A Wake Up Call

By Sharon Moore

2 min read

I like to think I have a clear understanding of my dry macular degeneration and it’s impact on my life. I have intermediate stage in my right eye and early stage in the left. Coupled with my chronic dry eyes, I have significant blurring.

Still managing with smaller things

I still manage to care for my home with little difficulty, or so I tell myself. On bright sunshiny days, the light hits just right and I realize I haven’t noticed cobwebs or dust accumulating in out-of-the-way places.

I have to ask my husband to make sure I am not wearing black slacks with my navy jacket. Not long ago I went to church wearing two different earrings. They were similar in shape and color but a friend noticed right away.

My first wake up call

I am still legal to drive in my state. I have self-limited myself to only driving at night in areas I am familiar with and stopped city driving. I recently got a late-night call from a friend with stage four cancer. Her only words were “I need you." My husband offered to go with me but I assured him I could find my way. I struggled, slowly driving as I looked for the road she lived on. I finally thought I recognized it and turned up the dirt road.

It wasn’t long until I realized I had turned onto a logging road. It narrowed with pine trees pressing close to the road. I drove on as I couldn’t back down a narrow mountain road and couldn’t turn around. Crying now, I called my husband telling him I was lost. He kept me calm and after a couple of miles, I was able to turn around and return to the highway. As I frantically searched for the road without success, I was forced to call my friends’ husband to come to find me and take me to her.

Lesson learned the hard way, I won’t attempt driving alone at night in unfamiliar areas again regardless of the circumstances.

Second wake up call

As my macular degeneration progressed, I noticed a lack of depth perception. I love to walk outdoors and began using trekking poles after a fall on the gravel road. The use of the poles provided me with stability and I was no longer fearful of falling.

After months of using the poles, I got lax and occasionally walked without them. On a walk with my husband, I decided to make one more lap after he returned to the house. Almost back home, I stubbed my toe and took a hard fall. I was unable to get up. I wear an Apple Watch with fall detection. I didn’t think I needed 911 services. Using my Apple Watch, I called my husband. He was able to help me get to my feet. I had cuts, bruises, and a badly sprained wrist.

Keep safety in mind

Another hard lesson was learned that day. No matter how short the walk, if outdoors, I use the trekking poles. Most days now I walk indoors on the treadmill.

Following these incidents, I am now facing my limitations. I swallow my pride and ask for help when I need someone to drive me. When walking in or outdoors I keep safety in mind.

This article represents the opinions, thoughts, and experiences of the author; none of this content has been paid for by any advertiser. The MacularDegeneration.net team does not recommend or endorse any products or treatments discussed herein. Learn more about how we maintain editorial integrity here.

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Debbie Havens Moderator
Lessons learned the hard way. Glad you were ok. The driving story scares me, I’ve given up most night driving as well. A five minute radius is all I’ll do. 
1. Sharon Moore Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Debbie Havens" user-id="3110438"/> if my friend with cancer had not been so desperate for help, I would never have attempted to drive at night in an unfamiliar area. In hindsight , I should have allowed my husband to drive me. Sharon Moore
Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
I'm glad you survived your two wakeup calls! Your story is a good reminder to all of us to be realistic about our abilities (and to have a backup plan, like an Apple watch and someone to answer it!) Wendy, Advocate.
Linda Hoopes Moderator
I read your story just in time before I made an exception to drive at night to meet friends for dinner! It’s not far and I’m familiar with the route but I have no business driving in the dark anymore - no matter how close it is! Thanks for the wake-up call, Sharon. Linda Hoopes, Advocate 
1. Sharon Moore Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Linda Hoopes" user-id="3120797"/> thanks for your positive feedback. It is hard to accept our limitations but we ignore them at our own peril. Sharon Moore Advocate
sharono360 Member
Thank you for sharing your experience. It is a good reminder to recognize our limitations and ask for help. I have the beginning of dry degeneration in my left eye and wet in my right eye and have been going for injections in that eye for over 3 years now. Driving at night is off the table. I have tried it twice this winter and it is too stressful. Also backing up is a challenge. I have to be careful going up and down stairs, down especially, because the stairs look warped. As far as housecleaning I have to make sure I look extra hard to make sure I get things clean.
1. Sharon Moore Moderator
 <inline-mention username="sharono360" user-id="3131837"/> thank you for the positive feedback. Navigating stairs or curbs do present a challenge to me also. I have an upcoming eye exam and as always I dread it. I know the day will come when I can no longer drive at all. I don’t want it to be now! Sharon Moore advocate 
2. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Sharon Moore" user-id="3129425"/> good luck at your upcoming eye exam. I really hope you get a good report. Wendy, Advocate.
Sarabee Member
 Sharon, thank you very much for helping us talk about the difficulties and limitations we enconter. It's good to hear about successes, but i can learn so miuch from others' struggles. I would also like to know how others deal with the social limitations of impaired vision. There are some situations, including volunteer jobs, that I avoid because they require a level of sight beyond mine. When you turn down a social invitation or a volunteer job, do you explain the reason to others (assuming you see them often) or do you just say no, thanks? ANd what about those embarrassing mistakes - confusing someone with someone else with a similar build, not being able to see something that another volunteer has pointed out. I cannot imagine, once the pandemic has calmed down, ever being ableto navigate in an airport with all those signs. I would really like tohear about how others deal with this. Thanks. Sara
1. Sharon Moore Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Sarabee" user-id="4136541"/> it is only in the past year that I have began speaking out publicly about my vision impairment. I now speak up anytime I need assistance when shopping. I find that people are usually willing to help. Like you, the idea of flying totally intimidates me. Should I have an emergency that required me to fly I plan to ask for handicap assistance. This is a great article on flying with vision loss <a href='https://maculardegeneration.net/living/airplane-travel-vision-loss' target='_blank'>https://maculardegeneration.net/living/airplane-travel-vision-loss</a> . I would not rule out opportunities for volunteer jobs. Depending on the job you may be able to perform that job even with limitations from vision loss. My husband often points out things he wants me to see. I don’t think he can fathom how macular degeneration has impacted my vision. Best wishes, Sharon Moore advocate 
2. Brown Eyed Girl Moderator
 <inline-mention username="Sarabee" user-id="4136541"/> thanks for these questions about social interactions. I think they are very important and deserve a forum thread of their own. I'm going to put them up on another thread as well, and we may get more Community Members to respond either here or there. Best wishes, Wendy, Advocate.
Sarabee Member
THanks to both of you and I look forward to hearing about the experiences of others. Sarabee

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