Today was good... I went out, ran a few errands and just chilled. It was a pretty nice day until the sun started BEAMING! My right eye had to suffer a little but until I got home. I could feel some dryness but I couldn't put the drops in unless I wanted to sit wherever I was for another 15 minutes or so. I waited until I got home. Once there, I lubed up and closed my eyes.
Oh wait, this is still about the Bell's Palsy thought right? My eyebrows are looking good. When I'm "surprised" you can see both of them moving. My eye is able to "squint" as well. There's definitely movement in my cheek. I can do the "Elvis lip" on the right side now too.
Oh yeah, I talked to my speech therapist about the cucumber and nutmeg. She really didn't have anything to say about the nutmeg. Cucumbers she said helps with any swelling that may occur. Oh well, I am going to watch a movie and relax for the rest of the day. *deuces*
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day 37: Central Serrous?
(In the picture, I was attempting to be cute, not that I'm not already, but my eye was so dry that it was open wider than the other so it came out looking like I was winking!)
I wasn't at work long today because I had my appointment with the Retina Specialist. Remember I told you I was going to have to do the whole dye thing, so here goes. So, since it was my firs time there, they looked at both eyes. They numbed them, dilated them both, checked the pressure, etc etc. I had to read the letters again. The left eye is still not as good as the right. Off the the dimly lit waiting room I go. Then, I see the Doctor who did his eye exam which consisted of shining a few BRIGHT object into my dilated eyes and checking all areas. He also noticed that "flat black, round lesion" on my right eye in the "3 o'clock" position. Back to the waiting room I go to begin the next part.
So I'm in this dark room ready for 10 minutes of extremely bright flashes as the machine took picture after picture of my eyes in different positions. it wasn't fun at all. You know what it's like for someone to take ONE picture with a bright flash, so imagine that over and over only your eye is RIGHT UP ON IT. yeah. fun. *insert sarcasm* After the first series of photos, I was injected in my hand with a dye. She had to do a test run of pictures to see how fast the due gets into my system. Can you say BLINDED?! Once the dye was in, she took more pictures. I wish I could have gotten a copy of them. The tech asked me if I was ever hit in the eye. I don't remember being hit in the eye but magnified, that thing looks weird. It looked like I was in a red room that's just how many flashes I endured.
After this, I went into another room to have a few more scans done of my eyes. This was less gruesome, for a lack of better wording. Again, more pictures were captured. Back to the examination room. The doctor review the photos, I do a color test and he comes back in. "All of the tests that we took are normal. I don't see anything our of the ordinary with your exam today. I am concerned it may be neurological, which your having pain when looking previously. There is also some concern for Multiple Sclerosis. *wide eyed* All of this could be nothing but we'll have to get a few more tests to be sure. MS is not common in African Americans but you are in the age range. We need to get you in to see a neurologists and a visual feel and have an MRI done." I asked in the MRI would show this no matter what, since I'd had one in February. He said "this one would check the orbs and monitor certain points." So I have another appointment on Monday to begin a different set of tests.
And so, I went home. So many thoughts running through my mind. I didn't want to talk to people but I had to let the family know what's up. My head was hurting and my eyes were still extremely blurry from all of the tests so I couldn't really read texts. I got on the PC for a moment to check facebook, lol and email my job. Sorry for saying, "I reeeeeally don't feel like talking" but it's because everyone was saying how concerned they were and it was making me cry. I didn't want to cry. I'd already shed a tear or two. I did laugh through tears of one text that came through, "I'm going to be mad a God!" Thanks friend!
*side note* I watched the Seminoles advance to the 3rd round of the NCAA Tournament, lol.
Anyhoo, I took some Advil and then a nap. Overall, I'm good. I'm not stressing any serious ailments. But it's A LOT to take in, in short amounts of time. One "frightening" diagnosis after the other can be a lot on a person.
*Countdown to the vacation* LOL
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 35: Bell's Palsy?
... what's that? THAT, my friend, almost seems like the least of my worries right now. So I'm at work today still thinking about the "non-seeing eye" and I'm wondering to myself what is really going on. LOL OK well let me talk about the Bell's first. I talked to my daddy tonight who is encouraging me to be aggressive about my recovery. And it's so odd because I really don't think about the Bell's at all during the day, until I bite my jaw while trying to talk, *snicker*.
