January 26, 2008~

Dear Journal~

This is my first time at trying this, so please bear with me.

My name is Michiko Osaka. I was injured in a tornado about five years ago; because of it, my life as I once knew it was forever changed.

For one thing, I'm blind. I now have a cane and a service dog to help me get around easier, I have books on tape, and I've since learned how to read/write in Braille. It isn't easy; however, I have learned to adjust to my visual handicaps.

I had glass fly into my eyes; my corneas were cut; this was why I lost my sight. It was very painful; I shall never forget it as long as I live.

I also broke my leg in the tornado; had to wear a cage on my leg until it healed. Took over eight weeks; I never was so glad to get that thing off my leg!  When I finally did, I cried with happiness!  :)

I think I have a very good life, all things considering. I am now working at a place that employs people with handicaps; I am a receptionist, and I love my job very much. I work Monday-Friday, six to eight hours each day, and I've done so well I've gotten a raise from my boss!

I am so proud of myself! :)

When I got that thing, that external fixator, off my leg, I could walk again (once I had therapy). Granted, for a while, I wasn't fast, but then it didn't help that I was now blind. That really slowed me down to a turtle's pace; yet once I learned how to use my cane and got my seeing eye dog ("Bruno"), there was no holding me back; I'm now quite fast; I can get anywhere I need to go with relatively few problems.

As you can see from my name, I am Japanese. I was born in Japan, but came to America when I was a child. I still speak Japanese, have since learned English; am very fluent in both.

I have three sisters (Hiroku, Aama, and Kyoko) and two brothers (Kazuhiko and Kenji); I am the oldest; the others are younger than me. Like me, they all came to America as children; we all still live in the Nashville, Tennessee, metro area; most live ten minutes away, so I can see them on a very regular basis (you know what I mean! LOL).

Well, I will go now; "Bruno", my seeing eye dog, is barking again, to let me know someone's at the door. I will have to call him, so he can take me to the door, so I can answer it. Hopefully it will be the pizza I ordered for lunch; didn't feel much like cooking! LOL

Take care!

~Michiko Osaka. :)

P.S.: About the writing: my computer is in Braille, and it translates it to regular writing, so sighted people can see what I am trying to say. A rather neat concept, I must say!! :)

~"Michi" :)