This past week my fifth grade son came home from school with an assignment to conduct his own science experiment at home. He had to state a question, declare a hypothesis, collect data and discuss the variables that affected his results. Having graduated with a degree in microbiology (a mere 26 years ago), it conjured up a few ol' memories of college lab days.
It also conjured up the word "variables" that I heard just last week from a glaucoma fellow at my glaucoma specialist's office as we discussed my condition.
As we all know, with ICE there is rarely a dull moment! Besides the continued corneal edema, my eye pressure is elevated again and I'm also experiencing some double vision. I was prescribed another glaucoma drop (Lumigan again) on top of my current Cosopt and will have a follow-up pressure check at the beginning of the year. I see my cornea specialist this coming week to discuss everything else.
So variables? What variable is causing this elevated pressure? Could it be the steroid drops for my transplant? Are the two tube shunts clogged and why? Is my swollen cornea causing it? Is it too cold outside? Am I getting enough sleep? Am I eating the wrong foods? Am I thinking positive thoughts? (....ok, I'm going a little overboard here). But seriously, where does one start to try to figure this out? I guess it is step by step - and I realize all health situations have variables to deal with. I do know two things - it requires patience and this is LIFE! As I have mentioned before LIFE IS DIFFICULT - but you CAN choose your response to it!
I also know this - without the doctor telling me, I could see it in his demeanour.....if this pressure doesn't get down fairly soon, I'm headed for another glaucoma surgery! Oh joy! :)
With regards to the corneal edema and resultant blurry vision (even after the transplant attached), my cornea specialist asked me to try to keep track of when my vision seems to be less blurry. Here are a couple of variables I have learned these past six weeks - and that I will mention to him next week.
- Time of day: Mornings are worst....evenings are best
- Hot steamy showers make things worst (but they sure feel good on a cold morning!)
- Cold, cloudy, dry days are best (and I mean cold.....30 degrees F or less!)
- Warm, sunny, humid days are worst (and I love these kind of days!)
- Sleeping on the side of your transplant seems to take the eye longer to clear up during the day.
- No eye makeup is best - probably because it doesn't have to be removed (bummer, I LOVE eye makeup!)
I'll still be working on this cornea edema "variable list" over time. As far as the double vision....pretty clueless on this one! More on that some other time.
Bottom line, everything in life is about variables...it just took a 5th grade science experiment to remind me!
