Author Archives: Visually Impaired Pip

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About Visually Impaired Pip

I am a visually impaired, dyspraxic person with CVI. I don’t always see things even when they’re right in front of me. Follow my musings and I hope we don’t get lost.

Scoliosis

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Hello all,

I have decided this weeks post will be all about Scoliosis. Recently I have adjusted the exercises I do so I can try get a better balance, strengthen my core and shoulders. How exciting.

Doing physio exercises is very tiring. Normally when you go to a physio via the NHS you get exercises to do and they will, if necessary do a sport massage to release some of the tension. This is not normally the case though.

I do my exercises and then I have sport massages separately. Yes they are costly however I think it is really worth it. The sport massage releases the tension and helps you to start again. Then you can do the exercises to rebuild your strength and reset your muscles.

All of this does not stop my need to take painkillers on a daily basis. Right now for example, I am sat in my comfy chair but I have had to take pain killers. I am also wearing layers to keep my back muscles warm.

Scoliosis is very hard to live with and there is no cure. Even if you have the surgery you still have scoliosis. You still have days when you are in pain.

If you have any questions around scoliosis please feel free to drop a comment a below. Also check out SAUK.org.uk

Thank you for reading.
Twitter @PhilippaB

CVI

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Hello again,

Thought I would drop in. I was wondering what to write about and then I decided. My horrendous eyesight.

So the other day I was helping to put stuff away after shopping and the front door had been left open while we bring stuff in from the car. I heard a noise which sounded like a bell. I turned around and looked towards the door. There was something there, I couldn’t make out what it was. So I was startled. The mystery thing then moved. My eyes refocussed and I realised it was a cat.

The cat was black and white and our carpet is a dark blue, almost black. This is what made the cat more difficult to see.

One of my eye conditions is Cerebral Visual Impairment. My brain and my eyes do not always communicate with one another. Which leads to instances like the above where I can be looking directly at something but my brain just can’t understand what it is at all.

This can be very dangerous when crossing roads.

When I realised it was a cat I saw it turn around and move back outside. I went to close the door. We do not have a cat so this is why it was startling because it was out of the ordinary and clearly my head had no idea was to do with the information.

The same thing happened again this morning. I was putting on a fleece and a small moth was on the sleeve, I did not realise and then it moved onto my hand. I flapped my hand and it wouldn’t move. So I flicked the moth off and it disappeared.

It is very difficult when you can’t see but when you have CVI its all confusing because you are looking but your brain is just not doing what it should be with the information it is receiving from your eyes. This is very exhausting.

Please follow the link to the CVI Society to learn more https://cvisociety.org.uk

I am off to enjoy a nice cup of tea and watch some TV. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon.

Thank you,
Philippa B.

Being Sociable when disabled

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Hello all, 

It’s been a while. I’ve been enjoying some time away from my blog and it’s been nice. 

One thing which I am very excited about is the summer coming. It is always nicer when the weather is warmer and we can spend more time outside. The other thing I like about the spring/summer is that the days are longer. This means I can try and go out a bit more than I would in the winter months. Being visually impaired means I don’t do well in the dark. Having scoliosis is also another factor which stops me doing stuff in winter. The reason being my back hurts more due to the cold. 

But spring and summer are on their way. 

The other day I got to meet up with my friend which was lovely. I have not seen them in a while. We went for cake and had a wander.  It was lovely to catch up. 

I struggle to get out at times as I get quite tired with work. This is frustrating as it leaves me with little energy. So I often feel as though I can’t see my friends as often as I would like. But this is one of the problems when you’re disabled. I am always grateful to my friends who are understanding of this.

This problem of not feeling able to socialise as much as I would like is something the disabled community is not new too. We all have problems with being able to get out for a variety of reasons. Either due to tiredness or lack of access for our needs. There are many reasons.

I hope the world can be more accommodating for the disabled community as we have so much to offer. We just need support.

Anyway that’s my post for today. I shall try be back again soon with more posts. Have a great day. 

World Book Day 2022

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Hello,

How are we all?

This week we have World Book Day coming up on the 3rd of March. Last year I did a small blog about what I had I had been listening too and I thought I would write another one about my love of reading.

Quite often you may see the discussion around are Audiobooks really reading? In my opinion, yes it is. For one reason I am Visually Impaired and without AudioBooks I would have lost the ability to do one of my favourite things. Reading.

My recent listens are:

Divergent Mind by Jenara Nerenberg
Click here for Audible 

Full Circle by Michael Palin
Click here for Audible 

All of the Marvels by Douglas Wolk

Click here for Audible

*other formats are available 


When it comes to rereading I enjoy a variety of different books, unfortunately fiction is not something I am listen to very often.

