Isn't it crazy sometimes when at one minute's everything seem to go really well, and the next, everything changes, or how at one point you thought you knew all about what was happening to you and then suddenly, you realize you don't? Crazy life, yeah?
So, a week ago, I had something enter my eye, and that definitely wasn't the first time I was having a “foreign body” inside of my eyes. I mean, its quite hard for us to escape the fact that sometimes somethings get trapped by our eyes and maybe all we probably do is rinse it out, get someone to help us blow it out or even just sleep it off because the eye is supposed to cleanse itself, yeah?
It was late at night and I was using my phone when I suddenly felt something enter my eye from nowhere, my eye seemed more “frightened” than it usually will be when something gets in there but well, I brushed it off and waited for a few minutes to let the eye clam down, so I could get back to what I was doing on my phone.
A few minutes later, it was still “crazy”, I could feel something moving around in the eye and by then, tears had already started flowing from the eye and well, all I did was close the left eye (the affected eye) and went on with what I was doing, I figured that with the eyes closed, I couldn't feel the thing move and I wasn't tearing up too and neither were my nose (as my eye was crying, my nose too was). So, easy fix!!
I got finished with what I was doing within minutes (because using one eye was just uncomfortable) and decided to just sleep but I thought I should finally go rinse it out before I head to bed since the thing seem to still be in there.
I stood up and went over to the bathroom to get some water to rinse my eyes, I looked up to the mirror and that was when I realized how bad it was. It was red and swollen! Plus I couldn't see what was in the eye. Well, I went ahead to rinse the eye several times but I could still feel something moving in there, I decided to just brush it off saying “its gonna get better by morning".How wrong was I!!!
By morning, the eye was sore, still red, itchy, swollen I could still feel something moving inside of the eye and the tears were flowing uncontrollably (well, my nose too). The only way for me to feel better was to close the affected eye. Well, after noticing that, I guess my first option was to run over to the hospital but no, I didn't!
I went out and got some eye drops, which was supposed to cleanse the eye and make me feel better but now that I think of it, I wonder if it only made matter worse.
Well, the thing happened on Sunday night (27th Jan) and I ended up going to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, after getting tired of how uncomfortable it felt having to use just one eye plus how horrible it looked. Thank Goodness I didn't plan on going anywhere.
I have never had issues with my eyes, well, except for one time when I got infected with “Apollo” (Acute Hemorrhagic conjunctivitis), it is transmittable and that was why I was able to get it from someone. Well, my Dad but it was over within a week…. Because it got treated….
So, after getting tired of everything going on and hoping it was gonna get better in a few hours or even minutes and it not getting better, I decided to do what any reasonable person will do — seek professional help.
I went to the hospital and met with the Doctor and well, by the time I left, I was no longer tearing up, plus the thing was no longer in my eye. He literally to flipped my sore eye inside out so he could see if the thing got stuck in the upper lid and I wanted to go crazy…. Kids back then used to do this for fun but I never took part in it because…. I didn't know how it was done ( plus I was mildly scared because we were told that if a fly touches it, we are gonna go blind🌚).
Well, they did an “eye test” on me too. That one where you will see letters at different magnification? And while the right eye “passed the test”, the left could only read three lines out of the eight that were there. And after the test, I was like “so these people really expect an eye that has been tearing up for hours to see clearly?”. Oh well….
He finished his checkup and diagnosis, used something to clean the eye, applied some drops and wrote down some drugs I needed to get. He told me to check back after a week and I was like “okay” but deep down inside of me I was like “see me when you see me”. I wasn't planning on coming back, I could see with my eye now. Or so I thought….
I went to the pharmacy to get the drugs and headed home. Once I went home, I looked at the drugs and used just the eyedrops, neglecting the rest. It was about 5 of them and I definitely wasn't planning on using them, the drops and ointment were just fine for me, I am not gonna use the pills, I thought.
Well, it was night and I was seated, watching TV when I decided to play the day's event in my head, I remembered the eyes test thing and laughed at how ridiculous it was. Well, that was when I decide to try the test myself. There were like a few writings being shown on the channel I was watching, so I tried looking at them with the left eye and it was all blurry!! I freaked out!!
I tried to convince myself that it was nothing and probably will get better by tomorrow or later, but it seemed like I wasn't doing a good job at convincing myself. “These doctors, you go for one thing and they create another thing for you”, I said...
When I realized that I was able to convince myself enough, I reached for the drugs and took every one of them and at that moment, I made up my mind to go back the following week. If for anything, I realized that I didn't wanna lose an eye. I decided to keep my eyes off artificial lights for the most of last week to atleast let it recover and i guess it did help a bit...
To be honest, I have always been one to care a little bit less about my health. And while I thought I have changed over the years, it seems like I haven't changed much.
About 4years ago or so, a similar thing happened. Well, in that case, it was malaria. I was given antimalarial drugs while resuming school, I had taken one dose at home, the next was supposed to be 3weeks later and then another dose after 3weeks again but once I left for school, I forgot about the drugs. Well, it wasn't like I had forgotten the fact that I needed to take the drugs, it was just that I thought they weren't important. I could have used the mosquito nets to protect myself but I didn't like sleeping under nets either, in fact, I gave them to someone. Drugs weren't for me, but I didn't wanna take other precautions as well...
Few months passed, exams were approaching and I fell sick, it was Malaria, I knew it and I refused to seek help. I stayed sick for 3 weeks while studying and writing exams. I had to find a way for it all to work. I realized that I get super feverish at night, so I made sure I was studying in the morning/afternoon, times even in the evening, I would force myself to study.
My schoolmates were worried and they would often time try to talk me into going to the school clinic, but I guess I was just too stubborn, funny thing is, I was the one always taking people to the clinic. Once when it got severe, I reached for the drugs and took a dose of it but my mouth only got bitter afterward. I stayed for like two days without eating and didn't complete the whole dosage. Well, the drugs were for prevention not treatment.
I was done with Exams and went back home. I thought I was gonna be better one I was relaxed at home but no, I didn't and I kept it a secret from everyone that I didn't get treated. Everyone noticed I looked different but well, I blamed it on the exams, until one day…
I went to the bank with my sister and while we were on the queue, I felt dizzy and nearly fell. There was something close to me so I was able to hold onto it. Well, the people on the line were nice enough to let her get done with her transaction earlier and immediately we left the banking hall she was like “we are going to the hospital”. I told her I was only dizzy because I didn't eat breakfast but she didn't give me a listening ear…
When we got home and my mum was told the story, she then realized that I didn't even get treated when I got the Malaria and she said, “what if you died?”. At that point, I really didn't realize that I could have died of Malaria. I guess I can say that I was lucky or maybe blessed!
Oh, the eye! Forgive my digression
So, last Tuesday was a week after my first consultation and I went over for another checkup. And as much as I would love to say it is an “eye victory” it is not much of a victory. My sight had gotten better than it was a week ago but it still isn't as good as the other.
I would need to go back after two weeks and if my sight isn't as good as it should be, then maybe we would take more tests and then probably get a corrective lens, I am hoping it gets better. I would want to believe that the eye still is recovering from the “battle” it fought.
I guess I always have had the belief of our bodies being able to “bounce back” on its own but then again, we will have to treat it right for it to be able to, there are times that I have stretched it too hin.
If I had gone earlier, it probably would have been much better... Next time you are dealing with something that needs professional help, seeks professional help, really, don't be like me.
I have figured that writing this could probably help me when next I want to treat me wrong and maybe someone that sometimes acts like me. We gotta give our body help when they need one...😊
Much Love — Audrey❤
