December 14, 2018

Now WHY Did I Go to That Doctor?

During my last visit with my endocrinologist, she wanted me to see an ophthalmologist who specializes in thyroid eye disease and then a thyroid surgeon. She said she wanted the ophthalmologist to take measurements and test the progression of the disease. It took almost two months to get an appointment with the doctor she wanted me to see, and once there, he never even looked into my eyes. He spent nearly the whole time talking about "lowering" my eyelids.

He asked at the beginning if I was having double vision, and I told him I was, to the point that I think my time driving on the highway is over. It's hard to focus with all the eye movements needed to watch traffic, and each eye movement takes a few seconds to adjust the focus. He didn't seem too concerned except to say he wouldn't do the eyelid surgery until the changes in my eyes was stable. Huh? I'm worried about losing my vision and he is talking about plastic surgery to make me look better?

I have a call in to the endocrinologist. Either she wrote the order to the doctor wrong, or she misled me as to why she wanted me to see this doctor. I just want to be able to see at this point.

The day after I saw that ophthalmologist, Hubby and I had appointments at an optometrist for new glasses. A couple of months ago, right after I found out I had thyroid eye disease, I told him I really needed new glasses and he recommended getting cheap ones because more than likely, my eyes would change so much in the next year that I'd need to change them again. This optometrist turned out to be at Walmart. It didn't say anything about Walmart on our provider list, and frankly, if I had known she was the Walmart optometrist, I wouldn't have gone to her. But she was actually one of the better optometrists I've been to. We discussed my eye disease, and she recommended putting a bit of prism into the lenses to help me focus. My retina specialist had mentioned that, so I agreed. Walmart has a low selection of frames that fit a narrow adult face, so I haven't gotten glasses yet, but hopefully, I'll find a pair in the next few days.

In the meantime, the wind is howling here. I hadn't planned on stepping foot outside the barndo today, but the wind isn't supposed to last all day. If it does, I'll run over to the nursing home to play a game with my mother-in-law and try to sneak some clothes into her closet. She has gotten really weird about clothes. She worries about not having anything to wear all the time and yet, she doesn't like anything we bring to her. So I thought if I could sneak some of her old clothes into her closet, I could pull them out when she asks what she is going to wear tomorrow. Wish me luck on that one. She is still sharp enough to know what clothes were in her closet.

10 comments:

  1. I hope the new glasses help. I hate eye issues and I've had my share. Good right now, but there was a time not so much.

    Have a fabulous day and weekend. ♥

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    1. I hope they help too. I'm glad yours is good now and hope they stay that way.

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  2. I understand your problem with glasses very well. Mine seem to be great- for about four months, then I cannot see out of them again. After cataract surgery, I was great. Then when the macular degeneration treatment began, I can't see well in that eye. I am using a magnifying glass to read the newspaper now because it is just easier. AND glory be - the new Dell that I talked about has the touch screen - so I can enlarge most things there!!

    Take care.

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    1. I'm afraid I'll be getting new lenses every few months for the next several years, if one of the ophthalmologists is right. I'm glad Dell makes it easy to enlarge the screen. The Asus does too, with just the Ctrl button and the mouse.

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  3. I hope, you will be feeling better with your eyes soon.

    have a great day

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  4. Marti: I do hope you get a second opinion, sometimes doctors are just looking at the money aspect of caring for someone.
    I worked at a eye surgery center a couple times a month for nine years before I retired, I encourage you to get a second opinion, you need your eyes.
    I do hope glasses help you.
    Praying for you.

    Catherine

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    1. I had an appointment with my retina specialist a couple of months ago and talked to him about the thyroid eye disease, but my endocrinologist wanted me to go to this doctor before going to see the thyroid surgeon. This doctor is supposed to specialize in thyroid eye disease. I'm going to a different endocrinologist in January and want to see what he thinks too. My retina specialist said that after the disease runs its course, he can surgically lengthen or shorten the muscles in my eyes to make them focus. My husband is blind in one eye from an accident years ago (I know, what are the odds that we would both have eye problems?) and that eye had started to drift a bit. He had the muscles in that eye fixed a few years ago and wants me to go see that doctor. So I'll make an appointment with him too. I mean, what would a week be without a doctor appointment? lol

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  5. That sounds scary ! We hope your new glasses help. We send you healing purrs and hope you feel better soon. Purrs

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    1. Thank you for your prayers. It's frustrating more than scary and I just want to be normal again.

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