[Blindtlk] Article shows we still have a ways to go, especially in other countries.

[Alan Wheeler]

I guess they were ment to have kids...

The Daily Record, Scotland (UK)

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Blind And Beautiful

By Amanda Keenan

Sharon Murray has six wonderful kids .. three can see perfectly but their
brothers and sister have been struck by a rare condition

IMAGINE how you would cope if the doctor said your baby was blind. Then
think how it would feel to get the same harrowing news about another of your
kids, and then a third.

That's the hand fate has dealt to Scots couple Sharon and Allan Murray.

Because of a rare genetic condition, three of their six children, Matthew,
14, Jake, eight, and Rosie, two, have little or no sight.

Some families would collapse under the weight of so much heartache.

But Sharon and Allan don't waste their time feeling sorry for themselves.

They're too busy taking care of the kids they cherish.

Sharon, 40, said: "We're the only family I'm aware of who have three blind
children.

"I won't pretend it's not difficult, but they are bright, intelligent
children and they all have their own talents.

"It's been a learning exercise for all of us.

"Some people say you have a big heart. But you don't know what life is going
to throw at you and you just have to get on with it."

Sharon and Allan started their family 15 years ago.

Their first child, daughter Lorraine, was born healthy, with good eyesight.

And when Matthew arrived, he seemed fine, too.

Sharon, of Motherwell, said: "It may sound unbelievable but I didn't notice
Matthew's blindness.

"I used to put him in the playpen with his big sister and he would play with
his toys. And when I shouted his name he would turn towards me because his
hearing was so good.

"But whenMatthew was four months, we realised he was only responding to
sound. The health visitor did a test and noticed he was not following her
finger."

Eventually, Sharon and Allan got the official diagnosis - Matthew couldn't
see.

"We felt devastated," Sharon said. "It took us a long time to say the word
'blind'.

"We felt we were to blame because we never realised what was wrong. Coming
to terms with it was difficult and the next six months were spent taking
everything in."

Matthew's blindness was caused by retina aplasia, a condition which stopped
his optic nerves developing properly.

The problem is related to a faulty gene which runs in the Murray family.

Jake and Rosie have variations of the same condition.

Matthew lives in total darkness. And, as if that wasn't enough to deal with,
he suffers from epilepsy and has learning difficulties.

After Matthew was born, Sharon and Allan decided their family was complete.

Allan had a vasectomy. But then Sharon was amazed to be told she was
pregnant.

Doctors said there was a one-in-four chance of the baby being born blind and
the odds went against little Jake. He was diagnosed as blind at 11 weeks
old.

Jake can only see light. But Allan said: "We were able to cope because we
had learned so much fromMatthew."

Six years after Jake was born, Sharon got pregnant again.

She gave birth to twins, Rosie and Ewan. But while Ewan has perfect vision,
his sister is blind, although her mum is convinced she can see the outlines
of shapes.

After the twins were born, Sharon went to be sterilised. But again, as they
had with Allan's vasectomy, the forces of nature got the better of medical
science.

Sharon became pregnant for a sixth time. And the youngest of theMurray clan,
baby Sean Ethan, arrived seven weeks ago with excellent eyesight.

Despite all she has been through, Sharon has no regrets about any of her
pregnancies.

She said: "I could quite easily have said, 'I'm not going to have these
babies.' But I've never had that attitude.

"There is no test for the blindness gene but I never had any tests for
anything while I was pregnant anyway.

"I've always felt that what would be, would be - and the children would
still be our children, no matter what conditions they may or may not have."

Life in the Murray family home is crowded and sometimes chaotic.

Allan and Sharon can only work part time - he is a computer engineer and she
is a secretary - because one of them always has to be with the children.

The couple haven't had a night out on their own for years. And everything
they do with the kids must be carefully prepared.

Sharon said: "Even with simple things, like birthday parties, you have to
plan ahead.

"The first party is always the worst. You think, 'Should I wait in the
background?'

"But with Jake, everyone has been great, especially the girls at parties.

They take him round and keep an eye on him.

"Because his classmates have grown up with him, they have a better
understanding."

