Re: Re:TED comments and questions-/

November 22, 2002

Hi, Nance,

I hit the send button by mistake before so I'm going to do this again. What

I started to say is that you've been through hell and you've risen above it

and hopefully the end of the worst of it is near for you. You, like

and others, must be very strong individuals to have taken on this battle day

by day.

At this point to look at me you would probably not suspect TED. The double

vision comes in when my chin is down and I look upward. When I do this and

look up to my right it is fine but to my left it starts doubling up. The

other thing is if I stare at my two eyes in the mirror, I think the one has a

miniscule sliver of white under it. It's not really noticable, just when I

roll my eyes a certain way and inspect them while I'm doing it. They do not

look puffy or bulgy but when I cup both eyes, one feels slightly bigger to

me. Elaine (who has really been so helpful to me) explained that I can be

in one of two catagories which is wax and wane eye problems or less commonly

bad to worse (not in her words!) so I am ever hopeful that I am with the

majority. But I feel I have to be ahead of this thing so I never have to

look back and regret. I am curious about the steroids and at what point they

recommend them. As steroids are used to prevent scarring then I would assume

they would be most beneficial at the first sign of double vision before there

is any scarring. But when I asked my first opth., he just said they're not

for you. When I was first diagnosed with Grave's early Oct. my eyes started

to get red, sore and very tight when I looked up. After the tap which I

started almost 4 weeks ago, those symptoms went away, even the tightness when

looking up. The opth. took this as a very good sign so I am praying he is

right. The only thing that has me worried is what I saw in the mirror

yesterday.

I appreciate yours and 's stories because I think we can learn.

Unfortunately both of you aren't quite done with your travails (sp?) but it

seems as if you on your way. When I called first called the NP I plan on

seeing there was a recorded message and at the end it said something like

don't see your illness as an obstacle, see it as something that was given to

you to help you find your way to greater understanding and power. Well I'm

not ready to be pleased yet, that's for sure, but who knows...at least I'm

eating better and cutting out the nonsense things in my life that bring me

the slightest unnecessary stress. Since stress is such a kick start to the

immune system, this has given me the clarity to see what is important in the

scheme of things.

I'm hoping you get your share of sunshine in your life soon, Nance.

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