A Trip to Dr Tavel...

Dad took me by Dr. Tavel's today to look into some "WileyX" glasses. They are protective safety glasses, usually sunglasses, mostly used for sports or outdoor activities. They look like regular sunglasses, but they have removable foam inserts that kind of hug the outer eye area, to protect the eye from wind and debris. We originally heard about them when we went in for the second opinion. That doctor had suggested them and I had tried them on in his office. While they are a fantastic idea, they are expensive, so we decided not to purchase them at that time, and to wait until after surgery.
So Dad and looked at several pairs, and I decided on one I liked best. We found out we can get them with transition lenses, so I can wear them inside and outside. They ordered them for me today and said they should be delivered in 5-7 days. With the holiday coming up, they should be here by Wednesday next week! WOW! That's great! I'll have them before my next surgery! Dad's kind of excited about them. I think he thinks their cool! :) They are! And they'll be that much more protection for my corneas! I want to do all I can to save them!
Love to all,
Deb :)

Follow up appointment...

Dad took me to see Dr. Martin today. He found an eyelash that was growing "askew" and a stitch that was rubbing my eye. He removed the stitch and pulled the eyelash. WOW!! Immediate relief! THAT'S what was irritating my eye so badly! Whew! I'm glad that's over!
He said everything looks really good, and that the next step is to try to make the other one (the right one) look as similar to the left one.
He told me to continue using the drops and gel as before, but to stop using the bacitracin at night. We scheduled the right surgery for Monday, September 12 at 11:30am. Ann, his assistant, told me to stop taking my daily aspirin as of today and to do the same procedure with my insulin pump as before.
So - 13 days to go!
The second countdown begins.....
Love,
Deb :)

Eacret Reunion...

Well, the reunion was this afternoon. Charlene came and picked me up. Rick had to work, and Thad and Hunter really didn't want to go, so Char and I went together. We had a lot of fun, mixing and mingling. I got to see Susie. She's my dad's cousin who also has Type I diabetes and trouble with her vision. I should really talk to her more and get to know her better. I told her I think about her often, wonder how she's doing, and that she is my inspiration! She never seems to let her limitations keep her from enjoying family and friends, and she always has a smile!
I also talked with Uncle Sonny, Aunt Julie, Aunt Lou, Geri Sears, Kathy Barton, Jody (sorry, Jody - I can't remember your last name! :)), and Jerry (my brother) and Kelsey came too! Everyone said my eye looks really good! It wasn't nearly as bad as what they all expected! Nor I - I have to say! I'm really pleased with the way it's healing and how it feels. (Just getting impatient for the other one to be done! :))
Anyway, we had a great time and the weather was beautiful! I think Mom may have posted some of the pictures on Facebook.
Tuesday's right around the corner, and I'll let you know how that goes!
Love,
Deb

Irritation Update...

Well, this morning, there's still a little irritation, though I think I can deal with it. Yesterday, it was just so frustrating, I was getting kind of emotional and irritable. Today, I think if I just rest it frequently and keep putting compresses on it, I'll do okay. The redness and swelling are better, so maybe there was something in it yesterday and it worked itself out. Who knows?!
Anyway, I'm not going to call the doctor, and I told Mom to go ahead with their travel plans today.
The Eacret family reunion is this Saturday, and I am planning on going. The eye doesn't really look that bad, and other than the fact that I'm still "lopsided", I'm really not that bothered by it. I do plan to wear my sunglasses though.
And I'm looking forward to seeing Dr. Martin on the 30th, so we can schedule the next surgery.
Until next time -
Love to everyone,
Deb :)

A Little Glitch...

This morning, when I woke up, I noticed the lower lid of my left eye was red and it seemed more swollen than yesterday. It was very irritated and felt like there was an eyelash in it, or a piece of fuzz or something. Not sure if I should call the doctor, I had Mom come over and look at it to see what she thought.
Without pulling on the eyelids, and being very gentle, she had me look up, then down, then side to side. She said she didn't see anything there. She suggested I just sit and relax with my eyes closed for a while. I put a cold compress on it, took a couple of Tylenol, and leaned back in the recliner. I ended up falling asleep and woke up about an hour and a half later. The eye felt more soothed, but was still red. I thought it still looked a little swollen, though Mom and Thad didn't think so.
Mom and Dad are going down to Fort Ritner to spend the day with Ted and RJ tomorrow to celebrate Ted's birthday, so Mom said that if it still feels irritated tomorrow, I should call the doctor first thing in the morning to see if I could get in to see him. If so, she and Dad would postpone their trip South and she would take me to the doctor.
We'll see how it feels in the AM.
Otherwise, I'm still using the eye drops frequently and still using bacitracin at night in the outer corner. Cold compresses still help. They just feel so soothing!
I'll write more tomorrow with an update.
Until then, have a wonderful evening and thanks as always for your prayers and thoughts!
Love to all,
Deb :)

One week later...

