09/29/10

My eye exams are not ever what could be called,simple. Because I am a PWD with a complicated eye history(nearsightedness,cataracts, strabismus surgery,& optic neuritis) with primarily one institution, I prefer to go, there. Yes, I could have 10 years of medical records shipped lock stock & barrel up here,but I don't see the need. It is the place that has always been there,the place that took me through 3 eye surgeries and many worried hours of waiting. It is a place where residents share their personal Oreo stash & are always there for emergencies,to the point of first-name basis(over the course of 8 weeks).It is a place where miracles happen,it is a place of hope.

I have an emotional connection to the place,more then words can say.Starting over again,especially at an academic medical institution just has no appeal at all(especially not Hopkins,they lose everything). I can always find an excuse (family,etc) to make the eye appt down where I always went. This time,I was able to squeeze in an eye appt in the morning & the study trial appt in the afternoon.






That morning, I duly arrived @ 9:55 & took a seat. Dr. McAussie (not real name) called me back & put three sets of numbing drops in,took history,tested near/far vision,etc.And attempts to find a working eye pressure thingie. The stardard (blue light special)one that came with the machine didn't work, so he got one that looked like an EKG machine,which didn't work either.The next one looked like an oral thermometer & he stuck it in both eyes..that worked,to the relief of all involved. Chill time in the waiting room, & then it was off for visual fields & a Hess test.(all straightforward) Add three more sets of dilating drops,& it was back to the waiting room for the next half hour. Back in, bright lights & irritating mirrors producing copious amounts of streaming lacrimintation & auroral blobs. Everything looked good,no retinal changes,double vision is stable,& the right lens is beginning to scum up(the left,is progressed in scumming up). Nothing that needs treatment. (it's there,happens to practically everyone,just monitor it) Went off to get it cleared with his attending,& said I was good to go. Blood sugar was 410, by that point,so just had a sandwich/ water in the cafeteria...& spent the next few hours dealing with a bad hotdog(ingested 16 hours previously). Eye exams are never quick,but this one only lasted 2.5 hours.(fairly quick for them!)

By 4:30, my blood sugar was finally descending into the 200's & my gut was empty,which was good,because it was Omnipod Training at the Diabetes Research Center.(and the last thing I needed was to spend most of it in the restroom)






There was a group of six trainees,plus the study coordinator & Omnipod rep. Both of whom use the Omnipod.One of the trainees is a control subject...she doesn't have D,but she's doing it all along with everyone else,pumping saline.(that's both weird,and cool) Training went ok,loaded up on a ton of supplies & then drove straight home.(to beat the approaching monsoon) I was dead by the time I got home, 4 hours later.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone