Good news on cancer and eyes

I have failed miserably at keeping ‘the cancer blog’ updated – and that’s a good thing, I suppose. I have now been “clean” since my April autologous stem cell transplant.

I had a PET scan in June and a CT scan this week (Sept. 11) and both showed negative results. My oncologist was very pleased then advises I should have a PSA test. Oh fun, but it’s just a blood test to check the prostate. Other cancers have been known to develop post lymphoma and transplant process. But I am pretty used to being tested. I’m still on three antibiotics. One of them impacts my energy some – but I was on then off of it at midsummer and now on it again. It doesn’t seem to be bothering me as much.

Bad idea:  5:30 a.m. selfie

My energy is pretty good – certainly much improved from early summer. So as transition, cancer is in check and hair is growing back. I spend most of my time indoors seeing double until I get new glasses.

I’ve been off work since late August to have cataract surgery on both eyes. The final result will be known next week when I get my new prescription lenses but so far, from what I can tell and see, the operation was a tremendous success.

Covering one eye at a time, I can see 80-90 percent better out of each eye than prior to the surgery. It’s a simple surgery that has no knives, no bandages, no pain, and just a micro laser incision. In the eye care clinic, both eyes tested at 20-20! Amazing!

Sutton

But I have a focal point issue – I see double without glasses – and I have astigmatism. So I’m struggling seeing much of anything for now. I have to sing the praises of the IU School of Optometry, and Dr. Brad Sutton, who spearheaded the diagnosis. Sutton, head of the school, was called in on my first visit and he identified what he called an unusual set of cataracts that most optometrists miss. The IU school runs a public clinic on MLK Drive in downtown Indy and one in Bloomington.  An optometry intern performs the vision testing then a resident normally reviews the tests and makes recommendations or writes a prescription. I had visited two different optometrists over the past three years with no success correcting my vision.

 

Orr

Dr. Michael Orr performed the surgery at Eye Surgeons of Indiana at Community North Hospital just off I-69 in Indy. He’s a real pro with great bedside manner, patience for dumb patient questions (me), and performs this miracle of corrected eye sight in about six minutes to remove the natural lense in your eye and insert a man-made one.

 

My boss asked this week if sitting around so much was boring and it is. But I walk almost every day for exercise and have been doing some much-needed decluttering around the house. Using reading glasses, I can see good enough to drive but not at night.

These two big health events have me evaluating a lot of things about my future with all this extra time. More to come on that soon.

Thank those of you who have read these rambling posts and your thoughts and prayers.