July 27, 2012
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Baron As A Seeing-Eye Dog?
TALES FROM THE BRAT FARM
The Beast and I had our appointments with the ophthalmologist today. I was really embarrassed to find out that I had my cataracts removed in 2007 and last saw him in 2008. I should have been seeing him every six months. I got a really thorough eye exam which I needed since I was having some problems with my left eye. I really HATE how you have to get your eyes dilated so the doctor can see to the back of your eye. The effects of that stuff lasts for HOURS. Chewlee wanted me to play *our* favorite game online with her and, truthfully, no matter what I did, I couldn’t really SEE to play it. She finally settled for watching her Ariel DVD on my computer while I lay back, with my eyes closed, and just hoped to recover my sight again.
The reason for my problem? The doctor told me I developed scar tissue on my retina (think of it as a *wrinkle* on the surface of it). I laughed and told the doctor, *It figures! The rest of me is wrinkled; why not my eye, too?* He and the nurse just laughed at that. He is sending me to a retinal specialist but he told me that, since my eyesight is so good despite it, the doctor won’t want to *peel* that away until and unless the vision gets seriously impaired. When my eyes were being tested, that eye, on it’s own, wasn’t able to detect the two outer (left-hand) letters on any of the rows. However, using both eyes together, I was fine and did well. Even I could tell that. He said the retinal specialist would be most likely establishing a baseline for my visual impairment in that eye (alone). He also said the good news was that there were no effects of my diabetes on my eyesight so he felt I really was well-controlled. **Yippee!**(tongue-in-cheek here).
The Beast is another story entirely. He will require more than one surgery since his problems with his sight are multiple. He does, indeed, have a cataract. I THINK it’s only one. Getting information out of the Beast can be difficult at best. However, his lower eyelash is turning inward on his one eye (not even sure it’s the same one as the cataract) and that one will require a separate surgery. PLUS, he’s got fatty folds on his upper lids that are contributing to his impaired sight and THOSE must be cut down. Sounds like he’s going to have some healing time ahead of him once this all gets started. The easy part will be the cataract removal. That’s a snap and the difference in your vision is immediately noticeable.
I told the Beast after we left that we should stop and get a harness for Baron to start his training as a seeing-eye dog. He laughed because he kind of felt like he was doing much worse than he thought. I think he’s going to take that trip to see his aunt in North Caroline sometime between the first of August (our 48th anniversary and his doctor’s appointment to our GP) and the 23rd which will be his cataract surgery. We don’t think AM will be with us too much longer. The world will be a little lonelier place once she is gone but she’s going to be 95 in September so it’s not unexpected. It’s just sad to think about.
Chewlee’s paternal grandfather came to town today to spend the next couple days with her. He’s planning on buying her school clothes since she’s *going to be in big kid’s school* as she calls it. She was going to stay overnight at his motel so they can both go swimming in the pool early (before it gets TOO hot since it’s outdoors) and she can show him how she can swim (dog paddle with her swimmies on). I think they are really called *floatees* but what do I know? They didn’t have those when my kids were growing up. They had to learn in a whole different way. One thing I am grateful for is that he won’t be with her long enough to totally make her a little brat with how he spoils her. We all know he’s trying to buy her love but he really IS afraid that she may be his only grandchild and he WANTS to be a part of her life. He just doesn’t realize that loving her does NOT mean buying her everything she wants so she will love him in return. I feel it’s kind of sad, really.
Love you all. Hope you watched the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. Bratfink and I did although I finally fell asleep in the last few minutes of it. My eyesight was only cleared up once I woke up from that short nap. Must be my age that makes it last so long. **Sigh**
Be good. Stay cool this weekend and gymnastics will be on Sunday, just so you know.
