No bad news...the ophthalmologist who saw him on Aug 31st said that the gas bubble in his eye was 85% intact and he went on and on and on about how imperative it is that he looks down, watches TV with a mirror set, lays on his stomach...he basically said that if he DIDN'T, the gas bubble would fail, the retina would detach and likely tear and the only treatment would be to put in a silicone bubble which would need to be removed at a later date. I have yelled and screamed at him and been left completely exhausted. Well...the resident who saw him today could not see ANY gas bubble in his eye. Swell. He called in an attending we had not met who had the characteristic sunshine (insert sarcasm font) personality of an older, well established physician and surgeon who also teaches. Get the picture? I did not like him AT ALL. He said that the gas bubble is 90% intact, he said Mike still has to sleep face down and maintain a position of head down for a MINIMUM of 45 minutes out of every hour. I asked what would happen if he didn't and said that he is always falling onto his back to sleep. He said..."then he will get a cataract." I asked how long he thought it would be before he has any vision because right now, he has basically none...he avoided that question so I moved on to how long will he need to be on the eye drops and ointments...he acted rather annoyed and asked WHY? I told him that putting eye drops in every two hours from 8AM until 11:00AM is VERY difficult, I did not tell him what I REALLY was thinking which was...DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THIS STUFF COSTS???? He didn't look like he would be very receptive or anything other than judgmental. Hey, I am tired, I am in pain, the stress of driving up there and then waiting four hours to be seen is horrible. He said Mike should go back to the closer doctor next week and then go to the original surgeon's office the week after. He was not concerned. He said there is no sign of infection. The weather changes are getting to me...as well as the stress of driving and dealing with people who have superiority complexes...maybe MY inferiority complex is coming out. I am just exhausted and I need to rest. I am so worried about this hurricane and the number of people who may be impacted and HOW SEVERELY...I can think of nothing else. I am going to take a nap before I just start sobbing...Mike thinks he's fine. Clearly the bubble is still there and I am a control freak. He dismissed everything else that the doctors said. I'll put in his damn drops but aside from tying a cinder block to his head, I don't know how to make him keep looking down. I have no idea how to get him to watch TV with the mirror apparatus...oh this doc said the same thing as the other guy on the 31st...there is an entire "cottage industry" of places to get chairs and large mirrors for TV and things to shove your face in at night. Nevermind that none of those are covered by insurance and just RENTING them would cost as much as a small car. They have no clue about the reality of people who are living on minimal fixed incomes and, quite frankly, I am tired of feeling humiliated all the time.
Yeah, I need a nap, maybe I will wake up feeling like a new person. Let's HOPE so.
Love you all and thanks for prayers and concern.
Ellen
