Free At Last, Free At Last

Well - I can sit up and resume most of my normal activities.  I continue with the drops until they are gone.  I am a little dizzy being upright, but it feels good.  No driving yet until the bubble is out of my field of vision.  That is up to me.  so now we have to send all the equipment back.  I am sooooo glad to get rid of it.  I can sleep in my own bed again.  What a relief.  Apparently the hole in the macula is closed.  There are a few little kinks that will gradually heal. /So the doctor feels like the surgery was a success.

This has been quite the journey and I know that it is not quite over yet but at least I am in a more comfortable stage.  I see the doctor in a month.

Thank you all for your support with calls, cards, emails and visits.  I felt supported and cared for.  Thank you ALL.

George is struggle to get everything back in the box.  It is quite the process

Thursday September 25

I have had company today which has broken up the day nicely. Peg and Bea came over for lunch. Peg brought me a piece of left-over meatloaf!! I got a meatloaf sandwich.  One of my favorite things. I do not get it very often.

Then Barbara S. came over for a visit and I got to hear about her upcoming trip to Peru and Bolivia.  She is in the count down days before she heads out.  She is doing a Road Scholar trip which sounds fabulous.

Later in the afternoon Kathy stopped by. We got to share a glass of wine - or 2 - or 3!!! When someone comes over it is hard to have an in depth conversation when I am looking down at a mirror. Hard to have good eye contact. But it is nice to have things that get me out of my chair. Of course, I can always pace.  I do plenty of that.  

Now that the bubble seems to be shrinking it is changing more rapidly.  Is it changing enough?  I don't know what the criteria is for releasing me tomorrow.  Does the bubble have to be completely gone?

One more night ... I hope.

Field Trip

I decided to brave the wilds and walk to Bi-Mart.  Since i normally read while I walk this wasn't too different.  I just had to lean a little more forward than I usually do.  So walking there was no problem. Even though I could not look at anything.  But it was a little awkward in the store.  The cereal I wanted  was not on a low shelf so I had to do a little maneuvering to get what I wanted.  If it had been on the top shelf I might have had to ask for help.  It also was strange at the register to not look at the cashier.  But all in all it felt good to get out.

BUBBLE - Thursday Sept 25

This gas bubble is decreasing.  Yesterday I was starting to think so.  I could see that things were not fuzzy around the outer edge of the bubble in my peripheral vision.  Today I can see more.  The bubble is definitely shrinking.  The question is - Is it shrinking quickly enough so that I will be released tomorrow?  Is that what they will be looking for?  Does the gas bubble have to be gone for me to be released?????

What a life!

Here I sit sipping my Smirnoff ice.  Life is good ..... maybe I need another drink  :-)
I slept last night.  I guess that is what happens when you get tired enough.  I still did not make it through the night but I spent more time asleep than awake.

I had a very nice lunch today with 2 of my high school classmates who live locally.  Emmy and Vivian both came from the other side of town to visit me.  It is fun connecting with them.

Another day down.

cat time

A selfie attempt with a cat on my back.

taking a break with some help

surrounded by cats

Tuesday

Bob, Rae and Candy came over for lunch today.  That was fun.  Everyone brought their own sandwiches.  I had some extra African vegetable peanut soup to share.   Then in the afternoon Giselle came over.  That sure breaks up the day to have some company.

CUTE CARD

I meditate, I do yoga, I chant 

,,, and I still want to smack someone!!! -  Avanti press

The expression on this kitty says it all.  Sharon gave me this card last night.  It is so true.  

Field Trip

George inherited a piece of property in North Carolina.  He has been working on selling it.  To finalize the sale he had to go to have his signature notarized.  Because my name is on it, I had to go in as well.  We went to the new Mayor's office.  It is in the round now.  Darn all I could see is the carpeting.  I don't think I could find it again.  :-) Any way it is all done.  We both signed in about 3 places.  It was notarized and now George is making copies  and getting it in the mail.  But it got me out of the house and out of MY CHAIR.

A Typical Day

Once I decide that I may as well get up then I get up and feed the cats, set the table for breakfast, fix my iced coffee.  I like my coffee either hot or cold - not lukewarm.  Since I have to drink it through a straw I have gone with cold.  Then I finally face the chair.  The bane of my existence.   My day starts.  I check my email, download my work recommendations.  Then I answer emails and do my blog and get started with my work.  Because the chair is so uncomfortable I take many and very frequent pacing breaks.  Breakfast and my shower are 2 longer breaks.  Plus 4 times a day I get to stand up straight and put drops in my left eye.  When I totally can't stand it any more I lie down on the couch again and listen to an audio book.  Then it is back to the chair again.  Yesterday was especially long because I did not have company during the day.  But that made happy hour company especially enjoyable.  I have gotten at least 3,000 steps in each day. Have not managed to hit 4,000 yet.  Standing up or sitting down it is getting very fatiguing to keep my head in the face down position.  I have found that it is difficult to talk to people when I can't have eye contact.  My little mirror helps me but I think that it is hard for people to talk to me for the same reason.  Anyway, I have appreciated the people who have made time to come visit me. The day progresses pretty much the same way.  By evening I am ready to just zone out watching TV or a movie.  I can have my glass of wine - yes, I have to use a straw - but hey, whatever works. Bedtime and I shift to the couch again.  Another long night with very little sleep. And so it goes.  I am counting down the days. 

another long day

My big highlight for today was that Sharon and Kris came here for a glass of wine around 5pm.  That was nice.  But other than that it was just a long. day.

