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Thursday, January 26, 2012

A TOUGH ONE TO WRITE

I guess it is about time to write this posting because I am getting more and more e-mails and phone calls asking why the blog has been so quiet.

This is a difficult one to write, but I am more optimistic about the future than I was a couple weeks ago.

During November and December I noticed that my vision was getting worse almost daily. I wear contacts and my corrected vision has always been very good and my prescription hasn't changed in years. It got to the point where I went to CVS and bought the "cheater glasses" so I could read things like the newspaper and use a computer.

That helped for a couple weeks, but even that became useless after a couple weeks. I went to my optometrist and was told that it was just "old age" creeping up on me.Around Christmas the "old age" really began moving fast and I didn't even feel comfortable driving. I wasn't looking forward to "old age" if things deteriorated this quick.

I just wasn't comfortable with the "old age" diagnosis and looked up "opthamologist's" on Google. An optometrist can test your eyes and vision, but an opthamologist can prescribe medications and perform surgery and diagnose problems with the eyes. I made an appointment with an opthamologist in Farmington and on January 6th I met with him for an eye exam.

I had a gut feeling from the start that it wasn't going to be a good appointment, the deterioration of my vision was just progressing too fast to be normal aging. I went through several tests with technicians in his office and eventually met with the opthamologist. As he examined my eyes through the high tech equipment he had an assistant with him that he was dictating the specifics of the exam to and she was taking the notes.

He was giving her a lot of information and numbers and reading that meant nothing to me on my right eye, then he went to the left eye and continued his dictating. The first words as he peered into my left eye was "massive edema". I knew right away that didn't sound good. He went on for a few more minutes with the exam and then explained that he wanted to do more testing and I returned to the waiting room for the next test.

Thank goodness for smart phones and I started "googling" edema. I thought it meant a bruise or swelling and that is basically what I found on google, it means swelling.

Bottom line is I went through a few more tests, the most important one was a test where they inject yellow dye into my veins as a technician takes a rapid series of photos of the retina. Apparently the pictures show the vessels of the eye and where those vessels are leaking causing the swelling on the back of the retina.

My opthamologist then gave me the bad news. The official term is apparently called "macula edema", it is one of the side effects of diabetes, and according to what I found on the Internet, is the number one cause of adult blindness in American adults.

I was pretty much given three options. Do nothing and the odds were good I would be blind within a year. Undergo laser surgery and hopefully that would seal the vessels that were leaking and stop the progression of any damage. And number three just made me cringe, a series of steroid shots directly into the eyeball. I told the opthamologist to avoid number three at all costs, it just made me nauseous to think of a needle in the eye.

It is not very comforting to think about not having vision. To make the matter worse, the initial appointment was January 6th, the same day my father died 8 years ago. I left the doctor's office with my head spinning as to how my life would change if I lost my vision. We take a lot for granted, many things you would never think about in every day life. As an example, and I know it sounds trivial in the greater picture, but even things like signing a credit card receipt in a restaurant and filling out the tip.

The bottom line is that I had the laser surgery on my left eye last Friday. The opthamologist says that it could be three months before it is known whether it was successful or not. It will possibly take that long for the swelling of the back of the eye to go down, although he was hopefully optimistic and said worse case they could repeat the laser surgery and the steroid injections were still an option as a last resort.

I guess at a time like this you realize what needs to take priority and my vision is that priority. I apologize for the lack of postings but I fully intend to ramp that up again and I'll keep those interested in what I hope will be a very positive outcome as I face this problem.

I didn't share the information with a lot of people before the laser surgery, but for those who have called and offered support, I really appreciate it. The support of my friends has been very comforting, even as you think about the worse case scenario. To my closest friend Joe who knew when to get me out of the house and unwind and my mother who did what mother's do with her reassurance that everything would be ok, even as I knew it was taking its toll on her, it puts everything into perspective.

Other's called to offer to make sure my dog was walked or to offer rides or pick up food and prescriotions or just to offer reassurance that it would all work out. Thank you for your support.

Life goes on.

17 comments:

Rich Wareing said...

Don't know if my first post made it through to you. If so discard this one. If not, I am so sorry for you. My dad nearly lost his sight in both eyes when I was 14. He was ultimately very lucky in his surgeon and ended making a close to full recovery. Watching him struggle for a while with the prospect of being blind in one or both eyes was heartwrenching, so my and my wife's heart goes out to you. Please feel free to call upon us for anything. You are part of the Hartford family and especially its political branch and family rallies together in times of crisis. God bless and care for you.

Anonymous said...

Sorry about that. I'm glad it's treatable at least

Marie Hamilton said...

Kevin I feared something was up when your postings stopped. I should have picked up the phone to call you. I'm sorry for not doing just that. For someone who has diabetes seeing an opthamologist is a number 1 priority. Hopefully all will go well. Boston Eye Clinic is another option to consider for treatment.

peter brush said...

