I had a nice chat with Soph's teacher last week. It seems she has opened up quite a bit (Soph has told me in past that she's only shy when she wants to be) to the point her teacher and I agree that both Brooklyn and Sophie need to be separated. So next month, (thank goodness), Mrs. Wilson shuffles everyone around to a new table. Actually, that's good and bad. She currently sits next to a boy that is very bright, especially in math.
You see every afternoon, I would review Sophie's school work and ask why she didn't complete her math worksheets. The stock response she told me daily was, "well, Brooklyn didn't do hers either. That's why I didn't do it.".....arghhh! If Sophie is going to be a follower, I would prefer she follows someone bright in areas she's weak. I'm sure she'll outgrow being a sheep if she has an ounce of her Daddy's character, who is without question not a Norway lemming even though he's Belgian.
Wow! I definitely don't want to go through the situation I'm in EVER again. The last time I went to the ER was when I delivered Sophie. So, it's been awhile since I've required medical attention. It actually started Friday, when my head was hurting pretty bad around my brows and my eyes, sharp stabbing pain. Then my eyes turned bright red. I thought I had pink eye at first, but was not sure since the symptoms were totally different other than my eyes being red.
It got to the point Saturday evening, I decided to seek what was really going on as it was quite alarming and I knew hubby was leaving Sunday. So as a family, we all went to the new ER located off State Street, which btw is very nice and new, St. Mark's Hospital. Luckily, there was no waiting at all and we were immediately escorted to one of the rooms where they attached me to all the different vital machines. Don't laugh but my blood pressure was elevated (i.e. 124/74), due to nerves, cramping in my stomach (i.e. stomach virus, something I've never had in my life until now), and the issues with my eyes. Of course the nurses thought my bp was normal, my temperature was only 99˚F... so really no temperature. All my vitals checked out to be fine, except for the cramping thru out my gastrointestinal tract, ughmm... diarrhea, some tiredness, headaches and red eyes. I believe the supplements I had been taking alleviated all of the other symptoms which I did not exhibit - i.e. nausea, vomiting, fever, etc. associated with a virus.
The ER doctor told me basically that my now diagnosed "iritis" is likely a manifestation of the stomach virus I had. I guess the remnants of the virus making it's final attack before fading; and thankfully it did the next day, Sunday. It was also confirmed today by my primary doctor I definitely had a virus according to the CBC lab results. All my numbers were back to normal; it lasted 7 days exactly.
Finally, after 2.5 hrs in the ER room, gulping my yummy, delicious (NOT!) GI cocktail, getting a couple of prescriptions, etc. the nurse once again took my vitals. All was back to normal, my oxygen saturation was 96, which is good and my blood pressure was "my" normal 115/60. I'm so glad we went to the ER. I would never have known what I had until it was probably too late. Iritis is something very serious and can eventually cause cataracts, glaucoma, to loss of vision (yikes!) if not treated right away and aggressively. In this case, I would have preferred having "pink eye" which is a lot less serious.
First thing Monday morning, I immediately made an appointment with an Opthamologist who could see me the same day, accepted my insurance, and was accepting new patients....sheesh! The doctor now has me on medication (i.e. prednisone) for the inflammation. Luckily, I was spared not having to take an antibiotic since there were no signs of an infection. My doctor said, "we can do a lot of tests, spend lots of your money..." if I want to find the etiology of my iritis. But, I said "no".... I just want it to go away as soon as possible, especially because after going through all of that, there's still a big chance they still won't know what caused it anyway. We can currently chalk it up to the stomach virus and also the possibility that I may have an antigen called HLA-B27.
An HLA-B27 is sometimes ordered to help evaluate someone with iritis that is not caused by a recognizable disease process, which is the case with me. Because I reacted strongly to the stomach virus, my eye doctor suspects I may have this antigen. This will be confirmed when I have my next lab work. Very curious to know.
So the little bit of research I was able to do was enough for me to be grateful we went to the ER when we did. Otherwise, I might have thought I had pink eye, even though it wasn't anything I've experience in the past. Early detection is key to resolving this iritis issue, as well as, getting on proper medication as early as possible before it can lead to a more serious outcome.
As a side note, I think it's odd how taking medication like prednisone drops will help you from getting cataracts and glaucoma initially. But if you take it long term it will actually give you cataracts and/or glaucoma. There was a lady in the waiting room at the eye doctor. She had been suffering 2 years to find our recently she has Crohn's disease, after many colonoscopies, surgeries, endless tests....taking steroids. She now has cataracts at a very young age (i.e. 40's) in my mind.
Anyway, hubby always thinks I'm against using conventional medicine, but when it's serious, acute, I have no qualms at all. First address the problem with something that's going to work immediately, then once every thing is back on track and stabilized, I can then fix the secondary problems that arise from it more naturally.
