 ,I JUST DIDN'T FEEL GOOD4 ,I THEN REMEMBERED WHERE ,I WAS AND #BG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AG WHAT ,I HAD DONE4 ,THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY HEAD WAS BANDAGED UP1 AND ,I WAS AFRAID TO MOVE IT4 ,WALLY NEVER LEFT MY SIDE4 ,HE STUCK WITH ME THROUGH ALL THE UPS AND DOWNS4 ,IF IT HAD BEEN ANYONE ELSE1 THEY WOULD HAVE PROBABLY PACKED UP AND LEFT4 ,EVEN THOUGH WE HAD BEEN TOGETHER FOR ALMOST NINETEEN YEARS AT THIS TIME1 NEITHER ONE OF US HAD THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING MARRIED4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 ,I WOKE UP EARLY4 ,I WAS HUNGRY AND COULD NOT WAIT TO HAVE BREAKFAST4 ,WHEN FOOD ARRIVED1 THE NURSE PUT UP MY BED AND PULLED UP MY TRAY4 ,AS ,I COULD NOT SEE1 ,WALLY HELPED ME4 ,AT THIS TIME1 MY VISION WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY GONE1 AND ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN4 ,WALLY WOULD PUT MY FOOD ON THE FORK OR SPOON AND GIVE IT TO ME4 ,I WAS EXTREMELY GLAD TO HAVE HIM THERE1 AS ,I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ON MY OWN4 ,THIS MADE ME THINK1 .7,WHAT AM ,I GOING TO DO8 ,AM ,I GOING TO BE ABLE TO #BH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AG MANAGE THIS8 ,WILL ,I BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF8 ,IS MY VISION GOING TO RETURN8.' ,IT WAS ALL NEW TO ME2 ,I NEVER DREAMED ,I WOULD GO BLIND4 ,AS A CHILD1 ,I WAS NOT TOO FOND OF THE DARK4 ,I STILL DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN4 ,NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY VISION BEFORE SURGERY1 AND THEY STILL HAD NOT4 ,THEIR -------------------------------------#AH FOCUS WAS REPLACING THE SHUNT AND GETTING THE PRESSURE DOWN4 ,I WOULD NOT FIND OUT ANYTHING UNTIL ,I SAW MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST4 ,I WAS THINKING THAT THE RETURN OF MY VISION WOULD DEPEND ON HOW MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE FROM THE PRESSURE ON MY OPTIC NERVES4 ,WALLY HELPED ME WITH EVERYTHING4 ,HE WOULD EVEN HELP ME GET TO THE BATHROOM4 ,THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD FOR ME BY MYSELF4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHERE ANYTHING WAS AND COULD NOT SEE WHERE TO GO OR WHAT ,I SHOULD DO4 ,I THOUGHT TO MYSELF1 .7,HOW AM ,I GOING TO BE ABLE TO #BI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AH DO ANYTHING AGAIN8 ,I AM GOING TO BE DEPENDENT ON SOMEONE ELSE4.' ,THIS WAS NOT ME2 ,I WAS USED TO DOING THINGS INDEPENDENTLY4 ,AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS1 ,I WAS ABLE TO GET UP AND SIT IN THE CHAIR4 ,WALLY WOULD TAKE ME FOR A WALK THROUGH THE CORRIDOR4 ,IT WAS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO WALK WITHOUT PAIN4 ,I COULD NOT SEE MUCH4 ,IT WAS ONLY WHEN SOMEONE OR SOMETHING MOVED THAT ,I WOULD NOTICE IT4 ,WALLY TOOK ME BY MY ARM AND GUIDED ME SO ,I WOULD NOT RUN INTO ANYTHING4 ,WE WENT TO THE END OF THE HALL1 WHERE THERE WAS A LARGE WINDOW OVERLOOKING THE PARKING LOT4 ,I REMEMBER GAZING OUT1 SEEING WHAT LOOKED TO ME LIKE A DAY OBSCURED BY FOG4 ,THIS WAS NOT ACTUALLY WHAT THE DAY WAS LIKE1 ,WALLY TOLD ME IT WAS A CLEAR DAY AND THE SUN WAS SHINING4 ,THIS IS HOW MY VISION WAS NOW AND ,I WAS HOPING IT WOULD EVENTUALLY GET BETTER4 ,FINALLY1 THE DAY CAME WHEN ,I #CJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AH WAS RELEASED4 ,I WAS SO EXCITED TO BE GETTING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL4 ,I WANTED TO GET BACK HOME1 BUT ,I WONDERED1 .7,WHAT NOW8 ,AM ,I GOING TO GET MY VISION BACK8.' ,IT WAS GOING TO BE A WAITING GAME4 -------------------------------------#AI ,CHAPTER #B3 .7,DEPRESSION1 ,ANXIETY1 AND ,VISION ,LOSS.' ,AS A CHILD1 ,I EXPERIENCED ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR WHY ,I WAS FEELING THIS WAY2 ,I JUST KNEW IT WAS DIFFERENT4 ,I WOULD TELL MY PARENTS1 BUT THEY WOULD JUST TELL ME IT WAS NOTHING4 ,I DO NOT BLAME THEM FOR HOW THEY MANAGED THE WAY ,I WAS FEELING4 ,BACK THEN1 THERE WAS HARDLY ANY TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH4 ,IF SOMEONE WAS DEALING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE1 IT WOULD BE KEPT SECRET4 ,I REMEMBER GOING SHOPPING WITH #CA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AI ,MOM WHEN ,I WAS AROUND TEN AND HAVING TO LEAVE THE STORE4 ,I WAS FEELING DIFFERENT AND COULD NOT STAY THERE4 ,I COULD NOT EXPLAIN HOW ,I FELT4 ,WE LEFT1 BUT ,MOM DID NOT UNDERSTAND4 ,SHE WOULD SAY1 8,DON'T BE SILLY2 IT'S NOTHING40 ,AT THIS TIME1 ,I THOUGHT SHE WAS RIGHT4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME4 ,I JUST KNEW HOW ,I WAS FEELING4 ,IN RETROSPECT1 ,I WOULD SAY ,I WAS EITHER HAVING A PANIC OR ANXIETY ATTACK4 ,ONCE ,I GOT OUT OF THE STORE1 ,I FELT BETTER4 ,WHEN ,I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1 ,I WOULD HAVE PANIC ATTACKS IF ,I WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CLASSROOM4 ,BACK THEN1 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME4 ,I WOULD GET MY TEACHER TO LET ME SIT BY THE WINDOW AND OPEN IT2 ,I WOULD THEN FEEL OKAY4 ,THE MUSIC ROOM AT OUR SCHOOL WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BUILDING1 WHERE THERE WERE NO WINDOWS1 AND ,I WOULD HAVE TO ASK THE TEACHER TO LET ME SIT BY THE #CB DAYLIGHT TO DARK #BJ DOOR4 ,I KNOW THIS SOUNDS SILLY BUT AT THE TIME IT WASN'T SILLY TO ME4 ,IT IS ONLY NOW THAT ,I AM AN ADULT AND HAVE LEARNED ABOUT ANXIETY AND PANIC ATTACKS THAT ,I UNDERSTAND WHAT ,I WAS FEELING AT SUCH A YOUNG AGE4 ,I CONTINUED HAVING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION THROUGHOUT SCHOOL4 ,SOMETIMES IT WOULD SEEM LIKE IT WAS GONE1 BUT IT WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK AGAIN4 ,I STILL HAD NOT TOLD ANYONE ABOUT IT4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON1 AND ,I WAS AFRAID OF WHAT PEOPLE WOULD THINK OF ME4 ,WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE IN #AIHI1 ,I DEALT WITH DEPRESSION4 ,I MANAGED TO CONTINUE WITH MY STUDIES1 THOUGH1 AND IT GAVE ME SOMETHING TO FOCUS ON4 ,I MADE IT THROUGH AND GRADUATED4 ,I FOUND THAT ,I WOULD BE DEPRESSED FOR A WHILE AND THEN IT WOULD BE GONE1 AND ,I WAS FEELING MORE LIKE MYSELF4 ,THEN WHEN ,I LOST MY VISION1 ,I HAD REASON TO BE DEPRESSED AGAIN4 ,BEING ABLE TO SEE ONE DAY AND NOT THE NEXT CAN AFFECT A #CC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BJ PERSON'S MENTAL HEALTH4 ,RESEARCHERS ESTIMATE THAT BETWEEN A QUARTER AND A THIRD OF ADULTS WITH LOW VISION OR VISION LOSS EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY49#D ,THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE1 AS EVERYTHING CHANGES FOR THEM4 ,IT MAKES A PERSON FEEL DIFFERENT4 ,THEY FEEL LIKE SOMEONE WHO NEEDS HELP1 HAS LOST THEIR INDEPENDENCE1 CONFIDENCE1 AND SELF-WORTH1 AND IS DISCONNECTED FROM FRIENDS4 ,THESE FEELINGS CAN WORSEN ONCE A PERSON REALIZES THEY CANNOT DO THE THINGS THEY DID BEFORE4 ,JUST IMAGINE THE ANXIETY YOU WOULD FEEL IF YOU WERE TOLD YOU WERE GOING TO LOSE YOUR VISION4 ,HOW WOULD YOU DEAL WITH IT8 ,WHAT WOULD YOU DO8 ,HOW WOULD IT MAKE YOU FEEL8 ,THE FIRST STEPS IN GETTING HELP FOR DEPRESSION CAN BE HARD4 ,YOU DO NOT WANT ANYONE ELSE TO KNOW HOW YOU ARE FEELING4 ,AT FIRST1 YOU MAY DENY THAT THINGS ARE DIFFERENT1 OR YOU MAY FEEL HELPLESS4 ,YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHAT HELP IS #CD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BJ AVAILABLE1 WHAT SERVICES ARE RIGHT FOR YOU1 OR HOW TO ACCESS THEM4 ,BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND REACH OUT TO A FRIEND YOU CAN TRUST4 "333333 #D ,GRASSNICKLE1 8,YOUR ,MENTAL ,HEALTH3 ,HOW ,VISION ,LOSS ,IMPACTS ,DEPRESSION40 -------------------------------------#BA ,THEN FIND A MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER IN YOUR AREA THAT CAN HELP YOU4 ,REMEMBER THAT DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY ARE TREATABLE4 ,MEDICATION1 TALK THERAPY1 AND SELF-GUIDED LEARNING CAN ALL BE EFFECTIVE4 ,YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT ALONE4 ---------------------------------#BB-#BC ,CHAPTER #C3 .1,RETURNING .1,HOME ,HERE ,I WAS BACK HOME1 AND IT WAS SO GOOD4 ,IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAT ,I HAD NO PAIN1 BUT MY FACE WAS STILL OUT OF #CE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BC SHAPE FROM THE FORMER PRESSURE4 ,I WAS FEELING MORE LIKE MYSELF1 BUT ,I COULD STILL NOT SEE4 ,I COULD NOT WAIT TO SEE THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST4 ,I WANTED TO KNOW WHEN MY VISION WOULD RETURN4 ,I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD TELL ME4 ,AT THIS TIME1 ,I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING4 ,IT WAS ALL NEW TO ME1 AND ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ,I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO4 ,AT FIRST1 ALL ,I DID WAS SIT AROUND IN MY RECLINER1 EXCEPT WHEN ,I HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM OR EAT4 ,MEALTIME WAS DIFFERENT1 AS ,I COULD NOT TELL WHERE MY PLATE WAS OR WHAT WAS ON IT4 ,SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO TELL ME WHERE THINGS WERE4 ,FOR EXAMPLE1 POTATOES ON THE LEFT1 CHICKEN ON THE RIGHT4 ,I ALSO HAD TO LEARN TO GET AROUND MY HOME4 ,I KNEW THE LAYOUT1 BUT ,I HAD TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO KNOW WHERE ,I WAS4 ,I ENDED UP FOLLOWING ALONG THE WALLS AND FURNITURE TO GET WHERE ,I WANTED TO GO4 ,MY HOME WAS A TWO-STOREY1 SO THERE WERE STAIRS4 ,WALLY HAD RAILS #CF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BC INSTALLED4 ,I WOULD HOLD ONTO BOTH RAILS AND COUNT THE STAIRS AS ,I WENT UP OR DOWN4 ,THIS WAY ,I KNEW WHEN ,I REACHED THE BOTTOM OR TOP4 ,I HAD BEEN HOME FOR ABOUT A WEEK1 WHEN MY STITCHES WERE TO COME OUT4 ,THE PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE SHOWED UP EARLY THAT DAY4 ,I WAS NERVOUS2 ,I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO HURT1 BUT IT JUST TICKLED4 ,THE SCAR STARTED ABOUT -------------------------------------#BD TWO INCHES ABOVE THE TOP OF MY RIGHT EAR AND WENT DOWN BEHIND IT1 ALL THE WAY TO MY EARLOBE4 ,I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY STITCHES THERE WERE4 ,NOW THAT MY HAIR WAS DOWN1 THE SCAR AND MISSING HAIR DIDN'T LOOK TOO BAD4 ,I HAD LONG HAIR1 BUT THEY ONLY SHAVED UNDER IT1 AND YOU COULD NOT EVEN TELL ,I HAD HAD ANYTHING DONE4 ,FINALLY1 THE DAY CAME WHEN ,I WAS TO SEE THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST4 ,I WAS EXCITED4 ,EVERYTHING LOOKED FINE2 THE PRESSURE WAS GOING DOWN SLOWLY4 ,HOWEVER1 #CG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BD MY OPTIC NERVES DIDN'T LOOK GOOD1 BECAUSE OF THE EXTENDED PRESSURE4 ,THE DOCTOR SAID THAT HE COULD NOT TELL ME IF ,I WOULD REGAIN MY SIGHT OR NOT4 ,HE TOLD ME MY OPTIC NERVES LOOKED LIKE THOSE OF A DEAD PERSON1 AND HE COULD NOT SAY IF THEY WOULD REGENERATE OR NOT4 ,THEN HE INFORMED ME THAT IF ANY VISION CAME BACK1 IT WOULD PROBABLY TAKE A YEAR OR SO4 ,HE ALSO QUESTIONED WHY ,I DID NOT HAVE SURGERY EARLIER1 EXPLAINING TO ,WALLY AND ,I THAT WHEN ,I SAW HIM IN THE HOSPITAL THE FIRST TIME1 HE HAD WRITTEN DOWN ON MY CHART THAT THE SHUNT MUST NOT BE WORKING4 ,DID MY DOCTOR READ THE CHART8 ,I STILL HAD NO IDEA HOW THIS HAD ALL HAPPENED4 ,I WAS DISAPPOINTED2 THIS WAS NOT WHAT ,I WANTED TO HEAR4 ,NOW ,I HAD TO CONTINUE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH VISION LOSS1 WHILE HOPING ,I WOULD GET SOME SIGHT BACK4 ,THIS WAS NOT AN EASY TASK4 ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO DO THINGS4 ,I HAD WANTED TO BE TOLD #CH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BD THAT MY VISION WOULD EVENTUALLY RETURN4 ,WHAT WAS ,I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW8 ,MY LIFE AS ,I KNEW IT HAD CHANGED4 ,IT WAS A STRUGGLE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ,I COULD DO AND HOW TO DO IT4 ,JUST THINKING ,I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE AGAIN WAS UNBEARABLE4 ,I COULD NOT THINK OF IT4 ,I HAD TO TAKE IT DAY BY DAY AND HOPE MY VISION WOULD RETURN2 WITHOUT THIS HOPE1 ,I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COPE4 ,ALL ,I COULD DO WAS WONDER IF THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT IF ,I HAD HAD SURGERY EARLIER4 ,THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SO MUCH DAMAGE DONE -------------------------------------#BE TO MY OPTIC NERVE1 AND MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REGENERATE4 ,AFTER COMING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL THE FIRST TIME1 ,I WAS WORSE THAN WHEN ,I WENT IN4 ,I WAS HAVING SEIZURES1 COULD HARDLY STAND UP1 AND HAD TROUBLE KEEPING FOOD DOWN4 ,I LOST TWENTY-FIVE POUNDS4 ,IT WAS NOW EARLY ,FEBRUARY #BJJH4 ,I WAS STARTING TO FEEL AND LOOK MORE #CI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BE LIKE MYSELF EVERY DAY4 ,THE PRESSURE WAS GOING DOWN1 AND MY FACE WAS RETURNING TO NORMAL4 ,STILL1 MY VISION HAD NOT RETURNED4 ,ALTHOUGH ,I HAD PEOPLE AROUND ME1 ,I FELT ALONE4 ,I WAS THE ONE WITH VISION LOSS1 AND IT MADE ME FEEL LEFT OUT4 ,MY FAMILY WOULD GO ABOUT THEIR NORMAL DAY1 AND HERE ,I WAS1 LEFT ALONE1 NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO NEXT OR HOW ,I WOULD LEARN TO COPE WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE4 ,IT WAS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GET USED TO VISION LOSS1 WHILE HOPING IT WOULD RETURN4 ,I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN TO DO THINGS ALL OVER AGAIN1 AND ,I HAD NO IDEA WHERE TO START4 ,MY GIRLS KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND THAT ,I DID NOT KNOW IF MY VISION WOULD COME BACK4 ,THEY WERE THERE TO HELP ME2 HOWEVER1 AT FIRST1 IT SEEMED LIKE MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA1 DIDN'T WANT ME TO USE MY WHITE CANE4 ,WHEN WE WOULD GO OUT1 SHE WOULD COME UP WITH SOME REASON WHY ,I SHOULD NOT USE IT4 #DJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BE ,I GUESS SHE DIDN'T LIKE ME BEING SEEN WITH IT1 BUT AFTER A WHILE1 SHE CAME TO TERMS WITH IT4 ,I BEGAN TO USE THE CANE REGULARLY4 ,THERE WERE DAYS WHEN ,I FELT LIKE ,I WAS TRAPPED1 ESPECIALLY WHEN ,I WOULD WAKE UP AND MY VISION WAS NOT THE SAME AS IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE4 ,THIS IS A RESULT OF THE KIND OF VISION LOSS ,I HAVE4 ,MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT NO TWO DAYS WOULD BE ALIKE4 ,WITH THE OPTIC NERVE CONTINUOUSLY TRYING TO REGENERATE1 MY VISION WAS ALWAYS CHANGING4 ,ONE DAY IT WAS DARKER1 AND THEN ANOTHER DAY ,I WOULD ONLY SEE OUT OF A SMALL HOLE1 AND THE NEXT DAY THE HOLE MIGHT BE BIGGER4 ,IT WAS CONTINUOUSLY EVOLVING4 ,THIS IS SOMETHING ,I HAD TO LEARN TO DEAL WITH4 ,IT WASN'T EASY1 AND SOME -------------------------------------#BF DAYS WERE BETTER THAN OTHERS4 ,IT WAS FRUSTRATING2 IT MADE ME FEEL MORE TRAPPED AND MORE DEPENDENT1 NOT BEING ABLE TO DO THINGS HOW AND WHEN ,I #DA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BF WANTED4 ,I WASN'T USED TO HAVING TO RELY ON OTHERS2 ,I FELT THAT JUST BECAUSE MY LIFE HAD CHANGED1 IT DIDN'T MEAN THAT MY FAMILY'S ALSO HAD TO CHANGE4 ,I DIDN'T EXPECT THEM TO STOP WHAT THEY WERE DOING FOR ME4 ,HOWEVER1 ,I DID KNOW THAT THEY WOULD BE THERE IF ,I NEEDED THEM4 ,I KNEW ,I COULDN'T DEPEND ON OTHER PEOPLE TO BE BY MY SIDE ALL THE TIME4 ,I HAD TO LEARN TO DO THINGS ON MY OWN1 ONE WAY OR ANOTHER4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,I HAD HAD ENOUGH2 ,I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING4 ,I DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO GET BACK TO LIVING MY LIFE1 EVEN IF ,I ONLY STARTED OUT SMALL4 ,AFTER ALL1 IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMEWHERE1 YOU CAN'T JUST GIVE UP4 ,ANYONE WHO KNEW ME KNEW ,I WAS NOT A PERSON WHO WAS SATISFIED JUST LYING AROUND THE HOUSE4 ,BEFORE LOSING MY VISION1 ,I WAS ALWAYS ON THE GO4 ,I DIDN'T STOP1 BUT ,I LOVED IT4 ,I REMEMBER BEING BORED ONE DAY1 #DB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BF AND THIS BROUGHT ME TO MY FIRST TASK4 ,I GOT MY SISTER-IN-LAW TO PUT MY CLOTHES IN THE WASHER AND DRYER FOR ME1 AND THEN ,I FOLDED THEM4 ,THIS WAS A SIMPLE JOB1 BUT AT LEAST IT WAS A START4 ,IT DIDN'T TAKE MUCH TO FOLD LAUNDRY4 ,I JUST PICKED UP THE ITEM AND LINED THE ENDS UP1 FOLDED IT ONE WAY1 AND THEN LINED IT UP AGAIN AND FOLDED IT THE OTHER WAY4 ,I HAD SOMEONE BRING THE BASKET OF CLOTHES TO ME SO THAT ,I WOULD NOT HAVE TO CARRY IT WHILE NAVIGATING MY HOME4 ,I DID THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS1 BUT IT STILL WASN'T ENOUGH FOR ME4 ,I HAD ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE BEFORE LOSING MY VISION4 ,THE NEXT CHORE ,I TOOK ON WAS DRYING DISHES AND PUTTING THEM AWAY4 ,ANOTHER SIMPLE TASK4 ,THIS WASN'T TOO HARD1 AS ,I KNEW THE LAYOUT OF MY KITCHEN AND WHERE EVERYTHING WENT4 ,I USED THE COUNTERTOP TO GUIDE ME ALONG4 ,I FOUND -------------------------------------#BG THE RIGHT DOOR BY COUNTING THEM1 #DC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BG AND THEN ,I OPENED THE DOOR AND FELT AROUND TO FIND THE SPOT TO PUT THE DISH4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR SIX WEEKS UNTIL MY RECUPERATION FROM SURGERY WAS OVER4 ,I WAS RESTLESS AND WANTED TO DO SOMETHING MORE4 ,IT WAS THEN ,I DECIDED ,I WANTED TO GO DOWN TO MY STORE4 ,I WANTED TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,THIS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE4 ,FIRST1 ,I GOT TO VISIT WITH MY FRIENDS1 WHO ,I CONSIDERED TO BE A PART OF MY FAMILY4 ,I MISSED THEM1 AND THEY MISSED ME4 ,AS TIME WENT ON1 ,I STARTED DOING LITTLE THINGS4 ,I WOULD GET ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES TO PUT THE STICKER IN THE PRICING GUN1 AND THEN ,I WOULD PRICE GROCERIES AND PUT THEM ON THE SHELF4 ,THEY WOULD SHOW ME WHERE TO PUT IT1 AND THEN ,I WOULD LINE THE ITEMS UP AND STACK THEM ON THE SHELF4 ,EVENTUALLY1 ,I STARTED TO CHECK OUT A FEW THINGS4 ,I HAD NO TROUBLE DOING THIS BECAUSE ,I KNEW THE PRICES OF EVERYTHING1 AND ,I KNEW THE #DD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BG BUTTONS ON THE CASH REGISTER4 ,I COULD DO IT FROM MEMORY4 ,WITH A LITTLE HELP1 ,I MADE THIS WORK4 ,THE HELP ,I GOT WAS FROM MY FAMILY AND EMPLOYEES2 THE DOCTOR AND HOSPITAL DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT AT ALL4 ,EVERYTHING ,I DID ,I FIGURED OUT A WAY TO DO IT MYSELF4 ,I WOULD EVEN BAG GROCERIES4 ,I THEN STARTED GOING TO THE STORE EVERY DAY1 AS ,I HAD BEFORE MY VISION LOSS4 ,IT WAS GREAT TO GET BACK INTO A ROUTINE4 ,I NOW DEPENDED ON THE STORE4 ,IT WAS WHAT ,I LOOKED FORWARD TO EVERY DAY1 JUST BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND MIX WITH PEOPLE4 ,FOR THE FIRST LITTLE WHILE1 WHEN ,WALLY AND ,I WENT SHOPPING1 ,I WOULD WAIT IN THE CAR AND NOT GO IN4 ,I AM NOT SURE IF IT WAS BECAUSE ,I COULD NOT SEE TO GET AROUND OR JUST BECAUSE ,I WASN'T READY4 ,I WAS STILL LEARNING TO DEAL WITH MY VISION LOSS1 AND ,I GUESS ,I WAS AFRAID4 ,I DIDN'T WANT TO KNOCK ANYTHING DOWN OR RUN INTO ANYTHING4 ,IT WAS #DE DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#BG ALSO DIFFERENT BEING OUT IN PUBLIC AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE WHO WAS AROUND OR WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,I HAD TO DEPEND ON WHAT ,I WAS HEARING4 ,THIS CONTINUED TO BE -------------------------------------#BH MY WAY OF LIFE4 ,I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO OR HOW TO GO ABOUT DOING THINGS4 ,THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN ,I WOULD THINK TO MYSELF1 .7,WHAT IF ,I DON'T GET MY SIGHT BACK8.' ,I WOULD THINK ABOUT THE THINGS ,I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO AND SEE4 ,I WOULD GO UPSTAIRS AT NIGHT AND LIE ON THE BED AND JUST THINK4 ,THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN ,I WOULD BREAK DOWN AND CRY4 ,I WONDERED WHY THIS WAS HAPPENING TO ME4 ,IT WAS SOMETHING ,I DID NOT UNDERSTAND4 ,I KNEW PEOPLE HAD IT HARDER THAN ,I DID1 BUT ,I WAS STILL STRUGGLING TO DEAL WITH WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,IT TOOK A WHILE1 BUT ,I MANAGED TO COPE WITH IT A LITTLE MORE EACH DAY1 ESPECIALLY WHEN ,I