Thanks to young Dr. Schaeffer and the UAB Callahan Eye Hospital staff

**Darrell KSR** · 08-10-2013, 05:23 AM

Had a crazy day and evening yesterday.

Slept poorly Thursday and was still tired yesterday, so my productivity was not great. I went home and was going to mow the lawn and do stuff that didn't require me to think very well. When I got home, I had a headache around my eye area and my vision was a little cloudy in my left eye.

So I took an ibuprofen, and removed my contact lens. Laid down and thought that might clear it up. At 5:30, I got up, and knew something wasn't right.

My wife began going through the phone book to see if there was an optometrist close to me (there are a bunch) who happen to be open til 6 on Friday I could go see quickly. At 5:45 she spoke to the Schaeffer Eye Center and they told her the one at the Colonnade was open til 6. She described what was occurring and they said they'd wait for me.

Highway 280 is a mess right now, but somebody was looking over me. I caught one red light the entire distance on it, traveled 60mph the rest of the way, and made it there before 6.

With a little history given, they did an eye pressure test on both eyes, which is what I suspected was the problem.

If you know somebody with glaucoma, or with that potential issue, you'll appreciate what I'm about to tell you.

"High normal" reading is 21. They like to see numbers below 20. My right eye was 20 at the time. Fine. Usually is around 16 for me, but that's normal.

My left eye was an "all-time record" for young Dr. Schaeffer.

74.

The charts only go to 80. This was like, umm, really, really, really bad. He said the number in front of his nurse, who uttered, "Oh My God" in front of me. I suspect that's not taught as an appropriate thing to say in front of a patient.

He left to call the UAB Callahan Eye Hospital to make sure I would be treated immediately, gave me two separate drops to lessen pressure, "It probably won't help, Mr. Cartwright, but I have to do something," and I was sent on my way without billing, paperwork, etc. done. We will do it later. "You have to get to the hospital, not later today, but now," he told me.

I arrived at the Eye hospital again in record time. I don't know why Friday afternoon/early evening traffic on one of the worst congested highways I know was flowing like a dream, but somebody was looking out for me.

Without boring details, the staff at the hospital took very good care of me, with the resident being ultra-attentive and the fellow spending plenty of time making sure the pressure got down with pills and power-drops. Even a diuretic (hey, it gets rid of fluids all over, including those in your eyes). I bet I had 30 drops placed in my eyes yesterday, spread out over a few hours. (For the record, when I arrived, it was down to 65, so the pressure drops given to me by the optometrist did some good.) About 10:30 last night my pressure was "down" to 47 and what would ordinarily have been a number that would have scared the pants off me was a number I was celebrating. There was no optic nerve damage done, and should be no lasting effects.

Hit my 24-hour pharmacy on the way home--which took longer, at 11 p.m., than it did at 6 p.m.--picked up two prescriptions and went home to eat dinner.

There's a history behind what occurred yesterday, and a great deal of stubborness on my part that led to what occurred. When I was 9 years old, I was hit in the eye with a rock by a 13-year old kid who threw it. I lost sight in the eye with a trauma-induced cataract until I was 26, at which point I had an artificial lens implant put in and could see for the first time in 17 years. Sometimes an injury to an eye--and I had two "injuries" of sorts, including the artificial lens implant surgery--will create glaucoma, and that is what occurred. For years my pressure has run high--into the 30's, and numbers that should bother me, but I kept a close watch on it, had pressure drops prescribed that worked, but bothered me, and lots of other stuff.

No more. I will be a faithful user. That was more than scary.

Thanks again to the two medical staffs, from the receptionist at Dr. Schaeffer's office, to his tech person who said they'd keep the doors open for me, and to the terrific staff at the eye hospital. Man, they were great yesterday.

**suncat05** · 08-10-2013, 06:47 AM

Glad you're doing better now Darrell!

**bigsky** · 08-10-2013, 08:02 AM

Wow, start keepin it real, now. You gotta stay on top of you medical, can't just be wandering around in the dark all the time listening to Sirius radio. I need somebody to argue with me.

**badrose** · 08-10-2013, 08:54 AM

Wow! Glad you're OK, D. That's scary stuff.

**jazyd** · 08-10-2013, 09:23 AM

I am going to pretend like I am your wife....for such a smart guy you were pretty dumb to not be taking your meds

.
In all seriousness glad there was no damage. And in spite of what many say about doctors for the most part most really care about the patient. God gave you a special angel while traveling yesterday and putting you I touch with the right medical people. Tell Him thanks tonight.

**BigBluePappy** · 08-10-2013, 03:28 PM

Amen.

