Sunday, April 19, 2015

Asking for Prayer

It has been raining here almost nonstop, so when I saw that yesterday was predicted to be a dry, sunny day, I decided to spend a few hours outside doing the much neglected job of weeding & trimming around the trees & bushes.  I was out there for about 6 hours & got about half the trees & bushes done.  Things were going well, & then it happened.

Remember last November when I bent down to pull some weeds away from a myrtle bush after mistakenly cutting off two good branches & permanently disfiguring our little pine tree?

I did not see a little branch tip sticking out from the myrtle.  I bent down & it poked me in my right eye. I felt immediate pain & literally saw stars.  I called my eye doctor's office ... they said to come right in.  I was diagnosed with a corneal abrasion in my right eye (the second in that eye ... I had one the prior year due to a similar injury) & was told how serious this was (apparently branch tips in Kentucky have some kind of fungus on them which is not a good thing to stick in your eye).  He squirted a bunch of medicinal goop in my eye, patched it, & then after the patch came off I had to apply two different kinds of eye drops in my eye for a week or so.  My eye doctor is a joker most of the time (I like that) & he told me that I should give up yard work before I blinded myself.  
Yesterday I was nearing the end of my trimming & weeding.  I would have stopped with the back yard, but there was a grass that badly needed trimmed & weeded near the driveway.  I decided that would be the last of my work for the day. Near that grass were 2 bushes & I decided I would trim & weed those too.  

The first bush I came to was a wedding bush. Here's a nice one (not mine) in full bloom.
You may be able to tell from the photo that it has very long, very thin branches.  I was being careful ... as I had been with all my weeding & trimming ... that there were no wayward branches that would poke my eye, but one of them got past me. I bent over, & wham!  Poke.  I didn't see stars this time, but I felt pain.  I had a bottle of water with me & I immediately flushed my eye with the water, but it didn't seem to help much.  I continued my weeding & trimming (I had to get it done!!!), flushing my eye with water every now & then, & then went into the house to take a shower.  

I looked at my eye.  The poke caused bleeding.  I took my shower, then called my eye doctor's office.  I couldn't believe that they had no emergency backup on weekends!  All the message said was that if there was some kind of emergency, call the hospital.  I called.  The operator didn't seem to know what to do.  She put me through to the ER.  First the person who answered the phone asked me if I wanted him to page my eye doctor, then he started telling me how they have no eye doctors on call at the hospital.  I told him to go ahead & page my eye doctor, & then he told me he couldn't do that!!!  I don't think he knew what he was doing.  He told me I could come into the ER & see an ER physician.  I decided to do that.  

The ER physician confirmed that I have a corneal abrasion.  She also said there is a piece of something embedded in my eye.  She gave me a bottle of ciprofloxacin drops, told me to use those every 2 hours when I'm awake & to take Tylenol for the pain, & said to call my eye doctor first thing Monday morning.

My eye is hurting this morning & I can tell there is something in it.  John looked at it & said the blood is gone but there is a "big black piece of something" there   : (

Your prayers are greatly appreciated.  

27 comments:

Vickie said...

Oh Shirlee! I thought, no way! No way can this happen again. I feel faint from the description, not kidding. I am praying.

Maggee said...

Done.

Myra said...

Praying for you. Maybe you should wear protective goggles from now on. I guess "the yard" can be a dangerous place. :~)

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Oh you poor thing, how terrible this has happened again.

I think you need to wear protection goggles if you are going to carry on gardening in future.

Hope your eye recovers soon.

Justine said...

Oh Shirlee you will have to employ a gardener! I will pray for your poor eye.

Melody said...

Your story makes me shudder! You are going to have to start wearing safety goggles to work in the yard!! You don't need a repeat of this. I am thinking of you and hope all goes well.

Marilyn said...