Family days out are difficult because the Murrays don't have a big enough
car. Social services won't give them a mobility vehicle because Matthew,
Jake and Rosie can all walk.

The family also have to deal with the ignorance of strangers in the street.

Sharon said: "Some folk, particularly older people, will shout at the kids
as if they don't understand what's being said. It can be hurtful."

But the family cope with everything thrown at them. Social services give
them some help with the housework, and Lorraine is a vital support to her
mum and dad.

Sharon said: "She has grown up quickly, and lost some of her childhood,
because she does so much to help out at home."

Jake goes to a mainstream school, with a "sighter" who helps him set out his
work in Braille. He is confident and outgoing and wants to be a car salesman
when he grows up.

Sharon said: "When he was younger, he didn't realise he couldn't see.

"He taught himself to play the keyboard when he was five. He can pick up a
tune, adapt it and make up his own lyrics."

Jake likes to play for Matthew while his big brother sings along. It's just
one example of how the kids help each other, and Sharon is confident that
they can enjoy a happy future.

She said: "I learned after Matthew to encourage them to be as independent as
they can. It's important for their future to allow them as normal a life as
possible."

 

180,000 LIVE IN DARKNESS

ABOUT 180,000 people in Scotland - more than three per cent of the
population - are blind or partially sighted.

And, of those, more than 2000 are children of school age.

A third of the kids affected have additional disabilities, according to the
Royal National Institute for the Blind's Scottish figures.

More than 70 per cent of blind or partially sighted kids go to mainstream
schools.

The vast majority of Scots with severe eyesight problems - about 80 per cent

- are older than 65.

One in six people over 75 will have serious trouble with their sight.

The RNIB say the typical Scots sufferer is a woman in her 70s, who lives
alone and gets no social services help.

 

 
<http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=blind-and-beautiful-&method=f
u>
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=blind-and-beautiful-&method=fu

ll&objectid=17992204&siteid=66633-name_page.html

 

Alan Wheeler
awheeler at neb.rr.com or alan_wheeler at neb.rr.com
redwheel1 on skype
http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/
"Tell the people the truth and the country will be free"
  --Abraham Lincoln