For more information about iritis, I found this article which I'm posting herein. Below the article is just a recap of where we are with our move:
IRITIS / UVEITIS
IRITIS, a form of Anterior Uveitis is a term for an inflammatory disorder of the colored part of the eye (iris). In the majority of cases there is no specific cause. Occasionally, iritis is just one symptom of a disease that affects other organ systems. These are called connective tissue diseases and include: rheumatoid arthritis, sarcoid , lupus , scleroderma , Behcet's disease , anklylosing spondylitis, Reiter's disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and B-27 disease. Sometimes, it is necessary to establish whether iritis/uveitis is a manifestation of one of these or some other underlying systemic disease.
The symptoms of iritis include light sensitivity, red eye, blurred vision, tearing, pain, and sometimes floaters. The pupil may appear small in the affected eye when compared to the normal pupil. Frequently iritis is a recurrent problem; after a few episodes patients become very astute at early diagnosis. Iritis is sometimes confused with conjunctivitis, a much less serious disorder of the clear outer lining of the eye.
The secrets to the successful treatment of iritis is early detection and proper choice of medicines. Therapy consists of anti-inflammatory and dilating drops. These medicines decrease the inflammation and reduce the scarring that can occur. Persistent cases may require more intensive treatment. Successful treatment of iritis depends on careful and consistent compliance by the patient.
In serious cases, complications may arise. Cataracts, glaucoma, and corneal changes are possible consequences of both the disease and the medicines used to treat it. Careful observation is needed in the resolving phase to monitor potential problems. If the medicines are withdrawn too rapidly, a recurrence is very possible.
What are the symptoms of iritis? The symptoms of iritis usually appear suddenly and develop rapidly over a few hours or days. Iritis commonly causes pain, tearing, light sensitivity and blurred vision. A red eye often occurs as a result of iritis. Some patients may experience floaters, small specks or dots moving in the field of vision. In addition, the pupil may become smaller in the eye affected by iritis.
How is iritis diagnosed? A careful eye exam is extremely important when the symptoms of iritis occur, as inflammation inside the eye can affect sight and could lead to blindness. A slit lamp, which illuminates and magnifies the structures of the eye, is commonly used to detect any signs of inflammation. A diagnosis is often made on the basis of an eye examination from an eye care provider.
Since iritis can be associated with another disease, an evaluation of the patient¹s overall health is sometimes necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, blood tests, skin tests, and x-rays may be conducted and other specialists may be consulted to determine the cause of the inflammation.
Since iritis can be associated with another disease, an evaluation of the patient¹s overall health is sometimes necessary for proper diagnosis and treatment. In some cases, blood tests, skin tests, and x-rays may be conducted and other specialists may be consulted to determine the cause of the inflammation.
How is iritis treated? Treatment of iritis is often directed at finding and removing the cause of the inflammation. Steroid eye drops (1% Pred Forte) and ointments are the main stay of treatment. They work by quieting the inflammation. Additionally drops that dilate the pupil may be added to reduce any scarring which may occur and make the eye more comfortable. The application of hot packs may also provide relief from the symptoms of iritis. In severe cases, oral medications and injections may be added. 
A case of iritis usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks. During this time, the patient must be observed carefully to monitor potential side effects from medications and any complications which may occur. Cataracts, glaucoma, corneal changes, and secondary inflammation of the retina may occur as a result of iritis and the medications used to treat the disorder.
A case of iritis usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks. During this time, the patient must be observed carefully to monitor potential side effects from medications and any complications which may occur. Cataracts, glaucoma, corneal changes, and secondary inflammation of the retina may occur as a result of iritis and the medications used to treat the disorder.
Loss of sight can be prevented: Since iritis is an inflammation inside the eye, the condition is potentially sight threatening. Proper diagnosis and prompt treatment of iritis are essential. To minimize any loss of vision, the patient should have a complete eye examination as soon as symptoms occur. If diagnosed in the early stages, iritis can usually be controlled with the use of eye drops before vision loss occurs.
So, we're planning on moving for sure in 2 more weeks. We won't close on our house until the end of the month. This works out perfectly so we don't have to rush and move out the same day we close....waaay tooo stressful. I certainly don't need another iritis attack!
I can't wait to get moved/settled in before the first snowfall. Looking forward to having someone else remove the snow for a change. And hey we have a heated lap pool right next to our town home. Sophie can't wait to jump in. Although, I would prefer she waits until next May.
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| Our new kitchen with staggered custom cabinets. If you enlarge, it'll give you an idea how my vision appears, just 10x worse, cloudy and blurry. |
That's all the excitement for now, albeit not a lot of fun for me :o/ However, I do feel things are going much smoother now.
One last final word, it's easy to not take a supplement when you're feeling well. But if you're under a lot of stress, I think the most important thing you can do for your health is to take probiotics on a daily basis, 2x a day, eat yogurt, drink probiotic juice, eat kimchee, sauerkraut, etc... just anything to supplement your gut with all the good bacteria. It can help keep at bay any food poisoning, stomach viruses, or viruses in general you come in contact with from taking a foothold in your body and your health. I'm back to regaining a good flora and fauna in my gut this winter. Hope you do the same :)
Be Well!
