FEBRUARY/MARCH 2025 NEWSY NOTES
TSB meets every Tuesday – 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM
Christ Presbyterian Church, 6565 E. Broadway
For more information call Barbara, 520 298-2427, Annie 520 275-1675
Come when you can and leave when you must. Bring a sack lunch.
www.tucsonsocietyoftheblind.org
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Calendar
FEBRUARY
4th: Manny will demonstrate apps on the iPhone and Patty will talk about tips for dealing with low vision and blindness.
11th: Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott will talk about public transportation plans for people with disabilities.
14th: Board Meeting 10:15 AM Biscuit Country Café, 7026 E Broadway Blvd
18th: Barbara will present on Accessible Travel Tips for the Visually Impaired.
18th: Manny’s iPhone Class 6:30–8:30 PM on Zoom
25th: Potluck: Soup and Salads
MARCH
4th: Meeting will be via phone conference call. Dial 1 605 468 8020 then enter access code 969009 followed by the pound (#) sign.
4th: Pete and Nancy Torpry of the Eyes on Success podcast will discuss audio description of plays, living with a blind partner, and hiking. The program begins at 9:55 AM on the phone and ends at 11:30 AM.
11th: Meeting will be on the phone. Dial 1-605-468-8020 then enter access code 969009 pound (#)
11th: Dan Bigley from Anchorage, Alaska will discuss his book, Beyond the Bear, Learning How to Live and Love After Blindness.
13th: Christ Presbyterian Flea Market (March 13th through 15th)
14th: Board Meeting 10:15 AM Biscuit Country Café, 7026 E Broadway Blvd
15th: Fiddler on the Roof play at Arts Express, 5870 E. Broadway in Park Place Mall near the west entrance. You need to be there by 1:20 PM After the play we will go to the Olive Garden, 5410 E Broadway. Let Barbara know if you are planning on going to the Olive Garden restaurant after the play.
18th: Lunch on your own at Oregano’s Italian Restaurant, 4900 E. Speedway from11:00 AM -1:00 PM. We will reserve the back room. Let Barbara know if you are coming.
18th: Manny’s iPhone Class 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM on Zoom
25th: Meetings are back at the church. Today we will enjoy beautiful piano music by Sly.
APRIL
1st: TBA
8th: Biologist Jeff Babson will discuss desert mammals and birds
Message by Barbara Macpherson
I wish to thank you for paying your dues and buying Jim Click Raffle tickets.
One of the strengths of TSB is friendship. You have a whole TSB family to reach out to by phone. When you are feeling down, there is nothing better than talking to someone who understands. So be sure to put TSB members in your contact info in your phone list.
In March, TSB will be meeting only by phone conference call as the church uses our room for their flea market.
On March 4th we will have Pete and Nancy Torpry from Eyes on Success podcast. On March 11th we will have Dan Bigley, author of the book Beyond the Bear – How I learned to live and love again After Blindness. It can be found both on BARD and at the Arizona Talking Book Library.
As a reminder, TSB membership dues of $15 are due in January and February. We appreciate any additional amount you can add.
Your dues are used to help TSB provide many services to the TSB community through our website, www.tucsonsocietyoftheblind.org and through many informative emails and phone calls answered by me. In addition, your dues cover the costs of the Newsy Notes newsletter as well as Manny’s monthly class on using the iPhone. TSB really appreciates your support!
There are many ways to pay your dues. First, you could send a check payable to TSB either to the post office box at TSB PO Box 57655 Tucson, AZ 85732 or to me at Barbara Macpherson 9862 E. Creek St., Tucson, AZ 85730.
Second, you can pay your dues by simply bringing a check or cash to our weekly meeting at 6565 E. Broadway Blvd.
Third, you can pay by Zelle by sending in your payment to our treasurer Rhonda at rm.payton@yahoo.com.
And last, you could pay by PayPal on the TSB website. (We do ask that if you choose PayPal that you donate $18.00 to cover PayPal’s transaction fees.)
I wish to thank you ahead of time for paying dues. These funds help TSB provide many services to its members and the TSB community through our website, www.tucsonsocietyoftheblind.org and through many informative emails and phone calls I answer.
Books by Barbara Hinske
Barbara Hinske’s books are fun to read with many interesting characters.
All of the following of her books are available on both BARD and the Arizona Talking Book Library.
