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The Eyes Have It! Photo Taken 19 October 2017. The “it” is an improvement in my vision AND the cataracts have not gotten worse. I go back in a year. By then, I know Dr. Dhir will not find any sign of the cataracts because I have claimed the healing from the Father. I know He is healing my vision! #vision #cataracts #eyesight #itsaGodthing

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Great News!

Thursday, 19 October 2017, was my 6-month appointment with the ophthalmologist Dr. Dhir of the Houston Eye Associates.

For months, I have been a nervous wreck, wondering how this appointment would go. Would the cataracts have gotten worse? Were they progressing fast? Would they be “ripe” yet?  

So many other questions plagued me as I watched the days flip by on the calendar.

A week or so before the appointment (maybe a little longer, my memory stinks these days!), I decided, “Enough is ENOUGH already!  Jesus healed the blind man in the Bible(Matthew 10:46-52) when he asked and I know He can heal me, too.” So, I asked Jesus to heal my eyes and claimed the healing. I was confident that He would heal me because I asked Him, believing that He could - and would heal my eyes and remove the cataracts.  

46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.

47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.

48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.

50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.

51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.

52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

A few days before the appointment, the wicked one started trying to rain on my parade, throwing darts of doubt at me. I kept telling him to go away, but he may be just a little more stubborn than I am and kept at it. I was upset that doubt about the healing that I had claimed was creeping in. I kept telling myself that it was just the devil trying to make me doubt and that I was, indeed, healed of the cataracts.

So, I went to the appointment, scared half to death because I didn’t know what was going to happen. Was that worker boy going to lie to me again? He had the last time. He told me they weren’t going to actually touch my eyeballs, but they did.  He had numbed my eyes and then told me after his part of the exam that he had touched them. He said that had he told me the truth to start with, I never would have let him do that part of the exam (true!). David says his heart was in the right place. Maybe so, but if he would lie about that, then maybe what he said about the surgery itself was a lie, too.  I have long-time trust issues and this didn’t help that one bit.  

Anyway, that boy wasn’t the technician this time, a girl was. She did what she had to do without playing mind games about it.  Then, she put in the drops to dilate my eyes and sent me back to the waiting room for the drops to do their job.

We finally got called back to the exam room and, after a bit, Dr. Dhir (pronounced “dear”) came into the room. He had a huge smile on his face. I don’t know what had him so happy, but he was very happy. He’s a very nice man and not at all scary.

He examined my eyes and gave us two bits of very good news:

1. My vision has improved since he last saw me.
2. The cataracts have not worsened!

My vision improving also explains why I get a headache and eye ache when I wear these glasses - they are just too strong!  The new ones should be here next week.

While I didn’t get the, “The cataracts are gone!” message that I had hoped for, my vision has improved and the cataracts have not worsened, which are answers to prayer, too!

Thank you to all of you that have supported me through this ordeal so far, through prayers and otherwise.

My next appointment is in a year. Thank you for continued prayers as I claim the healing that I know He has for my vision!

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Image credit: ©2017 Suzanne G. McClendon


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Press Release: Lighthouse Guild Announces National Scholarships to Students Who Are Blind and Awards to Their Motivational Teachers

Lighthouse Guild Announces National Scholarships to Students Who Are Blind and Awards to Their Motivational Teachers

New York (August 22, 2017) – Students face many hurdles to getting accepted and paying for the college of their choice. For a student with vision loss it can be especially challenging. For this reason, Lighthouse Guild, the leading not-for-profit vision and healthcare organization, grants scholarships to students who are legally blind. The scholarships are awarded to students across the country based on strong academic accomplishment and merit.

                       

The role teacher’s play in motivating students often goes unrecognized. For students who are blind a great teacher can make all the difference. Realizing this, Lighthouse Guild offers scholarships to outstanding students who are legally blind and also recognizes their outstanding teachers. Lighthouse Guild’s teacher awards are based on nominations from the students themselves.

                       

Students and Teachers Tell Their Stories

Among those students receiving a 2017 Lighthouse Guild scholarship is Braden Flax, a resident of Merrick, New York, who will be attending Princeton University in the fall. Mr. Flax says of his teacher Neal Madnick, “Mr. Madnick has encouraged me to state clearly and honestly my thoughts and to take advantage of, and maximize, the productivity of my academic and other talents.”

                       

Mr. Madnick, who lives in Flushing, New York and teaches history at Sanford H. Calhoun High School in Merrick, New York says, “Braden is an extraordinary student who is passionate about politics, history and helping others. He is a role model and an inspiration. I am humbled and honored to receive this award.”

                       

Scholarship recipient Cricket Bidleman, who lives in Morro Bay, California and will be attending Stanford University, says, “My high school only had 800 students, but it was still daunting for a blind person.” She speaks about how her physics teacher went above and beyond making her detailed homemade maps in Braille to help her get around the classroom.

                       

Ms. Bidleman says, “My teacher taught me that I can do physics. He inspired me to continue learning and working toward my dreams, no matter how impractical they may seem to others.”

                       

Each year, Lighthouse Guild awards scholarships of up to $10,000 to college bound high school graduates who are legally blind. The scholarships provide financial support to help students attend the college of their choice. Lighthouse Guild also provides scholarships of up to $5,000 to graduate students to help them continue their academic studies. Each recipient of the Lighthouse Guild Teacher’s Award receives $2,500.

