Paul's lockdown story – Blind Marathon Man!

Paul Baskcomb has been coming to My Sight Notts for many years and is our longest serving Service User Member Involvement Team rep. Here he shares his humorous, often frustrating but ultimately affirming story of Lockdown with sight loss.
Paul’s story
“I have lived in Ravenshead since 1976 and have seen many changes take place over the years.  I started to experience problems with my vision in my thirties and over the years, it has slowly deteriorated, until 3 months ago, when I almost completely lost what little sight I had left.  Still a bit of a blow, even though I have learned to adapt over time.   With the help of the My Sight Notts, RNIB, some  very good friends and a PA I have continued to work for my village community,  helping to run Ravenshead Community Transport – our village buses.   Of course I don’t drive them!!
Attacked by wheelie bins and cars on pavements
“Thankfully I have still a very good memory and know my way around Ravenshead very well; you may have seen me with my white stick; although I occasionally get attacked by wheelie bins and cars parked across the pavement.  My white stick is wonderful, but of course it doesn’t always warn me of obstacles lurking in wait.   If you have ever walked into something on the pavement, when you were perhaps concentrating on your mobile phone, instead of where you were walking,  I‘m sure you will have quickly looked around to see if anyone was looking!  Well, at least I can’t see you even if I tried :0)!
Determined to continue daily walks
“Since lockdown I have been determined to keep taking my daily walk –  3 miles a day or a ‘marathon every 8 days!  That is 78 miles or 9 ½ marathons!  It’s surprising just how quickly the miles clock up after only a few days of walking for only 45 minutes a day; it isn’t long is it; especially in the weather we have been having.  It is also surprising just how our other senses are heightens when one of them is lost, so I am very aware of sounds, smells and of course even minor changes in the weather.   So I may not be able to see, but I can still enjoy my walk.
Locked down but not locked up!
“We may all have been ‘locked down’, however, there is no need for us to be ‘locked up’ as well!!”