April 23, 2025 • 31 mins
Lizzie Eastham and Sam Rickard present Studio 1 - Vision Australia Radio’s weekly look at life from a low vision and blind point of view.
On this week’s show
"All I need is a Miracle”
Though the chances are extremely low, it doesn’t stop some of us from fantasizing what we might do if we woke up one morning without a disability.
This week we ask, what would you do if your could see (again) or at least see better than you could before. And Sheryl shares a bit of news...
Studio 1 welcomes any input from our listeners. If you have any experience or thoughts about issues covered in this episode or believe there is something we should be talking about.
EMAIL: studio1@visionaustralia.org or leave comment on the station’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/VARadioNetwork
A special thank you to our choir of angles: Steven; Carlie; Emma; Jodi; Sammy C; Stephen K; Lisa; Lilli; Sheryl and Maddie.
This program was made possible with support from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Find out more at https://cbf.org.au/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
S1 (00:06):
One of the first things I do, it wouldn't be
looking in the eyes of my beautiful wife, because I
always see how beautiful she is. Oh, but the first
thing I'd like to do is like, maybe take her
for a cruise around the the country. You know, I'd
sell everything up and buy a big, um, Winnebago or
one of those camping trucky things, and, like, we'll just
(00:28):
tour around and, uh, I'd like to be able to
just drive, you know, or or get on a motorbike
and just ride it until the wheels fell off. I
tell you.
S2 (00:36):
What a suck.
S3 (00:38):
I agree, that's why I love him so much. Please.
S4 (00:43):
This is studio one on Vision Australia radio.
S2 (00:50):
Hello, I'm Sam.
S3 (00:51):
And I'm Lizzie.
S2 (00:52):
And this is Studio one, your weekly look at life
from a low vision and blind point of view here
on Vision Australia Radio.
S3 (00:58):
This week, despite the fact that it's highly unlikely we
fantasize about what it would be like to wake up
without a disability.
S2 (01:06):
In this age of miracles and wonders, what would you
do if that miracle did happen? And what does that
say about us?
S3 (01:13):
As we always say at this point, please do get
in touch with the show. Whether you have experience of
any of the issues covered on this week's episode of
Studio One, or if you think there's something we should
be talking about. You never know. Your story and insight
may help someone who is dealing with something similar.
S2 (01:30):
You can email us studio one at Vision Australia org.
That's studio number one at Vision Australia.
S3 (01:36):
Org or of course, you can drop us a note
on our Facebook page by going to facebook.com.
S2 (01:45):
Hello, Lizzie.
S3 (01:46):
Hello, Sam.
S2 (01:47):
It's one of those strange weeks. In fact, it's been
one of those strange fortnights. Really? Because unlike a lot
of other jobs, when you have public holidays, at least
for me, my week doesn't sort of have holidays. It has. Well,
everything happens Whether whether there's days off or not. So
this week, for example, it's a three day week, and
(02:10):
everything I normally do in five days is being done
in three days, and I don't know whether I'm coming
or going. How have you been, though?
S3 (02:17):
I've been okay. I've been all right. I thoroughly enjoyed Easter,
spent lots of time with family and at church and
all the Easter y things that one does. But, you know,
I was I was talking with my support worker on
the way up here, actually, public holidays, long weekends, Christmas,
New Year. They all screw with my feng shui just
(02:38):
that little bit, you know, like, because I am the
kind of person that lives by their routine and my
routine has been affected. Therefore, I'm all over the spot,
you know that. Plus going through some medication changes at
the moment. Yeah I'm not feeling great.
S2 (02:53):
Mhm. And we're of course changing from the warmer time
of the year to the colder time of the year,
which also yes plays havoc with me personally.
S3 (03:01):
That doesn't bother me. I love the cold.
S2 (03:03):
I just don't understand the whole point of winter. I mean,
it's a lot more civilized where I come from, where
there's two seasons. Well, two and a half seasons. But
we're not talking about those things we are talking about. Well,
an issue we've covered quite a number of times, but
it seems to attract a lot of people's imagination. And
that is what would happen if suddenly you woke up
(03:23):
one day and you could see or see normally, in
the case of some of us who are vision impaired.
The reason why we keep on covering it is because
we keep on getting material from it. When we point
a microphone in somebody's face and ask them that question. Well,
they give us a whole lot of good answers.
S3 (03:40):
I think it's something that people think about a lot, Sam, like,
I don't offer ponder that specific question, but when I do, yeah,
I get really in depth with what I imagine, what
I'd be doing and things like that. So I guess
it's something that people do think about.
S2 (03:56):
I think also in this country where a driver's license
is essential, really, it affects us a lot more. Yeah.
So and this is the theme that we're going to
pick up in. Well, when we do ask a few
people our choir of angels in inverted commas. So let
us go to Carly.
S5 (04:18):
I really don't know. I think I was at the
stage in my career as well. I always wanted to
be a paramedic. Um, or work I love. I love
high energy. High. Um, I'm very got to be amongst it. Yeah.
I love a job with excitement. So I think the
where I was eight years ago coming up nine years ago,
(04:40):
I had two young children as a single mother and
couldn't really go any further with where I was at.
I was at the top of where I could go
in that job, and it was something I was thinking
about later on to go back and become a, um,
a registered nurse and then see where it took me
from there. But yeah, I, I really don't know. It
(05:02):
wouldn't have been down. Probably the counselling mentoring role. And
I believe things happen for reasons as bittersweet is that
as that is, um, I've had to accept it and
I'm kind of happy where I've ended up. Like, I
didn't find this. It found me, if that makes sense.
S3 (05:22):
Yeah, I get that. Yeah. I have to agree with her.
I think I would do the same. I'd. I'd find
some chaotic job that needed a chaotic person, and I'd
dive headlong into it. What about you, Sam? What would
you do if you had, like, complete vision?
S2 (05:44):
Well, Carly's got an interesting thing here, and that is, um,
she's sort of taken it also to what happened. What
would have happened if she'd never lost her sight, which is,
I think, something that people who have acquired this disability
will often think about themselves of, you know, where they
were beforehand. You know, they've most likely just dropped their
(06:06):
life into two chunks, one before getting the disability and
one two afterwards. And I don't know whether it's easier
or harder in that way, but, um, she seems to
be quite happy with where she is because she's gone
on the whole journey for it. Me personally, I really
(06:28):
don't know, because I think part of what makes me
into me is my disability. And, um, I mean, I
had this conversation a long time ago with my uncle, um,
and I was rather frustrated with the way things were
going at the time. And I said, you know, the
opportunities that I've had and the things that I've done,
(06:49):
despite the fact that I'm legally blind, what could I
have actually done if I'd been able bodied? He probably
said you'd probably be in jail, like a lot of
the rest of my family have been. So it's one
of those things is a lot of the opportunities I've
had have been because I've been legally blind.
