New Reality
Christina: Welcome to the taking the lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hepner with my cohost, Leslie Hoskins and Timothy Cuneio. So there was a big birthday recently. Wasn't there?
Timothy: Yeah. Glacier turned for a little while [00:00:20] back and she was spoiled. Rotten. She got her foot massage.
She got a brand new bed. We went out to eat. We celebrated at the restaurant, so she had a fantastic birthday.
Leslie: That's crazy. Four years, four
Timothy: years. And she got a pumpkin, a [00:00:40] pumpkin on a plate with whipped cream on it and a little half to go on her head. So it's just, yeah, she's spoiled. Rotten. She got a better birthday night.
Christina: Did living her best guide dog life that day. It sounds like.
Timothy: Yeah. She probably gained some weight, but don't
Leslie: tell him, listen, I like to celebrate my birthday for the full [00:01:00] month. So I feel like it going,
Timothy: yeah, well, it was on the 31st. So how do you do that? I mean, it's the end of the month. You can't carry it on into the next month, so, oh,
Leslie: you can, there's no rules.
Yeah.
Christina: That's basically like she gets the end of one month in a whole new month. [00:01:20]
Leslie: Absolutely. I celebrate my birthday is in June and I like to celebrate the whole month and keep it to myself. And I always laugh because my son was born May 31st. So he knew that it was my month and he could not possibly come in June.
So he came in may 30. Well,
Christina: me and all my siblings are born in July. So I always had [00:01:40] to share my birthday
Leslie: month. Always. That is funny. You know, it's really funny. So my husband is an identical. And him and his twin brother do not have the same birthday. Oh, my husband was born first, right before midnight.
And then his brother was born just after funny. Yeah. But then, um, my brother-in-law [00:02:00] married somebody who has the same birthday as him now, he didn't have to share his birthday, his whole life with this woman, but now he shares with his wife. Wow.
Christina: That's, it's so crazy that things like that happen. Not
Leslie: I want my own day. Sorry. Um, [00:02:20] two funny birthdays are great. I love celebrating birthdays. It's like your one special day. So happy late birthday to glacier. We are so glad she is part of your life. But today we are really excited because we have a wonderful guest who is actually also from Georgia joining us today.
Christina: Yes, Sarah Claudia is a speaker and [00:02:40] author. She is also a founder of Sarah Claudia ministries, which encourages others to walk by faith. Not by. She's an author of two books and has a podcast of her own.
Timothy: Yes. And I was surprised that she was on this one. I saw the list the other day and I hope she's a Georgia bulldog fan, just as much as I am, [00:03:00] but she, you know what, she's got a great story and I'm more importantly, she's got a great testimony and I am so excited that she is here.
Sara Claudia, welcome to the podcast and tell us about yourself.
Sara: Yeah. Well, thank you guys so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here, to share about my leader dog journey, [00:03:20] but as you already heard I from Georgia, uh, west Georgia, about 45 minutes west of Atlanta, and I've lived in the same town all my life.
I got married, um, back in may and I have a wonderful guide dog named Jackson.
Christina: Very awesome. [00:03:40] Congratulations on recently getting married as well. That's gotta be an exciting time. So Sarah Claudia, how long have you had Jackson for?
Sarah: I just got him back in August. Um, so it feels like it's been a whole lifetime.
He has changed my life so much already, but it [00:04:00] hasn't been that one. So we're still a new team.
Christina: And could you start by telling us a little bit how you lost your.
Sara: Yeah. So, um, back in 2015, I was 20 years old. I was a junior at college. I went to [00:04:20] a small college called Berry college. It's in Rome, Georgia, and I think small college is actually one of the biggest campuses in the world.
It's got like thousands and thousands of acres of. Farmland and walking trails at the it's a big kind of agriculture cultural school. So I was going [00:04:40] to college there. I was on the equestrian team. So I've ridden horses all my life. And at this time I was completely sighted. I had never had any vision problems other than having to wear glasses and contacts since I was very young.
And so right before my senior year of [00:05:00] college, I was scheduled to have my tonsils taken out and I kind of suffered with tonsillitis for all my life. So I finally had enough decided to have them removed. And I went in for the. Everything went fine. I was discharged late that afternoon and I went back to my parents' [00:05:20] house to kind of recover and recoup before going back to school.
