Julie Voisine clutches the red-and-white cane in her hand and listens to the Congress Street traffic whiz past her.
Can you get us back to the car? Mike Dionne asks.
Probably not, Voisine replies.
Break it down, Dionne says. You got it.
Says the man who can see, Voisine says.
She gives him a sarcastic smirk, but she starts to walk.
Now 53, Voisine has been legally blind since age 28. She has retinitis pigmentosa, an inherited eye disease that has slowly claimed her peripheral vision. She also has developed macular degeneration, which is causing her to lose her central vision. Although her sight has always been limited, it has shrunk to a pinprick in recent years.
I have one spot in my vision, Voisine said. Its like taking a straw and putting it up to your eye and looking out of it and crimping the end of it.
In January, Voisine enrolled at the Iris Network Rehabilitation Center in Portland. The 12-week residential program teaches skills she will need to live and work independently when she has entirely lost her vision. Dionne, an orientation and mobility specialist, is one of the instructors who has been working with her for weeks.
Earlier in the week, Voisine slipped on a patch of ice during a solo trip to the post office. Her arm is in a sling during her lesson with Dionne on a sunny Thursday in February, but she sets out with her cane anyway.
Theres too many other things trying to stop me, Voisine said. My vision isnt going to be one of them.
BOOT CAMP FOR THE BLIND
The Maine Institution for the Blind formed in 1905. Its founder was a visually impaired traveling almanac salesman who wanted to help other people with vision loss earn a living wage and learn a trade. The nonprofit has changed its name over the years, but Director of Program Services Rabih Dow said the Iris Network still has the same goal.
People come to us and say, What jobs can blind people do? Dow said. We say, What job would you like to do?
The 2015 National Health Interview Survey estimated that 23.7 million American adults about 10 percent of Americans 18 years and older reported they have some level of vision impairment. That group includes a range, from people who have trouble seeing even while wearing contacts or glasses to those who are completely blind. Most are born with sight and lose it either through disease or trauma, Dow said.
The stereotype of blindness is very stark, he said. It is a relatively uncommon disability, so it can be very isolating.
In 2015, the Iris Network added its first live-in program. Over three months, clients live in a dorm setting in Portlands Parkside neighborhood and study a range of subjects.
Think of it as a boot camp for the blind, Dow said.
Growing up in Penobscot County, Voisine has always known she would lose her vision. Many of her family members her mother, six of her eight siblings, her son also have retinis pigmentosa.
As an adult, she ran several small businesses over the years with her husband. Before he died nine years ago, they had owned a garage, a redemption center and a karaoke service together. But as her vision has worsened, Voisine has not been able to work at all.
Limited public transportation near her home in rural Kingman has frustrated her. She likes to travel, but she relies on her friends to drive her to appointments and the grocery store. She loves to bake, but she began burning or cutting her hands in the kitchen. She missed reading, but she abandoned two attempts to learn Braille.
When a counselor told her about the Iris Network Rehabilitation Center, Voisine signed up immediately.
This program for me is about freedom, she said. Its being free to do the things I want to do.
LEARNING TRICKS OF INDEPENDENCE
Voisine bends over a list of ingredients with her magnifying glass.
In a practice apartment at the Iris Network, clients learn how to cook, do laundry and manage their homes without their vision. So far, Voisine has made red velvet truffles and cheesecake in the test kitchen. Today, she considers two copies of the same recipe for chocolate chip cookies one in large print, one in Braille.
I had to give away a lot of my recipe books before I came here, she said.
With her arm in a sling, Voisine needs some help whisking from Karen McKenna, a certified vision rehabilitation therapist. But she still finds the butter in the refrigerator and preheats the oven. McKenna has labeled many of the spices and measuring cups in the kitchen with Braille.
She and Voisine review the tips she has learned in the kitchen. They place all the necessary ingredients on a tray to keep them organized. Voisine knows to feel the edges of the broken eggshell with a finger to identify the size and shape of any missing chunks. McKenna teaches her students how to identify the sounds and smells that mean food is done cooking.