S3 (07:08):
Yeah. It's interesting you should say that. I mean, I've
never been able to see. I've always been blind. I've
had a lot of opportunities that have come up just
because I'm vision impaired like this. For example, I would
not get to share a studio with you or amplify
the voices of wonderful people you know, such as those
that are in this community. If I wasn't vision impaired.
(07:32):
I also wouldn't get to have gone on like Braille
music camp and things like that. And I mean, sure,
there are plenty of other opportunities out there for able
bodied individuals, but the experiences that we've had that shape us,
that make us who we are and the gifts that
we we have, the talents that we have, I think
that's what makes us us. And I'm with you. My
(07:54):
blindness is a great part of my identity, and I
really don't think that I would have it any other
way at this point.
S2 (08:00):
And for the listeners sakes, we're in a different studio
to what we normally are. So and I've got the
squeaky chair. So all fun and games as far as
that goes. And what's happened? What's happened to you?
S3 (08:12):
My chair keeps going down. Thanks.
S2 (08:14):
Oh, this is what happens when you've moved to a
different studio. Anyway, let's hear what Emma's got to say.
S6 (08:24):
Oh, if I could get my sight. Even if it's
just a little bit of sight. I reckon the first
thing I'd do is walk around the city checking everything out.
But if I could get my full sight back. Oh
my goodness. Oh, the possibilities are endless. I'd get my
own car. I would load the paddle board onto the
(08:45):
car without any questions asked, spontaneously drive down to the river,
unload the paddle board, and just go for a nice
bike trip along the river by myself. know support workers
know nothing. Just me. The freedom. Oh, I love that.
(09:07):
Celebrate my freedom. You know, if I could get my
full site back, just get in the car and just
go off. No plans, no nothing. I love that.
S3 (09:21):
You know what I have to say? This is a
little bit unrelated. I was just saying to a friend
of mine earlier today that the one thing I miss
about having a functioning seeing eye dog is the ability
to just go and walk by myself. So that freedom
I can completely understand. I miss the freedom and the
independence that comes with having a fully functional guide. Lacey,
(09:45):
you disappoint me. Um. But yeah. No freedom. Freedom galore,
I understand that. I've never done paddleboarding, though.
S2 (09:52):
She covers something that is, it speaks a lot to,
I think, all of us. And that is if you
have all your senses and you have you're fully able bodied,
you can just go and do something. You can just say,
you know what, I will slack off work and yes,
go for a swim somewhere. I will drive down the coast.
(10:14):
I will do something just because I can. We can't.
You know, it doesn't matter if you're totally blind or
have low vision like myself. You need to plan ahead
for this kind of thing. You know, if you want
to just dip off somewhere for the weekend, you still
have to plan ahead. You've got to work out how
to get somewhere and all that sort of stuff. So,
(10:35):
I mean, I think that's really is a big thing.
As I said, that just that's something that would I
don't know. I mean, um, is there something that you
would do in that nature, something that you just can't
do now, even, you know, even with a guide dog?
S3 (10:49):
Well, I remember the last time you asked me this question.
It would be to get go take my bike and
go for a ride. But, you know, at the moment,
I actually think that I would just go for a hike.
And not only that, but I would take enough things
with me that I could either stay overnight somewhere if
I had money. Obviously I'd find a way to get
(11:12):
to a motel like hotels or hostels along the way,
and I'd just go on a backpacking trip. I'd just
hike everywhere because I've always loved hiking and I think
it's extra special. Just going back to what you said
about having to plan ahead, I think it makes those
people that make it possible extra special, and it makes
(11:33):
us appreciative of what they they do for us. Like
when I had my hiking partner Marek, who used to
take me on these amazing hikes that I would have
never been able to experience without him, I can fully
appreciate the time and energy and everything that he invested
to to make that a possibility for me. And it
was it just makes it even more special because it's
(11:55):
not something that we can just do at the drop
of a hat. We have to plan it. And I'll
always cherish those memories forever.
S2 (12:02):
So next up we have Jodie. And as usual, she's
got a slightly different take on things.
S7 (12:12):
Oh, my. So this sort of came up on, uh, Facebook, um,
site the other day. Um, my dream job back when
I was in school would have been to be a, uh,
TV camera person. Um, but, you know, they always said, oh,
with your eyesight, you wouldn't be able to focus a camera.
And generally, if you're like a news cameraman, the the
(12:34):
the cameraman usually drives the car. So obviously, you know,
I can't do that, but, um, that would have been my,
my preferred career if I had have had a chance.
S6 (12:45):
Wow.
S3 (12:45):
That's amazing.
S6 (12:46):
TV camera.
S3 (12:47):
Person.
S7 (12:48):
Yeah. Oh, I was right into the old television back
in the day, and, yeah, I used to go and
watch a couple of quiz shows be filmed, and I
just really fancied being a camera person. But anyway. Yeah.
S2 (13:05):
I sympathise with Jodie. Um, I would probably love to
work in TV myself. Um, that kind of thing. But
we work in TV without pictures. That's the way I
see it. And I think in a lot of ways,
what we do is better.
S3 (13:18):
Yeah. I'd like to create an audio drama. Would you mean.
S2 (13:21):
I would definitely be in. I've actually written a few
of them in the past, so, um, it would be
interesting to actually do that and play around with the
softwares that we've got here. Yeah. So yes, I can
see how that would work. And yes, it would be fun.
Maybe we can do a Christmas play. That would be
that would be amazing.
S3 (13:37):
Oh yes. Let's try and write something and tee it up.
Who do we have next Sam.
S2 (13:42):
We have a semi C, otherwise known as Sam Colley.
S8 (13:49):
Well, I'd probably, uh, if I could say normally I'd
learn to, um, drive a car. That'd be pretty cool.
I've always been into, um, um, motorsport and racing and
cars and all that sort of thing, so I think
that'd be a fantastic thing if I could see like 100% normally.
And um, and with that, um, their reaction times would
(14:14):
improve and, you know, the otter brain and all that
sort of thing. Um, if that, you know, if that
sorted itself out, that's probably certainly one thing I'd love
to be able to do in terms of, you know,
independence and being able to get around and mobility, that's
that's one of the main things. And, um, although I
(14:34):
live somewhere with fantastic public transport in my neighborhood, I
think that'd just be really great because, you know, my, um,
one of my parents lives quite far away and being
able to sort of drive and visit, um, visit them and, um,
relatives who live nearby, that'd be really good because, you know,
(14:56):
out in the country, if you don't have a car,
it's extremely difficult. So, um, that would be a fantastic
thing to have.
S3 (15:08):
I'd be an outdoor ranger, like a park ranger, while
we were listening to Sam because, you know, um, Jody
and Sam and Carly have been talking about the jobs
they do. I was sort of just brainstorming my list
of jobs that I would have if I was cited.
And I think given that I love hiking so much
and cycling, one of the ones that I would pick
(15:29):
is to be a park ranger. Like, I could just
imagine me working at Anstey Hill, you know, running around
and checking the tracks and telling people off for doing
silly things. Can you imagine me doing that?
