TS
Nystagmus

Danvville, IN 

I grew up in a household full of motorsports enthusiasts.  My father has always been a mechanic and loves cars, airplanes and motorcycles, as do I.  I grew up in the shop, working on and fixing anything mechanical.  I was finding old dirt bikes and go-karts to rebuild by the time I was 11 or so.  I always knew that there was the possibility that I would never drive, but I dealt with it the best that I could.  Being that passionate about something and knowing that it may never be obtainable, sent me into several times of pretty bad depression.  I pushed through and by the end of high school I was into off-road sports, motocross, ATV’s, etc.  I also continued to work on cars and motorcycles, often doing major projects for people that liked my work. 

In my adult life I found everything to be exponentially more difficult without the mobility that many take for granted.  I often found myself struggling to get to and from work, or having to be there several hours early.  Being a network engineer, where it is not just an 8 to 5 job made it extremely difficult to manage transportation.  Even simple tasks, like going to the store, took planning.  I also found that it was hard or impossible for me to attend many schools, due to transportation.  Purchasing gifts for family is also difficult if they have to be the one to drive you.   

It took about 2 years from start to finish for me to complete the process in becoming a bioptic driver.  I hope to complete my night driving evaluation this summer, as I wanted to get more experience during the day first.  In a way, it feels like the world has been lifted off me, and my family’s shoulders.