LIFE
The Feel
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Addy’s condition is known as he first thing you optic nerve hypoplasia, which in notice while walkher case, has resulted in complete ing into the home of lack of sight. Because of this obstaBrittany and Nathan Clarkcle, the Clarksons have had to take son is that it’s very tidy. The certain considerations in furnishmain living room is in pering and decorating their home. You Homes wouldn’t notice these changes as fect order, and the hallways they are mainly subtle, yet however are clear of any stray items NICHOLAS subtle they may be, they are all well that so many of us often disSIEGEL thought-out and hugely necessary. regard. In most part, this is “Really, she adjusts to the house to accommodate their 5-yearon her own, and we kind of put things that we old daughter, Addy, who has been blind don’t want her to have within reach out of the since birth. way,” says Brittany. This method of helping Addy get used to the house over time has con-
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sisted of some trial and error, but the Clarksons value Addy’s independence. The couple emphasizes the importance of Addy’s freedom in dealing with her disability: “I think the biggest challenge is that it’s hard for me to not do everything for her and to let her do things by herself, even if it takes longer or if it’s something she gets frustrated with,” Brittany relates. In Addy’s room, her cane hangs from a butterfly hanger near the light switch. Across from her bed is a bookshelf that holds her braille writer and a collection of books the Clarksons have collected through The American Printing House for the Blind’s Braille Tales program. Brittany and Nathan asked Addy, who is a PHOTOS BY BILL WINE