I'm so scared - I may have glaucoma

[COElizabeth]

I know it's not baby-related, but I just got home from an eye exam and am so upset. I have quite elevated pressure (28) in both eyes, and glaucoma runs in my family (both mother and maternal grandfather), so I am being sent to an opthalmologist for testing and probably treatment. I feel absolutely horrible because it's been about 4 years since my last exam, which was normal. Forunately, the doctor said he didn't see any obvious damage, so that's a good sign, but he also said they don't like to see high pressure in young people because the damage accumulates over time. And then to top it off, I had to go pick up a prescription in an office building on my way home, and I was wearing those dorky sunshades they give you and missed the bottom step in the parking garage and fell and dropped James! Thank God he was buckled into his car seat, so he just got a jolt, but of course I cried, and then that made him cry. Ugh.

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02

[gour0]

I'm so sorry. How awful for you! When is your appointment with the opthalmologist? Don't worry about dropping James. No harm done. We'll keep you in our thoughts.

[celfsh]

Elizabeth,

So sorry to hear about your rough day. At least the doctor did not see any visible damage yet--hopefully, with preventative treatment, your eyes will get better, not worse. Take care of yourself and keep us posted. I am thinking about you.

celeste
mom to olivia 9/25/02

[Rachels]

Oh, Elizabeth, I'm so sorry! Please keep us posted. And go ahead and cry. Hopefully it will all be okay, and we're here in the meantime.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[atlbaby]

Elizabeth,

Sounds like you had an all-around terrible day! That's good that the doctor didn't see any obvious damage right now. Hopefully, you've caught any problems that may be starting in time to reverse them properly! Please let us know how things go at the Opthalmologist. I am hoping things turn out well for you, and will be thinking of you!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01

[mamahill]

Just wanted to say I'll be thinking of you. Like the others said - cry! Whatever you need to do to let off some steam. You've had a tough day and deserve a little relief. Good thing you caught it now. Keep us posted. And I dropped Ainsleigh in her seat once, and I wasn't even wearing dorky glasses, just clumsiness. Best wishes...

[Annette_C]

Elizabeth,
Sorry to hear you had a bad day. I hope things won't be as bad as you expect them to be and that all will be resolved positively.
I'll be thinking of you....keep us posted.
Annette
SAHM to Sabrina 6/24/02

[jojo2324]

Elizabeth, I am so sorry! Definitely feel free to vent here and cry all you want...We all need that at times. Keep us posted about any developments. I'll be thinking of you!

[kathsmom]

Elizabeth,

I am so sorry that you had such a bad day. I will be thinking of you. At least they caught it in time, if it is glaucoma. I have had to see a specialty opthamologist for the last 9 years. I went into an opthamologist for a routine eye exam, because I was having some trouble with distance vision and thought I might need glasses. He kept dilating my eyes and finally told me that I had 2 holes in my right retina. He was shocked, because usually this runs in families or happens to people who wear Coke-bottle thick glasses. I didn't wear glasses and no one in my family had a history of it that I knew of (I found out later that my dad's brother has had a ton of holes in his retina, but since my parents divorced and we haven't kept in touch, they just have neglected to tell us these important medical details!! Needless to say, my mom was mad when she found out about that!).

He told me that I needed laser surgery immediately. If I had one good sneeze, I could go blind. I had the surgery and it was successful. I have had no holes in either eye. I still see a specialist once a year. I have learned what signs to look for to indicate that the holes might have appeared, but with the first ones, I didn't have any symptoms at all.

I know these are 2 totally different diagnoses, but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. I just wanted to let you know that I had been there where you are with the eye situation.

Good luck and have a good cry if you need to - I know I certainly did with my diagnoses!

Toni - mom to Katherine (5/19/96) and Andrew (9/23/02)

[nigele]

Elizabeth,

I am so sorry to hear about your possible glaucoma. My sister had it as a baby and has not had it since. I don't know if this helps, but I hope so.

Take care and give James a big hug from me for having to take a fall because of those silly glasses!

Lisa

[COElizabeth]

Thanks so much, everyone! I really appreciate your support. I am feeling better today, in part because I got good news on a different medical front (normal pelvic ultrasound - my mom had ovarian cancer, and my ovaries were being checked). Also, I went back to the pedorthist for about the 4th time (!) and finally think I am making progress on getting my foot better. I'm hoping to reward myself with an awesome jogging stroller when I can walk pain-free again! I'll let you know how the eye exam goes. It's not scheduled yet, but my truly awesome internist emailed me back within a few minutes of my email to him, and he promised to refer me to the university's opthalmology clinic. Oh, and for anyone who read my earlier post about having insurance difficulties because of elevated cholesterol while I was pregnant (which I now know is completely normal), the insurance was approved without my having to go through more testing. Yea!

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02