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Living the dream - quit my job and traveling the
world. Over 50 countries
in just under two years.
Having a monkey for a
traveling companion
assured me of some fun
adventures.
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eye surgery
Entry 62 of 80 | show all | print this entry |
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July 24, 2005
I went in for another follow-up appointment this morning. I still have double-vision when looking up or down but it doesn't hurt anymore. The doctor said it could take 4-6 months to heal all the way. The hip could also take about 6 months to heal. So for now I'll continue with the eye exercises and just give it time. ----------------- July 6, 2005 The doctor said the surgery went fine. My eye is all swollen and bruised (worse than when I was originally hit!) and my hip is bruised from the bone graft. I had the pleasure of sharing a room with a crazy, old guy who'd complain and talk to himself all the time. His Thai wife would come in from around noon-6pm and they'd spend that time yelling at each other. It really improved the experience. I arrived on Sunday around 9:30am and got to wait around 'til 5pm for surgery. They put me completely under, which was nice, so when I woke up I was back in the room. And I hurt all over. Of course, both my head and leg ached from the surgery. I felt nauseous (from anesthesia?) for the next day and was sick a few times. I told the nurses I was nauseous but continued to receive solid foods which I couldn't eat. Not that the food was that edible. ;) The next morning I still felt ill so just lay in bed and had a little fruit. The nurses came in all the time to take my blood pressure and temp but did little to help with the eye (it was taped up, bloody and swollen). It wasn't until the doctor came back at 9pm that anything was done. They cleaned up the eye and hip and checked my vision a bit (blurry of course). Felt a bit better the third day and opted for McDonald's instead of hospital food (yes, there's a McD's in this hospital). Doc came and saw me again around 1:30pm then I got to go. Friday I'm supposed to go back to get the stitches out then I think there are a couple more follow-up visits. Doctor said it will take a few weeks to heal. I hope it goes quick 'cuz this sucks (eye, head and leg hurt). Got a ride back to Matt's Tuesday afternoon and was lazy there the rest of the day. I've been out wandering a little today. I'm not good at sitting around and doing nothing. ----------------- June 27, 2005 I went and saw the doctor this evening and discussed the surgery and such. He didn't make it sound like it would be too big a deal despite the opthamologists saying the surgery would be "difficult". They have to take some bone out by the hip and graft it into place in the fissure of the left eye and put all the goop around the eye back into place. The surgeon was ready to do the surgery that same night but I had eaten just prior to the appointment. I have scheduled it for Sunday July 3 (he was busy 'til then) and will get to stay in the hospital a couple nights. My major concern was what am I going to do those two days...I get bored easily. After they release me, I'm kinda on a leash tied to Bangkok 'cuz I have to do follow up visits (one week then every couple weeks). Guess I can do some sidetrips or something but that adds another kink in the travel plans. So sounds like I'll be hanging out in Thailand a while. ----------------- June 26, 2005 So the CT scan results are in and there is a fissure/crack in me noggin' below the left eye. This is causing muscle and the fatty stuff around the eye to leak down thus lowering the eye. There may also be some blood build-up near the back of the eye. I go back and see a surgeon this evening to find out more about surgery. What fun! Otherwise I'm sittin' around lazy in Bangkok a lot. I'm wandering Khao San Rd and to Chinatown today. ----------------- June 10, 2005 Since January (when I got hit in Jo'burg) my left eye has been bugging me off and on, but it was always just maybe for a day and went away. The last while in Australia and in India it didn't bother me at all. Just a couple days into Cambodia my vision seemed a little messed up and I saw in the mirror that the eye was visibly lower than the right eye (ya, I look mental or something). I went to an opthamologist in Saigon and she thinks the bone below the eye may have a fissure in it and the eyeball is actually lowering. She recommended getting a CT scan and going back to the U.S. for surgery. She said it would be "difficult" so that surely means expensive. My travel insurance ain't very good so I doubt it would cover much or they'd find some reason not to cover it at all. A lawyer friend in Australia said a personal injury lawsuit against the guy on the tour who hit me shouldn't be a problem. She's getting more info for me. I'm checking on getting a CT scan in Hanoi or Bangkok and if that shows a fissure I'll most likely be coming back to the States. Don't really want to end my trip early but getting my eye fixed is more important.
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