My pre-surgery appointment is due on Thursday next week. Yesterday, I received a letter from the Head of the Ophthalmology department. They explained that the surgery request, which is aimed at correcting a severe eye condition such as an Implant lens and laser correctly for cataracts, has been accepted and how long the waiting list will be.
How have I been faring since January and the post I posted here?
The humid temperature increased to 31oC late afternoon, and the bright sunlight gave an intense ray of light that hurt my eyes when I went out around the garden, making it impossible for me to do weeding and go to work in the city of Hamilton by driving with the glasses on. I lost one person currently overseas for three months and cannot earn the same wages, meaning I lose 6 hours a week. The eye drops are working, and I must wait until the appointment day for the outcome result. I had a couple of visitors through my workplace, and they noticed the different appearance on my face – a changing pattern around both eyes, which was a drooping shapeshifter, and a bit of dark colour rings around the eyes.
Despite his technological challenges, my partner’s unwavering support in other aspects of our lives, such as managing household chores and providing emotional support, is a source of comfort and strength for me.
One key to communication is his awareness of my needs through gestures, sign language, and speaking—but he has never used tactile sign language yet!
Looking back in the past, I worked for the Low Vision Organisation and elderly seniors with low vision, including two Deaf-blind persons and one new Deaf-blind lady from Matamata recently. I learnt a lot from them and explored gadgets and tools around home and workplace over many years. New technologies, such as laptops and desktops, work wonders but are costly because I can not get funding from MSD/Te Whatu Ora due to my partner’s income. I can get a little funding if I require support funding for part-time work under the social service. However, it is difficult across NZ that the Government and BUREAUCRATIC people have cut funding.
Here are the examples of technologies from Australia and New Zealand.
https://nz.1lowvision.com/Software-and-Accessories
Imagine I had the surgeries and took one week off, no working and no driving. I would be bored around home with three dogs, not knowing how they would be mischievous or well-behaved around me during the day. I would be unable to read—not the talking book. It would be impossible to hear rabbling sounds on the television in the background that drowned out the speech, and I would sit down and wait. I would not let my partner read business emails due to private acts from home. I will have to think of something like leaving a message such as I am away and will reply in two weeks; please leave any emergency message to one of the staff. I will find someone to relieve me from teaching the NZSL class at the library. There is one deaf with disabilities who requires help when he is resuming his treatment and medicines. I can let my partner do this through the home visits as they have known each other for a long time; however, I have to follow the Guidelines of work protocols for the second workplace under the Disability Organisation to do this. The prospect of this downtime is a challenge I must navigate during my recovery.
Life in Eureka 