Organization: Far Post BBS, Palatine, IL  (708) 934-6224
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.words-l
Date:         Thu, 7 Jan 1993 01:18:13 CST
From:         Andy Lester <alester@FARPOST.CHI.IL.US>
Subject:      Dan Lester and his magic eye surgery, Phase III
Comments: To: eye@farpost.chi.il.us

Please allow me to introduce myself...

I'm Andy Lester, Dan's son.  He asked that I relay news of his eye to
y'all (the diet and words-l lists).  I read neither of these lists, so
if you want to send anything to me, or ask anything, send it to
alester@farpost.chi.il.us.

Dad's off in Salt Lake City right now, having more stuff done with his
eye.  Apparently, he and Gail left in a big big hurry on Tuesday,
without being able to leave much word with anyone.  So he asked that I
send the following to y'all so you know what's going on.

Here's what I know/remember so far, and Dad/Gail may correct it, if
it's a bit inaccurate.  This is from talking to Dad for about 20
minutes some 6 hours ago.

Some time Tuesday, Dad started getting the black curtain in his left
eye again, this time over about 90% of it.  He went to the doctor in
Boise, but the doctor who did the cryo/surgery the first 2 times wasn't
there, and wouldn't have been able to fix anything anyway.  So they told
Dad to go to this doctor in Salt Lake City, the best in the country,
they said.  So Gail and Dad hop in the car and tool on off to SLC,
trying to get there by midnight, and missing the snowstorm that was
headed thataway.

Today, Wednesday, he went to the doctor about 10am.  This doctor was
voice recording notes as he went, noting things like that the retina was
100% detached, and kinda just floating around held only by the optic
nerve.

So, they know he has to go back in and laser the retina back on.  At
this time, they have to decide what to fill the eye back up with,
whether it's some sort of silicone stuff or long-lasting gas (like that
will last 8 weeks instead of 2 weeks).  He decided to get the gas
instead of the silicone because they have to go take the silicone back
out in a few weeks if he gets that.

Also, at this time they decided to remove the lens from his eye.  The
lens sits behind the cornea up front.  Doing this will help the healing
process, but will leave him unable to focus on things that are near,
making him basically very very far-sighted.  This can get corrected by a
special contact lens in a few weeks.  The other reason for removing it
is that if they touch the lens at ALL, it develops an instant cataract,
and so they figured that since they may screw it up anyway, might as
well take it out.

So, they're gonna do that to him some time noonish Thursday.  But the
doctor also wanted to look at his right eye.  Those of you keeping score
will remember that he has about a 15% chance of the retina in his right
eye detaching, just like the left one.  This doctor took a look at it
and saw it starting to peel away at the bottom a bit.

So, they decided to laser the right retina back down now, taking the
preventative way out now while it's relatively easy.  They debated going
in and doing surgery directly on it, but then he would have been
without useful eyes for about 4 weeks; this way, he's at least got the
right one.

They did 439 laser shots on the right retina today, while he was awake,
and will do some 500 tomorrow while he's knocked out and they're working
on the left one.  The doctor just aims his laser, and hits a footswitch,
and <click> zaps the eye, and moves it a tiny bit more to some other
loose spot.  Dad says that the laser zaps shots (they're not called
"zaps", there's a cute name for it, but I can't remember what) hurt,
but they're not the worst pain in the world.  However, after 400+ of
them, he was close to blacking out.  There are ammonia sniffers taped
to the walls so that the docs can quickly revive anyone who passes out.

Finally, when he gets to go back, he's gotta be face down for 4 weeks.
He asked the doc if he could read propped up on one elbow, staring
straight down, and the doc said yes, but that's about it.  Already Dad
and Gail are envisioning how to prop up the TV and/or monitor on the
floor.  He can sit up, but his head has to pointed straight down all the
time.

So, that's all I know.  He told me some stuff about maybe going back to
Boise on Saturday, I believe, but everything's up in the air, depending
on how well the surgery goes, and weather, and the like.  I may go out
there to keep him company for a week some time, maybe early Feb, but I
don't know for sure yet.  Gotta see what my boss says.

Anyway, send me mail if there's anything specific you want to ask/know,
and I'll do what I can.

Andy


---
alester@farpost.chi.il.us       "I have 7 years of programming experience,
Andy Lester, Palatine, IL        and I own the entire Big Black catalogue."
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