Doing the Unwelcome Eye Thing Again--Part Two

As an update to my post of yesterday, things are not good. It is a PVD (Posterior Vitreous Detachment).

The eye is also a freaking mess and required a bunch of extra tests. 

The only good news at this point is that, so far, the retina has not torn. But, the doc thinks it is highly likely to tear. She can see the floater and it is one of the worst and biggest she has ever seen. The floater itself has blood clots in it. There are way more clots where the detachment line is. And there are at least two, maybe as many as five, blood clots free floating. 

This is why I keep seeing a black dot, like a dead pixel on the tv, floating through. That is a blood clot. The floater is very black in the center of it and that is…blood clots. There is so much debris free floating in the eye, she had a very hard time making sure the retina was still intact. 

Of course, she never saw me back in December 2024, when the left eye did this. So we have no idea if this is how my eyes do this deal OR this one now is way worse than what happened back then. I had several large floaters before. This time is seems to be one huge planet destroying space alien warship thingy, so why knows?

I am to come back three weeks from tomorrow so they can rescan everything. They had to do a bunch of extra tests yesterday to establish my baseline and it took over two hours from start to exhausting finish. My hope is that some of those tests won't be necessary this next time. 

If anything changes, no matter how minor, I am under strict instructions to call in and they will juggle patients to get me in as an emergency. Apparently the tear normally happens during REM sleep so I should not be surprised if it happens and I wake up to being way worse off. 

So, there you have it. My right eye is a mess. I can't read books. I bumped up the type here on the laptop and my old Kindle so I can still read some. But, if the floater hits just right, it can block out an entire sentence or four or five words. Watching TV means I can lose an actor's face or entire body. the damn floater is my own personal eye eclipse that is blocking out a lot. Annoying as holy hell. 

And the car may or may not be having issues. I had a hard time driving yesterday to the doc and a way harder time coming home as I was heavily dilated and the sunshine with the throw away glasses they give you was still blinding. I kept having issues working the gas and the brakes for some reason so it may be just that and nothing actually wrong with the car. 

The same thing happened on Monday a little bit when we hit the store and the library, and I know that was me and the shape I am in, so hopefully that was all it was yesterday. Just another thing to worry about. 

And none of this is an expensive I need as big bills are due and Scott is home due to a lack of work and that means he isn't earning a thing. Just like his dad.  

Doing the Unwelcome Eye Thing Again

It has happened again. Saw a flash, maybe three, in the corner of my right eye Saturday evening. We were outside doing the evening walk to the corner and back, so I did not think anything about it. Saw the massive floater yesterday and the tissue paper effect. Thought it had been this same eye before. Had a day of sheer panic that has stretched into today as my eye doc seems to be closed, at least for now, and the retina specialist place he told me call if anything ever happened will not see me without doctor notes. 

So, they decided to send me to an eye doctor next door, and after some discussion with the very nice scheduler who wanted me to wait two plus weeks as a new patient, I go in early afternoon tomorrow for an exam. 

Finally remembered I had blogged about this before. Read this and then figured out that it was the LEFT last time and now it is the RIGHT. SO NOT THE SAME FREAKING EYE, AFTER ALL. 

Panic Level Alert dialed down to a 7 as it was diagnosed as a posterior vitreous detachment before and was told it would most likely happen again with the other eye. Once you do it in one, it is a virtual guarantee. As long as the retina has not also detached, I should be fine after an annoying few weeks of the giant floater with the tissue paper effect. 

So, if you will, keep a good thought as I deal with this tomorrow. Please and thank you. 

TP&W: Wildlife Health Alert: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Multiple Areas Throughout Texas

 TP&W: Wildlife Health Alert: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Detected in Multiple Areas Throughout Texas

Skin Health Update

While a lot of things are getting worse, according to the skin cancer doc, things look better. I have over a dozen places from head to toe she and other folks have been keeping an eye on to see if they would go bad. She did the full body check yesterday and said all was good. In fact, not only was there nothing new, the places of concern looked way better. 

And I got out of there without even having to do a copay as they said they would fight it out with insurance. I think their billing person took pity on me as by the time I got to her, I was in tremendous pain and exhausted. She asked twice if I was okay to drive home. I assured her I was and then sat in the car with the ac on and the engine running for ten minutes asking myself the same question. 

I, and the car, made the 45 minute drive home in one piece. 