Well, it's been a week since my last entry and, aside from Hunter starting 7th grade, it's been pretty uneventful.
I've posted a current picture so you can see how much I've healed. I'm beginning to feel better about everything, except that I'm still lopsided. !) The swelling has gone down quite a bit, and the redness and bruising is gone. I've looked in the mirror and squinted with my right eye, and it really doesn't look too bad. I think it'll still look "normal" - just different - once the other eye is done and healed.
Last Saturday, we took Hunter to see "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" at the movie theater to celebrate the end of summer. We all enjoyed it! I didn't have any problems watching the movie. I kept my alarms on my insulin pump and had my eye drops with me, so I kept to my schedule, and quietly and discreetly added my eye drops during the movie. I did have to make a conscious effort to blink often to avoid dryness, but other than that, I didn't have any difficulty - no dryness, no redness, no pain.
I am still using all my drops, though today I stopped using the serum drops. My last vial expired yesterday and I have not renewed my prescription. They're very expensive, and with these surgeries, I'm getting the impression from my doctors that I won't need them any longer once my corneas are protected. I will be sure to ask when I see the surgeon on August 30 just to be safe. It's less than two weeks away and I don't think it'll cause any damage in that time, if I should still be using them.
I am completely off any pain medicine, though I still use a cold compress occasionally to ease the itching. I am waking with a crusty film on my eyelids in the morning (probably from the gel I use at bedtime), but I use a cold washcloth to loosen and remove it when I get up. I would use a warm one, but the cold feels better on my eye.
I am still not driving. My vision seems to be better - I'm seeing a lot "crisper", but I reluctantly agree with Thad and the doctors that it's probably not the best idea for me to be driving. My peripheral vision is greatly compromised, though I don't realize it until I bump into something, or until I actually "test" my field of vision. It's kind of hard to describe. My side vision is not dark, or black. It's very light, which gives the illusion that I'm seeing the environment to my left and to my right, but I'm not. When I actually take my hand and move it from the outside inward toward my center vision, I don't see my hand until it's almost right in front of my face. It's hard to understand, I know. It's hard for me to understand. I would think those areas would be dark, or black, but they're not.
Anyway, the doctors say I probably won't ever regain my ability to drive. That's a hard pill to swallow. So much of my independence has been taken away. I think I could deal with it a little better if I didn't feel so bad telling Hunter no when he asks if we can go somewhere. We either have to wait for Thad to get home, or I have to bother someone for a ride. It's just inconvenient.
Luckily, though, we don't live far from the mall or several other stores. Hunter and I have walked several times to the pet store to get crickets for his tarantula and bearded dragon, and we even walked to Burger King one day to have lunch. It's good for both of us to get out and walk - enjoy the weather and get some exercise. I've walked up to the dollar store a couple of times to pick up a few grocery items we needed.
Well, that's about all for now. I'll continue to keep you posted as my healing progresses, and, of course, into the next surgery.
God bless you all and keep praying! It's working!
Love,
Deb :)

The swelling is going down...

