ICE SYNDROME SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE!

 The past 16 months have been rough as it relates to ICE Syndrome....2 cornea transplants and 2 glaucoma tube shunt revisions, and 1 tube shunt removal with ECP.   Honestly, it has been ROUGH and it has been TIRING.   Days laying flat on my back looking at the ceiling, high pressure aches, stabs of pain, headaches, double vision, clouded blinded vision, various cocktail of eye drops that sometimes create undesirable side effects, swollen red eye and on and on.     I am very much in the middle of this ICE stuff and it tries to take my "life" away.   I try so hard for it not too - but sometimes it just can't be helped.    Sometimes also, it feels like it just paralyzes me into inaction.  

But life does go on.   In those 16 months, my dear son went from a third quarter 4th grader to graduating out of elementary school.  Where does the time go - so MUCH I wanted to enjoy - and only feeling up to being able to do a LITTLE.     Still able to encourage and sometimes prod, I wanted to do so much more.   Sure, I went to parent teacher conferences, cheered at sporting activities, went to plays & ceremonies - but as I look back - did I really get to enjoy them as much as I could?    Did I savor the moments?   Could I have done more?    I enjoyed - but it seemed like ICE was at every nook and cranny trying to knock me back.  

My appointment on Monday was decent.    In the past two weeks, my pressure dropped to an acceptable level....between 17 and 21.   I had remaining sutures removed - which is helping stop the excessive thick watering.    There is still cloudy vision and double shadow vision - but that is a new normal now and one that I'll live with for a long while if I can.    I just don't want to hit the surgery table anytime soon.   Can I really start living again?    It's summer - can I really enjoy it?    Can I savor the moments this summer with my son before he hits those middle school years?   

One thing is for sure - I'm going to give it all I got to make it happen.     My new command:  "ICE symptoms subside - I have more important things to do right now!"