post graft update

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Sophie Bull
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post graft update

Postby Sophie Bull » Wed 22 Dec 2004 6:43 pm

Hi all, thought I would give aquick post graft update and let you all jnow, (especially Janet!) how Im doing.

After an initial scare after the first two days when I ended up back in hospital things have settled down and got so much better. The last few days have been so exciting. I can see out of my grafted eye as well as my non-grafted (better) eye and see far more than I have for a long time out of it. Its mad, I end up looking very odd as I walk around closing my un-grafted eye and reading things with the other one to myself and getting very excited! It is only two and a bit weeks post-op so hopefully there will be more improvement to come,

Still feels a little uncomfortable at times and its very difficult to limit your activity when your feeling so fine in yourself. Does anyone know how bad it is to spend time in smoke filled environments! Im not a smoker but would often meet friends in pubs/bars etc. especially as its christmas.

will keep you all posted with how its going

Sophie

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Thu 23 Dec 2004 5:36 pm

Not sure how bad smoky environments are for a newly grafted eye, but I used to work in the environment industry up chimneys of powerstations and down mines! :shock: So I was either in one of the smoyest places you could get or dusty!

I think the advice is common sense really, first sign of discomfort, get some fresh air.

Good to hear you are doing so well, it is times like this that you realise how bad things had got.

Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year. Recovery is going well, stay sensible and enjoy your new gift of sight.

Gareth

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Caroline
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Merry Christmas

Postby Caroline » Thu 23 Dec 2004 9:24 pm

Dear Sophie
Glad all going well for you, this is my second Christmas post graft.
Last year I had stitches etc, still managed to go out etc. Agree with Gareth enjoy yourself but take it steady!!
You tend to know when eye is struggling with environmental factors, smoke etc, I was never without my Liquifilm eye drops!

Have a great Christmas
Caroline :D

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Sophie Bull
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Postby Sophie Bull » Thu 23 Dec 2004 11:15 pm

Thanks for the replies. I think you are right and I am building up a pretty good relationship with the new cornea (shes called cornelia! decided the donar was a wise women!) and I know when its had enough, so I will indeed take it pretty steady, its just to big a thing to risk.

Hope you both have a lovely christmas
Soph

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Fri 24 Dec 2004 9:50 am

I have come to the conclusion since being on this board and having spoken to a few KC sufferers now and that is we all have one other thing in common.

We are all complete BARMPOTS :D

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Roy St Pier
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Postby Roy St Pier » Fri 24 Dec 2004 12:13 pm

Sophie,
Delighted to read that you are off to such a good start with your new "friend". Like in any relationship there are bound to be the odd difficult patches, but I'm sure this is the start of a long and rewarding "attachment". I assume you have various drops you have to put in the grafted eye . I'm sure things will be fine in the pub etc as long as you follow instructions.

Have a great Xmas, likewise all other KC'ers

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John Smith
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Postby John Smith » Fri 24 Dec 2004 7:40 pm

Hello Sophie, thanks for giving us all an update. I'm really glad to hear that you and Cornelia :roll: are getting on so well.

My only advice would really be the same as everyone else's. Remember, you don't want to make Cornelia angry. You wouldn't like her when she's angry!

Have a great Christmas, and welcome to the post-graft club! :)
John

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Alice Blue
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Postby Alice Blue » Sun 16 Jan 2005 6:49 pm

Happy New Year Sophie and Cornelia!

I hope you may be able to help. My H had his graft this week and is so far trying to keep +ve but is getting demoralised as it seems no better than before yet. He has rapidly advancing KC in the non-grafted eye hence the decision to do the 'bad' eye. He ended up havign a full graft rather than the partial one too.

I see it was 2 weeks or so before you noticed a benefit. Is this right?

I'm looking for any hope I can in order to feel positive about it all for him.

I hope your situation is improving, I remember being at uni and can't imagine how you are coping with it all there.

Thanks for any help,

Alice

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Sophie Bull
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Postby Sophie Bull » Mon 17 Jan 2005 11:32 pm

Hi Alice,

On the positive side it is only just over a month post graft and IÂ’m still in the library after a full dayÂ’s study, in revision mode preparing for my exams! And Cornelia is doing fine she is a little tired and aches slightly after, but I would imagine that is just because I have not used this eye so much in a long while. It is more odd feeling in the mornings and sometimes ever so slightly red but this may just be (the doc says) it getting used to the light, it always seems a bit better by the afternoon.

I think if your husband is only in his first week it will take a while for it to settle, I certainly think mine took a couple of weeks before I even really compared what I could see out of it. I would imagine he is still on drops two hourly? Mine have now gone down to four times a day and this is so much easier and makes you feel much more normal. After feeling pretty c**p for the first week or so I really did feel sooo much more like myself again and it really didnÂ’t take long for my vision to be really good...even went for a swim in the river on new years day (a bit of a tradition and all 15 of us were going in, I didnÂ’t really feel I could be left out, so on with the diving goggles and in I went!)

The post operative swelling did take a while to settle so even if the vision isnÂ’t great yet I really think it will improve. IÂ’m not sure this is something that other people who have had grafts done feel or not, but I wonder if it take your brain a while to adjust. To go from not really using the eye at all (only had white cloudy vision) to a position where I can see almost as much as the non-grafted eye (although thatÂ’s not fantastic) must take a while for your brain to work out how to use it again (well maybe its just a theory and sadly im a historian not a scientist so its not based on much!). Although my vision is better in my grafted eye I think I only really notice it when I close the other one and can still see, with both eyes together it doesnÂ’t yet seem to make a huge difference and IÂ’m still very dependent on wearing the lens in the left eye, which its a little disheartening after the graft, but still early days.

I really hope your husband stays positive, the first couple of weeks are the worst with the drops and interrupted sleep, but it is short lived.

I really hope this rather long ramble helps a little, and IÂ’m more than happy to keep you updated if it helps to hear some positive news. IÂ’m going to see my consultant again tomorrow and hopefully all will be well despite the extra work IÂ’m now doing.

Right Cornelia and I are off home to rest!!
Take care and keep smiling
Soph

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GarethB
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Postby GarethB » Wed 19 Jan 2005 6:38 pm

Hi Soph,

Really good news and it is nice to see someone has the same theory as me regarding the brain having to be re-educated and I am a scientist :D

Gareth


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