GETTING PERSONAL

I have really been a long time in writing in my blog. I must apologize again for being so slow!!
I was having trouble with my eyes and just had to find the answers—I am one of the impatient types. Last July my eye doctor told me I had macular degeneration. I had not heard of this before and he said it was nothing to worry about and gave me some vitamins to take. I asked if I needed new glasses and he said no it wouldn’t help right now.I told him I would do anything to keep my sight no matter what the cost. He said I was doing fine and not to worry. Than in August Dr. Pitkin told me I had Diabetes2. Now I am starting to worry because I do not have time for all of these things. I am not used to anything being wrong so I got really upset. I called my dear friend Dr. Hurt at the MAYO CLINIC in Rochester Minnesota and explained to him about being diagnosed with Diabetes2 and asked him what I should do. You will appreciate his answer, dear reader, because he does not mince words!!!! He said “Do you really want me to tell you?” I said “I most certainly do because I do not have time to worry about this”!! He replied very slowly saying, “Get the fat off, Ruth. You must walk more everyday for at least a half hour. I reply ” I can’t walk that long on my treadmill, because I can’t breathe good.” He said” Than walk for ten minutes, take a break and do ten more until you have walked thirty minutes a day.” If you do that you will notice your blood sugar will drop”. So I started doing what he said and very slowly I noticed a change. I even started breathing better!! Dr. Pitkin had also sent me to the Diabetic Center in Glens Falls to see Karen Hogan. I cannot begin to tell you what a difference this made in my life. So I started doing what he said and very slowly I noticed a change. I even started breathing better!! Dr. Pitkin had also sent me to the Diabetic Center in Glens Falls to see Karen Hogan. I cannot begin to tell you what a difference this made in my life. You never feel rushed or dumb about being a diabetic. This first visit took over an hour and it went fast. She explained everything to me and gave me such great foods to eat that I felt like a new person when I left. By now I am into October and feeling much better, lost 26 lbs. walking on the treadmill!!. Started writing blogs and thought everything was fine. In December I had my eye surgery for droopy eye lid and it helped so much to see.
Than in January I noticed I was having a little trouble seeing things on the computer clearly. This time I called the Mayo Clinic and found out they had a research program going for people with Macular Degeneration. If I qualified I would have regular exams and all my medicine would be paid for, for the next five years. I thought this would be great so I agreed to be tested. I flew out to the Mayo Clinic in February and was tested. When the Dr. finished he said ‘Your Macular Degeneration is to far advanced.” I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I had absolutely no idea it was getting so bad. I asked him for a time frame and he said I would probably be blind in 5 years. I really thought I could handle anything but this just knocked me off my feet. I don’t remember leaving the Clinic and going back to the hotel but I remember how angry I was and crying and trying to explain this to Dave and all my friends. It was just devastating to me. How could I take care of my people if I was blind?? How could I see my daughter’s face again and so many things My friends all tried to cheer me up and I knew the Dr. was wrong. After I thought about it for a while I remembered that this was a Dr. and not God.
When God tells me than I will believe it, and He hadn’t told me yet!!
When I was talking to my attorney I told him about the trip. He said “You must go get a second opinion!” So I went to the Lions Eye Center in Slingerlands. There the Dr. did all the tests and also injected dye into my eye for a complete exam. When he finished he told me I have mild to moderate Macular Degeneration and as long as I continued to take Oculite with Lutein twice a day and eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and fish three times a week I should be fine. He said in his opinion I would have good vision for about 15 years. I told him what happened at the Mayo Clinic and he told me “When the Mayo Clinic runs a research program for Macular Degeneration they only take people who have been diagnosed within the last month. The Dr. probably meant I was too far advanced for his research and not that my macular degeneration was to far advanced!! He did not know why he gave me five years but in his opinion I was doing well and was not advanced. I tell you, folks, I felt like a million dollars.
Then I read about Governor Patterson and realize I have no business complaining! I still have a lot going for me so I guess I just needed a “wake-up” call and I sure got it. I have to remember to count my blessings because I sure have a lot and to all my many friends who helped prop me up I say, from my heart, Thank You and I love you folks, dearly.
I will get back to doing my blogs, so please dear readers hang in there with me because I still have a lot of stories. I remember………
Love RED