**********
Well, here it is almost 3 weeks later. So much has happened, but I am only now able to post much. I had to have a torn and detached retina repaired, which included laser tacking of the retina, a vitrectomy, a gas bubble infused into the posterior chamber of the eye, and a scleral buckle to hold everything in place. The scleral buckle is a silicone rubber band placed tightly around the eyeball to indent it like a tight belt on a sumo wrestler. It is permanent, and believe me, it is as uncomfortable as it sounds. Because the shape of my eye has changed, the implanted artificial lens no longer provides the proper correction, so it is basically useless. At my one-week postop visit I had leakage of the gas bubble into the anterior chamber, which will have to resolve and makes it appear to me that my eyeball is 3/4 full of water, which sloshes around as I move.
The doctor told me that the macula was involved in the detachment, which usually leads to a bad outcome. There is a chance I may never regain the vision in that eye. The pupil is still dilated, which may also remain. It gives me a decided Marilyn Manson look (ewww.) Today I did notice a little bit of blue iris showing, so perhaps it is getting better. The bruising around the eye is gone, and the redness of the eye has changed to pink. The irritation from the stitches is bearable. So it seems I am making progress. I see the doctor again in 3 more weeks and I hope to have a little sight by then.
Right now I have 20/20 vision in the left eye, but with the right I can't even see the eye chart on the wall. When I close the left eye, if the TV is muted I can tell it is on, but not what channel or program is showing. If someone walks in front of me I can see that someone is there, and maybe what color they are wearing, but not who it is.
The scariest thing is that the doctor told me I have a 1 in 4 chance of this happening again in this same eye or in the other eye. Believe me, I will be vigilant about noticing visual changes from now on. The detachment started with distorted vision, like a heat mirage on a highway. That progressed to lightning bolts shooting across my vision, and an obvious defect in my visual field. That day the defect was about 20-25% of my vision. By surgery on Monday it had progressed to about 75% of my field gone. I really wish they had not waited--I might have had a better outcome. They say time is eyesight. Please, if any of you see any of these symptoms, insist on getting it repaired immediately.
**********
The lettuce in my garden has bolted, and the carrots are only about an inch or two long.
The large tomatoes are finishing up, but the cherry tomatoes are loaded.
The watermelon vines are taking over the garden, and there are lots and lots of baby melons. Yum!
I harvested 8 large green peppers last week and gave them to Meg. There are several still growing on the plants that will be ready in another week.
**********
A lot has happened on the home front, too. All the utility lines have been hooked up and covered over.
Water and gas shutoffs were installed and new meters are in place.
The porch posts and ceilings are in. The decking will wait awhile so it won't get scarred up.
The doors and windows have been installed. The siding is almost complete.
The back deck has not been started yet, so that upstairs door is a little misleading.
This photo shows the elevation of the front porch. The area underneath will be covered with lattice.
The siding is being carried over onto the old house to tie it all together.We will have to paint the trim to match, but new guttering will be installed later in the project.
You can see the size of the addition, and the gazebos on the north end. We are still waiting for the cupola to be delivered--it arrived damaged and was returned by the roofers.
Inside the framing is done, most of the electrical and HVAC is done, and it is easier to see how big the rooms will be.
Today the insulation guys started putting up the plastic in preparation for blowing in the cellulose in the walls and ceilings.
And the opening has been created between the two halves of the house. This door used to open into a linen closet, with a bedroom closet behind it. Both closets were removed, but the door remains so we can keep out the dust. It will be removed after the sheetrock is complete. The carpeting already had to be removed after the indoor rain incident last month.
I was really happy to have the opening cut through. Now it is easy to check on the progress. I told the builder that I hated to have to walk a plank up into the addition, even if I was wearing an eyepatch!
**********
Hubby is doing much better, and has his final appointment with the oncologist tomorrow. There is no reason for him to go back since he has refused any further treatment anyway. He will be working at the county fairgrounds this weekend for the Master Gardeners.
**********
