Life With GA: You Can Laugh or You Can Cry

Truthfully, I have done my fair share of both laughing and crying. After 10 years of dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), I was diagnosed with geographic atrophy (GA) in early 2023. This last advanced stage of dry AMD is slowly causing loss of central vision.

Asking my retina specialist about GA treatment

While I probably didn’t actually cry, I was sad. I don’t know why the GA diagnosis was so shocking to me. Somehow I thought (hoped) I would be someone who never reached this advanced stage.

I immediately asked my retina specialist about the new treatment for GA. Two medications had just become available, and my doctor wanted to wait awhile before starting me on treatment. The next few weeks were hard for me as I thought about all the ways my life might change.

Planning to resume my hobbies again

During this time, I gave away my sewing machine and fabric collection. I stopped crocheting. I was already struggling with my hobbies, so I simply stopped trying.

In hindsight, I was too hasty in my decision to stop trying to enjoy my needlework hobbies. I have found new assistive devices and plan to restart crocheting and knitting this year.

Knowing I can do hard things

Those of you who know me from my writings know I am, by nature, the eternal optimist. By the start of 2024, I was receiving injections, and my vision stabilized. My doctor says I'm responding remarkably well to treatment.

This year has brought many challenges related to health issues for myself and my husband. With the help of my faith, I have held on to my sense of joy. I know I can do hard things and still thrive.

Letting the laughter begin

Vision loss has caused mishaps and embarrassing moments. I have learned to laugh at myself when they happen.

For example, take the time I decided to top a pie with pecans. I laid my bag of pecans on the counter for a moment while I left the room for another item I needed. I returned and covered the pie with what I thought were pecans and baked the pie. I discovered after the pie baked that I had covered it with my husband's bag of birdseed. This pie was for a church dinner. Rather than crying, I laughed right along with all my friends as I told them about the mishap.

Last weekend, I took some Christmas decorations to a friend's house. I turned into her driveway and parked the car. When it was time to leave, I walked back to the car and noticed I had parked partially on the walk rather than the drive. If any of her neighbors were watching, I am sure they had a laugh at the crazy way I parked. That’s ok; I was laughing to myself as I drove away.

It's our choice, and I choose laughter

The inspiration for this article came when I decided to wear my new shoes. I grabbed my scissors and cut the tags off both shoes. As I pulled them on, I realized I had cut the shoe strings in two. Rather than crying, I laughed as I told my husband what I had done.

Today, I choose to laugh when I wear mismatched earrings or enthusiastically greet a total stranger thinking they're a friend. It’s our choice; we can cry or we can laugh. I choose laughter!