The Daily Dispatch

Deb Johnson of Abercrombie started going blind five or six years ago. Her vision had begun to resemble looking through goggles under water after being on pain medication for an injury at work.

"I think [it's the result of] the accumulation of reactions to medications," she said of her blindness. Johnson has been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.

Oct. 15 is nationally recognized as White Cane Safety Day.

Wahpeton Mayor Jim Sturdevant declared Thursday as White Cane Safety Day for the city. Johnson was present at the Oct. 5 council meeting to hear the proclamation. The day is meant to raise awareness and impress the necessity of motorists to be vigilant of sight-impaired individuals using white canes or assistance dogs.

Though it has been difficult to adjust to being blind, Johnson said her classes at the North Dakota School for the Blind in Grand Forks, the support of family and a good sense of humor have really helped.

"The first year was the toughest," she said. "Before I got the cane I practically sprained everything." She added that the toughest hurdle was accepting her blindness. For every bit of vision she lost, it was like she was grieving.

Johnson is not completely blind yet. She can still discern starkly contrasted colors, but can see little else.

Classes in Grand Forks have taught Johnson how to be independent again. When she got her cane, she was "like a duck to water." She has also learned braille, which helps her mark items in her house like clothing, kitchen appliances and cupboards.

"Learning braille has been a godsend," Johnson said. She is currently learning how to play chess via braille and she keeps up with her braille by correspondence through the North Dakota School for the Blind.

Braille labels in her kitchen are handy because she's an avid cook and baker.

"I burned a lot of things at first, but it got better," she said. "[Braille] has given me more confidence in myself."

For her husband, Glenn, it has been a difficult adjustment too. Because Johnson has learned to become independent and do things so well, he sometimes forgets she is blind, Johnson said. It is also difficult for Johnson's three grown children to fully accept she is blind. However, her six grandchildren are more accepting.

"The smaller grandchildren help lead me around. Sometimes I have to remind them grandma is blind," she said. "It would be nice to be able to see their faces with clarity, but I'm still here to love 'em."

Humor didn't come easily to Johnson at first, but she quickly learned it helps to keep a good laugh in store. Many have asked her why she has a white cane. She tells them, "Because I like the accessory." Johnson also wears dark sunglasses because her eyes are yet sensitive to bright light. They ask why she wears them and she replies, "Because I'm fashionable."

"We're like anybody else," Johnson said of blind people.

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