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blackberry444Today I had an appointment at the Ophthalmology Department of the RVI.
I had the usual eye test and Noxious Eyedrops they give people to.........well, I don't know exactly why, but they always administer them.
When I got in to see him, the consultant shone extremely bright lights in my eyes and examined the insides. He had copies of the photographs taken of the inside of my eyes at my recent diabetic annual review. I have to say that this impresses me; this is an example of the joined-up case-care between the various departments of the local hospitals which I imagine is what the NHS is trying to achieve with their new multi-billion pound computer system which sadly doesn't seem to work as well in some places as it does here.
Anyway, he sat and made Copious Notes, with illustrations, before discussing the problem with me. He showed me the photographs recently taken, compared with ones taken 18 months previously and it was pretty obvious even to someone who could hardly see after the eye drops and the bright lights, that there was a great deterioration.
It is caused, apparently, by leakage from a Retinal Macro Aneurysm, which they've been keeping an eye on for a while, but which has suddenly started leaking worse and the leakage is in the direction of the central part of the retina which means it will affect my sight soonish if nothing is done.
The upshot is that he recommends laser surgery and Lucky Me!, he just happens to have a vacant appointment on Thursday because someone else has cancelled. There is a small danger that it may adversely affect my sight, but far less so than the damage I shall have to my sight if it isn't done, so obviously it would be stupid to refuse, and I should be grateful I can get it done so quickly. One treatment may be sufficient, but it's more likely that I shall need two or three at three or four-weekly intervals.
Afterwards, since it's such a lovely day, I drove my scooter around the lake in Leazes Park a couple of times. I had thought that there might be ducklings, but it's obviously too early, although I did see a couple of swans necking - literally! They had their necks twined one around the other and they were rubbing their necks up and down each other's neck. It looked so sweet! At one point their necks and heads formed the outline of a perfect heart-shape, but I was much too slow to capture it with my camera.
I did take a few pictures of the crocuses and daffoldils, although there weren't the clouds of them that I have been accustomed to see in other parks and gardens, plus a fine red and a lovely green hellebore, there was also a splendid Garrya, but my sight was still rather blurred so I didn't take as many photographs as I otherwise might have done.
I was impressed with all the men I saw fishing around the pond. They were all, without exception, half asleep, with their caps down over their eyes. I imagine they must have little bells on their rods to warn them in the unlikely eventuality that something takes their bait. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they don't bother with bait but just use the fishing as an excuse to get out into the fresh air and have a bit of peace.
I had intended to call John to collect me when I came out the other side of the park, but, because there's a difficult and potentially dangerous junction there, I decided to go a bit further up the hill before phoning him. And then I was taken with the idea of driving the scooter all the way home. So I did!
It was a bit hairy at times because the battery didn't like lugging my great weight up such a steep hill, and I did think I would have to give up and call John, but then I came to a flatter bit and the battery suddenly got better, so eventually I did, indeed, drive myself home. There were a few places not far from home where there was nowhere easy to cross the road and the pavements were excessively high, or had deeper gutters than usual, but in the end I managed it. I don't think I shall do it very often though, as it was a bit nerve racking and that way back is far less steep than coming directly up West Hill, which is what I'm more likely to want to do. I should think there's zero chance I would be able to make it home that way.
I still have slightly blurred vision, four hours after the administration of the eye drops, so I've either become more sensitive to them, or these were Different Drops!
Charles is a little apprehensive about the laser surgery and has asked if I want someone to go with me. I don't know...............perhaps I do............I shall have to think about it.
I had the usual eye test and Noxious Eyedrops they give people to.........well, I don't know exactly why, but they always administer them.
When I got in to see him, the consultant shone extremely bright lights in my eyes and examined the insides. He had copies of the photographs taken of the inside of my eyes at my recent diabetic annual review. I have to say that this impresses me; this is an example of the joined-up case-care between the various departments of the local hospitals which I imagine is what the NHS is trying to achieve with their new multi-billion pound computer system which sadly doesn't seem to work as well in some places as it does here.