                       

Since its inception in 2005, Lighthouse Guild’s Scholarship Program has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to outstanding students from 36 states.  This year 10 high school students and two graduate students are receiving scholarships. Two teachers are receiving awards.

                       

Dr. Alan Morse, President and CEO of Lighthouse Guild, says, “Education unlocks doors. Lighthouse Guild is pleased to help outstanding students who are legally blind advance their studies and unlock the door to a successful future. We are equally pleased to acknowledge teachers who help students realize their dreams.”

                       

“We receive hundreds of scholarship applications and essays nominating teachers from amazing students across the country,” says Gordon Rovins, Director of Special Programs at Lighthouse Guild. These students have powerful stories of personal triumph and academic achievement. We congratulate them, their teachers and their families.”

                       

In addition to Braden Flax and Cricket Bidleman, other students receiving 2017 Lighthouse Guild Scholarships are listed below with the schools they will be attending:

                       

• Jason Willett, Greensboro, NC  (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
• Robert Schiller, Malverne, NY  (University of Notre Dame)
• Sophia Evangelatos, Portsmouth, RI  (Boston University)
• Aishwarya Pai, Sunnyvale, CA (Santa Clara University)
• Nathaniel Smith, Jupiter, FL (University of Central Florida)
• Graham Rainsby, Brooklyn, NY  (Middlebury College)
• Emily Eagle, Keller, TX  (University of Notre Dame)
• Ethan Markowitz, Syosset, NY (Northwestern University)
• Moses Babafemi, Los Angeles, CA (California State University: MA Rehab Counseling)
• Chelsea Muth, Philipsburg, PA (Penn State University: PhD Human Development)

                       

Brilliant Careers for Past Award Recipients

Former Lighthouse Guild Scholarship recipients, have gone on to careers as attorneys, teachers, engineers, chemists, composers, musicians, neuro-scientists, social workers, business owners, investors, epidemiologists, nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists, journalists and computer scientists.

                       

Dr. Skylar Covich, who received a scholarship from Lighthouse Guild in 2005, recently completed his PhD in political science and is now an adjunct professor at California State University Channel Islands. He speaks about how the Lighthouse Guild Scholarship Program helped him. “I wanted to attend a smaller liberal arts college where I would get more individualized attention as a blind person. The Lighthouse Guild Scholarship helped me attend the college of my choice and started me on the path to a productive and enjoyable career.” 

 

    

                       

About Lighthouse Guild

Lighthouse Guild, based in New York, is the leading not-for-profit vision and healthcare organization dedicated to addressing and preventing vision loss through coordinated vision and health services.  With Lighthouse Guild, people who are at risk for, or affected by, vision loss have access to all the resources necessary to lead full, independent and productive lives.  For more information, visit www.Lighthouseguild.org.

Notice: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may financially benefit from your transaction, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
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An Update on my Vision

Mega-dilated Suz Eye, 30 March 2017

As most of you know, I had a surgical consultation with an ophthalmologist this morning in Houston.  This doctor, Dr. Dhir (pronounced "Dear), was a very nice man and didn't laugh at me for being scared.

He said that my cataracts are not “ripe” yet.  I have a follow-up appointment in October that will help them to decide how quickly the cataracts are progressing for me.

So, no surgery is scheduled yet. I can stop holding my breath!

Thank you to all of you who have sent up prayers or have donated to help cover the expenses involved with these vision difficulties and the eventual surgery.

David and Suz, 30 March 2017, Houston, TX. Split Tone Filter.

          Have a blessed weekend, y'all!             

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Vision Post #1

I had this post all written in my head while in the kitchen. I came back in here and as soon as I got Word opened, poof! most of the post left me. I hate when that happens, don’t you?

Today is the month anniversary of my cataract diagnosis.  I am feeling an odd calm regarding my vision.  Not calm like I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the surgery will happen, because I don’t.  The realist in me knows that fundraisers with an open or non-existent end date are less likely to be successful than those with a specific end date.  Also, I know that the longer a fundraiser goes on, the less likely it is to be successful.

This calmness is something different.  Yeah, I still have some moments of total and absolute panic when I think of going blind.  I also have those same moments of panic when I think of having the surgery.

This calm is different.   I have the vision that, somehow, everything is going to be okay even if the surgery never happens, even if I do go blind.

This calmness is helping me to focus on getting some things done that have been the victim of too much procrastination.  It is helping me to see the importance of doing things NOW and not putting them off until later.  Later may be too late and I’ve never liked to be late for anything. Ever.

“Surefire things are deadening to the human spirit.”  

Dorothea Lange

I think that is what has happened here. If surefire things are deadening, then logic would have it that uncertainty is quickening. There is nothing “surefire” about my situation and it has prompted me to take risks that I have been too afraid to take before.

And I feel more alive than ever.


Image source: Pixabay
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My One Word

My One Word for 2017 is "Vision".  This one came easily to me. 

On December 12, I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes.  I need literal "vision" for everything that fulfills me and am potentially facing a life of blindness. Surgery may not happen for financial reasons.  I have to learn to accept that. Because of this, I need to learn a new way of seeing things, both in the literal sense and the mental/emotional and, most of all, spiritual sense.

I am hoping through this year, He will show me how to see, that He will give me "Vision."

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