Head up for guys on here

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.)
 
hmmmm I just made a appointment for my eye doctor for thursday....thanks Russ...but just in case... I own a retired seeing eye dog.....why... because she went blind in one eye !!! no really she did.
 
hmmmm I just made a appointment for my eye doctor for thursday....thanks Russ...but just in case... I own a retired seeing eye dog.....why... because she went blind in one eye !!! no really she did.

Thanks Mike for another really good chuckle, much appreciated. Professional comedians out of work all over the place, and listen to you guys!!! Love it!!
 
As someone who has a vision problem due to a retinal degenerative eye disease, I can tell you first hand your vision is nothing to play around with. Like Russ said, if you notice any changes in your vision, contact your doctor ASAP.

Russ, there are some great retina specialists out there today, and I am sure you are in good hands. Good luck, and plese keep us updated. I will be praying for you also.

Josh
 
Russ,
As you said, I normally do not try to be to serious in my posts also. But I will in this one. I will say a prayer or two for you. May all this become just a scary memory.
 
Thanks for the info Russ! This info can scare the hell out of you and everyone else, but it is good to know. I sure hope everything will check out well tomorrow at the doctor.
 
Russ

I hope you are seeing 20/20 or better asap !

I have some pretty bad eyes as well and without contacts or glasses, I am sightless. -13.5 actually !

Nothing is more important than eye sight in my opinion.

Take care of your eyes,
Darren
 
Get well soon.
Sight is nothing to mess with, i also have a bad eye. Something happened to my left eye when I died years ago (yes this really happened, clinically dead for 4.5 minuts, but thats another story), anyway, i guess my eyes were bulged out and it left a wrinkle on my cornia and I have had very blury vision in that eye since. So it makes it even more important to take care of the good eye. I will have to keep your symtoms in mind, thanks for posting it, it may save someones sight.
i think if I had the option I would much rather be deaf than blind.
 
Good post Russ. I hope you have a speedy and good recovery. It is great as to what they are able to repair with the laser now a days. And also what they are doing with the specialist now that just a couple of years ago they could not even think about.
I always like to tell people as im helping them out at my optical lab is take care of those eyes we are only given one pair.
Again i hope the vision comes back around enough my friend that it does not hamper you occupation. my thoughts will be with you.
 
My girlfriend, Jen the flight attendant, had a hole in her eye and they zapped it with a laser to fix it. Took about 30 seconds.
Pretty amazing to say the least.

I'm with John, lose anything except your sight !

Darren
 
glad the caught it and it's to your credit you knew it's not a tough it out thing. so hang in there. watching day time TV is really bad I can't imagine listing to it.
 
Detached retinas

I had a similar problem a few years back.
A shadow was creeping across my right eye.

I went to a local eye doc to see what it was.
He told me it was a detached retina and it would heal itself in a short time.
Not knowing any different I let him fit me for new glasses and went home.

It was not getting any better so I visited another eye doctor.
He said that I had to go a specialist ASAP. So with dilated eyes! I drove to Freeport hospital only to be told I was to go to Madison Wis, ASAP.

Got my wife and went to Madison. Was operated on that night as soon as they could. Midnight.

I had to lay face down for 2 weeks, because they put a gas bubble into your eye to push the retina against the back of your eye while it is healing from the surgery.

That was a long 2 weeks. I could go to the can but only with my face down.
Had to watch TV with a mirror.

The Doc that first told me it would heal, called me to see how I was doing.He was afraid I was going to sue him and I probably should have.

Then he had the gaul to charge me for the new lenses that would only work on one eye.

That eye is fine today.

Then my left eye had a same shadow, Went ASAP to the Madison hosp and went through it all again.

Just as it was getting better and I was through with the face down crap, It went bad again!!

They repaired it and left a small scar that they lazered a couple of times to get it almost cleared up.

Eyesight is good enough now that I can remove a section of my wife's watch band and shorten it without glasses.

Main cause for detached retina is near sightedness (shape of eye) and car wreck I was in a few years before all this started.

Any sign of this retina problem is to be treated as if it was a heart attack....GET to A Hospital ASAP.

Good luck on your recovery.
 
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