S2 (15:39):
I could for some reason. Yes, yes. Okay. Um, something
that Sam did cover, though, is, um, is getting around
in the country, as it were. My mother and stepfather
live in Berry Springs, Darwin River, which is an hour
out of Darwin itself. And for a while there I was,
(15:59):
living there myself. And my God, it was a nuisance
because there's no public transport whatsoever. You're completely reliant on
other people. And at the moment it's actually rather rather
tricky because my mother's having health issues and if I
went back there then I would be no use whatsoever.
(16:20):
So I'm still here while all that's going on up there.
All right. So I think we know who you are,
who we're talking to. Next up.
S3 (16:27):
Yes, we're talking to the lovely Lisa.
S2 (16:30):
And she starts with, well, the obvious answer.
S7 (16:38):
Drive public transport. I'm driving.
S3 (16:43):
But what would be the one thing that you would
do straight away?
S9 (16:46):
Go to the top of a mountain, whatever one's nearby
here and have a look at the like. Everybody keeps
telling me, like this. The view of the city is wonderful.
From the Mount Lofty. That's it. But I can't see it.
I just have to imagine it. And so when people say, oh,
I'd love to see that, you know, people from where
I live, people say they can see this city skyline.
(17:09):
I'm like, that would actually be because those are so beautiful.
And I'd like to see that. So I think it'd
be something along those lines of just going and seeing
what other people can see that I'm missing out on now.
Oh that's amazing, I love that.
S3 (17:23):
Mom was very selfish. It was to.
S9 (17:24):
Get.
S6 (17:25):
On a bike and not stop riding. Just just ride
down the road.
S9 (17:30):
Having had done that, I could see I could see
how you'd want to do that. But I just like, yeah,
I just want to see what everybody else sees, just
so that I got that perception in my mind. Even if,
like somebody said, I'm going to give you slightly 24 hours,
go do do what you want, but that's what I'll
be doing. Good, I love that, I love that.
S2 (17:50):
You know what I'd take that to just, um, give
me a day or so to experience things normally.
S3 (17:55):
Well, I think if I had a day or two,
it wouldn't be enough, because I'd have to get used
to the stimulus of seeing. So it'd take me a
day or two just to be able to open my
eyes without having a complete meltdown. I reckon I.
S2 (18:08):
Would suggest as well. I mean, even even me. I mean,
I've always had this eye condition. It's I'm guessing as
I've got older, it's probably got worse. But, um, yes,
this has always been the same thing. So I think
probably the first couple of days would just be completely
overwhelmed and going, huh?
S3 (18:22):
Yeah. Maybe if the miracle worker out there is listening,
if you're going to do this right, maybe you don't
do a day or a week, just like I'm going
to give you sight for whatever amount of time it
is that it takes you to get your affairs in
order and do what you want to do, then whammo!
We're back to square one.
S2 (18:38):
Yeah, I think that's fair.
S3 (18:38):
Yeah, because a day it's not going to cut it
for me. I reckon every time I open my eyes
I'm going to freak out because I want to know
what I'm looking at. Well, I need more than a day.
S2 (18:48):
Well, my my standpoint really would be is that. Oh,
my God, I'd just be standing there looking at a
whiteboard or something like that from the other side of
the room and going, you can actually do this.
S3 (18:57):
I think I'd check myself out in the mirror. Oh yes. Yes,
because I actually don't know what I look like. Like,
forget other people. I don't give a stuff about you.
I just want to know what I look like.
S2 (19:07):
All right, so I think you know who we're talking
to next, Lizzie.
S3 (19:11):
Yeah, I believe it's Stephen Kemp. The other Stephen.
S2 (19:14):
Yep.
S10 (19:16):
So I think employment would be the biggest one there,
I think. Uh, so I think my reason I got
into massage is anatomy and physiology and sport. So obviously
I'd ride a single bike and quite enjoy that. But
what I've got into riding bikes, possibly not would I've
got into massage because I enjoy anatomy and physiology, probably
(19:41):
because going to hospital and having eye surgeries and being
interested in anatomy and physiology of the body and the
eye because of my impairment or whatever else. Uh, possibly not,
but I think, yeah, I probably would have pursued a, um,
medical employment of some sort, whether it be nursing or
(20:01):
doctor or any of those things, if I could say, um,
but who knows, I might have ended up being a
truck driver or a taxi driver. Who knows? But yeah,
I would have opened up many more. More options. So yeah,
would have definitely changed my life. But who knows in
in which sliding door you would have walked.
S3 (20:23):
I wonder if Lily agrees.
S2 (20:25):
Yes. All right, well, let's see if Lily got to say.
S11 (20:29):
Wow, what a question. Um, okay. All right. This has
gone through my head a few times. If I could
see again, I would. I'd get my kids in the
in the room, and I'd just sit them down, and
I'd stare at them, and I just. I mean, I
can see them a little bit, but, uh, I, I'd
(20:50):
check my kids right out.
S5 (20:52):
You.
S11 (20:52):
Know, and see what they looked like. You know, even
though I do know what they look like, just really
see what they look like. You know, that's. I really
would love that. Um, they don't have their own children yet,
but if they did, I would want to, you know,
look at the babies. Yeah. I think that that's something I,
I really, uh, I can still see their faces, but
(21:12):
I would love to see their, the real detail of,
of them. I would either buy or hire a mustang
convertible and I would go on a big road trip
in it. I'd me doing the driving. Um, I would love.
I always had a dream to own one and drive one.
(21:33):
A Ford Mustang convertible. Um, wow. Yeah. The driving, I guess,
was a big thing for me because I used to drive,
so I do miss it. Um, so I would like
that experience and that feeling and that exhilarating feeling of
driving again, I did. It's because I did like to drive.
I would ride a solo bike. Um, a solo bicycle.
(21:55):
I you know what? I don't think I would want
to do it at any sort of level, but I
think I would like to just go on a coastal
ride on a solo bike, maybe with a bunch or
maybe on my own. Yeah, I kind of like to
do that. I'd like to swim in the ocean on
my own. I would like to do that. I do
miss that. Uh, I do it tethered now, and I
(22:19):
when I do an ocean swim. But, um, I would
like to be able to wade out into the ocean,
splash around and come back and be able to see
back to my towel. That seems a really that seems
a really trivial thing to do, but I miss being
able to go out in the ocean in the summer,
have a really good swim, duck under a few waves,
then turn around and be able to make my way
back to my towel. I can't do that now. Now
(22:40):
I yeah, I would do that. Wow. Uh, yeah. Gosh,
so many things. I, I don't know that I'd travel
solo because I do like traveling with other people, but
I'd like to at least have the opportunity to be
able to do some some solo travel. But I still
think I would like to, uh, to travel with other people.
S6 (23:01):
But yeah.