But what DID bother me today was the eye issues. Can you imagine trying to see out of the 'good eye' while trying to see out of the 'bells eye'? So I starting talking to my coworkers, we're good for self diagnosis, about it today and one guy says, "you know it could be a partial detached retina!" I'm like a who what? I immediately called the doctor because that didn't even sound good. The receptionist said, based on what I've described [That I have this dark shadow in my left eye and I can't really read], it does sound like detached retina but we want to rule that out so let's get you on in here. Luckily someone cancels and I was able to get in there today. BOOYAW!
So I get to the doctor, they dilate my eye, again, take a couple pictures, blind me, again, lol... the the doctor says, as she looked into things that, it looks like "central serous" which is commonly associated with recent use of prednazone (steroids that I used for bells palsy) which causes fluid between the layers. She actually said, it's more common in men than it is in woman. She can see some leakage during this session but would have to get me in to see a retinal specialist. So I'll go there on Friday. She gave a warning that the appointment will take 3 hours or so which includes dye in my eye, an IV, lol. I only did a little research on it but I'm interested in "seeing" this process which will determine EXACTLY what's going. My vision has definitely worsened since I was here a few weeks ago. So one of the things I was given to track my progress at home was an Amsler Grid. The grid, literally, allowed me to determine where the blur was because I wouldn't be able to see the lines. So I can use that to see how things are looking tonight and tomorrow, etc.
Anyhoo, good night folks!
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And for those of you that wont click the wiki link up there to read about it (there a lots of big words, lol):
Central serous retinopathy (CSR), also known as central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), is a visual impairment, often temporary, usually in one eye, mostly affecting males in the age group 20 to 50 but which may also affect women.[1][2] When the disorder is active it is characterized by leakage of fluid under the retina that has a propensity to accumulate under the central macula. This results in blurred or distorted vision (metamorphopsia). A blurred or gray spot in the central visual field is common when the retina is detached. Reduced visual acuity may persist after the fluid has disappeared.
The diagnosis usually starts with a dilated examination of the retina, followed with confirmation by optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. The angiography test will usually show one or more fluorescent spots with fluid leakage. In 10%-15% of the cases these will appear in a "classic" smoke stack shape. An Amsler grid could be useful in documenting the precise area of the visual field involved.
CSR is a fluid detachment of macula layers from their supporting tissue. This allows choroidal fluid to leak into the subretinal space. The build-up of fluid seems to occur because of small breaks in the retinal pigment epithelium.
CSR is sometimes called idiopathic CSR which means that its cause is unknown. Nevertheless, stress appears to play an important role. An oft-cited but potentially inaccurate conclusion is that persons in stressful occupations, such as airplane pilots, have a higher incidence of CSR.
But what DID bother me today was the eye issues. Can you imagine trying to see out of the 'good eye' while trying to see out of the 'bells eye'? So I starting talking to my coworkers, we're good for self diagnosis, about it today and one guy says, "you know it could be a partial detached retina!" I'm like a who what? I immediately called the doctor because that didn't even sound good. The receptionist said, based on what I've described [That I have this dark shadow in my left eye and I can't really read], it does sound like detached retina but we want to rule that out so let's get you on in here. Luckily someone cancels and I was able to get in there today. BOOYAW!
So I get to the doctor, they dilate my eye, again, take a couple pictures, blind me, again, lol... the the doctor says, as she looked into things that, it looks like "central serous" which is commonly associated with recent use of prednazone (steroids that I used for bells palsy) which causes fluid between the layers. She actually said, it's more common in men than it is in woman. She can see some leakage during this session but would have to get me in to see a retinal specialist. So I'll go there on Friday. She gave a warning that the appointment will take 3 hours or so which includes dye in my eye, an IV, lol. I only did a little research on it but I'm interested in "seeing" this process which will determine EXACTLY what's going. My vision has definitely worsened since I was here a few weeks ago. So one of the things I was given to track my progress at home was an Amsler Grid. The grid, literally, allowed me to determine where the blur was because I wouldn't be able to see the lines. So I can use that to see how things are looking tonight and tomorrow, etc.
