I went to another doctor to check out my un-closing, un-blinking, creepy left eye yesterday. This guy is a regular MD who specializes in corneas and problems of this nature so he seemed to know what he's talking about / be an expert in this type of thing.
He said my eye looks pretty good, all things considered. I'm supposed to keep on the hourly eye drops (changed kind again - I never knew eye drops could get so expensive!), lacrilube ointment every 4 hours, and constant "moisture chamber" (the medical word for the plastic wrap held on with a ring of vaseline around my eye). He also added this prescription thing that's like a vaseline sprinkle we're supposed to put in my lower eye lid three times a day that grows and then melts to provide more constant moisture. It's weird and gross, but whatever.
A few interesting moments from the visit -
-When the tech was getting my history and then asked how old I am and I said "24", she looked SO sad. Like she was going to start crying. It would have been funny if it weren't actually pretty sad.
-The Dr half jokingly offered to sew my eye closed and I was just like "no".
-The Dr said "tell me when you feel this" and poked my eye with a piece of cotton a few times before I just shrugged and he stopped. I never felt it.
-I need to go sooner than later for my eye fixing surgery because my cornea could potentially 'melt', even with all these precautions.
He asked my 'prognosis' and I didn't really know what to say because I wasn't sure what he was referring to. I was thinking "well they said they removed all the tumor and it's a benign vestibular schwannoma, but that doesn't mean it can't ever grow back or I get another one, and besides, it already effed me up pretty bad", but what he meant was in regards to my facial nerve so I said "well, they said it's anatomically preserved but was pretty stretched out so we just have to wait and see." He nodded. He said, "Yeah I've seen this where the nerve is stunned and then wakes up, and I've seen this where the nerve is stunned and stays that way."
I know the docs speak very optimistically, but I'm thinking I'm going to be stuck like this for a very long time, if not forever.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Nicole, this is Lauren from MGH. I am so impressed with you. Thank you for giving us this window into your experience. we are rooting for you. We came to MGH around the same time, we were pregnant with our second babes at the same time and left MGH at the same time. you are my sister nurse and I am thinking about you all the time and reading your blog often. What a blessing that you are pulling through this. I know it is hard. You definitely make me appreciate the little things so much more. I look forward to seeing your recovery continue and to seeing all that you will do in this world. You are a beautiful person with many gifts. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteLauren
i am so sorry you are dealing with this. i am glad they were able to get all the tumor but wow - sounds like recovery is such a challenge. i am rooting for you during this journey.
ReplyDelete