The Frustration of Macular Degeneration
by Poppy
(Bloomfield, Indiana, USA)
Macular Degeneration seems to run in my mother's family. Her own mother developed it in old age, and so did several of her ten siblings.
My mother herself began to experience signs of
macular degeneration a few years ago, around the time she turned eighty.
She has always been a very active and productive person, even as she aged, so it has been very frustrating to her to be slowed down by this disease.
She has always been an excellent cook, and she continues to cook delicious food for herself and my father each day.
But she has trouble reading package labels and finding things on shelves, because of the way
Macular Degeneration disturbs the central vision and focus.
She has also done all the bookwork for a family business, for decades, and is very frustrated to no longer be able to do this easily. She says it sometimes looks like the numbers are swimming on the page, or moving between columns.
The difficulty and frustration of dealing with macular degeneration has led to some depression for my mother. But she is seeking treatment for this and trying her best.
One can imagine how frustrating it must be, to have your vision deteriorating, and your view of the world gradually diminishing from the center outward.
My mother is having her vision troubles monitored by a specialist, and is taking a recommended vitamin supplement. She is also getting treatment for the related depression.
She continues to do the most she can each day. She is a very strong person, and is trying hard to cope with the growing difficulty and frustration of macular degeneration.
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