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Praetorium Honoris

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

TSCPC - Uh, What?

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Sorry, I'm not ready to continue with my tale of the opening stages of World War II in Europe. The surgery I had Friday afternoon has left me weary and somewhat fuzzy-visioned. But not to worry, it gets better every day, well, except Sunday, Sunday was a really blurry day. With my "macular issues," as my eye doc is wont to call it, hey, it happens.

For years my left eye was the "go to" eye. When I needed glasses (around the age of twelve, thus dashing my dreams of being a fighter pilot), it was only the right eye which had issues, near-sighted it was. First pair of glasses was real lens in the right, plain glass in the left.

Now as the years went by, the left eye grew tired of doing all the heavy lifting (so I like to tell it) and gradually lost distance clarity to match the right. Which would then decide, "uh-uh, I ain't helping," and backslide just a bit more.

Well, this continued for some time, until one day the vitreous humor (that gelatinous-like substance which fills one's eyeball) began to shrink, it happens as we age. In the left eye, as this occurred, it pulled away from the retina but didn't "let go," much as a boat pulling away from the dock with a line still attached will either damage the boat or the dock.  Well, with the eye it seems the dock (the retina) always takes the fall.

It was bad enough in my left eye to require surgery which knocked that eye out of the lead as "best eye in my head." Now the right eye holds that distinction, even though that one had a vitreous humor "pull away" (as I call it) which left the right eye with what's called a "Weiss ring." (I'll let you look that up but it's something which can happen with a Posterior Vitreous Detachment, or PVD. Which is also the airport code for T.F. Green in Warwick, but everyone says Providence. Which ties in with the opening graphic, that eye on top of the pyramid on the dollar bill is "The Eye of Providence." As in God, not the city in Little Rhody, but the way my mind works, a connection, however tenuous, was made.)

Anyhoo, the right eye soldiers on rather well, but there are days when it gets really fatigued, and it's difficult to completely focus. That was Sunday, one of those days where I get to live the Patton line of "through a glass, but darkly." Or something to that effect, not really debilitating, just really, really annoying.

So yeah, that's the background on the Mark I, Mod 0 eyeballs in the Sarge's head. (Though in reality, the left eye is probably a Mark I, Mod 3 eyeball, three surgeries on that one, oh yeah, did I mention the cataract surgery on that side as well?)

So, what's with the long string of letters in the title, Sarge?

Okay, "TSCPC" stands for Transscleral cyclophotocoagulation, in my case this was performed with a diode laser using the G-Probe¹ glaucoma device. You saw the eyepatch the other day, right? Well, after it came off, I freaked out.

My left eye was no longer boresighted, off at an angle it was, strange and unfocused vision was the order of the day Friday night. But a good night's sleep fixed that right up. Both eyes are back in battery now, though the left is quite sore from the procedure.

Why the procedure, Sarge?

Well, long story short, glaucoma, both eyes. Left is the worst, so much so that the eye drops I've been using for months to control the intraocular pressure or IOP, were no longer as effective. So my eye doc sent me to an eye surgeon for a consult, he recommended this procedure (which does something to the ciliary glands to reduce the amount of liquid they produce, same volume to fill but with less liquid equals lower pressure) which was weird but short.

Long story short (again) I go back to the eye surgeon on Friday to check the pressure. If all goes well, the pressure will be well within optimal margins.

We shall see.




¹ This is really just a fiber-optic handpiece used to direct the energy of the laser, as I understand it. G-Probe is an IRIDEX brand name

38 comments:

  1. Well, "TSCPC"....... I'd like to buy a vowel Alex..........:) Thanks for the detailed update Sarge, you've got a few of us out here sending prayers your way. Thanks for all the hard work and time you put into this blog.

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  2. A Friday pressure check, good luck with that!

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  3. Slightly misquoting Shakespeare, spies and troubles come in troops, not singly.

    Prayers Up Sarge. Being unable to focus would likely drive me nuts, as I am a very visual person.

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    1. Oh believe me, it drives me barking mad when it happens. While I know that patience is a virtue, it's one I just don't have.

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    2. When you find that "patience is a virtue" prescription, please share it with me. I need a heaping dose of it.

