Thank you all.

[pdawg_shooter]

To start with I want to say thank you to all on this site. I have learned so much from you all. I hope I have passed along a bit of knowledge my self. I never would have guessed that a man could have so many friends he has never met.

I will be leaving this site, all sites before too long. You see, I am going blind. Left eye is gone for good and the right eye will follow directly. So if I disappear from here someday you will know why.

I have spent many a fine hour on here, learning, laughing, and in some cases arguing with other members. Since my wife passed away in February, this site has been a Godsend, and has kept me sane, well most of the time LOL.

You people are my kind of people, and I don't just mean gun nuts. I will miss you all when I am forced to leave here.

Once gin, thank you all and God bless you all.

[waksupi]

Sorry to hear that. Check around, there are programs that will read to you. I think our state even offers one to the blind.

[s mac]

Pdawg, I haven't been here very long, but have enjoyed reading what you have had to say. Pray that things go well for you.

[Bzcraig]

Your presence and contributions will be missed. As Waksupi mentioned there are many programs to help the blind. My granddaughter too is blind and still uses her laptop and smartphone daily. Additionally there are many state and federal assistance programs that will step in for you and may even pay for/provide the new technology to you. Now, having said that, not sure you should still be driving to the range and shooting without some assistance brother.

[PS Paul]

pdawg, don't give up just yet, friend.

I am blind in one eye (a corneal transplant that was not very successful) and am about 20-35 in my right eye on a good day. It is a non-correctible condition UNLESS I have another corneal transplant, which I am not willing to go through again......

Not sure what your condition is, but I am sure you know what the prospects are. Like Waksupi mentions, there are helper programs for the blind......

The way I see it, so long as I can still focus on the front sight, I can still shoot. and I still shoot pretty doggone well at 25 to 50 yds. with iron sights. Peep sights are better and scopes are best, but I still enjoy shooting with iron sights.....

Take good care and we hope to keep "seein' you" on the forum, eh?
Paul

[Bad Water Bill]

We NEED some of the folks here that understand puters to help out here.

I met a blind man in Tomahawk Wi that used his puter every day.

He had a rig where he put a book down and the puter read the book outloud for him. I know he sent and received E mails as well so there must be tons of goodies available if WE start looking.

Here is one that I know was great for someone I used to know. Yes it is Chit Kaga but these folks network and it is a start.

http://chicagolighthouse.org/

and here is another one.

https://nfb.org/

national foundation for the blind

If my cousin (blind from birth could raise 6 kids years ago I know we can get a brother help to beat his problem and maintain his enjoyment here.

Lets see what we as a family can do.

[GaryN]

Hi Pdawg, I enjoy your posts. You can still post even if you can't shoot. My son has a friend who has been blind since birth and he is on the computer every day. In fact his job is to help blind people use the computer. He works for the goverment.

[shooter93]

I'm very sorry to hear this. Like mentioned check out all possabilities, there are some very good things for the blind to use computers and many are free. I assume you have already but if not....get a second opionion on your problem too. Great medical advancements are made every day.....and I'd pretty much bet you have the prayers of 25,000 or so people here pulling for you.

[pdawg_shooter]

Again I thank you all for the kind words. But, if I can't cast, reload, or shoot...what will i post about? I have had a great 62 years, and except for loosing my wife I regret nothing. In March I had congestive heart frailer and now have two bad heart valves so the blindness thing may be moot anyway. You are a great bunch of folks here and I will sorely miss you all.

[waksupi]

That's an easy one. We will put you in charge of topic drift, to maintain our high standards of going off topic! Not to mention previous life shooting experience to pass along that is good for old timers and newbies.

[pdawg_shooter]

Again I thank you all for the kind words. But, if I can't cast, reload, or shoot...what will i post about? I have had a great 62 years, and except for loosing my wife I regret nothing. In March I had congestive heart frailer and now have two bad heart valves so the blindness thing may be moot anyway. You are a great bunch of folks here and I will sorely miss you all.

