From Donna Buswell
My son just called me tonight and told me about finding your web page. He said to check my email because he had sent me an interesting address. He is also calling Robert (my husband - his father) at work, to tell him to check the page. He was really excited about the page and said he sent you a short message and will tell you his story later. It will be interesting to read it from his prospective. Buzz (Daniel Robert Buswell) was diagnised with RB during his one year check-up by his pediatrian at Fort Bennington, MA. After struggling to save his right eye for two years, Dr. Ellsworth, at that time with Columbia Presbyterian in New York City, advised we have his eye removed. The left eye remained clear! Buzz is 25, a graduate of Auburn University in Building Science and now working for a large construction firm. He is presently living in Birmingham, AL.
Buzz was always very active as a child and loved sports. He played soccer, baseball and football. We learned as he was growing up not to say anything to the coaches before hand that he only had one eye. We would tell them in the beginning and they were afraid to have him play. He got good at warming the bench! When he was entering the sixth grade we moved from Manchester, NH to Knoxville, TN. It was June so the little league season had already started. We figured he would have to stay out a year. One Saturday shortly after we moved in Buzz and his father were out in the back yard throwing the baseball and a neighbor happened to see them. He asked Buzz if he would like to play on his son's team and of course he said yes. My husband and I show up at the first game and who is on the pitchers mound but Buzz - the former bench sitter! And he won the game! This coach didn't know about his eye and just looked at his ability on the field. From that time on we didn't say anything – just let Buzz prove himself. If the coach noticed anything different about his eye, he would say something and we would tell him the truth. By then it didn't matter. Buzz went on to play catcher with the varsity team in high school, and any baseball team he could find during college and still is playing to this day.
I enjoyed reading the letters from the other parents. I could identify with the lady who is always getting stopped by well meaning strangers. In one letter a reference to "lazy eye" reminded me of my encounter with a woman in a department store. Buzz was getting tired of waiting while I was looking at "more clothes". I had noticed a woman watching us, but just figured she was watching Buzzy as he really was being very patient but the patience was growing thin. She finally came over and started hollering at me, telling me what a terrible mother I was and didn't I know that there was a very easy operation for "lazy eye". After telling me how unfit I was, she stomped off without giving me a chance to explain. Maybe it made her feel better to blow aff steam but it sure didn't make my day. Over the years I learned to deal with "well meaning" people but some were harder than others.
Thank you for your web page and I will be checking it for updates. My son will being checking it also and if I know my husband, you will be hearing from him also! We would be glad to correspond with any one and help in any way we can. If you think it will help someone you can publish this letter.
Thank you –
Donna Buswell, Knoxville, TN
P.S. We also have a beautiful 21 year old daughter Brenda. She is an Auburn student and did not have RB. We had her checked the day she was born and for many years after. She is also heavily into sports – mainly soccer - but loves to spend time with her father and brother just playing catch in the back yard.
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