Update, Updatedy
Yikes, I last posted on 3 September with every intention of continuing the very next day. Instead, three plus days have gone by. Three different factors have come into play:
---My schedule has continued to keep me busy.
---The one day I wasn't busy, I was completely, totally lazy. Much reading of newspapers and political blogs alternated with naps.
---My laptop has become quite cranky, especially when asked to boot up. It frequently takes half an hour, then randomly shut down after an hour or two. There may be a new computer in my future.
In the meantime, here's what I've been up to:
Because I have diabetes, I go to the opthamologist once a year. In fact, Dr. Nichols is a nationally-recognized authority on eye care for diabetics. He is not, however, one of these new-fangled physicians who 'splain everything to their patients. He's a sweet guy, but I often find myself out on the street wondering how I neglected to ask all my questions. Nichols is good at sliding away on you.
Years ago...probably 2005 or 2006...I had my right cataract taken care of. Last year when I saw Nichols, I told him that the cataract in my left eye was bothering me and asked if it should be taken care of. To my surprise, he said I had something else wrong with my eyes that was not currently active but which might be stirred up by removing the cataract. He told me the name of that other condition, but I didn't write it down, so of course within a week I'd forgotten it. I did look it up first and found that its cause was aging ("Guilty as charged, your honor!") and that it was 'treatable,' which was less encouraging that 'curable.'
This year I was on a mission to find out as much as possible. When I whipped out a notebook and started trying to take notes (my eyes were dilated, so not easy to do) Nichols said to his med student, "Put everything in the patient notes." He did, as follows:
1.) Psuedophakia of the right eye: This means that because I've had the cataract removed, I have an artificial lens in that eye.
2.) Posterior capsular opacification (PCO), right eye: A complication of cataract surgery that is treated by laser surgery. Dr. Nichols said today that mine isn't bad enough to need laser treatment.
3.) Age-related nuclear cataract of left eye: The most common type of cataract, beginning with a gradual hardening and yellowing of the central zone of the lens, also known as the nucleus. I have 20/40 vision in this eye, it hasn't gotten worse since September 2015, and Nichols' advice is to wait and see if it gets worse before doing anything. I already have an appointment for September 2017.
4.) Cortical cataract of the left eye: There are three types of cataracts. I have two of them in the same eye.
5.)Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), left eye: Better known as floaters and flashers. Mostly just another fun part of getting old and not serious. I don't notice mine at all.
6.) Cornea guttata: This condition is why Nichols is saying go slow on doing the second cataract. "Cornea guttata is an eye condition in which collagen cells collect and grow abnormally at the back of the eye, forming small lumps - known as “guttata” - that can be painful and may also cause a number of vision problems, including light transmission issues and blurriness." The lumps can be removed by laser but may reoccur. 'Cornea guttata' sounds like it should be served with red sauce and provolone cheese.
Take-away: I'm not having the cataract done now; I'll wait until next September and see what happens.
Afterwards I found the bright sunshine quite painful for my dilated eyes, despite having sunglasses on, so I went home and went to bed.
My sister Debbie was in town to see the dentist, so afterwards we had lunch, then went to see Hell or High Water. I'd seen it a week earlier and knew immediately that Debbie would love it. She did, and I was happy to see it again.
Labor Day weekend is a Big Deal in Philadelphia, starting on the Saturday with a concert on the Mall. I, along with other volunteers went out to register people to vote on 8 November when, thank G*d, our marathon presidential election campaign will end. (The 2020 campaign starts on 9 November.)
There was a very long line of people waiting to pick up their tickets for the concert. I worked the line, asking people if they were registered to vote. If they weren't and they were Pennsylvania residents -- many were not -- I asked them if they supported Hillary. If they said No, I said, "Thank you very much," and moved on.
The people facing the camera and the people with their backs to the camera are all in the same line. It was a very ver-ry long line but everyone was usually cheerful and willing to talk to me. (I am not shy.) I didn't manage to register anyone but I did show the flag for Hillary.
I couldn't register these two Great Danes, either, although I woulda if I coulda. They were handsome pups and the calmest, most pleasant dogs you can imagine. Many, many people petted them and fussed over them.
