My little red tether is my anchor in running with my friends. A beautiful guide dog has been my tether/anchor in mobility and independence for 17 years: 1. Pantera 2. Cricket, and now my beautiful 3. Georgina (Georgie). A life of family and friends is my joy and anchor in life.

The human spirit is stronger than anything that can happen to it. CC Scott

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thriving with Retinitis Pigmentosa

Several years ago I had the opportunity to present on the topic Tools for Coping with Retinitis Pigmentosa in Chicago. I felt like I was sharing some positive tools in the adjustment process.   A few minutes into my presentation a woman spoke up and said something that I have always remembered.  I don't want to cope.  That sounds like I am just getting by.  I want to thrive.  I thanked her and wholeheartedly agree and shifted my presentation to thriving tools.

Today Cricket and I went to the Moran Eye Center for an eye exam.  I have incredible support in my home, but chose to go alone to this appointment.  It becomes a looong appointment by the time they do all the work and didn't want Steve to have to take a day off for this -- he has done so many, many times and will do so in the future many times, I'm sure.  I would much rather us be able to take the late afternoon off tomorrow and get on the bike.  Perhaps, that is thriving.

Some thoughts on the appointment today.   I sat in the waiting room with many other people visiting a retina specialist.  Spending all morning together we got to know each other infact, when one patient finished he said good bye to those of us in the waiting area.  I visited with one patient - his first visit just learning he had a degenerative eye disease.  I listened to his story and hopefully offered some hope that he would indeed thrive and continue to enjoy life.  His wife indicated to me -- you seem happy.  Perhaps, that is thriving.  Another woman had a friend that had RP and didn't know much about Guide Dogs - I offered my number to share and told her many stories of the joy of a guide dog.  Perhaps that is thriving.  We wished each other well as we went into our eye exam, back for photographs, over to get a visual field , or an injection.  It seemed we had a sense of understanding of what this journey was like and were cheering each other on.   We were thriving in our own way.  The retina specialist encouraged me to be healthy and active and take my omega-3.  He liked that I was running.  He liked that I was using my iphone when he came in the room :).  I shared some of the unique symptoms that I have been experiencing and he confirmed that is part of RP.  I liked that and felt validated.

The cab picked me up.   He was impressed with Cricket's ability to find the door.   He asked me about my eyes, and I said I had an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa.  He said -- disease -- oh that's bad.  (It was funny because generally I don't use the word disease rather condition and after his reaction I know why!)  He was chatty and soon was telling me about he just had given up on his dreams.  I said - oh that's sad!  I encouraged him to not give up on his dreams!  He said he was here just making the best of each day.  I told him he was resilient.  He liked my word :).   I realized I missed a little bit my days of riding a cab frequently in the city.  As he dropped me off at Gateway in front of the cookie shop for a raspberry cookie I asked him to wait a minute.  Cricket and I ran in (well the best we can run in :) and bought him a raspberry cookie.
Time to crash for a bit after all those bright lights and various drops put in my eyes.  Perhaps it is thriving to also take some down time after an exhausting day :).

9 comments:

Reddunappy said...

You have an amazing attitude!!

wendy said...

What a great word...THRIVE.
much better then just cope.

MOM said...

Thank you for sharing and reminding all of us the importance to having a good attitude in order to thrive. You're awesome!

3 labs 4 me said...

You always give me thoughts to ponder after I read your blog. Thanks for keeping me on my toes. Relax & enjoy down time. You deserve it.

Jenny said...

This is beautiful and just what I needed to read today. Thank you! You're amazing! It's pretty cool how we all have the ability to totally brighten someones day and lift each other up. You certainly did today at your apt, with your lucky cab driver, and for those of us who get to read your uplifting words! Thriving indeed!

Anonymous said...

I like the word "thrive". I like that you appreciate and validate others. I like that you took a cab into the city. I like that you treated yourself to a cookie. And I liked BEST that you got one for the cabbie. Probably made his day, if not week (or month). Yay for you -- thriving instead of coping.

Becky Andrews said...

Love all your uplifting and thriving comments :). Thank you.

Unknown said...

One of the most special parts of this blog post was the way you exemplified what thriving can look like for everyone in your examples of moving through a day. I had to write down some of the words, as there were so many wonderful idea shared. Here are a few I captured: resilient, sense of humor, kindness, generosity, love, listening, sharing, laughing, validity, and happiness. In one morning you walked us through how to exemplify all those things and live a life of THRIVING. Beautiful!

Becky Andrews said...

Lydia; Thank you for helping me see beautiful in my 'ramblings' of my day :).