Travel
I will have the first cornea transplant on my left eye, on Feb. 15th. Recovery can take from just a few weeks to a year, but I'm going to plan on mine taking a few weeks! I learned a lot about the cornea this morning, that it consists of several layers. A total transplant is the cornea in all its thicknesses, but in my case, they will take out the bottom-most layer, the endothelium, and replace it with a donor layer. No sutures are required, and it will take a day or two for it to adhere firmly - it is initially held in place by an air bubble that gets absorbed. I saw a brief video about the entire operation, and wanted to cry as it left me with such hope. If it works I will have a whole new outlook and be able to see so much more than I have in the past year or two.
They took photos of both corneas, and it's a wonder I can see anything at all just looking at the condition of them. So if I've whined or complained about my eyesight in the past year, it's not without reason. But this is the end of whining and complaining about it. What happens is how it will be, and I'm willing to go into this operation with utmost hope and positive attitude. I can't do any more than that.
The scheduling is going to shoot the hell out of making travel plans. From the literature I've received, they will want to do a follow up check in one week, 6, 12 and 24 months. I should be able to drive shortly after surgery, so if all goes well I may be able to slip a trip in to the east sometime in April, but I would have to be back in the fall for a check-up. I had hoped to set up a workamping arrangement, but that should be the least of my worries until I see how things go.
If my apartment is back in livable condition I will plan to stay there and maybe request a two month extension on my lease. It would take more energy than I have presently to look for another place to live for a couple of months, and staying with any of my kids for that long is out of the question. I'm confident things will work out the way they are meant to, and I really don't have to make a decision until after my surgery in Feb.
Now I just have to schedule an EKG and a potassium test, which is all they require for this surgery.
- No Surgery Today
I met with the eye surgeon this morning and was told there was a malfunction in some of the equipment they used so my surgery will have to be rescheduled. I'm sort of relieved, as I never had the anticipation and positive attitude that I had with...
- Back Home Tomorrow?
I stopped by my apartment this morning and found the blower gone, the wall patched up and ready to be painted, and the bad smell gone. The manager said they will replace the floor tile today and it won't take long at all to paint, so I'm hoping...
- (hopefully) My 2nd Last Trip To The Eye Doctor
I had hoped this would be it, although I know that things still aren't right. The doctor said I still have a tiny bit of swelling in the eye, so he was hesitant to have me get glasses just yet. He would have gone along with it, but thinks I would...
- Some Good News And Some Less Than Good
I just returned from the doctor's office. He told me that the surgery looks good and is healing well. The less than good news is that the pressure in my left eye is still high due to swelling in the center of the cornea, which is why my vision is...
- A Short Trip And Some Research
I drove over to the RV storage lot this morning and found a few things to bring back. The RV interior looks pretty good, although I only let out the bed slide, but I don't miss living in it. I can see how someone might love it as their rolling home,...
Travel
1st surgery scheduled
I will have the first cornea transplant on my left eye, on Feb. 15th. Recovery can take from just a few weeks to a year, but I'm going to plan on mine taking a few weeks! I learned a lot about the cornea this morning, that it consists of several layers. A total transplant is the cornea in all its thicknesses, but in my case, they will take out the bottom-most layer, the endothelium, and replace it with a donor layer. No sutures are required, and it will take a day or two for it to adhere firmly - it is initially held in place by an air bubble that gets absorbed. I saw a brief video about the entire operation, and wanted to cry as it left me with such hope. If it works I will have a whole new outlook and be able to see so much more than I have in the past year or two.
They took photos of both corneas, and it's a wonder I can see anything at all just looking at the condition of them. So if I've whined or complained about my eyesight in the past year, it's not without reason. But this is the end of whining and complaining about it. What happens is how it will be, and I'm willing to go into this operation with utmost hope and positive attitude. I can't do any more than that.
The scheduling is going to shoot the hell out of making travel plans. From the literature I've received, they will want to do a follow up check in one week, 6, 12 and 24 months. I should be able to drive shortly after surgery, so if all goes well I may be able to slip a trip in to the east sometime in April, but I would have to be back in the fall for a check-up. I had hoped to set up a workamping arrangement, but that should be the least of my worries until I see how things go.
If my apartment is back in livable condition I will plan to stay there and maybe request a two month extension on my lease. It would take more energy than I have presently to look for another place to live for a couple of months, and staying with any of my kids for that long is out of the question. I'm confident things will work out the way they are meant to, and I really don't have to make a decision until after my surgery in Feb.
Now I just have to schedule an EKG and a potassium test, which is all they require for this surgery.
- No Surgery Today
I met with the eye surgeon this morning and was told there was a malfunction in some of the equipment they used so my surgery will have to be rescheduled. I'm sort of relieved, as I never had the anticipation and positive attitude that I had with...
- Back Home Tomorrow?
I stopped by my apartment this morning and found the blower gone, the wall patched up and ready to be painted, and the bad smell gone. The manager said they will replace the floor tile today and it won't take long at all to paint, so I'm hoping...
- (hopefully) My 2nd Last Trip To The Eye Doctor
I had hoped this would be it, although I know that things still aren't right. The doctor said I still have a tiny bit of swelling in the eye, so he was hesitant to have me get glasses just yet. He would have gone along with it, but thinks I would...
- Some Good News And Some Less Than Good
I just returned from the doctor's office. He told me that the surgery looks good and is healing well. The less than good news is that the pressure in my left eye is still high due to swelling in the center of the cornea, which is why my vision is...
- A Short Trip And Some Research
I drove over to the RV storage lot this morning and found a few things to bring back. The RV interior looks pretty good, although I only let out the bed slide, but I don't miss living in it. I can see how someone might love it as their rolling home,...