[Shanny]

Since I disappeared rather abruptly, I think I owe you some explanation . . .

Friday night I began noticing a "blob" in the lower right quadrant of my left eye field of vision. I presented in the emergency eye clinic Monday morning and was diagnosed with several tears & a retinal detachment, and ordered to stay away from reading and off the computer. Went into surgery Tuesday noon to have it fixed with cryotherapy and a scleral buckle, and then today (Wednesday) at my followup visit with the retinologist, I got the gas bubble to boot, since the detachment was acting like it didn't wanna stay reattached. Trip to the clinic is four hours round trip, so haven't had much time left over.

And take it from me, cataract surgery is small potatoes compared with this . . . I look like I went a coupla rounds with Joe Palooka . . .

 

[Strawberry]

Shanny, so relieved to hear you are OK after going through your experience. So...you have a 'shiner' do you? Please take care and will be saying prayers for you. (((Hugs)))

 

[Chesney]

Glad to hear you are okay...prayers for a speedy recovery

 

[MinisMom]

Hope you're back to your chipper self soon. Mother had the same surgery and WAS NOT a happy camper....I think the thing that got her was the keeping her face parallel to the floor for 7 days. Of coarse I probably wouldn't enjoy sleeping on my face either....Feel better soon!!!

 

[Orio]

Jeesh Shanny, sorry to hear what you're going through. Hope you "bounce" back quickly.

 

[Diana]

Damn...doesn't sound like fun at all! Was this problem related to diabetes at all? I do hope and pray that your recovery is swift and painless from here on out!!

 

[foxl]

Shanny, I wondered why it was so quiet in here!

I hope you do recover quickly! I have missed you.

 

[jeremiahtren]

Take care of yourself.I wish you well.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

i am sorry to hear all this! i figured you were taking some time off from us because your son was in town. sad that i was wrong

its been quiet around these parts without you, Breezy and Pam around much

 

[Shanny]

Yep, I have quite a "shiner" and a lot of swelling, but if that's what it takes to preserve the vision, so be it, right?!

It's possible that there's a weak link to diabetes, but I've had no diabetic retinopathy heretofore, and the docs keep saying the three main risk factors for retinal detachment are these:
1) many birthdays (I've had 65 of them! )
2) near-sightedness (I was severely myopic for 60 years)
3) cataract surgery is a risk factor too . . . darn it anyhow! But it corrected the myopia, and I wouldn't change a thing. Cataract surgery changed my life!

 

[onaughmae]

**hugs** hang in there girlie

 

[foxl]

Well I guess I am glad it was an identified risk .... and not D.

Hope the swelling and bruising is improving rapidly, though!

Yep, I have quite a "shiner" and a lot of swelling, but if that's what it takes to preserve the vision, so be it, right?!

It's possible that there's a weak link to diabetes, but I've had no diabetic retinopathy heretofore, and the docs keep saying the three main risk factors for retinal detachment are these:
1) many birthdays (I've had 65 of them! )
2) near-sightedness (I was severely myopic for 60 years)
3) cataract surgery is a risk factor too . . . darn it anyhow! But it corrected the myopia, and I wouldn't change a thing. Cataract surgery changed my life!

 

[Shanny]

The doc saw me again today for the fourth time this week, and he was finally happy with what he saw. The detachment is lying flat right where it's supposed to be. He'll let me alone now for 2½ weeks, but I have to check in again Dec. 7.

Whew!

 

[breezeonby]

Since I disappeared rather abruptly, I think I owe you some explanation . . .

Friday night I began noticing a "blob" in the lower right quadrant of my left eye field of vision. I presented in the emergency eye clinic Monday morning and was diagnosed with several tears & a retinal detachment, and ordered to stay away from reading and off the computer. Went into surgery Tuesday noon to have it fixed with cryotherapy and a scleral buckle, and then today (Wednesday) at my followup visit with the retinologist, I got the gas bubble to boot, since the detachment was acting like it didn't wanna stay reattached. Trip to the clinic is four hours round trip, so haven't had much time left over.

And take it from me, cataract surgery is small potatoes compared with this . . . I look like I went a coupla rounds with Joe Palooka . . .

So glad that everything is OK! My right arm is bruised in 8 places, all from nurses looking for places to put an IV...Ouch

 

[Jen]

Wow Shanny! What an adventure. Glad to have you back in the swing of things....take care of yourself. We need you!!!

Jen

 

[Shanny]

Y'know the amazing part? We're all so accustomed to our docs not knowing squat about diabetes, that our expections of all docs in all areas begins to suffer. But I gotta tell ya, at least at Mizzou, these eye docs know their stuff and they don't give up! I guess it helps to have all eye specialties represented, which smaller clinics may not be able to muster, but my goodness - what effort they expend! And any time you're at a teaching hospital, there's always the extra hands to help out.

I still have to say that I look like the devil (or at least a one-eyed pirate!), and I can't see worth a hoot yet, but I've had some really intense medical care this week. These people take my vision as seriously as I do!

 

[breezeonby]

Y'know the amazing part? We're all so accustomed to our docs not knowing squat about diabetes, that our expections of all docs in all areas begins to suffer. But I gotta tell ya, at least at Mizzou, these eye docs know their stuff and they don't give up! I guess it helps to have all eye specialties represented, which smaller clinics may not be able to muster, but my goodness - what effort they expend! And any time you're at a teaching hospital, there's always the extra hands to help out.

I still have to say that I look like the devil (or at least a one-eyed pirate!), and I can't see worth a hoot yet, but I've had some really intense medical care this week. These people take my vision as seriously as I do!

Did the doctor say how long that your sight would be impaired?

 

[Shanny]

It will take about a month for the gas bubble to absorb, but the corneal cloudiness should clear before that.

 

[John.in.France]

Shanny, We're sorry to hear of your problem and we hope your recovery will be swift and permanent.

John and Judy

 

[jameshendrix]

Yep, I have quite a "shiner" and a lot of swelling, but if that's what it takes to preserve the vision, so be it, right?!

It's possible that there's a weak link to diabetes, but I've had no diabetic retinopathy heretofore, and the docs keep saying the three main risk factors for retinal detachment are these:
1) many birthdays (I've had 65 of them! )
2) near-sightedness (I was severely myopic for 60 years)
3) cataract surgery is a risk factor too . . . darn it anyhow! But it corrected the myopia, and I wouldn't change a thing. Cataract surgery changed my life!

good luck shanny. i will be thinking of you.