My latest listen is ‘All of the Marvels’. This book is great because it goes into a lot of detail about the Marvel Universe and how it has grown over time, the way it has addressed issues going on in the world and how it has an infinite scope to just keep going. If you are a fan of Marvel I would definitely give this one a read.

When it comes to books I love that you can always learn something. The argument that audiobooks are not really reading is pointless in my opinion. If you are enjoying them, if you’re learning something, if they are helping get you through the day then what’s the argument, really?

Stories and books should be for everyone. Whether you’re Visually Impaired and can’t see the book, or you’re Dyslexic and you struggle to follow along. It should not matter. Books are there to be enjoyed and if you enjoy reading then enjoy it by whatever medium you see fit.

What books have you been reading lately?
Don’t forget to check out #WritingCommunity on Twitter.
Charity Shops are a great place to pick up books.

Thank you for dropping in and see you soon. 

Lucy and Yak Fleece

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Hello again,

For a while now I have been wanting a fleece from Lucy and Yak. The materials are recycled so it’s a great win for the environment. Also everyone I know who has their stuff seems to really like what they buy.

The other day I treated myself to a nice dark blue fleece. The fabric is very soft, the colour is lovely and the fit is very snug and cozy.

Blue Fluffy fleece from Lucy and Yak

When I’m buying clothes I have to be very careful as I  am quite fussy about the feel and the fit. As I have a Scoliosis it is very important to me that the fit is comfortable. I ordered a small after looking at the size of the model was wearing in the picture. Normally I would go for a medium. But fleeces are meant to be baggy so I went with the small.

When it arrived I was happy with the packing, all recyclable and mostly paper. So it all went in the recycling bin. When I took it out it felt nice and soft. I have been wearing it for two days now and I really like it.

I tend to be quite cold so need to wear three layers. Even in the house. However with this fleece I am only wearing two layers! My back feels comfy in the fleece and I am nice and warm.

I reckon I’ll be buying another item in the future.

The price was £45 which for something so comfy and which was from a recommended brand I wasn’t too fussed by. Its also going towards items which are better for the planet, so why not.

I know this isn’t the usual kind of blog I post, but it does link to my Scoliosis as clothing is very tricky when spine is curved.

If you would like to read a few more posts about Scoliosis please look here.

Thank you for reading, speak soon. 

Philippa.

*I have not been asked to write this or have not received anything for it. I just like what I bought.

Self Care

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Hellon all,

How are we doing?

I am feeling better than last time I wrote. I have a bit more energy back. Which is great.

I thought I’d write today about self care. I wrote about this a while ago. But think it needs re looking at.

One thing I have recently started to do is listen to my audiobooks before bed. This helps me unwind and to help my brain relax a bit before bed.

I also like to treat myself to stuff from Lush every so often because a good bath can make the world of difference when you’re trying to relax.

Everything can feel quite rushed and very frustrating at the moment, what with everything going on in the world. It’s important to stop and take time for yourself.

Perhaps just make time for a cup of tea on a morning while you don’t do anything else? Five minutes out of your day could make a big difference.

It is really good for your overall well-being to stop and reflect. This is super important.

I am going to go now, I’ll check back in soon.

New Long Cane

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Hello all,

Last week there was no blog as I had caught Covid.

What I was going to write about, which will be topic of this weeks post is the first week with my new long cane from RNIB. No Jab Long Cane.

My new long cane held in my left hand, it has a red handle.

The cane is a little longer than normal but it is still safe to use. It is a graphite cane with red sheep skin handle, I know right…fancy. With it being graphite it is lighter than my aluminium one.

The opening line for the description by the RNIB is ‘This revolutionary shock-absorbing long cane is designed to eliminate the sharp jabs that can occur when cane tips get stuck, for example, in a drain, while you’re out and about.’

The shock absorbing element of the cain is the reason I bought it. Due to my curved spine I find that my pain levels are increased whenever the cane whacks against something.

DareDevil.

As soon as I opened it and saw it, I just thought DareDevil. I mean who wouldn’t? I messaged my friend straight away and sent her a picture. It’s so good.

But does it really work? 

Yes, yes it does. The Caine absorbs 80% of the shock created when you walk into something. It’s especially helpful when you are walking along uneven pavements and the cane catches causing me to have a lot of pain.

I had to swap the tip though as it came with a marshmallow tip, I prefer rollerball. The reason being is I feel it glides a lot more smoothly along the floor and works better with my back.

The cane cost £56.99 ex VAT. It was a worthwhile purchase and I would urge anyone who can to try it out if they suffer with any form of neck or back pain.

Let us know how you get with it.

Until next time, Philippa B.

First Blog of the Year

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Hello all,

So here we are a few weeks into 2022. It’s scary isn’t it?

Well I thought I’d take the time to stop and reflect a little on where I’m at after a busy 2021.

Last year I pushed myself out my comfort zone quite a bit with work and loved it. I’m aiming to do the same this year.

