Gloomy Christmas for Kayon Samuels

Kayon Samuels was thriving as a nail technician who always looked forward to Christmas because the period brings a lot of customers. However, the 44-year-old Samuels had to give up her trade after she lost her sight in November 2016.

Samuels said that the trouble began after flickers of light started going off her eyes. She later found out that the flickering was caused by veins growing at the back of her eyes.

Hearing that laser therapy was a good way to correct the problem, Samuels made arrangements to get it done.

"Before the laser therapy, I kept telling them that I was diabetic, and they said that it will not affect me. The thing that was supposed to help fix the issue only made matters worse," she said.

After the surgery, Samuels realised she could no longer see anything. She said that she is unable to see out of her left eye, and she only able to see shadows with her right eye.

She said that she felt awful afterwards because she was no longer independent, but had to depend on people to help her move around.

After almost two years, Samuels said that she allowed herself to see the brighter side to life because she was able to move around and many persons could not. She said that she took steps to get another skill in order to start being more independent.

"Right now, I am going to massage school so that I can get certified and start being independent again," she said.

However, one month ago, she lost her sister as a result of a heart attack. Now, gloom once again hangs over her head.

"This Christmas is double sad for me because two weeks after my sister gave birth to twins, she collapsed in a clinic. She went there to get her cut dressed because she had a C-section. The autopsy showed that she had a heart failure. So it's a hard time for me now," she said.

However, in spite of her troubles, Samuels said that she plans to put a smile on the faces of some elderly people who live close to her.

"People get lost in the glamour of Christmas, but it is also about giving. If someone lives close to you, you can invite them over for dinner and help them have a good time. That is what I am going to do this Christmas," she said.