12/13 Happy Holiday Healing!

It's been a while since I posted. My healing continues, my progress and prognosis are good.

It has been almost three months since my retinal detachment surgery and I got the "all clear" last week. It is a great Christmas present to no longer have any restrictions: Zumba here i come!

This is worth some "eyeball" poetry:

Not been blogging much
Been real busy and such
But i do need to say
How my left eye is today

November 29 dawned
With no gas bubble to be found
My eyes still sometimes cross
Eye muscles still need to adjust

December 5 the doctor saw me
Said that i have healed quite nicely
No more restrictions need apply
But i need some laser work in my eye!

My brand new lens was affected
But with laser can be corrected
Need an appointment in January
To get an all clear by February

When my left eye heals completely
I'll still need right eye cataract surgery
But I will wait a little bit longer
And pray the second time goes much better

So may your holidays bring delight
With glorious visions so merry and bright
May our eyesight be ever clear
Dodging darkness with no fear

Happy Holidays and wishing you all the best in the new year

11/20 Tiny Bubble

Eight weeks after my retinal detachment surgery and the gas bubble is now really tiny, small as a button on a dress shirt. For those who know the Hawaiian Dance Song "TINY BUBBLES" here is my version:

Tiny bubble
In my eye
Makes me see double
Makes me see twice

Tiny bubble
Your days are numbered
Soon you will be gone forever
And I will be seeing fine


No more eye patch for me, I am doing good. Thank you for all the prayers and good wishes. Take care, and happy thanksgiving!

11/7 Doing good 6-weeks postop

Time flies, and time heals.  It's been 6-weeks since I had my vitrectomy operation to repair retinal detachment in my left eye.   I am off the eye drops now, though, and am also no longer required to wear the flourescent green bracelet warning folks of the gas in my eye.  While looking straight ahead, I look like I just have tired red eyes, especially on the side of my left eye.  The redness on the incision point at the left side of my eye is very slowly going away.  I saw Dr. Regillo from MidAtlantic Retina on Tuesday, November 7 at Newtown Square for my 6-week appointment, and he said I was healing really well, no scarring, and that the redness in my eye should eventually disappear.  I am still not allowed to bounce and jump up and down, not until the gas is completely gone from my eye, so Zumba and running are still out. I have returned to dance classes and am bowling about as much as I used to before, so I can't complain. 

The vision in my left eye is pretty good, I can see better with my left eye than my right eye when I take the contact lens out of my right eye.  Dr. Regillo had indicated that Dr. Siepser may need to do a procedure with a YAG laser to clear up the vision from the new Crystallens in my left eye - the lens appears to have been affected by the vitrectomy.  Since I already see quite well out of that eye, it is exciting to consider that my vision can get even better.  It is good to be able to look forward to better things.
 
My gas bubble is greatly reduced in size, maybe a little bigger than a quarter now. There are still distortions in my vision from the gas bubble but they are not as pronounced.  There is still some misalignment and double vision, but it is much improved, such that I have not needed to use my eye patch to drive to work this week.  It was a gloomy and rainy day today, and just a few weeks ago, the psychedelic starbursts would have driven me crazy and made driving quite dangerous without the eye patch, but today there were no more starbursts so this is a great improvement! 

The days of my gas bubble are numbered.  It's current size reminds me of the size of the "dark shadow", the "little friend" out of the corner of my left eye, that eventually ended up to be a retinal detachment.  It is so small now that when I am driving, it is lower than the lights of the dashboard and does not obscure my field of vision  - I hardly realize it is there! 

Not sure if I will miss the gas bubble, but I may miss rocking the rhinestone eye patch.  I found a Halloween costume that matched the eye patch, figuring I might as well keep the darn thing on and have fun with it!  It was a good excuse to indulge my love for sparkly things.

My next appointment with Dr. Regillo is a month from now in early December.  Until then, take things easy, be well, and never take your vision for granted.