Happily, my laptop held together for this post, although not without many hesitations and heart-stopping pauses. I hope to be back here tomorrow. We shall see. FanSee
---My schedule has continued to keep me busy.
---The one day I wasn't busy, I was completely, totally lazy. Much reading of newspapers and political blogs alternated with naps.
---My laptop has become quite cranky, especially when asked to boot up. It frequently takes half an hour, then randomly shut down after an hour or two. There may be a new computer in my future.
In the meantime, here's what I've been up to:
Because I have diabetes, I go to the opthamologist once a year. In fact, Dr. Nichols is a nationally-recognized authority on eye care for diabetics. He is not, however, one of these new-fangled physicians who 'splain everything to their patients. He's a sweet guy, but I often find myself out on the street wondering how I neglected to ask all my questions. Nichols is good at sliding away on you.
Years ago...probably 2005 or 2006...I had my right cataract taken care of. Last year when I saw Nichols, I told him that the cataract in my left eye was bothering me and asked if it should be taken care of. To my surprise, he said I had something else wrong with my eyes that was not currently active but which might be stirred up by removing the cataract. He told me the name of that other condition, but I didn't write it down, so of course within a week I'd forgotten it. I did look it up first and found that its cause was aging ("Guilty as charged, your honor!") and that it was 'treatable,' which was less encouraging that 'curable.'
This year I was on a mission to find out as much as possible. When I whipped out a notebook and started trying to take notes (my eyes were dilated, so not easy to do) Nichols said to his med student, "Put everything in the patient notes." He did, as follows:
1.) Psuedophakia of the right eye: This means that because I've had the cataract removed, I have an artificial lens in that eye.
2.) Posterior capsular opacification (PCO), right eye: A complication of cataract surgery that is treated by laser surgery. Dr. Nichols said today that mine isn't bad enough to need laser treatment.
3.) Age-related nuclear cataract of left eye: The most common type of cataract, beginning with a gradual hardening and yellowing of the central zone of the lens, also known as the nucleus. I have 20/40 vision in this eye, it hasn't gotten worse since September 2015, and Nichols' advice is to wait and see if it gets worse before doing anything. I already have an appointment for September 2017.
4.) Cortical cataract of the left eye: There are three types of cataracts. I have two of them in the same eye.
5.)Posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), left eye: Better known as floaters and flashers. Mostly just another fun part of getting old and not serious. I don't notice mine at all.
6.) Cornea guttata: This condition is why Nichols is saying go slow on doing the second cataract. "Cornea guttata is an eye condition in which collagen cells collect and grow abnormally at the back of the eye, forming small lumps - known as “guttata” - that can be painful and may also cause a number of vision problems, including light transmission issues and blurriness." The lumps can be removed by laser but may reoccur. 'Cornea guttata' sounds like it should be served with red sauce and provolone cheese.
Take-away: I'm not having the cataract done now; I'll wait until next September and see what happens.
Afterwards I found the bright sunshine quite painful for my dilated eyes, despite having sunglasses on, so I went home and went to bed.
My sister Debbie was in town to see the dentist, so afterwards we had lunch, then went to see Hell or High Water. I'd seen it a week earlier and knew immediately that Debbie would love it. She did, and I was happy to see it again.
Labor Day weekend is a Big Deal in Philadelphia, starting on the Saturday with a concert on the Mall. I, along with other volunteers went out to register people to vote on 8 November when, thank G*d, our marathon presidential election campaign will end. (The 2020 campaign starts on 9 November.)
There was a very long line of people waiting to pick up their tickets for the concert. I worked the line, asking people if they were registered to vote. If they weren't and they were Pennsylvania residents -- many were not -- I asked them if they supported Hillary. If they said No, I said, "Thank you very much," and moved on.
The people facing the camera and the people with their backs to the camera are all in the same line. It was a very ver-ry long line but everyone was usually cheerful and willing to talk to me. (I am not shy.) I didn't manage to register anyone but I did show the flag for Hillary.
I couldn't register these two Great Danes, either, although I woulda if I coulda. They were handsome pups and the calmest, most pleasant dogs you can imagine. Many, many people petted them and fussed over them.
Happily, my laptop held together for this post, although not without many hesitations and heart-stopping pauses. I hope to be back here tomorrow. We shall see. FanSee