Not much news from my world.  I tried to talk to the doctor about ordering some kind of sleeping pill but I guess that was not advised so I guess if I get tired enough I will sleep.

223 STEPS

Just so you know.  If I start at one end of our house and walk to the other end of the house making a loop in every room and back - it is 223 steps!!

Amsler's grid

The chart below is an approximation of the printed chart used by eye doctors. For more accurate detection of macular damage, you will need a complete eye exam.  Look at this with one eye at a time.  Are the black lines straight.  If they are wavy or have gaps in the lines then please talk to your eye doctor.  

 

Sunday down

Well, I did not make 4,000 steps yesterday, only 3,065.  Maybe today.   Darlene came over after church yesterday.  She brought over the Order of Worship and gave me some church news.  That was nice.  Then in the afternoon, Joyce came over with Patty.  I made them sit on the floor so I could see them with my mirror.  Darlene got to sit at the table.  These visits are the high lights of my day.  So I really appreciate it.

My vision in my left eye is gradually clearing.  Still very blurry.  But I can now see that I have blurry toes instead of just a blurry foot.

Last night was another bad night.  I wonder if some other medication would help.  I sleep fine until about 2 am.  I get up to take a pain pill at that time.  Even though I am not really in any pain.  Then I get another 1-3 hours sleep.  Last night it was just another hour.  Put on my audio tape and listened for awhile.  Don't really want to get up because I know I have to face THE  CHAIR when I get up.  Normally I am glad to wake up and get started on my day.

I have been still working on my recommendations.  Does give me something to do.  Actually I have plenty to do.  One of my high school classmates is writing a book.  He sent me a draft to read.  That was very enjoyable.  It was mostly about when he was 10-11 and first at Kodai.  Brought back a lot of memories for me.

TMI - details

This may be too much information for you so you can skip it.  Someone asked for a little more details about my procedure.

 I have a hole in the macula.  They did a Vitrectomy, macula repair with gas bubble placement.  The face down procedure is pretty common for macula and retina repair surgeries.  I have heard of several other people who have had to do the face down treatment.  What they explained is: the Vitrectomy is the removal of the vitreous gel in the eye.  They inject a gas as a place holder until the eye produces more of the gel.  As the eye produces the fluid the eye absorbs the gas.  The reason for the face down position is that the gas is lighter than the fluid and they want the gas to be up against the repair to hold it in place while it heals.  So face down the gas rises to the back of the eye.  Makes sense so I am trying to comply but I am finding it very uncomfortable.  So he is predicting 7-10 days (not weeks).  I will find out on Friday whether I am to be released or whether I have to stay face down for longer.  It feels good to stand up to put the drops in but I am finding that I am getting increasingly dizzy when I am standing up straight.  So I have to do it slowly.  But 4 times a day I can stand up. 

STEPS

Yesterday I did 3,366 steps.  I am aiming for 4,000 today.  Of course they are not aerobic steps.  But I am doing a lot of pacing.  It is an activity.

I must say having my face in the cushion is not doing much for my hair either.  It is going every which way.  Maybe I will start a new fashion.

I will be glad to be able to drink a hot cup of coffee in the morning but in the meantime the iced coffee with a straw is working.

George has adapted many things around the house so that I can reach them with my head down.  There is one light I need on to work on the computer so he attached a long string so that I can see it.

Barbara

LATER on Saturday

Another LONG day.  But I did have some company which was nice.  Jeanne R came around 9:30am and we had coffee together.  Then Gretchen came for lunch.  This afternoon about 5pm Giselle came for a visit.  Unfortunately they all had to listen to me complain about my various aches and pains and frustrations with the head down position.  George is being very patient with me.  Trouble is - nothing is making me particularly happy.  If I had a least one position that were comfortable that would help. But it is nice to see folks. I appreciate it.

I even took a walk outside.  I went about 1/2 a block but then I felt pretty stupid walking hunched over that I came back.

Barbara

Saturday Sept 20

Last night was a long night.  The pain meds did not seem to do the trick.  I guess I did finally sleep a little. when I woke up I did not want to get up because I dreaded sitting in the chair again. So I put on my audio tape and listened for a while.

George tried yet another attempt to find a way to support my arms while I use my computer.  This works a little bit better.

I am looking forward to some company today.  That will break things up a little.  I have to put drops in my eye 4 times a day so I know that there are 4 times that I can stand up straight.  That sure felt good this morning. 