Good morning!
I just launched my wonderful husband off to his work day. Those of you who know him can appreciate his sense of humor. After reading my blog entry last night, he assured me that he only married me for my nose! lol :) This morning, as he kissed me goodbye, he told me again, "Remember, I married you for your nose - who else would have told you about the booger hanging out of it on our first date?!" (Okay, it wasn't our FIRST date, but it DID happen! :))
Anyway, I love him so much for his ability to make me laugh! He is truly my sunshine! Even though our marriage seemed rocky in the beginning - many thought we wouldn't last - God knew what he was doing when He brought us together! He has molded us and shaped both of us so that He is now the Center of our relationship! I praise Him every day for that! What a blessing He has given me! And let's never forget to mention the miracle of our baby boy, Hunter! He has held me together, motivated me to push on, and often, he has been the inspiration for Thad and me to work together! All along, God was working our hearts so that when these storms approached, we would be able to weather them together! How AMAZING is our God!!!
Well, I just wanted to share that little bit of inspiration this morning, before I went on to mention a few things that I omitted from my entry yesterday.
After the stitch was removed, I resumed the strict eye drop schedule in my left eye, as well as my right. I had been using the Refresh, GenTeal and Serum drops in my right eye through the recovery of my left, but now I have started  using them in my right one again too, per the doctor's instructions. I am also still using the post-surgery Bacitracin in the outer corner of my left eye at bedtime. I have reduced my pain meds to regular extra-strength Tylenol, and only have to take it once a day now. I am still using the cold compresses two-three times a day to relieve the swelling, some discomfort and occasional itching. Last night, I took a Benadryl to help relieve some itching and to relax a little to help me sleep.
My vision is a little better this morning, and my field of vision seems to be a little greater since the swelling has reduced a bit. It's still a little red around the edges of the lids, but overall, it's looking better - although, I still think it's ugly! I'm adjusting to the whole situation though. With God's help, life will get back to normal in the next few months, and hopefully, when all is said and done, I'll have regained some of the vision I've lost. I continue to pray and hope that these surgeries accomplish what the goal is - to prevent any further damage to my corneas! If we can prevent the ulcers, we can retain my vision! That's my prayer!
Thank you again for your prayers, your emails and your words of encouragement! Love to all,
Debbie :)

The stitch has been removed...

Good morning! Sorry I haven't written in a couple of days. Yesterday was a little emotional. Mom took me to have the stitch removed that held the upper and lower eyelids together. When I opened my eyes, my vision was still quite blurry, yet much better than looking through the right eye only, with the cataract.
After the doctor left, but before we left the exam room, I looked in the mirror to see what the result looked like. I have to say, it was a shock. I knew it would look bad, but I guess I really didn't know what to expect. I cried. It's just so ugly, to me. I don't want people to see me differently. I don't want people to stare. Most of all, I don't want to have to answer questions. "What happened to your eye?!" "Did you have an accident?!" "Did somebody hit you?!" I just want to look normal!
I was angry, afraid, embarrassed, discouraged - all rolled up into one. It was hard to hold the tears back.
All my life, people have told me I have such beautiful eyes. Ever since I was a little girl, whenever I've looked in the mirror, I've tried to find the things that made me "pretty". When I've looked at pictures of myself, it's always been my eyes that I thought made me the most attractive, especially when I wore eye makeup.
I've always felt self-conscious when I didn't wear eye makeup. I didn't feel as "pretty". I wasn't as self-confident, and I always prayed I wouldn't run into anyone I knew if I went out without makeup on.
When the doctors first told me I had to stop wearing eye makeup, that was an adjustment in itself. Now, it's even worse! Not only do my eyes appear "naked", or "not pretty", but now, at least the left one, is just down-right ugly!
Okay, this was my initial reaction. I had to go to the middle school last night to register Hunter. I wore my sunglasses the entire time. There were so many people, some I knew, some I didn't. Some knew about the surgery, some didn't. Again, I just didn't want to answer any questions. And, truthfully, I was hoping I wouldn't see anyone I knew. Luckily, I didn't.
The eye was still very puffy, both upper and lower lids, red and irritated, and looked very small. I rested my eyes most of the evening last night, and used a couple of cold compresses to ease the discomfort and swelling. I'm having some sharp, stabbing pains in the lids every now and then, but other than that, it doesn't feel too bad. The compresses soothe a lot.
This morning, it's not quite as swollen, and I can see a little better, though still not quite as good as before surgery. I've been praying a lot, and Mom and I talked a lot yesterday about the many blessings there are in this journey. At least they CAN do something to save my corneas! I AM still able to see! The most wonderful blessing of all is that I have the people in my life that God has given me! So many prayers, so much love! I've said it many times before, but I can never express fully how grateful I am for all of you! I would not be able to face any of this without you! God is SO Good!
I woke up this morning with a Psalm Response in my head that we used to sing at Mass when I was a little girl. "The Lord is my rock and my salvation. I trust in Him and have no fear. I sing of the joy which His love gives to me, and I draw deeply on the springs of His great kindness." Oh, how true those words ring in my heart today!
This has not changed who I am - only my appearance - and I know my family and friends still love me! None of that has changed!
I thank you all again for your love and your support! Especially my wonderful husband, Thad - thank you for being here, for helping me, for your patience, your love, your strength and your faith! Hunter - for your wonderful sense of humor, for your compassion, for your help, for being twelve! Mom and Dad - for sharing my story with your families and friends, for your transportation, for your time, for your love, for your faith, and mostly for the foundations you laid when I was young. To ALL my family and friends who have prayed for me, who have picked me up, sometimes at the last minute, to run me somewhere I needed to go, for the coffee breaks, for the play dates, for the laughter and the memories, for being who you are!
It's not over yet. I have a follow up appointment on August 30, and depending on how my left eye has healed, we will discuss scheduling the surgery on the right eye. So, now I have to go a little over two, almost three weeks, with lopsided eyes! - Another reason for my self-consciousness. At least if both eyes looked alike, it wouldn't look as abnormal. But I know that will come. I just have to be patient. (Not an easy task for an Eacret! :))
Anyway, I am doing better today - back to my regular routines and dealing with daily life at the Linton Household - which, living with Thad and Hunter, is ALWAYS an adventure, NEVER boring!
I will continue to keep you updated and let you know when the next surgery is to happen.
Thanks so much and love to all,
Debbie :)

