I'm sure some have noticed BigEd's periodic jabs at me about font sizes in my posts. While it may seem that I set a larger font just to torment him a bit, there is a practical reason.
I've never been blessed with particularly good vision and since developing Pac-Man disease in 2007 and having to undergo rounds of chemotherapy, my vision has taken a further hit. It was discovered last year that I had developed chemo-induced cataracts in both eyes, a not-uncommon artifact of high intensity corticosteroid therapy. The cataract in my left eye has substantially progressed and I am bordering on blindness on that side—my visual perception is that of looking through a very hazy window. Complicating matters, there is some clotted blood on the surface of the left eye's retina, causing several black spots in my field of vision. The consensus is that the retinal bleeding was caused by a severe platelet count crash that occurred in late 2008.
The right eye isn't too bad, so I'm not quite a Mr. Magoo. However, the combined visual acuity is insufficient for normal activities, e.g., I can no longer drive an automobile during evening hours. I have had to boost font sizes and take other measures to be able to continue to use a computer.
Accordingly, I'm going to submit my eyes to my friendly ophthalmologist for surgery to (it is hoped) fix this problem while it is fixable. The right eye will be first, starting on this Wednesday (September 11). As the right eye has no problem other than the cataract, it should be relatively routine, which is why it'll be first. Recovery time will be about two weeks, assuming nothing untoward develops. I will have very limited vision during that time.
The left eye will be another matter—fixing it will be complicated, especially since an attempt will be made to clean the clotted blood off the retina. Expected recovery time is three to four weeks. As my immune system has been surgically weakened to maintain control over Pac-Man, infection will be a constant threat and I will have to wear a special eye patch that delivers antibiotics to the eye. I've been told that an infection will in all likelihood cause permanent blindness, so removal of the patch will be infrequent, mostly for followup examination.
So as of Tuesday evening I will bid adieu for a while, as I won't be able to see well enough to do much of anything for about four weeks. I'll try to stay in touch during that time.
I too echo Garth's sentiments. I hope you have success, and a quick recovery without any complications. I will certainly miss your participation on the forum in the meantime.
My dad has ITP, I know what you're going through with that. I hope your eye operations go smoothly.
How old was your dad when Pac-Man showed up?
He was 76 and that was in early 2006.
His platelet counts have been as low as 30k but the last few years have been 50k to 70k.
That's a pretty advanced age at which to be developing autoimmune problems. I was diagnosed at 61. How's he doing?
30K is well below normal (150K) but not too dangerous. Most minor injuries will still clot at that level. The lowest I ever went was <2K (most CBC automated setups bottom out at 2K for platelets). It happened several times and I was bleeding out of just about every place where blood could come out.
there is a practical reason.
