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Seeing the Positives
  
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By KASSIA MICEK
From an early age, Everitt Slavens saw things differently.
It wasn’t until he was in high school that doctors discovered why he was progressively losing his sight and diagnosed him with retinitis pigmentosa.
“The only way anyone can inherit it is if two people that carried it had a child,” said the 77-year-old Woodlands resident.
The oldest of four children, Slavens and two of his three sisters have the genetic disorder that affects night vision, according to the Mayo Clinic website www.mayoclinic.com. Early symptoms include night blindness and progressive loss of vision over time.
“When I was a child, I could see, but not very well,” he said. “As I grew up, I gradually lost what I had. I’ve been blind most of my adult life.
“When I was a child, people didn’t know what was happening. Only as doctors looked back did they realize it.”
Although the disease is genetic, none of Slavens’ or his sisters’ children or grandchildren have the disease, he said.
Retinitis pigmentosa is an uncommon condition affecting about one in 4,000 people in the United States, according to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health website, www.nlm.nih.gov.
However, a lack of sight hasn’t left Slavens lacking in many other areas. He is a regular at the Shadowbend YMCA, where he takes Pilates and yoga classes on weekends and works in the weight room throughout the week.
“A week after I got here, I joined the ‘Y’ because I was really committed to being healthy,” said Slavens, who moved to The Woodlands 12 years ago. “I come here to be healthy, but I also just retired and I wanted to be somewhere to meet other people.
“If I were doing this at home myself, I couldn’t do it. The important thing about exercise is I’m a social person. I couldn’t do it without that.”
A retired college history professor, Slavens is quite the talker, but he is working on that.
“My resolution for the New Year is to be quiet and not talk so much and to listen more,” he said with a chuckle. “When you enjoy people as much as I do, your temptation is to talk more.”
Kelley Casares, YMCA fitness attendant, said Slavens is a “big flirt” who keeps the energy up in the room while members are working out.
“This place gets very quiet when he’s not here,” she said. “He says I inspire him, but he inspires me because he’s more independent than most of the members here.”
That is something Slavens attributes to his father.
“My dad was a hardworking man,” Slavens said. “It was important to him I be independent. My dad was so committed to making me tough. He never told me what was happening. … My dad told me I had to be independent to make it in the world.
“I’m grateful now. I can be forgiving. I can accept the fact how it hurts to be blind, but my life is wonderful. I have children, grandchildren, a wonderful family and I had a successful teaching career. My life is beautiful. … The only thing I don’t have is eyesight.”
However, Slavens has no lack of friends. His YMCA “family” makes sure he gets to and from the center for his nearly daily exercise.
“Despite any setbacks he has, he’s very, very positive,” said Maria Johnston, who is one of the many people who drives Slavens to and from the YMCA. “It’s not any trouble at all, because whenever I need him, he brightens up my day.”
Slavens said he doesn’t believe in the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” He is studying conversational Spanish, which will come in handy during his mission trips with The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church.
“God has blessed me in so many ways,” Slavens said. “I don’t think God wanted me to be blind, but I think God has walked with me through the blindness and all that. I think he has blessed me with everything and has surrounded me with beautiful people and angels.”
It wasn’t until he was in high school that doctors discovered why he was progressively losing his sight and diagnosed him with retinitis pigmentosa.
“The only way anyone can inherit it is if two people that carried it had a child,” said the 77-year-old Woodlands resident.
The oldest of four children, Slavens and two of his three sisters have the genetic disorder that affects night vision, according to the Mayo Clinic website www.mayoclinic.com. Early symptoms include night blindness and progressive loss of vision over time.
“When I was a child, I could see, but not very well,” he said. “As I grew up, I gradually lost what I had. I’ve been blind most of my adult life.
“When I was a child, people didn’t know what was happening. Only as doctors looked back did they realize it.”
Although the disease is genetic, none of Slavens’ or his sisters’ children or grandchildren have the disease, he said.
Retinitis pigmentosa is an uncommon condition affecting about one in 4,000 people in the United States, according to the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health website, www.nlm.nih.gov.
However, a lack of sight hasn’t left Slavens lacking in many other areas. He is a regular at the Shadowbend YMCA, where he takes Pilates and yoga classes on weekends and works in the weight room throughout the week.
“A week after I got here, I joined the ‘Y’ because I was really committed to being healthy,” said Slavens, who moved to The Woodlands 12 years ago. “I come here to be healthy, but I also just retired and I wanted to be somewhere to meet other people.
“If I were doing this at home myself, I couldn’t do it. The important thing about exercise is I’m a social person. I couldn’t do it without that.”
A retired college history professor, Slavens is quite the talker, but he is working on that.
“My resolution for the New Year is to be quiet and not talk so much and to listen more,” he said with a chuckle. “When you enjoy people as much as I do, your temptation is to talk more.”
Kelley Casares, YMCA fitness attendant, said Slavens is a “big flirt” who keeps the energy up in the room while members are working out.
“This place gets very quiet when he’s not here,” she said. “He says I inspire him, but he inspires me because he’s more independent than most of the members here.”
That is something Slavens attributes to his father.
“My dad was a hardworking man,” Slavens said. “It was important to him I be independent. My dad was so committed to making me tough. He never told me what was happening. … My dad told me I had to be independent to make it in the world.
“I’m grateful now. I can be forgiving. I can accept the fact how it hurts to be blind, but my life is wonderful. I have children, grandchildren, a wonderful family and I had a successful teaching career. My life is beautiful. … The only thing I don’t have is eyesight.”
However, Slavens has no lack of friends. His YMCA “family” makes sure he gets to and from the center for his nearly daily exercise.
“Despite any setbacks he has, he’s very, very positive,” said Maria Johnston, who is one of the many people who drives Slavens to and from the YMCA. “It’s not any trouble at all, because whenever I need him, he brightens up my day.”
Slavens said he doesn’t believe in the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” He is studying conversational Spanish, which will come in handy during his mission trips with The Woodlands Community Presbyterian Church.
“God has blessed me in so many ways,” Slavens said. “I don’t think God wanted me to be blind, but I think God has walked with me through the blindness and all that. I think he has blessed me with everything and has surrounded me with beautiful people and angels.”
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