Oh Shirlee, I feel so bad for you.
I'm saying a prayer that everything will be ok.
Take Care.
Marilyn

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Oh Shirlee, I'm horrified by what has happened to you. Once is bad enough but twice is awful. You need to get that fixed asap - my husband once got metal in his eye and I know how painful it is. I think having to wait till Monday is dreadful. Take care.

CalamityJr said...

Oh, Shirlee! I'll be praying really hard, but please do give up at least the trimming part of yard work.

marly said...

Good grief Miss Shirlee!! Clear lightweight safety glasses should be on your shopping list! Never work outside without them. Hope you get in first thing in the morning.

KimM said...

OH, SHIRLEE!!!!! I will be praying for you - man, oh man. You've had a rough stint, haven't you?!?
Hugs
xxx

Sarah in Stitches said...

Ouch! My goodness, your yard sounds like a dangerous place. I really hope you'll be able to get through to the eye doctor tomorrow morning. Keep us updated, and feel better soon!

Robin in Virginia said...

Oh my, Shirlee! Lifting you up in prayer as I write this. I hope you are able to get in to see your eye doctor tomorrow. Thinking of you!

Robin in Virginia

stitchinpeanut said...

Prayers are headed your way... Take care... rest... And keep us informed.

Heritage Hall said...

Prayer already said, Shirlee. May
that foreign piece dislodge thru
the bathing of your eye with the medication and the pain dissipate
as a result.... For your next"Big"
day ask that special someone to gift you with glamorous goggles to
be worn when you are clipping away
in the garden.. Blessings ~

gracie said...

Oh my friend, you are in my thoughts. I do hope you can see the doctor first thing Monday. Keep us updated

http://thankfullga447 said...

Oh no, this must be so painful. You can't get hurt on weekends. I have to go into my garden and that is when I usually pull my back. Take care.

Jessica said...

While I pray for you, PLEASE get some protective goggles to wear when you garden!

Like these:
http://www.amazon.com/3M-Protection-Chemical-Splash-Impact/dp/B00467C7AE/ref=sr_1_sc_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1429479928&sr=8-3-spell&keywords=protevtive+eye+goggles

The geode kits that my daughter gets have similar goggles and they work great. I was surprised that they weren't annoying to wear or see out of. You can probably find something at Home Depot or whatever "home improvement" store is in your area. Or order them online. I don't want you to go blind!! :(

Blessings, Jessica

Unknown said...

Oh mercy, Sherlee! I'm so sorry that happened and truly feel bad for you. Getting poked in the eye or something stuck in the eye is just horrible.

I will definitely pray for healing for you.

God bless and keep you,
Sonia

Danice G said...

Praying for you Shirlee :)

Angela said...

I think I would just about faint if that happened to me, hope the Eye Dr. can help you tomorrow. I agree with the others safety glasses or even sunglasses would really help protect your eyes :) Take care.

Maureen said...

Just read this this morning Shirlee and I am adding my prayers to everyone else's. That discomfort has to be so irritating and tiresome. Try not to worry(so easily said) and hopefully Dr will see you right away today.

Mrs. Laura Lane said...

"Father God, I pray in the Name of Jesus Christ, your Holy Son. Please cause this debris to be completely removed from this dear lady's eye and bring complete healing and restoration to her eye and her sight. I pray for protection, peace, and trust in you for her and her family. Thank you God, thank you Jesus, thank you Holy Spirit for the peace you are bringing right now. Amen."

Frances said...

Oh, how dreadful! I am so sorry for you and hope it will be better really quickly! It sounds terrible!!! You will be remembered in prayer!

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Oh Shirlee, I've had a similar thing happen to me. Oh I feel for you so much. I do hope this can be taken care without too much discomfort. Sending positive thoughts and prayers your way. {{hugs}}

Farmhouse prims said...

Prayers that your eye will be alright. hugs, Lecia

Kaisievic said...

Shirlee, those thin branches certainly have it in for you. I already know that your eye is better but please know that I think of you and pray for you every day.