In the Blink of An Eye

November 16th marks the 4th year reunion of the day I got my positive Lyme diagnosis and began treatment!  That diagnosis came 5 years after getting bit by a single tick.  I don't really have any crazy feelings about it this year.  Fighting Lyme disease is a life long expedition and I've welcomed the undertaking.  I am happy to always be propelling in a foreword direction with my health.  The leaps I have made this year have been profound amidst a fierce battle personally, professionally, and within my family.  What I want is for someone to wrap me in their arms, see how far it has taken me to get here, and tell me how amazing I am for doing so! 

I woke up on Tuesday August 28th and could not quite see right.  No biggy, this happened when
undiagnosed with Lyme, it'll go away I thought.  I couldn't pin point exactly what was going on with my vision but figured it must be from the "flare" I was in the final stages of https://brewlifewithlyme.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-flares-are-fo-real.html.  I waited a week and my vision was still screwy.   Perplexed, I went to the eye doctor.  I had been to this eye doctor a year prior so he was familiar with my Lyme eyes.

The assistant tested my vision and when the doc came in I protested how upset I was that I will be needing glasses!  He gave me that you're a crazy Lymie look we're all too familiar with and noted that my vision tested nearly 20/20.  I looked around the room with utter confusion because it was obvious to me that I could not see correctly.  He decided it must be related to Lyme and said it should go away soon... and I threatened him that I would be back if it doesn't go away!

The next week I spent nearly hitting bicyclists on the street, catching myself from falling backwards on the stair climber from disorientation, and unable to read, write, or type.

I tried reading glasses while doing a castor oil pack and only got headaches.

I also starting blaming my 100 drop a day habit...

After some experimentation and lots of weird looks from my co-workers I realized I was seeing images in my left eye remarkably smaller than the images in my right eye. I researched this odd occurrence and the name for it is: Aniseikonia.  Back to the doc I went;  Once there he informed me that he has never in his very long career, ever saw somebody get this condition.  He confirmed my diagnosis.  Oh joy I thought, understanding the causes of Aniseikonia.  

I knew at this point that there were three causes:
1.  A brain tumor in the occipital region of your head
2.  Something wrong with your retina
3.  Some people rarely get it from eyeglasses gone wrong.

We decided the first step would be to take a look at my retina.

Some photos were taken and while waiting for the results I could not hold back the tears.  I was overwhelmed with sadness at the thought of having something else wrong with me  :(

Doc came back in and told me he found something on the images that would most definitely be the reason for my seriously messed up vision.  It appeared to be fluid that built up from a possible tear or hole in my retina. Eeehhhh.  We can rule out a brain tumor, so that's great because in my family that is unfortunately common.  But what now...surgery...on my eyes...Eeeeehhhhh yuck, noooo!

The doc applauded me on coming in and telling him what I had.  He said because of my 20/20 vision he would have never checked the retina.  He didn't even know what the next step would have been if we hadn't found something on the images!  He was very impressed by my research and knowledge.  I simply said...This is what I do. I figure my health shit out because I seem to be the only one who can do it.

Off to Spokane Eye Clinic I go.

1st time getting my pupils dilated.  I went back to work like this.

Turns out I do not have a hole in my retina, just some fluid build up.  This is rare and this is caused by Lyme disease.  We took more photos of my retina at the eye clinic and the fluid is getting smaller from the first photos taken with the doc.  I will be returning to the eye clinic at the end of November and if the hot springs on my retina remains then surgery is an option.  It's been about 2 months since this whole thing began and my vision is returning to normal.  I am not running over bicyclists or falling down from disorientation at the moment.   In fact, I was able to take a road trip back to Bellingham for a very exciting project I'll share at a later date.  I have a theory as to why this happened and how to fix it.  I'm on it!

Thanks for reading, Becky