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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear Fellow Federationist's and
Friends,</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Below is your Membership Observer for your
reading pleasure. I would like to collect stories from you
regarding some ways that you educate the public about people dealing with
blindness maintaining indipendence. I would like to share your
storiies in a future Membership Observer, and hopefully submit these issues
on a monthly bases. It's my sincere hope that you are doing
well! All of you are outstanding to work with, so lets keep
living the lives we want!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sincerely,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>David C. Perry,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Your Federation Friend forever!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Your Membership Observer,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Keep Your Song Alive!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>There is always a song throughout every season
of life. No matter how hot or cold the water or air
temperatures may appear to be, your season is bound to change at any
point. It's very true that good and bad times come to an end on
Earth's side of life without notice, and sometimes there is no way to have
control over any particular situation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On April 22 2013, A storm came in to my home
and life without notice, and certainly wasn't invited. My storm
shook up my life, family, and certainly my wife Jacqueline Perry's physical
and mental health abilities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>It was a beautiful spring like Monday morning,
and I was anticipating another day of work when Jacque alarmed me that she
was feeling terrible. She mentioned that she felt very
shaky, num., and would even fall when trying to move around on her
feet. After spending two months in the Hospital trying to figure
out what was taking place within her body, One of the Neurologist's at the
University of Cincinnati Hospital, who is 20th in the United States
diagnosed Jacque with a rare brain disease called Moyamoya
on June 28 2013. Moyamoya causes strokes of many sizes in
different areas of the brain, and they just randomly appear without
notice. One out of 2 million people in the US are diagnosed with
this disease per year, and lots of children in South Africa
suffer with Moyamoya. Unfortunately there is no cure for this
terrible disease, and experts are not 100 percent sure what causes
Moyamoya.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On June 29 2013, Jacque had Cerebral
Bypass surgery on the left side of her brain, then the same procedure
on the right side of her brain January 3 2014. Jacque had the
privilege of being home a couple of weeks after the first procedure, but was
shaken up with a severe stroke July 21 2013 which was the last time she was
home. Jacque was left speechless for 5 weeks following that
particular stroke, then suffered another stroke which has effected her
mobility right after she was blessed to get her ability to speak
again. Altogether, Jacque has suffered 17 strokes in the front
of her brain, from April 2013 to August of that same year.
Jacque is going through lots of rehabilitation, and is expected a very long
recovery. We are not sure how long, but it could take years for
Jacque to recover if she even pulls through according to her
Physicians.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jacque and I were awarded custody of our niece
rose just before she started suffering, and even went through a painful move
because she needed a place to live without steps due to her knees giving her
problems.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jacque really expresses that she wants to gain
her quality of life back, and get back to spending lots of time with her
family and friends. Jacque did very well with advocating for
lots of people with several disabilities, and was always a giver as far as
preparing dinners for people who didn't have anywhere to go for the
Holidays. Jacque worked for the Social Security Administration,
Phoenix International, Clovernook Center for the Blind, and the Cincinnati
Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Although Jacque
continues to suffer physically, she is doing quite well
mentally. She had some issues with being able to concentrate,
but is slowly showing signs of improvement everyday. Jacque
shares that NFB Spirit of desiring to live the life that she wants, and will
not let Blindness or Moyamoya stop her from living her dreams.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I remind Jacque everyday that we can get
through this, and we are not going to let this disease tear us apart in any
manner. It's always the physically,
mentally, emotionally, and spiritually strong that survive,
and we are always victors and never victims!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The same is true in the area of blindness, and
how we advocate for each other throughout the National
Federation of the Blind, and all blindness related
organizations. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The National Federation of the Blind
of Ohio, and all other affiliates from across the Country are working
so hard to change what it means to be blind, and giving everyone the
knowledge that all people who are blind are just as successful as everyone
else in the world. It's my sincere pleasure to be a member and
friend to this wonderful organization! What makes NFB so
great is that you all are such a wonderful part of this special Federation
Family!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I've really enjoyed sharing my thoughts with
you, and look very forward to crossing paths with you in the very near
future! You all are wonderful, and I wish you the best in the
days to come! We should always be a fighter, and never let
anyone tell us that we can't achieve our dreams just
because we're blind. Everyone has a story to share, and a
song of life to contribute to the world, so lets keep our song
alive!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Take care, and be sure to keep your song
alive!</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>