About Deb
Introducing Deb Vellines and her mom, Millie
Due to wet macular degeneration Millie was blind in both eyes and had no central vision. But she had peripheral vision, what she called her getting around vision. And did she get around.
Until her death at 92 Millie lived alone. She took care of her shopping, laundry, cooking, volunteer work, plus enjoyed fun activities with her friends. How did she do it? That’s what this website/blog is all about.
The blog all started with a watch. Millie liked to know the time and her talking watch got lots of use. The person who designed the watch must have figured the wearer had bad hearing. It was loud. Very often when she listened to the time, someone would ask, “Where did you buy that watch? I need one.” This led to conversations about handling vision loss. We realized people often don’t know what help is available to adapt to vision loss and learn new ways of doing what they want to do. Same thing with the caregivers.
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."
~ Helen Keller
Deb’s Story and Millie’s Legacy
I know you want to learn more about me, but first, you have to know about my mom, Millie. This website and blog are in her memory, inspired by her remarkable ability to live independently despite her blindness.
Millie lost her central vision to wet macular degeneration, but she never lost her spirit. She called her peripheral sight her “getting around vision” and used it to live a full, independent life. Until she passed at 92, Millie did her own shopping, laundry, and cooking, volunteered in her community, and found joy in life with her friends.
Some people like to know what time it is. Others don’t care. Millie always wanted to know the time, and her talking watch helped her do that. It was loud—so loud that people frequently asked about it. Those conversations always turned into a discussion about how she adapted to vision loss. After countless conversations like this, we realized how little people knew about living with blindness. We decided to share what we learned, and “Yes I Can” was born.
Millie often talked about her old life before vision loss and her new life after. She embraced her new life with purpose and gratitude, volunteering at nursing homes, in the library, and with those newly diagnosed. Her faith kept her strong, and she inspired me to live with the same gratitude.
That gratitude helped me even when my neurosurgeon told me I had a brain tumor. The next day, I gave thanks for ten things, starting with the fact that my tumor was benign. It’s a rare tumor, one out of 100,000 people, and as a nurse, I had never heard of it. I want to share how I made my treatment decisions because the process I went through—anchored in prayer and guided by specific Bible verses—can help others facing major health challenges.
When I’m not writing about these experiences, I’m spending time with my husband, Harry, and our three amazing grandkids—Luke, Lily, and Levi. Sometimes, I’m working on a cozy Christian mystery featuring an amateur sleuth who just happens to be a nurse. One day, I’ll publish the first book, and I’ll post the first chapter here.
Thank you for visiting. I hope Millie’s story and my journey inspire and encourage you. Feel free to reach out with questions or comments on the contact page.
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.” ~ 1 Peter 5:7
Blessings,
Deb Vellines