Hey, Siri, set a timer for nine minutes, Voisine instructs her phone.
The practice apartment is just one of the classrooms that Voisine visits each week.
Elsewhere, she is finally getting the hang of Braille. In the low-vision clinic, clients learn how to maximize the sight they still have. For Voisine, this involves tools like glasses to reduce glare and talking apps on her cellphone. The program puts an emphasis on learning to use the computer to pay bills, file taxes, keep up with an address book and manage other daily tasks. All clients participate in individual and peer counseling. Voisine is making a toy workbench for her grandson in a woodworking class. Her orientation and mobility class takes her outside in all weather to find her way through the grocery store, the public bus system and the streets of Portland.
I am not my cane, Voisine said. I am just somebody trying to live my life.
The smell of warm cookies fills the kitchen. Voisine sniffs the air.
The cookies are almost done, she says.
She opens the oven just as the timer buzzes.
FROM CAUTIOUS TO CONFIDENT
When Voisine graduates from the Iris Network program, she hopes to find work in Portland.
She has joined the YMCA and applied for an apartment. She often helps the staff at the nursing home where her mother lives, so she has decided to become a certified nursing assistant. She would also like to find a part-time job at a bakery.
She will take the bus from Portland to New York City to visit her son this spring, and she wants to travel to England and Ireland next year.
Ive had people say to me, Id rather be dead than blind, she said. Im like, Im sorry your life is so small.
When she first started to walk the streets of Portland with Dionne, Voisine was cautious and slow. She often wears a blindfold during these lessons to prepare for her total vision loss, and the traffic in Portland is busier than her hometown. But her confidence has grown with every lesson.
Shes embraced it, Dionne said. She goes out and does the things she wants.
During their recent lesson, she walks Congress Street in the afternoon sun. Dionne follows a few paces behind, ready to intervene when she gets turned around in a parking lot. He tells her to listen to the traffic and guess the configurations of the intersections they pass.
Its a two-way, she says confidently at the intersection of Pearl and Congress streets. Its a light.
Voisine pauses at the intersection of Congress and Exchange streets. This is the final crosswalk of her lesson. The car is just a block away.
After we cross here, youre going to turn left, Dionne said.
Voisine nods her head vigorously.
She starts to step into the street, but immediately jumps back onto the curb as she hears a car approach. The white PT Cruiser makes the turn onto Exchange Street.
A group of teenage girls with Urban Outfitter shopping bags chatter to each other as they cross the street. Voisine reaches a foot onto the asphalt, then pulls it back. She tilts her head and listens to the sounds of passing cars. And then, Voisine quickly steps into the road and strides across. She cant see the white lines of the crosswalk, but she follows them perfectly. She sweeps her cane in a wide arc in her path, and Dionne hurries behind her to keep up with her quick steps.
Her cane taps the opposite curb, and she turns left.
Megan Doyle can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
[emailprotected]
Twitter: megan_e_doyle
Read the original:
Maine woman faces blindness with a sense of determination - Press Herald
- AI has perfect detection rate for severe cases of condition that causes blindness in preemies - OHSU News - March 10th, 2024
- PulseSight launches with gene therapy platform targeting age-related blindness - Longevity.Technology - March 10th, 2024
- AIOS and RANZCO Unite to Combat Preventable Blindness - Hindustan Times - March 10th, 2024
- Baby born without eyes defies the odds as she thrives despite blindness - Express - March 10th, 2024
- Penn Medicine Accelerator Program to Boost AI-Powered Projects Targeting Blindness and Cervical Cancer - India Education Diary - March 10th, 2024
- Scientists discover gut bacteria`s role in genetically-linked vision loss - WION - February 27th, 2024
