Just when you think things are looking up, you get smacked with something new to worry over.
My migraine induced vision issue, which started over a week ago and has not gotten any better, sent me to my Ophthalmologist today.
Cheryl was working with a client in the area near the doctor's office, and was able to break away in time to be with me for this visit. I am very grateful for that! The news might be good or bad, and we both will have to live with it.
The doctor, who I have visited for many years, did a normal exterior vision test and found no real change since my last full exam a couple of years ago. That much is fine. But I was there to find out about why I was not seeing clearly on the left side of my eye, so she did more tests.
Vision Field Test
The doctor had a new toy, and it was pretty interesting. You stare at a spot on a white screen while they flash spots up all around on the screen. You punch a clicker when you see the spots flash. This is exactly like an ear test, only this one determines where in your field of vision you can see. It was interesting, but I realized very quickly that I am not seeing normally in a good chunk of the left side of that one remaining eye.
The test showed that I am not seeing well in about half of the left side of that eye. The right side is fairly OK.
Not Good!
Stroke?
The doctor was puzzled by this. There is no sign of anything evil in the eye itself, save for a bunch of "floaters" and "asteroids" which are chains of cells floating in your eye fluid, or chunks of material that just look like dark spots floating around. I have had these in that eye for most of my life, although I think they are getting worse over time.
In any case, she saw no detached retina, no tumors in the eye, nothing!
So the only conclusion she could come up with was some kind of neurological issue. The most common cause might be disrupted blood flow to the eye, and that can happen if you have a stroke,
I did have a headache when this all started, but it felt like a migraine to me, so I doubt I had a stroke, unless it was a tiny one.
In any case, she wants me to get tested as soon as possible, which means an MRI or another CT scan. I just had one a few weeks ago, but that was before the event, so I need another one! I seem to live in these durned machines these days.
I will need to see my normal doctor to get that test ordered up, so I have an appointment tomorrow.
So, How Does This Feel?
You can probably guess. This could be serious enough to shut down my working career, my driving, and who knows what else. I cannot let my mind go there, or I will fall apart. At the very least, I am happy that this is not another round of cancer, but I am not happy that I may have other issues lurking around waiting for their turn at bat (bad metaphor!)
All Cheryl and I can do now is hang on. I am healing, but I have a way to go yet. I have to work up to eating (and swallowing) solid food so they can get rid of the feeding tube that is in my nose. I am walking now with just a cane, no walker needed, so that is good, and I am off pain medicines.
But my mouth is still a mess. Because of the flap they put in to cover my new jawbone, I simple cannot say any word beginning with the letter "B". It comes out as a "V"). Setting up this appointment for today was hilarious. The receptionist asked me my name: "Roie Black" I tried to say. She heard "Roie Vlack" and could not determine that I was a patient. I said "A, B, Roie Black", and she heard "A, V, Roie Vlack" and had no idea what to make of that. Finally, I gave up and handed the phone to cousin Bill (Vill?) who got through to her what my name was.
Dr. Yu will probably restore my "B" when he trims down the flap in a few weeks.
Anyway, I am struggling to absorb all of this, and trying not to let my mind go to worst-case possibilities. I still have a team of doctors who can help, and perhaps this is something they can fix, or I will grow out of. I sure hope so. The idea of going blind is not one I even want to think about.
Cheryl told me our entire church seems to be watching this unfold, and they are all praying for us in this. That is just amazing, and all of the support we are getting is making this very difficult time easier to get through.
Keep those prayers coming folks, this adventure we are having is not over yet.
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