Yesterday I went down to the library lawn again to play with the puppies and socialize with some other dog lovers. I really enjoy meeting these folks and sharing some dog stories with them. When I approach someone, one of the first things they ask is “Which one is yours?” I have been replying “Mine aren’t here…they’re in North Carolina [sad face]” but the more I get to know the regulars, maybe I should respond: “They’re all mine!” Some of them recognize me on sight (thanks to the liver treats) and come running to greet me…or hit me up for some free food. Either way, it really doesn’t matter…I just see the joy in their little faces and it makes my day!
While I was there yesterday, I began to experience some disturbances in my vision which alarmed me a little…a big floater in my right eye and some flashing “lights” in my peripheral vision when I moved my eyes quickly. When I woke up this morning, these symptoms were still there, so I knew I needed to seek some medical advice. I hate going to new doctors, and when you’re away from home, it’s just that much worse. But I knew this could be serious, so I called an optometrist who was recommended by my mentor here at OSU. The friendly voice that answered said they could see me Monday, but when she asked what my symptoms were and I told her, she said that they would work me in right away. Scary, right?
I’ll let you know now that what was diagnosed–posterior vitreous detachment–is not necessarily serious in and of itself, but it could cause some problems if it involves a tear or detachment of the retina…nothing like that at this point. Dr. Smith checked it all out and gave me a list of things to watch for in the coming weeks…and sent me out into the bright, sunlit Oklahoma summer with my pupils the size of dinner plates! I hate having my pupils dilated! So I squinted my way back to campus and sequestered myself in my dark dorm room: lights off, blinds shut, pillow over my head.
All of that leads to this: as hard as I fight it and as much as my brain denies it, my body insists on coming up with these signs of aging! PVD happens to something like 85% of us by the time we reach 90, so it’s fairly common. Sometimes it happens gradually and may not even be noticed; and sometimes it happens suddenly, like it did with me, and scares the crap out of us! The whole aging process is like that. I think it was Erma Bombeck (I love Erma…she had it ALL right!) that said that one day she put her arm in her jacket sleeve and her mother’s hand came out the other end. I remember that day! though my nails weren’t as pretty as my mother’s were. We don’t notice these things because they sneak up on us when we’re sleeping. So, from now on, I refuse to sleep! No more aging…the end.