S11 (23:03):
I don't know. Is he. That's. It's hard. There's so much.
But the fact that I'm even struggling to find things
off the top of my head makes me think that
I have made a big adjustment to not having those things, uh,
in my life. But I am a big lover of. Oh, gosh,
you know what? Except for the driving of the car
(23:23):
and looking at my kids faces, um, I want to
see the night sky. I, I, as a kid, was
a bit of a stargazer. I would like to see
the stars in the sky. That I would like to
see them. Yeah, yeah.
S3 (23:43):
One of the things that strikes me about some of
the answers, one of the common threads that I've noticed
is that people want to do things solo or alone. Oh, yes.
And I think again, that comes back to what we
talked about earlier of having being so reliant on people.
So we spend a lot of our time with other
people doing activities that we'd rather do alone. So I
(24:05):
get that. I think I'd spend like most of my
life alone if, if that were the case. I'm quite
a hermit, really. I mean, if I had it my way,
if I could see. I think apart from being a
park ranger, which, again, you don't spend heaps of time
with heaps of people, it's not like a customer service job.
I would spend a lot of time alone.
S2 (24:25):
I do like my own time. Me too. And yes.
S3 (24:29):
I like my own company.
S2 (24:30):
When I first moved from Darwin to Adelaide, one of
the reasons I moved down here was because I was
feeling quite isolated where I was. The funny thing is,
when I moved down here, I really didn't have a
lot to do with other people anyway. But there was
the option to be around other people living down here,
and that was really what it came down to. So
and I think that's the thing is, when you have
(24:53):
no disability or no easily recognizable disability, you've got choices.
S3 (24:58):
Yeah I agree.
S2 (24:59):
All right. We're going to talk to Maddie.
S12 (25:03):
Yeah, I've I've thought about it before. Um, yeah. I
think if I could fix my vision, probably going out
and driving would be the first thing that I would do.
S2 (25:13):
Gino. And also said that.
S3 (25:15):
Everyone else said.
S12 (25:16):
That.
S3 (25:18):
Except for me. I'd rather ride. Yeah, I'd just.
S12 (25:21):
Get a motorbike.
S3 (25:23):
Yes. Honda Fireblade. Oh, my God, we could.
S12 (25:27):
Get into moto racing. Yeah.
S2 (25:29):
Is there anything else you'd like to sort of go
out and do or see or anything you feel that
you're sort of missing out on?
S12 (25:33):
Yeah, definitely. Just the driving like the day to day driving,
just having the freedom to have your own car and
just have all your stuff in your car and not
have to carry a backpack around and just go wherever
you want, whenever you want. So I feel like that's
something I miss out on even like cycling day to day.
You know, anyone can just get out on their single
bike and go and ride wherever they want to. Where
(25:55):
I'm restricted to not being able to do that unless
we're on the tandem. You know, like, there are things
that I'd like to do, like mountain biking and, you know,
riding a motorbike and that kind of stuff that. Yeah,
I just can't do. So that's a challenge sometimes.
S3 (26:15):
Uh, we could ride motorbikes together, Maddie. Yes, we could,
because I. That's something I'd love to do. Um, my
dad rides motorbikes, my grandfather rode motorbikes. My best friend
rode motorbikes. I've owned a couple of motorbikes. And Steven
as well. I think that's something I'd do, is I'd
ride a motorbike. But not a Harley, Steven, not a Harley. Okay.
(26:38):
I'd want like a a Honda Fireblade or a Kawasaki or,
you know, one of them Japanese bikes.
S2 (26:45):
I think we are going to leave the last say
on this episode to Cheryl because, well, she's got some
news for her. Exactly.
S13 (26:59):
Well, I'd revisit looking at my family and friends faces
that I seen when I had foresight and those that
I haven't seen. And I get my license and drive
my car around Australia.
S14 (27:11):
Now, this is actually a kind of a possibility for you,
isn't it?
S13 (27:14):
Sure is. There's a, um, a possible synthetic cornea transplant
that might be suitable for me that may give me
back most or with glasses, all my vision and put
me on the legally blind without glasses, but fully sighted
with glasses on, which would give me these abilities.
S14 (27:32):
What car do you think you'd drive?
S13 (27:34):
Volkswagen Bora blue grey interior, manual air con with all
sorts of bells and whistles that I wanted for 30 years,
which I just got delivered, by the way.
S14 (27:43):
Well, the bells and whistles.
S13 (27:44):
Oh, well, the whole package.
S14 (27:46):
Oh. Very cool. When's this going to happen?
S13 (27:48):
Well, I'm waiting to see my ophthalmologist to get a
referral to the specialist in Sydney. And then I can
go and meet them and have the tests done and
find out.
S14 (27:57):
Are you scared of what you might see? No, I
don't really.
S13 (28:01):
Know. I'm. I know a lot has changed and things
will be different. And I probably haven't remembered everything as
it is, but no, I'm. I am truly believing that
if it's if I'm suitable for this surgery, that it
will work for me.
S14 (28:15):
Because you actually had full sight when you were a
young one, didn't you?
S13 (28:18):
I was born fully sighted. Um, and it was a
retinoblastoma bilateral that took one eye and then came back
and scarred the front of the other eye, which has caused, uh,
like a bathroom window frosting over the eye, which means
everything is, like, blurry.
S14 (28:37):
So do you have any memories of having full sight? Yes.
You must miss it.
S13 (28:40):
I.
S14 (28:41):
Do.
S13 (28:41):
It's been an adjustment having to relearn a lot of
things from the almost totally blind aspect. And, you know,
the coffee jars bouncing and rolling and the blueberry explosions
and all the accidents that happen when you can't see
and you miss things all the time. But there's tools
and gadgets out there and, you know, liquid level finder
and talking kitchen scales. And what's the other one? That
(29:02):
color detector and the little camera stick I've got. I
don't know how I ever managed without them.
S14 (29:08):
When are you going to have to relearn how to
be sighted again if it comes to fruition?
S13 (29:11):
Yeah, probably take 3 to 6 months to, um, retrain
my eye. The good one. The only one I had to, um,
learn to see and read and be quick enough to
to do what a sighted person can do.
S14 (29:24):
Well, I wish you the best of luck.
S13 (29:26):
Thank you very much. And, uh. Well, I hope there's
hope out there for other people as well.
S2 (29:30):
That's a wrap for this week. A big thank you
to our choir of angels. Stephen, Carley, Emma, Jodie, Sammy C,
Stephen K, Lisa, Lily, Cheryl and Maddie.
S3 (29:41):
And of course, a big thanks to you for listening.
You can download the podcast of this program, plus some
extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google or your favorite podcast platform.
S2 (29:54):
Next week it's International Guide Dog Day. We ask, what
would your dog say if it could talk?
S3 (30:01):
We also speak to Lester Crane from Seeing Eye Dogs
Australia and we hear from a few dog guide handlers.
