Wellness

[conlt]

Thank you all, he is doing well today. The difficult part is holding his head in a certain position. From my understanding he has a nitrogen bubble in his eye. He is wearing a wrist band that says so in case he ends up in the ER. 

I got him a reacher so he can reach for things. He has a wife but she has macular degeneration and can't drive him an hour to the doctor. 

On Wednesday, the doctor will be in the local office and will see him there. I pray that he regains his eyesight in that eye. 

[chrystaltree]

My upstairs neighbor who is in her 80s had a detached retina a couple of years ago.  She recovered just fine.  Her son moved in for a few weeks to help her out with her dog but she recovered quickly and was back to her routine.

[BirkiLady]

A few years ago I had the surgery to repair my retina, too. The surgery was the easy part; it was the four-week recovery that was such a trial for me. The degree of keeping my head down 24/7 was very difficult to function! I did manage to cook, minor cleaning & laundry, check emails and pay bills on-line, walk outside a couple of blocks and return home at least twice each day, read large-print books, listened to a lot of great music on Boise, and watched some delightful movies on ROKU! Like another poster mentioned, I also took daily baths (showers were off-limits) and did wash my hair every few days (although I've forgotten how that was accomplished with my head down! No idea now.  ) 

I survived the head-down for four-weeks. My eyesight was returned in my right eye, but with glasses it is barely passable for the DMV. I've had two additional surgeries to see if further improvement could be made. Neither of the following surgeries worked at all. But my surgeon and I tried. 

The left eye is certainly the dominent eye and will be the eye that I'll count on for the rest of my life.

Another mystery why things happen to some and not to others. IDK.
Best wishes on your retina surgery journey. It really isn't too bad. If you can rent a "recovery bed" for sleeping with your head down, do it! I did. It was ackward, but did help (somewhat) with sleeping. Maybe it was just too weird and took my mind off sleep! IDR for sure.  

[mnmom]

I had emergency surgery for a detached retina about 14 years ago.  I had the bubble insertion too, but only had to keep my head down for about 24 hours.  It took awhile for my vision to return, but it did with only a little blurry spot in that eye.  Saw the doc a lot and had some laser procedures throughout.  I am grateful.  Hope the same for your brother.

I did need early cataract surgery on that eye about a year later, due to the detached retina surgery.

[conlt]

My brother is 9 days out from surgery now. The keeping his head down and resting is difficult for him. He can see light now, but that is it. He is fretting about needing to go back to work. I told him he has to get the clearance from the doctor. 

He works as a park ranger and does a lot of bending and lifting. 

[BirkiLady]

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@conlt wrote:

My brother is 9 days out from surgery now. The keeping his head down and resting is difficult for him. He can see light now, but that is it. He is fretting about needing to go back to work. I told him he has to get the clearance from the doctor. 

He works as a park ranger and does a lot of bending and lifting. 

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@conlt 

IIRC I was able to bend (for doing laundry), but I was not able to bend for working in my flower beds. Have you brother clear his park ranger position with his physician! The lifting will be a major concern there since he could tear or get holes in his retina. That eye recovery is more delicate than the surgery!!! Hope he is careful and heals well. 

[conlt]

@BirkiLady  Yes, I do not know why he is worried about his job. I guess at 61, losing his eyesight in 1 eye hit him hard. His State Park bosses love him and he has a lot of PTO time. 

I finally talked him into talking to them about extending his time off until he see's the MD on the 18th. Then, if needed, get a note from the MD. 

He also qualifies for FMLA but has not requested it. He can see light and colors now. I pray his eyesight improves. He is having a difficult time keeping his head in a certain position.

Funny, he always said he would retire at 62, but after seeing how he wants to go to work and misses work, I doubt it. He says he is board at home. 

He may go part time next year when he turns 62. He has military retirement, so he can do it, unlike myself working full time at 66. I still love it though and don't know what I would do at home. I have to find some groups or something to join/do when I retire.