Gerarde Landry from Dan Wolotsky on Vimeo.
Geade Landry was born blind. I interviewed him about the way he sees life and live it.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Can the blind lead a succesful life?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
the noticing of the eye swishing
My friends and family over time have slowly stopped noticining my nystagmus. People that have knowen me for a long time hage grown use to my nystagmus. Also since my nystagmus has gotten better over time the shacking has comened down.
I have to point it out to adult that need to know about my conditions but they say that they didnt even nottice it before I told them. Kids of the age 8-12 on the other hand nottice it first thing and allways ask whats wrong with my eyes. I don't know if kids are more observent or that adults ar just being polite.
I have asthma and I had an asthma attack at an indoor soccer game at my school (intermieral) the teacher called the ambulance and they brought me to the hospetil. Half way throught the ride I figured that I should tell them that I have nystagmus since nystagmus some times can be a sighn of head trauma. The EMT respones was that he didn't think I was drunk and it was wiered that he had notticed it and didn't want toask about it.
When I went to my dental surgen for the first time to get my wisdom teeth taken out, my Mom did all the papper work and she never mentioned any of my vision problems on it. I usualy tell doctors the first time I meet them well I didn't. The doctor had to excuse him self half wy through the appointment for a phone call. I then told my Mom that I should tell the surgen that I have nystagmus. When he came back I told him about my nystagmus. He then had a look of relief on his face. he then went on tell me that he had noticed it and wanted to ask if I had nystagmus because he didn't know that if that i had not been diagnosed with it and was going to recomed me to go see my doctror about it or he didn't know if I didn''t like talking about it. I started to laugh cause my mom was saying we shouldn't tell him since it has nothing to do with my teeth and that he wouldn't even notice it.
When I was working at my grandmother antique store I started to talk to a couple about the proces of looking at colleges and all the stuff to go along with it. The husband then tolled me was a profeesor at a university and he tought medicine. Then my grandmother brought up the fact that I am visouly impaired and the husband looked at me and said "you have nystagmus right? Cause I teach students about nystagmus." I was so shoock that a stranger walkes into the store and knows exacktly what I have. it was one of the strangest things ever.
I went to the doctor for a check up and she called me asked i I didn't mind that if she let the student who is following her for the day to do the check up and then the doctor her self would come in half way and see how she was doing. She wanted this to happen to see if the student could recognize my nystagmus. I have had the same doctor for 14 years so I trusted her, that she wouldn't put me in harms way. I did it and the student didn't notice it. I thought it was great that I could help train a doctor in the feauture to notice it.
I have to point it out to adult that need to know about my conditions but they say that they didnt even nottice it before I told them. Kids of the age 8-12 on the other hand nottice it first thing and allways ask whats wrong with my eyes. I don't know if kids are more observent or that adults ar just being polite.
I have asthma and I had an asthma attack at an indoor soccer game at my school (intermieral) the teacher called the ambulance and they brought me to the hospetil. Half way throught the ride I figured that I should tell them that I have nystagmus since nystagmus some times can be a sighn of head trauma. The EMT respones was that he didn't think I was drunk and it was wiered that he had notticed it and didn't want toask about it.
When I went to my dental surgen for the first time to get my wisdom teeth taken out, my Mom did all the papper work and she never mentioned any of my vision problems on it. I usualy tell doctors the first time I meet them well I didn't. The doctor had to excuse him self half wy through the appointment for a phone call. I then told my Mom that I should tell the surgen that I have nystagmus. When he came back I told him about my nystagmus. He then had a look of relief on his face. he then went on tell me that he had noticed it and wanted to ask if I had nystagmus because he didn't know that if that i had not been diagnosed with it and was going to recomed me to go see my doctror about it or he didn't know if I didn''t like talking about it. I started to laugh cause my mom was saying we shouldn't tell him since it has nothing to do with my teeth and that he wouldn't even notice it.
When I was working at my grandmother antique store I started to talk to a couple about the proces of looking at colleges and all the stuff to go along with it. The husband then tolled me was a profeesor at a university and he tought medicine. Then my grandmother brought up the fact that I am visouly impaired and the husband looked at me and said "you have nystagmus right? Cause I teach students about nystagmus." I was so shoock that a stranger walkes into the store and knows exacktly what I have. it was one of the strangest things ever.