10/23 Status report one month post-vitrectomy

Time flies, it will be four weeks tomorrow from when I had the vitrectomy operation to repair my retinal detachment.  I am recovering well, it is slow progress but it is progress!  Taking stock of how I am doing, here is my status report.

Things I can do:

1. Work on computer, read, watch TV, blog ;)
2. DRIVE with an eye patch
3. Walk briskly - good exercise!
4. Weights - I am going slowly on this one, starting at 5-8 lbs when i used to do 15lbs (i have clearance to do 10 lbs)
5. Bowling - doing maximum of 3-4 games, when i used to do 6-7 a night
6. Dancing - slow dances and lessons only, nothing bouncy.  Was back at class at Carousel Ballroom tonight and really enjoyed being back!

Things I cannot do yet:

1. Zumba - I can't jump and do bouncy exercises yet, and I can't do Zumba without bouncing...  I know how to "cheat" and do low impact (option one), but when the music plays, it's hard to avoid doing what I should not do!
2. Running - I'll stick with the brisk walking, and need to remind myself that breaking into a quick jog is NOT allowed!
3. Sit-ups - the doctor specifically called this out as a no-no.  I'm doing slow crunches instead.
4. Driving at night - I can do short distances but am not risking long drives, much too strenuous on the eyes.
5. Fast and bouncy dances - no chachas, jives,  swings, viennese waltzes, sambas and quicksteps for now!
6. Flying - thank goodness i have no flights scheduled this year, no flying for a while here.  And my neon green "eye gas" bracelet is still required in case something happens to me and I need to be MediVac-ed - no can do, ground transport only!
7. Roller Coasters and Sky Diving - not doing it anyway, so there!

The gas bubble is at around 20-30% now, getting smaller, and the distorted vision above the miniscus is quite clear although still out of sync with my good eye.  There are starbursts and other distortions from the gas bubble, which are more annoying at night, but nothing that my rhinestone eye patch can't help.  The driving is getting better now, I am getting used to driving like a pirate (arghh!), but am looking forward to using both eyes eventually.

So overall I am doing well, happier now that I have clearance to bowl and dance again, but taking it easy since I still am recovering.  Still on the slow lane but gearing up for a little bit more speed here.  Getting back to where I was, but pretty happy with the ride, where it has taken me and where I am now.  It's all good, and getting better every day. 

Take care and be well!

10/18 Back in the Game!

I had my three-week post-operation appointment at MidAtlantic Retinal Specialists in Newtown Square today.  Saw Dr. Garg at around 9 am.  Here are the highlights:

• The gas level in my eye is down to around 50% after three weeks.  It may take another month for the gas to completely disappear.  I recall that the gas dissipated to around 60% level after the first week, so the rate of gas dissipation is much slower now, and may actually take longer than one month if current trend continues.
• I am doing really good, healing according to plan.  My left eye actually sees pretty good but there is distortion because of the gas.  I asked  my vision when I look straight up is obscured, and was told that this was because the gas bubble is up against macula.  I was told to still always be watchful for any blurring of my current good vision above the miniscus, and to call them right away if I see any dark shadows and flashing lights.
• I have clearance to lift up to 10 lb weights, to bowl with my 11 lb bowling ball (as long it is not a strain) and to dance, again if not a strain. No jumping up and down allowed yet, but more strenuous activities can be done with care.  The stress was on not to overdo and to watch out if I sense strain in my eyes!
• I am to continue the 2x per day schedule on my prednisolone eye drops for another week, then taper down to one drop per day for another week.  By then I no longer need to wear my bright green bracelet warning folks of the gas in my eye.

So I am back in the game!  I am a happy girl, like a caged animal set free....  I will need to slow down and pace myself, always in moderation, not to strain.  I will be seeing Dr. Regillo in 3 weeks (November 6) for my 6-week post-operation appointment.  Well on my way to recovery here, rocking the eye patch, and ready to slowly ease myself back to the ballroom and the bowling lanes...whoo hoo!

