Ok, that phrase alone - proliferative diabetic retinopathy - has got to be sending a chill up anyone's spine who is a PWD like me. I've been racking my brain over this for about 48 hours since my diagnosis (Friday 7/29/11). It wasn't a surprising diagnosis. After all I have diabetes since 1989 (22 years this December) and it is a complication that as we get older (44 right now) comes with the…

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Is it me or do some folks think diabetes is like catching a cold a few miserable days then you get back to your cheerful bubbly self and are the hit at the party,I was never that to begin with I had such a long face on me it kinda stuck that way I cannot remember I laughed at a joke or broke out in belly laughter in my case thinking the worse does not really help your cause,if i am really honest and there are times you need to be with yourself never mind others I have always taken things too… Continue

I wrote a blog a few weeks ago at Diabetes1.org about my latest eye examination(s) . I've had a few interesting replies from others - some at the website - some via PM (been told my optic nerve could be swollen) - all in all - interesting feedback as to how well we can trust our doctors to detect problems that maybe we are more of aware of then they are (maybe due to lack of time with their patients -…

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I have noticed many doctors or so called specialists especially the eye one's tend to treat me as if I was not there it is difficult to put into words but I often get the feeling they would like to be somewhere else take my last visit to the eye clinic at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford.

My appointment was for 3.20pm my wife and I arrived at 3pm always the chance they might see you earlier than your appointment, silly to think that way they never do, I had drops put…

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Part One: Out of Focus

It's been 6 years since I caught the first sign of a problem with my health. Since then, I've had two children, countless visits to doctor's offices and walk-in clinics. I've even had two hospital stays. I've probably crossed paths with over 20 health professionals, yet it was a small-town optician who got it right in 2004. If only someone had listened to him....…

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Well, there I was….. At age 38 I was confronted with my 1st major complication… Cataracts.

This I must say, was an extremely difficult experience for me. Cataracts are in essence, the clouding of the eyes & also vision. There are a number of stages to cataracts. What made my case even more challenging, is that not only was its growth rapid, I was…

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Has anyone experienced macular edema? If so –what were you able to do to mitigate the blurriness?

P.S. I have already seen a retinal specialist twice. I may get a corticosteroid injection in January.

Well done :o)!!



Seriously, todays events from the beginning, I hate all D related appointments, I am always waiting for them to drop a bombshell and tell me 'well it's started...' or 'you know how tight control is sooo important well.....'

So dutifully I psyched up for today.



Travelled to my appointment, on perhaps the brightest day in the UK of 2009 (there is a subtle irony here, in that I wish for an overcast day to make it easier on my battered eyes when I go back… Continue

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's yesterday. I can't say I was exactly surprised, but it's still a bummer.. just one more thing to add to the list... now I wonder if more autoimmune junk won't be coming my way too.. really my biggest fear is celiac, I don't want to have to deal with that one..ever :( I mean, I'm sure I could if I had to, but it just seems tough.



On the bright side, after 9 years with T1, my kidney function is perfect, my eyes still look great, and aside from my… Continue

I almost forgot, on Friday the 14th of March I went to see my Ophthalmologist, Dr. Michele Gajus. She's a lovely lady.

She told me I have cataracts which don't need to be operated on quite yet and the signs of Macular Degeneration (which I already knew) . She told me to keep an eye on it and if I notice it getting worse I have to go see her immediately.
And that's about it for that.