BrianK Posted April 7 Author Report Share Posted April 7 2 hours ago, Armed Eye Doc said: I could get you an appointment quicker, but you'd have to come to Texas. 😁 I'd like to see Texas... someday. But for medical stuff I think it makes sense for me to stay close to home for follow ups and such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted June 22 Author Report Share Posted June 22 Update... I saw the eye Dr who can do the UV light adjusting replacement lens. 1 of 2 in the state. I'm not a candidate. The eye needs to dilate to at least 7.2mm. My eyes dilate to 6mm. But all isn't lost. My left eye will do fine with an ordinary replacement lens. The astigmatism in my right eye can be fixed with a Toric (was that the word used?) lens. And they'll cost quite a bit less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted June 22 Report Share Posted June 22 9 minutes ago, BrianK said: Update... I saw the eye Dr who can do the UV light adjusting replacement lens. 1 of 2 in the state. I'm not a candidate. The eye needs to dilate to at least 7.2mm. My eyes dilate to 6mm. But all isn't lost. My left eye will do fine with an ordinary replacement lens. The astigmatism in my right eye can be fixed with a Toric (was that the word used?) lens. And they'll cost quite a bit less. Toric is the correct term. It just means that it corrects astigmatism. Go in with a positive outlook for the better vision and you will adapt fine to your new vision after surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted June 25 Author Report Share Posted June 25 Thanks. It won't be as good as my natural lens when I was 20 (no part of me is 20 anymore but get the brain to understand that!), but I'm looking forward to getting this done. At the same time, and I have yet to see the other Dr again, we want to get drains installed (stints?) so that I can reduce or even eliminate the eye drops I take 2x in the day and before going to bed. Most people I know who have had it done like the result. Right now I have really great close up vision. It's like having a magnifying glass in front of each eye. When I have close up work I remove my glasses and just bring it close. That vision will be turned backwards. That'll be different. I'll never totally be able to get rid of my glasses but I never really had any expectation of that. One person I know didn't like the result. She has reading glasses stationed in every room. She wishes she never requested 20/20 vision. But I want to see what's far away and at this time I have issues with that. I'm an amateur astronomer and all I can see are extremely bright objects in the nighttime sky. Navigate the sky? No way. I can't see the stars. I really miss not seeing the nighttime sky. Hopefully I'll get the Milky Way and nebula and such back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted July 4 Author Report Share Posted July 4 Update: Went to see the ophthalmologist who isn't booking wayyyy out (he's new to the area and my optometrist says that he does beautiful work). My eyes changed again since the last exam a few months ago so made a new app't for another exam in a month. We want to get this right. But no matter, as long as the surgery goes well my eyes should be better than what I presently have. I have excellent up close vision, I call my vision profoundly near sighted. Not so good at distance or for fine detail and I miss that. I eagerly anticipate seeing what my new eyes will give me. But again, I'm waiting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted August 12 Author Report Share Posted August 12 Latest update. I haven't been ignoring anyone. I had femoral artery surgery and the surgeon gave strict instructions not to have an angle between my torso and legs at an angle sharper than 30 degrees for any length of time. He wanted air to get at the incision to keep the area dry. Moisture, heat, and flesh breeds infection. I prefer no infection and have none. So this will be brief. Replacement lense... Had that done yesterday in the right eye. As the day progressed the "something is in my eye feel got less and less. Woke up in the AM and I had my eye feel back. I ponied up for the toric lense and tested the astigmatism with a red dot. No comet tail. So my Dr placed it correctly. He also opened up my drainage holes to maybe allow mt to forego my drops. Time will tell on that. I have very close to 20/20 (20/30) and he was tickled about that,, said it should get better. I'M tickled about that. I'm still healing from the artery surgery but that was a success. Now the right leg can still go and the left leg hold me back. Looking forward to getting the left leg done. And the left eye. I haven't done any shooting this warm season but I hope it's all been worth it for next season. That's my gamble. Sorry for any typos I only have one good eye at computer screen distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armed Eye Doc Posted August 12 Report Share Posted August 12 Glad to hear that all is going the right direction for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 @BrianK, that is an awesome update, man... