Sunday, June 28, 2020

All Is Well—Exceedingly Well


Hello again after a nearly seven-week hiatus to rest my eyes from focusing on the computer, television, and iPad e-book reading. In my April 30 and May 13 postings, I described my vision issues and the regimen I’d been given to follow by the glaucoma clinic. 

Now, I’ve seen Dr. Ann, the specialist, for an eye examine, field-of-vision test, and the entire glaucoma testing she always does: looking at the optic nerves, measuring the pressure, and determining if the retina inflammation has returned or if the drops are keeping it in check. 

She was pleased, as was I (inordinately—both of us!) that the past three months of following a rather restrictive focusing regimen had resulted in my vision possibly becoming “stable” after nearly five years of stent procedures; several medications; frequent appointments; and my being diligent, perhaps obdurate, about the regularity of drops. 

Here’s the reason for my inflexibility: As I’ve shared with you before, I put glaucoma drops into my left eye 3x a day and into my right eye 1x a day. Also, I use a lubricant 6x a day in both eyes. Finally, I use an anti-inflammatory drop 2x a day in my left eye to keep the retina from tearing.

With my new regimen, I now use the lubricants more—whenever I’ve focused for 20-30 minutes at the computer, iPad, or television. (I described this regimen in my April 30 posting.)

I have a mini-Goggle device on which, each day, depending on when I get up, I set alarms for my regimen. Friends have become used to hearing the alarm as we speak on the phone. They know what my next words will be: “So sorry, but I’ve got to go and do drops!” It takes about 5 minutes each time, that includes keeping my eyes closed for 3 minutes after the drops are in my eyes. (I use the mini-Goggle again!).

That’s what I mean about being somewhat rigid. I feel as if I have a covenant with both Doctor Ann and my eyes. They have served me so well all these years. Now, I care for them. So, after Doctor Ann does her part, I do mine. That is, I am absolutely conscientious about those drops.

So that’s the scoop. Now I can return to blogging on a regular basis and to writing. I can watch television for ½ hour at a time. If the program continues, I simply close my eyes and listen. Mostly, I listen/watch only the news on the local channels and PBS. The rest of the time, I watch something on BritBox. With that, I can pause the drama or mystery and do the drops + 20 minutes of closed eyes and then return to the television and see another thirty minutes of the BritBox program. So all is well.

In my next posting, I hope to share with you the non-fiction audio books I’ve so enjoyed listening to for the past three months. I’ve rediscovered my great delight in learning.

I hope you are well and that COVID-19 has not endangered your lives or the lives of your loved ones. All across the globe, families are grieving. Here, on this part of the globe, we must do our part: wear masks, keep some distance when we’re with others, wash our hands. AND, we must remember that we are One; that what one person does touches the lives of so many others. This is the essence of my belief in the Holy Oneness of All Creation. 

Peace.

Photo of ophthalmologist and patient from Wikipedia. 

40 comments:

  1. I am soooooo glad to see you back here and to read your inspiring words!! XX OO

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    1. Dear Judy, and I'm so glad to be back here! I've missed the inspiring and entertaining and provocative and inviting words of all of you! See you soon at your blog. Peace.

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  2. I am so glad to hear this wonderful news, Dee. Your persistence and dedication to your eyes is paying off. I look forward to "seeing" you around the internet a bit more these days. Sending you back prayers for peace. :-)

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    1. Dear DJan, you shall be "seeing" me at your blog come tomorrow if all goes well! With my limited time, I'm going for blogging and writing, I can only devote 1/2 hour each day to blogs, so perhaps I won't get to everyone I follow each week, but I'm going to make a concerted effort! And your blog is one of the oldest I've followed. Way back, I think, since 2011, when I began. Always your blogs--the one on hiking and your lovely Sunday morning sharing of philosophy and books and the deep wonder of your heart--welcome me in. I hope all is well with you. Peace.

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  3. Oh, hooray, a post from Dee! And with such happy news of the results of your “regimen”. Eyesight is so precious and I’m glad to hear you are able to use yours again to do some of the things you love.
    On another note, it appalls and saddens me to see so many people refusing to wear masks to protect their neighbors and friends, flaunting their refusal as a badge of honor of some sort. Our state is one of the ones having the huge surge In cases after the governor opened everything too early so we pretty much have to stay in the house or car to be safe.

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    1. Dear Cynthia, the not wearing of masks puzzles me. When I watched--that is, listened--to the PBS Newshour I learned about that and it saddens me that so many in their devotion to individual freedom and--it seems to me--a misunderstanding of the Constitution and its amendments--don't understand the commitment that we have to one another. Peace.

