What does it mean for You?
by Michaela Aitken
What a wonderful day its bright out, my coat stays on the hanger as I walk my dog Dfa around our local park, its 15 degrees with some light fluffy clouds. March has given us an insight as to how glorious spring and summer can be in the UK.
I love the sun, but it doesn’t love me. Many of you know I am dyslexic, what you might not be aware of is my hereditary retinitis pigmentosa (RP). These two wonderful conditions can cause me some havoc with the unpredictability of the sunnier weather:
Dyslexia – heightened sensitivity to visual stimuli / light sensitive
RP (X-linked)– night blindness, happens with shaded areas, dappled lighting
With the dappled sunlight through the trees, I must constantly focus or risk tripping on something or falling down a hole I didn’t see, eventually I don my sunglasses but by then I have a headache. So, why don’t I wear sunglasses from the get-go? As you see (pardon the pun) it’s not light enough and with my two competing conditions I really wanna see where I am going. I can remember the times my mum would fall or trip on things, and as I get older I am starting to feel the effects (in more ways than one). So I avoid sunglasses until there is a consistent light. Early mornings, which are stunning, and twilight are the most beautiful times of the day but the worst for my conditions.
For others with not so apparent disabilities, we need to also be kind.
The BBC show ‘Race Across the World’ – contestant Natalie, reminded me others will be suffering too. Those with Sickle Cell, the warmer days are great but those cold nights will be causing changes in the blood, which will be causing no end of pain and potential crisis with these icy cold nights. So roll on summer!
I also want to give a shout out to those with Eczema, Psoriasis, Asthma and Polymyalgia just to mention a few who will start feeling the effects of these changes in weather
So please, roll on summer!
References:
https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/dyslexic/dyslexia-and-specific-difficulties-overview
https://nei.nih.gov/health/pigmentosa/pigmentosa_facts
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sickle-cell-disease/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/search?q=Race%20Across%20the%20World&suggid=urn%3Abbc%3Aprogrammes%3Am0002tvs