I went to the doctor for a check up and she called me asked i I didn't mind that if she let the student who is following her for the day to do the check up and then the doctor her self would come in half way and see how she was doing. She wanted this to happen to see if the student could recognize my nystagmus. I have had the same doctor for 14 years so I trusted her, that she wouldn't put me in harms way. I did it and the student didn't notice it. I thought it was great that I could help train a doctor in the feauture to notice it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
migrains
I have had migraines since 5th grade. I missed parts of my Uncle and Aunt's reception due to a migraine. I have gone to my doctors to try to stop them. My eye doctor blames it on eye strain and the fact that my hearing is trying to make up for my sight. When I get a migraine I can't function. Sounds like nails on chalk board and regular light seams like your stairing straight in to the sun. Some of these migraines last for days upon days. All I have to do to stop them are go and lay down in a quite dark room. I have had them start from strob lights, just a loud class, and the dreaded small print papers and books.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Looking at the glass half full
All these posts have been looking at the glass half empty. Well I have through my so far short life some good factors it has broughtalthough in my life. It has forced me to sit in the front of the class room to be in front of the white board. Which means the teacher notices if I talk, mess around, and fall asleep there for I have had to pay attention in class. So there for my grades I have been on an average of a B my whole life. Also since i am not allowed to drive so transportation's costs have been lowered since I don't have to pay for insurance, car repair, and gas. So I can save the money for other things. The best benefit for a 17 year old is that since I can't drive my self so I don't have a curfew since I can't just drive myself home. So my curfew ends up being the curfew of my ride home.
Friday, October 30, 2009
driving
Being a 17 year old in high school driving is big issue. I have known about the fact that I will not be able to drive due to my vision ever since I realized my eyes were an issue. So I have come to terms with it. It?s always a shock when I tell people that I will never be able to drive. My friends are a great help.
The main question I get from people when I tell them that I can?t drive, Is that where do you plan on living when you grow up? I love living in a small town but there is no public transportation. In a city there is a lot of transportation. At this point of my life I don?t know where I will live in the long term. It is a part of my decision of picking a college. I need to be able to get to entertainment by public transportation or by foot.
The main question I get from people when I tell them that I can?t drive, Is that where do you plan on living when you grow up? I love living in a small town but there is no public transportation. In a city there is a lot of transportation. At this point of my life I don?t know where I will live in the long term. It is a part of my decision of picking a college. I need to be able to get to entertainment by public transportation or by foot.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Surgeries
There are surgeries to fix ONH and Nystagmus. The procedure that fixes ONH is not legal here in the United States since it has to do with implementation of stem cells. Nystagmus surgery has to do with the null point and moving it to a more comfortable spo. The null point is where the eye relaxes when i am extremely tired and nervous. The eye stops moving and it results int to a head tilt that cna cause pan in the neck. The tilt counter acts where the null poin.
I have not gotten either surgery because of 2 reasons. The first is the ONH one is experimental and I don’t want to risk going blind. The 2nd is my null point is center bottom of my eye so it is in pretty good location in my eye. I use to have a head tilt that was straight back but as my nystagmus has gotten better my head tilt has gone away. I only have it when I am sitting still watching a play, movies, and or speaches.
I have not gotten either surgery because of 2 reasons. The first is the ONH one is experimental and I don’t want to risk going blind. The 2nd is my null point is center bottom of my eye so it is in pretty good location in my eye. I use to have a head tilt that was straight back but as my nystagmus has gotten better my head tilt has gone away. I only have it when I am sitting still watching a play, movies, and or speaches.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
intro to ONH, Nystagmus, and myself
What is nystagmnus?
It is the uncontrollable movement of the eye. It can come at birth or because of a head trauma. It also can come with other visual problem.
What is ONH (Optic Nerve Hypoplasia)?
e optic nerve. It can result in bigger or more common blind spots. This may also come with other problems with the brain since the optic nerve is considered part of the brain and a part of the brain not growing means another part of the brain may of not grown fully. ONH can occur in one eye or both eyes. ONH can never get worse with in your life.
What is my story?
When I was at my 3 month old check up my pediatrician noticed my eyes moving funny. She sent me down to Boston to get testing fearing that there may be another problem hiding behind my nystagmus. I want down few time during the month of August. They did every type of testing imaginable. That's when the diagnosed me with ONH.
What is my vision?
When I tell people what my vision they always think that not bad which is 20/80 in my right eye and 20/60 in my left eye. The thing is since ONH means blind spots and nystagmus means you have trouble focussing on objects. So when you have less in your field of vision and cant focus you can imagine your what happens to your vision.
It is the uncontrollable movement of the eye. It can come at birth or because of a head trauma. It also can come with other visual problem.
What is ONH (Optic Nerve Hypoplasia)?
e optic nerve. It can result in bigger or more common blind spots. This may also come with other problems with the brain since the optic nerve is considered part of the brain and a part of the brain not growing means another part of the brain may of not grown fully. ONH can occur in one eye or both eyes. ONH can never get worse with in your life.
What is my story?
When I was at my 3 month old check up my pediatrician noticed my eyes moving funny. She sent me down to Boston to get testing fearing that there may be another problem hiding behind my nystagmus. I want down few time during the month of August. They did every type of testing imaginable. That's when the diagnosed me with ONH.
What is my vision?
When I tell people what my vision they always think that not bad which is 20/80 in my right eye and 20/60 in my left eye. The thing is since ONH means blind spots and nystagmus means you have trouble focussing on objects. So when you have less in your field of vision and cant focus you can imagine your what happens to your vision.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)