[nfb-talk] Something to think about Re: Fw:Implantedchip 'allowsblindpeopleto detectobjects'

[Anjelina]

Marsha,
Thanks for sharing your experiences. Your story goes to show that these 
surgeries aren't black and white and many issues need to be considered.

Anjelina
Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.
Albert Einstein
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Marsha Drenth" <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, November 05, 2010 12:22 PM
Subject: [nfb-talk] Something to think about Re: Fw:Implantedchip 
'allowsblindpeopleto detectobjects'


>I have been following this thread for a while now. I don't know about this
> device to say if it should be used or not, nor will I say that anyone of 
> you
> is right or wrong. But I want everyone to read my story, it will just give
> you something to think about.
>
> I grew up most of my life visually impaired. I learned Braille and had to
> use a cane. In 1999, I lost all of my vision. Completely, no light, no
> shadows, nothing. It wasn't a sudden change, it was over night. So as I am
> sure you can imagine, I was a bit thrown off. Yes I had the tools to live 
> as
> a blind person, using a cane, reading Braille, cleaning and so on. In 
> early
> 2000, I started looking for an "fix" to which would give me back vision. 
> In
> 2000, I entered in a very new medical protocol, of stem cell cornea
> transplants. I was the first in the state of Texas, and with my eye 
> disease
> to have this procedure.  After I had received my transplant of both, I was
> able to see 20/40. For the first time I was able to see normally. It did
> take me some time to adjust. Like for example, I had never seen shadows in
> the sun, or that there was so much detail to leaves on a tree, or that
> people wore glasses. For the first time, I was able to read regular sized
> print. I went to get my driver's license, and I drove for 4 years. After a
> year and half, my first set of tissue rejected, so I had another. The 
> second
> set of tissue, rejected after only after a little over a year. So there 
> was
> my third set of tissue, and this time it only lasted one year. Through all
> of this time, I was on huge amounts of anti-rejection and
> immunosuppressant's. I developed high blood sugar, high blood pressure, 
> high
> cholesterol, and the list goes on. At the end, I developed a kidney
> infection, that landed me in the hospital. They could not say to which 
> sort
> of infection I had, or where and how I got it. I was in renal failure. I 
> was
> given the choice to continue my meds, keep my vision, or die. I was slowly
> taken off my meds, and over night, like I had gotten back my vision, my 
> good
> sight was gone.  I am sure you all know to which I chose. So here is the
> kicker, at the time, I thought that having vision and being able to see, 
> is
> what made me. It was something I would risk my life to have. Yes I got to
> see, but this only the shorten version to the story. It was hard too, to
> adjust to seeing. I almost died to keep my vision, that is crazy to think
> about. I can never have any sort of transplant, because my body would 
> reject
> it right away. So like if I ever needed a new heart or kidney or lung, 
> nope
> not going to happen. None of those doctors knew what the long term risks
> were, but I am here to say, they were huge. I no longer have high blood
> sugar, or high blood pressure, or anything else I had then, but I damaged
> the nerves in my ears. Damaged them to the point, I am loosing my hearing.
> Its that a kicker, no vision, and going deaf. I am a total now. Yes I 
> would
> not take back what I did at all. I have three children, who at the time 
> were
> small, I was able to see them. Yes being able to see was great, but in my
> mind. Right now, medical technology has made a lot of advances, but not
> enough. The risk is still too high. I mean if you want to risk possibly 
> your
> life, go for it. Its your right. Yes I helped, the medical community, but
> long term what did it do for me? I had the same sort of procedures that,
> Mike May had. And yes, he can see. So it is different in all people. What
> Mike May wrote in his book, "Crashing Through" about getting back his 
> vision
> was exactly how it was for me. And if you have ever seen the movie, as 
> hoky
> as it was, "At first sight" how the man in the movie had to learn how to
> see. Yes I had to learn how to see too.
>
> So like I said, take that risk, but know exactly what might come from it.
> Know you might be able to see, but then not. Know that your life is
> precious, and your taking huge risks.
>
> If your one of those people, that won't believe me. I was featured in the
> Cincinnati newspaper, and on a local TV station there. Google my name of 
> the
> time, Marsha Lindsey. You will see, of course no one has done a story of
> what has come of it.
>
> Just wanted you all to think. And stop being mean to each other.
>
> Marsha
>
>
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