Don't Rub Your Eyes After Handling Zoanthids/Palythoa

heck, sad part about this is I am turning 40 in a couple weeks! I thought you were supposed to start loosing your sight and bodily functions after 40 but gradually over time! I just went from great vision to blind in a day! 40 is going to be a rough year I have a feeling!!! My body is already falling apart piece by piece

 

well didnt get the news that I was expecting or wanting..........but it is not bad news either!

Doctors are very concerned because my healing has stalled completely. Nothing has gotten worse but nothing has gotten better. The ulceration is the same size as it was before and at this point should be all but healed.

They stated that this is a result of the neurotoxin and the nerve damage that I have on the front part of my eyeball. Couple issues going on, my cornea is damaged and is thinner then it should be, plus the nerves on the surface of the eye are the ones responsible for healing and regeneration. Since those nerves are dead it is not healing!

Vision wise, it is a little worse, back to 6/200 versus 20/200 however the way they do the visions test when you cant see 20/200 i would think there is some room for error, I do think the vision ha improved from yesterday (thought i had a setback in vision this weekend)

Sooooooooooo, what are we going to do? Not really sure right now. They are adjusting my drops and lowering the steroid dose to 40mg everyday (from 60) and added oral doxycycline twice a day to the regimen. (I now look like a pharmacy just for eyes) Luckily there is no signs of infection but he said the doxycycline will hopefully help heal some. He did stress that he is also not lowering the prednisone dose because of improvement, but because steroids can actually cause the cornea the thin and weaken even more (Plus I cant stay up to 500 am again!)

He is thinking we might have to stich my left eye shut for a bit to hopefully help with the healing process. Not sure when that decision will be made or for how long. I figure it will be odd but my eye feels better with it shut then open even with the patch.

Everyone around me is a little bummed and down..........however here is how I look at it. Ok, my healing stalled. It is not healing like it should be. However they do not really have a way to compare my healing process to other people who have been exposed to palytoxins because, well there just arent cases. So I could be 100% on track!

I do know though the longer it takes to heal the ulcer, the more scaring will occur which means less vision. The other thing I am concerned about is right now the eye feels ok. not great but ok. When the nerves were healing before it hurt like HELL! Like someone held a match to my eyeball. Not looking forward to that pain again, however at least I can know that it is a good thing. Plus if/when they sew my eye shut I am going to have to have my hands restrained because even in my sleep I rub my eyes!!!

I am going to go back to work on Wed. however and am actually lookng forward to that. People asked if i would prefer to work from home for a bit, but honestly I think the best thing right now is for me to get back out with my friends from work and get out of this house!

The first doctor when I asked if I could go back, told me flat out no. He wanted to see more progress in the vision and the healing prior to returning to work. I asked if I could damage my eye if i went back to work and he said no. He then recommended i ask the second doctor. The second doctor agreed after some convincing to allow me to go back on Wed!

 

For what it is worth, your strength is inspiring Mel. No one can say what will happen, so I think it will make a huge difference in the long run.

Does your work require a lot of time at the computer? Can you do something else there while your eye heals?

matt

 

no, my work is 100% computer based. I do work for a great company and do believe that they will have extra help for me. In fact all my friends from work have been calling and telling me how they are banning together to help me out. I figure I am sitting at the computer at home for hours now, and as long as I keep the bad eye patched and wear sunglasses when the good eye is sensitive I should be ok! Plus I have completed the FMLA papers, so if it is too much, i just come back out

Trust me, I have my melt downs and poor Curts ear is wore off from all my complaining! But unfortunately no amount of complaining will bring my eyesight back at this point and just brings me down!

Thanks again all for the kind support!

 

Matt, you don't know how right you are. My ear is not worn off in any way, shape, nor form from Melissa's complaining. I know people who complain more of sinus congestion in a 6 hour period than she's complained during this whole ordeal.

 

dang girl(and curt) hang in there and keep up with the positivity!! I couldn't agree more, that complaining doesnt help and only keeps you down. a little thing i always say... "laugh or cry!" lol

Its all in perspective and perception really is reality. so, I hope the healing progresses. And i agree, that since there arent many reference cases. who is to say that you arent healing just how you are supposed to.

 

Like i said I am very fortunate with my friends, family and support system!!!! Yesterday was a good day, Curt took me to a local frag swap where we bought some really cool stuff and he even bought me one of my most favorite corals..........awesome rainbow acan (we lost a couple of our acans after the paly thing) then took me to one of my most favorite restaurants and we stuffed our faces! It was nice to get away from everything!!!

 

Glad you're getting back in the swing of things! Hopefully someone is driving you to/from work when you go back. Driving w/ one eye can lead to a lot worse than water on the floor!

 

yeah I have a girl that works in the office with me that lives a few blocks from me. She has agreed to take me to/from work everyday!!! Dont think it would be a good idea to try to drive yet!

 

lol, I'd master the ice cube tray first