The clues

So it's been a year since being diagnosed with Usher Syndrome and I've had many people encourage me to journal about my experiences, struggles, run-ins (literally), comical stories, etc.  Obviously, I've decided to do that; but not for my sake.  I've accepted my condition since day 2 of my diagnosis.  Rather, I am journaling to inform you and to humor you.  Not many people have a full understanding of what my condition involves, and in this situation ignorance is not bliss.  But please, I BEG YOU, no sympathy allowed.  Honestly, I'm rather annoyed when trying to tell a funny story related to my condition, and people immediately want to feel sorry.  I am not blogging my experiences to have more people sympathize with me, I am doing it so more people can understand me.

As mentioned above, I was diagnosed a year ago.  But in reality I should have been checked out a long time ago.  A lot of the incidents that should have been clues of diminishing eye sight I just attributed it general clumsiness or lack of focus; and incidents that happened at night, I figured, "I just don't see well at night"--I didn't think something was actually wrong.  In hindsight I see (haha get it?  I don't even have peripheral sight, how can I have hindsight) that all those incidents pointed to a serious vision problem (It's not like one day I could see normal, then the next I couldn't.  It was a very gradual loss, so gradual that at any point in time what I saw I thought was normal to see).  Here are some of those incidents (in no particular order):

-Ran my shins into a bench at DQ (and had a family laugh at me)
-I couldn't see the entrance to a parking lot so when my friend said "turn here" I took him literally and turned right there.  I hopped a curb and popped my tire
-I drove my car down a small embankment because I thought I was turning onto the road (ssshhh my parents still don't know that one)
-A student said "you don't see me stealing this candy bar?"  (he was jokingly taking it from the concession stand waiting for my reaction... only I never reacted)
-I tripped over a parking lot curb when carrying groceries (and somehow managed to blame it on my wife :) )
-I tripped on a porch step which sent my head crashing into the front door at which point the dish I was carrying flew out of my hands (and blamed it on my wife again!)
-I bumped into someone spilling her coffee all over her (she was not very pleasant to me; to her, she was visible and thus I must be clumsy... in reality, I just didn't see her)
-I bumped into someone again and her food went flying (same reaction as above)
-"I've been waving this ice cream sandwhich in front of you for like 2 minutes"--and if you know me, you know I would never just pass up food
-"You didn't see me?"-Person A
-"You didn't see me?"-Person B
-"You didn't see me?"-Person C
-"Woah Bracken!  Watch out!"-Person D
-"You didn't see me?"-Person E
I know there are several more, but I really had two final kickers that pushed me to get tested:
1) My mom sneaking up to the side of me and waving her hand to see if I would notice (obviously I didn't hear her, nor did I see her)
2) Playing basketball got difficult.  I always try to remember what I used to be able to see and I never can; except for when it comes to basketball.  Basketball gave me something tangible to compare.  I know that back in high school I could see the wings when playing Center; but last year I couldn't.

And so, in January 2011 I got tested and was diagnosed with Usher Syndrome Type 2.  My reaction to my diagnosis will be in the next blog