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Let Me Tell You A Story

A client finds his voice after losing his sight

Photo of Mike Christie
Mike Christie

“Losing my sight was the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Michael Christie. This Toledo resident and former Sight Center client was only somewhat serious when he uttered those words at the Lions Club Christmas party in December.

Michael, who has a background in sales promotion and marketing dating back to the 1970s, had been a frequent public speaker. His topics included “The Serious Business of Being Funny,” a talk about improving the effectiveness of business communications by sprinkling in some appropriate instances of humor.

In 2003, Michael was diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy which is the leading cause of permanent vision loss in the country. He underwent a number of laser and surgical treatments to address the symptoms. In 2008, a detached retina left him with seriously impaired vision in his right eye. In 2011, he began receiving disability insurance from the Social Security Administration.

The Sight Center provided assistance to Michael with  equipment and training. He received hand held and desktop magnifiers in addition to valuable instruction in homemaking and occupational skills. He also learned new computer skills which he calls “life changing.”

In one memorable visit, Michael recalled The Sight Center occupational therapist working with him to label his stove. Using a dab of brightly colored fingernail polish, she marked the simmer location on the burner dials. Since services were tailored to Michael’s needs and lifestyle, she also marked two important settings on the oven dial – 350-degrees to bake a pizza and 250-degrees to reheat it. He recalls a humorous anecdote from his visit, Michael said, “She left the nail polish for me to use elsewhere, which raise some questions when my brother visited later that day!”

Energized by his new-found confidence, Michael joined the Westgate Toastmasters Club in 2013 to rekindle his love for public speaking. Thanks to the assistance and training he received from The Sight Center, Michael remains an active member of the Toastmasters group.

Losing his sight wasn’t planned, but it did force Michael Christie to take a closer look at his life. Today, Michael’s diabetic condition is under control, his vision is stable, and he is enjoying life. He continues to find joy in storytelling and public speaking. In recognition of the impact The Sight Center has had on his life, Michael has offered to share his story for community presentations.