S2 (30:08):
But between now and then, please do get in touch
with the show. Whether you have experience of any of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help somebody
else who is dealing with something similar.
S3 (30:23):
You can email us at studio One at Vision Australia. Org.
That's studio number one at Australia. Or of course, you
can find us on all the good social media platforms
by looking for VA Radio Network. This program is made
possible with the support of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. To
find out more, go to.
S2 (30:44):
Bye for now.
One of the first things I do, it wouldn't be
looking in the eyes of my beautiful wife, because I
always see how beautiful she is. Oh, but the first
thing I'd like to do is like, maybe take her
for a cruise around the the country. You know, I'd
sell everything up and buy a big, um, Winnebago or
one of those camping trucky things, and, like, we'll just
(00:28):
tour around and, uh, I'd like to be able to
just drive, you know, or or get on a motorbike
and just ride it until the wheels fell off. I
tell you.
S2 (00:36):
What a suck.
S3 (00:38):
I agree, that's why I love him so much. Please.
S4 (00:43):
This is studio one on Vision Australia radio.
S2 (00:50):
Hello, I'm Sam.
S3 (00:51):
And I'm Lizzie.
S2 (00:52):
And this is Studio one, your weekly look at life
from a low vision and blind point of view here
on Vision Australia Radio.
S3 (00:58):
This week, despite the fact that it's highly unlikely we
fantasize about what it would be like to wake up
without a disability.
S2 (01:06):
In this age of miracles and wonders, what would you
do if that miracle did happen? And what does that
say about us?
S3 (01:13):
As we always say at this point, please do get
in touch with the show. Whether you have experience of
any of the issues covered on this week's episode of
Studio One, or if you think there's something we should
be talking about. You never know. Your story and insight
may help someone who is dealing with something similar.
S2 (01:30):
You can email us studio one at Vision Australia org.
That's studio number one at Vision Australia.
S3 (01:36):
Org or of course, you can drop us a note
on our Facebook page by going to facebook.com.
S2 (01:45):
Hello, Lizzie.
S3 (01:46):
Hello, Sam.
S2 (01:47):
It's one of those strange weeks. In fact, it's been
one of those strange fortnights. Really? Because unlike a lot
of other jobs, when you have public holidays, at least
for me, my week doesn't sort of have holidays. It has. Well,
everything happens Whether whether there's days off or not. So
this week, for example, it's a three day week, and
(02:10):
everything I normally do in five days is being done
in three days, and I don't know whether I'm coming
or going. How have you been, though?
S3 (02:17):
I've been okay. I've been all right. I thoroughly enjoyed Easter,
spent lots of time with family and at church and
all the Easter y things that one does. But, you know,
I was I was talking with my support worker on
the way up here, actually, public holidays, long weekends, Christmas,
New Year. They all screw with my feng shui just
(02:38):
that little bit, you know, like, because I am the
kind of person that lives by their routine and my
routine has been affected. Therefore, I'm all over the spot,
you know that. Plus going through some medication changes at
the moment. Yeah I'm not feeling great.
S2 (02:53):
Mhm. And we're of course changing from the warmer time
of the year to the colder time of the year,
which also yes plays havoc with me personally.
S3 (03:01):
That doesn't bother me. I love the cold.
S2 (03:03):
I just don't understand the whole point of winter. I mean,
it's a lot more civilized where I come from, where
there's two seasons. Well, two and a half seasons. But
we're not talking about those things we are talking about. Well,
an issue we've covered quite a number of times, but
it seems to attract a lot of people's imagination. And
that is what would happen if suddenly you woke up
(03:23):
one day and you could see or see normally, in
the case of some of us who are vision impaired.
The reason why we keep on covering it is because
we keep on getting material from it. When we point
a microphone in somebody's face and ask them that question. Well,
they give us a whole lot of good answers.
S3 (03:40):
I think it's something that people think about a lot, Sam, like,
I don't offer ponder that specific question, but when I do, yeah,
I get really in depth with what I imagine, what
I'd be doing and things like that. So I guess
it's something that people do think about.
S2 (03:56):
I think also in this country where a driver's license
is essential, really, it affects us a lot more. Yeah.
So and this is the theme that we're going to
pick up in. Well, when we do ask a few
people our choir of angels in inverted commas. So let
us go to Carly.
S5 (04:18):
I really don't know. I think I was at the
stage in my career as well. I always wanted to
be a paramedic. Um, or work I love. I love
high energy. High. Um, I'm very got to be amongst it. Yeah.
I love a job with excitement. So I think the
where I was eight years ago coming up nine years ago,
(04:40):
I had two young children as a single mother and
couldn't really go any further with where I was at.
I was at the top of where I could go
in that job, and it was something I was thinking
about later on to go back and become a, um,
a registered nurse and then see where it took me
from there. But yeah, I, I really don't know. It
(05:02):
wouldn't have been down. Probably the counselling mentoring role. And
I believe things happen for reasons as bittersweet is that
as that is, um, I've had to accept it and
I'm kind of happy where I've ended up. Like, I
didn't find this. It found me, if that makes sense.
S3 (05:22):
Yeah, I get that. Yeah. I have to agree with her.
I think I would do the same. I'd. I'd find
some chaotic job that needed a chaotic person, and I'd
dive headlong into it. What about you, Sam? What would
you do if you had, like, complete vision?
S2 (05:44):
Well, Carly's got an interesting thing here, and that is, um,
she's sort of taken it also to what happened. What
would have happened if she'd never lost her sight, which is,
I think, something that people who have acquired this disability
will often think about themselves of, you know, where they
were beforehand. You know, they've most likely just dropped their
(06:06):
life into two chunks, one before getting the disability and
one two afterwards. And I don't know whether it's easier
or harder in that way, but, um, she seems to
be quite happy with where she is because she's gone
on the whole journey for it. Me personally, I really
(06:28):
don't know, because I think part of what makes me
into me is my disability. And, um, I mean, I
had this conversation a long time ago with my uncle, um,
and I was rather frustrated with the way things were
going at the time. And I said, you know, the
opportunities that I've had and the things that I've done,
(06:49):
despite the fact that I'm legally blind, what could I
have actually done if I'd been able bodied? He probably
said you'd probably be in jail, like a lot of
the rest of my family have been. So it's one
of those things is a lot of the opportunities I've
had have been because I've been legally blind.
S3 (07:08):
Yeah. It's interesting you should say that. I mean, I've
never been able to see. I've always been blind. I've
had a lot of opportunities that have come up just
because I'm vision impaired like this. For example, I would
not get to share a studio with you or amplify
the voices of wonderful people you know, such as those
that are in this community. If I wasn't vision impaired.
(07:32):
I also wouldn't get to have gone on like Braille
music camp and things like that. And I mean, sure,
there are plenty of other opportunities out there for able
bodied individuals, but the experiences that we've had that shape us,
that make us who we are and the gifts that
we we have, the talents that we have, I think
that's what makes us us. And I'm with you. My
(07:54):
blindness is a great part of my identity, and I
really don't think that I would have it any other
way at this point.