So, I am relieved. Also, more than a bit surprised that everything was okay. It will be eight years on 12/1 since Sandi passed. I never expected to make it more than a couple of years. I saw a lot of folks lose their fight when Sandi was going through her hell. I also saw many surviving spouses soon get diagnosed with cancer after their loved one died.  Most did not survive their own battle. I always figured that situation was inevitable for me.

That has not happened, apparently, to this point. The skin over this human meat sack of aging spare parts seems to be okay. 

Been A Rough Week

Between my health issues and car stuff it has been a hard and very expensive week. Which is why nothing has been going up here and I have not been on social media much. Been too sick and dealing with too much. 

Among other things, had to get work done on both cars and that ended up being over a grand. Near as I can tell, Trump's taxes on imports added nearly 400 bucks to the car bills.

And my health stuff gets way worse when the summer heat and humidity kick in. That happened this week when the sky hoses shut off and the furnace jets kicked on. I hate to think what my power bill is going to be in a few days. A journey outside of the house is always hard, but when the temps are in the 90s and the heat index is in the triples, it beats the heck out of me. It is a very long haul from now till late October and I don't know if I have it in me to get there.

On the positive side, all that time sitting in car places, and here in front of fans means I have several books. The reviews were written out on longhand this morning. Reviews have to be typed up and will appear here, hopefully, at least a couple, next week. Scott has a review for tomorrow and Judy Penz  Sheluk has a guest post for Sunday. 

Anyway, in case you wondered or cared, that is what is up.

Still Alive

After getting a couple of emails of concern regarding the lack of blog activity and presence on social media, I thought I should say something. I'm alive. Just feeling really sick. 

Scott had a doc deal with his ENT Tuesday morning. It went okay. They don't plan any further follow-ups. 

I always feel bad after running an errand or three, so I knew Tuesday would be rough. It was. But Wednesday and today have been way worse. Nothing new really, just me being way worse than my normal bad. 

I'm hoping this does not mean I have stepped down again on my baseline. I know the time chnage has done a number on me as it always does. But, just walking outside to the car, as I did today, to go to the library (which we absolutely had to do as we had stuff that had to go back or fines would start) was almost too much. As it was, I sat in the car a few minutes to get myself together, before we rolled out. 

I stayed in the car, something I have been doing more and more, while he went inside and took care of things. 

Anyway, things are not good. Scott still can't find a job, and things are getting more and more expensive as what little I have in the bank runs out. I'm so very tired of missing Sandi, watching my health get worse, and all the rest of it. 

My Eye

 Vitreous Detachment. Retina is firmly in place. Must be monitored, but he thinks, overall, this was best case scenario and he does not see anything to be concerned about. Had heavy dilation and can’t see much at all, so back later when I can and am in shape to function. Thank you all for your thought and prayers.

Keep A Good Thought If You Will

Keep a good thought if you will as I am about to make even more medical debt--- 

I had a flash of light in my left eye Thursday evening and then it was like looking through tissue paper or a really dirty window. I see long strands of something that looks like hair hanging from top to bottom surrounded by dirty looking debris. I have had floaters since High School and this looks nothing like have seen before. I just had an eye exam three weeks ago and this never came up. Trying not to panic. Calling eye doc in the morning.

Life

 As some horrible new problem has begun in my left eye in the last 48 hours, this hits home really hard tonight...

Cardiology Visit

Those who pay attention to things here may have noticed I was not around Thursday. It was time for my annual visit to my cardiologist out in Plano. We had some test results to go over as well. 

Bottom line--- the tests went as well as they could have. I remain  on the borderline between stage 2 and stage 3 of congestive heart failure. Actual heart enlargement remains unchanged so that is not getting worse. He sees some things of concern and wants the PCP to help keep an eye on them. But, overall, he thinks I am a relatively stable cardiac patient with nothing imminently of concern.

Which is about as good as things can be these days. 

Thank You

Just wanted to say thank you for the donations and the support over the last few days. I'm stunned that anyone noticed or cared what I do and am going through these days. Heck, I am surprised I am still here as I never expected to still be around. I saw too many spouses get sick with their own cancer problem and pass a year or two after their spouse died. I always figured it was when, not if, and I was sure I was gone as it was just a matter of time.

Surprisingly,  I am still here. And a lot of you care about that fact and what I do from my small place in NE Dallas. Sandi would tell me not to question why and just be grateful. 

I certainly am. The new computer was covered. Now we are working towards paying the oh so many medical bills I have generated these last four months and will generate this week and next. 

