When we took mom to the ophthalmologist a couple weeks ago, we discovered swelling in her retina and a little more bleeding. They tested her eye sight with the letter chart and I was surprised at how little she could see. Even without my glasses, I could see that she really didn't know what the letters were. Her near vision wasn't great either. She's also got only about a third of her vision on her left eye. The damage from the retinal occlusion is irreversible.
What really mystifies Art, my brother and me is how she's able to write so well if she can't see well.
We finished the Big Island photobook recently. As always we asked mom to add her input so that she'd always remember what we did in her own words.
And here's what she wrote in tiny characters which my brother decorated on PhotoShop.
I have no idea what she wrote but we sent a copy by Dropbox to Art's college friend in Tokyo and "Sam" said he often needs a dictionary of kanji to read mom's descriptions. He says she writes like a teacher that she used to be and that most young people no longer know the kanji she uses because of computers.
It blows me away every time I see her writing. It's so beautiful and uniform.
It must be some inner eye in her brain that allows her to continue writing like this.
I did not inherit her fine motor skills. It all went to my brother.
I did become a teacher though.
What really mystifies Art, my brother and me is how she's able to write so well if she can't see well.
And here's what she wrote in tiny characters which my brother decorated on PhotoShop.
I have no idea what she wrote but we sent a copy by Dropbox to Art's college friend in Tokyo and "Sam" said he often needs a dictionary of kanji to read mom's descriptions. He says she writes like a teacher that she used to be and that most young people no longer know the kanji she uses because of computers.
It blows me away every time I see her writing. It's so beautiful and uniform.
It must be some inner eye in her brain that allows her to continue writing like this.
I did not inherit her fine motor skills. It all went to my brother.
I did become a teacher though.
Dear Kay; Your mom is someone who has made an impact on my life through your loving stories!
ReplyDeleteDitto Cloudia's comment. Love your mom and the example she sets for all.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there anything they can do to improve her vision? Nothing is more important then our vision.
ReplyDeleteThat writing is beautiful and looks like an art form. Thank you for letting me see it. I had to enlarge it so I could really appreciate it. :-)
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about her eye problems...Her writing is beautiful! My husband's teacher from Hungary (children had the same teacher from first to third grade) had the most beautiful handwriting I've ever seen. Perhaps it is a blessing for really good teachers.
ReplyDeletehow beautiful her writing is!
ReplyDeleteThat's really quite impressive. Like you, I don't have great fine motor skills, and like you, I was a teacher. Oddly enough, I seem to have above average hand-eye coordination in sports -- not great but above average.
ReplyDeleteWOW, so beautiful writing!
ReplyDeletewow...what a lost art! that is amazing!
ReplyDeleteamazing and beautiful writing...
ReplyDeleteStunningly beautiful. Respect!
ReplyDeleteHer writing is amazing. I can see why you wonder. So even and precise for someone with limited vision. It would be amazing for someone with perfect vision. She is a treasure.
ReplyDeleteMy penmanship is horrid, I was apparently taught by a chicken from the look of it
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing - I enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteI also liked Cloudia's comment.
All the best Jan
You know I think your Mom is the GREATEST and her handwriting PROVES it. I love her.
ReplyDelete(You might not think you are alike but you are, my friend, you are!)
I'm sorry to hear about the vision problems you Mom is experiencing. I hope they do not get any worse.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, that is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to hear that your mother's eyesight is failing. Macular degeneration took my mother's eyesight, and the same thing has happened to our 90 year old friend Mavis.
she is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteYour mom really is amazing, Kay.
ReplyDeleteYour Mother's writing is a true work of art, really beautiful. I hope something can be done with her vision. She must be very thankful she has such a loving family who take care of her, but then I know you are all very thankful for all that she has done in your lives. You are all an inspiration to me and no doubt to so many others.
ReplyDeleteYour mother's handwriting is most interesting given the acuity issue. My Mom became legally blind in her fifties or so. Opthamologists i took her to were always fascinated with her eyes but could say only at some point she had had a bursted blood vessel and there was nothing they could do. Subsequent years lasers came into being and I couldn't help wondering if her problem had been fresh then, perhaps they could have done something. She eventually developed macular degeneration and how she managed to do what she did living independently amazed me, too. Our mothers lived through challenging times, I think, though in different ways. I think they just were resourceful in adapting and took it all in stride as your mother is continuing to do. My mother passed away years ago just short of her 90th birthday. I wish your mother a continuing long life.
ReplyDeleteThat's so sweet! I know I write badly, but my mother had lovely script!
ReplyDelete