People not believing me or feeling like It’s my fault even though I was born visually impaired.

My whole school experience, but high school was the absolute worse. Between begging to revive my accommodations, to the constant bullying and harassment by other student, switching TVI’s 3 times, and Covid. I had a lot of advocating to do for myself on the daily. Honestly Covid made it a lot easier to receive accommodations though, and the day I graduated I got my guide dog!!

Well it make me laugh now some six years later but In July I had been diagnosed legally blind. In October I was traveling with my wife to a wedding. I needed to use the restroom at the rest stop on the interstate. I had no O&M training or a cane yet. I walked into the men’s bathroom from the very bright Florida sunshine into a dark bathroom and all I could see was black. I full out panknicked thinking I was fixing to get into a fist fight here if I just start feeling my way around. I didn’t hear anyone so I just announced “blind guy here, if anyone is in here you better make some noice or I may piss in your pocket!” Not hearing any reply, I continued with the business at hand. After washing my hands, I went back to our car and told my wife “I just touched the wall in a men’s restroom, I wonder what other great adventures I have to come in the future!” We had a laugh and headed on home talking about how to adapt to such situations.

Worst ...is an interesting word here. I could say having to deal with a computer science teacher who couldn't grasp that a fully blind person might have some trouble mocking something up in Photoshop. I also could say the time I got n Irishman very mad at me on St. Patrick's day because he'd had too much to drink and thought I was faking my blindness when I went to the bathroom unaided in the Irish pub we were in ...it could be anything :)

People not believing that I’m Blind and being unable to recognise anyone.

Living on the streets blind and hearing impaired. No fun, i'll tell you that.

I went to work, and we had an unexpected snowstorm. I'd gone to take the train home, but the trains were canceled, so I had to try and catch the bus. Then the buses were messed up. I called my husband, and he wanted to come and get me, but the weather was just too bad, and I told him not to come. I was finally able to get a bus home, but it took me four hours. Looking back, I should have gone to a hotel and spent the night. I was in town, so there were hotels around, and I did have a credit card with me. I should have just thrown myself on the mercy of the front desk and hoped they had a room for me to stay.

Rn for work, my cane broke. So I’m having to rely on my manager to pick me up…..at 7:45am. My shift starts at 11am. And he can’t drive me home bc of when his shift ends (2pm vs my 4pm) and just said that bc I have a way to show up then I have to come….after telling me to “just ask your co workers for rides home”. Yeaaah let’s just ignore how all the afternoon shift are also closers other than the one (1) teenager we have. My new cane doesn’t come for another 10-15 days.

For me, people who shame me because it's my fault, which it is, but at that time I didn't want to live. I have found a new appreciation for life, and am happier and more fulfilled than I ever was fully sighted.

It’s a hard debate on whether the near miss with oncoming traffic trip, the nearly sliding down a ravine while trying to pee in the woods or the walking off into thin air and falling down the stairs is the worst. The stair incident was 100% my fault and resulted in injuries but it was funny. the other two were more traumatizing because cars always win and the odds of me making it down that ravine without a bunch of broken bones or being impaled were slim.

I'd day the hardest part is the boredom. I was stuck at Walmart for hours yesterday while my wife took our daughters to the dentist.

That's it. I really haven't been treated rudely or been in physical danger due to my blindness.

First year of college I drank a lot. Had just turned 18, had never really drank underage, so went a bit overboard.

A friend told me that I almost got stabbed in a rough club because I bumped into some guy. And my friends had to intervene and explain I was VI.

I also definitely have nearly been mugged because I followed Google Maps down an alleyway.

Yes I am basically blind. Yes I just complemented the colour of your shirt. Why, because it’s neon fucking green that’s why and you’re standing less than 2 feet away from me. No I can’t see that there is embroidery on it. No I am not lying that I am blind. Yes I know it is confusing. Yes I get frustrated. No I can’t tell how many fingers you are holding up. Yes I saw you steal my fry, it’s a white fry on a black plate…

Or the time I went to a convention, and my mom had to make a system where every time she tapped my shoulder I smiled and waved. Everyone kept waving at me and I felt so bad… I’m super friendly I swear!

And finally… The very first time I visited my high school I fell off of a stage because it was fucking dim and there was a 6 inch step I couldn’t see.

But I think the worst memory for me is the day when I tried to enter my password over and over again on my computer… And I couldn’t see the keyboard enough to get it to work. I had to ask my mom for help and that’s the day when I could no longer play video games, use a computer normally, or go back to the past. It was all downhill from there and I still get really sad about it every now and then.