It's not often that I get dead serious about anything, however this is one of those times. There is a thread on here by Paul titled "Get Well Russ". It references a problem that developed for me (again) over the weekend.
First a little history. On Monday of Thanksgiving week of 2007 I ran a load up to Plainfield, Conn., the load was a day early and I wound up doing a 24 hour layover. No big deal, I get paid for those. When I woke up Tuesday morning, after a very long nights sleep, my right eye was full of "seaweed". I put eye drops in it, rubbed it, and it wouldn't clear up. Short story, I delivered the load, ran up into Mass. to pickup a return load. Delivered the first stop in Rochester, NY. Tuesday night, and the second stop Wednesday morniing in Cleveland. My eye continued to have a problem, no pain, just "messy" vision.
I got home Wednesday afternoon and called my family physician. She called me back Wed. evening about 1830, I explained what was going on. She told me to go to the closest Emergency Room RIGHT NOW. Barb and I went out to the Bellevue Hospital ER, got all checked in and later seen by the doctor. He told me to wait a minute he would be right back. When he returned he advised me that Dr. M (a local Opthamologist) would see me in his office in 15 minutes. We went there, he examined me and said he needed to make a phone call. When he returned he said Dr. K. (a Retina Specialist in Toledo) would see me at Toledo Hospital at 1000 the next morning....Thanksgiving Day, to surgically repair a severely detached retina. We got that all taken care of, Dr. K . was able to hit it 128 times with a laser and repair it. I've had no further problem with it. It's important to note the timeline in all of this....very serious business.
Fast forward to last Saturday afternoon. All of us went up to Castalia, the Margaretta Twp. FD where Rob is a member was having an Open House and Promotion Ceremony. I was sitting at the table having a piece of cake with Zach and Kenzie when my left eye just "blew" up full of stuff. I thought somebody had bitten into something and it splattered on me. Checked it out and figured out what had happened. I came home and called Dr. M. who told me once again that he would see me in his office in 15 minutes. The advantages of living iin a small town. I guess. Examination revealed a problem with the retina in my left eye. Not nearly as severe as before, but in a much worse location. He sent me to a retina specialist in Sandusky yesterday afternoon. Went up there, went through all the BS, and finally the doctor did the big exam and confirmed a serious problem. He told me that he was going to TRY to repair it with a laser, but if that didn't do the job that we would be doing surgery Wednesday morning (tomorrow). He hit about 50 times with a laser and THINKS it is all repaired. On the way home Paul called to inquire as to how I was doing and said we would be "cancelling the seeing eye dog", hence the "Quote of the Day" in Off Topics by me. Probably the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. Thanks again Paul.
So here I am, spending a day at home, scared out of my mind about what tomorrow brings. In the morning I go up and get a full examination again to determine how good the repair job is. If it's good I come home and get on with life, if not it's off to the hospital for a very serious operation on my eye.The doctor did say yesterday that at a minimum this one is going to cost me some of the lower vision in my left eye. I'll still be able to drive, just things directly down in front of me will be a challange.
As to the cause of these problems, they are simply and mostly these. In no particular order of importance..........being a male, history of hypertension (mine is very well controlled by medication and lifestyle changes), being nearsighted, and an accumulation of more birthdays than I care to think about.
The bottom line is this.......guys, if you notice changes in your vision, (no matter how small you think they are), if you notice "flashing, bright lights" in your periphial vision, or notice a "curtain" in the top of your line of sight....RUN, DON'T WALK to your eye doctor and get it checked out, PLEASE!!! Thanks a lot.
(He kicks the soap box aside, and goes back to watching television.)
First a little history. On Monday of Thanksgiving week of 2007 I ran a load up to Plainfield, Conn., the load was a day early and I wound up doing a 24 hour layover. No big deal, I get paid for those. When I woke up Tuesday morning, after a very long nights sleep, my right eye was full of "seaweed". I put eye drops in it, rubbed it, and it wouldn't clear up. Short story, I delivered the load, ran up into Mass. to pickup a return load. Delivered the first stop in Rochester, NY. Tuesday night, and the second stop Wednesday morniing in Cleveland. My eye continued to have a problem, no pain, just "messy" vision.
I got home Wednesday afternoon and called my family physician. She called me back Wed. evening about 1830, I explained what was going on. She told me to go to the closest Emergency Room RIGHT NOW. Barb and I went out to the Bellevue Hospital ER, got all checked in and later seen by the doctor. He told me to wait a minute he would be right back. When he returned he advised me that Dr. M (a local Opthamologist) would see me in his office in 15 minutes. We went there, he examined me and said he needed to make a phone call. When he returned he said Dr. K. (a Retina Specialist in Toledo) would see me at Toledo Hospital at 1000 the next morning....Thanksgiving Day, to surgically repair a severely detached retina. We got that all taken care of, Dr. K . was able to hit it 128 times with a laser and repair it. I've had no further problem with it. It's important to note the timeline in all of this....very serious business.
Fast forward to last Saturday afternoon. All of us went up to Castalia, the Margaretta Twp. FD where Rob is a member was having an Open House and Promotion Ceremony. I was sitting at the table having a piece of cake with Zach and Kenzie when my left eye just "blew" up full of stuff. I thought somebody had bitten into something and it splattered on me. Checked it out and figured out what had happened. I came home and called Dr. M. who told me once again that he would see me in his office in 15 minutes. The advantages of living iin a small town. I guess. Examination revealed a problem with the retina in my left eye. Not nearly as severe as before, but in a much worse location. He sent me to a retina specialist in Sandusky yesterday afternoon. Went up there, went through all the BS, and finally the doctor did the big exam and confirmed a serious problem. He told me that he was going to TRY to repair it with a laser, but if that didn't do the job that we would be doing surgery Wednesday morning (tomorrow). He hit about 50 times with a laser and THINKS it is all repaired. On the way home Paul called to inquire as to how I was doing and said we would be "cancelling the seeing eye dog", hence the "Quote of the Day" in Off Topics by me. Probably the funniest thing I've heard in a long time. Thanks again Paul.
So here I am, spending a day at home, scared out of my mind about what tomorrow brings. In the morning I go up and get a full examination again to determine how good the repair job is. If it's good I come home and get on with life, if not it's off to the hospital for a very serious operation on my eye.The doctor did say yesterday that at a minimum this one is going to cost me some of the lower vision in my left eye. I'll still be able to drive, just things directly down in front of me will be a challange.
As to the cause of these problems, they are simply and mostly these. In no particular order of importance..........being a male, history of hypertension (mine is very well controlled by medication and lifestyle changes), being nearsighted, and an accumulation of more birthdays than I care to think about.
The bottom line is this.......guys, if you notice changes in your vision, (no matter how small you think they are), if you notice "flashing, bright lights" in your periphial vision, or notice a "curtain" in the top of your line of sight....RUN, DON'T WALK to your eye doctor and get it checked out, PLEASE!!! Thanks a lot.
(He kicks the soap box aside, and goes back to watching television.)