EYE STROKE

 July 25 Larry was fixing the edge of this puzzle as I started getting dinner. He went to set the table and said  "I feel dizzy, is there something in my left eye." Before I could really look he said " I can't see out of my left eye, it is all black."  We called 911, they had me check for the usually indicators of a stroke while they sent the ambulance.  They took him to South Lake Hospital where it was diagnosed as an eye stroke. A tiny piece of plaque blocked the artery to the retina in his left eye and when that happens the eye dies. So he is permanently blind in that eye.  The blessing is he didn't have a brain stroke that could have left him paralyzed or unable to speak.

He came home the next day, taking Plavix and baby aspirin to thin the blood. On Friday August 2 he went to Orlando Regional Hospital and had an operation to have plaque removed and stent put into the left carotid artery. It was a little more major surgery then he was thinking, every thing has happened so fast. Some of the purple is the glue they used to close it, the line the nurse drew to watch the swelling and some bruising from the operation. I stayed the night with him and he choose to stay until Sunday before I brought him home. 

Through Medicare there has been a nurse at the house a few times to check on him and a woman for occupational therapy.  His biggest need is getting use to only one eye, especially when reading and typing on the computer.  This was his scar three weeks later. He is still a little stiff and sore from the position they had to keep his neck in for the operation. His throat was a little sore for having a tube down it during the operation and the swelling caused him to have trouble  breathing when he laid down to sleep, but it is improving. He saw the surgeon on Monday, he never met him before the operation.  He was pleased with the healing. He explained to Larry that it is like sharks. You know they are in the ocean but you still go in. Then you are bitten by one but you survive. Now everyone is more aware of the sharks and looking out for them and being bitten again aren't very likely. 

He is doing well getting adjusted to the lost of his eye. He is allowed to drive, but up to now I have been doing all the driving. I did take the RV out and drove it a few miles locally, but to drive to Texas for the Nomads annual meeting in September would be too much. We have decided not to attend and everyone has been supportive. Many prayers have been said and we appreciate all the caring that has been shown. 

He is getting help for his vision with the VA. He has been enrolled in a blind and partial vision program. Hopefully they will help provide ways for him to see the computer and phone better. Or it just may take time and getting use to it. He also may need to get a new prescription for his glasses. He has a bubble on his right eye, and a cataract forming but nothing will be done to that eye until it absolutely has to.