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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2002-03-20, Page 42 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, April 4. 2001 Bob fisher's son, Matthew helps him work with a white cane. News Fishers holding to some hope right eye could be treated From Pogo 1 Since the first diagnosis, Fisher has seen several other specialists, received more than a dozen blood tests, x- rays and ultrasounds and no one can figure out why he's losing his eyesight. In November he began having vision problems in his right eye which has also deteriorated to the point that in both eyes, Fisher now has trouble seeing anything other than light and shapes more than a foot away. Central retinal vein occlusion is usually associated with high blood pressure and glaucoma, conditions Fisher does not suffer from. "I was the second youngest they've seen with one eye and the youngest with both. I've won the lottery but I don't like the prize much," he says. Because the vein from the eye is smaller than a hair, surgery is not an option although Fisher did receive laser surgery recently to remove some of the fluid build-up in his eye that can lead to glaucoma and the need to remove the eye entirely. He stopped driving in January and while he says he can "fake it pretty well" on his own turf, he's becoming more and more hesitant to do Grand Openin With Plant Tours Artists Concept Some optional features shown Tour Our Expanded Plan Now you can see how we build top quality homes. INDOORS! Our plant is now 40% larger, allowing us to continue to meet demand for our precision -built homes across Ontario. You will be given a tour of our indoor building site by one of the craftsmen who actually build our homes. 1 E N G I N E E R E D HOMES LTD. 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COLUMBAN RR !t4 Seatorth the more dangerous jobs around his restaurant. Pizza Train. "It's been a lot more strain on Sandy (Smithers, his wife). She has her job and now she has my job as well. 1 can't do the books, the ordering and the payroll anymore. I'm a little leery of the 10 -inch chef's knife and cutting up onions. And everybody leaves the room when I use the slicer," he says. Smithers says her husband still attempts some jobs, like using the slicer, she wishes he wouldn't. But, she says she knows it's been hard for him to give up his independence. "Bob used to work 60 hours a week or at (east it seemed like that. But, now he can't be alone down there (at work) and I've had to pick up the slack. It's been a big adjustment for everyone," she says. Pouring oil into the deep fryer can be accomplished but he needs someone else's eyes to tell him when he's poured enough. Even pouring a coffee can be difficult - once he poured himself a cup when the cup was still upside down in the saucer. While he can still make pizzas, Fisher says he's afraid quality could suffer since he can't see if he's loaded the pizza with enough toppings. "I can still fold a mean pizza box," he laughs. "My staff has been excellent, working extra hours to help me out," he adds. He says he feels very frustrated during busy mealtime rushes at the restaurant because he's not able to be as helpful as he was. But, because he's still fairly comfortable getting around the kitchen at Pizza Train, Fisher says he thinks a lot of customers don't know about his vision problems. "People go by and are probably wondering why I don't wave anymore," he says. At home, Fisher's unable to read, vacuum the house, make meals and pack lunches for his kids. And, lately he's finding it more and more frightening to cross the street. Smithers says their three children have had to learn to keep a clear pathway through tlte'house for their dad. "Quite a few clear glasses have been knocked over since Bob can't see them so they can't be left sitting around. He has a lot easier time seeing dark coffee mugs," she says. And, she says while the kids joke along with Fisher by threatening to hide from him in the house, they also drop by the restaurant on their way home from school to walk him home. While he's been hesitant to believe he's going blind, Fisher says it's now time to give the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) a call for help in retraining and coping skills. "It's been really hard to call them because it means facing up to some things. I mean, let's say the word - handicapped," he says. Living in a small town, however, has been a real benefit when facing the challenge of deteriorating sight. Because he's walked downtown every day for years, he finds getting home at the end of the day not too difficult once he's been helped across the street. His voice is thick with emotion when he remarks on how much support he's been receiving from friends and neighbours. "People have been so nice. They've brought over meals, they've given me rides and just made so many offers of help," he says. - Friends have also been surfing the internet and accessing their own contacts looking for medical help for Fisher. One friend contacted an eye doctor in Philadelphia who thinks a new blood test developed in New Jersey might be able to help. Another friend discovered a Florida doctor on the internet who`'developed a new procedure to treat Fisher's condition. And, while Fisher says the left eye might be too far gone to benefit, he's still holding some hope that his right eye could be treated. "The right eye is still in the early stages so I don't know what to hope for. But, more than anything, I'd just like to know why this is happening. Just why," he says. His wife agrees that she'd also like to know the cause of Fisher's loss of vision but also remains upbeat. "This whole thing makes you think. You. never know what's going to happen. But, you have to work with what you've got and maybe new research will come along," she says. In the meantime, humour continues to be one of Fisher's main coping tools. "My kids tell me I need a seeing eye dog. But, what I'd really like is a seeing eye blond," he laughs. Teachers encouraged to continue with in -class portions of Slice of Huron From Pogo 1 has visited that family member, both could now be carrying the disease. Because the program involves an emphasis on interacting with animals, the committee decided Friday there was no point in going ahead with a scaled down version of the event. "Precautions are necessary," said Jane Meugee of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and a Slice of Huron Committee member. She said they have still made their teaching packages available to faculty who were planning to bring their students to the event. She also said they are encouraging teachers to continue with in -class studies on agriculture and will work with teachers on classroom projects. As many as 800 to 1,800 students have taken part each year in the program which runs during a period of three days to accommodate all the students. Meugee said the committee will continue to work together and make - further plans for next year. "We anticipate something happening next year in agriculture," she said. Both Meugee and Campbell said people have been reading and hearing about the disease as it spreads in Europe and think this situation brings it home to local people who may not realize there is a serious threat to local livestock if precautions like the cancellation of Slice pf Huron are not taken.