National Federation of the Blind of Alabama

NO ONE EVER TOLD ME

Originally published in Quality Perspectives, November 2001 issue
Presented here with kind permission of the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation

"If you lose your vision, you lose your independence." Vision impaired from diabetic retinopathy, Lois Williams, reclaims her independence daily as she learns to live with low vision.

Mother of five and grandmother of seven, Lois makes an effort each day to help someone with diabetes or low vision. Working as the Alabama spokesperson for the National Federation of the Blind, or as the founder of a diabetes support group, Care Link, she shares her story. Her story is not intended to place blame, rather to warn against the dangers of uncontrolled diabetes.

After living more than 25 years with Type 1 diabetes, Lois never gained a clear understanding of the need for daily diabetes management until her life was forever altered by a complication from diabetes. In 1997, after moving to Huntsville, Lois scheduled an appointment with a new doctor who gave her diabetes material. Although she had lived with diabetes for years, she had never been told to have a dilated eye exam exam. After this visit Lois began reading and educating herself about diabetes.

Soon afterward Lois visited the eye doctor and was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy. After unsuccessful corrective surgery, Lois confronted a myriad of emotions and battled feelings of anger. "My loss of vision could have been prevented if I had been educated about diabetes management," Lois said.

Although she still struggles at times about losing her job and the ability to drive, Lois harnesses her frustrations and channels it into productive endeavors. In her work with the National Federation of the Blind, Lois works at health fairs and has seen the need for diabetes and its complications to be brought to the forefront of public health issues.

"Education about diabetes management and its complications is crucial. At health fairs, women will pass my booth and go to the breast cancer booth. That's because cancer is consistently brought to the public's attention," Lois said.

In her efforts across the state to educate and motivate, Lois has developed a message for physicians. "Physicians need to educate their patients to educate themselves. Patients can't rely on the doctor to tell them everything they need to know in the few minutes they spend with them at each visit," Lois said.

Although the physician plays a crucial role in the patient's diabetes management, it is ultimately the patient who can make the changes necessary to maintain proper diabetes control. "You (the patient) are responsible for yourself. If you take control, you can have a long, good life. If not, you lose mobility, which is your freedom," Lois said.


You may download a copy of this article to pass on to your friends and family. Go Here for a Microsoft Word file, Here for an Adobe Acrobat File ( Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader ) or Here for an Adobe Acrobat copy of the entire 6-page Quality Perspectives issue in which Lois' article appeared. It contains additional important information about diabetes that is of great interest.


BACK TO MAIN PAGE