
This is kind of a personal post, so if you aren't into that, feel free to come back in a day or so when I have other content.
I am still with my dad. It turns out his issue with his eyes is quite serious.
Six or seven months ago, he noticed his vision was getting worse. He is an avid reader (just like me) and noticed he needed stronger magnification to see the words on the page. He went from a 2.5 magnification to a 3.0. The drugstore didn't carry anything stronger, so when the 3.0s no longer worked he was able to order 4.0 magnification glasses from Amazon. Then he tried 5.0. Then 6.0. And then he couldn't read at all anymore.
He couldn't get in to see the eye doctor from March to May due to COVID-19. Finally, in May his medical center started seeing patients with other issues again, and he called for an appointment. They were backlogged, so he had to wait nearly two months to see the doctor.
As you know, I took him in yesterday, thinking he just needed a new pair of glasses. Nope. It turns out he has a condition called "wet" macular degeneration of the retina. The good news it is treatable. If you get in as soon as possible for treatment. The bad news is he has lost months waiting to be able to see an eye doctor for a diagnosis and treatment. Now the situation is urgent. The hope is that he has not lost so much of his eyesight that the condition can't be reversed. And if it can be improved, how much after all the delay?
After two and half hours with the ophthalmologist yesterday, she referred him to a retinal specialist. She put the call in herself, saying he needed attention urgently, ASAP. The specialist is seeing him today at noon. The treatment is a series of injections into his eyeball, with the hope that the medication will reduce the fluid in the blood vessels of his eye and reverse some of the damage that has been done.
Reading has been his primary source of entertainment, particularly since my mother passed away and he is on his own. He has stacks of books next to the chair where he sits. They have been gathering dust for the past few months, much to all our concern. We are all praying that the treatments will be successful and he will be able to enjoy his favorite pastime again.
He is 94. I love him with all my heart. Hearing him say "I hope I won't go blind" just about did me in. Any good thoughts you can send his way will be appreciated more than I can say.