And my mom, she actually slept with me in my bedroom that. After my surgery, which ended up being a huge blessing because she woke up at about three or four o'clock in the morning, [00:05:40] decided she would check on me and make sure I wasn't too much pain for this, from the surgery that when she tried to wake me up to get me some water, she discovered me completely unresponsive.
So I was rushed back to the hospital where I was put on a ventilator. And when I finally woke up and I started breathing on [00:06:00] my own. I told my dad who happens to be an eye doctor that I couldn't see anything and everything was completely black. So just like that, my life was completely changed. Totally unexpected.
And we really had no idea how to deal with it.
That
Leslie: is quite a [00:06:20] story. And I, I can't imagine going through that and in your mother's natural instincts there to just kinda kick it in, she knew something was wrong. I think that's crazy. So you lost your vision. How did that feel? I guess how long did it take you to realize that, oh my gosh, this is really happening.
This is real. It's not coming back. [00:06:40]
Sara: You know, I had gone through so much trauma, um, and I was on so much medication and all the things they were kind of trying to see if it was reversible at there at the very beginning. Um, I don't remember much from. Those first couple of days, even the first [00:07:00] week or so and some level, I think that was a blessing because I never really remember having like a panicky moment.
It was kind of like a slow fade into this new reality. But even when I realized, you know, I, I can't see, I can't do anything. Like I used [00:07:20] to. We were still very hopeful, um, that, that we could find a treatment that would bring my sight back. And, you know, my dad being an eye doctor, he searched for all sorts of treatments that took us to Germany, to China, all over Atlanta, down to Florida.
Um, so, you know, we were very, very [00:07:40] helpful and my dad still searches for everything. We're still hopeful, but it took several months for me to kind of realize, you know, this, this might not be reversible. This might be. Long-term even forever. And I need to learn how to deal with this, how to live with this.
Right. A new
Leslie: [00:08:00] reality really setting in. And so what, what were your first steps? What, what did you do? How did you, how did you get out of bed? How did you take
Sara: those next steps? Yeah. Actually made me a homemade cane. She attached a wiffle ball to the end of a [00:08:20] hiking stick. And that, that was how I navigated for the first few kind of weeks and months.
You know, I didn't really need anything around my childhood home there, the beginning. So it was relatively easy. But when I started to realize, you know, I want to be able to go outside and, you know, go past the [00:08:40] walls of this. Um, she, she ordered me a cane and I started reaching out to vocational rehab and trying to get those services.
So the very first thing that I, I started trying with mobility, that is
Leslie: incredible. So
Timothy: how did you meet. And how was your [00:09:00] dating life with him? That's one thing I wanted to ask you big time, because I was listening to your podcast this weekend, and I thought it was very interesting how you guys seem like you guys are really good companions
Sarah: together.
Uh, I love him so much. He's been such a blessing to me, but it was a journey. My dating, it was kind of. Back [00:09:20] way, way back depths of my mind for several, several years, you know, it, it was very hard to get services. It's very hard for me to learn how to live with my blindness. So that was what I kind of focused on first.
And I learned all my skills slowly. I went back to college and I met my husband in [00:09:40] 2019. Right before I graduated from college, uh, received the opportunity to. The, on the radio here on the local station where I live and he actually worked for that group of radio stations. So I kind of reached out to him for some [00:10:00] professional help, but I also had listened.
I listened to his radio show and he was so funny, so lighthearted, um, and, and a man of faith. And I knew, you know, that's the kind of person I'd like to get to know. So we met up for coffee and talks about. Up and finally got to know each other. And then we started [00:10:20] dating about a month after that and we were engaged less than a year after that.
So it, it was, um, it was definitely, we, we just meshed really quickly. So he's a great guy that is such
Christina: a sweet story. You know, you are a young adult navigating this, you were, you know, senior [00:10:40] going into your senior year of college. You said you ended up going back to college. So what was, I guess, what advice would you give to other young adults who may be feeling lost or going through something similar?
Sarah: Yeah, I would say give up because there's so many. The roadblocks [00:11:00] that I say along the way, um, people telling me that I wasn't ready to go back to college. People telling me I needed to slow down, but, you know, I knew my limit. I knew that it was best for me for, you know, my mental health to go back to school and to prove to myself [00:11:20] that I could be a normal.
