Lori's Minute

Saturday, July 14, 2007

RP Convention

Next week I am heading to Kansas City to attend a conference for the Foundation For Fighting Blindness. It starts on Thurs. and ends on Sun. I will be going with another woman who also has RP but who has never gone to a convention before.

The first time I went to a convention, it was 1994 in San Francisco. It really opened a whole new world for me. For years, I had been told by doctors not to go to college because I will notbe able to work, don't have kids, etc. Very hard stuff to take as a 20 year old.

But, I went to college and got a degree and was working full time and had gotten married. Now at age 28, we were talking about kids but I wanted to go to this convention first.

I was so surprised....it seemed like most people who had RP, had families, had jobs, and lived their lives. The conference had sessions where I could learn more about my specific eye disease (Ushers type 2) which also includes a hearing loss. The best part of the conference is the networking session where you get to gether with other people who have the same condition as yourself. I have gone to two more conferences and that is always the best part. We are a feisty bunch!

While in San Francisco, my husband and I stayed a few extra days for sight seeing. We went to Alcatraz and met a guy who actually stayed there and had writtan a book which I purchased. We also went to see 'The Phantom of the Opera" and took a wrong turn walking back to our hotel and met some very interesting characters.

Another thing I remember is seeing homeless people for the first time. We were sitting in a restaurant and a guy off the street came in and took food from a table where people had eaten and left.


There was one good thing that came out of this trip, nine months later our first child was born.

3 Comments:

At 6:07 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I hate it when people with handicaps are told not to "live." When the doctor told me [I was 18] that I would never be able to have children, he also told me I should never marry because I would only end up being a disappointment and a burden to my husband. You have no value because you cannot see. I have no value because my uterus is deformed ... pft. Our value is what we make it. I'm glad you decided to live your life.

 
At 7:09 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

Good for you!! It is amazing how things have changed over the years. I can remember reading the Helen Keller story and was quite taken with all the things she was able to accomplish during her lifetime. I guess it is true that life is what we make it.

 
At 1:38 PM, Blogger Dr.John said...

And what a wonderful hild she is.

 

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