To See or Not To See

My eye is bleeding again.

I call Dr. L's office to let them know. Dr. L is a famous retina specialist that I've been seeing for two years now. Dr. L while being VERY good at his job, is slightly less than good at patient communication. Oh let's just come right out and say it ... frankly he sucks at it.

And after telling me that my eye is bleeding (ya think) and that I need have better A1cs (probably) he sends me off to get a carotid artery ultra-sound. His thinking, I CAN ONLY ASSUME HERE since he didn't actually share this with me, is that I have plaque inhibiting the flow of blood and increasing the blood pressure in the one eye that is bleeding.

Off I go to get the test. It's snowing and crappy outside but for the hour of this test I am kid-less and determined to enjoy it. The ultra-sound room is dark, and the gel is warmed. The tech gently presses on my neck and I find myself relaxing. I start to giggle because ... I'm actually enjoying this experience. What is WRONG with me?!! I'm viewing this life-saving test as a spa treatment! I have SO got to get out more!

Let's segue back to a week later when Dr. L is again examining my eye. My vision IS clearing. I've gone from 20/100 in the eye to 20/35 and the pressure is down in the normal range. So Dr. L. exams the eye and turns to go ....

Uh, what about the ultra-sound. Did you get the results? (can you believe that he wasn't even going to discuss them with me?)

Your arteries don't seem to be affecting your eye, he says, again turning to leave.

Are they normal?

No, not normal but in the range of normal.

And that is different, HOW? If only the other retina specialist wasn't 57 miles away.