- Prevent Blindness launches new Retinopathy of Prematurity Education and Support Program as part of inaugural ... - Modern Retina - February 27th, 2024
- Revolutionizing Eye Disease Treatment: The Unseen Link Between Gut Bacteria and Blindness - Medriva - February 27th, 2024
- The Virtue of Color-Blindness & The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America Book Review - National Review - February 27th, 2024
- Sight loss could be treated by antibiotics after being linked to gut bacteria - The Independent - February 27th, 2024
- Prevent Blindness Launches New "Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) Education and Support Program" as Part of ... - PR Web - February 27th, 2024
- $35 million to fight blindness with manufactured corneas | Health Portfolio Ministers | Australian Government ... - Department of Health - February 10th, 2024
- Eye care, vision impairment and blindness - World Health Organization (WHO) - October 27th, 2023
- CHOROIDEREMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION EXPANDS RESEARCH SUPPORT INTO NONSENSE MUTATIONS OF A RARE INHERITED RETINAL - EIN News - May 1st, 2023
- Chennai eye hospital ties up with Iceland firm to adopt mathematical algorithm to predict diabetic retinopathy - The Hindu - April 23rd, 2023
- Drug-Resistant Bacteria Tied to Eyedrops Can Spread Person to Person ... - April 7th, 2023
- Prevention of Blindness Week 2023: Mumbai experts explain why you should be concerned about glaucoma and the need for regular eye checkups -... - April 7th, 2023
- Childhood blindness - Wikipedia - February 24th, 2023
- FDA Approves Syfovre (pegcetacoplan injection) for the Treatment of ... - February 24th, 2023
- Human mini brains illuminate path to curing blindness - February 16th, 2023
- Raymond V. Gilmartin: Man with a global vision - February 16th, 2023
- Why Are People So Mad About MrBeast's Blindness Video? - February 16th, 2023
- This heartwarming video of a colorblind boy seeing color for the first time will make you cry - Indiatimes.com - February 16th, 2023
- Blindness (Vision Impairment): Types, Causes and Treatment - February 8th, 2023
- CDC urges people to stop using brand of artificial tears linked to ... - February 8th, 2023
- Health News Roundup: U.S. FDA says India-made eye drop linked to some infections, blindness and one death; China records 3,278 COVID-related deaths... - February 8th, 2023
- I had two strokes at 29 and gone blind -I've been accused of faking my sight loss - Daily Mail - February 8th, 2023
- Blindness and vision impairment - World Health Organization - January 23rd, 2023
- Recovery from blindness - Wikipedia - January 23rd, 2023
- Colour blindness tests, juggling, avoiding glare: A hockey goalkeepeers quest to train his biggest weapon, eyes - The Indian Express - January 23rd, 2023
- But Did You See the Gorilla? The Problem With Inattentional Blindness ... - October 15th, 2022
- Canadians unaware of diseases that lead to blindness, survey says - CTV News Northern Ontario - October 15th, 2022
- A Review of Corneal Blindness: Causes and Management - Cureus - October 15th, 2022
- A cure for blindness may be first product made in space - Freethink - October 15th, 2022
- Is MrBeast trying to cure 1000 people's blindness? - indy100 - October 15th, 2022
- Early detection and management is the key to prevent glaucoma related blindness: Experts - Express Healthcare - October 15th, 2022
- As World Sight Day Nears, River Blindness is Fading - SaportaReport - October 15th, 2022
- Tears of happiness: How curing blindness in Dolakha saved a girls future - City A.M. - October 15th, 2022
- World Sight Day: Orbis, UC Davis team up to train eye care teams from Latin America to fight avoidable blindness - Ophthalmology Times - October 15th, 2022
- Juan Williams: The GOPs epidemic of intentional blindness - The Hill - October 15th, 2022
- Charles pays tribute to Malawi's elimination of disease causing blindness - Express & Star - October 15th, 2022
- Coping with calamity: Former NYT columnist Frank Bruni on blindness and vision, at Morristown book fest keynote - Morristown Green - October 15th, 2022
- Sighting solutions in a world of vision for weavers - The New Indian Express - October 15th, 2022
