May 27, 2013
Just a quick update on the recent happening in my life. About 3 1/2 weeks ago I had a wedding here in the Durban area and took the opportunity, since I was in the area, to see an optometrist because I could feel that there was something not quite right with my right eye. Nothing painful, nothing gross, just subtle pressure. She discovered that I am near-sighted (I don't need glasses to read) but my far-sighted ness now needs glasses. Not bad that I managed to hold of fo almost 78 yrs. without glasses.
However, she discovered that the pressure in my right eye was 38 and in the left eye 24. She sent me to an ophthalmologist who found the same and gave me some drops to put in the eyes each day, one drop each, every day. It is supposed to decrease the pressure. I don't know how, but....
I am back now in Durban for a checkup to see if the drops are working. They are. the pressure in the right eye went down from 38 to 18 (hooray), and in the left eye from 24 to 17. We are all happy. The right eye has already been damaged and it is called Glaucoma. the pressure has damaged the peripheral vision but the direct vision (tunnel vision) is still OK. There was the possibility of the need for an operation to drill another hole to drain the excess fluid in the eye so that the damage will stop and whatever you are able to seen now will remain. The Ophthalmologist said to come back in another 6 weeks to see if the pressure continues to go down. I understand that 7 would be OK or maybe a bit more but that means that there is still a ways to go.
Then I went to the dentist who discovered that the ache that I had been experiencing for the past week or so was actually a deep cavity that had gone down into the root so there was no option but the take the whole tooth out. Hey, I am falling apart. What's next.
But, I am happy that the problems have been solved and I can get on with my life which brings new and exciting things every day. As Murphy once said, the light that you see at the end of the tunnel is probably the headlight of the approaching train. Ha! Get used to Murphy intruding on your life.
I am happy to be able to continue physically and to be active. I was even able to do some digging the other day which made Fr. Guy, my Provincial, mad at me. He wants to be over protective, but I appreciate his concern.
I will be receiving visitors in July and in September and have a wedding coming up sometime in September as well, so I have exciting things to look forward to. I also received a note from my niece, Dr. Ann Kulik, that she and her husband will be coming out next year in February. That home leave combined with the sabbatical last year was a strong tonic for my spirit and I have the pictures on my computer as a screen saver so that I keep seeing the people there that I love and it keeps me in touch in my spirit.
I pray that you all stay well and thank God for the love and attention that you have graced me with in my life. In Xhosa there is a saying " umntu ngumntu ngabanye abantu", e.g. a person is a person because of other persons. How true! I would be a pauper without the richness that you have shared me by being a life-giving part of my life.
Stay well, y'all. Love and Peace, Cas