S2 (08:00):
And for the listeners sakes, we're in a different studio
to what we normally are. So and I've got the
squeaky chair. So all fun and games as far as
that goes. And what's happened? What's happened to you?
S3 (08:12):
My chair keeps going down. Thanks.
S2 (08:14):
Oh, this is what happens when you've moved to a
different studio. Anyway, let's hear what Emma's got to say.
S6 (08:24):
Oh, if I could get my sight. Even if it's
just a little bit of sight. I reckon the first
thing I'd do is walk around the city checking everything out.
But if I could get my full sight back. Oh
my goodness. Oh, the possibilities are endless. I'd get my
own car. I would load the paddle board onto the
(08:45):
car without any questions asked, spontaneously drive down to the river,
unload the paddle board, and just go for a nice
bike trip along the river by myself. know support workers
know nothing. Just me. The freedom. Oh, I love that.
(09:07):
Celebrate my freedom. You know, if I could get my
full site back, just get in the car and just
go off. No plans, no nothing. I love that.
S3 (09:21):
You know what I have to say? This is a
little bit unrelated. I was just saying to a friend
of mine earlier today that the one thing I miss
about having a functioning seeing eye dog is the ability
to just go and walk by myself. So that freedom
I can completely understand. I miss the freedom and the
independence that comes with having a fully functional guide. Lacey,
(09:45):
you disappoint me. Um. But yeah. No freedom. Freedom galore,
I understand that. I've never done paddleboarding, though.
S2 (09:52):
She covers something that is, it speaks a lot to,
I think, all of us. And that is if you
have all your senses and you have you're fully able bodied,
you can just go and do something. You can just say,
you know what, I will slack off work and yes,
go for a swim somewhere. I will drive down the coast.
(10:14):
I will do something just because I can. We can't.
You know, it doesn't matter if you're totally blind or
have low vision like myself. You need to plan ahead
for this kind of thing. You know, if you want
to just dip off somewhere for the weekend, you still
have to plan ahead. You've got to work out how
to get somewhere and all that sort of stuff. So,
(10:35):
I mean, I think that's really is a big thing.
As I said, that just that's something that would I
don't know. I mean, um, is there something that you
would do in that nature, something that you just can't
do now, even, you know, even with a guide dog?
S3 (10:49):
Well, I remember the last time you asked me this question.
It would be to get go take my bike and
go for a ride. But, you know, at the moment,
I actually think that I would just go for a hike.
And not only that, but I would take enough things
with me that I could either stay overnight somewhere if
I had money. Obviously I'd find a way to get
(11:12):
to a motel like hotels or hostels along the way,
and I'd just go on a backpacking trip. I'd just
hike everywhere because I've always loved hiking and I think
it's extra special. Just going back to what you said
about having to plan ahead, I think it makes those
people that make it possible extra special, and it makes
(11:33):
us appreciative of what they they do for us. Like
when I had my hiking partner Marek, who used to
take me on these amazing hikes that I would have
never been able to experience without him, I can fully
appreciate the time and energy and everything that he invested
to to make that a possibility for me. And it
was it just makes it even more special because it's
(11:55):
not something that we can just do at the drop
of a hat. We have to plan it. And I'll
always cherish those memories forever.
S2 (12:02):
So next up we have Jodie. And as usual, she's
got a slightly different take on things.
S7 (12:12):
Oh, my. So this sort of came up on, uh, Facebook, um,
site the other day. Um, my dream job back when
I was in school would have been to be a, uh,
TV camera person. Um, but, you know, they always said, oh,
with your eyesight, you wouldn't be able to focus a camera.
And generally, if you're like a news cameraman, the the
(12:34):
the cameraman usually drives the car. So obviously, you know,
I can't do that, but, um, that would have been my,
my preferred career if I had have had a chance.
S6 (12:45):
Wow.
S3 (12:45):
That's amazing.
S6 (12:46):
TV camera.
S3 (12:47):
Person.
S7 (12:48):
Yeah. Oh, I was right into the old television back
in the day, and, yeah, I used to go and
watch a couple of quiz shows be filmed, and I
just really fancied being a camera person. But anyway. Yeah.
S2 (13:05):
I sympathise with Jodie. Um, I would probably love to
work in TV myself. Um, that kind of thing. But
we work in TV without pictures. That's the way I
see it. And I think in a lot of ways,
what we do is better.
S3 (13:18):
Yeah. I'd like to create an audio drama. Would you mean.
S2 (13:21):
I would definitely be in. I've actually written a few
of them in the past, so, um, it would be
interesting to actually do that and play around with the
softwares that we've got here. Yeah. So yes, I can
see how that would work. And yes, it would be fun.
Maybe we can do a Christmas play. That would be
that would be amazing.
S3 (13:37):
Oh yes. Let's try and write something and tee it up.
Who do we have next Sam.
S2 (13:42):
We have a semi C, otherwise known as Sam Colley.
S8 (13:49):
Well, I'd probably, uh, if I could say normally I'd
learn to, um, drive a car. That'd be pretty cool.
I've always been into, um, um, motorsport and racing and
cars and all that sort of thing, so I think
that'd be a fantastic thing if I could see like 100% normally.
And um, and with that, um, their reaction times would
(14:14):
improve and, you know, the otter brain and all that
sort of thing. Um, if that, you know, if that
sorted itself out, that's probably certainly one thing I'd love
to be able to do in terms of, you know,
independence and being able to get around and mobility, that's
that's one of the main things. And, um, although I
(14:34):
live somewhere with fantastic public transport in my neighborhood, I
think that'd just be really great because, you know, my, um,
one of my parents lives quite far away and being
able to sort of drive and visit, um, visit them and, um,
relatives who live nearby, that'd be really good because, you know,
(14:56):
out in the country, if you don't have a car,
it's extremely difficult. So, um, that would be a fantastic
thing to have.
S3 (15:08):
I'd be an outdoor ranger, like a park ranger, while
we were listening to Sam because, you know, um, Jody
and Sam and Carly have been talking about the jobs
they do. I was sort of just brainstorming my list
of jobs that I would have if I was cited.
And I think given that I love hiking so much
and cycling, one of the ones that I would pick
(15:29):
is to be a park ranger. Like, I could just
imagine me working at Anstey Hill, you know, running around
and checking the tracks and telling people off for doing
silly things. Can you imagine me doing that?
S2 (15:39):
I could for some reason. Yes, yes. Okay. Um, something
that Sam did cover, though, is, um, is getting around
in the country, as it were. My mother and stepfather
live in Berry Springs, Darwin River, which is an hour
out of Darwin itself. And for a while there I was,
(15:59):
living there myself. And my God, it was a nuisance
because there's no public transport whatsoever. You're completely reliant on
other people. And at the moment it's actually rather rather
tricky because my mother's having health issues and if I
went back there then I would be no use whatsoever.