Anyway, he sat and made Copious Notes, with illustrations, before discussing the problem with me. He showed me the photographs recently taken, compared with ones taken 18 months previously and it was pretty obvious even to someone who could hardly see after the eye drops and the bright lights, that there was a great deterioration.
It is caused, apparently, by leakage from a Retinal Macro Aneurysm, which they've been keeping an eye on for a while, but which has suddenly started leaking worse and the leakage is in the direction of the central part of the retina which means it will affect my sight soonish if nothing is done.
The upshot is that he recommends laser surgery and Lucky Me!, he just happens to have a vacant appointment on Thursday because someone else has cancelled. There is a small danger that it may adversely affect my sight, but far less so than the damage I shall have to my sight if it isn't done, so obviously it would be stupid to refuse, and I should be grateful I can get it done so quickly. One treatment may be sufficient, but it's more likely that I shall need two or three at three or four-weekly intervals.
Afterwards, since it's such a lovely day, I drove my scooter around the lake in Leazes Park a couple of times. I had thought that there might be ducklings, but it's obviously too early, although I did see a couple of swans necking - literally! They had their necks twined one around the other and they were rubbing their necks up and down each other's neck. It looked so sweet! At one point their necks and heads formed the outline of a perfect heart-shape, but I was much too slow to capture it with my camera.
I did take a few pictures of the crocuses and daffoldils, although there weren't the clouds of them that I have been accustomed to see in other parks and gardens, plus a fine red and a lovely green hellebore, there was also a splendid Garrya, but my sight was still rather blurred so I didn't take as many photographs as I otherwise might have done.
I was impressed with all the men I saw fishing around the pond. They were all, without exception, half asleep, with their caps down over their eyes. I imagine they must have little bells on their rods to warn them in the unlikely eventuality that something takes their bait. In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they don't bother with bait but just use the fishing as an excuse to get out into the fresh air and have a bit of peace.
I had intended to call John to collect me when I came out the other side of the park, but, because there's a difficult and potentially dangerous junction there, I decided to go a bit further up the hill before phoning him. And then I was taken with the idea of driving the scooter all the way home. So I did!
It was a bit hairy at times because the battery didn't like lugging my great weight up such a steep hill, and I did think I would have to give up and call John, but then I came to a flatter bit and the battery suddenly got better, so eventually I did, indeed, drive myself home. There were a few places not far from home where there was nowhere easy to cross the road and the pavements were excessively high, or had deeper gutters than usual, but in the end I managed it. I don't think I shall do it very often though, as it was a bit nerve racking and that way back is far less steep than coming directly up West Hill, which is what I'm more likely to want to do. I should think there's zero chance I would be able to make it home that way.
I still have slightly blurred vision, four hours after the administration of the eye drops, so I've either become more sensitive to them, or these were Different Drops!
Charles is a little apprehensive about the laser surgery and has asked if I want someone to go with me. I don't know...............perhaps I do............I shall have to think about it.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 04:57 pm (UTC)I think it's to dilate the pupils, so that they can see in better.
Rob hates them too :-)
If it helps, Rob had laser correction a while after his first cataract op and it took no more than a minute or so.
He says he didn't feel a thing during the operation and only a slighy achy tiredness in the eye the following day. And the improvement in vision was immediate.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 05:59 pm (UTC)It does help, thanks Carol.
I have to have it done, whether it's painful or not, because if I didn't have it done, I would be so angry with myself if I lost some of my vision. At least it's in my worst eye, if you know what I mean. If it were in my right eye, I would be far more worried.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 07:33 pm (UTC)Yes, I think so. Rob's was in his good eye, but it all went fine.
I suppose, at least, with it being so soon, it reduces the available worrying time :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 08:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 09:22 pm (UTC)I'm sure things will work out ok with the laser surgery.Charles just worries about you because healthwise you have been going through more than your fair share of bad health recently.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 10:29 pm (UTC)I know. I keep asking myself "What on earth can happen next?"
