1988
I was 20yrs old, heavily pregnant with my first child, being told by the consultant at the Sunderland Eye Infirmary, that the excruciating pain I was experiencing in my right eye was Glaucoma and very serious.
How serious I thought? Its just pain in my eye, just give me some drops!
Wrong!!!!!!
I was then informed surgery was not an option it was a necessity if I was to keep my sight. But I was 8 and a half months pregnant, they couldn’t operate.
Plan 2, laser treatment. So I was immediately taken to a room and sat in front of a laser machine, and very scared.
It hurt like hell and after several attempts it was abandoned and unsuccessful.
What now? Now I was scared! I’m just about to give birth and maybe losing my sight in my right eye!!!
I was told to go home and contact hospital as soon as id given birth.
22 May 1988
My son, David is born. And 2 weeks later I’m whipped into Sunderland Eye Infirmary for surgery. I woke from my surgery and couldn’t see due bleeding etc. No worries, its done and I’ll be ok……….yeahh?
But my sight never returned and I was totally blind in my right eye, aged 20 years old and mother of a new born baby.
C’est la vie!
I got on with life, without too many problems, little accidents now and again, bumping into things, tripping up stairs etc but I became used to it and quite the expert at getting around with one eye.
Life went on
That was then this is now
I coped almost 20 yrs without many problems, learnt to drive, passed my test, trained to be a nurse, got my degree, raised my son, apart from a few niggles now and again and odd bouts of acute pain, which settled as quickly as it came, no problems.
However over the course of past few yrs the eye changed colour and shrunk in its socket, continuously deteriating, but again I accepted it and got on.
I was planning my up and coming wedding to my fiancé Shaun in August 2008, everything was booked and arranged, dress picked, venue sorted..
Happy days!
