Batesville Pastor Succeeds Despite Blindness, Is Nominated for Award

Rev. Gene Cross of Batesville has been nominated as a candidate for the Annual Consumer of the Year Award to be presented by Arkansas Department of Human Services Division of Services for the Blind (DSB). The overall winner will be named at the end of the year.

When his doctor at Retina Associates referred him to DSB, Rev. Cross said he had a diagnosis of advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy in both eyes and experienced a sudden, drastic loss of vision over a two-week time span. His optic nerve was swelling with edema and he was told that he was in "imminent danger" of losing the remainder of his vision if he did not receive immediate treatment.

Rev. Cross did not have any type of insurance to cover the medical procedures recommended by his doctor. When Rev. Cross expressed his stress about this, his DSB Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor Darlene Tucker, who nominated Rev. Cross for Consumer of the Year, assured him that DSB could assist him with the vision treatments recommended and could provide accommodations and training that would enable him to be  independent and remain at work. She tried to reassure him with a positive outlook that his new congregation would be accepting of his new disability.

Rev. Cross said that in the beginning when he lost his sight he dreaded each passing day that came, but then he started praising the Lord for what he has in life instead of what he has lost. He thinks this positive attitude has helped him to gain a little bit of vision back, as well as come a long way in a very short time.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the rapid growth of new blood vessels that grow abnormally out of the retina into the clear vitreous gel. Because vessels grow beyond the supporting structure of the retina, they are prone to bleeding. Any jerking motion or even a rise in the blood pressure can rupture a vessel and cause a hemorrhage. Bleeding into the vitreous gel stops the transmission of light into the eye and may be noticed as red, grey, or black spots in the visual field. If bleeding is extensive, a rapid, painless blackening of vision occurs. Over the next weeks, blood slowly clears and vision returns. At that point, an ophthalmologist can start to see the retina and use laser treatments to close off the dangerous blood vessels.

If extensive or repeated bleeding occurs, scarring can form on the retina. Since the retina is a thin structure like tissue paper and is made up of only a few layers of cells, scarring can easily pull or detach the retina. Retinal detachment may be noted as wavy lines or a curtain-like effect that appears in one area of vision. Further loss of vision may occur if the retina is not reattached. A person may not be aware he has this condition until bleeding occurs. However, the condition can be detected early with regular eye exams, and laser treatment at this stage will often prevent bleeding from occurring. Anyone seeing wavy lines, a spider web, or black lumps in the visual field should make an immediate visit to the doctor or ophthalmologist.

Rev. Cross and his wife Rose have now been referring others to DSB for assistance, because they feel that others with visual impairments could greatly benefit from the services that are available through DSB. They said that they felt that, “The staff at the Batesville DSB office were very compassionate and caring and did not make us feel as if we were just another case number.”

Mrs. Cross complimented Glenda Redding, a former DSB staff member, who taught her how to allow her husband to rely more on his own strengths than on his wife’s assistance. She said this was sometimes a hard lesson to learn.

When his case originated with DSB, Rev. Cross had just transferred as a newly hired pastor to the Quail Valley Freewill Baptist Church. He had some serious concerns about his sudden loss of vision and whether he was going to be able to adequately perform his job duties as a pastor in a new church with which he was not familiar. He was concerned whether the members would still want him there.

Vocational Rehabilitation Teacher Margaret Magar taught Rev. Cross independent living skills to use around his home and at the church where he worked. He attended keyboarding classes to improve his skills on the computer, and DSB provided him with a computer with JAWS speech software to enable him to access needed information and prepare his sermons. DSB referred him for orientation and mobility training for use of his white cane, which gave him even greater independence at home, work, and in the community. Rev. Cross did well in his training, gained many new skills, and acquired knowledge that has greatly improved his life. At the time of case closure Rev. Cross said he had complete loss of vision in his left eye, and only light perception in his right eye.

Rev. Cross has served as the pastor of the Quail Valley Freewill Baptist Church for more than a year now and has been quite successful in his endeavors there. The counselor has heard from the community that his congregation feels blessed that he came to their church and they are proud to have him as their pastor. Rev. Cross has expressed much gratitude for the services he received from DSB, which assisted him in accomplishing his vocational goal. His counselor has assured him that he can contact DSB if he needs services in the future.

DSB regards Rev. Cross as a success and an inspiration. DSB is privileged to recognize Rev. Cross for a job well done and trusts that success will continue to follow this deserving individual, who has demonstrated that with determination, blindness is not a barrier to competitive employment. Hundreds of Arkansans with a disability return to work each year after receiving vocational rehabilitation services.

DSB provides vocational rehabilitation services to individuals who are blind or severely visually impaired and whose goal is successful employment. DSB also serves youth and older blind individuals. People wanting information about DSB’s programs and services can call 1-800-960-9270 or 501-682-5463 or visit the DSB website at http://www.arkansas.gov/dhs/dsb/NEWDSB/index.htm.