And the medical issues keep coming

P

Pat Anderson

New member
Patty here. Pat went blind in his right eye yesterday. After hours in the ER and then with a specialist (all in Bellingham as we were at Birch Bay), the two doctors couldn't see through the hemorrhaged blood to see if his retina was detached. So the specialist set him up with an ophthalmologist in Seattle who has better equipment. Even he couldn't see past the blood but he thinks the retina may be torn, not detached, which is better. Options are wait it out which could be weeks or months and risk a detachment, or go in now and drain the blood and vitreous, try to see the retina and repair it if possible, replace the vitreous with salt water, add a gas bubble to keep the retina in place, and hope the vision is improved. The gas bubble goes away in 2-3 weeks but he can't do high altitudes during that time. He will definitely get a cataract with this surgery, later. He is in surgery now and will come home tonight. Back in the morning to remove tape and check things out. Won't be 100% right away but hopefully better. The Andersons cry uncle!!
 
Pat & Patty,
I hope things work out gently :(
I have had several eye surgeries and cataract removal for my left eye since I was 6 years old. After being blind in it for over 35 years, I can now read with it better than my "good" eye.
I was hit in the eye with an arrow (darn indians :wink: ) and the Dr. started to remove the eye- thought twice and decided to leave it in, with the forethought that science will be better in time.
 
Pat & Patty,

Wow, that sounds scary! Thanks for letting us know about Pat's condition. Our prayers are with you for a quick and successful recovery.

Ain't getting old a b%#!@?

Peter & Caryn
C-Dancer
 
OK...timing is everything.... Well, glad I have clean feet. I just poked a joke at Pat on Simplicity's Great Loop link after Pat indicated he did not have his glasses with him...and I changed the font to HUGE... then made my response... and now this... Opps.

Any who...Patty good luck with your Man and hope he gets over this gig soon.

Do keep me posted...and...just in case...I will go ahead and make this post HUGE too....in case he is reading with one eye patched, and the glasses do not cover the other one.

Byrdman
 
Pat Anderson":2xajqn2d said:
The Andersons cry uncle!!
Click to expand...

You rang? Very sorry to hear of Pat's condition. I certainly hope it doesn't put a crimp in your September Lake Powell plans but it doesn't sound encouraging. I too have had some eye issues in the past and suddenly losing your sight is trauma personified. Thankfully little pain, but psychologically it's like getting hit by a train. Wish him the best from San Diego, Patty.

Mary and Don Anderson
 
Marie and my prayers are with you both, for Pat's recovery and regain of his sight.
We know what it is like, both having mothers who have lost their vision due to retinal hemorrages. Trust that eye surgery is far advanced from what it was even 10 years ago and that most likely he will have preservation of his vision.
 
Oh, NO! Of all the scary things to happen, that has to be at the top of my list. But I am encouraged by Bob's comments.

Thinking good thoughts your way,
Warren
 
Holy my goodness! What, that just happens on its own? Man oh man oh man. So sorry.

With all the boats you two have owned I always figured there was salt in your veins, but salt water in your eye is taking it a little too far.

As always, the girls and I wish the very very best for all of you.

Mike
 
So sorry to hear about this! Joan and I send our hopes for a fast and full recovery from this. The eye is one of the organs that heals the fastest. Scary, but you are in good hands with the specialists.

Keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Jim & Joan
 
Hi Patty,

What a shock! This eye surgery is the very last thing we expected to hear about since our chat on Saturday. If you need anything checked on at the Crab Palace, just let us know. Please tell Pat that we send best wishes for a most speedy recovery.

Ruth and Joe
R-MATEY
 
Pat and Patty-

Sorry to hear about Pat's eye problem. I hope you come out of this OK, medical wonders being what they are today.

I had a retinal vein occlusion last summer and went from 20-30 in my left eye to 20-70. Strangely enough, three months later, I was back to 20-30, in my case without any treatment.

I hope Pat is so lucky, or at least a fortunate respondent to treatment.

My hopes and payers are with you both.

"Uncle!" is right!

Joe. :teeth :thup
 
Thanks guys, Here is The Pat Report (from me myself).

I am back home after surgery this afternoon. I went in to Vitreoretinal Associates at Swedish at 10:00 a.m. this morning, having had an appointment set up by the on-call ophthalmologist in Bellingham yesterday.

The doc in Seattle also could not see the retina through the blood and debris in the vitreous gel, but did an ultrasound and was able to determine that the retina was torn but not detached. Got into surgery about 3:30 p.m. The surgeon cleaned out the blood and did a laser repair of the torn retina, replacing the vitreous gel with saltwater and putting in an air bubble to hold the retina repair in place. The air bubble requires that I keep my head down so my face is more or less parallel with the floor (which fortunately I can do with the MacBook on lap, using my one good eye!).

I go back for follow-up tomorrow morning, and from what the surgeon says, I am out of commission until the air bubble dissipates - not sure how long that will be, every time I asked, he said we would discuss it tomorrow. No particular pain or discomfort, but this keeping my face parallel with the floor is really difficult. More as I find out myself. Mainly what I want to know is if I can still do the Gulf Islands cruise in two weeks!


 
Best wishes on your recovery. Loss of sight is one of my worst fears. Maybe some good electrolytic replacement fluid (good beer ) will speed your recovery. We will be thinking about you.
 
Hey Pat (& Patty),

Hope everything turns out well with your eye!

Amy and I look forward to seeing you both again soon.

John
 
Wow. So sorry to hear about this latest problem. I do have some advice though. I find it easiest to keep my face parallel to the floor after many, many drinks. However, I'm guessing the mean old docs told you to stay away from EtOH....
Anyway, I hope it gets taken care of quickly and that you are back up to seeing as good as before and moving around with your face perpendicular to the floor. Take care ('da both of you)!
 
Pat, good to hear you're doing better and handling this so well. You gotta admit, some of the stuff them docs do is pretty amazing.

What's Baxter think of the whole thing? It's neat how a dog can sense when something is wrong. Even a retarded Lhasa.

Take care of yourself and know that it will get nothing but better. Keep your chin up! Oops....
 
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