Diary of My Eye Disease Treatment
Day One
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
JENNIFER | SEPTEMBER 10, 2014 2:19PM JST
Breakfast
Well, I woke up before anyone else, which was about ten or fifteen minutes to six o’clock this morning. It was surprising since I went to sleep at around midnight. Then didn't feel like closing my eyes again. I resumed reading the book Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho until breakfast was announced. Today, I had some white rice, soup with mushrooms, a traditional Japanese egg side dish and another Japanese mixed veggie dish. I liked it.
Meeting Fumiko
During this meal, I sat with three women. One of the other patients whom I share a room with told me how she discovered her illness. For confidential purposes, I will name her Fumiko. She also has Basedow’s disease or what some of us know as Graves’ disease. Apparently, her eyes were strongly affected. Now, her story will forever remain in me and you will know why in just a moment.
First and foremost, let me share that Fumiko is a pharmacist who has been around medicine for a number of years. However, she felt secure enough to reveal her story. In the world of medicine, doctors are trained to have a level of mastery where they can handle tough and sometimes excruciating situations. This tends to happen in the most sympathetic way possible, at least for the patients’ sake.
Fumiko was diagnosed with this thyroid condition a little over three years ago. How did she know? As weird as it may come across, her right calf swelled up to a drastic degree and she began experiencing rapid heart palpitations. She went in for a check up, but no one could figure out the problem causing the enlargement on her calf to happen. Fumiko’s hospital referred her to a bigger hospital where she underwent a series of tests. That is when she found out she had Graves' disease and saw a specialist. Shortly afterwards, her eyes began growing at rapid pace.
Breakfast
Well, I woke up before anyone else, which was about ten or fifteen minutes to six o’clock this morning. It was surprising since I went to sleep at around midnight. Then didn't feel like closing my eyes again. I resumed reading the book Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho until breakfast was announced. Today, I had some white rice, soup with mushrooms, a traditional Japanese egg side dish and another Japanese mixed veggie dish. I liked it.
Meeting Fumiko
During this meal, I sat with three women. One of the other patients whom I share a room with told me how she discovered her illness. For confidential purposes, I will name her Fumiko. She also has Basedow’s disease or what some of us know as Graves’ disease. Apparently, her eyes were strongly affected. Now, her story will forever remain in me and you will know why in just a moment.
First and foremost, let me share that Fumiko is a pharmacist who has been around medicine for a number of years. However, she felt secure enough to reveal her story. In the world of medicine, doctors are trained to have a level of mastery where they can handle tough and sometimes excruciating situations. This tends to happen in the most sympathetic way possible, at least for the patients’ sake.
Fumiko was diagnosed with this thyroid condition a little over three years ago. How did she know? As weird as it may come across, her right calf swelled up to a drastic degree and she began experiencing rapid heart palpitations. She went in for a check up, but no one could figure out the problem causing the enlargement on her calf to happen. Fumiko’s hospital referred her to a bigger hospital where she underwent a series of tests. That is when she found out she had Graves' disease and saw a specialist. Shortly afterwards, her eyes began growing at rapid pace.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
Countless individuals began raising her issue in conversation and this caused her to become rather self-conscious. She continued to get treatment. At some point during this treatment, the eye doctor told her that she had another sickness in her eyes. It was some type of flu-like illness that she was oblivious to. This doctor wasted no time in telling her to return to her room, refrain from touching anything or anyone in the hospital and to get out. He kicked her out? Disoriented and not knowing where to go from there, she felt worse. What kind of eye doctor says that to a distressed patient? Especially if he's an eye doctor! Soon enough she was referred to Ito hospital, which is one of the most reputable thyroid hospitals in the country. To my understanding, all patients who develop thyroid eye disease at Ito Hospital are referred this eye hospital, Olympia. Back to Fumiko, her eyes became uncomfortably big and started shifting into odd or opposite directions to the point that she needed surgery. She got the surgery and now, her pupils move in the same direction that the average person’s does. However, it is obvious that she still needs more time to heal; physically and emotionally.
While getting ready to eat, I sat directly across from her intently listening to her story. Fumiko’s eyeballs were still rather large and her sclera (the white part of the eyes) seem to have random red scars of blood clots. I wanted to know what they were, however, I could not sum up the courage to ask her. I couldn't look into her eyes and consume my meal properly. Then I realized that I had to change my mental picture. What if my situation became that bad? How did she feel with the drastic change in the most evident part of her body? Her face! I stopped myself, my thoughts and my uncalled disgust. Fumiko has such a great spirit. She was open to speak with me in English, something none of the other patients feel confident enough to do. She is beautiful. I had to look at her with love not pity. Right then, at that very moment, I loved her for her strength, her outside and her inner beauty, I ate the rest of my meal feeling more than okay.