Friday, Sept 19

No pain in my eye.  It is itching a bit.  I am hoping that taking the patch off today will help.  Though I will have blurry vision for a while.  I used the pain med last night not for pain but to help me sleep.  I don’t normally sleep on my stomach.  That helped.  My biggest problem is neck and shoulder (when I am on my chair and using the computer.  If I relax my head in the cushions my forehead and cheeks hurt. Plus when I am looking at something and move my head around I tense up.  Plus the way we have it my arms are just hanging.  Shoulders are getting very tired.  I can get up and walk around which helps but I still need to have the head forward and down.  Maybe I will build up strength and tolerance of this.  I am taking Advil for that.  Plus my shins bother me after a while with this kneeling.  I don’t how people tolerate the desk chairs that have this type of seat.  George is trying rig up some way for me to rest my elbows and relieve some of this strain.  We are not having much success.

We go soon to the doc.  At least then I get the patch off.  One irritation down. 

Friday morning we went to the clinic to have the patch removed and to have my initial post -op appointment.

Trying to smile - I have the patch off and that felt good.  

But then started a Very LONG Day.  When became increasingly more difficult. Though I had a nice visit with Kris and Sharon. They came over for lunch.  But during the day here is some thing I emailed to someone.

RESTing is not the problem but the EASY is.  You wouldn’t think that just a simple thing like keeping your head down would not change so much. I have all the things I normally like to do right at my finger tips.  My computer for work and play. my books, my TV.  I should be happy.  BUT I am not.  My shins are sore from kneeling on this massage chair, my neck and shoulders are sore because they dangle can’t really support them well, my forehead and cheeks are sore from supporting my head and even my chest is sore from leaning against this contraption.  At least my eye doesn't hurt.  I can walk around but I still have to keep my head down.  I can lie on my stomach but then what. …. Ask me if I am a happy camper.  And the doctor was not remotely sympathetic.  Oh well – one day at a time.  This too shall pass.  

I got some phone calls and that was nice.  I put in 2,257 steps yesterday!!  That is pacing in circles with my head down.  

Surgery Sept 18

The surgical process went fairly smoothly though there was a lot of waiting.  George hung around until I went in for surgery.  They gave me a general anesthetic instead of mild sedation since I kind of have a phobia about my eyes.

I felt fairly good when I got out of surgery - no nausea.  Started the head down position for the ride home.

My selfie.  :-) 

It did not take long to discover that the face down position is NOT comfortable.  But Thursday I was still a little drugged so I managed.  Very little eye discomfort.  I took some of the pain medicine to help me sleep.  Which they seemed to work ok.  

Preparing for surgery

I was scheduled for surgery with Dr Lee at St Vincent's hospital on Thursday, Sept 18.  They did a Vitrectomy with a gas bubble.  This meant that I would have to be face down for 7-10 days approximately.  I ordered a vitrectomy chair and a bunch of cushions to be used for sitting or sleeping.  It arrived on the Wednesday before the surgery.  I had time to get it all set up.   

The chair is like a modified massage chair.  The head is further forward. There is a little table that can be set up with a mirror to watch TV or see people.  We came up with a set up for my lap top.

I set up the sleeping cushion on the couch. I was afraid that if I put it in the bed that I would just roll over in my sleep and get comfortable.  I am not a stomach sleeper.

My surgery - end of July

I decided that I would treat this like my travels because I am finding that it us quite a trip.  And not one I want to do again any time soon.  So here is a little history which maybe more than any of you want to know.

Sometime after my last year's regular eye appointment I started noticing that when I was on the computer it was getting harder to read.  So I just thought I would need to have a new prescription when my annual check up came around.  Little did I know that something else was happening.    I went for my regular eye appointment and one test the eye doctor gave me was using the Amslers Grid
"The Amsler grid is a tool that eye doctors use to detect vision problems resulting from damage to the macula (the central part of the retina) or the optic nerve." amsler's grid

So after seeing my doctor he referred me to a retina specialist who then referred be to Retina NW.

HOME AGAIN

We all went to take the kids to their daycare.  They all were moving up a "grade" so they were going to new classrooms and new teachers.

Tristan and Laura - finding Tristan's place

Liam is not so sure about this.

 Laura went on to work, Wilhelm tried to catch up with so home stuff and Jeanne and I put our feet up and relaxed.  About 11 am we headed out to run some errands and then went to Olive Garden to have a leisurely and relaxing lunch before Jeanne took me to the airport.

My flight home was uneventful. As usual - even though I had a great time I always find it nice to come home.  George met me at the airport.  We were home by 8:15 pm

Laura and Wilhelm come home

Favorite toy

Tristan is quite the builder

Emmet .... or is it Liam??? 

Off to the park

Another McDonalds. then home for nap.  It started pouring again so we hung around the house.  They were anxiously waiting for Laura and Wilhelm.  

Now they are home so we can relax.  No longer on kid duty.