Checking in
 

Well, I've been absent for awhile. I've read everything and caught up with everyone. My husband had eye surgery on the 1st of May. It was an eyelid lift and resection. We are talking serious aftercare from me. He had both done at the same time to get it over with. We would not have done this if we had realized all the detailed care I'd have to do. I've slept in his worn out (won't let me get rid of it) recliner since the surgery. I have to get up at 2-3:00 a.m. to put more ointment in and on his eyes. I won't bore you all with the rest of the many details. This isn't something that was voluntary or un-nessary surgery. It was affecting his vision by about 50%. Not safe to drive.

Sleeping in a recliner with my butt issues and back issues has been a whole lot of serious fun. I'm walking like Melody all bent over. But if I go to bed and am comfortable I don't wake up when I'm susposed to. Today, he was going to drive himself to the doctor. He can't even see to read the newspaper and I walk out to get in the car and he's behind the steering wheel. I said NOT!! to him and told him he would get out and I would drive. And he says why?

He's fought me every inch of the way with letting me do what is written on a 3 1/2 page typed sheet of paper for aftercare. I am very bent out of shape with men at the moment. I suspect most women on here will agree that I have right to not be happy with him. We see the doctor again tomorrow and I'm hoping she (yes..she) takes a bite out of him.

Sleep well and have less pain all.

Billye

Hi Billye:

Your hubby is so lucky to have you. All our hubbies are lucky to have US, now aren't they?

I fear they would be lost without us. I know someone who had that eyelid surgery because the eyelid was so droopy she could not see out of one of her eyes.

So here's hoping that soon, he's all better, you're walking straighter. (I am straight as we speak, thank goodness).

So you take care of YOURSELF too!!!

We gals have to stick together!!

Take care,

Mel

Give 'im heck Billye! You and the doc gang up on him! Eyes are nothing to mess with or be casual about. Men can be such stubborn A**es. Sigh.

Geesh! Danged ifn ya do...and
 

Ifn ya don't! All I would do is PLUNK THE INSTRUCTIONS for his 'care and feeding' during recovery under his NOSE and Chirp out Time for # 2! now...and NO COMPLAINTS.... IF so call yer doc and have some stranger come in and do all and I mean ALL the 'details'! HERE is the phone?

Amazing how grown-ups become kids in some ways when we've got owies?

Now for me, these days, spending life in the 'recliner' is really far better more comfy than being in bed? But...that's me. I can also appreciate the need for a good nite sleep vs/ being 'vigilant' for the med doses.. That is the drawback of snooze alarms?

My only solution aside from bed is to find a 'recliner' that is YOURS? One that can support you for the interim times and, at times the long term times.

Billye, what a way to be going w/o help! I sure wish you could find some that could just do some 'simple things' for the duration! My heart is with you and have some :hug::hug:'s!!!!!! - j

Doc got him!!
 

Well,
I tattled on him to her nurse. So she comes in looks at me and says "Is he always like this?" He says "Like what?" and she says "A difficult patient." Then she proceeds to tell him that the outcome of his surgery is strictly in his hands, that I don't HAVE to do anything.

Then she tells us that he must do everything on the list for two more weeks and he starts complaining. She looks at me and says "Make a schedule and have him read it, agree with it and sign it." "If he doesn't agree with the schedule, have him call me about any part of it he doesn't agree with."

We did this and I put it on the fridge with a magnet. Now if he argues, I can just point him to the schedule.

It has his signature on it.

Billye

Oh
 

Am I glad you checked in,I have to have my eye's done,my brother just
told me one at a time..I am getting that broken nose fixed as well..As for
that chair I always end up sleeping in mine and can't get up in the morning.
I really don't want to do this but tired,of looking at my drop lids.And at least
I know it's a broken nose and not a brain tumor..Hugs to you all seems like
oh times day.Sue:hug::hug:

Honestly it is easier to train cats!
 

I have trained them!
Husbands in particular are often the most recalictrant of creatures. Sigh.
Sure sounds like you've to the back up on your side to make life more tolerable tho! Bravo good lady!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:hug: :hug: 's and all plus some fuzzies too! - j


PS That wasn't a 'tattle'...That was a statement of fact that others sussed out as well! Feel absolutely NO GUILT about it!

OOH tho? Watch out for 'lost' magnets tho...they could disappear ya know? And you will know by who [or is it whom? does it matter?]

Reading this is like reading a Melody's hubby story!

But what amazes me, Billye, is that a year ago I can't imagine you being physically capable of doing this. As much pain as you are in these days, the recovery, as seen from this, is remarkable.

He's a lucky man, that guy who wouldn't buy the laptop! Yes, I do know he is a darling.....and he takes good care of you when you need caring for.

I have a tad of envy of you married folk; life is certainly easier when you have another sentient mammal to share it with!

Sentient mammals!!!!

I LOVE THAT EXPRESSION!!!

I'm going to go call Alan a Sentient Mammal right now. Let's see what he says:

lol lol lol

I walk over to him while he's watching tv. It's a commercial. I say to him "Alan, do you know that you are a sentient mammal??

He removes his headphones and says: "I'm a What???"

