Give The Gift Of Sight
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When I was a small child it was discovered that I had an eye disease called Keratoconus. This is an uncommon eye disease in which the normally round, dome-like corneas (the clear front window of the eye) becomes thin and develops a bulge. This distorts the eye and thus my vision became distorted. I had keratoconus in both eyes.
My symptoms worsened in my late teens and early twenties: blurry vision, distorted vision (like looking through a fish bowl), and sensitivity to light, glare and headaches. It was very challenging in high school to deal with these changes in vision. I had frequent eye glass changes, and my senior year I found out I could not see out of glasses any longer and would need ridged contact lenses. I loved sports and music in high school and I remember one day thinking I can’t pitch the ball if I cannot see the plate and how am I going to read my flute music? Can I really be a music major in college? The disease progressed over the years. When I could no longer wear contacts my vision was poor and my corneas would develop abrasions because they were so thin. This was a very painful time, I was struggling to keep up in college and then into the work force and graduate school. Most of my employers and professors did not understand the struggles I had with my sight and how that affected my quality of life. They could not “see” my disability so it was difficult for them to provide help or empathize.
In 1983 and 1986, I had corneal transplants. What a blessing from God! The first years my sight was better and I was able to see with contacts. Then, I began to develop significant issues that can occur after corneal transplants. I now have severe scarring, poor vision, and severe astigmatism. I have eye pain, dry eye, and light sensitivity. I can no longer drive and am no longer able to serve as a pastor within the United Methodist . It has been devastating not to be able to minister the way I once did. God called me to be a pastor and serving Him in this way has been my greatest joy. I love helping people; loving them, visiting them when they are sick, being with them in their joys and also in their depths of loss and sadness. I was a pastor and teacher of God’s word and God’s love for all. I can no longer do this and it deeply saddens me.
Because of my vision loss, I was forced to stop driving almost ten years ago. Losing this freedom has affected me deeply.
Please help me to get healthy
My symptoms worsened in my late teens and early twenties: blurry vision, distorted vision (like looking through a fish bowl), and sensitivity to light, glare and headaches. It was very challenging in high school to deal with these changes in vision. I had frequent eye glass changes, and my senior year I found out I could not see out of glasses any longer and would need ridged contact lenses. I loved sports and music in high school and I remember one day thinking I can’t pitch the ball if I cannot see the plate and how am I going to read my flute music? Can I really be a music major in college? The disease progressed over the years. When I could no longer wear contacts my vision was poor and my corneas would develop abrasions because they were so thin. This was a very painful time, I was struggling to keep up in college and then into the work force and graduate school. Most of my employers and professors did not understand the struggles I had with my sight and how that affected my quality of life. They could not “see” my disability so it was difficult for them to provide help or empathize.
In 1983 and 1986, I had corneal transplants. What a blessing from God! The first years my sight was better and I was able to see with contacts. Then, I began to develop significant issues that can occur after corneal transplants. I now have severe scarring, poor vision, and severe astigmatism. I have eye pain, dry eye, and light sensitivity. I can no longer drive and am no longer able to serve as a pastor within the United Methodist . It has been devastating not to be able to minister the way I once did. God called me to be a pastor and serving Him in this way has been my greatest joy. I love helping people; loving them, visiting them when they are sick, being with them in their joys and also in their depths of loss and sadness. I was a pastor and teacher of God’s word and God’s love for all. I can no longer do this and it deeply saddens me.
Because of my vision loss, I was forced to stop driving almost ten years ago. Losing this freedom has affected me deeply.
Please help me to get healthy
Organizer
marina trish mccann
Organizer
Chippendale NSW