Very sorry to hear of your eye issue. I'm something of a hypochondriac, so commend your courage. Good luck with the docs.

We'll pray for preservation of what Bush the Father called, "that vision thing."

Jeff Cohen said...

Stay strong, Kevin. Looking forward to your return.

Wethersfield Tax Payer said...

Kevin does not need glasses to smell the thilf of dirty politics and corruption that covers parts of Hartford's Structure.

Kevin is the Dark Knight.......A watchfull protector........

Han Solo said...

Kevin, maybe you need a Jedai Padawan to teach, so the Dark Side( City Hall ) does not infiltrate and consume even more tax dollars........

Bruce RUbenstein said...

im praying that YOU get better Kevin, Hartford needs you now more then ever.

Anonymous said...

I wish you the best Kevin. I will keep you in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

Best of luck to you. You mean so much to so many, and I pray that your surgery is a success.

Anonymous said...

Kev, I was so sorry to hear about your recent health issues. I, too, had been awaiting your next posting and then today I read about your vision. I wish you a speedy recovery and hope and pray that all works out well for you. You have provided a forum for us at HPD who would otherwise not have a platform to be heard. For selfish reasons (I must admit), I hope you're able to resume your "watchdog" duties. There are so many issues at HPD and City Hall that need to be outed and discussed it will keep you busy for weeks (more like months). Keep up the fight and we'll keep looking for updates from you and hopefully new postings in the not too distant future. Godspeed

Anonymous said...

Get well soon Kevin! You are a shining example of good in the Hartford community.

Maggie Nolan-Thibault said...

Dear Kevin;
Like many posters here I was curious and worried about your lack of posts, as the last time it happened you were ill as well.
First and foremost I will pray for you.
Second, I'd like to offer you some guidance and helpful information that is important not only for you but for others as well.
Your local LIONS club is a great resource. CT Lions fund LOW VISION CENTERS which can assess and equip you with very helpful devices to either enhance your limited vision and/or reduce the strain on your eyes, including your good eye. You can't qualify for Board of Education Services for the Blind unless you are deemed Legally Blind due to BESB financial limitations. The Low Vision Centers are funded largely through the Lions Club. They have magnifiers, special lighting, talking watches and endless other devices. CT Lions and Lions International support the CT Lions Eye Research Foundation (CLERF) with locations both at UCONN in Farmington, (perhaps your Dr is connected with them) and at the Yale Eye Study Center. I'd like to connect you with a VERY Inspirational Lion named George Salpietro, from my Colchester Lions Club. I met George a year or so after he very suddenly lost his sight. After losing his sight he became CEO of the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, he was named non-profit CEO and Fidelco was Non-Profit Organization of the year. (When you are better and less stressed there's another Good Guy with target on his back story there for you to expose). The original speech I heard was about the struggle he had with such a sudden and devastating loss and his battle against giving in and giving up. That speech is very true and very inspiring, and whenever I heard him give it he had one of his guide-dogs (Karl is the one I remember) at his feet. What is truly amazing though is that his speech and delivery has changed. There is no longer a guide dog at his feet. You see George recently regained enough vision to no longer need a guide dog thanks to CLERF and the Yale Eye Study Center. A couple of years ago we were working the Hebron Fair together and it was a very slow Friday night (RAIN) so George took a break and walked off by himself. He was gone awhile and his lovely wife Marie was just starting to get a little worried, looking off in the direction he had set out in, as though he didn't need a dog anymore he was likely using another tool, counting steps and turns. Low and behold he came back to the trailer from the opposite direction and had stopped and visited many of the old regular non profit groups (what I would have given to see the look on some of their faces when he walked up unaided and knew where he was). George underwent experimental treatment at the Yale Eye Study Center. He's not driving -- YET, but he has regained more sight than ever was thought possible. The great thing about that, long before that treatment option was available to him he turned his personal tragedy into raising awareness and money for the Lions, never expecting a personal gain, just hoping to eradicate preventable blindness which is the mission of Lions Clubs International. A tip I learned from George was that people with low vision have a hard time reading black on white. What was helpful for George was yellow paper with a heavy dark font, often the larger the better. So perhaps we’ll see the background on your blog change. I’d increase the font here but as it’s a small posting space I wonder if it’s better for me to submit as is and have you enlarge it if necessary. Please let me know if you’d like me to share George’s number with you. God Bless, you are in my prayers.

Ellen S. Nurse said...

Sorry go hear about your problem with your eyes. I pray that you get better soon.

Anonymous said...

Kevin sorry to hear about your eye condition, even though we may differ from time to time, one thing is sure you truly care about our City and It,s people, My family and I will keep you in our prayers, and are hoping you have a speedy recovery.

Steven M. Harris

Anonymous said...

Keeping you in thought and prayer. Get your rest and remember what's truly important - faith and family.

Greg said...

Kevin - I had the same issue with my eyes. Once I started taking medication for diabetes, my sight corrected itself fairly quickly. Hang in there.