The other thing I really want to do more of this year is listen to more audio books. I know I said this last year. My brother got me another Audible Subscription. I recently finished Divergent Mind by Janera Nerenberg. This book was fabulous. It really resonated with me a lot of the things she was saying.

It can be very tough finding the answers you’ve been searching for for so long and never quite being able to understand. Books like Divergent Mind, Neurotribes By Steve Silberman and Odd Girl Out by Laura James are incurable reads. Which for me, really helped me to understand more of myself which I have never fully understood. But that’s not for this blog…

I don’t normally set a lot of goals for the year, I find when you do, you can get quite down when you don’t achieve them. But I would love to listen to more audiobooks. I want to go to London and visit my brother. I would also love to be able to see more of my friends.

We all know the last few years has been exceptionally hard. I’ve just had a few days off and the other day I got to see my friend who I haven’t seen in two years. We went for afternoon tea. It was lovely. We didn’t hug. Hopefully next time. Stupid Rona. I missed my friend. 

I hope you all have plans for 2022 which you manage to achieve.  Remember if you can’t achieve them all, It’s OK. Set a few loose ones you know you want to achieve. Then you can feel accomplished and feel better.

I’m off now, I have a few things to crack on with. But I’ll be back soon.

I’m on Twitter @PhilippaB

December 2021

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Hello all,

It’s midway through December and I am feeling a bit tired. This morning I have been doing a few bits of editing on my blog, like updating my fundraising info.

This year has been full of new challenges for everyone and as we look forward to 2022 I think we are all hoping for a better year ahead.

I have been able to complete my fundraising challenge for The British Heart Foundation and The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund. This was my way of celebrating turning 30. It was additionally important for me to mark this milestone as it was also my 30th Anniversary of having open heart surgery.

Thank you for helping me raise money for a brilliant cause. 

As we go into the final week before Christmas there’s still a whole load of wrapping to do which I will try and get stuff done this weekend. I have a few days off over Christmas which I am really looking forward too. Then a few days booked off in a January.

Anyway, I am off now a bit and I will try be a back again later.  

Shopping when you’re Visually Impaired

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Hello all, 

Been having a bit of think about what the next blog post would be. After some deliberation and a spark of inspiration it hit me…. Shopping! 

Today we went to M&S to do some Christmas shopping. It is better to go during the week for me as it is not too busy and therefore not overwhelming…well….

When we got inside I felt OK as it was not too busy at all. Then we wandered around and after a few moments I felt a bit like my heart was racing a little faster than normal. I told myself it was OK and just reminded myself why this was.

Why was this you ask?

One of my visually impairments is Cerebral Visual Impairment, which means my eyes and brain don’t always get along. The messages my eyes are receiving are not being interpreted by brain. This isn’t great, but now that I know why this is it’s easier to manage the emotions which are caused by it.

I will write you something about CVI later on. But if you want know more, please check out the CVI Society.

When we were in M&S I became quite overwhelmed. One of the reasons for this is that there is a lot of colour and shapes and the lighting is quite intense (hence why I wear sunglasses)

Having colours can be very helpful in some ways as it means colours can be associated with things. For example, if I am trying to find the right size of clothing, I can say size x is y colour. Then I am not having to look for small writing. This is great for my Nystagmus, so I don’t have to focus on tiny writing. But its not great for my CVI because if there’s a lot of colour and shapes and ‘stuff’, my head just goes ‘waaah…wait…hang on….nope. Too much information at all once…’ This will then result in either a ‘shut down’ or ‘meltdown’.

A shut down is where everything just needs to stop and I need to sit down. Preferably on the floor to feel grounded and allow myself to sit eyes closed and head in hands. It reduces my need to take in sensory information. 

A meltdown is similar in that it is your body telling you no! It is a way for you to physically express the emotions you can not verbally express during a melt down. This is not, I repeat not, the same as a toddler having a tantrum.

Shopping can be very stressful for those with CVI and we need coping mechanisms. One of which is going shopping on a quieter day. We shouldn’t have to just shop online. This can be just as bad if website accessibility is not user friendly. But that’s a blog for a different time. 

One thing I like to do which is important to those of us who are Visually Impaired is feel the clothing. As we don’t have the ability to take in things visually in the same way seeing people do, yes I am calling you that, we rely on our other senses. I found some great PJs  and they went straight in the basket after I felt how soft they were.

I was mooching around the bedding section, I love bedding, only to find myself feeling all the fleecey stuff. I stopped and said excuse me to someone who’s trolley I nearly bumped into, but they said it’s OK and let me go past. This was nice as they recognised my cain and didn’t tut at me. Which does happen.

Anyway, overall M&S was nice and I like shopping there for various things. They are always happy to help. Which is a massive part of shopping. 

Have a nice evening all and let me know what you think in the comments below. 

Thank you,
Philippa B.