- Blindfold run raises $40,000 for the MUHC Foundation to support glaucoma care at the MUHC - StreetInsider.com - October 15th, 2022
- MacKenzie Scott Donates $15M to Address the Eyecare Needs of the Impoverished - InvisionMag - October 15th, 2022
- Astellas and MBC BioLabs Announce Astellas Future Innovator Prize to Help Biotech Start-ups Accelerate Early Drug Discovery and Research Efforts -... - September 20th, 2022
- Treating cataracts before 'critical age' imperative FBC News - FBC News - September 20th, 2022
- GenSight Biologics to Present at Upcoming Industry and Investor Conferences - Business Wire - September 20th, 2022
- Ashton Kutcher battled vasculitis causing blindness, loss of hearing. Know all about the rare condition - India TV News - August 11th, 2022
- Prevent Blindness Is Recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion for Supporting the Initiative's Vision - Vision Monday - August 11th, 2022
- Researchers make progress toward a stem cellbased therapy for blindness - Ophthalmology Times - August 11th, 2022
- The strategic blindness of Israel's caretaker government - JNS.org - August 11th, 2022
- UND professor carries the torch for UND studies of visual impairment and blindness - Grand Forks Herald - August 11th, 2022
- Karan Nagrani is using social media to raise awareness about the 'spectrum of blindness' - ABC News - August 11th, 2022
- Vision impairment and blindness related to NCDs: Fong - FBC News - August 11th, 2022
- Strategic blindness of caretaker government - The Jewish Star - August 11th, 2022
- Massachusetts woman blinded by attack working to help others regain sight - WCVB Boston - August 11th, 2022
- Persuasion Film Review: Is Heterogeneous Casting Race-Inclusionary Or Escapist? - Feminism In India - August 11th, 2022
- Is It Time To Start Using Race And Gender To Combat Bias In Lending? - Forbes - August 11th, 2022
- The journey of Kali Yugi started with the mistake of objectives! - Youthistaan - August 11th, 2022
- A 50-State Review of Access to State Medicaid Program Information for People with Limited English Proficiency and/or Disabilities Ahead of the PHE... - August 11th, 2022
- iHealthScreen Completed Prospective Trial of AI-Based Tool for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) Screening and Submitting the Results to FDA for... - August 11th, 2022
- Vitamin B12: Why You Need It & Foods To Increase Your Vitamin B12 Intake - NDTV - August 11th, 2022
- Jack Levine: Remembering a dad who proved that even in blindness, there can be vision - The Florida Times-Union - June 26th, 2022
- Potion of Blindness | Minecraft Ideas Wiki | Fandom - June 26th, 2022
- Tightening a molecular "zipper" could help prevent hereditary blindness - New Atlas - June 26th, 2022
- What's the Link Between Glaucoma and Dry Eyes? - Healthline - June 26th, 2022
- Lisa Durden's upcoming documentary "Blind Divas" follows Krystle Allen and Naquela Wright-Prevoe, two Black women entrepreneurs, determined... - June 26th, 2022
- Trump election lies may fit legal concept of willful blindness - Chicago Tribune - June 26th, 2022
- Sightsavers relaunches its thematic strategy The Sun Nigeria - Daily Sun - June 26th, 2022
- Trachoma elimination: millions more to benefit from donated azithromycin - World Health Organization - June 26th, 2022
- Dangers of super gonorrhoea from infertility to blindness as global warning issued - Daily Star - June 26th, 2022
- Fifty years of Title IX: What is it, what does it cover and do we still need it? - The Athletic - June 26th, 2022
- How The SMH Got That Rebel Wilson Story So Wrong - Junkee - June 26th, 2022
- The Week That Was: All of Lawfare in One Post - Lawfare - Lawfare - June 26th, 2022
- Why Brad Pitt quit smoking and drinking altogether during the pandemic - BusinessGhana - June 26th, 2022
- Watch your eye - The New Indian Express - June 26th, 2022
- Olivia Brouwer's art is for everyone to see and touch - Hamilton Spectator - June 26th, 2022
- Monkeypox may not mutate as fast as coronaviruses, but that doesn't mean it can't adapt to its new hosts - The Conversation - June 26th, 2022
- Former American Express Foundation President Takes Helm of Signature Theatre - The Chronicle of Philanthropy - June 26th, 2022