Well loyal readers, I hope I can count on your patience for another few months.
My high hopes that I was well down a smooth road to recovery ended in a ravine. Went back for a re-check on May 23 at Specialty Eye Institute and was delivered totally unexpected bad news.
My retina detached a second time. And it’s no one’s fault. It just sometimes happens.
To say this was not the news I expected, doesn’t begin to cover it.
I’m still wrapping my mind around it days later, and trying to push away the nightmare of going through all of this complete life upheaval again.
All while living alone.
But, since it’s not my first rodeo, I have a better idea of what I will need to push through. And, I’m doing my best to spread all of future needs across as many friends as possible. So, hopefully I will still have a few friends left when I make it to the other side.
As a reminder, I am the world’s most squeamish, scared, worst patient. Needles, blood, pain … my body’s reaction to any of this is to just shut down completely. After 66 years, I know this all too well. And living my life around finding people to get me to doctor’s appointments, surgeries and more doctor’s appointments, is something I have never had to deal with before.
So while most of you enjoyed a long holiday weekend, I was plotting and planning.
My weekend consisted of making phone calls and lining up friends from far and wide to take care of me, my property and newly planted garden, Buzz and Aidan and, equally important, keeping Chelsea Update going for all of you.
So here’s what will happen.
There will be two surgeries involved.
Tomorrow, I will have cataract surgery, which I knew was in the cards.
I was able to meet with Dr. Sensoli on May 23 after the appointment with my surgeon, Dr. Purohit, where I lost it once again with this news earlier in the day.
I’d not met Dr. Sensoli before and I cannot begin to thank him enough for his compassion, empathy, friendliness and amazing “care and feeding” for this important first part in this next process.
While I was still in a state of shock following the morning’s news, he was able to calm my fears, and assure me that he and Dr. Purohit had spoken and they would do all they could get me through this.
He was understanding of the complete upheaval all of this already had on my daily life and what was ahead in the future. He reminded me not to think too far ahead. In essence, he put a lid on the chipmunk hole I was already beginning to head down.
So, instead of trying to deal with the many ramifications of this as a giant unraveling ball of yarn, I put together a list of the most important tasks I need to get done, and got to work knocking them off. One by one. In small bites.
This has been the positive aspect of all of this – unlike the first emergency surgery, I have had time to prepare as much as possible for these two upcoming trips to Blake Woods Medical Park. I’m wondering if they offer frequent flyer points.
The exact date of the second retina surgery will depend on how the first and much easier one goes.
I’ll keep you, the readers, informed, of course, but in the meantime, I ask for your understanding that I will only be able to do so much while recovering.
But please know that Chelsea Update, the daily news source I’ve put my heart and sole into for almost 13 years for all of you, is always in the forefront of my mind.
And, if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation with a check made out in any amount to Chelsea Update and mail to 18829 Bush Road, Chelsea, 48118 or donate though paypal, this will be the last time I’ll be begging for awhile. Promise.
And two more things … please consider including me in your prayers or just send a positive healing thought or two my way when you read the newsletter or the website.
Both of those things would be most appreciated. I hope to be all healed up and ready to rock and roll for the Chelsea Community Fair, my favorite event of the year.
