A young man lost his eyesight due to the manifestation of diabetes. He had been diabetic for a few months when he started noticing that his eyesight was beginning to fail. His doctor sent him to a specialist, and there was nothing much to be done. Then one morning he woke up and he could no longer see. He felt cheated and angry, and he was afraid that his life as he knew it was over forever.
His wife tried to comfort him, to no avail. She wanted to get him enrolled in a school that would teach him how to continue on with life without sight. He wouldn’t hear of it. Fear had him in it’s grip, and would not let him go.
Sitting on the couch, waiting to be waited on hand and foot, David was getting on Lucy’s last nerve. “You can’t just give up, Dave!” she said a little too harshly.
She started taking him out for walks, and slowly he gained confidence. Rehab came to the house and provided him with a cane and taught him how to use it. Soon he was navigating around the house and outside with minimal assistance.
Money was getting tight, and his wife had helped him file for Social Security Disability, but he had been turned down. His wife was the sole support of their family, and the responsiblility was getting to be more than she could handle.
Dave, do you think you could manage going back to work? I’m sure you would be able to manage if you had some training. “Sharon”, he said, “I’m blind! I cannot see to drive anymore. How am I going to get to work?”
“You could take the bus”, she said. That comment opened his mind to the possibility, but still he was very afraid to try and manage on his own. He knew the bills were piling up, and they were struggling. There was a possibility, if the disability didn’t start that they would have to sell their home and find one with a mortgage they could handle on the single income.
“Dave”, she said, “I’ll take you to work every day until you feel comfortable to try it on your own.” He was really scared. He knew the situation was dire, but at the same time he felt like he was being thrown to the wolves to fend for himself.
Sharon and Dave went to his place of employment which is a realty company, and they were disappointed to hear that they couldn’t use him without being able to see. In a way, Dave was releived that he would not have to cross town and manage his way as an unsighted person, but at the same time, he knew he needed to help his wife with the expenses or they were going to drown in debt.
Dave went to sleep that night with this dilema on his mind. In the middle of the night, a thought that didn’t seem to be his own came to him. “Honey! Wake up!” he said to her.
He told her of the brain storm that he had. The next day they investigated internet businesses. With a small investiment they partnered up with a company that allows people to shop on line, the items are drop shipped to the consumer and Dave gets his commission. Granted, he could not see, but his wife was helping him with the business during her off-time from work. Their buisness, “Gifts Galore” became so successful that Sharon was able to quit her job and together Dave and Sharon work their business from home.
Dave attributes Sharon’s love and support for him to the new success they are experiencing. He shared with me that they are in better shape, financially and in every way since this trying time in their lives.
