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I have Idiopathic Pseudtumor Cerebri
which is where
my body thinks I have a tumor even though I don't
and it increases my spinal fluid
which
buildup on my optic nerve.
I was a regular high school student, I was very active in 4H and
my school board committees
until my senior year of high school that's when i was
diagnosed with Pseudtumor Cerebri
somethings were changing I couldn't read as well
as I used to I would need a bright light to read
and i thought well maybe it's just a cataract
little did i know that this is actually
vision loss.
I actually was referred from the Breau
services for the visually impaired
and and given them a call in two weeks later
someone called me from the Goodwill.
I met Jessica through the summer youth program and then
through a low vision evaluation
learned a lot more about her vision and
how it affected her
and we were able to identify the tools that she needed.
when she came in, she was excited but quiet
reserved
and the more she got comfortable with the group and the class and the more she
opened up and just began
to really show herself as someone who was
struggling to find herself and gain some
more control in her life.
It is just something i went to twice a week
made friends with other visually impaired people and that was kind of inspiring
because before that I only knew of one other person
after the youth program
I had worked with Betsy
and we developed a plan so I started my orientation and mobility
training
which is where they teach you how to use a cane
as well as transportation then I went to computer training
because Doug had taught me how to use the computer has actually doing an
internet search
I filled out two applications
and two months after that I had got a call for an interview for a job
I think the biggest challenge that
probably Jessica faced
was finding the right job was
finding the right employer who was going to be excepting for the accommodations
that she needed. I work for the Red Roof Inn, I am
a sales agent
people calling in and I
describe the rooms that the Red Roof has to offer, and I make
reservations.
The people at Red Roof
are very supportive
they've given to a larger monitor to make it easier to read
We actually
use adaptive software program called Zoom Text which will increase the
magnification on the screen
I like helping people and I love making my own money.
Today i can go shopping
and that's the most important one of course I can make my own meals
I use the computer independently
as well as travel independently
I find it would be incredibly motivated
when she started at the Red Roof and she told me I'm going to be the employee of the
month
I said okay let's work on it
five months after i started working
I won the Directors Award
which is kind of like Employee of the Month. For any
young person out there that has any type of disability or challenge
I would just say that you can do it. Thank you so much
You've really increased the quality of my living
I can do so much with myself, which before I thought there was no hope
but now I definitely have hope