You see, I don't want to come on here and just tell you about my ailments, which I've been doing a lot of recently. So I'll tell you about the Posterior Vitreous Detachment in my left eye diagnosed by the local optometrist. It doesn't count because it's not an ailment.
The helpful and reassuring piece on the RNIB website, says so. No, it is a natural change that occurs in the eye in many people as they get older and the symptoms are floaters and - the thing that is really stressing me out - rapid light flashes on the periphery of the eye concerned, particularly in the dark and dimly lit conditions. Apparently these symptoms can last from a few weeks to a year, with most cases settling down and resolving at around six months. So it's a fairly long haul. Just to up the anxiety, in the first two or three months you are more at risk from a retinal detachment, though this is fairly rare, but if the symptoms change or worsen I have to get to A&E pronto. My friendly neighbour has volunteered to ferry me there if necessary, day or night she says. I'm grateful.
Six weeks in now, and I'm staying in well-lit places, including sleeping with the bedside light on because I can't cope with the firework display in my left eye when I awaken in the dark.
Why had I never heard of this?
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The theme that resonates more and more is : simplify. Things you no longer need - give away what you can, sell anything you can sell. When I'm fit enough the plan is to downsize and move to a smaller property closer to the centre of town which requires less maintenance. Walk to the shops, to the library, to see friends. I no longer want to fritter away nervous energy on stuff that drains me needlessly. Time and health are increasingly precious, dear God they are.
Pretty pink. The new gardener, Brian, nice man, gave me some cuttings.
8 comments:
Argh, how frustrating! Yes, the number of health issues that crop up is, so to speak, an eye opener. I've still had some positional vertigo (possibly gone? I avoid triggering it) and I discover this is not at all unusual. Friends have dealt with it, and at a recent trip to a new GYN (I noted I had to lay back rather gingerly) she didn't bat an eye as if I'd said nothing more unusual than I had a cold. Anyway, I hope this episode passes quickly and health returns to you in all its forms.
Ai. Hugs. Yes. I think only health care providers and priests have any clear idea of how many people are suffering from how many ailments, conditions, injuries, illnesses. We might be better off if we got over the delusion that health is the normal default human condition! xo
Leslee: Thanks. Yes, it's the unexpectedness of these things that's unnerving. I certainly didn't see this coming (another pun!). I do hope the vertigo (which doesn't sound nice at all) has indeed gone for good.
Dale: The delusion that health is the normal default human condition.
You are so right. I've fallen for that one. If I eat healthily, if I exercise etc etc then nothing bad should happen to me physically. Not true. Not true at all.
So sorry to read this. The trouble is at my age (which is greater than yours) no one tells you how much tiredness etc is 'normal'. It's good to know you have supportive neighbours. I play on-line Scrabble with one of mine so that she can see if I've died in the night!
Ah, thanks RR. Yes, my neighbour - who I've only recently got to know well - is lovely. It's good having her a stone's throw away.
The Scrabble bit made me laugh!
i get so tired of complaining and of telling the truth about how i really feel that sometimes i just say, "fine" and change the subject. i know someone who had the detached retina and heard all about the flashing light sympton, so glad you are staying on top of that with an immediate plan to get to emergency. hopint this passes soon and you'll have one less issue to contend with. hugsssssss.
Thanks Sky. I'm told that once I'm past the 12 week point (week 7 now) the risk of a retinal detachment is so low as not to be a problem Fingers crossed.
Know what you mean about talking (or not) about one's ailments! Hope that things improve for you. xx
Hi mm,
I also had Posterior vitreous detachment in my two eyes and I also had the symptoms such as floaters and little flashes of light, in August 2007.
Occasionally, posterior vitreous detachment, injury or trauma to the eye or head may cause a small tear in the retina.
I went rapidly to the oculist, specialist on retina and he found in my left eye a very, very tiny tear in the retina. Then he did a procedure named Cryopexy (freezing). It not causing any pain and it not needed no anesthesia. Fortunately it was very well and my eyes are ok since then.
I hope all will be ok with you too.
Many hugs.
PS: Sorry my "weak" English and I hope I explain it well.
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