If he wants to come with me I shall say "yes", just in case I can't see very well afterwards. I plan to take my scooter again because it's miles between the opthalmology department and where I want to be picked up, so it might be as well if he came with me. We'll just have to see how he feels on the day itself, because it's my writing morning and I shall have to leave the class 30 minutes early to drive to the hospital, unless, of course, he wants to spend two and a half hours wandering round the shops, which I'm pretty sure he won't want to do.
He's very disappointed that now he has got DLA and is a bit better off, that he can't find any books or CDs he wants to buy. I suppose he could go to the Laing and meet me outside where the class is held.
We'll see!
I'm feeling a little nervous about it, but mostly I feel quite optimistic.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 10:26 pm (UTC)Laser surgery is wonderful these days. An elderly aunt of mine has recently had cataracts done in both her eyes. She was very apprehensive about the ops beforehand (they did them one at a time a month or so apart) but afterwards was absolutely over the moon with the result and the lack of discomfort.
As has been already said the eyedrops are to dilate the pupil so that they can see inside better. They are unpleasant (especially on a bight sunny day!) but at least they don't last long.
You're very brave tackling Newcastle traffic on a mobility scooter :-) I used to go there quite often when I was working and hated driving round the City - not used to such traffic in rural Shropshire.
Best of luck for the op on Thursday - we'll all be rooting for you.
Rob
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 10:34 pm (UTC)Arwell, you are speaking to someone who spent a great deal of time in London traffic; Newcastle traffic is nothing compared to that, and nowadays the Town Centre is much better for pedestrians and people like me than it is for cars and lorries. They have "no-car lanes" everywhere, which seem rarely to be used at all, so the traffic there is is slow and the centre is pedestrianised.
Thanks to everyone for the good wishes. I really appreciate them.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 10:44 pm (UTC)I've actually driven a car through a pedestrianised bit of Newcastle City Centre (past WH Smiths I think) - took a wrong turning looking for my hotel. Ooops!
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 11:34 pm (UTC)Even if you do know it, they keep changing priorities, changing road signs and white markings, making more "no-car" lanes and useless cycle lanes which aren't big enough and which fizzle out at difficult junctions, so even someone like John who drives in it virtually every day can be wrong-footed (or maybe that should be wrong-wheeled?) by sudden unexpected changes.
There's now talk about getting rid of road signs altogether, because apparently, in towns where they've tried it, it has been succesful, by whose definition of "successful", I don't know.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-10 11:52 pm (UTC)They've tried it in Holland.
It's mostly used as a very successful traffic calming measure (much more effective than speed bumps) where vehicle speed has been reduced, probably because they also remove the pavements as well and everyone using the road, pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles are equally confused about what's going on.
The other advantage over speed bumps is that speed bumps actually increase pollution, as drivers slow down for the bump then speed up afterwards, pumping more pollutants into the air than would have been the case if they'd kept a steady speed. The work they've done with removing signs, white lines and pavements also significantly cleans up the air as vehicles travel at a steady much slower speed in these areas.
Once everyone gets satnav, road direction signs will become redundant anyway. Both my kids have TomTom devices and are totally reliant on them. We've used my daughter's one and it is incredibly useful for the 'last mile' part of a journey.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-11 09:59 am (UTC)John has a TomTom and he found it incredibly useful wwhen he was couriering. We've also found it very helpful on our trips to the Midlands for me to attend various meetings for the charity I'm connected, which take place in a different town each time.
Even on trips to complex busy cities like Birmingham and Manchester it's been spot on.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-03-11 10:46 am (UTC)I've seen swans doing that 'necking' display too. The grebes in my userpic were doing their courtship display on Butterley Reservoir one warm April morning a few years back.
At the beginning of next month, I'll be in the area of Slapton Ley in South Devon, and I expect the waterfowl there will be in their usual springtime amorous mood :-)