Mary Beth Writes

Almost two years ago I went to a local optical store for an eye exam. The nice optician said I had a cataract and he could refer me to a specialist. He also said I could wait but if it got worse, I should see to it (hah, see to it…).

I have considered my looming doom several times a week since. Low grade anxiety. Don’t you love it?

Our road trip to the southwest made me extra aware that my eyes often felt tight and scratchy. Long hours in the dry and light-filled car, hours hiking in the bright, dry desert. I wore sunglasses but my eyes got so weary that I figured it was time to deal with my cataract. I contacted my physician’s assistant; she referred me to a Froedtert optometrist.

Yesterday I had that appointment. Guess what? I have average, non-critical cataracts for people my age. I do not need cataract surgery now or even soon. If I get to a point where it interferes with my vision, I can seek the surgery then.

What’s going on? The dry, itchiness is mostly eyelid dry itchiness. There are simple things I should do to manage it and I will do them.

But this: In ordinary situations, people don’t get a problem cataract in one eye since both eyes tend to get cloudy at the same slow pace. That was the clue. The optometrist spent a lot of time looking into my eyes. She ordered a photograph of the backs of my eyeballs and so now we know this. I have a situation in one eye that is serious but not a crisis now. I will need to go back every six months for more photos of that eye. If the retina gets involved, I guess there are surgeries one can do then. But not now.

She asked if I use eyedrops and I said most days I use Systane Ultra several times in the day. She said that’s what she uses, too. Hah. Good to know.

She gave me a list of other products I can use, which was helpful.

She also said I should check in periodically with an Amsler Grid. Len was in the room right then, he said we have one. I looked at him. We do?

The instructions of how to use this grid are printed on this PDF.  I’d never heard of it but if you look at the center dot, one eye at a time, the lines should remain vertical and horizontal. If the lines are wavy in any of the quadrants, that’s a sign something may be going on with your vision.  Lo and behold, my iffy eye has a wavy quadrant. Who knew? It’s a tool for me to now know what’s normal for me. If it changes, I will call my lovely new optometrist.

https://amslergrid.org/AmslerGrid.pdf

It’s so tricky to know precisely what one should and should not worry about. Once again, I had the right anxiety for the wrong reason. 

…..

Did you know that much of the establishment of the United States Senate was a compromise to get southern slavery-allowing states to cooperate with the northern non-slave states? The first plans for how to build and shape our new government were strictly about representation based on population. But that would mean slave-owning colonies would have less power, so the compromise was to have the House of Representatives be population based - and the Senate would enable each state two representatives no matter what.

What we are dealing with now is the legacy of slavery. This is exhausting and dangerous, but we the citizens of this nation more-or-less deserve this. What we didn’t deal with and fight for before - we have to fight for and live through now.

A good tweet.

“You are choosing to not be vaccinated? Fine. Not everyone got on the ark, either.”

 

 

 

Comments

That is an excellent tweet. I printed off that eye chart and will keep it. Thanks. Never heard of that. Glad you are ok! We all have to stick together and share our knowledge. You do a great job at that.
Mary Beth's picture

We're all on this ark together... that is... those of us who are actually on the ark.

So much of what is wrong in the US goes back to slavery, How did anyone ever think it was moral or proper to own other human beings? I have been watching a lot PBS stuff about slavery, reconstruction, Jim Crow, court cases -- in some ways it is amazing that slavery was ever ended. That is ended in the strictest sense. The situation now is only moderately better. Thanks so much for the eyesight information. I'm overdue for a visit to the doc, but this eased some of my worry -- I probably just need a new prescription. And the tweet was priceless.
Mary Beth's picture

I think most of us do not truly realize the cracked foundation on which this nations was founded.

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Len’s Birthday

11/30/2023

Last week I mentioned that Monday of this week would be Len’s birthday. A friend remarked to me ever so kindly later that day, “I thought his birthday was the 30th?”

It is. Len’s birthday is the 30th. This same friend has commented to me, over the years, about how much I remember.

Covid Diary #1350 Thanksgiving

11/22/2023

Today is 1350 days since the that March Friday in 2020 when we all went into quarantine.

Today is 60 years since JFK was assassinated on November 22, 1963. I remember that day, so does Len, so do many of you. Here’s a scary truth. We are as far today from that day – as that day was from the Wright brother’s first flight at Kitty Hawk on Dec 17, 1903.

Quarantine Diary #1349 Sci-Fi & Prophecy

11/21/2023

We both took Covid tests this morning and both of us still have pink lines. I asked the internet what this means and it says I might be pregnant.

I have a call into my doctor’s office to discuss. I feel so much better that if I didn’t know I have Covid, I wouldn’t know it. I’ve been sicker than this after too much pie.

Covid Diary #1347

11/19/2023

A few of you might realize yesterday we were 1345 days since March 13, 2020, and today we’re at 1347. Yup, I used a different calculator. Just a fun reminder that precision depends as much on asking the right question as doing perfect math.

I’m in day #4 of having Covid. No more chills. I have a fever of 100.4 which is more impressive than the 100.2 that Len achieved on his Day #4.  I’m taking various OTC meds and I keep track of them in my phone’s notes because, wow, it’s so easy to have no memory of the last time one took something. I’m good. Enough.

Covid Diary #1345

11/18/2023

I thought I was done with the Covid Diary but guess what? Len and I caught Covid this week! Actually, Covid caught us. We have continued to wear masks in stores, library, meetings, and our church so we will never know for sure where Len encountered Covid. And since I got it four days later, I guess we know where I got it…

My New Substack for Short Stories

11/11/2023

Let’s call this “Old Dog Versus New Tricks.” Does it feel to you as if I’ve been extra quiet these past months? It does to me. One big reason is that I’ve been figuring out Substack.

Here’s the deal: In addition to this blog, I’ve been writing more creative fiction. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m finally taking it seriously. I’m not giving up this website, but substack is going to let me concentrate on short stories and other stand-alone pieces.

What’s Substack?

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