Elizabeth Pizzarello, author of “Eclipsed,” shares her inspiring journey of, facing blindness, and finding hope and happiness in the face of adversity. She discusses how she built confidence and acclimatized to a life in the dark, and the miraculous surgery that restored some of her sight. Elizabeth emphasizes the importance of never giving up and believing in oneself, and encourages others to find gratitude and appreciation in every aspect of life. Her book serves as a motivational and inspirational message to readers.
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Introduction
Welcome back to the Transform Your Mind to Transform Your Life podcast. I'm your host, Myrna Young, and today we have a very special guest on our Author's Corner segment. Elizabeth Pizzarello, an author and advocate, joins us to share her incredible story of resilience and triumph by, facing blindness. Her book, “Eclipsed,” chronicles her journey and offers inspiration to those facing catastrophic loss. I am honored to have Elizabeth here with us today.
Elizabeth's story begins two weeks before her college graduation, when she was diagnosed with a genetic eye disease that would eventually lead to her blindness. Facing blindness, the news shattered her confidence and left her spinning in fear and uncertainty. Over the course of twelve years, Elizabeth gradually lost her sight, experiencing the closing in of her visual field, the loss of perception and color, and eventually complete darkness.
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Facing blindness: Life in the dark
Facing blindness aand navigating life in the dark was a tremendous challenge for Elizabeth. She had to confront her fears, accept her blindness, and find a way to build confidence and acclimate to her new reality. It was a process that required her to acknowledge the enormity of her situation and come to terms with it. Elizabeth shares, “The hardest thing was to actually hear myself say, ‘Beth, you are going blind.' Because for a while there, it was so unbelievable. It was like I ignored it. It wasn't going to happen to me. But it was, and so I didn't discuss it honestly and I couldn't read a menu in a restaurant. I said, you know, I'm having a little bit of sight problem. Going blind is a big little sight problem. And I think that things started really turning when I got real with myself.”
Despite the challenges she faced, Elizabeth found a way to thrive in her blindness. She learned to appreciate the small things in life and find happiness in the midst of darkness. She shares, “The greatest gift I got from, facing blindness, was learning to really appreciate every single aspect of what you can do, see, experience. Because when I had sight, a weed in between the sidewalk crack was a weed. Let's get rid of it. But when you have a dandelion in the crack of a sidewalk after you've been blind for over ten years, you are having a party over it because you can't believe you see that again.”
The Miracle of Sight again
After twelve years of living in darkness, Elizabeth received a newly developed, lens implant surgery, that restored some of her sight. While she still has limited vision in one eye, the surgery was a miraculous breakthrough for her. She describes the moment she regained her sight, saying, “The first thing I saw was this old buick I had brought to Florida from when I had moved down here from New Jersey. And I thought, oh, my goodness, can that be? And at first, I thought I was dreaming. And then I went out to the entry of my house, and my house had been destroyed with a hurricane.
I was in the house when the hurricane struck, all by myself, and I was blind in a closet. So now I have sight back. And I went out to the entry of the house. It was rebuilt. And I remembered the old house because I had sight when I had it. And I said to my husband, ‘Where are we?' And he says, ‘The house.' And I said, ‘Whose house?' And he said, ‘Our house.' And he goes, ‘You lived here for a long time.' And I looked around, and the first thing I thought of, I cried with gratefulness. I just couldn't believe that something that even until this surgery came to be, I mean, this doctor had created this, lens implant surgery, only a year and a half prior to me going there and only because I had a pain behind an eye that was blind.”
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Facing blindness with strength and resilience
Elizabeth's journey while, facing blindness, is a testament to the, power of resilience, and the ability to find joy and purpose in the face of adversity. Her story serves as an inspiration to others who may be facing their own challenges. She encourages people to never give up and to believe in themselves. Elizabeth says, “Don't ever lose faith in what you can do because all of it is really pretty much on you. So if you have that confidence, you can really combat some of the biggest obstacles that you thought you never could.”
In her book, “Eclipsed,” Elizabeth shares her story with the hope of helping others find their way through catastrophic loss. She wants readers to walk away with a renewed sense of hope and the belief that they can overcome any obstacle. Elizabeth's message is clear: never give up on yourself and find the beauty in every situation, no matter how challenging.
As we reflect on Elizabeth's journey, we are reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and the, power of perseverance. Her story serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of hope. Elizabeth's ability to thrive in the face of blindness is a testament to the strength and resilience within each of us.
Conclusion Facing Blindness
In conclusion, Elizabeth Pizzarello's story is a powerful reminder that challenges can be transformed into triumphs. Her journey from blindness to limited sight is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of belief in oneself. Through her book, “Eclipsed,” Elizabeth offers inspiration and hope to those facing their own challenges. Her story serves as a reminder that no matter how difficult life may seem, there is always a way to find joy and purpose. As we move forward, let us embrace Elizabeth's message and remember that we have the power to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.
To learn more about Elizabeth Pizzarello and her book, “Eclipsed,” you can visit her website at https://www.halokitty.org/. You can also find her on social media, including Facebook and Instagram, under the handle Beth Pizzarello.
Thank you for joining us on this episode of Author's Corner. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe to our podcast on YouTube or iTunes and leave a review. We appreciate your support. Until next time, remember to never give up and always believe in yourself. Namaste.
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