Not long after I became legally blind in 2010, I was introduced to a woman who would become very influential in my life. Liz is deafblind, has similar body issues to my own and has been a long-time guide dog handler. She taught me much about living blind as well as making the decision whether or not to work with a dog. I want to share one of the most valuable things Liz has taught me-the theory of visual energy units. It’s the same basic theory that’s talked about in the book, “Counting Spoons”, I like the sight specific terminology as a reminder that this is just part of our daily reality. Here is the basic idea.
We only get a limited amount of VEU’s in each day, when you’ve used them up…You. Are. Done! You have “hit the wall.” I usually feel like I want to cry, throw up, or go lay down in a quiet dark room, actually if I’ve gotten to this point, I know I have borrowed VEU’s from the next day. I know tomorrow I won’t feel at my best and my brain will work more slowly. The trick is to prevent this from happening, one piece is learning to recognize that you are using more energy than may be necessary and reducing your visual input and usage. I often close my eyes when I’m talking to people because often my brain works better when I’m not processing visual information. If need be, I explain that I need to rest my eyes when I can, those who know me understand without explanation.
Another way to conserve your VEU’s is to do some preplanning. If I have a day that I know I will be using what sight I have to navigate, such as medical appointments, or large gatherings, I consider ahead of time how I might conserve my VEU’s. When I’m traveling (my eye appointments are out of town) as much as I want to try to see what’s out in the world, I know my day will go better if I shut my eyes and relax (thank heaven for Talking Books!). In waiting areas, I close my eyes as these are moments I can do a quick meditation or a simple body check in. If I’m with a sighted person, on busy visual days I go human guide as much as possible. I love to travel independently but, on those days, I do not have to prove to anyone how good my mobility skills are.
If you have no sight, then you convert your scale to BEU’s-blind energy units. Face it, whatever challenges life has given us, they drain our energy more quickly. The bigger the challenges are, the bigger the drain on our energy (think sight and hearing loss). Being aware and mindful of this throughout the day can make for a better end of the day; give yourself permission to be tired for a day well lived!
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