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  4. Literally, just wondered about you on Friday, so very happy to see this and learn that you are doing well. God is good. Peace, dear Dee.

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    1. Dear Karen, thanks for thinking of me. I've so missed following friends on Facebook and on blogs. MY world had already because of not driving since October 2016 narrowed down to reclusion, but without the computer I knew a whole new aspects of being a recluse! Peace.

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  5. So glad you are doing well, Dee!

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    1. Dear Sandi, thank you. I hope you, too, are doing well as we journey through this health crisis. Stay safe. Peace.

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  6. I AM THRILLED TO SEE YOU POSTING AGAIN - and to hear your most excellent news.
    Stay well and stay safe please.

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    1. Dear Sue, AND I AM SO THRILLED TO BE POSTING AGAIN!--I hope all is well in your life. I need now to find out what is happening with the COVID-19 in Australia. Here, we've made a fine mess of it and so many more, I think, have died than would have if we'd not been so arrogant. Peace.

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  7. Glad to see you back and with such great news of improvement. Can you give us a website link to the mini-goggle you use to put your eye drops in? I have a brand called "Autodrop" and don't have much luck getting the drops in my eyes.

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    1. Dear Jean, I'm sorry to have not been clear about the Google. (I probably need to learn to write again after this hiatus.) The Google is simply a little device that sits on my bookcase. I say to it, "Okay, Google, set an alarm for three minutes." Then in three minute the alarm sounds and I open my eyes from having put in the drops.

      I can't bend my head back to do the drops. (Very stiff neck.) So I lie on the bed with a small pillow under my head and do the drops that way. I hold my eyelids open with the fingers of one hand and squeeze the container/bottle with the other. (Glaucoma and the stent procedures have made my top eyelids droopy. I look sleepy all the time! So I have to hold them open with my fingers so as to have space for the drops.)

      So sorry to have raised your hopes. Peace.

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    2. No need to apologize. I'm not up on all the personal assistance device out there. Had you originally spelled it 'google' and not 'goggle' I might have figured it out but don't count on it. LOL

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    3. Dear Jean, I am always making that mistake with the spelling. Not sure why. Usually I catch it, but clearly I didn't this time. Take care. Peace ever and always. Dee

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  8. Hi, Dee. I'm very glad to read that all is well and that you are able to resume reading, writing, and watching the odd TV program. xx

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    1. Dear Bea, that odd TV program is nearly always the news--first national each night from 5:30 to 6:00 and then PBS Newshour from 6 to 7:00. I'm a political junkie and there is so much to be aware of as we live with the virus and observe the fracture of our political system. Peace.

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  9. So good to hear from you again and I'm happy for your, for the good news. Your drop regime makes my head spin. With my type 1 diabetes I know a little bit about being disciplined, but that's nothing compared to what you have to do to maintain the health of your eyes.

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    1. Dear Inger, the drops truly bring structure into my life. Google sounds and alarm so many times during the day that even the cats are aware of my schedule and what I'm about to do when the alarm goes off. If one of them is snoozing on my lap, he, she will immediately wake, jump off, and let me rise to go to the guest bedroom where I lie down and put in the drops. Often one of the cats will accompany me there and lie on the bed watching his/her human do this strange ritual again and again throughout the day! I so hope your diabetes is not causing you trouble. I know that it's one of the diseases that is most prone to the virus. So please, please take care. Peace.

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  10. Welcome back! Of course you are obdurate about your eye meds and I am so happy. That seems selfish of me, so I will say we're all happy. Stubborn, faithful, obdurate Dee. Welcome back.

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    1. Dear Joanne, I suspect that you with your commitment to social action know quite a bit about being obdurate!!! We are living in a scary time. I so hope that the youth of America get out and vote and that we will be able to vote without sacrificing our health. Peace.

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    2. Dear Joanne, I meant to say "your commitment to social justice." We all need to emulate you. Peace.

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  11. That is great news, Dee, and I am so happy for you. That is quite a regiment you have and your diligence has paid off.

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    1. Dear Arleen, yes, "diligence" is the word. Some times--for a few moments--I find myself wanting to just throw caution to the winds and just go through the day without any regard for drops or focusing or vision. Then, one of my better angels, gently reminds me in the deep center of myself that if I want to continue writing, I need to do this. And so, in Oneness, I do so!!!! In those moments, I laugh at wanting to be cavalier. Laugh at my acting like a feckless youth who believes herself to be immortal. Accepting my own mortality and frailty, I respond to the Google alarm and tend to my eyes, thus honoring my covenant with my body. Peace.

