Going blind

[heart_over_head]

Yesterday, a friend decided to go to school blind. He put a scarf over his eyes half of the time during school until the teacher reminded him that he needed to see in order to complete a project. There were people who lead him around to lunch, the computer lab, and to classes. I thought it was really neat of him to do that. He said he was curious

Comments

Biting Honesty Hear

[mollys_home]

My grandmother went blind from diabetes.
My aunt went blind from diabets and had a foot amputated and kidney dialysis because of diabetes.
My brother had his leg amputated last year due to diabetes.
I am diabetic.

When I was moving, my son was helping me pack and came to the kitchen and said he found a bag of pills taped to the wall INSIDE the linen closet over to the side.
I have always been honest and open with my sons so I told him the truth.
If I follow family history and go blind I have given it much thought and have decided that I would not want to live. It is just something I feel I could not do. I might hang around to see if I'd have the gumption to go through that but I would definitely want to keep my options open.
So the pills were taped to the wall so I know where to go for my overdose should I not have use of my eyes.

He thought about it for awhile and said he understood. He did not know how he would react but he could understand my feelings and would support me and honor my right to choose. He was 20 at the time.

So...yeah, I'd choose to lose hearing over sight.

Re: Biting Honesty Hear

[heart_over_head]

My reaction was similar to your son's. I honestly didn't know what to write, but I knew I wanted you get the message that I appreciate you sharing this with me. And that I see why you would consider dying over living with blindness. It seems like being stuck inside your body and I would feel hopelessly claustrophobic.

How did your grandmother and aunt deal with being blind? Did they turn out to be more appreciative towards life or did they become depressed over it?

Re: Biting Honesty Hear

[mollys_home]

My grandmother, when she lost her sight, was a 4 ft. 10 inch Italian woman who weighed about 260 lbs. Not following the diabetic diet is the main cause of her blindness. She was always a domineering, opinionated, manipulative, mean little woman. (Wouldn't attend dad & mom's wedding because her son Giovanni was marrying an Irish Mic; wouldn't look at their first child, my brother, for one year after birth because they did not name him Antonino after the grandfather but named him John Anthony Jr; then cried when the baby died at age 2 1/2 years old over the time lost; but did the same silent treatment when the next son was not named Antonino. Mom named him Jimmie because John Jr wanted a brother named after his favorite book. She even canceled the order Mom & Dad made for a headstone with an angel on it behind Mom & Dad's back because she wanted a different one to go on the graves. She lived her life after blindness as she did before: never leaving the house, cooking alot and eating too much. There were really no changes in her. She died at age 62.

My aunt was devastated. But she was a trooper. She was on kidney dialysis for years and that did not leave her much time to do much else. She rarely spoke about her feelings but she demonstrated perserverance. She died at age 60.

Sorry to have rattled on about my Gran mama Lucia but that a person who is the source of some demented thinking. Trigger spot for me.

Re: Biting Honesty Hear

[heart_over_head]

Wow, that's harsh what your grandmother did. I liked that your mom named your brother Jimmie because it was your deceased brother's favorite book and he wanted to name it that. That's really sweet. Hopefully your grandmother is in peace right now, though. And hopefully you find peace towards thoughts of your grandmother. Seems like your aunt had much strength.

It's okay to write about your grandmother. I'm always up for listening (or reading) so I can get to know you better. =)