Hot Springs & Monterey, VA

Woman fights to keep her eyesight Living with macular degeneration By Will O'Connor • contributing writer THE PINES - Life has changed significantly for Hannah Gum. A little over three years ago, Gum, who turns 87 in April, first began to notice the symptoms of macular degeneration, a medical condition commonly affecting the elderly which leads to vision loss. At the time, her late husband, Alvie, was having serious health problems. Alvie died soon after, and Gum entered a new chapter in her life. She grieving for her husband of 24 years and learning to live alone, all of which was exacerbated by a gradual loss of her sight. Hannah Gum has lived with macular degeneration for more than three years, and her vision has slowly deteriorated. It's been a struggle at times, but Gum remains full of life and hopeful that a new pair of glasses and courses at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind will help her remain independent. (Recorder photo by Will O'Connor) But Gum may regain some of her vision with a new pair of glasses, and she is spreading the word so others with the condition will find hope, too. Sitting in a recliner in her cozy living room, Gum bubbled with enthusiasm as she told the story about how she found out she might be able to see again. "When I looked through them at the TV," she said, pointing to a pair of binoculars on a table beside her, "I started screaming, ‘Oh, I can see a man.' And then I looked outside and I said, ‘Oh, I can see my fence.'" She threw her arms in the air as she recounted the discovery. Her face and words beamed with delight as she rocked back in the chair. "It was just really exciting to know I could see," she said. After being diagnosed with wet macular degeneration in both eyes, Gum was told by one doctor the most she could look forward to was being able to distinguish night from day. But then Gum's daughter came across an advertisement from Dr. David Armstrong in the Harrisonburg newspaper. The ad claimed Armstrong's glasses could help those suffering from macular degeneration. Gum was willing to try anything to see again. Gum's daughter called Armstrong's office and was told about the experiment with binoculars. If Gum could see using the binoculars, the glasses would help, Armstrong's office said. Gum picked up her glasses a couple of weeks ago. They were expensive, and it took some doing to find the money for them, she said, but the idea of regaining her vision was priceless. "If I could see, I'd be the happiest person," she said. "I'd give up anything for it. I feel sorry for anybody with (macular degeneration). People ought to know about this, that there's help out there." She is slowly adjusting to her glasses. The transition has been tough, she said. They're so powerful, it will take at least a couple weeks for her eyes to get used to them. The glasses won't totally transform Gum's life. She won't be able to use them all the time - just to read and do daily chores for certain stretches of time, but for Gum, those are significant steps. "I want to read, because I used to read all the time," she said. "I used to keep my Bible handy and read it." The chore Gum was most looking forward to accomplishing on her own again was grocery shopping. She has a hard time making out all the different packages and can't distinguish one bill from another when it comes time to pay. She has to rely on others. At first she thought the glasses would help, but now she's not so sure. She was told at Armstrong's office the shelves might be too far away for her glasses to do any good. The most she can look forward to is reading, she said. Living with macular degeneration is often crippling. Gum must depend on many people to assist her with everyday activities. But she fights to maintain her independence. "I'm used to doing," she said. "I don't like people doing things for me. I like to do for myself." Gum has always been active and still tries to stay as engaged in the community as possible. She loves to attend Senior Citizens Center events and has a network of friends. The Mennonite church in McDowell has also been good to her, she said, picking her up to attend services and checking in on her. Still, living with macular degeneration is hard. "You're just here," Gum said, opening her arms to point around the room. "What can you do?" Along with getting new glasses, Gum recently attended a training session at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind in Staunton to learn how to cope with her disability. "They show you how you can get along at the house and that's a big help," she said. Gum said she learned several tips on how to use appliances like the microwave, and how to thread a needle without sight. Gum recommended the class to anyone with macular degeneration and said it was a less expensive alternative to buying the glasses. She also said she learned she could have purchased the glasses there at VSDB for less money. The expense of the glasses, Gum suspects, will make it tough for others as well. That's why the Monterey Lions Club has started a charitable fund to help those in the county who'd like to combat macular degeneration. Anyone interested in donating can mail a check to Randy Richardson, care of the Lions club, P.O. Box 131, Monterey, Va. 24465. Gum said she is more than willing to talk with anyone interested in learning more about the glasses or the course she took at VSDB. Gum can be reached at (540) 468-2252. "If I could see, I'd give up anything," said Gum. "You don't know what it's like unless you have to go through it." Hopefully, Gum won't have to give up anything to see again. For this vibrant Highlander, there appears to be a little relief on the way.