My blindness was almost total at this point, and my eyes still looked like a monster, when I met these ladies for the first time.
The computer was filling some of my time, as I was learning to write, collecting many email addresses, and sending out as many emails as I could.
My blindness kept a huge separation between the world and myself.
After I went blind, we had a struggle turning in my driver's license at the DMV, as they were not trained to take them back. Therefore, I ended up calling the state of New York and they gave me an address to send it back.
This triggered the state of New York to contact the Department of Blind Services to let them know that I was blind and to contact me.
I received a phone call from Linda from CBVH, the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She asked if she could come to my home to visit me.
I had no idea what she could want, but I said, "Sure, why not."
She came to my house and sat down at the kitchen table with me, asking about what happened to me, who I was, and my family. It was a genuinely nice visit up to this point.
Then she reached into her briefcase and pulled out something for me to feel. She laid it on the table. Then she said, "I would like you to feel this."
It was a big book with dots on it.
When I realized what it was, I pushed it back to her, saying, "NO WAY! I am not going to learn Braille!"
She placed it back into her briefcase. Then reached in there for other blind aids.
She showed me a liquid level and showed me how to use it. Then she pulled out a signature guide, for signing my name, among other blind aids for the visually impaired.
I was surprised to learn how many things there were for the blind.
I told her that I miss playing cards, so then she pulled out a deck of Braille cards. I was excited that blind people could play cards, but I sure did not like this Braille on them.
She left them with me to think about though. She said, "Can I come back next week? I was thinking, "Why does she want to come back?" I said, "Yeah, sure.
She looked at her schedule and we scheduled the next meeting.
Linda ended up teaching me the basics of Braille, and she tried to teach me how to read Braille with a book, but that did not go over very well at all, as I was not a book reader when I could see.
Nevertheless, she gave me the skill to Braille thousands of labels, on so many things that I used, and most importantly, she gave me my card playing back.
I grew up playing the card game Euchre and have always loved it. Because of Linda, with her patience and her training, Braille cards gave me back this game, with no slowdown of my blindness.
My brother asked his Euchre League, "With all sighted players," if I could come to play on the guest night and informed them that I was blind, using Braille cards. They said, "Yes, we have never seen it, but we can try it."
I let everyone know at the table that I was blind. In addition, I asked them what cards they were playing, and what card turned up at the dealer, and they had no problem letting me know that.
After the guest session, the leader of the group invited me to join the league, as they observed no slowdown while I played.
I played in this league for about 6 years with my brother Pat. I was a winner in one of the sessions, which qualified me to play in the tournament of champions at the end of the season.
I needed to pick my partner, so I picked my brother Pat, of course, and we ended up winning the tournament of champions. I am proud of that trophy.
I then received another phone call, from Sue at the same CBVH. She also asked if she could come to see me at my home.
I was spending so much time alone, that I welcomed any company at this time.
I said "Sure." She came out, and we sat at our kitchen table. She was also genuinely nice, and I could tell that she was also interested in my well-being.
She was very friendly, and I became friends with her soon after we met.
Then, she surprised me with the big event. She reached into her briefcase and pulled out a white walking cane for the blind.
As soon as I realized what it was, I said, "No way! I am not doing that!"
I knew my way around this house, and all the property, so I sure did not want to lower myself to walking with a cane for the blind.
She said, "That's alright, Dan, you don't have to, but can I come out next week?"
She was so friendly; I could not help myself but to say "OK", so, we scheduled another meeting.
The next week, at least I was willing to feel the walking cane. Then, Sue talked me into holding it, then tapping it on the floor.
. It was not long before she had me outside, following me around and informing me how to use it.
. Then, the following week, she said, we are going to take a ride this week.
. I must admit, it was good to get out of the house, but she took me to a different town that had sidewalks. She started following me around, training me on what to do, every step of the way.
. After months of training, she asked me, "Dan, what would you like to do with your new independence?"
. That was a very interesting question to me.
. In my small town, the one and only hardware store seemed to have just about everything. They even had candy for the kids.
. I would go down to the hardware, with my kids a couple of times a week. I could not go down there by myself.
. I was dependent on the eyes of Ann or my children and it really was not fair to them. Therefore, I told Sue, "I think I would like to be able to go down to the Hardware by myself."
. She scheduled that on her calendar, and I proceeded to learn that route. When she was done, I felt confident going back and forth, and I felt a new sense of freedom.
I had a very good relationship with the owner of the hardware, and he helped me out so much, without treating me any differently than anyone else.
He never questioned my blindness with any project that I wanted to carry out in my home.
When Ann became pregnant with our child, the only bathroom we had was upstairs, and she was starting to have a hard time walking up and down the stairs in her condition.
We had a little coat closet in the den, where our wood-burning stove was.
I felt around there, and I had an idea. I then went downstairs to the cellar to check things out. The sewer line and the water pipes were both close below the little closet.
I took out all the coats and clothes rods, then I went down to the hardware store to talk with Gordy about it.
Growing up I had some plumbing experience with my brother Bill, and I had all the tools, so I went for it.
We already had an extra toilet and sink in the barn, which was included in an auction we went to, that came with a lot we bought. With Gordy's advice and input, he sold me all the pipes and fittings, to hook up the toilet and small sink. With his advice, and my previous plumbing experience, they all fit together nicely into that little closet for Ann, and all of us to use.
Now back to Sue, my mobility instructor.
She trained me by going to many more places also, including a church that I attended every week for my AA meetings.
I look back on these visits from Linda and Sue and realize that these two women were just doing their job, very well, I might add.
They were both so patient with me, allowing me to resist the training and feel my feelings about my blindness. Then they worked with me, at my pace.
Linda and Sue are such a big part of my recovery, with my physical blindness, and I do not know where I might be without them both in my life, as the doors of independence just started opening wide when they finished with my training.
There are no coincidences. I cannot imagine any other people fulfilling what they both have done for me, on a personal level.
That is why I consider them, angels in my life, for they certainly were in the right place at the right time for me.
Both of them, I consider my most wonderful friends to this day, and I thank God for them.