Friday, January 30, 2015

Bet You didn't Know That Lightening Can Strike Twice


Few among us actually believe we'll become a medical statistic, but there are times when the fates and furies coalesce and we find ourselves in a column of statistical anomalies. That has happened here and I wanted to explain why I have not been posting and why features here will be a bit different for the next 4 to 6 weeks. I have had a another retinal detachment, the second in seven years, and can't lift, bend, push or carry for the next month or so. That means I won't be doing a lot of work in the kitchen. Bob - the Silver Fox - has become chief cook and bottle washer around here and we are going to be posting the very simple recipes he feels comfortable preparing. To be honest, that we are posting at all is based on the need to feed the search engines that determine blog rank. They are merciless and don't care much for excused absences, so I do hope you all will bear with us. Things will eventually get back to normal.

I did, however, want to take this opportunity to tell you about retinal detachments. Most people know about heart attack and stroke symptoms, but few know the symptoms of a retinal detachment and the urgent need to get treatment should a detachment occur. Failure to seek out proper care can lead to blindness. The symptoms of a retinal detachment include flashes of light, an increase in floaters, or a dark curtain that forms across your field of vision. Other symptoms include holes in your visual field, peripheral vision loss, and wavy lines. If you have any of these symptoms, especially if you are nearsighted, had cataract surgery or corneal transplants, see your eye doctor immediately.

The overall chance of having a detached retina is 1 in 15,000. Some sources indicate the chances are 1 in 10,000. That works out to 25,000 retinal detachments in the U.S. every year. 40 to 50 % of retinal detachment patients are nearsighted/shortsighted (myopic) and 5% of very nearsighted people (over 6 Diopter correction) will experience a retinal detachment in their lifetime.

There are no preventive techniques, so it is really important that you speak with a skilled ophthalmologist if you have any of the symptoms we've talked about or you are a member of a high-risk population. Most retinal tears and detachments can be repaired if they are found early enough. Hopefully, forewarned is forearmed. As for me, I am a tough old bird, and, so far, things are progressing normally. Like Arnold, "I vill be back!" Hugs and blessings...Mary

9 comments :

Buddy Lee said...

Mary, wishing you the best, and praying for your complete and speedy recovery!

From the Kitchen said...

Mary, it's good to hear from you. I'm glad to hear that your kitchen is in use!! I'll look forward to the Silver Fox's dishes. For now, I'm grateful for validation to use a soup mix as I've been wanting to put a retro roast on the table. Take good care.

Best,
Bonnie

Anonymous said...

Keeping you in my prayers, Mary. I am nearsighted and worry about this all the time. I need to keep up with eye exams, I sometimes slack off. Has your eye dr. suggested you take vitamins for the eye, like lutein and zeazanthin?

David said...

Mary, Sorry to hear about this issue with your eye... My wife's sister had this problem a couple of years ago. It was pretty scary to her but it has been repaired and all is well. Even easier, my wife had 2 cataract surgeries more than a year ago and her vision is almost perfect now. It is amazing what doctors can accomplish these days. Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Anonymous said...

Get well soon! Looking forward to your return to the blogosphere!

Betty said...

Wishing you a speedy recovery- Take care of yourself! :)

Marsha said...

Holding all good thoughts for your rapid recovery and reappearance here (although the fort is being held down very well in your absence)!

Anonymous said...

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

~~louise~~ said...

Hi Mary,
I hope by the time you are able to read this comment that you are feeling better and back to your "old" self.

I'm sorry it took me so long to get here to wish you well, I did see the "Bob's in the Kitchen" titles but didn't think much of it until today.

Hope all is getting better. From the looks of it, you're eating pretty darn good anyway, lol...

Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery, Mary...

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