**Darrell KSR** · 08-10-2013, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by jazyd

I am going to pretend like I am your wife....for such a smart guy you were pretty dumb to not be taking your meds

.
In all seriousness glad there was no damage. And in spite of what many say about doctors for the most part most really care about the patient. God gave you a special angel while traveling yesterday and putting you I touch with the right medical people. Tell Him thanks tonight.

Trust me, I did.

And you sound just like my sweet wife, who still managed to chew me out among all of the love and care she showed. I deserve doses of both.

I cheated it for 15 years. That was a long run, but I won't do it again.

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**CitizenBBN** · 08-10-2013, 07:36 PM

Wow D, glad it turned out OK. Yep, you deserved both.

**blueboss** · 08-11-2013, 08:12 PM

Glad to "SEE" you're doing better.

I got shot in my left eye with a BB gun when I was in the 6th grade, they bandaged both eyes at the time so there wouldn't be any damage to the good eye trying to compensate for the injured eye. It was considered a miracle (at least by my Dr and parents) that I didn't suffer in vision loss when the bandages were removed. I do have some scar tissue on my lens which doesn't really effect my vision...

**MickintheHam** · 08-11-2013, 09:50 PM

Darrell, the UAB Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital is a great resource in our community. i'm glad things are going well. We are fortunate to have a world class hospital in our community. Dr. Cap, who came to UK from UAB, has a vision to create such a world class facility in Lex at Chandler Medical Center. They appear to be well on there way to reaching those goals.

**Darrell KSR** · 08-16-2013, 12:57 AM

Originally Posted by blueboss

Glad to "SEE" you're doing better.

I got shot in my left eye with a BB gun when I was in the 6th grade, they bandaged both eyes at the time so there wouldn't be any damage to the good eye trying to compensate for the injured eye. It was considered a miracle (at least by my Dr and parents) that I didn't suffer in vision loss when the bandages were removed. I do have some scar tissue on my lens which doesn't really effect my vision...

Very fortunate. None of us should take our eyes for granted.

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**Darrell KSR** · 08-16-2013, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by MickintheHam

Darrell, the UAB Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital is a great resource in our community. i'm glad things are going well. We are fortunate to have a world class hospital in our community. Dr. Cap, who came to UK from UAB, has a vision to create such a world class facility in Lex at Chandler Medical Center. They appear to be well on there way to reaching those goals.

That's outstanding. I handle stress well, but it sure helped knowing I was in a place well equipped to manage eye specific emergencies. Lexington is a natural for the same thing.

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**blueboss** · 08-16-2013, 11:39 AM

Dr Stambaugh was my eye guy in Lexington and at the time he was considered tops in the nation for eye care. He was also Perry Como's eye Dr.

**Darrell KSR** · 11-12-2020, 11:01 PM

Found this thread today. Going for a minor outpatient surgery related to this tomorrow morning. Thankful that I have followed doctor's orders to a T since that time.

UAB Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital in the morning. Friday the 13th. Can I time it, or what?

**MickintheHam** · 11-13-2020, 05:19 AM

Originally Posted by Darrell KSR

Found this thread today. Going for a minor outpatient surgery related to this tomorrow morning. Thankful that I have followed doctor's orders to a T since that time.

UAB Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital in the morning. Friday the 13th. Can I time it, or what?

Good luck D. You are in good hands.

**bigsky** · 11-13-2020, 09:01 AM

You okay Mick?

**Darrell KSR** · 11-13-2020, 02:11 PM

All good. Dr. Joiner finished, said I had no restrictions. So I asked him if I could run a half marathon this afternoon. He told me yes, and I said, "Great. I've never been able to run that far before!"

I've been waiting years for that joke to present itself and it finally happened today. So it's a good day. And the little procedure went fine.

**MickintheHam** · 11-13-2020, 07:46 PM

Good news! Thanks for the update

**bigsky** · 11-14-2020, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Darrell KSR

All good. Dr. Joiner finished, said I had no restrictions. So I asked him if I could run a half marathon this afternoon. He told me yes, and I said, "Great. I've never been able to run that far before!"

I've been waiting years for that joke to present itself and it finally happened today. So it's a good day. And the little procedure went fine.

No doubt the Doc thought it was a real thighslapper. I am stealin it for sure

**CitizenBBN** · 11-14-2020, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by Darrell KSR

All good. Dr. Joiner finished, said I had no restrictions. So I asked him if I could run a half marathon this afternoon. He told me yes, and I said, "Great. I've never been able to run that far before!"

I've been waiting years for that joke to present itself and it finally happened today. So it's a good day. And the little procedure went fine.

Doctor, will I be able to play the piano?

Yes, I don't see why not.

Great, I never could play it before.

Yeah, I think that joke was first told by Grog, to Grunk, before there were pianos.

Glad it went well. Glad you're taking your meds.

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