Personal set back

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strokerlmt

Moderator
Haven't ridden since December 20th and all bike work stopped for awhile. On December 22nd my left eye seemed out of sorts. Woke up 23rd with 1/2 the eye black. Knew rt away it was the retina so off to the specialist who spent 2 minutes with me and called a surgeon in Santa Barbara. My wife drove me down and I had a 2.5 hour operation to reattach my retina and laser 3 cuts closed. Amazing operation....they twilight you, numb the eye, wake you up and you watch the surgeon's micro instruments moving around in your eye. They take the aquious humor/liquid out of the eye and and put a gas bubble in its place. The bubble is to press up against the retina to allow it to attach to the back of the eye. Here is the kicker.....I had lie on my right side 23 hours a day from 23rd of December to January 21st so the bubble would float up to the correct spot. I had no sight in the left eye and my depth of field was off so the couch was like chinese water torture. I am up right now but no lifting, no quick moves and 50% of the vision is back with the rest in the next 3-4 weeks. So I have my black pirate patch on and I get a little dizzy every now and then. But it looks like this incredible surgeon saved my vision.
 
Gretsch

Gretsch

Rocker
WOW! Sorry that happened to you my friend. Good news about the recovery. I can't even imagine your recovery process.

2010 was a bad year for medical issues here. Let's all stay healthy in 2011.
 
Tomintoul

Tomintoul

Two Stroke
Christ mate, hope you recover quickly. I don't know, but the idea of poking things in my eye doesn't sit well with me. Mind you ifthe choice is between that and losing my sight, then poke away! Glad to hear all should be well.
 
mark66

mark66

TT Racer
Man, Lach, that's hell to have to wake up to. Amazing operation is right. Glad to hear your on the mend. Bet your taking plenty of eye drops, huh? When you hadn't posted anything on your bike projects in a while I was wondering if something had happened.
 
D

drlapo

Hooligan
good luck on your recovery, you should come out fine
I had double cateract surgery last year and everything is great
had a hole in my left retina and the doc laser welded it shut in his office
still have a few floaters
 
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Bonniebret

Bonniebret

Rocker
Holy shit, Lach! I 'm sorry to hear about that but glad you're on the mend. I can't even begin to imagine what that ordeal, from the surgery to the recovery, was like. Take it easy, brother and mend quickly.
 
Bonniebret

Bonniebret

Rocker
Lach, do they leave the bubble in permanently or does it get removed and then your eye's "refilled" with the humor fluid?
 
Kirkus51

Kirkus51

Hooligan
Damn! I feel for you. My Brother had the same problem and got his done much the same way, only there was something about a rubber band in there. Hope everything goes well and it sounds like it is, so hang tough and hope it turns out like my Brother's eye did. He's fine.
 
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strokerlmt

Moderator
Bonniebret said:
Holy shit, Lach! I 'm sorry to hear about that but glad you're on the mend. I can't even begin to imagine what that ordeal, from the surgery to the recovery, was like. Take it easy, brother and mend quickly.
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You know BB this is nothing compared to what you have gone through. You are the one with a lot of pain and therapy ahead. I figure we both had our 'downer" for 2010 and 2011 is clear sailing.
"press on"
LMT
 
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strokerlmt

Moderator
Bonniebret said:
Lach, do they leave the bubble in permanently or does it get removed and then your eye's "refilled" with the humor fluid?
Click to expand...

BONNIEBRET it is an amazing surgery. Like DRLAPO I had cat surgery on both eyes but that had nothing to do the retina tearing. There are tow laser surgeries. One they can laser through the lenses and weld the tears. Second is for bad tears and detachment they have to enter the eye. I asked the Dr. about the instruments inside my eye. One was a little vacum that sucked out the floaters and debris. Then there the laser and associated instruments. The gas bubble is temporary. Where do they think these things up. The bubble lies against the tears and teh retina, that is why I had to lie on my side 23 hours a day. To answer your question the bubble disappears on its own over 4 to 8 weeks. And the body replaces the aquious humor/liquid naturally. I can see the bubble receeding now. I have 50% clear vision in the eye, but it looks like I am looking through an aquarium which is half full of water which is why I get dizzy. Thx for the interest brother.
LMT
 
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strokerlmt

Moderator
slobinski said:
Wow, what caused that??? Injury at work?
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I'm 60 years old. I have always been extremely near sighted so my eye is oblong instead of round. So my retina is stretched and weak to start off. What I just learned is with the eye shape I have when older watch out for violent head movements, overly violent coughing gagging straining, apparently 1000's of people pop their retina's every year. So something else for me to watch as I get older.
LMT
 
DIRK

DIRK

750cc
you did get lucky. a friend of mine was looking for the remote in a hotel , flipping up the sheets when the remote found him in the eye. same result but the were unable to save his eye. so enjoy the strange trip. you will ride again. hook up charger. and post til you can ride.
 
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strokerlmt

Moderator
I would like to thank you all for the notes, thoughts and questions. I have never been a "joiner" but I have say being part of this forum has been an extremely positive experience for me. What a great bunch.
Thx
LMT
 
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