Post Op Day 5

Well today Mom and Hunter and I took the 2 dogs, Angel and Penny, to the park. It was nice to get out of the house and enjoy the summer air. We were gone about an hour and had a good time. The nurse from Dr. Martin's office called when we got home, and my follow up appointment is scheduled for tomorrow @ 10:45 A.M. I will have to see one of Dr. Martin's associates because he is in another town this week seeing patients. The nurse said that the stitch holding my eyelids together will be removed tomorrow, and I anticipate that I will be able to see out of my left eye. It will be nice to be able to see again after 6 days with very poor vision, to be able to function once again on my own. We as humans value our independence, but it is good to know that we have people who care about us when we need assistance. My blood sugars are stable. I continue to use drops and pain medication per routine. I also am still using Benadryl caplets to relieve the terrible itching in my left eye. It does help, and so do the cold compresses to the surgical site. We'll be posting a new picture after the stitch is removed. I will be able to look in the mirror for the first time since surgery to see the effect it has had on my appearance. I continue to Blog, as it is good therapy for me. I welcome your comments. They encourage me. After tomorrow, I'll be half way through. I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how things went.
(transcribed by Anne, Debbie's Mom.)

Post Op Day 4

Last evening my two sisters-in-law stopped in to see me and brought me some beautiful flowers, although I couldn't see them very well. I had Mom take a picture so I can see them after my eye heals. Today the swelling has gone down a bit. I'm still using cold compresses for comfort plus they help reduce the itching. I'm taking a little less pain medicine today, still using Benadryl and using the drops in my right eye. Each night I am applying a Neosporin ointment to the outer corner of my left eye where the stitches are, as directed by my surgeon. There has also been clear drainage from the inner corner of the left eye, causing a crusty layer to form, but the doctor said that would be expected, and I should not try to remove it or it could cause bleeding. A friend of Mom's from work brought dinner over tonight. It was sooo good. Mom and Dad joined me for lasagna, salad, bread and sugar-free strawberry pie for dessert. Mmmm Mmmmm. It was scrumptious. (Thank you, Julie ). I am able to shower and wash my hair as long as I don't get the left eye wet. I showered today, and had no trouble. As far as my emotional and mental perspective, I am having trouble accepting help from others. I feel like I should be doing more, but the limited vision in my right eye prevents me from being independent. It's been hard for me to swallow my pride and accept that I cannot do this alone. I have sometimes been irritable toward the ones I love most, but only out of frustration due to my limits. I'm still waiting for the nurse to schedule my follow up visit when they will remove the stitch holding my left eye closed.  Hopefully she will call tomorrow. Until then, I continue to watch my blood sugars closely and take care of myself. I know that when this is over, I need to be at my best for my family. Having their love makes this a lot easier. That's all for now. Good-night and God Bless.
 (transcribed by Anne, Debbie's Mom )

Post op day 3

Yesterday, the pain was a little worse, so I took two pain pills every four hours rather than one, and that seemed to help.

I spent most of the day resting in my recliner.

Thad and Hunter were great helps to me; with my blood sugars, and meals. I had a special craving for a tomato and cheese sandwich. Thad made a special trip to the garden we planted late, due to the Spring flooding, and found a tomato for me. The sandwiches were VERY good!

