My Supports

        The day starts out pleasant and unrushed as my husband as he tells me the time and urges me to start my day.  We have a family calendar and bulletin board to keep track of sporting events, practice schedules, workshops, community meetings and medical appointments.   I have become very dependent on reaching my girls on their smart phones to check-in or relay changes in plans. As a fulltime working mom, I find comfort in being able to contact them easily or receive a message when they need me. 

        I drive myself to work and attend meetings off-site on the way to the office.  At work, many components of my job have become web-based, and it is hard to function when the internet is down.  I am in contact with staff by telephone, in-person, by email and text message throughout the day.  I attend webinars and conference call meetings to connect with people in other parts of the state.  My extended family lives in another state, and I rely on social media to keep up with their busy lives.  Knowing they are there and love me and believe in me provides me with the confidence I need to take on challenges.

        In the past few years my arms have become too short to hold my reading materials at sufficient distance from my eyes.  I have resorted to the assistance of trifocals and a collection of colorful readers that can be found in convenient locations at home and at work.  Without the support of the glasses, I need good lighting, and large print to accomplish the task of reading.  With the glasses, I can read in typical lighting and any standard size of font.  Because I don’t need the glasses for other tasks, they also act as a fashion accessory to hold my hair back. 

        If my eye sight deteriorated significantly I would require stronger glasses, or specialized lighting and an electronic reader to accomplish the daily tasks I currently complete with minimal assistance. Transportation would be dependent on public transportation or new supports from ride assistance.  The independence of sightedness, allows me to be responsive to multiple demands on short notice.  Loss of vision and the dependence on others or special services would hinder my ability to perform my job efficiently.  It would be frustrating to have the expertise and knowledge to continue my career, but lack the supports to engage in work activity at the same level.  With the continued emotional support of family that believes in my creativity and perseverance and with colleagues who understand and respect my professional perspective and experience, I would problem-solve ways to stay engaged.