Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Everywhere I turn/spinning in circles

Sunday offered a pleasant diversion in honor of our anniversary and a gentle, soaking rain. That meant Monday would have been the perfect time to pull weeds from the softened ground, but I only managed to pull some from the gravel driveway before going to work, then visiting a laid-up friend, then taking Brian to his violin lesson. When we got home, he and Rick unloaded a trailer load of hay they had picked up earlier in the day and then picked up the last load.

While they were working on hay, I did evening chores. I didn't see Oreo, our chief hay inspector, anywhere, though I called for her. A vague concern that has been niggling at the back of my brain crawled around to the prefrontal cortex.

It took a bit longer for another – not concern, more like a little anomaly – to march up and knock on that prefrontal cortex.

For a couple days I had noticed a small flock of floaters buzzing around the upper left side of my head. I had to consciously process that they were floaters, they looked so much like little bugs or occasionally stray hairs. Last night while doing chores, I noted with surprise and a little amusement that the black insects had turned into lightning bugs darting by my peripheral vision. It wasn't until after I got in the house and asked Rick to look at the outside corner my left eye, which now felt a bit dry and irritated, that I remembered something from friend Adrienne's blog. She has dealt with a torn retina several times, and mentioned floaters and flashes. This morning I sat down at my laptop and read her posts, then checked my preferred website for medical questions, mayoclinic.org. My search revealed this:

I have an appointment at 2:10.

No time to sit and fret; I went down to do morning chores. I saw Oreo sitting on the driveway so I walked over to check on her. She let me pick her up and hold her without struggling, NOT normal for our social but unsnuggly little barn cat. She's also lost a lot of weight. I called Rick and told him we have a compromised kitty on our hands, and asked him to bring home suitable meds and some canned cat food to tempt her. Then I gave her lots of loving; touch can be healing, after all.




Worrying about my eye and Oreo's health wasn't going to accomplish anything, however. Time-sensitive tasks are everywhere I turn. Strawberries need picking, weeds need pulling, hay needs procuring, fence needs fixing, sheep need shearing, fleece needs skirting. BUT – the rain had flattened the grass enough to make the tansy and thistles obvious and I had room in the trash bin, so I grabbed two feed sacks and a shovel. I got the bottom pasture cleaned out, then finished filling the sacks, packed down and overflowing, with weeds from the arena. Now I'm going to get in a quick ride on my pony before the arena footing dries out completely before heading to the ophthalmologist's office.

That's all I know for now at . . .

9 comments:

Debbie said...

Fingers crossed for your appointment, for Oreo......for tasks not done, they will be there later. Take care of yourself.

Belated anniversary wishes to you and Rick.

Mama Pea said...

For a visually impaired lady you sure got a lot done before your appointment! I, too, have "floaters." A couple of years ago I had what seemed like a BIG one in my left eye . . . almost like a thick black thread going from top to bottom. I decided if it was still there the next day, I'd call for an appointment. Fortunately, it disappeared. When I next saw my optometrist, I told her about it and she said it could have indicated a detached retina, but since it "disappeared" it probably wasn't anything to worry about. Needless to say, she checked my eye out thoroughly and gave it a clean bill of health.

Please don't forget to update us regarding your doctor's visit. Fingers crossed for you! For Oreo, too.

Michelle said...

Here's a post-appointment update for you two in advance of another blog post. I have "vitreous separation" which is no big deal as long as it doesn't tug at the retina enough to tear or detach IT. I go back for a recheck in four weeks.

Theresa said...

Oh that's a lot of worry to shoulder. Glad that the eye isn't too bad, and prayers and healing thoughts for Miss Oreo. I'm sure both of us wish that they could speak, so that we could pinpoint problems faster and better. Happy Anniversary you two, go for broke, make it Anniversary week. I would say 30 something years deserves that at the very least.

A :-) said...

As soon as I read your symptoms I knew. I figured it was likely some of the vitreous detaching, which happens for some of us as we age. Any time you experience this - a new crop of floaters and/or flashing - you need to get in and be seen as soon as possible. You did exactly the right thing. I'm so glad your retina did not tear. But it could have, which is why you have to be seen. Every time. No exceptions. The floaters will fade over time as the blood is reabsorbed by the body. I'm sure your doc told you all this. I still have one stubborn black dot that comes and goes in my vision. I call him Charlie. :-D

All kidding aside, I know how scarey this experience can be - I'm so glad this was just a bit of the vitreous. :-)

A :-) said...

Oh - and I've had multiple instances of the vitreous detaching - unfortunately it seems to detach in bits and pieces - but only one actual retinal tear. The precursor to my retina tearing was flashing the night before and then the massive Medusa-like floaters and what looked like a sand storm when it actually tore.

Again, very glad this was just the vitreous!

Retired Knitter said...

Read your post appointment update. Hoping for no further issues. And that sweet kitty, how fortunate to have medical help so available. Hope that goes well too

Susan said...

Went through that myself - we women usually push it off and concentrate on getting our jobs done before taking care of ourselves. I'm glad you checked it out and am sending love and healing thoughts to you and sweet Oreo.

Michelle said...

Would love to take a week, Theresa, but work and life must go on!

A, your posts were a Godsend; thank-you!

RK, I'm afraid our medical help for Oreo may be too little, too late. She's not doing well....

But there's so much to DO, Susan (like anyone would ever need to remind you of that - ha!)!