(16:20):
So I'm still here while all that's going on up there.
All right. So I think we know who you are,
who we're talking to. Next up.
S3 (16:27):
Yes, we're talking to the lovely Lisa.
S2 (16:30):
And she starts with, well, the obvious answer.
S7 (16:38):
Drive public transport. I'm driving.
S3 (16:43):
But what would be the one thing that you would
do straight away?
S9 (16:46):
Go to the top of a mountain, whatever one's nearby
here and have a look at the like. Everybody keeps
telling me, like this. The view of the city is wonderful.
From the Mount Lofty. That's it. But I can't see it.
I just have to imagine it. And so when people say, oh,
I'd love to see that, you know, people from where
I live, people say they can see this city skyline.
(17:09):
I'm like, that would actually be because those are so beautiful.
And I'd like to see that. So I think it'd
be something along those lines of just going and seeing
what other people can see that I'm missing out on now.
Oh that's amazing, I love that.
S3 (17:23):
Mom was very selfish. It was to.
S9 (17:24):
Get.
S6 (17:25):
On a bike and not stop riding. Just just ride
down the road.
S9 (17:30):
Having had done that, I could see I could see
how you'd want to do that. But I just like, yeah,
I just want to see what everybody else sees, just
so that I got that perception in my mind. Even if,
like somebody said, I'm going to give you slightly 24 hours,
go do do what you want, but that's what I'll
be doing. Good, I love that, I love that.
S2 (17:50):
You know what I'd take that to just, um, give
me a day or so to experience things normally.
S3 (17:55):
Well, I think if I had a day or two,
it wouldn't be enough, because I'd have to get used
to the stimulus of seeing. So it'd take me a
day or two just to be able to open my
eyes without having a complete meltdown. I reckon I.
S2 (18:08):
Would suggest as well. I mean, even even me. I mean,
I've always had this eye condition. It's I'm guessing as
I've got older, it's probably got worse. But, um, yes,
this has always been the same thing. So I think
probably the first couple of days would just be completely
overwhelmed and going, huh?
S3 (18:22):
Yeah. Maybe if the miracle worker out there is listening,
if you're going to do this right, maybe you don't
do a day or a week, just like I'm going
to give you sight for whatever amount of time it
is that it takes you to get your affairs in
order and do what you want to do, then whammo!
We're back to square one.
S2 (18:38):
Yeah, I think that's fair.
S3 (18:38):
Yeah, because a day it's not going to cut it
for me. I reckon every time I open my eyes
I'm going to freak out because I want to know
what I'm looking at. Well, I need more than a day.
S2 (18:48):
Well, my my standpoint really would be is that. Oh,
my God, I'd just be standing there looking at a
whiteboard or something like that from the other side of
the room and going, you can actually do this.
S3 (18:57):
I think I'd check myself out in the mirror. Oh yes. Yes,
because I actually don't know what I look like. Like,
forget other people. I don't give a stuff about you.
I just want to know what I look like.
S2 (19:07):
All right, so I think you know who we're talking
to next, Lizzie.
S3 (19:11):
Yeah, I believe it's Stephen Kemp. The other Stephen.
S2 (19:14):
Yep.
S10 (19:16):
So I think employment would be the biggest one there,
I think. Uh, so I think my reason I got
into massage is anatomy and physiology and sport. So obviously
I'd ride a single bike and quite enjoy that. But
what I've got into riding bikes, possibly not would I've
got into massage because I enjoy anatomy and physiology, probably
(19:41):
because going to hospital and having eye surgeries and being
interested in anatomy and physiology of the body and the
eye because of my impairment or whatever else. Uh, possibly not,
but I think, yeah, I probably would have pursued a, um,
medical employment of some sort, whether it be nursing or
(20:01):
doctor or any of those things, if I could say, um,
but who knows, I might have ended up being a
truck driver or a taxi driver. Who knows? But yeah,
I would have opened up many more. More options. So yeah,
would have definitely changed my life. But who knows in
in which sliding door you would have walked.
S3 (20:23):
I wonder if Lily agrees.
S2 (20:25):
Yes. All right, well, let's see if Lily got to say.
S11 (20:29):
Wow, what a question. Um, okay. All right. This has
gone through my head a few times. If I could
see again, I would. I'd get my kids in the
in the room, and I'd just sit them down, and
I'd stare at them, and I just. I mean, I
can see them a little bit, but, uh, I, I'd
(20:50):
check my kids right out.
S5 (20:52):
You.
S11 (20:52):
Know, and see what they looked like. You know, even
though I do know what they look like, just really
see what they look like. You know, that's. I really
would love that. Um, they don't have their own children yet,
but if they did, I would want to, you know,
look at the babies. Yeah. I think that that's something I,
I really, uh, I can still see their faces, but
(21:12):
I would love to see their, the real detail of,
of them. I would either buy or hire a mustang
convertible and I would go on a big road trip
in it. I'd me doing the driving. Um, I would love.
I always had a dream to own one and drive one.
(21:33):
A Ford Mustang convertible. Um, wow. Yeah. The driving, I guess,
was a big thing for me because I used to drive,
so I do miss it. Um, so I would like
that experience and that feeling and that exhilarating feeling of
driving again, I did. It's because I did like to drive.
I would ride a solo bike. Um, a solo bicycle.
(21:55):
I you know what? I don't think I would want
to do it at any sort of level, but I
think I would like to just go on a coastal
ride on a solo bike, maybe with a bunch or
maybe on my own. Yeah, I kind of like to
do that. I'd like to swim in the ocean on
my own. I would like to do that. I do
miss that. Uh, I do it tethered now, and I
(22:19):
when I do an ocean swim. But, um, I would
like to be able to wade out into the ocean,
splash around and come back and be able to see
back to my towel. That seems a really that seems
a really trivial thing to do, but I miss being
able to go out in the ocean in the summer,
have a really good swim, duck under a few waves,
then turn around and be able to make my way
back to my towel. I can't do that now. Now
(22:40):
I yeah, I would do that. Wow. Uh, yeah. Gosh,
so many things. I, I don't know that I'd travel
solo because I do like traveling with other people, but
I'd like to at least have the opportunity to be
able to do some some solo travel. But I still
think I would like to, uh, to travel with other people.
S6 (23:01):
But yeah.
S11 (23:03):
I don't know. Is he. That's. It's hard. There's so much.
But the fact that I'm even struggling to find things
off the top of my head makes me think that
I have made a big adjustment to not having those things, uh,
in my life. But I am a big lover of. Oh, gosh,
you know what? Except for the driving of the car
(23:23):
and looking at my kids faces, um, I want to
see the night sky. I, I, as a kid, was
a bit of a stargazer. I would like to see
the stars in the sky. That I would like to
see them. Yeah, yeah.
S3 (23:43):
One of the things that strikes me about some of
the answers, one of the common threads that I've noticed
is that people want to do things solo or alone. Oh, yes.
