Ashley Cundall @artofashleycundall – story in his own words – I was most eager to share my experience of an invisible health condition after reading about the opportunity to share my story via this collaboration. If you were to meet me, it would not be apparent at all that I had any disability. However, as an infant, I was diagnosed with a condition called hydrocephalus, which is, to those not ‘au fait’ with the condition is often called ‘water on the brain’ which puts an increasing amount of pressure on the brain. In fact, it is not water at all, but cerebral fluid.
There are three types of the condition: congenital (present at birth), acquired (developed after birth) and normal pressure (which develops as people grow older). It can affect people in many ways, causing long term complications. It can affect people in several ways. With me, I had the congenital form which affected my eyesight and with some physical co-ordination. It damaged an optic nerve, which has an impact peripheral vision. The condition is also known as ‘tunnel vision.’ I have a shunt (thin tube) implanted onto my brain, which drains the cerebral fluid from my brain to my tummy, which has served me well for thirty odd years!
I discovered that I my peripheral vision had been affected later in my childhood, through a routine optician appointment. I did not realise that other people were being dealt a different hand of cards to play with before this. Once I had been diagnosed, many unexplained issues began to make sense and at this point I became even more determined to adapt to the world around me as I already had done before.
The legacy of having had hydrocephalus has sometimes meant a limitation to some fields of work I can have access to, as I will never be able to drive or ride a bicycle moreover. Admittedly this on occasion has made me feel like an outsider in my younger days. Some team sports were also an issue when I was younger, so I have always opted more for fitness, running, aquatic sports and outdoor pursuits when it comes to sport. Conversely, feel so blessed I my forward vision was not affected, which has enabled me to pursue my passion of creating artwork based on my curiosity of the outdoor world. However, I am always extra cautious as any other partially sighted person would be when visiting new places.
Thank you very kindly to Ashley for the fabulous collaboration