The Steroid IV
After the wonderful breakfast and the enriching discussion, I placed my meal tray on the rack and treaded back to my room. In no time, I knew that the IV would make its way to my quarters. A few minutes skimmed by and in walked the nurse. She brought three IV bags for three patients. First, the lady whose bed is diagonal to mine got hers set up. Second, was yours truly, mine. The nurse had me lower my bed into a flat position and I rested my arm horizontally. I wasn’t as scared as I usually am of needles, but I thought it would be a little more painful than it was. She explained that a plastic IV would remain under my skin and that if it hurts to contact her. Good to know then she taped it all up nicely and told me, “Five hours!” That was at 9:36am so by 2:36 or so, I will have it removed.
While getting ready to eat, I sat directly across from her intently listening to her story. Fumiko’s eyeballs were still rather large and her sclera (the white part of the eyes) seem to have random red scars of blood clots. I wanted to know what they were, however, I could not sum up the courage to ask her. I couldn't look into her eyes and consume my meal properly. Then I realized that I had to change my mental picture. What if my situation became that bad? How did she feel with the drastic change in the most evident part of her body? Her face! I stopped myself, my thoughts and my uncalled disgust. Fumiko has such a great spirit. She was open to speak with me in English, something none of the other patients feel confident enough to do. She is beautiful. I had to look at her with love not pity. Right then, at that very moment, I loved her for her strength, her outside and her inner beauty, I ate the rest of my meal feeling more than okay.
The Steroid IV
After the wonderful breakfast and the enriching discussion, I placed my meal tray on the rack and treaded back to my room. In no time, I knew that the IV would make its way to my quarters. A few minutes skimmed by and in walked the nurse. She brought three IV bags for three patients. First, the lady whose bed is diagonal to mine got hers set up. Second, was yours truly, mine. The nurse had me lower my bed into a flat position and I rested my arm horizontally. I wasn’t as scared as I usually am of needles, but I thought it would be a little more painful than it was. She explained that a plastic IV would remain under my skin and that if it hurts to contact her. Good to know then she taped it all up nicely and told me, “Five hours!” That was at 9:36am so by 2:36 or so, I will have it removed.
© 2014 Jennifer Gutierrez
The Eye Injection
About half an hour or so following the IV set up, two nurses walk in with some things in their hands. That's when I began to think, “Is it painful?” Fortunately, they injected the lady who sleeps across from me. Regrettably, I would be next and I heard a groan from her. “That's not good,” is all I could think of. They call my name and instruct me to lay flat with my head facing up on the side of the footboard. Both women seem to be ready to pin me down. “Oh shit, this is about to get out of control!” The injection goes in, but I don’t remember feeling the needle being inserted. Yet, when the nurse began pushing down the liquid into the eye-socket area that's when the pain slammed into action. The other nurse held my hands down and sought to keep me still. The pain derived from the steroid and its contact with my eye. The second they were finished administering the medicine, they compressed my right eye with an alcohol cotton pad and they told me to hold it for five minutes. It was throbbing while I attempted to clutch it under my eye. Tears were flowing down my right eye. I kicked my mattress a few times and breathed heavily over and over until the discomfort subsided. Those were the longest five minutes ever. My right eye swelled, but the pain of the day was gone.
About half an hour or so following the IV set up, two nurses walk in with some things in their hands. That's when I began to think, “Is it painful?” Fortunately, they injected the lady who sleeps across from me. Regrettably, I would be next and I heard a groan from her. “That's not good,” is all I could think of. They call my name and instruct me to lay flat with my head facing up on the side of the footboard. Both women seem to be ready to pin me down. “Oh shit, this is about to get out of control!” The injection goes in, but I don’t remember feeling the needle being inserted. Yet, when the nurse began pushing down the liquid into the eye-socket area that's when the pain slammed into action. The other nurse held my hands down and sought to keep me still. The pain derived from the steroid and its contact with my eye. The second they were finished administering the medicine, they compressed my right eye with an alcohol cotton pad and they told me to hold it for five minutes. It was throbbing while I attempted to clutch it under my eye. Tears were flowing down my right eye. I kicked my mattress a few times and breathed heavily over and over until the discomfort subsided. Those were the longest five minutes ever. My right eye swelled, but the pain of the day was gone.