 

10/11/12 Back to work + rhinestone eye patch!

It is day 15 post-vitrectomy and I had my first full day back at work. It was great to see folks face to face.  Overall it was very productive, very busy but it felt good to be back! The ~40 minute drive each way from Downingtown to Fort Washington, PA was the worst part of my day from an eye strain ("pain in the eye"!) perspective. I really needed the eye patch, and so my poor good right eye had to work doubly hard as I drove. Takes some getting used to but I did okey overall. Should be even better tomorrow. I should continue to have a real early start, coz I enjoyed less traffic and got a prime parking space!

The gas bubble is at about 40% right now, the miniscus still annoyingly right in the middle of my field of vision. The bubble is not getting lower in a straight line, rather the sides are getting lower and a circle of gas is floating on the lower part of my field of vision. I can see the whole circle when I look down. My vision right above the miniscus is pretty clear, which is wonderful! I can actually cover my good right eye and watch TV with the bad left eye (and not see the bottom half of the TV as nothing is visible under the miniscus of gas bubble, oh well). I am optimistic about my vision as the bubble dissipates further, the way things look right now. I can't see well with both eyes together though, they are not in sync and so I get double vision:

double vision

+ "underwater" vision

= psychedelic world! 

Too funky, I'm glad it is temporary...

Apart from the usual black floaters, there is a new round black floater (that I need to watch closely) that has appeared right at the edge of the gas bubble miniscus on the left side. It tends to move around as I blink and look around and from left to right, and I just need to make sure it does not grow. It is a little speck right now, but I am suspicious of every black spot in my vision now, as my last "little friend" of a black spot turned out to be a retinal detachment! No more "little friends", no more, no more!

For your enjoyment, I have to share with you the fruits of my search for a sparkly and festive eye patch. Thank goodness for Halloween costumes, Amazon and Paypal: I get instant gratification with a rock star rhinestone eye patch! Love this one coz it has an adjustable chain like a necklace, and so there is no annoying elastic that makes a mark on my face and irritates my ear (hate that). Just got it today so I will test drive it tomorrow, could be blindingly distracting to oncoming traffic, oh well! Rock the eye patch, baby!

Should be early to bed tonight. I will do my brisk daily walk and call it a day, the eyes need a good night's rest... One more work day till the weekend - TGIF, everyone! Be safe and seize the day!

10/9 Poetry for Day 13 Post Vitrectomy

I have been working full-time from home this week, and plan to go to work starting on Thursday, October 11 (two days from now).  It truly is frustrating standing in the sidelines and not being able to do many of the things I already want to do, but I have to be patient to protect my eyesight.  All in due time....

I am sharing some poetry today. Enjoy!

Been thinking of writing some poetry

Ever since I had my vitrectomy

Although it's almost two weeks since my surgery

It's a slow and steady race to my recovery
 

I am healing nicely, just like I should

My vision was saved, my prognosis is good

But my poor battered left eye still can hardly see

For much longer a one-eyed gal I'll have to be

The gas bubble's getting smaller day by day

The miniscus is lower to about midway today

The vision is blurry but at least i can see

And it's getting better very, very slowly

Not quite 100% but I am getting there

For my anxious soul, the long waiting's not fair

While I may compliantly do what I am told

I somehow I feel like my life is on hold

So many things to do and places to be

But I need to slow down and take things easy

There's much I can do but I should not get all wired

I don't want to strain, and my eyes do get tired

 

To want to dance, to bowl, is a heartbreaking yearn

Patience is a lesson hard for me to learn

But the restrictions are a sacrifice I have to make

The risk to my eyesight is one I cannot take

 

I can read, I can work, I can write poetry

I can drive, I can do many things happily

So I'll take my brisk walks, they are good for my soul

Till in due time, when I'm able to once more do it all!

Warm regards to all!

Jing (as in Jingle Bells)