And I think again, that comes back to what we
talked about earlier of having being so reliant on people.
So we spend a lot of our time with other
people doing activities that we'd rather do alone. So I
(24:05):
get that. I think I'd spend like most of my
life alone if, if that were the case. I'm quite
a hermit, really. I mean, if I had it my way,
if I could see. I think apart from being a
park ranger, which, again, you don't spend heaps of time
with heaps of people, it's not like a customer service job.
I would spend a lot of time alone.
S2 (24:25):
I do like my own time. Me too. And yes.
S3 (24:29):
I like my own company.
S2 (24:30):
When I first moved from Darwin to Adelaide, one of
the reasons I moved down here was because I was
feeling quite isolated where I was. The funny thing is,
when I moved down here, I really didn't have a
lot to do with other people anyway. But there was
the option to be around other people living down here,
and that was really what it came down to. So
and I think that's the thing is, when you have
(24:53):
no disability or no easily recognizable disability, you've got choices.
S3 (24:58):
Yeah I agree.
S2 (24:59):
All right. We're going to talk to Maddie.
S12 (25:03):
Yeah, I've I've thought about it before. Um, yeah. I
think if I could fix my vision, probably going out
and driving would be the first thing that I would do.
S2 (25:13):
Gino. And also said that.
S3 (25:15):
Everyone else said.
S12 (25:16):
That.
S3 (25:18):
Except for me. I'd rather ride. Yeah, I'd just.
S12 (25:21):
Get a motorbike.
S3 (25:23):
Yes. Honda Fireblade. Oh, my God, we could.
S12 (25:27):
Get into moto racing. Yeah.
S2 (25:29):
Is there anything else you'd like to sort of go
out and do or see or anything you feel that
you're sort of missing out on?
S12 (25:33):
Yeah, definitely. Just the driving like the day to day driving,
just having the freedom to have your own car and
just have all your stuff in your car and not
have to carry a backpack around and just go wherever
you want, whenever you want. So I feel like that's
something I miss out on even like cycling day to day.
You know, anyone can just get out on their single
bike and go and ride wherever they want to. Where
(25:55):
I'm restricted to not being able to do that unless
we're on the tandem. You know, like, there are things
that I'd like to do, like mountain biking and, you know,
riding a motorbike and that kind of stuff that. Yeah,
I just can't do. So that's a challenge sometimes.
S3 (26:15):
Uh, we could ride motorbikes together, Maddie. Yes, we could,
because I. That's something I'd love to do. Um, my
dad rides motorbikes, my grandfather rode motorbikes. My best friend
rode motorbikes. I've owned a couple of motorbikes. And Steven
as well. I think that's something I'd do, is I'd
ride a motorbike. But not a Harley, Steven, not a Harley. Okay.
(26:38):
I'd want like a a Honda Fireblade or a Kawasaki or,
you know, one of them Japanese bikes.
S2 (26:45):
I think we are going to leave the last say
on this episode to Cheryl because, well, she's got some
news for her. Exactly.
S13 (26:59):
Well, I'd revisit looking at my family and friends faces
that I seen when I had foresight and those that
I haven't seen. And I get my license and drive
my car around Australia.
S14 (27:11):
Now, this is actually a kind of a possibility for you,
isn't it?
S13 (27:14):
Sure is. There's a, um, a possible synthetic cornea transplant
that might be suitable for me that may give me
back most or with glasses, all my vision and put
me on the legally blind without glasses, but fully sighted
with glasses on, which would give me these abilities.
S14 (27:32):
What car do you think you'd drive?
S13 (27:34):
Volkswagen Bora blue grey interior, manual air con with all
sorts of bells and whistles that I wanted for 30 years,
which I just got delivered, by the way.
S14 (27:43):
Well, the bells and whistles.
S13 (27:44):
Oh, well, the whole package.
S14 (27:46):
Oh. Very cool. When's this going to happen?
S13 (27:48):
Well, I'm waiting to see my ophthalmologist to get a
referral to the specialist in Sydney. And then I can
go and meet them and have the tests done and
find out.
S14 (27:57):
Are you scared of what you might see? No, I
don't really.
S13 (28:01):
Know. I'm. I know a lot has changed and things
will be different. And I probably haven't remembered everything as
it is, but no, I'm. I am truly believing that
if it's if I'm suitable for this surgery, that it
will work for me.
S14 (28:15):
Because you actually had full sight when you were a
young one, didn't you?
S13 (28:18):
I was born fully sighted. Um, and it was a
retinoblastoma bilateral that took one eye and then came back
and scarred the front of the other eye, which has caused, uh,
like a bathroom window frosting over the eye, which means
everything is, like, blurry.
S14 (28:37):
So do you have any memories of having full sight? Yes.
You must miss it.
S13 (28:40):
I.
S14 (28:41):
Do.
S13 (28:41):
It's been an adjustment having to relearn a lot of
things from the almost totally blind aspect. And, you know,
the coffee jars bouncing and rolling and the blueberry explosions
and all the accidents that happen when you can't see
and you miss things all the time. But there's tools
and gadgets out there and, you know, liquid level finder
and talking kitchen scales. And what's the other one? That
(29:02):
color detector and the little camera stick I've got. I
don't know how I ever managed without them.
S14 (29:08):
When are you going to have to relearn how to
be sighted again if it comes to fruition?
S13 (29:11):
Yeah, probably take 3 to 6 months to, um, retrain
my eye. The good one. The only one I had to, um,
learn to see and read and be quick enough to
to do what a sighted person can do.
S14 (29:24):
Well, I wish you the best of luck.
S13 (29:26):
Thank you very much. And, uh. Well, I hope there's
hope out there for other people as well.
S2 (29:30):
That's a wrap for this week. A big thank you
to our choir of angels. Stephen, Carley, Emma, Jodie, Sammy C,
Stephen K, Lisa, Lily, Cheryl and Maddie.
S3 (29:41):
And of course, a big thanks to you for listening.
You can download the podcast of this program, plus some
extra content on Apple, Spotify, Google or your favorite podcast platform.
S2 (29:54):
Next week it's International Guide Dog Day. We ask, what
would your dog say if it could talk?
S3 (30:01):
We also speak to Lester Crane from Seeing Eye Dogs
Australia and we hear from a few dog guide handlers.
S2 (30:08):
But between now and then, please do get in touch
with the show. Whether you have experience of any of
the issues covered on this week's episode of Studio One,
or if you think there's something we should be talking about.
You never know. Your story and insight may help somebody
else who is dealing with something similar.
S3 (30:23):
You can email us at studio One at Vision Australia. Org.
That's studio number one at Australia. Or of course, you
can find us on all the good social media platforms
by looking for VA Radio Network. This program is made
possible with the support of the Community Broadcasting Foundation. To
find out more, go to.
S2 (30:44):
Bye for now.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!