RANDY
PHOTO BY RANDY BACON
RANDY
“One Summer Night”
One warm summer night in the mid-1960’s when I was about five, the family was returning home. Walking from the car to the house, my parent’s noticed that I bumped into something on the way in. They realized for the first time that my night vision might be compromised.
Soon afterward, my mother made me an appointment with a young ophthalmologist in Springfield, a doctor who turned out to become one of the best eye doctors in Southwest Missouri. This was one of a series of lucky breaks or good fortune I was to experience throughout my life as a visually impaired person. This doctor, just out of residency, was to be my ophthalmologist for the next 25 years.
After seeing the doctor, my parents got bad news. Their five year old son had retinitis pigmentosa, a degenerative retinal disease that, as they were told, would render me totally blind by my teens. My parents were devastated. Like most of the world, they had no knowledge about visual impairments, and absolutely no idea how to raise a child with a disability.
As time went by, my vision remained pretty stable. Each year I had an appointment with my opthamologist and some years I went to a specialist at Barnes Hospital in St. Louis. I grew to hate these trips, although my folks softened them by including a trip to the zoo or a Cardinals game.
As a teenager, I got my driver’s license and played high school football. I know my folks were worried about these activities, but they never said anything. The let me try anything I wanted to, and supported me totally. This was the second lucky break I received—great parents. I didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, but as I matured, I realized how special they were, and how few people received this wonderful gift.
I went on to college, and later pursued a Master’s degree. By that time my vision was getting noticeably worse, but I did pretty well in school. I realized I needed to get my education then, because if my eyes grew even worse, which was likely, it would be more difficult. After I got my Master’s I began teaching college English, both at Missouri State and OTC. About the same time I gave up driving, as it was not safe anymore. This affected me greatly—it was so tough to give up that level of independence. And I was a single guy trying to maintain an active social life. This would grow even tougher without driving, but I somehow managed it.
After teaching for nine years, I started a new job as a Vocational Rehab Counselor with Rehab Services for the Blind. This experience really opened my eyes, pardon the pun. I was working with other visually impaired clients to help them become employed or remain working. For the first time I met other people with some of the same vision issues I had. It let me see for the first time that my visual issues were not unique—many people were going through the same stuff. Lucky break number three.
In this job, I would sit down with someone for the first time, and we instantly understood things about each other that even our own families could not fathom. In this job, I was finally able to put aside the “burden” I carried with me for years. Sometimes when you are a person with a disability, you feel inferior, although intellectually you know better. After working with other people who had visual issues, I was able to let all that nonsense go, and realize what I had was just a medical problem, and it made no reflection on me as a human being. This sounds simple, but part of me thought that way, and it was a great relief to let it go. I have been with RSB for over 20 years now and I truly believe this is what I was meant to do in the grand design.
For a person with a disability, the disability should not and cannot define you. What should speak for you is how you choose to live your life, and how you can contribute. Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can’t do something or you think you can, you are correct in both instances.”
As for me, I still have a little vision—never did become totally blind, as my parents were told. I enjoy travel, sports, reading, and music. About 18 years ago, I met a wonderful lady who was to be the love of my life, and we’re married to this day. One more lucky break in a life of many.