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38 users online
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Describe your experience in relation to albinism
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My name is Lello, I am 45 years old. I was born albino (oculocutaneous tyrosinase positive type). When I was just born my mom jokingly responded to those who pointed out by very light colour that she had bathed me in bleach. Soon she realized how painful it was for me to be in the sun or bright lights because I tended to keep my eyes tightly shut to avoid the light. As soon as my parents and I understood that I had difficulty to see things they got me a present: a pair of nerdy glasses with black frames. When I look at my first black and white photos, especially the ones shot in the snow, where the only visible thing were my glasses, I wonder…what were they thinking?! At the age of 6, unable to attend public schools because of my poor sight, my parents (from a small town) , reluctantly brought me to an institute for the blind where I could study. It was really hard for me to be there for so many years seeing my family only at christmas, easter and during summer holidays. Every time I returned from a holiday I felt very sick. It got so bad that once I finished eighth grade and finally got released from the institute I would feel bad every time I had to leave my town. This may seem like an infortunate childhood but it really helped it grow from a boy to a man I fact, I found myself developing a real strength of spirit and an ability to tackle any problem in life, even in the problems that come from being married with two kids I find the strength to go on because of what I have already lived. The most painful thing I experienced as a result of my albinism were huge burns I got on my body after going to the beach, more than once I had to stay for three or four days locked up at home in my underwear without being able of touch anything. Also, when I would hang out with my friends in the sun, my face and the tips of my ears would often burn. But growing up I learned to accept my condition and how to protect myself from getting hurt. One of the things that comes with albinism is that anywhere i go I almost feel like a Hollywood star…everyone looks at me…maybe for my beauty? I really don't care what other people think, nature made me this way, my creator likes me, and I like myself too.
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