WOULD LEARN A NEW WAY TO DO #DF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BH SOMETHING4 ,I WAS STILL HOPING ,I WOULD GET SOME VISION BACK1 AND ,I STILL DO EVERY DAY4 ,THIS WILL NOT STOP4 ,AFTER A WHILE1 ,I MANAGED TO REGAIN A LITTLE VISION IN MY LEFT EYE1 BUT THE RIGHT ONE REMAINED THE SAME4 ,I HAD WHAT SIGHT ,I WAS GOING TO GET BACK BY THIS TIME4 ,I TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ,I WAS GOING TO DO NOW4 .7,HOW AM ,I GOING TO LEARN TO DO THINGS ON MY OWN8.' ,I KNEW THE ,CANADIAN ,NATIONAL ,INSTITUTE FOR THE ,BLIND "<,,CNIB"> WAS THERE FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME1 BUT ,I WONDERED WHAT THEY COULD DO4 ,THEN ONE DAY ,I DECIDED ,I WANTED TO FIND OUT4 ,I WENT TO VISIT THEM2 THEY WERE VERY WELCOMING4 ,THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS TAKE MY PICTURE FOR MY ,,CNIB ,,ID CARD4 ,THIS CARD SHOWED ,I WAS A MEMBER4 ,THERE WAS SOMEONE THERE FOR EVERYTHING A PERSON MAY NEED4 ,WHILE THERE1 THEY SHOWED ME DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY THAT WERE USED TO HELP A PERSON #DG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BH READ4 ,THERE WERE THINGS AS SMALL AS A MAGNIFIER AND AS BIG AS A CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION "<,,CCTV">4 ,I TRIED VARIOUS MAGNIFIERS TO SEE WHAT WORKED BEST FOR ME4 ,I WAS EXCITED4 ,I FOUND ONE THAT ,I COULD USE WITH THE VISION ,I HAD IN MY LEFT EYE4 ,IT WOULD BE SLOW1 BUT ,I COULD MANAGE TO READ4 ,THE ,,CNIB HAD A PROGRAM WHERE THEY WOULD LOAN CLIENTS ITEMS TO TRY OUT TO HELP THEM -------------------------------------#BI DECIDE IF THEY WANTED TO PURCHASE THEM4 ,THIS ALLOWED ME TO USE DEVICES FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE GOING TO WORK FOR ME4 ,I USED THE MAGNIFIER AND LOVED IT4 ,IT ALLOWED ME TO READ THINGS2 HOWEVER1 IT TOOK ME A WHILE4 ,I DIDN'T MIND1 AS NOW ,I WAS ABLE TO READ ON MY OWN4 ,I WAS EVEN ABLE TO FIND THE NUMBERS ON A BINGO CARD4 ,OUR VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD A WEEKLY BINGO GAME ON ,,TV1 AND NOW ,I WAS ABLE TO PLAY #DH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#BI AGAIN4 ,MY MAGNIFIER ALLOWED ME TO GO DOWN THROUGH EACH NUMBER TO SEE IF ,I HAD THE ONE CALLED4 ,I ONLY HAD ONE CARD1 SO THIS MADE IT EASIER FOR ME4 ,I PURCHASED THIS MAGNIFIER1 AND ,I USED IT UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO1 WHEN IT FINALLY GAVE OUT2 ,I HAD IT FOR ABOUT TWELVE YEARS4 ,THIS WAS THE FIRST OF MANY THINGS ,I USED WITH VISION LOSS4 ,I WANTED TO REPLACE IT1 BUT THIS ONE WASN'T AVAILABLE ANYMORE4 ,THERE WERE MANY DIFFERENT MAGNIFIERS TO CHOOSE FROM1 BUT ,I COULD NOT FIND ONE THAT HELPED ME THE WAY THIS ONE DID1 AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX IT4 ,WALLY'S SISTER1 ,DULCIE1 LIVED IN TOWN4 ,WE DID NOT HEAR FROM HER VERY OFTEN4 ,OCCASIONALLY1 SHE WOULD CALL1 AND THEN OTHER TIMES1 WE WOULD REACH OUT TO HER4 ,ONE DAY A FRIEND TOLD ,WALLY THAT ,DULCIE WAS IN THE HOSPITAL4 ,SHE HADN'T TOLD US4 ,I CALLED THE HOSPITAL AND CONFIRMED SHE WAS THERE4 ,THE NEXT DAY1 WE WENT IN TO VISIT HER4 ,WE #DI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#BI WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG4 ,IT TURNED OUT THAT SHE HAD CANCER AND WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE TREATMENTS4 ,AT THIS TIME1 SHE WAS LIVING BY HERSELF4 ,WALLY DECIDED THIS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK2 HE WASN'T GOING TO LET HER GO THROUGH THIS BY HERSELF4 ,IN ,APRIL #BJAJ1 SHE MOVED IN WITH US2 NOW WE HAD A FULL HOUSE4 ,DULCIE ENJOYED BEING WITH US4 ,THERE WASN'T MUCH THAT ,I COULD DO FOR HER AT THE TIME1 BUT SHE WAS HAPPY TO JUST HAVE SOMEONE AROUND TO TALK TO4 ,I DID MAKE SOMETHING FOR US TO EAT OCCASIONALLY1 THOUGH4 -------------------------------------#CJ ,DULCIE WASN'T WELL4 ,SHE HAD GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS4 ,SHE CONTINUED WITH HER TREATMENTS4 ,THINGS WENT OKAY FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS4 ,THEN ONE DAY IN ,JULY1 SHE WAS AT THE HOSPITAL TO GET HER TREATMENT BUT COULDN'T GET IT4 ,HER BLOODWORK WASN'T AS IT SHOULD BE4 ,SHE WAS THEN ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL4 ,FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS1 IT WAS #EJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CJ BACK AND FORTH TO THE ,CARBONEAR HOSPITAL TO VISIT HER4 ,SHE KEPT ASKING US WHEN SHE WAS GOING TO GET TO GO HOME1 AND WE COULD NOT TELL HER4 ,WE JUST DID NOT KNOW4 ,IN EARLY ,AUGUST1 THEY MOVED HER DOWN TO THE HOSPITAL IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN4 ,THIS MADE IT EASIER FOR US TO VISIT HER4 ,WE WERE THERE EVERY NIGHT4 ,ONE NIGHT1 ,I DECIDED TO STAY HOME AND LET ,WALLY GO4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 ON ,AUGUST #AH1 #BJAJ1 AT ABOUT SIX-THIRTY1 THE NURSE CALLED AND TOLD US THAT ,DULCIE HAD PASSED AWAY4 ,IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS1 HER OLDER BROTHERS1 ,ARCH AND ,ARTHUR1 AND HER SISTER-IN-LAW CAME HOME FOR THE FUNERAL4 ,ALL THE FAMILY WAS SHOCKED2 NOBODY KNEW SHE WAS SICK OR HAVING ANY PROBLEMS4 ,WALLY HAD A HARD TIME BELIEVING IT2 IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST4 ,DULCIE'S LIFE WAS IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S1 AND SHE HAD NEVER KEPT IN TOUCH4 ,IT WAS ONLY BY ACCIDENT ONE DAY WE HEARD THAT SHE WAS IN HOSPITAL1 #EA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CJ AND NOW SHE WAS GONE4 -------------------------------------#CA ,CHAPTER #D3 .7,WRONG OR ,RIGHT8.' ,THERE WAS THIS OLDER LADY1 ,FLORENCE ,SNELGROVE,-KNOWN TO EVERYONE AS ,MISS ,FLORENCE,-WHO WOULD COME TO THE STORE OCCASIONALLY2 ,I KNEW HER ALL MY LIFE4 ,SHE WAS A QUIET AND VERY FRIENDLY PERSON1 VERY MILD-MANNERED1 AND EVERYONE GOT ALONG WITH HER4 ,SHE AND HER HUSBAND1 ,CLIFF1 HAD HAD A STORE IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE4 ,I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH THEIR DAUGHTER1 WHO WAS ALSO NAMED ,FLORENCE4 ,MY FRIENDS AND ,I WOULD HANG OUT AT THE STORE EVERY WEEKEND4 ,EACH TIME ,MISS ,FLORENCE DROPPED BY FOR SOMETHING1 SHE WOULD TELL ME NOT TO LET IT GO4 ,SHE SAID THAT WHAT THE DOCTORS HAD DONE TO ME WASN'T RIGHT1 AND THEY SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF IT4 ,SINCE SHE HAD KNOWN ME SINCE ,I WAS A #EB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CA CHILD1 SHE KNEW MY HISTORY4 ,EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY HAD HEARD ,I WAS DIAGNOSED AND TREATED FOR ,,MS1 BUT THAT IT HAD TURNED OUT ,I HAD PRESSURE FROM THE SHUNT BEING BLOCKED2 THIS HAD DELAYED ME FROM HAVING THE SURGERY DONE SOONER1 WHICH MAY HAVE PREVENTED MY VISION LOSS4 ,THIS GOT ME WONDERING1 AS ,I THOUGHT THE SAME THING4 ,I DECIDED ,I WAS GOING TO INVESTIGATE MY OPTIONS4 ,I VISITED A FEW LAWYERS1 AND THEY TOLD ME THEY THOUGHT ,I HAD A CASE4 ,THEY KNEW FROM WHAT ,I HAD TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS A MISDIAGNOSIS BECAUSE THE DOCTORS KNEW MY HISTORY1 THE ,,CT SCAN AT ,CARBONEAR HOSPITAL HAD SHOWN THE SHUNT WAS BLOCKED1 AND -------------------------------------#CB THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST HAD EVEN WRITTEN IT ON MY CHART4 ,WHAT HAPPENED1 ,I WILL NEVER KNOW1 BUT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE WASN'T RIGHT4 ,HOWEVER1 THE LAWYERS ,I VISITED DID NOT TAKE ON MALPRACTICE CASES4 ,I WOULD HAVE TO FIND ONE #EC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CB WHO DID4 ,I DID NOT GIVE UP2 ,I KEPT LOOKING FOR AN ATTORNEY TO TAKE MY CASE4 ,FINALLY1 ONE DAY1 ,I WENT TO ,GITTENS AND ,ASSOCIATES IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,THE LAWYER ,I WAS MEETING WITH WAS ,ERNEST ,GITTENS4 ,WALLY AND ,I WENT INTO HIS OFFICE AND SAT DOWN4 ,I TOLD HIM MY STORY1 AND HE LISTENED CAREFULLY4 ,AFTER FINISHING1 ,I ASKED HIM IF HE THOUGHT ,I HAD A CASE4 ,HE SAID THAT ,I DID1 AND ,I CRIED4 ,KNOWING WHAT ,I WENT THROUGH AND HAVING SOMEONE ELSE AGREE WITH ME WAS VALIDATING4 ,IT HURT TO KNOW THAT MY VISION LOSS COULD HAVE POSSIBLY BEEN PREVENTED IF SURGERY HAD BEEN DONE EARLIER4 ,ERNEST TOLD ME MY FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO GET A DOCTOR FROM OUTSIDE THE PROVINCE TO REVIEW ALL MY FILES4 ,THIS WOULD GIVE US THE ACTUAL PROOF WE NEEDED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE CASE4 ,I FOUND A DOCTOR FROM ,ONTARIO WHO WAS WILLING TO DO IT AND HAD MY FILES SENT TO HIM4 ,IT WAS SOME TIME BEFORE HE GOT #ED DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CB BACK TO US4 ,THIS WASN'T AN EASY TASK2 HE HAD TO GO OVER EVERY LITTLE DETAIL IN MY FILE4 ,HOWEVER1 WHEN HE FINALLY CONTACTED US1 THE RESULTS WERE NOT GOOD4 ,HE HAD FOUND THAT THERE WASN'T ONLY ONE MISTAKE MADE BUT MANY4 ,THIS AGAIN MADE ME BREAK DOWN AND CRY1 KNOWING WHAT HAD BEEN DONE TO ME4 ,I HAD MY DAUGHTER READ THE LETTER HE WROTE TO ME1 AND ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,COULD THIS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED8 ,WHY WERE THERE SEVERAL MISTAKES8 ,NOT CONSIDERING THE ,,CT SCAN DONE AT THE ,CARBONEAR HOSPITAL1 NOT DOING A SPINAL TAP WHEN THEY KNEW MY HISTORY1 NOT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT WHAT THE OPHTHALMOLOGIST HAD WRITTEN ON MY CHART1 AND NOT REALIZING MY SHUNT WAS BLOCKED BY THE TEST ,I HAD DONE1 WHEN THE FLUID DID NOT RUN FROM MY SHUNT INTO MY STOMACH4 ,WAS THIS REAL1 AND WHY DID IT HAPPEN8 ,THIS IS A QUESTION -------------------------------------#CC ONLY THE DOCTORS CAN ANSWER4 ,THEY WERE GIVEN MY HISTORY AND EVEN HAD THE #EE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CC ,,CT SCAN FROM ,CARBONEAR HOSPITAL1 AND THEY STILL MISDIAGNOSED ME4 ,THE NEXT STEP WAS TO FILE THE PAPERS AGAINST THE DOCTORS1 AND YES1 THERE WAS MORE THAN ONE INVOLVED2 THE PHYSICIAN WHO REVIEWED MY FILES HAD LISTED THREE4 ,ONCE THEY WERE SERVED THE PAPERS1 THE PROCESS HAD BEGUN4 ,NOW WE JUST HAD TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO4 ,I CONTINUED TO HELP AT THE STORE4 ,I WAS THERE EVERY DAY4 ,THINGS WERE GOING WELL1 BUT MY VISION HAD NOT RETURNED4 ,MY YOUNGER BROTHER1 ,DARRYL1 WOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME JUST HANGING OUT4 ,HE WOULD HELP WHENEVER THERE WAS SOMETHING TO DO4 ,THIS ,I APPRECIATED1 AS ,I COULD NOT DO THINGS LIKE ,I USED TO4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,DAD CALLED AND SAID THAT HE HAD TO TAKE ,DARRYL TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,THEY WERE IN ,CARBONEAR SHOPPING1 AND ,DARRYL WASN'T FEELING WELL4 ,THEY TOOK HIM OVER TO EMERGENCY4 ,THIS WAS ON A ,TUESDAY AFTERNOON4 #EF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CC ,THE DOCTORS RAN SOME TESTS AND FOUND OUT HE HAD BLEEDING ULCERS4 ,THEY GAVE HIM THE TREATMENT HE NEEDED1 AND HE WAS DOING WELL4 ,I WAS UP TO VISIT HIM1 AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF BED4 ,HE WAS TO BE RELEASED IN A COUPLE OF DAYS4 ,THEN ON ,SATURDAY NIGHT1 AFTER ,WALLY AND ,I CAME HOME1 WE FOUND OUT THAT ,DAD HAD CALLED4 ,I WAS WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON2 IT WAS LATE FOR HIM TO BE PHONING4 ,I DECIDED TO CALL HIM BACK4 ,IT WAS THEN THAT HE TOLD ME ,DARRYL WASN'T DOING WELL AND WAS PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY4 ,WITH THAT1 ,WALLY AND ,I LEFT FOR THE HOSPITAL1 BUT NOT BEFORE CALLING ,AUNT ,MARY4 ,I WANTED TO LET HER KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ASK HER IF SHE COULD COME TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,I FIGURED ,DAD WOULD NEED SOMEONE4 ,MOM WAS THERE1 BUT SHE WAS IN SHOCK4 ,SHE COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT WAS HAPPENING4 ,SHE JUST SAT THERE AND DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING4 ,WE ARRIVED AT THE HOSPITAL #EG DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#CC ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES LATER1 AND JUST AFTER WE GOT THERE1 ,AUNT ,MARY SHOWED UP4 ,THEY HAD TAKEN ,DARRYL DOWN TO -------------------------------------#CD SURGERY4 ,AFTER A WHILE1 HIS DOCTOR CAME UP TO EXPLAIN WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,SHE INFORMED US THAT ,DARRYL HAD A LOT OF LITTLE PINHOLES IN HIS STOMACH THAT WERE BLEEDING AS WELL4 ,THIS IS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE TROUBLE4 ,THE BLEEDING WAS COMING FROM EVERYWHERE1 MAKING IT HARDER TO REPAIR4 ,DURING SURGERY THEY HAD TO SEND TO ,ST4 ,JOHN'S FOR PLATELETS1 AND IN THIS TIME1 ,DARRYL'S HEART STOPPED4 ,THE DOCTORS GOT HIM BACK4 ,WHEN THEY GOT THE PLATELETS1 THEY FINISHED UP THE SURGERY4 ,THIS WAS ABOUT TWO IN THE MORNING4 ,THE DOCTOR TOLD US THAT THE SURGERY WAS OVER1 BUT ,DARRYL WASN'T OUT OF THE WOODS YET4 ,WE WOULD NOW HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN4 ,WALLY AND ,I GOT READY TO GO HOME1 AND ,AUNT ,MARY LEFT WITH US4 ,MOM #EH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CD AND ,DAD WERE GOING TO LEAVE AFTER THEY HAD SEEN ,DARRYL4 "<,DAD LATER SAID THAT AFTER GETTING TO SEE HIM1 ,DARRYL DIDN'T LOOK GOOD4"> ,WE CAME HOME AND WENT TO BED4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 AT AROUND SEVEN O'CLOCK1 WE AWOKE TO THE RINGING OF THE PHONE2 IT WAS ,DAD TELLING US THE HOSPITAL HAD CALLED THEM1 AND ,DARRYL WASN'T GOING TO MAKE IT4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE MY EARS4 ,THIS COULD NOT BE TRUE4 ,DAD AND MY BROTHER1 ,SHAWN1 LEFT AND WENT TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,MOM WAS JUST NOT ABLE TO GO4 ,DAD AND ,SHAWN MADE IT JUST BEFORE ,DARRYL PASSED AWAY4 ,WHEN ,I GOT THERE1 HE WAS GONE4 ,MY HEART WAS BROKEN4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO4 ,I WENT IN TO SEE HIM1 BUT ,I HAD TO LEAVE4 ,I TOUCHED HIS ARM AND RAN OUT4 ,I BROKE DOWN CRYING4 ,MY LITTLE BROTHER WAS GONE1 AND SO FAST4 ,IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE4 ,HE WAS ONLY THIRTY-FOUR4 ,THE NEXT FEW DAYS WERE HARD1 PREPARING FOR THE FUNERAL AND #EI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CD PICKING OUT A CASKET4 ,DAD TOOK CARE OF EVERYTHING4 ,I DID NOT GO TO HELP PICK OUT THE CASKET1 AS ,I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SEE IT1 SO ,I HAD HIM DESCRIBE IT TO ME4 ,DARRYL HAD DIED ON ,OCTOBER #C1 #BJAJ2 ,MOM AND ,DAD'S ANNIVERSARY WAS ON THE FOURTH1 AND ,MOM'S BIRTHDAY WAS ON THE SIXTH4 ,DAD DID NOT -------------------------------------#CE WANT THE FUNERAL UNTIL AFTER ,MOM'S BIRTHDAY1 SO IT WAS HELD ON ,OCTOBER SEVENTH4 ,IT WAS A HARD DAY ON EVERYONE4 ,MOM AND ,I WERE STILL IN SHOCK4 ,MOM COULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT HIM4 ,AT THE FUNERAL HOME1 SHE AGREED TO GO INTO THE ROOM1 BUT SHE WANTED THE CASKET CLOSED4 ,THIS IS WHAT WE DID FOR ABOUT HALF AN HOUR1 WHEN THERE WAS ONLY FAMILY THERE4 ,SHE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TO SAY1 AND THEN SHE WENT HOME1 BEFORE THE SERVICE STARTED4 ,DAD WAS FINDING IT HARD TO BELIEVE HIS YOUNGEST SON WAS GONE4 ,IT WAS #FJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CE A SHOCK FOR EVERYONE4 ,HE WAS SO YOUNG4 ,DARRYL WAS THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO DID NOT WANT TO BOTHER ANYONE ELSE4 ,IF HE HAD A PROBLEM1 HE WOULD DEAL WITH IT ON HIS OWN AND NOT TELL ANYONE4 ,IT MADE US WONDER IF HE HAD NOT BEEN FEELING WELL BUT DID NOT WANT TO BOTHER US4 ,HE SPENT HIS TIME AT HOME JUST HANGING OUT WHEN HE WASN'T WORKING4 ---------------------------------#CF-#CG ,CHAPTER #E3 .1,NEXT .1,STEPS ,EVENTUALLY1 THINGS STARTED TO GET BACK TO A NEW NORMAL1 OR SOMETHING THAT RESEMBLED 8NORMAL40 ,LIFE WOULD NEVER REALLY BE NORMAL AGAIN2 ,MOM AND ,DAD WERE LOST4 ,THEY STILL HADN'T GOTTEN OVER THE SHOCK4 ,IT WAS HARD FOR THEM TO BELIEVE THAT THEIR YOUNGEST SON WAS GONE1 AND SO UNEXPECTEDLY4 ,THE HOUSE WAS EMPTY2 ,DARRYL HAD LIVED WITH ,MOM AND ,DAD4 ,HE #FA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CG SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME AT HOME1 EXCEPT WHEN HE WAS WORKING AT THE PLANT OR WHEN THERE WAS A DANCE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTRE IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE4 ,IT WAS KNOWN AS THE ,ASSOCIATION FOR ,YOUTH AND ,LEISURE ,TIME ,ACTIVITIES1 WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY THE LATE ,PETER ,BURSEY IN #AIHI4 ,THIS COMMUNITY CENTRE HELD EVENTS FOR BOTH THE YOUNG AND OLD4 ,HE LOVED GOING TO THE DANCES AND LISTENING TO THE MUSIC4 ,HE AND HIS BUDDY1 ,RUSSELL1 VERY SELDOM MISSED A DANCE4 ,THEY WOULD BE THE FIRST THERE AND THE LAST TO LEAVE4 ,OUTSIDE OF WORK1 ,DARRYL WOULD BE WITH ,MOM AND ,DAD WHEREVER THEY WENT4 ,HE WOULD EVEN TAKE ,MOM TO THINGS WHEN ,DAD DIDN'T WANT TO GO4 ,THEY SPENT A LOT OF TIME GOING PLACES JUST FOR THE RIDE1 AND TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE4 ,I CONTINUED TO GO TO THE STORE EVERY DAY1 BUT THINGS WERE NOT THE SAME4 ,MY BROTHER WAS GONE4 ,WHEN ,I WOULD WALK INTO THE STORE1 ,I MISSED HIM4 ,HE #FB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CG WOULD ALWAYS BE THERE4 ,IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE AND EVEN -------------------------------------#CH HARDER TO GET USED TO4 ,IT TOOK A WHILE1 BUT EVENTUALLY THINGS STARTED TO FEEL A LITTLE BETTER4 ,THERE WERE TIMES WHEN IT WAS VERY BUSY1 AND THEN TIMES WHEN IT WAS VERY QUIET4 ,WE WERE NEARING ,CHRISTMAS1 THE BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR OTHER THAN SUMMER4 ,EVERYONE WAS GETTING READY1 SHOPPING FOR THINGS THEY NEEDED4 ,THE SNOW HAD STARTED TO FALL1 AND THE GROUND WAS TURNING WHITE4 ,THE KIDS LOVED IT4 ,THEY WERE GETTING READY FOR THE ANNUAL ,SANTA ,CLAUS PARADE PUT ON BY THE COMMUNITY CENTRE4 ,IT WAS A BIG DAY FOR EVERYONE4 ,AFTER THE PARADE1 IT WAS BACK TO THE BUILDING FOR REFRESHMENTS AND PHOTOS WITH ,SANTA4 ,THERE WOULD EVEN BE A TUNE OR TWO FROM THE ,CADETS1 AFTER WHICH THEY WOULD BE ON THEIR WAY TO ANOTHER PARADE4 ,THEY WERE IN DEMAND1 ESPECIALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR4 ,THE KIDS HAD A BLAST1 #FC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CH EATING HOT DOGS1 HAVING THEIR PICTURE TAKEN1 AND JUST RUNNING AROUND1 LETTING OFF STEAM4 ,THE NEXT MORNING WAS A BREAKFAST WITH ,SANTA1 ANOTHER FAVOURITE FOR THE KIDS1 AND EVEN SOME ADULTS4 ,STILL1 WITH ,DARRYL GONE1 THINGS HAD CHANGED4 ,HE ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO ,CHRISTMAS1 ESPECIALLY HAVING TURKEY4 ,HE ENJOYED PUTTING UP THE TREE JUST TO BE ABLE TO SIT BACK AND LOOK AT THE LIGHTS1 WHICH HE SPENT MANY HOURS DOING4 ,THEN1 OF COURSE1 HE ANTICIPATED THE ,NEW ,YEAR'S ,EVE BALL4 ,HE AND HIS FRIEND WOULD BE THE FIRST ONES THERE4 ,DARRYL LOVED THE MUSIC1 BUT IT WAS HARD TO GET HIM TO DANCE4 ,WITH THE FIRST HOLIDAY SEASON WITHOUT ,DARRYL BEHIND US1 ,I STARTED TO THINK ABOUT MY BUSINESS4 ,I WAS WONDERING IF ,I COULD CONTINUE WITH IT OR NOT4 ,EVERYTHING HAD CHANGED2 MY VISION WAS GONE1 AND SO WAS MY BROTHER4 ,THIS WAS A LOT OF ADAPTING FOR ME4 ,WHAT WAS ,I GOING TO DO8 ,IT WAS GETTING #FD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CH HARDER FOR ME TO KEEP CONTROL OF THE BUSINESS4 ,COULD ,I SELL IT1 AND DID ,I REALLY WANT TO8 ,I SPENT MANY DAYS AND NIGHTS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ,I WAS GOING TO DO4 ,IF ,I SOLD IT1 WHAT ELSE WOULD ,I DO8 -------------------------------------#CI ,AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION1 ,I DECIDED IT WAS TIME4 ,AS MUCH AS ,I LOVED IT1 ,I HAD TO GIVE IT UP1 SO ,I PUT IT UP FOR SALE4 ,IT WAS NOT WHAT ,I REALLY WANTED TO DO1 BUT UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES1 ,I DID NOT HAVE MUCH CHOICE4 ,I COULDN'T LOOK AFTER IT THE WAY ,I HAD4 ,I WASN'T ALWAYS SURE WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,WEEK AFTER WEEK1 IT SEEMED LIKE ,I WAS ORDERING MORE STOCK THAN THE BUSINESS WAS SELLING4 ,IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE BUSY DURING SOME WEEKS1 BUT FOR SOME REASON ,I WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE SAME AS ,I DID THE WEEK BEFORE4 ,I BEGAN TO WONDER WHAT COULD BE GOING OUT WITHOUT MY KNOWING ABOUT IT4 ,I WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THE BOOKWORK1 AND ,I HAD TO DEPEND #FE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#CI ON ONE OF MY EMPLOYEES4 ,THIS WASN'T A GOOD WAY TO HAVE A BUSINESS4 ,I WAS NEW TO VISION LOSS AND DIDN'T HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY TO HELP4 ,THE STORE NEEDED MORE ATTENTION THAN ,I WAS ABLE TO GIVE IT AT THAT TIME4 ,IT WAS FOR SALE FOR ABOUT EIGHT MONTHS WITHOUT ANY OFFERS4 ,THERE WERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO INQUIRED ABOUT THE PRICE1 BUT NOTHING CAME OF IT4 ,I WAS READY TO GIVE IT UP2 ,I DIDN'T WANT THE RESPONSIBILITY1 AND THE ENJOYMENT WAS GONE4 ,I WAS WORRIED THAT IT WOULDN'T SELL1 AS IT WAS A DIFFICULT TIME OF YEAR4 ,THEN ONE DAY A LOCAL RESIDENT OF ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE CAME ALONG WITH AN OFFER4 ,THE PAPERS WERE DRAWN UP1 SIGNED1 AND EVERYTHING WAS LEGAL4 ,WITHIN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS1 IN ,JANUARY #BJAA1 THERE WERE NEW OWNERS4 ,I HAD WORKED WITH VISION LOSS FOR THREE YEARS1 BUT ,I NOW ACCEPTED THAT IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME4 ,I WAS SAD TO SEE IT GO2 #FF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#CI THE STORE WAS LIKE FAMILY TO ME4 ,I KNEW MOST OF MY CUSTOMERS1 AND WE HAD DEVELOPED GREAT RELATIONSHIPS4 ,THIS IS WHAT ,I WAS GOING TO MISS THE MOST1 GETTING TO SEE AND CHAT WITH THEM EVERY DAY4 ,THE DAY CAME1 AND ,I PASSED OVER THE KEYS AND WALKED OUT1 WONDERING WHAT ,I WAS GOING TO DO NEXT4 ,SOME DAYS IT WOULD BE OKAY TO GET OUT1 AND OTHERS IT WOULD NOT4 ,I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT HOME4 ,THE WEEKS AND MONTHS PASSED SLOWLY FOR -------------------------------------#DJ ME1 AND ,I WAS STILL WONDERING WHAT TO DO NEXT4 ,I WAS MISSING THE SHOP IN ONE WAY1 AND IN ANOTHER WAY1 ,I WASN'T4 ,IT WAS THE PEOPLE ,I MISSED THE MOST4 ,STAYING AT HOME MOST OF THE TIME WAS GETTING TO BE BORING1 BUT ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF4 ,THE ONLY TIME ,I WOULD GET OUT WOULD BE WHEN WE WENT TO ,CARBONEAR FOR GROCERIES OR TO GO DOWN TO VISIT ,MOM AND ,DAD4 ,I HAD TOO MUCH TIME ON MY HANDS2 ,I HAD TO #FG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DJ FIND SOMETHING ELSE TO DO4 ,THIS WAS NOT ME4 ,ANYONE WHO KNEW ME KNEW ,I COULD NOT STOP2 ,I WAS ALWAYS GOING SOMEWHERE OR DOING SOMETHING4 ,I WAS NOT CONTENT STAYING AROUND THE HOUSE ALL DAY4 ,VISION LOSS HAD SLOWED ME DOWN2 ,I DIDN'T KNOW IF ,I WAS GOING TO GET PAST IT4 ,THERE WASN'T MUCH FOR ME TO DO1 BUT FOR MY OLDEST DAUGHTER1 ,KELSEY1 THERE WAS LOTS4 ,SHE WAS ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL4 ,IT WAS NOW ,MAY #BJAA1 AND THEY WERE GETTING READY FOR GRADUATION NIGHT4 ,THE GYM WAS DECORATED1 AND EVERYTHING WAS READY TO GO4 ,KELSEY WAS ALL DRESSED UP IN HER PROM DRESS4 ,THIS WAS A VERY SPECIAL NIGHT FOR HER4 ,WALLY AND ,I WERE SO PROUD OF HER4 ,THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT VISION LOSS HAS TAKEN FROM ME3 ,I WAS UNABLE TO SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL MY DAUGHTER WAS AND WATCH HER AS SHE WALKED UPON THE STAGE TO ACCEPT HER DIPLOMA4 ,THEN IT #FH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DJ WAS HER DANCE WITH HER FATHER4 ,THE ONLY THING ,I COULD DO WAS LISTEN TO THE MUSIC AND TRY TO IMAGINE WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE4 ,THEY COULD DESCRIBE IT ALL THEY WANTED1 BUT IT WOULD NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF BEING ABLE TO SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES4 ,AFTER SOME TIME1 ,I DECIDED TO SEE IF ,I COULD FIND A JOB4 ,THERE HAD TO BE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WOULD ASSIST ME IN TRYING TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT4 ,I KEPT CALLING PLACES ,I HAD BEEN TOLD WOULD PROBABLY BE ABLE TO HELP1 BUT ,I HAD NO LUCK4 -------------------------------------#DA ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,I FINALLY FOUND SOMEONE2 IT WAS THE ,CANADIAN ,PARAPLEGIC ,ASSOCIATION1 WHO ,I LEARNED HELPED PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES FIND WORK4 ,I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THEM TO MEET AND DISCUSS MY OPTIONS4 ,OUR MEETING WENT VERY WELL2 ,I HAD FOUND A GREAT PLACE4 ,HOWEVER1 IT WAS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR ME TO #FI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DA FIND A JOB4 ,I WOULD HAVE TO FIND AN AVAILABLE POSITION AND BRING IT BACK TO THEM4 ,THEY WOULD THEN INTERVENE ON MY BEHALF1 WORKING WITH THE EMPLOYER TO SEE IF ,I WOULD BE QUALIFIED4 ,THE PROBLEM WAS1 THERE WASN'T MUCH AVAILABLE WHERE ,I LIVED4 ,I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE AREA1 AND THIS WAS PROBABLY GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME4 ,I DIDN'T GIVE UP2 ,I MADE IT MY MISSION TO FIND A JOB4 ,I KEPT LOOKING FOR APPROPRIATE POSITIONS EVERY DAY4 ,THEN1 AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF SEARCHING1 ,I THOUGHT ,I HAD FOUND ONE4 ,IT WAS AT ,OLD ,PERLICAN ,TERRACE1 THE OLD AGE HOME IN THAT COMMUNITY4 ,I HAD BEEN TALKING WITH THE MANAGER1 AND SHE AGREED TO HIRE ME4 ,AT FIRST1 ,I WAS TOLD THE POSITION WAS THERE FOR ME1 BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL ME WHEN IT WOULD START4 ,I WAS DISAPPOINTED4 ,I WAITED AND WAITED4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 THEY CALLED AND ASKED IF ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO COME IN4 ,THEY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR #GJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DA ME4 ,I WAS EXCITED4 ,THIS WAS GOING TO BE MY FIRST JOB AFTER LOSING MY VISION AND GIVING UP MY BUSINESS4 ,HOWEVER1 IT DID NOT TURN OUT AS ,I HAD HOPED4 ,WHEN ,I GOT THERE1 THEY TOLD ME THAT FUNDING HAD RUN OUT1 AND THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO HIRE ME AT THIS TIME4 ,THIS WAS ANOTHER BIG DISAPPOINTMENT4 ,ALL ,I COULD THINK OF WAS THAT ,I HAD TO START LOOKING AGAIN4 ,AFTER GETTING OVER THIS SETBACK1 ,I STARTED TO LOOK AGAIN4 ,I SEARCHED AND SEARCHED1 WITH NO LUCK4 ,I WOULD FIND SOMETHING1 BUT IT WOULD NOT BE FOR ME1 OR IT WOULD BE TOO FAR FOR ME TO TRAVEL4 ,I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS CLOSER TO MY HOME1 AS ,I WOULD HAVE TO GET ,WALLY TO -------------------------------------#DB TAKE ME BACK AND FORTH4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR SOME TIME4 ,I REMAINED HOME1 BORED1 WITH NOTHING TO DO MOST OF THE TIME4 ,I SPENT MY DAYS FOLDING CLOTHES AND WASHING DISHES4 ,I WANTED TO GET #GA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DB OUT AND MIX WITH PEOPLE4 ,I WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE TO TALK TO4 ,THEN ONE DAY OUT OF THE BLUE1 IN THE MIDDLE OF ,JANUARY #BJAE1 ,I HAD A CALL TO COME IN FOR AN INTERVIEW4 ,IT WAS WITH ,OLD ,PERLICAN ,TERRACE1 THE OLD AGE HOME THAT COULD NOT HIRE ME BEFORE4 ,I WAS SO EXCITED4 ,AFTER SPENDING SO MUCH TIME IN THE HOUSE1 ,I WAS EAGER TO GET OUT WITH PEOPLE4 ,I TOLD ,WALLY THE MINUTE ,I GOT CALLED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ME THERE FOR THE INTERVIEW THE NEXT DAY4 ,I WAS ASKED A FEW QUESTIONS1 AND THEY EXPLAINED WHAT ,I WAS GOING TO BE DOING AND HOW THIS PROGRAM1 SPONSORED BY THE ,CANADIAN ,PARAPLEGIC ,ASSOCIATION1 WORKED4 ,IF A BUSINESS WAS WILLING TO HIRE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY1 THEY WOULD PAY A PERCENTAGE OF THE HOURLY RATE FOR A NUMBER OF WEEKS IN THE HOPE THAT THE PERSON WOULD BE HIRED ON PERMANENTLY4 ,THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS A GO1 AND THEY WOULD BE IN #GB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DB TOUCH WITH THE START DATE4 ,I WAS THRILLED4 ,I WAS FINALLY GOING TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE AND INTERACT WITH PEOPLE4 ,I WOULD BE WORKING ALONGSIDE THE RESIDENTS AS A PERSONAL CARE ATTENDANT WHILE GETTING TO KNOW THE STAFF4 ,THIS IS WHAT ,I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO4 ,I WAS TO START IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS4 ,BUT BEFORE THIS COULD HAPPEN1 THE ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST FROM ,,CNIB HAD TO COME OUT AND GO THROUGH THE BUILDING WITH ME1 MAKING SURE THINGS WERE SAFE AND HELPING ME LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE4 ,I WAS SCARED AND EXCITED2 EXCITED TO HAVE FOUND A JOB BUT SCARED BECAUSE ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT4 ,THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME IN THE WORK FORCE SINCE LOSING MY VISION4 ,WAS ,I GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT8 ,WAS ,I GOING TO BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE BUILDING BY MYSELF1 OR WOULD ,I GET LOST8 ,ALL THESE THOUGHTS AND MANY MORE WENT THROUGH MY MIND4 #GC DAYLIGHT TO DARK #DC ,THE DAY THE ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST CAME OUT1 ,I WAS READY4 ,I HAD DECIDED THAT ,I WAS GOING TO DO IT4 ,WE WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE BUILDING4 ,SHE TAUGHT ME HOW TO USE MY WHITE CANE TO GET THROUGH THE HALLWAY4 ,SHE SHOWED ME WAYS TO FIGURE OUT WHERE ,I WAS AND GAVE ME TIPS ON HOW TO USE MY CANE4 ,THERE WERE LITTLE THINGS ,I USED TO IDENTIFY WHERE ,I WAS4 ,SHE ALSO HAD A MEETING WITH THE STAFF4 ,THERE WERE THINGS THEY NEEDED TO KNOW TO ASSIST ME WHILE WORKING THERE4 ,FOR EXAMPLE1 IF ,I WAS IN A ROOM AND SOMEONE ENTERED1 THEY WOULD HAVE TO LET ME KNOW THEY WERE THERE AND WHEN THEY LEFT4 ,IT WAS A GREAT DAY LEARNING HOW TO NAVIGATE THE BUILDING4 ,NOW1 WAS ,I READY TO DO IT BY MYSELF8 ,I WOULD SOON FIND OUT4 ,I HAD TO START WORKING THE NEXT DAY4 ,AT THE TIME1 THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY TWENTY RESIDENTS LIVING THERE4 ,THERE WERE SOME ,I DID NOT KNOW1 BUT THERE WERE OTHERS ,I DID4 ,ONE OF THEM #GD DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DC WAS A GREAT AUNT ON MY FATHER'S SIDE4 ,SHE WAS NINETY YEARS OLD AT THE TIME AND HAS SINCE PASSED AWAY4 ,THERE WAS ALSO A LADY FROM THE TOWN ,I GREW UP IN AND KNEW QUITE WELL4 ,MOST OF THE RESIDENTS WERE FROM COMMUNITIES IN THE SURROUNDING AREA4 ,WHILE ,I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THEM1 THEY HAD BEEN TOLD ABOUT ME1 AND THEY WERE EXCITED TO HAVE SOMEONE THERE TO KEEP THEM COMPANY AND HELP THEM OUT WHEN THEY NEEDED IT4 ,THEY WERE ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING EVENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN AS WELL4 ,MY WORK DAYS CONSISTED OF WASHING AND FOLDING CLOTHES2 THIS WAS SOMETHING ,I HAD LEARNED TO DO AT HOME4 ,VACUUMING AND CLEANING TABLES WAS ALSO PART OF MY JOB4 ,BECAUSE ,I HAD A LITTLE SIGHT1 ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THE EDGES OF A MAT AND THE TABLE4 ,THIS ALLOWED ME TO COMPLETE THESE TASKS4 ,THE LADIES LOOKED FORWARD TO A GAME OF BINGO EVERY DAY1 BUT WE COULD #GE DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DC NOT GET THE MEN TO JOIN IN2 THEY WOULD SAY IT WASN'T FOR THEM4 ,I HAD THE BINGO NUMBERS WRITTEN ON PIECES OF CARDBOARD WITH A BLACK -------------------------------------#DD MARKER4 ,THIS ALLOWED ME TO CALL THE NUMBERS BECAUSE NOW ,I WAS ABLE TO READ THEM4 ,ON SUNNY DAYS1 WE WOULD GO OUT FOR A WALK AROUND THE BUILDING4 ,THIS IS WHERE THE RESIDENTS HELPED ME4 ,I WOULD WALK ALONGSIDE THEM1 AND THEY LED THE WAY4 ,I KEPT THEM COMPANY1 AND THEY GUIDED ME AROUND THE PARKING LOT4 ,THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK WAS WHEN A MUSICIAN OR BAND WOULD COME IN TO PLAY FOR THEM4 ,I WOULD CHECK WITH TALENTED MUSICIANS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES EACH WEEK TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COME AND ENTERTAIN THE RESIDENTS2 THEY LOVED TO HEAR THE MUSIC AND SING ALONG WITH THE SONGS4 ,THERE WERE EVEN A FEW BRAVE SOULS WHO WOULD GET UP TO DANCE4 ,ONE OF THEM WAS MY AUNT ,MARY2 SHE LOVED #GF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DD HER MUSIC AND DANCES4 ,SHE WAS NOT A RESIDENT OF THE HOME2 EVERYONE WAS WELCOME4 ,THEY ALL HAD A WONDERFUL TIME AND LOOKED FORWARD TO THE NEXT ONE4 ,IT KEPT ME BUSY TRYING TO FIND MUSICIANS TO PLAY FOR THEM4 ,EACH DAY1 ,WALLY WOULD DROP ME OFF1 THEN PICK ME UP IN THE AFTERNOON4 ,OCCASIONALLY1 WHEN ,WALLY COULDN'T COME1 MY AUNT ,MARY WOULD DRIVE ME HOME4 ,ALL ,I HAD TO DO WAS CALL HER1 AND SHE WOULD BE THERE4 ,I HAD BEEN WORKING THERE FOR ALMOST TWO MONTHS1 WHEN MY MOM FELL AND BROKE HER SHOULDER4 ,WALLY1 ,MOM1 ,DAD1 AND ,I HAD BEEN TO ,CARBONEAR AND WERE ON THE WAY HOME4 ,MOM WANTED TO DROP IN TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE BEFORE WE WENT HOME4 ,IT WAS ,MARCH1 AND THERE WAS STILL SLUSH AND SNOW ON THE GROUND4 ,SHE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND AS SHE WENT AROUND IT1 SHE SLIPPED AND FELL4 ,WALLY HELPED HER UP1 AND SHE SAID SHE WAS OKAY4 ,HER SHOULDER HURT THE NEXT DAY4 ,DAD TOOK HER TO SEE THE FAMILY DOCTOR1 #GG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DD WHO DID AN ,X-RAY AND TOLD THEM THAT SHE HAD CRUSHED HER SHOULDER AND WAS GOING TO NEED SURGERY4 ,THIS WAS ON ,WEDNESDAY1 AND SURGERY WOULD BE ON ,FRIDAY4 ,ON ,FRIDAY MORNING1 ,MOM1 ,DAD AND ,I GOT -------------------------------------#DE READY AND WENT TO THE ,HEALTH ,SCIENCES ,CENTRE IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,DAD HAD TO DRIVE1 AS MY BROTHER1 ,SHAWN1 WAS WORKING4 ,I TOOK THE DAY OFF AND WENT IN WITH HER AND ,DAD4 ,IT'S TIMES LIKE THIS WHEN ,I FELT LIKE ,I SHOULD BE DOING MORE4 ,IF ,I WAS ABLE TO SEE1 ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO DRIVE THEM TO TOWN AND GIVE ,MOM THE HELP SHE WOULD NEED AFTER SURGERY4 ,I WOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO HELP HER AFTER THE OPERATION1 AS ONCE THEY PUT IN A PLATE1 SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO LIFT HER ARM OVER HER HEAD4 ,MOM WENT INTO SURGERY4 ,WE WERE TOLD IT WOULD NOT BE LONG4 ,DAD AND ,I STAYED IN THE WAITING ROOM4 ,IT TOOK LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED2 ,I WAS STARTING #GH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DE TO WONDER WHY4 ,FINALLY1 THE PROCEDURE WAS OVER1 AND ,MOM WAS DOING WELL4 ,SHE HAD BEEN MOVED UPSTAIRS TO A ROOM4 ,WE WENT UP TO SEE HER4 ,SHE WAS DOING FINE1 WITH ONLY A LITTLE PAIN4 ,THEY HAD PUT IN A PLATE BECAUSE THE BONE HAD BEEN CRUSHED4 ,SHE WAS EXPECTING TO GET RELEASED THE NEXT DAY4 ,DAD AND ,I LEFT TO GO HOME4 ,I TOLD HER ,I WOULD TALK TO HER IN THE MORNING BEFORE ,I WENT TO WORK4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 ,I CALLED1 AND SHE WAS DOING WELL4 ,I TOLD HER ,I WOULD CALL HER AGAIN AFTER WORK4 ,DAD AND ,KELSEY WENT IN TO SEE HER4 ,SHAWN WAS ALREADY IN TOWN4 ,MOM WAS DOING WELL BUT DID NOT GET OUT THAT DAY4 ,JUST BEFORE SUPPER1 ,KELSEY AND ,DAD LEFT TO GO HOME4 ,SHAWN WAS WORKING AND LIVING IN THE CITY AT THE TIME1 SO HE WAS THERE TO VISIT ,MOM AGAIN THAT NIGHT4 ,THIS WAS ON A ,SATURDAY4 ,HOWEVER1 BEFORE ,DAD AND ,KELSEY REACHED HOME1 MY #GI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DE BROTHER CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT THE NURSE HAD CALLED HIM1 AND ,MOM HAD GONE INTO CARDIAC ARREST4 ,SHE WAS UNRESPONSIVE4 ,I WAS IN DISBELIEF2 SHE WAS FINE WHEN ,I WAS TALKING WITH HER IN THE MORNING4 ,NOW ,I HAD TO TELL ,DAD AND ,KELSEY2 ,I DIDN'T KNOW HOW THEY WERE GOING TO REACT4 ,I DECIDED TO CALL ,AUNT ,MARY AND SEE IF SHE WOULD GO UP TO THE HOUSE TO TELL ,DAD1 AND ,I WOULD WAIT FOR ,KELSEY4 ,HE WAS -------------------------------------#DF SHOCKED1 AS HE HAD JUST BEEN WITH HER1 AND SHE WAS FINE4 ,HE HELPED HER GET READY FOR SUPPER BEFORE HE LEFT4 ,MY BROTHER WENT BACK TO THE HOSPITAL THAT NIGHT2 ,DAD AND ,I WAITED TO GO IN THE NEXT MORNING4 ,SHE REMAINED STABLE OVERNIGHT4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 WE WALKED INTO THE ROOM AND THERE SHE WAS1 LYING IN THE BED WITH HER EYES CLOSED4 ,WE WENT OVER TO HER AND SPOKE1 BUT WE GOT NO #HJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DF RESPONSE4 ,DAD EVEN TOOK HER HAND1 AND THERE WAS STILL NO RESPONSE4 ,I SPOKE TO HER1 BUT STILL NOTHING4 ,WE STAYED THERE FOR MOST OF THE DAY4 ,MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA1 CAME TO SEE HER4 ,SHE SPOKE TO HER1 TOO1 BUT STILL GOT NO RESPONSE4 ,AT SUPPER TIME1 WE LEFT TO GO HOME4 ,NOTHING HAD CHANGED ALL DAY1 AND EVERYTHING REMAINED THE SAME OVERNIGHT4 ,MOM WAS STILL THE SAME THE NEXT DAY4 ,SHE WAS ON LIFE SUPPORT AND WAS TOO UNSTABLE TO MOVE4 ,WE HAD NO IDEA WHY THIS HAD HAPPENED4 ,AFTER DISCUSSING HER CONDITION WITH THE DOCTOR1 WE HAD A HARD DECISION TO MAKE4 ,IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT4 ,WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO8 ,WERE WE READY TO TAKE HER OFF LIFE SUPPORT8 ,AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION1 WE DECIDED TO DO WHAT WE KNEW ,MOM WOULD WANT4 ,SHE WOULD NOT WANT TO BE KEPT ON LIFE SUPPORT4 ,HARD AS IT WAS1 WE KNEW WHAT WE HAD TO DO4 ,DAD HAD DECIDED IT #HA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DF WAS THE RIGHT THING4 ,WE INFORMED THE DOCTOR OF OUR DECISION4 ,SHORTLY AFTER1 THEY WERE THERE TO DISCONNECT HER4 ,WE WERE ALL IN THE ROOM AS THE DOCTOR UNPLUGGED HER LIFE SUPPORT4 ,DAD SAW HER TAKE HER LAST BREATH4 ,HE SAID TO THE DOCTOR1 8,SHE IS GONE1 ISN'T SHE80 ,BUT THE DOCTOR SAID HER HEART WAS STILL BEATING4 ,IN A MATTER OF SECONDS1 IT STOPPED1 AND SHE WAS REALLY GONE4 ,IT WAS SO HARD TO BELIEVE4 ,SHE WAS ONLY SIXTY-SIX4 ,THE NEXT FEW DAYS WERE HARD ON ,DAD AND EVERYONE ELSE4 ,HE HAD TO PREPARE FOR HER FUNERAL4 ,I HELPED WHERE ,I COULD1 BUT MY VISION LOSS MADE THINGS DIFFICULT4 ,SHE PASSED AWAY ON ,MONDAY1 ,MARCH #CJ1 #BJAE1 -------------------------------------#DG AND WAS BURIED THE FOLLOWING ,THURSDAY1 JUST BEFORE ,GOOD ,FRIDAY AND ,EASTER4 ,I REMEMBER IT WAS A COLD1 WINDY1 AND SNOWY DAY4 ,I WONDERED HOW WE WERE GOING TO MOVE ON FROM THIS4 ,IT WAS SUCH #HB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DG A SHOCK4 ,AFTER ,EASTER1 ,I RETURNED TO WORK4 ,HOWEVER1 IT WAS NOT THE SAME4 ,ALL ,I COULD THINK OF WAS ,MOM4 ,MOTHER'S ,DAY CAME AND WENT4 ,I HAD ARRANGED FOR SOME MUSIC FOR THE RESIDENTS4 ,ALL THE MOTHERS HAD A GREAT DAY4 ,THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS WENT BY SLOWLY4 ,THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT ,I WAS NOT GOING TO BE HIRED PERMANENTLY4 ,THERE WASN'T A POSITION THERE FOR ME AFTER THE PROGRAM WAS OVER1 WHICH WAS AT THE END OF ,JULY4 ,I GUESS ,I WAS LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN HIRED FOR AS LONG AS ,I DID4 ,THEY MAY HAVE CREATED THE POSITION SO ,I WOULD GET SOME WORK1 AND SO THEY WOULD GET SOME HELP THAT DID NOT COST THEM AS MUCH4 ,HOWEVER1 THERE WAS NOW A REASON TO LOOK FORWARD TO THE END OF MY CONTRACT4 ,I STILL WANTED TO FIND THE PERFECT JOB1 BUT ,I NEEDED THE TIME OFF FOR A REASON THAT ,I HAD BEEN KEEPING SECRET3 ,WALLY AND ,I HAD FINALLY DECIDED TO GET #HC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DG MARRIED1 AFTER ALL THESE YEARS4 ,WE AGREED WE WOULD NOT TELL ANYONE RIGHT AWAY2 WE WANTED TO KEEP IT TO OURSELVES FOR A WHILE4 ,I NEVER THOUGHT WE WOULD MARRY2 WE WERE YOUNG WHEN WE GOT TOGETHER1 AND IT NEVER CAME UP4 ,BUT WHEN ,I BROUGHT IT UP AFTER ,MOM'S DEATH1 ,WALLY HAD BEEN THINKING THE SAME THING4 ,I THINK ,MOM'S ACCIDENT MAY HAVE GIVEN BOTH OF US SOME PERSPECTIVE4 ,AFTER BEING TOGETHER FOR TWENTY-SIX YEARS AND HAVING TWO GIRLS1 WE BOTH WANTED THE SAME THING4 ,IT WAS TIME4 ,WE HAD DECIDED TO GET MARRIED ON ,AUGUST FIFTEENTH4 ,THIS MEANT IT WAS GOING TO BE A RUSH4 ,WE DIDN'T WANT A BIG WEDDING1 JUST A FEW FRIENDS AND FAMILY1 BUT BY THE TIME WE FINISHED UP1 WE HAD A FEW MORE4 ,ALTOGETHER THERE WERE AROUND TWENTY-FIVE GUESTS4 ,I HAD MY UNCLE1 ,LEE ,BROADERS1 PROVIDING THE MUSIC1 AND OUR FRIENDS1 ,BERTHA AND ,BOYD ,KING1 WERE GOING TO BE OUR #HD DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#DG WITNESSES4 -------------------------------------#DH ,THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS WERE VERY BUSY AS WE GOT EVERYTHING READY4 ,WE HAD TO GET THE RINGS1 AND AS ,I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THEM1 ,I HAD MY DAUGHTER1 ,KELSEY1 DESCRIBE THEM TO ME AS BEST AS SHE COULD4 ,AFTER FEELING