PSA: Healthy peepers

I didn't think I was at risk for glaucoma, until I ended up at the eye doctor, and he was looking at me funny. Needless to say, I'll never forget that Veterans' Day, when my doc gave me the news.

Why am I talking about this? Well, it's National Glaucoma Awareness month in January.  Almost three million Americans have it, and many, like me, don't even know it. You are at higher risk if you are African-American, male, diabetic or have a family history (even if it's distant like mine).

Glaucoma is known for robbing people of their sight. I had LPI to allow my eyes to drain properly, which also helped the pressure. Some people may also need medication or other surgical procedures.

Some folks put off or delay eye exams because they fear they're too expensive. I have had vision insurance for years, and I did not know that it (along with your medical insurance) can make regular check-ups reasonable. If you don't have vision insurance, check with your PCP for more options in your area.

Your vision is priceless. I know I couldn't be a good parent, wife and nurse without it.

What are you waiting for? Go visit your favorite ophthalmologist today.

More to come...

Maybe...

I was just SUPPOSED to lose my watch when I went through the Las Vegas airport earlier this year. It was a Mother's Day gift, not terribly expensive, but it worked. It had a second hand, was dressy enough, and I could read it in the dark. The present part made the loss upsetting to me.

A month or so later, I bought a similar replacement. It looks pretty close to the other one, but I realized that the date window was really little compared to my old reliable. Some of my friends joked that since I'm getting old, I probably just need glasses.

Being the good nurse that I am, I knew I needed to make an ophthalmology appointment, but I do not have eye problems. Dahey does. Dahey has worn glasses forever and  has always had the distinction in our house of having the most expensive glasses. I talked to my traveling partner and she recommended a doc from her old hospital, Dr. K.

Dahey saw him, had a good appointment and passed all the tests. That was in April. I said I'd have to do the same.

Of course, time got away from me and finally I decided to call their office and schedule an appointment on Veterans' Day, since I happened to have the day off. I thought, this won't last too long. Dr. K is very nice and is a veteran himself.

But it did. Dr. K.'s tech did a lot of tests, but a couple of them, Dr. K. redid himself. So we had another long discussion. I hope my eyes did not bulge out of my head, because what I really wanted to do was shriek.

The words, "you have a condition that will cause glaucoma", weren't really what I was really planning on hearing.  Dahey, my veteran, and I were planning a nice lunch somewhere, since he was off work, too.

After the almost three hour appointment, I left. However, I count myself lucky. I never served on a frozen battlefield in Korea, like the man I talked to today while waiting for some labs. I felt like I was there when he talked about prisoners in "cotton uniforms and tennis shoes." I understood when he said, "I still won't eat rice." because of the memories it brought back. He is in his 80s and still working, even if he needs a rolling walker to get there.

I may have been bombarded myself yesterday, but I want to let all the veterans out there know I thank you every day for your service. This year it's even more special, because one old Navy doc made sure I'll have a chance to see more in the future. I am so very lucky because it is treatable (which starts today) and I have no vision loss.

Losing that watch was probably the best thing that happened to me this year.

More to come...