Thank you. 

Medical Update

For those who wondered...

No news on physical therapy for the foot. Foot is the same. I am wearing the brace and taking the anti-inflammatory pills. I am still staying off of it as much as possible. Still having some pain in it, a kind of weird ache, at times. I have had issues with that ankle since the 80s and the ankle really does not like the brace.

Because nothing was happening with the PT, as folks who read my ramblings here already know, Scott and I got Covid boosted Tuesday afternoon. The Novavax shot worked me over some and hardly touched Scott at all. We spent Wednesday afternoon and evening watching television and resting. By Thursday, we both were up and at it again though not feeling too well. Yesterday we both were our normal selves. The same is true today. I think we are through it. Compared to what has happened before with the Pfizer and Moderna shots, this was nothing.

I was doing well enough Thursday and yesterday that I got back to work on my story idea for the anthology, Santa Rage: 12 Tales of Murder and Mayhem. This call is from Jay Hartman and Misti Media with a deadline of September 30th. The story is now fully written. I have to polish and tweak, format correctly, and send it off.

My plan and hope is to get it off early next week.

Once that happens, I really have got to come up with an idea for the next Sisters in Crime North Dallas anthology. My story, Whatever Happened To…?, is in the one that came out earlier this year. I would like to make it back to back appearances. Deadline is the end of October and this dude has no ideas for it at all.

Foot Update-- Grumpy Patient Edition

Since it has almost been two weeks since I last wrote about this damn thing, I thought an update was in order.

 

I hate the boot. I hate it with the fiery passion of a thousand suns.

 

It is heavy as all get out and pulls hard on my leg. That causes the knee to hurt and the hip. My back, which always hurts, is doing something on a totally new level of pain. Walking is very problematic as I hook the bottom of it on the front door frame and other things around here. It causes the leg to swell over the course of the day which is not something anyone wants. Especially this cardiac patient.

 

I hate the damn thing.

 

I see the foot doc Tuesday morning. I want it off. I don’t want physical therapy as, no matter the situation, physical therapy always makes everything worse. I just want to wear my regular shoes, get back home, and be done with all this crap.

 

I hate the boot.

Doc Update

I have some hearing loss in the left ear as compared to the test three weeks ago. PA ran the camera in and the ear still is swollen with some fluid and air trapped in there. Way better though  and she thinks we are on the right track. Wants me to stay on the nasal spray and do the exercises to move fluid out. Wants me to use this nasal rinse agent she gave me to flush things out before I use the nasal spray to reduce inflammation. Wants me back in six months. 

Another Day, Another Doc Appointment

Later this morning, I go back to see the PA at the ENT. The ear opened and I can hear at my usual normal crappy level. But...... and I don't know how to explain it.... the ear does not feel right. Does not feel like my normal ear does. Not sure anything is actually wrong, but something feels off. 

Anyway, I will try to explain it to her and see if I get anywhere. 

Doc Update

Had an appointment with the dermatologist this morning to eyeball some things. All good. No cancer. Huge relief. 

Doctor Day Today

I have a doctor deal later this morning. Full body exam with the dermatologist. One hopes she does not see anything of concern. 

So... don't expect to see much of me here. 

The same is true of Friday when I go back to the ENT about the recent ear blockage event. 

Update

For those scoring along at home… left ear is still a mess. Not any better so went back to the doc today. Ear drum looks way better. Ear canal is a little better. Next we try a steroid dose pack and Claritin and Flonase. The ongoing bad air from allergens and Saharan Dust might be causing all of this. Also working on a referral to an ENT. Sigh.

No FFB Review Today-- Doctor Visit Instead

By the time this post appears, I should be at, or very near, the doctor's office. I went last Tuesday, over a week ago, to have my left ear looked at after various over the counter things did not help. Turned out that I had a left ear drum infection and the ear canal was also swollen and infected. I did not know one could get their ear canal infected, but I did it. A five day dose pack of antibiotics was prescribed as were ear drops. 

Due to how late in the day it was after the doc, I had to wait till Wednesday to get the pills and start them. I did not get the ear drops until late Thursday as they were on a truck and it took awhile. 

Nothing has worked. I still have more ear drops, and am continuing to do that, but nothing is happening. So, it is back to the doc today to see what will be the new plan. 

THHS: Tools Provide the Public with a View of Diseases Affecting the State

 THHS: Tools Provide the Public with a View of Diseases Affecting the State