THE STONES IN THE RING1 ,I DECIDED ON THE ONE ,I WANTED4 ,I ALSO HAD TO GET A DRESS AND FIND SOMEONE TO MARRY US4 ,I PICKED OUT MY DRESS MORE BY HOW IT FELT THAN HOW IT LOOKED4 ,WE GOT ,REVEREND ,CRUTHERS FROM THE ,ANGLICAN ,CHURCH IN ,BAY DE ,VERDE TO MARRY US4 ,WE DECIDED WE WERE GOING TO GET MARRIED AT THE HOUSE1 AND MY COUSIN1 ,CHRISTINE1 HAD VOLUNTEERED HER NEW HOME FOR A SMALL RECEPTION4 ,IT WAS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM WHERE WE LIVED4 ,SHAWN'S GIRLFRIEND HELPED WITH THE DECORATING2 EVERYTHING LOOKED BEAUTIFUL4 ,THE DAY HAD ARRIVED QUICKLY4 ,THE GIRLS WERE GETTING EXCITED4 ,EVERYTHING HAD #HE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#DH ALL COME TOGETHER4 ,CHRISTINE'S HOUSE WAS DECORATED BEAUTIFULLY1 AND ALL WAS READY AT OUR HOME4 ,I WAS GETTING A LITTLE NERVOUS4 ,BERTHA1 ,BOYD1 AND ,DAD WERE THERE1 THEN THE REST OF THE GUESTS STARTED TO SHOW UP4 ,THE WEDDING WAS TO START AT SEVEN P4M4 ,I WAS UPSTAIRS GETTING DRESSED4 ,MY AUNTS1 ,MARY AND ,NITA1 WERE HELPING ME OUT4 ,WE WERE HAVING A BALL TRYING TO GET THE STRINGS IN MY DRESS TIED4 ,IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE1 BUT WE FINALLY GOT IT DONE4 ,I WAS HOPING IT WOULD NOT COME UNTIED DURING THE SERVICE4 ,IT WAS THEN TIME4 ,I HAD TO WALK DOWN THE STAIRS TO WHERE ,I WOULD MEET ,DAD4 ,HE WAS WAITING AT THE BOTTOM4 ,HE THEN WALKED ME OVER TO WHERE ,WALLY AND THE REVEREND WERE WAITING4 ,LEE WAS SINGING AND EVERYTHING WAS QUIET1 EXCEPT FOR THE SOUND OF A COUPLE OF PEOPLE SHEDDING A FEW TEARS4 ,THE SERVICE BEGAN4 ,THE WEDDING WENT OFF WITHOUT A #HF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#DH HITCH4 ,THE CEREMONY WAS SHORT4 ,THE BOOK WAS SIGNED4 ,PICTURES WERE TAKEN1 AND THEN WE LEFT TO GO TO ,CHRISTINE'S HOUSE4 ,THE RECEPTION WAS SMALL AND SIMPLE4 ,THERE WAS PLENTY OF FOOD AND DRINK4 ,THE REVEREND AND HIS WIFE EVEN STAYED FOR A -------------------------------------#DI WHILE4 ,MY UNCLE SANG MY FAVOURITE SONG1 8,WALK ,THROUGH ,THIS ,WORLD WITH ,ME0 BY ,GEORGE ,JONES1 FOR OUR FIRST WALTZ4 ,REVEREND ,CRUTHERS SANG 8,AMAZING ,GRACE40 ,IT WAS BEAUTIFUL2 HE DID AN EXCELLENT JOB WITH IT4 ,THE NIGHT WAS FULL OF LAUGHTER1 FOOD1 AND FUN4 ,IT WAS A SPECIAL TIME FOR US4 ---------------------------------#EJ-#EA ,CHAPTER #F3 .7,RETURNING TO ,SCHOOL.' ,IT WAS NOW ,MAY #BJAF1 AND MY BABY1 ,ALYSSA1 WAS ABOUT TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL4 ,THIS WAS A VERY EXCITING #HG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EA TIME FOR HER2 HOWEVER1 ONCE AGAIN IT WAS SAD FOR ME4 ,HERE WAS MY OTHER DAUGHTER GRADUATING1 AND ,I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE SAME THING AS ,I DID WITH ,KELSEY1 NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL SHE LOOKED IN HER DRESS AND HOW SPECIAL IT WAS WHEN SHE DANCED WITH HER FATHER4 ,THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WERE MORE OF WHAT ,I WAS USED TO,-DOING DAILY CHORES AND BEING BORED,-EXCEPT NOW ,I WAS A MARRIED WOMAN4 ,I STILL MISSED WORKING2 ,I REALLY WANTED SOMETHING ELSE TO DO4 ,MY LAWSUIT HAD BEEN ONGOING2 ,I HAD BEEN TO A NUMBER OF DISCOVERIES4 ,A DISCOVERY IS A MEETING BETWEEN BOTH PARTIES TO OBTAIN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THE CASE4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,I GOT A CALL FROM MY ATTORNEY4 ,WE WERE GOING TO MEET WITH THE DOCTORS' LAWYERS TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A SETTLEMENT WITHOUT GOING TO TRIAL "4 ,THIS ,I WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO4 ,IT WOULD BRING BACK MEMORIES OF WHAT ,I WENT THROUGH4 #HH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EA ,I HAD BEEN CONSIDERING GOING BACK TO SCHOOL FOR SOME TIME4 ,I WOULD THINK TO MYSELF1 .7,YES1 ,I THINK ,I WILL1.' AND THEN1 .7,NO1 MAYBE NOT4.' ,I WASN'T SURE IF ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT2 IT WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT WITH VISION LOSS4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR A WHILE2 ,I WOULD GO BACK AND FORTH WITH MY DECISION4 -------------------------------------#EB ,I COULD NOT DECIDE WHAT ,I WANTED TO DO OR IF THIS WAS SOMETHING ,I WAS WILLING TO TAKE ON4 ,I KNEW IT WASN'T GOING TO BE EASY4 ,FINALLY1 ONE DAY1 ,I DECIDED ,I WAS GOING TO TAKE A CHANCE AND DO IT4 .7,WHY NOT8 ,I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE4.' ,I APPLIED FOR THE ,OFFICE ,TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AT ,KEYIN ,COLLEGE IN ,CARBONEAR1 THE SAME SCHOOL ,I HAD ATTENDED AFTER GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL4 ,I CHOSE THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE ,I THOUGHT ,I WOULD LIKE TO GET A JOB AS A RECEPTIONIST OR SECRETARY4 ,I KNEW ,I WOULD ENJOY INTERACTING WITH #HI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EB PEOPLE1 AND ,I HAD A NUMBER OF YEARS' EXPERIENCE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE4 ,IT WOULD ALSO ALLOW ME TO BRUSH UP ON MY ACCOUNTING SKILLS4 ,I WAS ACCEPTED1 AND THE FACT THAT ,I WOULD BE A STUDENT AGAIN BECAME REAL FOR ME4 ,I WAS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,THIS WAS AROUND ,APRIL #BJAF4 ,THE FIRST THING ,I HAD TO DO WAS LEARN HOW TO USE A COMPUTER WHILE BEING VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,AT THIS TIME1 ,I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH THEM ANYWAY1 SO ,I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO LEARN REGARDLESS4 ,BEING A MEMBER OF THE ,,CNIB1 ,I KNEW MOST EVERYONE WHO WORKED THERE4 ,I HAD COLLABORATED WITH ,JASON ,ROSE ON A FEW LITTLE THINGS4 ,I KNEW HE HAD TRAINED FOR DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY4 ,JASON HAS ONLY #AJ PERCENT VISION HIMSELF4 ,HE TOLD ME ,I COULD DO IT2 ,I WAS A QUICK LEARNER4 ,WE CONNECTED1 AND HE GOT ME USING A COMPUTER WITH ,NON,VISUAL ,DESKTOP #IJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EB ,ACCESS "<,,NVDA">1 WHICH IS A FREE SCREEN READER AVAILABLE WITH ,MICROSOFT THAT IS USED BY BLIND_/VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE2 IT READS THE TEXT ON THE SCREEN ALOUD1 ENABLING PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS TO USE THE COMPUTER4 ,ONCE HE GOT ME GOING1 HE FIGURED OUT WHAT ,I WOULD NEED TO GET THROUGH THE PROGRAM4 ,THE BIGGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT ITEM ,I NEEDED WAS A SCREEN READER4 ,HE FIGURED ,,NVDA MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE FEATURES ,I NEEDED1 SO HE SUGGESTED ,JOB ,ACCESS WITH ,SPEECH "<,,JAWS">1 A SCREEN READER THAT LETS -------------------------------------#EC VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR BLIND PEOPLE LISTEN TO THE TEXT ON A SCREEN4 ,IT PROVIDES BOTH BRAILLE AND SPEECH OUTPUT THAT GREATLY BENEFITS THOSE WITH IMPAIRED VISION4 ,THIS ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS THE BLIND COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK4 ,THE NEXT THING ,I NEEDED WAS TEXTBOOKS4 ,THEY HAD TO BE #IA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EC PURCHASED IN AUDIO FORMAT1 AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED BY THE SCHOOL4 ,I CONTACTED THE PRINCIPAL AT ,KEYIN ,COLLEGE1 AND SHE ORDERED THEM FOR ME4 ,THE AUDIO BOOKS COST ME THE SAME AS THE TEXTBOOKS WOULD HAVE1 PLUS ,I GOT A COPY OF THE ACTUAL TEXTBOOK1 WHICH WOULD COME IN HANDY IF SOMETHING HAD TO BE CHECKED ON4 ,JASON TOLD ME ,I WAS GOING TO NEED A ,VICTOR ,READER ,STREAM4 ,THIS IS A HANDHELD1 POCKET-SIZED DIGITAL MEDIA PLAYER THAT ALLOWS THE BLIND TO LISTEN TO AUDIO BOOKS1 PODCASTS1 NEWSPAPERS1 WEB RADIO1 AND MUSIC WHEREVER THEY ARE4 ,IT IS ALSO GREAT FOR TAKING NOTES OR RECORDING LECTURES4 ,IT HAS A TACTILE INTERFACE THAT MAKES IT EASY TO USE4 ,THE ,VICTOR ,STREAM WAS MY GO-TO4 ,I USED IT FOR EVERYTHING4 ,I TOOK NOTES1 RECORDED CLASSES1 AND WAS ABLE TO LISTEN TO MY TEXTBOOKS4 ,ONCE WE HAD FIGURED OUT WHAT ,I NEEDED1 WE GOT DOWN TO WORK4 ,WE SPENT MANY HOURS WORKING #IB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EC TOGETHER AND MAKING SURE ,I KNEW HOW TO USE THE SCREEN READER4 ,IT WAS DIFFICULT AT FIRST1 BUT ,I MANAGED TO GET THE HANG OF IT4 ,WITH THIS PROGRAM1 THERE WERE DIFFERENT KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS THAT ALLOWED ME TO PERFORM THE SAME FUNCTIONS AS A PERSON USING A MOUSE WOULD4 ,THESE SHORTCUTS WOULD TAKE ME TO WHERE ,I WANTED TO GO4 ,THE DAY CAME WHEN ,JASON AND ,I BOTH FIGURED ,I WAS READY4 ,IT WAS TIME TO TEST OUT WHAT ,I HAD LEARNED4 ,IT WAS OFF TO SCHOOL FOR ME4 ,MY COUSIN WAS ATTENDING ,KEYIN AT THE SAME TIME1 SO WE TRAVELLED BACK AND FORTH TOGETHER4 ,HOWEVER1 BEFORE ,I COULD START1 AN ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SPECIALIST WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT FROM THE ,,CNIB4 ,AT THIS TIME1 IT WAS ,ALICE4 -------------------------------------#ED ,TOGETHER WITH THE PRINCIPAL1 WE WENT THROUGH THE SCHOOL4 ,I LEARNED HOW TO NAVIGATE WITH MY WHITE CANE AND LEARNED THE ROUTE TO TAKE TO EACH OF MY #IC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#ED CLASSES4 ,ALICE GAVE THE PRINCIPAL SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT SHE COULD DO TO MAKE THE SCHOOL MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR ME4 ,SOME THINGS THAT HAD TO BE DONE INCLUDED PUTTING A SPECIAL KIND OF TAPE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND ALSO ON THE STEPS4 ,I WAS ABLE TO USE THIS TAPE TO TELL WHEN ,I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE TOP OF THE STAIRS4 ,WITH THE LITTLE VISION ,I HAD1 ,I WAS ABLE TO PICK OUT DARKER COLOURS1 WHICH HELPED ME TO GET AROUND4 ,THIS DIDN'T TAKE LONG1 AS THE SCHOOL WAS STILL LOCATED IN THE SAME BUILDING WHERE ,I HAD ATTENDED AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL4 ,I REMEMBERED MY WAY AROUND4 ,WITH THIS ALL TAKEN CARE OF1 THE NEXT THING TO DO WAS TO GET STARTED4 ,THE FIRST DAY CAME1 AND ,I WAS NERVOUS4 ,I HADN'T BEEN IN A SCHOOL IN A WHILE1 AND THIS TIME1 ,I WAS VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,I STARTED TO SECOND GUESS MYSELF AND BEGAN TO WONDER IF ,I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS4 ,HERE #ID DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#ED ,I WAS IN A PLACE WHERE ,I DID NOT KNOW ANYONE4 ,THE FIRST FEW WEEKS WERE A LITTLE DIFFICULT1 GETTING USED TO USING THE COMPUTER1 ,,JAWS1 AND JUST NAVIGATING THE BUILDING4 ,IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR MY INSTRUCTOR1 ,STEVE1 AS WELL AS FOR MYSELF4 ,IF ,I DIDN'T KNOW SOMETHING1 HE WOULD LOOK UP TO SEE IF THERE WAS A WAY TO COMPLETE THE TASK4 ,TOGETHER1 WE MADE IT WORK4 ,IF WE CAME ACROSS SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T WORK1 WE WOULD FIGURE OUT ANOTHER WAY TO GET IT DONE4 ,IN MOST CASES1 WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH IT2 HOWEVER1 SOMETIMES1 WE DID NOT4 ,I WAS NEW TO THE TECHNOLOGY AND WAS STILL TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT4 ,THERE WERE TIMES ,I JUST HAD TO REACH OUT TO ,JASON TO SEE WHAT HE THOUGHT4 ,LOOKING BACK NOW1 ,I REALIZE THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO ,,JAWS THAN ,I KNEW ABOUT4 ,IF ,I HAD TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL TODAY1 THERE WOULD BE THINGS ,I WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT ,I COULD NOT BEFORE4 #IE DAYLIGHT TO DARK #EE ,JASON WAS A GREAT HELP4 ,WHAT HE DIDN'T KNOW HE ALSO RESEARCHED FOR US4 ,IT WOULD TAKE ME LONGER TO COMPLETE EXAMS1 SO ,I WAS NOT IN THE SAME ROOM AS MY FELLOW STUDENTS4 ,THE PRINCIPAL ALLOWED ME TO DO MY EXAMS IN AN OFFICE CONNECTED TO HERS4 ,THIS WAY ,I WOULD NOT INTERRUPT ANYONE4 ,I WAS EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE REST OF MY PEERS4 ,I MET MANY NEW PEOPLE4 ,SOME WERE JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL1 AND OTHERS WERE AROUND MY AGE4 ,I MET ,JOYCE AND ,LORI1 WHO BOTH HAD CHILDREN AS WELL4 ,THEY WERE ALSO LOOKING TO FURTHER THEIR EDUCATION AND GET BACK INTO THE WORKFORCE4 ,WE GOT TO KNOW EACH OTHER QUITE WELL1 SPENDING HOURS IN THE LUNCHROOM GOING OVER THE CLASSES AND ASSIGNMENTS WE HAD4 ,SOME OF THEM WERE HARDER AND MORE COMPLICATED THAN OTHERS4 ,BUT FOR THE MOST PART1 THEY WERE QUITE ACCESSIBLE4 ,I MANAGED TO GET ENOUGH INFORMATION TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE COURSE4 #IF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EE ,THERE WAS ONLY ONE CLASS THAT WASN'T ACCESSIBLE3 ,SIMPLY ,ACCOUNTING4 ,THE PROGRAM WAS NOT MADE ACCESSIBLE FOR ,,JAWS1 AND THERE WERE PARTS OF IT THAT THE SCREEN READER WOULD NOT READ1 WITH NO WAY TO ACCESS THE INFORMATION THROUGH KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS4 ,THIS SURPRISED ME BECAUSE THIS ACCOUNTING PROGRAM WAS AROUND WHEN ,I ATTENDED COLLEGE IN #AIHI4 ,HERE IT WAS1 #BJAF1 AND IT STILL HAD NOT BEEN MADE ACCESSIBLE4 ,THE TIME HAD COME3 IT WAS EARLY ,OCTOBER1 AND ,I HAD TO TAKE A DAY OFF SCHOOL TO GO TO TOWN TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH MY LAWSUIT4 ,WE WERE GOING TO SEE IF WE COULD GET A SETTLEMENT OUT OF COURT4 ,WE ALL MET IN THE BOARDROOM4 ,WALLY WASN'T ALLOWED TO GO IN1 SO HE WAITED OUTSIDE4 ,THE LAWYERS WERE TALKING BACK AND FORTH1 AND ,I LISTENED CAREFULLY4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR A WHILE1 AND IT SEEMED LIKE WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO TRIAL4 ,WE TOOK A BREAK AND THEN WENT #IG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EE BACK4 ,WITH MUCH MORE DISCUSSION1 THEY FINALLY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT4 ,MY LAWYER1 ,ERNEST1 GOT WHAT HE -------------------------------------#EF WAS LOOKING FOR1 SO IT WAS OVER4 ,THE DOCTORS AGREED TO SETTLE OUT OF COURT4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 ,I BROKE DOWN AND CRIED4 ,I GUESS IT WAS KNOWING THAT THE DOCTORS WERE ADMITTING DEFEAT1 AND THAT WHAT THEY HAD DONE WAS WRONG4 ,MY PROGRAM WAS NORMALLY EIGHT MONTHS1 THOUGH ,I DID IT IN TWELVE4 ,I DID NOT DO ALL THE COURSES THAT WERE REQUIRED IN ONE SEMESTER4 ,THE PRINCIPAL HAD AGREED IT WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR ME IF ,I DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY COURSES TO FOCUS ON AT THE ONE TIME1 AS THERE WERE TIMES WHEN IT TOOK ME LONGER TO COMPLETE A TASK4 ,WHEN ,DECEMBER CAME1 ,I WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF THE FIRST SEMESTER AND EXAMS4 ,THIS WAS A NERVE-RACKING TIME4 ,I WONDERED IF ,I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT4 ,IT WAS TWICE AS #IH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EF HARD FOR ME1 AS ,I NOT ONLY NEEDED TO KNOW THE MATERIAL COVERED IN THE COURSE1 BUT ALSO HOW TO NAVIGATE ,,JAWS TO GET IT DONE4 ,TRYING TO STUDY AND MAKE SURE ,I KNEW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE PROGRAMS WAS STRESSFUL4 ,IF ,I DID NOT KNOW HOW TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY1 THERE WAS NO WAY ,I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE4 ,IT WAS GOING TO TAKE MORE TIME FOR ME TO FINISH MY EXAMS4 ,SOME DAYS IT TOOK LONGER TO FINISH THAN OTHERS1 BUT ,I MADE IT THROUGH4 ,I PASSED ALL OF MY EXAMS4 ,I DID QUITE WELL AND WAS VERY PLEASED WITH MYSELF4 ,FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED1 THE SIMPLEST THINGS WE LEARN TO DO ON OUR OWN MAKE US FEEL GOOD4 ,IT'S A FEELING LIKE NO OTHER4 ,ALMOST LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY4 ,NEXT1 IT WAS ON TO THE SECOND TERM4 ,SOME OF THE COURSES CONTINUED OVER INTO THE NEW SEMESTER1 AND THERE WERE NEW ONES ,I HAD TO START4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 MY INSTRUCTOR AND ,I CAME TOGETHER TO MAKE THINGS WORK4 ,MY FRIENDS AND ,I #II DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EF CONTINUED TO HELP EACH OTHER WHEN THERE WAS A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE4 ,I SPENT MANY HOURS A NIGHT WORKING THROUGH IT4 ,IT WAS ALL WORTHWHILE4 ,I WAS ENJOYING IT4 ,TIME WENT QUICKLY4 ,THE NEXT -------------------------------------#EG THING ,I KNEW1 IT WAS THE END OF THE SECOND SEMESTER AND THE END OF THE PROGRAM FOR MY FRIENDS4 ,EVERYONE DID WELL ON THEIR EXAMS1 AND IT WAS OFF TO GRADUATION FOR THEM IN ,APRIL4 ,MY FRIENDS WERE READY TO MOVE ON TO THEIR WORK TERM4 ,THIS WAS NOT SO FOR ME4 ,I HAD ANOTHER SEMESTER TO COMPLETE4 ,THE THIRD SEMESTER STARTED FOR ME1 BUT IT WASN'T QUITE THE SAME4 ,MY FRIENDS WERE NOT THERE1 AND THERE WERE NEW PEOPLE WHO HAD STARTED4 ,I FELT A LITTLE ALONE AT FIRST4 ,HOWEVER1 BY NOW ,I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM AND FOUND IT MUCH EASIER4 ,I SPENT MANY HOURS READING AND WORKING HARD4 ,I REALLY WANTED TO FINISH THIS PROGRAM SO ,I COULD GET OUT #AJJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EG AND LOOK FOR WORK4 ,THIS WAS MY GOAL3 TO FIND A JOB4 ,BY NOW ,I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO MY OWN GRADUATION4 ,MY LAST SEMESTER WAS A LITTLE LIGHTER1 AS ,I DID NOT HAVE AS MANY COURSES AS ,I DID IN THE PREVIOUS TWO SEMESTERS4 ,LITTLE BY LITTLE AND BIT BY BIT1 ,I GOT THROUGH IT4 ,IT WAS EXAM TIME AGAIN1 AND ,I DID WELL4 ,FINALLY1 GRADUATION DAY CAME1 AND ,WALLY AND THE GIRLS WERE THERE4 ,I FELT SO GOOD GOING ACROSS THE STAGE TO ACCEPT MY DIPLOMA4 ,I HAD DONE IT1 EVEN WITH MY VISION LOSS4 ,IT GAVE ME A GREAT FEELING TO HAVE ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING ON MY OWN4 ,IT'S MILESTONES LIKE THIS ONE THAT MAKE A PERSON FEEL GOOD4 ,NEXT1 IT WAS TIME FOR MY WORK TERM4 ,AT FIRST1 ,I THOUGHT ,I WAS GOING TO BE DOING IT IN ,CARBONEAR AT THE ,ADVANCED ,EDUCATION ,SKILLS AND ,LABOUR OFFICE AS IT WAS THEN KNOWN4 ,BUT THE PRINCIPAL DECIDED THAT IT WOULD BE BETTER FOR ME TO GO TO THE CITY AND DO IT4 ,THE #AJA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EG PLACE THEY DECIDED ON WAS ,EMPOWER1 ,THE ,DISABILITY ,RESOURCE ,CENTRE4 ,I THINK IT HAD TO DO WITH MY VISION LOSS1 AND THIS ORGANIZATION HELPS ANYONE WHO HAS A DISABILITY4 ,EMPOWER GIVES PEOPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOCIALIZE1 ASSISTS WITH FINDING A JOB1 HELPS THEM ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES1 AND LEARN HOW TO USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN IMPROVE THEIR LIVES4 ,THEY -------------------------------------#EH ALSO WORK WITH EMPLOYERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN HIRING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES4 ,EMPOWER ALSO HOLDS WEEKLY ACTIVITIES1 AND THEY EVEN PLANT A VEGETABLE GARDEN EACH YEAR1 PICKING THE CROP AND PLANNING A MEAL IN THE FALL4 ,EVERYONE COMES TOGETHER FOR SOME FOOD AND FUN4 ,DURING MY WORK TERM AT ,EMPOWER1 ,I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ANSWERING CALLS AND TRANSFERRING THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT OR TAKING MESSAGES AS WELL AS COLLECTING AND DELIVERING MAIL TO #AJB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EH THE STAFF4 ,I ENJOYED MY TIME THERE1 AND ,I GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN THINGS WHILE GETTING TO KNOW MANY PEOPLE4 ,I REMEMBER ONE SITUATION IN PARTICULAR4 ,ONE DAY THIS OLDER LADY CAME IN1 AND SHE WAS VERY UPSET4 ,SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH ONE OF THE ,GO ,BUS DRIVERS AND WANTED TO REPORT IT4 ,I TOLD HER ,I WOULD SEE WHAT ,I COULD DO4 ,I REACHED OUT TO THE MANAGER AND EXPLAINED THE CIRCUMSTANCES1 AND SHE TOLD ME WHERE TO DIRECT THE LADY4 ,I TOLD HER AND THEN SENT HER INTO THE OFFICE4 ,WHEN SHE CAME OUT1 SHE WAS MUCH HAPPIER4 ,SHE THANKED ME FOR ASSISTING HER4 ,IT WAS A GREAT FEELING KNOWING ,I WAS ABLE TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP4 ,I SPENT THE FOUR WEEKS OF MY WORK TERM WITH MY DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA2 SHE WAS ATTENDING UNIVERSITY AT THIS TIME4 ,I WOULD GET THE ,GO ,BUS IN THE MORNING AND THEN AGAIN IN THE EVENING4 ,THE ,GO ,BUS IS A TAXI FOR PEOPLE WITH #AJC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EH DISABILITIES4 ,THEY PICK YOU UP AND DROP YOU OFF WHERE YOU WANT TO GO4 ,IT CAN BE A TAXICAB OR A BUS USED BY THOSE IN WHEELCHAIRS4 ,IT IS AN INEXPENSIVE WAY FOR PEOPLE WITH A DISABILITY TO GET AROUND AND FEEL MORE INDEPENDENT4 ,THE MONTH WENT QUICKLY1 