Thad also helped me with my cold-compresses which are SO soothing. Especially now, because the surgery site is becoming very itchy. I took Benadryl to fight the itching and it worked very well [Keep Benadryl handy as your eye starts healing!].

Ann, my mother-in-law, came by to see me last night and said that she, and her sisters are still praying for healing.

The nurse is supposed to call tomorrow to schedule my follow-up appointment, which will probably be on Wednesday, to have the stitch removed. I should then be able to see out of my left eye. Then we'll talk about scheduling the surgery on my right eye.

Over all, I'm doing well.

Keep the prayers coming, and I will continue to keep you updated on my progress.

Thanks and LOVE to all!

Debbie :^)  [transcribed by Thad]

Post op day 1

After an uneventful night, Deb awoke with a swollen left eye with some discoloration. She said that she slept okay in her recliner, keeping her head elevated above her chest. She took prescription pain medicine every four hours as directed to keep her pain from getting out of control. She is experiencing some tearing from the left eye. The doctor said that was to be expected. She received a call from the nurse today checking on her progress. She has also been keeping cold compresses on the surgical site to relieve swelling and pain. She reports that these are very soothing. I spent the day with Debbie and Hunter while Thad was at work. She is able to get around with some assistance, and continues to use eye drops in her Right eye. Her blood sugars are stable. Her fasting this A.M. was 95. She is careful to watch them closely. She will continue to recuperate at home this weekend with Thad and Hunter. We're really happy that everything is going according to plan. Thad will continue to help Debbie update her Blog this weekend.
Debbie's Mom.

Day of Surgery

This is Anne, Debbie's Mom. Today was the date of surgery. Debbie's Dad ,Jerry, and I accompanied Debbie to  the Surgery Center at 10:30 A.M. where we met with Dr. Martin. He was very thorough in explaining once again what he planned to do. The procedure took 45 minutes, and Deb was in Recovery for another 45 minutes. Jerry and I met with the doctor afterward and he told us that everything went well.
We were able to see Debbie then, and she was resting comfortably. She told us that she was able to feel some pain in her eye during the procedure , and was given an additional anesthetic. The nurse in Recovery gave her a pain pill to ease her pain and some nausea medicine and morphine in her IV to speed up the pain relief. We left the surgery center at 2 P.M. and Debbie spent the afternoon resting at our house until her husband and son got home. We are attaching a picture of her after the surgery. We are grateful everything went well and she will recover soon. Thanks to everyone for your many prayers. We will continue to update Debbie's progress.

Tomorrow's the day....

Well, it's kinda cloudy out this morning, but still very hot! So we're off to the pool today! I'm looking forward to pretending to be a kid today! I may even attempt the slide! :) I just want to have one really fun day with Hunter before life changes! School's just around the corner and summer's almost over, so this'll be our last fling of the season! Look out Perry Park!!! :)
Still kinda nervous, but I know that God is hearing all our prayers! He sent me a special message this morning!
Thad will be posting a "Before" picture this evening, and I'll have him and Mom take over after that. So, please keep me in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. It will be a long journey.
Love and thanks to all,
Debbie :)

Two days....

Finishing up chores today. The doctor called this morning with my adjustments to my insulin pump for the night before and day of surgery. It's starting to hit me a little harder today. A little more emotion, a LOT more prayer! I am confident everything will turn out as He plans, but what about what I plan?!
Sometimes it's harder to understand that God has a plan even if it's not the same as ours! When things don't turn out the way we want, we assume that God has abandoned us. But in reality, God has a purpose for the outcomes we don't anticipate. He has the bigger picture in His hands! He holds the Master Plan!
He has given me what I need to get through this - loving family, amazing friends and the gift of faith in Him!
Thank you, God, for your Power and your Will! I praise you and love you with all my heart!

Three more days....

Today I am putting together a binder filled with instructions for everyone so they can help me get through at least the first week or so, while my left eye is bandaged.
Hunter had his friends spend another night last night and they stayed out til 10:30p.m. swimming! They really had a good time!
Mom says she's getting a lot of emails from friends and family offering their prayers and loving thoughts for my upcoming day! Thank you to all for your comfort and support! It means far more than you can imagine!
Be sure to keep checking in after surgery to keep tabs on my recovery!
Thanks again, and God bless you all! :)