Little things like plugging in a phone charger or putting toothpaste on a toothbrush are usually the most difficult and I often find you have to be innovative and find your own way of fixing them. Having a visual impairment or being blind comes with many obstacles.īasic things like walking and cleaning the house all have their challenges. If I can get that response, I know it will have been worth it. I’d love one of two things to happen.Įither everyone sings or everyone goes quiet. It has kept me active and my boredom at bay, which has really helped me mentally.Įveryone keeps asking why do I do this? Am I going to join a choir, a band, or an orchestra? The truth is I want to be able to sit down at a piano in a pub one night and play.

Some people might see this is a chore but I have found it a great coping mechanism. I currently have a selection of around 20 songs so, as you can guess, this takes up a chunk of time. Every song I have learned has had to be memorised and, because I do not have sheet music, I spend almost an hour every morning making sure I remember notes. He runs and hides in his den when he hears that.Īt the moment, the skill I need most is memory. What six-year-old knows that? The dog on the other hand loves my music. Next thing, I hear him humming River Flows in You. During summer, I was walking through town with my son, Noah. My mam works in the hospital in Drogheda and her workmates never stop with requests. They love to hear the finished pieces, but they hate the continuous practice getting there. My family at home both love it and hate it. How would we manage school runs or do the shopping? I also now had to rely on a cane to get around town.

Being the only driver in the house, it made life a lot more complicated. I could no longer get behind the wheel of a car. It was obviously no longer a runner because of my sight. One of those changes was my job as a swimming teacher in Drogheda.

The doctors told me I was legally blind and I’d have to make a few changes. The next day I went to the Mater Hospital to get checked out. Leaving the driveway, I realised I had no idea where I was going. When we were finished, I decided to drive to the shop for some refreshments. In June of last year, we were enjoying the fine weather and putting together a trampoline. I was subsequently diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy and from then on it was a constant cycle of laser treatment injections and surgeries to try to retain my sight. The blood vessels in my eyes began to bleed and I was experiencing lots of floaters. I had just parked in work and, as I was getting out of the car, accidentally hit my head off the door. It meant a couple of insulin injections each day and avoiding sugar. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child.

Accidentally in love piano