AND THEN ,I RETURNED HOME4 ,NOW IT WAS TIME TO LOOK FOR A JOB4 ,THIS WASN'T GOING TO BE EASY LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL COMMUNITY4 ,THE POPULATION FOR ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 ACCORDING TO THE #BJAF ,CANADIAN CENSUS1 WAS #BDE49#E ,IT ONLY HAD A POST OFFICE1 "333333 #E ,GOVERNMENT OF ,NEWFOUNDLAND AND ,LABRADOR 8,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE ,PROFILE0 -------------------------------------#EI A CONVENIENCE STORE1 AND A GAS BAR4 ,I WOULD HAVE TO GO OUTSIDE MY COMMUNITY TO ,CARBONEAR,-POPULATION #DHEH1 ACCORDING TO THE SAME CENSUS9#F,-TO TRY TO FIND WORK1 AND IT STILL WASN'T PLENTIFUL THERE4 #AJD DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#EI ,IN ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE THERE IS A COMMUNITY CENTRE CALLED THE ,ASSOCIATION FOR ,YOUTH AND ,LEISURE ,ACTIVITIES1 ALSO KNOWN AS THE ,,AYLA4 ,IT WAS STARTED BY THE LATE ,PETER ,BURSEY IN #AIHI4 ,IT SERVED THE COMMUNITIES OF ,JOB'S ,COVE1 ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 AND ,CAPLIN ,COVE4 ,IT WAS A PLACE TO OFFER PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE CHILDREN IN THE AREA4 ,WHEN THE YOUNGSTERS DIDN'T HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON1 THE PUBLIC COULD BOOK THE BUILDING FOR BIRTHDAY PARTIES1 SHOWERS1 AND WEDDINGS4 ,EVERY ,AUGUST1 THEY WOULD HOLD THE ANNUAL REGATTA4 ,THIS CONSISTED OF A FOLK FESTIVAL1 BOAT RACES1 GAMES OF CHANCE1 LOCAL ENTERTAINMENT1 AND FIREWORKS4 ,TO END OFF THE REGATTA1 THERE WAS A DANCE4 ,EVERYONE LOOKED FORWARD TO IT EACH YEAR4 ,THE ,,AYLA HAD AN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE4 ,THERE WAS AN ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING "<,,AGM"> EACH YEAR TO ELECT NEW MEMBERS4 ,JUST BEFORE THE ANNUAL #AJE DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#EI MEETING IN #BJAG1 ,I WAS ASKED IF ,I WOULD LIKE TO RUN FOR SECRETARY4 ,I THOUGHT ABOUT IT AND DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY4 ,I WAS ELECTED AT THE ,,AGM4 ,I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO TAKING ON SOMETHING NEW4 ,I WAS TO TAKE MINUTES1 HELP WITH THE PLANNING OF MEETINGS1 ADVERTISE AND HELP PLAN EVENTS1 AND TAKE CARE OF ANY CORRESPONDENCE AND ACTIVITIES4 ,I WOULD RECORD THE MEETINGS ON MY ,VICTOR ,READER1 THEN BEFORE THE NEXT MEETING1 ,I WOULD GO BACK TO THE RECORDED MEETING AND TYPE UP THE MINUTES4 ,THIS ,I HAD DONE ON MY COMPUTER WITH THE HELP OF MY SCREEN READER1 ,,JAWS4 ,THEN AT THE NEXT MEETING1 ,I WOULD LISTEN TO MY SCREEN READER AND READ OUT THE MINUTES4 ,WE HAD MEETINGS AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH FOR THE PUBLIC AND THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WHEN NEEDED4 "333333 #F ,GOVERNMENT OF ,CANADA1 #AJF DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#EI ,STATISTICS ,CANADA4 8,CENSUS ,PROFILE1 #BJAF ,CENSUS ,CARBONEAR1 ,NEWFOUNDLAND AND ,LABRADOR40 -------------------------------------#FJ ,I WAS THERE TO HELP1 BUT ,I FELT LEFT OUT AT TIMES4 ,I THINK PEOPLE THOUGHT ,I WASN'T ABLE TO DO MUCH4 ,SADLY1 THIS IS THE REALITY FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,WE ARE LOOKED UPON AS NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING4 ,IT'S THE FIRST THING PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY HEAR A PERSON IS BLIND4 ,THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE CASE YEARS AGO1 BUT WITH TECHNOLOGY TODAY1 THINGS HAVE CHANGED4 ,WE CAN STILL DO THINGS2 WE JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT WAY OF DOING THEM4 ,DURING ONE OF THE EXECUTIVE MEETINGS1 ,I DECIDED TO SPEAK UP FOR MYSELF4 ,I TOLD THE COMMITTEE ,I WAS THERE TO HELP IN ANY WAY POSSIBLE4 ,IF THEY NEEDED ME TO DO SOMETHING1 THEY COULD JUST ASK4 ,IF ,I COULD DO IT1 ,I WOULD4 ,THERE WAS ALWAYS A WAY TO FIGURE THINGS OUT4 ,THIS1 UNFORTUNATELY1 DIDN'T #AJG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FJ CHANGE MUCH4 ,OCCASIONALLY1 ,I WOULD BE ASKED TO DO SOMETHING1 BUT NOT AS MUCH AS ,I WOULD HAVE LIKED4 ,I SPENT THREE YEARS ON THE COMMITTEE AND THEN DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GIVE IT UP4 ,I WAS READY TO MOVE ON4 -------------------------------------#FA ,CHAPTER #G3 .7,FROM ,UNEMPLOYMENT TO ,ENTREPRENEURSHIP.' ,THE JOB HUNT WAS NOT GOING WELL4 ,I SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING4 ,EMPLOYMENT POSTINGS DIDN'T COME ALONG VERY OFTEN WHERE ,I WAS LIVING4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,I CAME ACROSS ONE FOR A BOOKKEEPER4 ,NOW THAT WAS ME6 ,THAT WAS SOMETHING ,I COULD DO4 ,I LOVE BOOKKEEPING4 ,WORKING WITH NUMBERS IS MY PASSION4 ,I DID ALL OF THE BOOKKEEPING FOR THE BUSINESS ,I HAD TO GIVE UP4 ,I SENT IN MY RESUME AND WAS #AJH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FA EXCITED TO GET AN INTERVIEW4 ,I DID NOT DISCLOSE MY DISABILITY4 ,MY HUSBAND TOOK ME1 AND ,I WENT IN USING MY CANE4 ,OF COURSE1 THIS SHOWED THEM ,I WAS VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,THE BOOKKEEPING JOB WAS WITH A GARAGE LOCATED IN ,HARBOUR ,GRACE4 ,THE MECHANIC'S SECRETARY WAS THE ONE TO DO THE INTERVIEW4 ,THE MECHANIC HIMSELF WAS ALSO THERE4 ,I THOUGHT THE INTERVIEW WAS GOING QUITE WELL4 ,I WAS QUALIFIED TO DO WHAT THEY WERE ASKING4 ,AT THE END1 SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD MORE PEOPLE TO INTERVIEW4 ,I ASKED IF ,I WOULD BE NOTIFIED AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ,I WAS SUCCESSFUL1 AND SHE TOLD ME ,I WOULD4 ,SHE SAID THAT WHETHER OR NOT ,I GOT THE JOB1 ,I WOULD BE CALLED BY ,MONDAY4 ,THE INTERVIEW WAS ON A ,FRIDAY4 ,I WAS EXCITED4 ,I WAS HOPING TO GET THE JOB4 ,I WAITED AND WAITED PATIENTLY UNTIL ,MONDAY4 ,MONDAY CAME AND WENT1 AND ,I STILL HAD NOT #AJI DAYLIGHT TO DARK #FB HEARD BACK FROM HER4 ,IT DIDN'T LOOK GOOD4 ,I WAS HOPING TO GET A CALL1 BUT IT NEVER HAPPENED4 ,NOT EVEN TO LET ME KNOW ,I DIDN'T GET THE JOB1 AFTER TELLING ME SHE WOULD CALL EITHER WAY4 ,I DIDN'T LIKE OR APPRECIATE THIS4 ,I DON'T THINK IT WAS RIGHT4 ,I ALSO BELIEVE THAT HER DECISION WAS MADE THE MINUTE ,I WALKED IN THE DOOR WITH A DISABILITY4 ,YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE CHANGE IN THE INTERVIEWER WHEN A PERSON COMES IN4 ,THE WAY THEY CONDUCT THE INTERVIEW IS DIFFERENT4 ,I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT1 BUT ,I CAN USUALLY TELL THE OUTCOME4 ,IT IS DISCOURAGING WHEN THIS HAPPENS BUT1 UNFORTUNATELY1 IT DOES1 AND MORE OFTEN THAN YOU WOULD THINK4 ,IT MAKES A PERSON FEEL LEFT OUT4 ,UNFORTUNATELY1 THE SAD REALITY IS THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LOOK UPON THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED_/BLIND IN THAT WAY4 ,WE MAY BE MORE QUALIFIED THAN THE OTHER PEOPLE INTERVIEWED1 BUT WE STILL WILL NOT GET THE JOB4 ,WHY EMPLOYERS LOOK AT #AAJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FB US DIFFERENTLY1 ,I CAN'T UNDERSTAND4 ,IT'S NOT FAIR1 BUT IT HAPPENS4 ,I PERSONALLY THINK EMPLOYERS ARE AFRAID TO HIRE PEOPLE LIKE US4 ,THIS CAUSES A PERSON TO LOSE CONFIDENCE IN THEMSELVES AND SOMETIMES GIVE UP4 ,IT HURTS1 BUT ,I WAS NOT GOING TO LET IT STOP ME4 ,I WANTED WORK1 AND ,I WAS GOING TO FIND IT4 ,A FEW MONTHS LATER1 ,I CAME ACROSS A POSITION WITH ,EMPOWER1 ,THE ,DISABILITY ,RESOURCE ,CENTRE1 WHERE ,I HAD COMPLETED MY WORK TERM4 ,THEY WERE LOOKING FOR AN ,INDEPENDENT ,LIVING "<,,IL"> INTERN4 ,THIS POSITION CONSISTED OF PROMOTING THEIR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES1 AND THE WORK WAS TO BE DONE WHILE WORKING FOR ANOTHER EMPLOYER4 ,ITS PURPOSE WAS TO GET EMPLOYERS TO HIRE PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND HOPEFULLY GET THEM INTO THE WORKFORCE4 ,IT WAS TWO JOBS IN ONE4 ,I MET WITH THEM1 AND THEY TOLD ME IF ,I COULD FIND SOME ORGANIZATION #AAA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FB OR BUSINESS WILLING TO HIRE ME1 ,I WOULD GET THE JOB4 ,IT DID NOT HAVE TO BE A BUSINESS2 IT COULD BE A COMMUNITY CENTRE OR NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION4 -------------------------------------#FC ,WHOEVER HIRED ME WOULD ALSO BENEFIT BECAUSE ,I WOULD BE DOING WORK FOR THEM BUT GETTING PAID BY ,EMPOWER4 ,I DECIDED TO APPROACH THE ,,AYLA COMMUNITY CENTRE1 WHERE ,I HAD WORKED AS A SECRETARY4 ,MAYBE THERE WERE THINGS ,I COULD DO FOR THEM4 ,THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED IT AND AGREED ,I COULD WORK FROM THERE4 ,I WAS EXCITED TO GET STARTED4 ,BEFORE ,I BEGAN1 ,I HAD TO GO TO TOWN FOR A WEEK OF TRAINING4 ,PEOPLE FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE PROVINCE ALSO ATTENDED4 ,HOWEVER1 ,I WAS THE ONLY BLIND PERSON4 ,THEREFORE1 THINGS WERE NOT SET UP TO ACCOMMODATE ME4 ,FOR EXAMPLE1 WE HAD TO MAKE A SLIDE SHOW1 AND THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING ,I HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH4 ,I DIDN'T #AAB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FC KNOW HOW ,I WAS SUPPOSED TO PRESENT ONE1 NOT BEING ABLE TO READ MY SLIDES4 ,DURING THIS WEEK1 WE LEARNED WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES WERE AND WHAT WAS REQUIRED OF US4 ,WHEN THE TRAINING WAS COMPLETED1 ,I RETURNED HOME TO START WORK AT ,,AYLA1 WHERE ,I WAS A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE FOR THREE YEARS4 ,MY DUTIES INCLUDED COMPLETING ANY TASKS REQUIRED FOR THE BUILDING1 RESEARCHING FOR PROGRAMS AND GRANTS1 WRITING CORRESPONDENCE1 CREATING THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER1 AND TAKING CALLS4 ,IN MY SPARE TIME1 ,I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING THE PROGRAMS OFFERED BY ,EMPOWER4 ,A CLIENT FROM ,MARINER ,RESOURCE ,OPPORTUNITIES ,NETWORK "<,,MRON"> WAS ALSO WORKING AT ,,AYLA4 ,HIS NAME WAS ,CHRISTOPHER4 ,,MRON IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES FIND EMPLOYMENT4 ,PEOPLE HIRED BY ,,MRON WOULD HAVE A COACH WORKING WITH THEM MOST OF THE #AAC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FC TIME4 ,CHRISTOPHER HAD A COACH FROM ,LOWER ,ISLAND ,COVE1 WHOSE NAME WAS ,ANN ,LE,SHANE4 ,THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING UP AFTER EVENTS HELD AT THE CENTRE PLUS ANY OTHER THINGS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE4 ,I WORKED FROM THE OFFICE WHILE THEY WORKED IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE BUILDING4 -------------------------------------#FD ,THROUGHOUT MY CONTRACT WITH ,EMPOWER1 ,I WOULD HOLD WORKSHOPS AT VARIOUS PLACES1 PROMOTING THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN THE ,TRINITY_/,CONCEPTION AREA1 AS THERE WAS NO OFFICE THERE4 ,OCCASIONALLY1 ,I WOULD GO OUT TO THE MALL OR SOME OTHER BUSINESS TO SET UP A DISPLAY4 ,I WOULD SEND EMAILS OUT TO THE SCHOOLS TO INFORM THEM OF THE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH ,EMPOWER4 ,IF THEY WANTED TO KNOW MORE1 THEY WOULD REACH OUT TO ME1 AND ,I WOULD GO TO THE SCHOOL AND DO A WORKSHOP FOR THEM1 EXPLAINING IN MORE DETAIL THE PROGRAMS THAT WERE AVAILABLE4 #AAD DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FD ,I WORKED WITH THEM FOR EIGHT MONTHS4 ,DURING THIS TIME1 ,ANN ,LE,SHANE AND ,I BECAME FRIENDS4 ,WE HAD KNOWN EACH OTHER BEFORE1 AS SHE WAS MARRIED TO A MAN FROM MY HOMETOWN4 ,SHE WOULD GO WITH ME WHEN ,I HAD A WORKSHOP4 ,SHE WAS A GREAT HELP TO ME1 ESPECIALLY WITH SETTING UP THE TABLES AND GETTING EVERYTHING READY4 ,THERE WERE TIMES WHEN SHE WOULD GIVE ME A RIDE AS WELL4 ,WE WOULD HAVE MANY CHATS ABOUT EVERYTHING4 ,SHE EVEN MADE DINNER FOR US ON MY BIRTHDAY4 ,I FINISHED UP IN ,MARCH1 AND SHE AND ,CHRISTOPHER FINISHED UP A LITTLE EARLIER4 ,A WHILE AFTER THEY WERE FINISHED1 SHE FOUND OUT SHE HAD CANCER4 ,SHE PASSED AWAY IN ,NOVEMBER #BJAI4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 ,I WAS UNEMPLOYED4 ,I STARTED THINKING1 .7,WHAT CAN ,I DO8 ,I WANT TO WORK BUT CAN'T FIND EMPLOYMENT THAT WILL LAST FOR LONG4.' ,I THEN HAD AN IDEA4 ,I HAD DONE ACCOUNTING WHEN ,I GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN AGAIN IN #BJAF1 #AAE DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FD WHEN ,I WENT BACK TO SCHOOL WITH MY VISION LOSS4 ,I KNEW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE PROGRAMS1 SO WHY NOT START MY OWN BOOKKEEPING BUSINESS8 ,I HAD HEARD OF THE ,COMMUNITY ,BUSINESS ,DEVELOPMENT ,CORPORATION "<,,CBDC">4 ,THIS IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS PEOPLE WHO WANT TO START A BUSINESS4 ,THEY OFFER MANY SERVICES TO GET A PERSON STARTED4 ,I SUBMITTED MY APPLICATION FOR SERVICE AND WAS APPROVED4 ,THEN ,I HAD MEETINGS TO ATTEND AND GOT SIGNED UP WITH THE PROGRAM4 ,I ALSO HAD TO ATTEND SOME -------------------------------------#FE WORKSHOPS1 WHICH TAUGHT PARTICIPANTS WHAT WAS INVOLVED IN RUNNING A BUSINESS4 ,I GOT MY OFFICE READY AND PURCHASED THE EQUIPMENT AND PROGRAMS ,I NEEDED4 ,ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS WAS ,QUICK ,BOOKS1 WHICH IS BEST KNOWN FOR ITS BOOKKEEPING SOFTWARE2 IT HAS A DESKTOP AND ONLINE VERSION4 ,THE GREAT THING ABOUT THIS PROGRAM WAS THAT IT #AAF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FE WAS ACCESSIBLE FOR ME4 ,IT WAS JUST WHAT ,I NEEDED TO GET MY BUSINESS GOING4 ,IN LATE ,JULY #BJAI1 MY BUSINESS WAS LAUNCHED4 ,I CALLED IT ,V @& ,M ,BOOKKEEPING ,SERVICES4 ,THE ,V AND ,M WERE MY INITIALS1 WHICH ,I USED TO GIVE IT A PERSONAL TOUCH4 ,IT WAS TIME TO SEE HOW THIS WOULD TAKE OFF4 ,IT WAS SLOW GOING AT FIRST4 ,MY FIRST CLIENT WAS A PATRON OF ,,CBDC2 ,I MET HER AND HER HUSBAND WHILE ATTENDING WORKSHOPS THERE4 ,THEY WERE JUST STARTING A BUSINESS AND WERE LOOKING FOR A BOOKKEEPER4 ,I WAS EXCITED2 ,I HAD MY FIRST CLIENT4 ,THIS WAS MY PASSION4 ,I LOVED DOING BOOK WORK AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HELPING AND GETTING TO KNOW THESE PEOPLE4 ,AFTER ALL1 THEY WERE WILLING TO GIVE ME A CHANCE1 AND FOR THAT ,I WAS VERY GRATEFUL4 ,I SPENT MUCH OF MY TIME THE NEXT FEW MONTHS MARKETING AND LOOKING FOR CLIENTS4 ,I FOUND A FEW2 HOWEVER1 THEY WERE ONLY ONE-TIME CLIENTS4 ,I #AAG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FE WASN'T GOING TO GET MY BUSINESS OFF THE GROUND THIS WAY4 ,I CONTINUED TO SEARCH1 BUT IT WASN'T LOOKING PROSPEROUS4 ,IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WASN'T ANYONE OUT THERE LOOKING FOR A BOOKKEEPER4 ,I WAS GETTING DISAPPOINTED4 ,MOST OF THE PEOPLE ,I SPOKE TO WITH A BUSINESS WERE DOING THEIR OWN BOOKS4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 ,I WAS LEFT BEING BORED4 ,I HAD LOTS OF EXTRA TIME ON MY HANDS4 ,I THEN DECIDED ,I WANTED TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME4 ,TAMMY ,BURSEY WAS NOW THE OWNER OF THE STORE ,I HAD SOLD4 ,I APPROACHED HER TO ASK IF THERE WAS ANY WORK ,I COULD DO TO HELP OUT4 ,SHE TOLD ME SHE WOULD THINK ABOUT IT AND GET BACK TO ME4 ,THE NEXT WEEK1 SHE CONTACTED ME4 ,SHE -------------------------------------#FF WANTED ME TO COME TO WORK ON ,WEDNESDAY AND ,FRIDAY MORNINGS TO HELP WITH THE INVENTORY THAT WAS COMING IN4 ,I WOULD STOCK SHELVES AND COOLERS AND HELP WITH THE DISHES IN THE KITCHEN4 #AAH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FF ,TAMMY'S MOM WAS THERE EVERY DAY MAKING HOMEMADE FOOD TO SELL4 ,I WAS VERY GRATEFUL THAT ,TAMMY GAVE ME A CHANCE TO SHOW HER WHAT ,I COULD DO4 ,NOT MANY PEOPLE WOULD DO THIS FOR A BLIND PERSON4 ,I VERY MUCH APPRECIATED IT4 ,I CONTINUED TO VOLUNTEER THERE FOR OVER A YEAR4 ,WITH ,V @& ,M ,BOOKKEEPING ,SERVICES NOT DOING WELL1 ,I DECIDED TO GO ANOTHER ROUTE4 ,MAYBE ,I COULD DO TAX RETURNS4 ,I WAS GOING TO HIRE SOMEONE TO DO TAX RETURNS FOR ME2 THIS WOULD GIVE ME TIME TO LEARN HOW TO DO TAXES MYSELF AND FIND OUT IF THE TAX PROGRAMS WERE ACCESSIBLE FOR ME TO USE4 ,I PUT AN AD ON ,FACEBOOK4 ,A FEW PEOPLE APPLIED1 BUT THEY WERE NOT WHAT ,I WAS LOOKING FOR4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 ,I GOT A CALL FROM A WOMAN INQUIRING ABOUT THE TAX PREPARER POSITION4 ,I INTERVIEWED HER AND FOUND OUT SHE HAD BEEN AN EMPLOYEE WITH ,REVENUE ,CANADA4 ,SHE WAS NOW RETIRED AND LOOKING #AAI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FF TO DO TAX RETURNS HERSELF4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,THIS WAS JUST WHAT ,I WAS LOOKING FOR4 ,I DECIDED TO HIRE HER4 ,THE NEXT STEP WAS TO GET SET UP4 ,I HAD TO APPLY FOR THE ,STUDIO TAX PROGRAM SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO E-FILE THE RETURNS4 ,ONCE THIS WAS TAKEN CARE OF1 WE DECIDED HOW MUCH TO CHARGE FOR THE RETURNS4 ,WE DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOO EXPENSIVE BUT STILL WANTED TO MAKE MONEY4 ,ONCE WE DECIDED ON AN AMOUNT1 ,I STARTED ADVERTISING ON ,FACEBOOK4 ,IT TOOK A LITTLE WHILE1 BUT THEN THE CLIENTS STARTED SHOWING UP4 ,THE BUSINESS WAS PICKING UP4 ,HOWEVER1 THIS DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG4 ,IT ALL CAME TO A STOP SUDDENLY4 ,THERE HAD BEEN AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE CALLED ,,COVID-#AI SPREADING AROUND THE WORLD4 ,IT HAD REACHED ,CANADA1 BUT IT HAD NOT YET REACHED ,NEWFOUNDLAND1 AND EVERYONE WAS HOPING THAT IT WOULD NOT4 ,MY #ABJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK #FG HUSBAND AND ,I WERE OUT CELEBRATING ,ST4 ,PATRICK'S ,DAY IN ,MARCH #BJBJ4 ,THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT IT4 ,EVERYONE WAS WORRIED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT REACHED ,NEWFOUNDLAND4 ,PEOPLE WERE DYING ALL OVER THE WORLD4 ,THERE WAS NO CURE FOR THIS DISEASE4 ,THAT NIGHT AFTER GETTING HOME1 ,WALLY'S SISTER TOLD US THE BAD NEWS3 THERE WAS A CASE FOUND IN ,NEWFOUNDLAND4 ,THIS WAS WHEN EVERYTHING TURNED UPSIDE DOWN4 ,THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WERE CHAOS4 ,EVERYTHING WAS SHUT DOWN4 ,PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES4 ,SCHOOLS1 RESTAURANTS1 BUSINESSES THAT DID NOT CARRY GROCERY ITEMS1 AND ANY BUILDING THAT HELD FUNCTIONS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO OPEN4 ,SCHOOL CHILDREN WERE BEING TAUGHT VIRTUALLY1 ALONG WITH THE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITY4 ,IT WAS DURING THIS TIME THAT MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER1 ,ALYSSA1 WAS IN HER LAST YEAR OF UNIVERSITY1 DOING HER ,BACHELOR OF ,COMMERCE1 SO SHE #ABA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FG HAD TO COMPLETE IT VIRTUALLY4 ,THIS WASN'T EASY TO DO4 ,HOWEVER1 EVERYONE GOT USED TO THE NEW WAY OF LEARNING4 ,IN ,APRIL #BJBA1 ,ALYSSA GRADUATED4 ,AFTER ALL THE UPS AND DOWNS1 SHE MADE IT THROUGH4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 WE WERE VERY PROUD OF OUR DAUGHTER'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS4 ,SHE SPENT MANY HOURS STUDYING1 AND IT PAID OFF4 ,THE STREETS WERE LIKE A GHOST TOWN4 ,NOBODY WAS ALLOWED TO BE OUT4 ,THE DAYS CONSISTED OF KEEPING UP WITH THE NEWS TO SEE WHAT TO DO NEXT4 ,EVERY DAY DURING THE UPDATE1 THERE WERE MORE AND MORE CASES SHOWING UP4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR A LONG TIME4 ,THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF RULES TO FOLLOW4 ,ONE SUCH RULE WAS THAT ONLY ONE PERSON FROM A HOUSEHOLD WAS ALLOWED TO GO TO THE GROCERY STORE4 ,THIS WAS NOT GOING TO WORK FOR THE BLIND COMMUNITY2 MOST OF US NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE US PLACES1 AND HANDLING THINGS IS A WAY FOR US TO KNOW WHAT SOMETHING IS AND TO HELP US NAVIGATE OUR #ABB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FG WAY AROUND4 ,WHILE SHOPPING1 PEOPLE WERE TO FOLLOW THE ARROWS AND TO KEEP GOING ONE WAY AND NOT TO TURN BACK4 ,A PERSON WAS NOT SUPPOSED TO -------------------------------------#FH PICK UP ANYTHING THEY DID NOT INTEND TO BUY4 ,THIS IS HOW STRICT THINGS BECAME4 ,EVENTUALLY1 THEY OPENED RESTAURANTS FOR TAKEOUT1 BUT NO ONE WAS ALLOWED TO EAT IN4 ,PEOPLE WERE WORKING FROM HOME IF THEY COULD4 ,THE ONLY ONES WHO WERE WORKING ELSEWHERE WERE THE FRONT-LINE WORKERS4 ,MY DAUGHTER1 ,KELSEY1 WAS ONE OF THEM4 ,SHE WAS A PHARMACIST4 ,THEY WERE EXPECTED TO WORK NO MATTER HOW MANY CASES OF ,,COVID WERE AROUND1 AS PEOPLE DEPENDED ON THEM TO GET THE MEDICATION AND ADVICE THEY NEEDED4 ,THIS WAS A VERY HARD TIME FOR OUR HEALTHCARE WORKERS4 ,THINGS WERE EVEN DIFFERENT FOR BUSINESSES THAT