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Praetorium Honoris

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

Without Fear

Tecumseh, Shawnee warrior and chief
Statue at the U.S. Naval Academy
So live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about their religion; respect others in their view, and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide. Always give a word or a sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, even a stranger, when in a lonely place. Show respect to all people and grovel to none. When you arise in the morning give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself. Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home. - Tecumseh*
Amen to that...

Now all that wasn't meant to harsh your mellow, just a great quote to live by. Be ready, but don't dwell on mortality. Good man that Tecumseh.


If I had known that July was going to be this much fun, I may have prepared myself better.

Last Tuesday (the day before I tried to lop my finger off with a door into the house) I noticed in the morning that the vision in my right eye (i.e. "the good one") seemed slightly blurry. It happens, especially on those "get up early and go to work" days.

Thought nothing of it until I noticed (at lunch) that the blurriness hadn't gone away. In fact, I was seeing slightly double with just the one eye (again, "the good one"). Called my eye doc, she was booked but one of her colleagues was available for a check of the old oculus dextrus.

What with the blurry eye and the approaching holiday, I decided that not only would I leave early on Tuesday (02 July) but would stay home on the 3rd (had the 4th and 5th off anyway). The 3rd being, of course, the day of the attempted digit lopping. (I suppose the door could claim a "probable" kill. There was a lot of blood spillage.)

Turns out the right eye was low on whatever eyes get low on. (As a phormer Phantom phixer I'm guessing it's some sort of hydraulic fluid.) Anyhoo, I now have drops for that, the next day (prior to the finger lopping) the eye was just fine. I was happy. For a while anyway.

So, on Monday (gestern) I had to go in for a pre-op consult. Getting a cataract removed on the 25th of July. I opted for the status quo ante bellum**, rather than get a super-duper new left eye lens (which would require wearing a contact in the right, maybe a monocle? - Not gonna happen) I opted for "make it like it was before the vitreous went insane, er, shrunk and messed up the retina. (The vitrectomy that I had last October can cause a cataract to form. In my case, did cause a cataract to form. Och well, time to get it fixed.

Finger still hurts, typing is less than fun, but I do it all for y'all. (Did I get that right, Tennessee?) I feel the need to spin tales and talk of history. So yeah, finger is better, hasn't fallen off yet. I get to see an orthopedic doc tomorrow, follow up from the ER visit.

Wish me luck, or better yet (let's not tempt fate), just say "Hals und Beinbruch!"

Gettin' old ain't for sissies.

Ciao.




*H/t B. Benson, USMC
** The "bellum," or war, being the unprovoked attack of the vitreous upon my left retina. Infamy and all that, dontcha know?

26 comments:

  1. Ya...... both parents had cataract surgery, they bounced back OK afterwards. At least this shi.....er.....cra....... stuff happened in the summer rather than wintertime (small, very small consolation). Hang in there Sarge, two weeks will zip by before you know it. Aluminum Overcast was in town last Friday through Sunday, flew over the neighborhood Sunday afternoon, multi-engine radials, sweet thunder there!

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  2. The eye doc said cataracts are in my distant future. He seemed puzzled when I looked up and said, "That's impossible because I have no intention of trying white water rafting."

    If you are telling the story of your door closing injury, are you speaking literally and fingeratively?

    More seriously, good luck!

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    1. I got the same look when I asked if I had to travel to Egypt for the surgery.

      I was in de Nile.

      Delete
  3. I find lots of comfort in reading and working out the thoughts of men I admire. I'd never read that quote from Tecumseh. I knew of their engines tho. Worked on a few as a lad.

    Thanks for the date, I'll put in on my calendar. I'm pulling for you. Us OT's gotta hang tough to give the yutes an example.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks STxAR.

      (I'd forgotten about the engines. 😉)

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  4. Boy, this morning's comments are a combination of groaners and, "oh yeah, I remember those!" And before I read your last line, Sarge, I was thinking of my mom always saying the very same, exactly the same thing. Of course back then, I had no clue what she meant. I am now fully appreciative of the sentiment. Cataracts are also in my future, I've been told. This week, though, it's a date with Dr. Propofol (no, he doesn't wear white gloves or moon walk!) who will take the next step in filling a hole in my gums he created late last year. Yay!

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  5. At times, you lead an interesting life.

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    Replies
    1. Far too interesting.

      Boring has a certain, non-lethal, attraction.

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    2. Now that is really funny! Your life is...was...and probably always will be "far too interesting."
      you're in my thoughts.

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  6. I had both eyes done (about 2 weeks apart) using computer controlled laser surgery about a year ago. I elected to have LASIK also done--so am now 20/20 in both eyes, but need drugstore readers for fine print. Surgery and recovery went off without a hitch, just had to do eye drops after each session for a couple of weeks. I suspect you'll be fine (hey, it's absolutely painless, and fast!). Anyway, as my Thespian friends say:"break a leg". :-)

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    1. Thanks Cap'n.

      After smashing my finger, I have no doubt that the cataract surgery isn't going to hurt at all. I should even get a blog post out of it!

      Delete
  7. Cataract surgery was one of the best things that ever happened in all my medical goings-on. You'll be amazed and happy with results, it's amazing! (I almost want to allow myself two exclamation points there) Hope your finger is feeling better with each passing day. Great quote, I had to select, copy and paste that one.

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    1. I love that quote, got it from a Marine buddy over on Facebook. Which would indicate that koobecaF isn't completely useless. (It's also good for grandkid photos.)

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  8. My prayer has been said for you. God bless.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Suldog, you remain in mine. (Boston Marathon next year? 😉)

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  9. My best thoughts to/for you on your rapid return to what passes for normal. It seems that white water rafting is one of the features of getting old. Oh joy. As we ( well, some of us ) said in the '60s, Keep on trucking.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul L. Quandt

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  10. Great quote and he was a wise chief

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  11. Good luck at the ortho office!! Hopefully you can be down-graded to s simple finger splint and not the entire baseball glove type dressing on your hand. But I am betting the Mrs. will have to be doing the eye drops as it is hard to get drops in your eye using only one hand. Hoping and praying that all will go well both at the ortho office and on the 25th. I will be thinking of you as I wander on the beach in CT. If I can survive work for the next 8 days I will be going on vacation. Gonna spend a couple of days coming and going with the new grandkiddo, and a week at the beach with Mom, Dad, sisters and their families. So ya'll need to stay healthy for the rest of the month!! I worry about cha all!!


    I have an Arins snowblower and it has a Tecumseh motor in it. It works GREAT!!! And it has to be 28 years old. Starts right up, and blows that white stuff far and wide.

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    1. Have a great vacation Suz! You've earned it.

      I'm getting pretty good at doing things one-handed. Don't like it, but for now I'm okay.

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  12. Hey Old AFSarge;

    Those were wise words spoken by the Chief, if only everyone lived like that, it would solve a lot of drama in the world. As far as your typing...could you use pencils and tap the keyboards? Just trying to help....or hinder you, LOL

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    Replies
    1. But which end of the pencil would I use?

      😉

      Delete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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