The Storm before the Calm...

I have to say it's been a really rough 2-3 weeks. 

I'd developed some bizarre eye symptoms back in early October -- sudden arc-like flashes (both dark and light) at the very top of my vision which my medicaid doctor thought might be the beginning of something called 'vitreous detachment'. The vitreous fluid is a gel-like substance inside one's eye.

While this detachment can be a normal sign of aging, it can also become very dangerous if larger floaters and black spots suddenly appear, which happened the day before my birthday, and got worse during a birthday party 2 days later. When this happens it can mean that the vitreous is pulling on the retina and cause a retinal detachment, where the worst case scenario could mean partial blindness.

So I got in a few days later, and sure enough they found a retinal tear. Got me into laser surgery to kind of seal it off right away. That was extremely uncomfortable, esp as the doc was trying to get me to 'Look left, look left, LOOK LEFT!'. I mean, if I could look any further to the left I'd be a chameleon. Plus, it took a LOT of energy to do this and well, it just wiped me out.

A week later I went back in for the followup. Naturally I was scared to death I'd need to undergo more treatment (the floaters are still there, but hadn't spread). 

After some poking & prodding, doc says the left eye is "doing good. You even having some scar tissue starting to form." That was a relief. Just had to wait for my shuttle taxi ride home, which I was told would arrive in about 20-30 minutes.

What started out as a pleasant wait, turned into a not-so-pleasant two HOURS. So what to do? What else, except wait in the lobby and watch the people 'Walk on By'.

After leaving at 1:30 for the appointment, I finally got home at around 7pm. Only to realize about a half an hour later that I left the umbrella I bought the day before, in the cab.  You know how that song goes..."It's That Time of Year..."  

The storm continues, but there are definite silver linings. It's been really rough -- could hardly walk just a few feet during the last 2 days -- but I've learned new things from this storm, which will help me get well.

In the meantime, as I count the days to my first consult with the new doctor on January 3rd, I thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this post, and wish you all the best during the holiday season.