WERE ALLOWED TO OPEN4 ,EVERYONE HAD TO STAY SIX FEET #ABC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FH AWAY FROM EACH OTHER4 ,THIS LASTED FOR QUITE A WHILE4 ,THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THINGS TRIED TO GET BACK TO SOME SORT OF NORMAL1 BUT IT DIDN'T LAST LONG4 ,THERE WAS ALWAYS SOME SORT OF SETBACK4 ,THE NUMBER OF CASES WOULD RISE1 OR A NEW TYPE OF THE VIRUS WOULD APPEAR4 ,THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES4 ,THEN1 FINALLY1 ONE DAY THE ANNOUNCEMENT CAME4 ,IT WAS WHAT EVERYONE WAS WAITING FOR3 SOMEONE HAD COME UP WITH A VACCINE4 ,THIS WAS A VERY HARD AND FRUSTRATING TIME FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR BLIND4 ,THINGS EVERYWHERE WERE STRICT4 ,PEOPLE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO TOUCH THINGS IN FEAR OF SPREADING THE VIRUS4 ,THIS PUT THE BLIND COMMUNITY IN A HARD PLACE4 ,MOST OF US USE OUR HANDS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER TO HELP GET AROUND OR SEE WHAT SOMETHING IS4 ,IF WE COULD NOT DO THESE THINGS1 HOW WERE WE TO COPE8 ,DOCTORS' OFFICES AND HOSPITALS WERE ONLY ALLOWING ONE PERSON IN AT A #ABD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#FH TIME1 SO WE COULD NOT HAVE SOMEONE ACCOMPANY US TO AN APPOINTMENT4 ,THE THREAT AND FEAR OF THIS VIRUS WAS REAL1 AND NOBODY WANTED TO GET IT4 ,THEREFORE1 MOST OF US HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO STAY HOME4 ,EVEN HOME WAS DIFFERENT1 ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIVING ALONE4 ,THEY WOULD NOT GET TO HAVE CONTACT FROM FAMILY MEMBERS UNLESS IT WAS BY PHONE -------------------------------------#FI OR ,FACETIME4 ,THERE WERE MANY WHO DID NOT KNOW WHAT ,FACETIME WAS4 ,WHAT WERE THESE PEOPLE TO DO8 ,THEY WERE LEFT FEELING ISOLATED AND ALONE4 ,THERE WERE MANY BLIND PEOPLE LIKE THIS4 ,I KNEW OF A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE BLIND AND LIVED ALONE4 ,THEY BOTH HAD THEIR OWN PLACE AND FOR THE MOST PART THEY MANAGED TO GET THROUGH IT1 BUT IT WASN'T EASY4 ,THE ONE GOOD THING THAT CAME OUT OF ,,COVID #AI WAS DONE BY THE ,CANADIAN ,COUNCIL FOR THE ,BLIND "<,,CCB"> IN ,ONTARIO4 ,THEY STARTED HOLDING VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS ON A DAILY BASIS4 #ABE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#FI ,THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THERE WOULD BE MORE THAN ONE WORKSHOP A DAY2 THESE CONSISTED OF EVERYTHING FROM COFFEE TIME TO LEARNING HOW TO USE A NEW PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY4 ,THIS WAS VERY WELCOMING4 ,IT GAVE PEOPLE SOMETHING TO DO AND TOOK THEIR MINDS OFF WHAT WAS GOING ON OUTSIDE THEIR DOOR1 ALL WHILE GAINING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOMETHING NEW4 ,FOR A LONG WHILE1 THIS WAS THE ONLY WAY TO INTERACT WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS4 ,IT COULD NOT BE DONE IN PERSON FOR FEAR OF GETTING SICK4 ,MY BOOKKEEPING BUSINESS WAS ALMOST DOWN TO NOTHING1 EXCEPT FOR THE OCCASIONAL TAX RETURN THAT HAD TO BE DONE BEFORE THE DEADLINE4 ,THIS WAS EVEN HARD TO DO4 ,A PERSON EITHER HAD TO DROP OFF DOCUMENTS OUTSIDE THE DOOR OR FAX IT TO US4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO4 ,NOBODY WAS HIRING1 SO ,I WASN'T ABLE TO GET A JOB4 ,HOW LONG WAS THIS GOING TO LAST8 #ABF DAYLIGHT TO DARK #GJ-#GA ,CHAPTER #H3 .7,SETBACKS AND ,BREAKTHROUGHS.' ,DURING ,,COVID #AI1 THERE WASN'T MUCH TO DO OUTSIDE THE HOUSE4 ,I HAD TO COME UP WITH SOME IDEAS4 ,I STARTED USING MY TREADMILL ALMOST EVERY DAY4 ,I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE GETTING ON IT1 AND ,I KNEW THE BUTTONS TO PRESS TO GET IT TO WORK THE WAY ,I WANTED IT TO4 ,IT WAS SOMETHING ,I BECAME ACCUSTOMED TO4 ,I LOOKED FORWARD TO IT4 ,I WAS EVEN LOSING A FEW POUNDS4 ,THEN ONE DAY IN EARLY SUMMER1 WHEN THINGS HAD SETTLED DOWN1 ,I GOT MY HUSBAND TO GO FOR A WALK WITH ME OUTSIDE4 ,WE ONLY WENT ABOUT TWO KILOMETRES A DAY AT FIRST1 EVENTUALLY GETTING UP TO FOUR4 ,WITH THE LITTLE VISION ,I HAD AND MY WHITE CANE1 ,I WAS ABLE TO FOLLOW ,WALLY4 ,THIS IS HOW WE DID IT4 ,HE KEPT ME OUT OF THE DITCHES4 ,OUR PATH WOULD TAKE US OVER SOME #ABG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GA GRAVEL ROAD AND SOME THAT WAS PAVED4 ,I PREFERRED THE PAVEMENT4 ,I DIDN'T LIKE THE ROCKS AND POTHOLES4 ,WE CONTINUED TO DO THIS EVERY DAY WE COULD4 ,WE EVEN GOT CAUGHT IN SOME SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS1 BUT SOMEONE ALWAYS SHOWED UP TO TAKE US HOME EVERY TIME4 ,IT WAS GOOD TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND AROUND IN THE SUN AND FRESH AIR4 ,WE CONTINUED WITH OUR WALKS INTO THE FALL4 ,THEN1 ONE DAY WHEN ,I WAS COMING OUT OF THE STORE IN ,CARBONEAR1 ,I FELT A PAIN IN MY LEFT KNEE4 ,IT WAS BAD2 ,I COULD HARDLY WALK4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ,I HAD DONE WITH MY LEG4 ,IT HURT SO BAD ALL THAT NIGHT4 ,I WENT -------------------------------------#GB TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN THE NEXT DAY4 ,I WANTED TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PAIN IN MY KNEE4 ,WHILE THERE1 ,I SAW MY FAMILY DOCTOR4 ,HE CHECKED OVER MY KNEE1 AND ,I HAD AN ,X-RAY DONE4 ,THE ,X-RAY SHOWED ,I HAD A MILD CASE OF ARTHRITIS4 ,IT #ABH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GB DIDN'T FEEL VERY MILD4 ,IF THIS WAS ONLY MILD1 ,I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE IT ANY WORSE4 ,FOR THE NEXT WEEK1 ,I HAD TROUBLE GETTING AROUND4 ,IT HURT TO PUT PRESSURE ON MY LEG4 ,ALL ,I COULD DO WAS TO SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING4 ,GOING UPSTAIRS WAS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE4 ,THE PAIN WHEN ,I PUT PRESSURE ON MY LEG WAS NOT GOOD4 ,DURING THIS TIME1 ,I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT ,BURSEY'S ,CONVENIENCE AND HAD TO TAKE A LITTLE TIME OFF4 ,WITH MEDICATION1 ,I EVENTUALLY STARTED TO BE ABLE TO PUT MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT TOO MUCH PAIN2 HOWEVER1 IT WASN'T GONE AWAY COMPLETELY4 ,I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO VOLUNTEERING AT ,BURSEY'S4 ,I WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING UP AND DOWN4 ,THEN ONE MORNING A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER1 ,I WAS GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE STORE4 ,I WAS WALKING UPSTAIRS AND WAS ALMOST AT THE TOP1 WHEN ,I FELT A SHARP PAIN IN MY RIGHT KNEE4 ,I SHOUTED SO LOUDLY MY HUSBAND CAME #ABI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#GB RUNNING TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED4 ,WALLY HELPED ME OVER THE REST OF THE STAIRS1 AND ,I SAT DOWN4 ,WHEN ,I TRIED TO WALK1 ,I COULD NOT PUT MY FOOT TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE THERE WAS TOO MUCH PAIN4 ,THIS MEANT ANOTHER TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN4 ,THIS TIME ,I SAW ANOTHER DOCTOR4 ,I EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED A FEW WEEKS EARLIER4 ,I WAS TOLD ,I HAD A MUSCLE SPASM1 AND TO PUT A BRACE OR SOMETHING TIGHT ON IT FOR SUPPORT4 ,I WRAPPED MY KNEE AT HOME1 BUT IT ONLY MADE THINGS WORSE4 ,SOMETHING TIGHT WASN'T GOING TO WORK4 ,THE NEXT THING ,I TRIED WAS A BRACE4 ,I KEPT IT ON ALL THE TIME1 EVEN WHEN ,I WAS JUST SITTING DOWN4 ,I MANAGED TO GET AROUND SLOWLY1 BUT IT WAS NOT GOOD4 ,I COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ,I WANTED TO4 ,THE NEXT TIME ,I SAW MY FAMILY DOCTOR1 HE GAVE -------------------------------------#GC ME A NEEDLE IN MY KNEE TO HELP WITH THE PAIN4 ,A FEW DAYS PASSED1 AND IT #ACJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GC WASN'T GETTING MUCH BETTER4 ,I STILL HAD PAIN4 ,I COULD NOT STRAIGHTEN MY LEG IN BED4 ,THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET COMFORTABLE4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,HOW COULD ARTHRITIS COME ON THIS FAST8 ,I THOUGHT IT JUST CAME WITH A FEW ACHES AND PAINS WHEN THE WEATHER WAS BAD4 ,I DIDN'T THINK THERE WOULD BE CONTINUOUS PAIN4 ,I DID THINK ONE DAY ,I WOULD PROBABLY GET IT BECAUSE ,I HAD HURT MY RIGHT KNEE WHEN ,I WAS YOUNGER4 ,WHEN ,KELSEY WAS YOUNG1 WE WENT TO A FALL FAIR AT THE HALL IN ,BAY DE ,VERDE4 ,IT WAS WINTER1 AND THERE WAS ICE ON THE GROUND THAT WAS COVERED UP WITH SNOW4 ,KELSEY AND ,I WERE WALKING UP TO THE HALL1 WHEN WE SLIPPED1 AND ,I TWISTED MY LEG4 ,FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS1 ,I HAD PAIN IN MY KNEE AND FOUND IT HARD TO WALK4 ,IN A COUPLE OF DAYS1 IT GOT BETTER4 ,HOWEVER1 FROM THEN ON1 ,I WOULD FIND ACHES IN IT OCCASIONALLY1 BUT NOTHING ,I COULD NOT HANDLE4 #ACA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#GC ,I WAS WALKING EVERY DAY AND THOUGHT ,I WAS DOING WELL1 BUT APPARENTLY1 ,I WAS NOT4 ,I WAS WALKING TOO MUCH4 ,MY DOCTOR TOLD ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE ,I HAD STARTED WALKING OUTSIDE ON A GRAVEL ROAD WITH ROCKS AND POTHOLES4 ,APPARENTLY1 THIS1 COMBINED WITH WALKING UP INCLINES1 DIDN'T DO ANY GOOD FOR MY KNEES4 ,I WAS ANGRY AND UPSET4 ,HOW WAS ,I OR ANYONE TO KNOW THIS8 ,IF ,I DID1 ,I COULD HAVE PREVENTED IT4 ,I COULD NOT SEE1 AND NOW ,I WASN'T ABLE TO WALK1 EITHER4 ,WHAT WAS ,I GOING TO DO8 ,HERE IT WAS ONLY A FEW WEEKS UNTIL ,CHRISTMAS1 AND ,I COULD NOT EVEN GO TO THE MALL TO SHOP4 ,I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO GET A ,,COVID SHOT1 AND IT TOOK ALL ,I HAD TO BE ABLE TO WALK FROM THE CAR TO THE CLINIC AND BACK4 ,IN EARLY ,DECEMBER #BJBA1 ,I HAD A VISION CHECKUP SCHEDULED WITH ,DR4 ,MC,NICHOLAS1 MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST4 ,THE FIRST THING DONE AT MY #ACB DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#GC APPOINTMENT WAS A TEST ON THE PRESSURE IN MY EYES4 ,THIS WAS DONE BY HIS ASSISTANT4 ,WHEN ,I GOT IN TO SEE ,DR4 ,MC,NICHOLAS1 HE PUT IN THE DROPS -------------------------------------#GD AS HE NORMALLY WOULD AND LOOKED AT MY EYES4 ,THEN HE CHECKED MY EYE PRESSURE AGAIN4 ,I WONDERED WHY HE HAD DONE THIS4 ,AFTERWARDS1 HE TOLD ME HE WANTED TO CHECK THE EYE PRESSURE AGAIN BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS TEST SHOWED THAT IT WAS UP4 ,THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD HAPPENED SINCE ,I LOST MY VISION4 ,THE SECOND TEST SHOWED THE SAME THING2 MY EYE PRESSURE WAS ELEVATED4 ,I WONDERED WHAT THIS MEANT4 ,HE THEN TOLD ME ,I HAD GLAUCOMA4 ,I WAS SHOCKED4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,WHAT ELSE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN8 ,THIS IS A QUESTION ,I SHOULD NOT HAVE ASKED MYSELF1 AS TWO DAYS LATER ,I FOUND OUT ,I HAD TO HAVE A HYSTERECTOMY4 ,I HAD HAD A DILATION AND CURETTAGE #ACC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GD DONE BACK IN ,NOVEMBER1 THE RESULTS OF WHICH INDICATED THE NEED FOR THE HYSTERECTOMY4 ,THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE SCHEDULED FOR EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR4 ,A FEW DAYS LATER1 ,I GOT THE DATE3 ,JANUARY #G1 #BJBB4 ,I SPENT ALL ,CHRISTMAS THINKING ABOUT THE SURGERY4 ,THINGS LIKE THIS CAUSED ME TO BE ANXIOUS4 ,I COULD NOT GET IT OUT OF MY MIND4 ,JUST BEFORE MY SURGERY1 ,,COVID #AI CASES HAD STARTED TO RISE AGAIN AND THINGS WERE BEING CANCELLED4 ,I FIGURED ,I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT4 ,IN ONE WAY1 ,I WANTED THE POSTPONEMENT1 BUT IN ANOTHER WAY1 ,I DIDN'T2 ,I WANTED TO GET IT DONE AND OVER WITH4 ,WHEN ,I CHECKED IN WITH MY DOCTOR1 SHE TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE CANCELLATIONS1 BUT MINE WAS NOT ONE OF THEM4 ,SHE SAID IT WAS BEST FOR ME TO HAVE IT DONE NOW AND NOT TO HAVE TO WAIT4 ,A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER1 THE SURGERY WAS DONE1 AND EVERYTHING WENT #ACD DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#GD WELL4 ,I HAD TO STAY IN HOSPITAL OVERNIGHT AND WOULD BE RELEASED THE NEXT DAY4 ,I COULD HANDLE THIS NOW THAT THE SURGERY WAS OVER4 ,I WAS RELIEVED TO HAVE IT DONE4 ,HOWEVER1 ,I WAS STILL HAVING TROUBLE GETTING AROUND WITH THE ARTHRITIS4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 ,I WAS RELEASED4 ,WALLY COULD NOT EVEN COME UP TO GET ME4 ,THE NURSE HAD TO GO DOWN WITH ME4 ,I WAS HOME FOR A FEW -------------------------------------#GE DAYS AND DOING WELL1 WHEN MY DOCTOR CALLED ME4 ,I WAS THINKING1 .7,WHAT'S WRONG NOW8 ,WHY IS SHE CALLING ME8.' ,SHE ASKED ME HOW ,I WAS DOING4 ,I TOLD HER ,I WAS DOING WELL4 ,THEN SHE TOLD ME THAT A NURSE ON THE FLOOR WHERE ,I STAYED HAD COME DOWN WITH ,,COVID #AI1 BUT THEY DID NOT THINK ,I WAS A CLOSE CONTACT4 ,SHE WANTED ME TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR ANY SYMPTOMS JUST IN CASE4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT1 BUT LUCKILY1 ,I DID NOT DEVELOP ANY SYMPTOMS4 ,IT #ACE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GE WAS A RELIEF4 ,AFTER ALL MY SETBACKS1 ,JANUARY #BJBB WENT SMOOTHLY4 ,ONCE ,I WAS BACK ON MY FEET AFTER THE HYSTERECTOMY1 ,I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SEE HOW ,I WAS GOING TO MANAGE MY ARTHRITIS1 ,I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO WALK BETTER THAN ,I WAS DOING NOW4 ,NOTHING HAD CHANGED DURING THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS4 ,I STILL WAS FINDING IT HARD TO WALK ANY DISTANCE4 ,I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ,FRANK ,O',KEEFE1 A PHYSIOTHERAPIST LOCATED IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,I STARTED SEEING HIM IN ,FEBRUARY1 AND BY THE MIDDLE OF ,MARCH1 ,I WAS WALKING A LOT BETTER4 ,EACH TIME ,I VISITED HIM HE GAVE ME A TREATMENT1 AND ,I HAD TO DO EXERCISES4 ,HE EVEN GAVE ME EXERCISES TO DO TWICE A DAY AT HOME1 AND HE SUGGESTED ,I WEAR ,CROCS AROUND THE HOUSE AT ALL TIMES4 ,THIS WOULD HELP MY KNEES WHEN WALKING FROM A CARPETED FLOOR TO A HARDWOOD ONE4 ,AT FIRST1 ,I DID NOT THINK IT WAS GOING TO WORK1 BECAUSE THERE #ACF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#GE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE MUCH TO THE EXERCISES4 ,BUT ,I FOUND OUT THAT ,I WAS DOING THEM WRONG1 SO THEY WERE DEFINITELY NOT GOING TO DO MUCH FOR ME4 ,ONCE ,I GOT THE SWING OF THEM1 ,I STARTED TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE4 ,I WAS ABLE TO WALK FARTHER BEFORE MY KNEES WOULD START TO HURT4 ,THE NEXT STEP WAS TO GET NEW SNEAKERS4 ,HE TOLD ME THAT IF ,I COULD TAKE A SHOE OR SNEAKER AND BEND IT COMPLETELY IN HALF1 IT WAS NOT GOOD ON MY FEET4 ,I DECIDED IT WAS BEST FOR ME TO INVEST IN A NEW PAIR4 ,HE ONCE AGAIN SUGGESTED SOME TYPES OF SNEAKERS THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR ME4 ,I DECIDED ON ,NEW -------------------------------------#GF ,BALANCE AND GOT THEM AT ,THE ,RUNNING ,ROOM IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S4 ,I FOUND THEM A LOT BETTER ON MY FEET4 ,I STARTED WEARING THEM ALL THE TIME4 ,THE NEXT STEP IN MY JOURNEY TO GETTING AROUND BETTER WAS TO GET ORTHOTICS FOR MY SNEAKERS4 ,FRANK DID MY MEASUREMENTS AND MADE THEM FOR #ACG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GF ME4 ,WHEN ,I FIRST TRIED THEM IN MY SHOES1 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE THE DIFFERENCE4 ,THEY WERE SO COMFORTABLE AND EASY TO WEAR4 ,AFTER A FEW MORE SESSIONS WITH ,FRANK1 ,I WAS READY TO GO4 ,I COULD FINALLY GET AROUND4 ,AT FIRST1 ,I COULD NOT WALK OR STAY ON MY FEET TOO LONG1 BUT THE MORE ,I TRIED1 THE BETTER IT GOT4 ,THE TRICK WAS TO NOT STAY ON MY FEET OR WALK TOO LONG WHEN ,I WAS HAVING PAIN4 ,THIS IS WHEN IT WAS TIME TO SIT DOWN AND RELAX THE MUSCLES4 ,WHEN ,I FELT UP TO IT1 ,I COULD GET UP AGAIN4 ,THE MORE ,I DID THIS1 THE STRONGER MY KNEES BECAME1 AND THE FARTHER ,I COULD WALK BEFORE NEEDING TO REST4 ,IT FELT WONDERFUL TO BE ABLE TO GET AROUND TO DO THINGS AGAIN4 ,MY KNEES WERE NOT THE SAME AS THEY WERE BEFORE ALL THIS HAPPENED1 BUT BY WATCHING IT AND NOT DOING TOO MUCH AT ONCE1 ,I WOULD BE OKAY4 ,FRANK SUGGESTED WALKING FOR TEN MINUTES EVERY OTHER DAY TO #ACH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#GF GET MY STRENGTH BACK4 ,OUTSIDE OF KNITTING1 VOLUNTEERING1 AND GOING TO BINGO1 ,I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME LOOKING FOR WORK4 ,YES1 ,I WENT TO BINGO4 ,A FRIEND OF MINE1 ,GLADYS1 WOULD PLAY MY CARDS FOR ME4 ,WE WENT EVERY WEEK4 ,SOMETIMES WE WON1 AND SOMETIMES WE DIDN'T1 BUT WE KEPT ON GOING EACH WEEK4 ,I GUESS YOU COULD SAY WE WERE SUCKERS FOR PUNISHMENT1 PLAYING AND NOT WINNING4 ,I WAS VERY GRATEFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE TO GO WITH1 AND ESPECIALLY TO PLAY MY CARDS FOR ME4 ,IT GOT ME OUT OF THE HOUSE2 ,I WANTED TO GET OUT AND MIX WITH PEOPLE4 ,NEXT1 ,I JOINED THE ,CANADIAN ,COUNCIL ON ,REHABILITATION AND ,WORK TO HELP ME FIND EMPLOYMENT4 ,THE ,,CCRW IS AN ORGANIZATION THAT OFFERS MANY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS4 ,THEY TRY TO MATCH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES -------------------------------------#GG WITH INCLUSIVE EMPLOYERS4 ,,CCRW PROVIDE DIRECT ACCESS TO TALENTED AND #ACI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GG MOTIVATED JOB SEEKERS AND ,IN TURN BUILDING MORE DISABILITY CONFIDENT EMPLOYERS4 ,EACH WEEK1 ,I WOULD HAVE TO MAKE A LOG OF THE JOBS ,I APPLIED FOR AND SEND THEM TO ,,CCRW4 ,THEIR TRAINING COACHES WOULD THEN WORK CLOSELY WITH JOB SEEKERS AND EMPLOYERS TO SEE IF THEY CAN MATCH A PERSON TO A POSITION4 ,IF A PERSON WANTS TO CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION THEY CAN EVEN SET THEM UP TO UPGRADE OR LEARN NEW SKILLS4 ,NO MATTER WHAT IT IS A PERSON NEEDS1 ,,CCRW CAN HELP4 ,I HAD APPLIED FOR MANY JOBS1 BUT WITH NO LUCK4 ,I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING BACK FROM ANY OF THEM4 ,I DIDN'T EVEN GET AN INTERVIEW4 ,IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING4 ,I WANTED TO WORK1 BUT ONCE AGAIN1 EVEN WITH THE HELP OF THE ,,CCRW1 NO ONE WANTED TO HIRE ME4 #ADJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK #GH-#GI ,CHAPTER #I3 .7,GETTING THE ,JOB ,I ,WANT.' ,A YEAR EARLIER1 ,I HAD APPLIED FOR A JOB WITH ,REVENUE ,CANADA1 THOUGH ,I FIGURED THEY WOULDN'T HIRE ME1 AND ,I NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BACK4 ,THEN ONE DAY1 THIS CHANGED4 ,I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION THAT THEY WANTED ME TO DO THE ,KORN ,FERRY ASSESSMENT4 ,THESE ASSESSMENTS INCLUDE A SET OF EXAMS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE SUITABILITY OF CANDIDATES AND EMPLOYEES FOR A SPECIFIC POSITION BY EVALUATING THEIR SKILLS AND CHARACTERISTICS4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,THEY HAD CHOSEN ME4 ,NOW ,I HAD TO FIND OUT IF ,I COULD GET THE ACCOMMODATIONS TO DO THE TEST4 ,I HAD FOUND OUT THAT THE WEBSITE WASN'T COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE1 SO ,I WASN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE ASSESSMENT ONLINE4 ,ONCE ,I FOUND THE RIGHT PERSON1 ,I REACHED OUT TO #ADA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#GI THEM4 ,WHEN THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS WERE COMPLETED1 THEY WOULD SEND THEM TO ME TO SIGN4 ,ONCE THEY WERE SIGNED AND RETURNED1 THE DOCUMENTS WOULD BE SUBMITTED4 ,IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET THINGS IN PLACE4 ,BUT FINALLY1 ,I WAS APPROVED4 ,I WAS TO DO THE ASSESSMENT OVER THE PHONE WITH A PERSON HANDLING THE ACCOMMODATIONS4 ,THERE WERE TWO PARTS TO THE ASSESSMENT1 SO ,I DID IT OVER TWO DIFFERENT TIMES4 ,PEOPLE HAD TOLD ME THAT THESE TESTS WERE HARD1 AND ,I DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT4 ,I MADE IT THROUGH BOTH TESTS1 AND THEN ,I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE RESULTS4 ,IT WAS A NERVE- RACKING TIME1 -------------------------------------#HJ WAITING TO SEE HOW ,I HAD DONE4 ,HOWEVER1 THE DAY FINALLY CAME1 AND ,I HAD PASSED4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 ,I WAS EXCITED TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR4 ,THERE WERE OTHER THINGS ,I WAS REQUIRED TO DO OVER THE NEXT FEW #ADB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HJ MONTHS4 ,EACH TIME1 ,I HAD TO PUT IN THE REQUEST FOR ACCOMMODATIONS AND WAIT TO GET IT BACK4 ,I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY ,I HAD TO