"Call me Sherlock"

The past few weeks have been odd.
I'm trying to pick myself up and keep life as normal as possible. The increasing difficulty however is the sheer lack of awareness of sight impairment, disability and the issues surrounding these! This is not necessarily down to ignorance but there is no awareness out there so everything i am discussing and learning is a major learning curve for me too.
I am pretty open about my current issue and have no issue discussing or answering questions people have - it actually helps me have a better understanding. Everything is crazy at the moment and anyone who knows me knows how tough, busy and stressful the last week has been. Again a million appointments but mainly to sort out my registration and arrange assessments so I can still work .
Now let me tell you about the registration process for sight impaired and severely sight impaired people. Firstly, i had about 10-12 opthalmologist appointments last year, excluding A&E visits and outpatient tests, Solihull hospital and Moore field's in london took me under the wings of their best professors to work out what the hell is going on.
Solihull hospital filled out a form called a CV1 after almost a year of decline, this documents that I meet criteria to be registered as disabled. This then goes to social services and my GP, social services then assess my home life and make adaptations to help me improve my independence and to ensure I am safe. (This does not mean, however, that David can get out of making me tea on tap, sorry!)
I am still waiting for my assessment at home but I have tried to make some changes by researching and purchasing items that will help. Not only did I get a swanky bright blue dinner service but i also purchased a touch lamp. Touch lamps are GENIUS.
Do you know how difficult it is to line plug pins up with the little holes! It also means I can increase the light or decrease the brightness dependant on what i am doing. A brighter dinner set is brilliant for contrast and bland food stands out more. I don't struggle to eat and trust me the only exercise I seem to be participating in at the moment is heavy lifting of fork to mouth ...

I started seeing a support worked called an 'ECLO' not many people know but these support workers are available through opthamology departments without a referal and you don't need to be registered to visit them. But you would never know they were there unless you ask- Brilliant!
I was a bit close minded at first but by explaining the registration process and the range of equipment I could get to help me, including the emotional support available to me and my partner, she really increased my confidence.
I have come to realise that I've been selfish and it  isn't just happening to me but those close to me who put up with the outbursts of tears, the miserableness and my ever increasing demand for tea and cuddles. From my son who doesn't understand why I can't play the fiddly board games or verse him in a super Mario cart race on the Wii U... to my future husband who could easily run right now and choose an unburdened life unstead of helping me with stupid things like cooking, getting in and out of the shower and making hot drinks.[ I've been your tea lady since day one - Dave]
Anyway, the ECLO gave me multiple contact numbers and details so I could ask her any questions I needed to day or night. How nice of her! I was also given these tiny rubber squares called 'bump dots' and yes the name is the function, they are bumpy dots you can feel instead of looking for things. For example I put one on the photocopier button and by where I put my key in my locker. I also have two on the oven so I know where to turn the dial to.
Little things that make life a little easier.
This also led to a referral to "Focus" blind charity. These charities are wonderful. The information and equipment they can provide is incredible. They have given me two magnifying glasses for work. I personally thought I could nip to Poundland to grab one but that's not the case - they have to be prescribed to your needs. They are amazing , no magnifying glass can improve the terrible terrible handwriting of some people but I can actually read more things without squinting or without literally putting it against my eye. Plus I look like a pretty cool detective, just get me a deerstalker and call me Sherlock...

You may see people out and about with a white cane. To me the most obvious symbol that a person is sight impaired. But no. We are all wrong. Apparently carrying a stick is a sign you are either a) a pimp b) a portable poledancer or c) are conforming to a new ridiculous fashion trend, alongside the man choker...  You most certainly don't need assistance with a variety of everyday tasks including getting off the train or asking what number bus is coming. I have started to hate going out alone, the fact that i can be in a crowd of people and not see their faces is daunting enough. Knowing that I have been out alone, fallen on my face and been laughed at instead of helped, ignored or been given the look of frustration when asking for help really knocks your confidence. Maybe I approached people on a bad day and I know not everyone is like that.

My cane is not floor length it is called a "symbol cane" the function being it's name. They're pretty good at that! Anyway as I do not know if I need mobility training till assessment for now this is my new Buddy. To try and explain what I can see is difficult, it's like looking through a fog constantly and my peripheral vision, particularly in my left eye, is awful, its just darkness. My pupils often appear slightly different sizes or after straining for so long my eyes will be bloodshot  and my head pounding .  When I walk, if i try look at the floor, I feel drunk and trip or miss pot holes. I can see the funny side to this, obviously, but my ankles can't! To have a floor length cane with a ball you need to be trained on how to use it via social services. My cane hangs around my wrist and comes to just below my knee I use it when I am in busy places or with my boy alone.
Hopefully I hear from social services soon so everything can fall into place.

The final part of registration is the "benefits" but the system is stupid!
"Your disability is vision loss- great! We will send you a 24 page booklet of questions you need to hand write and send evidence with, but won't worry it'll be in large print...you my also have to travel to see us so we can visually access if you are disabled"
a complete and utter ball-ache. Then you get arsey letters moaning at you because you have taken too long to fill the paper work out! What's with that?!
I can't see well, i have a physical certificate off  of a consultant stating this yet they need me to hand write how every aspect of my life has changed and how its affected me in a timely fashion with evidence...is that not obvious? It feels unnecessary and wanting me to travel to them, wherever that may be (when I can just about have the courage to get the bus to work round the corner) is stupid.
But until that is sorted I cannot get discounted rail and bus, which would save me and my companion a lot of money to travel to and from london for my endless stream of appointments - bright side of trips to London though is tasty food from the Chinese quarter :)

Life will get better, well, at least easier...I hope. Wouldn't it be great if at school we were taught the basics to solve real problems and how to deal with real tough life situations? Knowing the different types of tectonic plates is not helping me out here at all.
My week improved as I finally found my wedding dress! The most beautiful dress I will ever own, I got emotional, my mom welled up and it put me on a high that I needed. I felt pretty and like a bride! The next year will blur, trying to plan everything and hand make invites will be a test but I'll just stay away from the scissors and attempt to observe, I don't fancy loosing any fingers as well!
I then took a short break with a life-long buddy. It helped a lot, we walked, talked, laughed, played pool and ate so much it hurt... I need to spend more time with him. I don't think he realises how much I miss his company. Even when he was driving me home, after pulling up at the services, finding a puncture and being sat in the cold for an hour, we were laughing and singing to noughties pop and it was fun. I need to focus more on times like this, spend more time with family and friends having a laugh, making memories and enjoying life. There's always someone worse off and I hope you can all take a little piece of knowledge with you this week!

Go fourth and educate :D

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