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  12. Was absolutely delighted to see your post and even more so with all the good news. That is quite the regimen you have to follow but glad you have your Google helper. Those gadgets are so much more than toys.
    Keep up the good work and great progress.

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    1. Dear Patti, you're right about these gadgets being more than toys. I have one in every room but the kitchen. I set alarms for how long I can write, for how long I need to keep my eyes closed after focusing and also after putting in drops. I've come to depend on them every since my niece gave me one for Christmas as did a friend the same Christmas. Since then, I've purchased three! I hope all is well. Take care. Peace.

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  13. Congrats on the progress you have made and will continue to make when it comes to your VISION. My Hubby is having a lot of close-up vision problems --and will see our Eye Doctor in a next week or two... He has Macular Degeneration --which is doing okay now. He gets a shot in his eye every month or so.... Not being able to see is very frustrating --as I'm sure you know... Keep up the good work.

    We are staying well through Covid-19, and do everything we can to follow the rules and stay healthy!!!

    I had fun with my Blog Post today... There's a battle going on between my Canon and my iPhone.... I love to get people's thoughts/reactions... Thanks for commenting...

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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    1. Dear Betsy, I look forward to reading your blog post! You've got me intrigued. I know there are two kinds of Macular Degeneration--one wet; one dry. I think it's the "wet" kind that demands the shot every month or so. But, if I understand what two friends told me, having MD is always hard and there's fear involved but the "wet" kind is a trifle better to have than the dry. I so hope that's so and that George is doing well. Peace.

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  14. I am so happy to see a post from you, Ialso feel f o r you and all the problems youhave with your eyes.

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    1. Dear Jo-Anne, thank you so much for your concern. When Doctor Ann looked at me after the various exams and said, "You know, Dee, I think your eyes are becoming stable. They're stabilizing," I feel my heart leap up! Peace.

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  15. I greatly admire your dedication to sticking to the routine, I think your doctor is happy to have you as a patient since you are following the guidelines. That is news from Doctor Ann that would definitely make your heart leap with joy. Be well.

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    1. Dear Terra, I've always known that with everything that touches my life, I need to do my part. It's easy with this issue to know that "my part" is: following the regimen. There are other issues that are important to me--like "Black Lives Matter"--for which I need to discover what my part is. Sitting at home because I don't drive and I'm elderly doesn't seem the answer! In the memoir I'm working on there will be sections on what I've done in the past, but the question for me today is, "What can I do now!" Peace.

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  16. Well encouraging news there Dee and I'm glad! Ray

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  17. Dear Ray, thanks so much! I feel as if a great weight has been lifted from my bag of worries! Hope all is well. Peace.

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  18. Goodness, Dee! What a lot going on! My mom has MD and gets the shots in her eyes (and she is losing her hearing beyond what hearing aids can help). My dad had glaucoma and so does my son, Dagan. I have an eye pucker in the back of one eye that warps my vision and makes things jump about. But you have had a severe case of glaucoma and have been consistent and diligent with your healing. Yes--you need to keep those eyes as best as they can be for as long as possible. I am so glad you have had such improvement!! Congratulations! Very, very best to you, my friend. :)

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    1. Dear Rita, that "eye pucker" you have must be so stressful. I know that my Meniere's imbalance causes me to be weary/tired because of never being sure of keeping upright and I'd think that with your eye like that you'd have the same reaction. Thanks so much for your good wishes. We both know how health can affect us in every way! Peace.

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  19. Dear Dee, I am just now beginning to catch up on on my favorite bloggers, you being the first, as I endeavor to get back into some beloved reading routines and writings. I commend you for your determination and scheduling in keeping track and administering your eye drops and the many ways you are working on keeping abreast with news and books. I know the importance of those drops, administering them on schedule, and keeping your eyes closed. Phew! Peace, my friend.

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  20. Dear Penny, yes, you would know. Is that because of Tom or do you also have vision concerns? As to the regimen, I'm discovering that if I try to write on that regime and do 1/2 writing///1/2 hour eyes closed for several repeats a day, i end up using the lubricants too much and my eyes get irritated. So I don't put them in after every 1/2 hour of focusing! Win a little; lose a little. Thus seems life! So good of you to leave a comment. I hope to visit your blog this week. Peace.

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  21. Precious Dee!

    It is relief to know that you are doing well
    Eye problem seems to be part of old age .I just visited doctor last day regarding dull eyesight but he still insists that my problem is due to mental weakness rather than eyes ,How rubbish
    Glad you are connected with friends and watching favourite shows
    Best of luck for all health issues my friend!
    Hugs!

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