[New Book] Invisible: My Journey Through Vision and Hearing Loss

My book, Invisible: My Journey Through Vision and Hearing Loss, shows me as a frightened, silent child with undiagnosed vision loss trying to wriggle from an invisible prison.  When finally diagnosed at sixteen as legally blind from the progressive eye disease, retinitis pigmentosa (RP), I knew what I was dealing with and understood my mystifyingly tormented childhood. Righting myself after each stumble and bump, I propelled myself forward through college and teaching positions in deaf-blind departments at the Iowa School for the Deaf and Perkins School for the Blind in Massachusetts--glorious, growing experiences.

I left historic Boston and the spiritually rousing ocean to return to Milwaukee and my tall, dark, and handsome honey.  When you meet the man who became my husband, Marvin Silver, you will fall in love with him as does everyone who knows him.  I think you will thrill to our rare and enduring love story.

 My resilient spirit together with the love and support of my husband helped me to  survive the diagnosis of progressive hearing loss, though barely at times.  My own devastating experiences motivated me to find others with the dual sensory loss in our community.  In time, with help, I founded the non-profit Center for Deaf-Blind Persons in Milwaukee.  Life took on new meaning.  I had a mission-reaching out to help others.  I, like the clients, learned new skills and felt a sense of exhilaration that I would be able to live independently as a deaf-blind persons.  In fact, my husband and I are involved in so many "ordinary" activities as to give me a sense of normalcy. "You're just a regular gal," he says, "maybe just a little cuter."  Which reminds me, I should let you know that the book has romance and humor as well as tragic events.

Invisible dispels myths, suggests useful teaching procedures, gives hope to people who are disabled and their families, and offers reassurance that a person with profound disabilities can live a full, rich life.

By the way, the book, especially the epilogue, will be of special interest to the staff, clients, and fans of  the Helen Keller National Center.  The same holds true of members or prospective members of the American Association of the Deaf-Blind. 

The book can be ordered through Amazon.com.  The link is:

http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Journey-through-Vision-Hearing/dp/1475919476

Thank you.

Ruth Silver