It took me an entire lifetime to figure out, I am a work in progress!
It was not until I entered the web so many years ago that I discovered the Roz that lived within. It is a minute-by-minute, day-by-day journey ? one worth traveling. Won’t you come along, it’s free!
It is about a week since I last wrote. I tried a few times, but because of my physical discomfort and frustration at not being able to see a foot in front of me it all seemed line whining!
A week later I am glad to report that I am back at the computer and being productive. It seems when I finally found out how to insert the three sets of drops into the operated eye things changed. All the pain went away. I had been inserting each drop back-to-back with the one before it, thus washing out the previous drop with the current drop.
No one ever explained how to insert the drops and I had never had more than one kind of eyedrop to use at any given time. Besides I was not dealing with a full deck from the shock of it all.
NOTE: For those ever having to insert more than one eyedrop at a time, you need to leave “at least” five minutes IN BETWEEN each drop. I am sure now this must sound like common sense, but when one is going through such an unexpected trauma as the possibility of losing their eyesight, common sense does not always prevail!
Since the insertion of the first set of eyedrops after leaving the doctor’s office last Wednesday I have not had any real discomfort and have not had to take any Advil or anything else for the pain and irritation. Unless it was coincidence or a divine miracle (which I do believe in), inserting the drops incorrectly led to the severe discomfort and burning I felt in the eye each time I tried to do anything.
My vision is coming back fraction by fraction, but I can see some real improvement now. The ocular gas bubble is still huge and will take some time to dissolve, but I am seeing glimpses of clear vision in the operated eye from time to time. The ocular bubble is blocking the vision while it is helping to heal the eye and enabling me to move along in my daily life as normally as possible. I am a very lucky lady that I did not have to come back and stay in any particular position to keep the bubble in place as many others have had to do.
I am off to get some rest now. I can honestly say it feels good to be able to be productive again! It was never more obvious that we need to count our blessing and “live each SECOND like it was our last!”
I set this Blog up awhile ago. It was to be a place where I could share my feelings, findings, opinions and where I can just be me — Roz Fruchtman.
In the middle of everything my life turn on a scary health challenge. About a month ago while walking down the hall in my apartment it seemed like someone drew a drape over my right eye. It went momentarily gray/black. I rubbed, massaged and the sight in the eye seemed normal. The next night I noticed I saw a black shadow in the right peripheral of the eye. After much complaining and two visits to the ophthalmologist I was diagnosed with a tear in the retina — better known as a “retina detachment.” The ophthalmologist was visibly upset as he could not believe how aggressive the detachment was - from not being able to detect it on Monday, to it being more than a little visible on Friday morning!
I was assured it could be repaired and rushed off by taxi to the retina surgeon for a procedure where an ocular gas bubble is placed in the eye to create pressure to help the tear mend, thus re-attaching the retina. With the procedure done and the ocular gas bubble inserted in the eye I was sent home with strict instructions on how to position my head. Unfortunately this procedure did not work and I found myself in the hospital operating room 6 days later. At this point I could hardly see out of the eye and panic was only moments away. This surgery was the real deal - hospital operating room, anesthesiologist and all.
Now three weeks later most days I feel like I am in the twilight zone as another gas bubble was inserted into the eye after the surgery to help it heal. This bubble covers the entire eye where the first bubble only covered half the eye, allowing for some vision. For all intents and purposes the new gas bubble renders the operated eye blind until the bubble dissolves. As you can image this is a scary time for me, but the vision seems to be returning fraction by fraction.
Going back three weeks, the day after the surgery, when the patch was removed from the operated eye, I could not see a thing through the eye. The doctor assured me this was normal and once the bubble started to dissolve vision would return. Now I see shadows, shapes and colors. I am beginning to see things, but it all looks like you are looking through molasses or water — lots of glare and reflections.
It is an uncertain time for me. One of great faith and wonder. It is a time of much introspection and evaluation of how I want to live the rest of my life. As we know… no matter how much money one has or does not have, health comes first because without health we have nothing.
As we know… “Bad things happen to good people!” Sometimes the bad things can be corrected - sometimes they can’t, however, there are always lessons to be learned and blessings to count. My doctor assures me this is one that will be corrected. Right now… my faith is carrying me through, I can’t even fathom things will not work out the right way! However, I don’t mind sharing… “I am plenty scared!”
If you have an extra prayer hanging around… please send it my way!