 
-------------- next part --------------
I guess they were ment to have kids...
The Daily Record, Scotland (UK)
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Blind And Beautiful
By Amanda Keenan
Sharon Murray has six wonderful kids .. three can see perfectly but their brothers and sister have been struck by a rare condition
IMAGINE how you would cope if the doctor said your baby was blind. Then think how it would feel to get the same harrowing news about another of your kids, and then a third.
That's the hand fate has dealt to Scots couple Sharon and Allan Murray.
Because of a rare genetic condition, three of their six children, Matthew, 14, Jake, eight, and Rosie, two, have little or no sight.
Some families would collapse under the weight of so much heartache.
But Sharon and Allan don't waste their time feeling sorry for themselves.
They're too busy taking care of the kids they cherish.
Sharon, 40, said: "We're the only family I'm aware of who have three blind children.
"I won't pretend it's not difficult, but they are bright, intelligent children and they all have their own talents.
"It's been a learning exercise for all of us.
"Some people say you have a big heart. But you don't know what life is going to throw at you and you just have to get on with it."
Sharon and Allan started their family 15 years ago.
Their first child, daughter Lorraine, was born healthy, with good eyesight.
And when Matthew arrived, he seemed fine, too.
Sharon, of Motherwell, said: "It may sound unbelievable but I didn't notice Matthew's blindness.
"I used to put him in the playpen with his big sister and he would play with his toys. And when I shouted his name he would turn towards me because his hearing was so good.
"But whenMatthew was four months, we realised he was only responding to sound. The health visitor did a test and noticed he was not following her finger."
Eventually, Sharon and Allan got the official diagnosis - Matthew couldn't see.
"We felt devastated," Sharon said. "It took us a long time to say the word 'blind'.
"We felt we were to blame because we never realised what was wrong. Coming to terms with it was difficult and the next six months were spent taking everything in."
Matthew's blindness was caused by retina aplasia, a condition which stopped his optic nerves developing properly.
The problem is related to a faulty gene which runs in the Murray family.
Jake and Rosie have variations of the same condition.
Matthew lives in total darkness. And, as if that wasn't enough to deal with, he suffers from epilepsy and has learning difficulties.
After Matthew was born, Sharon and Allan decided their family was complete.
Allan had a vasectomy. But then Sharon was amazed to be told she was pregnant.
Doctors said there was a one-in-four chance of the baby being born blind and the odds went against little Jake. He was diagnosed as blind at 11 weeks old.
Jake can only see light. But Allan said: "We were able to cope because we had learned so much fromMatthew."
Six years after Jake was born, Sharon got pregnant again.
She gave birth to twins, Rosie and Ewan. But while Ewan has perfect vision, his sister is blind, although her mum is convinced she can see the outlines of shapes.
After the twins were born, Sharon went to be sterilised. But again, as they had with Allan's vasectomy, the forces of nature got the better of medical science.
Sharon became pregnant for a sixth time. And the youngest of theMurray clan, baby Sean Ethan, arrived seven weeks ago with excellent eyesight.
Despite all she has been through, Sharon has no regrets about any of her pregnancies.
She said: "I could quite easily have said, 'I'm not going to have these babies.' But I've never had that attitude.
"There is no test for the blindness gene but I never had any tests for anything while I was pregnant anyway.
"I've always felt that what would be, would be - and the children would still be our children, no matter what conditions they may or may not have."
Life in the Murray family home is crowded and sometimes chaotic.
Allan and Sharon can only work part time - he is a computer engineer and she is a secretary - because one of them always has to be with the children.
The couple haven't had a night out on their own for years. And everything they do with the kids must be carefully prepared.
Sharon said: "Even with simple things, like birthday parties, you have to plan ahead.
"The first party is always the worst. You think, 'Should I wait in the background?'
"But with Jake, everyone has been great, especially the girls at parties.
They take him round and keep an eye on him.
"Because his classmates have grown up with him, they have a better understanding."
Family days out are difficult because the Murrays don't have a big enough car. Social services won't give them a mobility vehicle because Matthew, Jake and Rosie can all walk.
The family also have to deal with the ignorance of strangers in the street.
Sharon said: "Some folk, particularly older people, will shout at the kids as if they don't understand what's being said. It can be hurtful."
But the family cope with everything thrown at them. Social services give them some help with the housework, and Lorraine is a vital support to her mum and dad.
Sharon said: "She has grown up quickly, and lost some of her childhood, because she does so much to help out at home."
Jake goes to a mainstream school, with a "sighter" who helps him set out his work in Braille. He is confident and outgoing and wants to be a car salesman when he grows up.
Sharon said: "When he was younger, he didn't realise he couldn't see.
"He taught himself to play the keyboard when he was five. He can pick up a tune, adapt it and make up his own lyrics."
Jake likes to play for Matthew while his big brother sings along. It's just one example of how the kids help each other, and Sharon is confident that they can enjoy a happy future.
She said: "I learned after Matthew to encourage them to be as independent as they can. It's important for their future to allow them as normal a life as possible."
 
180,000 LIVE IN DARKNESS
ABOUT 180,000 people in Scotland - more than three per cent of the population - are blind or partially sighted.
And, of those, more than 2000 are children of school age.
A third of the kids affected have additional disabilities, according to the Royal National Institute for the Blind's Scottish figures.
More than 70 per cent of blind or partially sighted kids go to mainstream schools.
The vast majority of Scots with severe eyesight problems - about 80 per cent
- are older than 65.
One in six people over 75 will have serious trouble with their sight.
The RNIB say the typical Scots sufferer is a woman in her 70s, who lives alone and gets no social services help.
 
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=blind-and-beautiful-&method=fu
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/tm_headline=blind-and-beautiful-&method=fu
ll&objectid=17992204&siteid=66633-name_page.html
 
Alan Wheeler
awheeler at neb.rr.com or alan_wheeler at neb.rr.com
redwheel1 on skype
http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/ http://alan-wheeler.blogspot.com/
&#8220;Tell the people the truth and the country will be free&#8221;
  --Abraham Lincoln