Thursday, September 22, 2005

You will put your eye out with that blood pressure


I got off early from work yesterday so I decided to take advantage of my new health benefits and go get an eye exam. Well, they put the drops in my eyes and sent me out to wait for them to work.I am sitting there in the waiting room with my pupils dialating and across from me there is a woman breastfeeding. Then the late afternoon sun is shining in the window causing me even more pain. So I go back in expecting a quick look in each eye and I'll be on my way. The guy looks in my eye and says "Yipes!" I have a peripheral retinal venous occlusion. So today I went to see a retinal specialist and I guess my blood pressure is out of control. They did a retinal angiography. This consists of injecting dye in the vein, dilating my eye and then taking obout 40 pictures. With each picture you have to keep your eye wide open while a light equal to a star going super-nova is flashed into brain. But it was my lucky day--- because it didn't involve the macula or else I'de be in deep doo-doo. So next week I go to the doctor to get treated for high blood pressure. I don't think it's that high but this eye thing is spooky. I'm not sure how I would look in a jaunty eye patch. I think it was that breastfeeding woman that caused all these problems. It's possible those blood pressure machines in Wal-Mart are accurate after all. This may not be one of Babba's witty posts but like the young people I just want to share my day.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Babba, thank God it's caught now. Time for us baby boomers to take care of our not-so-baby bodies. M-

Anonymous said...

You sure you weren't straining too hard to get a look at the baby's dinner?

I hate this getting old stuff!!! Blood pressure goes through the roof, belly expands, eys don't want to see, cells refuse nourishment, joints hurt, brain stops thinking, hair turns an awful white & gnarly, hearing isn't as good. Body doesn't respond as it once did when abused. Its a drag I tell ya!

Do, do something about it, though buddy. We need you around for at least another 30 + years. Preferably healthy!

Aunt Dot said...

Whoa,

Sorry about that, Dorian.

My Dad had one of those due to blood pressure. But....he had macular degeneration in addition.

I'm glad you're finding this out now. I agree with M and D-55: take good care of yourself!! Frank and I are on all sorts of meds for lots of stuff that D-55 listed...it's amazing.

Hey, doesn't Carol have a stethoscope so that she can take your BP?

Anonymous said...

Yikes! You people are scaring me! Am I gonna be the only Baby Boomer at the Thanksgiving table? Annie

Anonymous said...

Yep, it'll be just you. I'll be at the kiddie table, and Tom will be picking pecans off the pie.

Anonymous said...

OMG! Pecan Pie! I haven't had that since the last time we went down to Maryland for Thanksgiving. You can have my unwanted pecans, Ben.