[Bad Water Bill]

We will find a way to keep you posting. Heck there are OVER 30K members here and someone will know how to keep you going after the peepers quit.

This site is not just about firearms.

I must have posted a THOUSAND TIMES this year answering members questions about Illinois FINALLY passing a CCW law.

Again I want to say THANK YOU to Ken and crew for allowing me to do it.

Look at the questions we have had in OUR TOWN this week alone that had 0 to do with firearms. IE from a roof all the way to keeping a heater pilot burning.

You sir have 62 years worth of experiences and wonderful memories to share with many here.

Yes shooting may be your pleasure now. Mother nature has a way of changing things for us.

For many years I wanted to take another trip down the grand canyon. Now at 77 I know that will not happen but now I enjoy a walk in the woods or a trip in a canoe even more. Thats life so enjoy what we have of it.

[DIRT Farmer]

Pawdog shooter I have read your posts with interest and you and 303 guy amoung others were my sanity over the two years I took care of my Dad before he passed. Something about twisting paper around lead and trying to get it to shoot from an old Savage #4 two groove and your advice gave me something to think about. With all of the help here it will shoot fairly well.
As for the heart thing, I have two years on you, 9 grafts on my heart and some stents and a dx of cateracts in both eyes. Non of us know the day or time, just live and live in a manner that the retirment plan in the good book pays out.

[popper]

I think Kurtzell(?) did the blind reading/writing equipment to begin, now Dragon and most speech recognition stuff does a fine job on normal PCs. Your state assoc. for the blind has resources and can help. They will also help with braille tutoring. Don't know your F&F situation or arrangements. I have lots of friends with the heart fixes, doing great, just move slower. Waksupi has a good idea to keep you from becoming 'isolated' - you DON'T need that. In the meantime, control + will make the print bigger.

[nicholst55]

pdawg - don't give up! Here are a couple of links that may be useful:

National Federation of the Blind (https://nfb.org/)

Kansas Low Vision Product Dealers (http://www.enhancedvision.com/low-vision-resources/kansas-low-vision-resources.html)

Kansas Deaf-Blind Project (http://kansasdeafblind.ku.edu/~ksdfblnd/solutions/ks_solutions.shtml)

American Association of the Deaf-Blind (http://www.aadb.org/resources/resources.html)

I'll wager that one of these organizations can point you in the right direction to search for a way to stay online! We need - and value - the contributions of members like you!

[gmsharps]

There are a lot of folks that can learn from your years of expierience. I have seen devices that when you hit a key it verbally sounds out what you hit. That has been several years ago. I know you are going through some tough times now but there are ways to deal with it. There are many organizations that can help, you just have to ask. There are a lot of youngsters here that need your assistance so hang in there.

gmsharps

[Ed Barrett]

We will put you in our prayers, and hope for the best.

[Moonie]

We are all family here, I will pray for you brother. I've been diabetic for about 15 years, I'm 45 and I know one day my vision will begin to go south. Thankfully I have not had any issues related to it other than some neuropathy that I have been able to reverse.

[Swamp Man]

Pdawg Sorry to hear about your sight going. Maybe you could give these fine folks a phone number to stay in contract with a few folks. You asked what would you have to talk about? Well if there is a computer program that would help what about starting a youth shooters group so you could pass along your years of knowledge to some young wiper snappers? Knowledge is the most valuable thing one can pass down to our youth and the reward of hearing about that youths first rabbit or deer is priceless.

[gray wolf]

I'm kind off a sensitive old guy, guess I always have been.
When I read post like this it just makes me feel very bad. Makes the words come hard.
But Sir I will pray for you, I will pray that strength to win this battle will flow your way. It sure sounds like you have your hands full-- but don't pack it in.
Sometimes we need to stay the course. With all our members I hope we can can
find a way for you to stay with us.

Sam----in Maine