The Blind Chick

Certified Senior Advisor and author of, Why a Reverse Mortgage, Don talks us through what a reverse mortgage is and how a reverse mortgage can solve financial issues for homeowners. Don Opeka is with Orion Mortgage, INC. He knows that a reverse mortgage is not for everyone, but is an expert in when it makes sense, and how it can positively impact the lives of seniors and their families. Orion Mortgage, Inc. specializes in providing personal loan consultations to refinance Colorado properties with both traditional “forward” mortgages and Reverse Mortgages. Orion understands that each borrower is different and we are committed to helping people find the right mortgage product for your needs. They make the process of securing a mortgage as simple and straightforward as possible.

Diagnosed with a rare eye disease called Leber’s congenital amaurosis, a genetic condition carried by her parents. Effects the retinas and slowly degrades the vision. Jaden talks about how her parents recognized her symptoms of failing vision, and her journey through misdiagnosis to finally understanding her condition. She talks about how the signs were there from the age of two, but how it took a while for her to be diagnosed… and how much longer it took before she was given the resources she needed to be successful in public school. She also talks about the struggles of being different But Jaden is tenacious, lively, and engaging. She advocated for herself and hasn't let anything stand in her way. And, while she very openly talks about her life, her vision, and her experiences, it's so obvious that she's not being defined or limited by her vision loss. She has dreams of teaching and working with young people as a teacher of the visually impaired. She loves music and plays the keyboard and bass. Join Penn and Jaden today on Aftersight!

Penn and Olive chat together about the relationship between a granddaughter with vision and a grandmother who is visually impaired. Olive is a bright, effervescent spirit with a fun and candid take. Olive, who is nine, shares her thoughts on the positives and negatives of having a “Nana” who can’t see very well - but mostly, she makes it obvious that it’s really not a big deal for her. Join Penn and Olive this week on Aftersight!

Bill Johnson was walking to the subway station with two colleagues when a lone gunman jumped out of the shadows and shot all three of them. Bill was the lucky one. The bullet that struck him entered one temple and exited the other, destroying his optic nerve. The other two men were killed. Now profoundly blind, Bill had to learn to navigate this new, dark world. Today on Aftersight, Bill talks with Penn about his experiences… about the shooting and about his realization that his life had changed forever. But Bill also talks about his matter-of-fact acceptance of his new situation and talks about how that let him get back to living. He said he was in a huge hurry before the incident, and he carried that sense of urgency with him as he worked to get back to living his life. He talks about his relationships, learning to get around again, and the adaptive technology that has empowered him. Authorwilliamjohnson.com Amazon Book link: https://amzn.to/3FVzBMJ

Born months too soon, Jose's parents were told he only had 12 hours to live. But, Jose was a fighter. That fighting spirit has helped him persevere in spite of blindness (blindness of prematurity) and cerebral palsy. He is a recent graduate of Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind, and has dreams of becoming a DJ. Jose also hosts his own podcast: It is my job. Blind students interview blind adults who discuss how they use adaptive technology and thrive. Search for it on Facebook (https://pages.facebook.com/AskItsMyJob/)

Bill is a working psychotherapist and an honest, engaging, and entertaining human… who also happens to be blind. Bill has Usher Syndrome, Type 2, a rare genetic disease that causes hearing issues and vision loss due to Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). On Aftersight Bill talks about “coming out” as someone with a disability - specifically vision loss. Because of his experience, he talks not just about the clinical phases that accompany vision loss, but his journey. He talks about denying his reality all while tripping over fire hydrants, and he talks about the nauseating eye tests he experienced while hungover that led to his diagnosis. Through friends, he learned to accept help and be who he is. Join Bill and Penn on Aftersight, this week!

Beth Gustin is a therapist with a specialty in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Beth, who is visually impaired, talks about her work and her and explains this method of therapy which can help people coping with past trauma - even individuals who are blind. On this episode of Aftersight, Beth talks us through EMDR and therapy techniques that can help us as we work through trauma and anxiety. The human body and mind are fascinating, and they need to work in concert. Learn about Beth and what that repair looks like. Transitioning Through Change, PLLC beth@transitioningthroughchange.com www.transitioningthroughchange.com 303-335-9059

Lorna is a retired teacher. She taught special ed, on reservations, and helped create the structure of Colorado's preschool system. Lorna also taught at Front Range Community College the next generation of Special Education teachers. She enjoys retirement with her dog, Frodo.

It’s almost Colorado Gives day! This year, we're celebrating our 30th anniversary of our first news broadcast in 1991. On this episode of Aftersight, Alice George walks us through AINC’s history - through various changes to programming and technology. She also talks about her vision loss and loss of hearing - but none of that has stopped her from having a powerful impact on the world. https://aincolorado.org/30years/ https://www.coloradogives.org/AINColorado/overview?step=step1

Gail doesn’t believe in letting barriers stand in the way of life. Born ten weeks early, the treatment that helped her survive also caused retrolental fibroplasia - or complete blindness. Today on Aftersight, we explore her life, from how she struggled with depression and even contemplated suicide to her adventures singing opera, climbing the 75-story Story bridge, and her work as a writer on Soaring into Greatness: A Blind Woman's Vision to Live her Dreams and Fly. Gail believes that the struggles you have faced can be weights or that they can give you wings. She chooses wings. www.soringintogreatness.com and her email is gail@soaringintogreatness.com