The list below begins with Hinske’s Coming to Rosemont series:
Coming to Rosemont
Weaving the Strands
Uncovering Secrets
Drawing Closer
Bringing Them Home
Shelving Doubts (This is the latest book in the Coming to Rosemont series)
Guiding Emily (Barbara nails the feelings of dealing with vision loss)
Guiding Emily (The talking guide dog Garth is funny.)
The Unexpected Path
Over Every Hurdle
Down the Aisle
From the Heart (This book is not available on Bard – only on Bookshare)
Barbara Hinske is busy working on two new books. One is in the Coming to Rosemont series and the another is in her Guiding Emily series.
Happy Reading!
Eye Talk by Annie Schlesinger
Use of visual contrast is helpful when you have low vision. I have my black walker marked with red and white duct tape (from Dollar Tree). Red, white and yellow are my best colors for contrast. Dishes, place mats and many other items may help with contrast.
I also think of contrast associated with textures and touch. As you walk you can tell a lot by the surface under your feet. We use bump dots and other markings we can feel. TV remotes and telephone key pads have a tiny dot on the numeral 5.
If you have light perception you can use lighting in your home for orientation, I have purchased LED night lights (Home Depot $1.99) and placed them at strategic points for orientation. I leave them on all the time.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new treatment for glaucoma, iDose® TR (travoprost intracameral implant, 75 mcg). iDose TR is a first-of-its kind treatment that is designed to provide up to three years of 24/7, continuous drug therapy directly inside the eye. This helps people with glaucoma take control over the elevated eye pressure associated with this vision disease.
It is the first eye implant to deliver medication 24/7 for an extended period of time.
Another FDA-approved implant, Durysta, is biodegradable and dissolves after six months.
Glaucoma is a group of diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve (a bundle of more than one million nerve fibers that carry visual information from the eye to the brain). The most common form of glaucoma called Open Angle Glaucoma is caused by increased pressure in the eye.
If left untreated, glaucoma can cause permanent damage to the eye, which means any vision loss cannot be reversed.
Prescription eye drops are the most common treatment for glaucoma, but they can be difficult to administer correctly and can cause uncomfortable or irritating side effects. High rates of non-compliance and non-adherence to prescription medications contribute to disease progression.
iDose TR treats glaucoma by automatically releasing the same type of medication used for decades in the most commonly prescribed eye drops. After 12 months of a clinical study, 81% of people were able to eliminate the burden of taking daily eye drops.
“BrightFocus welcomes the approval of iDose as a new option for people with glaucoma to take control of their treatment,” said BrightFocus President and CEO Stacy Pagos Haller. “By potentially reducing the need for daily eye drops, this new treatment offers an improved treatment for the three million Americans living with glaucoma.”
The manufacturer, Glaukos, expects iDose TR to be available in the first quarter of 2024.
Eye Talk by Annie Schlesinger
Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired is an awesome resource for us. They provide information by phone, online, large print and on cartridges which play on Talking Books player.
— By phone: info about Hadley 800-323-4238, INSIGHTS and SOUND BYTES presentation. 847-558-1317.
— Online: hadleyyhelps.org/hadleypresents
Access to every workshop, discussion group and connections to learning experts.
— Large print and audio: many workshops can be sent out in large print, audio or braille.
— Social connection for peer to peer, 55 and up; support groups of 10 members would be great for people who are isolated.
Some Irish Humor
What do you get when you cross a four-leaf clover with poison ivy?
A rash of good luck.
What does it mean when you find a horseshoe in Ireland?
Some poor horse is going barefoot.
Are people jealous of the Irish?
Yeah, they’re green with envy.
How do you know if an Irishman is having a good time?
He’s Dublin over with laughter.
Murphy was arrested and sent for trial for armed bank robbery. After due deliberation, the jury foreman stood up and announced, ‘Not guilty.’ ‘That’s grand,’ shouted Murphy, ‘Does that mean I get to keep the money?’
Paddy and Seamus have just opened a new restaurant on the moon. It serves great cheese dishes, but the atmosphere is terrible.
I bought a non-stick pan and can’t get the label off.
Why can’t you borrow money from a leprechaun?
They’re always a little short.
Irish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
An American lawyer asked, “Paddy, why is it that whenever I ask an Irishman a question, he answers with another question?” “Who told you that?” asked Paddy.
How can Irish people tell when it’s summer?
The rain gets warmer.
Paddy says to Mary, “If you were stranded on a desert island who would you like most to be with you?” “My uncle Mick” replies Paddy. “What’s so special about him?” asks Mary. “He’s got a boat.”