KEEP PUTTING IN ANOTHER REQUEST1 AS ,I HAD ALREADY BEEN APPROVED4 ,THEY NOW KNEW WHY ,I NEEDED THE ACCOMMODATIONS4 ,I HAD DISCLOSED MY DISABILITY4 ,IN ,JUNE #BJBB1 ,I FINALLY GOT AN INTERVIEW4 ,HOWEVER1 ONCE AGAIN THIS COULD NOT BE DONE WITHOUT THE NECESSARY ACCOMMODATIONS4 ,PART OF THE INTERVIEW INCLUDED GOING ONLINE AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS4 ,FOR THIS PART1 ,I WAS GIVEN EXTRA TIME4 ,I GOT THROUGH THE QUESTIONS AND THE INTERVIEW4 ,I NOW HAD TO WAIT TO SEE IF ,I WOULD BE HIRED4 ,TIME WENT BY1 AND ,I STILL HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING2 ,I WAS NOW STARTING TO THINK ,I DIDN'T GET THE JOB4 ,THAT IS UNTIL ONE DAY IN EARLY ,OCTOBER #BJBB3 ,I GOT THE CALL1 AND THEY WANTED ME TO START THE NEXT WEEK6 ,I WAS TO GO TO ,ST4 ,JOHN'S TO PICK UP THE EQUIPMENT4 ,WALLY AND ,I LEFT FOR THE CITY #ADC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HJ THE NEXT DAY4 ,ONCE ,I GOT THERE1 THE FIRST THING ,I HAD TO DO WAS HAVE MY PICTURE TAKEN FOR MY ,,ID CARD4 ,THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE THERE AT THE SAME TIME TO PICK UP THEIR EQUIPMENT4 ,WE ALL HAD TO GO INTO THIS ROOM WITH A NUMBER OF DESKS4 ,THIS IS WHERE WE HAD TO SIT4 ,ONCE EVERYONE WAS SETTLED1 THEY STARTED EXPLAINING HOW TO USE THE LAPTOP AND ACCESS ITS PROGRAMS4 ,THIS WAS A FRUSTRATING TIME FOR ME4 ,I COULD NOT USE THE LAPTOP1 AS IT DID NOT HAVE A SCREEN READER ON IT4 ,I HAD TO GET SOMEONE ELSE TO TAKE THE NOTES FOR ME4 ,I THEN REALIZED THAT THIS WASN'T GOING TO WORK EITHER1 AS ,I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO READ WHAT THEY HAD WRITTEN4 ,THEY WENT THROUGH EVERYTHING1 AND THEN ,I WENT HOME4 ,THE TRAINING WAS TO START THE NEXT DAY4 ,WE HAD TO SIGN IN ON THE LAPTOP AND CONNECT WITH THE REST OF OUR GROUP4 ,I COULD NOT TAKE PART IN #ADD DAYLIGHT TO DARK #HA THIS1 AS MY LAPTOP WAS NOT MADE ACCESSIBLE FOR ME4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO4 ,I HAD TO REACH OUT TO MY TEAM LEADER TO SEE WHAT HE THOUGHT4 ,I TOLD HIM ,I DIDN'T HAVE THE SCREEN READER ,I NEEDED4 ,HE TOLD ME HE WOULD CHECK THINGS OUT FOR ME4 ,WHEN HE GOT BACK1 HE TOLD ME MY SCREEN READER HAD TO BE ORDERED IN4 ,NOW ,I HAD TO WAIT BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING ,I COULD DO4 ,DAY AFTER DAY WENT BY1 AND THE SCREEN READER DID NOT COME IN4 ,THEY GAVE ME A SHORT TAX COURSE TO DO ONLINE ON MY OWN COMPUTER1 BUT THIS DID NOT TAKE LONG FOR ME TO COMPLETE4 ,I WAS AGAIN LEFT WAITING1 WITH NOTHING TO DO4 ,THEN EARLY IN ,NOVEMBER1 THE SCREEN READER CAME IN1 AND ,I HAD TO GO TO THE CITY TO HAVE IT INSTALLED4 ,THIS TOOK OVER THREE HOURS TO DO4 ,I THEN RETURNED HOME4 ,HERE ,I WAS BACK HOME WITH MY SCREEN READER INSTALLED AND HOPING TO GET ON WITH THE TRAINING4 ,THE FIRST THING ,I HAD TO DO WAS A NUMBER OF TESTS4 #ADE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HA ,THIS WAS REQUIRED FOR ALL NEW EMPLOYEES4 ,THE PROBLEM WAS THEY WERE NOT COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE1 SO THEY HAD TO GET ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS ALSO VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND WORKING WITH ,,CRA TO HELP ME4 ,WE MADE IT THROUGH MOST OF THE TESTS1 BUT NOT WITHOUT BUMPS IN THE ROAD4 ,I WAS NOW READY TO GET ON WITH THE TRAINING1 OR SO ,I THOUGHT4 ,IT WAS NOW EARLY IN ,DECEMBER4 ,THEY HAD TRIED ONE-ON-ONE TRAINING WITH ME1 BUT THIS STILL DIDN'T WORK4 ,THEY HAD NO IDEA WHETHER OR NOT THE PROGRAMS ,I WAS TO USE WERE ACCESSIBLE WITH THE SCREEN READER4 ,THEN ON A ,THURSDAY1 MY TEAM LEADER REACHED OUT TO ME AND TOLD ME THEY WANTED ME TO GO TO THE CITY AND GO IN OFFICE FOR A FEW DAYS TO SEE HOW MY SCREEN READER WOULD WORK WITH THEIR PROGRAMS4 ,I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO GO1 BUT ,I FIGURED IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THINGS WORKED OUT4 ,SO1 ,WALLY AND ,I WENT TO THE CITY ON ,SUNDAY TO STAY WITH OUR GIRLS4 #ADF DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HA ,MONDAY MORNING1 ,I GOT READY AND LEFT FOR THE OFFICE ON THE ,GO ,BUS4 ,I WENT INTO THE OFFICE AND GOT SET UP4 ,THEY HAD A COACH READY FOR ME4 ,WE -------------------------------------#HB STARTED IN ON ONE OF THE MODULES4 ,THIS IS WHAT WE CONTINUED WORKING ON FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK4 ,AT THE END OF THIS TIME1 MY TEAM LEADER CAME AND TOLD ME THAT THE FOLLOWING WEEK1 ,I WOULD BE GETTING A NEW COACH4 ,SO1 THE NEXT WEEK1 ,I CONTINUED WORKING ON THE FIRST MODULE WITH HER4 ,THERE STILL HAD NOT BEEN ANY MENTION OF LOOKING AT THE PROGRAMS1 WHICH ,I THOUGHT WAS THE REASON ,I WAS ASKED TO GO INTO THE OFFICE4 ,THE NEXT WEEK WAS A SHORT ONE BECAUSE OF ,CHRISTMAS AND MY COACH HAD TAKEN IT OFF1 BUT THEY WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO ALSO TAKE IT OFF4 ,THEREFORE1 ,I ENDED UP WITH YET ANOTHER COACH4 ,IT GOT TO BE FRUSTRATING4 ,EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN WAY OF TEACHING AND MY COACH HAD BEEN CHANGED THREE TIMES4 ,HOW COULD A #ADG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HB PERSON LEARN THIS WAY8 ,AFTER THE NEW YEAR THE SECOND COACH ,I WAS GIVEN WAS BACK4 ,WE CONTINUED WORKING ON THE MODULES1 WITH NO MENTION OF THE PROGRAMS YET4 ,BY THIS TIME1 ,I WAS GIVEN A NEW TEAM LEADER4 ,I KEPT ASKING MY COACH WHEN ,I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK HOME TO WORK1 AND SHE COULD NOT TELL ME4 ,SHE JUST SAID IT WOULD BE AFTER ,I HAD COMPLETED ALL THE MODULES4 ,I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT4 ,I THOUGHT ,I WAS IN THERE TO CHECK ON THE ACCESSIBILITY OF THE PROGRAMS1 AND NOW THEY WANTED ME TO COMPLETE ALL THE MODULES BEFORE ,I RETURNED HOME4 ,IT WAS NOW ,FEBRUARY1 AND ,I WAS STILL WORKING ON THE MODULES4 ,IF WE CAME TO A SECTION WHERE WE NEEDED A PROGRAM1 WE WOULD JUST SKIP OVER IT4 ,MY COACH SAID WE WOULD COME BACK TO IT WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS WORKING4 ,WE DID THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES THROUGHOUT ALL OF THE MODULES4 ,AT FIRST IT DIDN'T BOTHER ME1 BUT THE FURTHER WE GOT ALONG1 THE #ADH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HB HARDER IT BECAME4 ,WE CONTINUED TO WORK THIS WAY4 ,NOW IT WAS ,MARCH1 AND FINALLY SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING WITH THE PROGRAMS4 ,WE WOULD START TO USE ONE PROGRAM1 GET SO FAR1 AND THEN RUN INTO TROUBLE4 ,WE HAD TO REACH OUT TO ,,IT FOR HELP4 ,WE WOULD THEN HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE -------------------------------------#HC IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO FIX IT4 ,THIS WENT ON FOR MOST ALL THE PROGRAMS2 THEY WERE JUST NOT MADE TO BE COMPLETELY ACCESSIBLE4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 IT FRUSTRATED ME4 ,HOW WAS ,I TO LEARN TO DO SOMETHING WHEN THE PROGRAM WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE8 ,WE THEN REACHED OUT FOR THE HELP OF ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHO WAS ALSO VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,HE TOLD US WAYS TO NAVIGATE THROUGH CERTAIN PROGRAMS1 BUT IT WAS WAYS HE HAD FIGURED OUT ON HOW TO GET SOMETHING DONE4 ,HE DIDN'T USE KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS2 HIS METHOD WAS TAB1 TAB1 TABBING A NUMBER OF TIMES TO GET #ADI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HC WHERE HE WANTED TO GO AND THEN DOING THE SAME TO GET BACK TO WHERE HE CAME FROM4 ,THIS WAS GREAT FOR HIM1 AND HE HAD TAKEN IT UPON HIMSELF TO LEARN TO NAVIGATE THE PROGRAMS4 ,I DID NOT FIND THIS HELPFUL2 IT TOOK TOO LONG TO GET TO WHERE A PERSON WANTED TO GO AND BACK AGAIN4 ,IF IT WAS ACCESSIBLE1 ALL ,I WOULD HAVE TO DO WAS SIMPLY PRESS A COUPLE OF KEYS TO TAKE ME WHERE ,I WANTED TO GO4 ,MYSELF1 MY COACH1 AND MY TEAM LEADER AGREED THAT THE PROGRAMS HAD TO BE MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE1 SO WE DECIDED WE SHOULD CONTACT THE ,,CNIB TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP4 ,JASON FROM ,,CNIB HAD SAID HE COULD COME IN AND SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING HE COULD DO4 ,HOWEVER1 WHEN WE ASKED MY MANAGER1 SHE TURNED IT DOWN AND SAID HE COULD NOT COME IN FOR SECURITY REASONS4 ,THE PROBLEM REMAINED UNSOLVED4 ,MY COACH AND ,I CONTINUED ON WITH THE MODULES4 ,FINALLY1 WE CAME TO THE END OF THEM4 ,THE NEXT STEP WAS TO #AEJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HC PRACTICE SOME CALLS4 ,AT FIRST1 MY COACH WOULD TAKE THEM1 AND ,I WOULD LISTEN IN AND ASK ANY QUESTIONS ,I HAD4 ,AFTER DOING THIS FOR A WHILE1 WE STARTED ON MOCK CALLS4 ,MY COACH WOULD CALL ME AND PRETEND TO BE A TAXPAYER1 AND ,I WOULD HAVE TO FIND THE ANSWERS SHE WAS LOOKING FOR4 ,WE DID THIS FOR A WHILE1 AND ,I WOULD LOOK FOR THE ANSWERS AT MY OWN SPEED AND ASK QUESTIONS IF ,I HAD ANY4 ,SOMETIMES IT TOOK MOST OF THE DAY TO FIND THE ANSWERS1 BUT NO ONE SAID -------------------------------------#HD ANYTHING ABOUT THE TIME IT WAS TAKING4 ,I THOUGHT THIS WAS WHAT ,I WAS SUPPOSED TO DO4 ,AFTER ALL1 THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION A PERSON HAD TO GO THROUGH TO FIND THE ANSWERS AND NOT HAVING SHORTCUTS TO USE WAS TAKING LONGER4 ,IT WASN'T LIKE ,I COULD CLICK1 CLICK1 CLICK AND ,I WOULD BE WHERE ,I WANTED TO GET4 ,WE CONTINUED DOING THIS AND STILL NOTHING WAS SAID4 ,I EVEN STARTED TO SECOND GUESS MYSELF4 ,I WOULD ASK #AEA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HD MY COACH AND TEAM LEADER IF THEY THOUGHT ,I WOULD EVER GET IT1 AND THEY WOULD SAY1 8,YES1 YOU WILL GET IT WHEN YOU GET ON THE PHONE4 ,EVERYONE IS THE SAME THE FIRST TIME40 ,IT WAS NOW ,APRIL1 AND IT WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE END OF MY CONTRACT4 ,I STILL HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRY OUT THE PHONE4 ,EVEN MY COACH THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT THEY HADN'T WANTED ME TO GET ON THE PHONE BY NOW4 ,SO WHAT WAS GOING ON8 ,WHY WAS ,I NOT GETTING THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET ON THE PHONE8 ,ONE DAY1 THERE WAS A MEETING1 AND THEY WANTED EVERYONE ON THE FLOOR,- THAT IS1 ON THE PHONES,-EVEN THE COACHES4 ,NOW ,I WAS GOING TO LOSE MY COACH4 ,THEY WANTED ME TO STAY HOME ON ,MONDAY AND ,TUESDAY AND DO SOME SELF- STUDY4 ,WALLY WAS HAPPY TO HEAR THIS1 AS IT MEANT WE GOT TO STAY HOME LONGER4 ,I DID THIS FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS4 ,THE NEXT THING ,I KNEW1 WE WERE ON #AEB DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HD STRIKE2 IT STARTED ,WEDNESDAY NIGHT WHEN ,I HAD RETURNED TO TOWN4 ,THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF THE STRIKE ,I SPENT MAKING SIGNS AT THE REC CENTRE4 ,THIS IS WHERE EMPLOYEES WHO COULD NOT GO ON THE PICKET LINE HAD TO GO4 ,AT THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK1 ,I WAS ASKED IF ,I WANTED TO GO HOME AND WORK FROM THERE4 ,I WAS HAPPY TO4 ,I CONTINUED TO WORK FOR THE UNION FROM HOME UNTIL THE STRIKE WAS OVER4 ,IT WAS EARLY IN ,MAY WHEN THE STRIKE ENDED4 ,I WENT BACK INTO THE OFFICE TO CONTINUE MY TRAINING4 ,ONCE AGAIN1 ,I WAS NOT PUT ON THE PHONE2 MY COACH AND ,I CONTINUED TO DO MOCK CALLS4 ,NOBODY WAS TELLING ME ANYTHING4 ,THE NEXT THING WE KNEW A MEETING WAS CALLED AND EXTENSIONS -------------------------------------#HE WERE BEING GIVEN1 UNTIL THE END OF ,JUNE4 ,I FIGURED ,I WOULD GET ONE1 AND THEN ,I WOULD GET A CHANCE ON THE PHONE4 ,HOWEVER1 MY TEAM LEADER TOLD ME THAT MY MANAGER WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A #AEC DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HE MEETING TO DISCUSS WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO4 ,SHE DID SAY IT WAS POSSIBLE THAT THEY WOULD PUT ME IN A DIFFERENT POSITION4 ,IT WAS ,FRIDAY1 AND MY CONTRACT WAS TO END THE FOLLOWING ,WEDNESDAY4 ,MY TEAM LEADER TOLD ME THAT THERE SHOULD BE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT ,I GOT THE EXTENSION BY ,TUESDAY1 AND SHE WOULD LET ME KNOW4 ,THE NEXT WEEK ,I WAITED TO HEAR BACK FROM HER AND HADN'T1 SO ,I LEFT TO GO BACK TO TOWN SO ,I WOULD BE IN THE OFFICE ON ,WEDNESDAY4 ,I HAD ONLY BEEN GONE FROM THE HOUSE ABOUT HALF AN HOUR WHEN MY CELL PHONE RANG4 ,IT WAS MY TEAM LEADER4 ,SHE SAID SHE TRIED TO CONTACT ME BEFORE ,I LEFT BUT COULD NOT GET ME4 ,SHE THEN TOLD ME ,I DID NOT GET THE EXTENSION1 AND ,I WAS NOT GOING TO BE PUT IN THE REHIRE POOL4 ,THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION GIVEN TO ME AS TO WHY THEY DECIDED THIS4 ,I WAS SHOCKED AND DISAPPOINTED4 ,SHE TOLD ME THAT MY EQUIPMENT WAS TO #AED DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HE BE RETURNED THE NEXT DAY4 ,AS ,I DID NOT HAVE ALL OF IT WITH ME1 ,WALLY TURNED AROUND AND WENT BACK TO GET IT4 ,AFTER SUPPER1 WE WENT BACK TO THE CITY1 AND ON ,WEDNESDAY MORNING1 ,I RETURNED MY EQUIPMENT4 ---------------------------------#HF-#HG ,CHAPTER #AJ3 .1,UNEMPLOYED .1,AGAIN ,WELL1 HERE ,I AM1 UNEMPLOYED AGAIN4 ,I CAN'T SEEM TO CATCH A BREAK4 ,I FIND A JOB1 BUT IT IS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME4 ,DOES IT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH MY VISION LOSS8 ,SO1 WHAT DO ,I DO NOW8 ,I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP4 ,ONE THING ,I LEARNED WHILE WORKING FOR ,REVENUE ,CANADA WAS THAT ,I PREFERRED TO WORK PART-TIME1 THOUGH IF THE RIGHT JOB CAME ALONG1 ,I WOULD CONSIDER TAKING A FULL-TIME POSITION4 ,WHILE ,I WAS WORKING FULL-TIME1 ,I DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR MUCH OF #AEE DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HG ANYTHING ELSE4 ,I WAS ENJOYING BEING ABLE TO GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE WITH PEOPLE4 ,HOWEVER1 ,I COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH MY SELF-CARE OR MANY OTHER THINGS4 ,I FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO GET APPOINTMENTS ON THE WEEKENDS4 ,EVERYTHING ,I WANTED OR HAD TO DO WASN'T OPEN4 ,I FOUND IT HARD TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS OUTSIDE WORK WHEN WORKING FULL-TIME1 HOWEVER THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT ,I WOULD NOT TAKE ANOTHER FULL-TIME JOB4 ,I AM STILL NOT GIVING UP ON FINDING WORK4 ,I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH ,,CCRW TO TRY AND FIND SOMETHING TO DO4 ,SINCE FINISHING MY CONTRACT WITH ,REVENUE ,CANADA1 ,I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH ,,CCRW4 ,THEY ARE HELPING ME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS ,I WANT TO DO NOW4 ,WHAT ARE MY NEXT STEPS8 ,DO ,I WANT TO CONTINUE LOOKING FOR WORK1 OR MAYBE EVEN CONTINUE MY EDUCATION8 ,RIGHT NOW1 ,I AM LOOKING AT BOTH4 ,I HAVE APPLIED TO A NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT ARE #AEF DAYLIGHT TO DARK #HH AVAILABLE IN MY AREA1 INCLUDING ONE OFFERED BY ,OPENING ,DOORS4 ,THIS IS A PROGRAM WHERE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE LOOKING TO HIRE CAN POST A JOB1 AND THESE POSITIONS ARE THEN FILLED BY PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES4 ,THE CANDIDATE WHO BEST MEETS THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB AND THEN DEMONSTRATES THIS IN THE INTERVIEW IS OFFERED THE JOB4 ,I HAVE BEEN FEELING LESS CONFIDENT IN MYSELF LATELY1 THOUGH4 ,IT IS NOT SOMETHING ,I REALLY CONSIDERED BEFORE1 BUT NOW ,I DO4 ,MAYBE IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WAY ,I WAS TREATED AND LET GO BY ,REVENUE ,CANADA4 ,IT MAKES ME WONDER IF ,I CAN DO THE JOB4 ,I AM QUESTIONING MYSELF4 ,FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS NOW1 ,I HAVE BEEN DOING MEDITATION4 ,AFTER COPING WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SINCE A YOUNG AGE1 ,I FOUND THAT MEDITATION IS GOOD FOR ME4 ,IT RELAXES A PERSON AND PUTS THEM IN A DIFFERENT MINDSET4 ,HOWEVER1 THIS IS NOT JUST A ONE- #AEG DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HH TIME THING2 IT'S A LIFETIME COMMITMENT4 ,DURING MY TIME IN THE CITY1 ,I WASN'T AS DEDICATED TO IT AS ,I SHOULD HAVE BEEN4 ,BY NOT MEDITATING ON A REGULAR BASIS1 IT THREW ME OFF4 ,I AM NOW BACK ON TRACK WITH IT4 ,MEDITATION IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE DONE EVERY DAY IN ORDER TO FEEL ITS EFFECTS4 ,A PERSON HAS TO KEEP UP WITH MEDITATING BECAUSE IT HAS TO DO WITH TRAINING THE MIND TO BE MORE IN THE MOMENT AND MINDFUL4 ,IT WORKS TO TRAIN THE BRAIN4 ,THROUGH MEDITATION1 ,I CAME TO REALIZE SOME THINGS ,I WANTED TO DO WITH MY LIFE4 ,ONE WAS TO WRITE THIS BOOK AND TELL MY STORY OF MY VISION LOSS4 ,A GOOD FRIEND WOULD TELL ME EVERY TIME SHE SAW ME THAT ,I SHOULD NOT LET IT GO4 ,I NEEDED TO TELL MY STORY4 ,SO1 AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION1 ,I DECIDED IT WAS SOMETHING ,I WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH4 ,I AM NOT AN AUTHOR1 BUT ,I WANTED TO GIVE IT A TRY4 ,IF YOU ARE READING THIS BOOK NOW1 YOU KNOW HOW IT TURNED OUT4 #AEH DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HH ,I ALSO LEARNED THAT ,I WANT TO HELP PEOPLE1 ESPECIALLY THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED4 ,AFTER LIVING IN THE CITY FOR SIX MONTHS1 ,I REALIZED -------------------------------------#HI ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE OFFERED BY ,,CNIB4 ,I LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY1 WHERE THERE IS NOTHING FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO DO OR TAKE PART IN4 ,PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD TO BE GOING TO THE CITY ALL THE TIME TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE EVENTS1 EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY WANT TO4 ,ANOTHER REASON IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THE TRANSPORTATION4 ,THEREFORE1 ,I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO SEE IF THIS COULD BE CHANGED4 ,SO1 ALONG WITH THE ,,CNIB1 ,I TRIED TO FORM SUCH A GROUP FOR THE ,TRINITY ,CONCEPTION AREA4 ,I HAD A LIST OF CLIENTS FROM THE ,,CNIB1 AND ,I CALLED TO SEE WHO WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SUCH A GROUP4 ,MY SEARCH FOR PEOPLE LOOKING TO JOIN A GROUP HAS TURNED OUT VERY WELL4 ,AS OF NOW1 THERE ARE ABOUT TWENTY-NINE #AEI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#HI MEMBERS4 ,WE HAD OUR FIRST SOCIAL AT THE ,HARBOUR ,GRACE HOTEL4 ,WE ENJOYED A LUNCH1 AND STAFF MEMBERS FROM THE ,,CNIB OFFICE IN ,ST4 ,JOHN'S CAME OUT AND BROUGHT OUT ITEMS FROM THE STORE4 ,THERE WERE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD BE USED BY A BLIND PERSON4 ,WE ARE GOING TO PLAN ANOTHER EVENT SOON4 ,I HOPE THIS GROUP CONTINUES1 AS ,I THINK IT IS SOMETHING WE NEED4 ,JUST TO BE ABLE TO GET OUT AND SOCIALIZE WITH EACH OTHER4 ,PEOPLE ARE EXCITED TO BE PART OF SOMETHING AND HAVE THINGS TO DO4 ,,CNIB IN TOWN ARE ALWAYS HAVING EVENTS AND OTHER THINGS FOR THEIR CLIENTS4 ,TOGETHER WE CAN HELP EACH OTHER4 ,ONE OTHER THING ,I REALIZED ,I WANT TO DO IS TO LEARN TO PLAY THE GUITAR4 ,ONE DAY WHILE LISTENING TO THE RADIO GOING TO ,CARBONEAR1 THEY WERE ASKING THE PUBLIC WHAT COURSE THEY WOULD TAKE IF THEY COULD GO BACK TO SCHOOL4 ,THERE WERE DIFFERENT ANSWERS1 AND THIS GOT ME TO THINKING4 ,AT FIRST1 ,I #AFJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#HI THOUGHT IT WOULD BE MATH1 BUT ,I HAD ALREADY DONE A LOT OF MATH WITH ACCOUNTING4 ,THEN IT CAME TO ME3 ,I OFTEN THOUGHT WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO PLAY GUITAR4 ,I ALWAYS LIKED THE SOUND OF THE INSTRUMENT BUT NEVER THOUGHT OF TAKING LESSONS4 ,AFTER ALL1 MUSIC IS IN THE BLOOD IN MY FAMILY4 -------------------------------------#IJ ,WHILE IN SCHOOL1 ,I PLAYED THE RECORDER AND UKULELE1 BUT THIS IS AS FAR AS IT WENT4 ,GUITAR WASN'T OFFERED AT THIS TIME1 AND ,I DON'T KNOW IF ,I WOULD HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IF IT WAS4 ,I PLAN TO FIND SOMEONE TO GIVE ME LESSONS IN THE NEAR FUTURE4 ,THIS IS SOMETHING ,I THINK ,I WILL REALLY ENJOY DOING4 ,I JUST HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT WORK FOR ME4 ,I STARTED GUITAR LESSONS1 AND IT WENT WELL4 ,THE INSTRUCTOR WANTED ME TO START ON THE UKULELE2 HE TOLD ME THIS IS WHAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOW1 AS IT IS EASIER FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT4 ,HOWEVER1 #AFA DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IJ ,I WASN'T USING THE UKULELE FOR VERY LONG4 ,ONE DAY HE GOT ME TO TRY THE GUITAR1 AND BOTH HE AND ,I AGREED IT WAS BETTER FOR ME4 ,AS ,I WAS UNABLE TO READ MUSIC1 ,I USUALLY PLAYED FROM MEMORY4 ,I MEMORIZED THE AREAS IN A SONG WHERE ,I HAD TO CHANGE CHORDS4 ,I JUST HAD TO LEARN THE WORDS TO MORE SONGS4 -------------------------------------#IA ,CHAPTER #AA3 .1,MORE .1,SETBACKS ,I CONTINUED ON WITH MY GUITAR LESSONS AND WAS DOING OKAY4 ,THEN EARLY IN ,NOVEMBER1 MY DAD BECAME SICK4 ,AT FIRST WE JUST THOUGHT HE HAD THE FLU4 ,HE HAD GONE TO EMERGENCY IN ,OLD ,PERLICAN AND HAD A ,,COVID TEST DONE4 ,HE WAS SENT HOME1 AS AT THAT TIME1 IT TOOK A FEW DAYS TO RECEIVE RESULTS4 ,AT HOME1 HE GOT SICKER4 ,HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE BREATHING4 ,ALL ,I COULD DO FOR HIM WAS DROP OFF FOOD1 AS WE DID NOT KNOW #AFB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IA IF IT WAS ,,COVID OR NOT4 ,I HAD TO STAY AWAY1 AND INSTEAD ,I WOULD CALL TO CHECK ON HIM EVERY DAY4 ,DAD WASN'T GETTING ANY BETTER4 ,HE WAS NOW STAYING IN BED ALL DAY AND NOT EATING4 ,HE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL ON ,THURSDAY1 AND WHEN ,I SPOKE TO HIM ON ,TUESDAY1 HE HAD GOTTEN WORSE4 ,I FINALLY CONVINCED HIM HE HAD TO GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL4 ,HE SAID TO ME1 8,HOW AM ,I GOING TO GET HOME IF THEY LET ME OUT80 ,I SAID1 8,IF THEY LET YOU OUT1 WE WILL GET YOU HOME4 ,YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT40 ,I TOLD HIM TO GET READY1 AND ,I CALLED THE AMBULANCE4 ,I ALSO CALLED THE HOSPITAL1 AND THE DOCTOR ON CALL TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD THE RESULTS OF HIS TEST1 AND HE HAD A BAD CASE OF ,,COVID4 ,THE AMBULANCE CAME FOR HIM AND TOOK HIM TO THE HOSPITAL TO CHECK HIM OUT1 THEN HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL IN ,CARBONEAR4 #AFC DAYLIGHT TO DARK #IB ,DAD SPENT THE NEXT TWO WEEKS IN HOSPITAL4 ,HE DEVELOPED PNEUMONIA AND WAS IN THE ,,ICU FOR ABOUT A WEEK4 ,IT WAS ALSO A WEEK BEFORE ,I WAS ABLE TO GET IN TO SEE HIM4 ,I CALLED THE HOSPITAL TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY TO SEE HOW HE WAS DOING4 ,THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING HIS OXYGEN LEVEL UP4 ,FINALLY1 ,I WAS ABLE TO SEE HIM4 ,HE WAS ABLE TO TALK1 BUT IT TOOK A LOT OUT OF HIM4 ,WHEN ,I WENT UP AGAIN THE NEXT DAY1 HE WAS TALKING BETTER4 ,I THOUGHT TO MYSELF1 .7,HE IS GOING TO BE OKAY4.' ,HOWEVER1 HIS OXYGEN LEVEL STILL WASN'T GOING UP4 ,THEN ONE DAY THE NURSE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS UP TO #IH PERCENT4 ,I THOUGHT THIS WAS GREAT4 ,HE WAS GOING TO COME OUT OF IT4 ,THEN A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER1 ,I WAS UP TO SEE HIM1 AND IT SEEMED LIKE HE HAD GOTTEN WORSE4 ,I THINK HE WAS IN PAIN AT THIS TIME4 ,I HEARD HIM MAKE A 8GRUNT0 AND ASKED HIM IF HE HAD PAIN1 BUT HE SAID NOTHING4 ,HE DID1 HOWEVER1 SAY TO ME1 8,I #AFD DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IB WON'T BE GETTING OUT OF HERE TOMORROW10 AND ,I THOUGHT THIS STRANGE4 ,I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT4 ,THE NEXT MORNING1 ,I GOT A CALL FROM THE NURSE TELLING ME THAT ,DAD WAS AGITATED1 SAYING HE WAS DONE AND THAT HE WANTED TO SEE ME4 ,WALLY AND ,I GOT READY AND WENT UP TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON4 ,BY THE TIME ,I GOT THERE1 HE WAS NOT RESPONDING TO MY VOICE4 ,I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS SEDATED OR JUST UNRESPONSIVE4 ,HIS DOCTOR WAS GONE AWAY AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE IN HIS PLACE4 ,I TOLD THE NURSE ,I WANTED TO SPEAK TO HIM4 ,WHEN HE CAME UP1 HE ASKED ME WHAT ,I KNEW ABOUT MY DAD4 ,I TOLD HIM ,I KNEW HE HAD ,,COVID AND THEN GOT PNEUMONIA4 ,HE TOLD ME THAT A NUMBER OF ,DAD'S ORGANS WERE FAILING4 ,I KNEW ,DAD DID NOT WANT TO BE PUT ON LIFE SUPPORT1 SO WHERE DID THIS LEAVE US8 ,THE DOCTOR TOLD ME ,I HAD TWO OPTIONS2 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO4 ,I WENT HOME TO THINK1 THOUGH ,I WASN'T HOME FOR LONG1 WHEN THE NURSE #AFE DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#IB CALLED AND SAID THAT HE HAD TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE4 -------------------------------------#IC ,WALLY AND ,I LEFT TO ONCE AGAIN GO TO THE HOSPITAL2 HOWEVER1 BY THE TIME WE GOT THERE1 ,DAD WAS GONE4 ,I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK2 MY DAD WAS GONE4 ,WHAT WAS ,I GOING TO DO NOW8 ,HE WAS EIGHTY-ONE1 AND ,I KNEW ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME1 BUT ,I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE LIKE THIS4 ,FOR HIS AGE1 HE WAS WELL AND STILL ACTIVE4 ,HE WOULD GO SHOPPING FOR HIS GROCERIES BY HIMSELF4 ,HE STILL HAD HIS LICENCE4 ,MY BROTHER ,SHAWN WAS IN HOSPITAL DURING THIS TIME1 GETTING TREATMENTS FOR A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE4 ,HE WAS NOT DOING WELL1 AND NOW DAD WAS GONE4 ,IT WASN'T A GOOD TIME FOR ME4 ,I HAD TO TELL ,DAD'S BROTHER1 ,LINUS1 AND SISTER1 ,NITA4 ,I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BOTH OF THEM SINCE ,DAD WENT INTO HOSPITAL4 ,MY COUSIN1 ,TONY1 WAS A GREAT HELP4 ,I WOULD REACH OUT TO HIM WHEN ,I #AFF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IC NEEDED SOMETHING4 ,THEY WERE ALL SHOCKED2 THEY COULD NOT BELIEVE HE WAS GONE4 ,THE NEXT FEW DAYS WERE HARD ON ALL OF US4 ,I GOT EVERYTHING READY FOR HIS FUNERAL WITH HELP FROM MY AUNT1 UNCLE1 COUSINS1 AND A GREAT FRIEND1 ,GLADYS ,SPARKES1 WHO WENT WITH ME TO PICK OUT THE CASKET4 ,MY BROTHER MADE IT TO THE FUNERAL4 ,OUR FATHER HAD PASSED AWAY ON ,NOVEMBER TWENTY-SEVENTH1 AND HIS FUNERAL WAS ON ,DECEMBER FIRST4 ,MY BROTHER'S FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY WAS THE NEXT DAY4 ,I WAS GETTING THROUGH IT DAY BY DAY1 DOING WHAT NEEDED TO BE DONE4 ,THEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS LATER1 ,I WOKE UP AND HAD NO FEELING IN MY RIGHT ARM2 ,I COULD NOT EVEN LIFT IT4 ,MY RIGHT LEG WAS NOT MUCH BETTER4 ,I HAD TO GO TO EMERGENCY4 ,AFTER SOME TESTS1 ,I WAS TOLD ,I HAD HAD A MINI STROKE4 ,I WONDERED WHAT ELSE WAS GOING TO HAPPEN4 ,THE FOLLOWING ,TUESDAY1 ,I HAD #AFG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#IC TO GO TO TOWN FOR AN ULTRASOUND ON MY NECK4 ,THEY WANTED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY BLOCKAGES4 ,IT TOOK CLOSE TO A WEEK BEFORE ,I STARTED TO FEEL MY ARM GETTING BETTER4 ,I WOULD PUSH MYSELF TO TRY TO GET SOME LIFE BACK INTO IT4 ,EVENTUALLY1 IT DID COME BACK1 BUT -------------------------------------#ID ,I STILL FIND A LITTLE SOMETHING WITH TWO OF MY FINGERS4 ,I HAD TO STOP MY GUITAR LESSONS UNTIL ,I SAW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN4 ,THE ULTRASOUND ON MY NECK DID NOT SHOW ANY BLOCKAGES1 AND ,I WAS GRATEFUL FOR THIS4 -------------------------------------#IE ,CHAPTER #AB3 .1,MOVING .1,ON ,WELL1 HERE ,I WAS TRYING TO GET BACK TO SOME SORT OF NORMAL4 ,I FOUND ,CHRISTMAS VERY DIFFICULT4 ,I DON'T REALLY KNOW HOW ,I WAS FEELING2 IT JUST WASN'T THE SAME WITHOUT ,DAD4 ,HE WOULD BE UP FOR #AFH DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IE SUPPER EVERY YEAR SINCE ,MOM PASSED AWAY4 ,THE GIRLS WERE OUT AND ,SHAWN CAME UP1 BUT IT STILL WASN'T THE SAME4 ,WE HAD TO GET USED TO THE NEW NORMAL4 ,SINCE ,MOM PASSED AWAY1 ,I DID EVERYTHING ,I COULD TO HELP ,DAD4 ,IF HE NEEDED SOMETHING1 HE WOULD CALL ME4 ,EVERY NIGHT AROUND THE SAME TIME1 ,I WOULD CALL TO SEE WHAT HE WAS DOING1 AND WHEN ,I DIDN'T CALL1 ,I WENT DOWN TO SEE HIM4 ,HE LIVED JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM ME4 ,HE KNEW WHEN WE WENT SOMEWHERE1 AS HE COULD SEE FROM HIS LIVING ROOM WINDOW1 WHERE HE SAT MOST OF THE TIME4 ,WHEN ,WALLY AND ,I DROVE BY1 ,I WOULD ASK HIM IF ,DAD WAS HOME1 OR IF HE WAS OUT BY THE DOOR4 ,THIS GOT TO BE A HABIT WHENEVER WE WENT SOMEWHERE4 ,I GUESS ,I WAS JUST CHECKING ON HIM4 ,NOW THAT HE IS GONE1 ,I STILL FEEL LIKE DOING THE SAME THING1 ONLY THEN ,I REMEMBER HE IS NOT THERE4 ,IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO4 ,I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS1 BUT IT SEEMS DIFFERENT THAN #AFI DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#IE WHEN ,MOM PASSED AWAY4 ,THERE ARE STILL NIGHTS WHEN ,I FORGET MYSELF AND THINK ,I HAVE TO CALL HIM4 ,IT WAS PART OF MY ROUTINE4 ,IT WAS THE NEW YEAR1 AND ,I STILL HAD NOT FOUND ANY WORK4 ,I HAD A COUPLE OF INTERVIEWS BEFORE ,CHRISTMAS BUT DIDN'T GET ANYTHING4 ,I AM -------------------------------------#IF STILL LOOKING1 BUT THERE IS NOT MUCH AVAILABLE IN MY AREA4 ,I HAVE BEEN FEELING A LITTLE DEPRESSED SINCE SOME TIME BEFORE ,CHRISTMAS4 ,I AM THINKING IT HAS TO DO WITH MY BEING LET GO FROM ,REVENUE ,CANADA1 AND THEN ,DAD'S PASSING4 ,IT'S NOT THAT ,I DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING2 IT'S THE OPPOSITE4 ,I REALLY WANT TO GET OUT AND GO TO WORK4 ,ALL ,I USUALLY DO IS GO FOR THE OCCASIONAL APPOINTMENT OR FOR GROCERIES1 WHICH IS GOOD1 BUT ,I WANT SOMETHING MORE4 ,MY FRIENDS ARE WORKING AND DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET TOGETHER4 ,I SPEND MY DAYS HOME WONDERING WHAT TO DO4 #AGJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IF ,WALLY AND ,NELLIE GO ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS AND GO TO WORK1 AND ,I WOULD NOT EXPECT THEM TO DO ANY DIFFERENT4 ,I JUST WANT TO HAVE A REASON TO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE4 ,FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS1 ,I HAVE BEEN NOTICING MY VISION CHANGING1 AND NOT FOR THE BETTER4 ,I CAN'T SEE THE SUN LIKE ,I DID1 AND IT IS HARDER TO FIND MY WAY AROUND4 ,I CAN'T PICK OUT WHAT ,I HAVE ON MY PLATE LIKE ,I USED TO4 ,I THOUGHT IT WAS DIFFICULT WHEN ,I FIRST LOST MY VISION1 BUT NOW WITH THESE CHANGES1 IT IS GETTING HARDER4 ,EVEN THOUGH ,I WAS CONSIDERED LEGALLY BLIND BEFORE1 ,I COULD SEE ENOUGH TO DO MANY THINGS2 THIS IS NO LONGER THE CASE4 ,I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS TO DO WITH MY GLAUCOMA1 OR JUST THE CHANGES DUE TO MY OPTIC NERVES4 ,I USED TO SEE MY OPHTHALMOLOGIST ON A REGULAR BASIS1 BUT SINCE ,JULY #BJBC1 THIS HAS CHANGED4 ,BEFORE MY LAST APPOINTMENT1 ,I HAD A CALL FROM HIS SECRETARY TO CANCEL4 ,SHE TOLD ME #AGA DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#IF THAT HE WAS OFF ON MEDICAL LEAVE AND DID NOT KNOW WHEN OR IF HE WOULD BE BACK4 ,SHE SUGGESTED ,I FIND A NEW OPHTHALMOLOGIST4 ,I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE1 BUT WITH NO LUCK4 ,I HAVE ASKED MY FAMILY DOCTOR AND AN OPTOMETRIST1 BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ONE EITHER4 ,IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING4 ,HERE ,I WANT TO TRY TO KEEP THE LITTLE VISION ,I HAVE1 BUT ,I CAN'T GET IN TO SEE AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST2 WHAT AM ,I TO DO8 ,THEY SEEM TO HAVE ALL THE PATIENTS THEY ARE TAKING ON1 SO WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE THE REST OF US8 -------------------------------------#IG ,LIVING IN SUCH A SMALL AREA OUTSIDE THE CITY DOESN'T OFFER MUCH TO DO1 AND IT IS EVEN WORSE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED OR HAVE OTHER DISABILITIES4 ,THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED4 ,WHO KNOWS2 MAYBE THIS WILL BE MY NEXT CHALLENGE4 ,I HAVE DECIDED TO PUT MY GUITAR LESSONS ON HOLD FOR NOW1 AS #AGB DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#IG ,WALLY IS GOING TO WORK AND WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE ME THERE4 ,I HAVEN'T GOTTEN MY ,,CNIB GROUP TOGETHER SINCE LATE IN ,NOVEMBER1 JUST BEFORE DAD PASSED AWAY4 ,WE HAD A KITCHEN PARTY AT THE ,KNIGHTS OF ,COLUMBUS IN ,CARBONEAR4 ,I HAD MY ,UNCLE ,LINUS AND COUSIN ,TONY PLAY FOR US4 ,THE TURNOUT WAS VERY GOOD1 CONSIDERING THAT MORNING WE HAD SNOW4 ,EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME4 ,MY PLAN IS TO HAVE A ,CORN ,HOLE TOURNAMENT NEXT4 ,THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT IS GROWING IN POPULARITY4 ,IT'S SIMILAR TO A BEAN BAG TOSS1 WHERE A PERSON TRIES TO GET THE BEAN BAG INTO THE HOLE4 ,THERE ARE FOUR PEOPLE ON A TEAM4 ,I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD WORK4 ,WE COULD HAVE A TEAM WITH TWO VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE ALONG WITH TWO PEOPLE WITH SIGHT4 ,I WILL NOT ABANDON HOPE ON FINDING A JOB4 ,I AM GOING TO KEEP LOOKING4 ,AS YOU SHOULD KNOW FROM READING THIS BOOK1 ,I AM NOT ONE TO GIVE UP4 ,I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO REACH FOR THOSE #AGC DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#IG STARS4 ,I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS FOCUSING MY TIME ON THIS BOOK1 BUT IT HAS BEEN WORTH IT4 ,SHARING MY EXPERIENCES AS A VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSON TRYING TO FIND WORK WILL BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE AND MAYBE MAKE CHANGES FOR US IN THE FUTURE4 ---------------------------------#IH-#II #AGD DAYLIGHT TO DARK ,CONCLUSION ,VISION LOSS CAN BE DEVASTATING4 ,IT CAN AFFECT A PERSON'S LIFE IN MANY WAYS2 HOWEVER1 IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HOLD YOU BACK4 ,YOU CAN STILL HAVE A VERY NORMAL LIFE4 ,THERE IS THIS PHRASE ,I HEARD1 AND IT STUCK WITH ME3 8,I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE STARS1 BUT ,I CAN STILL REACH FOR THEM40 ,I HONESTLY BELIEVE THIS4 ,IF YOU WANT SOMETHING BAD ENOUGH1 YOU WILL FIND A WAY TO GET IT4 ,MY JOURNEY WITH VISION LOSS HAS TAUGHT ME MANY NEW WAYS OF DOING THINGS4 ,I EVEN TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE OF GOING BACK TO SCHOOL1 NOT KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT1 AND ,I MADE IT2 ,I GRADUATED4 ,YOU CAN DO IT TOO4 ,JUST BELIEVE IN YOURSELF1 AND DON'T LET ANYONE CHANGE YOUR MIND4 ,IT'S THE SUCCESSES THAT MAKE IT ALL WORTH IT4 ,VISION LOSS AFFECTS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES4 ,SOME ARE BORN WITH IT1 #AGE DAYLIGHT TO DARK WHILE OTHERS LOSE IT LATER IN LIFE4 ,IT DOESN'T MATTER WHEN IT HAPPENS2 IT CHANGES A PERSON'S WHOLE LIFE4 ,AN ESTIMATED #A4E MILLION PEOPLE IN ,CANADA IDENTIFY THEMSELVES AS HAVING SOME TYPE OF VISION LOSS4 ,ANOTHER #E4E MILLION HAVE AN EYE DISEASE THAT CAN CAUSE SIGHT LOSS4 ,VISION LOSS IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE IN THE NEXT TWENTY-FIVE YEARS WITH ,CANADA'S AGING POPULATION49#G ,BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT REGULAR COMPREHENSIVE DILATED EYE EXAMS CAN HELP ADULTS AGED FIFTY AND OLDER PROTECT THEIR VISION BY CATCHING EYE "333333 #G ,,CNIB1 8,BLINDNESS IN ,CANADA40 ------------------------------------#AJJ DISEASES AND CONDITIONS EARLY1 WHEN THEY'RE EASIER TO TREAT49#H ,THIS IS WHY EVERYONE HAS TO DO THEIR PART TO MAKE THINGS ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE4 ,IN THE FUTURE1 THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE DEPENDING ON ACCESSIBLE SERVICES4 ,SOME THINGS THAT CAN BE DONE TO #AGF DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AJJ MAKE A HOME MORE ACCESSIBLE COULD INCLUDE GOOD LIGHTING1 IMPROVED HOUSEHOLD ORGANIZATION1 EMBRACING CONTRASTING COLOURS1 THINKING BIGGER1 WORKING WITH A LOW VISION SPECIALIST1 AND PROVIDING MORAL SUPPORT49#I ,WHEN A PERSON LOSES THEIR VISION LATER IN LIFE1 THEIR INDEPENDENCE DISAPPEARS4 ,THE LITTLE THINGS YOU USED TO DO BECOMES A STRUGGLE4 ,YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO DO EVERYTHING OVER AGAIN4 ,FOR A PERSON WHO IS BORN WITHOUT SIGHT1 IT IS STILL JUST AS HARD4 ,THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS1 ONE HAS TO START FROM THE BEGINNING1 WHILE THE OTHER HAS TO LEARN TO DO THINGS ALL OVER AGAIN IN A DIFFERENT WAY4 ,THIS IS NOT EASY FOR ANYONE1 BUT IT CAN BE DONE4 ,ONE MYTH ABOUT VISION LOSS IS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND CANNOT DO ANYTHING4 ,THE FACT IS THAT WE CAN DO THE SAME AS A PERSON WITH SIGHT1 WE JUST LEARN A NEW WAY TO DO IT4 ,THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF TECHNOLOGY BEING DEVELOPED TODAY ARE MAKING IT #AGG DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AJJ EASIER FOR THE BLIND COMMUNITY TO DO MANY THINGS THEY ONCE COULD NOT4 ,VISION LOSS DOESN'T HAVE TO STOP A PERSON FROM LIVING THEIR LIFE THE WAY THEY WANT TO4 ,TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS A PERSON TO DO MANY THINGS THAT COULD NOT BE DONE BEFORE4 ,EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE ADVANCEMENTS ARE MADE4 ,PEOPLE WITH VISION LOSS ARE BECOMING WHAT THEY REALLY WANT TO BE1 THE SAME AS ANYONE ELSE WOULD4 ,THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO DO IS SAY TO YOURSELF1 8,I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP1 ,I AM GOING TO FIND A NEW WAY TO LIVE MY LIFE4 ,I AM NOT GOING TO LET MY VISION LOSS HOLD ME BACK40 ,IF THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT1 THERE IS NOTHING AND NO ONE WHO CAN STOP YOU FROM DOING IT4 ,IT MAY "333333 #H ,NATIONAL ,EYE ,INSTITUTE1 8,VISION AND ,AGING ,RESOURCES40 #I ,BURSACK1 8,HOW TO ,MAKE ,LIFE ,EASIER AND ,SAFER FOR ,SENIORS #AGH DAYLIGHT TO DARK C#AJJ WITH ,LOW ,VISION40 ------------------------------------#AJA BE HARD AT FIRST1 BUT DON'T GIVE UP2 KEEP GOING4 ,THERE WILL BE STRUGGLES TO GET THROUGH AND BARRIERS TO OVERCOME1 BUT IN THE END1 IT WILL BE WORTH IT4 ,FROM EXPERIENCE1 ,I KNOW THAT LEARNING TO DO SOMETHING NEW OR FIGURING OUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING GIVES US A GREAT FEELING4 ,IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BIG2 EVEN THE SIMPLEST THINGS GIVE US GREAT JOY4 ,FOR THOSE WHO HAVE VISION1 DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED4 ,TAKE CARE OF YOUR EYES1 HAVE REGULAR CHECKUPS1 AND PLAY SAFE4 ,MAKE SURE YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT CAN DAMAGE OR HARM YOUR SIGHT4 ,FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN EYE CONDITION THAT MAY CAUSE THEM TO LOSE THEIR VISION1 KEEP UP WITH THE RESEARCH BEING DONE1 AND DON'T GIVE UP4 ,YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF4 ,NO ONE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOU4 ,AS OF NOW1 ,I STILL HAVEN'T #AGI DAYLIGHT TO DARK A#AJA FOUND ANY WORK1 BUT ,I AM NOT GOING TO GIVE UP4 ,EVERY DAY ,I AM CHECKING THE JOB BANK AND ,INDEED4 ,I AM ALSO STILL WORKING WITH ,,CCRW4 ,MAYBE ONE DAY ,I WILL FIND THE PERFECT JOB FOR ME1 OR ,I MAY EVEN CONSIDER STARTING A BUSINESS OF MY OWN AGAIN4 ,WHO KNOWS2 THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS4 ,I AM GOING TO CONTINUE WITH MY GUITAR LESSONS AND HOPEFULLY GET THE ,,CNIB GROUP TOGETHER4 ,WRITING THIS BOOK HAS BEEN A LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME4 ,I DIDN'T REALIZE THE AMOUNT OF EFFORT THAT WOULD GO INTO IT4 ,THERE HAVE BEEN UPS AND DOWNS1 BUT NOW ,I AM STARTING TO SEE THE RESULTS OF MY HARD WORK4 ,BEFORE LOSING MY SIGHT1 ,I WAS A PERSON WHO WAS ALWAYS ON THE GO4 ,BETWEEN RUNNING A BUSINESS1 RAISING TWO GIRLS1 AND KEEPING UP WITH ,WALLY1 ,I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME FOR MYSELF1 BUT ,I LOVED IT4 ,DOING THE BOOKKEEPING WORK FOR MY BUSINESS WAS ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS OF MY WEEKEND4 ,NOW #AHJ DAYLIGHT TO DARK B#AJA WITH MY VISION LOSS1 THIS HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY1 AND ,I HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO DO THINGS ALL OVER AGAIN1 BUT ,I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN4 ,I WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES4 ,SO1 THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ ABOUT MY JOURNEY IN REACHING FOR THOSE STARS4 ,THIS MAY BE THE END OF MY BOOK1 BUT IT IS NOT THE END OF MY JOURNEY WITH VISION LOSS4 #AHA DAYLIGHT TO DARK #AJB-#AJC ,BIBLIOGRAPHY ,BURSACK1 ,CAROL ,BRADLEY4 8,HOW TO ,MAKE ,LIFE ,EASIER AND ,SAFER FOR ,SENIORS WITH ,LOW ,VISION3 #G ,TIPS FOR ,HELPING A ,VISUALLY ,IMPAIRED ,SENIOR40 ,ACCESSED ,AUGUST #BA1 #BJBJ4 HTTPS3_/_/WWW4AGINGCARE4COM" _/ARTICLES_/MAKING-LIFE-EASIER-FOR-" OLDER-ADULTS-WITH-LOW-VISION-" #AGGGIB4;HTM4 ,CANADIAN ,NATIONAL ,INSTITUTE FOR 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