FAQ
Where can I buy the book?
Please sign up for my newsletter on this website and I will notify you when and where the book becomes available.
What happened to you?
I was blinded by the side-effect of a prescription drug that I was advised to keep taking contrary to the drug company’s directives.
What was the drug?
I would like to emphasize that the drug cleared my Mycobacterium lung infection, letting me breathe again, so I would recommend using it…and watching for changes in vision. My doctor insisted I continue taking the drug contrary to the drug manufacturer’s clear notice that should there be a vision change the patient is to stop taking the drug immediately. The drug did a good job; my doctor ill-prescribed it. The drug was Ethambutol.
Did you sue the drug company?
This question is often the first question people ask. If it isn’t first, it will be asked soon enough. The answer is no. The drug company was not at fault, however, my doctors were and yes, I sued them. I was awarded an amount that helps me live, but not the millions many might imagine.
What was it like to be blind?
That’s a big question! I tried to answer that question throughout my book. In a nutshell, it was horrible until I adjusted to the blow. It was a journey to another land with many mountains to be climbed to be sure. At one point, I thought I wouldn’t wish blindness on anyone, but now I wish everyone could have the experience to have their eyes opened to blindness and what it can reveal about oneself operating without a sense. It was, succinctly, challenging and enlightening.
You could see some things, so you weren’t really blind, right?
That’s what I thought until I learned otherwise. If you can’t see well enough to read, drive or function like a sighted person, the government and the medical profession categorize you as blind. Some statistics claim that only 18% of blind people are totally blind. Most see something whether it be shapes and shadows, or blurs. As many sighted people can tell you if your vision on a Snelling eye chart is 20/500, you are visually screwed, but if this vision can be corrected with eyeglasses, you are not blind. If no eyeglasses can help you, you are blind. It is a matter of degree. In our culture, we often think that blind is only totally blind, but there are many gradations of blindness. So, to answer your question, while seeing shapes and shadows, I was really blind.
How did this affect your relationships?
Oh, wow! This was telling. Long lost friends reappeared to help me. A couple of besties ran for the hills. The boyfriend relationship took a hit. Strangers were often so kind. Some tried to take advantage. They say a tragedy doesn’t make you different, it just reveals who you truly are, and, I must say, that my friends turned out to be gems, and my love for them has grown enormously. My ‘accident’ showed me that my relationships with people are what matters most. So, I would say that the effects of my blindness improved my relationships with many and ended my relationships with a few.
I’m starting to lose my vision. Where can I get help?
There is so much help available for you. Your doctor should be able to recommend rehab organizations in your location, but contacting The National Federation for the Blind (718-567-7821) is a great start toward finding the help you need. They can help you whether you are needing blind skills, mobility training, technology training, therapy, or all things related to blindness. Reach out to them for starters. Doing so can improve your life!
Do you give talks to groups of people?
Yes. Please contact me should you be interested.
