Better Than A Stick In The Eye

So a few weeks ago, as I was driving at night, I tried repeatedly to turn off the car's dome light. I finally realized it WAS off -- the light was coming from my right eye.  The flashes kept up, and I googled them -- seems that floaters and flashes are common among folks over 50 -- the gelatinous vitreous fluid thins, or hardens, and pulls on the retina causing these things. I wasn't too worried.

I mentioned it to Wifey, who reminded me SHE had cobweb floaters, and saw a great nice young specialist named Schimel. I ought to see him too, she said.

I called a few days later and was told that Schimel, a retina specialist, only sees patients AFTER they're diagnosed with retina problems -- recalling Jackie Mason's bit about his doctor is SO special -- you can never see him.

But they called back and said I COULD see Schimel -- and the appointment was this am.

I drove over to Baptist Medical Arts in my workout clothes -- figured I'd have a session at 11 after a routine visit.

They did all the scans, and I met the young doctor. We played Jewish Geography -- D1 had met his wife, and he knew about D1's Nutrition practice. I had seen he was a Michigan grad, and I asked if he knew Alex, my nephew of another mother. Very well -- he was a year behind Alex at the fraternity -- he and Alex got together in Miami.

And then he told me I was lucky I had come in. I had a hole that was leaking fluid. He could zap it shut with a laser -- he could do it this am, in fact. If I let it go, it would allow more fluid and cause a retinal detachment, which necessitates a much bigger surgery, and recovery involving having to lay face down for days...I shuddered.

So I waited about an hour, and then he took me into a room, held open my right eye, joking it WAS my right eye --right??? and zapped the hole with a yellow appearing laser. He told me it would hurt a bit and it did -- sort of like a headache you get from your eyes.

But it was completely tolerable -- and hopefully did the trick. I'll see him next week for a follow up -- hopefully I am cured.

And, he added --  I owe Wifey. She gave me the correct advice -- never ignore eye symptoms -- things happen fast there, and you can save yourself a lot of grief.

I drove myself home, as Wifey accompanied D1 to her drive to Jupiter to see a client.  The vision is a bit blurry, but not too bad.

Miriam, our longtime housekeeper, was shocked to see me. I usually take off on Wednesdays so I don't get in her way, and I think Miriam feels the house is hers on that day. But I explained in my broken Spanish about the surgery. She's letting me stay home.

So another indignity of aging -- failing eyes. Dr. S asked about my parents history -- I told him Mom had cataracts, but no macular degeneration, and Dad died at 63 with no eye problems I knew of.

"Wow," he said. "Your Dad died young."

Eric called to check on me, and he had just returned from a national cardiology meeting in NOLA. I noticed he saw his great mentor, Dr. Braunwald, the father of modern internal medicine and cardiology.  Dr. B was in good health  at the meeting. Eric said he was 88.

I remembered when Eric trained in the late 80s -- Dr. B seemed an old man then. He was -- the age we are now!

So getting a laser is indeed better than a stick in the eye. Hope it did the trick..