President Irene Kaufman welcomed 15 members to the recent Merry Makers meeting at Jamesway Manor.
Edie Henry introduced guest speaker Nancy Dietrich of Harriston and her driver Gayle Clarke. Dietrich has lived with low vision since 1987 and chose to retire in 2002. With the use of a computer screen magnifier, she is able to read and keep connected with world events, family, and friends. She volunteers at the art gallery and the Canadian Diabetes Association branch office in Harriston. Dietrich is on the local Accessibility Advisory Committee advocating for change and awareness and setting up standards throughout the municipality.
Upon diagnosis of a rare skin disorder and the eventual loss of her eyesight, Dietrich told the group she found her life quite depressing. Her bright spot became her two nephews who cheered her on.
Dietrich soon learned about the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, the Blind Super Store, and the Low Vision Clinic. She found they had gadgets and tricks to help her in her daily life.
Bright thick dots marked her stove, microwave, and laundry machines; elastics were put around boxes of milk and bottles of shampoo; the phones had large numbers; the bathroom scales and alarm clocks talked; large print cheques were underscored; a colour reader told her how to match up socks; binoculars brought the television closer; and she now carries a folding white cane.
Dietrich has some peripheral vision and subtly leans her head slightly to see who is talking to her.
She relies on voices for recognition, but appreciates it greatly when someone identifies themselves when saying hello.
Dietrich also practices the daily disciplines of living with diabetes, relying on a large-print glucose metre and talking insulin pump.
Dietrich likes to relax and listen to talking books or her student volunteer read the latest from the local Newspapers. Other times she slides into her dancing shoes for a night of music and merriment.
She finished her talk with a story about a beggar who’s sign read, “I am blind” and a man who changed his sign to say, “the world is beautiful, but I can not see.”
Mary Mighton expressed appreciation to Dietich for her presentation.
