physical disabilities

[keslc]

I was just wondering about how other christians deal with the difficulties of disablities. My family carries a rare genetic eye disease called choroideremia and my brothers and one uncle have it. I am a carrier of the gene. (It is carried on the X chromosone, so females are carriers and males actually have the disease) My son has a 50/50 chance of getting the disease. He is 5 years old and we are having him tested this month. (his appointment is the 18th) Previously, we've already been through the ringer with him. He also has sensory integration dysfunction and has had ALOT of therapy for this (speech, physical, and occupational). He is doing great right now and he is starting kindergarten in Sept. I am just really really nervous about this eye disease. It will eventually cause total blindness (my brothers and uncle are in their 30's and all legally blind) there is no cure or treatment right now. I read online recently that there may be a connection between this disease and sensory problems, so that freaks me out a little. I don't know how I will handle it if they tell me he has it. I don't know how my husband will handle it. He likes to deny any and all problems...you know, don't talk about it and it will go away. It was awful, I felt like a single parent going through the sensory issues on my own because he (husband) would refuse to talk about it at all. I'm just very anxious right now, and guess I need to hear some encouragement, lol. I tend to put everything in a "worst case scenario" light because then if the worst happens, I won't be shocked, and if less than worse happens, I will be relieved. Know what I mean?

Specifically, anyone here dealing with blindness? How do you handle it? Otherwise, how do any of you handle other problems like this or fear about things like this? What about my husband? How can I get a partner in dealing with this out of him?

Thanks, I know it's a lot and I'm sort of talking all over the place, but I appreciate any input!

[Kitten]

I was just wondering about how other christians deal with the difficulties of disablities. My family carries a rare genetic eye disease called choroideremia and my brothers and one uncle have it. I am a carrier of the gene. (It is carried on the X chromosone, so females are carriers and males actually have the disease) My son has a 50/50 chance of getting the disease. He is 5 years old and we are having him tested this month. (his appointment is the 18th) Previously, we've already been through the ringer with him. He also has sensory integration dysfunction and has had ALOT of therapy for this (speech, physical, and occupational). He is doing great right now and he is starting kindergarten in Sept. I am just really really nervous about this eye disease. It will eventually cause total blindness (my brothers and uncle are in their 30's and all legally blind) there is no cure or treatment right now. I read online recently that there may be a connection between this disease and sensory problems, so that freaks me out a little. I don't know how I will handle it if they tell me he has it. I don't know how my husband will handle it. He likes to deny any and all problems...you know, don't talk about it and it will go away. It was awful, I felt like a single parent going through the sensory issues on my own because he (husband) would refuse to talk about it at all. I'm just very anxious right now, and guess I need to hear some encouragement, lol. I tend to put everything in a "worst case scenario" light because then if the worst happens, I won't be shocked, and if

Edited May 10, 2005 by Kitten

[Imamom]

Hi Keslc,

Blindness has not effected my family, however it has effected one of my employers. I work part-time weekends for an attorney who went blind at seven years of age due to an accident. Yes, I mentioned that he is an attorney. It was his parents encouragement and pushing for his independence that helped him out. I will pray Keslic that the tests come out negative for this ailment for your son, but if it does not I'm confident that you will be able to encourage him to be all he can. The attorney I work for does not consider himself desabled by the way, he is merely physically challenged. The way one perceives a situation greatly impacts how the situation is dealt with. Chin up Keslc, I'm sure many will be praying for your son.

Edited May 10, 2005 by Imamom

[keslc]

Thanks for the replies and prayers! It's good to know that this type of situation doesn't limit others and I know that it doesn't have to limit my son. My brothers have sort of resigned themselves to the *supposed* fact that they can't do anything they want to do in life because of their lack of sight. I pray for them because they are very depressed people. I want my son to see the good he can do regardless of his eyesight or other physical issues. I want to help him in that, I just feel a little overwhelmed I guess. Well, I don't even know if he has this yet or not, so maybe I'm getting ahead of myself, lol! Anyway, thanks!

[amazingrace]

My heart goes out to you in this situation. Praise God, I am not vision impaired, but my mother in law provided foster care for the elderly under a pilot program in Bucks county Pa. and one of her residents was a blind man. He had been blind since birth, so actually, he had no idea what it was to see. He was a kind, gentle, Christian man, who had been trained in chair caning and mattress-making, so he had been able to earn his own way most of his life, plus, he was able to get blind pension because of his disability. This man was remarkable, and a testimony that a disability in one area of life does not necessarily have to limit enjoyment of life as a whole. Now, of course, there were some things that he was not able to do... he couldnt have a driver's license. But he did learn to read and write... he read braille and typed on a typwriter. I know he would have loved computers but they werent around in the 60'-80's the same way they are now.

I remember also, a contestant on Jeopardy who was blind, and had a remarkable winning streak... (not sure... maybe he was a 5-time winner) ... in any case, he was also remarkable.

The thing is to trust in the Lord with all you heart, and He will direct your ways ... Is being physically blind ever as great a disability as being spiritually blind? Bring up your son to love and trust in the Lord, and his life will be joyous and full.

[Leonard]

We'll certainly be in prayer about this. Let me know by PM, could you, please?

[keslc]

Thanks again, Amazingrace and Leonard! I will try to remember when we hear for sure either way (may take a while for results) what the results were.

Boy am I trying to raise all my kids (I also have 2 daughters who we are testing to see if they carry the gene) not to be spiritually blind. I would be REAALLLY SAD if that happened!

[hmh]

What your son may lack in one physical ability God will make up in the other physical abilities he will have. He will always be in prayer and God will take care of the both of y'all. (Southern living in me).

[keslc]

What your son may lack in one physical ability God will make up in the other physical abilities he will have.  He will always be in prayer and God will take care of the both of y'all.  (Southern living in me).   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol, I live in Wisconsin, was born in Michigan, lived all over the midwest as a kid, but consider myself from St. Louis, MO (lived there the longest...4 years) and I say "y'all" all the time!!

(confused yet??)

Thanks!

[hippo's hope is HIM]

I have congentital caterax, and I get scared that I will go blind. Mixed with my hearing problems, I just don't know what i would do if I lost either.

I have a friend who has severe eye problems, and he functions just fine.

2 of my youth friends have vision problems. One's nerve is messed up, and the other is blind in one eye. They are both dealing fine.

There is an awesome story about a woman named Laura. She was born with a severe and rare form of glaucoma. She could not see until she was like 8. All the docs said she would never see. She could see light....like squiggly light,but mostly she was in darkness. Through praying, and her parents not giving up, she went through a surgery and recovered. YEah she has glasses, but she she's fine now. So maybe if your son gets it, God will just heal him.

Another kid in my class is legally blind. He's albino too. But he has glasses, and all the teachers blow up the work so that he can see. and there are computer programs that will magnify the words on screen. so don't give up!!! And I would suggest if it is possible for him to loose his vision at all........that you teach him blind sign,... it's not so different than regular sign language. And if not that, teach him braille. So that in the event he does loose his sight, he won't be set back as much by it. Plus he'd be able to minister to people if he knew how to communicate with blind people!

love ya!!!