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterrex Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Get well soon. Glad you can see out of at least 1 eye properly. My cataract surgery was a night and day difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted August 13 Report Share Posted August 13 Glad to hear things are headed in the right direction. Here's to a speedy recovery and back shooting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 Update... Did I mention that the astigmatism in my right eye is gone? If I didn't it is. The right femoral artery... a bit more to the story. I had the surgery on a Monday morning. By late morning I was walking around with the surgeons blessing. Tuesday, more walking around on my own and with the PT. She showed me how to get into and ride in an automobile (fully reclined). Everyone was telling me I was going home. Wednesday I woke up to new huge lump in my abdomen. I knew what it was and it wasn't normal. During the day the hematoma grew. The surgeon was informed and saw me that night. I NEVER ask for a heavy duty opiate, NEVER! I have no natural ability but in the military I learned to channel my pain elsewhere. I was a 12B2P and one doesn't get through jump school unless one can handle the pain or has natural ability. The majority of every class drop out. I asked for an opiate that day. The surgeon brought in a color doppler and we could see the femoral artery leaking with my heartbeat. I went in for emergency surgery. I saw the surgeon the next morning and I asked, "Did you have an interesting night last night?". To which he replied, "Yes, but not in a good way. I had to change my socks. You took 4 units of blood.". Not knowing how much that is I asked a nurse, close to a liter and a half. Instead of a 3 week healing I took 6 weeks. But I'm OK now and I do have increased blood flow in that leg. So it was a success. I had what I wanted ultimately. But if I don't get the other femoral artery done I've gained nothing. Because I still had reduced blood flow in the left leg I had no idea just what the right leg was capable of. So this past Wednesday I had the left leg done. The 1st surgeon is 90 miles south by interstate travel. But we're butting heads (if complications) with winter and I don't want to travel in a car driven by my wife in snow and ice. OK, she also won't do it. The 1st surgeon suggested someone he trained 20 miles away (from me) and told me he was good. To shorten this story I had the left leg done this past Wednesday. I was up and about in the afternoon but dizzy and needing nurse aid to get to the bathroom 15' away. By the evening I was walking on my own against Drs instructions but I hate being dependent. That's the military in me. Next day the new surgeon came to see me and other colleagues of his and the recommendation was that I could go home if I wished. I wished. I have a $375 copay if I stay beyond midnight. The food was good (No! Really! Good hospital food that you actually WANT to eat!) but the pot roast I had planned was not going to be worth $375. So here I am at home. I've been here for a few days and doing well. I have a 2 week follow up and many fewer restrictions. No complications. No second surgery. Life is good. I still don't know, and won't know what distance I can walk until my left femoral artery has a layer of epithelial cells making the artery "blood tight" (my words). So I have myself on my restrictions, looser but similar to the ones I had for the right leg. I really don't want complications. If I don't get enough ability back I have 2 more blockages in my right leg and one more in my left to address. I'll see what I get and what needs to be opened up. But for this year I'm done with planned surgeries. I hope for the best but we'll see. I know I'll never get my body from 50 years ago back but I'd like some of it back. It's amazing what modern medicine can do. The surgeon who did the first surgery? He took full blame, said it was like lightning striking, that rare. I figure when I'm perfect I can expect it from others. I don't see that happening any time soon. Stuff happens and I just happened to be under the feces storm that day. So I still live. He did tell me that that I was one tough SOB. He was looking for signs of my pain as an indicator and saw nothing. Yeah, suck it up and keep going. No doubt the opiate also helped. What shooting have I done? I had a USPSA match a few weekends ago and that was it for 2 years. Shooting is a perishable skill and I lost quite a lot. I'll get it back but it was disheartening to see how much I lost. I bought a case of SK Match Rifle .22 rimfire and haven't fired even one round of it so I have no idea if it's gold or garbage. But I don't plan on dropping dead anytime soon. If I was I wouldn't put myself through all of this crap. It'll still be there in the spring. I plan to buy a case of SK Long Range. My plan is to be around for awhile. But stuff happens and I know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrianK Posted October 20 Author Report Share Posted October 20 Sorry, I forgot that we can't edit...I had to leave for a time. OK, so what does it feel like after the surgeries? If they just suture the artery closed after removing the blockage the artery will have a smaller ID and restricting the blood flow was not the object of the surgery. To prevent that a piece of cow heart membrane is added as a patch and to keep the ID normal or bigger (ask the surgeon). The first time when I talked to the surgeon he told me that suturing the femoral artery to the cow membrane was like sewing paper to cardboard. That's what that cow membrane feels like in my groin, a piece of cardboard. It's where the torso and legs meet and bend. I hope at some point either the membrane softens or I get accustomed to it. I asked if I'd need to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of my life and was told, "No, it's been treated.". That's all I have. My body still hasn't rejected the cow part. If was going to I'd be dead by now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Z5V Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 I'm glad you got through that, man - I mean it - and that you're still here. It's impressive, and keep the hard-headed attitude. 1 hour ago, BrianK said: I was a 12B2P I can see this is why you're hard-headed... Sergeant, Combat Engineer, Paratrooper. I can still decipher that shiit. Good on you. Stay in the Fight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunuckgaucho Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 Glad to see your still with us and yes it's pretty amazing what modern medicine can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterrex Posted October 20 Report Share Posted October 20 Glad your still kicking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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