I almost died in 2019.
After an arduous two weeks of writing a legal document (in my other life I am an arbitrator), I had a blinding headache, a droopy eyelid and double vision. I chalked it up to eye strain (I almost failed high school Biology and this is why I never pursued a medical career). I was wrong. Right before Christmas, I mad an appointment t with my ophthalmologist. He saved my life. After about five minutes of looking at me, he sent me directly to the nearest Emergency Room to rule out an aneurysm in my brain. He was right. On December 26, I had an angiogram and catheterization to deal with an aneurysm pressing on my Third Nerve (the one that controls your eyelid and eyeball movement). I was lucky. A stent was placed about an inch behind my right eyeball and I was sent home two days later.
But now, I still have a closed right eye, which I can barely open. When I do, I have double vision because my eyeball is not moving very much. But there has been a slight improvement in the month since the surgery and my neurosurgeon is “cautiously optimistic.”
As for me, I’m grateful for my health insurance, my doctors, every nurse I met and my loving family and supportive friends. I didn’t die, and I’m not blind. I can deal with the funky eyelid. After all, I’m working on a Pirate trilogy so I can really rock my collection of eye patches. My grandson love it when I growl at them: Aaarrgghh!
For now, I am enjoying Princess, the sweet 8-year old black Lab mix I recently adopted from Georgia. She makes me walk a little each day and is good company. And since my schedule outside the house is greatly reduced because I cannot drive, I am spending more time trying to red and write, It is tricky but while I was having multiple CTs and MRIs, I outlined two books in my head, so I am desperate to get them down on paper. I may have to try voice to text or write my books in long hand. But I can still write. This blog is my first attempt in over a month.
My life has changed. I’m facing a few obstacles. With the help of my family and friends, I think I can fully recover. If not, I believe I can create a new life that may be different, but just as rewarding as the last two or three incarnations of myself have been.
I’m not dead yet.