Anyhoo, good night folks!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
And for those of you that wont click the wiki link up there to read about it (there a lots of big words, lol):
Central serous retinopathy (CSR), also known as central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), is a visual impairment, often temporary, usually in one eye, mostly affecting males in the age group 20 to 50 but which may also affect women.[1][2] When the disorder is active it is characterized by leakage of fluid under the retina that has a propensity to accumulate under the central macula. This results in blurred or distorted vision (metamorphopsia). A blurred or gray spot in the central visual field is common when the retina is detached. Reduced visual acuity may persist after the fluid has disappeared.
The diagnosis usually starts with a dilated examination of the retina, followed with confirmation by optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. The angiography test will usually show one or more fluorescent spots with fluid leakage. In 10%-15% of the cases these will appear in a "classic" smoke stack shape. An Amsler grid could be useful in documenting the precise area of the visual field involved.
CSR is a fluid detachment of macula layers from their supporting tissue. This allows choroidal fluid to leak into the subretinal space. The build-up of fluid seems to occur because of small breaks in the retinal pigment epithelium.
CSR is sometimes called idiopathic CSR which means that its cause is unknown. Nevertheless, stress appears to play an important role. An oft-cited but potentially inaccurate conclusion is that persons in stressful occupations, such as airplane pilots, have a higher incidence of CSR.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Day 34: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday
Day 32: Sunday Funday Well, it wasn't all that fun but I had a pretty productive day. Buuuuuuuuuuuuut this isn't about that right? So yeah. The little vision thing that I was experiencing is still there. It's odd because I can see more noticeably some times more than others. Anyway, washed my hair, got my nails done, toes done, washed clothes... I'm still on this 'relaxation' thing. Gotta get ready for the new week.
Day 32: Top of the WeekBack to work I go. I mentioned how stressful the previous week was. Monday actually ended up being ok. There was some high points of the day that made me raise my eyebrow like, please don't start with that again. It never fails though, everyone says I'm doing so well so that's great to hear. Definitely keeps my spirits up. But there goes that dark area in my eye. My coworker thought it was weird that I said I couldn't see. Like, I was still trying to gauge how bad this was. I knew I needed to call the doctor but never did.
Day 33: ToooosdayTuesday was a pretty productive day. I had another therapy session today. We got alot of things done at work today too. No real issues with my ear or face. Well maybe a couple things. Occasionally I'll feel this pain in my ear/head. Man I'm just all messed up. It's also sort of odd that, when I'm massaging my face in the morning I can feel my cheek almost "stick" in that spot. Moving along, I spent the early evening searching for a postcard for Nikkie's 3rd grade class. And although there was nothing related to the Bell's Palsy, that "non-seeing eye" was really bothering me. If I cover my right eye (the Bell's Palsy eye) I can't see. If I cover the left eye (non-seeing) I can see fine. Don't get me wrong I can see but reading it not as easy with JUST the left eye. I'm definitely calling the doctor tomorrow.
Day 32: Top of the WeekBack to work I go. I mentioned how stressful the previous week was. Monday actually ended up being ok. There was some high points of the day that made me raise my eyebrow like, please don't start with that again. It never fails though, everyone says I'm doing so well so that's great to hear. Definitely keeps my spirits up. But there goes that dark area in my eye. My coworker thought it was weird that I said I couldn't see. Like, I was still trying to gauge how bad this was. I knew I needed to call the doctor but never did.
Day 33: ToooosdayTuesday was a pretty productive day. I had another therapy session today. We got alot of things done at work today too. No real issues with my ear or face. Well maybe a couple things. Occasionally I'll feel this pain in my ear/head. Man I'm just all messed up. It's also sort of odd that, when I'm massaging my face in the morning I can feel my cheek almost "stick" in that spot. Moving along, I spent the early evening searching for a postcard for Nikkie's 3rd grade class. And although there was nothing related to the Bell's Palsy, that "non-seeing eye" was really bothering me. If I cover my right eye (the Bell's Palsy eye) I can't see. If I cover the left eye (non-seeing) I can see fine. Don't get me wrong I can see but reading it not as easy with JUST the left eye. I'm definitely calling the doctor tomorrow.
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