You know, young adult college student and into adulthood, despite having my site, I would say, know yourself, know your limit. And when people tell you, no, you push back harder and you fight for what you know you can do is [00:11:40] that's, that's what it was for me. It was a lot of facing these roadblocks and figuring out ways around.
I think you've got
Leslie: such an inspiring story, you know, as you mentioned, and Christina mentioned, you know, being so vulnerable in this state, and I've heard you speak a couple of different times, and I love your story [00:12:00] about being told no, so many different times and in so many different aspects of your life.
And like you were just mentioning, continuing to push back and, and prove basically people wrong, right. That you can do all of these things and you can live this independent. I'm curious now. So you went back to college. When did leader dog come into your life? What [00:12:20] happened? How did you find us?
Sara: Yeah, so it's, it's funny.
Um, right after I went back to college, I hadn't even been blind for a year yet, and I decided I wanted a guide dog, you know, not knowing what all went into it and how developed your skills need [00:12:40] to be. But I. Found leader dogs through my local lion's club and they sponsored me to start applying for a guide dog.
And so I did the application I sent in my video and leader dog responded by saying, you know, Looking at your video, we don't think you're ready yet, but [00:13:00] we want to help you get there. And I think that response in essence sums up, leave your dog, you know, they, they want to help you get to where you want to go.
And that was so refreshing for me because. I had been told, no, you're not ready. Um, you know, we, we won't help you by so many people. And so [00:13:20] now I had this group telling me you're not ready, but we want to help you. So leader dog invited me out for two weeks of O and M training, orientation and mobility, teaching me how to use my cane and those skills that I would need to eventually get a guide dog.
But that was back in 2016 [00:13:40] and. Then flash forward to 2020. That's when I finally decided I was actually ready for a guide dog and applied and was accepted. So that was wonderful. So
Timothy: what are your biggest challenges you've had so far since you've lost your eyes?
Sarah: Oh, goodness. [00:14:00] I think I've always been very independent growing up.
So I think just that loss of independence, but also the social aspect of it, which I think people don't talk about a lot, but being a young adult being in college and going back to college, it was so hard to. [00:14:20] Relate to people and to kind of find where I fit. And that's something that's still hard today, you know, just socializing and, and breaking down those barriers.
I'm
Leslie: curious. So we've talked to Timothy A. Little bit about his story. And when he was diagnosed at, at, at a younger age or not too much younger, but [00:14:40] I mean, his visual loss was gradual. And he mentioned, you know, he had never been around somebody who was blind or visually impaired, or had any idea that people really out there traveling with canes or guide dogs.
Was that the case for you? Had you ever experienced, um, somebody who was traveling with a cane or make any kit with somebody who is blind or visually impaired to kind of help you [00:15:00] through this transition and process?
Sarah: Uh, the very first time I met somebody who was blind or visually impaired was when I landed in Michigan and was picked up by, um, the leader dog volunteer.
And I met the other people who would be on the bus ride with me. And I was so [00:15:20] nervous. I was like, what do I do? You know, I'm blind, they're blind. How do we do we shake cans? I'm like, what do we do? And I had to tell myself, It's what you've been telling everybody around you. Treat them like you would everybody else.
So the very first time I met other people who were blind with at leader, dog, um, and it was [00:15:40] a wonderful experience just talking to them and learning from them. And when I came home from that experience, I started meeting people around my hometown. There's so many people, I didn't know, um, you know, close by me and we've been able to help each other and mentor each other.
So [00:16:00] I formed this full community. I think
Leslie: that is incredible. That's one of the things that I always tell people when they're coming to leader dog, one of the best parts about it is yes, making those connections and meeting other people who were there at the same time, because you can really share experiences.
You can share tips and tricks. Like there's so many things that you can learn from one another, but also just [00:16:20] be inspired or encourage. I think it's really important to have somebody that you can just call and, and, and the person on the other end gets it. Right. You can just say, you know, today sucked, I hated it.
I'm like, I wish I could see or whatever it is and the other person gets it because, you know, we can try to relate as much as we possibly can, but you're the one living it. [00:16:40] And so I think it's so, so nice to make those connections of other people see how they're doing. And really inspire yourself and know that you've got that support network.
So I think that's incredible that you've now gone back home. You're building that support network. How great for everybody to, um, to have you there. You're so inspiring and your story. Do you mind telling [00:17:00] us a little bit about all of the things you have going on? We've mentioned briefly, you know, your books and podcasts and stuff, but please tell us how did you get into all of
Sarah: this?
