Went to the doctor with Geri today. Had the stitch removed. Again - instant relief! Wow - I'm glad that's over! Dr. Martin said he's really pleased with the tone and tightness of both lower lids. He said to start using the drops in the right eye again and keep using the bacitracin. He said to be very careful when I put the drops in not to pull on either the upper or the lower lid. The stitches are very tiny and we don't want any of them to pull. Even the left one, he said is still very vulnerable and I should still take great care not to rub or pull on the lids.
He said I should wait to schedule my appointment with my cornea specialist until after the right eye has healed. He wants to see me again in two weeks and see how it's doing. Once he releases me to the cornea doctor's care, then I should make the appointment.
We talked again about the cataract. He said I should definitely wait a few months, after all is healed, to start considering that surgery. He said at that point, I would have to discuss those options with the cornea doctor and my regular eye doctor to weigh the risks. He said the corneas are definitely better protected now, but they still may not be healed enough for my eye doctor to see through it to get to the cataract. He really didn't sound very optimistic. But I'm not giving up hope yet! Who knows what God has in store?! I keep praying, and so far, God has surrounded me with His peace - not to mention the love and support of all my family and friends! And GREAT doctors! :)
I also asked him how often he does this type of surgery. He says he does a lot of them, but very seldom for my problem. He said the neurotrophic keratopathy is not a common problem from diabetes. He said while neuropathy is very common in diabetes, keratopathy is not. You hear more about diabetic retinopathy (which I have also had and been treated for) than keratopathy. Most of the time, the surgery is done as a result of a brain tumor damaging the trigeminal nerve, and sometimes, but not as often, from head trauma. So, that was kind of interesting, and somewhat explains why I couldn't find much information online about my condition.
Another reason for this blog! Hopefully, it can be used by someone else faced with the decisions I've had to make, to help them gain some perspective on what to expect - though each individual's experience may be different.
Geri and I had a great visit along the way. We solved the problems of the world. We now know how to raise our children perfectly and what all marriages need to survive! lol Just kidding - though we did have some opinions!!! :)
Mom and Dad ended up not going to South Carolina today. The graduation has been postponed, so Mom came by and we went to lunch at Max & Erma's. She got to see my eye and we both agree that the right one is still a little swollen, but after the swelling goes down, it will look just like the left one - which is what the doctor said too!
I am very pleased with the way it looks. There is still some mild bruising, but it's subsiding. I'm off narcotic painkillers now, and it feels so much better!
I'm posting a new picture today to let you see the difference!
Hope you are all doing well!
Love, Deb :)
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