Detachment

I knew it was going to be a wild day but OH MY GOODNESS! It was so much more.

On Thursday, I noticed I had a lot of floaters in my right eye. Lots and lots of floaters. Long strings of moving floaters and flashes of light. Later in the day, I noticed a veil that moved whenever my eye moved. It felt like there was makeup or cream in my eye and I couldn't clear it.

Friday morning, the floaters were mostly gone but the veil remained. It felt heavy in my eye. I phone my favorite glaucoma eye doctor's office at 8:30AM and was reminded that he was dancing and singing his heart out in Cuba. They referred me to his on-call doctor. After an interview with his nurse, she said I needed to see a retinologist ASAP. It was a suspected detachment. Very bad.

I was with mom. She was very worried. While waiting to hear if we were able to get to an appointment with this huge group of specialists, we just hung out and talked. And had lunch. Finally, the doctor phoned and, after a few questions, said I needed to be seen ASAP. An appointment was made. Michael was called. I was on the other side of the pass and Michael had just arrived home. He met me half way, we left my car and we drove to San Jose together in Friday late afternoon traffic. A challenge.

The office was full. We were just happy to be there. After lots of tests and a really good exam, it was pronounced that I have an acute posterior vitreous detachment OD. Lovely. Here is a quick explanation (love the first sentence!): However, as we age, the vitreous forms liquid pockets that cause surrounding vitreous to collapse centrally, providing space for the hyaloid to separate from its point of attachment at the back or posterior of the eye at the optic nerve. This separation is called a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). In the vast majority of patients, the process of separation has no symptoms and goes unrecognized. In a few people, however, this separation is noticeable immediately due to one or more of the following symptoms: 

• Flashes of light called photopsia
• Showers of floaters
• Darkness of the peripheral visual field.

So, I just need to be watched to make sure it does not detach. They sent us home in very busy Friday evening traffic. We arrived home, exhausted but thrilled that I did not have to have surgery. 

We had one hour to shower and dress for the parties. Joe and Leslie's house was wonderful and it got us in the spirit to see all the neighbors and their friends. Then, hopped back in the car to San Jose again for Mark's birthday party. It was rather a dud but I met his really new girlfriend. We hit it off so I had a nice time. We got home before midnight, fell into bed and slept until 8AM. 

It is going to be a quiet day today. I am moving slowly and we are having dinner delivered to us as part of Leslie's daughter's basketball fundraiser. Chicken dinner!