Oh, yeah, it was definitely by accident, uh, shortly after losing my sight. Um, my, my states has been, what's really gotten me through it. You know, my [00:17:20] family has been wonderful, but my faith, my relationship with God, and as that strengthened, um, I had some churches reach out to me to share my story and I was not a public speaker before, so I was super nervous about it, but the very first time I.
And I saw what I was going through, [00:17:40] helping other people. I was like, wow, maybe this is the silver lining here. Maybe this is how God's going to use. My hardship to help others and to give me a new purpose. So it kind of started slowly and then I've always loved to write. So I, I [00:18:00] started kind of writing about all my experiences, traveling and just living without my sight and how God was walking me through all of it.
And to my surprise, people started enjoying reading what I was writing. So honestly, Kelp kept going and, um, make grew. And it's [00:18:20] turned into this ministry where I have all these opportunities. Not only to share my faith and to share how God has helped me, but to educate others about blindness, which I love doing, because it's something that people just don't see every day.
Yes.
Christina: And I think that is so amazing. Sarah [00:18:40] Claudia, that, I mean, you're inspiring, not only other people who are going through challenges, but just anyone. In life who may be going through a hardship, no matter what it may be. So I think that is so awesome that you found that path and now you have at Jackson.
So what is it like for you to, cause you know, you're a [00:19:00] speaker, you're a writer now that you have, um, this guide dog, this friend by your side, what is that like from when you were traveling with, you know, just your cane and doing your job with just your cane to now doing your job with your guy?
Sarah: Oh, my goodness.
It's it's like night and day. It is wonderful. You know, the cane [00:19:20] is a wonderful tool. Um, but for me, I was always very timid with my cane and, you know, I, I developed my skills and I, I was proficient with my cane, but with Jackson, I am so much more confident traveling. I actually, after I got him, I [00:19:40] started renting an office downtown, and now I get out of the house every day and he walked me around my little downtown square around that office.
And he's just. Perfect. You know, when I got accepted and I started researching about how they match everybody to this specific dog, I was like, there's no [00:20:00] way that the dog can be that different, that you can get one that's perfect for you. But now that I'm caught Jackson, I am amazed. I don't know how leader dog does it.
They matched me to the absolute perfect dog for me and for what I do. Um, when I get up and speak, [00:20:20] he just lays next to me. I think he kind of steals the show. Honestly. I don't know if people hear a word I'm saying, um, because he just lays there. He'll kind of flop around and it's so cute, but he he's just perfect.
He's open. And the world for me. And I'm so thankful for him. Yeah.
Timothy: What's crazy for me, sir. When I go out, [00:20:40] everybody says, hello, glacier first, and then old tide. They D they recognize that first, the dog is always the most important to everybody. So, uh, I've heard some stories that, uh, when you got back, Jackson kinda was fighting you a little bit.
When you got back, you had little problems like I have with glacier when I got back. [00:21:00] The first day we walked, she started doing stuff that was out of the ordinary. So I had to call back the leader dog to find out how to fix that. What, what, what did Jackson do? The cars you a little, not trouble, but no, it wasn't doing exactly what was being done at leader dog when you first got them.
Sarah: Yeah, it was definitely a learning curve for [00:21:20] both of us. Um, I think it was more of just him being a new environment and he. Very much of a people pleaser. Like he wants to please me and do his job so well that I think sometimes he takes matters into his own pause and he thinks he's doing the right [00:21:40] thing, but he's really not.
So I think that was mostly our problem. Um, and just learning how to communicate, you know, developing more as a team. Communicating better, but most of it was him just kind of taking off on his own little path and, um, you know, things like that, [00:22:00] nothing, nothing too, too detrimental. But we, we had to work a lot.
We had to practice a lot, but he is now he, he knows the downtown, I think better than most people who live in my hometown. So he's the one that. That's
Leslie: so funny and such a good point. You know, going home after being at leader dog is [00:22:20] really different and you really do get to know your dog's a little bit, a little bit better to see that more of their personality.
And I I'm so proud of all of you for calling back and getting some support from leaders. We totally understand that these dogs have their own personalities and their own lives and things that they want to do and explore. So it's important to remember that leader dog is here [00:22:40] to assist with those issues.
And if you start to have any concerns or something's not right, please do call because our guide dogma buildings. Are incredibly talented and educated. And a lot of times they can help fix something just with a little phone support. And you also mentioned the matching process. I am always blown away by the matching process.
I think it's [00:23:00] incredibly cool and unique. And to hear our guide dog mobility instructors, talk about it and what things they can do. And how they get it. Right. You know, we've heard from now you, uh, Sarah Claudia, and Timothy's just sharing the special bond that you have with your guide dogs and how unique and important it is.
So, um, we do have a guide dog mobility [00:23:20] instructor joining us, I believe, next episode, to learn a little bit more about that process. So please do join us for that. But I I'm curious. Uh, so now you've been working with Jackson for a while and it's going well, what is, um, I guess, any, some funny stories or things that you and Jackson have gotten into?
Sarah: [00:23:40] Yeah. Um, I think one of the funniest ones is I love going to my local coffee shop. I love going in there and riding, or just sitting in, um, doing a Bible study, whatever it is. One of the, you know, my, my mobility guide dog mobility instructor knew this about me coming in. So [00:24:00] we in Rochester practice owned a coffee shops and she told me, you know, these dogs, they're very smart, but one thing we can't really teach them is how to wait in line.
And I learned that very quickly, um, going into the coffee shop. He really wants to get me upset counter because he [00:24:20] knows he's going to get a treat and he will find creative ways to get there. He has tried to take me behind the counter where the employees are once or twice. He has taken me very, very close to the person in front of me.
And, you know, we're trying. To reach out in [00:24:40] front of us when the dog stop to feel why they thought. So I have, um, touch some, some strangers before. So I've learned now, as soon as I walk in the coffee shop door, I just announced myself and I say, is there a line really, really loud? And they've kind of learned to answer [00:25:00] me, so we've worked it out, but it, you know, it's having a guide dog has a wonderful.
And not being embarrassed to buy stuff like that and just laughing it off. And, um, it's been a learning process with a lot of interesting. Well, you
Christina: are a [00:25:20] girl after my own heart because I am a big coffee shop fan. I love coffee shop. Lastly, I'm like, which coffee shop can we go to after
Sarah: this? Um, but,
Christina: uh, you know, I think that's such a great point that Doug's, they do have their own.
Personalities in their own little quirks and their own little things that they want to do to like Leslie [00:25:40] explained. Um, is there anything, you know, any last minute thoughts you want to share about, you know, your time at leader dog or anything like that?
Sarah: I would say for anybody thinking about going to leader dog, whether it's for guide dog or orientation, mobility, I want to tell you, just not to be afraid, not to [00:26:00] be intimidated because on that first trip to leader, dog for ONM, I almost didn't go.
I was so scared. I was like, how am I going to know how to get around? Um, I had never been away from my mom. She was my number one, support my mom and dad. Um, after losing my sight, I was afraid to be away from them. But as [00:26:20] soon as I landed in Michigan, I was completely taken care of. And a leader dog has turned into a home away from home.
Like I would go there just for a vacation it's so accommodating. Everybody is so wonderful to meet your needs and to help you. And you turn out being very independent there very [00:26:40] quickly. So I would just say, don't be afraid. It's going to completely change. I love that.
Christina: And Sarah, we've talked about your podcast.
So can you share, you know, if people want to listen to your podcast, how they can do that and what it is called?
Sarah: Yes. So I have a podcast it's called finding light and it is on any project cache streaming [00:27:00] platform. Um, it started out just kind of talking about blindness, talking about my experiences, sharing about my faith.
I have done episodes where I interview other people who have faced hardships and found light through those dark times. And starting, I guess, by the time this comes out, it, [00:27:20] the next season will have already started. But my next season of finding light is going to be. Short little moments of encouragement.
Um, it's going to be a weekly, new little short devotion that will kind of share about my experiences and give encouragement from God's word. So I'm very excited about that. [00:27:40] And you can also find me on social media at Sarah Claudia ministries.
Leslie: That is wonderful. Thank you so much, Sara Claudia for joining us today and sharing your story and thank you to our listeners for listening to the taking the lead PI.
Again, I'm your host, Leslie Hoskins with host Timothy Cuneio and Christina. Hepner. We hope you enjoy learning about [00:28:00] Sarah Claudia's story. Please join us next week to learn more about our formal training at leader dog. Yes.
Christina: And if you liked today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out.
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