I also have a support group on Facebook for anyone to join, introduce yourself with your story, ask questions, have a moan or a rant, a funny story, anything really. The main objective is to all support each other there.
Whether you yourself have any form of Macular Dystrophy, you want to support and get advice for a friend or family member, everyone is welcome.
The group is set to private, so only us group members can see what’s happening in there.
The link to click is below to join the group. See you there! ☺️
PD A cartoon hand with red nail varnish, holds a phone up to the middle of the image. On the top of the phone is my green eye One Vision Blog logo. Underneath that the text on the phones screen reads. Support Group for Macular Dystrophy Stargardt’s Disease
I’ve been listening to the audio description on my television lately.
I switched the facility on as I’m not sure I’m seeing everything.
It provides a description of what’s happening on the screen. Not all programmes provide this, but it is handy if you can’t see what’s happening properly and want to properly follow a story. An aid to add to your enjoyment without struggling.
A voice over specialist, describes on-screen actions, settings, expressions, and other visual information without interrupting the original audio.
It adds to the experience anyway, even if you can see perfectly well. I’ve learnt alot of facts from having this on. Character names you didn’t know in films that aren’t even mentioned. Even ones I’ve watched for years, now have extra details I didn’t know. Same goes for songs that you hear playing. Tells you who it is. Provides a lot more detail than is mentioned or given otherwise.
I’ll tell you something though. It’s savage sometimes ☺
Abit judgey. Sometimes harshly descriptive. Regarding attractiveness, size or even age of a person. Quite funny, sometimes downright shocking really and well worth turning on to listen to, even if you can see ok.
Watch Naked Attraction with this on and it will provide no end of enjoyment by the audio alone!
VIDEO DESCRIPTION A blonde cartoon woman. With her back of head to the image. Sits on a green sofa and watches television. The start of the film The Worlds End plays. Simon pegg, dressed in a blue outfit, plays Gary, who is talking facing the camera. Audio Description plays
I’m sitting in one of our lovely pubs, in the centre of the city I live in.
Taking in the Spring Bank Holiday afternoon.
I have, for the first time in decades, ordered a malibu and pineapple drink.
Probably due to just coming back from Tenerife and having a few pina coladas there which have abit more to them, but taste similar. Maybe due to some nostalgia for a time that this would have been a rare treat when I was young and having first nights out with my friends.
Me and my friend Melanie would treat ourselves to a short drink when we got our wages. Hers was a pernod and blackcurrant drink. We were teens and we both wouldn’t have earned much I’m reckoning, but I remember feeling very good after buying my, one and only, malibu and pineapple of the night. A poor man’s Pina colada I call it. Which back then unless it was on offer, and lasted me most of the night, I couldn’t afford to drink regularly. Only on special occasions when we used to go to the nightclub here. It was called Rooftop Gardens. 2 for 1 cocktails first thing.
This has made me reflect, as it’s coming upto 10 years since I was diagnosed with Macular Dystrophy. I think back to those times (late 1980s) and I’m so very thankful for the memories and for the people around at that time.
I’m fortunate and lucky for this slow onset and I now see that person as not me really.
I can’t remember when my mind was so free and easy like that from not having to look at the floor. Escape from the glare. Squint at everything. Fall on the floor. Bang into stuff. Getting frustrated. Not trusting my eyes. Staring at the object to find it. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I’ve nearly finished my drink now and feel happy about my memories. You sometimes have to shove the good memories to the front of your brain, rather than the bad.
So thinking back to my recent holiday and having lovely memories from that too. I thought of something I did so I wouldn’t lose my suitcase or at least I could have a chance of spotting it out against all the others there.
Bit of an anticlimax after that though ☺️
I bought a bright neon yellow suitcase. Brightest bugger I could find.
Then stickered it up with friendly suns, just to make it stand out a little more.
When I went on holiday before. I always sort of panicked when they go around that whirly thing. Can’t think of a name #ThisDrinkIsStrong . Richard is here now I’ll ask him.
“Conveyor belt” bemused stare
I thought I wouldn’t catch it in time. Or have to run around after it, looking a right tit.
Also. I bought myself a neon yellow and white striped towel. So instead of potentially sitting with other people I don’t know. This was to give me a fighting chance to know where my friends were. As I reckoned I wouldn’t see them among the throng of sunbathers. But I maybe able to recognise the bright towel.
So that’s it really.
A bit of a rant and a handy tips.
If you got this far give us a like ☺️
PD 1 A close up of an orange and yellow drink in a glass with ice cubes.PD 2 A top view of a suitcase still with airport tag around the handle. Bright yellow in colour. Colourful Sun stickers placed onto the suitcase PD 3 A neon yellow and white striped towel covers all the frame
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