My parents just ignored me - their other, sighted children were the ones they wanted. :) you're not alone.

Yes, growing up my parents weren't really in the picture. I lived a very sheltered life up until I was Nineteen. The education system fucked me over because they put me in with all the mentally handicapped kids cuz it's all the same thing right? So basically I learned nothing from grades 1 to 6. Didn't start using a cane or learning orientation and Mobility until middle school and even then my family didn't like that I used a cane. They would say things like put that ugly stick away. So yeah I definitely know where you're coming from

So, why don't you resent them? Sounds like they were dicks about their own children's disability and didn't get you the help that you obviously needed. That sucks!

I also dealt with a situation where my needs were less important than a far family member because they just whined about it constantly. A less serious condition by far, of course.

Tell them they acted like a low-life scumbag toward their own children. If you don't, they'll die and you'll never get the chance to tell them. You're a human on the same level that they are, you should be able to communicate that no problem. Doesn't mean it has to be a screaming match, either. They know what they did, now all they want is to pretend they are good people when they know they aren't. They won't like it, but tell them how much their shitty actions hurt you. Don't expect an apology, for them to make it right, or whatever. Just tell them how it made you feel and how it still makes you feel when you think about it.

Don't keep it bottled up, that'll end up hurting you and you don't need any more hurt.

I’m an only child and my parents always treated me like I was “normal” I felt like my disability was being ignored by them and I felt like they were ashamed of me because of it

I was considered legally blind until I was 14 and I honestly got 0 support. I wasn't blind and I could see just enough to get by so no one knew what to do with me. I sat at the front of the class but I still couldn't see the blackboard and I was extremly any and never told anyone that I couldn't read it. It took me forever to do anything because I couldn't see, I'd sit there squinting and trying to squeeze out the letters as best I could. It really screwed up my education.

My dad made me feel bad about it. He'd ask me to identify the colors of a bird in our pear tree and it looked black to me because it was silhouetted or in shadow. I told him it was black and his reaction was to throw up his hands and just say "Omg! You can't see that?!? Are you kidding me?". I was 10 and I felt so ashamed. I thought maybe I was just stupid so I never told anyone else about my eyesight. Its so ridiculous that I thought that my vision impairment meant I was stupid. I wished I had known people like !e when imwas a kid, it would have helped tremendously.

My family completely ignored and disregarded my vision impairment. The most they ever did was get me glasses in childhood but glasses didn't help me at all so I'm guessing my family just immediately gave up on assisting or accomodating me.

In many ways no, but the support I had had strings attached definitely did for a while until I turned 15 or 16. I didn’t want to be his perfect image so oh welp.

having read all the comments here, wondering would anyone be interested in a whtsapp or telegram group, kinda like a support thing? Be the support we never had sort of?
If it's a stupid idea, no worries, it's just a thought

Slightly different story. I lost most of my vision right when Covid hit two years ago. I was 32 at the time. It was completely unexpected—I bent over to pick something up off the floor, and when I stood up I was almost completely blind in both eyes. I actually went completely blind while I was waiting to get to the right specialist. Because of Covid, any resources I would have had were shut down, and all of my friends and family live on the other side of the country because I moved to where I live now for grad school. Seven surgeries (and another on the horizon) a crazy number of injections later (every three weeks), my vision has improved enough that I’m legally blind rather than completely blind, and I still haven’t gotten any therapy or training and still live alone. It’s been…rough. I’m getting through it though.

Before I was put in foster care at 15, I was homeschooled due to my parents pulling me out of school the very first time I ever tried to report them for their abuse and neglect. They didn't ever get me an eye exam.

Then when I was put in foster care it was assumed that if I had an eye issue it would be known already- I was told I was attention seeking and lying when I said I couldn't see the board even from the front row, when I kept bumping into other students in the hall because I couldn't see well, etc.

It took until I was 18 and able to make an appointment MYSELF to know I was legally blind and that glasses won't help me due to the specific reasons causing it.

So yeah. I relate. I STILL haven't learned braille, but I do know cane travel and I use it in lower light environments.

Sorry to hear what has happened to you. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who grow up with little to no support. A lot of those reasons are because families are unsure where to start, how to help, are uncomfortable with the change and feel the loss of the perfect child. This is one of the many reasons we have reached out and started helping people in the community. No one should every feel alone or be placed onto a waiting list for services. We have some great resources available for anyone who is feeling unsupported www.myblindcoach.com