I said again "you are a sentient mammal".

He says: "WHY??"

I said "no, not why, this is what you are, you are a sentient mammal, don't you know what a sentient mammal is??"

He says: "I have no idea what you are talking about, I'm watching LAW AND ORDER".


LOL LOL LOL

yep I miss putting goop in my husbands eye,well not that...But when
our men are sick or have sore eyes.Billye I to admire you your one
strong woman and your story was so funny.. Hugs Sue LJ it was nice
to see your feet pop up..

Billye
 

Good to hear at least the surgery is over - but sorry you now have such a difficult patient! (and kudos to your patience!) Involving the nurse sounds like a great idea - men can be just a "tad" difficult about being sick eh... Just be sure to take care of yourself too - as mentioned you are doing really well right now it seems and you dont want to compromise that!

Take care of both of you:winky:

Having an RN manager for a S.O. is quite demanding.
When I complain about not feeling well (other than PN)
she says 'go to the doc's'.
Get an Rx.
Period.
That's it!
I think I've reverse trained her, too well.
she leaves me alone all the time now. ;)

Not to put too fine a point on it or anything--
 

--but being a difficult patient is not restricted to the male gender.

As many of you know, my wife just had a total thyroidectomy for papillary carcinoma--fortunately there seems to be no evidence of it beyond the small node found in the thyroid--but getting her to follow the proper post-op regimen of taking her calcium (to prevent parathyorid shock/dysfunction) and to take her replacement thyroid hormone first thing in the AM upon waking--one is not supposed to eat for at least an hour afterward--has been, uh, challenging. Not to mention that she's now back to running 50 miles a week or so, including a three-hour weekend run, and she's putting off her next scheduled blood work-up to check TSH and thyroglobulin levels . . .

My wife definitely has passive aggressive tendencies--she'll smile and say, "Yes, I did it" and then I'll catch her gulping down synthroid while trying to hide it from me . . .

I'm no great prize as a patient either--I tend to spend a lot of time on the computer figuring out every last possibility for the sniffles--but methinks there is a sexist presumption here . . .:rolleyes:

Not to worry Glenn:

I still love ya!!!! and I appreciate you!!!

lol

Glen
 

My son did the very same thing after his thyroid cancer surgery,well he was
12 and went through radition..He just didn't want to do anything he had
to. But the Dr. told him he had to take care of himself,because we couldn't
be with him everywhere he went..He was just very tired,he's 31 now and
is always moving. She will be they way to except mybe not 31. :) Sue

No fighting here now!! heheheheh
 

It's my own personal opinion that women always think most men aren't good patients. And believe me, this one isn't. But the doctor's nurse and the doctor agreed with me. Course it might have looked as if I could eat ground glass on the day I last saw them. My Dad was a terrible patient and still is, so are all three of our sons.

I have a puppywho is begging me to go to bed and hold her so I guess we'll retire to the recliner for the night.
Take care all and be safe.
Billye

I would be lost without the support of my wife. Learning I have PN and the fact that there is no cure was very difficult. She has been very patient and helpful. I hope I can be the same for her if and when the need arises.

gerald

:nopity: yada yada yada

Hey joe
 

We have are eye on you,:rolleyes::rolleyes: Sue

Play nice, kiddies!

Melody
 

Melody, I was feeling way down today. Checked this thread, read some of your postings.....I'm feeling better. You have such a wonderful attitude....thank you for being here!

Question: Does neuropathy cause drooping eyelids?

Not sure about PN
 

But there is an autoimmune disease called myasthenia gravis : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myasthenia_gravis which can cause drooping eyelids. Having this disease can cause PN.

Billye

Silverlady!
 

My maternal aunt has myasthenia gravis........and a year ago this past September my mother was diagnosed with it too......at 82 she had other ailments, but my sister remembers the day well when she took her to the Dr., and Mom was given the diagnosis.....she shut down, and died three weeks later.....she had been ill for a long time and we think she drew the line at blindness.....

I have a drooping right eyelid and all this time I've thought it came with the onset of my viral neuropathy.....I had never noticed it before then.....and....it may still be the cause.....but when I get to California.....I'm going to find a good eye Dr......thank you so very much for this info......

Lucky,

Thanks for the nice compliment. I have learned quite a bit from these boards. I'm kind of the comedian of the bunch. But you can't beat the others for their medical expertise. I hope you find the answer to your question about Myasthenia Gravis and PN. I remember that Aristotle Onassis had MG. Never forgot that bit of trivia.

Best of luck.

Melody

MG
 

Hi - Myasthenia Gravis was one of the first diseases I was tested for when I got PN - (and my eyes were ok) the doc just wanted to rule it out... I believe it was done just by blood test so was an easy test (my neuro ordered it) - maybe you could just ask your current doc to order test now?):confused:

I was never treated at the onset of PN, and I don't know if drooping lid is correct......if I were to put eye shadow on my eye lids, you would not see it on the left eye......so maybe that's not a drooping lid. It came about with the PN, but I didn't notice it right away......too many other things to contend with at the time.

I most definitely will be finding a good neurologist when we get to California, and eye doctor.