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  4. Had what I hope is my share of eye surgery. Nothing nearly as important as proper recuperation from such. We'll hang around here at "short stay" and be ready for underway when you are...
    Boat Guy

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  5. Oh ouch. This is terrifying. My vision is my most important sense. I have nightmares of being unable to see. Heal quickly and completely, please.

    Whic reminds me ... I need to makea follow-up at the UMN Eye clinic (computer was down the last time they saw me.)

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    1. My one big lesson here is this - see your eye doctor, at least once a year. There are things they can catch early, glaucoma being one of those things.

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  6. Appreciate your detail. When someone else like myself should go down this road it helps to glean from others experience.

    Prayers continue for your peepers OAFS. :- )
    Franknbean

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    1. That's why I share these types of things, so others will be better prepared. Of course, it also gives me something to write about which doesn't require a lot of thought.

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  7. "but the way my mind works, a connection, however tenuous, was made" THAT happens to me all the time. I don't know if it was the sudden realization that every time Bugs Bunny had a car scene they played 'Merry Oldsmobile' that burned that pathway into my head or not. But it's hardwired now.

    Bright green lasers to both eyes and the ensuing purple cast to the world for a few hours is not something I ever want to do again. Invasive surgery scares the pants of'n me. Prayers up for you Sarge. Rest that eye, ahead slow...

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    1. All ahead slow, Aye! That's the plan for the next several days.

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  8. Best o' luck. May you heal (return to a better normal) quickly. Those guys you left standing around all over western Europe are probably grateful for the rest while your readers are waiting to find out what ways your muse is mischeviously figuring to get them in more trouble.

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  9. "We shall see."

    I "see" what you did there...

    Sorry, couldn't resist. Heal well and soon. I'm seeing my eye guy next week.

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    1. Finally, someone took the low hanging fruit! (🙄)

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    2. my thoughts exactly... btw, I hope you will be alright soon TM

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  10. Progress continues, so good, so far. Glad to hear that.

    I really appreciate the gory details, much in the way that Naval Air Cowman's accounts include them in the most casual way, as if we all do this stuff every day and everyone should know all about it. Most of us really don't like to go do medical stuff, but knowledge is power and having some ideer of how the parts work, and what quacks can do, and how patients react to their practicing medicine makes us better patients and more likely to show up when we need to, not just when we have to.

    Heal, then write. We will patiently, and eagerly, await.
    John Blackshoe

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    1. Knowledge is power, I'm a firm believer in that. What you don't know CAN hurt you.

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  11. Sorry you are having to go through this, as our sight is inarguably the most important of our senses. But, the medical technology we have for the eyes these days, and the skilled ocular surgeons that work with it, are one bright side to the problem. Just hope your MK 1s cooperate with them.

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  12. Taking a break from the tension of supplying us with a storyline is good for you, and actually, OK for us! You know we're out here and you know as well our friendships do not rely on new product, but old experience.
    Do what the Doctor and the Missus Herself says. Write down what you disagree with and bring it up only when you feel better (I better add that that is sarcasm before someone tries it).
    Best, Fuzz

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  13. Glad you're doing better, Sarge. Last visit to the Eye Doc, he mentioned the G word. Not bad but...there. Not looking forward to the next visit.

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  14. I second Mr Blackshoe's sentiment of understanding WHY it is that the doctor wants you to show up--for any appointment, not just for ones involving the eyeballs. Also for taking your meds, regardless if they are pills, or drops. Ignoring things hardly ever makes them better...that whole ounce of prevention/pound of cure or stitch in time saving nine stuff.

    So thank you for explaining some of the stuff you have gone through with your eyes, as all of us here use our eyes frequently, like every day.
    And if anyone thinks about NOT following up, just tie a handkerchief around your eyes for 2 hours, or go to the eye doctor's and get dilated to see how it would be to be blind. When I was in nursing school, we had a short term on dealing with patients with disabilities, and were each assigned a handicap. Mine was to be blind--for 48 hours. It was an eye-opening experience, even though my Mom had been a braille transcriber for about 15 years at that time. So I had a bit of awareness of being sight-impaired...but not being able to read was no fun at all!! And this was back in the Dark Ages before computers were a thing.

    Will be sending prayers up, especially on Friday, for an all systems go report. In the meantime, rest 'em to help with the healing!!

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    1. Sound advice as always Suz. I shall obey the docs, I shall behave, and I shall never give up, never surrender.

      Thanks!

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